Page 71 of Be More Octopus

'I'm glad you had a good time,' he said. 'With Karl.' That stern look again.

He could talk, but then she didn't know what had happened in Italy. 'And I'm glad you had a good time with Clara. Is she coming over here?'

'No. I doubt I'll see her again for a while. She prefers to spend the summer in Italy. Is Karl planning to visit you?'

'No. I haven't spoken to him since Saturday. You weren't tempted to stay longer in Italy?'

'No. I didn't want to overstay my welcome. And I was missing life here.'

Life? Not Em specifically, then.

Mary materialised at their table. 'Can I get you a drink, Jack?'

'I didn't know you did table service.' Jack gave Mary a beaming smile. So he'd not forgotten how to do those. He just wasn't using them on Em.

'Only for my favourite professor,' Mary winked at him flirtatiously.

Em stood up to leave. 'I don't want to play gooseberry.'

'Don't go just yet.' Jack sounded anxious.

'I think I should.' Em walked away and didn't look back.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Nancy's portrait stood in the drawing room in its new gilt frame on an old ornate display easel which Nancy had found in the attic. It was the first time Em had seen the picture since it went to the framers.

'Pleased?' asked Nancy.

'Very.' Em had to admit that it did look good.

'Excellent. Let's get the rest of the room ready.'

Nancy had her own ideas about where the drawing room furniture should go to maximise seating space and give an unhindered view of the painting.

'Are you going to say a few words this evening?' Nancy asked Em as she pushed one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace.

'I've no idea what to say. I thought I'd let the painting do the talking for me. '

Nancy put her hands on her hips. That was obviously the wrong answer. 'The main reason we're having this party is to get the great and the good of North Devon to ask you to paint their portraits. You need to subtly show off your skills so they come to the conclusion that they can't live without their own Emily Gillespie masterpiece.'

'What do you think I should say? I'm not very good at blowing my own trumpet.'

'That's fine because blowing your own trumpet is the last thing you should do.' Nancy picked up a couple of the family photos on the grand piano. 'You could talk about how you helped me choose a location, tips for deciding what to wear, how you put your sitters at ease. Those sorts of things. Then they will start visualising working with you and how it will be an easy, enjoyable experience.'

'I can back that up if you like?' They both turned to see Jack walking into the room.

Em had been grateful that prepping for tonight's party had been taking her mind off the whole Jack situation, and now here he was. 'I enjoyed being painted by you. I'm missing it now we've stopped.'

'What an excellent idea. The more testimonials, the better.' Nancy replied. 'Jack, you can give Em a hand moving that heavy sofa.'

'Why are we moving that?' Em asked, glad of the excuse to change the subject away from progress on Jack's portrait.

'It blocks off access to the piano,' Nancy said. 'I thought you could lay out some of your preparatory sketches there to give people a better idea of the process. I've made some room.' She walked over to the Chinese cabinet in the corner and put the photo frames she was holding inside.

'I could put my sketchbooks out for your guests to look through, I suppose.'

'Perfect. And put your business cards next to them, of course.'