Christmas In Collington - A Seasonal Short Story

Welcome to my Christmas Romantic Short Story Episode 1 It was 9.

30 on a frosty December morning and Dr.

Lucas Bray was lounging luxuriously in his four-poster bed,

Looking forward to the season ahead.

This was a well-needed break from the surgery and he was enjoying every minute.

In a week or so he would be on the road,

Back to see his family for Christmas.

He couldn't wait.

His father would be dressed in that silly jumper he bought him last year.

His mother would be wearing her frilly Christmas number.

And his niece and nephew would be donned in matching pyjamas.

As for his sister Rebecca,

She'd be made up to the nines,

Like always.

With any luck he'd get to cut their own Christmas tree in the local farm,

Select the finest Christmas goose from Wilton Manor,

And go for his favourite long winter walks through the wild landscape with Jasper,

The best dog in the whole world.

There was nothing quite like Christmas at Bluebell Cottage.

His parents had bought the house when he was a little boy,

And they'd lived in it ever since.

How the firs danced when he pulled into the gravel drive,

How softly the snow fell when the days grew short and long.

Their village was only a couple of hours away from his private practice,

But a doctor's life was demanding,

And it was only on the holidays Lucas really had the time to return.

Surrounded by quaint houses and long country lanes,

It was almost another world.

And the older Lucas got,

The more he was certain that one day he would return for good.

He sat up with a start.

There was someone knocking on the outer door.

Who could it be?

It was the weekend,

So he was certain it wouldn't be anyone about work,

Would it?

The conference had been and gone,

And as far as he knew,

He was the only one staying on for another night.

Oh well,

He didn't have to get up.

He was more than comfortable,

Thank you very much,

And had no intention of moving.

But there it was again.

Three knocks this time,

Firm and insistent.

Perhaps it was Verity.

No,

It didn't sound like her,

And any way he could do with a break from the drama.

She'd said she was going home early,

And if he was honest with himself,

That was a relief.

It had started out as great fun,

But this time she'd taken it too far.

Verity Chambers was never happier than when she was sent to stage,

And she'd certainly put his patients to the test this time.

As the top saleswoman at Plaxted Pharmaceuticals,

Verity was the kind of woman who kept going on until she had the attention of every man in the room.

And she'd certainly done that.

Lucas glared up at the ceiling.

It couldn't be her,

Could it?

Oh well,

All the more reason to stay put.

How crazy he'd been to even consider asking her to accompany him to his parents' house.

Still,

That was before he knew better.

He rolled over,

And the knocking began again,

Only more persistently this time.

For heaven's sake,

He hissed.

Okay,

Okay.

Lucas threw back the covers and reached for his robe,

Knocking over last night's nightcap in the process.

Damn.

He ran his fingers through his thick brown hair and bit down hard.

This woman was going to get a mouthful now.

Enough was enough.

He shuffled through the short corridor to the enclosed entrance in his complimentary slippers.

Our Buffnots was a boutique hotel,

Not big on space,

But perfect for a city break,

And well-renowned for its hospitality as far as pharmaceutical events went.

And Plaxted's budget was big.

Huge,

In fact.

I thought you were going home,

He spat.

As he yanked the door open,

His robe a lot looser than he realised.

He was scowling now,

Well-prepared to tell the woman on the other side exactly what he thought of her.

But to his surprise,

This was not Verity Chambers at all.

It wasn't even housekeeping.

It was Elsie Cornell,

The fresh-faced receptionist who'd recently joined Collington Private Practice.

Elsie.

At the sight of him,

The pretty young woman leapt back,

Her cheeks flushed pink,

Her eyes looking anywhere but in his direction.

This was her boss.

She couldn't see him like this.

Lucas quickly tightened his robe.

They were only boxer shorts for heaven's sake,

But the poor thing was as green as grass.

I'm so sorry,

Dr Lucas,

I know it's early.

She muttered,

Embarrassed at his naked chest and dark stubble.

You're all right,

He muttered back.

Sorry for snapping,

I thought you were someone else.

So where's the fire?

He smiled softly,

Amused at her innocence.

This was a welcome change from the other woman he knew.

And Elsie looked particularly sweet that morning,

With her soft blue collar sitting over a cashmere sweater.

