Wild Designs by Katie Fforde

Author:Katie Fforde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Althea decided to stop worrying about Patrick thinking she was trying to give him a romantic meal. Even he must realize that however many candles the room was lit with, and how many vases of flowers stood about, there was no chance of romance in a house full of teenagers.

She had also decided that she would tell him that their relationship had no future – if she needed to. Seeing the conditions under which she lived, never alone, always surrounded by people who not only demanded her attention, but who were entitled to quite a lot of it, might do the job for her.

But it was with a somewhat apologetic air that she opened the door and ushered him in. Keith Jarrett issued loudly from the kitchen tape player. Something that William would scathingly describe as ‘pop’ music was floating down the stairs, and Jenny was playing ‘The Moonlight Sonata’ on the piano in the dining room, well, if somewhat repetitively.

Althea accepted his kiss of greeting with what equanimity she could muster and ushered him in. It was a shame that in order to get to the conservatory, Patrick had to run the gauntlet of the kitchen, at present the territory of Merry and her friend Ronnie.

The two girls had decided to dress up for the occasion. They were both wearing tiny pinafore dresses over cropped T-shirts over which they had pinned linen table napkins as aprons. They had gelled their hair into total rigidity and put on as much make-up, consisting of clear mascara and brown lipstick, as they thought they could get away with. Althea had sprayed them both lavishly with the scent Frederick had given her for her birthday, to save the house from smelling of something vile. They both collapsed into giggles the moment they saw Patrick.

The boys, never far away from the food-source, accepted his appearance with a casual hello, and introduced their friend, a curly-headed giant with an engaging smile and familiar manner. He shook Patrick’s hand warmly. Bozo, who had decided that she liked Patrick, scrabbled at his leg for attention. At least Jean-Claud, who had replaced Véronique, was staying with his best friend, who was billeted nearby. Althea got Patrick settled in a chair.

‘Right. Now tell me, what would you like to drink?’

‘What is there?’

‘Wine or gin. Not a wonderful selection, I’m afraid.’

‘What, no tonic at all?’

‘Of course there’s tonic! And ice and lemon, I just meant…’

‘A gin and tonic would be lovely.’

It would indeed, she thought, filling a glass with ice-cubes, I just hope I have more than a minute to sit down to have one.

The meal was as ready as it could be in the circumstances, and as simple. Not that any meal which involves so many cooks is ever completely straightforward. But Althea had made a Master List of everyone’s allotted tasks. Most of hers were ticked off. She only had ‘Cook steak’, ‘Clean downstairs loo’, and ‘Iron blouse’ left in her column. She had worn a blouse that didn’t need ironing, and squirted something toxic but quick round the loo.

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