Page 80 of Love ad Lib
‘There’s no-one around to help right now,’ Henry said as Libby came to assist. He brought his mouth as close to her ear as he dared. ‘Run,’ he whispered. ‘While you have the chance. I’ll meet you in the room in a bit.’
‘What about Perry, or whatever her name is?’ Rupert asked.
‘Perry’s in charge of food and will be up to her eyeballs right now.’ Henry replied, lifting two enormous Louis Vuitton suitcases out of the boot. ‘Bridget is the housekeeper but, again, is a bit tied up.’
Rupert guffawed. ‘Into Uncle Arthur’s kinky sex games is she, eh?’
‘Roo-Roo, shush!’ Cecily hissed as Minty and Monty giggled.
‘You sure you don’t want me to stay?’ Libby whispered to Henry.
He shook his head. ‘Have a bit of peace and quiet before it all kicks off.’
She smiled at him, made her excuses to Rupert and Cecily, and left.
‘Pretty young thing,’Rupert said to Henry as Libby entered the Manor. ‘Where did you pick her up?’
‘We met at a book launch.’
‘What was the book?’ Cecily asked.
‘Er…Summertime kisses and,er, cake at the Dandelion café in Cornwall.’Fuck!He couldn’t even remember the bastardised version of the title.
‘Do you meanSpringtime Kisses and Daffodil Wishes at the Little Cornish Cupcake Café on Mermaid’s Cove?’
‘Yes, that’s the one,’ Henry replied.
‘What’cha reading that toss for?’ asked Rupert.
‘I love Polly Hart,’ Cecily said. ‘I’m in a book group called “Hart’s Hearts”. I think Genevieve was at the launch? She didn’t mention seeing you there.’
‘Ha!’ Rupert replied. ‘That’s because he was probably behind a bookshelf with his hand up Libby’s skirt.’
‘Yes,’ Henry said, hating every word that came out his mouth. ‘That’s about right.’
Rupert clapped him on the back. ‘Just like your dad, eh? Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and all that.’ He winked. ‘Bet you’re in a tasty threesome by Christmas.’
By the timehe’d seen his cousin and family to their rooms, Henry was ready to bolt straight back out the front door, start running, and never stop. He took the main stairs two at a time, hurrying to get back to Libby and tell her Cecily’s friend had been at Polly Hart’s book launch.
‘Henry! Wait up!’
He stopped. Summer was jogging up the stairs behind him, her blonde curls bouncing.
‘Where have youbeenall day?’ She pouted. ‘I’ve been trying to find you.’
‘I was in Bath with Libby.’
‘Oh. Yes.’
In the silence that followed, he realised the strangeness of a Foxbrooke sibling having a partner. He wasn’t used to it and neither was the rest of the family.
‘Henry, can I talk to you?’
‘Sure.’
They went to a window seat at the end of the corridor. It may have been a public space, but privacy was guaranteed as they had a clear sight line of anyone approaching.
‘What happened to that guy?’ Summer whispered as they sat.
