saying before Philip came in, I think you can do far better than Robert Martin. He’s working class, poorly educated, and you said yourself he’s downright ugly. Just compare him to some of the men you’ve met at Highbury Foods.’
She cocked her head on one side. ‘You’re right, I really like Rob, but even I can see that he’s different from someone like Mark.’
‘ Mark?’
‘ Yeah, Trace would say he’s well shaggable.’
Nine years ago I would have agreed with Trace’s opinion, although not her way of expressing it. Now, with practised ease, I sidestepped memories of my teenage crush and merely said, ‘I was thinking more of Terry, or Philip. They dress smartly, talk intelligently, behave impeccably. So does Mark, except – ’
I was going to say ‘he’s out of your league’, when she cut in with, ‘Yeah, but Terry’s so old, forty-five at least.’ She pulled a face.
‘ Well then, what about Philip? He’s young, handsome, attentive – look how often he’s in here, offering to assist a pair of helpless little females.’ I lowered my voice to a yearning whisper. ‘And there’s a sort of gentleness about him that women find very appealing. He’s not overbearing, like Mark.’
Her face lit up. ‘Oh, Mark isn’t like that with me . On my first day, he came to find me after the Board meeting and he looked at me with those sexy blue eyes, same colour as mine, spooky!’ She smiled dreamily. ‘He said he hoped I’d enjoy working here and Mary was the ideal person to help me settle in. Isn’t that a nice thing for someone like him to say?’
‘ If you think that’s nice, just listen to this. After the very same Board meeting, when Jon Marshall was so rude about your Victoria Beckham suggestion, Philip told me he would have rushed to your defence if I hadn’t got there first.’ I shook my head knowingly. ‘You have no idea how much that man fancies you. The other day, when I said how lovely your hair looked – remember you tied it back, as I told you? – he went into ecstasies, I couldn’t shut him up for about ten minutes.’
‘ Did he really?’ She paused. ‘Are you going out with anyone?’
I laughed. ‘No, thank God. My last boyfriend became a real pain in the butt so I’ve given men up for the time being.’
‘ Don’t you fancy anyone?’
‘ No.’ I hesitated. ‘At least, no one round here. So, when’s my meeting with Philip?’
‘ Thursday lunchtime, at The Ploughman. That’s why we were talking about it, he thought it would be – ’
‘ The Ploughman? You must’ve got the wrong end of the stick, Harriet, you’re the only person he wants to take to The Ploughman. We’ll have the meeting here, then you can sit in as well. And tell him not to worry about lunch, I’ll order some sandwiches.’
~~MARK~~
With Father and Saffron off on their cruise and Tao in kennels, I had Donwell Abbey to myself. Mrs Burn came in most weekdays, but our paths rarely crossed. And it looked as though my solitude would continue for several weeks; Tamara emailed me to say she couldn’t come any earlier than the date we’d already arranged, 19th October, my birthday.
I felt I owed it to Henry to kick off the mentoring as soon as possible. It proved easier said than done; whenever I phoned to speak to Emma I was told, usually by a giggling Harriet, that she was in a meeting.
Three days after my first call, she rang me back. ‘Sorry I haven’t been in touch until now, I’m having a busy week.’
‘ Glad to hear it, we’ll have lots to discuss at our first mentoring meeting.’
‘ Can’t wait. Things should calm down in a fortnight or so, what about week commencing – ’
‘ If you’re so busy at work,’ I put in, sensing stalling tactics, ‘why don’t I come over to Hartfield this weekend? Your father’s very keen for us to get started.’
There was a pause. Then she said coolly, ‘If you must. Saturday afternoon, about four?’
‘ Perfect. I’m
She cocked her head on one side. ‘You’re right, I really like Rob, but even I can see that he’s different from someone like Mark.’
‘ Mark?’
‘ Yeah, Trace would say he’s well shaggable.’
Nine years ago I would have agreed with Trace’s opinion, although not her way of expressing it. Now, with practised ease, I sidestepped memories of my teenage crush and merely said, ‘I was thinking more of Terry, or Philip. They dress smartly, talk intelligently, behave impeccably. So does Mark, except – ’
I was going to say ‘he’s out of your league’, when she cut in with, ‘Yeah, but Terry’s so old, forty-five at least.’ She pulled a face.
‘ Well then, what about Philip? He’s young, handsome, attentive – look how often he’s in here, offering to assist a pair of helpless little females.’ I lowered my voice to a yearning whisper. ‘And there’s a sort of gentleness about him that women find very appealing. He’s not overbearing, like Mark.’
Her face lit up. ‘Oh, Mark isn’t like that with me . On my first day, he came to find me after the Board meeting and he looked at me with those sexy blue eyes, same colour as mine, spooky!’ She smiled dreamily. ‘He said he hoped I’d enjoy working here and Mary was the ideal person to help me settle in. Isn’t that a nice thing for someone like him to say?’
‘ If you think that’s nice, just listen to this. After the very same Board meeting, when Jon Marshall was so rude about your Victoria Beckham suggestion, Philip told me he would have rushed to your defence if I hadn’t got there first.’ I shook my head knowingly. ‘You have no idea how much that man fancies you. The other day, when I said how lovely your hair looked – remember you tied it back, as I told you? – he went into ecstasies, I couldn’t shut him up for about ten minutes.’
‘ Did he really?’ She paused. ‘Are you going out with anyone?’
I laughed. ‘No, thank God. My last boyfriend became a real pain in the butt so I’ve given men up for the time being.’
‘ Don’t you fancy anyone?’
‘ No.’ I hesitated. ‘At least, no one round here. So, when’s my meeting with Philip?’
‘ Thursday lunchtime, at The Ploughman. That’s why we were talking about it, he thought it would be – ’
‘ The Ploughman? You must’ve got the wrong end of the stick, Harriet, you’re the only person he wants to take to The Ploughman. We’ll have the meeting here, then you can sit in as well. And tell him not to worry about lunch, I’ll order some sandwiches.’
~~MARK~~
With Father and Saffron off on their cruise and Tao in kennels, I had Donwell Abbey to myself. Mrs Burn came in most weekdays, but our paths rarely crossed. And it looked as though my solitude would continue for several weeks; Tamara emailed me to say she couldn’t come any earlier than the date we’d already arranged, 19th October, my birthday.
I felt I owed it to Henry to kick off the mentoring as soon as possible. It proved easier said than done; whenever I phoned to speak to Emma I was told, usually by a giggling Harriet, that she was in a meeting.
Three days after my first call, she rang me back. ‘Sorry I haven’t been in touch until now, I’m having a busy week.’
‘ Glad to hear it, we’ll have lots to discuss at our first mentoring meeting.’
‘ Can’t wait. Things should calm down in a fortnight or so, what about week commencing – ’
‘ If you’re so busy at work,’ I put in, sensing stalling tactics, ‘why don’t I come over to Hartfield this weekend? Your father’s very keen for us to get started.’
There was a pause. Then she said coolly, ‘If you must. Saturday afternoon, about four?’
‘ Perfect. I’m
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