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‘Whata girl,’ he said to her departing back. ‘Soobliging.Theyreally do look after me here.Now, sit down, sit down and we can have tea and cake.Theymake a wonderful lemon drizzle here.’
‘SoI’veheard,’Daisyreplied and slid into a very upright striped deckchair. ‘Lemondrizzle’s my absolute favourite.’
‘Bestcake in the world.’Keithrubbed his hands together and winked. ‘Iknew you’d be the girl for myWarwick.’
‘I’mconfused,’Miasaid. ‘Exactlywho isWarwick?’Shetook the cupJanpassed to her.
‘That’sRick’sreal name,’Daisyexplained. ‘He’sourMrWHamilton.’
‘Ithought that wasWalter?’Mia’snose ring jiggled as she screwed up her face trying to make sense of it all.
Rickgroaned. ‘Ican seeI’mgoing to have to change my name.’Hesat down atDaisy’sfeet and leaned against her knees.
‘Ohno you don’t,’Daisywarned. ‘Orit’ll be divorce before we’ve even got married.’
Marionspluttered into herEarlGrey. ‘Married?You’regetting married?’
‘Ohabsolutely,’Daisysaid blithely. ‘Ihaven’t askedRickyet, but he’d better marry me.’
Rickalso spluttered into his tea and then grinned up at her broadly. ‘You’reon.’
‘Well,I’mshort of a few wedding bookings soIneed the business.’
Marionlooked aghast. ‘Darling,I’veheard more romantic proposals.’
‘She’sgetting on a bit,’Jangiggled, ‘so she can’t waste time.AndIneed my grandchildren.’
ColinandBenlooked faintly alarmed, wondering if the banter was in jest or whether they needed to rescue their fellow male.
‘Again, you’re on.Jan, how many would you like?’Rickasked, apparently not in need of any rescue attempt.
‘Oh, at least three.’
‘Themore the merrier,’Keithadded. ‘Grandchildrenare a blessing you can’t have too many of.’
‘Icompletely agree,Keith,’Janadded, ‘although my three offspring have been slow off the starting blocks in that department.’
‘Weobviously need to team up and encourage them,Jan, my dear.’
Rickgroaned. ‘Lookslike the parents are already in collusion.’
‘Ofcourse!’Hisfather twinkled. ‘Nowwe haveDaisyin the fold,Janis family too.AndColinas well.’Hetook an enormous bite of his cake and chewed, looking pleased with himself.
‘Well, maybe we’ll start at one grandchild and work up,’Daisymurmured, smiling into her delicate bone-china cup.
‘Whatever, whatever,’Keithcheered. ‘Splendid.It’sall splendid.Congratulationsto you both.Icouldn’t be happier.Welcometo the family,Daisy.’
‘Ihaven’t a clue what’s going on,’Bensaid.
‘Norme,’ said a confused-lookingColin.
Fleurbarked in agreement.
‘Havesome cake,’Janoffered and handed the bemused men generous slices of lemondrizzle.
‘Couldwe gloss over the proposal or non-proposal or whatever that was and getKeithto tell us the story behind the flowers,’Miasuggested. ‘I’mdying to hear the story and it’s why we’re all here.’
‘Ah, darling girl,’Keithsaid, balancing his plate on his knee perilously close toFleur’squivering nose.HeclaspedMia’shand. ‘Youremind me so much of my dearSusan.Tothe point and fascinated by the language of flowers.Wehad a little chat,MiaandI, before the rest of you arrived,’ he explained to the others.Hestudied her nose ring. ‘MySusanalways had an independent sense of style too.Whatis it you want to know?’
