One More for Christmas

She’d felt instinctively that if Samantha was with Brodie, then nothing bad could happen. From what she’d seen, he seemed like a man who could handle things, and she was hoping that skill would extend to her sister.

“I’m sure she’s tired and sleeping late. She’s a hard worker, your Samantha. She and Brodie were out late last night, planning starlight walks.” Mary fetched a bag of sugar from the cupboard. “I don’t see the appeal myself, but they both seemed to think it would be a winner.”

Ella kept her expression neutral. Starlight walks?

In other words, Samantha had been in a hurry to leave the lodge. She’d needed fresh air and space, something her sister always did when she was stressed.

How she’d linked up with Brodie, Ella didn’t know.

Gayle pushed the bowl closer to Tab. “Your turn. Now you need to rub it all together.”

Undaunted, Tab dived in with glee. Moments later she was elbow deep in flour and smiles.

While they were occupied, Ella sent a quick text to her sister.

Where are you?? And why didn’t you sleep in your bed last night? Should I be worried?

She’d give her sister half an hour to respond, and then she was going to go and find her.

In the meantime she was going to steer the conversation away from Samantha.

“Your mother—” she looked up “—my grandmother—she was a good cook?”

“Some people have a knack for it. She was one of those. Like Mary.” She smiled at Brodie’s mother. “Did you always cook?”

Mary had whisked egg whites into soft peaks. “From a child, side by side with my mother. There’s no better place to spend your time than a well-equipped kitchen.”

Gayle washed flour from her hands. “I admire you, Mary, but you’re not going to find me agreeing with that one. I can think of plenty of rooms where I’d rather be than the kitchen.”

“What was she like?” Ella slid her phone back into her pocket. “Your mother.”

“Now I think about it, she was very like you. Creative. Warm. She had a way of making people feel better when she spoke to them.”

The compliment made her glow.

“Did she work?”

“No.” Gayle dried her hands. “She wanted to stay home with me, just as you’ve chosen to do with Tab. And Tab seems to be loving spending time with you as much as I loved spending time with my mother.”

She no longer needed her mother’s approval for her choices, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t pleased to have it.

“I think you’re ready to add ginger to that.” Mary measured it and handed the spoon to Tab.

“Cookery classes for kids,” Gayle said. “We should probably add that to our list of ideas.”

“Instead of gingerbread men, can we make ginger reindeer?” Tab stirred and poked at the mixture.

“We can. I even have a cutter the right shape somewhere.” Mary delved into a cupboard and emerged victorious. “Here it is!”

Ella discreetly checked her phone again, but there was nothing from her sister.

She was about to make an excuse and leave the kitchen to find her when the door flew open and Samantha strode in carrying a stack of papers and her laptop, with Brodie right behind her.

Her hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, and her makeup freshly applied. On the surface she looked like someone who had slept soundly all night, but something about the glow in her cheeks and the shine in her eyes made Ella think that wasn’t the case.

Last time she’d seen her sister, she’d been worried she was on the verge of a major meltdown, but here she was looking strong and in control.

Ella was relieved. Also puzzled.