by Katie Fforde
‘Now could we get you to kiss?’ called the old friend from the university gliding club.
Gilly was expecting William to baulk at this but as the crowed joined in with the instruction, ‘Kiss, kiss,’ he put down the cake knife, took hold of her chin and kissed her.
She hardly heard the cheers that welcomed this as she accepted the kiss, which was short but full of intent.
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ said William afterwards. ‘Our public demanded it.’
‘I don’t mind at all,’ she said. ‘One should never disappoint one’s public.’
Daphne was in heaven. ‘I am so glad you two have got together! Some people may call me interfering but I call it helping love along!’ Then she moved away quickly, possibly sensing she’d gone too far.
‘I am so sorry!’ said William again. ‘I’ll go and explain. It’s one thing her interfering in my life but she mustn’t do it to you. I’ll tell her you’re with someone else.’
He started to go after Daphne.
It was now or never. Gilly caught hold of his jacket. ‘No! Don’t! I’m not with anyone.’
William stopped and then turned round slowly. Gilly was in agony, wondering if he would be embarrassed and awkward because he wanted her to be with someone. But when she saw he was smiling her panic subsided. His expression was amused and fond and, she realised, very pleased.
‘I’m so glad,’ he said. ‘Let’s go and find a drink. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time!’
‘Excellent plan!’ said Gilly. She could pick up her car tomorrow and go back on the minibus tonight.
When they both had drinks, William went on a tour of the guests with Gilly at his side. Because they were all friends from a long time ago along with William’s fleet of aunts, no one was surprised to see Gilly. It obviously seemed normal that William should have a woman on his arm. A few enquired about the wedding, asking why they hadn’t been invited, but William explained that he and Gilly hadn’t been together that long. He patted her arm fondly, a bit possessively, and made her feel she was important to him. She realised how much she enjoyed feeling part of a couple after being on her own so long. Yet being with Leo hadn’t given her this warm sense of belonging.
‘Well, I think we’ve talked to everyone,’ said William after a little while. ‘It’s time for cake!’
Alert for this moment, a waiter came up with two plates and they found a sofa to sit on while they ate it.
‘It really is the most marvellous cake ever,’ he said. ‘I can’t believe I actually know someone who is so clever that they could make something so beautiful and so delicious.’
‘Thank you,’ said Gilly, pleased. ‘I’ve always felt it shouldn’t be a compromise between beauty – well, not exactly beauty, just detail really – and taste.’
‘I can’t believe anyone would take so much time and trouble to make one for me,’ William went on. ‘Daphne explained that she’d offered to get it made professionally but that you’d insisted on making it yourself.’
It wasn’t quite how Gilly remembered it. Daphne had definitely asked her to make it, but she realised it was all part of Daphne’s cunning plan to bring them together. ‘I do like making cakes. I haven’t done one like this though since my children grew up. Now I just make cakes to serve to my B & B guests, or fundraising events.’ She paused. ‘Although come to think of it, I do make them for Helena.’
‘Not your son?’
Gilly now felt a bit mean. ‘His wife isn’t a fan of cake.’
‘Oh,’ said William. ‘It must be hard to connect with someone who doesn’t like cake. For you, I mean. A fellow non-cake lover would find it easy, I suppose.’
‘Shall we have another drink before the minibus arrives to take us all home?’ suggested Gilly.
‘Yes to the drink, no to the minibus. We’ll get a taxi.’
Chapter Twenty-four
William tapped his phone a couple of times and then ordered the taxi. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘Brandy while we wait?’
‘Why not?’ said Gilly, thinking briefly about the risk of a hangover, before deciding she was enjoying herself so much any repercussions were worth it.
The taxi came and they both fell into the back. William’s fingers entwined with hers as they sped through the countryside.
The taxi was obviously part of a fleet used by William as no money changed hands before it drove away. He was by Gilly’s side at the front door in seconds.
