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  Tony was back in a few minutes. 'I'm sorry about that. I was right though, it was important. We've just landed a huge new contract with a Chinese company.'

  'Oh, great news.'

  'It is. We've been working towards this for some time and it means... but never mind that, you wanted to say something?'

  'Oh, yes. Well, it's just um... Well I know you love me and want to be with me and I do love you, it's...'

  'You've made a decision about moving in with me? You don't want to?'

  'No it's not that. Well, not exactly. I'm still thinking. Oh dear, this is difficult.'

  'It's OK, Alice. You can tell me.' He took her hands in his.

  How on earth do you tactfully suggest to someone, who you've just said you love, not to ask you to marry them? 'Oh dear, I'm no better at this sort of thing than Kate is.'

  'Kate? What does she have to do with this?'

  'She was asking about my ring sizes.'

  'Oh.' He took a sip of wine. 'Oh! You're not sure about living with me as my girlfriend, but maybe another arrangement would suit you better?' He took another drink from his wine glass, more like a gulp than a sip, rose from his seat, walked round to her side of the table and began to sink down onto one knee.

  Chapter 4

  Alice grabbed Tony's hand and attempted to pull him to his feet. 'No, Tony, please don't.'

  He rose, kissed her cheek and returned to his own seat. He looked confused, but not horribly disappointed. Actually, if her sense of pride would have allowed it, she'd have thought he looked almost relieved.

  'Sorry, I said I wasn't very good at this...' Alice mumbled. 'I got a silly idea into my head, but honestly I wasn't trying to push you into something you're not ready for.'

  'No, I see that.'

  'And you're not ready, are you? For um...' she gestured to where he'd been about to kneel. 'Excuse me a minute.' Alice made a dash for the toilets and took several deep breaths. What should she do now? She was tempted to just leave via the fire exit, but that would be cowardly and horribly unfair to Tony.

  What then, pretend that had never happened? It was still a cop out, but probably her best choice. Alice vowed never again to wish Tony would do something spontaneously romantic.

  She studied her unchanged face in the mirror, applied an unnecessary coat of lipstick and returned. Tony was still there, looking only a little more awkward than you'd expect from a man whose date has abruptly left him sitting on his own.

  He smiled as she took her seat opposite. This time there was real relief on his face. Thank goodness she'd not given into her impulse to run away.

  The waiter brought their antipasti just then, so they were both able to concentrate on the food. After a few comments about the tang of the tapenade and the succulence of the olives, Alice asked about the new contract.

  'Will you get to go to China, do you think?'

  'It's unlikely, but if the opportunity arose I'd certainly take it.'

  'How about learning Chinese?'

  Tony spoke a few words which she didn't understand.

  'Seriously? That was Chinese?'

  'I can only manage a few phrases of Mandarin. I just said, 'hello, nice to meet you' and 'thank you'. That's about my limit and I'm pretty sure people only understand what I'm saying because it's what they expect to hear.'

  'Well, I'm impressed.'

  'The people I've dealt with seem pleased I make the effort, even though they all speak excellent English.'

  'I suppose it's polite if you can do it. You'll have to teach Rachel.'

  Tony shook his head. 'She's much better than me. The absolute star pupil on our course.'

  'Oh.' It hadn't occurred to Alice that Rachel would be taking the same course too, but perhaps it should have. She and Tony worked so closely together that naturally they'd need the same kind of skills. All the same she couldn't help wondering what his reaction would have been if she'd casually dropped into the conversation that she spent one evening a week with an attractive male work colleague whom she greatly admired. Mentally she ran through the Tatisuz staff. She quite admired Kath. Lucy and Emma were both pretty. Miles and most of the warehouse staff were male, but there wasn't anyone who matched up to all three categories.

  'Alice, about Christmas...'

  'Don't tell me you've got to work over Christmas.'

  'No of course not. Why would you think that?'

