Read Online The Daisy Picker by Roisin Meaney - Free Book Online Page B

hour and I’ll have the caravan lovely and warm for you.’ She looks at the empty wine glass. ‘Sit there by the fire, and
I’ll get Dee to bring you another glass of wine while you’re waiting. Did she offer you dessert?’
    ‘She did, and I turned her down; my New Year’s resolution.’ Lizzie grins. ‘But I won’t say no to another wine, thanks – it’s lovely. Take your time,
I’m in no hurry.’
    No hurry at all. I’ve got all the time in the world; and Jones will survive another while – he’s probably fast asleep
. She sits back and smiles into the fire, and
winks at the little wooden clown.
     
    Forty minutes later she’s standing in the middle of Angela’s caravan, looking around. The gas fire is lit, and so are two green ceramic table-lamps with white
shades. They throw a soft light on the little seating area with its rickety coffee table, the tiny kitchen with its doll-sized fridge and cooker and dinky sink, the built-in bookshelves –
perfect for, say, a collection of cookbooks.
    Angela leads her into the one bedroom, with its double bed and enormous duvet taking up most of the space. She lifts the duvet to reveal two hot-water bottles. ‘You might want to wrap your
nightie around them as soon as you unpack.’ Then she opens the bathroom door and Lizzie sees – wonder of wonders – a tiny shower in the corner. She doubts that anyone would be
able to turn around in there, but what the heck; showers are for getting clean in, not doing gymnastics.
    As they walk back into the living-room area, Lizzie knows that it feels right; she can’t for the life of her explain why. It’s a tiny caravan, barely big enough for one, that just
totally appeals to her. She has to stay here – at least for a few nights.
    She turns to her new landlady. ‘It’s fine.’ She pauses
.
‘Actually, I might want it for a little longer than just the one night – would that be OK? Two or
three nights, maybe?’
    Angela nods. ‘Of course; but I’m only full inside for the next two nights – the Americans are moving on then, and I can move you into the house if you decide to stay
longer.’
    No; it’s the quirkiness of the caravan that Lizzie wants. She thinks quickly. Could she be working on a novel? Getting over a divorce? She needs some good reason for wanting to be out here
on her own – something that will have Angela nodding understandingly and saying, ‘Of course, you just stay here as long as you like.’
    And then she decides to just leave things alone. For all she knows, she might hate Merway when she goes exploring in the morning. It might be rough and dingy-looking and totally not what
she’s looking for. In the meantime, she has two nights to feel her way around the place; and if she loves it and still wants to stay, she can have another word with Angela. Surely
they’ll be able to come to some arrangement; it’s not as if people will be queuing up for the caravan.
    So she smiles and nods. ‘It’s a deal – I’ll take it for two nights. Thanks so much.’
    Angela waves her thanks away. ‘The hot water comes on as you need it – you’re hooked up to the house supply. Same with electricity, if you’ve anything you want to plug
in.’ She gestures towards the gas fire. ‘Now, did I show you how to work this?’
    Lizzie shakes her head. ‘You didn’t, but we have one at home exactly the same.’
And there, Angela, is where the similarity between this delightful little dwelling and the
O’Grady homestead ends
.
    Angela nods. ‘Right, I’d better get back. See you in the morning for breakfast – just come on up to the house when you wake. Hope you sleep well.’ And she’s gone,
pulling the door closed behind her.
    Lizzie drops her bag onto the little coffee table and suddenly remembers Jones, out in the car. God, she forgot to mention him. She’ll just have to hope Angela doesn’t have a
conniption in the morning. She finds her keys and heads for the car.
    Jones is