An Unexpected Bonus

Well, he’d find out, wouldn’t he? He put his hand against the door and pushed, and found himself sucked into a fantasy world. Little bees ran about the floor, giggling and shrieking, a young girl was complaining that her dragon didn’t do up down the back and could the hooks be moved, costumes were piled in heaps on every surface, and in the middle of it all stood Jo in a wedding dress, her hair pinned up and a tiara perched in the dark, gleaming curls, laughing with a tall man in a blue satin suit with floppy lace cuffs.

He bent and said something and Jo laughed, her eyes sparkling at the joke they shared—and Ed wanted to kill him.

She turned just as the murderous thought was being put aside, and he wasn’t sure if he imagined it or if a flicker of panic brushed her eyes. Then she excused herself and came over to him, weaving her way through the crowd.

‘I thought you’d bottled out—you’re late.’

‘I couldn’t get away from the surgery—someone collapsed in the waiting room with a tummy bug and I admitted her to the hospital for fluids and supervision. It took ages. Anyway, I’m here now. Who do I need to see?’

‘Roz—she’s going through a scene. Come with me.’

He followed her, wondering how she could look so radiantly beautiful in what on close inspection seemed to be a set of net curtains skilfully flung together into a wedding dress. ‘Roz, this is Ed Latimer,’ Jo was saying, and he smiled automatically and shook her hand.

‘Oh, you look very useful,’ Roz was saying, eyeing him up with a grin. ‘Can you sing?’

He chuckled. ‘Well enough, I expect. Why?’

‘Because the other male chorus can’t. Go and see Anne for a costume, and we’ll get you kitted up as a villager to start with. It might be tricky—you’re quite big, aren’t you? Then you need to see Mr Music over there—Andrew, we’ve got a new victim for the chorus. Can you give him a music sheet? Here’s a script—you’re a love. Thanks.’

And Roz vanished into a crowd of villagers and the back end of the pantomime horse, leaving him with Jo.

He looked down at the script. ‘Beauty and the Beast, eh?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you’re the Beauty?’

She nodded. ‘Belle.’

‘How appropriate,’ he murmured, and she tutted and gave him a look. ‘You want me to lie?’ he asked, but it didn’t help. She sighed and stepped away from him, looking back over her shoulder.

‘Come on, I’ll take you to Anne,’ she said shortly, and he reminded himself he’d promised to keep his distance. Damn. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?

They were crossing the room towards the back when a girl of about twelve skidded up to them and slithered to a halt. ‘Hi—I’m Laura. Are you the new GP?’

He eyed her with interest. She was unmistakably Jo’s daughter, from the tip of her pert little nose to the soles of her stocking-clad feet, and she was eyeing him very, very frankly.

‘Yes, I am,’ he replied, wondering why she was so interested.

‘This is my mum,’ she told him unnecessarily.

‘I guessed. Pleased to meet you, Laura.’

‘So, are you going to be in the panto?’ she asked, her head on one side in a gesture so reminiscent of her mother it was almost comical.

‘Looks like it,’ he told her.

‘Good—Mum thought you wouldn’t want to, but I think you’ll like it. It’s a laugh.’

‘Laura! They need you for song practice!’ Jo said.

‘Oops—have to fly. See you.’

She shot off across the room to the man at the keyboard, and without any further incident Ed was introduced to Anne, measured and sized up and offered an armful of musty clothes to try at home later.

Breeches, a full-sleeved white shirt, a waistcoat, long socks—he was going to look a peach! Ah, well, it was all in a good cause…

Jo tried to concentrate, but every time she looked across at Ed the air seemed to crackle between them and she forgot her lines.