‘Ah, OK, hours ago?’
‘Yeah, hours ago,’ Sylvie confirmed, smiling a greeting and gesturing that he should sit and join them. ‘There’s tea in the pot if you fancy. You’ve just missed Tom but it would seem your daughter could make a cracking farmer. She’s even enthused Sam, they got up at five…’ she smiled the thin smile that in parent code that said, oh yes, they really did, ‘…and insisted that Tom let them milk the cows.’
‘Five,’ said Alex loudly for impact whilst mouthing at Sylvie, ‘I’m so sorry, you are a saint.’
Sylvie smiled a very saint-like smile.
‘You got up at five to milk the cows? Was it fun?’ Alex continued, addressing the children again.
‘It wassofun,’ his daughter replied in her not-quite-teen-speak. ‘You know that old story book where they sit on a stool and milk the cows, well, that’s not how you do it in real life at all. It’s loads different, and there are twirly bits and hose bits and I know how to do it.’
‘OK, well, that is impressive stuff. I’m thirty-six and I don’t know how to do it that way. You’ll have to tell me all about it when we get home.’
‘Oh, I’m not coming home, am I, Sam?’
‘Um.’ Sam looked like he wanted to crawl under the table but found his voice, ‘Um… I think you are, but not today.’
‘No, Ells, you do have to come home today.’ Alex was firm.
‘Well, I’m going to town to do lessons with Sylvie and then the beach for a late-afternoon swim. You said, didn’t you, Sylvie?’
‘No, I said it would depend on what your dad wanted to do. You promised you understood that it wasn’t for sure, just possible that you might be allowed to come with us.’
Ellie narrowed her eyes as she looked at Sylvie and then decided the best way to play this was with her somewhat belated best-daughter act, and she slid her legs around from under the table and clambered onto Alex’s lap, pushing his cake plate out of the way and wrapping her arms around his neck.
‘Ah, Daddy, I’ve missed you. It’s nice to see you. I love you.’ She pecked him on the cheek and put on her most winning Ellie smile. ‘Can I go to the dancing and then the beach with Sam and Sylvie, please? You can come if you want. He can come, can’t he?’
‘He can, but he may have other plans. I tell you what, why don’t you and Sam finish your cake and go and get your things and I’ll talk to him and we’ll see.’
For some reason Ellie didn’t seem to argue with Sylvie, like she would with every other adult she had ever encountered, and Alex was most impressed as she slid off his lap, rammed the last bit of cake into her mouth, and turned around to face him, putting her big grin on again, cake crumbs falling from her mouth as she plaintively said, ‘Please, Daddy, please,’ before heading back into the house with Sam.
‘Wow, that was easy. How was she?’
‘She was a joy, she really was. And she slept through the whole night, I promise she did. Tom has taken a huge shine to her, and I’ve never seen that before. She is so high-spirited it’s infectious, and he was more than happy to show her the milking. He’s been trying to encourage Sam for ever but one word from Ellie and Sam is up with the lark and putting on his wellies. Your daughter has some serious skills. She could be running the country by twelve years old at this rate. It really has been an absolute pleasure. She’s brought sunshine to the farm and I’m tempted to ask if I can keep her. But don’t let her bully you into coming into Roscarrock and then having a swim if you’ve got things to do. I know how powerfully persuasive she can be.’
‘No, although I thought your classes were fully booked? Is there room for the kids? The beach will be nice, but it’s October, isn’t it a bit late in the year?’
‘Ah, what’s the matter with you? You can tell you’re not local-local. Best time of the year, all the tourists have gone home and the sea has had all of summer to heat it up. And the weather this weekend is stunning. Don’t tell me you’re not enjoying the heat on your arms – you’re in a T-shirt so you can’t argue that it’s not gloriously hot for this time of year. It’s about to turn so Sam and I wanted to make the most of it and get in the last swim of the season. And as to work, then I usually leave Sam with Tom but I was going to let the two come and be extras just this once.I really don’t mind. Especially as you’ve had a date and it’s kinda early in the morning for you to be joining us, don’t you think?’
She gave him an eyebrow wiggle that definitely hinted that he should be at home doing rude things.
‘Haha, you’re so bad! And no, it isn’t! I cannot tell you how horrendous last night was.’
He could be mistaken but he thought he saw the glimmer of a smile, different to her usual one, play at the corners of her mouth.
‘Oh, that’s a shame. I had high hopes of Claudia. Did she have three heads?’
‘Ha! Stop it! No, she didn’t, she was just my type actually. All tall and dark-haired with these deep brown eyes and well, she was physically very attractive.’
Another indecipherable flicker.
‘So, what went wrong? Your perfect woman turns up and you say it was horrendous.’
‘I don’t think I used the wordperfect, and how shallow do you think I am? Yes, she was very attractive but my God, her soul – pure evil. Not even Angelina – oh, you haven’t met her yet, have you? I’ll introduce you, so you know what I mean – but not even Angelina evil which is bad but quite amusing and with redeemable features. No, Claudia was pure evil. She referred to my decision to adopt Ellie as a nervous breakdown and she was rude to the waiters. That’s a definite no-no.’
‘A nervous breakdown? Ellie? Wow. I know you’re not supposed to hit people on dates but did you hit her?’
‘No, of course not, but my goodness, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. And when I let her know there would be no nightcap she really exploded. Didn’t I know how valuable her time is and how lucky I was to even be in with a chance? I am apparently absolutely shambolic – she was going to tell all of London what a loser I was.’
