Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde (13 inch ebook reader TXT) 📕

‘Ishe now. Well, do check with Charles first. He can be so bloody difficultat times.'

‘I'dbetter go and find him, then. Do you know where he is?'

‘He's out. Whydon't we pop across to the pub and see if they'll make us asandwich? I know it's late but we need to eat. You certainly do.'Annabelle eyed Flora's slim figure with envy. 'It is Saturday, after all.’

Florathought about it. An angry Charles was possibly better not faced on an empty stomach.

‘Oh, OK. Just quickly. I ought to stay and work, really, as I'vebeen out all morning.'

‘You don't want to get like Charles, and do nothing but work, work, work. Besides, I want to hear allabout Burnet House.’

Theysat in the pub garden. It was a bit chilly, the air having not yetwarmed up after the rain, but it was rather smoky inside and neitherof them wanted to advertise the fact that they'd been to the pub whenthey got back.

Annabellehad bought two white wine spritzers and ordered a coupleof egg salad sandwiches. She took a sip.

‘Now, tell me about BurnetHouse?'

‘It's in awful condition.Henry says—'

‘There you are!' Charles's voice suddenly declared behind them.'Flora, I was worried about you!’

Chapter Nineteen

‘Why wereyou worried about Flora, darling?' asked Annabelle.

‘Ijust heard she went chasing off to Burnet House. There's no earthly point. There's nothing there to sell.' Charles pulled out a chair, the metal gratinghorribly on the flagged courtyard.

‘Can I get you a drink?' Flora got up.'A pint? A spritzer?'

‘Oh,just something soft,' said Charles, obviously not quite happy with a woman buying him a drink andstill distinctly grumpy.

‘A sandwich? Crisps?'

‘Um . .

Flora retreated to the bar. She didn'tknow why Charles was in such an awful moodbut she would have to tell him whyshe'd been to Burnet House. Learning thather visit wasn't even work-related might make him even crosser. On the other hand, he might preferher asking to use the house for aconcert to her having some mad ideaabout getting Henry to have a country-house sale when he knew there was nothing worth selling.

She cameback with an elderflower pressé and two packets ofcrisps, having ordered another sandwich. He waspossibly more bad-tempered than necessary because he washungry. Her mother had always commented that her father was impossible to deal withif remotely peckish.

‘Ithink I should tell you,' she declared, setting down her booty, 'that I went to Burnet House to see ifthe choir could use their orangery. Iknow we're frantic and I was going to work, but it was an emergency.'

‘And now you're in the pub?'

‘Charles! It's Saturday! And the girl'sgot to eat!' Annabelle said.

‘WasHenry Burnet there?' Charles tore into the crisp packet.

‘Hewas. He showed me the orangery. There's a huge puddle on the floor. I don'tsuppose you know of a good builderwho could fix that?' She looked at Annabelle and Charles hopefully. This was really the choir's responsibility, but it would be useful to have afall-back position, especially as itmight divert Charles's mind from Henry Burnet.

‘OhGod yes, I'm sure we do,' said Annabelle, helping herself to crisps.'I'm starving.'

‘He didn't . . .make a nuisance of himself, did he?'

‘Who?'asked Flora, being deliberately obtuse, annoyed with Charles for being so old-fashioned,but oddly charmed by it as well. 'The builder?'

‘HenryBurnet! He's got a bit of a reputation. I know you've been out with him a couple of times, but it's different you being at his house. You're mycousin and I feel responsible for you.'

‘Forgoodness' sake, Charles! Flora is an adult, and I'm sure she's been round the block a few times. There's no needto be so stuffy.'

‘Well?' demanded Charles.

Florasuddenly decided she liked Charles being so indignantabout Henry, even if it was just in a cousinly way. 'Hedid say he'd try to get a table for Grantly Manor. I don'tknow if that counts as making a nuisance of himself.'

‘GrantlyManor! Flora! How super! It's wonderful. We had a family party there forMummy and Daddy's wedding anniversary.Henry must be really keen.’

Charles scowled.

‘Ithink Henry's rather attractive,' Annabelle went on, either not noticing, orignoring, Charles's reaction. 'And hiswife made such a fuss. It was only one affair, after all. You could do alot worse than him, Flora.'

‘Youthink it's acceptable for a man to cheat on his wife, do you,Annabelle?' said Charles.

‘Notif he made a habit of it,' Annabelle replied. 'I just think a marriage should be worked at, and there are worse things a man can do than have a littlefling.' She smiled and put her handon Charles's. 'Don't think I'mgiving you permission to get up to anything, Charlie, I'm just saying I wouldn't break up arelationship for one misdemeanour. What do you think, Flora?'

‘Idon't know, really. I've never been in a relationship for more than a couple ofyears, but I suppose if you've gotchildren, a home, all that stuff, it would be a shame not to make aneffort to try again.'

‘Well,don't think I'm so relaxed about extra-marital affairs,' said Charles, glancing at Flora, trying hard to relax.

Annabellelaughed and for a second Flora wondered if therewas an edge of hysteria in it. 'Darling, I'd never cheat on you when we're married! As if Iwould!’

At thatmoment, the sandwiches arrived. As cutlery, napkins andseasonings were distributed, Flora hoped it would mean Charles would have to stopbeing grumpy. If I was his partner, shethought, I'd have fun charming him out of his bad mood.

‘Oh,jolly nice sandwich,' said Flora, when the waitress had finally gone, managing to ooze quite a lot of the filling out as she took a bite. 'How is yours,Charles?' she mumbled.

‘Excellent, thank you.'

‘So tell us about the house,' saidAnnabelle, her mouthful not quite finishedeither. 'I'm dying to hear all about it.’

Flora chewedhard and swallowed. 'Well, as I said, it's in a terrible state. He - Henry -told me that it needed about a hundred grand spending on it.'

‘Asmuch as that?' Annabelle was shocked. 'Shame. I thought it might do forus, Charles.'

‘It'senormous!' said Flora. 'You'd have to have about seven children tojustify living in it.'

‘Oryou could just entertain a lot. And a yoga studio would be nice,' said Annabelle, becoming a littledreamy.