The Little Cottage in the Country. Lottie Phillips

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СКАЧАТЬ dating? Here?’

      ‘Yes,’ Diane said, indignant, ‘I booked our places on the phone. I spoke to someone called Chris. He’s waiting for us. We’re journalists.’

      ‘You’ve got the wrong Rose and Crown. I think you must’ve rang Little Bury.’ He burst into laughter, his paunch moving up and down, his excess flesh having a field day and his plethoric face flushing with amusement. ‘Anyway, it’s no problem,’ he winked. ‘I can think of plenty of guys who’d like to chat to you pretty ladies.’ He headed out back momentarily before returning to the bar. ‘Can I get you a drink?’

      Diane nodded. ‘Might as well, seeing as we’re here now.’

      ‘What’ll you be having?’ The landlord readied himself.

      Diane spoke on their behalf. ‘We’ll have a bottle of dry white. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?’

      ‘John.’ He bent down to the undercounter fridge.

      She smiled at him and indicated Anna. ‘Seeing as Anna, here, didn’t even want to come out, and now I’ve dragged her to the wrong pub, the least I can do is buy a bottle.’

      Anna was relieved in actual fact. ‘No, it’s fine.’

      Anna pulled her dress down as it steadily rode further up her thighs like a piece of unruly clingfilm. Soon they were ensconced at a table in the corner, by the fire, and Anna almost forgot why they had come in the first place. She felt herself relaxing and her limbs thawing. Diane sat facing the door, her eyes darting towards it every time she heard any notion of a sound outside.

      ‘What are you doing?’

      ‘Don’t want to miss any hot totty.’

      ‘Can’t imagine, that’s going to happen,’ Anna said, scanning the empty pub, her eyes resting on Nigel sinking his third pint.

      ‘Hope there aren’t, like, loads of good-looking women around here. Hate competition.’

      Anna smiled. ‘There won’t be because said good-looking women will have been snapped up by all the good-looking men, leaving us with…’

      ‘Oh, come on. A girl’s gotta dream…’

      Diane didn’t get to finish her sentence because the pub door flew open and in marched a group of six or so men, all good-looking, all exuding youth and testosterone. Diane breathed in excitedly. ‘I’ll be damned if heaven hasn’t just walked through that door.’

      Anna had to admit the pub suddenly looked like the set for a men’s outdoor clothing ad, and she thought the evening might prove to be more exciting than she had first imagined. But just as quickly as she had conjured up this new, positive way of thinking, in walked Horatio. He spotted her and came over, that same irritating, self-satisfied smirk on his face.

      ‘Hi,’ he said to Anna and then introduced himself to Diane. ‘I’m Horatio. We haven’t met.’

      Diane, in full flirting mode, fluttered her eyelashes and shook his hand. ‘Diane. Anna’s bestie.’

      ‘Bestie?’ he said.

      Diane smiled sweetly. ‘Yeah, you know, best friend.’

      ‘Ah, silly me.’ He looked at Diane and then his eyes ran the length of Anna’s body. ‘You both look wonderful. Going somewhere special?’

      This is what he does, Anna thought. This is his way of making everyone around him feel about two inches tall. He knew they were on the pull, and yet he liked to watch women squirm.

      Diane, missing this subtlety, fondled her necklace and announced, ‘We were here for the speed dating.’

      ‘Ah, the speed dating. Up there with potato planting, heh, Anna?’ She scowled. ‘I didn’t know there was speed dating here.’

      ‘There’s not,’ Diane said, grinning. ‘John says it’s at the other Rose and Crown, in Little Bury.’ She paused and slapped her own hand. ‘My bad.’

      ‘Oh?’ Horatio looked mildly amused. ‘But why should two such beautiful women need to go speed dating?’

      ‘Because,’ Diane explained, ‘if you can believe it, we’re not taken.’

      ‘More fool my species.’ Horatio nodded. ‘Lovely to see you both and hope you have a good evening.’ He met Anna’s eye. ‘I’m sorry about what I said to you… About the house… I’m looking into it as soon as I can find the papers. But I’m sure you’re quite right and I’ll do everything I can to ensure you keep it, despite your reservations about staying there.’

      ‘I did not have reservations,’ she lied.

      ‘Well, your car driving itself into the chicken hut wasn’t a great start for anyone.’

      Diane looked at her and snorted. ‘Really?’

      ‘No, what’s not a nice start is being told you don’t own the house you’ve moved to, despite having seen the evidence that your aunt left it to you.’

      ‘Oh,’ Diane breathed as she realised who exactly Horatio was. ‘You’re that man.’

      ‘Have a nice evening, Mr Horatio.’

      He opened his mouth and shut it again before moving off.

      ‘Are you sure he’s so bad because he seems quite luverly,’ Diane gushed. ‘I mean, really nice.’

      ‘He’s a twerp.’

      ‘Oh, come on. He said he’s sorry and even if he thinks he owns the house, let him.’ Diane fluttered her eyelashes. ‘Bet he’s loaded.’

      ‘Well, for a start, don’t get too excited because he’s married.’ Diane’s smile faded. ‘Second, he’s supercilious, has about a million names and owns a horse called Taittinger.’

      ‘Anything good?’

      ‘Yeah, you’re right, he’s loaded. Lives up at Ridley Manor.’ Anna leant in. ‘Also, he’s a Spencerville. You know, my aunt warned me about them, in her letter. Well, he’s one of them. Would explain why he thinks he owns my house.’

      ‘Well, he seemed nice enough, but yeah, sure, that would rile me too.’ She frowned. ‘I’m going to get us another bottle.’

      ‘But we’ve barely started this one.’

      ‘I know, but I need an excuse to find out who the chocolate-box selection of men are.’

      Anna watched Diane totter up to the bar. ‘John…’ She spoke as if she was a regular. ‘Can we get another bottle?’

      He beamed. ‘Sure thing.’ He gestured to the men. ‘And here are the men.’

      ‘I can see that,’ Diane purred. ‘But, tell me, who are these delightful creatures?’

      ‘I rang Tom at СКАЧАТЬ