He laughed softly. ‘Hello, Gilly. I’ve rung to tell you how much your house is worth.’
‘Go on then. I’m keen to know.’
‘Well, I hope you’re sitting down.’
‘Goodness,’ she said when he had told her. She’d thought she had a rough idea of how much her house was worth; this was quite a lot more.
‘Don’t make any hasty decisions,’ said Leo, ‘but if you do decide to sell, I’d be delighted to advise you. While I’m not really an estate agent – more a property consultant – there are a lot of charlatan estate agents out there and I could help you stay out of their clutches.’
‘I’ll definitely consult you if I decide to sell.’ She paused. ‘So, how much do I owe you for the valuation? And where and how do I pay?’ She wasn’t sure if you did pay for valuations but thought she’d better make sure.
‘Nothing. I did it as a favour.’
‘You can’t! You don’t even know me – I mean – before. I insist on paying.’ Gilly hated getting things for nothing.
‘I can, because I have a favour to ask you in return.’
‘Oh, well, that is a bit different. What can I do for you?’
He didn’t speak immediately. ‘It’s a bit awkward and you might think it terribly forward besides being very short notice …’
‘What is it?’ Gilly was on tenterhooks.
‘I was forced to buy two tickets for Music at Gainsborough tomorrow night. Do you have a clue what I’m talking about?’
Gilly laughed, feeling relaxed and very happy. ‘Of course! I’ve been a couple of times. It’s our local Glyndebourne, only they have it in a barn. It’s a shame it’s so early in the year but apparently they have it then because the singers are cheaper to hire or something. The gardens at Gainsborough House would be such a perfect setting for opera. Then it really would be like Glyndebourne.’
‘But it’s only extracts, isn’t it? Being new to the area I don’t know what to expect. Will you come with me? You’re probably going already – it’s such short notice,’ he repeated.
‘I’d be delighted to come with you, but as a pleasure, not a favour.’
‘Tell you what, you bring the picnic and we’ll call it quits. But let me do the wine. It’s a hobby of mine.’
‘Then I’ll do the food. It’s a hobby of mine.’
A second later she wished she hadn’t said that. Food definitely was a hobby of hers and ideas for a sumptuous picnic were already going round in her head but she didn’t want him to expect too much.
‘That’s wonderful! I’ll ring you tomorrow when I’ve worked out the details. I’ll arrange a cab so I can enjoy the wine.’ He sounded very pleased. ‘This is so kind of you,’ he said.
‘It’s so kind of you to invite me!’
‘To be honest, I don’t know any other attractive women in the area I could ask, so I’m thrilled you said yes.’
Gilly laughed. ‘I think I’d better end the call now,’ she said. ‘Ring me when you know the details.’
She went round the house in a haze of happiness, wishing she had someone she could tell about this rather surprising conversation. She didn’t want to tell Helena because she didn’t want to have to explain that she’d had the house valued. She wouldgo mad with rage at her brother and sister-in-law. No, she just wanted to enjoy the anticipation. Going to a big local event with an attractive man was a real ego boost. She was going to savour every second of the event, and the run-up to it.
But Gilly’s joy was marred by the burden of knowing how much her house was worth. While it was lovely in some ways, was it fair of her to sit on a property valuable enough to give both her children sizeable amounts of cash and leave enough for her to buy a little cottage somewhere? Probably not.
She was researching high-end picnic options when her son rang her. ‘Martin? Is everything all right?’
‘Mum! Does there always have to be something the matter? I just rang for a chat. That’s OK, isn’t it?’
‘It’s very OK, darling, it’s just very unheard of. You’re always so busy!’
‘Yes, well, we have plans to change that. We’ve decided we need to reassess our lives. We just don’t get enough time together as a family.’
‘Oh, darling, that’s wonderful! Little Issi – I mean Ismene – won’t be little for long; they grow up so fast. You don’t want to have missed it. Either of you.’
