CHAPTER 16
There was more, of course, more of their voices and power, and I wept, but Eric was there, and Merry joined me as I dropped out of the playing, her arms a comfort above and beyond the joy of the music.

The acoustics of the church brought such a richness to everything, such a clarity, and the grace of Hywel’s tenor and Leah’s contralto flew above the sheer thunder of the bass and baritone voices of the men of our families.

Merry had obviously nobbled Simon in the choice of hymns, as they were all great tunes and not just carols. We had ‘Gloria in Excelsis’ and ‘Be Still, My Soul’, so many others, and yet it was the popular ones, where the children joined in more easily, that I still remember. The way a simple old song like “Once in Royal David’s city” took on a depth and passion of its own rather than being the repetitive dirge it usually becomes. Darren had stepped away from the band too, and I felt his arm slip around my waist as the three of us simply stood and soaked in the dancing air.

It came to an end, of course, and there were cakes and hot drinks in the Hall, but I pushed through the congregation to find Aunty Esther and the rest. I could hardly see with the tears, but that was fine, none of them was moving out of reach, and none avoided a kiss when I found them. Once I could speak rationally again, and see more clearly, I sniffed back some tears and asked the obvious question.

“When? When was this all arranged?”

Twm looked across at Arwel, who grinned, but it was Uncle Arthur who replied.

“Miriam was behind this, when she said she was coming to your home for the holy days. I…I felt we should make sure that you understand that you are kin, and that is something I did not wish to wait for another nine months. One grows a child in nine months, but one can as easily lose a loved one.”

He grinned, almost as widely as Arwel. “Besides, how can I get my favourite…niece to come back home more often if not by infusing her soul with hiraeth, aye?”

Hywel was just as amused. “Aye, Annie, and we were coming over with the trouts to see Sar, and we needed a bit of practice like for the proper carol service tomorrow. Just got the organ there, less competition from the show-offs like you lot!”

I was in fresh tears. “You are all so welcome, aye? Welcome to my first Christmas with my family. Where are you all staying? How long? What….oh, damn it, tea, cake, come on before it all goes”

Merry was still at my shoulder as we headed for the Hall.

“Travel Lodge, Annie, I got a bulk discount for them. Sarah’s people are continuing on tonight to Dover.”

“Why not…oh, I know, no surprise, but next time, my house, sod it, OUR house, there are two of us, our house is family property, aye? We are flesh, aye?”

I found myself laughing suddenly, as a thought struck me. “Unless you have somewhere closer in mind?”

Her blush told me all I needed, but she was still Merry, sane and sensible, practical in all things.

“I know what you mean, Annie, but we have known each other only days, and one makes no life plans on that basis”

“A girl can dream, though, aye?”

“Oh yes, my dear, oh yes”

I watched her face light up, and she linked an arm to squeeze mine.

“Annie, thank you. For good or bad, though I think the former, you have shown me something I dared not hope for. Too many years lacking faith that He is capable of making good men, or at least some who I am not too late for...did you listen to his sermon, I mean really listen? He has such a depth of faith, of generosity to him, and the words, his gift with language….”

She tailed off, then suddenly grinned. “And the most beautiful eyes, aye?”

We entered the Hall giggling as badly as Chantelle now was, as Alice teased her about her new dress and whether Ginny’s hair colour was infectious. For a while I circulated through them, giving my love and my thanks, and then I found myself with Twm Powell, Sarah’s father, and his wife Sioned.

“That was a good piece of singing, Annie. The boys and I shall have to spend some time with your men before your wedding”

Sioned poked him. “There are lady singers here as well, Twmi!”

“Yes, but it is the bass and the baritone that carry the song, cariad, it is they who shake the building, and the diaphragm”

I laughed. “And here am I playing in a much higher register, aye, and so I shall declare a bias! You are sure you want to shoot off to Dover at this hour? We have beds, spare rooms”

Twm nodded. “We have a grandchild who must be seen, and a daughter we love, and it is Christmas, and these things are necessary.”

Sioned cracked a remark about him missing ‘his’ dog, and then suddenly he was serious.

“It is important, Annie, that the choices God gives you are seen clearly. Sarah made mistakes, she hid from life for too long. All that she has now, she could have had so many years ago”

There was something dark there, and Sioned frowned.

“She had a…problem with a man, after she had met our son-in-law, a problem she could have avoided”

Ah. Sioned was still talking. “That is one reason we feel, in a way, protective towards you. It is why Twm here, and his brother, stood up for you with your people. We were wrong, at first, back then, but now we see clearly. What we can see, so may others”

Twm grunted. “They might need a bit of a smack at first, but that’s the way of the world. Look, Annie, make us proud, aye, make us parch, does dim angen arnat i hiraeth achos mae Cymru yn buw yn y galon, na?”

Sioned slapped his arm lightly. “Dydy hi ddim yn siarad yr iaith, Twmi. Sorry, he gets a little morose and silly at times. He is saying that with your family, with their music, you need never be homesick because you carry the land in your heart. Look around you, there is life here, life and love, and so much of it isn’t English!”

That brought a proper laugh from Twm. “Aye, the buggers invade us, subjugate us, try to kill our language, and we can still outsing them! Pity about the rugby, though”

Hywel was listening in, and I left them to their suddenly lively discussion, seeking my man. Well, one of them; I could see the other cuddled up to his girl and a plate of cake. Merry was behind the kitchen hatch with Simon, looking every inch the potential vicarage lady. Twm’s comments about seizing the day played in my mind as I watched her, and I offered a little prayer to her god that whatever happened would leave her with a smile to match those they were sharing.

I finally found Eric surrounded by my family, looking more than a little intimidated, which was hardly surprising.

“Annie, love!”

I got a cuddle, and his arm stayed protectively around my waist, but I couldn’t work out who was the one being protected, me or him. Aunty Esther was to the fore.

“This vicar, this Simon, what are his intentions towards my Merry?”

I spotted the twinkle just in time. “I think, to see that she smiles, Aunty”

Her own smile was there now, and John was nodding. “More than that, Annie. Much more than that. He is a wordsmith, isn’t it? He knows the Lord’s words and he makes them clear to the ordinary man, and that is a rare gift. I would, we would have him at the Chapel, and if he is the man to marry you, it will change things”

The others were nodding in agreement as he continued. “Aye, Annie, we will be proud to stand for your wedding, that we have made clear. Now that you offer us a man of God, one who can enrich our souls, you make us certain in our decision. You have a treasure in that man”

Leah giggled. “And even in that cassock, I can tell he has a LOVELY bottom!”