‘Carmen was just taking me to buy wellingtons.’
‘Was I?’
‘After all, you can hardly open up yet.’
But Mr McCredie just waved them off and started shovelling snow.
‘Be careful,’ said Carmen.
‘You saying a McCredie can’t handle themselves in snow?’ he said back to her and she smiled at him properly.
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘I’ll bring back hot chocolate this time.’
‘I don’t know why you’re insisting on rotting my teeth at this age.’
Because, Carmen thought to herself, somebody needs to spoil you. And I don’t know why, but it seems to have to be me.
Blair picked his way carefully down the street as Carmen slid, laughing.
‘Oh, come on,’ she said. ‘Isn’t it lovely?’
He sighed.
‘Would you mind just calling the airline for me?’
‘What? Yes, I would. Why?’
‘Oh, I don’t understand the accents, do I? You’d be much better than me. Go on.’
‘No!’
‘I’ll take you somewhere lovely.’
‘LA?’
‘If you like.’
He smiled his very white teeth at her.
‘Don’t forget I’m afraid of your teeth,’ warned Carmen.
‘Oh yeah, fuck it, I forgot.’ His face fell. ‘Oh God, Carmen, I’m really lazy and useless and I like getting other people to do stuff for me – is that any better?’
‘Does it still end up with me on hold for an hour to an airline?’
‘Let’s eat somewhere really, really nice.’
They had landed at the bottom of Victoria Street, where there was a little shop in blue with a beautiful window decoration of robins and holly and lots of expensive country-style clothes, Burberry and Harris tweeds.
‘They must do wellies,’ said Carmen. ‘I wonder if they’re open?’
There was someone inside. Goodness, thought Carmen. Did everyone on Victoria Street live inside their shops at night like little dormice?
‘Hello! Are you open?’
The door was flung open by a large red-faced man.
‘You’re asking if a shop selling kit for INCLEMENT WEATHER is shut in INCLEMENT WEATHER?’ boomed the man. He had the same kind of voice as Mr McCredie: technically Edinburgh but sounding not completely unlike a posh English person. ‘COME IN!’
‘Thanks,’ said Carmen. ‘I’m from McCredie’s?’
He frowned at her.
‘He’s HIRED someone? He’s SELLING THINGS?’
‘He’s trying to,’ said Carmen.
‘Hi, I’m Blair Pfenning?’ said Blair, giving it the full teeth.
The man ignored him. ‘Well, blow me down.’
‘He’s out there now, clearing the snow.’
‘He’s OUT?’
The bluster left the man.
‘Well. Goodness, young lady. I don’t know what you’ve done but that seems rather impressive.’
‘I haven’t done anything,’ said Carmen.