Chapter 5

Tea, complete with tea cakes, was a success. They nattered away naturally like old friends and most of it but not all was inconsequential. Deborah discovered that he was a part-time head-hunter and he found out that she was a consultant radiologist.

"How do you fit that in with looking after your daughter?"

"I'm only part-time these days and generally do mornings. If there's a crisis I ask my sister to help out."

"Is she the reason you moved here?"

"Largely. We'd always been close but had been separated by our marriages. I was living in Yorkshire. When we divorced I kept the house and then sold it. Even though house prices up there are lower than down here we had a biggish house so I could afford to put down a deposit on something quite nice. My sister spotted the Old Post Office and here I am."

"Where does she live? Not in the village because I haven't seen her again since we first bumped into each other."

"She lives at Atheldiston. What, five miles away? We'd been over to look at the Old Post Office the day we met you and decided to walk the dogs while we were here."

"Lucky me!"

Eyes dancing: "Why?"

"Because otherwise when Midge fled I'd never have bothered to make sure she'd found her owner."

"A true dog lover!"

"Absolutely. Her owner meant nothing to me, other than a sense of humour and bewitching blue eyes."

"Are you making a pass at me?"

"No, just telling the truth. Well the second bit for sure!"

She looked down but didn't blush.

"Thank you." she said softly.

"Your sister is a good looking woman too," said Richard, "but I thought a bit solemn and she didn't seem to approve of us giggling the first time we met."

"Dear Liz. She can appear a bit reserved but once you get to know her she's great fun and has a great and sometimes outrageous sense of humour. She's rocked several people back on their heels but she's been a wonderful support to me all my life, particularly with the divorce. Totally non-judgemental yet always there for me and Annette."

"Ah! The anonymous daughter! How old is she?"

"Just thirteen going on thirty."

"If she's that mature why do you show such concern about meeting her after school?"

"Can we leave that for the moment?" she faltered.

"Yes, of course. I wasn't being nosy, I promise. Just interested."

"I know."

"Where did you find Midge?" The conversation moved back to the inconsequential.

It was half past six before Richard noticed the time.

"Good Heavens, look at the time," he said. "I haven't even offered you a drink. What would you like?"

"Nothing, thanks. I ought to get home."

"Why?"

"Propriety, gossip!"

"I promise not to be improper and as for the gossip, let them talk. We're just a couple of singlies who have helped clear up the village and are now relaxing after a job well done."

"Hmm!"

"Tell you what. Let's go one further and have supper together at the pub and say what we've been doing. That might scotch a few rumours."

"Not for long!"

"True but we might not see each other again for long."

"I wouldn't like that."

"Nor would I. This afternoon's been fun."

"Yes, it has."

"So? Shall we confound them, if only temporarily?"

She frowned and bit her lip then, with a dazzling smile and her eyes sparkling again, she said, "Why not?"

Richard was thrilled.

"In that case," he said, "why not have a drink and in the meanwhile I'll ring and book a table? What would you like?"

"G and T?"

"No problem but I'm not sure whether I've got any lemon."

"Matters not. The gin is the important bit."

"And the right tonic. I hope you're not into Slimline because I know I haven't any of that."

"Yeugh!"

"Girl after my own heart!"

Richard went and poured her drink and a whisky and soda for himself. He also found a lemon and Deborah made remarks about four-star treatment. He also booked them a table for eight o'clock which was lucky, it being a Friday night.