An Irregular Arrangement

An Irregular Arrangement A. L. Lester (Border Magic)

Set in England in 1920.

This is a short story set in the Border Magic world.

Tim and Flora are best friends who chose to get married to make things safer for Tim and his lover, Rupert.

Val is finally twenty one and ready to leave their family–until Flora finds them in a tree, picking apples for a widow’s children, and proposes that Val come home with her.

It’s a quick romance about how the four came to be together, starting with the meeting between Val and Flora and closing as London is evacuated for WWII.

It’s quite clear that although Rupert and Tim are the couple, Flora is an important part of both their lives, not just Tim, to whom she is married.

Flora pulled a face at him. “I was very polite,” she said. “But also, very clear.”

“Oh,” said Tim. “What do you mean, oh?”

There was a small, nervous pause. “Some people…can find you…quite intimidating when you’re being very clear,” Rupert finally said, carefully.

I also think it’s very sweet that Tim thought becoming a vicar would allow him to do good in the world.

It’s less of a short story, and more of a vignette into the lives of these four people.

Rating: 6.5/10

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