A Winter Affair

by Minna Howard

  ‘I admire you for doing so well,’ Eloise meant it but her sentiments didn’t give Debra carte blanche to destroy Lawrence and Theo’s life. She said firmly, ‘The avalanche frightened us all, but mercifully none of us were badly hurt, Jerry was even laughing and joking about it. I doubt you’ll win a case of negligence or whatever, but any action could ruin Lawrence and Theo’s reputation. Jacaranda has been in his family over fifty years, it was built by his grandfather, it means more to him, his father and son, than just being a place to make money, it’s a home, full of happy memories, some I share. Please, Debra, think again,’ she said quietly.

  Debra patted her eyes, glancing into a mirror she had in her bag, before opening the door of the jeep and getting out. ‘Thank you for the lift, don’t wait around for me, I’ll make my own way back.’ She slammed the door and Eloise watched her walk away, feeling like crying herself.

  Had she dug too deep where she had no right to go?

  Thirty-Seven

  Eloise finished her shopping and was just about to go back to the chalet when she saw Saskia waving to her.

  ‘Have you time for lunch?’ Saskia joined her. ‘I thought I’d go down to Martigny to see the art exhibition this afternoon, do you want to come?’

  ‘Good to see you, I was going to text you, see if you were free today,’ Eloise said, pleased to see her after her battle with Debra. ‘I’d love to come with you, but I better take the food back to the chalet to put in the fridge.’

  ‘I’ll come up to Jacaranda with you then we could go straight to Martigny and lunch at the gallery,’ Saskia said, climbing into the jeep.

  As they drove up the road to Jacaranda, Eloise told her about her conversation with Debra. ‘I feel dreadful now I’ve inadvertently unleashed bad memories for her. I really hated her, hated her for trying to ruin Jacaranda, thought her a cold mother to her son and an absolute cow to her daughter-in-law, but now I understand why.’ She went on to tell Saskia about Debra’s confidences.

  ‘Well how were you to know all that about her?’ Saskia retorted. ‘And whatever her background, she can’t go round causing mayhem for everyone else. The avalanche must have been worrying for her, but no one was hurt, so she should just be thankful and stay away from the mountains if she doesn’t want to risk such a thing again.’

  ‘I shouldn’t have interfered, but we were there, just the two of us in the jeep, and I couldn’t stop myself. She’s bound to use top lawyers, could have a whole stable of them waiting for her demands and who will dig away, determined to find some case,’ she said desperately. ‘And Lawrence could be ruined, may even have to sell Jacaranda, if she goes ahead with her claim.’ Eloise turned anxiously to her. ‘And Theo’s chances of being a ski guide will be trashed. Goodness knows what other complaints she’s got up her sleeve, at least I haven’t poisoned anyone with my cooking yet.’ She laughed grimly, remembering Bert’s theft of the lamb.

  ‘The lawyers won’t find anything to go on. After all, Theo didn’t take any unnecessary risks.’ Saskia turned to her.

  Eloise was still worried about those warning flags. She’d told Lawrence about them and he confirmed that he’d seen them too and even if they hadn’t been rushing there to help with the avalanche, they’d have taken the risk. But a lawyer trying to make a case against Theo could savage such details like a dog with a rat.

  ‘Did he?’ Saskia asked, seeing the hesitation in Eloise’s eyes.

  ‘There were some warning flags, stood at three, Theo skied past them, didn’t even stop, might not have seen them. I followed him; I didn’t think much about it until the avalanche hit. I’ve told Lawrence, but I haven’t said anything to Theo or the others. If Debra succeeds in making a case it might be difficult to keep it quiet and she’ll make much of it.’

  ‘Wait and see,’ Saskia said, ‘the run was open and most experienced skiers would gamble on three if there’s powder snow. I’d say it was just one of those things. But I’d keep quiet and not load any more on to poor Theo. Quinn thinks they are mad to try it on, but they are rich so can spend their money making life miserable for other people.’

  ‘I couldn’t bear it if they lost Jacaranda,’ Eloise said anxiously.

  ‘With luck people who have used Jacaranda before and know Lawrence and Theo will still come and tell their friends, but even if they do, he told Quinn that he needs to keep Jacaranda full during the season to make ends meet,’ Saskia said.

