Page 54 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘Thanks,’ Steph said, bemused. ‘Why is Constance buying us coffee?’
Nora exhaled. After what Steph had said about the festival, she felt she should have admitted her relationship to Constance earlier. ‘I’m going out with Archie Harrington.’
‘Oh my god,’ Steph said, her eyebrows rising in surprise. ‘No offence, but I can’t believe you’re going out with him.’
‘He’s lovely,’ Nora said. She felt defensive, but she knew what Steph was getting at. ‘He’s ditched some of the tweed.’
Steph roared with laughter. ‘You’re reading my mind. I really couldn’t picture you with the Lord Harrington I remember from the festival. So Constance is like your mother-in-law.’
‘Not exactly. But we get on alright. And the house is big enough to have your own space.’
‘You can say that again. Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re going out with Lord Harrington.’
Nora felt much the same as she had on her first visit to Croftwood Court. It was strange thinking of Archie in those terms when, unless she was reminded of it, it wasn’t something she thought about. Yes, it was different since she’d started visiting the Court. She’d got used to him being called his Lordship, and the formality displayed in front of Constance was always a reminder of his status. But at her house, or at the lake, or even at Toby’s house, until now, she’d never felt that part of Archie’s life followed him.
‘I didn’t know that’s who he was when I met him. And he didn’t introduce himself as Lord Harrington to me. I don’t really think about it most of the time.’
‘Sorry, I must sound like a right idiot,’ said Steph. ‘Going on about him like that when he’s your boyfriend.’
‘No, it’s fine,’ Nora said smiling. ‘It’s going to happen, and I’m not sure my friend Val will ever stop referring to him as the lord.’
Steph laughed. ‘There’s a friend who will keep you grounded.’
‘That’s so true.’
‘I think it’s just because around here, people are slightly in awe of Croftwood Court. When Archie helped out with the festival last year, it was the first time most of us had met him and it’s really stupid, but I suppose it’s a bit like meeting a royal.’
‘It’s not stupid at all. From what I gather, Archie’s parents’ generation kind of encouraged that. I think the circles they moved in were so far removed from Croftwood, it wasn’t like they were popping into the local pub for a drink. But it’s different now. Archie doesn’t do anything like that and Constance seems to be embracing what the town has to offer.’
‘That’s true. And that’s since the festival. She had the time of her life that weekend,’ Steph said, grinning. ‘I bet she’ll insist on having a yurt this year.’
‘Mmm. Once she realises it’s basically camping, I doubt it.’
‘Perhaps you’ll have to hire an Airstream then?’
‘I’ll let Constance have the Airstream to herself and Archie and I will have a yurt.’ The thought of bunking in with Constance was a step too far.
‘How about you? Will you go again this year?’
‘Definitely. Tom and I did normal camping. It was brilliant. Seb arranged an area so we could all camp together, so there was him and Jess, Oliver and Lois, Toby and Hilary, and Patsy, Matt and the kids. In fact, I think Toby and Hilary might have got together that weekend. Even Bill and Eunice came, but they shared a camper van with a couple from one of my mobile library stops.’
‘It sounds amazing, I can’t wait.’
‘We even had Ned Nokes in our camp. He’s friends with Seb’s cousin, I think. Something like that anyway.’
‘Who’s Seb’s cousin?’
‘You know FL Thorne?’
‘I love her books!’ said Nora. They make me want to visit Iceland.’
‘Fliss is Seb’s cousin. She did an author Q and A for the festival.’
‘I hope it’s just as good this year,’ said Nora, thinking that she couldn’t believe she’d missed out on last summer’s, despite not knowing Croftwood existed then.
‘Hey, Jess. Tell Nora about the plans for the festival,’ Steph said as Jess, Lois, Patsy and Hilary came over to join them now that everyone had finished their book dates.
‘It’s so hard to keep track,’ Jess said. ‘Seb’s talking non-stop about it but it’s hard to keep track of what’s happening and what are just ideas.’
