by Dilys Xavier
‘Now for your manor house,’ Tom said, with a satisfied sigh, as they climbed into the car once more. He drove carefully all the way, while Katie leaned back in the comfort of the lush leather seat and daydreamed. Once there, she suggested a coffee and biscuits in the local inn before going around the house. It was a beautiful day, and the countryside looked so green and fresh, that it gave her a lovely feeling deep inside.
As he drove up the long driveway, Tom’s eyes opened wide when he saw the building. ‘I say, your family lived in style.’ He gazed around in awe. ‘Don’t you want to live in this grand building yourself?’
Katie shook her head. ‘It’s vast. Wait until you get inside and see what has to be kept clean. As it is, my own home is too big for one person, but I stay there because it means searching around for the right place, uprooting, and a lot of hard work to sort everything out for a move.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a compact little place like yours I would be thinking of… if ever I moved, but... ‘ She shook her head. ‘I can’t ever see me doing that, because… ‘ She left the sentence unfinished. ‘Come on, Tom,’ she called, realizing that he was looking at the gardens. ‘You can look at those later… they’re a mess. Let’s go inside for what we’ve come to do.’
‘This is impressive,’ Tom said, gazing around the interior of the house, and walking up to the paintings to inspect them. ‘You’re going to let it? If you’re not intending to live here, why not sell it, and get rid of the responsibility — realise your capital?’ He shrugged, and then murmured quietly. ‘I certainly would.’
‘No way,’ she retorted immediately, in a tone that sounded almost indignant. ‘I want my children to inherit this lovely old place. It’s been in the family for more generations than I’d care to mention, and you don’t just throw away your heritage like you’d flip a coin.’ She walked into each room and pointed out certain items. ‘Choose what you’d like from these,’ she said, indicating what was available. ‘The children have put their names on what they want. Other stuff is for auction, but anything you’d like is yours, as a gift.’
Tom turned to her after he had chosen what he wanted. ‘I think that’s more than enough for my place. As you said, it’s best not to overdo it.’
‘Good. I’ll ask Richard to have these delivered to Springwood Farm as soon as it’s ready.’
‘You’d find it difficult getting used to a different place, wouldn’t you?’ Tom asked.
‘Depends,’ she said, screwing up her pretty nose as she considered his question. ‘Not if it were one like yours, though. It’s a dream. There are few around like that. Picturesque properties are snapped up immediately in this area. You were lucky to find it; even luckier to get it.’
‘I was. When I saw it, I didn’t hesitate. It crossed my mind to ask you to look at it before I signed the contract, but I was afraid that if I delayed, I’d lose it.’
‘Ask me? But why? You’re the one who has to live there.’
‘Ah, yes, but Katie, I… ‘ He opened his mouth to say more, but suddenly stopped, and became pensive.
‘It’s time we left now, Tom,’ she said, almost abruptly. ‘The coffee only served to sharpen my appetite, so let’s go back to the inn; the menu looked good.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed, in a quiet voice. ‘It’s been a busy day, and time we had a decent meal. ‘
They ate in comparative silence, with Katie feeling a little alienated for some reason. What she wanted most of all right now, was the comfort of her own home, where she could relax. The rest of the time seemed to drag by, but eventually they finished their meal and set off on the journey home.
Katie was pleased that Tom declined her invitation to go in for a drink when they arrived back at Priory Farm. It was late in the day anyway, and once inside the comfort of her own home, she relaxed, and then began to think back over the last two days. She felt convinced that Tom was making a serious move towards her… all the signs were there, and she knew she would have to be wary about what she did and said. No way did she want him to get the wrong idea. She was having too good a time to get serious about any one man in particular, no matter how much she liked him. Perhaps it would be wise to see Tom only occasionally in the hope that he would get the message.
She wondered what his reaction would be if he knew she was considering going to Majorca with Rex, even though that was none of his business. Still, as Sam said, the Colonel had all the right qualities, and she didn’t want to lose him. Being without Tom, and Rex now, could mean she would be back to where she was, with no escort to visit places , and as things stood she felt she had begun to live again, almost like she never had before.
