Page 17 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
‘Hopefully.’ I smile, feeling shy at all the praise, and Flogives me an encouraging sideways look, as if to say:See! I told you they’dlove it!
‘When does Connie get here?’ Fen asks Melanie, and I lookup, wondering if she’s talking about another guest arriving.
‘The day after tomorrow.’ Melanie grins. ‘But don’t forheaven’s sake call her Connie. She hated the name at uni and now she refuses toanswer to anything but her full name. Constance.’
Ah. Constance, who likes to make an entrance.
I start spooning black cherry compote onto each dessertplate.
‘Oh, right.’ Fen looks confused. ‘It’s just I heard someonerefer to her as Connie.’
Melanie grins. ‘That would be Noah. He calls her that towind her up. He’s the only one who can get away with it, mind you.’
Does that mean Constance likes Noah, then? If he’sallowed to call her by a nickname she supposedly hates?
My hand slips, depositing a blob of compote where itshouldn’t be. I quickly take a clean cloth and wipe it away.
‘Which university did you all meet at?’ I ask Melanie.
‘York. But we all went our separate ways after that, andwe’ve only managed to meet up once or twice over the years since then. I’ve beenworking as a holiday rep in Spain for the past six years. Fergus is in London,and Noah has a recruitment agency, based in Guildford.
So he has his own business near here…
‘What about Constance?’ asks Katja.
‘She’s an estate agent in London. Doing really well lasttime I spoke to her, if her brand new Range Rover was anything to go by.’
‘Is Constance with Noah or Fergus?’ I ask, trying to soundcasual.
Melanie laughs. ‘God, no. Constance’s taste in men is rathermore – um –sophisticated, shall we say? She goes for the older man. Andthe more successful, the better.’ She holds up her hands. ‘And that’s not mebeing bitchy, honestly. Constance would be the first to admit all of thatherself.’
‘Didn’t she split up with someone recently?’ asks Fen.
Melanie’s face falls. ‘Yes. She’s had a really bad year,apparently. I’ve only spoken to her briefly on the phone since I got back fromSpain. But she sounded dreadful. Normally, it’s Constance who endsrelationships, but I get the impression that this time, her heart has been welland truly broken.’
I feel a twinge of empathy.
That makes two of us.
I wasn’t particularly liking the sound of Constance, but theidea of her suffering from a bad case of heartache makes me soften towards her…
The girls go back into the dining room, and Flo and I takeout the dessert together. Then we start on the task of tidying up the kitchen.I check my phone for the hundredth time, hoping Tavie has texted me. There’snothing from her, but I tell myself she’ll be fine. She’s just having too gooda time to remember to text me. But a weight settles inside nonetheless.
‘She’ll be fine,’ says Flo with a sympathetic smile.
I grin at her. ‘Is it that obvious?’
‘You’ve been checking your phone every ten minutes for thepast hour. So unless you’re expecting a call from a delicious man, I guess I’msafe to assume it’s Tavie you’re worried about.’
I laugh bitterly. ‘A delicious man? I don’t think so.’ Animage of Noah in his dinner suit flashes into my mind, but I push it away. Mylife is complicated enough. And anyway, why would he be interested in me? Healready has the lovely Melanie and the mysterious Constance to laugh with…
‘So what are you doing after this?’ I ask Flo, glancing atmy watch. It’s just after nine-thirty.
‘Oh, just straight home tonight. I’m knackered after lastnight. I’ll probably just crash out.’
‘I’m not surprised. I honestly don’t know how you do it.’
She sighs, turning away to start packing empty containersinto a box. ‘Neither do I, to be honest. But I prefer to be out, rather thanrattling around that empty house all on my own.’
