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

'Well, it's a shame neither of themlike cats. But some people like dogs better.'

‘What about you, Flora?'

‘Oh, I like both. They're like men andwomen —although not actually like men andwomen. I don't think dogs are likemen and cats are like women, or anything like that. I just think they offer you different things.'

‘Yes?'Charles had helped himself to another kitten and put it in the same place as thefirst one.

‘Dogsbuild you up, make you feel better. Cats keep you in your place. They love you but they don't need you. Dogsare needy.'

‘Whenwe get married we might get a dog. A nice black Labrador.'

‘Mm. I can seeAnnabelle with a Labrador.’

‘They are very sensibledogs.’

Floradidn't comment. For her Labradors were on a par withflat shoes, knee-length skirts and Hermes headscarves:pleasant enough in their place, but not very exciting.

Charleswent on. 'Now you Ican see with something much more frivolous and decorative, likea poodle or a CavalierKing Charles spaniel.’

Flora,content with his choice of breed for her, replied, 'You, onthe other hand, should have something stately and enormous, like an Irish wolfhound.’

He turnedaway from the kittens for a moment. 'Is that how you see me? Stately andenormous?’

Floranodded. 'And kind. You can be quite kind when you're notbeing bossy. Wolfhounds are very gentle. I used to know one when I was a child.’

Charlesdetached the kitten and sighed. 'I can't see Annabelle putting up with anything thatsize.'

‘Well,I suppose if you're both working, it would be difficult. Just the same for any dog, though.' She found Charles being in her bedroom, within touchingdistance, too intimate, somehow.

`Do youworry about leaving Imelda during the day?’

She wasjust about to say that William came in and checked onher at lunchtime when she remembered that Charlesdidn't know about William. 'I leave lots of food and the kitchen window open. She's fine.’

He got tohis feet, putting himself safely out of reach again. 'Imust get that cat flap organised. Annabelle would notbe happy if she knew about you leaving the window open.’

Floraglanced at herself in her dressing-table mirror but resistedthe temptation to pick up her lip-gloss and add a layer. As a reward for thisrestraint she allowed herself to dig about Annabelle a little.'Annabelle doesn't seem that happy about working in an auction houseeither,' she said.

‘No,' saidCharles as he followed her down the stairs, makingFlora feel like a midget pursued by a giant. 'She prefersproper antiques to the house-clearance stuff we mostly get.Poor girl. I don't think she realised how much of the thingswe handle would be so run-of-the-mill.'

‘Would you like a cup ofcoffee?'

‘I should be getting back, really. Lunch with the in-laws.'

‘Are they coming to you, or are you going to them?'

‘We're going to them.' Ashe showed no signs of leaving she wentthrough to the kitchen. He followed her and watched while she put thekettle on.

‘Um.' He cleared his throat. 'How was your lunch with - HenryBurnet yesterday?'

‘Oh, lovely! He took me to a really nice pub and we ate ham and salad.He's great fun.' Flora displayed a littlemore enthusiasm than she felt, although she had enjoyed herself. Somethingabout Charles's cosy lunch with hisin-laws made her want to seem a bit attached too.

‘Good. But I do think I should warn you, as your cousin, that he hasn't got a very good reputationwith women.'

‘Hasn't he?'

‘No.'

‘I'll watch my step,then,' said Flora.

‘I hope you don't mind mesaying.'

‘Not at all!' She smiled. 'So you will have coffee?’

‘Oh, go on, then.'

‘No need to be so gracious, Charles. I had an idea.' She opened a jar of coffee and found a teaspoon. 'Aboutwhat?'

‘About the business. How to improve the quality of the lots.'

‘Yes?'

‘I got it when youmentioned the Antiques Roadshow the other day. Why don'tyou do them?'

‘What on earth are you talking about?'

‘Puton a roadshow. You'd have to advertise, of course, but you could ask people to bring in theirantiques, stuff they have lyingaround and don't really want or need, andthen, if they're valuable, they might want to sell them.'

‘Well—'

‘Youcould do it in all the small towns nearby. Hire a room, or something. People would love it, I'm sure. And it would be a good advertisement for youanyway.'

‘It wouldbe terribly expensive. And if people didn't want tosell their stuff, it would all be for nothing. There's no slack in this business for mistakes,Flora.'

‘You need some capital.'

‘I know that.’

She bitback her question about Annabelle's capital. She'd beenhappy to use it to buy Flora out, so why wasn't shehappy to use it to invest in the business in otherways? Annabelle by herself had been quite fun on theirshopping trip, but as far as Stanza and Stanza went she was a disaster.

Insteadshe said, 'You have a huge house which you only use a very small part of asyour offices. If you sold it you'd have plenty of capital. Youwouldn't have to sellthe hall.'

‘You mean I could buy you out?’

Florasmiled weakly. 'You could, if I was willing to sell, ofcourse, but that's not the point. What I'm saying is, if yousold that building, dividing it up into flats first if youlike, you could afford to do lots to make Stanza and Stanza work.'

‘Idon't know what Annabelle would think about that.’

Flora gotthe impression that this was just an excuse. 'Annabelleis not your partner! I am! And if she's not reallyinterested in the business, why should she worry about what you do with the house?'

‘It'snot that she'd worry about selling the house. In fact, I think she's had some idea of doingthat, too. It's what we did with the money that would worry her.And Flora, she's been involved for a while. She doeshave a right to heropinions.'

‘Oh.'Crossly, Flora poured boiling water on to the coffee. 'I could do with a coffeegrinder if I'm going to have a dinnerparty. Or a cafetière, or something.'

‘I'll seewhat I can do. I'm sure Annabelle's got a spare one.’

Neither ofthem were really thinking about coffee or how to makeit. 'Shall we use the table and chairs and take it out into the garden?' suggestedFlora.

‘Ireally mustn't be long. Annabelle will be expecting me.'

‘We'llstay in the kitchen then.' Flora sat down and picked up her