Chapter Seventeen
Rick ran over to Mark’s car in a state of high excitement. ‘Guess what, guess what? Mum’s got a huge, poisonous snake in that bag and she’s burnt Christmas lunch.’
Sarah, glaring at her brother, looked close to tears.
Beth turned her back, steeled herself and went inside. In the kitchen, she was confronted by a terrible scene. Dell was contentedly chewing on the remains of the leg of ham. The plum pudding that Beth had made with such care had long since boiled dry and lay like a large, wrinkled prune in the base of a blackened saucepan. She couldn’t bear to look in the oven to discover the fate of the turkey and vegetables.
Beth opened the window and the sliding door. All the while, the infernal shrieking of the smoke detector blared on. Fetching a broom from the laun
