‘What made you think about that, Lizzie?’ asked Alexandra.
Lizzie hesitated, not sure if she felt private about her feelings. ‘It was seeing Vanessa and Hugo at our dinner party last night. I envied the way he looked after her, making sure she was safe and happy.’
‘I don’t think all brothers are like that,’ said Alexandra. ‘Some are horrors!’
‘Although being an only child is a lot of responsibility,’ said Meg. ‘Especially if your mother is a widow. Being with you two means I can forget about that most of the time. Although my mother is fine at the moment, in her new job, doing well.’
‘Sorry, I’ve forgotten,’ said Alexandra. ‘Where is her job?’
‘She’s an assistant matron at a boys’ school,’ said Meg. ‘She says she loves it, although she misses Clover, of course.’
‘We’re here now,’ said Lizzie as they arrived on the street where Mme Wilson had her premises. ‘Oh, look, there’s Vanessa. She’s waving. She looks excited.’
‘I can’t believe I felt shy of her when I saw her on the first day,’ said Meg, still being thoughtful. ‘She’s really normal and nice when you get to know her better.’
‘Most people are OK when you get to know them,’ said Alexandra. ‘With a few exceptions we don’t need to talk about now.’
‘Hi, girls!’ said Vanessa when they were within earshot. ‘Our last day and we’ve survived! I never thought I’d make meringues that Madame didn’t curl her lip at.’
‘Nor me!’ said Lizzie.
‘I’m glad I’ve got you three alone. I want to invite you to a party at our house in the country. It would be for the whole weekend, obviously. I can’t invite everyone on the course to stay as there’ll be aunts coming so bedrooms will run out quickly, which is why I’m asking you first.’
‘How lovely!’ said Lizzie. Then doubt hit her. Hugo was bound to be there and seeing him wouldn’t help her get over her crush on him. And Electra’s presence – she was bound to be there too –would make it very painful. ‘But I’m not sure I can come,’ she added.
‘You don’t know when it is yet!’ said Vanessa. ‘Don’t be a spoilsport. Hugo would be really disappointed if you couldn’t come.’
‘Would he?’ asked Lizzie. ‘Why?’
‘Because he thinks you’re a nice friend for me,’ Vanessa went on. ‘In fact he thinks you’re all nice friends.’
‘I think it sounds a lot of fun,’ said Alexandra. ‘Thank you so much for asking us. I’m sure we can come.’
‘Yes, thank you,’ said Meg.
‘It looks as if we’re all accepting your kind invitation,’ said Lizzie; then she smiled, pleased to be almost forced into doing something that would bring her close to Hugo. She had tried to be sensible but had been overruled by her friends and social requirements. Her mother would be utterly delighted to think she’d been invited to stay somewhere grand.
‘We’d better go in,’ said Meg. ‘It’s nine o’clock.’
Mme Wilson got everyone making canapés and when they were done, she produced champagne and everyone toasted each other. Lizzie realised you could tell those who drank champagne fairly often and those for whom it was a rare treat. She was definitely in the ‘rare treat’ camp.
Meg was given a set of Elizabeth David cookery books as a prize for being the best student. Mme Wilson thanked everyone for being good pupils and told them to tell their friends about her course.
‘I only want people who have been personally recommended,’ she said. ‘My course is very exclusive, for the daughters of the aristocracy and gentry only.’
Meg and Lizzie exchanged glances. ‘She slipped up when she let us in!’ Meg whispered.
‘Not at all! Star pupil!’
After they had been dismissed by Mme Wilson, most of the students went to the pub. When they came out an hour later, everyone was a little tipsy.
‘We should have had lunch before we went to the pub,’ said Alexandra. ‘I know, let’s go to Maria and Franco’s!’
There was a little gaggle of them in the end, all welcomed and served with good filling Italian food and coffee. Lizzie, Alexandra and Meg were the last to leave and when they finally headed for home and Clover, they had bags full of Italian pastries for David and ham scraps for the dog. A cab home seemed essential!
The official invitation to Vanessa’s party in the country arrived a few days later and Lizzie instantly felt she must get her hair trimmed.
‘I’ll have to pay for it this time,’ she said to Meg and Alexandra as they ate breakfast together in the kitchen. ‘But thanks to you, Meg, getting me in as a waitress at that big do at the last minute, I’ve got a bit of extra money so I can afford it.’
