Having planned her dinner menu, Geraldine picked up her Cath Kidston Especially Pretentious Useful Trug with matching secateurs and set off for the kitchen garden where she was surprised to find Jack the gardener crooning 'Only make believe' from Showboat in a fine baritone to an audience of attentive marrows and pumpkins.
Sensing her presence Jack ended his song abruptly and, doffing his cap, responded to her quizzically raised eyebrow saying "Excuse me, madam, it was that there Prince Charles what gave me the idea but he would have got better results if he'd put his words to music."
"I didn't mean to disturb you, Jack, but I'm planning to cook coq au vin for dinner tonight and have come to see what's in season by way of an accompaniment", said Geraldine.
"Cock O'Van? Is that an Irish dish, madam? If so, I'll dig up some new potatoes" Jack replied.
"It's French actually," Geraldine responded.
"In that case you'll be needing some of these", said Jack pointing towards a row of garlic whose crisp white bulbs were barely visible through the plethora of foliage from the carrots, cabbages, and fennel that surrounded it.
Geraldine felt slightly queasy as she recalled the odour of the versatile bulb combined with that of Gauloise on Jim yesterday. "Perhaps some of these instead" said Geraldine as she caressed a crop of young courgettes and ran her fingertips lightly over a couple of plump ripe tomatoes which looked ready to drop from the vine.
"Righty-ho" replied Jack, deftly picking the best of the crop and placing them in her trug.
Watching his hands move firmly but sensitively over her chosen veg, Geraldine wondered why she hadn't previously noticed that Jack had remarkably nimble fingers for an elderly man and his wiry physique and upright stance belied his years. There's not a touch of arthritis about him, thought Geraldine, and he's always been so deferential and willing to try the tips and tricks she'd gleaned from Monty Don's regular column in the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine.
"Of course what I really need are some wild mushrooms" Geraldine pondered aloud.
"I have something I'd like to show you in the potting shed, madam" said Jack. Mystified, Geraldine followed him to the wooden building that served as a combination potting and tool shed where Jack proudly took the cover off of a growbag to reveal dozens of small mushrooms standing proudly erect from the loam.
"Oh Jack", said Geraldine, "These are perfect and now I have no need to go foraging in the woods". As her eyes became accustomed to the darkness of the interior, she noticed a camp bed and sleeping bag set beside the primus stove where Jack made the numerous cups of tea that sustained him during his daily work.
"Have you been sleeping here?" asked Geraldine.
"I'd never sleep on the job, madam' Jack replied. "Fact is there's some in village that would like to ruin my chances of becoming champion marrow and pumpkin grower again so I've taken to spending these short summer nights on watch for any who might take it into their heads to trespass in your gardens.".
"That's perfectly alright, Jack", Geraldine assured him and, after noticing the upturned wooden crates that served as tables for the hurricane lamps, the collection of gardening books which was no doubt Jack's preferred bedtime reading, the brown earthenware teapot and mugs which had clearly seen many years service in a cottage kitchen, and the hessian sacking at the windows, added "I must say you've made rather a cosy nest for yourself"
In fact, it is quite charming with a rustic appeal and everything one could need for a night almost in the great outdoors within easy reach, thought Geraldine, as she became aware of the distinctly masculine odour of sun dried herbs and dank dark earth blended with the Percy Thrower's Finest Shag that Jack was fond of tamping into his mock Meerschaum pipe.
Bidding goodbye to Jack, Geraldine returned to the house. 'Perhaps I need a shed' she mused to herself 'somewhere to hide myself away and spend time communing with nature'. As she entered the kitchen, Geraldine found herself wondering what Jack would look like in a beret.
to be continued...