by Jacobs, Anna
He finished it for her, ‘Quick on the uptake, kind and have an excellent telephone manner.’
The compliments threw her and she could feel herself blushing. ‘Oh, well, I’m glad you think so.’
He frowned, looking as if he was thinking over what she’d said, so she didn’t try to speak, simply waited. When he looked up, she braced herself for a refusal.
‘I can only offer you part-time work for the moment, so if you need to support yourself totally, I’m afraid this job wouldn’t be much use.’
‘I have a small income, but I can’t sell my house yet so I need to work. I’m intending to find a small flat to rent. Money would be helpful, but more important would be some experience to help me get back into the workforce.’ She looked at him questioningly.
His smile was warm and his voice gentle. ‘You’re supposed to ask me next what the job entails.’
‘Oh. Yes.’ She could feel herself blushing. ‘You can tell I’m not used to this. What does it entail?’
‘All sorts of things. What I really need is a general factotum. I’m going to hire a full-time secretary and a part-time assistant for her, but I also need someone who can deal with sales enquiries, show people round, answer queries about the new buildings when I’m away, whatever comes up.’
She was going to say she could try, but caught herself in time. ‘I’m sure I could do that, Mr Santiago, as long as you briefed me carefully about the specifics.’
‘And if I asked you to organize a small dinner or a buffet?’
‘I could do that, too. As long as you have the cooking equipment.’
‘I don’t. The hotel can handle the big stuff, but occasionally it’d be good to have a small gathering in my house – I’m going to be living in one of the show houses.’
‘I’d need to find somewhere to live close by. Are there plenty of rental properties round here?’
‘I suppose so.’ He snapped his fingers. ‘Or I have a caravan that I could have hooked up on site, if you’re interested. It’s old but in good condition and as it sleeps four, it’s not too cramped.’
Excitement was welling up in her. ‘That sounds fun.’
‘Let’s give it a month’s trial. If you use the caravan you’ll not need to risk finding a flat in the neighbourhood, and either of us could say if we weren’t happy about continuing at the end of the month. How about that?’
‘Sounds a perfect way to re-enter the workforce. Oh— I also forgot to ask about pay.’
‘Hourly to start off with. We’ll get Avril to find out a fair rate. She’s my ex-secretary, come back to work temporarily to get me out of a hole. I’d trust her to act fairly. In fact, I’d trust her with my life. Do we have a deal?’
‘Yes, we do.’
He stood up and held out his hand.
When she took it, she sucked in her breath in shock. It was more than a handshake; it was a connection humming between them. She let go of his hand immediately and stepped back, feeling flustered.
He looked at her in similar surprise, then cleared his throat and said hurriedly, ‘That’s . . . er, settled, then. Uh-oh. The Temples are coming back. Will you be all right minding the phone while I chat them up?’
‘Yes, of course.’
But she was glad that the phone didn’t ring, because it gave her time to pull herself together, then listen to him talking about his development.
She hadn’t realized it was such a personal venture, and though he didn’t say that, the way he talked about his leisure village gave him away. He’d invested more than money into it; he’d invested love and hope, and a concern for the environment.
She’d love to live in a village like the one he described, one with a sense of community, with houses that didn’t gobble up power. Was it really possible to create such a thing? Surely communities evolved over time?
After the couple had gone, Euan let out his breath in a whoosh of relief.
‘I think they’re interested.’
‘They’re definitely interested, Mr Santiago. But they’re not sure you can deliver, especially the sense of community you talk about.’
‘Do call me Euan. I don’t stand on ceremony. I think I can deliver it by building carefully and providing some amenities for residents.’
‘Do you have rules for the residents as well?’
He frowned at her. ‘Wouldn’t that be presumptuous?’
‘We-ell, whenever we’ve stayed in villas in France or Spain, there have been rules about not making a noise after ten at night, or before six in the morning. That seems fair enough, but some people do need it spelled out. And what about children?’
‘What about them?’
‘They’re noisy.’
‘I’ve been hoping it’d be mainly people seeking second houses, since they can’t reside here all year round, only for eleven months. Expats.’
‘Even expats have children.’
He leaned back in his chair, steepling his hands and staring down at them, then up at her. ‘You’ve got a point. You know, you’re definitely earning your money even on your first day here.’
She blinked in shock. ‘I didn’t realize I was already employed.’
‘I’m taking up your time today. It seems only fair that I pay you.’
‘Oh. Well. Thank you.’ She tried not to let him see how thrilled she was, but the way he looked at her, she reckoned he’d guessed. He had such a lovely, understanding smile and she couldn’t help smiling back.
He stared into space for a moment or two. ‘We’ll put it in the rules, then: children not to run around shrieking, or play ball games, except in designated play areas. How does that sound?’
‘It sounds reasonable, but perhaps it could be phrased more tactfully?’
‘We’ll make drawing up the draft rules part of your job.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Right then, I’d better ring Avril.’
He walked outside to make the call and Molly tried not to listen, because she guessed they’d be talking about her among other things. She went along the wall rack, taking a copy of each brochure. She’d have to learn everything she could as quickly as possible, not only about the leisure village but about the surrounding area.
