The Reluctant Elf (Kindle Single) by Michele Gorman

thanks.’
    ‘Did I miss a memo somewhere?’ he asks, scanning my dress.
    ‘Ah, yes, well. Welcome to your Victorian Christmas!’
    I bob into a little curtsey like they do on Downton Abbey.
    ‘This is Danny, our chef.’
    Danny just nods. ‘Can I help you with your bags?’ he asks.
    ‘Thank you, yes. Hugo, leave those. The man will get them.’
    Rupert strides toward the front door as I hurry to beat him to it.
    His nose twitches as he enters the hall.
    ‘It smells of shoe polish,’ he says.
    ‘Uh, yes, it’s a complimentary service. You can just leave your shoes outside your door in the evening and we’ll polish them. We’ll take care of everything for you here.’
    He nods.
    ‘Yes, well, as I said, welcome to your Victorian Christmas. And you are?’ I stick my hand out to the forty-something slender woman who hasn’t cracked a smile since she arrived.
    She doesn’t bother making eye contact when she speaks. ‘Prunella, Rupert’s sister.’ She waves her hand at the others. ‘These are my twins Oscar and Amanda and my husband Hugo.’
    The children look around Mabel’s age, both pale and slim like their parents. In fact, Prunella and Hugo could be twins themselves with their beaky noses, close-set watery blue eyes and very high foreheads. Rupert, on the other hand, though slender like his sister, is darker with strong but not sharp features that assemble into a pleasing, if austere, countenance.
    Hugo scans me up and down as he offers me his soft damp hand.
    ‘Have you got Sky?’ Prunella asks.
    ‘No, I’m sorry, there’s no television.’
    ‘Mother!’ says Oscar, glaring at me. ‘How are we supposed to watch Bad Santa without a TV?’
    ‘Never mind, darling, we’ll watch it on the computer. You do have fast broadband, right?’
    Her look dares me to disappoint her again.
    ‘There’s 3G in the conservatory.’
    ‘Rupert,’ she whines, ‘I told you this would be the middle of nowhere.’
    ‘I suppose it’s meant to be rustically charming, Pru.’
    This isn’t the start I hoped for. ‘It will be charming, but I promise you it won’t be rustic.’
    ‘We’ll make the best of it, Pru,’ says Hugo.
    ‘Oh do shut up, Hugo, you always say that. I want a bath now. We’ve been traveling all day to get here. Where’s my room? And my luggage?’
    Danny is just struggling in with all the bags.
    ‘I’ll show you upstairs then. Your rooms are all together on the first floor. You’re going to love our bathtubs. As part of the service, we’ll run your baths for you, so that all you’ll have to do is step into the soothing water when you’re ready. After all, ladies and gentlemen didn’t prepare their own baths in Victorian days. There’s a button in each of your rooms by the door that rings a bell in the kitchen. Just press that when you want anything and someone will be right up.’
    ‘Whew,’ I say when I get back to the kitchen after drawing Prunella’s bath. Danny is pulling food from the fridge and larder. ‘This is going to be hard work. Is everything under control here?’
    ‘Controlled chaos, thanks.’ He wipes his brow. Pots are boiling on the hob and the work surfaces look as if there’s been a mass vegetable suicide.
    ‘Okay, if you’re sure.’
    The bell for Hugo and Prunella’s room tinkles.
    ‘I’m sorry I told them about those service buttons. I’ll go see what they want.’
    Upstairs I knock on the closed door.
    ‘Come in,’ says Hugo.
    ‘Hi, did you want something?’
    He’s lying on the bed in his bathrobe.
    ‘Oh, excuse me.’
    ‘Ah, Lottie, yes. I wondered if I could have a brandy? I’d like to relax while Prunella is in the bath. She’ll be ages.’
    ‘I’ll check downstairs. Dinner will be in about an hour. You can go down to the dining room whenever you’d like. Is that all right?’
    ‘Yes, that’s fine. Oh, and please don’t think my wife is ungrateful. Today is just a bad day. We’re very much looking forward to our stay, and I do