‘Would you like to come in?’ asked Gilly, giggling as of course he had no choice.
‘Yes please,’ said William.
‘We’ll have to be quiet as I’ve got B & B guests.’
They entered the hall. ‘Would you like another drink or anything? We can talk in the kitchen.’ It was only now that the reality of the situation dawned on her. William was here, in her house, without a car between them. Although he could always order another taxi.
‘What about your bedroom? Could we talk there?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘Then we should definitely go upstairs although I don’t want to talk.’ He paused, giving her time to back out.
She didn’t have to think about this; she knew what her answer would be. There was no way she was ready to sleep with William: she didn’t know him nearly well enough. Also, the preparation sleeping with him would take! The waxing, the exfoliation, the toenail varnishing – it all had to be done. She hadn’t had sex since the last time with her ex-husband, which seemed a very long time ago now. It wasn’t something that was possible in a worn PrimaDonna bra and a pair of old Sloggis.
Although she was certain in her mind her body had different ideas. She heard herself say, ‘Come on,’ and she took his hand.
When they reached her bedroom he shut the door behind them and took her into his arms. They kissed for a very long time.
‘I’m so glad I had the brandy,’ Gilly whispered as William undid her top. ‘Or I’d never have the nerve to do this.’
‘It’ll be fine,’ said William. ‘Trust me. I’m your accountant.’
As the night drew on Gilly had time to wonder if the characteristics that made William such a good accountant also made him a good lover. Meticulous attention to detail, finding sweet spots in unexpected places, not giving up until every area was attended to.
It was a wrench when, before it was even light, William got up and said he had to go.
‘The trouble with surprise parties midweek is that they don’t always happen at a time suitable for the person the party is given for,’ he said. ‘I have a meeting at the other end of the county and I have to go home and get ready.’
‘I wasn’t sure you’d like a surprise party,’ said Gilly, watching him put on his clothes. ‘I think they’re a bit Marmite – they work for some but others hate them.’
William came back to the bed and kissed her. ‘I absolutely loved it!’ he said.
Gilly was down early, ready to make breakfast for her B & B guests whenever they appeared. Usually she would try to get some sort of idea of when they might want to get up the night before but with trying to get off to William’s party, she’d forgotten.
Some elderly people got up really early and were ready for breakfast by seven. Others, who didn’t sleep well, sometimes got up much later because they wanted to catch up on the sleep they’d missed in the night. This couple, it transpired, belonged to the latter group.
She was grateful for the time to sort out her thoughts. She felt so giddy, so girlish, so – as Helena would put it – ‘loved-up’, she could hardly concentrate. She was grateful these guests hadn’t stayed with her before so they would think it normal for their hostess to keep forgetting things and to put tomatoes on the wrong guest’s plate.
They were still eating toast and marmalade when there was a knock on the door just after ten.
Gilly rushed to answer it, a smile on her face, convinced it was William, having changed his mind about the meeting. It was Leo.
You can�
�t take back a smile, Gilly realised as she looked at him. Nor can you say, ‘That wasn’t meant for you!’ You just have to back-pedal as best you can.
‘Can I come in?’ he asked, and as there was just enough gap between Gilly and the door frame for him to do so, he entered the house.
Gilly hoped she didn’t have to ask her guests to rescue her from him and ushered him into the kitchen. Ulysses would spring to her rescue and shower him with cat hairs if necessary, she was sure.
‘Gilly,’ Leo said, holding her hands. ‘Every time I try to talk to you it all comes out wrong. Will you give me ten minutes of your time?’
‘Of course,’ said Gilly, suspicious and a bit anxious. ‘Coffee?’
Leo sat at the kitchen table in his beautiful suit, eyeing Ulysses the cat, who did seem to have a rescue plan, involving the suit and its beauty, and his ginger fur.
‘So, Leo? What can I do for you?’ said Gilly when she’d put coffee, hot milk and a plate of biscuits down in front of him.
