19
Having carefully scraped all the crispy salty batter off my fish, I leaned down to offer Poppy a few flakes from my plate, which she bolted down so fast it was hard to believe she could even have tasted the fish, let alone enjoyed it. With supper over, our plates were whisked away by a scowling Tess who favoured me with a grimace when I thanked her. I was on the point of standing up when Barry dashed round the table to pull my chair back for me.
‘Allow me,’ he began politely.
Unfortunately, he was in such a rush to impress me with his good manners, that he failed to notice Tess who had just returned with a tray of food for the customers at the next table. Barry’s elbow knocked into the tray which flipped up and crashed to the floor. Tess darted backwards too late to avoid a mess of f
