‘Thank you,’ she said, not sure if she was thanking him for his praise for her cooking or her ‘perfectly presentable’ figure.
She watched him eat, wondering if his rather flamboyant eating style would begin to grate on her eventually. She’d once known a woman who’dended a relationship because she couldn’t bear the way her beloved ate boiled eggs. And as her mind strayed into irrelevant thoughts and memories she wondered if they were all because Helena had put doubt in her mind.
‘So, dear Gilly …’ He put a well-manicured hand on hers. ‘What cocoa- and cholesterol-filled delight have you in store for us?’
‘Actually, pudding is very simple and not really very fattening. Maybe I had our figures in mind when I planned it.’ She didn’t see why the prosperous curve of his stomach should be overlooked while her own curves could be commented on.
‘Oh! Well! Very sensible, I’m sure.’
‘Not sensible,’ Gilly said firmly, ‘delicious! I’ll go and get it.’
As she had taken the trouble to dig out her very pretty green glass dishes with stems to serve the oranges in, she wasn’t going to have dessert disparaged.
‘Well,’ said Leo, when she’d put the oranges with caramel in front of him. ‘Not quite what I had in mind but, actually, it will go nicely after the pork.’
‘Thank you,’ said Gilly, irritated. ‘That’s what I thought.’
‘I don’t suppose you have a pudding wine, do you? I’m partial to a nice muscat at a time like this.’
Gilly got up and went to the fridge. She knew about his predilection for pudding wines; he’d mentioned it before.
She had poured them both a glass in her favourite vintage sherry glasses. She had stopped worrying about whether or not he was over the limit – she had empty bedrooms she could put him in. She didn’t offer coffee. She was tired.
‘This is what we’re doing,’ he said, having produced a file from his briefcase. ‘First, a cab to the airport – saves all that airport parking annoyance, although I did consider valet parking. We have a civilised flight time. I’ve booked business class – a bit extravagant but you’re worth it! And then, a really nice hotel. Here it is.’ He produced his laptop and found the site.
‘Oh my goodness, that hotel is amazing!’ said Gilly. ‘It must be fantastically expensive.’
‘I hope you’re not going to offer to pay your share, Gilly. I wouldn’t allow it.’
Gilly swallowed, then took another sip of muscat. Her glass had been refilled. ‘OK,’ she said, encouraging him to go on.
‘Then I thought we’d have a car for the first day, to take us around to the major sites. Of course we’ll visit the opera, and the Spanish Riding School. Is there anything in the art line you’d particularly enjoy? Apart from Klimt, of course.’
‘Actually, Leo, this is quite overwhelming—’
‘I want you to be overwhelmed! Overwhelmed with luxury, art, culture – there are some amazing churches to visit. Sigmund Freud’s house …’
‘So how many days have you planned to stay?’
‘Five days. That should give us time to eat our body weight in Sachertorte and schnitzel.’
Gilly’s eye had been caught by the date on one of the many bits of paper. ‘Leo! The booking is in June. I’m sure I said I couldn’t go then! Let me get my diary.’
The time she spent getting it, although not long, was time for her to get her feelings in order. She produced the family calendar that ruled her life. ‘Look. I have bookings. I know I told you about them!’
‘You did, darling,’ he said smoothly, the first time he’d used this endearment. ‘But I decided if we stuck to your schedule we’d never go. You can easily cancel your visitors or get your friend to accommodate them.’
Gilly didn’t respond. She didn’t know how to. He’d arranged a truly amazing trip for them and now she didn’t want to go. It was odd, Gilly thought. A couple of days ago, if Leo had done this she’d have thought he was being wonderfully masterful and she’d have found the whole thing very sexy. She’d have passed her bed and breakfast guests on to her friend and tried to make it up to them later. Now she was determined not to rush into cancelling her bookings.
Was it Helena’s ridiculous revelations that had done it? she wondered as she let Leo continue to talk about the cultural joys of Vienna, not having really acknowledged her doubts. Or was the dizzy, wonderful feeling that she associated with Leo always destined to be fleeting?
‘You don’t seem to be paying attention, my love.’
Gilly turned to Leo. ‘Sorry, do go on. Vienna sounds fascinating.’ Even if she didn’t intend to go there.
‘I’d actually asked if you had any brandy – or, better, port.’
Gilly got up quickly, the hostess within her still willing to please. ‘Oh yes, of course. I’ll get it.’
