The village of Kettlewell sits in the rolling
Pepperstock Hills that form the northwest border of the Finchbottom Vale and it
is half a mile from the hamlet of Kettlewell-on-the-Hill, the two of which made
up the parish of St Augustine’s Church, and Kettlewell is 1.5 miles from its
largest neighbour, Highfinch where Carole Bond was born and raised.
On Christmas Eve she was driving through the village
she had lived in her whole life and could never imagine living anywhere else.
Carole had come close to losing the house after her
husband left and had to work hard to keep a roof over her children's heads
after the divorce.
She had had to make sacrifices over the years and one
of those was romantic attachments which was why she hadn’t found a significant
other in her life.
However, her sons, were now both engaged to fine young
women, so time was running out for her to find love again before the
grandchildren came along.
When she arrived at the Downshire Arms she parked the
car and went in, once inside the pub she removed her coat, she was wearing a
Christmas outfit bought specially for the occasion.
Black leather ankle boots, green Christmas tights with
holly motif on her shapely legs, and a red velvet dress, mid-thigh with gold
trim.
Her first stop was the ladies so she could check her
make up.
She looked in the mirror and considering her age she
was very happy with what she was seeing, her skin was glowing, she had her fair
share of lines but then she did have a smiling open face, her hazel eyes were
still stunning, her hair was honey coloured and was her one vanity as it came
from a bottle.
She smiled at her reflection because her children had
been talking about wanting to find someone for her, but they didn’t know that
she already had her sights set on the new Doctor at the surgery where she
worked as a receptionist.
So, when he invited her out for a pub lunch, she
treated it as an early Christmas Present.
After a final look in the mirror, Carole smiled at her
reflection and said.
“Happy Christmas Carole”
Then she went into the restaurant and when she saw her
lunch date, who was sitting waiting for her, turn and smile at her, she felt
sure she would have a Happy New Year as well.
