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

you want breakfast? I could rustleyou up a couple of scrambled eggs in notime.'

‘No!' She sipped the tea. It washeaven, but it was an impossible situation. And she had to get to work or Charles would thinkhe'd been right about her all along. She just didn't have time for this.

Imelda, having given up on Flora's ability to move,miaowed at the man, making her needs clear.

‘Hello, you. Oh, you've had kittens,'he said. 'You must be hungry.'

‘She is. I usually give her somethinglast thing at night, but I fellasleep and she's only had a few cat biscuits to keep her going.'

‘Are the kittens here?’

Flora nodded. 'Upstairs. Not that it's anything todo with you, of course.’

He smiled. 'I'm William.'

‘Flora. Listen, William,' she saidfirmly, 'you must realise how impossible this is.'

‘I do see that it's difficult, butnot impossible. After all, I haven'tmurdered you, have I? Shall I feed the young mother? What's her name?'

‘Imelda. Yes please, do feed her. But. . .' She hesitated. She was solate. 'William? I've got to rush now, but could you please leave by thetime I get home? About half past six orseven? This isn't my house and if the owners found out you'd been using it,they'd die of shock and have you putin prison for ever.' She took another sip of tea.

‘You should eat. You obviously didn'teat last night.’

‘Obviously?'

‘No dishes, no sign of cooking.'

‘Well, I haven't time now,' she almost snapped, horribly reminded of how she'd been with her mother sometimes when she'd tried to press breakfast onher before school. She sighed. 'Imust find some shoes. And then I mustgo. And then you must go. But do, please, feed Imelda first.’

She ran back upstairs and found her sandals. Shetook a deep breathand reminded herself that he'd had all night to murder her in her sleep if thatwas his intention, and thenran back down again. Imelda and William were in the kitchen. He was putting food into a bowland she was tucking into itbefore he'd even finished.

‘I like feeding people,too,' he said.

Flora found herself smiling and tried to stop. Sheran out of the door,scrabbling for her keys as she did so, and shouted, 'Go!’

It was only when she was in the Land-Rover and had started the engine that she remembered she wasn't wearing a bra. 'I'll have to buy a cardigan, or aT-shirt or something. Charles would die of shock if he caught the outline of a nipple through my dress.’

Asshe drove, she thought about William and his silent invasion. Itwas awful, of course, but somehow not as terrifying asit might have been if she'd been living in London. Therethe thought of finding a strange man in the sitting roomwhen she woke up was so horrifying, she shivered justthinking about it. Here, it was decidedly odd, but didn'thave the same stomach-churning effect, even if she had been frightened atthe time.

Thinking about the differences between town and country life made her realise that if she survivedher stint in thecountry she could set up the very course she was looking for herself. 'Living without Sushi! Howto survive Country Life.' Or shecould get sponsorship from magazines.'The Country Living guide to Country Life.' Or the other way round: 'The CountryLife guide to Country Living.' Honestly, she was wasted on an old-fashioned,family-run auctioneers! She didn't feelwasted when she got there, however; shefelt needed. Now people had got used to her, had begun to trust her a little, she was sent all over the place on errands. Stickers to put on here, a piece ofjewellery that had been mislaid to be hunted for there, vast numbers of cups of tea to be made anddistributed, and learning, all the time.

She loved it. There was no other word for it. She found it interesting, exciting and hugely companionable. Charles and Annabelle might not have run themost cutting-edge auction house inthe country, but it could be the most friendly one.

Virginia took her to buy sandwiches at about halfpast one, when therewas a slight lull in proceedings. They found a bench in the park opposite the saleroom andate them, and Floracommented on the family atmosphere.

‘We do it for Charles,'said Virginia through a mouthful of chickenand mango wrap. 'Most of us knew hisfather and it was he who made the business like it is. Before they got engaged and Annabelle came,Charles was running it along the samelines. Then Miss Greenwellies-and-pearlsdecided to smarten us all up. She wantedus to wear nylon uniforms! Aprons are sensible, they keep the dirt off your clothes. But uniforms! We refused,of course.'

‘Of course. Nylon! Yuck!'

‘The firm does need updating, ofcourse, but not how she's planningto do it, which, basically, is to maximise the property: turn all the buildings into executive homes.'

‘I'lltalk to Charles about the website. We should have one. Does your daughter still do them?'

‘Oh yes, but she'll want paying now.It's her business.'

‘Of course she'll want paying. I'llget on to Charles straightaway. Thereare a few other things I need to see him about, too. Where's he been allmorning?'

‘Doing a valuation, I expect.'Virginia leant in confidentially.'The story is that when Annabelle did them, apart from not knowing very much about how much things were worth, she used to offend thecustomers. They're often recently bereaved, you see. A certain amount oftact is required.'

‘And they get that from Charles?'

‘Oh yes. He's wonderful with people.'

‘Are we talking about the same Charles? My cousin?' Virginialaughed. 'He may seem quite reserved, but he's very good at what he does.'

‘I'll take your word forit.’

‘It's Annabelle you wantto watch.'

‘If you don't mind myasking, how do you know so much about it all?’

Virginia laughed. 'Well, I keep my ear to theground - inself-defence really. We all do. And Annabelle doesn't exactly make a secret about what she wants.'Virginia took anotherbite and chewed thoughtfully. Flora wanted to hurry her but knew she couldn't. 'I don't supposethis business makes very muchmoney,' she said eventually, 'even though we get paid by the buyers and the sellers, but it would be a shame for it all todisappear.'

‘Yes,it would. I'll have to see what I can do. After all,