‘Oh, that’s fine!’ said Helena. ‘Jago had a brilliant idea. I should cut up the “early” or moth-eaten work and weave wall hangings from them. They’d be quick to do. I told him I liked things to be functional but he said a wall hanging was functional if it was hiding something unsightly.’
‘I do like Jago,’ said Gilly. ‘He was so sweet to me yesterday – and asking to borrow a hot-water bottle! Adorable!’
‘He is really kind, and a great housemate. Although if my next show goes as well as this one did, I’ll be able to afford my own place.’
‘Aren’t you living together as a couple then? That’s lovely and old-fashioned of you.’
Helena looked discomforted. ‘Well, I want to pay my way. I don’t want to just latch on to Jago …’
There was definitely something odd going on. Gilly resolved to find out more.
‘Here’s your coffee,’ she said. ‘You must be so tired after the show.’
‘I am. Too tired to be creative really, so I’m taking the day off.’ Helena looked at her mother intently and Gilly realised she’d missed her moment. Helena was going to interrogate her and not the other way round. ‘Cressida said she was worried about you.’
‘Why? I promise there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. I’ve never felt fitter.’ She paused. ‘I think I may have lost a bit of weight – although of course I never weigh myself.’
‘You look great, Mum. I don’t think it was your physical health she was worried about.’
‘That’s even worse! Has she caught me talking to myself? Surely everyone does that.’
Helena began to giggle. ‘No, nothing like that! And yes, everyone does talk to themselves – or at least I do. No, she said – and honestly I don’t believe this but although she has her faults I don’t think Cressida lies – she said you’d talked about going gliding.’
Gilly joined in the giggling, hoping it would disguise her blush. ‘What is Cressida like?’
‘I knew she was talking rubbish,’ Helena went on before Gilly had worked out what to say. ‘She’s more worried about you and Leo.’ Helena took a breath. ‘She’s worried that because I don’t like him you feel you can’t go out with him. She says he’s your last chance of happiness and I mustn’t blight the relationship.’
‘Cressida is talking out of the back of her neck,’ said Gilly firmly. ‘She’s convinced there’s something going on between me and Leo, but there isn’t.’
‘Oh. Well, that’s a relief! I would have done my absolute best to live with it if you and he really were in love, but I’m very glad I don’t have to.’
‘You don’t have to,’ said Gilly firmly.
‘But Cressida says Leo might be your last chance of happiness.’
Helena obviously needed more convincing. ‘Darling, if I feel lonely, I’ll just go on Kinder and find a new man. Or is Kinder what I read books on?’ Gilly was slightly worried that she may have overdone the dotty-old-lady act.
But as this sent Helena into further fits of giggles she knew it was all right. ‘Don’t worry, Mum, I’d never let you go on Tinder, you’d never know if you had to swipe left or right.’
But after Helena had gone Gilly found herself wondering how she’d feel if Helena didn’t like William. Would it be as easy for her to think she’d have to give him up because of her daughter? No, she decided, it wouldn’t be easy at all. And she might not even try.
Chapter Twenty-two
Gilly had been making beds, baking shortbread, picking posies and organising laundry for what seemed like every hour of every day since Helena’s show. And while she liked to be busy she was tired. Also, although she was physically occupied from dawn to well past dusk her brain was free to worry about William.
When she’d first met Leo she’d been a bit swept off her feet. He was so stylish and charming, had treated her like a queen, and taken her to lovely places. But when she started to get to know William better she’d realised how much nicer, kinder and, now she came to think about it, more attractive than Leo he was. William was the quiet horse that came up on the outside without being noticed until he was at the finish line. But was he still interested in winning this particular race? How would she ever find out?
If only he hadn’t seen her with Leo she could just invite him round for a meal or something. In fact, she was fairly sure, if he hadn’t seen her with Leo he would have been in touch himself. But she didn’t have the courage to email him and tell him she and Leo were not together when he may not have actually been looking at them at the show; he could have been looking at something quite different.
She wished she was braver. Gilly was sure Helena wouldn’t worry about things like that; she’d just email William and explain.
Thinking about Helena didn’t help her either. What was going on between her and Jago? He was such a lovely man, she would be so sad if there was something dreadfully wrong with him that made him ineligible in some way.
A thought occurred to her. Could he be gay? It wouldn’t be a thing that was wrong with him of course but it did make him unsuitable for Helena! It didn’t seem terribly likely, but Gilly didn’t trust her gaydar; was his sensitive caring of Helena something you could expect from a man who was heterosexual? Possibly not! Hot-water bottles were just a little bit camp, after all, however much everyone loved them.
But even if he wasn’t going to be the father of her grandchildren, Jago was still a lovely man and a very good friend to Helena. She found the thought of Helena having a gay best friend comforting.
She was still musing about Jago’s sexuality while she made yet another batch of shortbread, wondering at the same time if she had in fact got bored with making the same biscuit time after time, when the phone rang. Slightly hoping it wasn’t another booking – she could do with a few days off – she went to answer it.
‘Darling? Daphne here! How are you?’
‘I’m fine, Daphne. How lovely to hear from you, and how are you?’ Gilly wiped her hands on her apron.
‘In the pink, sweetie, absolutely in the pink. Now, I’ve got a plan.’
‘Sounds a bit worrying.’ Gilly really hoped that if the plan meant her B & B being taken over by a lot of unruly women, she would have time to prepare properly.
Daphne ignored Gilly’s wary response. ‘It’s William’s birthday soon.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes, and you know something? He’s never had a party! Not ever, in all his life. So I thought I’d organise one.’
‘What took you so long? He must be in his fifties,’ said Gilly.
‘I just assumed his parents were in charge of that sort of thing but no. I have to do it now!’
‘OK, well, anything I can do to help…?’ She briefly wondered if she should offer to have the party in her house but then decided it would look pushy. If William didn’t fancy her it would be awful – for him and for her.
‘Well, you can come, and – if it wouldn’t be too much trouble – make a cake? I’m sure I could get someone else to make one but I thought you’d make a much nicer one.’