Chapter Nineteen
‘Well?’ said Rose the moment Hattie had finished putting the plates on the table in her little sitting room.
‘The charcuterie is all English,’ Hattie said. ‘Kinder to the pigs.’
‘Jolly good,’ said Rose. ‘Now tell me what’s going on?’
Hattie told Rose all about the party and why she needed to have one.
‘Let me get this straight,’ said Rose, picking up an olive. ‘You’re getting Sheila to have a party just so you can introduce your sister to a man you don’t know because you had a vision? About your sister? Who you don’t get on with?’
‘Yes. The thing is, you know I can’t ignore a vision. And it could be lovely for Lennie to have a man! I know she annoys the hell out of me but I want her to be happy.’
‘Run it by me again – you went to a parents’ evening at Xander’s college?’
Hattie nodded. ‘They called it something else, but yes.’
‘Colleges don’t always have parents’ evenings, as far as I know,’ said Rose.
‘Well, this one did. Anyway, that’s not important. I saw him and I had a vision, which also had Lennie in it. And her Loewe handbag.’
‘But you don’t have his full name?’
Hattie shook her head.
‘Have you googled him?’
‘No! You’re almost as bad as Sheila. She’s got a friend who’s internet stalking Lance.’
Rose nodded, reaching for her phone,. ‘Never mind about Lance now, let’s research your sister’s potential new husband.’
It didn’t take Rose long to find out Mr Saye’s name was Tom and he was roughly the same age as Hattie’s sister. He’d only been at the college for a year so was a relative newcomer to the area.
‘If he’s new,’ said Hattie, ‘he might be more willing to come, to widen his circle of friends.’
‘Possibly. I’m just going to check out his Facebook. He may be Mr Popular already… Ah,’ she said, ‘you can’t get in unless you’re an actual friend.’
‘How unreasonable,’ said Hattie, who had deleted her Facebook account so clients couldn’t harass her after hours. ‘But hey! We’ve got a name. All I need to do now is find out when Lennie can come over from Switzerland so we can choose a date for the party.’
‘Will she come just for a party?’ asked Rose.
Hattie nodded. ‘I think so. I’ll say Xander really wants to see her.
She likes a party and will be impressed my upmarket client’s mother wants to give me one.
I won’t need to give too many details.’ She paused.
‘She might like to check that Xander really is happy with Luke, although of course he says he is every time she asks him.’
‘Surely it would be better if Xander was staying with you, a bona fide family member.’
Hattie nodded. ‘You’re right. I’ve got feelers out for something a bit larger, where Xander and I can both live.’
‘So, what are you going to wear?’ asked Rose. ‘Something new, I hope.’
‘Or something new to me!’ said Hattie. ‘Let’s have a look on Vinted…’
‘I’m sure Leonie would be checking out Vestiaire,’ said Rose.
‘If you want a vest, go to M she wouldn’t be in the right headspace to fall in love.
‘So, have you met any nice men while you’ve been over there?
’ she asked innocently, painfully aware this was not a subject the sisters usually talked about.
‘Hattie! I’m here to work: what are you insinuating? What sort of party is it anyway?’
Hattie was relieved by her sister’s chiding. ‘Probably in the garden with a gazebo. Sheila’s got a lovely garden.’
‘And who’s in charge of catering?’
‘Don’t worry! It’s not me. Sheila is insisting on doing it all so you’re bound to enjoy it.’
‘Great!’ said Leonie. ‘So all we need now is the good weather.’
While good weather was certainly on Hattie’s mind, she was more immediately concerned about getting Tom Saye to the party, given that they didn’t know each other at all.
Hattie spent a large part of her working days calling people, many of whom she didn’t know, on the telephone; she was never anxious about it. But as she tapped in the number Tom Saye had written down for her, she quailed at the thought of the conversation to come.
‘Oh, Tom,’ she said, quickly stifling the ‘Mr Saye’. ‘You won’t remember me. I’m Hattie Bruckless. I’m Xander Rathbone’s aunt. I met you at the college the other day and was asking about—’
‘I remember you, Hattie,’ he said. Oh, no! He sounded very friendly; he couldn’t be allowed to fancy her. He was for her sister!
‘Oh, that’s good, because I have a rather unusual – um – invitation. I want to ask you to a party.’
‘That is usually known as an invitation.’
Hattie could hear that he was amused. This was probably a good thing but she needed to steer clear of any flirtation – from her side at least. ‘It’s unusual because we don’t really know each other but I’m very keen that you should meet my sister.
Because she wants to talk to you about Xander, and she’ll only be in the country for one night.
’ Hattie took a breath. ‘Would you come?’
‘That’s very kind of you. When is the party? And where?’
He didn’t sound wildly enthusiastic but he wasn’t saying no. ‘Next Saturday, the thirteenth of July. I’m pretending it’s Bastille Day! Only one day out.’
‘Any particular reason for celebrating Bastille Day?’
‘Well, it’s my birthday. It’s why I’m having a party but we’re not calling it a birthday party because I don’t want people bringing me presents.’
‘Why don’t you want presents?’ he asked, sounding a bit surprised.
‘You know, clutter.’
‘OK. I’ll come and I won’t bring you a present.’
Hattie was surprised and delighted how easy this had all been so far. Was it because of the vision? Getting Fiona and Nick together had been easy too.
‘What sort of time?’
‘About seven.’
‘And the address?’
Hattie gave him Sheila’s address, sounding rather garbled, wanting to get the words out before he could change his mind and say no. ‘It’s not actually where I live. A friend is holding the party for me. I’m so glad you can come. I don’t know how you’d meet Leonie otherwise.’
‘Of course I’m delighted to be invited to a party,’ said Tom, ‘but I’m not at all concerned about Xander’s work. There’s no need for me to meet your sister.’
‘Trust me, there really is. But Sheila’s house is delightful. The food will be brilliant, and there will be lots of nice people coming. And of course,’ she added, ‘do bring a plus one if you’d like to. She – he – would be very welcome.’
She felt she had to say this, but really hoped he’d refuse.
‘It’s just me,’ he said.
‘Well, that’s a relief.’
‘Oh? Why?’
‘Oh, you know,’ said Hattie with a nervous laugh. ‘Numbers! So, bye! See you soon!’