by T L Blake
A flutter ached through Robyn’s chest, but the engine revved up again and she continued down the road. A second cough was more serious. As the engine cut, the few lights that were on the dash lit up in warning before everything went dead. Robyn coasted to the side of the road.
Cursing herself for not bringing an umbrella, Robyn got out and pulled up the bonnet. She knew the basics and carefully checked the sparkplugs and HT leads, but could see nothing amiss within the engine compartment. With ice cold rain stinging her face, she slammed the bonnet back down and returned to the car. This was going to need more than her limited experience. Luckily, the town mechanic had a passion for classic cars and had already proven his worth a month ago when she had needed a new radiator. Grabbing her mobile she went to call, but to her dismay there was no signal.
Swearing under her breath, Robyn got out, locked the dead car and proceeded to walk back up the hill in the hope of finding a signal. Porthmollek was riddled with blackspots no matter what service provider you chose and it was just her luck that she’d broken down in one of them.
A hundred yards up the lane she finally managed to put the call through. Ben would be there soon. Her second call was to school. She was going to miss Monday morning briefing and registration at least.
Wet, cold and more than a little frustrated, Robyn began to walk back to her car when a sleek black Audi RS3 flew over the hill and bore down on her with astonishing pace. Pulling to her when the driver saw her standing in the road, Robyn didn’t know whether to jump onto the bank for safety or sigh at the potential of a saviour. When the car stopped and the window dropped however, she found herself unable to speak.
“That’s not a good place to park.” His voice was a deep, rich gravel and it chastised sharply.
Robyn ducked down to peer into the car and defend herself but was struck dumb when she saw who it was.
The way he looked at her made her feel utterly exposed, as if his gaze saw everything and he had no problem staring intensely, drinking in his fill. She found his pale eyes compelling, if not a little unnerving, but the face that framed them was divine and didn’t that grate. Sculpted to perfection, he had a refined nose, a strong masculine jaw and high cheekbones. His skin was pale, almost as pale as hers, but his black hair and stubble made it comparatively lighter. This was a handsome man, but his attitude shattered any attraction she felt and immediately Robyn’s hackles rose.
“I’m not exactly parked.” She managed through clenched teeth.
“Have you called Ben?” It was more a command than a question. Did he think she was stupid?
“No, I made a hair appointment, what do you think?” She couldn’t help herself, his aloofness brought out her sarcasm as well as her anger.
The pale eyes blinked slowly, his intelligence clear and fathomless. “Then I guess you have everything under control.”
With that, he wound up the window and drove off.
Robyn stood watching the taillights disappear from view, fuming with rage. “Of all the sanctimonious . . .” the rain began to pelt down even heavier and she suppressed her mumblings in favour of running to get back into the car.
Ten minutes later, Ben arrived in the tow truck. He was middle aged, portly around the middle and the most honest mechanic she’d ever met. “Not the best day to break down.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Standing straight instead of leaning through her window as he had been, Ben looked hurt. “I guess I’d better get straight to it then.”
Feeling more than a little guilty at firing her anger at an innocent bystander, Robyn got out of the car. “I’m sorry. I’m just cold and wet and feeling miserable.”
Ben cocked his head to the tow truck. “Go sit in the cab where it’s warm while I hook her up. Then I’ll get you to school before I take her in and have a look.”
By the time Ben dropped Robyn at school first lesson was already in session. Bedraggled and still cold, Robyn headed quickly to her classroom to relieve whoever had been unfortunate enough to have to cover her class. She fully intended to get her day back on track until she saw just who had been given the task.
Derek Ellis stood slowly from behind her teaching bench and stalked towards her. His lips curved momentarily into a grin before his usual sneer replaced it. “So good of you to finally join us.” He stepped into her space and gave her a thorough inspection as he eyed her down and then back up again. “It appears that you have not been spending your time at the beauty parlour.”
