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

of her mineral water, wishing for aminute that it was something stronger, like a magic potionthat would spirit her away. 'I may do,' she said cautiously. 'Of course, I don't know forsure.'

‘Flora!How could you?' Annabelle looked furious. 'I lend you my cottage, andwithin a week you've got strange men moving in!’

Floraflushed angrily. 'Well, that's not exactly—'

‘I'mhonestly shocked, Flora, I really am.' Annabelle wasclearly determined not to let her get a word in. 'And I can't imagine what Charles will say!'

‘Oh,for God's sake, Annabelle. Stop over-reacting,' Flora snapped, and then took abreath to regain her temper. She couldn'tquite imagine what Charles would say either -and didn't particularly fancy finding out. 'I think,' she said in a calmer tone of voice, 'that he may be .. . er .. . a friend of a friend,'she improvised. 'Perfectly harmless,' she added in what she hoped was areassuring way.

‘Well, Idon't know, Flora.' Annabelle didn't look reassured. 'Will he be back?'

‘It'spossible,' Flora admitted. 'But I'm not at all sure Charles needs to be bothered with something likethis. I know he's terribly busy, and. . .' Her voice trailed away asAnnabelle gave her a long stare which made it perfectly clear that she knewfull well that Flora wasn't thinking about Charles's best interests.

‘OKthen,' Annabelle said after a moment's thought. 'But if you're going to have a strange naked man hanging around my cottage I need to meet him. I'll haveto check him out.’

Flora frowned. 'Check him out how,exactly?’

RegisteringFlora's confusion, Annabelle erupted into a peal ofnervous laughter. 'Oh, don't be ridiculous! I don't wantto check him out like that! Just check he's not a burglar.’

Flora wasvery tired. She wanted to go home, see her cat, havea proper drink and something to eat before she had torush out for choir. 'I'll see what I can do, Annabelle,as long as you promise never to wear that Alice band again.'

‘Don't you think it suits me?'

‘I think it makes you look like ahorse.’

Chapter Seven

‘You don'treally think I look like a horse, do you?’

Annabelle'sexpression of horror filled Flora with compassion and guilt. She shouldn'thave been so outspoken, and if Annabellehadn't been so annoying aboutWilliam, she wouldn't have let her mouth get away with her like that. But the truth was out now andnothing Flora could do could put itback in again whole. She'd just have to backtrack as best she could.

‘Well . . .not really. No, of course not, Annabelle, I'm just awfully tired. I spoke withoutthinking.'

‘Oh.' Annabelle still soundeddespondent; it was strangely pathetic.

‘AndI was a bit - surprised - by you telling me there was a man in mygarden,' she added.

‘A naked man,' said Annabelle.

‘That's it.A naked man. Very shocking. I'll do my best to—'

‘Although he wasrather beautiful, in an aesthetic way.'

‘Washe?' Flora squeaked. She would not have put Annabelle downas someone who saw men's bodies as aesthetic.

‘Mm. Thething is, what am I going to say to Charles about him?'

‘Well,I definitely wouldn't mention you thought he was beautiful,' said Flora, knowing this was not the rightanswer.

‘Youknow what I mean, Flora. Charles is already very unhappy about you being here. If I tell him I saw a naked man in your garden, he'll pack you off toLondon before you have time to put on your lip-gloss.’

Flora tooka deep breath, then a sip of mineral water. She neededtime to think. 'Charles could hardly blame me if - theman - is nothing to do with me. Just a friend of a friend.'

‘Charlescould blame you if there was a cyclone and the crops were ruined.’

This wasthe plain truth, there was no denying it. 'Unlessyou didn't tell him,' suggested Flora, not at all happy to find herself at Annabelle'smercy.

‘Exactly.’

Florafrowned. 'But why wouldn't you tell him? You don't want me here either, do you?’

Annabelleflapped a hand. 'Look, shall we get proper drinks?'

‘Ishouldn't.' Flora got to her feet. If she really hurried, she should have time to get back home to feedImelda and throw another layer ofclothes on top of her dirt. 'It's choir night.'

‘Sit down, Flora.’

Flora sat.

‘Iwon't say anything to Charles because relations are already bad enough between you, but you mustarrange for me to meet this man so Ican check him out. If he's a bad lot, I'll have to report him to thepolice.'

‘But supposingwhen I get back I find out he's not this friend'sfriend. Suppose he's nothing to do with me?’

Annabellelooked her firmly in the eye. 'I think what would be agood idea would be for you to arrange a littledinner party, so Charles and I can meet this man undercivilised circumstances.' She paused, to make sure Flora knewthat any stories she might come up with of finding notrace of anyone when she got home would not wash with her, then she said, 'I'mgoing to get us botha glass of wine now.’

Shecertainly went in for straight talking, thought Flora,while she waited. You had to hand it to her.

WhenAnnabelle came back with the wine and sat down againshe said, 'Now, there's something else I'd like your help with.’

Althoughher words were her usual 'order-poorly disguised-as-a-request'type, there was something a bit more tentative in her manner thanusual. Flora sipped herwine.

Annabellesipped hers, too. 'I wouldn't usually ask you aboutanything as you're obviously much younger andcompletely . . . I mean, well . . . Anyway, you are quite pretty.'

‘Yes?'Flora wasn't going to waste time arguing about her looks.

‘I've been invited to a school reunion.'

‘Oh.'

‘And'- Annabelle looked momentarily embarrassed - 'and I really want to look my best. I wonder if you could give me some tips on how to improve myappearance?’

Floratranslated this as: 'You're a complete nit-wit but men seem tofancy you - tell me your secrets.' She sighed. She wasoften dismissed as being pretty and blonde asif thesetwo things combined precluded any ability in any sphere except shopping.

‘Well . .

‘I was justwondering if it's a bad thing that I always go shopping with Mummy?’

Florathought how best to phrase her reply. 'I don't think it'sa bad idea in principle. I quite often go shopping withmy mother when we're in the same country, but thedifference may be that