just yet, not that I had all that much to get, but clearly some people were keen to get ahead.
‘I think I’m going to carry on with the others,’ I said to Poppy as we reached the pub and split into two groups.
Carole and Graham were going home, along with everyone who had children to get to bed.
‘You can’t go yet,’ said Chloe, slipping her arm through mine. ‘I’ve just spent the last half a mile convincing Finn to come in for a quick pint.’
I felt that horrible pang of jealousy prickle again. The pair had already walked most of the way back arm in arm, even though they were ridiculously mismatched height wise, and now Chloe was lining me up to play gooseberry. I really wasn’t in the mood.
‘That’s as maybe,’ I said, ‘but I need to get back for Nell.’
‘I thought Ryan said she had Gus for company tonight,’ Finn pointed out.
I hadn’t realised that he knew about that. Poppy had thought it would be a good idea to put the dogs together so if they were disturbed by the echo of any fireworks, they could console each other.
‘She has,’ I conceded.
‘There you are then,’ said Chloe, pulling me towards the pub. ‘A quick one won’t hurt, will it? It’s about time you were introduced to our fabulous Dragon!’
The Dragon was fabulous, but it was also pretty small, or at least it felt it by the time the nine of us had squeezed in to join the regulars and the rest of the post switch-on party revellers who were also heading home the slow way after an evening in the city.
‘All right?’ asked Finn, frowning down at me once he’d clocked how busy it was.
It was kind of him to ask, but I couldn’t help wishing that I hadn’t told him the real reason behind my wobbly moment back in the market. I didn’t need him looking out for me every time there were more than half a dozen people in a room. I daresay my uncharitable thought was a bit ungrateful, but really, I just didn’t want a fuss.
‘Yes,’ I said, doing my best to smile, ‘I’m all good.’
Warm, dark and welcoming, the pub had low ceilings which felt all the lower because they were bedecked with festive garlands of greenery and lit with twinkling white fairy lights. There was a fire burning in the grate, which cranked up the heat, and smiling staff behind the well-stocked bar who added to the cosy ambience. It really was very lovely, but I knew I would have liked it even better if it hadn’t been quite so busy.
I opted for half a pint of bitter from a local microbrewery which, I was told, was located on the outskirts of the city and was in such high demand it was going to have to lose the ‘micro’ moniker and move to bigger premises.
‘Have you been in before?’ asked the young woman serving.
‘No,’ I told her, counting out my money. ‘I only moved to the area last week.’
‘I didn’t think I’d seen you before,’ she smiled. ‘You aren’t Freya, by any chance, are you?’
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I am. How on earth did you know that?’
I thought the village closest to Broad-Meadows had the fastest bush telegraph in East Anglia, but perhaps I was wrong. I had expected at least a certain level of anonymity in the busy city, but clearly, I was mistaken about that too.
‘I’m a friend of Chloe’s,’ she said, waving at the table where our mutual friend was making herself comfortable. ‘She mentioned your gorgeous hair and I don’t think there’s anyone else in the vicinity with such a long plait.’
I supposed the length of it did make me a fairly recognisable resident.
‘I see,’ I said, handing her cash in exchange for my drink.
‘So, welcome to The Dragon, Freya,’ she said charmingly, ‘I hope you enjoy your inaugural visit.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, taking a sip of the bitter, which was surprisingly light and refreshing. ‘I love the atmosphere already and the garlands are very pretty.’
‘The landlord came up with the idea,’ she explained, ‘because we haven’t got room for a tree, and I’m not surprised you like them,’ she added, ‘what with you being a gardener, I mean.’
Chloe really had filled her in and I wondered how well the pair knew each other. Had my arrival been casual pub chat or was it more a case of exchanged news between close friends? I don’t suppose it mattered, but