As they came to a halt by the front door of the hotel, she beamed across at Billy.
‘That was absolutely super. Thank you so much.’
‘So you’ve forgiven me for frightening you at the start?’
‘Of course I’ve forgiven you. Now, I’ll let you get on. I know you said you’re busy this afternoon and it’s gone twelve already. Is that a business thing?’
He shook his head. ‘No, I’m having tea with my great-aunt. She’s in her nineties now and she’s in a home in Salzburg. She’s a grand old lady, and if it wasn’t for her and her husband, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to ski as well as I do. The least I can do is to pay her a visit around Christmas.’
When Zoë got back to her room, she decided to put her decision into action. Although she had planned to stick with the job at HC until she found something else, her loyalty to Billy – especially after all he had done for her this week – was too strong. She sat down and composed a very polite and diplomatic message to Damien explaining how she couldn’t go through with the article. She realised that he wouldn’t be happy about it, but she couldn’t betray her friend’s trust. As she pressed Send, she felt a combination of fear and satisfaction. It felt good to have had the courage of her convictions, but the prospect of unemployment was scary.
* * *
The Christmas market was fascinating.
Juliet and Zoë had decided not to have lunch in the hotel, and when they got to the market, they were glad they hadn’t eaten. As they made their way down the long line of stalls in the main street of the town, they were assailed by tempting aromas from all sides. Christmas was very definitely in the air and they spotted no fewer than four Father Christmases walking by – one of them kissing a pretty girl in reindeer costume alongside him. Zoë reflected that it was just as well Bella wasn’t with them or she would have been very confused. Everywhere they looked, there were streamers, banners, garlands and fairy lights. Somewhere ahead of them a choir was singing carols, and she recognised ‘Silent Night’ sung in the original German.
They were barely a quarter of the way along the street before their resolve failed and they stopped for a bratwurst. The man at the counter tried to get them to have some Christmas punch, but from the fumes coming off it, it was probably lethal, so they stuck to the local beer. The bratwurst was served up on a cardboard plate, accompanied by a slice of chunky local bread and a big splodge of mustard. They found a place to sit down on a low wall – the snow already cleared by previous diners – and took their time over the succulent sausages, dipping them in the mustard and washing them down with cold, frothy beer.
As they ate, they chatted. Juliet told Zoë about her morning on the pistes with Daniela and how well the two of them were getting on. Zoë nodded in agreement.
‘Like Billy and me. He’s great company – especially when you think of how quiet he used to be at number 23. And Daniela’s a sweetie. They must be so happy together. He was repeating his invitation to come over again when the snow’s gone. I’d be up for it. How about you?’
Juliet nodded enthusiastically. ‘Just try and stop me. This is a gorgeous place. But if we do come back in the summer, I say we pay our own way. Of course he’s absolutely loaded now, but I wouldn’t want him to think we were trying to take advantage of his generosity.’
Zoë nodded. ‘I agree – assuming I’ve still got a job by then.’
‘Why, Zo? Thinking of chucking this one in already?’
Zoë shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t really feel like telling Juliet about the article right now. Instead, she took refuge in obfuscation.
‘It’s all a bit complicated, but I get the impression my editor’s not too happy with me.’
‘Why on earth? You’re a great journalist.’
‘The fact is, Jules, he isn’t happy with me because I’m not happy with him. I’ll tell you all about it some time. But going back to Billy, it must be really difficult to be so amazingly rich. Not for the day-to-day stuff, of course, but you’d never really know if people were being friendly just for your money. If I was in Billy’s shoes, I’d find it hard. I mean, take Daniela, for example. She’s young, she’s gorgeous, she’s bright. She could have pretty much any man she wanted and yet she chose Billy. If I were him, I’d always be worried that somehow she’d married him for his money.’
Juliet nodded. ‘I suppose it’s something they’ve discussed, but I know what you mean. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time with her and there are moments when I find myself wondering the same thing. She obviously likes him a lot and she’s very affectionate to him in public, but she doesn’t seem in the least bit miffed that you and he have been skiing together. In her shoes, seeing him with an old friend – and a very beautiful one – I’d be a bit wary.’
