A Springtime Affair

by Katie Fforde

  Usually Gilly was delighted when Martin showed any interest in Helena’s work. However, today, she’d have very much preferred to go early, on her own, help Helena for a bit, and then go home when she felt she was no longer useful. She hadn’t heard back from William and now felt foolish for having invited him. Cressida even tried to make her leave behind the box of snacks she’d made.

  ‘Does she need the empty calories?’ she’d asked, eyeing Gilly’s basket critically as they got in the car. ‘Biscuits are just an evil combination of sugar and fat and Helena already has a sedentary occupation.’

  ‘Yes, she does need them,’ said Gilly, possibly more sharply than she’d intended. ‘And she may want to share them with people.’

  ‘Put the basket in the boot, then,’ said Cressida.

  ‘It’s fine on my knee. Do you mind if I go in front? I have a slight tendency to car sickness if I’m not driving.’ She kept the cool bag with three bottles of Prosecco near her too. Cressida was sure to disapprove of that.

  Thus, she had managed to annoy her daughter-in-law before they were hardly out of the house. Usually she avoided it but just occasionally she couldn’t resist asserting herself, just a little.

  Cressida and Martin spent the journey to the exhibition discussing the benefits of private education, not Gilly’s favourite topic. Her ex-husband’s parents, who liked to be known as Gan-gan and Pops, cheery names that completely belied their very formal way with their grandchildren, had gone on about private education a lot. They seemed to think that Martin and Helena would have hugely benefited from being sent to ‘a jolly good boarding school where they’ll make friends who’ll be useful to them all their lives’.

  Martin, rashly in Gilly’s opinion, referred to this now. ‘Dad’s parents were always sad we weren’t privately educated, I know that.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Gilly, ‘they were of the opinion we should sell the house – my house – and live in a hovel to fund your private education. But that’s not the route you’re going down, is it? Mind you, I think you’re absolutely right! Education isn’t only what goes on in school hours; at least half of it goes on in the home. In my opinion.’

  Gilly spent the rest of the journey looked pointedly out of the window. No one said anything else until Cressida noticed an AA sign to the venue.

  ‘It must be quite a big deal, this show,’ she said. ‘Good for Helena, getting in.’

  Gilly softened towards her daughter-in-law by a millimetre.

  Gilly was buying tickets when Leo came up to her, full of bonhomie and no sign of awkwardness. He kissed her cheek. ‘This is such a lovely occasion, supporting Helena as a family.’

  She was too polite to say, ‘You’re not my family,’ so instead she murmured, ‘Hello, Leo,’ and smiled faintly. ‘I didn’t know you were coming.’ Helena wouldn’t be pleased to see him, even if he was trying to be supportive.

  ‘Cressida suggested I came, said how pleased you’d be if I did. Are you pleased, Gilly?’

  ‘Of course,’ she said, ‘if you buy one of Helena’s scarves.’ She really hoped that he would buy one and not think she’d be pleased for any other reason. She wished she’d heard definitely if William was coming or not. But with Leo here, she’d rather he didn’t. Her life suddenly seemed rather complicated.

  At last they were at Helena’s stall. When Cressida and Martin had said hello, Gilly kissed her daughter and handed over the box and the cool bag.

  ‘Oh, thank you, Mum! My new friends are addicted to your baking. The savouries went down so well this morning.’

  ‘Well, now it’s a bit later in the day you can have a glass of Prosecco to go with the snacks,’ said Gilly.

  ‘Hello, Helena,’ said Leo warmly. ‘I thought I’d come and give you some support. Not that it looks like you need it.’

  Helena’s smile was a little tight. ‘It has been really busy.’

  ‘You don’t seem to have a lot of stock,’ went on Leo. ‘I gather it was all rather short notice so maybe you didn’t have time to make enough?’

  ‘I did have loads of stock,’ said Helena, ‘but I’ve sold a lot of it. I’ve had to ask if some people can leave their purchases until the end of the day so other people can see examples of my work.’

  ‘Goodness me! I was going to buy something for your mother but I may be too late.’