  ‘I know it’s a difficult situation and I’m so afraid Debra could easily make trouble with this exclusive agency that Lawrence just got into and they could dump him,’ Eloise told her as they arrived at the chalet. She parked and they both got out to offload the shopping

  Eloise opened the chalet door and went inside, followed by Saskia carrying another load. To her great relief only Vera was there, on her way upstairs to do the bedrooms.

  ‘Everyone is out,’ she said and then seeing Saskia smiled. ‘Hello Saskia, how is Mr Quinn?’ She had a soft spot for him; as he’d been involved in her rescue by suggesting Lawrence take her on.

  ‘Fine thanks, Vera. Hope all’s well with you,’ Saskia said, going on into the kitchen with the box of groceries.

  When the two of them were in the kitchen together, Saskia said, ‘I understood that Debra and co wanted a more luxurious chalet, full of cinemas, swimming pools and such, so they didn’t need to mix with the hoi polloi, and if her friends have the same tastes they won’t be coming here anyway.’

  ‘That’s true, but she could still scatter stories of how her nephew was taken into danger by the son of the owner of Jacaranda and barely escaped with his life, and that this chalet was below standard, food dreadful, all that.’

  Saskia started to unpack the box of groceries, putting the butter, cheese and milk into the fridge. ‘It depends if the holiday press get hold of anything negative. If she makes enough noise I can see that causing difficulties, but perhaps when she gets home she’ll forget about it.’

  ‘No such luck. I think her lawyer is ringing her this afternoon, and even though her husband’s told her to drop it, and I begged her to when I drove her down earlier, I feel she’s the sort of person who hates to be bossed around and she’s determined to follow it through.’ Eloise worried that she could have made it worse by tackling Debra this morning, uncovering bad memories she had worked so hard to overcome. ‘And her son has apparently bought some publishing outfit and has said he might write an article about being here.’

  ‘Oh no, what magazine? Quinn might know it and be able to stop it.’

  ‘I don’t know, it publishes on various things, top holiday places being one of them. I just feel everything is conspiring to ruin Jacaranda.’

  ‘It might all come to nothing, don’t stress until you have to. Come on let’s go.’ She made for the door, calling goodbye to Vera.

  Eloise put her fears away and they set off down to Martigny, an ancient town that was once an important trade centre in Roman times. It was not far from Verbier and was where the train came in from Geneva. Eloise suffered a pinch of nerves as she steered the jeep down the valley, she kept her eyes ahead, not looking down at the view falling away beside her. Saskia, having driven this road many times and having no fear of it, talked non-stop. Eloise tried to concentrate on that as well as her driving to quell her nerves.

  They arrived in the town without mishap and parked by the art gallery and went inside to have lunch.

  ‘Oh,’ Saskia stopped suddenly, causing Eloise almost to bump into her. ‘Look over there, it’s Lawrence and Aurelia.’

  Eloise turned to where she was pointing and saw the two of them sitting together, heads bent over something they were studying on the table in front of them. Saskia was about to go and greet them but Eloise pulled her back and out of the restaurant.

  ‘I don’t want to see them, or rather I don’t want them to see me. Why would they come down here when there are so many bars and places they could go to in Verbier?’ She looked back to where they sat. Lawr
ence was closing up his laptop.

  Aurelia also had hers; she scribbled something from it on a piece of paper and handed it to him.

  Saskia pulled at Eloise’s arm, ‘If you don’t want them to see us, come away now.’ She led her into the gallery. ‘Appear mesmerized by the artwork, so if they come in you look surprised to see them.’

  ‘Do you think it’s something to do with Jacaranda?’ Eloise whispered. She knew he was running out of options to save Jacaranda, especially if Debra was to go ahead with legal action. But would he really turn to Aurelia and her Tempting Delights?

  ‘Could be,’ Saskia said. ‘Lawrence was talking to Quinn about it last night. Quinn told him that perhaps he ought to go into partnership with someone else in the same business. I don’t suppose he meant Aurelia. Maybe,’ she looked troubled, ‘he’s in such a fix it’s his only option if he wants to keep the chalet.’

