The Perfect Match (11 page)

‘I’m in charge of drinks,’ said Michael, when she’d done the rounds. ‘What can I get you? There’s some delicious sherry, as well as almost anything else you can think of.’

While Michael sorted out refreshments Bella remembered that somewhere in the house there was a gin and tonic needing her attention. A good slurp would be helpful.

Alice appeared and Bella performed more introductions. ‘Well,’ said Alice, when everyone had kissed or shaken hands, ‘I hope no one is vegetarian and hasn’t told me.’

Bella knew it was a light-hearted, throw-away remark, but Lucy said, ‘I do eat meat but not wheat.’

‘Well, I’m sure that’s OK,’ said Alice. ‘You just have to avoid the Yorkshire puddings. Now I’m afraid I have to abandon you again for a few minutes. Lunch won’t be long.’

There were several moments of silence that felt like hours.

‘I can see Alice has a lovely garden,’ said Jane. ‘Could I look at it?’

‘Maybe we shouldn’t do that until after lunch,’ said Dominic.

‘I think Alice would like to give you the tour,’ Bella agreed. ‘She’d be able to tell you what everything is. I can only recognise about three sorts of flower.’

‘Gardening is so for old people,’ said Hannah.

‘Really?’ said Michael.

‘I think I’d really be into gardening, if I had more time and my own home,’ said Bella.

‘So why don’t you have your own home?’ asked Lucy. ‘Is it the horrendous property prices? Although I suppose being an estate agent you’d get the pick.’

‘Estate agents have to buy houses in just the same way as everyone else,’ said Bella. ‘But I really like living here with Alice. There’s plenty of room so we don’t get on top of each other.’

‘It does seem a lovely big house,’ said Michael.

Seeing him glancing round made Bella suddenly worry in case he was after Alice for her real estate. Was he noting the period details: the fireplace, the coving, the ceiling rose and the tall shutters? Although perhaps he was just interested in architecture.

‘It is,’ said Bella, ‘but, of course, houses like this cost a fortune to keep up. There’s always something that needs fixing.’

‘It would be worth it though,’ said Phillip, looking around more blatantly than Michael had. ‘A house like this would give you status.’

‘I think more people should share property,’ said Jane. ‘It’s ridiculous us old people living in huge houses. On the other hand, I don’t want to move either. Sharing is the solution.’

‘You’re absolutely right, Jane,’ said Bella, glad, for private reasons, to hear this.

‘But you are sharing your property,’ said Dominic. ‘With me,’ he added for the benefit of the others.

Hannah frowned, surprised. ‘You’re sharing? Why?’

Dominic turned to Hannah, giving her his full attention. ‘I’m working in the area now and haven’t decided on what sort of property I want.’

‘Otherwise Bella would find him one,’ said Jane. ‘She’s a brilliant estate agent.’

Bella blushed. The property she’d shown him hadn’t been that brilliant, although it had been Nevil’s pick, not hers.

‘It’s not often you hear anyone say anything nice about estate agents,’ said Phillip. ‘They’re mostly hate figures.’

‘Hate is putting it a bit strongly,’ said Bella, smiling to make it clear she hadn’t taken offence, although she had. ‘People just don’t understand all that the job entails, that’s all. They’d be far more sympathetic if they knew what was involved.’

Hannah didn’t seem to care about the reputation of estate agents; she was still focused on Dominic. ‘You seem too independent not to have a place of your own.’

Watching her, Bella wondered if Hannah fancied him and suffered a pang of jealousy, the sharper because it was entirely unjustified.

He acknowledged Hannah’s comment with a polite nod.

Bella searched around for something to say to cover the awkward silence. Then to her enormous relief Alice came back in. ‘Bella, if you can just give me a hand in the kitchen. Michael, would you be a dear and get everyone sitting down? Jane’s place is obvious as it has her birthday present there, but otherwise people can sit anywhere.’

‘Oh, dauphinois potatoes!’ said Michael, when at last all the food was on the table. ‘My favourite!’

‘They’re a heart attack on a plate,’ snapped Lucy. ‘Don’t have any, Dad.’

‘Two sorts of potatoes?’ said Jane. ‘I’m very impressed.’

‘Well, I’ve got a huge cooker as well as a Rayburn, so it’s not hard,’ said Alice. ‘Now, carving. Dominic and I are sharing it to make things quicker. Are you all right with that knife? It’s nice and sharp.’

