Read Online Alice Brown's Lessons in the Curious Art of Dating by Eleanor Prescott - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eleanor Prescott
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Audrey felt her indigestion burn again.
After ten minutes of strenuous paper-shuffling Audrey felt calmer. Of course John wouldn’t go for a strumpet like Sheryl. She could flirt all she liked, but John would stick by her side. She knew she could rely on him, despite their current –
temporary
– status. She touched her neck. It was feeling cooler already.
All that remained was for her to decide who to take to the ball as her ‘matchmaker in the making’. It was a Dating Practitioners’ Society tradition that each of the major dating agencies brought along a young, aspiring matchmaker. It was a way of showing them the big league of matchmakers, and inspiring them to work their way up through the ranks. A silly tradition really. She’d much prefer an evening away from her girls and their inanities. But still, traditions were there for upholding. Audrey peered at her staff and wondered who to take.
Her eye fell on Bianca. If she had to pick a favourite it would be her. She was the kind of girl who threw on a pashmina and looked just right. She wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box, but she was from a good family, had gone to an excellent boarding school, and always sat neatly with her knees together.
She turned to Cassandra. Cassandra was well enough bred and a keen horsewoman, but had a tendency towardsbandy-leggedness. A bit too Zara Phillips and not enough Middleton sister. But all in all, not too bad a sort.
Then there was Hilary. Hilary had been her very first member of staff and knew almost as much about Table For Two as she did. She’d been to the ball several times, pre-children, when she still had a waist. But she was eight months gone now, and an assault on the eyes. She couldn’t possibly take her.
And finally there was Alice, who was staring out of the window in her customary dreamy manner. Alice had been at Table For Two for donkeys’ years and still hadn’t been to the ball. Bianca and Cassandra had both been – Bianca twice – even though they’d worked at Table For Two for far less time. Audrey sighed. It was no use; she knew it would have to be Alice. She just hoped she wouldn’t embarrass her. She was bound to turn up in some sackcloth-and-ashes outfit and stick out like a sore thumb. She could just imagine Sheryl raising her eyebrow. And Barry Chambers was bound to crack a joke. She’s an albatross around my neck, that girl, Audrey thought bitterly.
She opened her office door and summoned her in. Alice jumped in her seat, knocking her papers to the floor. Audrey watched as she scrambled to pick them up. Her eyes fell on Alice’s feet. What was that ugly, clumpy footwear she had on? Was it . . . Was it a pair of
clogs
? Audrey stared in horrified disbelief. Words failed her. She returned to her office and sat down heavily.
Well, Alice would have to buck up her ideas and her appearance if she was going to come to the DatingPractitioners’ Society annual ball, Audrey thought angrily. She groped in her handbag for her chequebook. Hang the post; she’d get Alice to take the cheque round to Love Birds straightaway. On second thoughts . . . Maybe Alice and her footwear should be confined to the office; best not give Sheryl any more ammunition. Just because she was event organizer this year – the power was clearly going to her head. Audrey’s own head was throbbing viciously. She touched her brow and winced.
Yes, it was definitely one of those days.
KATE
Kate was resisting the urge to break into her emergency Kit Kat.
She’d never been a believer in the adage that rules were there to be broken (unless the rules were for a diet, in which case all bets were off), but as she slaved over her Table For Two ‘All About You’ form she began to wonder whether honesty really was the best policy.
Kate had always been great at passing stuff. She had a formula: work hard, revise diligently, get top marks at the end. But this was something else. There were no crib notes on how to pass a
After ten minutes of strenuous paper-shuffling Audrey felt calmer. Of course John wouldn’t go for a strumpet like Sheryl. She could flirt all she liked, but John would stick by her side. She knew she could rely on him, despite their current –
temporary
– status. She touched her neck. It was feeling cooler already.
All that remained was for her to decide who to take to the ball as her ‘matchmaker in the making’. It was a Dating Practitioners’ Society tradition that each of the major dating agencies brought along a young, aspiring matchmaker. It was a way of showing them the big league of matchmakers, and inspiring them to work their way up through the ranks. A silly tradition really. She’d much prefer an evening away from her girls and their inanities. But still, traditions were there for upholding. Audrey peered at her staff and wondered who to take.
Her eye fell on Bianca. If she had to pick a favourite it would be her. She was the kind of girl who threw on a pashmina and looked just right. She wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box, but she was from a good family, had gone to an excellent boarding school, and always sat neatly with her knees together.
She turned to Cassandra. Cassandra was well enough bred and a keen horsewoman, but had a tendency towardsbandy-leggedness. A bit too Zara Phillips and not enough Middleton sister. But all in all, not too bad a sort.
Then there was Hilary. Hilary had been her very first member of staff and knew almost as much about Table For Two as she did. She’d been to the ball several times, pre-children, when she still had a waist. But she was eight months gone now, and an assault on the eyes. She couldn’t possibly take her.
And finally there was Alice, who was staring out of the window in her customary dreamy manner. Alice had been at Table For Two for donkeys’ years and still hadn’t been to the ball. Bianca and Cassandra had both been – Bianca twice – even though they’d worked at Table For Two for far less time. Audrey sighed. It was no use; she knew it would have to be Alice. She just hoped she wouldn’t embarrass her. She was bound to turn up in some sackcloth-and-ashes outfit and stick out like a sore thumb. She could just imagine Sheryl raising her eyebrow. And Barry Chambers was bound to crack a joke. She’s an albatross around my neck, that girl, Audrey thought bitterly.
She opened her office door and summoned her in. Alice jumped in her seat, knocking her papers to the floor. Audrey watched as she scrambled to pick them up. Her eyes fell on Alice’s feet. What was that ugly, clumpy footwear she had on? Was it . . . Was it a pair of
clogs
? Audrey stared in horrified disbelief. Words failed her. She returned to her office and sat down heavily.
Well, Alice would have to buck up her ideas and her appearance if she was going to come to the DatingPractitioners’ Society annual ball, Audrey thought angrily. She groped in her handbag for her chequebook. Hang the post; she’d get Alice to take the cheque round to Love Birds straightaway. On second thoughts . . . Maybe Alice and her footwear should be confined to the office; best not give Sheryl any more ammunition. Just because she was event organizer this year – the power was clearly going to her head. Audrey’s own head was throbbing viciously. She touched her brow and winced.
Yes, it was definitely one of those days.
KATE
Kate was resisting the urge to break into her emergency Kit Kat.
She’d never been a believer in the adage that rules were there to be broken (unless the rules were for a diet, in which case all bets were off), but as she slaved over her Table For Two ‘All About You’ form she began to wonder whether honesty really was the best policy.
Kate had always been great at passing stuff. She had a formula: work hard, revise diligently, get top marks at the end. But this was something else. There were no crib notes on how to pass a
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