  ‘Oh, I do hope he’s not going in with her.’ Eloise felt as if a stone had lodged in the pit of her stomach. ‘I wish I could talk it over with Desmond, but I can’t go behind Lawrence’s back. I don’t want him to think I’m interfering and I don’t want Desmond to feel… nor I’m sure does Lawrence, that he must put any money he might have into it when he’s made his life elsewhere.’

  ‘I see that. Quinn said Desmond turned Jacaranda over to Lawrence after Maddy died, so he probably doesn’t want to get involved and stir up old memories again.’ Saskia squeezed her arm. ‘But perhaps you are worrying unnecessarily and Lawrence and Aurelia are here to see the exhibition like us.’

  Before she could answer they heard Aurelia’s distinctive voice, ‘Oh, what a surprise. Lawrence, here’s your little cook and Saskia.’

  ‘Oh… hello, funny seeing you here.’ Lawrence’s voice was strained. He was obviously put out seeing her here.

  ‘We came to see the exhibition,’ Saskia chattered on. ‘I always mean to come but so often the event is over before I get round to it. We’re going to have lunch in a minute, have you been here long?’

  Lawrence seemed about to say something when Aurelia slipped her arm though his, smug, as if showing off a trophy. ‘We’re here to discuss something important, something that will benefit both of us and Verbier too,’ she smiled, a horrid cat stealing the cream kind of smile.

  Lawrence said quickly, ‘There’s nothing decided yet, Aurelia.’

  ‘So are we allowed to know about this plan?’ Saskia said all innocent.

  ‘Shall we tell them?’ Aurelia still hung on to his arm, a knowing smirk on her face filling Eloise with anxiety.

  ‘There’s nothing to tell.’ Lawrence threw Eloise a repentant glance. ‘I must hurry round the exhibition; I’ve got to get back. See you later, Eloise.’ He moved off to the next room, dragging Aurelia with him, leaving Eloise feeling he was horrified to see her here and whatever he was up to with Aurelia he didn’t want her to know.

  ‘Let’s have lunch and lots of wine.’ Saskia led Eloise away. ‘She’s such a bitch, certainly no one will want to stay at Jacaranda if she’s in charge.’

  Eloise followed her in despair. What would Lawrence do when he found out that she had stirred up all Debra’s past, even made her cry? No doubt she had signed Jacaranda’s death warrant herself by adding to Debra’s determination to get some money back for the disaster that never happened.

  Thirty-Eight

  Eloise got back to Jacaranda around teatime. It was such a relief having Saskia out here; she didn’t know how she would have coped without her. She’d have had no one her own age to have fun with and confide in. She wished she were with her now to act as a support in the row that was sure to come.

  There were no other cars parked outside and the door to the chalet was locked. Sometimes the guests slipped the catch down by mistake when they went in, so finding it locked did not always mean no one else was there. The chalet, especially when there were guests, was rarely empty, for Vera, Lawrence or the ‘chef’ at the time was usually there. In the rare event of no one being there the guests were told where the key was hidden so they could let themselves in.

  Eloise had her own key and she unlocked the door feeling like a thief creeping into the chalet, afraid of confronting Debra who had probably returned by now.

  She had overplayed her hand by accosting Debra like that, unleashing the pain she fought so hard to forget. Consumed by a feeling of dread, Eloise wondered how her call to her lawyer had gone. Was it over, or was it going on now, here in the chalet? And would she be even more determined to take action now?

  Even if Debra did nothing, she had seen Lawrence and Aurelia together at Martigny poring over some plans and, as Saskia told her, Quinn had suggested Lawrence go in with someone else, though she was sure he didn’t mean Aurelia, but all the same the two of them together could keep Jacaranda safe. Her own love for Jacaranda was irrelevant; she was going home soon.

  She took off her boots, all the time straining to catch any sound of life and hearing none. The door to the living room was closed, she crept close to it and then furtively opening it, she saw that the room was empty, spotless and tidy, as if no one had been there since Vera had cleaned it that morning.

  She went upstairs softly in her stockinged feet and stood on the landing listening. It did not feel as if anyone else were here. Debra could have taken her call in the village with Ken and Travis as witnesses.

