by Dilys Xavier
‘Someone you know?’ he asked, gently.
‘Yes, someone I know quite well,’ she said slowly, without elaborating. She actually felt pleased that Rex had seen her. It would do him good to see her with another man, and surely he hadn’t had enough time to see that Dylan was too young for her. Serves him right for bragging about his other lady friends, she thought, and smiled. Now there’s a man who needs to be put in his place.
Once they left the High Street for the main road, Dylan turned to Katie. ‘It’s really very good of you to do me this favour.’
‘Oh, this is no trouble at all, and it’s a pleasant drive,’ she replied, thinking of the miserable afternoon it had saved her.
‘Last night, the more I thought about that cottage, the more I wanted it, and the fact that someone has made an offer made me even more anxious to have it.’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘But that’s a natural reaction, eh?’ Then he went quiet. ‘I’ll give the asking price, or more if necessary, but I really want it. I know there’s no time to waste. I think this is the one for me, so let’s see what happens.’
Following Dylan’s directions, Katie pulled up outside ‘Rose Cottage’. She pointed to the man standing on the doorstep. ‘Looks like someone is waiting for you.’ She gave him a little nudge in the ribs. ‘Good luck, Dylan.’
‘Come with me, please,’ he whispered, as they drew near. ‘I’d like your opinion on the place.’
Mr. Batstone welcomed them effusively, and immediately invited them to go inside. ‘It’s empty so take your time to look at it. Best be sure, eh?’
As they walked around, the agent described the special qualities of the three bed roomed cottage, pointing out the original inglenook fireplaces in the two large rooms downstairs, and emphasizing that the kitchen was brand new. Finally, he took them around the large garden, which had a variety of interesting features and some fruit trees.
‘This is a real bargain at the asking price,’ he said. ‘We won’t take long to sell it. It’s only been on the market two days, and we’ve had two offers already that the owners are currently considering. All the same, those offers are slightly under the asking price.’ He gave Dylan a very knowing look.
‘Two offers… in two days?’ Dylan sounded surprised.
‘Yes. There’s a queue for every house for sale here now due to a shortage of properties in this area. Look here, if you really want to secure it, a firm offer at the asking price should clinch it. Think about it, but don’t leave it later than tomorrow morning if you’re seriously interested.’ He thanked them for their interest, shook hands, and proceeded to lock up while Katie and Dylan headed for the car.
‘What do you think?’ Dylan asked.
‘Super. A cottage, but maybe a little large for one person,’ Katie said.
‘I’ll take it,’ he murmured, hurrying over to the man before he left. ‘Mr. Batsone, I’d like to offer the asking price.’
The agent beamed back at him. ‘Well done, Mr. Maine. If you could come back with me to the office now, we’ll get everything sorted out, and the cottage is yours.’
That done, Katie and Dylan returned home and went straight to Margie’s flat.
‘I thought you’d already taken up residence in Coaley,’ Margie said, laughingly. ‘You’re later back than I expected so I was a wee bit worried. And tell me, Dylan…’ she said, almost jumping up and down in expectation, ‘did you manage to secure Rose Cottage?’
‘Yes,’ he said, firmly, grasping her in both arms and lifting her off her feet. ‘Matter of fact, we had a very successful trip. I think your mother’s a wonderful person to step in and help me out at a minute’s notice. She gave up her afternoon for me, and she’s given me some good sound advice about Rose Cottage. I can’t thank her enough.’ He turned to Katie. ‘I’d like to take you out to dinner tonight, as a small token of appreciation.’
Katie was so happy for them, and hoped that Rose Cottage was going to be a home for Dylan and Margie one day soon.
‘Come on inside while I get ready,’ Margie said. ‘You look great, Mumsy, so there’s no need to go home and change; you’ll do just as you are.’
The evening flew by and the more Katie observed the couple together, the more convinced she was that this was the real thing. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was quite late when she finally drove into Priory Farm. She was surprised to see the porch and hall lights on, but a glance at the annex showed lights on there as well, which explained it. Pat had to be there. Perhaps he had popped over with a few more of his belongings in readiness for his move.