‘She doesn’t have anything to worry about with me. I’m not in the market for another man at the moment and I certainly wouldn’t dream of targeting somebody else’s husband.’ As Zoë spoke, she was reminded yet again of Grant and his casual affair with Mandy. ‘But I do think Billy’s a lovely man. Do you know, he’s off to see his great-aunt this afternoon? That’s rather nice.’
‘He’s a sweetie all right.’ Juliet swallowed the last of her beer. ‘So, Christmas shopping? Are we ready?’
They set off down the street, stopping regularly to gaze at the host of colourful items on display. There were stalls selling only Christmas tree baubles – some gilded, some hand-painted. There were stalls displaying gingerbread hearts, wood carvings, candles and candle holders. Every other stall appeared to be offering food or drink, from cheeses to honey, and Glühwein to punch. All in all, they spent well over an hour there and finally emerged laden down with Bad Bergstein mugs, cuddly toys, snow globes, mittens and scarves. Back home in England, Zoë had prepared for Billy a blow-up of the only photo of the whole group of them she could find, and she splashed out on a silver frame from an antique stall to hold it. She felt that this was the very least he deserved after his amazing generosity.
At the last minute, they remembered wrapping paper and tape, and had to hunt around until they found somewhere that sold it. As they came away with their purchases, they passed a stall selling hand-made jewellery, and one of the smaller items caught Zoë’s eye. It was a little silver animal attached to a thin silver chain. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the animal was none other than a tiny pine marten, just like she and Billy had seen that morning. It wasn’t too expensive, so she bought it as a present for herself, knowing it would provide her with a memory of that amazing morning on the slopes above Bad Bergstein.
By the time they got back to the hotel, they were both feeling quite dozy and Zoë retired to her room for a snooze. That evening they were supposed to be going sledging by torchlight, and she thought a rest in advance of that might be a good idea. First of all, however, she checked her emails. There was no reply from Damien, and she wondered if this indicated that a storm was brewing back in London. She had already worked out – as had everybody at HC magazine – that silence from Damien normally presaged a volcanic eruption of ire. She gave a little sigh and closed the laptop, convinced that her decision not to go ahead with the article was the right one, but still apprehensive.
She had only been lying on her bed for a few minutes when there was a light tap on the door. She immediately thought of Grant and her hackles began to rise. Surely he must have got the message that she was no longer interested. With a sense of dread, she went over and opened it. But this time, it wasn’t her ex.
‘Hi, Lorn, how’re you doing? Everything all right?’
‘Sorry to disturb you, Zo. Listen, could I talk to you? I need a friendly ear and probably a shoulder to cry on, and you’ve always been the one for that.’
From the pained expression on her face, Lorna looked as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment, so Zoë stepped to one side and waved her in, closing the door behind her.
‘I was just having a lie-down, so if you don’t mind
, I’ll hop back under the covers and you can come and sit beside me.’
As she snuggled back underneath the cosy duvet, she saw Lorna kick off her shoes and climb onto the other half of the bed. Zoë propped herself up on one of the pillows and looked across at her. Although there was definitely more colour in Lorna’s face, she looked worried. Zoë gave her an encouraging smile.
‘So, tell Auntie Zo all about it.’
Lorna met her gaze, but didn’t manage an answering smile.
‘I’m getting old, Zo, and I don’t like it.’
Zoë kept the smile on her face.
‘We’re all getting old, Lorn. That’s what happens to us humans, and remember, it’s always better than the alternative.’ She was deliberately trying to keep her tone light.
‘I know, Zo, but I still don’t like it. Before too long I’m going to be middle-aged, and then I’m going to be old, and the way things are going for me, I’m going to be old alone.’
‘Of course you’re not. Besides, we’re the same age, give or take a few months, and I’m on my own too. I have been for a year now and I’m not letting it get me down.’ As she spoke, she wondered just how honest she was being. Lorna wasn’t the only one to worry about being alone.
