‘Likewise,’ said Laura. ‘That colour is amazing on you.’
The flush went higher, Cherry feeling as though she’d forced Laura to say something nice in return, and she stood there, dumb and smiling and wishing fiercely she had been a little more sophisticated.
‘Time for a drink,’ said Howard, and he led the way into what Cherry knew would be only one of the reception rooms. She sat on the edge of a long grey sofa, and thankfully Daniel took the seat next to her. Laura was a few steps behind and must have put the flowers down somewhere as her hands were free. She couldn’t have put them in a vase that quickly and Cherry found herself feeling slighted. Were her flowers lying bruised on a shelf somewhere? Get a grip, she told herself sternly. She’s hardly going to disappear for ten minutes arranging flowers when you’ve only just got here. The flowers will be fine.
‘Aperitif?’ said Howard.
‘Yes, please.’
‘Bellini?’ But he was already pouring one and handed it to her. She tried not to let the bubbles go up her nose as she had a sip.
‘You’ve been working today?’ asked Howard as he continued to serve the drinks.
‘Yes, at Highsmith and Brown.’
Laura took a glass from her husband and glided into the armchair opposite her. ‘Daniel said. Do you enjoy it?’
‘Yes, very much.’
‘How long have you been there?’
‘Not long.’ She didn’t elaborate and in the pocket of silence moved her glass to the other hand. She knew she had to relax, but she was so anxious to make a good impression her mind was working overtime trying to remember what she did and didn’t want to say. She was in danger of coming over as rude.
‘What did you do before?’ asked Howard.
‘I was in the hospitality industry.’
Both Daniel’s parents smiled with what Cherry took to be polite interest. She felt another blush threatening. It was obvious they knew that she’d said this as a cover for working in a restaurant. Feeling foolish, she spoke quickly. ‘Before that, I was in Australia. I was, um . . . I wanted to take some time off after my . . . exams.’
‘Which uni were you at?’ said Howard.
She inwardly cringed. ‘Er . . . I didn’t . . . But I did do my A levels.’
What was the matter with her? Trying to justify herself, like a child.
‘So you came back and decided to start a career, learn on the job. Very commendable,’ said Laura, ‘especially with the cost of university these days.’
Cherry smiled and nodded along. She knew Laura was covering for her. She self-consciously swapped her glass back into the other hand and wondered what to say to change the subject.
Daniel pulled her from the sofa. ‘Come on, let me show you around. You can give us your professional opinion.’
She followed him out of the room feeling like she’d failed the first test. They were barely through the door when Daniel pinched her bum. She only just managed to suppress a squeal and poked him in the arm in admonishment, but in fact the intimacy had cheered her.
‘The hallway,’ he said. ‘As you can see, we have one.’
‘And very beautiful it is too,’ said Cherry, aware that his parents could probably hear everything they were saying. And it was: a gleaming parquet floor led to two large curved white and wood staircases, one going up, one down. A Turkish rug was placed in front of the marble fireplace, which was flanked by a large armchair, and Cherry wondered if anyone actually sat there.
‘You don’t need to worry so much – they like you,’ Daniel said in lowered tones, but Cherry gave him a warning look. She’d heard Laura come in behind them.
‘I’m just going to finish the soufflé,’ she said, and headed into the kitchen.
‘We won’t go in there – don’t want to disturb the chef.’ Instead, he led her up the staircase and when they got to the next floor, didn’t stop – ‘This is Mum’s room’ – but continued upwards, as Cherry noted how a whole floor could be dedicated to one person’s bedroom and probably huge bathroom and dressing room. She also noted that Mr and Mrs Cavendish didn’t appear to sleep together. At the next floor, Daniel led her into one of the bedrooms. ‘My room,’ he said. ‘Well, it’s not really, not anymore. But this was the room I had when I was growing up.’ It held a solid-oak king-sized bed, a wardrobe and a desk, but what set it apart was that it was an homage to the man standing beside her. Photos covered every wall, every surface: Daniel at Machu Picchu, Easter Island, the Pyramids. A range of extreme sports – mountain climbing, skiing, white-water rafting in the Grand Canyon – and pictures of the Grand Tour. There were trophies, cups for rugby, cricket and tennis. Each one dust-free and gleaming. It was a visual representation of his boyhood and all he’d had access to.
‘Wow. Quite an achiever.’
‘Nothing to do with me. Well, I did run about a bit. I mean, it’s Mum who insists on putting them up.’
‘She must be very proud.’
Cherry moved over to the window and picked up a photo of Daniel cycling in the Pyrenees. Someone, presumably Laura, had marked this on the mount, along with the date. As she put it back down, she looked out of the window and her eye was drawn to a bluish-tinged rectangle about three metres by two in the middle of the lawn. It looked like glass.
‘What’s that?’
He came up behind her. ‘The window. For the pool.’
Cherry turned, wide-eyed. ‘You have a swimming pool under there? Underground?’
‘Yep. Starts under the garden, goes further under the house. And off that, under the front of the house, a cellar, and a room where Dad likes to hang out, watch movies. And next layer down, small garage. Fancy a dip?’
Cherry stared at the window, tried to imagine what it was like. ‘Haven’t brought my costume.’
‘Doesn’t matter.’ Daniel started to kiss the back of her neck, but she squirmed.
‘Your mother’s downstairs,’ she hissed.
‘Yes,’ he said, continuing to kiss her.
She pushed him away. ‘I want to make a good impression. Don’t make me look ruffled.’
‘You look absolutely beautiful tonight. Fancy a quickie?’
‘Absolutely not.’
A bell rang. He groaned. ‘My mother has other ideas.’
‘Tell me that wasn’t a summons . . .’
‘It’s a large house. She has to call me to the table somehow. What am I going to do about this?’ He indicated his groin, which was bulging against the fly of his shorts.
‘Think of me naked all through dinner.’
‘You are such a tease.’ But he loved it and she knew it.
Holding her hand, Daniel led her back down the stairs and they met with Laura in the hallway. She was carrying a tray with four steaming ramekins. ‘Sorry if I cut the tour short, but these will go flat.’