Page 27 of Hit For Six
It had been too long since he’d visited the family’s second residence. It was a place that had warmed his heart, not least because everyone seemed to relax there. At blessed last. Monty suspected this had much to do with the swathes of heady summer lavender and the perpetual drone of the bumblebees that surrounded the smaller house. Time had always stood still in Provence. No more competition or keeping up appearances. Just bread, cheese and wine. Well, lemonade for the minors– which Saskia topped up with champagne when the grown-ups weren’t looking.
‘And then you must come over as soon as we’re back. I’m not sure that we’ll fit something in for just the immediate family until the autumn, although it’s well overdue– besides, you and your father will be in the thick of the post season analysis and merchandise planning.’ Monty gulped. He’d clean forgotten what time of year it was. ‘But we do have the annual end of summer party to look forward to.’
‘Can I bring a plus one?’ Monty jumped in before Helena could drone on about the menu of the soirée that was customarily held just before the autumn equinox. ‘Actually she’s more than that.’
She really was. Lola was unlocking so many realisations in him. But what was he saying? He was a fool to tempt fate like this when they weren’t even an item! Anything to stop Helena inviting the likes of that woman who’d been rammed down his throat at Roddie’s party, though.
‘Oh, Monty! Finally!’Idiot.‘I mean that’s wonderful. Background info check, though: we’d prefer to know something about your lady ahead of time.’
‘Well, I think it would be rather nice if Lola told you that herself when she comes to the party. She’s a lovely girl. You’ll get on brilliantly, you’ll see.’
‘Monty! I can’t believe you just used that word.’
Monty replayed his side of the dialogue but he was none the wiser.
‘Excuse me?’
‘The dreaded N word!’ Helena sounded exasperated. ‘Surely you haven’t forgotten what you were taught at school during prep: there are infinite ways to better describe something that’s to one’s liking.’
Monty had zero recollection of such a petty lesson. What was wrong with sayingnice? Plenty of thingswerenice. Lola described things as nice. Just like she had in the queue the other day at the Roly Poly when she’d stealthily nabbed, and then eaten, most of the cinnamon roll. Curiously, Helena didn’t take umbrage with the French city of the same name, which she visited every summer for a sojourn within a sojourn.
‘I think we’ll have to agree to disag–’
‘Just a moment, darling. Your father wants a word.’
Christ. Monty had rested on his laurels. Not that this had been the easiest conversation with his mother. She’d played good cop admirably, though, paving the way for Frederick to come along with his two pennies’ worth.
His father cleared his throat and Monty steeled himself.
‘I was… erm… hoping to extend an olive branch,’ Frederick’s monotone voice assaulted his eardrums, suggesting anything but, sending poor Squiffy zooming off to the retreat of the lounge. How Monty wished he could join her. ‘What you did the other day was preposterous. Why anyone would go to suchlengths for a complete stranger is beyond me. But let’s put it behind us and get back to business.’
Monty grimaced. That was going to be interesting if Lola did agree to accompany him to the party that she knew nothing about. There was also the terrifying matter of breaking the full-time T20 contract news to his father. The right moment never seemed to present itself and at this rate, Monty wasn’t sure that it ever would.
‘I can do that,’ he said, cursing himself for not having the balls to stand up to his family, but determined to keep his emotions out of it.
Of course Monty didn’t want to agree to anything. There was a principle in all of this. But there was also no other way around things. He’d made his point and he had to accept that Frederick was in charge. If Monty truly wanted autonomy within Beau-re-mi, then one day it would be his, regardless of his imminent resignation. But he’d never wanted anything less. It was a feeling that was becoming clearer to him at an astonishing rate. There was no going back to his old self who’d toed the line. Best then to let this matter go. It helped that he could hold his head high. He’d genuinely tried to do the right thing and he could take a smidgen of comfort from that.
‘I’m not sure if you’ve been checking your emails, Monty? We’ve tried to keep everyone in the loop.’ For the love of God, what now? ‘Over the past few days, the sales of a certain dress have gone through the roof and the factory can’t cope with demand.’ His father paused for effect. ‘This is categorically not the kind of publicity we want to attract. We’re a wholesome upmarket brand with a classy clientele.’
Monty wasn’t sure what any of this had to do with him. He’d already put forward his suggestion to make amends and the buck should have fallen with the root cause of the problem: the designer and those who’d signed off on the collection.
‘What I’m trying to say is Keanu Reeve’s endorsement of the brand has worn off and this has becomeyour team’s problem, Montgomery. Just like I warned it would in the meeting. You’re the one heading up the digital marketing department and you need to come up with a solid strategy to shift the attention elsewhere. I’d like it on my desk by the end of the week so your mother and I can go to Provence and drink some wine in the sun.’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Lola
It was Lola’sfirst time in Germany. She might have preferred the chocolate box scenery of the Black Forest, a weekend in Berlin to catch the city’s vibrant Pride celebration, or a trip to the beer festival in Munich. Alas she was in the middle of the skyscraper forest of Frankfurt for a busy trade fair. So far so good, though. It had been surprisingly gratifying to put faces to names, she’d secured a heap of orders for the frontlist, and she’d witnessed some dazzling burnt-orange and crimson sunsets as she’d trekked back to her hotel across the bridge that straddled the Main. But somehow she knew that this would be the first business trip for Harry and the last.
Actually, there were some prettier parts to the city; one such being the (rebuilt) old quarter of Sachsenhausen and its cobbled streets, where she’d been treated to a seriously enlightening dinner with her female counterpart, Rosie, from the sister branch of Celebrations and Commiserations last night.
Over steak with a dreamy pepper sauce (Lola couldn’t bring herself to sample the Frankfurter sausages– they looked too much like fingers) and Apfelstrudel, washed down with lashings of crisp Riesling, she discovered that a group of women were pooling their complaints about Julian with a view to going to the police. Would Lola like to join them?
Whilst she knew this could bring the Bath branch into disrepute, she had to think of the bigger picture. Lola would not be silenced. Besides, she hadn’t signed an NDA, and maybe she could leave C and C sooner than she realised. Because a very exciting email had flown into her inbox earlier this morning.When Lola had gingerly clicked on it, she’d whooped at the news that her business loan had been approved in principle. Which meant that her long-held hopes and dreams about running a travel agency that specialised in musical theatre holidays might one day become a reality. The bank loved the idea and all her business planning had come across as sound and viable.
She was just tucking into tonight’s room service meal when her phone trilled unexpectedly.
‘Oh!’ She quickly swallowed her mouthful of food, cursing herself for multitasking. Now her voice would sound deeply unattractive and like she had a throat stuffed with cotton wool. ‘It’s… you. How are things going there, Monty?’