Katie was up early the next day, and had dressed and breakfasted long before Pat turned up. She watched for his car, and went out to see him before he started work.
‘Top o’the morning, to you,’ he said, seeming much brighter today. ‘I’ve been thinking. Everything I planted is rooting. I’ve replaced the broken fencing, repaired the trellis, fixed the gazebo, but as for the pool and fountain you want, you’ll have to be more explicit. Oh, and we need more rose bushes.’ He dusted off his hands, and clasped them behind his back with an obvious look of satisfaction as he waited for her to speak.
‘Then we’d better go straight away to buy some, er… some roses,’ she added, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Ten minutes later they were on their way. Being with Pat was so relaxing compared with the other two men. He was no way as demanding, but then, this relationship was not the same as with the other two. She looked on him now, not only as her gardener, but as a good friend, and also as someone indispensable.
For a moment, the fleeting thought about his notion to live in Ireland bothered her again; she wanted it never to happen. But, if he moved into the annex, maybe he would settle there for a while, if not permanently. Yes, to have him there for good would be ideal. Pat was someone she could talk with, confide in, and laugh with. She turned to him as they began to wander around the garden centre.
‘Pat,’ she said, with a note of wariness in her tone, ‘Rex has invited me to join him for a holiday at his villa in Valldemosa.’ She gave him a quick glance to see what his reaction would be, but his face didn’t flinch. So she continued. ‘Whereas it’s a wonderful opportunity, I’m wondering whether I’d be wise to go.’
‘Depends,’ Pat said, stopping in his tracks to look down at her with a quizzical look in his blue eyes.
‘On what?’
‘On why he’s invited you there. On what he expects to gain from it. On what impression you give him.’ He hesitated for a moment and then turned and looked deep into her eyes, with his hand resting gently on her arm. ‘Now… if I invited a lady to stay with me at a home of mine, as my guest, I would be doing so with the intention of developing a closer relationship… of consolidating something, I’m thinking.’ He shrugged and gave a quizzical smile. ‘Men don’t usually do that kind of thing without an ulterior motive.’
‘You believe that?’
Pat nodded. ‘And for sure I do. He sees you often enough without your going away together. You go out with him, and he comes to you for meals and the like.’ He bent his head close to Katie’s. ‘He’s getting his feet under the table, for sure. And so is that other one, the Colonel.’ He nodded again, and reduced his voice to almost a whisper. ‘Ah, yes, I’ve been noticing how often they turn up, watching their body language, observing their behaviour. They’re both aware of each other too, and they’re vying for your affections.’ He walked on a step or two, and then turned to her again, with a smile. ‘To be honest, ‘tis my opinion that they both want to lay claim to you… for want of better words.’ He gave a low chuckle. ‘Take care, Katie. I think you’re treading on treacherous ground.’
Katie fell silent as they strolled around, barely thinking about why they had gone there. Pat was right, of course. Had she not been thinking the very same thing? ‘Well, thanks for listening, and for your comments, Pat. I can see that I must be careful with those two, charm
ing though they are. I wouldn’t want to give either the wrong impression.’
‘Right, so now we’d better sort out what we came here for,’ Pat said, brightly, changing the subject, and taking her arm to guide her in the direction of the water gardens. ‘Now are you quite sure that you want this thing? It’s going to cost, y’know.’
Katie nodded, but made no comment, because her mind was still rattling around her dilemma. While she was still in a state of semi-daydream, Pat quickly selected what was needed, gave the order for the pool liner and pump at the desk, then loaded the rose bushes into the car and drove back to Priory Farm.
When they arrived back, he looked at his wristwatch. ‘There’s no time left for much gardening now, apart from softening up the soil where the roses will go.’ He looked around, nodding. ‘You know, I’m very pleased with what I’ve done here, and I hope you feel the same.’ Then he glanced at the annex end of the house. ‘By the way, I’ve arranged to move within the next few days. From there on, my spare time will be spent in the garden at no charge. It’s the least I can do.’ He fixed his hands on his hips and stared at Katie. ‘You wouldn’t listen to me and charge me a fair rent. The annex is worth far more than what you’ve asked for.’
