Page 34 of Wild About You

‘Boing boing!’ shouted Kes.

‘Well, as I said, who knows how long I’ll be here,’ I muttered.

Jamie looked at me directly for the first time since I’d walked in, his blue eyes boring into my face. ‘Don’t forget you need to give three months’ notice,’ he said. ‘Perhaps I should have asked for six.’

I picked up the champagne and took a gulp. Had I reallysigned a contract that had a three-month notice period? Three months was a corporate amount of notice. Highly surprising for somewhere like Stonemore. Maybe, if I really wanted to go, I could claim I was emotionally compromised when I signed the paperwork. I had been so desperate to leave London, I would have agreed to anything.

But also, why had I just hinted I was leaving? I didn’t want to go. Although with Tally and Lucinda bearing down on me, about to fight to the death regarding the level of their riding skills, resignation was looking more tempting by the minute.

‘Three months’ notice?’ Tally looked aggrieved. ‘I only have to give four weeks.’

‘Or one month, as it’s otherwise known,’ I murmured, already emboldened by the champagne. Only Jamie heard me, and flashed me a look (and possibly Roshni, who seemed to be enjoying things vastly).

‘Four weeks is standard,’ said Jamie, sounding weary. ‘Callum is three months too.’

‘I can understand Callum.’ Tally tilted her head. ‘But why Anna?’

‘Because she’s vital,’ Jamie snapped.

Silence fell. I could sense Lucinda looking at me with new interest.

‘Maybe I’ll make some tea,’ said Fi loudly.

Jamie sighed. ‘Yes, please,’ he said. ‘Roshni, you’re failing in your hostess duties, you know. Shall we have tea and cake before George starts bending my ear about financial instruments again?’

Help me, I texted to Callum.

Hahaha, he replied.

‘Uncle Jamie,’ said Kes, playing with Hugo’s ears, ‘if you were a dog, what kind of dog would you be?’

‘A beagle,’ said Jamie, without missing a beat.

‘I’d be a Labrador!’ cried Lucinda, a little overeagerly. ‘How about you, Anna?’

I put my hands in the air. ‘I have literally no idea.’

She tilted her head. ‘Perhaps a Jack Russell? Small.’

‘They’re quite yappy though,’ added Tally.

Lucinda tinkled with laughter. ‘Yes.’

I took a large bite of fairy cake and allowed the conversation to move off in another direction, wondering if that remark had been innocuous or the worst insult I’d ever received in my life.

A minute later, Roshni drifted past. ‘Would you like another cake?’

‘I’m fine, thanks,’ I said.

‘I thought Labradors were supposed to be friendly,’ she said, in an undertone, her gaze set on Lucinda. ‘But this one is definitely crossed with a wolf, don’t you agree?’

Half an hour of stilted conversation later and Fi and I escaped into the open air. She had claimed an urgent photocopying errand needed doing and I had offered to help. We left Lucinda attempting to play a convoluted form of hide and seek with Kes and Jake, whilst Tally tried to interest Jamie in Poussin’s early landscapes.

‘What’s going on with you and Callum?’ Fi glanced at me, gimlet-eyed. ‘That was him you were texting, wasn’t it? You had that look on your face again.’

Luckily, I was already breathless in the fresh air. I opened my mouth, trying to assemble a sensible answer.

‘You haven’t slept with him, have you?’ shrieked Fi, as though we were teenagers again.

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