brand-new, sparkling in the last of the afternoon sunshine, and making ours look even worse than usual.
“Now remember, be polite, and no running, or shouting. Or singing, Archie. Let’s just have a lovely swim.”
He tuts.
Maxine opens the side door.
“Hi, Jo, Grace is on the phone, but Lily’s in the pool with Meg, so go straight through. Gosh, hasn’t she grown?”
I hand Pearl to Maxine, who looks pleased. She’s got a soft spot for small people, even though she pretends she hasn’t.
“Hello, Pearl, how are you?”
“More.”
By the time we’ve changed into our swimsuits and I’ve persuaded Pearl that she really does have to wear her swim nappy, and Archie that he doesn’t need his snorkel, I’m really going off the idea of a swim. But the water is lovely, and it feels very glamorous, swimming in an indoor pool surrounded by such opulence with views of the woods, and perfect lawns. Even the towels are superior.
“Hi, darling, how are you?”
Grace looks stunning, as usual, in a white swimsuit. I can’t imagine ever choosing white, black provides so much more in the way of camouflage, but she looks lovely. Lightly tanned, and not a millimeter of anything remotely wobbly. Ellen’s right, it’s like she’s from another species.
Lily takes a shine to Archie and paddles around the pool after him, much to Jack’s amusement. Pearl is bobbing around in the inflatable baby seat Lily used when she was little, having a brilliant time. I managed to jettison the tiara during a nifty bit of footwork involving slices of apple or she’d definitely be wearing it.
“Ten more minutes, Meg. I think Sam has made some food, Jo, if that’s okay with you. Chicken I think.”
“That sounds lovely, Grace, thank you.”
I enjoy a mini-daydream where I no longer have to cook suppers because my chef has them ready and waiting when I emerge from my pool. I can’t really see it somehow, but it must be wonderful. Actually, I’d settle for someone to cook the occasional supper and do without the pool. No more pondering what to do with a packet of mince or how I can persuade Archie to eat omelets.
“I’ll just do a few more laps, Jo. Take the kids out with Meg and I’ll see you in the kitchen.”
“Great.”
“More.”
I’m not sure Pearl is quite ready for her supper yet.
Maxine’s sitting at the huge refectory table in the kitchen drinking tea by the time we’re all changed. The kids are starving, but Sam has everything ready, so instead of the usual wait while I race to get a meal on the table and they get increasingly crabby, the food appears the minute we sit down. Roast chicken and mashed potatoes and green beans, and a toddler-friendly fruit salad with yogurt, with cartoons on in the background on the giant TV screen. Everyone is blissed out, and I half wish I wasn’t eating later with Martin because the chicken looks so lovely.
Grace reappears in jeans and a pretty cotton shirt, with bare feet. Even her feet are beautiful, with perfect red nail varnish that she definitely didn’t do herself.
“Let’s go and sit by the fire. Meg will watch them for a minute.”
“We’ll need to leave as soon as they’ve finished eating or Pearl will start kicking off. She’s tired and that’s always tricky.”
Meg smiles and nods at Lily. “Same here. But they’ll be fine for a bit, Jo.”
“Max, bring us in some more tea, would you. I want my herbal stuff, and did you bring the wool, Jo? I want to see the new colors.”
I lift the basket I made up in the shop earlier, with a selection of the cashmere and silk mixes she likes, and the soft baby cotton.
“There are some lovely new Italian ones, really fabulous colors, and they knit up beautifully. Connie helped me with the order, so the price isn’t that bad either.”
I follow her across the hall and into the small living room, which has new sofas and armchairs, in a lovely mix of blue florals and pale greens.
“She’s the one who’s
“Now remember, be polite, and no running, or shouting. Or singing, Archie. Let’s just have a lovely swim.”
He tuts.
Maxine opens the side door.
“Hi, Jo, Grace is on the phone, but Lily’s in the pool with Meg, so go straight through. Gosh, hasn’t she grown?”
I hand Pearl to Maxine, who looks pleased. She’s got a soft spot for small people, even though she pretends she hasn’t.
“Hello, Pearl, how are you?”
“More.”
By the time we’ve changed into our swimsuits and I’ve persuaded Pearl that she really does have to wear her swim nappy, and Archie that he doesn’t need his snorkel, I’m really going off the idea of a swim. But the water is lovely, and it feels very glamorous, swimming in an indoor pool surrounded by such opulence with views of the woods, and perfect lawns. Even the towels are superior.
“Hi, darling, how are you?”
Grace looks stunning, as usual, in a white swimsuit. I can’t imagine ever choosing white, black provides so much more in the way of camouflage, but she looks lovely. Lightly tanned, and not a millimeter of anything remotely wobbly. Ellen’s right, it’s like she’s from another species.
Lily takes a shine to Archie and paddles around the pool after him, much to Jack’s amusement. Pearl is bobbing around in the inflatable baby seat Lily used when she was little, having a brilliant time. I managed to jettison the tiara during a nifty bit of footwork involving slices of apple or she’d definitely be wearing it.
“Ten more minutes, Meg. I think Sam has made some food, Jo, if that’s okay with you. Chicken I think.”
“That sounds lovely, Grace, thank you.”
I enjoy a mini-daydream where I no longer have to cook suppers because my chef has them ready and waiting when I emerge from my pool. I can’t really see it somehow, but it must be wonderful. Actually, I’d settle for someone to cook the occasional supper and do without the pool. No more pondering what to do with a packet of mince or how I can persuade Archie to eat omelets.
“I’ll just do a few more laps, Jo. Take the kids out with Meg and I’ll see you in the kitchen.”
“Great.”
“More.”
I’m not sure Pearl is quite ready for her supper yet.
Maxine’s sitting at the huge refectory table in the kitchen drinking tea by the time we’re all changed. The kids are starving, but Sam has everything ready, so instead of the usual wait while I race to get a meal on the table and they get increasingly crabby, the food appears the minute we sit down. Roast chicken and mashed potatoes and green beans, and a toddler-friendly fruit salad with yogurt, with cartoons on in the background on the giant TV screen. Everyone is blissed out, and I half wish I wasn’t eating later with Martin because the chicken looks so lovely.
Grace reappears in jeans and a pretty cotton shirt, with bare feet. Even her feet are beautiful, with perfect red nail varnish that she definitely didn’t do herself.
“Let’s go and sit by the fire. Meg will watch them for a minute.”
“We’ll need to leave as soon as they’ve finished eating or Pearl will start kicking off. She’s tired and that’s always tricky.”
Meg smiles and nods at Lily. “Same here. But they’ll be fine for a bit, Jo.”
“Max, bring us in some more tea, would you. I want my herbal stuff, and did you bring the wool, Jo? I want to see the new colors.”
I lift the basket I made up in the shop earlier, with a selection of the cashmere and silk mixes she likes, and the soft baby cotton.
“There are some lovely new Italian ones, really fabulous colors, and they knit up beautifully. Connie helped me with the order, so the price isn’t that bad either.”
I follow her across the hall and into the small living room, which has new sofas and armchairs, in a lovely mix of blue florals and pale greens.
“She’s the one who’s
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