Festive Fling with the Single Dad

Mary smiled at her, and Flora put the bag and the hat down in front of her. ‘I’d like to take these, Mary.’

‘Ah, yes.’ Mary sprang to her feet. ‘The hat’s for...the little girl.’

It was unlike Mary to forget a name. ‘Yes, it’s for Mette.’

‘Of course. Red.’ Mary stared at the hat and then seemed to come to her senses. ‘That’s two pounds for the hat, plus three and fourpence for the bag. Fourteen and six altogether, dear.’

Mary held out her hand to receive the money. Something was very wrong. Flora leaned across, studying her face in the reflection of the fairy lights above their heads.

‘Are you all right, Mary?’

‘I just have a bit of a headache, dear. How much did I say it was?’

Mary wasn’t all right. Flora glanced at Aksel and saw concern on his face too. Even if he didn’t follow the vagaries of pounds, shillings and pence, it was obvious that Mary was confused and calculating the bill in coins that had been obsolete for almost fifty years.

Flora squeezed around the edge of the stall, taking Mary’s hand. It felt ice-cold in hers. ‘Mary, can you sit down for me, please?’

‘No, dear.’

‘What’s the matter?’ Mary’s husband, John, had left the customer he was serving and come over to see what was happening.

‘I don’t know. Mary doesn’t seem well, has she hit her head or anything recently?’

John Monroe had been a county court judge before he’d retired, and his avuncular manner covered an ability to sum up a situation quickly and take action.

‘Sit down, hen.’ He guided Mary to the stool, keeping his arm around her when she sank down onto it, and turning to Flora. ‘She bumped her head when we were setting up the stall. She said it was nothing, and she seemed fine...’

‘Okay, where?’ Flora gently peeled off Mary’s hat and realised she hadn’t needed to ask. A large bump was forming on the side of her head.

‘We need to get her into the warm, John.’ Flora looked around at the crowded market. ‘Go and fetch the vicar. I think that the church is the best place.’

John hesitated, not wanting to leave Mary, and Flora caught his arm. ‘Go now, please.’

Aksel had dropped their shopping bags and Jackie stowed them away under the stall. Mette seemed to understand that something was wrong, and she stood quietly, her arms around Kari’s neck. Jackie took her hand and Aksel bent down next to Mary, supporting her on the stool. Flora pulled out her phone.

‘I’m going to call Charles.’ She hoped that she wasn’t overreacting but in her heart she knew that she wasn’t. And she knew that Charles Ross-Wylde would rather she called, if she thought someone needed his help.

Charles answered on the second ring, and Flora quickly told him what had happened, answering his questions and breathing a sigh of relief when he told her he’d be there as soon as he could. She ended the call, and Aksel glanced up at her.

‘Charles is on his way, and he’s going to call an ambulance.’ Flora murmured the words quietly, so that Mary didn’t hear. ‘This may be a bad concussion or a brain bleed, so we must be very careful with her and take her somewhere warm and quiet.’

‘Fourteen and six... Fourteen...and...seven...’ Mary seemed to be in a world of her own, and Aksel nodded, concern flashing in his eyes.

The vicar arrived, along with Carrie, who was red-faced and breathless from running, her beard hanging from one ear. She took Mette’s hand and Aksel turned to her.

‘Will you take her, please, Carrie?’

‘Of course. You see to Mary, and I’ll look after Mette and Kari.’

‘I’ll go and open up the church lounge.’ The vicar was fumbling under his shepherd’s costume for his keys. ‘It’s nice and warm in there.’

Now all they had to do was to persuade Mary to go with them. Flora knelt down beside her. ‘Mary, we’re going to the church.’

‘Are we?’ Mary gazed dreamily around her, as if she wasn’t quite sure what direction that was. ‘All right.’

Mary went to stand up, swaying suddenly as she lost her balance. Aksel caught her, lifting her up, and she lay still and compliant in his arms.

People were gathering around the stall, some offering help. The only help they could give was to stand back, and Flora cleared a path for Aksel. As everyone began to realise what was happening, the crowd melted away in front of them, leaving them a clear route to the church.