  Passing Lawrence’s photographs, she stopped to study them. Usually she only had time to rush past them on her way to the shops or the kitchen, but now she had time to savour them. It was the black and white ones she liked best, they were so dramatic, the shadows of the trees marking the pristine snow. He was very gifted and perhaps if all else failed he could make a living from taking photographs… but she must not think like that. Saskia had told her she must try not to panic until she had to. She went into her room and lay on her bed, glad to be alone, and turned on to Facebook to see what the twins were up to.

  There was a new picture of them by the Great Wall of China with a group of others. ‘Here we are at Badaling, took the cable car amazing views.’ And there were close-ups of Lizzie waving and later of Kit in a group of young people, his arm round a girl. How she missed them, this was the longest time they had ever been apart. But it was wonderful for them to travel and see such amazing things. She wished she’d had a gap year when she’d been young, but she’d met Harvey. Now he was gone though she was free perhaps to travel more, not just go home and slot back into her job.

  She left the twins an upbeat message, kissed them through the screen, swallowed her tears and got up to get into the shower before Theo got back. She washed her hair and changed into her jeans and pale green jersey and went cautiously downstairs to start on the dinner.

  The living room door was still shut, but this time she could hear the buzz of conversation behind the door and her imagination, fired up by her guilt at upsetting Debra, sprung to life with lurid pictures of lawyers juggling vast sums of money to hit Lawrence with. She hurried past.

  If only she could somehow be transported to the Great Wall and join her children, get far away from the trouble her meddling might have caused.

  Theo and Vera were in the kitchen when she went in, Theo eating a large slab of Christmas cake and Vera setting a tray of cutlery and glasses needed to lay the table for dinner when the door was opened and she could get in there.

  ‘Hi, Eloise. What did you do today?’ Theo asked her.

  Sign Jacaranda’s death warrant, came to mind, but she said, ‘Saskia and I went down to Martigny, saw the exhibition, had lunch. Did you have a good day?’ She wondered if he’d seen Jerry and Gaby and what he thought of him siding with Debra over the avalanche.

  ‘Skied with a couple of friends, though not Jerry and Gaby,’ he said, his face grave. He pulled off a chunk of icing and marzipan.

  Eloise felt a burn of anger; Theo had gone out of his way to entertain them and instead of standing up for him, or even just telling the truth, Jerry had been easily swayed by
his aunt to hold him to blame for leading them into an avalanche.

  ‘I’m sorry he’s not telling it as it was,’ she said, ‘but if it comes to it I’ll stick up for you.’ She squeezed his arm as she passed him, not bearing to think how much he could lose over this show of Debra’s self- righteousness.

  Theo finished his mouthful. ‘Thanks,’ he said, giving her a brave smile before leaving the room, but he was back in a moment. ‘Lawrence wants a word, can you go to him when you have a minute.’ He trundled back down the passage. At the same moment they heard the living room door open and the occupants go upstairs and Vera picked up her tray and scurried down the passage to lay the table before they came down again, leaving Eloise alone.

  This was it. She felt as if an icy hand had grabbed her stomach, digging in its nails. Lawrence was going to be furious with her, anguished to think that she’d made things worse, upset Debra even more. She should have left well alone. Jacaranda’s fate was nothing to do with her. Just because she loved this place, felt happy and at home here, there was no excuse. Jacaranda belonged to Lawrence and it was not her business to interfere, she was only ‘the cook’ after all.

  She took off her apron sporting the ‘vulgar’ message and went slowly down to Lawrence’s office. The door was ajar and she could see him sitting at his desk, she pushed down an urge to run and went in.

  ‘You wanted to see me, Lawrence?’

  ‘Yes, Eloise, come in.’ He sprang up and shut the door behind her; his face was radiant, smiling at her. She couldn’t understand it.

  ‘What’s happened?’ She sat down gingerly on the chair by the window. Having geared herself up for his anger, she wasn’t sure how to cope with his exuberance. Aurelia! That was it, they’d decided to go into business together and that would minimize any fallout from Debra’s case. Though what about Theo? His reputation would still be on the line.