Katie simply smiled but gave no reply as she left him to carry on. When she got inside, she noticed the light blinking on the answer phone. She pressed the play button and listened for a message. The first caller was Tom, to say he was unable to come as he had hoped, because someone was going to call and measure up the kitchen. The second call was from Tanya.
‘Hi, Mum… a quick call,’ the message said. ‘Sam said you’ve been asking questions about Dylan and me, so I thought we’d call after lunch today on our way out. We’ll drop in, but won’t stay for long. Bye.’
‘Oh, good,’ Katie murmured, feeling pleased about that. She wanted another chance to see this latest boyfriend of Margie’s. She had a quick lunch, changed, and then sat down to read the paper while she waited. At exactly two Margie rushed towards the door, her blonde hair streaming behind her as usual, and dragging Dylan by the hand behind her.
‘It’s so nice to meet you again, Dylan,’ Katie said, greeting him with a warm smile. ‘Let’s go into the sitting room and have a drink.’ When he walked in, she noticed how tall and lightly built he was. When Dylan settled down in the armchair, she studied his handsome face, framed with wavy, light brown hair. All in all, Katie was impressed.
‘We’re not staying long,’ Margie said. ‘We’re going out for the day while Dylan has a bit of time off. He’s got his eye on Rose Cottage, a pretty little place in the next village. He’s had a quick look at it, but he’s dithering now.’ She gave him a winning smile. ‘Poor soul doesn’t get much free time as a trainee consultant, and he’s got a busy workload tomorrow, so we must make the most of today.’ They finished their drinks, and Margie gave a long, hard look at her wristwatch. ‘Ever so sorry, Mum, but we must dash now.’
‘Really?’ Katie was disappointed, but she understood. Their happiness reminded her of how she and Greg used to be. She sighed, hoping that Margie was now ready to settle down with this handsome man. Katie dared not hope, but the idea that Dylan wanted to buy a property was interesting… could it possibly mean something? She waved them off, and leaned against the door when she went back inside. How lovely to be happy and carefree and in love, she thought.
It wasn’t until the next day that Katie wondered how things had gone for Tom at Springwood Farm. Since the firm had acted that fast to measure up, maybe arrangements for the fitting had already been made as well. Curious, she reached for the phone to ring and find out, but withdrew her hand, realizing that it might not be wise for him to think she was eager to know about his affairs. She wasn’t; she was merely inquisitive.
Rex was her first visitor that day. When Katie answered his knock, he walked through the front door, looking very pleased with himself and rubbing his hands together. He placed his hands firmly on Katie’s shoulders and gave her a little squeeze.
‘Now, my dear Katie, ‘ he said, smiling as he peered down into her face, ‘as soon as the weather in Majorca cools a bit, we should head for Valldemosa. It’s all I said it was… a heavenly place. In fact, it’s mighty popular. You’ll love its ancient monastery, and the quaint little places around—all quite interesting.’
Katie studied his face, noting how carefully he watched her reaction. ‘It’s a hilly little village; the whole northwest area is mountainous but beautiful, and I can guarantee that the views are stunning. Those winding roads and precipitous drops are not for the faint-hearted, I can tell you. Driving along those can make your stomach queasy if you look down. Quite frightening. Oh yes, quite frightening.’
He released his hold on her and linked his arm in hers as he drew her towards the sitting room. ‘It’s no way as busy as the other popular resorts in Majorca, where most people holiday. The rocky landscape around Valldemosa makes modern development impossible, you see. I can promise you that you’ll think you’ve stepped back a century or two when you get there. As well as being visited by our royalty, it also has links with Chopin, and his lover, George Sands, the French novelist of the 1800’s, too.’
‘I don’t doubt that what you say,’ Katie said, and I really appreciate your offer, but I don’t know if…’
Rex turned his head sharply and stared at her. ‘Oh, come on, Katie, don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet.’ He leaned forward to look into her eyes. ‘You are — aren’t you?’ He leaned back, pursed his lips and sighed. ‘You’re opting out, aren’t you? I can tell… you’re looking hard for an excuse not to come.’ He heaved a sharp breath. ‘I really don’t understand you. I promised you a room to yourself there, if that’s what’s worrying you. What on earth is the matter with you?’