‘We had an electric one as a wedding present,’ said Lucy. ‘It’s really good.’

Bella was beginning to be seriously impressed with Michael. He poured the wine, found soft drinks, made sure everyone had something, all without saying a word. She sent him a smile of gratitude but he was looking at Alice – a look that made Bella understand why his daughters were so concerned. If she was any judge, he was very interested in Alice. Maybe she should worry in case he was just after a great cook who had a very lovely house – although looking at him now it seemed unlikely.

‘Has everyone got everything?’ said Alice, checking plates for omissions. ‘Wine?’

‘It all looks absolutely terrific,’ said Michael, sounding like a hungry schoolboy faced with pizza after a term of school meals.

‘I think so too,’ said Jane. ‘Can I propose a toast to the cook?’

Alice laughed. ‘Just a quick one, then, I don’t want it all getting cold.’

There were some moments of silence broken by the clatter and scrape of knives and forks. Then several people began speaking at once.

‘I have to say,’ said Phillip, ‘this is the best bit of lamb I have ever tasted. I wish you could cook as well as this, Lucy.’

Alice hesitated only a second. ‘Don’t worry, Lucy, it took me years to perfect my roasts. It’s not something that comes immediately. Phillip will be saying that about yours very soon.’

Phillip considered. ‘I don’t know about that. My mother must be older than you, Alice, and her potatoes are never brown and her gravy is rubbish.’

No one knew how to respond to this.

AT LAST THE
sun came out, lunch was finally over and Alice offered to show Jane the garden. Michael tagged along having done more than his share of dirty-plate ferrying. Phillip, Lucy and Hannah went into Bella’s sitting room to watch some sporting event on television, and Bella was left in the kitchen, putting the last few items in the dishwasher and giving everything a final wipe down.

Dominic came in and took the cloth from her hand.

‘Come on. It’s done now. Show me Alice’s garden.’

She wanted to protest that if he’d wanted to see it he could have accompanied Alice and the others, but felt it would be a bit rude.

‘OK, as long as you know I’m not an expert.’

‘It’s an excuse to get you out of the kitchen. You’ve been here long enough.’

They went through the French windows together and as the doors were a bit narrow they bumped into each other. Bella flinched. Being near him was enough to make her nerves jangle and actual physical contact sent her into a flurry. It was, it dawned on her with a horrible realisation, because she still fancied him as much as she ever had.

She felt she should apologise for being such a fool a few days ago. ‘I’m sorry—’ she began, just as he said the same thing.

‘So,’ said Dominic, looking unexpectedly quizzical. ‘What are you sorry for? I think it’s me who’s in the wrong.’

She gave a nervous laugh, irritating herself as she did so. ‘I was going to say sorry for Nevil sending you to that ghastly house.’

‘Ah – well, I think he thought he had to come up with something to view the moment he took my call. You were out of the office,’ he added, ‘and the kind and helpful woman who answered the phone thought I should speak to Nevil. And Nevil certainly agreed with her.’

She led Dominic to the little summer house, right at the top of the garden. It would take a while for the others to get there and she needed time to think what to say. ‘Nevil is brilliant at the business decisions, the broad-brush stuff, but he isn’t quite as good as matching clients to the right properties.’

Dominic nodded. ‘And Nevil is your fiancé.’

The way he said it implied she was sticking up for him for not being very good at his job. It put her on the defensive. ‘Yes, but he is good. He got to own a franchise for an estate agency when he was very young. He’s got some project on—’ Too late, she realised she probably shouldn’t have said this, especially as she had no idea what he was working on.

‘So what’s that?’

‘It’s confidential,’ she said, to cover up the fact she didn’t know. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.’ And wouldn’t have, if you being near me didn’t turn me into an idiot, she added silently.

‘I see.’

‘But I promise you, I’ll personally see that your house needs are met. If you tell me in detail what you like and don’t like—’

‘No need to sound apologetic. I was going to apologise to you.’

‘Really?’

He didn’t reply immediately. ‘I think maybe – maybe I misjudged you.’

Bella was just about to ask him how he’d done this when the sound of approaching voices meant that she’d lost her opportunity. She didn’t want to discuss it in front of Alice and Michael.

‘Come along,’ said Alice. ‘Time for cake.’

Alice had made a beautiful coffee cake and put a few silver candles on it. She and Bella had agreed you didn’t need to be too specific as to the number. Jane gamely blew them out and Alice cut the cake into slices.

