fond of cheese and onion crisps, and next to a woman
who seemed to be going for the world record in marathon
mobile conversations. I really hoped that both of them were
only going as far as Bristol, because I'd rather be left alone to
imagine Leo with his shirt off. But my mind was being
squeezed into far more workaday lines. Such as—Jacinta's
face when Piers had dropped me off at work that morning,
and her comical outrage when I insisted there was absolutely
nothing going on between us, other than his staying over so
as not to have to drive all the way to Thirsk very late and
ever-so-slightly over the limit.
"He stay in your home and you are not even kissing ?" Jace
had shaken her head. "Alys, you are disgracing women."
"Look, for the last time, it's Piers , he's so much too young
for me that he might as well be in playgroup, he is not
interested in me nor I in him. And anyway, how come you're
always in so early? If you came in at the proper time, you
wouldn't even have seen him drop me off."
"I am aroused at six by my alarm."
I'd gone "hur hur" in a childish way. Jacinta had given me
a very arch look and I'd been quite glad when five o'clock
came and I had been able to head home and pack far too
many clothes for my weekend away.
It had been quite nice though, I had to admit, having Piers
over. When I'd finished my entire repertoire of shower songs
108
Slightly Foxed
by Jane Lovering
and emerged fully dressed, he'd been sitting at the table
drinking tea, eating toast and reading Florence's Cosmo Girl .
We'd indulged in a brief exchange on not taking Agony Aunt's
advice too seriously, I'd pinched a piece of his toast and he'd
given me a lift to work. All in all it had been a lot nicer start
to the day than my accustomed grunt from Florrie. No wonder
I'd arrived at Webbe's with a grin on my face and, I suppose,
no wonder Jacinta had misinterpreted said grin.
Exeter station was sweltering under a copper-gold sky
when I disembarked. This came as a shock to the system. In
York the weather had broken, grey rain was tipping out of
bleak chilly skies, and I was dressed accordingly in a sweater
and long skirt. Once I'd steamed onto the platform, it was
obvious I was as ridiculously overdressed as a pantomime
horse at a lap-dancing club. I was wondering if I'd have time
to sneak into the Ladies and change, when Leo came charging
onto Platform One, leaving assorted stunned-looking women
staring over their shoulders, as though the Milk Tray Man had
gone Express Delivery. "Alys! God, I was afraid I'd missed
you."
He looked both better, and worse, than last time I'd seen
him. Better in that he'd had a haircut and a decent shave.
Worse in that he was wearing a T-shirt stained with what
looked like creosote, the most horrific pair of shorts outside
an Eric Morecambe tribute show and a pair of rubber ankle
boots which made him look a bit like a kinky pixie. "Sorry
about the get-up. I was down on the yard, completely lost
track of time—had to come blasting over without changing."
109
Slightly Foxed
by Jane Lovering
"It's good to see you again." Inadequate maybe, but what
else can you say when you're only on your second meeting?
So much hung on this.
"And you, Alys." I found myself enfolded in a tentative hug
which gave me the maximum opportunity to ascertain that,
yes, the substance on his T-shirt was creosote. "Gosh. You've
certainly come well wrapped-up."
"Well, it's grim up north." It was a bit tricky to balance in
the top-only hug, and my legs were beginning to give out. I
performed a little shuffle and Leo took this as a hint to let go
and step back.
"Let's go, shall we?" He picked up my bag, gave a tiny
grimace at the weight, and we went outside to where the
Land Rover was triple-parked on a taxi rank. "If you like you
can come and take a look at the new arrivals. Would you like
to?"
As opposed to, say, shagging you senseless round the
back of the feed
who seemed to be going for the world record in marathon
mobile conversations. I really hoped that both of them were
only going as far as Bristol, because I'd rather be left alone to
imagine Leo with his shirt off. But my mind was being
squeezed into far more workaday lines. Such as—Jacinta's
face when Piers had dropped me off at work that morning,
and her comical outrage when I insisted there was absolutely
nothing going on between us, other than his staying over so
as not to have to drive all the way to Thirsk very late and
ever-so-slightly over the limit.
"He stay in your home and you are not even kissing ?" Jace
had shaken her head. "Alys, you are disgracing women."
"Look, for the last time, it's Piers , he's so much too young
for me that he might as well be in playgroup, he is not
interested in me nor I in him. And anyway, how come you're
always in so early? If you came in at the proper time, you
wouldn't even have seen him drop me off."
"I am aroused at six by my alarm."
I'd gone "hur hur" in a childish way. Jacinta had given me
a very arch look and I'd been quite glad when five o'clock
came and I had been able to head home and pack far too
many clothes for my weekend away.
It had been quite nice though, I had to admit, having Piers
over. When I'd finished my entire repertoire of shower songs
108
Slightly Foxed
by Jane Lovering
and emerged fully dressed, he'd been sitting at the table
drinking tea, eating toast and reading Florence's Cosmo Girl .
We'd indulged in a brief exchange on not taking Agony Aunt's
advice too seriously, I'd pinched a piece of his toast and he'd
given me a lift to work. All in all it had been a lot nicer start
to the day than my accustomed grunt from Florrie. No wonder
I'd arrived at Webbe's with a grin on my face and, I suppose,
no wonder Jacinta had misinterpreted said grin.
Exeter station was sweltering under a copper-gold sky
when I disembarked. This came as a shock to the system. In
York the weather had broken, grey rain was tipping out of
bleak chilly skies, and I was dressed accordingly in a sweater
and long skirt. Once I'd steamed onto the platform, it was
obvious I was as ridiculously overdressed as a pantomime
horse at a lap-dancing club. I was wondering if I'd have time
to sneak into the Ladies and change, when Leo came charging
onto Platform One, leaving assorted stunned-looking women
staring over their shoulders, as though the Milk Tray Man had
gone Express Delivery. "Alys! God, I was afraid I'd missed
you."
He looked both better, and worse, than last time I'd seen
him. Better in that he'd had a haircut and a decent shave.
Worse in that he was wearing a T-shirt stained with what
looked like creosote, the most horrific pair of shorts outside
an Eric Morecambe tribute show and a pair of rubber ankle
boots which made him look a bit like a kinky pixie. "Sorry
about the get-up. I was down on the yard, completely lost
track of time—had to come blasting over without changing."
109
Slightly Foxed
by Jane Lovering
"It's good to see you again." Inadequate maybe, but what
else can you say when you're only on your second meeting?
So much hung on this.
"And you, Alys." I found myself enfolded in a tentative hug
which gave me the maximum opportunity to ascertain that,
yes, the substance on his T-shirt was creosote. "Gosh. You've
certainly come well wrapped-up."
"Well, it's grim up north." It was a bit tricky to balance in
the top-only hug, and my legs were beginning to give out. I
performed a little shuffle and Leo took this as a hint to let go
and step back.
"Let's go, shall we?" He picked up my bag, gave a tiny
grimace at the weight, and we went outside to where the
Land Rover was triple-parked on a taxi rank. "If you like you
can come and take a look at the new arrivals. Would you like
to?"
As opposed to, say, shagging you senseless round the
back of the feed
Similar Books