His comment was accompanied by several snickers from the pupils who were no doubt listening intently. Robyn gave them a stern stare until all eyes dropped.
“I was unaware that Porthmollek had one. Perhaps you could give me the details for it, as certainly you must be a regular on the tanning beds.” Robyn stood her ground despite the fear rising in her gut. She would not give in, even when Derek’s eyes turned obsidian with fury.
“Be very careful, Darrow.” Derek leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I’ve only just begun to make your life hell.”
Derek stormed out, slamming the classroom door behind him and leaving the year 10 class shell-shocked in his wake.
Robyn took a moment to steady herself before turning to the class. At least one thing was for certain, this day could not get any worse.
Six hours later, standing in Ben’s garage with Kat, who had kindly given her a lift from school, Robyn discovered that she had been wrong. The day had gotten worse, much worse.
“I’m sorry Robyn, but if it had been on any other car the damage wouldn’t have been so severe.”
Robyn, rubbed her palm over her face. It was one thing to pick on her, but to tamper with her precious car, that just made her beyond mad.
“Ben, what damage are we talking?”
“Usually any sugar would just sit in the sock at the end of the fuel filler line, but your car doesn’t have one because of its age. Even then, the sugar won’t dissolve in petrol so it should be caught by the fuel filter. In this case, your filter looks like it hasn’t been changed in years and some sugar has definitely gotten through. Your car stalled because the filter was clogged but there’s more sugar in the engine. I need to clean the tank, change the filter out and investigate the engine. You don’t want sugar crystals eroding your pistons.”
Robyn sat down on one of the chairs for waiting customers. At present, she and Kat were the only ones there. “I can’t afford a new engine, Ben.”
“It won’t be as bad as that. Besides, your insurance should cover it. It’ll just take time is all. I’ll probably need the week.”
“Take as long as you need,” Kat stepped forwards, “I’ll give her lifts until then.”
Robyn looked up and felt warmed. Having someone put sugar in her petrol had really upset her, more than even the dead animals or the weird wicker offerings that had come before, but she would cope, she had to.
“Okay, but I’ll owe you one.” She forced a smile trying to hide her despair.
“Ah, I hoped that you’d say that.” Kat hooked an arm around Robyn’s and led her out.
CHAPTER FOUR
Robyn collected her car on Sunday and had to admit that her MG was purring better than ever. Ben was a godsend.
To thank Kat for all the driving she had been doing during the past week, Robyn took her to Ellie’s, a small coffee shop at the top of the High Street that never failed to be open.
With only a handful of tables, Ellie’s was an intimate little home from home. All food was cooked on the premises and as Ellie would say, “Cooked with added love.”
They took their usual spot in the bay window so that they could look out across the street as they talked.
“There’s a guy on the back table checking you out.” Kat whispered, cocked her head and winked.
Robyn turned on instinct and did indeed see a man looking their way. She took little notice of his features and turned back.
“I doubt that it’s me he’s eyeing.”
Robyn laughed. Kat’s faux pas served to lighten her mood immediately. “Christ, you really have to stop worrying about that. I have colour impairment but I’m not blind and in answer to your original question, I see myself perfectly fine, thank you.”
Kat sat and pondered before continuing. “Then what happened to you? I don’t mean the accident. I mean, why don’t you want to date?”
Ellie walked over with a pot of tea and an orange juice. It showed how often they came here that they didn’t need to order. “What’s gotten you two in on a Sunday?”
Ellie looked older than she was. Her face had a multitude of lines from a lifetime of smiles and the half-moon glasses that sat on the tip of her nose were a fashion that only women a good ten years older would wear. However, combined with the brightly beaded chain, they suited her. Overweight, extremely welcoming and the font of all knowledge in Porthmollek, Ellie was a charming woman that they both liked immensely.
Ordering simple sandwiches, they continued their conversation as Ellie walked back to her kitchen.
“I don’t talk about my past because it has nothing to do with my future, the one I want to build anyway. Does that make sense?”