He fiddled around with his coffee for a few minutes and then nodded his head towards the dining room where the sound of knives against plates could still be heard. ‘Can they hear us?’
‘I doubt it. They both have hearing aids.’
‘Good. It must be such a nuisance not being able to say what you want in your own house.’
‘I don’t find it a problem,’ said Gilly.
‘Gilly,’ said Leo, taking hold of her hand.
She extracted his hand and said, ‘Please tell me what you came to say. I’m going to be called away at any moment.’
‘It’s all wrong you having to do this bed and breakfast thing! But anyway …’ He reached for her hand again but she kept it in her lap. ‘I don’t think, before, I took into consideration quite how much you love this house.’
‘Maybe not.’
‘So if we were together we could live here and not in my house. You’d like that better, wouldn’t you?’
‘What? Better than living in your house?’ It was his assumption that they should live together that really confused her.
‘Yes! We could live here, in the house you love. How about that?’
‘Well, I do like living here, that’s for sure,’ she said cautiously. While she could – and probably should – have sent him out of her house and her life forever, she was eager to know what his agenda was.
‘Exactly!’ He smiled as if her living in her house had been his idea all along. ‘Which is why here is where we’d live.’
‘But what about your lovely house? All your lovely things—’
‘Not important. What’s important is your happiness.’
‘Thank you,’ Gilly muttered, not sure how to respond to this.
‘Right. Well, the thing is, I don’t think I’ve made it quite clear what I want from our relationship.’
Gilly wasn’t aware they had one but didn’t comment.
‘I want to marry you, Gilly. I think we could make each other very happy.’ His statement sounded very rehearsed and strangely lacking in passion.
‘Really?’ said Gilly. She could imagine Helena’s reaction to this suggestion. She wasn’t sure Martin and Cressida would be all that delighted either.
‘I know! And for someone who’s always been a bit of a commitment-phobe, that’s quite a thing!’ He smiled as if he’d given Gilly a huge compliment. ‘But I realise that while it’s what I want, the prospect may be a bit daunting for you.’ He smiled again, fond and patronising.
‘Well …’
‘The thing is, I know that women of your age aren’t awfully keen on the physical side of marriage.’
This was news to Gilly who had very recent experience of the exact opposite. ‘Oh.’
‘They like affection and intimacy but not actual – you know …’
‘Do you mean sex, Leo?’
He seemed a bit embarrassed by her bluntness. ‘I didn’t want to be quite so obvious, but yes.’
‘Oh.’ Her gaze flicked towards the dining room, willing her guests to want more toast, more tea or more anything. They did not respond.
‘We could live here together, a happy, respectable couple, and keep each other company, do things – travel. I could take you to Vienna—’
‘Haven’t you cancelled that yet, Leo? I really think you should.’
He ignored this wifely suggestion. ‘I can take you to Venice! The world is your oyster.’
‘I’m not sure I like oysters, Leo.’
‘It’s a figure of speech, Gilly!’
He sounded quite snappy, thought Gilly, and they weren’t even married yet. ‘I’m incredibly flattered, Leo,’ she said, ‘but I don’t think we want the same things out of life. So, no thank you, I don’t want to marry you.’
He seemed stunned. ‘Gilly! I haven’t asked a woman to marry me since my first wife! I don’t think you’ve had time to think this through.’ He got up. ‘I’m not going to take no for an answer. I’m going to let you think about it.’
‘Really, I won’t change my mind—’
‘Just think about it! Think about what you’re turning down!’
Then he got up, pushed his chair back so it made an unpleasant grating sound on the floor and marched out to the front door, nearly tripping over Ulysses as he went. When the door had shut behind him – nearly but not quite a slam – Gilly heard something from the dining room. She went in.
Her bed and breakfast guests were looking at her. ‘If I’m not mistaken,’ said the woman, ‘he’s the man who tried to swindle us out of quite a lot of money with some “sure-fire” scheme or other.’