‘I didn’t know I had room for anything else until I tried the cake,’ said Michael a few minutes later, looking at Alice.

‘It is excellent,’ agreed Jane. ‘Thank you so much.’

‘Bella said you were always making cakes for other people, and it’s nice to have one on your birthday,’ said Alice.

‘You’ve all been so kind and spoiling,’ said Jane. ‘Thank you so much.’

Alice was asleep on the sofa, a three-year-old episode of
Escape to the Country
playing on the television. The last crumb of cake and drip of tea had been wiped away. All was quiet. Bella felt it was time to ring Nevil.

‘Hey, you!’ he said softly by way of answer. ‘What have you been up to?’

‘Alice had some friends for Sunday lunch.’ She paused. ‘If I’d known it was going to be more than just me and an old lady I’d have made you come.’

‘And who was the old lady?’

‘Friend of Alice’s.’ The lie came tripping out unaided. While Nevil approved of her friendship with Jane, any mention of her would produce a little lecture about getting her to put her house on the market.

‘And who else came?’

‘More friends of Alice’s. They were only there for the food.’

‘Well, Alice is a fabulous cook.’

‘So, what did you do today?’ asked Bella.

‘Me? Oh, I just caught up with some work.’

‘You? On a Sunday? That’s not like you.’ Nevil prided himself – aloud – on his work/life balance.

‘I like to start the week with a clear desk,’ he said smoothly. ‘And by the way, sweetie, would you mind coming in a bit early tomorrow? I want to run some things by you before the morning meeting?’

‘Oh, OK.’ Perhaps he was going to tell her what he’d been doing recently that involved confidential phone calls and working on Sundays.

They chatted on for a few minutes and then Bella ended the call. She was slightly surprised, but not unhappy, that he hadn’t suggested meeting up for a drink later. As far as he was concerned, they were an engaged couple. Was it really normal to go through a whole weekend without seeing each other? she wondered. Maybe it was.

Alice opened her eyes. Bella was standing over her with a cup of tea. ‘Oh, lovely, thank you so much.’

‘Do you want supper? A little scrambled egg? Toast?’

Alice swung her legs off the sofa. ‘It’s all right. I’m not an invalid. But nor am I remotely hungry. What about you?’

‘I’m not hungry either.’

Alice exhaled. ‘That was a shattering experience.’

Bella chuckled and sat down in an armchair. ‘Was it? For you? It all went so well! They were amazed at your cooking.’

‘I know that,’ said Alice, feeling less thrilled by this than she should. ‘But I couldn’t do it again. Oh – not Jane, I could have her every Sunday very happily, but the others.’

‘I thought Michael was lovely!’

‘Yes, but the girls! And Phillip! I’m not up for this, Bella. I’m going back to being a happy single woman and member of a book group.’

Alice’s words were light but she meant them seriously. She foresaw choppy waters ahead with Michael’s daughters. And could she face spending every Sunday wrestling with enormous joints, huge greasy dishes and mountains of potatoes, her reward being mere grunts and groans of satisfaction. It wasn’t what she wanted and it was only fair to tell Michael as soon as she could that theirs could only be a very casual friendship.

She took herself up to the bathroom satisfied she’d made the right choice.

Michael rang her after she’d fallen asleep. She’d taken her phone up to bed with her for some reason and she answered it without thinking. ‘Hello?’ she said sleepily.

‘Oh, love, I woke you!’ said Michael.

‘No, no, it’s fine. I don’t mind. I’ll go back to sleep again. What is the time?’

‘It was far too late to call. I’m so sorry. That is terribly inconsiderate of me.’

Alice did usually have fairly uncharitable thoughts about people who rang after a certain time. ‘Sorry, what is the time?’

‘Half past nine,’ he said.

‘Ah, not all that late really.’

‘You were exhausted.’

She sat up in bed. ‘Well, I’m not now.’

‘You feel up for a chat?’

Alice settled herself more comfortably. ‘Oh yes.’

Later, when they’d finally disconnected, she told herself there was plenty of time to tell Michael it was over when she knew exactly what was going on between them. At the moment it was just lovely light-hearted banter between two people who had a lot in common.

BELLA DROVE TO
work in the morning full of enthusiasm for the day ahead. The sun was shining, the hedgerows were full of wild flowers, and she’d survived a difficult Sunday with no blood shed. Everything was going to be just fine.