He stood up, one hand gripping the back of his neck. ‘She’s going to get stressed if I forget to have a post-run shower. To her, that was still a run.’
‘Of course.’ I hunched into my knees, still pressed against my chest. ‘Thanks for the walk. It’s easy to forget how beautiful somewhere is when you’ve not seen it in so long.’
‘Yeah.’ Elliot gave a short, sharp shake of his head as he turned to go, his voice soft and deep. ‘I know exactly what you mean.’
23
When I trudged down the stairs in joggers and a long-sleeved T-shirt on Saturday, I found Arthur and Elliot in the kitchen. The atmosphere was even more serious than Arthur’s date preparations as they used homemade paper fans to waft Cheerios along the table and into the cereal packet, strategically positioned on the floor.
At least someone had cleared up from the night before, the only evidence being a few forlorn petals here and there.
‘Ah, Jessica! And how are you on this most splendid of mornings?’ Arthur asked, twisting his shoulders and sticking his tongue out as he sent several crunchy hoops skidding off the wrong side of the table and into Penny’s waiting mouth.
‘Mostsplendid?’ I shuffled over to the kettle. ‘That sounds optimistic. Is Elsa around for breakfast?’
I’d slipped upstairs to bed well before either Elsa or Arthur had exited the kitchen the night before.
‘Certainly not!’ Arthur shot upright. ‘She’s a priest!’
‘So, what, priests don’t eat breakfast?’
‘Priests eat their breakfast at the vicarage, where they live with the vicar, the vicar’s husband and their cats, and where they slept last night after going straight from this kitchen and out the front door.’
‘Okay! No offence intended. It’s none of my business what you and Father Elsa get up to.’
‘It’s Reverend Elsa,’ Arthur spluttered, tugging on his baggy checked shirt as if that made things more respectable. ‘If she was a father she couldn’t get married. And it’s actually quite important that no one says anything to besmirch her reputation. She only started here a couple of months ago. It would devastate her to become embroiled in slanderous village gossip.’
‘And, strictly speaking, it is your business,’ Elliot said.
I glanced over as he sent the remaining three Cheerios into the box with one flick.
‘Given that you’re his get-a-girlfriend coach,’ he added, picking up an old ice-cream carton brimming with milk-sodden cereal and taking a huge mouthful with my new wooden spoon.
‘Am I?’ I asked, raising one eyebrow at Arthur as I took my mug of tea over to the table and slumped into the seat furthest away from Elliot. ‘It looked as though my services might no longer be required.’
‘If I’d merely hired you to get me a girlfriend…’ Arthur casually ran one hand through his hair, eyes roaming around the ceiling as he deliberately dragged out his answer. ‘Then… no! I would be dismissing you henceforth.’
‘Wow.’
‘However,’ he added, before I could pass any more comment on that revelation. ‘The plan is not to settle for one goal up at half-time. Until the game is well and truly over, your input is very much required and equally appreciated.’
‘And by over you mean…?’
Arthur picked up the Cheerio box, taking a handful and chewing on them slowly before answering. ‘Til death do us part, Jessica.’
‘Until one of you are dead?’
‘Until we’re married!’
‘And that’s the line from the marriage service you chose to refer to?’
‘I told you,’ he said, tipping the box straight into his mouth this time, causing a dusting of cereal shavings to coat his face and hair. ‘I need your help. I thought we could start with a blow-by-blow of last night.’
‘Okay, but anything you say will have to wait until we’re shopping later.’ I gratefully accepted the brand new, factory fresh hoodie that Elliot slid across the table, opening it up to see JESSIE printed on the front, BROWN on the back. ‘I’ve got a manager to assist.’
‘What?’ Arthur couldn’t believe it. ‘After last night’s development you’re going to ditch me for the Harriers?’
‘It’s not all about you and Elsa, Arthur. All three of you have hired me.’
