Page 78 of A Colourful Country Escape
Lexie’s chest was pounding as she rushed across the grass to them. Her mum saw her coming and gave her an innocent little finger wave before shimmying off in a different direction.
‘What was she talking about?’ Lexie asked, half panting, but trying her best to sound casual.
Ben smiled. ‘Nothing important. This and that. She’s a sweetheart, isn’t she? So honest and carefree. She really wears her heart on her sleeve.’
‘And her mouth,’ Lexie mumbled.
‘You shouldn’t be so hard on her.’ Ben rubbed her shoulder, seeming to notice she was tense. ‘She means well, and at least she has a more caring way of showing it than my old dragon.’
Well, at least Ben was still talking to her. Presumably her mum hadn’t dished too much historical dirt.
Ben pulled over two of the non-coordinating garden chairs that Lexie guessed had been borrowed from various neighbours, and they sat down under the ceremonial archway. The paper flowers rustled around them, as though trying to whisper something.
‘It’s all just a bit … cringeworthy,’ said Lexie.
A barefooted teenager arrived, wearing a dress probably made of old curtains. They nodded politely as she handed them cups of grassy tea and disappeared.
‘You should never be embarrassed of where you’re from, Lexie. Or where you’re at now, or even where you’re heading. It’s all part of the pretty picture that is you.’
Lexie tried to hide her flushing cheeks behind the steam from her cup.
‘And you never did ask where I was from,’ Ben added.
‘I’ve seen it,’ said Lexie. ‘It’s a crazy estate ruled by nut grass and peacocks.’
Ben tried his dubious tea and appeared not to hate it. ‘No, it’s not, actually. You just assumed that. We moved there when Cory was little, but I was about ten. Before that we lived in a fairly normal house.’
‘Really? Wow. I mean, I remember Mrs Moon saying you were a bit older when you moved in, but I had you pegged for a rich kid, born and bred.’
‘Not at all. I grew up on Micro Machines and Monster Munch too. We didn’t always have money. Dad made his own fortune with the business and a few lucky windfalls. He bought the disused factory for a song when the market was low and worked damned hard to build it up.’
Ben stopped for a moment, and Lexie could have sworn his eyes looked a little teary. She had a million questions, but it didn’t seem the time to bombard him. Ben cleared his throat.
‘He was a man of ideas. Like you, but not the man bit.’ Ben looked at her and smiled gently. ‘He never let anything get in the way of them.’
‘Ah, that bit’s not so much like me,’ Lexie said softly.
‘We all have our weaknesses. Dad’s was probably Mum.’ He gave a small laugh. ‘I’m sure he would have been happy living in our old house, but Mum pushed and pushed. She was so keen to climb the social ladder.’
‘Did she … ’ God, it was a stupid question. Of course Mrs Carrington-Noble hadn’t got fed up of her husband and bumped him off.
‘Put him under too much pressure? Probably. Cause him to have an early heart attack? No, I don’t think that’s how the science works. But she does feel guilty about his death. She believes she should have been looking after him better. Keeping her clutches on things at home, rather than flitting around the racquets club making eyes at young Spaniards. Perhaps.’
Jeez. No wonder Ben was reluctant to find a woman of his own. His mother hadn’t given him the best impression of marriage. But hang on …
‘What about all those effeminate horseman paintings at Nutgrass Hall?’
Ben laughed. ‘Nothing to do with us. Strangers. They came with the house. I actually feel more comfortable here, now I think of it. More relaxed. More myself.’
‘Here?’ Lexie put her hand against his forehead like he must be suffering from a fever. ‘In Smallpenny Road, sitting on a mismatched chair under an archway of paper tat?’
‘With you. And your parents. Everyone. You’re all so hugely welcoming, so full of warmth and colour. You can’t put a price on that feeling. The feeling of home. I miss it.’
Lexie put down her weedy drink and grabbed his hands. ‘But Nutgrass Hall is your home. It’s amazing. I know I take the mick out of the beige walls and funny suits of armour, but Cory, Tom and Mrs Moon make it home. All that cake and kerfuffle.’
He laced his fingers through hers and squeezed them. ‘It’s all right. I’m not having a breakdown.’ Lexie had never been more pleased to see the corners of his twitchy smile. ‘I just feel different today. Like I can be myself here. Like anything goes.’
Lexie looked around at their surreal surroundings and laughed. ‘Anything pretty much does go. Although I’m glad you didn’t take my dad up on his offer of the brown sandals. I am enjoying your company today, but I draw the line at hanging out with your toes.’