All prim and proper.

Oh,

There is no fire.

I mean,

There's something I need to ask you,

But there's no fire.

Her face dropped again.

Oh,

No,

You've got company.

Of course,

I'm so sorry.

Lucas smiled once more,

Broadly this time.

No,

No company,

He said.

What's the problem?

A trolley rolled past with an unsuspecting maid attached to it.

She stared unashamedly at the man in the doorway with a generous smile and twinkling eyes.

He was very handsome,

In a rugged,

Down-to-earth kind of a way.

I've been working up the nerve to ask you,

Said Elsie uncomfortably.

Working up the nerve?

Sounds ominous.

Oh,

I can't do this.

Sorry,

Dr.

Lucas,

I'm an idiot.

Elsie turned away,

But not before Lucas tugged gently at her sleeve to coax her back.

Come in and sit down,

He reassured her.

I'll be with you in a minute.

Just let me get changed.

He headed back down the corridor,

Leaving the door open behind him.

He knew she would follow.

Dr.

Lucas Bray was nothing if not trustworthy,

Especially where women were concerned.

Wow,

This is a lovely suite,

Elsie raptured through the double doors.

Plaxedid Pharma really do hold a good Christmas,

Don't they?

They pull out all the stops.

They know what they're doing,

Lucas replied matter-of-factly from behind him.

His bathroom door.

Everything our suppliers do,

They do for a reason.

He checked the mirror.

He was probably not that much older than her,

Maybe five or six years.

But Elsie had an innocence that was rare,

As if she'd been hidden away and only just emerged into the big wide world.

What had she been doing all these years?

He re-entered,

Wearing his trademark fawn cashmere and dark denim.

Elsie's cheeks smarted again.

She was looking very uncomfortable,

But Lucas chose to ignore it.

Right,

You were saying?

He gestured for her to sit down,

But instead,

Elsie said,

You know what?

I think I'd better come back later.

It was rude of me to disturb you like this.

Lucas took a determined step towards her.

Sit down,

Elsie.

His tone was firmer this time,

More commanding,

So Elsie gave a reluctant little nod and did as she was bid.

Now,

He asked calmly,

Doing his best to avoid her eyes,

As he could see she was very nervous.

What is it?

Well,

You're a man of the world,

Dr.

Lucas,

I know that,

And I wanted some advice because I think I'm getting out of my depth with him,

And as this is work,

I take it very seriously and I don't want to mess things up.

I've waited a long time to get this opportunity and.

.

.

Whoa,

Slow down there,

Lucas soothed.

The more Elsie spoke,

The more flustered she was becoming.

So,

You met a man?

Yes.

And he works at Plaxted?

Yes.

But you don't know how to go about things?

No.

Whether or not you should avoid dating a supplier?

Yes,

And.

.

.

Go on.

As Elsie twisted her long,

Glossy curls,

Her hairband came loose.

She looked up at Lucas with two wide,

Hazel eyes that held for him an elegant innocence.

You've helped me so much already,

I shouldn't be bothering you with this.

You're not bothering me at all.

One second.

Lucas picked up the phone and dialed zero.

Tea,

Please,

He requested,

And a couple of scones.

If he was going to give advice,

He'd need something to soak up last night's celebration.

Now,

Let's go back a bit.

Who approached who?

He couldn't help himself,

He had to know more about what this woman was capable of.

The thing is,

It's my first time,

She blurted out.

I mean,

I never really went out before,

I was always busy looking after mum,

You know,

And then her illness finally got the better of her,

And now I'm doing all those things I should have done ten years ago.

Right.

Lucas nodded reassuringly.

So that was it.

And I don't want to come across as reckless,

You know,

But Harry is kind of good-looking and funny,

But he's also very ambitious and he might think I'd cramp his style.

Okay.

Okay.

Harry Carter,

Said Lucas to himself,

Is hardly good enough for you.

Elsie continued,

And if I'm going to have sex for the first time,

It'd be better with someone decent,

Wouldn't it?

I mean,

Harry does seem decent enough.

Lucas looked away quickly.

What on earth was the girl thinking?

He couldn't let her do that.

Throw her innocence away on that fool.

