‘Take it in my office,’ Ward instructs.
Minutes later she returns.
We wait. It’s more painful than waiting to hear if her boyfriend has proposed.
‘We’ve got an offer!’
I jump up; clap my hands. Graham hugs me. Nadine dances around the table.
‘How much?’ Ward asks, remaining calm.
‘Well, it’s not the asking price.’
‘Mr Callaghan should bepayingsomeone to live there,’ Graham says.
‘How much?’Ward repeats.
‘A hundred grand less.’
Ward nods. ‘If Mr Callaghan has half a brain cell he’ll accept immediately. Call him, close it.’ He wraps up the meeting. ‘This is what I mean, team, lateral thinking. Well done, Lucie. Goes to show there is a house out there for everyone and there’s a little bit of a lorry-spotter in everyone too.’
Later on that afternoon, despite the good news, I’m still thinking about the way Ward cut me off twice in the meeting. I know I shouldn’t care, it’s business, he cuts everyone off, but if I’m to bust a gut getting Isla off to school just so I can sit around that table at eight in the bloody morning, I wouldn’t mind being able to finish my sentence once in a while. Distracted, I go online to take a look at the website that shows off some of the best gardens in the country, including Sittingbourne Park. The house is in Derbyshire and the gardens are open to the public. The owner, Mrs Harman, in her late sixties, is passionate about orchids and wild flowers. Isla and I took Granny there for her birthday, a year before she died. I look back nostalgically to that day. ‘Look at these, Granny!’ Isla had said, mesmerised. ‘They are like little bees on pink petals.’ She’d been standing in the midst of the most striking orchids in a field of wild flowers.
‘They’re called bee orchids,’ Granny said. ‘Aren’t they something? Fascinating story behind them too.’
Granny had a story behind every flower and plant, showing both Isla and me how they all had private lives.‘They are cunning, deceptive old flowers, Isla. Do you want to know why? I hope she’s not too young for this,’ Granny had whispered, saying sorry in advance.
‘It’s too late now,’ I said, Isla demanding to hear the story even more.
‘Well, these petals, they mimic the female wasp so that they can con the male wasp into pollinating them. They give off the most irresistible perfume that makes the male get all excited, thinking he’s going to get a sensational treat. So, he buzzes over and tries it on, covering himself in pollen, but soon realises with frustration he’s not getting anywhere, so off he goes and tries his luck elsewhere, depositing pollen on another bogus female which is just what the orchid needs, you see, Isla.’
Isla had looked entranced, although I’m not sure how much she’d understood.
I think of Granny dressed in her big straw sunhat with a wide navy ribbon tied round the brim. I see her taking Lucas and me around show gardens, Lucas trailing behind as if being dragged through mud. At the end of our visit Granny would fill the car boot with pots of plants and reward Lucas and me with an ice cream for being so patient. She used to do the same with Isla. A trip to see a garden was never such a bad thing if it meant a double mint choc chip in a cone and a story about naughty flowers.
I’m awoken from my thoughts when my telephone rings.
‘Hello, it’s Marina.’
I jolt hearing her voice. ‘Oh hi, it’s January.’
‘Is he there? I can’t get through on his line.’
I glance at the red button. ‘I’m afraid he’s on another call right now. Can I get him to phone you back?’
‘Yes. It’s urgent.’ She hangs up. They are well suited. I picture them at home snapping at each other like terriers. She can probably never finish her sentence either.
When I see Ward is off the line I’m about to buzz him, but then see a brochure on my desk that needs his approval so decide to go to his office. ‘Sorry,’ I mouth, backing out of his room when I see he’s on the telephone again, but he glances at the brochure and beckons me to stay.
‘I completely understand, Mrs Harman. Barker & Goulding are very good too.’
My heart sinks. I fear Spencer has won the pitch for Sittingbourne Park.
‘Life does get busy… no, I understand you can’t make a decision without your husband.’
Oh. Maybe we haven’t lost the pitch yet.
Ward clears his throat. ‘If there’s anything more we can do, please ask. We’d love to represent you and, of course, the summer is a great time to launch your house.’