  Because he'd sounded unsure of himself which wasn't usual and because he'd been unable to accompany her to previous family events because of work. He'd never actually let her down though, not when it really mattered and had already been arranged.

  'So you're coming?' she asked.

  'Of course, that's if you and your parents want me to.'

  'Of course they do. Kate too actually.'

  'Is there some particular reason for that?'

  She couldn't blame him for sounding dubious. 'Dad's planning to serve Brussels sprout wine.'

  'He has to be stopped!'

  'Exactly what I said and we have a plan.' She explained the idea she and Kate had, for him to supply some bubbly. 'It doesn't have to be expensive stuff, anything which actually comes from grapes would be good.'

  'Don't worry, I'm sure I can find a few suitable bottles.'

  Alice had no doubts whatsoever about that.

  'So what is it about Christmas?'

  'The gifts. What should I give your family?' Tony asked.

  'The same sort of things as last year would be perfect.' She'd explained the previous year that they always gave each other several small gifts, rather than big, expensive presents. She'd left out the part about them often coming from the New Forest Show because he hadn't gone. As that was still the case, she still didn't mention it. Tony's offerings of gourmet chocolates, hand-made (but not by him) shortbread and glass bowls filled with whole candied fruits had been well received.

  They'd each been identically and professionally wrapped, presumably in the shop where he bought them, but no one had seemed inclined to hold that against him. Kate did say she hoped the ones they'd sent him wouldn't clash with his tree decorations and give him a migraine, but as she'd used a pink patterned wrap and a glow in the dark yellow bow for his musical socks, maybe she'd been expressing genuine remorse.

  'Is that all?' Tony asked.

  'Yes, definitely.' He didn't seem to realise that giving up the quiet elegant day he'd otherwise have enjoyed so that Alice could spend a chaotic few hours with both her family and her boyfriend was actually the important bit.

  'All right, if that's what you think is best. But what about you? Am I allowed to buy you a proper, useful gift?'

  Proper and useful weren't words Alice associated with Christmas presents, but if he really wanted to buy her something expensive then it might as well be something she'd like.

  'Well my hair straighteners are past their best and my laptop is running really slowly.' It didn't help that Kate kept borrowing the straighteners and Alice had to use the computer for work as her boss still hadn't replaced the ancient desktops in the office.

  'I'll get you a laptop then.'

  'Thank you.' Why did he have to tell her? Guessing what the gift could be was one of the things she enjoyed about Christmas.

  Works parties were one of the Christmas traditions she could do without. She'd thought there wasn't going to be one for Tatisuz that year as Miles said he couldn't afford it.

  'I've already given you extra days off over Christmas,' he said. It was true he'd said they needn't go in at all from the day before Christmas Eve until the first working day in the new year, if they all gave up just one day of their holiday entitlement. They all knew that was because he wanted the time off himself and there was never anything for them to do then anyway as their customers didn't place orders over the festive period. He'd save money on heating too, which was probably the main reason for his pretended generosity.

  'It needn't cost anything, Mr Scrooge,' Kath had told him. 'Just let us use the warehouse.
It'll be pretty empty by then, won't it?'

  'Not the way things are going,' Miles said.

  'There'll be space; it's half empty now. We can bring our own food and drink.'

  'Oh, go on boss, it'll be fun,' Emma added. She hadn't been there the previous year so could be excused not knowing that it wouldn't really be much fun. What there didn't seem to be any excuse for was the way she was batting those enormous eyelashes at Miles. She'd definitely been there long enough to know what a slime-ball he was.

  'Oh all right. And you can pick up some crisps and mince pies at the cash and carry, Kath, to make sure there really is some food.'

  Aha! So Emma did know what she was doing after all.

  She'd given Tony the 'good' news that evening. 'I'll have to go I suppose. You don't have to though.'

  'Why do you want to go on your own?'

  'I don't particularly want to go at all, Tony. It'll be OK, but no better than an extended lunch break with added booze and far more opportunity for the warehouse boys to make inappropriate comments.'

