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

Florahad never seen her unpregnant and was pleased to see her filling out.

When Richard and Judy said goodbye,Flora got up and started her chores.

*

Florawished she'd taken the opportunity to have a little nap while she'd been at home. 'I'm goingto coach you until you're word perfect,'Geoffrey announced as she got through the door.

‘Butnot until you've eaten, love,' said Edie. 'I've got a nice cottage piewaiting for you.'

‘I love your cottage pie! You gave meone when I first arrived, do you remember?'

‘Certainly.I know some people don't eat food like that in summer, but I think it'scomforting. I've done peas and carrots with it. I'm afraid we've had ours. Cup of tea, Flora?'

‘Givethe girl a glass of wine,' said Geoffrey, pulling up the chair oppositeFlora's.

‘And how are my kittens?' asked Edie asshe poured the wine. 'I can't wait to have them. Just let us get our fence sorted out so that next door's dog can'tget in and menace them.'

‘Edie,could you find us some paper and a pen? Flora might like to take notes.’

Edie went over to a drawer and produceda pad and pen. 'You should think aboutgetting Imelda done, dear. You don't want her getting pregnant again, doyou?'

‘Certainly not, she's only young. Tooyoung to be a mother, really,' said Flora. 'Although she's managedbrilliantly.'

‘Flora, we really should get on,' saidGeoffrey.

‘Let the girl eat her supper first,Geoffrey.' Edie set Flora's supper down infront of her. 'She's got enough on her plate without you giving herindigestion.’

Flora, confused as to whether Edie wasreferring to the food or the fact that she might have to conduct her firstauction tomorrow, stuck her fork into a pile of mashed potato that had beenbrowned in the oven.

‘This is delicious, Edie. Comfort food -you're quite right. Just what I fancied.'

‘Now, don't you worry about tomorrow,'said Edie, ignoring Geoffrey's frown and pulling up a chair so she could talkto Flora. 'It'll go swimmingly. Geoff'll be on hand to see nothing goes wrong.'

‘Iprobably won't have to do it anyway. Charles will rush back from the dentist,'said Flora.

‘AndI keep telling you, Edie, that if it's my books going under the hammer,I can't have anything to do with it.' Geoffrey pulled the top off a pen andstarted fiddling with it.

‘Ihope they go for a good price,' said Flora. 'What do you hope to do withthe money? Or shouldn't I ask?'

‘It'sa bit of a secret,' said Geoffrey. 'I'll tell you if I get what I need.'

‘It won't be me—'

‘It'snot for a cruise,' broke in Edie, but Flora couldn't tell if this was abit of a disappointment for her.

‘You'd have to tell me if you were goingaway,' said Flora, 'so I could keep - what have you decided to call them?'

‘Floraand Fauna, after you, and, well - Fauna sort of goes, doesn't it?’

Suddenly overcome with emotion, Florahid behind another forkful of pie. 'That's sosweet!' she squeaked, as soon as she decently could.

‘We really should be getting on,' saidGeoffrey. 'We haven't got all night.'

‘Florais staying over,' Edie reminded him. 'Although I think she should have an early night. She looks all in. Havesome more veg?’

Flora nodded. As long as she was eating,Geoffrey couldn't teach her to count in twos, fives and tens. Or threes andeights, or any other complicated way there might be that she had never heardof.

‘And you've got homes for all of thekittens?' Edie spooned carrots and peas on to Flora's plate.

‘Well,Charles was going to have one, to live in the office, but I don't know . .

‘That Annabelle! She always wasselfish,' said Edie. 'But if he loves her . . .' said Flora.

‘Well, I hope he does, but they neverseem very lovey dovey, do they?' She turned to her husband.

‘Noone knows what goes on in anyone else's marriage, Edie.'

‘But they're not married yet, are they?More pie?’

‘No, thank you. I can hardly move as itis. It was so delicious.'

‘You could do with feeding up a bit.Nothing but skin and bone, you are.'

‘Stop fussing, Edie. Flora and I havegot work to do.'

‘There's apple and rhubarb crumble forpudding.’

Even her desire to put off Geoffrey'scrash course in auctioneering didn't makeit possible for Flora to accept thisoffer. 'I'd love some later, but I need to have a bit of time to digestthis.'

‘And we must get on!' insisted Geoffrey.

‘I'lljust make a cup of tea for you both, and then leave you in peace.’

*

'The thing you have to remember is thatyou only deal with two bidders at a time. There may be other people wavingtheir numbers in the air who think you haven't seen them, but until one of theother two drop out, you just ignore them.'

‘Right,' said Flora, writing this down.

‘And you know about the book?’

Of course Flora knew about the book, butGeoffrey obviously felt it was his duty toexplain everything. 'The place wherethe bids that people have placed are written down?' she said, to indulgehim.

‘Yes. And you have to make sure that theperson in the room is not at the same place in the bidding as the amount on thebook.’

Flora thought she understood this, butdid feel a bit blank. 'Don't you justpretend that they're a person and that they drop out when their bid'sbeen overtaken?’

Geoffreyhad to think about this. 'I think so. Anyway, Louisa will keep you straight on that.She's very good.'

‘I don't know why Louisa couldn't do theselling.'

‘Shecould if your voice gives out completely, but this is your opportunityto take your proper place in Stanza and Stanza. It's all very well you havingall these good ideas, but until you've been on that podium you won't be seen by the world as a proper partner in thebusiness. You'll just be the pretty blonde.’

Flora hadspent quite a lot of her life being seen as the prettyblonde, and while it did have a lot going for it, it wasn't her preferred sobriquet.'OK, I'll do it, but only if Charles doesn't get back from the dentist.'

‘Of course. Now,' said Geoffrey, 'youknow about the counting? When you getsomeone to open, you go up in fives.If that won't wash you do threes, but then jump to the ten.’

Flora realised she had a long evening in