Free One Christmas Morning & One Summer's Afternoon by Tilly Bagshawe Page A

did
he
get invited? After all the stick he gave me about the Furlings Ball! What was the expression he used? ‘A love-in for show-offs and posers.’
    Turning around to ask Daniel if he’d excuse her for a moment, she found he’d already wandered off somewhere. Grabbing a fresh glass of champagne from a passing waiter for Dutch courage, she made her way over to where Gabe was standing.
    ‘Fancy seeing you here,’ she said archly.
    Gabe looked her up and down, his eyes visibly lingering on her bust, straining for escape from its maroon velvet prison.
    ‘I got a last-minute invitation,’ he told Laura’s breasts. ‘One of the whippers-in is a mate of mine.’
    ‘Really? And here was I thinking that you wouldn’t be seen dead at this “love-in for posers”. I can’t imagine where I ever got
that
idea from.’
    ‘It’s like an illness with you, isn’t it?’ Gabe said hotly. ‘You have to be right about everything.’
    ‘At least I’m not a raging hypocrite, claiming to hate the upper classes then wangling your way in at the last minute to guzzle the lord of the manor’s champagne!’
    Gabe flushed deep red. ‘You stupid cow. I came because …’ He left the sentence hanging.
    ‘What? You came because what?’ Laura challenged him. ‘I’d like to know.’
    ‘Never mind.’
    For a few moments they stood there in awkward, charged silence. Then Gabe said, ‘Your boyfriend seems to be enjoying himself.’
    Laura turned around, following Gabe’s gaze. Daniel was on the other side of the room, next to one of the Christmas trees, chatting animatedly to a beautiful blonde in a backless silver dress. The girl seemed glued to what he was saying, leaning forward and touching his forearm every few moments in a distinctly intimate gesture. Now it was Laura’s turn to blush.
    ‘He isn’t my boyfriend. We’re only dating casually,’ she heard herself saying.
    ‘So I see,’ said Gabe. ‘Well, you enjoy your night.’
    He walked off, leaving Laura alone by the bar, watching Daniel. It was true they had not officially made a commitment to each other. She’d told herself she was happy to wait – Daniel was still mid-divorce, after all – but she realized now with a sharp pang that this was untrue. That she’d allowed things to continue on a vague, casual basis out of fear. After what had happened with John, she couldn’t bear the thought of being rejected again.
    This realization was painful enough. But having to hear the truth from Gabe Baxter was an even more bitter pill.
    Feeling Laura’s eyes on him from across the room, Daniel looked up and smiled at her. Making his excuses to the blonde, he came over.
    ‘Who was that?’ asked Laura.
    ‘Katie Crippin. She’s a wonderful stage actress. I met her last year, after—’
    ‘You were flirting.’
    Daniel frowned. ‘Don’t be silly.’
    ‘I’m not being silly. You were flirting with her, right in front of me.’
    ‘Are you jealous?’ Daniel smiled. When Laura didn’t smile back he grew serious again. ‘Where did all this come from?’
    ‘It came from you flirting.’ Laura jutted her chin out with a braveness she didn’t feel. ‘I don’t like it. I … I want us to be exclusive.’
    Just at that moment, the Reverend Slaughter hobbled over and started talking to Laura about tomorrow’s Nativity play, launching into conversation loudly and insistently, the way that only the very elderly and very deaf are able to do. There was nothing for Laura to do but nod and smile and watch helplessly as Daniel was sucked back into the throng.
    ‘We’ll talk later,’ he mouthed, over the Reverend’s bald head.
    Oh God
,
thought Laura.
Oh God, oh God, oh God. I’ve blown it.
    ‘… don’t you agree, Miss Tiverton?’ With a start, she realized that Reverend Slaughter was still talking.
    ‘Oh, yes, definitely.’
    ‘So you’ll make the changes?’
    ‘Erm …’
    A loud gong reverberated through the Great Hall.
Saved by the bell
.
    ‘Dinner is