The office Lothario with a devil-may-care attitude.

No,

He had to stop this before it started.

So you asked Harry to.

.

.

No.

Elsie's cheek smarted for the third time.

No,

Not straight out.

I don't know him well enough for that.

Lucas smiled.

I see.

But he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Elsie was treating her innocence like something that must be removed.

Got out of the way.

Left behind in the conquest to become what she considered to be her passage to womanhood.

But I did try to kiss him.

Last night?

Yes,

Was that wrong?

No,

You're only human,

He replied.

And what did he do?

He kind of held me at arm's length.

Oh.

Then he said I'd been way over my head with him.

Oh.

Lucas smiled again,

Only this time without attempting to hide it.

I think it would be more the other way round,

He said.

There was a knock at the door.

Room service?

Lucas jumped up before Elsie had the chance to ask him what this meant.

Thank you.

He rolled the trolley to where she sat and poured them both a strong cup of tea.

I think you dodged a bullet there,

He continued as he sat back.

And anyway,

You're far too sweet to be throwing yourself at anyone.

When the right one comes along,

He'll be throwing himself at you.

Trust me.

Sweet?

Don't want to be sweet,

Said Elsie,

Tearing the lopsided band from her hair with a look of disgust.

It's a good thing,

Lucas replied,

But Elsie Cornell was not convinced.

I need to make up for everything I've missed out on,

She declared,

And Harry's the challenge I want.

I knew I could count on you to tell me the truth.

You've been nothing but kind ever since I started here,

Dr Lucas.

That's my job,

He replied,

Making up his mind to keep a closer eye on Elsie Cornell.

If he wasn't mistaken,

She was about to do something she'd regret.

But before he could say anything else,

Elsie got up,

Satisfied with what she'd heard.

Then leaning forward to replace her cup,

She gushed,

Wow,

Dr Lucas,

You smell divine.

Verity Chambers is a lucky woman.

This made him smile again.

Anytime you need advice,

You know where I am.

He replied kindly.

And as she turned to leave,

Lucas Bray wondered whether he had,

In fact,

Set his cap at the wrong woman entirely.

29 gallons of hot chocolate,

10 litres of mulled wine,

456 chocolate cookies.

And as of yet,

No one had arrived.

Where is everyone?

Thought Elsie Cornell,

Looking at the clock.

There were three days to go until Christmas,

And this was the first party she'd ever had.

Her mother had never had Christmas parties.

She'd been ill such a long time that celebrating was not something Elsie could remember ever having done.

But everyone at work spoke constantly about the wild times they had.

And as this was her first real job,

She was desperate to fit in.

She took a large sip of Riocco and checked the fire.

It was crackling cheerfully in the hearth.

Nice.

She'd made a surprisingly good job of that,

And she was delighted to see the flickering light was catching the gold accents in her new wallpaper.

She checked the tree.

Her new set of lights sat gaily among the long pine fronds,

And the room smelt fresh and seasonal.

Everything was perfect.

It had taken the best part of a year to get round to decorating.

Grief did that to you,

She guessed.

But now,

17 Barnyard Terrace looked just the way she'd always wanted it to.

Her mother insisted she make a good life for herself and not look back,

So she did just that,

Clearing out the old clutter and decorating everything to her own taste.

Quite how long the novelty would last,

She didn't know.

But this Christmas,

She was determined to enjoy herself.

Time for another sip.

Elsie Cornell would be living for the moment from now on.

No looking forward,

And no looking back.

She checked the table.

This was a perfect spread.

But would this party be a success?

She hardly dared to hope.

Did you remember the crisps?

Get the crisps!

She dabbled in the kitchen.

Splashed back into the kitchen.

Everything had to be just right.

After all,

She had Harry to impress,

Didn't she?

There was no way she wanted him thinking she couldn't rise to the challenge.

Then,

Once tonight was over,

She would pack up all her Christmas goodies and go and stay with her aunt in the country.

It was going to be great.

This year she had money.

This year she had a job.

And this year she had no responsibilities other than what to feed Matilda her fussy pug.

Half an hour to go.

Maybe people don't turn up early after all,

She thought.

She checked her makeup.

Festive lipstick in a matching red band.

