A Little Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

responded without recognising his sarcasm.
    William glanced at Pru, both acknowledging that three months of virtual separation might be harder than they thought.
    ‘All set for the engagement party, Pru?’ William managed to ask over his fiancée’s head.
    ‘Yes, really looking forward to it,’ she lied.
    ‘It should be fun. My mother’s really keen to see you again and not just to discuss plans for the wedding cake!’
    ‘Oh, don’t you worry about that. Guy has already spent hours and hours sketching and modelling. It will without a shadow of a doubt be the cake of the bloody year, if not the decade. He’ll make sure of it!’
    Bobby squealed. ‘If I think about it, I might just burst! I can’t wait to see what he comes up with. I trust Guy completely, he’s a genius.’
    ‘Yes he is,’ Pru concurred.
    ‘Mother’s invited lots of her old friends and I’ve got chums from Sandhurst coming down. Are you sure you don’t want to come up with us on Friday night? There’s plenty of room in the car. You and Milly would be more than welcome to stay at Mountfield for the weekend. Mum would love it, pouring wine down your neck and getting you to spill the beans on what it’s like inside all those fancy London houses that you get to nose around.’
    Pru gave a small cough; it sounded like her worst nightmare. ‘That’s very kind of your mum, love, but I’ve got so much to do for work. Plum’s is always extra busy at this time of year – weddings, christenings and whatnot. Seems that at the first sign of spring the whole country finds a reason for a party. Not that I’m moaning! But I really can’t be away for any longer than I have to be; it’s not fair on Guy. So I’ve booked a car for Sunday and I promise we’ll be there for lunchtime.’
    ‘Splendid!’ William clapped his hands together.
    Yep, thought Pru, bloody splendid . At least she wasn’t going alone. She just hoped Milly was planning on changing out of her tiger suit before the event.

3
    Pru sidled even closer to the exit as her phone buzzed in her handbag.
    ‘Hello-o?’ She tried to sound jovial and smiled falsely into the mouthpiece.
    There was a second or two of silence.
    ‘Have you seen it yet?’
    ‘Have I seen what yet, Milly?’ Pru knew very well what her cousin meant.
    ‘The engagement cake! What do you think?’
    ‘No, I haven’t, and I’m not actually talking to you, so this is going to be a very short conversation.’ Pru sighed.
    ‘Ha! But you’re talking to me now!’
    ‘Only because I have to and you know what I mean.’
    ‘I can’t believe you’re having a go at me. Most people would be concerned if their loved one had taken to their sick bed, or at least they’d offer some sympathy!’
    ‘Is that what you phoned for, Mills – sympathy?’
    ‘No! I phoned because I want to know about the bloody cake!’
    ‘I haven’t seen it, but I promise to call you the moment I have.’
    ‘No, don’t bother. I’m not remotely interested.’
    ‘Fine. I won’t.’ Pru closed her eyes.
    ‘Actually, yes, do. I want to know what it’s like. It’s probably a lopsided dry sponge with uneven icing and wobbly cake toppers, ordered from a knock-off catalogue and made to look like Bobby and Billy-boy. You know the ones: not bad from a distance, but up close the faces look like they’ve been painted by a three-year-old in a hurry. It’ll be nasty and common.’
    Pru took in Mountfield, the pale stone of the Queen Anne mansion that looked like a life-sized doll’s house. The carefully trained wisteria that hung in uniform bunches, clipped so as not to obscure the view from the breakfast room window, and the clusters of bistro-chic garden furniture that sat under perfectly positioned willow arbours, offering just the right amount of shade for afternoon tea. ‘I doubt that very much. The only thing that’s common around here is me. And we’ve had this conversation. You know that if it had been down to Bobby, you would