Chapter Eleven
Eleven
‘Hello!’ Raff sounded pleased to hear from her, but also slightly nervous.
‘Hello,’ Kate said. ‘Are you free tonight?’
‘Tonight?’ His surprise was evident. ‘Yes.’
‘Would you like to meet me for a drink? Or dinner? Or whatever?’
‘All three sound equally good. Which would you prefer?’
She was tempted to say all three. Instead she said, ‘It’s Valentine’s night so getting a table somewhere might be a problem.’
‘Not necessarily. I’m staying at Claybrooke Country House Hotel. Do you know it? It has a spacious dining room with an A la Carte menu. I’d just booked a table for tonight. But if you’d rather try elsewhere, I can easily cancel and ask the concierge to ring around.’
‘I think I’ve heard of it but I haven’t been there. Where is it?’
‘It’s about a ten-minute drive from where you are. Assuming you’re in Prince Regent Terrace.’
‘I am. But I had wine at lunchtime so I’d have to get a mini cab.’
‘Or I can come and get you. I haven’t had any alcohol. Yet.’
‘You’d do that for me?’
‘Of course. And I wouldn’t even have to get my feet wet. So … is that a yes?’
‘Yes. Wait. No. I mean, yes to dinner at your hotel. But as for coming to get me…’ her voice trailed off. What could she say? I don’t want Granny Viv to see you. But what if there were no cabs free tonight?
‘It’s honestly no trouble.’
She took another deep breath. ‘It’s not about your kind offer.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but the thing is, I’d rather my gran didn’t know we were having dinner tonight.
I’m not keeping secrets. Well, I suppose I am in a way.
But … well … Gran is determined that I should have a man in my life and she’s been banging on about it since I arrived.
I’ll never hear the end of it if she sees you.
Believe me, she’ll have us married and settled close by before you’ve opened the car door. ’
‘I see. That could be … awkward. What if I pulled up outside next door and sent you a text to say I’d arrived?’
‘Nope. Millicent is Avery’s great-gran and a friend of Granny Viv’s. Avery is my daughter’s fiancé so my gran will hear about it as will the rest of my family. You could park at the end of the road. That should be safe.’
‘Then I’ll do that. And I’ll try not to be spotted by anyone, just in case.’
‘It’s no joke. You try living with a bunch of people who are all telling you that you need to get a man.’
He laughed. ‘I don’t think that’s something anyone around me would ever tell me I need to do.
Shall we say eight? My table here is booked for eight-thirty so that should give us time.
I’ll tell them it’ll be a table for two now, not for one.
You have no idea how pleased I am to receive your call.
Eating alone doesn’t bother me but there’s something about eating alone on Valentine’s Day that simply doesn’t feel good. ’
‘Eight is perfect. That gives me time to walk Rufus, feed him, shower and change. Oh. What’s the dress code there? I suppose jeans are out?’
‘In the dining room, yes. I think we could have dinner in the bar if you’d prefer. Although the menu isn’t as good. Or in my room. You can wear what you like in there.’
She hesitated. Dinner in his room? Would that be wise?
‘The dining room will be fine. It’s just that I didn’t bring much with me because I wasn’t planning on … Never mind. I’ve realised I can borrow something from Granny Viv. Don’t worry. Her clothes are much smarter – and more modern – than mine. I’ll see you at eight. Bye.’
‘Bye.’
Kate rang off and this time when the urge to do the happy dance struck her, she didn’t try to fight it.
Calming herself down, Kate switched the kettle on to make that pot of tea she had promised her gran, and was dealing with Rufus’s dinner when the dog ambled into the kitchen.
‘Can you read my mind?’ Kate laughed.
Having fed Rufus and made the tea, Kate took the tea tray into the sitting room.
‘Millie’s just called,’ said Granny Viv, placing her phone on the table beside her. ‘I told her you are going out and she’s coming round for the evening. You are going out, aren’t you?’
‘I am,’ said Kate, trying to hide her excitement.
‘May I ask with whom?’
‘Nope. But I would like to borrow a dress, please.’
Granny Viv beamed at her. ‘Help yourself. You know where they are.’
Kate poured the tea, handed a cup to her gran, and sat on the sofa day dreaming.
She and Beth and Rose had taken several of Granny Viv’s beautiful dresses away at Christmas, on Granny Viv’s insistence that she wouldn’t need many of them again and would rather the dresses be put to good use by her family.
But they hadn’t taken that many, and Kate could recall seeing a stunning purple dress that was just a fraction too tight at the end of last year.
Since then, Kate had shed a few pounds. More from anxiety about how quickly things were changing in her life than from intentionally trying to lose weight. That dress might fit her now.
What was it about her and purple? She seemed to be going through a phase and it was her favourite colour at the moment.
What was Raff’s favourite colour?
Possibly blue. He’d been wearing a lot of blue today.
‘Penny for them,’ said Granny Viv.
‘What. Oh sorry. I was miles away. Have you been to Claybrooke Country House Hotel?’
‘I have. It’s very posh. The gardens are gorgeous.
Especially the rose gardens. Although not in February, I suppose.
Why? Is that where you’re going tonight?
Oh now you must tell me the person you’re seeing.
They’ve definitely got good taste if that’s where they’re taking you?
Is it someone I know? Because I can’t think of anyone who…
’ Her eyes lit up and she straightened her back.
‘It’s him, isn’t it? It’s the handsome Raff Gale.
You’re having dinner with Raff Gale! I knew it was Fate.
Oh, darling. How delightful. Is he staying at Claybrooke Country House Hotel?
Because he must be staying somewhere and it won’t be at Old Farm.
It’s not ready for habitation just yet. If he is staying at Claybrooke, and that’s where you’re having dinner, all I can say is, I hope you’ve brought some decent – or possibly indecent and definitely sexy underwear with you. ’
‘Gran! I don’t need underwear. I mean, I will obviously be wearing underwear but he won’t be seeing it. We won’t be having anything other than dinner. And wine. And probably coffee. But that’s it. Sex is definitely not on the menu tonight.’
‘So it is him! I’m almost envious. I liked him the moment we met. Although I thought he was either shy or was hiding something. He’s not married, is he? I did ask and I’m sure he said he was single.’
‘His wife died a long time ago.’
‘Oh that’s a shame. Although good for you. And you said you want a dog! I’d much rather have Raff to keep me warm and clearly so would you.’
‘This is not what you seem to think. It’s just two people having dinner together.
And for your information, I do want a dog.
That’s why we’re having dinner. He’s going to help me find one.
He has several that need homes and I’ve already seen their profiles.
We’ll be discussing them in more detail this evening. ’
‘Whatever you say darling.’ Granny Viv was smiling.
‘It’s true. Oh what’s the point. You’ll believe what you want to no matter what I say.’
The first clap of thunder crashed overhead a few minutes later and the rain began five minutes after that but fortunately for Kate and Rufus, it had stopped briefly, an hour or so later. They had just returned from their walk when the rain started again. This time it was heavier.
And it didn’t stop. Millicent was drenched when she arrived at seven and she had been beneath a large umbrella. Kate advised her to take a hot shower to warm herself up and to change into one of Granny Viv’s dresses while Kate tumble dried her clothes.
By seven-forty-five, it might have been better if Raff had come in an Ark to pick Kate up. He had texted her to say that he understood about her gran but he would suggest he should come to the door or she’d be soaked to the skin.
She texted back and told him that the cat was out of the bag and he could park in the drive.