Patterned jumper and tartan skirt.

Perfect.

That's what people wore at Christmas,

Right?

She gazed up at the mantelpiece mirror.

But would Verity Chambers have worn this?

Verity,

That glamorous sales exec who turned heads the moment she stepped into a room.

Being older than herself,

Verity was so much braver when it came to her clothes.

And Dr Lucas always seemed impressed by her.

Even though she had,

Thought Elsie,

A rather acerbic tongue.

You're only human,

He'd said when Elsie asked him for advice.

And he was right.

She needed to loosen up a bit.

Not be so straight-laced.

Little did she realise that was the last thing Lucas Bray meant.

Draining her second glass,

She dashed back to her bedroom.

It was time to be more daring.

Off came the jumper.

She undid the two top ties.

And the buttons of her blouse.

She might not know much,

But she knew she had a good figure.

Clothes always sat well on her.

And she never had to consider whether they would fit or not.

At 28 years old,

Elsie Cornell was still wearing the same clothes she wore when she left high school.

She'd never had to consider wearing anything else.

Because her life was at home,

Looking after her mother.

But not anymore.

She grabbed a brush and began backcombing.

Maybe that would help.

She read online the 90s were back in,

So why not?

Then she took another sip of wine and turned up the music.

Now for the heels.

They'd been sitting on the cupboard since she got them.

It was time.

They were a bit high,

But so what?

She wasn't leaving the house,

Was she?

So she wouldn't have to move around much.

And Verity always wore high heels,

So why shouldn't she?

The front doorbell rang and she tottered down the stairs gingerly,

Eager to greet her first guests.

Elsie,

Screamed Lucy,

The receptionist who usually sat in the back office because she didn't have time for annoying patients.

You're looking different.

Thanks,

Elsie gushed,

And she welcomed her and her boyfriend in.

Have a Prosecco,

It's from Marks and Spencers.

Lucy giggled and nudged her boyfriend,

Who was already stifling a deep yawn.

The parking's a bit tight round here,

Isn't it?

Lucy criticised.

Not like in our street,

Is it,

James?

Elsie blushed.

Well,

I've got my space,

So I never really thought about it.

But you're right,

I guess.

Do you think that will put people off?

Oh,

No,

Lucy smirked.

They've been looking forward to this all week.

With one awkward wobble,

Elsie headed to the kitchen to bring out some nibbles.

Then the doorbell rang again.

More of the surgery staff were waiting for her.

And so,

To her delight,

Was Harry.

You came,

She declared as she led them in,

A little less sure of herself than she'd started out.

Please make yourself at home.

I'll get the music going.

Christmas karaoke,

It is.

Let me give you a hand,

Harry offered.

Nice place you've got here.

Is it all yours?

Yes,

Harry,

Elsie stuttered.

Well,

It was my mother's,

But she died.

Hmm,

Lucky you.

This stopped Elsie in her tracks.

But she was tipsy.

And things sounded and looked different when you were tipsy,

Didn't they?

She faced him with a cheeky grin.

What did you say?

There was no way he could have said what she thought he said,

Was there?

I said,

Time to groove.

Oh,

Yes,

Definitely.

Do you like karaoke?

Likes a strong word.

This made Elsie laugh hysterically,

Which made Harry laugh too,

With a smile that,

Unbeknownst to her,

Failed to reach his eyes.

Would you like a drink?

Sure,

What you got?

Everything,

She exclaimed as she gesticulated wildly.

And so it continued for over half an hour.

Elsie laughing hysterically,

Harry becoming more and more entertained,

And Elsie getting more and more tipsy.

All the while,

She tried to hide her innocence,

Mask it as best as she could,

But it was in vain.

Elsie was who she was.

She knew everything.

Everyone watching saw a young girl,

Not a woman.

But what was it that Harry saw?

He seemed to like her,

But if she was honest,

The more she looked at him,

The more wiry he became.

He certainly smelled a world away from how Dr Lucas Bray smelled.

But what did that matter?

It was time to grow up.

Knights of White Horses only lived in fairy tales.

They didn't exist in real life.

And anyway,

Elsie was no Verity Chambers,

Was she?

Why don't we take this somewhere a bit quieter?

