Page 107 of The Wedding Dress Repair Shop
‘I’m still working on that, too,’ Honey said, ‘not to mention, making plans for the opening day. I thought I’d have a book signing session in the foyer for my new paperback,Bloody Young Men.’
She turned to me: ‘Speaking of bloody young men, Garland, Marco rang me earlier.’
‘How on earth did he get your number?’ I said.
‘He managed to weasel it out of my agent, by spinning her some story, though it’s not like her to give out personal information, so let’s hope she isn’t getting loose-lipped in her old age …’
Viv, the silent member of the party, now made a small squeak, which might have been agreement.
‘I suppose he wanted to know if you knew where I was?’ I asked.
‘He assumed you’d have kept in touch with me, although fortunately he didn’t seem to know about the museum, so he didn’t suspect you were living and working here.’
‘I did try to tell him about the museum once, but he wasn’t listening, so I gave up. He was only ever interested in costumes and my work when it was directly connected to one of his plays.’
‘He sounds very self-absorbed,’ said Pearl.
‘He is,’ I agreed. ‘I take it you didn’t tell him I was here, Honey?’
‘No, and luckily I’m immune to charm offensives. He reallyisa silver-tongued snake, isn’t he?’
‘That does sum him up pretty well.’
‘I told him I hadn’t heard from you for ages and I’d been too busy with my latest novel to chase you up,’ she said with her twisted grin. ‘I can lie wonderfully well, when I want to.’
‘Thank you! I really don’t want him turning up here. He’s already tried to get my address out of my old neighbour.’
‘He’s very persistent,’ said Simon.
‘Miss McNabb – that’s the old neighbour – suggested the only thing that might get through to him is if I reply to one of his emails and tell him what he’s doing amounts to stalking and he needs to stop.’
‘Worth a try,’ Honey said. ‘The penny is bound to finally drop about your whereabouts when the publicity for the museum reaches him.’
‘But he may not see it,’ I pointed out.
‘Oh, I’m going to beeverywherebefore publication day. He won’t be able to miss it,’ Honey said. ‘What with a new book, the museum and the story of the vanishing bride, I’m going to get a lot of press attention.’
‘Thom and I will see this Marco off for you, if he does turn up,’ offered Simon.
‘I’m more worried about him seeing Thom,’ I said. ‘He’d go back and tell everyone where he’s living!’
‘Don’t worry about me,’ Thom said. ‘There are new kids on the block when it comes to fantasy films. I just hope that, unlike me, the child actors really want to be in them.’
Viv gave another of her small squeaks, then suddenly scuttled out of the room.
‘What did I say?’ asked Thom.
Rosa-May
My lodgings had been given up, my belongings all packed and dispatched north, where Guy said that what I did not need to take with me could be stored.
I said a fond farewell to my friends, especially Letty, and promised to write, but was in every expectation of seeing her on my return to London on our way to rejoining Guy’s regiment once he was fit to do so.
We soon set off for the north and Sara came too, as my maid, for she was determined to be with me until I departed for the Continent, when her sister would once more require her assistance. I would be sorry to part with her, for she had always been such an important part of my life.
I was sorry to leave London, too, but my husband was in great good spirits and told me we would return very soon, for not only did he find the company of his brother and his wife uncongenial, he was increasingly eager to get back to active service.
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