‘The man’s a shower,’ said her husband. ‘An absolute shower. You did absolutely the right thing getting shot of him.’
‘Well now,’ said the woman, much more gently. ‘We’ve had a really lovely stay but we must get on. We have an appointment in town shortly.’
Gilly was confused. She was convinced by now that Leo was on some sort of commission – that if he persuaded her to sell Fairacres, Martin and Cressida would reward him. But now he appeared to want to live in the house?
It was possible he’d realised she wasn’t selling and so felt marrying her, living in her nice house, would give him some status he felt he lacked. She chided herself for being so wet that she hadn’t made it absolutely clear how she felt about it all earlier. But her ex-husband had made her fearful of confrontation. Thank goodness she’d done it now.
After the couple left, Gilly suddenly felt tired and was clearing up at half her usual pace when William called.
‘How are you, darling?’ he said when she answered the phone.
She laughed and discovered she was smiling. ‘I’m well. How are you?’
‘Missing you.’
‘That’s nice. I’m missing you, too.’ She thought of her bedroom, her bed still unmade, and how lovely it would have been to go back there with William.
‘Um – you’ll probably be a bit annoyed but I couldn’t help investigating that Leo Simmons. I did it the other day, after I saw him with you at Helena’s show.’
‘Oh?’ Gilly was apprehensive. She didn’t want William to think that Leo was a close friend, especially not after what her guest had said about him being a ‘shower’.
‘Apparently he hasn’t paid the rent on that fancy house he lives in for a couple of months. I found out from a client of mine.’
‘Goodness! Well, that does rather explain one or two things.’
‘Care to enlighten me?’
‘Yes, but not over the phone.’ She paused, not wanting to seem pushy. ‘Would you like to come here for supper tonight?’
‘I’d love to. But do I have to wait until suppertime? Could I come after work? I’d bring some work with me and stay out of your way until it’s time to eat.’
‘That would be lovely! What’s your favourite pudding? I’m only asking about pudding because I don’t want to spoil you too much.’
‘Crumble for me, always crumble.’
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��Excellent!’ She paused and then rushed on. ‘I can’t wait to see you again, William!’
‘Nor me!’
It took them a long time to end the call but afterwards Gilly found she’d stopped worrying about seeming too forward. She realised she felt completely confident that William loved her and wouldn’t let her down.
Chapter Twenty-five
Helena came through the back door as usual, eager to see her mother. She was looking forward to a bath and some telly and an early night in her own bedroom while Jago was out. But her mother wasn’t alone. In fact, as Helena looked around her she instantly spotted things were not as she expected. The little table by the window in the kitchen was covered by a cloth and there were candles. Sitting at it, now half rising from his seat was – her accountant? Really? Did they make house calls? Was her mother’s financial state so bad that he needed to come round after office hours?
Her mother was greeting her, making welcoming noises, although Helena began to realise she was far from welcome and that she really shouldn’t have turned up without warning.
‘Oh, Mum, I’m so sorry! I’ll go away again. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Jago’s watching something over at his friend’s house so I thought I’d come and have a bath. I really should have asked.’
She felt overcome with embarrassment although at least this time there were no flashbacks to when she and her mother nearly got killed on the road.
‘Darling, don’t be silly,’ said Gilly. ‘You know you’re always welcome. Have you eaten?’
‘If not, I recommend the crumble, it really is delicious,’ said William.
‘Mum is really good at crumbles,’ said Helena, trying not to look hostile. She didn’t feel hostile at all, but after her reaction to Leo she worried that her mother would assume she hated anyone Gilly went out with. Or had an intimate little supper in the kitchen with, even.
‘And cakes!’ said William. ‘She made me the most amazing birthday cake, a bird’s-eye view of the landscape with a glider hovering over it.’
‘Oh, I saw the cake!’ said Helena, privately cross with herself for not asking at the time who it was for. ‘It was brilliant! It actually inspired a wall hanging I’m doing for a big show.’