Page 60 of Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop
I find myself watching him with interest after Leo departs.
‘Something amusing you?’ he asks, returning my gaze. ‘Obviously my handsome face is rather hard to resist!’ He turns his head to and fro playfully.
‘You’re very well mannered,’ I tell him.
‘I like to think so. Is there something wrong with that?’
‘No, nothing at all. I appreciate good manners.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. Sadly, not everyone does these days. Ah, our food is here!’
‘Chicken?’ Leo asks.
‘That’s me,’ I say, and he puts a plate of southern fried chicken, chips and salad down in front of me on the table. ‘And the steak and kidney pie?’
‘That would be mine, young sir. And what a fine, hearty-looking pie it is!’
Leo gives him an odd glance. ‘Anything else I can get for you?’
‘I think we’re fine, Leo, thank you,’ I say.
‘A napkin, perhaps?’ Julian says, looking hopefully at him.
‘The serviettes are wrapped around the cutlery,’ Leo replies, looking pointedly at the basket in the centre of the table.
‘This?’ Julian says, lifting a bundle of cutlery from the basket.
‘Er, yeah.’
‘Well, well, paper napkins!’ Julian unwraps his cutlery, and with much amusement lays the thin white napkin in his lap. ‘Thank you, young man, for another new experience tonight.’
Leo looks at me with aWho’s this guy?expression, but I just smile at him and he leaves us to tend to another table.
‘Steak and kidney pie,’ I say, taking my own cutlery from the basket. ‘I wouldn’t have chosen that for you.’
‘One of my favourites,’ Julian says, cutting hungrily into it. ‘My grandmother used to make it for me when I was a small boy.’
‘Really, were you close to her?’
‘I was,’ Julian says, lifting up his fork. ‘I spent a lot of time with her when I was young.’ He tastes the pie. ‘Not as good as Nanny’s, but still pretty good.’
‘Why did you spend a lot of time with your grandmother?’ I ask, hoping this line of conversation might eventually lead us on to his father.
‘My parents weren’t around much,’ he explains. ‘Always travelling. I went to a boarding school in term time, and the holidays I spent mostly with my grandmother.’
‘Oh, that must have been hard on you?’
Julian shrugs. ‘Not really. I liked being with Nanny.’
‘But you must have missed your parents?’
Julian looks puzzled, as though no one had ever asked him this question before. Perhaps no one ever had. Maybe in his circles going to boarding school and being away from your parents was the norm.
‘A little, I guess. We usually spent Christmas together – when they were in the country, that is.’ He eagerly tucks into his pie again while I help myself to a little bit of my chicken. I was keen to talk more about his father.
‘Why were your parents away so much?’
Julian chews and swallows his latest mouthful. ‘Why all the interest in my family?’
