T A Williams - What Happens In Tuscany...

Katie pulled herself together and looked across at her friend. ‘Yes, go on then. Read it out.’

Jenny’s support over the past months since the break-up with Dean had been invaluable. They had known each other since school, but Jenny’s career choice had been much more successful than hers. After a degree in business studies, she had opened a kitchen design studio, and business was booming. This evening she was taking time out to help Katie in her search for employment. It wasn’t easy.

‘I tell you this, Katie, I’ve never picked up a copy of The Lady before. It’s like reading something from a bygone age. I imagine the good folk at Downton Abbey recruited their staff through its pages. And this advert sounds like it was written by Lord Whatsisname himself. Here you go: “Wanted female companion and guide for English lady of good family. Residential position based in Devon and Tuscany. Would suit cordial and acquiescent person without ties. Excellent remuneration.”’ She snorted. ‘Who in the hell wrote that? “Of good family?” Who says that these days? And, “cordial and acquiescent?” I’m not even sure I can remember what acquiescent means. Unbelievable!’

‘Acquiescent means willing to do what you’re told. Sounds like they’re looking for a servant by another name. Probably to look after some old bat.’ Katie paused for a moment. She couldn’t afford to be too choosy after all. ‘Mind you, “Excellent remuneration” sounds good and it does say Tuscany. Maybe I’ll apply anyway. You never know.’

‘You’re crazy.’ There was no doubt in Jenny’s voice. ‘Just don’t come to me for sympathy when you find yourself emptying bedpans and pushing some old trout around in a bath chair.’ Nevertheless, she drew a red ring around the advert in the Personal column and handed it across. Then she eyed the empty glasses on the table in front of them. ‘Same again?’

‘Oh, yes, please. Thanks, Jen.’ Katie nodded vacantly and busied herself collecting the newspapers and magazines and sorting the few vaguely hopeful adverts they had found. Apart from the Tuscany one, there were only two others, neither ideal. While Jenny got the drinks, Katie checked back through them. One was a travel firm looking for a guide who spoke Italian to accompany groups of cycle tourists around Italy. Although she qualified as far as Italian was concerned, she hadn’t touched a bike for ten years. The other was for a private tutor to teach Italian and German to a pair of ten-year-old twins. Italian and French had been her subjects, not German. Still, she could always try.

‘Hi Katie. I thought I saw you over here. What can I get you?’

She looked up at the sound of his voice, surprised to see him. ‘Oh, hi, Martin, shouldn’t you be out on the practice field?’

He grinned and shook his head. ‘Nope. The season’s just about over. I’ve got a couple more friendlies and then two months off.’ He nodded towards the pile of papers. ‘Job hunting?’

‘Without much success, I’m afraid.’ She couldn’t help smiling at him. In spite of his recently broken nose, and the remains of bruising around his left eye, he really was a good-looking man. She had known him from her Pilates class for about six months, since the beginning of the year, but had only spoken to him for the first time a few days previously at a party she had been bullied into going to by Jenny. It was there she had discovered he was a solicitor and that he played rugby in his spare time.

‘Drink?’ He repeated his offer. Just at that moment Jenny appeared with two glasses of white wine.

‘Hi, Martin. If I’d known you were here, I’d have got you a pint.’

‘No worries.’ He gave her a wave and headed off to the bar. He was wearing shorts and trainers. Both girls eyed his broad shoulders and strong brown legs as he disappeared. Katie also found herself looking at his firm behind. Taking advantage of his momentary absence, Jenny lowered her voice and broached the subject they had been discussing only a few hours earlier. ‘Fancy Martin coming to this pub! I’ve never seen him in here before. I reckon he’s come looking for you, Katie. This is your chance. Ask him out. He’s obviously into you.’

Katie shook her head. ‘Don’t be so silly.’

Jenny gave her an expression of disbelief. ‘Listen to me, girl. I know what I’m talking about. He latched onto you at the party and anybody could see he was keen.’

Katie took a deep breath. ‘I’m not so sure, but, anyway, enough’s enough. The last thing I want is to leap back into another relationship. What I need to do now is to concentrate on getting myself a job and, hopefully, a career. I need to know that I can make a success of my life without having to rely on anybody else.’ She looked across at Jenny. ‘The thing is, Jen, I can’t just sit here waiting for Mr Right to appear. Besides which, there aren’t many of them around these days. No, I’m afraid men are off the agenda for now.’ She paused for a moment before admitting, ‘Even men with a body like Martin’s.’

Jenny gave her a long hard look. ‘Don’t let one bad experience sour things for you completely. It’s like they say about riding. You fall off. You get straight back up on the horse again.’

‘I think I’ll keep my feet firmly on the ground for now. Besides, he’d never go for it or, if he did, it would just be because he’s sorry for me.’ She saw Jenny’s expression. ‘I told him all about the Dean debacle. And anyway, you’re a fine one to be giving me relationship advice. You’ve hardly been out with a man since university. I never had you pegged for a career girl when we were students, but that’s what you are.’

‘I’ll get there before too long. If I had a Martin sniffing around me I wouldn’t say no, and that’s for sure. For crying out loud, Katie; strap on a pair, will you?’

‘A pair of what?’ Martin reappeared with a pint of lager in his hand. If he noticed their embarrassment he was good enough not to show it. ‘All right if I join you? Not interrupting anything, am I?’

They waved him to a seat. He took a mouthful of beer then set his glass down on the table. He looked across at Katie. ‘So, anything good on the jobs front?’ She shook her head and gave him a brief rundown of the three possibles. He shook his head in sympathy. ‘Doesn’t sound too good. Of course, you could always go back to uni, take a conversion course and do law. Only a year and you’d be a more marketable proposition.’

‘You make it sound as if I’m selling myself.’ Katie reached for her wine.

‘Well, if you were, I’d be the first to make you an offer.’

Jenny sat up. So she had been right. This tall, handsome man was making a play for Katie. Surreptitiously, she studied her friend, who was doing her unsuccessful best to avoid showing that she was blushing. Seeing her embarrassment, Jenny came to her rescue.

‘What about you, Martin? Thinking about giving up the legal profession and becoming a professional rugby player?’

He dragged his eyes away from Katie, turned towards her and shook his head. ‘No way, Jenny. I’ve had so much injury trouble this year, I don’t think I’d hack it in the professional leagues. Have you seen the size of some of those guys?’ His hand strayed to his bruised face. ‘Besides, if I was going to do that, it should have been ten years ago, maybe more. Thirty-one is not the age to try something like that. No, I’m pretty happy as a solicitor, just like my dad and my big brother.’

Katie glanced gratefully across at Jenny, glad of the change of subject. ‘My dad was a solicitor. He was always on at me about studying law. I’m beginning to think he might have been right after all. Forget languages, forget the humanities, do something that’ll pay well. The trouble is, I haven’t got the funds to take a year out to retrain. I’m afraid I’ll have to keep looking for something that’ll pay the bills for now.’