Harry urged suddenly,

With a directness she wasn't used to.

Come on,

Dancing Queen.

But overwhelmed,

Elsie was far from sure.

Just a minute,

She replied.

I think I need the bathroom.

She dashed off,

Instantly regretting her eagerness to grow up.

And it was half an hour before she was back.

Only to witness Harry laughing uncontrollably with Lucy,

The office cat.

What were they saying,

She wondered?

Were they talking about her?

Sorry about that,

She muttered,

Offering Harry a plate of wilting hors d'oeuvres.

But as soon as he saw her,

He shuffled his feet,

Checked his watch,

And began scrolling on his phone.

He was planning his escape,

And to Elsie's disbelief,

Lucy appeared to be helping him.

You've got that meeting tomorrow,

Haven't you?

She smirked.

You'd better check your diary,

Harry.

Yes,

That's right,

He lied.

The last one of the year.

London,

I think it is.

I'll have to leave early.

Elsie scanned the room.

Her Christmas tree stood in the corner in a state of undress.

The floor was littered with popcorn and strings of dried cranberries,

And the red and white rings of coloured card she'd made into quaint garlands were now draped over the back of the chairs she'd lined up so lovingly earlier that day.

All her hard work ruined.

Then several partygoers surged forwards as if engaged in battle,

Their voices rising and falling with the music as streamers,

Crisps,

And various items of clothing were hurled into the air.

But the turning point was spotting little Matilda cowering in the corner.

Matilda,

How did you get there?

All at once,

Elsie awoke as if from a dream,

Ran to the speaker,

Turned the music off,

Opened the front door,

And bid everybody a very swift,

Very determined goodbye.

The party was over,

And she,

Elsie Cornell,

Had learned a very valuable lesson.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

It was Christmas Eve,

And it was cold,

Colder than Lucas Bray ever remembered it being.

It had been snowing for the last two days,

And there was no sign of it stopping any time soon.

He looked out of his dormer window.

The tall green firs hung heavy with the latest flurry,

And the path leading to the lane beyond was quickly becoming covered once more.

As it stood,

He could still complete all the wrapping and be ready in time to take Jasper for his walk before it got too deep.

But time was pressing on.

It was only just past midday,

And the light was already fading.

He checked what he had left to do.

His niece and nephew had labelled him the best gift wrapper in town,

So he could hardly deny them his help,

Now could he?

But he must be quick before it was too late.

Just three more gifts to go.

I'll get you his lead,

Mother Bray called up the stairs.

He's chomping at the bit.

And Lucas listened with pleasure to the pad,

Pad of Jasper's paws as he ran pell-mell through the dining room,

Front room,

And across the parkade hall in excitement.

This was the life.

Lively yet simple.

Home cooked fare.

A roaring fire and cosy Christmas music winging its way up the long staircase.

How he'd missed the hustle and bustle of a lively home.

Why not spend Christmas here with me?

Verity had offered on a text before he left.

I'm staying all on my lonesome at the Regent.

I've a suite just perfect for two.

But even if he had no family to speak of,

Lucas would rather be alone than take up that offer.

You could tell a lot about a person by the way they treated his staff,

He mused.

And the way Verity chambers behaved towards Elsie last week was unacceptable.

It took no more than five minutes to finish wrapping.

Donned in a feather quilted ski jacket,

Matching brown leather hiking boots and a thick wool scarf,

Lucas ventured out with a very excited,

Very energetic cocker spaniel.

Come on boy,

He exclaimed heartily.

Let's go have some fun.

And off they went into the heart of the English countryside.

Not again,

Come on old thing,

You can do it,

Begged Elsie.

I should have put the snow chains on.

What was I thinking?

You put the snow chains on when you go to auntie's,

Everyone knows that.

She was navigating yet another slippery pass through the long winding lane she'd been on for the past 15 minutes.

It was thick with snow and lined with ice-capped bushes.

There was no sign of wildlife now.

It was too cold,

But the car was warm and she was thankful for that.

It had been busy back in town.

Last minute shoppers were flooding the streets,

Their warm breath rising in little clouds in the frosty air.

Christmas lights still sparkled in every shop to invite that last minute scramble for gifts.

