Читать книгу When Alice Met Danny - T A Williams - Страница 19

Chapter 9

The doorbell rang at seven-thirty sharp. Alice cast a quick glance at her reflection in the mirror as she went through to the hall. I’ll do, she thought to herself, glad that she had decided to go with the grey mohair top.

Danny gave her a big smile as the door opened. She looked stunning. ‘Hi, Alice. Good evening. So you are still talking to me then?’

‘Hi Danny. Come in. Don’t be so silly. There’s only one person responsible for my buying a house full of poo, and that’s me.’ She ushered him into the sitting room. ‘So what’s the plan? Have we got time for a glass of something here first?’

‘That sounds good. I’ve booked us a table on the top floor of the Tate Modern. I booked for eight-thirty, I hope that’s all right. The view won’t be quite as good as you were used to at G&B, but you’ll see stuff from a different angle.’ Suddenly worried, lest his reference to the company upset her, he hurried on. ‘Not that you want to talk about G&B, I’m sure.’ He was relieved to see her look unperturbed.

‘I really don’t mind what we talk about, as long as it’s not industrial cleaners and poo. What will you have to drink? White wine?’

He followed her into the kitchen and watched as she took a bottle from the fridge. He was surprised to see the fridge almost empty otherwise.

‘Yours has got even less in it than mine. Do you live on air, or takeaways?’

She poured two glasses of wine and handed him one.

‘I just got back from Devon this afternoon. I’ll go shopping in the morning.’ She led him back into the sitting room and took a seat on the sofa. She kicked off her shoes and curled her legs up underneath her. She held up her glass in his direction. ‘A toast; to you here in Greenwich and to me in Beauchamp.’ He was pleased to hear that she now pronounced it the way the locals did, “Beecham”.

He leant down and clinked his glass against hers before taking a seat opposite her. He noticed that the grey jumper perfectly matched the colour of her eyes. She was looking a good deal happier than the last time he had seen her. He thought he should tell her so.

‘I’m really pleased to see you looking so chirpy. Does this mean your career change is beginning to look like a good idea?’

‘Do you know, Danny, I think it is.’ She gave him a broad smile. ‘Give or take a house full of poo.’

‘So, tell me all about it. It isn’t really full of poo, is it?’

She filled him in on the true state of the house, including the rat. She then went on to tell him about Mrs Tinker and the providential arrival of her nephew, Peter. ‘The house I’m renting is in a lovely little village not far from the sea. The surveyor is wonderful. He’s already fixed up with the cleaners for them to come down next week. If all goes well, he may be able to get in to do his survey as soon as Monday week.’

They chatted easily until past eight, at which time he suggested they head for the restaurant.

Their table was right beside the window, looking out across the Thames towards St Paul’s cathedral. The meal was excellent and they continued to talk. Although they had known each other at work for almost five years, there was an awful lot to find out for both of them. Alice was the first to get personal.

‘So, how is it that a handsome young man like you is still single?’

He smiled. ‘I’m not totally sure what the correct way of describing my present state is. I am almost single.’ Seeing the look on her face, he explained. ‘I’m forty-two.’ She looked up in genuine surprise. ‘I got married when I was still quite young. It lasted for just over eighteen years. We split up almost two years ago and the divorce is going through. Some time soon I should get the news that I am once again single.’ In spite of the smile, she could hear the regret in his voice.

She was still digesting the fact that he was three years older than she was. With his mop of blond hair and boyish good looks, she had always thought of him as a youngster. ‘I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it isn’t one of those grim divorces.’

‘I don’t think there’s any other kind.’ He was looking more serious than she had ever seen him. ‘How Joan Collins managed to survive ten divorces, I’ll never know.’

‘I think you might just be exaggerating a tad there.’ She smiled at him.

He decided it was now his turn to put her on the spot. ‘So, if I may ask, how is it that an attractive woman such as yourself is still unattached, if you are? No husband hidden away somewhere?’

She looked down at her glass, gently shaking her head. ‘I’ll tell you something, Danny. Buying the house full of poo was not the only stupid mistake I’ve made in this life. The other, much bigger one, was devoting myself body and soul to G&B for so many years. To the exclusion of all else.’ She looked up. ‘You know something? When Nigel told me I had lost my job, I was devastated. But now, the more I think about it, the better it feels.’

‘And this place in Devon? Is that where your new life will be?’

She gave it some thought. ‘I was thinking about that on the train on the way home today. I actually felt almost sorry to leave Devon this morning. So maybe that’s one decision I’ve got right. It’s so very different from the city.’ She looked up with a smile on her face as she remembered. ‘Whether I stay in Beauchamp or go for one of the surrounding villages, I have yet to decide. But I’ve already found a couple of Dannys down there to keep me company.’

He looked puzzled.

‘I was going to tell you in my e-mail, but I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea. One of them I held in my arms, and the other one I scratched behind his ears.’

He gave her a smile as she explained what she meant. Underneath the smile, he found himself repeating her words…wrong idea?

She smiled back. Underneath the smile, she realised she had deliberately omitted to mention the other Danny, or rather, Daniel the Vicar. Why, she wondered, had she done that?