Читать книгу Puzzled - Seraphima Bogomolova - Страница 13

Monte Carlo, France, 25 December

The curtains undrawn, the bright sunlight is flooding into my room. Stretching, I throw the blanket on to the floor and spring off the bed. In the bathroom, my sleepy face, the hair’s sticky and dishevelled, glances back at me from the mirror. I turn away and, pulling my clothes off, step under the shower.

In the dining room, maman, as fresh as daisy, sits at the head of a large walnut table, polished to a gleaming shine. On her right, Monsieur Moreau is seated. It seems he has never left the house.

‘Good morning, darling.’ maman greets me, a wide smile attached to her lips.

‘Good morning.’ I reply and seat myself opposite Monsieur Moreau.

My appearance seems to have interrupted their somewhat intimate conversation. Shunning their gazes, I pour myself some coffee and start on my bacon and eggs breakfast.

‘Did you sleep well?’ maman breaks the silence.

‘Quite well, merci.’ I answer, not looking at her.

‘Chéri, I’ve invited Monsieur Moreau to spend Christmas with us. Hope you don’t mind.’

‘No, not at all, on the contrary … It’ll break our usual routine.’

‘Luke, dear, what on earth do you mean by that?’ she cries out.

‘I think Monsieur Luke might have meant that guests bring an element of a surprise into family holidays, making them more delightful.’ Monsieur Moreau joins in.

I nod in agreement.

The rest of breakfast passes in a solemn silence. Finished, we move into the sitting room where a glitzy pyramid of gifts towers under the fluffy Christmas, tree, a miniature version of the one in the reception room.

Maman sits down on the sofa, her legs crossed. I flop into an armchair. Monsieur Moreau, cigar in mouth, comes and stands by the fireplace.

‘My dear Rosalinda,’ he addresses maman, ‘may I take on a role of Santa Claus in this house today?’

‘But of course! I’d be delighted. Usually, I’m the one who have to play this role.’ she replies with a laugh.

‘Very well,’ he says, ‘then I’d like to start with Monsieur Luke Edward Allen.’