Page 12 of The Way We Are Now

‘Frank?’

‘I thought she was called Fliss.’

‘Oh, sorry, yes, Fliss.’ This man really was interested in Fliss, it appeared and again, I felt a little trickle of disappointment that he was using me to curry favour with her. But then again, I’d never associate myself with preppy Tories, ex-public schoolboys – he had to be one – who went round with unintelligent mates who heckled at protest meetings.

‘Right,’ I said, clearing a space in the misted car window and looking out at the rain. ‘Thanks for the lift.’

‘Lovely to meet you again, Anna.’ He held out a hand. Was he laughing at me? ‘I’ll make sure I’m fully dressed next time.’

‘Next time?’

‘Aren’t you continuing to clean the flats at Bodington Hall?’

‘Well, yes, but it won’t be yours. You’ve had a good clean and you’ll be sent a bill apparently. Your bits and pieces are safe from any further female scrutiny.’

‘Not permanently, I hope!’ Theo laughed out loud and then put up two hands in acquiescence. ‘Fair enough re the cleaning although, in my defence, I’m pretty much house trained.’

‘Oh? No maids and butlers to attend to you at home? No fags at school to clean your boots and make your toast?’

‘You’ve been watching too much Upstairs, Downstairs.’ Theo smiled.

‘Only as an exercise in social history. Only to see how the entitled wealthy were – still are – able to get away with trampling over those less fortunate. Do you know the long hours girls much younger than me had to work when in service? My grandmother was a scullery maid at Wentworth Woodhouse when she was just fourteen…’

‘And as for fagging,’ Theo protested, ‘well, it went out with the ark.’

‘Oh, so you don’t deny it then?’

‘Deny what?’ Theo looked puzzled.

‘That you were at public school?’

‘Why on earth should I deny it?’

‘You don’t think it morally unfair that money buys a better education for those who can afford it?’

‘I don’t think fagging constitutes a better education…’

‘But paying for it does?’

Theo looked at me and shook his head. ‘Is everything one big fight with you?’

‘Only those things that I believe are worth fighting for.’

‘OK.’ Theo smiled. ‘I think it’s stopped raining.’ He handed me the broken umbrella which had fallen into the footwell of the Mini, before reaching across me to open my door. I made to take off his gloves.

‘Keep them.’ He smiled. ‘Really.’

‘I couldn’t.’

‘I’ve loads,’ he said. ‘My grandmother appears to think I need a new pair every birthday and Christmas.’

‘Well then, thank you.’ I pulled the woollen gloves back on, enjoying the continued warmth.

‘Bye, Anna,’ he said. ‘It’s been good to meet you. Properly this time.’

I stepped out, my head full of the conversations we’d had, my senses full of Theo Mandeville, and made my way up the path to the front door.

Theo drove off without a backward glance.