This year, only those closest to them have been invited to celebrate Christmas at Forestborough Manor. In keeping with tradition, they start with lunch in the Hunting Room at 1pm. In previous years, Forestborough Manor's housekeeper Mrs Schroeder used to get a little extra help from outside for the big celebrations, but this year she thinks she can do it all herself. After she has been up with breakfast for Hugo and Isabella in the morning, she returns to the kitchen muttering to herself and rattling pots and pans loudly in annoyance.
When her son, Anton schröder, the steward of Forestborough Manor, pops into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, she exclaims "The little girl! Does she think she can tell me how to organise a Christmas party at Forestborough Manor? I've been doing it for twenty years! And I know exactly how Hugo wants it - just the way we did it in the real Mrs von Baum's day!" Anton, who knows it's wise to stay away when his mum is in this mood, offers to go and light a fire in the large open fireplace in the Hunting Room before heading back to his house to change for the lunch he's been invited to. "I love the Hunting Room at this time of year!" he says. "Just remember, you're not a member of the manor! Forestborough Manor is not yours," his mum warns. "Just wait," says Anton cheerfully, "you know I've always said that Forestborough Manor will be mine one day!" and then he leaves the kitchen.
Before lunch, guests gather in Forestborough Manor's Great Hall for mulled wine. The first to arrive in the hall are Hugo's eldest son Otto, his wife Gunilla and their two children. They welcome Hugo's lawyer and oldest friend Karl-Henrik Rudolfsen and his wife Kristine. Otto's younger siblings, Sigrid and Axel, have been out for a long walk after breakfast and are shovelling snow on the stairs before entering the hall. Just after the two siblings, Anton also arrives with Agnetha Stjerne, von Baume's closest neighbour for twenty-five years, and Isabella von Baume's aunt. Mrs schröder helps Hugo down the stairs and he sits down in an armchair that Otto pushes out for him. Mrs Schröder serves mulled wine from a tray.
As if she has been waiting to make a dramatic entrance, Isabella comes down the stairs just as Hugo is about to make the first toast. Dressed in a bright red dress with a plunging neckline, all eyes turn to her as Hugo exclaims "There you are my darling!" Isabella walks up to Hugo and gives him a kiss, gets a mug of mulled wine, which she raises, smiles at those gathered and says: "Welcome dear friends, to our Forestborough Manor!" The only person who smiles back at her is Hugo.
Lunch gets off to a pretty cosy start, and Axel entertains with stories about his rather debauched life, bragging about the horses he helps breed and their success at the racetracks. Forestborough Manor also has horses, and his audience knows a little too much about the subject to believe all his exaggerations, but he lets them talk.
Mrs Schröder serves, but also makes sure to talk to Agnete, who is no longer as frequent a visitor to Forestborough Manor as she used to be. In the days of the old Mrs von Baume, Agnete was often at Forestborough Manor, and after late nights, she would often spend the night in one of the guest rooms instead of walking home alone through the woods.
Isabella, who usually does her best to be noticed, is relatively subdued until, seemingly surprised, she loudly exclaims "Oh how wonderful!". "Darling Hugo!". "What a surprise!". At the same time, she fishes a stunning diamond bracelet out of a jewellery box Hugo has placed in her lap and shows it to everyone around the table. She giggles as she asks Hugo to put it around her arm. "Oh Hugo, that must have cost a fortune!", she sighs as she admires the jewellery. Hugo responds by kissing her forehead and saying: "You know I can't say no to you, my little wife, you get everything you point at." He smiles tenderly at her. Isabella's gaze is not particularly loving, just triumphant as she looks around the table.
All the women gathered look at her with hatred. Only Anton and Axel seem amused. Otto, on the other hand, is furious, he stands up so violently that his chair falls over and says: "That's enough!" before striding out of the room.