  ‘It’s OK,’ said Helena, obviously making an effort, ‘I give her anything she takes a fancy to. Now will you excuse me? There’s a gentleman …’

  Gilly took a step back and watched Helena do her thing with a man who seemed very interested. She gave him a business card and he gave her one back. It would be good if that meant he’d commissioned a scarf. Leo wasn’t going to order one, she realised.

  Gilly stepped forward when Helena was free to talk again. ‘Would you like me to take over for a bit? Give you a chance to look around?’

  ‘I had a look around this morning, but a loo break would be good.’

  Leo insisted on standing next to her while Gilly stood in for Helena and she wished she could ask him to go away. Eventually she saw William trying to push his way towards Helena’s stall. He was quite a way away. If she was quick she should be able to get rid of Leo. ‘Leo! Would you be very kind and get us some tea? Then we can have a piece of shortbread? I didn’t have much lunch.’

  ‘If that’s what you want,’ he said fondly, and kissed the top of her head.

  She moved away from him, feeling horribly patronised. Then she looked up and felt even worse. William had stopped and was looking at her, confusion on his face. He had obviously seen Leo’s possessive gesture and didn’t know what to think.

  She tried to smile reassuringly but it was difficult to say, ‘I didn’t invite this man, I didn’t want him to kiss my head, it’s you I’m interested in,’ in a gesture like a smile, however hard you tried.

  William raised a hand in greeting and then turned back. Gilly felt bereft.

  Cressida and Martin came up. ‘Are you OK staying for a bit, Gilly?’ said Cressida. ‘There is some amazing stuff here! There’s a handbag over there that has my name on it. I might persuade Martin I need an early birthday present.’

  After they had gone and Helena had come back, Gilly told her where Martin and Cressida were headed.

  Helena raised her eyebrows. ‘There’s nothing on that stall that is cheaper than a month’s mortgage payments. I’m glad they’re feeling so flush. The man who makes the leather belts is so nice and I’d love to buy something from him, but I just can’t. Oh, I did buy something that you might like to give Issi for a present though. It’s way above my budget, but knowing how generous you are …’

  Gilly looked at the little box that Helena put into her hand. ‘It’s amazing! I love it! And it’s perfect for Issi. I must go and have a look at the other stalls. Would you be all right here for a moment?’

  ‘Absolutely! Take the shortbread; it may get you a discount.’

  ‘Oh, here’s Leo with the tea,’ said Gilly, suddenly very depressed.

  ‘Ooh,’ said Helena. ‘I must just pop over to George with the shortbread. I forgot he brought me a cup of coffee earlier, I promised him something if you brought food.’

  Gilly recognised a quick excuse to get out of the way when she saw one but was grateful. Leo and Helena together would have made her extremely uncomfortable.

  ‘Sorry it took so long,’ said Leo when he arrived. ‘There was an enormous queue and then I met some people I know and couldn’t get away.’

  ‘That always happens to me,’ said Gilly, taking the polystyrene cup. The tea in it was tepid, but she drank it anyway. She realised that Helena would be opening the Prosecco soon and she might well miss the opportunity to share it.

  ‘And I hope you won’t be disappointed,’ said Leo, ‘but I’m afraid I’ve got to go. I was intending to stay a bit longer, but something has come up.’

  Relief made Gilly smile warmly. ‘Oh no, don’t worry about it. It was lovely of you to come at all.�
��

  ‘You’ll give my love to Helena, won’t you? Tell her how much I like her scarves.’

  ‘Absolutely,’ said Gilly warmly, ignoring the thought that if he liked them so much he could have bought one.

  Helena reappeared the moment Leo had gone. ‘If you really like him, Mum, I will make an effort. It’s just seeing him gives me flashbacks to that time we nearly died.’

  Gilly was aware her daughter really meant ‘the time Leo nearly killed us’. ‘I don’t like him but Cressida and Martin seem to adore him! It wasn’t my idea to invite him to this.’ She omitted to mention William; Helena had enough to think about. ‘I should have asked him for a lift home really, but I couldn’t bring myself to. He’d have taken it as encouragement.’

  ‘We could tell Martin to hurry up,’ said Helena. ‘I will if you’d rather not.’

