18
NORA WAS IN Stoke glazing the spare stock for a final firing while there was capacity in the kiln and space in her schedule. Once she’d finished, it was lunchtime and she was thrilled to have the afternoon free for a little experiment. Since her visit to Croftwood Court at the weekend, she’d been thinking of designing a new bespoke line. A modern take on early nineteenth century pottery. She’d done some research on the regency era after seeing plenty of pieces on display in Croftwood Court. With the popularity of that era at an all-time high thanks to Bridgerton, she thought it might be something to explore.
She went into the room where they stored the clay and took some ready-wedged balls from a tray that was ready to go to the production line, hoping that Val wouldn’t mind. She sat at her favourite wheel and centred the first ball of clay. She worked it for a minute or so, getting used to the feel of it before she began to translate what was in her head, through her fingers and onto the wheel. The first attempt was less than perfect, so it went in the bucket on the floor next to her and she started again. This time was better. She knew where she’d gone wrong the first time and this was all about knowing that and rectifying the next time. Once she was satisfied, she ran a wire between the wheel and the pot and lifted it onto a board. It was elegant, the wide base narrowing to form almost a stem for a pleasingly bulbous pot. The challenge was in keeping the top light but robust at the point where the stem met the pot, so that it didn’t collapse into itself with the weight. It would need some delicate handles and maybe even a lid.
‘Have you been in here all afternoon?’ Val came into the room, taking her apron off and folding it neatly.
‘What time is it?’
‘Just gone five.’
Nora had completely lost track of time. That’s what happened when she was struck by inspiration like this. Just another pot, just another attempt at perfection, and the hours ticked by without her realising.
‘Shit. I’m going out for dinner tonight. I’d planned to leave at three.’
‘Go. I can clean up for you,’ said Val. ‘Loving these, by the way,’ she said, picking up one of the boards and admiring the pot that sat on it. By this time there were six that had made it onto boards, but more than that were in the bucket.
‘It’s an idea I had for a new collection,’ said Nora, washing her hands at the sink. ‘Shit,’ she said again. ‘I’d better text Archie and tell him I’ll meet him there.’
‘Where are you off to?’
‘Dinner with some friends. It’s the first time we’ve been out with other people and now we’re probably not even going to arrive together.’
‘Things are progressing,’ Val said, her voice reaching a squeal. ‘I’m going to need all the details.’
‘And you can have most of them next week. I have to go. Would you mind putting the pots in the drying room? I’m not sure the kiln gods will be kind with these. There’s a lot of inconsistency with the thickness of the walls.’
‘Well, don’t worry about that now.’ Val began chivvying her out of the door. ‘You can’t keep the lord waiting.’
‘Bugger off, Val.’ Nora gave her friend a quick hug. ‘See you Monday.’
Hitting the rush hour traffic, which is what she’d been hoping to avoid, made Nora even later. Archie was sitting in his car on the lane outside her house. She turned into the driveway and he pulled up behind her and climbed out.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said, opening the door and falling inside. ‘I need ten minutes. Come in.’
‘I’m sure it’s alright. We’ll only be half an hour late.’
Archie settled himself on the sofa while Nora raced up the stairs. She had a quick shower, settled for dry-shampooing her hair and then threw on a wrap dress that she always felt good in. She shoved her hair up in what she hoped was a stylish messy bun, and applied some mascara and her favourite tinted lip balm. She grabbed some ankle boots and headed back downstairs.
‘Ready! Oh god, let me find a bottle of wine. I meant to get one on my way home.’
‘No need. I have one in the car.’
She smiled and sighed with relief. ‘Thank you.’
‘How was your day? Presumably busy?’ Archie asked once they were in the car.
‘I was experimenting with something new and I lost track of time.’
‘That must be a good sign.’
‘It’s too soon to say, but I enjoyed it until I realised what the time was. How about you. What have you been up to today?’
‘You might be pleased to hear that I spoke to Betsy and Mama about selling the vase.’
‘Did you?’ Nora had thought that subject was closed. Since the lunch, she’d deliberately put the topic out of her mind. That and the odd reaction from Constance. At some point she’d have to reconcile the Archie she knew and was starting to love with the Archie that lived at the Croftwood Court, but that didn’t need to be now, because it was going to take some getting used to.
‘As you pointed out, it’s ridiculous to allow the house to crumble around us while we have assets within it.’
‘And did they agree?’
‘They did. They felt the same way as you. For the sake of putting a single, overlooked vase up for sale, we should be able to repair the roof and have some cash left over to help with the lake project.’
