to ask him if he knew what get it on with meant. I wanted to know myself. But we were scared of the answer so we both decided we'd rather believe in the mythical innocence of childhood.
“Who’s Akim?” I asked.
“He’s the new gardener. Dave is really interested in gardening, now. He's been going around buying all these plants and things. Sometimes he makes me go with him.” Obviously, Little Adam didn't share his dad's interest in horticulture.
“So when did Akim arrive?”
“A week ago. Greg got tired of Dave always buzzing around garden stores. He said if we had a gardener, Dave could take more of a gentleman's interest in the garden, rather than being all grubby and sweaty all the time.”
Sally and I looked at each other. “Guess he never thought the gardener would be interesting, eh?” Sally muttered under her breath.
I started to fold the letter up and noticed another PS from Dave.
“PS , whatever Little Adam tells you about the gardener, it's not true. I'm interested in the plants, not the planter. - Dave. ”
So now I had a possibly crooked cousin-in-law, a very irritated best friend, two friends in dire jeopardy, a newly returned missing quarter of a million pounds' family heirloom, and a Bolshie kid I had no idea what to do with. Oh, and a luncheon date with a luscious lord I didn’t fancy, in about five minutes.
Fine husband hunting trip this was turning out to be!
Five minutes - eek!
A glance in the mirror showed I looked like something that had fallen out of the ragbag. It would take an hour to fix the damage and at least a day to be glamorous enough for this date. I told Sally of my dilemma thinking she would be nice enough to help. But she shook her head, no, and gave me a look that said, sorry, kiddo, no can do. Not even for my best friend. The best friend who's going out with the fella I want.
“Bill the Builder is going to take me on a Viking water ride along the River Liffey, followed by luncheon at some plebeian place on O’Connell Street. I’m in a hurry myself.”
“I’m sure little Adam would enjoy a Viking boat ride. ” I hinted, fighting back tears. Sally waivered for a moment. She was going to say yes, she’d take the kid…At least I hoped she would.
“But I get sick on boats. I once threw up all the way to France,” Adam piped up.
Sally stopped wavering. “You’re on your own, Diana. Maybe Lord Joshua likes kids. You can show him what good mother material you would be for the heirs.” The feral smile she gave me failed to cover the nastiness that lurked in her words.
I couldn’t hide the tiny twinge of jealousy I felt knowing Bill had invited her out. Even though I knew it would be the best match.
I almost stuck the mascara wand in my eye when the fleeting thought hit me that my best friend might come out of this with a husband. And I might be toddling off home a spinster lady with a broken down household and maxed out credit cards.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I briefly thought of leaving Adam with the television and room service as babysitters . But it was like the kid read my mind and clung to me like a limpet. I couldn’t be angry with him. Imagine how the poor thing must feel, a child who’d suddenly discovered his devoted parents had no compunction about dumping him alone in a strange city and a strange hotel without even bothering to check if his godmother would be able to watch him. I silently muttered a brief curse at my dear friends Dave and Greg.
I plastered a big smile on my face as Josh waved to me from the hotel restaurant bar.
He looked only momentarily disconcerted when he noticed we‘d be a party of three for lunch instead of a cosy twosome. Breeding will show, after all. In fact, he made Adam feel very welcome; chatting to him while I studied the menu and tried to figure out what sort of meal a growing five year old boy would eat without fuss.
“Nice kid, your Adam,” Josh said, smiling.
“Do you like my Mummy?” The boy asked,
“Who’s Akim?” I asked.
“He’s the new gardener. Dave is really interested in gardening, now. He's been going around buying all these plants and things. Sometimes he makes me go with him.” Obviously, Little Adam didn't share his dad's interest in horticulture.
“So when did Akim arrive?”
“A week ago. Greg got tired of Dave always buzzing around garden stores. He said if we had a gardener, Dave could take more of a gentleman's interest in the garden, rather than being all grubby and sweaty all the time.”
Sally and I looked at each other. “Guess he never thought the gardener would be interesting, eh?” Sally muttered under her breath.
I started to fold the letter up and noticed another PS from Dave.
“PS , whatever Little Adam tells you about the gardener, it's not true. I'm interested in the plants, not the planter. - Dave. ”
So now I had a possibly crooked cousin-in-law, a very irritated best friend, two friends in dire jeopardy, a newly returned missing quarter of a million pounds' family heirloom, and a Bolshie kid I had no idea what to do with. Oh, and a luncheon date with a luscious lord I didn’t fancy, in about five minutes.
Fine husband hunting trip this was turning out to be!
Five minutes - eek!
A glance in the mirror showed I looked like something that had fallen out of the ragbag. It would take an hour to fix the damage and at least a day to be glamorous enough for this date. I told Sally of my dilemma thinking she would be nice enough to help. But she shook her head, no, and gave me a look that said, sorry, kiddo, no can do. Not even for my best friend. The best friend who's going out with the fella I want.
“Bill the Builder is going to take me on a Viking water ride along the River Liffey, followed by luncheon at some plebeian place on O’Connell Street. I’m in a hurry myself.”
“I’m sure little Adam would enjoy a Viking boat ride. ” I hinted, fighting back tears. Sally waivered for a moment. She was going to say yes, she’d take the kid…At least I hoped she would.
“But I get sick on boats. I once threw up all the way to France,” Adam piped up.
Sally stopped wavering. “You’re on your own, Diana. Maybe Lord Joshua likes kids. You can show him what good mother material you would be for the heirs.” The feral smile she gave me failed to cover the nastiness that lurked in her words.
I couldn’t hide the tiny twinge of jealousy I felt knowing Bill had invited her out. Even though I knew it would be the best match.
I almost stuck the mascara wand in my eye when the fleeting thought hit me that my best friend might come out of this with a husband. And I might be toddling off home a spinster lady with a broken down household and maxed out credit cards.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I briefly thought of leaving Adam with the television and room service as babysitters . But it was like the kid read my mind and clung to me like a limpet. I couldn’t be angry with him. Imagine how the poor thing must feel, a child who’d suddenly discovered his devoted parents had no compunction about dumping him alone in a strange city and a strange hotel without even bothering to check if his godmother would be able to watch him. I silently muttered a brief curse at my dear friends Dave and Greg.
I plastered a big smile on my face as Josh waved to me from the hotel restaurant bar.
He looked only momentarily disconcerted when he noticed we‘d be a party of three for lunch instead of a cosy twosome. Breeding will show, after all. In fact, he made Adam feel very welcome; chatting to him while I studied the menu and tried to figure out what sort of meal a growing five year old boy would eat without fuss.
“Nice kid, your Adam,” Josh said, smiling.
“Do you like my Mummy?” The boy asked,
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