Table of Contents

       Cover

       About the Author

      The Crightons

       Title Page

      PROLOGUE

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

       CHAPTER FOUR

       CHAPTER FIVE

       CHAPTER SIX

       EPILOGUE

       Copyright

       PENNY JORDAN’S FIGGY PUDDING

      (Makes two large puddings)

      This is a traditional English recipe.

       110g/1 cup chopped almonds

       110g/ ¾ cup chopped figs

       450g/3 cups raisins

       225g/ ½ lb currants

       225g/1½ cups sultanas

       110g/ ¾ cup mixed peel

       110g/ ¾ cup chopped glacé cherries

       110g/ ¾ cup plain flour

       2 tsp ground mixed spice

       2 tsp ground cinnamon

       1 tsp ground nutmeg

       225g/1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar

       225g/ ½ lb shredded suet or vegetarian suet

       225g/4 cups fresh white breadcrumbs

       225g/ ½ lb grated apple (about 2 medium apples)

       1 large grated carrot

       Juice and grated zest of 2 large lemons

       2 tbsp molasses

       4 large eggs, beaten

       225 ml/1 cup Guinness or milk

       4 tbsp rum or brandy

      Combine the chopped almonds, figs, raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel and cherries. Add the sifted flour, spices, sugar, suet and breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Add the grated apple, carrot, lemon juice and zest and molasses and mix again. Stir in the beaten eggs, followed by the Guinness (or milk) and rum (or brandy). Spoon into two buttered casseroles (2½ pint capacity each) and cover with a double layer of waxed paper. Leave overnight to mature. Cover the casseroles with a double layer of foil, pleated down the centre and tied securely with string. Steam for 8 hours, checking regularly to see that the pan hasn’t boiled dry. Remove and set aside to cool. Cover with fresh waxed paper and foil, then store somewhere cool and dark, ideally for 4 to 6 weeks. When ready to be eaten, steam the puddings for an additional 3 hours before turning out into serving dishes. Warm a ladleful of brandy, set alight and pour over the puddings.

       PROLOGUE

      ‘MMM… well, I suppose he’s all right,’ Christabel announced as she looked critically at her less than one-week-old cousin as he lay contentedly in his mother’s arms.

      In four weeks’ time it would be Christmas and Heaven and Jon would be going up to the Scottish Borders to spend the Christmas season in their home there, but right now they were still in London where Jon was enjoying showing off his newborn son to his sister, her two daughters and their doting stepfather.

      ‘What I don’t understand, though,’ young Christabel continued seriously, ‘is why you’ve called him Figgy.’

      Over the dark downy head of Charles Christopher Hugo, nicknamed ‘Figgy’, Heaven grinned at her husband.

      ‘Well, it’s a long story,’ she began ‘and let’s just say that figgy pudding is a very special Christmas treat and “Figgy” here—’

      ‘I think you’d better stop there,’ Jon warned her ruefully, but his niece, picking up on the very interesting adult messages passing between her uncle and her new aunt, decided she wanted to hear more.

      She had just reached the age where adult secrets, adult conversations were beginning to make her curious.

      ‘Tell me,’ she demanded imperiously. ‘I like stories…’

      Heaven laughed into Jon’s eyes. In his mother’s arms Figgy continued to sleep despite his father’s attempts to make him wake up.

      ‘Well,’ Heaven began importantly, ‘just as figgy pudding is a pudding with a difference, so too is this a story with a difference, and it all began