‘It’s not that,’ Katie said, quite taken aback by his terse tone. ‘It’s just that …’ How could she tell him that even though he’d made that promise, maybe he would try to join her at night in her room? She didn’t feel that way about him at all. And it wasn’t worth the risk.
Rex’s expression changed and he frowned. ‘I offer you a superb holiday, all expenses paid, and you throw it back in my face.’ He turned from her abruptly. ‘Okay. There are one or two other charming ladies who would jump at the chance. But you? Oh, no! You can’t even find a flicker of enthusiasm.’ By now, his expression was one of distinct annoyance.
Well, take those others instead, was what she wanted to say, but she stopped herself, not wanting to be rude or seem ungrateful. After all, his offer might have been perfectly genuine. She was groping for words when the telephone rang, and she hurried away to answer it. She returned to the room. ‘It’s a redirected call for you,’ she said. ‘You can take it in the study, across the hall.’
Rex disappeared, but because he had not quite closed the door, Katie could hear snippets of what he said, particularly when he raised his voice in annoyance.
‘Look here, you damn fool, I’ve told you often enough to get moving fast when I give you a special job like this.’ There was a slight pause, then, ‘Yeah, yeah, but don’t ring me again until you’ve got results. And don’t use my redirection. If I’m not at home, put the phone down and ring again later.’ There was another short pause. ‘Yes, well, I’m at a friend’s house now, so I can’t go into details. Good bye.’
Katie heard the receiver slam back onto its rest, and raised her brows. Is this the real Rex Charters? A cantankerous old creature who loses his cool when things don’t go his way? She had never heard Rex behave like that before, and wondered what it was all about when he reappeared, his face dark with anger.
‘You look upset. Bad news?’ Katie asked quietly.
‘Yes. Bad enough to upset a saint,’ he retorted, in the same aggressive tone. ‘Sheer damned incompetence.’
Katie gave him time to cool down while she made some coffee, but just as they were about to drink it, the phone rang again.
‘If it’s for me, I’m not h
ere,’ Rex said, sharply.
Katie lifted the instrument.
‘Hi, Mums,’ Margie said, breathlessly. ‘Can you do us a big favour?’ She sounded excited. ‘An offer’s been made on ‘Rose Cottage’, but no decision’s been made yet. Dylan wants to clinch the deal by going straight to the agent, but his car’s conked out, and I can’t get away, so can you take him there right now? Otherwise it’ll be too late.’
Katie took a deep breath and darted a glance at Rex, who looked as though he was still fuming. She thought quickly; it would mean she could be legitimately relieved of entertaining a crosspatch for the rest of the afternoon.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘Mid-day outside the hospital you said? I’ll be there.’ She replaced the receiver and turned to Rex. ‘I’m afraid I have to drive someone to Coaley as a favour, Rex.’ She watched his face twitch with annoyance. ‘It’s important, so I have to leave right now. I hope you understand.’
‘Perfectly,’ he said. ‘You’re telling me to go, that’s how I see it. Anyway, it’s just as well, because I have notes to sort out for a lecture I’m giving later on.’ He tossed his head, and uttered some unintelligible mumblings as he left the room. ‘Huh, and I thought we might have had a pleasant lunch together here. But suit yourself,’ he added testily, waving his arms in the air as he strode through the hall. Without as much as a cheerio, and certainly without an apology for his outburst, he stormed out through the front door, slamming it hard behind him. Within moments, his car sped past the sitting room window, kicking up the gravel as it skidded away under his irascible control.
‘Phew,’ Katie murmured. ‘That little episode showed another side to Rex Charteris.’ She shrugged it off, then finished her coffee quickly, and picked up her handbag and car keys.
Dylan was waiting at the appointed time and place, and she stopped for him to get in, and then drove off. At the end of the road, she stopped once again at the pedestrian crossing where several people were waiting to cross the road. She could not help noticing that one of them took his time and glared straight at her as he walked across in front of her car. Dylan noticed the dark look as well.