Page 50 of A Colourful Country Escape
The woman had ratcheted up her accent to the highest level of posh. Lexie really was going to have to try hard not to wet herself.
‘Very well,’ said Grace, over-exaggerating her own pronunciation. She stepped out from behind the netting and gave a bored-looking shrug. ‘It’s Montgomery.’ She let the name settle for a moment, before adding the final embellishment. ‘Daughter of Magnus and Mirabella.’
Mrs Carrington-Noble’s glare narrowed in on Grace’s features and then she did a double-take.
Lexie didn’t know much about shape-shifters, but she was pretty sure Mrs Carrington-Noble was embarking on an excellent impression of one. As the penny dropped, the double-barrelled show-off switched from uptight lady of the manor to shameless suck-up in a matter of moments.
‘Oh,Montgaaaawwwmery. Of course, of course! Why didn’t you say, darling girl? We’ve met already. Mrs Moon, pour the tea. Do take a seat.’
The transformed woman rushed to the sofa and began fluffing up cushions for her esteemed guest. Lexie was still trying to stifle her laughter.
‘Who’sMontgaaaawwwmery?’ Sky hissed in her ear, her sweet northern accent not quite getting it.
Lexie elbowed her in the ribs.
‘My surname shouldn’t make a difference.’
Mrs Moon hurtled towards them with the tea trolley, always keen to fix a situation with cake. She stopped in front of Grace, who waved a hand and began serving Sky and Lexie.
Mrs Carrington-Noble looked horrified that the daughter of one of the richest couples in the county was serving cake to her unwanted squatters, but seemed too surprised to intervene.
‘In fact, I was just explaining to Lexie that financial status shouldn’t matter. I mean, it’s not as though I’d look down on anyone for beingnouveau riche. Would you?’
Mrs Carrington-Noble mumbled something and rearranged her funny turban, like her crown had just been knocked.
Lexie was too busy pinching her giggling lips together to bother deciphering their alien subtext.
Mrs Moon ducked in, secured her mistress a slice of sponge and helped her sit down.
‘And to what do we owe this pleasure?’ Mrs Carrington-Noble addressed Grace. ‘Have you come to see Ben? I can send for him … ’
Grace shook her head and took a bite of cake. She chewed slowly, and Lexie could tell she was brewing up mischief. She just prayed whatever Grace came out with wouldn’t land her in more trouble after the joke-dust had settled.
After an excruciating wait, Grace answered.
‘To be honest, Ben’s not my cup of tea. I get the impression he’s more interested in Lexie.’
Mrs Carrington-Noble baulked and began choking on her jammy sponge.
‘Oh, Pat! Don’t panic,’ Grace said, going over to rub Mrs Carrington-Noble’s back. ‘Lexie’s far too good for Ben. He’s really rather beige.’
When the old fox’s breathing had returned to normal, Grace gave Lexie a wink. ‘Although I’d keep your eye on Sky, over there. She’s got room for two more concubines, and she’s definitely got one of her eyes on your Cory.’
Oh, gee whiz on a moped. As much as Grace meant well in standing up for Lexie, she knew she was absolutely going to pay for this at some point. And remembering Mrs Carrington-Noble’s van-crushing rampage last time Lexie went on a field trip, she just prayed the woman didn’t come sniffing out trouble when Lexie was away in London with Ben.
Chapter 26
As the lights of the London skyline blinked at Lexie through the indigo night, she thanked her lucky stars for the chance to flit away from Nutgrass Hall. After her awkward run-in with Mrs Carrington-Noble, she was sure the old mare would be nipping at her behind again at some point. At least Sky had saved herself and gone back to the commune – although who knew which was worse.
But right then, Lexie was free. It was the weekend of the paint conference and as she sipped cocktails at a bar in the Shard with Ben, she tried to pretend it was only the cocktails that were making the evening sparkle.
‘Did you learn anything today?’ he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. He’d warned her it would be as dull as watching paint dry, but she’d been determined to brighten it up.
She pulled out her notebook. ‘Yep. I know all about nanocoatings and poly-something-or-others.’ She pointed to some words that she’d definitely misspelt.
‘Anything else?’
‘Might have picked up some ideas for a little side project.’ She tapped her nose.
