The Butterfly Box(134)

‘I think he’s smitten by a lot of women.’

‘How old is he?’



‘Old,’ Federica replied and blushed.

‘Okay, how old. Fifty?’

‘No, more like late thirties.’

‘Hmm, that’s old,’ Flester agreed, but she couldn’t hide her admiration.

‘But mature, confident, settled,’ Federica breathed and bit her lip anxiously.

‘You mean, rich and secure. Someone who will look after you and take away all your troubles with one twinkle of an engagement ring.’ She laughed.

‘No, just more grown up than the boys I usually meet.’



‘God, how exciting. I can’t believe it,’ Hester enthused, clasping her hands together.

‘Neither can I.’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘I don’t know.’ Federica sighed and a shudder of excitement momentarily debilitated her whole body. ‘I don’t think I’ll get much sleep tonight.’

‘Oh, your fickle heart,’ Hester laughed, getting up slowly.

‘What do you mean?’

‘To think you were in love with Sam,’ she said, smiling at her friend. ‘I was rather hoping he’d make you into a proper member of our family.’

‘Oh, really, Hester,’ Federica replied dismissively, shaking her head. ‘That childhood crush was over long ago.’

‘Well, it’s certainly over now, isn’t it?’ she said. Then she shrugged her shoulders in resignation before leaving Federica alone with her thoughts.

The following day Federica arrived at the shop with her cheeks aflame, fearing that everyone would know Torquil had sent her those gifts the night before. But Greta demanded a department meeting and gave them all an angry lecture about how to behave on the shop floor and how not to stand in huddles gossiping when there were customers to be looked after. No one noticed Federica’s furtive eyes as they shifted from one face to the next before settling on the carpet where they relaxed their focus and hovered in the space between the floor and the vivid images of Torquil that she caressed secretly in her mind.

When the doors opened at ten Federica received a telephone call. She picked up the receiver with a thumping heart.

‘Good morning,’ said Torquil in a buoyant voice. ‘Did you receive my gifts?’ ‘Yes,’ Federica replied, trying to sound calm. ‘You shouldn’t have.’

‘Of course not. But it gave me pleasure,’ he replied, touched by her obvious



nervousness.



Thank you.’

‘I know it’s a little hasty, but I couldn’t help myself. Will you forgive me?’

Federica laughed to cover her embarrassment. ‘Of course.’

‘I know this is also a bit hasty, but will you allow me to take you out tonight?’

‘Oh, I ..

‘Please don’t say no, you’ll break my heart,’ he pleaded.

‘Well ..

‘It’s the only way I can get to know you. I can’t keep coming into the shop, can I?’

Federica giggled. ‘Okay, that would be lovely,’ she agreed, fanning her face with the pad of order forms.

‘I’ll pick you up at eight at your flat. I’ve something special planned for you,’ he said. ‘Wear something warm.’

‘Okay,’ she replied, curious to know the nature of a surprise that required her to wear ‘something warm’.



‘I’ll see you then,’ he added.

Federica put down the telephone and stood staring about her as if the world

suddenly looked different. It frightened her.

When Greta summoned Federica into her office, she knew her boss had found out about the call and began to apologize, anxious not to lose her job. But Greta silenced her with a single slice of her cold blue eyes. ‘It must not happen again. You know all the telephone calls are monitored in this company. It is for your own good that I tell you.’

‘I’m sorry,' said Federica.

‘If you want to receive a personal call you must tell them to telephone you at lunchtime in the staff quarters. If it is urgent they can call my office and I will pass on a message. If everyone in the company received personal calls no one would be on the floor. Do I make myself clear?’

‘Yes, Greta.’

‘Good. I don’t want to have this conversation again.’

Federica was too afraid of upsetting Harriet to tell her about Torquil. So she went about her day as normal, hiding the churnings of a stomach turned to liquid and the rapid pumping of her heart that gave her twice as much energy as

everyone else. By the afternoon she could barely concentrate on even the simplest task and was relieved when she was finally able to calm her nerves in the scented water of a deep aromatherapy bath.