Even if I’d just rescued the spider from a bigger spider—or a bird or something, I wasn’t clear on what, metaphorically, Robert was—I knew it could still bite me.
“Maria shouldn’t have left you to bring this up by yourself,” she said as I hovered awkwardly. “I suppose you volunteered, didn’t you? Sit, sit, there’s no call to loom.”
I sat down hastily in the furthest chair away from her, wondering how my day had ended up here. Did I really need to be a knight in shining armour? I could’ve walked away.
… only I couldn’t have. Even if she’d been a stranger, even if she’dactuallybeen my worst enemy. She’d been scared, and I was in a position to help.
I poured tea like I’d watched Teddy do on the first day, positive I was screwing it up but relying on whatever good will I’d built to get away with it. She’d be able to see I was trying, right? That I wasn’t deliberately being uncultured, I just didn’t know any better.
If anyone wanted to teach me, I would’ve been happy to learn.
For Kit.
I would’ve learned how to make and serve tea, how to talk to people, when to keep my mouth shut. Because right now there was half a chance I’d get to be with Kit, and I didn’t want to lose it.
We sat in silence for a moment, Kit’s mom looking out the window, holding cup and saucer in both hands.
She sipped the tea, paused, and then set it down.
“You made this yourself, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am. There wasn’t anyone in the kitchen, and I wasn’t sure where to find them.”
“Ah,” she said, taking one of the cookies.
I sipped my tea and figured out instantly how she’d known. No amount of milk or sugar could’ve rescued it.
This was why Kit didn’t let me make his tea ever again after the first time I’d offered.
“I suppose you are very handsome,” she said, which was a surprising compliment. “And I suppose I have been very harsh.”
Thatwas an even bigger surprise.
Not that I was complaining.
“I’d like to make you an offer, Andy,” she said. “May I call you Andy?”
“Sure.” I shrugged. “Only name I’ve got.”
Kit’s mom pursed her lips, but the look disappeared a second later as she replaced it with an almost-believable smile.
“I want you to know that I entirely understand how hard it’s been for you to fit in here, and I can see that you really are doing your best,” she said.
Well, I’d been trying sometimes, at least.
“And I think by now you realize what a monumental task that is. And it’ll only get harder as Kit… assumes new responsibilities, which he will have to do sooner or later. It’s all a bigger job than you expected, isn’t it?”
“Umm.”
“I’d like to write you a cheque,” she said, pronouncing it so sharply I knew she spelled itc-h-e-q-u-ein her head.
I watched in horror as she pulled a checkbook out from under the cushion of the armchair she was sitting in, along with a pen, and leaned over to scribble on it.
“For half a million pounds,” she added.
I blinked at her.What?
“Why?” I asked. I wasn’t clear on the exchange rate, and I hadn’t looked it up yet, but half a millionanythingwas a lot of money, right?
