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

hair. 'This job can turn you whiteovernight,' she said to herreflection, in an attempt to cheer herself up. It didn't work, she stillfelt rotten.

Thefollowing day she crept in, but was pleased to seeLouisa, who didn't work on Mondays. At least she could be normal with her.

‘Hi, Louisa. Nice weekend?'

‘Lovely,thanks. My husband takes my children swimming and to the library on Saturday mornings so I got a lot done in the garden. You were in onSaturday?'

‘Only inthe morning. I went out for lunch with a friend in the afternoon.'

‘Well,you did a very good job on that valuation. Are you a typist, then? Noone told me.’

Florachecked to see if anyone else was in earshot. 'Well, Ican type. It's useful, but I wouldn't want to do it for a living. I temp from time totime if I can't get anything more interesting to do.'

‘Sowhat did you do, actually?' Louisa settled herself at her desk. 'Beforeyou came here, I mean.’

Florashrugged. 'Nothing specific. I just had jobs, really,not a career. The longest I've ever stayed in a job was twoyears in an art gallery. This is the only thing so farthat I've really enjoyed. It's hard work but it's so varied.You're doing a valuation one day, being a porter the next, and typing up stuff the dayafter.’

Louisasmiled enthusiastically at her. 'You can help me typethe next catalogue. They were supposed to be getting mean assistant but nothing ever happened.’

Flora bither lip guiltily. 'Oh, I think I'm supposed to be doingthat. When I first came, Charles didn't want me to behere at all, so I applied for the job as assistant so hecouldn't send me back to London. And I haven't really assisted you at all.'

‘Well,be around for the next catalogue and I'll forgive you. And you did do the valuation.' Louisa got upout of her seat and peered out of the window. 'Here's Annabelle. Goodness, she's looking very . . .different.’

Florarushed to see what Annabelle was wearing. It was the long, slim-line fuchsia skirtand the black V-neck top. Her hair was heldback by a black velvet band, which was against the rules, but on the whole she didn't look at all bad. 'We went shopping theother day,' said Flora. 'I was doinga Trinny and Susannah on her.'

‘MyGod! That was brave! Did she kick up a lot of fuss? And why on earth didshe agree to let you?' Annabelle disappearedthrough the front door at that momentand they knew she would be with them in seconds. 'Oh, here she is.'

‘Annabelle, whatis that thing on your head?' asked Flora, on the attack.

‘My hairkept flopping all over the place, it distracted me.'

‘What'swrong with her hair?' asked Charles, who came into the room a few steps behind, looking daggers at Flora.He obviously hadn't forgiven her.

‘It'slovely hair,' said Flora, realising that she was not going to win this one. 'It's just that Alice bandsaren't usually a good idea for anyone older than Alice in Wonderlandwas.'

‘I'msorry, Flora,' said Annabelle briskly 'I've got to be able to see.’

Florasighed, 'OK. It does look quite sweet, I suppose,' reluctantlyrelinquishing her position as the style Nazi. 'Charles says you want a meeting?’

What elsehad Charles said, she wondered? And how much of itwould have been repeatable? 'Well, I have got someideas I'd like to discuss.' Although she'd much ratherdiscuss them when Charles was actually speaking to her.

‘OhGod,' said Annabelle with an exasperated sigh. 'Your ideas are so expensive. I spent a fortune the other day.’

Flora gavea tense little smile. Annabelle had asked Flora tohelp her with her clothes, and she herself had donated twovery expensive pairs of knickers to the cause.'You have to speculate in order to accumulate,' she said,more breezily than she felt. 'So, when can we have our talk?’

Charlesglanced at his watch. 'I have to go over to a farm a bitlater. If we're quick, we can do it now.' The heat inhis expression made it very clear to Flora that if she saidanything he didn't agree with, he'd be down on hermore heavily than the office ceiling had been.

Annabellesmoothed down her new top, revealing a well-defined waist. 'I wish you wouldn'tdo those farm sales! They're so dreary! All that plastic bindertwine and fertiliser sacks, and there's never anythingremotely valuable inthe house.'

‘Annabelle,you're going to love my idea.' Flora took hold of Annabelle's arm, prepared to bully her even more thoroughly than she'd bullied her before. IfCharles was more set against her thanever, Annabelle was her last hope.

‘Let'stalk about it in the boardroom,' said Charles, sounding impatient, and led the way to the room where Flora had been interviewed what seemed like alifetime ago.

‘Ithought,' said Flora, anxious to cut to the chase and wondering if Charles would let on that she'd toldhim her plans already, 'that if wehad our own antiques road-shows, gotpeople to bring in their forgotten treasures for a valuation, they might be willing to sell them sometimes. It would get a better class of item to theauctions.'

‘Flora,that's such a romantic idea!' For 'romantic' Annabellereally meant 'ridiculous'. 'What you'd really get ishundreds of people with car-boot finds and Barbie dollswithout their boxes, wondering if they're collectors' items yet.’

Flora hadwatched enough afternoon television shows to knowthis was true. 'Well, yes, there would be a bit of that, of course, but it would raiseour profile.'

‘But if we gotany amount of people, they'd be queuing for hours,' wenton Annabelle. 'Charles is the only one who can dovaluations. I'm not qualified.' She managed to say thiswith the air of someone who declares they don't smoke, ordrink, or anything else dubious but fun.

‘On theother hand,' said Charles, carefully addressing Annabellerather than Flora, 'I suppose I could ask Bob Butler -he's been an auctioneer for years - if he'd help.'

‘Why wouldhe do that?' demanded Annabelle. 'He hasn't retired yet has he? Althoughhe's about a hundred. We're in direct competition.’

Charleshesitated before answering. 'There's something else we need to talk about,darling. Flora and I had a discussion.’

If he wascalling it that, he couldn't be referring to their row, thought Flora with somerelief.

‘As I said, if Flora's involved it'll beexpensive,' repeated Annabelle, as