Part 6 (1/2)

Susan looked doubtful. 'An allotment? Do they let women have them?'

He laughed. 'Of course they do. Why not? The only people who are not allowed are those who have a bad track record for neglect.'

Susan sipped her drink thoughtfully. 'How big would it be? I'm not sure I could manage on my own.'

'You wouldn't be on your own. As I said, the plot is next to mine so I'd always be there to help you out.' He paused. 'Look, sorry if I'm going too fast for you. Maybe I'm being presumptuous taking too much for granted. If you hate the idea just say. It was only a thought.'

He looked so embarra.s.sed that Susan reached out an involuntary hand to pat his arm. 'No, no, it's a lovely idea and so kind of you to think of me.' She sat back with a smile. 'Just fancy, home-grown organic vegetables. I could keep Karen supplied and still have lots left over.'

'You could.' Very softly he placed his hand over hers on his sleeve. 'And there's a farmers' market every other week in town. If we get a glut, some of us club together and rent a stall. It's great fun and quite profitable too.'

'It sounds it.' Susan felt her cheeks flush and she didn't know whether it was the gin and tonic, the heat of the fire, or the warm feel of Ted's hand on hers. Then a thought suddenly occurred to her. 'Oh, but where are these allotments? Could I get there easily? And what about gardening tools? I mean, I did have some when I had a garden before but I gave them to Karen and Simon.'

'You could always ask for them back,' he said, his eyes twinkling. 'I have a lock-up shed on my allotment and you could keep your tools in there with mine.' He took a drink of his beer. 'As for getting there it's only fifteen minutes in the car; you could come with me.'

She smiled tentatively. 'How can I refuse?'

'Of course you can refuse!' His smile vanished. 'Please don't feel obliged to agree if you don't like the idea. I'd hate to bulldoze you into it.'

'You've given it so much thought.'

He gave her a wry grin. 'To be honest I've thought of little else.' He looked away. 'It's been a bit of a pipe dream. Meg and I never had children and although I've been on my own for five years I still can't get used to my own company.' He turned to look at her. 'I don't make friends easily. When I started the Green Fingers Club I thought I might meet some like-minded folk and I have, but they come in couples or pairs of friends and anyway, there isn't anyone who I'd say was on the same wavelength as me.' He raised an eyebrow at her. 'Does that make sense or does it make me sound stuffy and difficult?'

Susan shook her head. 'Of course it makes sense. I know what it is to be widowed and like you, I've never been someone who's happy as part of a group. I prefer one-to-one friends.h.i.+ps.'

'Somehow I knew that instinctively. But there is a big difference. You have a family.'

'That's true.' On impulse she asked, 'Ted, what are you doing for Christmas?'

He shrugged. 'Sitting in front of the box and wis.h.i.+ng it was spring.'

'Then come with me to Karen and Simon's for Christmas Day?' she invited.

'Oh, I couldn't impose on people I don't even know.'

'You wouldn't be imposing, and you'd soon get to know them. I always contribute my share of the food and I help with the cooking; we all muck in. You'd be very welcome and I'd like you to meet my family.' She took in his hesitant expression. 'But it's only an idea. Don't say yes just because I've asked you.'

He smiled. 'I'd love to come. Thank you.'

'Really, Mum! Who is this old man and what on earth made you invite him without asking me first?'

Susan was shocked by Karen's reaction. 'To start with, he's not an old man; he's about the same age as me. He's on his own and he's lonely. I had no idea you'd be put out about it. One more can't make all that difference.'

'It could be very awkward, having some stranger in the house,' Karen said. 'Christmas is a family occasion after all.'

'What happened to goodwill to all men? And anyway, what about Adrey? She's not family.'

'That's different. She's away from her own family for the first time and I want to make it special for her. I've asked some of the neighbours for pre-lunch drinks so that she can get to know them.'

'I wanted to make it special for Ted too. He's been on his own for five years and he's terribly lonely.'

'That's hardly my problem. Anyway, what do you know about this Ted person? You want to be careful, Mum, picking up strange men on the bus. He could be some kind of conman.'

'Well, he's not!' Susan bristled. 'And I didn't pick him up as you so delicately put it. I haven't lived as long as I have without being able to tell a genuine person from a crook. And if he's not welcome then I'm not coming either.'

Karen looked shocked. 'Oh really, Mum! Don't be so ridiculous.'

'I never ask you to do anything for me, Karen,' Susan said as she marched down the hall. 'But if you can be mean-minded enough to turn down a lonely person at Christmas, then you're not the daughter I thought you were.'

'Mum wait!' Karen caught up with Susan at the front door and took her arm. 'Please, don't go like this. Bring your friend, Ted, if you like. I'm sorry I was snappy. It's just that there's so much to do, what with shopping cards and presents and everything at home and all that's going on at school. You know how stressful Christmas is ...'

'I don't want you to wear yourself out on my account.' Susan firmly detached her arm from Karen's grasp. 'We'll be fine. I'll invite Ted to spend Christmas with me at the flat and you can concentrate on making it a special Christmas for your Dutch au pair and the neighbours.'

'So, I hope you don't mind, Ted, but I thought we'd have Christmas Day on our own at my flat,' Susan said when she rang Ted the next morning.

There was a slight hesitation at the other end of the line. 'Susan my dear, I hope you're not giving up the day with your family on my account.'

'Not at all,' she a.s.sured him. 'When I thought about it I realized that it might all be a bit overwhelming for you. They're having friends in for the evening and I know you don't like crowds of strange people. I don't know any of them so I'm not very keen either.'

'You're absolutely certain about this?'

'Absolutely.'

'Well, if you really are, then the answer is a resounding yes. As a matter of fact the prospect of it just being the two of us is very pleasing,' he said. 'It'll be an opportunity to get to know one another better.'

'Yes, it will.' Susan smiled, feeling a little flutter of antic.i.p.ation. It was so long since she had planned a Christmas of her own. 'Right, then,' she said. 'I'd better get down to the super-market before the last-minute rush starts.'

'Do you mind if I come with you?' Ted said. 'I absolutely insist on sharing all the expense with you.'

'There's no need, but it would be lovely to have your company,' Susan said. 'Then I won't have to guess what you like and don't like to eat.'

'And on the day I insist on helping,' he said. 'I'm a dab hand with Brussels sprouts.'

Susan smiled to herself, serene in the knowledge that she had made the right decision.

Chapter Nine.

Mark was waiting for me as I stepped off the train, laden with bags of shopping.

'Wow!' he exclaimed as he took a couple of them from me. 'Looks as if you've bought enough to feed an army. It must have cost you a fortune. Come on, I've brought the car.'

'You've got a car?' I said, following him into the street.

'Of course. I don't use it for going up to town too difficult to park but I do like it for holidays and days out and so on.'