Page 23 of Lost in Love
Chapter 6
Katherine hadn’t realised how nervous she would be. It was only dinner after all, so why she had changed outfits three times already, she wasn’t sure.
Virginia mewed her disapproval at all of them from the bed
“Shush you,” Katherine replied on her last outfit change, having finally decided it was the one.
She settled on a floral summer dress, simple but elegant. She didn’t want to appear too casual; it wouldn’t be good if it didn’t look as if she’d made some sort of effort, but then again, what was classed as too much effort? She wondered what Anna would be wearing, whether she was having the same dilemma.
Katherine picked her phone up and tapped out a message to Rebecca.
Damsel, dinner, tonight!
She waited.
1 friend + 1 friend = 2 friends, good luck! Keep me posted x
Rebecca was right; this was just friends getting to know each other better. Although Katherine knew she found Anna attractive, she also knew they could never be more than friends. Any relationship could be considered unethical. It could also have consequences. So, why was she bothering to try and look nice?To give a good impression, came the reply.
She tidied away the discarded outfits and cast her eye around the room. All clean.
She regretted offering Anna the full tour, realising that would mean she would have to make sure everything was clean. It wasn’t as if the house got untidy as such, but the amount of dust was unbelievable, and it had taken most of the day to lift every trace from all the rooms.
She had contemplated getting a cleaner when she first moved in, but unlike the garden, she thought it was manageable. Why she’d decided to buy such a big house, she’d never know. Perhaps she was still harbouring dreams of filling it with voices. Or perhaps with so many rooms, it was easier to imagine that there were other people in them and she wasn’t alone.
* * *
Anna stood nervously at the door, her dad hooked on one arm. Her insides were churning.
Harry nudged her. “Go on then, ring the doorbell.”
There was no doorbell, only a rather grand knocker. Anna did a double take at it after using it. It was a partially naked woman surrounded by two serpents made from antique brass, subtle enough that only those with an interested eye would notice it.
A breeze blew around Anna’s bare legs; it was cool for a summer’s day. She had felt a dress would work as somewhere between casual and smart. She’d only thought that morning about what she should wear, though she realised she only had a few summer options anyway, so she decided to dress down a smart dress with sandals. It had been months since she’d been anywhere other than work or around the village; it was nice to get a little dressed up for a change.
Katherine opened the door and Virginia made a quick exit through it.
“Welcome, come in.”
Anna felt a lump in her throat at the sight of Katherine and swallowed hard to try and get rid of it.
Harry crossed the threshold and passed Katherine a bunch of flowers he had hidden behind his back. “To say thank you for the best lasagne I’ve ever had.” He winked at her.
“Thank you, but honestly you didn’t need to.”
Anna followed behind him. She could feel Katherine’s eyes bore into her.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out of uniform; it suits you. You should wear your hair up more often,” Katherine added.
Anna grinned at her. “So should you.”
Katherine smirked and took her coat.
“I love your door knocker by the way.”
“Rebecca got me that as a moving-in gift.”
“Is that who came to the abbey with you?”
