Page 48 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘No, but I have taken her tea up so she won’t be long.’ Constance always rang down for a cup of tea first thing.
‘I’ll go up the back stairs then.’ He grinned at Ursula, feeling ridiculously happy.
‘I’m glad you had a good evening.’
Archie crept up the stairs, feeling like a naughty schoolboy, but thrilled with the whole situation. His room was at the opposite end of the landing to Constance’s and even if she headed downstairs now, they wouldn’t cross paths but if she did glimpse him in the clothes he went out in, it didn’t matter how old he was, she would consider it terribly bad form to have stayed out all night without having planned to.
He looked at himself in the mirror and grinned. No wonder Ursula had been smirking. There was no escaping the fact that somehow, sex with Nora had changed him. Whether it was the way his hair was flopping over his forehead that spoke of her fingers running through it, or whether it was that he couldn’t help but smile, thinking of the most incredible night of his life. There was no hiding it.
Jumping in the shower and not caring for once about the lukewarm trickle of water it offered, he then quickly dressed and headed downstairs. Ursula had a steaming cup of coffee waiting for him on the breakfast table. He sat and sipped it gratefully.
‘Good morning, Archie,’ said Constance, kissing his cheek before taking her seat opposite him.
‘Morning, Mama.’
‘I take it you had a nice evening with your friends?’
‘Very much so.’
‘And Nora is well this morning?’
Archie smiled. ‘How did you know? I went to great lengths to keep up the pretence that I was simply back rather late last night.’
‘I heard the car.’
Archie gave a rueful nod. ‘Of course.’
‘You’re quite old enough to conduct your own affairs without my interference. But it’s rather unbecoming for one to wear the same clothes this morning as one wore last night. Goodness only knows what the staff must think.’
Knowing quite well that this kind of thing mattered to his mother, and Mrs Milton might not share Ursula’s relaxed attitude, he said, ‘I apologise, Mama. You’re quite right.’
‘Wonderful. Now, what are your plans for today?’
‘I’m delivering the vase to the auction house and making an appointment with the roofing company.’
‘Jolly good. Sebastian mentioned there’s a planning officer visiting today.’
‘For some advice on the stables and perhaps the lake.’ It seemed worthwhile to ask as much as possible while the chap was there, especially since the lake project needed to be underway. ‘And speaking of Seb, he and Jess are getting married next month.’
‘Oh, that’s lovely news,’ said Constance. ‘I shall look forward to that.’
‘Ah, no. The wedding is in Dorset with only close family invited.’
‘But you’re going?’
‘Seb asked me to be his best man.’ Archie was touched to have been asked. He’d never been best man to anyone before, and it was nice to know that Seb felt they were close friends as Archie did.
’You’ll be taking Nora,’ Constance said, sounding resigned. As if he’d have taken his mother to Dorset for the wedding even if he didn’t have a girlfriend. ‘I’m off to the pictures with Penny and Linda. I don’t suppose you could take me into town?’
‘Of course. What time?’
‘In an hour, if that suits?’
Archie finished his breakfast and packaged up the vase by which time Constance was ready to leave.
‘Put my knitting bag in the boot, would you darling?’ She said, handing him the most hideous, voluminous carpet bag.
‘Would you have the vase on your lap, just in case?’
