Page 48 of For Love or Money
‘Gosh, that’s amazing, Dad,’ Lesley said.
‘It’s like you were meant to be or something,’ Katrina said.
‘So Al’s family are loaded, obviously,’ Lesley said, resuming her boasting. ‘And half of them are famous too. Sir Peter Bradshaw is his uncle, Jane Howard is his aunt – that’s who we stayed with in Doonbeg – and Scott and Rafe Bradshaw are his cousins.’
‘Well, that’s incredible!’ her mother gasped. ‘Only the other day I nearly bought one of Jane Howard’s books.’
‘Small world,’ Katrina said drily.
‘I love Peter Bradshaw,’ Miriam said.
‘We’ll be staying with them all when we go to France,’ Lesley said casually.
Her mother frowned. ‘You’re going on holiday together? First I’ve heard of it.’
Lesley nodded. ‘Al’s family have a house in Nice.’
‘And Scott Bradshaw will be there?’ Miriam looked at Katrina. ‘He’s a bit of a heartthrob around here, isn’t he, Katrina?’
Katrina shrugged. ‘I really liked him inNightshade.’
She was obviously trying to act cool and blasé, but Lesley was pleased to see she looked a little green around the gills.
‘So where did you two meet?’ Miriam asked.
‘At a dinner party a couple of months ago,’ Lesley said.
‘Oh, whose was it?’
‘No one you’d know,’ Lesley said, shaking her head. ‘No one I know either, as a matter of fact. It was at Dinner Dates.’
‘Oh, one of those lonely hearts things you go to,’ her mother said. She tilted her head to the side, looking at Al sympathetically. ‘Are you a lonely heart too, Al?’
‘Mam!’ Lesley protested, blushing. ‘We’re not lonely. We’re just young, single and ready to mingle.’
‘You’re not as young as you used to be,’ her mother said. ‘It’s about time you stopped “mingling” and settled down before it’s too late. You’ve gone out with hundreds of men, but what’s the point of it all if it never leads anywhere?’
‘Hundreds? Really?’ Al turned to her, his eyebrows raised, a mischievous smile playing around his lips. ‘I feel so special.’
‘Lesley’s dated a lot,’ Miriam told him, her tone disapproving.
‘Yes, she’s a very popular girl,’ her father said, beaming at her proudly.
‘Thanks, Dad.’ Lesley grinned back at him.
‘Hmm. There was a word for popular girls in my day,’ Miriam said, pursing her lips.
‘What word was that, Mam? Popular? It’s the same now.’
‘You know very well what I mean, Lesley.’
‘Mam’s calling you a slut,’ Katrina chipped in helpfully.
‘Katrina!’ her mother snapped. ‘I wouldn’t dream of using such language, especially about my own daughter.’
‘Don’t mind her,’ Katrina said, turning to Lesley. ‘She’s just jealous because she’s only ever shagged Dad. Classic FOMO.’
Lesley snorted. ‘True. She’s a slut manqué.’
