Monty stopped in the doorway. ‘You know, the volunteers would be happy to help with this stuff? And I can help too, if you like? And Jowan, he’ll pop over. I know Minty’s filled his hands with her wedding-planning stuff, but he’ll come if you ask. And you haven’t met Jude or Izaak and Leonid yet.’
He’d barely finished speaking before Joy shook her head. ‘I’m fine.’
‘But they love to help.’
‘I work alone.’
Monty was having none of it. ‘And Mrs Crocombe would be only too glad to nip in and lend a hand, I’m sure.’
‘No,’ Joy blurted, before recovering herself. ‘No, thank you.’
‘Ah,’ Monty’s shoulders dropped a little. ‘You’ve met her already?’
Radia pressed closer. ‘The ice-cream lady? She’s lovely!Shetalks about things.’
‘I’d rather keep to ourselves,’ Joy said, through an uncomfortable smile.
‘She likes you, Mum,’ Radia scolded. ‘She even put you in her friend book.’
Joy faltered. ‘Her… her what?’
‘Ah!’ Monty dropped his eyes to the floor and rocked on his heels, smiling.
Joy’s heart plummeted. ‘Oh god, what?’
‘It’s uh… She’s harmless, honestly, only… Mrs C. has this thing about… about…’ He raised his brows. ‘Matchmaking.’
‘Matchmaking?’ Radia’s eyes gleamed. ‘What’s that?’
‘Never you mind,’ Joy tried hard not to snap. ‘Rads, can you get Monty a…’ She’d be the first to admit she was panicking as she reached for a distraction. ‘A glass of milk. Please. Rads?’
The little girl had been grinning up at Monty, all ears. ‘What? Right now?’
‘Right now,’ repeated Joy, feeling utterly ridiculous. A glass of milk? What had gotten into her? Anybody else she could cope with, but something about this Monty guy made her forget how to act normally.
Radia grabbed Charley fox from the beanbag, stuffed him under her arm and trudged towards the café door. ‘Don’t say anything interesting, will you?’
‘I hardly ever do,’ Monty promised her.
Joy leaned closer with a furtive hiss. ‘Talk, quick.’
‘About Mrs C.? You don’t need to worry about her. She’s just old and lonely. Her husband passed away years ago and she’s got nothing better to do than flog ice creams and try to set up the local residents on dates. There’s the primary school, you see?’
Joy only folded her arms, not liking the sound of any of this.
‘Her daughter’s the head teacher there and it’s going to close if the roll drops any lower.’
‘And she’s trying to boost the population?’ Joy’s eyes narrowed tightly.
‘Exactly. Only between us, I think she’s a right old romantic. She just wants to see folks happy.’
‘So why does she put them in a book?’
‘Ah, well there may be some financial incentive too.’
‘Betting?’ Now Joy was indignant.
‘Yeah, not that it ever comes to much. Nobody had any money on Minty and Jowan getting together last Christmas. And then Izaak surprised everyone by marrying his Russian fella. And it all happened so quick with Tom and Lou, nobody had time to eventhinkabout matchmaking, though I did make ten quid on Elliot and Jude, so…’ Monty shrugged.
