Page 62 of The Little Teashop of Lost and Found
I didn’t like to ask any more, but my head was buzzing as Nile drove us back home, what with all the fascinating conversations, Senga’s pep talk and instructions, and meeting Eleri again – not to mention knowing where to find one of the two people I desperately wanted to talk to.
I said as much to Nile and then thanked him for going with me. ‘I know you didn’t want to, really.’
‘Actually, I quite enjoyed myself, and I liked Henry Godet,’ he said. ‘I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for more antique farm tools for him to display in the restaurant.’
‘I’m glad you had a good time,’ I said, surprised. ‘I expect you’ll be glad to get out of those clothes, though.’
‘I’ve certainly had enough of the boots, and they’re not the easiest footwear to drive in,’ he agreed, and removed them at the first opportunity when we got back, utilizing a cast-iron boot jack by the front porch and going in in his stockinged feet.
The house seemed strangely deserted, though it was warm and there was the smell of something spicy baking in the oven.
‘It’s like theMary Celeste,’ he commented.
‘Yes … but I need to find someone to unhook this dress,’ I said, because there was no way I could undo the million tiny hooks and eyes down the back of it on my own.
‘I think you’re out of luck, unless you’d likemeto unhook you?’ he offered, with a slightly wicked glint in his grey eyes.
I dithered for a moment, but I was desperate to get back into my jeans and a sloppy sweatshirt. ‘Oh, all right,’ I agreed.
I turned round and he began at the top and worked his way slowly down. At one point his fingers accidentally brushed my skin and when I shivered he paused for a moment, then resumed, more quickly.
‘There you are,’ he said finally, and then I swear I felt his warm lips briefly brush the nape of my neck.
But perhaps I only imagined that. Because when I whirled round and stared at him, he was over by the stove, putting the kettle on.
He looked up, frowning, as if surprised to find me still there. ‘What are you waiting for? First one back downstairs looking as if they belong in the present century gets to make the coffee.’
I took a part-time GP position in a Haworth practice and spent my off-duty hours playing golf, taking Father for small outings in the car and walking the dog on the moors. I came to an arrangement with the cleaner, Kim, who took on the weekday afternoon role of housekeeper. Life settled down quite pleasantly and I even got away occasionally to my villa in Portugal, though it was let for most of the year.
In due course, Drogo went to meet his Maker and was replaced by a new Bichon Frise, Hugo. He proved to be of a mischievous and stubborn character and I would have returned him to the breeder for a more amenable replacement, except that Father wouldn’t hear of it, even after Hugo ate his slippers.
Kim promised to take him in hand and after a couple of unfortunate episodes, he began to behave with more circumspection, especially when he was out with me.
One day – I suppose this would be about six or seven years ago – I happened to hear that my former lover had moved back to the area, having inherited the family home, which lay up on the moors between Upvale and Haworth. However, this news meant nothing to me – and nor did I feel a pang when I learned of his sudden death the following year, for he’d long been dead and buried to me.
25
Flounced and Frilled
When I went back downstairs Nile had beaten me to it and, since he was his usual self in all ways, I told myself I must have imagined that moment in the kitchen … though I’ve no idea why I should, since I wasn’t sure if I evenlikedhim most of the time, however attracted to him I was. And he wassonot my type.
But it was as if I could still feel the brief pressure of his warm lips against my skin and the delicious shiver that had run down my spine, so when my eyes caught his cool grey gaze I looked away quickly, blushing.
All the family were there for dinner and later, after Casper had been put to bed, Nile, Bel and I went to Teddy and Geeta’s apartment and watchedBride and Prejudice, popped corn and, under Geeta’s direction, attempted some Bollywood dance moves. Teddy flatly refused, but Nile proved better at it than either Bel or I, though his expression of grave concentration reduced us to near-hysterical giggles.
He had many hidden depths and goodness knew what was swimming round in them.
After breakfast on Sunday morning most of the family trooped off to inspect the bedroom that was next on Sheila’s list of renovation projects and begin removing the furniture, but I was excused so I could finish off my edits in the peace of the library, and Teddy, because he had work to do in the Pondlife office.
When I got back to my flat after lunch – or, to be more accurate, after I’d snoozed off the sleepiness caused by eating a huge amount ofroast chicken with all the trimmings followed by sticky toffee pudding and custard – I rang Lola and described the book launch party, my scary agent, and rather more than I meant to about how Nile looked in his shirt and breeches.
‘When I’m up for my flying visit on Thursday, I hope I get to meet this paragon of manly beauty,’ she said, with a laugh in her voice.
‘He’s notbeautiful, but he’s certainly classically handsome,’ I said. ‘I don’t know if he’ll be here or not, because he goes off on buying trips all the time or … justoff. And he has a partner in London called Zelda – he seems to stay there a lot.’
‘Partner as in personal or business?’
‘He says just business. Sheila, his adoptive mum, told me they’ve been friends since they were at university together, but I overheard a phone conversation between them and I have a suspicion there might be a bit more to it.’
