‘You know, the chap you were engaged to? What was his name, Kate?’
Kate had the good grace to blush. ‘Mark. Sorry, Sarah, we haven’t been gossiping about you. Joy came round while Mark and Gary were staying, and your name came up in conversation.’
‘It’s not a problem,’ said Sarah, taking a large gulp of wine.
‘Shame it didn’t work out between the two of you,’ said Joy. ‘He seemed a lovely chap. Very brave. I wish my son had the guts to come out of the wardrobe.’
‘I think you mean closet, Joy,’ said Kate, suppressing a smile.
‘Wardrobe, closet, chest of drawers, I don’t give a fig what they call it. Each to their own, I say. If my son ever bothered to pick up the phone, he’d know I don’t care a jot who he’s sleeping with.’
Bob chuckled and leaned towards Sarah. ‘You’ll get used to her,’ he whispered to Sarah, pointing a finger in Joy’s direction.
Sarah didn’t want to get used to Joy. The old lady’s directness made her uncomfortable. The conversation moved on to safer topics, and Sarah ordered another glass of wine. As the alcohol reached her system, she relaxed.
‘Sarah,’ said Kate, pulling her chair closer. ‘I know it’s your day off, and I’ll respect that by keeping wedding talk to a minimum, but there was something I’d like to ask you.’
‘What is it? If you want to chat about wedding food, Fran’s the best person. It’s her kitchen, her menu.’
‘Our kitchen,’ said Fran, smiling at Sarah. ‘And I’m sorry, love, you’re right to protect your day off. We’ll arrange a separate time to talk about wedding menus.’
‘Of course,’ said Kate. ‘But it wasn’t just the food I wanted to talk to you about. I wondered, given you know the place so well, whether you could help me come up with a few wedding plans?’
‘Me? Hattie would be a better person for the job.’
‘But as we’re friends, I thought it would be something fun to do together?’
Friends? Did Kate count her as a friend?Sarah’s feelings towards Kate thawed. ‘I don’t know…’
‘I’ll throw in a bottle of wine, how about that? Are you free on Wednesday evening? Bob’s taking his mum to a pub quiz and I’m rubbish at those, so I’ll have an evening to myself.’
‘Please say yes, Sarah. I’m hopeless at all this wedding planning. You’d be taking the pressure off me.’ Bob gave Sarah a winning smile. She may be suspicious of Kate, but as much as she hated to admit it, there was nothing Sarah could find to dislike about Bob.
‘All right.’
‘Brilliant,’ said Kate. ‘I’ll pick you up about seven-thirty. How does that sound?’
Sarah wasn’t sure how that sounded. ‘Great, I’ll look forward to it. Excuse me, but I must pop to the toilet.’
Sarah was washing her hands by the toilet window when she heard her name mentioned in the courtyard beyond.
‘She’s a strange one, that Sarah,’ said Joy. ‘Not the friendliest girl I’ve ever met. Nothing like Mark, who seemed such a lovely young man. No wonder they didn’t work as a couple.’
Sarah held her breath, waiting for Kate, Hattie, or Felix to agree with Joy.
‘Hmm,’ said Kate, ‘I know you’re usually spot on in character assessments, Joy, but I’m afraid I think you’ve got Sarah wrong. Yes, she’s prickly, but it’s only because she has her guard up all the time. I think she’s rather shy.’
‘It’s a defense mechanism,’ said Hattie.
‘I think she’s rather splendid,’ said Bob. ‘She can be blunt, but I find it refreshing. So many people are trying to be something they’re not these days.’
‘We had a great time together this afternoon,’ said Felix. ‘I saw a totally different side of her.’
‘I get the impression she’s not used to having friends,’ said Millie. ‘I may be wrong, but if that is the case, it’s no wonder she’s awkward around people.’
‘She’s lovely to me, most of the time,’ said Fran. ‘And goodness me, that girl can cook.’
Sarah leaned against the toilet wall. It wasn’t just the three glasses of wine causing her head to spin. Were these people genuine, or did they know she could hear them through the open window? Sarah waited until the conversation moved on, then emerged back into the courtyard.
