her to the cinema. She'd enjoyed his company and felt the evening had gone rather well.
Another man had started visiting the tea shop regularly, and like Eddie he would only sit at one of Maisie's tables. Although she couldn't help noticing that he was showing considerable interest in her, she didn't give him any encouragement, because not only was he middle-aged but he was also wearing a wedding ring. He had a detached air about him, like a solicitor who is studying a client, and whenever he spoke to her he sounded a little pompous. Maisie could hear her mother asking, 'What's his game?' But perhaps she'd misunderstood his intentions, because he never once tried to strike up a conversation with her.
Even Maisie couldn't resist a grin when, a week later, both of her suitors dropped in for a coffee on the same morning, and both asked if they could meet up with her later.
Eddie was first, and he got straight to the point. 'Why don't I pick you up after work this evening, Maisie? There's something I'm rather keen to show you.'
Maisie wanted to tell him she already had a date, just to make him realize she wasn't available whenever it suited him, but when she returned to his table a few minutes later with his bill, she found herself saying, 'I'll see you after work then, Eddie.'
She still had a smile on her face when the other customer said, 'I wonder if I might have a word with you, Mrs Clifton?'
Maisie wondered how he knew her name.
'Wouldn't you prefer to speak to the manageress, Mr ... ?'
'Frampton,' he replied. 'No, thank you, it's you I was hoping to speak to. Might I suggest we meet at the Royal Hotel during your afternoon break? It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes of your time.'
'Talk about buses never turning up when you need one,' Maisie said to Miss Tilly, 'and then two arrive at once.' Miss Tilly told Maisie she thought she recognized Mr Frampton, but couldn't place him.
When Maisie presented Mr Frampton with his bill, she emphasized that she could only spare fifteen minutes because she had to be on time to pick up her son from school at four o'clock. He nodded as if that was something else he was aware of.
Was it really in Harry's best interests to apply for a scholarship to St Bede's?
Maisie wasn't sure who to discuss the problem with. Stan was bound to be against the idea, and wasn't likely to consider the other side of the argument. Miss Tilly was too close a friend of Miss Monday's to give a dispassionate view, and the Reverend Watts had already advised her to seek the Lord's guidance, which hadn't proved particularly reliable in the past. Mr Frobisher had seemed such a nice man, but he'd made it clear that only she could make the final decision. Mr Holcombe hadn't left her in any doubt how he felt.
Maisie didn't give Mr Frampton another thought until she'd finished serving her last customer. She then exchanged a pinafore for her old coat.
Miss Tilly watched through the window as Maisie set off in the direction of the Royal Hotel. She felt a little anxious, but wasn't sure why.
Although Maisie had never been in the Royal before, she knew it had the reputation of being one of the best-run hotels in the West Country, and the chance to see it from the inside was one of the reasons she'd agreed to see Mr Frampton.
She stood on the opposite pavement and watched as customers pushed their way through the revolving doors. She'd never seen anything quite like them, and only when she felt confident she'd got the hang of how they worked did she cross the road and step inside. She pushed a little too hard and found herself propelled into the foyer more quickly than she'd anticipated.
Maisie looked around and spotted Mr Frampton sitting alone in a quiet alcove in the corner of the foyer. She walked across to join him. He immediately rose from his place, shook hands with her, and waited until she had taken the seat opposite him.
'Can I order you a coffee, Mrs Clifton?' he asked, and before she could reply he added, 'I should warn you, it's not in the same class as Tilly's.'
'No, thank you, Mr Frampton,' said Maisie, whose only interest was to find out why he wanted to see her.
Mr Frampton took his time lighting a cigarette, then inhaled deeply. 'Mrs