‘That’s fantastic news.’ Nora was so pleased that he’d come to his senses. Not only because it meant that Archie would have the money he desperately needed, but because it meant that the gulf between their ideals had closed a little bit.
Toby was hosting the dinner party at his house because according to Hilary, his kitchen was made for entertaining.
‘I’m so sorry we’re late,’ Nora said as Hilary opened the door.
‘Fashionably late,’ Hilary said, kissing them both on the cheek as she ushered them in. ‘Go through.’
Nora couldn’t help lingering in the hallway. The Minton floor was one of the best she’d seen.
‘Your hallway tiles are incredible,’ she said to Toby.
‘I knew I could count on you to notice,’ he said as he came over to welcome them.
Seb and Jess were sitting at the kitchen island, sipping wine.
‘Good to see you Arch,’ said Seb, standing up and clapping Archie on the back.
‘Something smells delicious,’ Nora said, taking the stool next to Jess.
‘We’ve gone to as little effort as possible,’ said Hilary. ‘It’s lasagne.’
‘I’ll eat anything,’ Jess said. ‘It was so busy in the shop today, I only had time to eat a banana.’
‘That’s not true,’ Seb said, lifting his glass towards her. ‘I brought you coffee and a pastry for elevenses.’
‘You did. And it was much appreciated,’ Jess said, blowing him a kiss and then grimacing at the others. ‘I hadn’t forgotten, honestly.’
‘Did you swim this morning, Nora?’ Hilary asked.
‘No. I set off early for work so that I could leave early.’
Archie chuckled.
‘I know. It’s my first dinner invitation since I moved here and I was late.’
‘Oh, we forgive you, said Hilary.
‘Have you been in the lake yet, Hilary?’ asked Jess.
‘I haven’t found the time yet,’ Hilary said. Jess and Nora grinned at each other. ‘No, really, I do want to.’
‘How are the plans for the lake coming on, Archie?’ Toby asked.
‘We’ve made a start on tidying it up. The hedge has gone and the chaps are going to start on the paths next week. Then it’s just a matter of waiting for confirmation from the council that we can reinstate the entrance on that side of the estate.’
‘And get the planning permission for change of use of the lake,’ Seb said.
‘Yes. Of course,’ said Archie.
Nora guessed he’d been dragging his feet because of the lack of money available and wondered if deciding to sell the vase would spur him on.
‘It’s the perfect time to launch it now that the weather’s improving,’ said Jess.
‘Nora identified a valuable piece of Royal Worcester porcelain that has been in the family for some time, so we’re looking into selling that to fund some repairs and the lake project.’
‘That’s great news!’ Seb said, enthusiastically.
Nora was taken aback that Archie would share that with everyone. She’d thought he might feel ashamed that it had come to selling off assets to keep everything afloat, especially after he’d been so against the idea. Yet again, he surprised her with his willingness to admit he was wrong. She loved that. Julian would rather die than admit she’d been right about anything.
‘We have some news too,’ said Seb, his eyes falling on Jess. ‘We’ve set a date for the wedding. And Archie, would you be my best man?’
‘Seb, I’d be… honoured,’ Archie said, overcome.
‘Congratulations!’
‘Where are you having it?’ Hilary asked.
‘We’re having a very small family wedding in Dorset,’ said Jess. ‘Our engagement party felt as good as a wedding with my sister and her family there, and I can’t ask her to come from Australia so we can do that again. So it’s just a simple ceremony at the registry office.’
‘I can understand that,’ said Toby. ‘But we will have to have a celebration of some sort in Croftwood afterwards.’
‘We’d love that. We’re just sorry we can’t invite everyone but we’re keeping it low key and staying at my parents.’
‘No, you mustn’t worry about that,’ said Hilary. ‘Your engagement party will be hard to beat, unless you can talk Archie into a full-blown wedding at the Court.’
‘You had your engagement party at Archie’s?’ Nora asked.
‘It was amazing,’ said Jess. ‘Archie and his staff pulled out all the stops and it was absolutely magical.’
Archie beamed, but looked down at his drink in embarrassment.
‘To Seb and Jess,’ said Hilary, raising her glass.
‘To Seb and Jess!’
‘Right. Let’s eat,’ said Toby.
It was past midnight when Nora and Archie said their goodbyes. After a busy afternoon throwing, and a couple of glasses of wine, Nora was relaxed and happy but keen to get home.