After this, lunch ends rather quickly. Hugo says he needs to rest before meeting in the library later in the afternoon for eggnog, Christmas treats and the traditional presentation of Hugo's Christmas presents. "But why don't you have a cup of coffee with me up there, Karl-Henrik", Hugo asks and adds: "I have something I'd like to talk to you about". "The Christmas gift distribution will take place at four o'clock in the library as usual!", he says to the others as he walks out the door, leaning on Karl-Henrik's arm.
When her son, Anton schröder, the steward of Forestborough Manor, pops into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, she exclaims "The little girl! Does she think she can tell me how to organise a Christmas party at Forestborough Manor? I've been doing it for twenty years! And I know exactly how Hugo wants it - just the way we did it in the real Mrs von Baum's day!" Anton, who knows it's wise to stay away when his mum is in this mood, offers to go and light a fire in the large open fireplace in the Hunting Room before heading back to his house to change for the lunch he's been invited to. "I love the Hunting Room at this time of year!" he says. "Just remember, you're not a member of the manor! Forestborough Manor is not yours," his mum warns. "Just wait," says Anton cheerfully, "you know I've always said that Forestborough Manor will be mine one day!" and then he leaves the kitchen.
Before lunch, guests gather in Forestborough Manor's Great Hall for mulled wine. The first to arrive in the hall are Hugo's eldest son Otto, his wife Gunilla and their two children. They welcome Hugo's lawyer and oldest friend Karl-Henrik Rudolfsen and his wife Kristine. Otto's younger siblings, Sigrid and Axel, have been out for a long walk after breakfast and are shovelling snow on the stairs before entering the hall. Just after the two siblings, Anton also arrives with Agnetha Stjerne, von Baume's closest neighbour for twenty-five years, and Isabella von Baume's aunt. Mrs schröder helps Hugo down the stairs and he sits down in an armchair that Otto pushes out for him. Mrs Schröder serves mulled wine from a tray.
As if she has been waiting to make a dramatic entrance, Isabella comes down the stairs just as Hugo is about to make the first toast. Dressed in a bright red dress with a plunging neckline, all eyes turn to her as Hugo exclaims "There you are my darling!" Isabella walks up to Hugo and gives him a kiss, gets a mug of mulled wine, which she raises, smiles at those gathered and says: "Welcome dear friends, to our Forestborough Manor!" The only person who smiles back at her is Hugo.
Lunch gets off to a pretty cosy start, and Axel entertains with stories about his rather debauched life, bragging about the horses he helps breed and their success at the racetracks. Forestborough Manor also has horses, and his audience knows a little too much about the subject to believe all his exaggerations, but he lets them talk.
Mrs Schröder serves, but also makes sure to talk to Agnete, who is no longer as frequent a visitor to Forestborough Manor as she used to be. In the days of the old Mrs von Baume, Agnete was often at Forestborough Manor, and after late nights, she would often spend the night in one of the guest rooms instead of walking home alone through the woods.
Isabella, who usually does her best to be noticed, is relatively subdued until, seemingly surprised, she loudly exclaims "Oh how wonderful!". "Darling Hugo!". "What a surprise!". At the same time, she fishes a stunning diamond bracelet out of a jewellery box Hugo has placed in her lap and shows it to everyone around the table. She giggles as she asks Hugo to put it around her arm. "Oh Hugo, that must have cost a fortune!", she sighs as she admires the jewellery. Hugo responds by kissing her forehead and saying: "You know I can't say no to you, my little wife, you get everything you point at." He smiles tenderly at her. Isabella's gaze is not particularly loving, just triumphant as she looks around the table.
All the women gathered look at her with hatred. Only Anton and Axel seem amused. Otto, on the other hand, is furious, he stands up so violently that his chair falls over and says: "That's enough!" before striding out of the room.
After this, lunch ends rather quickly. Hugo says he needs to rest before meeting in the library later in the afternoon for eggnog, Christmas treats and the traditional presentation of Hugo's Christmas presents. "But why don't you have a cup of coffee with me up there, Karl-Henrik", Hugo asks and adds: "I have something I'd like to talk to you about". "The Christmas gift distribution will take place at four o'clock in the library as usual!", he says to the others as he walks out the door, leaning on Karl-Henrik's arm.