“It most certainly is not. But don’t think you can compare your situation to mine, young lady. I am old and alone and will spend the rest of my days in this miserable little house.” She swept a hand to encompass not just the dated kitchen, but the dark hallway and the sitting room that Claire could see from thekitchen was a study in brown and plaid. “I don’t even like this house,” she added. “It was my sister’s, and she left it to me in her will.”
“Why didn’t you sell it and buy something else?” Claire asked, and Eleanor’s sparse eyebrows rose in indignation.
“You are impertinent.”
“Probably. And I’m not normally like this, but...” Claire shrugged. “I do know what it’s like to feel unhappy and wonder what you’re doing with your life. Yes, I had a job, but I hated it, and I’m much happier now stacking newspapers in the shop. And yes, I had a man, but I think the only reason he wanted to marry me was because I looked good on his arm and I never made a fuss. I’d rather be alone.”
Eleanor sniffed and said nothing.
“Look, it’s no good staying cooped up inside all the time,” Claire said. “Why haven’t you joined one of the village societies? You used to do embroidery, didn’t you?”
“I can’t anymore,” Eleanor said stiffly. “My eyesight isn’t good enough.”
“Oh.” Sympathy twisted inside her. Was there anything good about growing old? “What about another club? I see the notices on the board in the shop. Bridge club, gardening club, cake and coffee in the church hall on a Tuesday...”
“I don’t garden and I fell out with Maureen Lemmon years ago,” Eleanor said. “She runs the bridge club. And she cheats.”
“Oh.” Claire nibbled her lip. “What about the pub quiz?”
“The pub quiz?” Eleanor repeated, disdain dripping from her voice. “I do not—”
“It’s tonight, and it’s good fun.” Even if it hadn’t been for her. “I bet you’re good at trivia quizzes. You might even win.”
“I have never done a pub quiz in my life,” Eleanor declared.
“Then it’s about time. We can make up a team—you, me, Dan, and...” She cast about for another name. “Lily Campbell. Sheseems like the trivia type too.” Claire had no idea how she was going to convince Dan to participate in the pub quiz, but she was determined to try. “Come on, Eleanor,” she urged. “What have you got to lose?”
“My dignity?”
“It’s fun.”
“That is a matter of opinion,” Eleanor retorted, but Claire could tell she was relenting. She saw it in the way her hand had relaxed on her dressing gown and her gaze had taken on a thoughtful, almost crafty look. “Very well. I suppose I could go once.”
“That’s the spirit.”
“Do not condescend to me, young lady,” Eleanor snapped.
“Sorry.” Claire bowed her head in brief contrition. “I’ll meet you here at seven, and we can go on to the pub. And,” she added as she turned towards the door, “my name is Claire.”
“No,” Dan said flatly when Claire broached the idea with him later that morning.
“For Eleanor’s sake,” Claire urged. “One pub quiz. How bad can it be? You might, God forbid, actually have fun.”
“You don’t even like pub quizzes.”
“I know. You see the sacrifices I’m willing to make?” She was hoping for a smile, but Dan’s expression didn’t change as he locked up the post office for the lunch hour. “Please, Dan,” Claire said, and laid a hand on his bare arm, her fingers closing over his “sapper” tattoo.
He stilled, and Claire registered how warm his skin was and how touching him just on the arm made her feel kind of tingly inside. Hugh had never made her feel like that.
She thought she should remove her hand, but she didn’t want to and Dan wasn’t shaking it off.
“How about it?” she pressed, and he sighed.
“Fine,” he said. “One pub quiz.” And then he shook her hand off.
After work Claire walked up the high street to the Campbells’ house to ask Lily if she wanted to come to the pub quiz that night. She hadn’t seen Rachel since they’d had a drink together last week, and she felt a niggling sense of guilt for not reaching out to her. She didn’t even know how her mum was doing or when she’d be able to come back home. Some friend she was being.
Meghan answered her tentative knock, and Claire drew in a startled breath at how awful she looked.
