Midsummer Magic

‘Well, if you could say, make me fall in love with – that woman,’ said Ant, ‘then maybe I’d believe you.’ He pointed in the direction of Diana, then realised Diana had disappeared and he was pointing at Josie.

‘What, that pretty little girl?’ said Freddie. ‘Easy peasy.’

‘No, not her,’ Ant looked round wildly for Diana. ‘She’s marrying my best friend. The other one – she was here a minute ago, tall, large, redheaded, loud, thoroughly obnoxious. She must be round here somewhere. I can honestly tell you she is the last person on earth I would want to be with, and vice versa. If you could make her fall in love with me, then maybe I’d believe you.’

‘Are you a betting man?’ said Freddie with a smirk.

‘Okay,’ said Ant. ‘Tenner says it can’t be done.’

‘Twenty, that it can,’ said Freddie.

He extended his hand to Ant.

‘You have a deal, my friend.’

Chapter Five (#ulink_66d07d0a-122e-5a72-9090-41abfece3dcc)

‘Well, that was exciting,’ said Ant, finally making his way over to where Harry and Josie were sitting. Auberon and Freddie, no doubt glad to be free of their most enthusiastic fan, had settled down with their drinks in the far corner. Harry felt guiltily relieved. Maybe Josie would calm down on the wedding chat for a bit. He had tried to be as fascinated about flowers as she was, but he found he just couldn’t do it. All he really wanted was to spend time alone with Josie and not have to mention weddings for a week.

‘You’ve come to join us at last,’ said Harry, ‘and save me from this endless talk of weddings.’

He’d intended it as a joke, but a trace of irritation had entered his voice, and he could see from Josie’s slight wince it wasn’t lost on her. He immediately felt guilty again. He didn’t want to upset Josie.

‘What happened to Dynamite?’ said Ant as he sat down.

‘Gone for a walk to the Standing Stones,’ said Harry.

‘And don’t call her that,’ said Josie.

‘Talking about the Standing Stones,’ said Ant – before he was interrupted by a dramatic figure striding into the beer garden, followed by a retinue of apologetic-looking people clearly trying to calm her down.

‘Who does he think he is?’ she was saying angrily, ‘coming here, spoiling my moment.’

‘Don’t worry about him, darling,’ said a rather androgynous creature dressed in the tightest chinos that Harry had ever seen, and a long flowing top. Harry would have hazarded a guess at the figure being male, if it weren’t for the long painted nails, and the high heels. He/she appeared to be following the woman, a blowsy-looking blonde dressed in tight leather clothes thirty years too young for her and dripping in gold, touching up her make-up at every opportunity. ‘Don’t frown, darling. You’ve only just had the Botox done.’

‘Which means I can’t frown, Gray,’ snapped the woman.

‘Is that?’ asked Harry.

‘Tatiana Okeby, yes,’ said Josie, ‘I remember her now. She and Auberon Fanshawe were all over the papers at one time. But, God, she’s gone to seed.’

‘Put your claws away,’ said Ant. ‘I think she’s rather magnificent.’

Harry couldn’t see it himself, she was a bit bold and brassy for his tastes, but she certainly had … something. The whole beer garden had stopped to listen to her, enthralled by the situation unfolding before them.

‘Tatiana, my darling, what a lovely surprise,’ Auberon Fanshawe drawled. He and Freddie had been sitting quietly in the far corner. Harry could see that Freddie was sniggering into his pint glass, clearly enjoying the drama.

‘Surprise, my arse,’ said Tatiana. ‘You planned this, didn’t you? You and Freddie. Just couldn’t wait to spike my guns, could you?’

‘What do you mean?’ said Auberon, wide-eyed and innocent. ‘Freddie and I are here quite by chance. Freddie’s researching a new TV programme. We’re staying at Tresgothen Manor.’

‘How very convenient,’ said Tatiana. ‘That you just happen to turn up in the same village, where I’ve been staying already, negotiating to play Titania in A Dream. I’ve been in talks with Mike Slowbotham about it for days. You’d better not screw this up for me.’

‘As if I would, Tati, as if I would. I’m sure the world is waiting with bated breath for your Titania.’

‘Don’t you dare,’ she glared at him angrily. ‘And don’t call me Tati.’ But she seemed mollified enough to calm down. Suddenly aware of her audience, she smiled graciously around her at the holidaymakers packing out the pub.

Before long someone had plucked up courage to ask for her autograph, and she smilingly obliged, as if the previous scene had never occurred. Soon she was surrounded by an adoring crowd and the chatter had returned to normal.

‘Well, that was entertaining,’ said Ant. ‘What a woman. Never a dull moment.’