Jason spluttered. ‘Don’t let Adrienne hear you say that. What ever happened to slow food? Good ingredients?’
‘All the ingredients around here are good,’ said Izzy. ‘I’ve made sure I’ve sourced the main ingredients from the local farm shop.’
‘I have to say, this beef is excellent,’ said Fliss. ‘And you’ve cooked it to perfection. Nice and pink in the middle and so tender.’
‘Do you think your mother could be any more obvious?’ asked Ross in a low voice, as he was loading the dishwasher and she was getting the dessert plates out from the cupboard.
‘My mother?’ She gave a quiet laugh, turning back to look at the tableful of people who were all engrossed in conversation. ‘I think she and your mother are in it up to their necks, don’t you?’
‘Sadly, yes,’ he said, a scowl on his face. ‘Brings back all those awful teenage memories. She was the most embarrassing mother at my school. She always managed to make a spectacle of herself. Scarred me for life.’ Despite his dry tone, Izzy got the distinct impression that there was a kernel of truth to his words about his teenage days. Xanthe had been equally embarrassing back in the day, but Izzy had worn it like a badge of honour. Her friends all adored Xanthe and thought she was the coolest mum in town.
‘I avoided telling her about girlfriends at that age, which I was right to do. She really messed things up for me once. I was seeing this girl at school and I really liked her. Unfortunately, my mother got it into her head that I was perfectly suited to one of her friend’s daughters and inveigled a set-up with this second girl. She kept inviting her round for dinner and before I knew it, thanks to Mum, it was all over the neighbourhood that this girl was my girlfriend. Girl number one was very upset and accused me of two-timing her, and girl number two believed my mum’s propaganda and thought my intentions were serious and she wouldn’t take no for an answer. In the end they teamed up together and both dumped me, making sure everyone knew I was an unfaithful dick. I was the most unpopular boy in school. From then on, I wouldn’t tell her anything or let her interfere in my love life. Today feels like history repeating itself.’
Unlike Ross, she chose to find the funny side of it. ‘It’s like being in one of those Regency novels where the best friends’ dowager duchess mothers are determined to marry their offspring off to one another.’
‘All the more reason to not let them know about us. There is no way I’m letting my mother select my future wife, let alone any other relationship. Now you understand why I don’t tell her about my books. I dread to think what she’d do with that information. Probably make glass interpretations of the covers. Blood and gore everywhere.’ He shuddered.
The words ‘lighten up’ danced on the tip of her tongue but she could see the irritation lining his face and decided to let them stay right there. She turned to watch him stalk back to his seat, a little saddened that he didn’t feel he could share his success with his mother and that he found her so difficult. Xanthe had her faults but Izzy never doubted that her mother was a hundred per cent behind her. It had been the two of them against the world for a long time.
The dessert was greeted with suitable appreciation and Izzy grinned, aware that the pavlova she’d whipped up was actually very easy to make, not that she was going to share that with anyone. Using the passion fruit had been a stroke of genius.Thank you, Jason.
‘That was a wonderful meal, Izzy. Thank you. You’re an excellent cook,’ said Alicia, patting her gently rounded stomach. ‘You’ll make…’
If she said she’d make someone an excellent wife, Izzy would brain her with the nearest saucepan.
‘…a real go of this place, I’m sure.’ Clearly Alicia had thought better of saying it, although her eyes came to rest on her son with a thoughtful gaze. He shot her a wary glance as if waiting for her next comment.
‘Ross is like his father, he forgets to eat when he’s absorbed in something.’
‘I don’t think Izzy has ever forgotten to eat, have you? Which is as well because I’m useless in the kitchen, aren’t I, darling? She took over cooking Christmas lunch the year after we had baked beans on toast. Can you believe, I forgot to get the turkey out of the freezer?’ Xanthe let out a gale of laughter, making light of what at the time had been a disaster.
‘I forgot to switch the oven on one year,’ declared Alicia with a wide grin. ‘Popped the bird in and we all went out for a walk. We got back expecting lovely smells to come wafting from the kitchen. Nada. Nothing. Do you remember, Ross? You were so cross. Remember that, Izzy – when he’s hungry he turns into hangry man.’
Ross’s jaw clenched and then he bit into one of the after-dinner chocolate mints with a distinct snap of his teeth.
‘We always used to go to the Toby Carvery on Christmas Day. My mum can’t cook for toffee,’ piped up Jeanette, much to Izzy’s relief, although she wasn’t sure if the other girl was aware of the tension or not.
‘Us too,’ chimed in Jason. ‘Me, Mum and me sisters.’
‘Do I even want to know what a Toby Carvery is?’ asked Fliss, the teasing smile in her eyes taking the sting out of her words.
‘You mean to tell me you’ve never been for aroastmasat a Toby Carvery?’ asked Jason, almost spitting out his lager in disbelief. ‘Fu… For a posh bird you don’t get out much, do you?’
‘I get out plenty, thank you very much.’ She gave him a playful nudge in the ribs.
‘You haven’t lived. When we get back, I’m taking you straight round there. Mind you, you’ll have to put in some training. There’s a knack to it, isn’t there, Jeanette?’
‘There is,’ she said. ‘Jim’s brilliant, he can get more on his plate than anyone else I know.’
‘I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about,’ said Fliss with a bemused shake of her head.
‘It’s an as much as you can eat roast dinner buffet,’ explained Jason. ‘You have to get your money’s worth. I pile the roasties, put the veg on the bottom, drape the meat over them, pour on the gravy, balance the Yorkshire puds on the top and then you hold on to ’em with your chin.’
‘Don’t even think about it, Graham, remember your cholesterol,’ said Alicia, tuning in to the conversation.
‘No, dear,’ he said, a wicked twinkle dancing in his blue eyes.
‘Does anyone want any cheese?’ asked Izzy, rising to her feet.
