Jill Mansell - Sheer Mischief

As she had known he would, Bruno ushered them to the most favoured table in the restaurant, next to the window.

‘Come on, forty minutes over coffee is long enough,’ he informed the diners already seated there. Whisking away cups and liqueur glasses and signalling to one of the waitresses to bring fresh linen and cutlery, he added briskly, ‘Time’s up, off you go, don’t forget to leave an enormous tip.’

‘Charming,’ muttered the younger of the two men. Bruno, winking at Janey and Maxine, slipped an arm around their waists and gave them both an appreciative squeeze.

‘Charming isn’t the word, sir. These ladies are stupendous ... magnificent ... the jewels in my own personal crown. And just think, if you hadn’t spent practically a week’s wages earlier on that ludicrously expensive bottle of wine, you might even have been able to afford to take them home with you for the night.’

‘Hmmph,’ snorted the older man, eyeing Maxine’s bare legs with disdain as he rose to his feet.

‘And hmmph to you too,’ said Bruno cheerfully, guiding them towards the door. ‘Goodbye, gentlemen. Have a wonderful evening. See you again very soon.’

‘Gosh,’ said Maxine, watching with admiration as Bruno waved them off the premises. ‘Is he always like this?’

Janey, who was studying the menu, nodded. ‘All the time.’

‘But doesn’t he lose an awful lot of customers?’

Janey shrugged. ‘Bruno says it keeps them on their toes. And the ones he doesn’t kick out are so grateful they leave bigger tips.’

Maxine was clearly impressed. When Bruno returned to their table with a bottle of Pouilly Fumé and pulled up another chair, Janey was surprised she didn’t offer to sit on his lap.

‘I love this place,’ Maxine declared, her expansive gesture encompassing the green and white decor, the latticed ceiling and the spectacular view from the window. ‘Thank goodness we didn’t go to La Campagnola! And why on earth hasn’t my big sister brought me here before?’

Having given Janey a look of mock reproach, she returned her attention to Bruno. ‘She’s a sly one, I must say. She told me she didn’t know any interesting men in Trezale.’ With an arch smile, she added, ‘And to think that you were here all the time.’

Janey, who would have torn out her own tonsils rather than come out with such a line, stared at her in disbelief. Was she being serious? Did other women really say things like that and get away with it? Had Maxine no shame?

The answer, it seemed, was no. If anything, her sister was looking more entranced than ever. The thin straps of her indigo camisole were slipping off her shoulders now and she was making no attempt to pull them up again. Her dark eyes, illuminated by candlelight, were bright with unconcealed interest.

‘But how do you know each other?’ she was asking Bruno, her chin cupped in one hand and the camisole top gaping to reveal more chest than ever.

In reply, he touched the arrangement of lilac and white freesias in the centre of the table.

‘She brings me flowers.’ Maxine grinned. ‘How romantic.’

‘Come on, pay attention,’ said Janey firmly, thrusting the menu into her free hand. ‘You’re the one who was so hungry. I’m having the seafood risotto and the lamb.’

By the time their food arrived, Maxine was in her element. Having discovered as much about Bruno Parry-Brent in the space of thirty minutes as Janey had learned in a year, she was now regaling him with her own life history. By the time they had moved on to the coffees, she was launching into a bitchy attack on Guy Cassidy.

‘He’s the one paying for this meal tonight,’ Janey pointed out in Guy’s defence.

Maxine looked scornful. ‘Only because he wanted me out of the way.’ Turning back to Bruno, she went on, ‘You wouldn’t believe this girlfriend of his. I didn’t think anyone could treat me worse than Guy, but at least he’s been known to say the odd please and thank you. Serena Charlton’s a living nightmare; I can’t believe what terrible taste in women some men have.’

Janey couldn’t resist it. ‘Maxine’s only saying this because Guy isn’t interested in her,’ she explained. ‘She had visions of moving into Trezale House and dazzling him, and it hasn’t happened. It’s been a great disappointment to her.’

‘Oh, crushing,’ Maxine agreed with a trace of mockery.

‘But her ego, of course, won’t allow her to admit it.’ Janey smiled. Two could play at bitchery. Besides, Maxine had been showing off for long enough. She deserved it.

‘He comes in here quite often,’ said Bruno, aware of the undercurrents and of Janey’s irritation with her sister. It didn’t take a genius, he deduced, to figure out the reason for it.

‘Brings some spectacular women with him, too.’

‘His harem.’ Maxine gave a dismissive shrug and spooned brown sugar into her coffee.

‘So are you going to stick it out?’ Bruno grinned. ‘Or leave?’

Maxine hesitated. Rattling on about Guy’s pigheadedness was one thing, but she had no intention of jacking in her job.

‘He’s a pain,’ she said with a brave smile, ‘but the kids are OK. It wouldn’t be fair to leave them.’

Janey pulled a face. ‘My sister, the patron saint of children.’ Turning to address Bruno once more, she said evenly, ‘Take it from me, nothing interests Maxine more than a man who isn’t interested in her. As long as Guy puts up with her, she’ll stay. She doesn’t give up on anyone without a fight.’

‘So how long have you had this raging crush on Bruno?’ said Maxine, on the way home.

Janey concentrated on driving. The lane leading up to Trezale House was narrow and unlit.

‘Don’t be silly,’ she replied, her manner offhand. ‘He’s a friend, that’s all.’

‘And I’m your sister,’ declared Maxine, not fooled for a moment by her apparent lack of interest. ‘Come on, Janey! First you don’t even mention him, then you have a go at me, deliberately putting me down in front of him. Why else would you do it?’

‘You were showing off.’

Maxine shot her a triumphant grin. ‘I’m always showing off. What’s so interesting is the fact that this time you minded like hell. Darling, it’s nothing to be ashamed of ... there’s no reason on earth why you shouldn’t fancy him! He’s an attractive man. I thought he was lovely.’

‘I know you thought he was lovely,’ said Janey in cutting tones. In her less-than-serene state, she crunched the van’s gears. ‘The entire restaurant knows you thought he was lovely. I just don’t understand why you have to be so obvious.’

‘Because that’s the way I am.’ Maxine shrugged. ‘But we’re getting away from the point.

The reason I asked you about your own little crush was because I wanted to know how serious it was. If you’re madly in love with him, I’ll do the decent thing and steer clear. After all,’ she added infuriatingly, ‘I wouldn’t want to waltz in and snatch away the first man you’ve been interested in since Alan.’

Janey gritted her teeth, sensing that they were on the verge of their first real quarrel for years. Even more annoying was the fact that, deep down, she knew she was the one at fault. She was also in serious danger of cutting off her nose to spite her face.

As they approached Trezale House, she took a deep steadying breath. ‘OK, I do like him.

He is the first man I’ve been interested in since Alan, and the reason I didn’t tell you about Bruno was because I didn’t want you to say anything embarrassing when you met him.’ She drew the van to a halt, switched off the engine and gazed out into the darkness ahead. ‘There, so now you know.’

‘Well, hallelujah!’ Maxine retorted. ‘I don’t know why you couldn’t have said all that in the first place. Darling, it’s no big deal. Sometimes you’re just too proud by half!’