Promise Me by Jill Mansell

Author:Jill Mansell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Headline

Chapter 26

The morning after Edgar’s party, Sammy had been up early to collect a consignment of parcels from the depot and deliver them all before midday. Now, arriving back in Foxwell, he stopped off at Val’s café to pick up a couple of hot chicken pies, one for himself and one for Jess, who was working too.

When he reached the antiques shop, he heard Fia Lloyd’s voice before he saw her.

‘I’m in love. That’s it, completely in love! I have to have it.’

The door swung shut behind him and Sammy saw she was sitting on a incredibly ornate throne chair upholstered in peacock-green velvet, its wooden frame finished in fuchsia-pink matte paint that was in turn decorated with splashes of gold leaf.

It wasn’t an antique, nor was it subtle in any way whatsoever, but Sammy knew that Jess’s uncle had picked it up as part of a job lot a month ago and had been desperate to sell it ever since. Everyone who walked into the shop immediately sat in the chair for a joke, but so far no one had wanted to buy it.

‘Hi.’ Fia waved when she spotted Sammy. ‘Fancy seeing you here. Don’t you think I need to buy this amazing chair? It’s so me it’s not true!’

‘It really is. And I definitely think you should buy it.’ This would earn him brownie points with Harry.

She was sniffing the air. ‘And what have you got there? It smells like heaven. Can I have some?’

‘Chicken pies. I bought one for Jess and one for me.’ Torn, Sammy glanced across at Jess, who was applying beeswax polish to an armoire; he’d been up for six hours and his stomach was rumbling. On the other hand, this was Fia Lloyd. On the other other hand, did she even remember what she’d said to him last night?

‘Here you go.’ He handed over one of the bags containing a wrapped-up chicken pie. ‘How are you feeling today? Lou said you crashed out in one of the bedrooms last night.’

‘I had tons to drink. Luckily,’ Fia went on gaily, ‘I don’t get hangovers. You know, I reckon I could pimp this up and sell it for a profit.’ Lovingly she stroked the ornate carved arms of the chair.

‘I’d say it’s been pretty pimped up already,’ said Sammy.

‘Eurgh, I can’t pay that much.’ Fia examined the price tag and frowned.

‘I’ll knock off two hundred,’ Jess said promptly. ‘Seeing as it’s you.’

‘Deal.’ Fia clapped her hands, then said, ‘So long as you deliver it to our place in London.’

Jess shook her head. ‘Sorry, I can’t do that.’

Thinking fast, Sammy said, ‘How are you getting home?’

‘Oh, who knows? I suppose I’ll have to catch the train.’ Fia was wearing borrowed wellies and last night’s jagged black top and leggings with one of Edgar’s many grey cashmere cardigans slung over the top.

‘It’ll cost a fair amount to get the chair sent up. If you want, I could drive you back and take the chair. In my van.’

‘Deal,’ Fia said triumphantly as, behind her, Jess raised her eyebrows at Sammy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.