Page 27 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘You know who her son is?’ Hilary said, with a glint in her eye that put Nora on edge. Because who did she know here? She’d guessed almost before Hilary could say, ‘Archie Harrington.’
‘Oh god, really? That’s so awkward.’
‘Why? It’s not like you’re going to go out with him.’
Nora looked sheepishly at Hilary, whose eyes nearly popped out of her head.
‘No! Oh my god, that’s so funny! She was trying to set you up and he’s beaten her to it!’
Nora couldn’t deny that it took some of the magic out of being asked out now that she knew Constance’s — in her words, romantically hopeless son who hadn’t had a girlfriend for the last fifteen years was Archie. She groaned and put her head in her hands.
‘Tuna melt and a roasted veg?’ Oliver said. ‘Having a bad day?’
‘Not until about thirty seconds ago,’ Nora said while Hilary giggled. ‘Thank you.’
‘Thanks, Oliver,’ said Hilary. ‘She’ll be fine in a minute.’
He gave them a bemused grin and went back to the counter.
‘I can’t go out with him now. Constance is going to think I feel sorry for him or something. What if he finds out I was with her at book club and thinks I only said yes to the date because of his mother?’
‘It’s so unlikely that he knows you were her date-with-a-book. I mean so many people are called Nora. It could be any one of them.’ Hilary giggled again. ‘Sorry. But I doubt she went home and said, Archie, your love life is so tragic I asked a lovely girl called Nora if she’d go out with you. Did she?’
‘I bloody hope not.’ Nora sighed. ‘Am I overthinking this? I actually got on well with Constance if you leave aside her sales pitch, which by the way, wasn’t obvious that it was Archie.’
‘She didn’t lead with him being a lord?’
‘No, she didn’t mention anything about either of them being titled. Presumably she’s Lady Harrington.’
‘I think technically, she’s the dowager Countess, if my recollection of Downton Abbey is correct,’ said Hilary. ‘I think it’s nice that she doesn’t flaunt that.’
‘I do too. Archie hasn’t told me he’s Lord Harrington in so many words.’ And Nora liked that too. She was starting to see how his unassuming nature was Archie through and through.
‘So you’re going on the date?’ Hilary asked, taking a bite of her panini while waiting wide-eyed for Nora’s answer.
‘I’m going on the date.’
12
THE DAY THEY’D arranged to meet at the lake was unfortunately not the best day to introduce people to wild-swimming. Nora pulled open her bedroom curtains and groaned. It was a grey day and the cloud had settled low. It looked like it may even be drizzling.
She checked her phone, expecting to see a raft of messages from the others saying that they couldn’t make it after all, but there was nothing. After she’d dressed and had a quick cup of tea, she set off for the lake, glad that it wasn’t actually raining after all, but getting dripped on by the trees, nevertheless.
Nora climbed over the wall, hoping that she’d be the first to arrive, but found Jess already there and warming herself next to a blazing fire pit which had appeared from nowhere.
‘Morning!’ Nora called.
Jess grinned and stood up from where she’d been sat on a fold-up garden chair. ‘Morning!’
‘Wow, this is a treat,’ said Nora, standing close to the fire, feeling its warmth against her face.
‘Seb suggested it. He had these fire pits for the Christmas market and thought it’d be a good idea. I have to admit, I’m not itching to get in,’ Jess said, inclining her head towards the lake. ‘I grew up by the sea and I could never bear to go in unless the sun was out. It didn’t matter if it was winter or summer. I just need the sun.’
‘It’s a game-changer on a day like this,’ Nora agreed. ‘So you’re used to going in the cold water?’
‘I used to be. Bit out of practice these days, but I love an excuse to wear my dry robe.’
‘Hey! How do we get in?’ Patsy called from behind the hedge.
