Carrie laughed and quickly moved to his side, her arm hovering next to him as he strode across the uneven ground.
‘I don’t need any help,’ he said, brushing her away even though she hadn’t even touched him. ‘I’m not senile and I’m not concussed.’
‘This is my friend, Jules,’ she said. ‘You remember I told you about her.’
‘Of course I remember,’ he retorted. ‘The knee might be dodgy, but the mind is still pukka, and we have already met.’
‘The Major’s bark is worse than his bite,’ Carrie said affectionately.
‘Hmph!’ he said, lifting the hat from his head and examining it. ‘This came from a rather special shop in Seville. My wife bought it for me before she died. Tiny little place on a corner which we discovered by chance, with tall, curved windows and fitted inside with mahogany framed glass-fronted cupboards that stretched from waist height right up to the ceiling, brimming, if you’ll pardon the pun, with Panama hats of every size.’
‘Oh, my goodness, I do hope I haven’t damaged it,’ Jules said, ‘or you, sir.’
‘You don’t need to worry about that,’ Carrie said. ‘The Major is indestructible.’
Jules spotted the ghost of a smile twitching his lips.
‘And the hat?’
Vivid blue eyes met hers.
‘I’m pleased to report that it appears unscathed.’
She exchanged a glance with Carrie.
‘Phew! That’s a relief.’
‘Or we’d all have had to hop on a plane to Seville,’ Carrie chuckled. ‘What a hardship that would have been.’
‘I doubt that shop is still there,’ The Major said. ‘Progress has probably taken its toll.’
‘Well, South America then,’ Carrie added.
‘You do know that Panama hats don’t come from Panama, don’t you?’
Jules opened her mouth to reply, but The Major continued before she could get her words out.
‘They actually come from Ecuador. Toquilla straw, they’re made from. Most people don’t realise that. A good hat is one of life’s pleasures when one gets older. The classics are often the best, don’t you think?’
Again, Jules opened her mouth to reply, but…
‘Like a piece of Victoria sponge cake at teatime. Most important meal of the day, tea. Have you tried the Victoria sponge? No? So many fancy cakes these days, but mark my words, a good Victoria sandwich can beat them all.’
‘I’ll remember that.’
‘Has Carrie been showing you around?’
‘We’ve just started.’
‘Don’t let me stop you. All and sundry walk around these gardens now.’
‘Andrew,’ Carrie said, a hint of a scold in her voice, ‘remember what we agreed.’
‘Hmph! Thinks I should be grateful, this one. What do you think?’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. You look like the sort of person who has opinions.’
