Page 95 of Lessons in Life

Maude nodded her approval but then shook her head. ‘And you’re seriously expecting everyone to troop up through my gardens, trampling over my flowerbeds in order to get up to that great monolith on the lawn?’

‘Absolutely. Mr Bower and his underlings are laying down… laying down… something for people to walk on. Can I remind you, Maude, they’re no longer your gardens…? Where d’you thinkyou’regoing, Eloise? I need you to sort out what you’ll be wearing and?—’

‘Sorry, Mummy, must dash.’ Eloise made for the door. ‘I promised Sarah I’d help her with arrangements for her engagement party. May I take the Mini?’

‘Oh, absolutely, yes. And make sure you give her your party invitation.’ Muriel turned to Maude. ‘Do you know this Sarah, Maude? One of the Harrogate Huntington-Greens apparently; an old school pal of Eloise’s living just twenty minutes away? Eloise and Sarah are great chums – she’s spent every minute of the past few weeks with the family. This is the sort of friendship we need to be encouraging; I’m led to believe Sarah has several older – single – brothers and then there’s a whole pool of Huntington-Green cousins?—’

‘Can’t say I have,’ Maude said, cutting Muriel off mid-sentence. Tired of listening to the litany of Muriel’s hopes and expectations regarding a suitable match for Eloise, she quickly made her tea and headed once more for her roses.

* * *

‘Where does your mum think you are?’ Janice asked, opening her front door to Eloise.

‘At Sarah Huntington-Green’s near Mirfield.’

‘And why aren’t you?’

‘Because she’s a total figment of my imagination.’ Eloise, feeling braver with each passing day she spent as Janice’s mate, laughed, nervously at first and then with more confidence.

‘You be careful, love.’ Norma Atkinson, at the sink, turned. ‘I’m not sure your dad and your brother would approve of you hanging about down here.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry if I’m in your way.’ Eloise’s confidence shrivelled to embarrassment.

‘Don’t be so daft, Eloise. You know you’re more than welcome here any time. Are you staying for a bit of dinner? Our Gary’s just off to the chippy.’

‘That’s awfully kind, Mrs Atkinson, but I’m meeting a friend and heading out to take some photographs.’ Eloise indicated the camera over her shoulder. ‘I don’t seem to be able to stop snapping these days.’ She knew she was talking too fast, knew also that Norma probably had a jolly good idea who the friend was.

‘Be careful, love, that’s all I’m saying. They’re not like us. Different, you know?’

‘I’ll be off, then,’ Eloise said, her face flaming, Janice following her down the path to the Mini.

‘Look, Eloise,’ Janice said. ‘This is all my fault. If you hadn’t come to the Rooms with us the other week, you’d never have started all this.’

‘Janice,’ Eloise said, smiling, ‘I fell in love with him the minute I saw him taking the photo of the thrush…’

‘But Eloise, he’s… look, I know he’s absolutely gorgeous; I’ve always fancied him myself, to be honest, but, you know, that’s as far as it went…’ Janice was genuinely anxious.

‘Janice, I feel alive for the first time in my life.’

‘Oh, now you’re being dramatic.’ Janice tutted. ‘How about a date with our Gary? He fancies you like mad.’

‘Stop worrying. All will be well.’ Eloise opened the Mini and slid into the driver’s seat.

That, she realised, was the second lie of the morning.

* * *

As soon as she saw him, standing waiting for her by his rusting old Triumph Herald out on the moor above Wessenden reservoir, Eloise marvelled again just how utterly gorgeous he was. She pulled up behind the Triumph, crashing the gears as she did so.

‘You sure you’ve passed your test?’ Junayd smiled through the open window.

‘Well, only a month ago and, to be honest, only because it was absolutely pouring down and the examiner couldn’t open the door to see how far I was from the pavement when reversing.’

‘Right, well, hopefully we’ll see a curlew or a dipper if we’re lucky. Got plenty of film?’

Eloise nodded, hoping Junayd would take her hand but, instead, he set off at pace, heading down a tussocky path looking over Wessenden reservoir.

‘You know, I’d never been up here until you suggested it.’

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