‘I had a look around this morning, but a loo break would be good.’
Leo insisted on standing next to her while Gilly stood in for Helena and she wished she could ask him to go away. Eventually she saw William trying to push his way towards Helena’s stall. He was quite a way away. If she was quick she should be able to get rid of Leo. ‘Leo! Would you be very kind and get us some tea? Then we can have a piece of shortbread? I didn’t have much lunch.’
‘If that’s what you want,’ he said fondly, and kissed the top of her head.
She moved away from him, feeling horribly patronised. Then she looked up and felt even worse. William had stopped and was looking at her, confusion on his face. He had obviously seen Leo’s possessive gesture and didn’t know what to think.
She tried to smile reassuringly but it was difficult to say, ‘I didn’t invite this man, I didn’t want him to kiss my head, it’s you I’m interested in,’ in a gesture like a smile, however hard you tried.
William raised a hand in greeting and then turned back. Gilly felt bereft.
Cressida and Martin came up. ‘Are you OK staying for a bit, Gilly?’ said Cressida. ‘There is some amazing stuff here! There’s a handbag over there that has my name on it. I might persuade Martin I need an early birthday present.’
After they had gone and Helena had come back, Gilly told her where Martin and Cressida were headed.
Helena raised her eyebrows. ‘There’s nothing on that stall that is cheaper than a month’s mortgage payments. I’m glad they’re feeling so flush. The man who makes the leather belts is so nice and I’d love to buy something from him, but I just can’t. Oh, I did buy something that you might like to give Issi for a present though. It’s way above my budget, but knowing how generous you are …’
Gilly looked at the little box that Helena put into her hand. ‘It’s amazing! I love it! And it’s perfect for Issi. I must go and have a look at the other stalls. Would you be all right here for a moment?’
‘Absolutely! Take the shortbread; it may get you a discount.’
‘Oh, here’s Leo with the tea,’ said Gilly, suddenly very depressed.
‘Ooh,’ said Helena. ‘I must just pop over to George with the shortbread. I forgot he brought me a cup of coffee earlier, I promised him something if you brought food.’
Gilly recognised a quick excuse to get out of the way when she saw one but was grateful. Leo and Helena together would have made her extremely uncomfortable.
‘Sorry it took so long,’ said Leo when he arrived. ‘There was an enormous queue and then I met some people I know and couldn’t get away.’
‘That always happens to me,’ said Gilly, taking the polystyrene cup. The tea in it was tepid, but she drank it anyway. She realised that Helena would be opening the Prosecco soon and she might well miss the opportunity to share it.
‘And I hope you won’t be disappointed,’ said Leo, ‘but I’m afraid I’ve got to go. I was intending to stay a bit longer, but something has come up.’
Relief made Gilly smile warmly. ‘Oh no, don’t worry about it. It was lovely of you to come at all.’
‘You’ll give my love to Helena, won’t you? Tell her how much I like her scarves.’
‘Absolutely,’ said Gilly warmly, ignoring the thought that if he liked them so much he could have bought one.
Helena reappeared the moment Leo had gone. ‘If you really like him, Mum, I will make an effort. It’s just seeing him gives me flashbacks to that time we nearly died.’
Gilly was aware her daughter really meant ‘the time Leo nearly killed us’. ‘I don’t like him but Cressida and Martin seem to adore him! It wasn’t my idea to invite him to this.’ She omitted to mention William; Helena had enough to think about. ‘I should have asked him for a lift home really, but I couldn’t bring myself to. He’d have taken it as encouragement.’
‘We could tell Martin to hurry up,’ said Helena. ‘I will if you’d rather not.’
Gilly was well aware that Helena thought that Martin and Cressida bullied her a bit and her daughter wasn’t entirely wrong.
‘Or Jago could do it!’ said Helena. ‘I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I know he’s only coming to support me. I gave him one of my free tickets. This is such a brilliant event,’ she went on. ‘I’ve earned far more than my entrance fee although I have also sold practically everything I’ve made so God knows what I’ll have to take to Woolly World at the end of the month.’
‘I could always give you back all the rugs and throws you’ve made for me over the years. Not that I don’t love them but—’
‘Brilliant idea, Mum! I can remake them for you after the show! Oh, and here’s Jago.’
As Jago drove Gilly home in Helena’s car she thought what a nice man he was. Why did she think there was something a bit odd going on between him and Helena? They should be all over each other. Still, she decided, maybe she should sort her own love life out before starting on her daughter’s.
Chapter Twenty
The show was over and everyone was packing up when Jago reappeared.