Inside of a minute, he was greeting her at the window of her car. ‘I hope it’s all right that I went in and put on your lights,’ he said. ‘I know you don’t like coming home to dark windows, so I fished out the back door key from under the potted camellia and I was just about to leave when I saw your car lights.’
Katie locked up her car and walked towards the house. ‘Oh, thanks Pat, but don’t go yet,’ she said, placing her hand on his arm. ‘Stay a while and have a coffee with me.’ She sighed. ‘I’ve had such a busy, but enjoyable day, and I know I won’t be able to settle down for a while. I still feel all on the go.’ She walked to the front door and stretched her hand towards him. ‘Come on, Pat, come inside. Please.’
While she made the coffee, she told him where she had been and what had happened. Then she began to relate the story about Rex’s bout of bad temper. ‘I must say, I really was surprised,’ she said. ‘I always thought he was such a gentleman, but now I think differently. He’s a bad-tempered old bear if things don’t go his way.’
Pat had listened quietly up to this point, but he smiled at her last remark. ‘So, what about the trip to Majorca now, Katie? Are you still considering it?’
‘No way. And wouldn’t I be the biggest fool to do that? He can take his ‘one or two other charming ladies who would jump at the chance’ with him instead, and forget about me.’ Katie was sure that a fleeting smile passed over Pat’s face when she said that, but she dismissed the thought and settled down with him for a coffee. ‘Well, give me your news, Pat.’
‘Not much to give except that I’ve finished the big job down the road, leaving me more time to do your garden before I take on a new one. And, of course, I’ll be moving in to the annex tomorrow.’
‘Oh, tomorrow?’ Katie almost squealed. ‘I’ve been waiting for ages for that day to come. That’s wonderful. So now you’ll be around practically the whole time.’ She reached over and squeezed his hand. ‘Oh, Pat, it’ll be lovely to have you so close all the time. It’ll make me feel so safe.’
The Irishman’s face coloured. ‘Well, er…’ he looked around obviously at a loss for words.
After they had eaten, Katie set a CD to play, and they both relaxed with a cup of tea as the soft music played.
‘It’s late, so don’t make me too comfortable,’ Pat said, ‘or I’ll fall asleep.’
‘It’s a shame you’re not already living in the annex. If you were, you’d only have to walk through that little corridor to be home and dry.’
Pat gave a languid smile. ‘Yes, that’s true, but don’t forget that I still need to look for a permanent place of my own. I can’t go on accepting your kindness like this; I don’t want to take advantage of you. I’d have felt a lot happier if you had charged me a decent rent, not peanuts.’
‘You’re not taking advantage. To have you so close probably suits me better than it does you.’ She clucked her tongue. ‘You just don’t understand, do you, Pat? I need you here, and I’d like you to stop thinking about moving on somewhere else. Just think of this as your permanent home now… please.’
‘Well, I don’t know if that would be wise for me to do.’ Pat blinked wearily. ‘The longer I stay here, the harder it’s going to be to drag myself away. It would be kinder to me to go as soon as possible.’ He gave a little shrug. ‘I really should be doing something more definite about going back to Ireland. To live there… that’s my ambition. Oh, Katie, you
should just see those lush green fields, the lazy rivers and the quiet, winding roads.’
As he spoke so lovingly about his homeland, Katie once more felt a little pang of fear that he was going to leave her in the lurch… no gardener, no male company on the premises. She scolded herself for thinking selfishly, and watched as he closed his eyes to continue describing his beloved Emerald Isle. In less than a minute he was sound asleep.
Just watching him made Katie feel sleepy too, and she closed her eyes and relaxed in the comfort of her chair.
A sudden noise jerked them both awake.
‘Was that me? Pat asked. ‘Sorry; did I snort and wake you up?’
Katie laughed. ‘Somebody did, and it wasn’t me, and there’s no one else in the room.’ She yawned and stretched, and stared at the clock. ‘Good grief, it’s past two in the morning. We’ve been asleep for a couple of hours.’
