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

‘But, darling! It's full of shoes!'

‘Iknow. Imelda likes shoes. I had to clean out each one afterwards.' Her mother made an uncomfortablenoise. 'Let's go downstairs and have a drink.’

*

They wereboth quite tipsy and had eaten the parmesan wafers andthe smoked-salmon blinis when they saw a vehicle come down the lane. It wasCharles.

‘I'mso sorry to interrupt,' he said as he got out and saw them sitting in the garden, surrounded byplates and bottles, 'but I wanted tocome and say hello to Hermione. It's been a while since we met.’

Flora'smother got to her feet in order to embrace Charles, who leant down and hugged her.

‘It'sbeen years, Charles,' said Hermione, 'but I'm going to resist the temptation to tell you that you've grown. Have you eaten? Come and join us. Thereseems to be masses of food.’

Florasmiled, feeling suddenly very shy. 'The trouble is, I canonly do recipes for four people or over. I've never gotthe hang of half measures. There is loads.’

Charleslooked at his watch. 'Well, I haven't eaten. I'll just give Annabelle a ringand see if she's cooked. If she hasn't, I'm sure she'll be glad not to have to.'

‘I'llget some things,' said Flora. 'Will you have a glass of wine, or ahome-made Pimm's?'

‘The Pimm's is abit strong, I'm afraid,' said Hermione.

‘1 couldn'tquite remember how my husband makes it. And we've run out of lemonade.'

‘Aglass of wine would be lovely. Are you sure this isn't all too muchtrouble?'

‘No,' said Flora. 'It's all too muchfood. You'll be helping us out.’

Charlescame into the house to help. 'There's a chair there you could take,' said Flora, whenhe asked.

Charleswasn't showing much interest in chairs. 'I haven'tseen the kittens for ages. They've grown up so much!' Hepicked up the little black one and inspected it while it chewed his finger.

‘Ithought you'd come to see my mother,' said Flora, feigning indignation. Her heart was warmed by thesight of him with the tiny creatures,although she was still a bit miffedabout the black kitten cowering away from her, and yet going to him.

‘I did, but the kittens were second onthe list.’

Florasighed, suddenly wishing she had a place on the listherself. If she had, it was probably about number seven,somewhere after the cottage, the garden and the state of the sitting-room carpet.

Once theyhad got back over the barricade with extra things,Flora piled Charles's plate with chicken and potatosalad. 'There's another plate there you can put your green salad on if you like,' shesaid.

‘It'swonderful,' mumbled Charles, his mouth full. 'You really can cook, Flora. Or did you do this,Hermione?’

‘No, no. It's all Flora.'

‘Andhas Henry sampled your cooking yet?' he asked Flora, once his mouth wasempty.

Flora shook her heard. 'Not yet. We'veboth been busy. I've been doing a lot ofextra rehearsals with choir and withMoira. She's sort of head girl,' she explained. 'Although soon, maybe.' She added this for Charles's benefit as much as anything. Although neither ofthem had ever referred to it, she wasstill faintly embarrassed at thethought of the night he'd stayed in the cottage after the storm, and the thought of the long, close hug he'd given heras he'd sent her off to bed made her feel a bit peculiar. All of which meant that, inconvenient as his particular dislike of Henry was, it was farbetter that he thought she wasoccupied and in a sort of a relationshipthan that she was pining for him. Which obviously she wasn't.

‘Havesome salad, Charles,' said Hermione. 'It's really delicious. Full of allsorts of weeds.’

Charlesheaped some on to his side plate. 'I've experiencedFlora's salad before. She gave a dinner party soon after she first arrived.'

‘ExceptWilliam made that salad. I just copied his ideas this time.' She looked at her mother. 'Have you met William? Friend of Emma's?' she asked, wondering whether if you told a lie often enough, it wouldeventually become the truth, or onlyfor the originator of the lie.

‘I don't think so,' said Hermione.

‘Oh,well, he's an excellent cook.' Flora went on, 'He's great on cookingfood from the wild.' She regarded Charles'sside plate. 'You don't have to eat all that if you don't want to.'

‘Floraand I will eat the rest of the salad tomorrow. Possibly for lunch, before Flora goes to her concert rehearsal,' said Hermione. 'Are you coming,Charles?'

‘Urn. . . I'm not sure I knew about it.'

‘Well,you should,' said Flora, suddenly indignant. 'Geoffrey and all your porters, orat least nearly all of them, are inthe choir. And there's a huge poster in the window of the office. Anyway I did tell you, ages ago.'

‘I've just never had it put in front ofmy nose, I suppose. And the poster wouldhave its back to me.'

‘I think youshould go,' declared Hermione. 'Support your workers. And Flora.'

‘Unfortunately,Annabelle and I have been invited out for dinner tomorrow night,' saidCharles.

‘Oh,OK,' said Flora, disappointed yet relieved. She wasn't really sure she wanted Charles watching her as she stood in thefront row, trying to look as if she knew what she was doing.

‘Next time,perhaps?' suggested Hermione. 'Definitely next time. You must give meplenty of notice,Flora.’

Floraindicated she would, knowing it was unlikely she wouldstill be around to be in another concert. This was thechoir's last event for a while and by the time theChristmas fixtures started, she would probably have gone backto London. The choir was one of the many things that she would miss terribly.

‘Shallwe move inside for pudding? I'm getting a bit chilly,' suggestedHermione.

‘Goodidea,' said Flora. 'I'll get it organised. Bring your chairs and your glasses. We can probably leave the rest.’

Hermionedecided to rescue the salad and a few other bits andpieces as well. By the time they were all back in thehouse, most of the table outside had been cleared.

Hermionesat down on the sofa and picked up the nearest kitten. 'Aren't these just adorable?’

Charles found the black one. 'They are.'

‘Ihaven't managed to stroke that one yet. He's very shy, but he seems OK with you.' Hermione frowned. Shewas good with cats.

Charlescontinued to stroke his kitten. 'It's very unfortunatethat Annabelle, my fiancée, has an allergy to them. But I'mstill hoping we can have one in the office.'

‘Youcouldn't