felt the ladder give slightly as Francis let go.
‘You’ll be all right up there, won’t you? I’ll only be a mo.’
‘Of course, old man,’ he called down.
He waited until the tops of his wife and brother-in-law’s heads had disappeared into the house, then seized his chance.
‘Morning, neighbour,’ he called from his perch.
Belinda, very aware that he had been watching her for the last ten minutes, pretended not to know where the voice was coming from, and turned her head from side to side before looking up and feigning surprise. She caught her hula hoop and let it fall to her ankles.
‘Ah! Hello again. You’re looking busy.’
‘And you’re looking hot.’
She gave him an impish grin. ‘Cheeky!’
He hurriedly continued, ‘I mean, hot doing all that hula hooping.’
She smiled again and in a faux Cornish accent replied, ‘Ooh, sir! Thank you.’
‘You look as if you could do with a cold glass of something.’
Connie, coming out of the house with another heavy bag, peered up at her husband and said, ‘I’d love a cold glass of something, darling. That’s thoughtful of you. But since you’re busy up there, I’ll sort it out. Fruit juice OK?’
She dropped the bag by Pru’s car and went back inside.
Belinda giggled. ‘You’re a naughty man,’ she said in a stage whisper.
Connie returned minutes later with a jug of juice and a tall glass with several ice cubes in it. Greg began whistling nonchalantly, giving the guttering his undivided attention.
Connie called up to him, ‘I’ll put the jug here for you.’ She was setting it down on the bench under the rose arbour when Francis came staggering out with two more bags. ‘Put those on the back seat, would you?’ she instructed him, and then walked back into the house.
Belinda had now left her garden and was standing in the drive. ‘Hello, Frankie.’ She moved forward and embraced him. ‘Greg was just saying I looked hot. And could do with a cold drink. I was about to make up a jug of Pimm’s. Want some?’
Pru came out now and elbowed her way past Belinda and Francis with the last of the bags. ‘Not for the boys, thank you. Alcohol and ladders don’t mix.’
She got into the car and with a small wheel spin, accelerated up the lane in a cloud of sand and grit.
‘God, I wish she wouldn’t drive like a maniac,’ muttered Francis.
‘If you change your mind about the Pimm’s …’ Belinda winked at both men, ‘I’ll be next door.’
Connie came out again with another bin bag. ‘Has Pru gone?’
‘Yes,’ said Francis, tearing his eyes away from Belinda. ‘You just missed her.’
Connie shrugged and set the bag down. ‘Oh, hi, Belinda.’
‘Hi there. Want a Pimm’s? I’ve asked the boys, but Pru said they weren’t to have any alcohol.’
Connie laughed. ‘That’s my sister, all right. I’d love a Pimm’s!’
‘You’re my kind of girl. Come on over and I’ll make you one.’
‘I should be getting on in the house. We’ve got loads to do. Especially since the flood.’
‘Then why don’t I bring the jug to you and give you a hand?’
‘Thanks!’
Connie darted back inside the house and Belinda smiled wickedly at Greg and Francis. ‘What a lovely family you are! I can see Connie and I will get along famously.’
*
The two women worked well together. It wasn’t long before, tongues loosened by the Pimm’s, Belinda began questioning Connie about Pru and Francis.
‘They’re a bit of an odd couple,’ she said.
‘You’re telling me!’ Connie laughed. ‘My sister, much as I love her, is a total control freak. If things aren’t done her way there’s hell to pay. Poor Francis.’
‘He’s such a lovely man,’ said Belinda. ‘Whereas she seems a bit … forceful.’
‘God, yes!’ Connie took another sip of Pimm’s. ‘Do you know, she told me that having sex was immature. She hasn’t given Francis any in years.’
Belinda thought about this for a moment. ‘Really?’
Connie nodded her head vigorously, her eyes wide and shocked.
‘Poor Frankie. We all need affection, don’t we?’
‘Oh quite.’ Connie was hitting her stride. ‘I make sure that Greg has no need to go elsewhere.’
Belinda thought about the Greg she had observed. Very flirtatious and with a definite twinkle in his eye. ‘So neither of you has ever been tempted?’
Connie shook her head vehemently. ‘Absolutely not. I’m a very lucky woman.’
‘You certainly are. What about Frankie? Has he ever strayed?’
Connie, mid swig of Pimm’s, spluttered a laugh, ‘Good God no! He’s lovely and all that, but he’s not exactly sexy, is he?’
Belinda frowned. ‘Oh, I don’t know.’
Connie looked at her with widening eyes. ‘Do you fancy him?’
‘I think he’s a nice bloke.’
‘Oh wow! How hilarious. That would put the cat among the pigeons. Poor old Pru. What would she say if you and Francis were to have a passionate affair! Hilarious!’ Connie burst into peals of laughter and Belinda tried to join in.
A couple of hours later, after the pair of them had sobered up a bit and finished the drawing room and rumpus room together, Belinda took herself and her empty jug back to Dairy Cottage.
Connie, realising she had used the last clean duster and was running low on bleach and wood polish, gathered up her handbag and car keys and walked out to the drive. She called to the boys, who had by this time made their way round to the stretch of guttering at the far end of the house.
‘Right, boys. I shan’t be long. By the time I get back I want to see all those gutters clear and empty. OK?’
‘Jawohl, mein littlen Battenburg cake,’
