Page 71 of A Recipe for Love
‘I don’t think so.’
Flinty made to head back to her kitchen.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’
‘Well you won’t want me in the way.’
‘I’m not having a Council of War without you on it. And anyway you’re the only person Veronica listens to.’
Flinty shook her head. ‘I’m sure that’s not true.’
‘It absolutely is. Please. I need you.’
Flinty sat herself down on the big armchair next to the fire, looking quite like she had always belonged there. ‘Well, if you need me, dear.’
Ten minutes later her full council was assembled. Anna had volunteered to take notes. Nina, as ever, had Netty in tow. ‘She’s still doing her silence love, so she won’t be any bother.’ Jill settled into the final seat, a small, slightly sagging armchair across from Flinty at the opposite side of the fireplace. A second later she squealed.
‘What?’ asked Nina.
Jill rubbed her neck. ‘Nothing. I just…’ She twisted and looked behind her. ‘Nothing.’
‘OK.’ Bella clapped her hands together. ‘Thank you…’
‘Aaargh!’ Jill yelped again and jumped out of her seat. ‘Sorry. It felt like someone was behind me.’
The other women stared at Jill’s chair suspiciously.
Flinty sighed. ‘That’s where Poppy likes to sit. She tends to prod you a bit if you’re in her place.’
Bella shook her head. ‘It was probably just a draught. Poppy isn’t real.’
‘Have you tried telling her that?’
Actually Bella had. ‘She doesn’t seem to believe me,’ she conceded. ‘Poppy’s the castle ghost.’
‘One of the castle ghosts,’ Flinty corrected.
‘What?’ That was news to Bella.
‘She’s the only one that really bothers us, but the lassie still doesn’t quite believe in her.’ Flinty shook her head at Bella’s utterly obtuse rationalism.
‘Well I do,’ Jill said. ‘Imaginary people don’t tickle.’
Netty held up her pad.You should do an exorcism.
‘No!’ Bella was not having that.
‘Why not?’ Flinty asked. ‘You don’t believe in her anyway.’
‘But in case I’m wrong, I don’t want to be the one throwing a child out of her home.’
Flinty nodded approvingly.
‘I’m not really the exorcism type of vicar anyway,’ Jill pointed out. ‘I could do you a lovely blessing if you wanted though.’ She glanced back at the seat and then over at the settee. ‘Room for a little one over there do you think?’
Jill squeezed onto the sofa with Anna and Bella. ‘Right,’ Bella continued. ‘Thank you for coming. I hope you don’t mind me asking.’
‘Not at all,’ Anna reassured her. ‘It’s a long time since we’ve been up here.’
