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

‘What on earth are you talking about?'

‘Imean, I'm supposed to try and find out about you and invite you to dinner, soshe can give you the once-over.'

‘Couldn'tyou just tell her there was no trace of anyone when you got home?’

Flora shookher head. 'She didn't put it in so many words, butshe made it pretty clear that she'd tell Charles about youif I didn't let her check you're not a psychopath.' She bit her lip for amoment. 'I suppose I could say I found a note from you, thatyou're a friend of a friend come to call, who obviouslyjust took the opportunity to do a bit of t'ai chi in the buff when hewas in anisolated spot.' She paused. 'I'm really surprised Annabelle didn't call thepolice.'

‘Why should she? I wasn't doing anyharm.'

‘Annabellewould consider trespassing harm, and I wouldhave thought she'd have considered nakedness a police matter, too.'

‘But she didn't.'

‘No,but we still have to explain your presence without them finding out you've been living here allwinter. I'll say you're a friend ofa friend who lived near and came to look me up. That suit you?'

‘Ihave been living on my own for a while, but do you think someone looking up the friend of a friend would be likely to take off all their clothes anddo a spot of t'ai chi while they're waiting?'

‘Well . . . yes,if that's your bag. After all, there can't be many opportunities for doingstuff like that.' William nodded, conceding this point.

‘Let's eat, William. I'mstarving.’

*

Whensupper was disposed of, the kittens had been marvelledover, and William had decided to go to his shack inthe forest, Flora found a spot in the garden that had reasonable reception and calledEmma.

‘Isthis a good moment?' she pleaded, when Emma picked up the phone.

‘Yes.Dave's out. I'm just watching a movie and it's not very good. It's aperfect time to ring.'

‘Thank goodness. I need advice, Em!'

‘Really?Well, on the whole green is considered the best colour for wellies but you could get away with blue at apinch.'

‘Whatare you talking about? Now listen, Annabelle, who's engaged to my cousin Charles, and wants to buy me out of the business, well, not completely,but abit . . .'

‘Goon.' Emma was obviously on the move. 'I'm just going into the kitchen tomake a cup of tea.'

‘Anyway, she sawthis man William, who's been living here in the holiday cottage allwinter, and is still around.’

‘Nice?'

‘Very.'

‘Fit?'

‘Well, I suppose so but definitely notmy type. Although Annabelle tells me thatupside down and naked he is - whatdid she say? - aesthetically beautiful.'

‘Hesounds extraordinary. If you want him, I'd take him.' Emma sighed alittle wistfully.

‘Idon't want him. I want you to listen to me. You see the thing is, Emma, Annabelle has more or lessordered me to have a dinner party so she can meet him.'

‘And?'

‘Well, should I introduce Annabelle toWilliam?’

Emmathought for a moment. 'Sorry, Flora, I don't see theproblem. I really don't see why you shouldn't have alittle dinner party and introduce this Annabelle to the naked man.’

Florasighed. 'That sounds so easy in theory, but you don't knowCharles! Having him, Annabelle and William round fordinner would be torture. No one would have anything in common, it would beghastly!'

‘Well, invitesome other people then! That way you won't notice Charles so much.’

Flora feltthat however many people she asked she was boundto notice Charles. He took up quite a lot of space. Butit would certainly dilute him. 'That is a good idea. I could invite Henry.'

‘Who's Henry?'

‘Oh,someone I met in the supermarket when I first arrived. We haven't actually been out yet, but he's very nice.'

‘Youmet him in the supermarket? You're so jammy! The only people I meet in the supermarket are other wild-eyed singletons looking for low-fatChardonnay. We bond over the fromage frais.'

‘Imay not be jammy, he may not turn out to be any good at all, but it's nice to have someone to think about. The trouble is, I haven't got his number. Butwith luck, I'll run into him soon.Annabelle didn't give me a date for this dinner party, after all.'

‘Ishould check him over for you,' said Emma. 'Make sure he's not anotherJustin.'

‘Youcan't tell just by looking. And do you know, Justin was at school with Charles! But I've just had abrilliant idea! If you came down fora weekend, you could come to thedinner party. That would make it much more fun.’

Emma laughed. 'A dinner party with yourstuffy cousin and his ghastly fiancée doessound tempting, but on the otherhand, we could wait for you to come back to London and have a reallynice time.'

‘I'mnot doing that! I've only been here five minutes and I'm beginning to love it.The whole auction house thing is so exciting, even though I spent all day todayin a filthy house looking atfurniture. It's terribly hard work but so fascinating.’

Emma spoke in tones she normally usedwhen confronted by a psychopath on thetube. 'Well, honey, if that's theway you feel about it, I don't think I can help you. You need aprofessional.’

Floraignored this slight on her sanity. 'I've just had a thought.'

‘Go on.'

‘Ifyou came down for the weekend, I could say that William is a friend ofyours.'

‘I don't think I'd have a friend whotook off their clothes in other people's gardens.'

‘Well,no, but you wouldn't necessarily have known about his passion for naked yoga, or whatever. I think that's a very good idea. Now, when can you come?’

Emmasighed. 'I'd quite like to come down. I don't suppose Dave would be able to get away.'

‘That'sperfect! I mean, it's a shame, but it's perfect from my point of view.You and William could be a couple.'

‘Idon't quite understand what your thinking is on this one, Flo.'

‘Idon't either, but come down, one weekend sometime soon, and we can makea plan when you get here.'

‘I'llsee what I can do. It's not easy at the moment.’

‘Oh darling!'

‘But don't worry, I'll try to sortsomething out.’

*

'Annabelle tells me she saw a man atyour house yesterday.’

The wretch! Annabelle had definitelysaid she wouldn't tell Charles if Floraagreed to have a dinner party! Determined to keep her cool for as longas possible, she said,