about is her new boyfriend,’ Helen said, and looked quite depressed.
Rex would have liked to go home, but felt he couldn’t leave her if she was feeling low. ‘Do you feel like a bit of gardening this afternoon?’ he asked.
She sighed. ‘I’m in one of those moods when I don’t know what I want.’
‘What about a walk, then?’
She gave him another wan smile. ‘That would be nice.’
Helen had a lovely house and a magnificent garden, but there was no pleasant place to walk nearby. They could only pace the pavements.
He drove her in his van to Formby and they visited the nature reserve and walked for miles. Helen was fascinated with the red squirrels leaping through the trees and the number and variety of birds. When they got back to his van, her cheeks were glowing scarlet and Rex felt wind-tossed and full of fresh air.
It was early evening as he drove back. They’d mulled over next year’s plans for the garden. Helen wanted to get more spring bulbs, so he took her to his stepfather’s garden centre and she bought a sackful of daffodil bulbs.
The cafeteria stayed open until seven, so Rex suggested, ‘D’you fancy a Welsh rarebit and a pot of tea?’
‘Yes please, that sounds lovely.’ She seemed more in control now and had quite a long and cheerful conversation with Rex’s half-brother Simon.
When Rex ran his van on to her drive and carried the sack of daffodils to the back of her garage, she seemed happier than she had all day.
‘It’s been a lovely afternoon,’ she said. ‘I’ve enjoyed it. Thanks, Rex.’
He got back in his van and waited until he saw her door shut and the lights go on in the hall.
CHAPTER FIVE
W HEN CHLOE GOT HOME from work on Friday evening, she said to her mother, ‘I’m going to Manchester on the train in the morning. Adam wants to show me his house.’
She saw the sudden tension on Helen’s face and knew she disapproved. ‘I thought you liked Adam,’ she said.
‘I do, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to go to his house.’
‘Why not?’
‘Just the two of you there, you could get carried away and do things you’ll later wished you hadn’t. I’ve explained all this to you.’
‘Mum, we won’t. Don’t worry.’
‘You’re rushing things,’ her mother cautioned. ‘You’re still very young, not seventeen yet. Take your time.’
‘I’m taking all the time I need. That’s not rushing.’
‘Enjoy this part of your life, Chloe. It’s your carefree youth. You need time to get to know Adam; let him take you out and about.’
‘He does, all the time.’
She felt her mother’s twitch of exasperation. ‘Will he drive you home, or do you want me to meet you off the train?’
‘I’m not sure. If it’s to be the train, I’ll ring and let you know.’
‘Just let him give you a good time . . .’
‘He’s giving me a marvellous time,’ Chloe said, but marriage was what she really wanted. Perhaps a white wedding in their local church? Mum would enjoy arranging all that for her.
‘Just be careful, Chloe.’
‘I will, Mum,’ she said, knowing Mum couldn’t forget what had happened to Aunt Goldie. That had ruled their lives ever since. It wasn’t as though it was relevant in today’s world.
On the train journey, she could think only of Adam. He was waiting for her in the crowd behind the ticket barrier, his hand raised to attract her attention. Her heart quickened to see him, and moments later he was crushing her in a hug of delight. His house was bigger than the one in which she lived with her mother, and it was furnished with antiques. Chloe was impressed.
‘It’s a gorgeous house and you have all this lovely old furniture.’
He laughed, ‘It’s partly my stock in trade. I haven’t got my house furnished exactly as I want it yet.’
She went from room to room, feasting her eyes. He had a better sense of how to make a room look its best than either she or Mum. She told him so.
‘You won’t think much of the garden,
Rex would have liked to go home, but felt he couldn’t leave her if she was feeling low. ‘Do you feel like a bit of gardening this afternoon?’ he asked.
She sighed. ‘I’m in one of those moods when I don’t know what I want.’
‘What about a walk, then?’
She gave him another wan smile. ‘That would be nice.’
Helen had a lovely house and a magnificent garden, but there was no pleasant place to walk nearby. They could only pace the pavements.
He drove her in his van to Formby and they visited the nature reserve and walked for miles. Helen was fascinated with the red squirrels leaping through the trees and the number and variety of birds. When they got back to his van, her cheeks were glowing scarlet and Rex felt wind-tossed and full of fresh air.
It was early evening as he drove back. They’d mulled over next year’s plans for the garden. Helen wanted to get more spring bulbs, so he took her to his stepfather’s garden centre and she bought a sackful of daffodil bulbs.
The cafeteria stayed open until seven, so Rex suggested, ‘D’you fancy a Welsh rarebit and a pot of tea?’
‘Yes please, that sounds lovely.’ She seemed more in control now and had quite a long and cheerful conversation with Rex’s half-brother Simon.
When Rex ran his van on to her drive and carried the sack of daffodils to the back of her garage, she seemed happier than she had all day.
‘It’s been a lovely afternoon,’ she said. ‘I’ve enjoyed it. Thanks, Rex.’
He got back in his van and waited until he saw her door shut and the lights go on in the hall.
CHAPTER FIVE
W HEN CHLOE GOT HOME from work on Friday evening, she said to her mother, ‘I’m going to Manchester on the train in the morning. Adam wants to show me his house.’
She saw the sudden tension on Helen’s face and knew she disapproved. ‘I thought you liked Adam,’ she said.
‘I do, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to go to his house.’
‘Why not?’
‘Just the two of you there, you could get carried away and do things you’ll later wished you hadn’t. I’ve explained all this to you.’
‘Mum, we won’t. Don’t worry.’
‘You’re rushing things,’ her mother cautioned. ‘You’re still very young, not seventeen yet. Take your time.’
‘I’m taking all the time I need. That’s not rushing.’
‘Enjoy this part of your life, Chloe. It’s your carefree youth. You need time to get to know Adam; let him take you out and about.’
‘He does, all the time.’
She felt her mother’s twitch of exasperation. ‘Will he drive you home, or do you want me to meet you off the train?’
‘I’m not sure. If it’s to be the train, I’ll ring and let you know.’
‘Just let him give you a good time . . .’
‘He’s giving me a marvellous time,’ Chloe said, but marriage was what she really wanted. Perhaps a white wedding in their local church? Mum would enjoy arranging all that for her.
‘Just be careful, Chloe.’
‘I will, Mum,’ she said, knowing Mum couldn’t forget what had happened to Aunt Goldie. That had ruled their lives ever since. It wasn’t as though it was relevant in today’s world.
On the train journey, she could think only of Adam. He was waiting for her in the crowd behind the ticket barrier, his hand raised to attract her attention. Her heart quickened to see him, and moments later he was crushing her in a hug of delight. His house was bigger than the one in which she lived with her mother, and it was furnished with antiques. Chloe was impressed.
‘It’s a gorgeous house and you have all this lovely old furniture.’
He laughed, ‘It’s partly my stock in trade. I haven’t got my house furnished exactly as I want it yet.’
She went from room to room, feasting her eyes. He had a better sense of how to make a room look its best than either she or Mum. She told him so.
‘You won’t think much of the garden,
Similar Books
