• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1807 0

novel, with the wind in my hair, at the foot of my father's grave? What was I waiting for? Vibes? For a voice beyond the grave? An extremely well-tended grave, at that, with fuchsias shivering in a vase, atop a nicely mown mound: fuchsias, which could only have been put there by Felicity, who came regularly to change the flowers and the water – the vase, sometimes, when it was stolen – and yet, here I was, for only the second time since his funeral, and all that had brought me here… was money. I caught my breath. Swallowed. Then I turned on my heel and walked away: back up the tarmac path, arms folded, head bent, and out through the wrought-iron gates.

Caro rang me on my way home, breaking into my thoughts, making me jump.

‘I've got a police car up my backside so I've got to be quick.’

‘Well, I'm driving too. What is it?’

‘A lorry has shed its load on the A40 and I am completely and utterly stuck in stationary traffic. In about twenty minutes I've got a wedding reception in the garden and I'm not going to make it.’

‘Oh Christ. Alice Montague.’

‘Exactly, and I can't get hold of Tim. Can you get there for me, please, Evie?’ She sounded desperate.

‘And do what?’

‘Not a great deal, just organize the children to park the cars – the boys know where – and then sort of stand around looking charming. They don't actually want you there but they really really mind if you're not, if you know what I mean.’

‘OK,’ I said doubtfully.

‘You're a star, because I have absolutely no idea when I'm going to get back, and I've got Leonard with me and he's a bore,’ she hissed.

Leonard. I had an idea he was an elderly uncle. I hoped his hearing wasn't too acute. ‘Where is he?’

‘In the back. Thanks, Evie, bye.’

She rang off quickly before I could change my mind.

Right. I clicked my phone shut and tossed it on the seat beside me. Well, yes, I could do that. Stand around like Lady Bountiful, be a sort of mistress of ceremonies. I hadn't entirely planned on seeing Ludo quite so soon after saying goodbye, I thought with a sudden qualm, but then, as Caro said, it was a background presence she needed: I probably wouldn't even set eyes on him. And I certainly owed Caro. Hadn't thanked her yet for having Anna for most of half-term. And she'd sounded all right, hadn't she? Caro? Not in any way pissed off or livid about anything Tim had told her? Or shown her? No. So forget it, Evie. Another little inward shake.

And a wedding would take my mind off things, I decided. Be just what I needed. But what I really must do, I determined, glancing down at my jeans, was change. I was very much the Pony Club mother at the moment and I needed to be the lady of the manor. I'd seen Caro do it once or twice, lipstick smile in place, hands clasped, floral frock: ‘Yes, aren't the roses lovely, but then it's been a very good year…’ I wasn't sure I could run to the floral number, but I might give my linen trousers an airing, with a white top and a long chiffon scarf… ideal.

I parked creatively outside the house and nipped up the steps. Everyone double-parked these days, and I'd only be a minute. The door was double-locked so Ant wasn't at home. Must have gone into college. I was pretty sure he didn't have a lecture today, but then, as he occasionally drily observed, it was all very well for writers who were just writers, but when one was juggling a day job as well… I wondered if he'd chuck it in one day – college. Just write. Couldn't quite imagine it somehow.

As I went in and shut the front door behind me, a heavenly smell wafted up the passage way. Mmm… jasmine. Or was it sweet peas? I pursued it to its source, down the hall, to the kitchen, which was where I realized it was neither of those, but roses. Two dozen at least, bright red, sitting plumb in the middle of the kitchen table in one of those sort of colostomy bags full of water. I stared. Slowly put my bag and car keys on the table. My heart began to quicken as my eyes snagged on a white card, waving at me in a jaunty fashion, on the end of a long green plastic stick. No envelope. I released it from