  Gilly was well aware that Helena thought that Martin and Cressida bullied her a bit and her daughter wasn’t entirely wrong.

  ‘Or Jago could do it!’ said Helena. ‘I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I know he’s only coming to support me. I gave him one of my free tickets. This is such a brilliant event,’ she went on. ‘I’ve earned far more than my entrance fee although I have also sold practically everything I’ve made so God knows what I’ll have to take to Woolly World at the end of the month.’

  ‘I could always give you back all the rugs and throws you’ve made for me over the years. Not that I don’t love them but—’

  ‘Brilliant idea, Mum! I can remake them for you after the show! Oh, and here’s Jago.’

  As Jago drove Gilly home in Helena’s car she thought what a nice man he was. Why did she think there was something a bit odd going on between him and Helena? They should be all over each other. Still, she decided, maybe she should sort her own love life out before starting on her daughter’s.

  Chapter Twenty

  The show was over and everyone was packing up when Jago reappeared.

  ‘Hi! A mate was coming back this way so I thought I’d drop your car at home and get a lift back with him. I thought you might like a hand clearing up. Where’s all your stock?’

  ‘Sold! But, Jago, that’s so kind! After you’ve taken Mum home and everything – to come all the way back to help me with this lot.’ Helena gestured to the loom and other bits of equipment she had used to dress her stall.

  ‘’S OK. It’s what mates are for,’ said Jago. He started dismantling the loom which, as he’d helped her assemble it when she first decided to move into weaving with silk, he knew how to do.

  ‘But you must let me take you out to dinner, in return,’ said Helena firmly. ‘I’ve done so well today, it’s the least I can do for you.’

  ‘I was going to have to knock up something out of leftovers for us, so I’m well up for eating out.’

  She smiled. ‘Anywhere you fancy?’

  ‘There’s a gastro pub I’ve read reviews of. It’s a bit off our patch so it would be nice to go there while we’re over this way.’

  ‘Great! If you know where it is, I’m happy to go.’

  ‘I’ll drive, then you can drink.’

  She paused, a large plastic box in her hands. ‘You didn’t come all the way over here so you could drive the pickup and not risk it with me for any longer than you had to?’

  ‘No,’ he said shortly. ‘I have many faults but I am not possessive about my pickup. You drive it as well as I do.’

  Helena’s heart warmed to him another bit. At this rate she’d be in love with him before the summer.

  They found the pub without too much difficulty and went into the bar. ‘If we don’t like what’s on the menu, we don’t have to stay,’ said Jago.

  ‘I think we will like what’s on the menu,’ said Helena, looking at it. ‘It’s got chips on it and I think after my long day I deserve some.’

  ‘Then you shall have chips!’ said Jago. ‘And a large steak to go with them?’ He inspected the menu carefully. ‘You can have sweet potato chips instead if you like.’

  ‘Nooo! Nothing wrong with sweet potatoes but if I’m having chips, I want proper ones.’

  They had ordered and Helena was sipping a large glass of red wine when she looked across at a table and then leaned forward so she could speak to Jago privately.

  ‘I recognise those two men over there,’ she murmured, shifting her chair so she wasn’t facing them. ‘One ordered a scarf from me today – didn’t catch his name but I’ve got his card and I know exactly what scarf he wants – and the other …’ She laughed. ‘Although you would never guess, he has recently run a half-marathon with his colleagues.’ She frowned. ‘Or maybe he was just in the photograph with the runners. It was in the local paper.’

  ‘So you don’t know these people in real life, you just recognise them with your superpowers?’

  ‘No, the first one I met.’ She found her handbag and burrowed about in it until she came up with a card. ‘Here you are! It’s him.’

  Jago took the card and then at Helena. ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes. Do you know him?’

  ‘Of him. We’re in the same business only he’s a massive company and I’m a one-man band.’

  ‘You mean you couldn’t afford one of my scarves?’ Instantly she began planning the design for one she’d make as a present for him. She took another sip of her wine. It was delicious, and she was glad Jago had led them here. ‘How was Mum when you drove her home?’