But Elsie was already prepared.

And ever since the party,

She'd been desperate to get away,

Even though the snow had not been this thick when she left.

How nice it would be to see auntie Mary again.

She'd been waiting in her little cottage with open arms.

If Elsie ever got there,

That was.

The further north she'd travelled,

The thicker the snow had become,

So that now it was near impossible to move beyond 10 miles an hour.

She started the windscreen wipers again.

There was yet another flurry on its way,

Although this one didn't look too heavy.

At first,

There'd been many cars accompanying her out of Collington,

But now,

Almost two hours later,

Elsie was on her own.

Just her and Matilda snuggled up on the back seat in her new Christmas bed.

It wouldn't be long now,

Just another 10 minutes if she was lucky.

But suddenly,

To her dismay,

Elsie struck a rock that had rolled into the road from the verge and slid unceremoniously into a shallow ditch.

Oh,

No,

Not now!

She pressed down on the accelerator,

But the more she tried to get herself back onto solid ground,

The deeper her little car became lodged in the thick white snow.

There was nothing for it but to get out and walk.

She knew these fields of old.

If she was right,

There were three of them to cross,

One stile to mount,

And a long tree-lined path to traverse before she reached the back of the village.

Then Aunt Mary would raise the alarm and Farmer Trent would get his tractor.

Everyone knew everyone in Tapton Village.

That was something.

Come on,

Till,

We're going for a walk,

Elsie exclaimed enthusiastically,

Even though she wasn't 100% sure she knew the way.

But she had her phone and could see roughly by the map where she was headed,

So it would be fun,

She told herself.

Not that she could call her aunt if she got stuck.

There was no reception out here,

But what did that matter?

She had on her boots and her mother's sheepskin,

So she was good to go.

Come on,

Boy,

What are you playing at?

It's this way,

Yelled Lucas impatiently.

They had been out walking for over an hour and now he was getting cold.

Jasper,

Where are you?

He looked around.

The snow was so much thicker in the fields,

Which would have been fun if he wasn't so far away from a wall of fire and a hot toddy.

But now the village was at least 20 minutes away,

If not more.

It's time we went home,

Jasper.

Where are you?

He scanned the woodland behind him.

The tree branches,

Usually dripping with greenery,

Was stark white against the icy sky.

Any life that once danced in the fields was tucked safely below for winter.

The squirrels were in a soporific slumber and even the mice,

Usually so busy,

Had sought shelter for the long,

Cold nights.

It was just him alone,

Him and the glorious countryside.

Or so he thought.

Oh,

There you are,

Boy.

Where have you been?

Come on,

Jasper,

Let's go.

I'm getting cold now.

Not that way.

This way,

Back through the woods.

We've got to get home,

Boy.

Come on.

He caught Jasper's collar.

But just as he did,

He saw the snowy passage his dog had made through the snow was harbouring a little chunky black pug who was now waddling towards them.

Lucas smiled at the comical figure dressed in a fested jumper and furry little boots.

And who might you be?

He'd never seen anything like it.

That a dog so small would be out in this weather,

Traipsing through the thick white snow without a care in the world.

As if completely unaware of just how vulnerable she really was.

And then came her owner.

Although Lucas could not see anything for the trees surrounding him.

Tilly,

Tilly,

Where are you?

Tilly,

Come back here.

Let's get out into the field,

Said Lucas with a sudden burst of enthusiasm.

Come on,

Boy.

We've got some rescuing to do.

He thought hard.

It couldn't possibly be,

Could it?

There was no way it was there.

He knew she had a dog called Matilda and he knew she was travelling north for Christmas Day.

But he must be dreaming.

That wasn't her voice.

It couldn't be her voice.

Things like this only happened in films and Tapton Village was no film set.

As amazing as it was.

But Lucas Bray just couldn't help believing.

He rounded the wood and stepped into the path Jasper made through the snow.

And just as he did,

The icy skies parted to reveal a brilliant white sun which lit up the blanket of snow making it sparkle and shimmer before him.

Lucas shielded his eyes.

It was so bright and he didn't have his sunglasses.

And just as he did,

A familiar voice called,

Dr Lucas!

Fancy seeing you here.

The end.