All I Want For Christmas – Chapter 15

Nathan had not been surprised when Grace asked Tom and him to be the workhorses for he knew that carrying the trays from the basement kitchen to the dining room was going to be the heaviest work. But then as she reeled off everyone else's duties they discovered they had a problem. Whilst the idea of William carving the turkeys seemed natural, as he was head of the house, Julie quickly pointed out that he had never done it before.

"In fact, I don't think any of us has", she added.

Suddenly Elizabeth, Allie and Nathan all began to speak at the same time, "Nathan can"…"My dad can"…."I can".

Everyone turned towards Nathan who shrugged as he explained. "I have been doing it for Thanksgiving and Christmas almost every year since I was about Arthur's age."

He looked self-conscious for a moment as he realised that by telling them this he was acknowledging that his father had not been there to do it. Understanding the implications of his words and wanting to save him any further embarrassment Elizabeth spoke quickly, "That's settled then. Nathan shall be doing the carving which means Arthur will have to do the carrying with Tom".

As she was not yet needed downstairs Viola had come up to admire the table before the "guests" arrived, all of them having been dismissed from working so that they could change into their best clothes for the occasion. Grace made a point of leaving a few baskets of clean and wearable items in the pressing room, whispering to Wilson that they were for those who may need a little help. She made it clear that they could be kept afterwards should anyone take a particular liking to what they had chosen.

Throughout the dining room candles had been lit, much to Arthur's delight, and new floral arrangements that had been delivered this morning adorned the table. At each place setting was a Christmas cracker, a surprise for all the staff as this was the first year they had enough for this thanks to the large box that arrived as part of Viola's and Lionel's baggage.

As she looked at the beautifully set table she did however notice one odd thing that stood out but before she could say a word Grace was by her side.

"Doesn't it look wonderful my dear. I am so proud of the children for doing all of this."

Grace gave a wink to Arthur and Allie who were chatting together, most probably checking off their own unwritten list to make sure everything was done, she thought. In this situation Arthur was showing himself to be way above his actual age and it was pleasing to see him so interested in it all.

"But I must say, my favourite thing is the napkins. How very clever to have them all different and in so many interesting shapes."

Looking at Tristan and Little Jack, whose faces had broken out in beaming smiles at the mention of their handiwork, she spoke louder so that they could hear. "It's probably just as well you both are leaving or Wilson would have you helping with the table setting for every dinner we have.

They had taken over the kitchen a while earlier, relieving Mrs Bailey of her duties and hurrying her off to get ready. But it wasn't easy for her to relinquish control of the very thing she held most dear, cooking for this household, and barely had she taken a few steps down the hallway before she was hurrying back, not noticing the sudden silence that descended on the room as she burst back in.

"Don't forget that the turkey will still need basting every twenty minutes", she said to no-one in particular.

Viola walked over and put an arm around her shoulder, turning her back towards the door. "We know Mrs Bailey, everything is under control."

Once again she left and this time reached the bottom of the stairs before rushing back, the huddle of people at the other end of the kitchen going unnoticed by her as she spoke to the general room for her eyes were on the stove at which she was pointing.

"And the gravy needs to be stirred frequently. Don't take your eye off it or it will catch and burn."

Julie, Lionel and Tom shuffled even closer together by the door to the outside, their faces expressionless as they nodded at every word she was saying, but Mrs Bailey was too busy looking at the table to see if there was anything else she needed to remind them of to be bothered with them.

Again Viola stepped across the room to escort her out, arms firmly keeping the cook facing that direction instead of looking back. Once she was gone she closed the door and leant against it, wiping her palm across her forehead in an exaggerated expression of relief.

"What are we going to do, we will never be ready in time if she keeps coming back in."

Then she stopped and put her ear to the door, the changing look on her face reflecting the conversation that was clearly taking place on the other side. Her eyebrows raised and lowered, she nodded a few times, and then finally put her hand to her chest and let out a sigh.

"Allie and Arthur", she said with a grin. "Those two could persuade my father-in-law to part with his last penny I am sure".

She stayed where she was for a moment longer before turning to all those assembled in the kitchen and nodding to indicate all was clear.

Across the room the back door was opened by Tom and into the room came a small stout woman accompanied by a teenage girl who towered above her. Both were brushing light snow off their coats and blowing on the hands from which gloves had previously been removed and placed on the dresser by the door before they were bundled back outside.

"That was close, a minute later and we would surely have been rumbled. It might be an idea to have someone on guard duty out in that corridor", the woman said with a laugh in her voice. "I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of Florence Bailey's ire if she were to find out that I was here!"

With that she donned the apron that the young girl had taken from a basket and headed towards the stove, pointing at her and nodding in the direction of the central table. "This is my niece, Evie. She works with me and will see what still needs to be done with all of that. But the first thing I need to do is check these turkeys so that I know what timing I am working to."

