He's My Husband! - Lindsay Armstrong [23]
‘When do I get to see your work?’ Richard Holloway asked at that point, and she turned to him gratefully—anything to distract her from her thoughts...
‘Well, those are mine.’ She gestured to the candlesticks. ‘And all the pots and urns you may have noticed in the courtyard are, too. But I’ve got a shed in the garden; I’ll take you down after dessert.’
‘Can I come as well?’ Kim asked a trifle plaintively.
‘With pleasure,’ Nicola said warmly. ‘You’re the one who got me the job—if I’m good enough.’
‘Oh, I think we’ll all take a look.’ Brett glanced at Rod and Tara, who agreed readily.
So they all walked down to the shed in the garden after dessert, and it was Tara who said, ‘What a delightful hobby, Nicola! I just wish I had time for something like this.’
‘Yes, I’m into hobbies,’ Nicola shot back, before she could stop herself. ‘Keeps me out of mischief, doesn’t it, Brett?’
‘At times,’ he agreed gravely.
‘But these are so good!’ Kim proclaimed, and looked at Richard for confirmation.
It struck Nicola that Richard, who had been the perfect guest at dinner, had gone into a different mode as he handled a terracotta bowl in the shape of an open clam shell with fluted edges. ‘You used a wheel?’ he asked with a frown.
‘Yes, it wasn’t easy.’ She shrugged humorously.
‘I believe you.’ He put the clam shell down and picked up a vase glazed in a swirling riot of peony-pink on misty blue with a gold thread running through it. ‘Nor was this, I imagine.’
‘Well, I’ve always admired Moorcroft pottery, and their tube piping technique that gives that raised effect.’ She traced a finger down the gold thread. ‘Not that I could emulate Moorcroft, but it adds a lovely feel to a piece, don’t you think?’
Richard agreed absently and put the vase down carefully. ‘Nicola, you and I are in business. Can I come and see you—uh—I’ve got a meeting with the builders tomorrow—how about the next day, say ten in the morning? I’ll bring the plans.’
Nicola blinked, and glanced at Brett.
Who said easily, ‘Why not? Congratulations, Mrs Harcourt.’ He put his hand briefly over hers without, Nicola suspected, the slightest intimation that his words sounded like death knell to her. ‘Shall we go back and have coffee?’
Tara was the last to leave.
She asked Nicola charmingly for a quick tour of the house, and enthused over its design and all that was in it.
‘Of course, I didn’t do it,’ some perverse imp made Nicola say. ‘It was Brett’s first wife—they were still married when he built the house, so a lot of it is Marietta’s taste. Not that you can quarrel with it.’
‘You knew her?’
‘Very well. She was like an older sister.’
‘Does she see much of the children?’
‘Whenever she’s home Sasha and Chris go to stay with her.’
‘I see.’ This was said thoughtfully. ‘So it was an amicable parting?’
‘You’d have to ask Brett that,’ Nicola said swiftly. ‘And here we are.’ They walked back into the lounge and Brett stood up.
‘Lovely house, Brett,’ Tara said a little hastily, ‘and thank you for a lovely evening. Goodness, it’s late. I’d better be going!’
But before Brett could answer, Nicola said, ‘It was a pleasure to have you, Tara. Wasn’t it, darling?’ And she slipped her arm through Brett’s and laid her head on his shoulder for a moment.
Tara stared at them, and blinked once.
‘Yes, it was a pleasure, Tara,’ Brett said. ‘Uh—I’m sure it’s not easy to transplant oneself to a new town.’
Nicola lifted her head and struggled to keep a straight face, because, for once, Brett had sounded less than totally in command.
‘Especially a much smaller town,’ she said gravely. ‘I’m sure you’ll have a lot of adjustments to make, so if you need any advice, do give me a call. I’m an expert on the best boutiques, hairdressers and so on. And in the meantime,’ she added serenely, ‘we won’t be long out of bed ourselves.’ She glanced expressively at Brett and held out her hand to Tara. ‘Hope to see you again.’
Tara moved at last.
And Nicola kept her arm