‘I bet you won’t be single for long, Zo.’
‘I’m in no hurry, but let’s talk about you. You’re a bright girl, with a great job.’ Zoë knew by now that Lorna’s career in insurance was on the up. She had just moved to a senior position in a big online company and the prospects sounded great. ‘You’re very attractive, you’ve got a lot of experience, and you’d be a real catch for any man.’
Lorna nodded her head remorsefully. ‘It’s the experience thing that’s been weighing heavy on me. There comes a time in life when you realise you’re too old to keep on waking up next to random men – and sometimes you can’t even remember what their names are. It’s true – that’s happened more than once. Anyway, about a year ago, I took a good hard look at myself in the mirror and decided enough was enough.’ She caught Zoë’s eye. ‘Yes, I know I still brag about my conquests, but that’s just bluster. The truth of the matter is that I wouldn’t mind betting you’ve had sex more recently than I have.’
‘I broke up with Grant a year ago. Are you telling me you haven’t…?’
Lorna nodded. ‘That’s right.’
Zoë found herself beaming. ‘Well that’s great, Lorn. Really. You’ve decided to make a fresh start with a clean sheet and that’s terrific. And now you’ve got a new job with a new set of people, so you can create your new reputation from scratch. What’s so depressing? You should be laughing.’
‘There’s a problem, though, Zo. There’s a man from my wild past who’s just sent me an email.’ She paused, fiddling with her hair nervously. ‘I’ve known him for years and we used to meet up every now and then for a swingers’ party or a dirty weekend somewhere exotic. To be totally honest, we got up to some pretty disgusting things, things I’m not proud of and that I have no desire ever to repeat. I haven’t seen him for over a year now and I thought that had all died a death. Until today. The thing is, somehow he’s got wind of the fact that I’m here in Bad Bergstein and he says he wants to come over.’ Her expression soured. ‘To use his expression, he thought he could make sure the festivities go with a bang.’
‘So what’s the problem? Tell him to take a hike.’
‘Is that what I should do?’
‘From what you’ve just been telling me, of course it is. Or are you hankering for another bout of wild sex?’
Lorna shook her head decisively. ‘No, not at all. It’s just… at least that way I wouldn’t be alone.’
‘Well I’m going to be all alone at the ball. So what?’
‘So you think I should say no?’
‘You’re the one who’s got to decide, Lorn, but from what you’ve been telling me, it shouldn’t be too difficult a decision. If it’s a fresh start you’re looking for, you need to ditch all the memories of your past. Like I’m trying to do with Grant.’ She repeated what she had said to Billy. ‘You never know. We may both meet Prince Charming at the ball.’
Lorna managed a grin. ‘We can always hope. Thanks, Zo, I’ll go now and leave you to your snooze.’
‘I’m knackered after this morning’s skiing, Lorn. What was that you were saying about none of us getting any younger? Why don’t you think about what I’ve said and we can talk again whenever you like.’
Lorna slid off the bed and slipped her shoes back on. ‘I’m sure you’re right. I think I’ll see what Juliet says as well.’ She leant back across the bed and kissed Zoë on the cheek, then headed for the door. ‘Thanks again, Zo, I knew I could count on you.’
Zoë lay back and closed her eyes, reflecting on what Lorna had told her. She was delighted that her friend was trying to make such a drastic change in her life and she felt sure it could only do her good. She hoped Lorna would have the courage to tell her erstwhile lover to find himself another sexual partner, and that the gala ball might be able to provide her with a handsome prince – and maybe even one for herself.
Chapter 15
When Zoë arrived in the lounge at five o’clock, Juliet and Lorna were the only ones there, and it was immediately clear what they had been discussing.
‘I’ve been thinking about what you said, Zo, and I’m going to do it.’ Lorna glanced across at Juliet. ‘Jules agrees. I’ll text him, tell him I’ve changed, and put him off.’
‘Good for you, Lorn. I know that’s the right thing to do.’ Juliet caught Zoë’s eye and smiled. ‘I see you’re living up to your agony-aunt billing, Zo. You see – we still come to you, even now.’
