should watch out, because I reckon Frankie’s got a thing going for Ned.’
‘Well, all’s fair in love and war and – be honest. She’s sweet, but hardly a live wire, is she? Though Henry seemed to think she was worth pursuing. But then again, you
know Henry!’
‘Sadly, I do,’ Poppy muttered and Frankie almost laughed.
‘Anyway,’ Alice continued, ‘now that Ned’s agreed to teach me to drive in exchange for me teaching him to ride, we’re going to be seeing a lot of one another. Hey,
that’s the fireworks starting – let’s go!’
Frankie didn’t move. A vision of Ned cantering in slow motion with Alice at his side made her feel slightly sick.
There is, however, only so long one can sit in a cramped cubicle, especially when people are queuing outside. She had never been very keen on fireworks and instead of hovering on the edge of the
crowd of partygoers, all ooh-ing and aah-ing at the explosions of colour shooting and spiralling into the night sky, she turned towards the house and was about to go in when she saw Henry leaning
against the wall and heard the sound of giggling.
‘I mean it. You being taken – it’s a tragedy.’ Henry’s voice was deep and gravelly.
More laughter.
‘You’re crazy, you don’t even know me.’ It was as she thought. Mia’s voice was unmistakable. Frankie stiffened and slipped behind one of the huge stone urns
spilling over with aquilegia and fuchsias. She strained to catch their words above the bangs and swishes of the fireworks.
‘All I’m saying is that I wish I had met you a month ago,’ she heard Henry say. ‘Mia, you are without doubt the only interesting person I’ve met here. In fact, the
moment I saw you this evening something happened to me that has never happened before.’
Urgh! He even uses the same chat-up lines , Frankie thought.
‘Clearly this something wasn’t engaging your brain,’ Mia replied coyly. ‘I’m engaged to Nick.’
‘Do you love him?’
‘Of course I do – not that it’s any of your business.’
‘Does your heart race every time you see him? Is every day with him exciting and fun? . . . No, I didn’t think so.’
‘I am so not standing around to listen to this!’ Mia said. ‘Who do you think you are?’
‘I think,’ he said pulling Mia towards him and running his hands over her backside, ‘that I am the kind of guy who could show you a good time and . . .’
A rocket exploded followed by a volley of firecrackers, temporarily blotting out his words.
‘Get lost!’
Frankie sighed with relief as she saw Mia push him away and stumble somewhat drunkenly down the terrace steps, calling Nick’s name. Suddenly she stopped and turned round. ‘What kind
of good time?’ she called, and then disappeared into the crowd.
She heard Henry give a low chuckle and saw him saunter into the house.
‘Oh babe,’ Frankie heard him murmur under his breath, ‘the fun is only just beginning.’
CHAPTER 5
‘A compliment?
Heavens rejoice, she complimented me!’
(Jane Austen, Mansfield Park )
‘I NEVER THOUGHT I’ D BE SO GLAD TO SPEND A DAY IN Northampton in my whole life,’ Frankie said, as the bus
pulled away from the village the following Wednesday morning. ‘The last few days have been beyond belief.’ She smiled at Lulu. ‘And it’s really sweet of you to come with
me,’ she added. ‘Do I look OK? I mean, kind of professional but not over the top?’
‘You look great,’ Lulu assured her. ‘Anyway, you’re meeting the editor of a regional daily, not the chairman of the BBC! So come on, fill me in on what’s been going
on. Sorry about not meeting up on Sunday. Honestly, of all times for my parents to decide we should dash off after church to visit Granny and Grandpa – just as life up here is getting
interesting!’
‘I don’t know where to start,’ Frankie admitted.
‘So far I’m up to the end of the party,’ Lulu said, ‘and James going to Mexico and missing it all, which on
‘Well, all’s fair in love and war and – be honest. She’s sweet, but hardly a live wire, is she? Though Henry seemed to think she was worth pursuing. But then again, you
know Henry!’
‘Sadly, I do,’ Poppy muttered and Frankie almost laughed.
‘Anyway,’ Alice continued, ‘now that Ned’s agreed to teach me to drive in exchange for me teaching him to ride, we’re going to be seeing a lot of one another. Hey,
that’s the fireworks starting – let’s go!’
Frankie didn’t move. A vision of Ned cantering in slow motion with Alice at his side made her feel slightly sick.
There is, however, only so long one can sit in a cramped cubicle, especially when people are queuing outside. She had never been very keen on fireworks and instead of hovering on the edge of the
crowd of partygoers, all ooh-ing and aah-ing at the explosions of colour shooting and spiralling into the night sky, she turned towards the house and was about to go in when she saw Henry leaning
against the wall and heard the sound of giggling.
‘I mean it. You being taken – it’s a tragedy.’ Henry’s voice was deep and gravelly.
More laughter.
‘You’re crazy, you don’t even know me.’ It was as she thought. Mia’s voice was unmistakable. Frankie stiffened and slipped behind one of the huge stone urns
spilling over with aquilegia and fuchsias. She strained to catch their words above the bangs and swishes of the fireworks.
‘All I’m saying is that I wish I had met you a month ago,’ she heard Henry say. ‘Mia, you are without doubt the only interesting person I’ve met here. In fact, the
moment I saw you this evening something happened to me that has never happened before.’
Urgh! He even uses the same chat-up lines , Frankie thought.
‘Clearly this something wasn’t engaging your brain,’ Mia replied coyly. ‘I’m engaged to Nick.’
‘Do you love him?’
‘Of course I do – not that it’s any of your business.’
‘Does your heart race every time you see him? Is every day with him exciting and fun? . . . No, I didn’t think so.’
‘I am so not standing around to listen to this!’ Mia said. ‘Who do you think you are?’
‘I think,’ he said pulling Mia towards him and running his hands over her backside, ‘that I am the kind of guy who could show you a good time and . . .’
A rocket exploded followed by a volley of firecrackers, temporarily blotting out his words.
‘Get lost!’
Frankie sighed with relief as she saw Mia push him away and stumble somewhat drunkenly down the terrace steps, calling Nick’s name. Suddenly she stopped and turned round. ‘What kind
of good time?’ she called, and then disappeared into the crowd.
She heard Henry give a low chuckle and saw him saunter into the house.
‘Oh babe,’ Frankie heard him murmur under his breath, ‘the fun is only just beginning.’
CHAPTER 5
‘A compliment?
Heavens rejoice, she complimented me!’
(Jane Austen, Mansfield Park )
‘I NEVER THOUGHT I’ D BE SO GLAD TO SPEND A DAY IN Northampton in my whole life,’ Frankie said, as the bus
pulled away from the village the following Wednesday morning. ‘The last few days have been beyond belief.’ She smiled at Lulu. ‘And it’s really sweet of you to come with
me,’ she added. ‘Do I look OK? I mean, kind of professional but not over the top?’
‘You look great,’ Lulu assured her. ‘Anyway, you’re meeting the editor of a regional daily, not the chairman of the BBC! So come on, fill me in on what’s been going
on. Sorry about not meeting up on Sunday. Honestly, of all times for my parents to decide we should dash off after church to visit Granny and Grandpa – just as life up here is getting
interesting!’
‘I don’t know where to start,’ Frankie admitted.
‘So far I’m up to the end of the party,’ Lulu said, ‘and James going to Mexico and missing it all, which on
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