LOUISA SAT AT A TABLE at the Foyer and sipped a glass of sparkling water. It was Christmas Day and the restaurant was the most elegant place she had ever seen. White tablecloths were set with gold inlaid china and Baccarat champagne flutes. The Christmas tree was strung with white and blue lights and gold candelabras held flickering candles. Silver balloons floated to the ceiling and there were fruit trees with oranges and lemons.
Christmas Dinner at Claridge’s had been a huge success. Pierre’s oyster with fennel and wild mushrooms was the perfect appetizer and Andreas’s pigeon with onions and rhubarb was superb. The roasted duck was fragrant and tender and the sides of cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire pudding made her long to stay in England.
Digby’s publisher, Alan, made a Peach Melba with vanilla foam that was so light, it floated down her throat. And he was terribly apologetic about Digby’s behavior. Louisa brushed it aside and said it was Christmas. There were more important things to talk about than Digby Bunting.
The flight to New York was leaving that evening but they were all having Christmas lunch first. It had been so nice to see Kate and Trevor together last night. When Kate hugged Louisa after the show and said it had gone better than she hoped, Louisa could sense that Kate was happy and in love.
She had barely talked to Noah after they left the kitchen last night. One of the cameramen went on a pub crawl and took the camera with him. Noah had to find him and no matter how hard Louisa tried to stay awake, her eyes kept closing. She finally texted Noah and said she would see him in the morning.
But she was confident they would make it work. She would have to make changes in her schedule, but it would be worth it. She couldn’t order up love when it was convenient, as if it was a cheesecake from Harrods. Noah was like no one she had ever met and she wasn’t going to lose him.
A man appeared in the doorway and she recognized Noah’s short brown hair. He wore a tweed blazer over a beige shirt.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” He approached the table. “The maître d’ wouldn’t let me in without a sport coat.”
“You didn’t buy one!” she protested. “They must cost a fortune.”
“I looked in the gift shop but I couldn’t afford a single button,” he admitted. “Apparently the concierge keeps a selection of blazers for this situation. It’s a little big around the shoulders but it will do for lunch.”
“It suits you,” she mused. “You look quite British.”
“Next time I’ll pack a blazer.” He sat down. “You look beautiful. Is that a new sweater?”
“It was a Christmas gift from Kate.” She stroked the soft angora. “She shouldn’t have bought me anything; she gave me the best week of my life. But it is lovely and it’s perfect for Christmas lunch.”
“It’s gorgeous.” He nodded. “And Kate was very pleased with the show. You did an excellent job.”
“I bought you a present.” She handed him a parcel wrapped in tissue paper.
Noah opened it and took out two knitted cup warmers.
“You put them around your cup to keep the coffee warm.” She suddenly wished she had splurged on a tie or bottle of cologne. “To be honest they were all I could afford at the gift shop, and everything else was closed.” She flushed. “But I thought they would come in handy when you were studying.”
“They’re perfect.” He kissed her. “I can’t think of anything I’d like better.”
Louisa turned and a couple approached the table. Kate looked stunning in a cashmere dress and silk scarf. Trevor stood beside her in a navy blazer and beige slacks.
“We’re sorry for keeping you and Noah waiting.” Kate pulled out a chair. “I’ve been on the phone with New York. Bianca is frantic about next week’s show. She wants to do a New Year’s Eve menu, and she can’t find bitter milk chocolate for the mosaic chocolate dessert.”
“I know a chocolatier on the Lower East Side,” Noah offered. “I’ll track some down.”
“This is for you.” Kate handed Noah an envelope. “It’s your Christmas bonus. Perhaps you and Louisa can stay at a bed-and-breakfast in Vermont over the holidays. And I put in a request for you to have an assistant.” She smiled. “You have to study for law school and make time for your personal life. You shouldn’t be trying to find quince for a chestnut puree on a Friday night.”
“Thank you.” Noah slipped it in his pocket. “That’s very thoughtful.”
“What gorgeous earrings.” Louisa noticed Kate’s sapphire earrings. “Are they new?”
“Trevor gave them to me for Christmas.” She touched her ears. “We promised we wouldn’t give each other anything too expensive, but he bought them anyway.”
“They were the only thing I liked in the gift store and all the jewelry stores were closed,” Trevor said. “Besides, they bring out the color of Kate’s eyes.”
“They’re beautiful and I adore them.” She smiled.
“We’re going to celebrate my birthday next month in New York,” Trevor said to Louisa and Noah. “Perhaps you can join us.”
“New York!” Louisa turned to Kate. “That is exciting.”
“Trevor was asked to give a lecture at Columbia,” Kate began. “And I’m coming to London in the spring. Digby’s publisher wants me to produce a television special for one of his celebrity chefs. Her name is Felicity and she’s related to the royal family. We’re going to film at Kensington Gardens.”
The waiter appeared and they ordered venison Wellington and Parmesan gnocchi and heritage beetroot. There was a wedge and blue cheese salad and bowls of tomato and basil soup.
Louisa sipped white wine and they talked about her plans for the restaurant and Noah’s classes. Kate told them stories about television and Trevor recounted meeting Prince Harry. Noah’s arm brushed her sleeve when he reached for a bread roll, and she felt light and happy.
The waiter cleared their plates and passed around leather dessert menus.
“We don’t want anything from the dessert menu.” Louisa handed hers back.
“Of course we want dessert.” Noah glanced at the menu. “That’s the best part of the meal. The warm apple crumble with vanilla ice cream sounds delicious or I might try the ginger and treacle cake.”
“We’re not getting anything from the menu,” Louisa repeated. “I have a surprise.”
The waiter disappeared and returned with a pyramid of golden pastry puffs coated with caramel and threaded with royal icing. It was wrapped in spun sugar like some fabulous diamond bracelet and decorated with sugared almonds.
The waiter set it on the table and for a moment, Louisa was afraid it would collapse. But it settled on the plate and she relaxed. It looked so lovely in the flickering candlelight, like a jewel-encrusted music box in the window at Tiffany’s.
“It’s my croquembouche,” she explained. “We didn’t get to eat it last night. I thought we could have it for dessert.”
The waiter pulled it apart with silver dessert tongs and passed around porcelain plates. Noah took the first bite and Louisa held her breath. What if the pastry was too crunchy or the caramel was sticky or the slivered almonds got stuck in his throat?
Noah put his fork on his plate and wiped his mouth. He looked at Louisa and it was the longest moment of her life.
“It’s the best thing I ever tasted,” he said finally and kissed her.
All around her champagne glasses tinkled and silverware clinked and Christmas music played over the speakers. Little girls in red velvet dresses drank Shirley Temples and boys in trousers and suspenders clutched toy cars.
Louisa reflected on all the wonderful things about Christmas at Claridge’s: the giant Christmas tree made out of metallic umbrellas and Brandy Alexanders served at Claridge’s bar and wrapped ornaments in her suite. The Dorrington ham sandwiches served on green-and-white-striped china at afternoon tea and the English muffins with Cornish cream that were so fresh, they melted in her mouth. And the lobby! It was like the most luxurious British drawing room with a marble fireplace and sideboard set with decanters of brandy and sherry.
She turned to Noah and her heart filled with such happiness, she thought it might burst like the silver balloons that floated to the ceiling.
“I was hoping you would say that.” She beamed and kissed him back.