A Villain for Christmas (The Holyoake Christmas Series, Book 2)

Additional Character Line-Up

Billie dragged herself into her extension, shoved her outside clothes into the wardrobe, and dropped in her old shabby armchair. Her head was buzzing like one of Howard Dawson's beehives, and she groaned and pressed the heels of her hands into her eyeballs.

A knock came to the door between her 'cave' and the main house. Oh please, give me some peace! Billie begged in her mind. She'd like to ignore her relations - but when did it ever work?

"Sybil?" Aunt Sophia asked behind the door. "Let us in, darling. We need to talk."

The use of 'us' didn't bode well. Before Billie had a chance to come up with a valid excuse not to - or at least to prepare herself for the invasion - the door opened; and seemingly every person in her household, plus about half a dozen of cats, rushed inside. One of the felines immediately started scratching at the side of Billie's seat; and she glared at the animal.

"How was your day, Sybil?" Phee asked and unceremoniously flopped on Billie's bed.

The glare that Billie gave her sister had about as much effect as the one that the cat had received earlier.

"The shop was very busy," Billie grumbled.

Her habitual answer was, for some reason, met with a few laughs and giggles.

"Oh, you were right, she's trying to hide it from us," Aunt Hazel said to Aunt Sophia, who nodded eagerly and then gave Billie a soft reproachful look.

"Darling, it's of course none of our business–" the youngest Aunt started, only to be interrupted by Delia, who had just joined Phee on the bed.

"Hogwash! Of course it's our business! Sybil, of all people, meeting someone, and not just someone - but, potentially, the Man - is something we all need to discuss!" Billie's older sister stated categorically. "If we don't interfere at the very beginning, and don't take this whole affair under control, there's a chance it won't amount to anything! We can't let that happen! The fate of the family depends on it!"

"What?!" Billie asked, her mouth suddenly growing dry.

And there she was, thinking this day couldn't get any worse!

"Delia had a vision about you today!" Phee announced and clapped her hands jollily. "She said that you'd meet the Man today!"

"Well, not exactly," Delia drew out.

"When were your visions 'exact' anyroad?" Billie muttered under her breath, making sure no one heard her.

"But it was definitely a good one!" Aunt Thelma chimed in.

"It was after tea, so it wasn't a hunger induced wishful fantasy," Aunt Hazel added with a chuckle.

Billie suppressed a derisive scoff. Even if she believed in the whole Harewicke family magic mumbo-jumbo - which she didn't! - she always thought that there was a certain element of intentionality in how cryptic Delia's prophecies seemed.

As if the Harewicke women needed an insurance policy and an out if the opposite of what was predicted, happened.

"And I checked your star chart for today," Aunt Thelma confirmed in her usual business-like tone. "The stars are exceptionally charitable towards you these three days. They also favour Delia's Gift over others today, so you'd better listen." 

Not even close, Billie would like to answer; but she knew better than engaging her Aunts and her sisters when the infamous - and dubious - Seven Harewicke Gifts were involved.

"So?" Phee asked and settled her elbows on her knees, and her chin on her palms, her giant green eyes twinkling greedily. "Tell us everything."

Another cat, meanwhile, jumped on Billie's desk and started loudly chewing on a ribbon that served as a bookmark in Billie's favourite Austen omnibus. It took all her willpower to refrain from throwing her shoe or some other light but noisy object in the animal's direction. She'd never hurt a living being, but nothing besides a threat of an impact with a household item would make the cats even acknowledge that Billie was in the room.