Kat contemplated the statement before smiling. “Actually, it makes perfect sense.”
It had been a fortuitous piece of good luck that both of them had not only been given the positions within the school but that David Rowe, Head Teacher, had realised the difficulty in two single women finding accommodation within the small rural community. Only days after being offered the position, he had telephoned both women with the idea of sharing the small cottage that had recently become available and as both of them had hit if off on interview day, both had immediately jumped at the idea. David had been smarter than even he realised when he had paired them, because within a few short months they had become a strong partnership, each helping the other to strive for better.
“Okay, changing the subject. Did you know that it was Ben who last serviced Chris’s car.” Kat sipped her juice as Robyn frowned.
“No, I guess I never thought about it.” She hadn’t really known Chris. He’d been killed in a serious car accident about a month ago. The car had gone up in flames after crashing. Andrew Obursen was his replacement.
“The police reckon that the fuel cut off was faulty, but Ben is certain that there was nothing wrong with it.” Kat’s voice had dropped conspiratorially low.
Robyn swallowed. Under the table her legs shook a little. She hated fear above all other emotions, but she couldn’t hide from the tragic accident that had stolen so much from her.
“Hey,” Kat reached over the table to place a hand on Robyn’s, “Hey, I didn’t mean to frighten you. Shit, I should have realised. My mouth really is on fine form today.”
Robyn forced away horrific visions of the past and forced a smile on her face. “No, I’m good, really.”
“You don’t look it. You’ve gone even paler than normal.” Kat picked up Robyn’s tea and handed it to her. “Drink.”
Robyn took a tentative sip and felt the heat pouring back into her system.
“Shit, I really am a dumb blonde aren’t I?”
Robyn laughed and it was cathartic. Kat’s lost expression was so profoundly opposite to her usual confidence that it made the moment funny. It was just what Robyn needed.
“I’m sorry. We’d better talk about something else. Like say Andrew?”
“I wondered when you’d bring him up.”
Kat’s lips pushed out in a huge pout. “Ah, come on, you’d think you’d heard all this before!” The pout slowly transformed into a sly grin.
When Ellie appeared with their sandwiches, they were both laughing.
As she drove home, Robyn couldn’t help but think Chris Maine’s unfortunate demise and that led her to thoughts about her own car and the sugar in the petrol tank. Who would damage it so maliciously? It was true that her presence wasn’t the most welcome thing in the town, but it was Derek who was the most openly hostile. Surely if he’d had something to do with it he would have said something to further upset her. Stealth wasn’t his style.
Robyn slept fitfully. She couldn’t stop thinking about Chris Maine’s horrific and fatal car accident and her mind tangled the facts of his crash with her own. She felt her body burning in the fire that had consumed Chris.
Robyn woke with a sudden scream. Her nightshirt was plastered to her skin and it took a while to not only calm her breathing but to fight off the memory of the nightmare that had shaken her so badly. Finally having fallen asleep in the early hours, her dream had nothing to do with Derek or Chris, but everything to do with her own past. It also left her with her usual morning heart-wrench of reality. Robyn dreamed in colour, having spent most of her life with normal vision. Every time she dreamed, it was like a slap in the face when she woke and returned to reality. Sighing, she looked to the clock.
“Shit.”
The alarm had not gone off and she was going to be late.
Panicked, Robyn showered and dressed quickly. It would not do to miss Monday morning briefing two weeks in a row.
Porthmollek flashed by the windows as Robyn broke the speed limit in her haste to get to school, but still her mind could not focus on the road. She could not shake the feeling that Derek had more in store for her, but there was little she could do about her predicament. She flew past the small Co-Operative and up towards the school.
Kat would already be at work, her little white hatchback had been gone from its parking space when Robyn had left the cottage.
Carrying her heavy bag of marking, without time to drop it off in her room, Robyn ran through reception, around the hall and straight towards the stairs to the staffroom.