Pat got up and stretched his legs. ‘Then ‘tis time I went, I’m thinking. I’ll be busy moving in the rest of my stuff tomorrow. I don’t have many possessions, but as soon as I’ve sorted them out, I’ll be back at work in your garden. The next job is your pool.’
Katie saw him to the door, and then went straight upstairs. That night she climbed into bed feeling ready for sleep. There were no restless hours and horrid dreams… they were now a thing of the past. The night seemed to pass in a flash, and she sat up in bed with a start the following morning. The first thing that came to mind was Pat. Why Pat? She rubbed her eyes as she went to the window to see what the noise outside was about. A large removal van stood outside the annex, and two men were carrying in furniture. Delighted, she smiled. At last, Pat was here to stay. She dressed quickly and went out just as the van was pulling away.
‘All finished,’ Pat said, rubbing his hands together. ‘You’re just in time to join me for tea in… my home.’ He made a sweeping gesture. ‘Please, step inside.’
‘It looks very different.’ She leaned against the doorframe and gazed around.
‘Well, I’m installed now, and it’ll take me a little while to find everything I need, but I’ll soon settle in.’ He looked even more pleased with himself now.
Katie enjoyed the cup of tea, and would like to have stayed and chatted longer, but Pat had a lot to do. Back in her own part of the house, she had a feeling of satisfaction that the move was accomplished at last, and from now on, she need have no more fears about being on her own.
Several days later they had fallen into an easy habit of having coffee together at mid morning each day, either indoors or on the patio. It was the weekend, when Pat took a well-earned rest, and Katie knocked on his door around eleven.
‘Coffee? Your place, or mine?’ she asked.
‘Yours.’ He walked jauntily after her along the connecting corridor towards her kitchen door. They were just about to sit down with their drink, when Katie glanced through the window and saw a car arriving. ‘It’s Tom. I wonder how he got on with his kitchen.’ She excused herself and went to open the door to him.
Tom stepped inside without hesitation, and stared at Pat who was seated at the table, mug in hand. The Colonel appeared to be more than a little surprised to find the gardener so comfortably installed. Without a word, he looked from one to the other with raised brows. Feeling some tension in the air, Katie felt a little uncomfortable, and explained to Tom that Pat had just settled into living at the annex.
‘Ah, I see,’ he said, obviously still feeling a little put out, by the look on his face. ‘I… I wanted to talk with you about my place, but I can see you’re occupied right now, so I’ll wait. Perhaps you could contact me to say when you’re free.’ He moved across the room to the door again, but then turned back. ‘By the way, I’ve got a couple of horses in mind to buy so we can do some hacking, but we’ll discuss that some other time.’
It was obvious to Katie that he was eager for her to go to his farm, and she detected a definite reticence to discuss personal matters in front of Pat. She also realized that he was more than a little aggravated that this was an inopportune time, but, she thought, he should have phoned beforehand.
All of this was obvious to Katie from the way Tom’s eyes flashed from Pat to her, and back again. She watched his mouth tighten when Pat addressed her by her first name to fetch her some more coffee. Katie knew, right then, that to Tom, this familiarity was quite unacceptable.
‘I’ll ring you later,’ Tom said brusquely. ‘I have something urgent to see to, and I can see that you have other matters to attend to right now.’ Tight-lipped, he gave Pat a fleeting nod. Katie followed him out the door and watched as he climbed into his BMW.
After he had driven off, she went back to the kitchen and shrugged. ‘That was brief. He’s usually more talkative. He’s obviously annoyed about something, but it’s really no concern of mine. Maybe things are not going right with his kitchen installation.’
