16
As she walked into her flat after Hans’ latest English lesson, Nancy was hit by the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen. Olivia was stirring a large saucepan on the hob.
‘You’re home!’ Nancy said. She’d missed having Olivia around the place. The Easter weekend had dragged without her.
‘We got back at lunchtime. I said we would. The traffic wasn’t too bad, and Pierre was an excellent driver.’
‘Glad he’s good at something,’ Nancy said as she hung up her coat. ‘How was the chateau?’
‘Very chateau-like. It has several cute turrets, like something out of a fairytale.’
‘Still hoping Pierre will get to inherit it?’
‘I don’t see why he shouldn’t. His parents seem very nice. They were very welcoming to both of us.’
‘No sharp intakes of breath at any dresses you wore that were more than two months old?’
‘Very funny! Do you want your dinner on a plate or thrown at you?’
Nancy laughed. ‘It looks too good to throw. What is it?’ she asked, peering over Olivia’s shoulder.
‘Spaghetti bolognese. It’s ready now. Shall I dish up?’
‘Yes, please. I like paydays. I’d forgotten what meat smells like.’
‘We’ll be back on bread and cheese by Friday,’ Olivia assured her.
Nancy laid the table while Olivia filled two plates with large portions of pasta and sauce.
‘Wine with your meal, madame?’ Olivia asked, taking a bottle of white out of the fridge.
‘It’s Tuesday. What’s got into you?’
‘Who says we can’t have wine on a Tuesday?’
‘No one, but I’ve got work in the morning.’
‘You managed to work with the mother of all hangovers the other week, so I’m sure one glass of Sancerre won’t negatively impact your ability to sell books tomorrow.’
Nancy studied the very ornate label. ‘Is this from Pierre’s family’s vineyard?’
‘Yes. His father sent me home with a whole case of it.’ Olivia looked delighted.
‘It looks expensive.’
‘It is. But I’m hoping he’ll give me more next time I visit, so there’s no point in storing it away for years.’ Olivia expertly removed the cork and poured a couple of glasses. ’Cheers!’
‘Cheers!’ Nancy clinked her glass against Olivia’s.
‘What did I miss while I was away?’ Olivia asked as she sat down to eat.
‘Nothing! It rained most of the weekend. I tidied the flat, wrote a couple of letters home, read a book, and went to the cinema to see Casablanca, thinking it would have French subtitles so I could still listen to the soundtrack, but it turned out to be dubbed. It was a good job I remembered the plot. Then I went back to The Louvre.’
‘Any sign of Hans there this time?’
‘No. I’ve not seen or heard anything from him or Dieter all weekend.’
‘Interesting. I thought he might pay you a call. I bumped into him on Friday and made a point of telling him I was going away for a few days.’
‘You’ve got that matchmaking look on your face again. I’ve told you we’re just friends.’
‘Who spend an hour together after work at least four times a week.’
‘And no time together at weekends even though we’re neighbours. You always conveniently forget about that, I notice.’
‘I think we should throw a party,’ Olivia said.
‘Why did talking about Hans prompt you to suggest that?’
‘No reason.’ Olivia had her best innocent look on her face now. ‘I enjoy going to other people’s parties. I think it’s time I returned the favour, and now there are two of us here to share the organising, it seems like a good time to do it.’
Even if there was an element of matchmaking involved, Nancy was desperate for some more company. ‘I’m up for it. When were you thinking?’
‘Next Saturday? Then we’ve got Sunday to recover.’
‘Are you planning a boozy do a la Christa and Ingrid?’
‘No, we can’t afford that. Just some nibbles and a few bottles of cheap plonk - I’m locking the Sancerre away. People usually bring a bottle. We’re unlikely to run out.’
‘We need to make it more enticing than that. Otherwise, no one will come. Shall we have a theme?’
‘Good idea. How about Kings and Queens?’ Olivia suggested.
‘The costumes might be tricky. We don’t want it to look naff.’
‘Ok then.’ Olivia looked excited. ‘Greeks and Romans. All you need is a sheet and a belt, and it’s toga time.’
‘Isn’t that a bit naff as well?’
‘Probably, but it requires minimal effort. And you’ll get to find out if Hans has attractive calves, too. It’s impossible to tell with those baggy suits he wears.’
Nancy hadn’t thought about the shape of Hans’ calves, though she had wondered about other parts of him. ‘We’re inviting Hans, are we?’
‘It would be rude not to. “We like you, but when it comes to partying, you can stay downstairs and listen to the rest of us getting steadily drunker.” Not very friendly, is it?’
‘Who else are we going to ask?
‘Pierre, Dieter, Christa, Ingrid, their Californian neighbours - they’re always a good laugh. What about Philip?’
‘Yes, he might be fun.’
‘Carol?’
Nancy hadn’t got Carol down as a party animal. ‘I guess if I slipped the invite into whatever book she’s currently engrossed in, she might read it.’
‘There are a few more people at work I’d like you to meet. I’ll include them. It should be an excellent do if they all come.’
‘A toga party?’ Hans said when Nancy gave him his invitation the following day.
‘Yes, they’re the dress things that ancient Romans used to wear.’
‘I understand. It’s the same word in German.’
‘Is it? I suppose that makes sense. It doesn’t have to be a real toga. A sheet and a belt will do.’
‘It could be fun,’ Hans said.
Nancy was pleasantly surprised. She’d half expected him to turn the offer down as he didn’t seem to be interested in socialising outside of their English lessons. ‘You’ll come then?’
‘It will be worth the journey, I’m sure,’ he grinned. ‘Will there be music?’
‘Whatever’s on the radio, unless Olivia decides to sing. I won’t be encouraging her to do that unless everyone is completely drunk. It’s not a pleasant experience for anyone.’
‘You can borrow my record player. It sounds like it might be less painful.’
‘Really? That would be lovely. I had to leave mine at home. What records have you got that we can dance to?’
‘The Beatles, Bill Hailey. A whole mix of things.’
So, he had good taste in music as well. Don’t think about him as potential boyfriend material again - you know you said you weren’t going to get involved! ‘You’re an angel,’ she said.
‘I don’t know about that,’ he said. ‘Who else is invited?’
She reeled off the list of names. ‘Everyone’s said yes so far, apart from Philip. He’s off to the South of France with a friend for the weekend.’
‘I shall look forward to it,’ Hans said, looking like he meant it.