‘Why not?' Flora whispered back.
He made a gesture to indicate he couldn't go into itjust then. 'Because she's a . ..' He paused, clearly on theverge of saying something very rude about Annabelle and then changed his mind. 'We can't talk here,' he repeated.
With the door open, Imelda's next protest wasclearly audible. 'I'dbetter go back.' Flora nodded. 'Isn't there anything you can tell me now?’
The man shook his head. 'Not now. Just don't let hertake control of the business. She's a holy terror.’
Scared lest her words be heard, Flora nodded again and set off slowly towards the door. She hadobviously strayed intosome sort of mystery novel, and she, Flora, would have to rescue this poor old man from the exploitative fiancée.
‘She's a complete airhead,' she heardthe exploitative fiancée say. 'But Iexpect she'll take the money. A fashion victim like her will jump at it.’
Fashion victim? Flora exchanged outraged glances with Geoffrey, who was listening with equal horror.She liked clothes, but fashion victim?Huh! A chuckle, presumably from Charles,greeted this. 'Yes, she's obviously a natural blonde.’
Flora narrowed her eyes. 'Not as natural as allthat,' she mouthed to Geoffrey.
‘I never dreamt she'd want to stay,' said Annabelle. Florawas confused. She knew she'd sent an email stating firmlyshe was going to take some time to learn what waswhat. She thought she'd been perfectly clear about it.
‘I must say I would have thought evensomeone like her would have mentioned it. It's rude, not to mention inconvenient.'
‘Actually' - it was Annabellespeaking - 'I think she may have saidsomething about it in an email. I just assumedshe'd take one look and run back to London.’
There was a small silence while Flora held herbreath, terrified incase she made a noise and they discovered she was eavesdropping. 'Oh.' This was Charles.'We'll just have to hope you're right.'
‘No need to go on about it, Charles,'said his fiancée.
Even Flora, who wasn't exactly warming to Charles, thought this was a little unfair. He'd only said'oh'.
‘We'll have to try and convince her that staying isa bad idea and hope she takes the hint,' he said.
And before Annabelle could say anything more abouther, Flora pulled back her shoulders and marched back into the room. Up until the 'natural blonde' commentshe'd been in two minds, butthat did it. No way was shegoing to let herself be chased back to London with a cheque for ten thousand pounds! Even without thatsweet old man's AncientMariner-type mutterings, she was going to give this ago.
‘Well,' she said, having made sureboth Charles and Annabelle werelooking at her. 'I've had a little think, and at the moment, I don't feel I want to take up your generousoffer, Annabelle.'
‘What? Why not?' said Charles,indignant and surprised.
‘Because I really want to find out about my family business, to work here, to learn about furniture andthings.' She was aware that the'and things' rather detracted fromher grand statement, but she hadn't had long to prepare and hoped they wouldn't notice.
‘My dear Flora,' said Charles,unwittingly using a phrase calculatedto turn his cousin into a bra-burning shrew,'you know nothing about the business. You have absolutely nothing to offer us. There's no room for you. Therewould be nothing for you to do.'
‘Is that so?' Flora replied tartly.'Then why are you advertising for a"general assistant" in the local paper?'
‘When did you see the localpaper?' demanded Charles, as if her buyingit had been somehow illegal.
‘BeforeI arrived. I was looking for bed and breakfast accommodation.' She was actually looking for somewhere she might rent, for when the kittens were born.
‘The local paper is not the bestplace to look for that,' saidAnnabelle. 'And I'm afraid there's absolutely none available at themoment.'
‘What do you mean? There must be. Thisis a very pretty little town. Someonemust do bed and breakfast.'
‘Lotsof people do,' said Charles. 'But there's the music festival on at the moment. The town is seething withviolinists.'
‘Oh. I wonder what the collectivenoun for those is,' said Flora. Asound emerged from Imelda's box. 'Perhaps that about covers it.’
A tiny crinkle at the corner of his eyes told Florathat Charles foundthis quite funny but was not going to allow himself to laugh. Well, at least he had asense of humour, even if he didn't ever useit.
‘I had thought of renting,eventually.' In spite of her braveresolutions she was aware that her voice betrayed her misgivings.
Charles sighed impatiently, as if dealing with atoddler he wanted tosmack but had to placate. 'We seem to have got off on the wrong foot somehow. We're nottrying to stop youbeing part of the business, it just never occurred to us you'd want to.’
This was sufficiently annoying to give Floraanother shot ofcourage. 'No?' Her brown eyes were limpid with disbelief as they met his cold, blue ones. 'But Isent an email. I thought I was quite clear about my intentions. Or didn't you get it?’
Annabelle cleared her throat. 'It, er, it only halfdownloaded, so we didn't, quite. But I'm sure you can understand that Charles doesn't want you coming in hereand messing aboutwith things you don't understand,' she went on more briskly. 'Of course you will want totalk things overwith your father, but I'm sure he'll advise you to be sensible and accept my offer.'
‘Possibly,' said Flora. 'But I shouldpoint out that although he doesadvise me, I am old enough to make myown decisions.' Aware she was in a position of power, Flora's tones became low and gentle. Let them rantand rave if they felt like it.
‘It will take a couple of days to get the legal stuff sorted,' said Charles. 'Perhaps if you had a fewdays' holiday down here, you mightrealise that a small market townreally isn't the place for a metropolitan girl like you.'
‘But where's she going to stay?' demanded Annabelle. 'I can't have her - she'sgot a cat!'
‘And because I've got acat, who might have kittens at any minute, I can't just go back to London. Imight cause an accident. Imagine theNews! "Ambulance called to help deliver kittens after pile-up onthe M4. The RSPCA investigate".'
‘Let's not get too worked up aboutthis,' said Charles, not findingFlora's melodrama remotely amusing.
‘No,let's