It was all bustle in the kitchen after that as instructions were shouted out and everyone was trying to understand what they were being told to do. Viola was up to her elbows in suds, washing everything that was put her way to keep all the surfaces clear, and when Elizabeth moved beside her to do the drying she whispered to her sister "I think this is the best place to stay out of the way".

Upstairs Grace concentrated on the order of things there, trusting in the others to be handling the situation in the kitchen for, unbeknown to Mrs Bailey, she had enlisted the help of her friend Catherine Johnson's cook. As the family were away in Ireland for Christmas she had volunteered Mrs Cliff's services when Grace mentioned that instead of the easily served dish that Mrs Bailey usually prepared they would be having turkey with all the trimmings.

Why William had chosen this year to invest in a turkey farm she had no idea but he had been so excited when he announced that there would be two extra birds delivered to accommodate the staff dinner. Men, she thought, they have no idea just how much work goes into planning and preparing any meal, let alone one like this.

Veloute au Champignons de Paris had been the starter, according to the menu cards Allie had made for the table, which to Nathan just looked like a smooth creamy mushroom soup that smelled delicious. He was momentarily concerned when Grace first told him that Mrs Bailey's husband had picked them himself but she was quick to reassure that the man was an expert and had been providing them with foraged mushrooms for many years. "And we are still alive", she had laughed.

Trays that at first seemed light to Tom and Arthur for these trips up and down the stairs soon became heavier and with each one came a new respect for the staff who did this day in day out. Once Nathan had completed his carving duties he joined them, helping to lighten the load and make things run smoother.

There were platters piled with roast potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, green beans and roasted beet, all to be set along the table at intervals so that no-one had to reach too far for anything. Gravy boats with elegant silver ladles were placed beside bowls of cranberry sauce and gleaming condiment sets.

William had taken on the role of sommelier for the day, carefully explaining the wines being served to those who were interested and giving a short spiel when asked about what was contained in the fruit punch that many of the younger female staff chose instead. Mrs Bailey was not of that mind and by the time her second glass of wine had been drunk she was totally unconcerned about what was happening in her kitchen.

Allie and Arthur scurried about clearing first bowls and then plates away onto trays and brushing the crumbs from the freshly baked rolls off the table. Allie had laughed earlier at the sight of the small silver sets that were handed to each of them but her cousin assured her that it was the correct way to keep the table clean during a meal and was surprised she hadn't noticed the serving staff using them every time they had dined in here since she arrived.

"To be honest", she had replied, "I was too busy trying to work out what I was supposed to be doing to notice anything else."

Then she looked at him questioningly, "but surely dustpans and brushes are for the floor?"

When he gave her an amused smile she decided that perhaps it was best to just bow to his greater knowledge rather than show her own ignorance about such things. This is certainly a different way of life, she thought as she pictured how her dad usually just brushed the crumbs off the table with his hand in their row house, leaving them to be swept up later.

The two youngest, Tristan and Little Jack, had their own task. Standing one on either side of the dining room door they were to open it for the grown ups as they hurried in and out, keeping the warmth in the room and allowing smooth traffic of the heavy trays. Their whispered conversation and giggles could be heard by everyone, adding another sense of delight to the whole affair with their childish observations of every dish that passed by their noses.

Grace was the perfect hostess. Moving around the table with Julie beside her they stopped by each chair to make sure that person had what they needed and to spend time asking about their family. She remembered every detail of their life outside the house, parents and children, events that warranted congratulations or commiseration. Everyone at the table was important to her and she wanted to make sure they knew that.

Finally, as the last of the plates were stacked on the work surface beside her Viola busied herself pouring more boiling water into the sink. Lionel looked at his wife and it surprised him to see that despite the way her hair was plastered to the side of her head, her face red and sweaty from the steam that she had been leaning over for what must now be hours, she looked happy. He wondered if he had ever loved her more than he did at this precise moment.

He reached across and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear before leaning down to gently plant a kiss on her cheek, making her look at him in bemusement.

"What was that for?" she asked.

He tilted his face slightly to the side, looking so deeply into her eyes that she felt a slight shiver go through her.

"Because I know that tomorrow when this is being discussed by everyone they will mention your parents, Tom, me, Julie, Nathan and the children. Those of us who were upstairs with them. But no-one will know that you have been down here all this time working at possibly the hardest job of them all. I just want you to know that you are appreciated."

She gave him a curious smile, wondering where this wonderful side of the man she married had been hiding all these years. "Thank you. That is worth more to me than a hundred mentions from anyone else", she finally answered. Then straightening up she said, "Now why don't you grab that dish cloth and start drying so that I have space for this last lot on the rack. You can tell me how it all went up there. Have the children been good?"

Lionel's face lit up. "That is one thing I wish you had seen. They all did so well but I have to say Arthur really was outstanding. He is a natural at all of this. Perhaps I have found the missing piece to my plans to turn the family estate into a country hotel in the future. I think our son may just make the perfect manager when he is older and, based on today, I believe he will love doing it."