Page 71 of The Importance of Being Emma
~~EMMA~~
Immediately after cancelling my mentoring meeting with Mark, I rang Flynn to say I was ready for lunch whenever he was. I almost skipped up the stairs when he said he’d be straight over. It was all working out very well indeed.
There was a slight setback, however, as I went past the Finance office. Philip rushed out, ignored my protests about an urgent appointment and launched into a sales pitch about the tremendous value Gusty would add to Highbury Foods. As I’d told Mark, this particular problem seemed to be resolved; now that he had Gusty to go home to, Philip was being much more civil.
At last I reached my room. Flynn was already there, playing solitaire on my PC, while Jane was hunched over the table, engrossed in a report.
Flynn jumped up and said dramatically, ‘I’ve come to take you away from this beastly place, my darling, let me carry you off to Forbury Manor.’
‘Yes, please,’ I said with a giggle. ‘I’ve been meaning to check it out ever since it was refurbished. We’re having our Christmas party there, as usual.’
‘I know, Kate told me, so I thought it’d be the perfect place for the meal I promised you last Saturday.’
My face fell. ‘I see.’
‘Would you prefer to go somewhere else?’
How to tell him that I’d been hoping my prize would involve a long romantic evening rather than a brief lunch break?
‘Not at all,’ I said, as cheerfully as I could.
On the way to Forbury, Flynn fired off a constant stream of questions about the party. I couldn’t answer most of them and suggested that he ask Kate instead, as she’d organised it for the past few years. All I knew was that we put on a dinner and a disco for all our employees and their partners, with overnight accommodation thrown in. Naturally, Dad and Batty and a fewothers preferred to go home to their own beds, but we usually ended up taking over all the rooms in the hotel.
The Manor, a tastefully modernised Georgian pile, was impressive at the best of times; after its recent facelift, it looked positively amazing. The Corporate Events Manager gave us a quick tour; then we discussed the menu and other arrangements for the party, with Flynn contributing some useful ideas. Finally, we sat down to lunch at a table overlooking the gardens. The view was breathtaking: distant woods still ablaze with autumn colour, rolling green-velvet lawns and in front of us, fringed with weeping willows, an ornamental lake, where swans and ducks bickered over pieces of bread.
There was a perfectly adequate fixed-price menu, but Flynn insisted on going à la carte. ‘I said there’d be no expense spared, remember?’ He gave a wicked grin. ‘It’s also bribery — to make sure I get an invitation to this party.’
My heart started to thud. It looked like I’d get my romantic evening with him after all; with a couple of hundred other people around, unfortunately, but there’d be plenty of opportunity later for some privacy . . .
Then I remembered. ‘I’m afraid Dad’s being very strict on numbers this year — only current employees and their partners, if they’ve got them. He’s made a special exception for Kate because she’s only just left the company.’
Those dancing green eyes met mine. ‘I’ll go as your partner, then.’
I raised one eyebrow. ‘What if I’ve already got one?’
He laughed. ‘But you haven’t. Kate told me.’
‘She would,’ I said, pleased that he’d bothered to find out. ‘Trouble is, Dad knows I’m not dating anyone so he hasn’t allowed for a partner in the numbers. Same goes for some of the others, like Harriet and Jane and Mark—’
‘Mark?’ His eyes narrowed. ‘How come he’s invited?’
‘He’s temporarily joined our Board as a non-exec, in place of his father. Not exactly an employee, I know, but in any case our families go way back.’
Another wicked grin. ‘If anyone can wheedle something out of Henry, you can. Tell him I’ll pay my own way—’
‘It’s not the money,’ I put in. ‘It’s just Dad and his funny little rules.’ Out of the corner of my eye I saw the waiter hovering. ‘Look, I’ll ask him as soon as I can find the right moment, but don’t get your hopes up.’
‘I can’t help it.’ He gave a deep sigh. ‘You don’t understand how awful my life’s been in Australia since I became a celebrity. And it’s only a matter of time before the press over here get onto me, especially if I do a deal with the BBC. But Kate says the local paper never bothers with the Highbury Foods Christmas party, so this is a chance for me to relax and enjoy myself. I love socializing, you see, just like my father.’ He pulled a face. ‘I suppose I’m just being selfish.’
‘You’re not being selfish at all,’ I said indignantly. ‘It’s perfectly natural to want to party, especially at our age. Don’t worry, I’ll get you an invitation.’
‘You’re a star, Em. And there’s something else . . . God, this whole situation is so difficult sometimes, I keep wanting to tell you all about it but—’
‘Are you ready to order, sir?’ It was the waiter, unable to contain himself any longer. I could have throttled him because, by the time he’d finished, Flynn seemed to have completely forgotten what he wanted to tell me. Instead, he started describing Tom’s extension plans for Randalls in the style of a gay interior designer, until I was helpless with laughter.
Heads turned, but I couldn’t have cared less.
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