Page 34 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘That’s what I think too, but perhaps that’s idealistic.’
The waiter came back and Archie ordered two tiramisus and coffee to follow. Nora would never normally drink caffeine after lunchtime, but tonight she didn’t think the caffeine would make any difference to whether or not she slept. She knew her mind would be full of tonight. Running over what they’d talked about and thinking about Archie.
‘How about you? Has anyone broken your heart?’
‘Not for a long time. I had a girlfriend a good few years ago, before my father died. We met at university and ambled into living together afterwards. We’d decided to marry, but in the event she didn’t want to be stuck on the estate in the middle of Worcestershire when I had to take over.’
‘You mean when your father died?’
He nodded. ‘The inevitable consequence. It was always going to happen, but I was young and thought there was more time for a life before that responsibility became mine. Clarissa wasn’t ready.’
It didn’t sound as if Archie had been ready either, and Nora was stunned that something as devastating as losing his father was the catalyst for a breakup.
‘What was your plan before your father died?’ she asked, intrigued.
‘We still had a family house in London at that time, so we’d based ourselves there. Most of our friends were there, and I was managing the family’s small property business. Clarissa liked the lifestyle, but once my father died, there were so many debts. We had to sell most of the London property, save for a couple of small flats which weren’t suitable for us to live in, she said. The idea of moving into the Court with my mother appalled her, so that was the end of it.’
‘I’m so sorry. That must have been an awful time.’
‘It was. But it worked out for the best. Better to have discovered her disdain for the idea of living in Croftwood before we married rather than later down the line. Imagine the complication if we’d had a family.’
The tiramisu arrived and they tucked in, rolling their eyes in delight at each other as they took a first taste.
‘How does this stack up against the sticky toffee?’ Nora asked.
Archie tilted his head to the side, carefully considering his answer. ‘It’s absolutely delicious but I think the sticky toffee pudding is too ingrained in me to be beaten.’
Nora laughed. ‘Fair enough. I’d like to try that sticky toffee sometime.’
Archie’s eyes sparkled. ‘I’d like that too.’
After some back and forth about splitting the bill or not, Archie paid and they strolled back to the car. It was chillier than Nora had expected, and she wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders before she took Archie’s arm.
‘I’ve so enjoyed tonight,’ she said, briefly squeezing his arm in the crook of her elbow.
‘Enough to do it again?’
‘Definitely.’
When Archie pulled into the drive at Nora’s cottage, he turned the engine off and climbed out of the car, reaching Nora’s door just as she’d opened it. He offered his hand, helping her out.
‘Thank you for a lovely evening.’ She leant towards him and kissed his cheek.
‘Nora. You’re wonderful company.’ For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Properly. But he kissed her cheek which was almost as good. ‘Might I see you at the lake in the morning?’
‘Of course. Do you think you would join me for a swim?’
He gave her a shy smile. ‘Perhaps not. But I can bring the tea.’
Nora went to the door and unlocked it, then paused to watch Archie back down the drive, flashing his lights in a last farewell before he turned out onto the lane. She put the kettle on, and went upstairs to put her pyjamas on. Although it was late, she lit a fire because she wasn’t ready to turn in. She curled up in front of the television with a cup of tea and mindlessly watched a couple of episodes of Virgin River while her mind worked overtime.
The shy man she’d met at the lake had turned her head tonight. It was as if the fact that she’d accepted the date, accepted him, had built his confidence. He’d been relaxed, funny, absolutely charming, and she felt as if she’d known him for years rather than only a couple of weeks. And although the fact that he’d spruced himself up was in his favour, that wasn’t what made Nora feel differently about him. She was falling for his soul.
The following morning at the lake, Archie ambled along with Tatty just as Nora was climbing out of the water. It was excellent timing and he busied himself with making the tea while Nora dried and dressed herself.
‘You’re outclassing me in the tea stakes,’ Nora teased him as he fished the teabags out of two china mugs.
‘Only because I had to ask Mrs Milton for a flask and she insisted I bring hot water and do it properly. But the upside of that is that she also insisted I bring cake.’