  'Then it sounds as though you'll need me.'

  Seriously? He really thought she could be the slightest bit interested in any of that lot? Well, for once she wouldn't be the one to suffer from his jealousy. Knowing that the more she protested the greater would be his determination she said, 'It really won't be your sort of thing at all and don't worry, I can handle that lot and I'll have Kath for back-up.'

  'Even so, I'd like to come.'

  'Brilliant! I'll drive then, so you can have fun.' No need to tell him about the bring a bottle part, or that her contribution would be a crate of her dad's nettle beer. Nor that she'd be putting his name down for the karaoke.

  Alice felt mean about her actions by the time the staff of Tatisuz decided on a date for the party and that it would be fancy dress. It was the same date as Tony's own work's do. Having said he'd come to hers and seeing her looked pleased about it, he wouldn't back out. She didn't mind him wasting a few dull hours realising he had no reason to be concerned about her falling for the charms of her colleagues. She didn't mind him having the embarrassment of singing in public and having to do it completely sober because there'd be nothing drinkable on offer. It didn't seem fair though that because of it he'd miss out on an event which he'd actually enjoy. Didn't seem fair because it wasn't.

  'How about we go to yours? We could drop off Dad's beer and say hello at mine first so we don't seem unsociable, but it'll get us out of the fancy dress and the karaoke.'

  Tony blinked. She guessed that someone taken from the Tower of London into the sunlight and realising they were being freed rather than having their head placed on the block might blink in much the same way.

  'I did say I didn't think it would be your sort of thing,' she reminded him. Tony's own work party wasn't likely to be Alice's sort of thing, but she kept that to herself.

  He quickly agreed with her suggestion.

  Tony told her the event hosted by his employer would be quite formal and the partners' wives often wore full evening dresses. He did so tactfully, with no veiled hints that her usual dress code wouldn't do, so she wanted to wear something which would please him. The dress she chose was floor length, in silvery grey silk. It left her shoulders bare but wasn't low cut enough to startle anyone. She'd expected Kate to say it was too prim and proper, but her sister didn't take that view.

  'It's classy, but sexy too. Normally it'd be a shame to cover up your assets, but when you're covering them with silk so soft you want to stroke it, that's a different matter.'

  'You think Tony will approve?'

  'Bet you a chocolate éclair you either have to throw a bucket of cold water over him, or get to the party late.'

  Alice wore half her usual amount of make-up and far more jewellery than she was used to. That too was classy stuff, lent to her by Tony's mother. Although it all made her feel a little as though she was in fancy dress after all, Tony clearly approved as much as Kate thought he would. So much so that Alice thought they might not make it to either party.

  'You're gorgeous and I'm so proud of you,' he said as his hands moved over the slinky fabric and he pulled her close against him.

  'So I see! Don't wrinkle me though, I haven't a clue how to get creases out of this.'

  'Then I'll take it off very carefully.'

  'Yes, but later. Much later.'

  He groaned but she wriggled free and stuck the crate of beer in his arms. 'Keep a good hold of that, you won't want it exploding in your car.'

  'Is that likely?'

  'Not with this batch, it's gone a bit flat apparently.'

  'But you're still taking it. Do you actually hate your work colleagues?'

  'Someone has to drink the stuff... If you can make sure Miles is one of those people I'll be verrrry grateful.' She floated a hand along the neckline of her dress as she spoke.

  He managed it too. Alice smiled as she watched Miles take a big gulp of slightly warm, slightly flat and totally disgusting nettle beer. Just as he looked as though he would gag, Tony told him Alice had supplied the drink and it was her Christmas gift to her boss and the forklift truck drivers. None of them could avoid consuming a whole bottle of the stuff each after that.

  Tony wasn't tempted by the plates of scotch eggs, pork pies cut into wedges and bowls of suspiciously orange crisps. Alice could see his point, but she'd need to eat something during the evening.

