74 wivesbehavingbadly

otherwise , we won't have a chance to see dad and the boys because richard and i are nipping off to verbier on boxing day ." i expalined we were going to sam and jilly's ." oh well ," said poppy , and there was only faint regret ." we 'll pop in to you on christmas eve on the way down to them ."
we drove to winchcomb through lashing rain and arrived on the dot of one o'clock . jilly greeted us at the front door , dressed in a pair of old jeans and a baggy sweater . this put us all on the back foot . nathan was in his suit and i was in my best green dress and high-heeled boots . furthermore . i insisted nathan stop at the service station before we left the motorway and the boys were spruced to a fault with washed faces and brushed hair .
"goodness ," said jilly , " don't you all look smart ." she led us into the kitchen where sam was sitting in muddied gardening clothes with his feet up on the table ." here they are ," she sang out , and alook passed between husband and wife . asight widening of the eyes which indicatedd : we have been caught out .
eaten in the kitchen , lunch had been hamburgers for the children and stew for the adults ." i meant ," jiily said , as  she dished up the latter - and again , there was a silent exchange between her and sam -" to cook something special . but ...... getting ready for christmas takes up so much time . you know how it is ."
no, i don't , i want to say , outraged by the lack of ceremony . i thiught of the goose stuffed with raisins that i would have ordered , the crackers in thier box , the silver candles and gauze ribbon that would have adorned my table .