‘Yes, yes of course, but while we’re talking, you won’t mention to anyone from the agency that I was here tonight?’ I looked at her, puzzled for a moment. ‘It’s no biggie, but best to keep these things separate, don’t you think?’
I shrank back from her murky grey eyes. Boy, this girl is used to getting her own way.
‘I’m sure you wouldn’t want your new fashionable friends to find out you belong to a literary dating agency, would you?’ she added bluntly. Ah yes, this is the Jessica Palmer-Wright I am used to – back to her bitchy self. I don’t know what her game is, but I’m certainly not interested in having anything to do with it.
‘No, it’s just – look, I don’t care what you’re doing here, or who you are friends with, I’m not going to mention it, okay?’ I said.
‘Fine,’ Jessica relinquished her grip on my arm, which was too firm for comfort. She turned and called loudly, ‘Bye then’ from the doorway with an insincere smile, before returning to the others in the drawing room.
So, the whole thing was very strange but I’m certainly not going to tell my mother – she would demand I leave my job immediately.
I get off the phone from Mum as quickly as I can but the call has still lasted over half an hour, and in that time, Mel has disappeared out before I have a chance to catch up with her. I don’t know where she was going, in fact she has been acting a bit bizarrely the last week or so. I have hardly seen her to speak to properly since the ball.
At least I have a date with Daniel to look forward to – his text asking me out for the day in the country was very welcome if not as romantic as a written invitation. After, we’re having dinner with Mum and Dad as I’d like them to meet him.
Daniel turns up on time and kisses my cheek. Just the warmth of his hug and infectious smile makes me happier. The uncertainty of the evening at Natasha’s and all the rubbish with Rob has simply melted away.
‘So, did you miss me?’ Daniel asks, grinning.
‘Maybe a bit.’
We drive to Box Hill again as it’s a sunny day and we enjoyed it there so much last time.
Upon our arrival, we walk hand in hand, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Who needs an expensive chandelier – with Daniel I feel maybe money isn’t so important after all.
‘Was the ball eventful in spite of my absence?’ he asks.
‘Yes, it was pretty full-on, perhaps a bit too much drama for my liking.’
‘Surely not at a Regency Ball?’ Daniel mocks.
‘There were nearly a couple of punch-ups, but it was fine really.’
We reach the top of a field of freshly mown grass, sloping away gently down the hill.
‘It’s a shame we can’t stay carefree like when we were children. I used to love rolling down hills like this when I was little,’ I say wistfully.
‘What’s stopping you then?’ Daniel smiles cheekily.
He helps me over the stile and sits himself down at the top of the hill. ‘Come on!’ he calls, patting the ground next to him. I lie on the prickly grass a short distance from him. He pushes off and rolls away down the hill, picking up both tufts of grass and a fair bit of speed as he goes.
I roll more slowly, over and over, it’s amazing actually. I feel like a little girl again, no preconceptions, no prejudices, just amazing freedom. I get faster and faster, rolling down the hill, catching Daniel up, bumping along until we both end up in a tumbled heap at the bottom.
I must look a complete sight, covered in grass from head to foot, but most of it’s in my hair. ‘Come here,’ says Daniel, picking pieces of grass from my jumper. He looks at me intensely, then raising his hand to my chin, draws me to him and we kiss. He pulls me down onto the tumbled grass beneath him. His lips feel warm and firm. Mmmm, this guy knows what he’s doing.
It’s heavenly, the sun beating down on us, the grass deliciously cool, tickling my back, and the feel of Daniel’s arms around me. We kiss for what seems like an age but I don’t want to move. Then his hand travels down to find the hem of my skirt, which he expertly starts to lift, stroking my thigh with his other hand. Distracted, I push his hand away gently, not wanting him to stop kissing me, but not wishing him to go any further. Undeterred, he insistently places his hand down again, deftly pulling up my skirt. He obviously intends more than kissing.
‘Daniel.’ I manage to break away and with effort push him off as he doesn’t seem to be getting the hint. I feel distracted and awkward, picking grass off my top.
‘Mmmm?’ He follows me with his mouth. ‘Come on, Soph.’ He pushes me down again.
‘Look, Daniel.’ I pull myself free and wait a few seconds. ‘Can we take things a bit slower?’
‘Oh?’ He looks momentarily grumpy.
‘It’s just I’m a slow-burn kind of girl,’ I explain gently.
‘That’s okay, I can wait,’ he remarks jauntily, recovering his equilibrium and giving me his hand, pulls me to my feet.
We walk in silence to the end of the track, the magic somehow broken.
When back in the car on the way to Mum and Dad’s, however, Daniel is chatty again and things feel more comfortable – he’s so easy to get along with and I wonder if I imagined his momentary grouchiness earlier.
My parents love Daniel – not surprisingly; he is charming, polite, easy-going, happy to eat everything and join in with everyone’s plans without a murmur. Even Ben likes him.
‘Where did you find this one, sis?’ he jests. ‘He’s not from your usual pile of social rejects.’
‘Yes, not bad, is he?’ I reply, pausing momentarily to admire Daniel’s toned upper body, nicely fitted into his polo shirt. He’s talking to my mum in an animated way about his work and she’s looking impressed for once.
‘How’s Becky?’ I ask.
Ben goes a bit quiet. ‘We kind of…’
‘Split up?’ I add helpfully.
‘If you put it like that.’
‘Not again, Ben.’
‘It’s fine, I don’t really want to talk about it. Anyway, I’m going out with Tiffany now, you know, from the squash club. She’s really nice and bubbly.’
‘Not the Tiffany who’s been going out with Johnny for the past two years – aren’t they together anymore?’
‘Maybe, I don’t really know.’ Ben’s looking sheepish.
‘Ben?’
‘No, I don’t think so.’
‘So, you’re seeing her behind his back?’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s going to end in tears,’ I reply matter of factly.
‘Yeah, like you’re a dating expert. Like you know anything with your track record.’
At that moment, Daniel appears at my side. ‘What’s that?’
‘I was just saying Sophie’s a triumph in the dating department,’ Ben sneers.
‘I’m not surprised.’ Daniel smiles, placing his hand on my behind in a meaningful manner. I move away from him under the pretence of getting another drink, but he’s really annoying me with his persistence. This is definitely not the behaviour of a potential Austen hero.