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

Flora foundherself tuning out while Henry regaled thecompany with horror stories about viruses and worms andother IT disasters. She noticed quite a lot of itinvolved Henry saving various companies millions, but quite how he did it passed her by.

‘Jollyinteresting,' said Annabelle gamely. 'Now tell us about your car?’

Thatfilled the conversational gap until Annabelle and Charles'sfood came, but as the evening went on, Flora began towonder how much in common she actually had withHenry. He was very amusing, he told quite good, ifslightly off-colour, jokes, but she couldn't help feelingthat his conversation was rather vapid. Not that philosophywas exactly flowing out of her, it had to be said.Charles, on the other hand, was much more interesting. He'd travelled, to quiteunusual places, and was widely read. Henry was a man whodidn't read much unlesshe was on a plane.

The alcohol flowed, mostly between Floraand Annabelle, and there was never a ghastlysilence, but Flora found herselffaintly bored. She had really wanted tohear about Charles's experiences in Mongolia, but Henry seemed keener on telling stories aboutspotting stars at Cap Ferrat.

Eventually, it was timefor pudding.

‘Now, what would you girls like to drink with it?' said Henry.

Unusuallyfor her, Flora found herself objecting to beingreferred to as a girl. She didn't say anything, though. 'Ithink I've probably had quite enough to drink, thank you.'

‘Oh,go on, don't be a wuss. I'm sure Annabelle will have a glass ofMonbazillac or something.'

‘Oh,OK,' said Annabelle. 'I've drunk loads of water, after all. It's whyI've kept going to the Ladies'.’

Flora hadnoticed that she'd popped out rather a lot. 'I still won't have any more to drink,thank you. Although I'd love some peppermint tea.'

‘Pepperminttea it is,' said Henry, looking at her in a way which told her he was looking forward to the next part ofthe evening.

‘Yes.I've got a bit of a headache,' she replied, suddenly deciding, rather recklessly, in view of thelatest bank statement that she wasdefinitely going to split the bill withHenry rather than let him pay for her. 'It's frightfully good for that.’

Henrybehaved very well, considering, thought Flora, as she letherself into the cottage. He'd been expecting a dinner a deux, and possibly alittle light lovemaking afterwards, and he got Charles andAnnabelle and only the briefest kiss in the car afterwards. It wasnot unreasonable of him to expect to be asked in forcoffee, she had led him on a bit even though her insistenceon paying her half of the bill had made her caution clear, but theheadache was now real, and she didn't want any more wet kisses.

She ranghim the next morning feeling a bit guilty, and askedhim if he wanted to go for a walk that afternoon.

‘I'msorry Flora, I'd love to, but I'm afraid I'm going out to lunch with some friends.' He did soundsorry, and Flora realised she reallyhad to make her feelings clear tohim. She liked him, he was good company most of the time, but hard as she'd tried to fancy him last night, thespark clearly wasn't there.

‘Well,I'm glad I caught you,' she started. 'I wanted to . . .' God, this was awkward. How to put it? 'I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed last night, theplace and everything, and that Ivalue our friendship.' Oh dear, that sounded horribly formal. 'But—'

‘Butyou don't want anything more than that?' Henry interrupted.

‘No,I'm sorry. I just . . .' She paused to collect her thoughts, 'I'm just not in the right frame ofmind, really. I don't know how longI'll be in Bishopsbridge anyway, andI'm so involved with Stanza and Stanza and learning about the business that I'm not sure I've got theenergy for a proper relationship.’

`Yes,' hesaid dryly. 'I had noticed that you were .. . how should I put it? Distracted?'

‘I'm sorry, Henry. I do want to befriends.’

`Me too.' He softened. 'But don't worry,I always knew your mind at least waselsewhere. It's been ridiculouslyhard even to organise a drink in the pub, so I was under no illusionsabout your priorities.'

‘I really am sorry.'

‘There's noharm done,' he said lightly. 'I do like you, Flora, butI'm not falling in love with you if that's what you're worried about.' It was,rather. 'So if you want to be friends, then we'll be friends. Imight not give up trying to persuade you,' he added flirtatiously,'but you know I might well be selling up and leaving the area as well, soit doesn't make sense for either of us to get involved in anything terribly serious.'

‘Thank you, Henry. It's good of you tobe so nice about it.'

‘I'ma nice man,' he replied with a smile in his voice, and then dashed offto his lunch.

Instead ofa walk with Henry, Flora made rock cakes in a fitof domesticity and ate most of them herself, talking toImelda, wondering why the little black kitten allowedCharles to pick him up, but still shied away from her.

*

Just undertwo weeks later, Flora was making up the spare roomfor her mother. She was so excited, and longing tosee her. In many ways her life was perfect, butsomething was missing. She was fine when she was at work.She still found it all fascinating, and absorbed everyscrap about the job that either Charles or Geoffrey let slip,but at home, she found she missed William. Or something.She still went out with Henry from time to time, but although she tried veryhard, she didn't find him quite as fascinating as he seemedto find himself.

Her motherwould know what was wrong. She was an excellent agony aunt - and also anexcellent cook. Flora was looking forward to being looked afterand cosseted, something her mother did particularlywell.

Almostevery hour had been accounted for since the bizarre evening at Grantly Manor.They had at last got the website going, and the date for thenext sale was booked for early September. It was going to take one and a halfdays, and Henry's books, declared by Geoffreyto besufficiently interesting to get a few collectors along, were goingto start the sale. At work, everyone was buzzing with excitement and busyness,and even Annabelle had become moreenthusiastic about life