Page 105 of Oar Than Friends

The way she said it made it sound like she didn’t think we’d been working hard at all, but all I was worried about was how long she’d been standing outside and whether she’d heard everything Imogen and I had said. The walls weren’t that thick, and she was exactly the type of person to be listening outside.

‘We were on a break,’ I replied meekly, then wondered why. I didn’t have to justify myself to her. I stood up straighter, and forced a smile. ‘What’s up, Mary? Want to come in?’

‘It’s not a social visit.’ She stepped in anyway.

‘Okay.’ I was about to close the door behind her when a hand gripped the edge.

‘Knock knock.’ The owner of the voice pushed the door wide again. ‘Mare, for fuck’s sake, why are you here?’

I looked over to Imogen, who was staring up at Will Norris and Mary Heston; the widening of her eyes was in direct correlation to how defiant Mary continued to look as Will’s frown deepened.

‘I told you I was coming,’ she replied eventually.

‘Fine, I’m not staying, and it should be noted that I want no part of this.’

I bit down on my smirk as Imogen grabbed a pen and one of the spare flash cards, and scribbled something across it. ‘I’ve noted it. Now would you mind explaining what you’re both doing here.’

I assumed Will would go first as he didn’t plan to stay but he merely stared at Mary and gestured her forward.

Mary cleared her throat, a quiet little noise that evoked a sense of dread out of nowhere. ‘I have a friend whose family lives in Chewton-under the-Wold, and she was there for Christmas …’

The sense of dread intensified immediately, especially with the way Mary was slowly blinking while she waited for me to catch on. For the whole of Christmas I’d planned to ask Oz what ‘under-the-Wold’ meant, seeing as it was his village, but it had slipped my mind every single time.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Imogen sitting up straighter. She knew it was his village too. Neither of us said anything.

‘Anyway,’ continued Mary, ‘she loves to post onInstagram. It’s hard to keep up with how much she posts, but last weekend I happened to have been scrolling through, and caught one from Christmas Eve. She’d taken part in the annual Santa run they hold in the village – you know the one, right, Kate?’

Mary stared at me, but I stayed silent. Imogen was less patient than me, however.

‘Mary, spit it out. Enough with the dramatic reveal. Ask what you came to ask.’

I glanced over to Will Norris leaning against the door frame and looking at his feet.

‘Are you in a relationship with Arthur Osbourne-Cloud? And did you spend Christmas with him?’

‘Mary, I’ve told you, it’s none of your business who Kate spends Christmas with,’ snapped Will.

‘It is when it’s direct competition to us. How do we know she’s not sharing training secrets?’

Will tutted loudly and shook his head. He’d clearly been over Mary’s arguments more than once, especially when he muttered, ‘You’re ridiculous.’

‘I’m not!’ she snapped, turning back to me. ‘You’re here on a rowing scholarship, aren’t you, Kate?’

I didn’t need a translator to understand her very arched eyebrow was the not-so-subtle threat that by dating Oz I was putting my scholarship in jeopardy.

‘You are being ridiculous,’ Will argued back, and looked at me. ‘You don’t have to answer her.’

I smiled gratefully, though my insides were spinning like a tornado, ‘Why are you here, Will?’

‘Coach wants to see you. I was heading over here anyway, and I told him I’d give you the message.’

I frowned in surprise, ‘Oh, did he say what for? Or when?’

Will shook his head, but from the look on his face he knew exactly why I’d been summoned, and my stomach plunged another few inches.

‘Is it …’ I pointed at Mary whose head was flicking between me with pursed lips and Will in confusion, ‘Is it to do with this …’

‘No, though it’s probably not something you should mention to him right now. You’re not doing anything wrong, Kate, and it’s got nothing to do with your scholarship, but it’d be best to keep it on the downlow anyway. Just go to the boathouse and see them as soon as you can. Now if you have time.’

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