Page 16 of The Way We Are Now

‘Oh, don’t be daft,’ I said. ‘I’m not having anything with Theo Mandeville, let alone some sort of secret assignation at the squash club.’

‘You were holding his hand.’

‘I was not. He was holding mine.’

‘Oh, let’s not split hairs on a mere technicality.’ Fliss really was cross. ‘And then coming out with some ridiculous excuse that you were there on a spying mission.’ She narrowed her eyes, curiosity overcoming her pique at seeing Theo and me hand in hand. ‘You haven’t been chosen, have you?’

‘Chosen?’

‘Well, approached? Scouted?’

I started laughing. ‘It’s a total cliché that a shadowy figure from MI5 and MI6 appears behind students, tapping them on the shoulder and ordering them to leave their former life behind. And if it does happen, it’ll be at Oxford or Cambridge. Don’t think spooks get as far north as Leeds. Oh, and your beans are burning.’

‘Shit!’ Fliss turned, pulling the pan to one side. ‘So, is Theo Mandeville the reason you pretended to have a migraine the other day?’

‘I didn’t pretend to have a migraine,’ I protested. ‘And if I was having a fling with him, why would I not want to be up at his place? To see him?’

‘Because then I’d know, from how you were with him, that something was going on.’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, Fliss. Give it a rest. He happened to give me a lift home the other night…’

‘Did he? In his car?’

‘No, he heaved me over his shoulder and carried me home.’ I shook my head. ‘He was in the library. He came over to apologise for my catching sight of him in all his glory stepping out of the bath. He saw me at the bus stop in the rain, and then he gave me a lift home.’

‘And you didn’t think to tell me?’

Why hadn’t I told Fliss this? Why indeed?

‘God, Fliss, this is like being grilled by Torquemada!’ I was desperate to get off Theo Mandeville, knew I was off down a rabbit hole of evasion.

‘Who?’ She stared.

‘I thought you did both Spanish and history A levels?’ I tutted. ‘The first and most famous of all the Spanish Inquisitors. Tortured people! And he was a man of God, for heaven’s sake.’ I knew I was rattling on, trying to get off the subject of Theo Mandeville and the lift home.

‘Right. Thank you. Good to know.’ Fliss narrowed her eyes once more. She obviously wasn’t letting it go. ‘So, go on then, why was he holding your hand?’

‘Because I’d lost my gloves again the other night, and he’d lent me a pair of his. At the squash club, he saw me and just happened to comment that my hands still looked cold. And he reached out to feel them.’

‘So, you don’t think he’s rather gorgeous then?’

‘No,’ I lied. ‘No. He’s not my type. Is he? Can you see him and me together?’

‘No, absolutely not.’ Fliss began to cheer up, eating the beans directly from the pan. ‘So, do you reckon I’m still in with a chance then?’

‘I’m sure you are,’ I soothed. ‘Mind you, I would imagine you’ve competition from his squash partner.’

‘Susannah somebody,’ Fliss said gloomily. ‘He’s been hanging around with her for a while.’

‘Don’t blame him,’ I said. ‘She was rather lovely.’

‘She’s a bitch,’ Fliss replied comfortably.

‘How do you know?’

‘Well, she must be if she’s got her hooks into Theo…’

‘Look, sorry, Fliss,’ I interrupted, picking up my bag. ‘I’ve to rewrite my CV. Not that there’s anything new to add.’