Eventually they had to get out of the bath as the water was cold but Jago had found somewhere to heat a huge bath sheet that he wrapped round her. Then he picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. He lowered her to the bed and she had time to notice that there were clean sheets, dried in the open air, before he joined her. She felt she had never been so happy before in her life and certainly never had she been so in love.
It wasn’t until they were having breakfast the next morning – early as Jago had to go to work – that Helena remembered to ask him about James. ‘Amy is desperate to meet your newly single friend. Do you think he’d be up for that?’ She didn’t add that being so happy herself made her want to spread the joy.
He finished his mouthful, looking at her thoughtfully. ‘Actually, my single friend is longing to meet you, too. He wants to check you out, make sureyou’re good enough for me. And Amy’s a nice, jolly girl; I’m sure they’d get on well.’
‘A jolly girl? You think Amy is a jolly girl?’
‘Anything wrong with that?’
‘Not really, it’s just not very – I don’t know – it’s not how women like to be thought of.’
Jago shrugged. ‘Nothing wrong with jolly,’ he said. ‘Currently I’m too besotted by another woman to be able to see her best friend as sexy or beautiful or any of those things. She is pretty though, I’ll give her that.’
‘Big of you! Do you want the marmalade?’
‘Please.’
‘So, what shall we do? Have them both to dinner?’ She chewed her lip at the thought. It would be rather high pressure.
He shook his head. ‘Let’s keep it low-key. James will want to get a good look at you – he’s quite protective of his old mucker – and I think it would be better if we went to a nice wine bar that does food so we can stay on and eat if we want to, but all go home early if it’s a disaster.’
‘That sounds great. No cooking or tidying involved.’
He gave her a heart-stopping grin. ‘I think in American films in the fifties they called it “double-dating”.’
Helena giggled. ‘And me and Amy can go to the powder room to compare notes halfway through and say, “I don’t fancy yours much.”’
‘Perfect! I’ll ask James. But if he says yes, can I leave it to you to set up, find somewhere nice? I’ve got so much on.’
‘Of course! I’d like to do that.’
‘You are a wonderful woman. Do you know that?’ Then he gave her a toast-and-marmalade kiss and went to work.
A little later, Helena decided to go and see her mother. Gilly would want to hear about World of Wool anyway, and because she was Helena’s mother, she’d have to put up with hearing how wonderful Jago was. But she was going to call first and make sure it was convenient.
‘Mum? Only me. Can I come over?’
‘Of course you can, darling. But why are you asking first?’
‘You know why, Mum. I didn’t want to disturb you if you had a friend with you.’
‘I’m quite alone at the moment.’
It occurred to Helena that her mother sounded particularly upbeat and cheerful. Was it possible that she was in love too? Were she and her mother about to compare notes on their beloveds? The thought gave her mixed feelings. She was delighted, of course, but really, you didn’t want to think about your mother – any parent really – having a sex life. It was weird.
Helena had never thought she’d feel about anyone as she felt about Jago. She didn’t believe in that kind of love. But here she was, on cloud nine, mentally skipping about in the sky. For her mother to be in the same condition was just a bit mind-blowing.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Gilly put the kettle on when she’d disconnected from Helena. She felt the situation called for real coffee and freshly ground beans. Although it was still early days in her and William’s relationship she felt a bit guilty that they still hadn’t told Daphne or any of their friends about it. Helena knew, of course. And she should probably tell Martin although she felt certain that her son and Cressida would not be pleased.
She would talk to William the next time he called. Although mostly she let him do all the getting in touch (she was horribly old-fashioned), now she sent him a text to say that Helena was coming for coffee but that she probably wouldn’t stay past ten or eleven. Helena, she realised, now kept builders’ hours which meant she started early.
When Helena breezed through the back door a little later, Gilly’s mother’s heart soared with joy to see her daughter so happy. But a part of her was doubtful. She had had that madly-in-love glowherself when she had first been with her now ex-husband.
‘Oh, Mum!’ said Helena. ‘You’ve made real coffee. Are there B & B guests here?’
Gilly laughed. ‘Do I only make coffee when I’ve got paying guests?’
