Page 102 of The Little Teashop of Lost and Found
Then I slipped into a daydream in which Nile and I had just got engaged and were in Violet’s shop to pick a ring …
But when the tall, dark and stunning real Nile walked in a few minutes laterand every female head in the place turned as one to stare at him, I remembered why that daydream was never actually likely to become reality.
Really, if I went on like this I might as well start writing romantic fiction, instead of fairy-tale horror!
The waitress brought a stand of fairly run-of-the-mill-looking sandwiches, cakes and scones, then almost put the teapot down in my lap, because she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from Nile.
He appeared quite oblivious to all of it and told me ruefully that, as always, Violet had got him to pay her more than he intended to for his purchases.
I managed not to ask him then if thebeautiful ring had been one of them, or later, on the drive back to Oldstone Farm. I didn’t want him to think I was angling for yet another expensive present from his stock, but it didn’t stop me wanting to pick his pockets and find out.
If he had, I hoped whichever of his clients it was meant for appreciated it.
Teddy and Geeta had taken baby Casper over to his grandparents for the day, and dinner that night was an Indian takeaway, in that most of it had been cooked by Geeta’s mother and brought back.
‘She always makes twice as much as anyone can eat and her freezer will explode if she tries to cram anything else in there,’ Geeta explained, as we stuffed ourselves.
Casper had been so tired when they got back that he’d gone straight into his cot, and the baby monitor lay to hand on the table, though hehas such good lungs that if he woke up, we could have heard him crying clearly even without it.
As I’d long since given up trying to keep secrets from any of the Giddingses, I gave everyone an update on what I’d discovered from talking to George Godet and Emily Rhymer, so they were all up to speed.
‘I don’t know if Emily will ever remember who has light green eyes like mine, or if she’ll tell me even if she does,’ I finished. ‘It probably wouldn’t lead anywhere anyway.’
‘It does look as if your only remaining hope of finding your birth mother will be through an article in the paper, if she comes forward,’ Teddy said.
‘Yes, but at least I’ll have done my best to find her, so if she doesn’t I can finally put it all behind me and move on,’ I said, then since Nile was giving me one of his ‘you know I don’t think that’s a good idea’ stares I added, ‘Nile’s been buying dollies and teddy bears today. It’s probably his second childhood.’
‘Two Schuco miniature bear-shaped perfume bottles—’ he began.
‘Sweet, except you have to pull their heads off to get at the perfume,’ I put in.
‘And an early Victorian china doll’s house family,’ he finished.
‘They had big families,’ I said. ‘There are about seven children, including twin babies.’
‘It’s a great find, especially since all the clothes are original,’ he said. ‘I can sell them on at a profit with just a quick email or two. The same with the bears: I have two collectors for those, so I can offer them one each.’
‘What about the ring?’ I asked. My tongue got loose, even though I hadn’t had the least intention of asking about it. ‘Did you get it?’
‘Yes – you have a good eye and it’s a beauty. I have someone special in mind for it.’
‘Ring!’ exclaimed Sheila, and we all stared at her. ‘I entirely forgot – Zelda rang youhoursago and wanted you to call her back. Your mobile wasn’t picking up.’
Nile fished it out from his pocket. ‘Dead as a dodo – must haveforgotten to charge it up again,’ he said. ‘Never mind, I’m sure it wasn’t urgent and I’ll see what she wants after dinner. Maybe she’s thought over my suggestion about buying me out of the business with that money her uncle left her.’
‘It does seem a good idea, when you’re living so far away now,’ Sheila said. ‘I know you travel about a lot anyway, but at least you wouldn’t need to go up and down to London so much.’
‘What are we having for dessert?’ asked Teddy, abandoning the topic for something closer to his heart.
‘Norwegian waffles and home-made vanilla ice cream,’ Bel said happily.
‘That’s not the traditional end to an Indian meal,’ said Teddy.
‘No, but Sheila knows it’s my favourite,’ Geeta said.
Floppy waffles spread with jam and eaten with ice cream were also my favourite dessert after that … and possibly the total downfall of my figure, should I ever weaken and buy my own waffle pan.
We stayed in the kitchen, drinking coffee and clearing up, while Nile went to ring Zelda back on the phone extension in the library. It might have been as well if he’d closed the door, because we suddenly heard his raised voice saying angrily, ‘No! No, Zelda, absolutely not! No way!’
