Page 113 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually
Dad and David gave each other a conspiratorial look, and suddenly I got why my father was here. He didn’t want to risk anything going wrong like it had with my mother—not now the end of my time away was so near, and neither did David. They’d cooked this little scheme up between them to keep an eye on me. Is that what David had meant in Paris when he said he’d given my father his word? Were they in this together all along?
I was about to tell them in no uncertain terms that I didn’t need keeping an eye on when Sean appeared unexpectedly from the kitchen still wearing an apron.
“Scarlett, have you any—”
I spun round toward him.
“You!” I heard David say behind me.
Sean looked calmly between David and my father. “And it’s a pleasure to see you again too, David.” Then he ignored him and walked toward Dad. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure?” he said with his hand outstretched.
“Sean, this is my father.”
“Mr. O’Brien, pleased to meet you at last, Scarlett has told me so much about you.”
I didn’t know whether Sean was doing all this just to annoy David—but if he was, it was working, because David’s face was now quite an alarming shade of red.
My father, looking surprised, shook Sean’s hand.
“Dad, this is Sean, my neighbor.”
David made a snorting sound.
“Pleased to meet you, Sean,” Dad said. Then he glanced at David. “Are you all right, David? You’ve turned a funny color.”
“I think it’s time I went,” Sean said, untying his apron. “I hope I’ve been of some help to you, Scarlett.” He pulled the apron over his head and walked toward the door.
David—his color returning to normal again—stepped aside to make room for him. “I hope you’re not going on our account, old boy,” he sneered as Sean passed.
“Yes, Sean, you really don’t have to go.” I glared at David.
“Yes, I think I do,” Sean said, focusing on me and choosing to ignore David. “I hope all goes well tonight, Scarlett. I’m sure your guests will enjoy the food you’ve so carefully prepared.” He winked at me as he reached for the door.
“Wait a moment, Sean, and I’ll see you out properly. Dad, David, the lounge is just through there,” I said, pointing to the door. “If you’d like to go through, I’ll be there in a minute to help you find somewhere to put all your things.”
My father looked in the direction I was gesturing. “Righty-ho then. Nice to meet you, Sean.” He nodded at him.
“And you, Mr. O’Brien.”
David made what sounded like a growling noise at Sean.
“You really want to get that cough seen to, David,” Dad said, as David followed him obediently into the lounge. “It can get much worse if you leave it untreated too long.”
I waited until they were out of sight before stepping outside with Sean.
“Please don’t go,” I pleaded with him again. “I still have room for seven around the table, it’s huge. And I’m sure David will behave himself if I have a word.”
Sean smiled at me. “Oh, Scarlett, I would have thought me being there would be the last thing on your mind right now.”
“What do you mean? Oh, Dad. I had no idea he was going to turn up today—apparently it’s a surprise.”
“Yes, I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation from the kitchen. But no, I don’t mean your father turning up unexpectedly. I mean, what are you going to tell your mother?”
“How do you mean?”
“About the dinner party—how will you put her off? You can’t have her turning up tonight with your father here, can you?”
I stuck my hands in the pocket of my apron and idly watched a man trimming a hedge over the road.
