Read Online A Little Love by Amanda Prowse - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amanda Prowse
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with my name on it, a plate of hazelnut shortbread and a pillow awaiting my tired head, but I guess they’ll keep.’
She wished she hadn’t rubbed at her eye make-up and removed her lipstick while she’d watched the telly. It was too late to reapply; he would just have to take her as she was. She felt a swell of excitement rush through her, banishing the tiredness that had gripped her only minutes earlier.
‘I better go and get some shoes!’ She wiggled her bare toes.
‘Yes, sensible walking shoes, not those silly high ones you carried around for half the day; they were more useful as gloves! And you might want to lose that magazine, could give a chap the wrong idea.’ He loosened his collar with his index finger to let out imaginary steam.
She giggled at the Brides magazine in her hand. It felt rather like he was being bossy, looking after her, and she liked it.
Christopher barely had time to admire Guy’s latest window display before Pru reappeared beside him, suitably shod. They walked along Curzon Street, keeping at least a foot of pavement between them. Christopher gripped his hands behind his back as they strolled and Pru wondered if this was to stop him reaching for her hand. Her stomach lurched at the idea.
‘I didn’t expect to see you,’ she offered.
‘Oh, really? I knew I’d see you.’ He winked.
‘Did you?’ She felt her chest cave with anticipation.
‘Yes, definitely. We had such a lovely time in Oxford. I would have come sooner had I been in London.’
Would have come sooner… ‘Have you been away then?’
Christopher stopped and turned to look at her. ‘Yes. Do you not listen to or watch Parliament?’
‘No. It’s not really my thing.’ She smiled.
‘Not your thing? Well it should be your thing; it should be everyone’s thing! If you don’t listen and watch how your country is being governed, you might miss something of great importance.’
‘Ooh dear, I don’t want to miss anything of great importance.’
‘Exactly. Plus it’s my job and I have a regular speaking slot. So it might be nice for you to take some interest.’ He feigned hurt. ‘I mean, can you imagine if I said cakes were not my thing?’
‘Are cakes not your thing?’
‘Dammit!’ he boomed. ‘Yes, cakes are my thing. I love them! However, had you been tuned in, you would have known that I have been up to my neck in beer, cold sausage and debate in Berlin.’
‘And not avoiding me.’
‘ Avoiding you? Perish the thought.’
The two chuckled into the warm night air. Their conversation and demeanour were so relaxed that no onlooker would have guessed it was only the second time they’d met. They crossed Piccadilly and meandered through Green Park and across The Mall, until they found themselves in St James’s Park. They strolled along the winding path, disturbing ducks that hovered on one leg trying to sleep, and ignoring lovers who sat entwined on benches. They found themselves on the bridge, where they leant on the pale blue railings. The sky had started to lose its colour and the trees took on ominous shadowy shapes. They heard but could barely see the swans that broke the surface of the water with beating wings and honks of arrival. Other couples, indistinct in the half light, walked arm in arm without giving them a second glance. Pru beamed into the encroaching darkness. She felt connected to these dreamy-eyed couples, like they were all in the same secret club.
‘This is my favourite place in the whole of London.’ He inhaled a deep, appreciative breath.
‘Mine too!’ And if it wasn’t before, it would be now.
‘We’re lucky, aren’t we, to live in the middle of a city and have this green space on our doorstep.’
‘We are. I’ve never lived anywhere else, mind, always London, so I haven’t really got anything to compare it with.’
‘Have you ever wanted to live anywhere else?’ he asked.
‘I don’t think so,’ she replied. A snapshot from the day she’d moved
She wished she hadn’t rubbed at her eye make-up and removed her lipstick while she’d watched the telly. It was too late to reapply; he would just have to take her as she was. She felt a swell of excitement rush through her, banishing the tiredness that had gripped her only minutes earlier.
‘I better go and get some shoes!’ She wiggled her bare toes.
‘Yes, sensible walking shoes, not those silly high ones you carried around for half the day; they were more useful as gloves! And you might want to lose that magazine, could give a chap the wrong idea.’ He loosened his collar with his index finger to let out imaginary steam.
She giggled at the Brides magazine in her hand. It felt rather like he was being bossy, looking after her, and she liked it.
Christopher barely had time to admire Guy’s latest window display before Pru reappeared beside him, suitably shod. They walked along Curzon Street, keeping at least a foot of pavement between them. Christopher gripped his hands behind his back as they strolled and Pru wondered if this was to stop him reaching for her hand. Her stomach lurched at the idea.
‘I didn’t expect to see you,’ she offered.
‘Oh, really? I knew I’d see you.’ He winked.
‘Did you?’ She felt her chest cave with anticipation.
‘Yes, definitely. We had such a lovely time in Oxford. I would have come sooner had I been in London.’
Would have come sooner… ‘Have you been away then?’
Christopher stopped and turned to look at her. ‘Yes. Do you not listen to or watch Parliament?’
‘No. It’s not really my thing.’ She smiled.
‘Not your thing? Well it should be your thing; it should be everyone’s thing! If you don’t listen and watch how your country is being governed, you might miss something of great importance.’
‘Ooh dear, I don’t want to miss anything of great importance.’
‘Exactly. Plus it’s my job and I have a regular speaking slot. So it might be nice for you to take some interest.’ He feigned hurt. ‘I mean, can you imagine if I said cakes were not my thing?’
‘Are cakes not your thing?’
‘Dammit!’ he boomed. ‘Yes, cakes are my thing. I love them! However, had you been tuned in, you would have known that I have been up to my neck in beer, cold sausage and debate in Berlin.’
‘And not avoiding me.’
‘ Avoiding you? Perish the thought.’
The two chuckled into the warm night air. Their conversation and demeanour were so relaxed that no onlooker would have guessed it was only the second time they’d met. They crossed Piccadilly and meandered through Green Park and across The Mall, until they found themselves in St James’s Park. They strolled along the winding path, disturbing ducks that hovered on one leg trying to sleep, and ignoring lovers who sat entwined on benches. They found themselves on the bridge, where they leant on the pale blue railings. The sky had started to lose its colour and the trees took on ominous shadowy shapes. They heard but could barely see the swans that broke the surface of the water with beating wings and honks of arrival. Other couples, indistinct in the half light, walked arm in arm without giving them a second glance. Pru beamed into the encroaching darkness. She felt connected to these dreamy-eyed couples, like they were all in the same secret club.
‘This is my favourite place in the whole of London.’ He inhaled a deep, appreciative breath.
‘Mine too!’ And if it wasn’t before, it would be now.
‘We’re lucky, aren’t we, to live in the middle of a city and have this green space on our doorstep.’
‘We are. I’ve never lived anywhere else, mind, always London, so I haven’t really got anything to compare it with.’
‘Have you ever wanted to live anywhere else?’ he asked.
‘I don’t think so,’ she replied. A snapshot from the day she’d moved
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