  ‘She was her usual charming self but she did seem a bit twitchy. When I asked if she’d enjoyed the show she said it would have been better if she could have driven herself there and was annoyed she didn’t just change the date for her car being serviced.’

  ‘Oh!’ said Helena. ‘Martin always arranges for her car to be serviced. Since the divorce. Cars are a blue job, you know. Women can’t ring up a garage and make an appointment to have one serviced.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Mum indulges him because it’s the only thing he does that’s remotely helpful and she doesn’t want to undermine him.’

  ‘So, what’s all this colour-coded job thing?’

  ‘Cressida thinks it’s simpler for men if jobs have colours. Blue and pink. Cars are blue, doing the online grocery order is pink. Don’t get ideas of it going on between us. I prefer everything to be mauve.’

  ‘Which means?’

  ‘Whoever has time and thinks of it, does it.’ She paused. ‘It seems to work OK, doesn’t it?’

  She looked at him, wondering how he felt about her, whether he felt anything beyond friendship. They – well, he – had come up with the idea of pretending to be an item because it suited them but supposing one of them, i.e. her, wanted to change? To stop pretending? Because she did want them to be a real couple, who touched, who slept together.

  Annoyingly they hadn’t added a clause to their casual arrangement which told them how to deal with this situation. Supposing now, her inhibitions softened by wine and tiredness, she reached her hand across the table and put it on his large, roughened, very slightly hairy one? Would he get her unspoken message? And if he did would he look slightly horrified and embarrassed? Say, ‘You’re a lovely girl but I’ve never seen you like that?’ Or something similar.

  Helena decided she would die of embarrassment if this happened and took another sip of wine.

  ‘I think you need another one of those,’ said Jago. ‘And here comes the food. Those chips look amazing! Can we have some mayo to go with those?’ he asked the waitress. ‘Thank you so much!’

  The food was as good as it looked and Helena crunched her way through it, too tired to talk much. That was one of the many joys of Jago: he was perfectly happy to be silent. When she’d finished her steak she felt a lot better.

  ‘Now, pudding,’ she said. ‘I’m paying and I’m insisting. I won’t feel I’ve taken you out for dinner if you only have one course and no alcohol.’

  ‘Oh, right! I’ll hop up and get the menu.’ Having done this he perused it. ‘I think steam puddi
ng with custard, cream and ice cream.’

  ‘I’ll join you!’ said Helena, feeling bold and a bit anxious. ‘I sort of wish Cressida was here.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘She’d be so utterly horrified! And although I know it’s childish of me, I do quite like horrifying her.’

  He laughed. ‘I know what you mean. I can’t resist shocking my sister either.’

  ‘Oh? How’s Zuleika and her kitten?’

  ‘The kitten is growing rapidly and is hardly ever out of trouble, apparently. My sister is going to keep her.’

  Helena smiled. She had reason to be very grateful to that kitten. Without it her first meeting with Jago would have been very different.

  ‘So,’ Jago said, after several spoonfuls of pudding, which included fresh raspberries and was very much lighter than its title suggested it might be. ‘What are you going to do with yourself now this show is over? You’ve worked so hard!’

  Helena gave a laugh that was almost a sigh of exhaustion. ‘I’m going to work even harder! I’ve sold every blessed scarf, rug, throw and cushion cover, lots of it destined for the big World of Wool show at the end of the month. It’s going to be pretty much impossible to restock in time.’

  ‘Oh, Helly!’ said Jago, putting his hand on her shoulder. ‘I didn’t realise.’

  ‘Mum suggested that she give me back everything I’d ever given her which is something. I’ll ask Cressida for her stuff too, but it’s not going to be that much.’

  ‘Can I make a suggestion? I’m not any kind of an artist or creative person but could you do something weird, huge, that wouldn’t take you long? Weaving with rags, that sort of thing?’

  ‘I’m not a massive fan of rag weaving but I could think along those lines, cutting up blankets and using them.’ Her imagination was sparked. ‘I’ve got some blankets that got terribly eaten by moths. I should have thrown them away but I put them in Mum’s freezer instead. I could use those!’