Euan came in as she was sorting through the pile of brochures. ‘Homework,’ she said.
‘Good. Um . . . Avril wants to meet you. She’s intending to vet every single person I hire for the office work, doesn’t trust me after the fiasco we’ve just had. Avril doesn’t want to have to come back to work again.’
‘I’m happy to meet her.’
‘She’s invited us both to tea at her house. Would you mind?’
‘Not at all. It’s very kind of her.’
‘Look at the time. Have you had lunch?’
‘No.’
‘Then why don’t you go and get something at the hotel? I have a client coming to see me at two o’clock, so if you could hold the fort here then, it’d be great.’
‘Have you already had lunch?’
‘No, but I can wait.’
‘I could easily bring you something back.’
He grinned. ‘Now I know Avril will like you.’
Molly tried to work out the connection and failed, so looked at him in puzzlement for an explanation.
‘My last secretary found it beneath her to get me lunch, even when I was busy. Of course, she didn’t say that at the interview. She didn’t actually refuse to do it, but she made her displeasure plain so I stopped asking.’
‘What happened to her?’
His expression darkened. ‘I’ll tell you about her later.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Better get off for your meal quickly. And any sort of sandwich will do me.’
Molly walked briskly up the slope to the hotel, excitement fizzing along her veins. She had a job, a real job. Part-time at first, but with prospects.
At least, she would have a job if this Avril person approved of her. Surely she would? She’d sounded reasonable enough on the phone.
Brian decided t
o go and retrieve his boxes of childhood toys, because he’d been told some of them were quite valuable and he didn’t want his mother giving them away.
He arrived in Lavengro Road and made his usual turn into the drive, only to jam his brakes on hard, barely stopping in time. ‘What the hell!’
The entrance was blocked by high, wrought-iron gates. What maggot had got into his mother now? Such a waste of money to fit new gates when you were trying to sell a house. These must have cost a fortune. Dad was right. She didn’t have a clue about money.
He got out of the car and tried to open the gates, but they were locked in some way he couldn’t fathom out. There was a doorbell and intercom to one side, so he pressed it, then got angry and kept on pressing it.
‘You can take your finger off the bell now.’
It was a man’s voice. Brian frowned. Had she acquired a live-in lover? He couldn’t imagine it. ‘I’ve come to see my mother.’
‘What’s your name?’
‘What’s yours? What the hell are you doing in my mother’s house, anyway?’
‘I’ll come out to the gate.’
Brian waited, foot tapping impatiently. A tall man who looked vaguely familiar came striding along the drive, used an electronic remote to open a small gate set into one half of the larger ones, and stood looking at him.
‘Yes, I remember you now. Brian, isn’t it?’
He nodded. ‘And who are you?’
‘I’m the new tenant.’
Brian gaped at him. ‘Tenant? Is my mother taking in lodgers?’
‘Certainly not. She’s rented the house to me.’
‘You mean, she’s not living here any longer?’
‘Exactly. Now, you’ll have come for those boxes in the garage. She told me you would. I’ll help you carry them out to your car.’
‘It’d be easier if you let me drive in, then we could load them straight into the boot.’
‘If they’re too heavy, I’ll carry them out for you.’ He chuckled and strode off towards the garage. He might be bald, but he looked extremely fit and healthy.
Scowling, Brian followed. ‘I didn’t catch your name.’
‘I didn’t give it to you. It’s none of your business.’ He opened the garage door, which also seemed to have a new operating system, and led the way to the back, getting one box down as if it weighed nothing. He thrust it at Brian. ‘There you are. I’ll carry the other one out.’
Not knowing what to say, Brian followed him, and when the boxes were in the boot, the man turned to go back inside the garden. ‘Just a minute. Do you have Mum’s forwarding address?’
‘No.’
‘But you must have some idea where she’s gone?’
‘I don’t, actually. She wasn’t sure herself. All I have is her email address and surely you have that too?’
‘But—’
Brian was left staring through the bars into the garden as the man strode along the path and vanished into the house without looking back. He couldn’t believe his mother had just upped and left. She wasn’t the sort to do something like that. Where could she have gone?
Guilt shot through him. Was she so short of money she had to rent her house out? If he’d known that, he’d have made a bigger effort to pay her rent and housekeeping money. Only, from what his father said, he’d thought she was loaded with money.
To his surprise, not knowing where she was made him feel uneasy. He’d ring his father up tonight. If he didn’t know, he’d soon find out.
The afternoon flew by and Molly, nervous at first of being left on her own, found she was coping just fine. When she couldn’t answer a question, she explained this was her first afternoon working there and promised to get back to them.
It seemed as if the leisure village had stirred up interest all over the country.
It was five o’clock before she knew it.
‘Intending to stay here all night?’ an amused voice said from the doorway.
She looked up to see Euan leaning against the door frame, looking relaxed and far too attractive for a man of his age. ‘Oh! You shocked me.’
‘You were lost in your notes. Could I ask what you’re doing or is it private?’