‘What a great evening,’ she said, sinking into the seat of the Jaguar.
‘It was,’ Archie agreed. ‘It’s been a long time since I did anything like that.’
‘Me too. I’d forgotten how much fun it can be to talk about everything and nothing.’
Archie reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze before he needed it to make the turn onto Worcester Road.
‘You told everyone about the vase.’
‘Shouldn’t I have?’ He shot her a worried look before turning his attention back to the road.
‘They’re our friends, of course you can. I suppose I was surprised how comfortable you are with the idea already.’
‘When I was so vehemently opposed before?’ he said easily.
‘Yes.’
‘I’d been wanting to do something like that for a while. I didn’t have the courage to talk to Betsy and Mama about it. The way you explained it was so clear, so black and white, it made it easy for me to explain. I couldn’t help thinking that selling anything would make me seem like a failure. But as you pointed out, things are different now. Preserving everything doesn’t mean keeping everything the same. What’s the point of all of these things just sitting there, some of them not even being admired or particularly cherished.’
Nora reached out and put her hand on Archie’s thigh, rubbing it reassuringly. ‘It’s a great decision. For you and for everyone who comes after you.’
He pulled the car into Nora’s driveway and switched the engine off. Making no move to get out, he turned in his seat.
‘I can hardly remember life without you.’
Nora took a breath, waiting for Archie to lean in and kiss her. She wanted him. She’d wanted him for a while now but tonight, she wasn’t going to let him leave.
‘Would you like to come in?’ she breathed.
‘Mmm.’
His hand was on her thigh now, slowly, easing further upwards. ‘Come on,’ she said, breaking the spell, because she wasn’t sure how much further they could get in this car. Not as far as she’d like.
Archie bolted out of the car, coming around to the passenger side to meet Nora, but she had climbed out herself before he could reach her. Her patience evaporated. All she could think of was getting Archie upstairs and into her bed.
‘If you stay, we could have a glass of wine,’ she said, suddenly slightly nervous at the prospect of what lay ahead. It was a while since she’d had sex with Julian and even longer since she’d had sex with anyone other than him. At least, she reasoned as she grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, Archie had seen a fair bit of her body already at the lake.
He stood awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs, his hands in his pockets and a bulge in his trousers.
‘Here,’ Nora said handing him the wine bottle. ‘This will help.’
Up in her bedroom, she sat on the edge of the bed while Archie poured the wine, handing Nora her glass. He downed his and refilled it before she’d taken a sip.
‘Bit of Dutch courage required as it happens,’ he said.
‘It’s been a while for me too,’ she said, hoping to put him at ease because however nervous she might be, he looked ten times worse.
She took the glass out of his hand and pulled him onto the bed. Once they’d resumed kissing, she could feel Archie relax — most of him at least — and he began exploring her body again. This time, he reached bare skin at the waistband of her tights, then pulled away, giving her a look that implored her to be more naked. She pulled her tights down, removing her knickers at the same time. Nora straddled him, loving the feel of his erection against her. She pulled his shirt from the waistband of his jeans and ran her hands underneath, up his torso, and back down his sides. He groaned and lifted from the bed so that she could pull his shirt and sweater over his head. His chest was sparse with hair and lean but lightly muscled. She was surprised how pale his skin was compared to the rest of him, but she couldn’t imagine him sunbathing in the garden or working with his top off or anything like that. And she liked she was one of only a very few people to see this part of him. She ran her finger around the waistband of his jeans, letting her finger linger in the dip between his hips and his abdomen, which was enticing her further. He shifted her off so that he could unbutton his jeans, and now it was Nora’s turn to groan when she saw him in all his glory.
She pulled his boxers down, and looked at him wide-eyed, never imagining that this had been waiting for her all along. What had they been waiting for? Archie took one end of the tie of her wrap dress, and looked at her with mischief in his eyes.
‘This dress…’ he said. ‘Perfect for tonight.’ He pulled the tie and the dress opened, revealing her favourite lacy bra. Thank god she’d had the foresight for that, even though she’d been in a rush. She shrugged off the dress and leant forward so that Archie could reach behind her and undo her bra.
What followed was the most delicious night that Nora could imagine. Archie was a tender, considerate lover, but so masterful. Nora swooned under his touch, knowing she’d been spoilt for anyone else. But if she had needed a sign that this man was someone special, tonight had been it. All the emotions that had been building between them, culminating in a consummation of their building love for each other. And Nora couldn’t be happier.