Zoë had been thinking along the same lines, but she hadn’t mentioned Imogen’s problems or Mandy and her dilemma to anybody. If these two only knew…
‘I’m glad I can help. Anyway, it’s a two-way street. I know I can always come to either of you if I get myself in a fix. Jules, you were a tower of strength last year when Grant walked out on me. Here’s hoping I never need to call on you again for something like that.’ She looked round the room. ‘So have either of you seen Martin? Wasn’t he supposed to be back here this afternoon? Has he been discharged from hospital?’
Juliet nodded. ‘Erika told me that Georg brought him back an hour ago. I think he and Mandy are in their room doing a bit of family bonding.’
That sounded very good to Zoë. ‘I doubt if he’ll be coming sledging, but I hope Bella and Mand can come. Sledging in the dark promises to be a lot of fun.’ She checked out the clothes Lorna was wearing and nodded approvingly. ‘I see you’ve got your cold-weather gear on. What time are we going out?’
‘Billy’s due back from Salzburg any minute now. I imagine he’ll tell us. I think the idea was to go fairly early before it gets too terribly cold and then come back here for dinner afterwards.’
Billy and Daniela arrived just after half past five with Arnie the Lab, followed by Imogen and Fergus. Zoë was impressed to see Imogen dressed for the cold.
‘Hi, Imogen, so are you coming sledging?’
Imogen looked a bit uncertain. ‘Yes, Fergus talked me into it. I told him I’d only come if he came on the sledge with me.’ That also sounded pretty good to Zoë. Maybe her agony-aunt talents weren’t so shoddy after all. She glanced across at Billy.
‘So what’s the plan, Captain?’
‘As soon as we’re all here, we take the lift up to the first station. I’ve had a word with the guys and they’ll keep it running for us. The sledges are up there, along with the torches. Should be a laugh.’
Just then, Mandy, Martin and Bella appeared, with Grant behind them. He gave everybody a smile and a wave as he came in, although his eyes just skated over Zoë, and that was just fine with her. After Mandy’s revelation, she had absolutely no desire to talk to him. Ignoring him, she joined the others as they clustered around Martin and checked to see that he really was all right. Apart from a Technicolor black eye, a surgical dressi
ng on his forehead and his arm in a sling, he looked fine – if a little sheepish.
‘Sorry for worrying you guys. It was a stupid place to put a ski lift. Surely they must have known that a moron like me would come along and head-butt it.’
Zoë checked out the plaster cast covering his left forearm. It already boasted a colourful drawing of a stick figure bumping into a large object. In case anybody might be in any doubt as to the identity of the artist, alongside it was written: I love my daddy.
‘Right, guys, if everybody’s ready, shall we head off to the sledges?’ Billy glanced sideways at Martin and wagged his finger at him. ‘Georg told me the doctors said you’re not allowed near a ski lift for at least a couple of months. Are you going to be all right here on your own?’
‘He’s not going to be on his own.’ Mandy touched Zoë on the arm. ‘Zo, if I stay here with Martin, would you mind taking Bella sledging?’
‘Please, please, please, Zoë!’ Bella grabbed hold of Zoë’s leg and hung on for dear life. Zoë smiled down at her.
‘I’d be delighted. And I promise I’ll take very good care of her.’
‘I know you will. Thanks, Zo.’
Leaving Martin and Mandy behind, they headed out into the darkness, Zoë hanging onto Bella with one hand and Juliet with the other. As they approached the chairlift, she had a thought.
‘How do we get Arnie up there? Is he allowed on the lift?’
‘Absolutely not.’ Billy looked back and his eyes twinkled in the fairy lights. ‘But what they don’t know won’t hurt them.’
As they reached the bottom of the lift, Billy unzipped his jacket, crouched down, bundled the excited dog into his arms and zipped it up again. Zoë and the others giggled at the sight of two heads peeking out of the collar and a black tail wagging furiously out of the bottom. The lift operator must have noticed, but he gave no sign. Presumably Billy had ensured his compliance.
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