Chapter 30
Gary and Tracy sat on their little terrace overlooking the large lawn. Any minute now their guests would be arriving. Tracy was fidgeting with her necklace. ‘I should have got caterers,’ she said, biting her bottom lip.
‘Don’t be daft, your hotpot’s delicious, they’ll love it,’ Gary soothed. He knocked back a swig of lager and burped loudly.
‘And don’t do that in front of them either,’ she rasped.
Gary laughed. ‘Calm down, Trace. I won’t show you up.’ He got up and spun round. ‘How do I look?’ They’d both bought new outfits for the occasion: Gary, blue chinos and a white short-sleeved shirt (which he’d just spilt lager on), and Tracy, a figure-hugging black dress. She’d put her hair up in a high ponytail and trailed ringlets down the sides. A brief sad moment had swept over her whilst doing it, sitting at her dressing table, remembering how Sharon had done something similar for her wedding day. She fleetingly reminisced about the giggles and fizz they’d shared that morning and a profoundly empty feeling had hit her. This made her more determined to enjoy tonight and make new friends.
She was a touch apprehensive about meeting Lord Cavendish-Blake, though inside she told herself not to be. They had paid good money for their house and had every right to be living on his estate. Even so, it was a far cry from the terraced back streets where her old friends would be tonight, living it up in the club, dancing and knocking back the vodka and Red Bull with gusto. She looked down at her cut-glass flute of Prosecco, her hand shaking.
Hearing a car door slam, they both shot up. ‘Show time,’ Gary said, smiling, then added, ‘Relax, Trace. Everything’s going to be fine.’ Together they walked round the side of the house to greet their first guest. It was Dylan.
‘Hiya, mate.’ Gary shook his hand.
‘Hi, Gary.’ Dylan turned to Tracy. ‘Looking lovely, Tracy.’ He kissed both her cheeks, making her blush slightly. Finula was just walking up the garden path.
‘Hi, Finula!’ Tracy called, her face looking relaxed for the first time that evening.
‘Hello there.’ Finula gave her a quick hug and a bottle of wine. ‘Hi, Gary,’ she nodded, then turned to Dylan. ‘Hello, you.’ She gave him a knowing grin.
‘We’re just round the back.’ Gary led them all to the seating area on the terrace. After he and Tracy had exchanged a few pleasantries and filled everyone’s glasses, Tobias and Megan appeared. They had walked together through the estate and followed the voices in the garden. Tracy was surprised they had arrived together and wondered if they were a couple. They certainly looked comfortable enough together.
‘Good evening. Thank you for the invite. I’m Tobias.’ Tobias held out a hand to Gary and then Tracy. Tracy shook it, noticing how warm and firm it was: a confident handshake. What else would you expect from a lord? He gave her a charming smile and again she blushed.
‘Pleased to meet you,’ she replied, then turned to Megan with a beam. ‘Glad you could come.’
‘I’ve brought you these.’ Megan handed over a colourful posy of flowers, collected from her garden.
‘Oh, thanks, Megan. They’re lovely.’ Tracy went through the patio doors into the kitchen to put them in water and check on the meal.
Gary, Tobias and Megan stood talking together about the plans Gary had for the garden. Tobias was nodding his head rather gravely, looking devastatingly handsome in a green linen shirt, which highlighted his green-hazel eyes. Megan bobbed her head, looking interested in what Gary was saying. She wore a lilac wrapover dress, which complimented her figure well. Dylan couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Finula prodded him hard in the side. ‘Oy, you, I thought you were supposed to be broken-hearted,’ she hissed.
Dylan’s eyes widened. ‘I am,’ he protested.
‘Then stop ogling Megan,’ she whispered back. ‘She’s Tobias’.’
Dylan turned to her and frowned. ‘News to me,’ he replied.
Tracy interrupted, ‘Tea’s ready everyone!’
As he made his way into the dining area, Tobias cringed inside at the sight before him. For a split second he opened his mouth, then shut it again. What on earth had they done to the place? Gone was the parquet flooring, totally hidden by a thick shag-pile carpet. Gaudy abstract artwork glared from the walls on large canvases. A huge plasma TV blared out from the corner, its surround sound filling the room. A smoked-glass dining table stood in the middle, accompanied by black leather chairs; nothing in keeping with an old English Gate House, steeped in history and character. Everything was totally out of place. Tobias winced at all the time, money and effort he had lovingly put into refurbishing this special place. The clumsy satellite dish plonked (illegally) on the side of the house should have been an indicator of the taste of the Belchers. Did they realise the Gate House was a listed building, or didn’t they care?
His mood began to decline. His eyes turned to Megan, who was sitting between himself and Dylan. She outshone all with her natural beauty and she looked a million dollars in that dress. He longed to pull the side tie, push it off her shoulders and let it fall at her feet. He could just about see her strawberry-shaped birthmark, which for some reason always stirred him. Suddenly he didn’t want to be here, sitting at this hideous glass table with everyone exchanging small talk, but in his big four-poster bed with a naked Megan wrapped round his hips. The thought made him semi hard and he coughed abruptly. Dylan turned sharply, misinterpreting it as a warning to stop flirting with Megan. He backed off immediately, making Tobias laugh to himself.
‘So, mate, are you racing at Royal Ascot?’ Gary asked with a mouth full of bread, looking towards Dylan.
‘I certainly am,’ he replied, taking a sip of his drink. There was a pregnant pause. Usually, the mention of racing would kick-start Dylan into conversation, but tonight it wasn’t forthcoming.
Feeling the need to fill the gap, Finula commented on the steaming food being piled onto the plates by Tracy.
‘Oh, this smells good, Tracy!’
‘Yes, it does,’ agreed Megan, wondering what the matter was with Tobias and Dylan, who had suddenly gone quiet. Tobias had been in good spirits on their walk to the Gate House, but now he appeared subdued, deep in thought.
‘It’s a taste of Lancashire, a good old hotpot,’ Tracy told them, spooning it out.
