Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde (best books under 200 pages TXT) 📗

some of thosethings, but before we get that far,perhaps I should introduce myself. Henry Burnet.' He took her hand.

‘FloraStanza.'

‘Oh - are you anything todo with . . .?'

‘Yes. I'm a partner inthe auction house. Although I'm very junior. An apprentice, really.’

`Ah. I know Charles Stanzaa little bit.'

‘I should think that'sabout the amount most people know him,' said Flora, wondering if she wasbeing disloyal.

Henry Burnet laughed. 'He is rather reserved. Sohow long are youdown here? Would you like a coffee? They do marvellous cakes in the café, all home-made.'

‘Actually I'm with those people overthere.' She indicated Geoffrey andEdie, who were now looking at her ratheranxiously. It was a shame, it would have been pleasant to be with a man who wasn't a surrogate grandfather, or her stuffy cousin. She could do withsome attractive male company.

‘They might like coffee too,'suggested Henry, greatly to his credit, she thought.

‘It would have been fun, but I don'tthink now is quite the time.’

Edie and Geoffrey had taken on the closed, solid appearance of parents in the presence of anunsuitable boyfriend met inthe street, and moved round Flora protectively.

‘Another time, perhaps?' said Henry.

‘Perhaps,' said Flora. 'If you bumpinto me again.' He laughed. 'I'm almost sure to. I'm terribly clumsy.

Ionly came in to buy a birthday card for my sister.’

‘AndI'm being a tourist. The abbey is beautiful.’

‘We are all very proud ofit.'

‘Are you ready to gonow, Flora?' asked Geoffrey, pointedly.

She smiled at Henry, silently explaining why theyhad to part. Hesmiled his reply and Flora couldn't help thinking what fun it was to be able to communicateso easily with someone. Every singleword was hard work with Charles.

‘That's Henry Burnet,' said Geoffrey.'He's got a bit of a reputation.'

‘Oh. What for?'

‘Womanising,' Geoffrey went ondarkly. 'He's a philanderer.’

Flora sighed. 'Philanderer' was a very appealing sounding word.

‘He's got a very nice house, though,'said Edie. 'But he's probably a bad lot. His wife left him.’

Well, at least he was single, she thought as she followed Geoffrey and Edie out of the abbey and they made theirway to the pub to have lunch.

After she had been delivered home, and Edie had had another long goo over the kittens, Flora collapsedon the sofa with hernew book. It would have been nice if she and Henry had been able to exchange numbers, but Bishopsbridge was quite a small place. They werebound to run into each other sometime. He did know her name, after all, and could contact her via the office, ifall else failed.

She was going to have Sunday lunch with Geoffrey and Edie and felt quite content, but she was veryglad when Monday morning came.

*

'We're going directly to the salerooms,' saidCharles as he and Floratravelled down the track. 'We're having a sale the day after tomorrow and we're still gettingstuff in.'

‘Right. Good.' It was hard to knowwhat she was expected to say.

‘I'm sorry I didn't come and see youover the weekend. I know you wereall right because Geoffrey told me.'

‘I was fine.' Flora decided to besilent on the subject of whether itwas right that Geoffrey, not after all a blood relation, should have been left with the responsibility ofher welfare.

‘We had to go to Annabelle's parents.'

‘For the entire weekend?'

‘Yes.' Charles's jaw took on the stubborn aspect of onewho knows he is in the wrong. 'It was unavoidable. They're not asyoung as they used to be and they were very good to me when my own parentsdied.’

She refrained from comment and just said, 'Well, I was fine. Geoffrey and Edie were very kind.'

‘I knew they would be.'

‘Did you ask Geoffrey to look after me?'

‘No, but he mentioned he was going to.'

‘So that absolved your conscience?'

‘No! I mean, I didn't have aconscience - why should I have? You're an adult, you're not helpless.'

‘I would have been slightly lesshelpless if I'd had a car.’

Charles exhaled deeply. 'I know. I'm really sorryabout that.'

‘It wasn't you who smashed it.'

‘No, but—'

‘The cottage is a long way from thenearest shop.’

‘Not if you're wearing theright shoes it isn't.’

Flora was not buying this one. 'When did you last walk from the cottage to the town?’

Charles gritted his teeth. 'I've never walked it.'

‘It's a long way.' Thanks to Geoffrey and Edie she hadn'tactually had to walk the distance herself, but she felt thatCharles was being unacceptably blasé about abandoning her miles from anywhere.

‘Well, don't tell meyou had to buy cat food. You had mountains of the stuff the other day.'

‘Imelda had her kittens.’

Charles frowned. 'Oh. I suppose that makes her eat more.'

‘Yes. She had four,' she went on, furious with his blatantlack of interest. 'There's a ginger one, a tabby, a very pretty one with gingerand black patches on white, and a plain black one. Apparently catscan have kittens by different fathers in the same litter.'

‘Oh.'

‘Yes.I'm afraid Imelda must have been a bit of a slapper,although she's taking her responsibilities very seriously now.'

‘Well, that's something,' he said absently

‘Can I have a cat flap in the cottage?'

‘It's hardly worth installing one, is it?'

‘What do you mean?'

‘You might not stay long enough forthe kittens to be able to use it.'

‘Oh, I will. The kittens are far too small to move. I'll haveto stay at least until they're bigger. Possibly for eight weeks,when they'll be ready to leave their mother. Anyway, Imelda will still need one.'She frowned, suffering a pang of sadness atthe thought of the kittens living anywhere but with her.

‘Well, if you insistand really think it's worthwhile.’

‘I do. To both.'

‘Very well.' He frowned again. 'How will Imelda manage until we get a catflap organised?'

‘She has a litter tray and—' Shesuddenly realised what she was about to confess.

‘What?'

‘I left the back door ajar. Only atiny bit and I'm sure there are no opportunist thieves within miles.’

Charles sighed heavily - she was obviously living down to his expectations. 'Well, it's mostly yourstuff they'd steal ifthey did break in, but don't for God's sake tell Annabelle you've left the door open. She'llhave a fit! She's veryhot on security. All her parents' cottages have burglar alarms and she was very cross with me when I didn't put one in there. I