‘I’d not do private work in your time. I was jotting down some notes about the residents’ rules. I found some on the Internet for another leisure village, which gave me a start.’
He smiled and his voice softened. ‘I didn’t think you’d cheat me. You have a particularly honest face. That was very enterprising of you. Now, I have to go round and lock up the show houses, which includes checking that all the windows are closed. Want to come and help me? I can give you the grand tour at the same time. You’ve not seen them yet.’
‘I’d love that. I came down here to look them over as potential homes for myself. Once I’ve sold my present house, I’d like to find somewhere smaller and easier to keep up.’
‘Had your house on the market for long?’
‘No. But there were problems with my ex. I’ll explain another time.’
‘Yes, of course. None of my business anyway.’ He led the way round the three show houses, explaining the prices and showing off the fittings with imperfectly concealed pride.
Then he looked at his watch. ‘Damn! We’re going to be late. I’ll just call Avril.’ He made a quick call to say they’d been delayed and would be setting off in five minutes, then turned to Molly. ‘We’ll go in my car. It’s closer and I know the way.’
His car was a sleek Mercedes convertible. She felt like a princess being swooshed away to a ball as he drove away. Even Craig hadn’t been able to afford a car like this one. It just reeked of money. And, more important to her, it was wonderfully comfortable.
She beamed as they drove along, then caught him smiling at her. ‘What’s so amusing?’
‘It’s just a pleasure to drive someone who’s enjoying it. You snuggled down in the seat like my mother’s cat does in her furry rug.’
‘Oh. Well, it is a lovely car.’
‘Yes. I like it. Very useful for impressing the richer clients, too.’
‘Will rich people want houses this small?’
‘No. But I have some other designs for individual houses that can be custom built.’
‘How wonderful to create a whole village like that!’
‘It is. It’s years since I’ve enjoyed my work as much. It’s a bit of a change for me and— Oh, here we are.’
Brian decided to call in to see his father, rather than phone. That way, he might get a free meal. Otherwise, it’d be fried eggs and baked beans again, one of the few things he could cook, if you could call it cooking. He really missed his mother’s wonderful food.
Geneva opened the door and glared at him. ‘What do you want?’
‘What do you think? To see my father. I’m not going to stop seeing him just because I have to put up with your sour face as well.’
‘I’ll see if he’s available.’ She slammed the door in his face.
He was furious at this reception but had no choice except to stand outside and wait.
His father came to the door. ‘Geneva’s still very angry with you, so Tasha doesn’t want you coming in and spoiling our meal. And you might try ironing your clothes after you’ve washed them. No wonder Geneva said you looked like a tramp.’
‘And of course you took their side, Dad. You always do. So, if I’m not welcome here, I’ll keep the news to myself and you can find out about Mum some other way.’
‘Wait! What’s this about your mother?’
‘See you around.’
‘Oh, come in, you fool! But make sure you keep a civil tongue in your head.’
In the hall his father stopped again. ‘Well? What about your mother?’
‘She’s left.’
His father looked at him as if he was speaking a foreign language.
‘She’s not living in the old house any more. She’s rented it out to some stranger and left.’
‘Are you sure of th
is?’
‘I was speaking to him this lunchtime.’
‘Who is he?’
‘He wouldn’t tell me his name. He looked vaguely familiar, but I can’t remember where I know him from.’
‘Didn’t you have the wit to ask for her forwarding address?’
Brian had never found his father so hard to deal with and suddenly felt a stab of sympathy for his mother, who had put up with years of this sort of treatment. ‘Of course I did! He said he didn’t know where she’d gone.’
‘He’s lying. She must have left a forwarding address for the mail.’
Tasha came to the door of the dining room. ‘Is this going to take long? Dinner’s ready.’
She ignored Brian completely. His mother would never have treated a guest like that.
‘Could you set another place, please, darling? Brian’s brought some interesting news.’ His father, who was more prone to bark out orders, always spoke to Tasha in a conciliatory tone. Wow, she had him right under her thumb. Who’d have thought anyone could do that?
She pulled a face, but shrugged agreement.
Brian followed his father into the dining room, ‘Hi, Tasha; Geneva.’
Geneva sniffed and ignored him; Tasha gave him a scornful look. ‘Next time you visit, ring first and make sure it’s convenient, and wear something half decent. I don’t usually open my house to tramps and layabouts.’
Suddenly Brian felt angry enough to defy her. ‘I’m not making appointments to see my own father. If I’m not wanted here, I’ll leave and—’
His father’s voice cracked out like a whip. ‘Shut up and sit down!’
And as he had done a million times before, Brian swallowed his anger and did as his father told him.
The food was superb, as always, but the helpings were small. He could have eaten twice as much. Did his father only marry women who could cook? he wondered suddenly. Yes, of course. That would be quite important. His father did a lot of entertaining and networking. He frowned as he realized that his father didn’t actually have any long-time friends, only current business acquaintances.
In between mouthfuls, he answered questions, explaining in more detail what had happened.
‘Let me know if you remember where you’ve seen this fellow,’ his father said. ‘And now, if you’ve finished scraping the plate, Tasha and I have some important things to discuss tonight.’