‘I doubt it’s his kitchen. Did you notice how he glared at me practically the whole time?’ Pat said. Then he gave a wry laugh. ‘Perhaps he objects to you hobnobbing with your gardener.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. You’re as good as he is any day… no, you’re better.’ She gave a deep sigh. ‘The man is charming enough, but a right old snob and far too demanding. He’ll have to realize he can’t bring his military ways into my kitchen. I’ve promised to help him, and I’ll keep my word, but that doesn’t give him any right or reason to think that he can tell me what to do, or decide who my friends should be. And certainly not where you’re concerned,’ she finished, her lips drawn in a straight line. ‘After all, Pat, you’re an educated man, and a gentleman; you’re kind, thoughtful, willing to help without any ulterior motive, and you …’
Pat clapped his hands over his ears, his cheeks flushed pink, ‘Hold on, you’ll make me swell-headed.’ He glanced through the window as another car pulled up outside. ‘Oh, no,’ he said, chuckling again. ‘Here’s another one now. I can’t go through all that again. I’m off.’ He hurried back into the annex through the internal connecting passageway just as Rex knocked.
Katie opened the door to a subdued Rex.
He held out his hands pleadingly. ‘Katie, my dear, please forgive me for my recent outburst.’ He stepped inside and shook his head. ‘It’s been bothering me. I don’t know what came over me, but, you see, that damn fool of a broker cost me a packet of money. But I should never have taken it out on you. I’m not really like that at all, Katie.’
‘Sit down,’ she said, pouring a coffee from the percolator and sliding the mug across the table to him. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve forgotten all about it.’
He looked abject, like a little boy who had done wrong. He reached for her hand. ‘Katie, you’re not only beautiful, but you’re so sweet too.’ He stumbled over his words, and lifted his arms in a gesture of despair, and crossed over to the window where he stayed silently gazing out for several seconds. Then he turned around and walked slowly back to her and took both her hands in his again.
‘Look, Katie,’ he said, quietly, ‘there’s something I need to say to you, and I think I’d better say it right now… get it off my chest as it were. My feelings…’ Then he hesitated, as though considering how best to say what was on his mind. He took a deep breath and began again. ‘My feelings for you have developed into something more than I ever expected.’ He looked her straight in the eyes.
Katie immediately drew back, her eyes wide as she suddenly became fearful of what he might say. She parted her lips to speak, when Rex shook his head.
‘No, let me go on,’ he said, lifting his hand to stop her from speaking until he had finished. ‘I am well aware that you have admirers who are trying to worm their way into your affections.’ He stopped and waited a few seconds, and then looked at her questioningly before moving over to the window again. ‘I am one,’ he said, quietly, turning to face her again.
Katie could see that he was agitated; she sensed he was having trouble with his thoughts, but she stayed silent, and waited for him to
continue.
‘Please accept what I’m saying in the kindest way you can. I’ve been thinking that… that maybe you would consider forming a permanent relationship with me, something that means you regard me as someone special in your life.’ He leaned forward. ‘That’s one of the reasons I wanted you to come to Majorca with me, not to get you into the cot. I wouldn’t have to go all the way to Majorca to try and engineer that, now would I? But over there, we’d be on our own, and it would give us a chance to get to know each other better.’
He began to pace the room again and drummed his fingers impatiently on his thigh, then sat down beside her again. ‘I admit to feeling jealous when I see how these others fuss over you. There’s this colonel for instance, and even your gardener, who’s conveniently installed himself only yards away from you.’ He shrugged. ‘And goodness knows who else there is… that I don’t know about.’
‘I don’t know what to say, Rex,’ Katie said, quite taken aback. ‘I’m very fond of you, but as regards anything deeper, I must admit that I have yet to meet someone who could fill the empty place in my heart. You see, Greg and I were so much in love. Like one person, you could say. I don’t think that… ‘
‘Please understand — I’m not trying to replace your husband, Katie. I’m not asking you to commit yourself to marriage. We could set up home together and have a wonderful life. We could travel to far-off places and see the sights of the world as often as you like. Give me time. Stop seeing these other men, Katie, and give me a chance to prove that I can make you happy. That’s all I’m asking… a chance.’
Katie held up her hand. ‘Wait. Not so fast, Rex. First, let me tell you that I’ve no intention of setting up home with anyone. I’m perfectly happy where I am, so that’s that. Next, I must admit that I wouldn’t wish to cut poor old Tom out of my life either. He’s had a rough time, and he’s a good friend… takes me out, visits me, and he’s quite good company, too.’