‘Oh!’ she says with shock. And then she says it again with significance: ‘Oh.’
No.No. NO!
It’s overcast today, but it may as well be forty degrees Celsius and climbing. My blood is on fire.
She looks at me directly, her gaze shrewd and penetrating as my heart races, and then her eyes move up to the bun perched on top of my head.
‘Is this why you went so heavy on the red in the Georgian garden?’ she asks, turning to address her son.
He nods slowly, his lips pressed into a straight line.
She glances at me. ‘The lupins in the King George Garden,’ she says brusquely. ‘Planted a few years ago. It’s the only time Ashton has ever shown an interest in perennials.’
Ash is responsible for Nan’s rainbow of lupins? I’m too shocked by what he’s done to let the fact land.
She looks at her son, her expression growing contemplative. ‘I presume this is why Rebecca left for London.’
His eyes are gleaming with some sentiment as he gives his mother a single nod.
‘I see.’ She flashes me another quick, disconcerted look and then addresses her son. ‘I think we’d better have a talk.’
‘I’ll come and see you later,’ he promises sombrely.
She doesn’t make a move to leave, but neither does he. He just stands there, one metre away from me, as my heart pounds so violently I feel as though it’s going to leap out of my chest.
It finally occurs to Philippa Berkeley that her son is going nowhere, so she decides to make her own exit, stalking away with a weary sigh.
Ash meets my gaze calmly.
‘Oh, Ash, what have you done?’ I whisper with horror.
‘I didn’t think our secret had to extend to my own family,’ he says reasonably.
‘Of course it does!’ I screech-whisper, looking around wildly to ensure no one’s in earshot. It’s the middle of June – the place is swarming with visitors.
‘I understand how you might be embarrassed to be with me when it comes to your colleagues, but how can you be embarrassed about me around my own mother?’
He hasn’t switched back to his Welsh accent, but I can still hear gentle Ash beneath his clipped tone, trying to make light of the situation.
‘I’m not embarrassed ofyouaround her. I’m embarrassedofme!’ I wave my hands over my gardener’s shorts and polo shirt. How is he not taking this seriously?
He gives me a sympathetic look and reaches out for me.
I lurch backwards and quickly check to make sure no one has seen us.
‘Ellie,’ he says.
I shake my head at him, anguished.
He grabs my hand and pulls me under the cover of the nearby laburnum arch. It happens too fast for me to think about resisting, but as soon as we’re out of view, I spin on my heel to face him.
‘What if she fires me?’
‘She’s not going to fire you.’ He sounds dismissive.
‘I can’t believe you would risk ruining this for me.’
‘She’s not amonster.’ He sounds taken aback.
