Pratt a Manger Read Online Free PDF Page B

guinea fowl in red wine, cheese and rhubarb fool, with a vegetarian alternative for Kate.
    As one of the excellent waitresses provided by the caterers poured him a fourth glass of wine, Henry heard a sniff, a distinct sniff of disapproval. He didn’t think anything of it – at the time.
    At the end of the feast, James Hargreaves stood up and cleared his throat. There were cries of ‘hush’ and Hilary banged sharply on the table with a spoon.
    ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ said James Hargreaves when complete silence had finally fallen. ‘As the oldest person present …’
    ‘After a recount,’ interrupted Denzil, who had drunk too much.
    ‘After a recount … it falls to me … I mean, I welcome the chance … to thank that extraordinary lady … that extraordinary lady …’
    There was utter horror on James Hargreaves’s face.
    ‘Hilary,’ whispered Camilla at his side.
    ‘Precisely,’ said James Hargreaves, who knew that Camilla had spoken, but hadn’t been able to hear what she’d said. ‘Precisely. Just so. Because of course she is an extraordinary woman. A brilliant novelist. I’m not a great reader of fiction, I can’t quite see the point of it since it didn’t happen, but I once read the first five chapters of one of her books, and they were tremendous. Simply tremendous. So it should be no surprise that she has provided this surprise meal for … for … for he’s a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us.’
    This time, James Hargreaves wasn’t quite so shocked by the fog that descended on him.
    ‘Some of us have known him for … many years, and it’s hard to believe he’s reached sixty. I don’t mean I’m surprised that he’s made it, I just mean that he still seems so … so … so there you are. Terrific. And now, he tells me, that this very lunchtime, a young lady from the television … oh Lord, he’s shaking his head furiously, I think I’ve dropped a … I … er … oh dear … I don’t … I don’t feel very … I wonder if somebody could pass me a …’
    As he toppled, Camilla tried to break his fall, and they went down together. Camilla hit the ground first and he fell on top of her and trapped her there. There was a shocked silence. Most of the people at the table thought that he had died.
    Helen grabbed hold of his pulse.
    ‘He’s alive,’ she said. ‘I think he’s just fainted.’
    ‘I’m so terribly sorry,’ said Celia Hargreaves. ‘So terribly sorry. I’m afraid my dear man has rather lost the plot.’
    Guiseppe rushed to Camilla, closely followed by Jack and Flick.
    ‘I’m all right,’ she said. ‘Just get him off me.’
    Jack and Guiseppe lifted James Hargreaves very carefully off Camilla, and laid him gently on the floor.
    ‘Help me up, please,’ said Camilla. ‘I’m fine.’
    ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘Of course. I ride. I’ve had worse falls at point-to-points, and, believe me, James Hargreaves is a lot lighter than any horse.’
    Jack and Guiseppe helped Camilla carefully to her feet. She walked around very slowly.
    ‘Nothing broken,’ she announced.
    Quite soon James Hargreaves was revived. Jack and Guiseppe helped him up too, and lowered him solicitously into his seat.
    ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I think I must have passed out. It’s rather hot in here, and I’ve probably eaten and drunk too much. Right. Emergency over. Now shouldn’t we have a speech of thanks or something?’
    ‘No need, darling,’ said Celia. She went round the table and kissed him gently on the top of his head. He looked up, somewhat mystified, and smiled.
    Then Celia hugged Camilla.
    ‘Thank you so much,’ she said.
    ‘All in the day’s work,’ said Camilla.
    ‘So what’s all this about the television, Henry?’ asked Hilary. ‘Why all the hush-hush?’
    ‘It was nothing,’ said Henry. ‘This girl came into the Café and asked me to go on TV. Some quiz show or something. “A Taste of Pepper” or something.’
    ‘
A Question of Salt
,’ said Denzil.