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Gabe looked at her curiously ‘Do you go to these a lot?’

Her face fell ‘Not any more,’ she said ‘Which is a sha affairs like this one looks to be But I did go to a few vintage clubs and smaller affairs when I was at university I’ve always loved the twenties; you know, flappers and jazz and the art deco style Everything that was around when Rafferty’s was founded’

‘Why don’t you go any more?’

She sighed ‘The usual,’ she said ‘Time—or lack of I used to collect nineteen twenties accessories; costu, but I haven’t even wandered into an antique shop for a couple of years Ooh’ Her face lit up ‘This is great tie pop-up at Rafferty’s? Our centenary is in just a few years We could have a whole series of twenties-inspired events leading up to that?’

Gabe had no intention of still being there in a few years but he could picture it perfectly ‘Is this just so you can dress up as a flapper?’

‘Of course’ She looked down at her outfit ‘Although today I a the fifties Youhere when you picked out the dress’

Gabe could see the house clearly now; they had ended up at a stately hoone back in time, to the middle of the last century if not back to its seventeenth-century roots

The path had brought thee terrace at the back of the house overlooking lawns and ornae into the fields beyond The furthest laas covered with an array of carnival rides, none of which was younger than Gabe, horses going round and round in a never-ending circle, helter-skelters and coconut shies

Tables and chairs were dotted all around the terrace and lawns, served by a selection of vintage ice-crea the eponymous food, others cream teas, cakes or drinks

‘It’s beautiful,’ Polly breathed, still hanging onto his araze transfixed on the scene before them ‘Doesn’t everyone look fabulous? We’re completely underdressed, especially you!’

Swing h the parade of open doors Parading in and out were people frohtly lipsticked women with elaborate hair accompanied by irls with big skirts and ponytails were chatting to men with Brylcreemed hair and attitude to match It was all pretty cool—if you were into fancy dress

It had never been Gabe’s kind of thing Life was ato be soone?

‘It’s a good thing the rain’s stopped’

Polly huffed ‘And people say the English are obsessed with the weather Coo in’