  'Will there be food at yours?' she asked Tony.

  'Oh yes, they always serve a good selection of canapés.'

  That didn't sound very substantial to Alice so she had a scotch egg. It was OK once she'd dipped it in brown sauce.

  In less than an hour Alice was driving them to Tony's flat. They left the car there and got a taxi to the gallery where his office party was being held.

  She'd have found it hard to chat animatedly about hedge funds, aggregated limits of indemnity and liquidity ratios even if she'd been totally sure what they all meant. When asked about her golf handicap she had to admit it was not having a clue where her nearest course could be found.

  Clients had also been invited to the event, including several Chinese, so Tony's attention and even presence were often diverted from her. The only other person Alice knew at all was Rachel. She did come over and speak when she saw Alice on her own, but she too was busy with clients. As a networking opportunity no doubt it was very useful, but it wasn't what Alice called a party.

  On the plus side, the food and drink were superb and plentiful. Every few minutes Alice was presented with silver platters of tempting items. Miniature Yorkshire puddings filled with a sliver of tender beef and decorated with a delicate swirl of mustard and a single brilliant green pea looked fabulous and tasted even better. They were still warm and the batter as crisp as though her mum had just taken it out the oven. There were delicate little walnut biscuits, rich onion tartlets no bigger than a 50p piece and olives stuffed with cream cheese and decorated with red pepper so they looked like the cutest little penguins. Alice just had to get a picture of those. Guessing photographing their food wasn't something the other guests would do, Alice loitered in a corridor on the way back from the ladies room and waylaid a waitress.

  Alice was tempted by the trays of cocktails too, but she'd accepted a glass of champagne when she arrived and thought it better not to mix her drinks. The music came from an actual piano played by an actual pianist and Alice at least looked as though she fitted in.

  Tony returned to her side. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to be gone so long. Shall I take you round now and introduce you to a few people?'

  'It's OK, I'm fine sat here listening to the music if you need to go schmooze.'

  'If you're sure?'

  'Definitely.'

  'Thank you. I will take you round and show you off soon though, then I'm going to take you home and get you out that dress before it can even think of wrinkling.' He kissed her cheek and headed back into the crowd.

  'Can I offer you a drink, madam?' enquire
d an immaculate waiter.

  'Thank you.' Alice accepted another glass of perfectly chilled champagne and another quail's egg wrapped in a delicious savoury coating.

  Perhaps Christmas parties weren't so bad after all.

  Christmas Day was the usual sort of chaos. Alice's uncles came. She had four. Two were real ones, her dad's bother Mark and her mum's brother Nigel. The other two were always referred to as uncles, but were actually a cousin of some kind and his partner. Confusingly they were called Pete and Peter, which was also the name of Alice's dad. They were Kate and Alice's unofficial godfathers, sending random gifts now and then from around the world and coming for Christmas lunch those years they were in the country. Another guest was Petra, an elderly neighbour who seemed to have no family. She always arrived after the morning church service, said grace as the turkey was carved, and left in time to attend evensong. Along with Tony, Alice's boyfriend, who was another Pete, and Mark's wife Jan, that meant twelve people to feed.

  'Alice,' Tony whispered. 'I didn't realise there would be so many people, I haven't brought nearly enough wine.'

  'Yes you have, it's just for the toast. There's plenty of other stuff.' She knew there was, she'd seen it chilling in buckets in the garage. Tony didn't seem convinced.

  'Other stuff which Dad didn't make, I mean.'

  'OK, but I still wish I'd known. I'd have bought more.'

  That's why she hadn't told him. The champagne he'd brought had a year printed on the label, not the name of a supermarket. She couldn't even guess what it cost.

  Alice's dad made a toast and everyone, Petra included, enjoyed the champagne.

  'Just as your father turns vegetables into wine, the Lord did with water,' she said when Kate offered her a glass.