The parquet floor was smooth and easy to run on, but a figure, large and looming, stepped in front of her. She knew exactly who it was before she looked up.
“Morning, Darrow. I see that you got your car back.”
Doing his job of stopping the pupils from entering the library in the morning, Derek Ellis spoke with a glint in his eye. Robyn stared at him as her anger boiled, making her body shake. She sidestepped to avoid a public scene but Derek mirrored her, a satisfied, smug expression blooming on his face. As seconds ticked by Robyn sidestepped again and again but Derek always countered. Her anger was becoming uncontrollable but as Derek believed her quivers were caused by fear he didn’t desist. Robyn took a deep breath to yell at him before the urge to really do something about him took over but Derek stepped aside to let her pass knowing that he’d done the damage he needed to.
Robyn swallowed her scream and walked away as slowly as she could manage, as the sound of deep, conceited laughter echoed in her wake. She didn’t have the time to put him in his place, but she would.
Now later than ever, Robyn flew down the stairs to the staffroom. Without touching the banister, she ran without restraint and that was a mistake.
The combination of the heavy bag of marking she carried, her choice of shoes and the speed that she sailed down the stairs accumulated to make stopping at the bottom difficult. Robyn hurtled forwards, out of control, hit the doorframe to the staffroom, split the bag and dropped last night’s marking all over the staffroom floor.
“Morning, Miss Darrow.” The sound of the Head Teacher’s voice filled her ears as she stepped into the room. The baritone came from in front of her and was heavily accented with displeasure. She looked up, red faced and dishevelled, to see not only the Head Teacher staring at her, but the entire staff.
Crouching to pick up the books, which lay strewn across the carpeted staff room floor, Robyn kept her concentration on the task at hand as the Head continued with the meeting. When she noticed black shoes stroll over to help, she didn’t bother to look up. She didn’t even bother to look when her saviour dropped to a crouch next to her and proceeded to sweep up a large pile of b
ooks and then hand them to her. Grateful, and desperate to get off the floor as quickly as possible, Robyn reached for the outstretched hand.
Their skin touched as Robyn’s fingers curled around the offered pile and her reaction was immediate. Warmth flowed freely into her hand. Tickling its way up her digits, swirling and encompassing her tissues, she was drawn towards him like a moth to a flame. In an instant her self-possession melted away and she was just a junkie trying to get a longer fix. She was no longer in control.
Shock, desire, addiction, all had her look up. She caught sight of those unusual eyes and through the haze that settled over her brain she thought she saw the luxurious eyes appear to self-illuminate. Andrew Obursen’s deep set eyes were framed by thick lashes, black just like his hair. Robyn stilled as those eyes widened. Her heart sped up.
Andrew let go of the books abruptly, and the warmth started to disperse but she didn’t tear her gaze away.
“ . . and I have asked for Heads of Department to take in a sample of exercise books this week to check that the new assessment policy is being adhered to.” The Head’s voice broke through the spell and Robyn blinked.
“Thank you.” Robyn managed as she clutched the books to her chest, a small grateful smile curling her lips.
“You’re welcome.” His lips were set in a tight line as if he forced himself to speak. The deep gravitas of his voice sounded no friendlier than when he had stopped next to her at the roadside. Did he always have to sound so displeased with her?
Andrew stood from his crouch but remained at Robyn’s side as she gathered the remaining books into a neat pile. Still her heart beat furiously and she hated that his mere presence affected her so much. She didn’t even like the man.
When Robyn eventually stood, pulling her jacket down at the hem, Andrew stood stiff and emotionally apart beside her. She glanced up, but only got a distinctly aloof downwards glance in return. His standoffishness should have assured her, but even as she stood next to a man that she had no interest in, especially after last week’s encounter in the rain, her body responded to his proximity as if he was a river in the dessert. And for all the action she’d seen in the last few months, he may well have been.