Page 44 of Fundamentals in Flirting

“It was a very long time ago, when there were a lot of IRA bombings in the 70s. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She handed out the tea and then reached up to a shelf and pulled out a faded photograph of a dapper young man in a military uniform from behind a dusty teapot, his smile lopsided and mischievous. “He was very handsome, just like this one.” She leant over and patted Teddy’s cheek, who grinned in reply.

“And Edward, who was he?”

Agnes’s wrinkled face flushed, her brow creasing.

“Gosh, I haven’t thought about him for a long time. He was Frank’s much younger brother, and a very gallant young man. He came round to call on me when Frank died and made sure that I was ok. He was a good boy…” Her voice trailed off and her eyes misted over.

I sipped my tea and the oppressively crowded house loomed inwards. Agnes was momentarily lost to long-forgotten memories, while Teddy and I glanced at each other.

“Do you have many visitors, Agnes?” he asked, breaking the quiet. His deep voice was rich and warming after the pensive silence that had engulfed us.

“Oh no, dear, just me and my goats. No one much bothers with me nowadays.”

“Oh.” Teddy looked visibly pained.

“Anyway, nothing to be maudlin about. I’ve had a good life, and now I have some lovely new neighbours!” She smiled broadly at us.

“Too right,” Teddy murmured, looking at me again.

Agnes had no obvious recollection of the episode in the surgery car park, and she seemed to be happy gazing at us over the rim of her teacup once again.

“I should get going, I’m afraid. I was called out to a tricky foaling last night and I’ve got a clinic starting at eight.”

I stood, stretching my aching limbs, my fingertips brushing the cracked and stained ceiling above, before moving to the sink to rinse my teacup, where Teddy joined me, offering to dry up, our shoulders bumping in the cramped space.

“I have to head in to the office this morning too,” Teddy added, turning back to Agnes. “But pop in and see me when you feed Deidre later?”

“Oh yes, that would be nice. I could bake a cake?”

“I have a Victoria sponge with your name on it,” Teddy said, touching her arm gently.

“If you’re sure?” Agnes’s face was eager, her eyes wide with the promise of cake and company. “When do you finish, Hannah? I’ll come over then?”

“Oh, er…” My head whipped around wildly, looking to Teddy to help me get out of this, to tell her we weren’t together. That I needn’t be included in this social neighbourly gathering.

But he was just nodding his agreement. “We can wait for you to finish your evening clinic. When’s your last appointment?”

“Six,” I said weakly.

“I’ll rustle up some dinner for six-thirty.” Teddy was beaming triumphantly. “I hope you like salad?”

“Yes, delicious. I can bring some cherry tomatoes from my greenhouse,” Agnes said, and I nodded mutely, unsure how I had been coerced into spending time with Teddy against my better judgement. Again.

Yet inside me, a kernel of warmth bloomed, bright and hot. And horrifyingly hopeful.

ChapterFifteen

After finishing a rather uncomfortable clinic composed largely of panting dogs and red-faced owners, I finally closed down my computer and wiped the examining table over, relieved to be putting my white coat back on its hook. My last patient had been a grumpy and rather bitey ferret, and with bleeding fingers I was now raiding the first aid kit for plasters and antiseptic wipes.

Betsy bustled past, humming the theme fromJawsas she went into the dispensary.

“Very funny,” I grumbled.

“Doing anything tonight?” she asked, coming back out with a large sack of dog food in her arms.

“I’m having dinner with Teddy.”

The dog food slid from her grip and landed on the floor with a thud.

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