Hidden Mortality

by Maggie Mundy

“Bloody right you will.”

  “My round.” Matcher stood and walked over to the bar. Someone bumped his arm.

  “Sorry I didn’t mean to...” He turned to see a girl smile at him as she walked past back to her friend’s table by the door. Her aura showed fear and yet she smiled. He got their beers and went back to his table.

  “Looks like you’ve caught someone’s eye, Matcher my man. Go and chat to her and then get them to come over.” Andy said taking a gulp of his beer.

  “What?” Matcher asked.

  “She hasn’t taken her eyes off you. Probably short sighted.”

  “What, cause she should fancy your ugly mug instead,” Darren replied.

  They all laughed. Matcher glanced across and she was still looking, but then reddened and turned away. He had only had a couple of girlfriends since the cancer. He didn’t like telling people about it. They always felt sorry for him. She wasn’t his type, but then again what was his type? Well, recently he’d gone for girls wearing black clothes and lots of mascara.

  Looking over again, he noticed that she was chatting with her friends. Her hair was fair and cut short around her shoulders and looked a bit messed up. He liked it. There was something written on the front of her bright red top. He couldn’t make out from this angle what it was.

  “Stop staring at her tits, man and go and ask her out. Looks like she’s got a good rack though.” Andy offered.

  “More an ass man myself. Saw her mate on the way back from the gents and she bent down to pick up her bag before she sat down. I could see her G. Damn I love seeing the old floss.” Darren said.

  “Shut up. Shit, you’re assholes.” Matcher shook his head.

  “That may be true, but go and do your stuff so we all might get laid tonight.” Andy said.

  Matcher walked over and stood behind the girl he had bumped into. One of her friends winked at him. That was the floss girl. He put his hand on the girl’s shoulder. She jumped and squeaked.

  “I’m sorry.” Her friends were giggling.

  “God, Rachel, the guy is trying to say, hello. He’s not trying to scare you to death. Hi I’m Rita, and this is Liz, and that’s Rachel who you just caused to spill half her drink.”

  “I’m sorry. We were wondering if you wanted to come over and have a drink.”

  “Yeh that would be nice.” Rachel answered as she looked up at him.

  That was the hard bit done. Darren and Andy would take over and keep the girls amused.

  “So, how do you know each other?” Matcher asked Rachel as she sat down next to him.

  “We all work at a fast food outlet that won’t be named but sounds as though a Scotsman thought of it. Rita is my boss, and Liz works the late shift with me.”

  She was talking quietly. Her friends were chatting and laughing. Matcher liked her. She wore no makeup. It was nice and open. Her aura had swirls showing disturbance in her emotions but as they talked she started to even out.

  “You okay?”

  Rachel was staring at him. He must have phased out.

  “Long day, work and everything. I’m in catering too. The company I work for does dinners and stuff.”

  They talked on and he couldn’t remember anything the guys had said to him. Walking back to the flat, he held her hand. It was good. Simple, good aura and no stress. When the other guys drifted off to their rooms with the girls, he saw the tension in Rachel’s aura.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Rita was supposed to be giving me a lift. I’ll have to go soon. I live at home and my step-dad gets real mad if I’m late in.”

  “Look, I know you were down at the pub, but how old are you?”

  “I’m seventeen.”

  “Where do you live?” Matcher didn’t want her to go.

  “Southmead, near the hospital and they expect me home by eleven.”

  “That’s only fifteen minutes away. I’ll give you a lift. Be warned though my car is a mess, but it works.” Matcher took her hand and she gripped it back.

  “I’d really like that.”

  Pulling up outside her house, Matcher noticed how she was screwing her hands together. He wanted to kiss her but perhaps not. In the dark he couldn’t see her aura so clearly.

  “I’d like to see you again.” He waited for the brush-off.

  “I’d like that too.”

  “We could go to the movies tomorrow night if you’re not working.”

  “No my next shifts are Friday and Saturday night.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  She leaned forward and flicked his fringe back behind his ear.

  “Why’d you do that?”

  “I just thought it would be nice to see both your eyes when you kissed me.”

  He didn’t need any more prompting. He had wanted to part those lips for the last hour. She didn’t resist when his tongue started to probe and discover every corner of her mouth. He was finding it hard not to let his hands wander when a light went on and the front door of her house opened. A large man stood in the doorway.

  “I’d better go.”

  With that, she ran up the path and was gone. The door slammed behind her. Matcher decided he liked her. He liked her a lot and aside from that she was a bloody good kisser.

  Chapter 15

  Seth grabbed the towel he had thrown aside earlier and wiped his face. The air was cool, but he was sweating. Looking up, he could see light coming through the window of the forge. He’d been awake all night. He’d lost any sense of time yet again. Glancing at the statue, he could no longer pretend it was just any female form. It was Cara. Why was he doing this again?

  After all this time, he should be in control of his feelings and reactions, but no. Seth’s hand touched the mallet. For a split second, he contemplated destroying the statue. The phone rang. He let it ring twice. Then, he remembered Janet was away. He picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Seth. This is Cara from Celtic Dinners.”

  He instantly regretted his abruptness at the sound of her voice.

  “I got your message about the booking. I’m sorry. Have I called at an inconvenient time?”

  “No. How are you?”

  She went silent.

  It was selfish. A part of him wanted her to be in pain so she would need him. The feeling of her in his arms had been intoxicating. He wanted it again. He had watched her at Shona’s funeral and the weeks following. He’d wanted to comfort her, but her friends were there for her. He was just a stranger.

  He had known her company was catering the meal at The Crescent. In fact he had suggested them to Robert, hoping to see her that night. It was unforgivable that he had kissed her when she was so lost and vulnerable. Holding her in his arms Seth knew he’d lost all his common sense.

  “I’m getting there,” Cara said. “One step forward, two steps back. It takes time like you said. So, what is the date for the booking?”

  “It’s this Friday night. I know it’s short notice, but it’s just a dinner for two. Here at the cottage.” Silence again. What was she thinking?

  “That sounds lovely. You’re lucky. I’ve had a cancellation. If you don’t mind me asking, why aren’t you using Janet? From what I sampled, she’s a great cook. Not that I’m trying to do myself out of a job.” Cara’s laugh was a little too high-pitched.

  Obviously, he was making her nervous. “Janet has gone to Paris.”

  His throat tightened, causing another awkward silence. He wanted to see the lips that were talking to him. He couldn’t tell her that no matter how much he wanted to.

  “I’ll fax through an idea for the dinner. If there’s anything you’d like to change, just let me know. The price will be on the bottom of the fax.”

  They continued disc
ussing the menu and cost. He wanted her to keep talking. He could listen to her for hours, even if the conversation was only about what vegetables he liked. Perhaps he could tell her the truth. If he did, she would never come though.

  He stood at his bedroom window waiting. She turned up promptly at seven, in preparation for the meal to start at eight. Unloading the car, she‘d been polite. He wanted to stay in the kitchen and just watch her. One look had sent him from the room. Like the forge for him, this was her area. In the front parlor, he took out his mobile and dialed his home number. The phone rang in the front parlor. He answered it and pretended to have a conversation with someone.

  “I’m sorry, Cara. I’ve wasted your time. I will of course pay you what we discussed.” Cara smiled, as he explained. The way she placed utensils down with added force showed her true feelings.

  “It’s not your fault. I’m sure he couldn’t help his flight being delayed. Oh well, your fridge will be full.”

  “It was a dinner for two and you’re here. Please, why don’t you stay?”

  She hesitated staring at the empty plates in front of her. Then, she turned and smiled at him.

  “That would be wonderful. The lamb is one of my favorites. The gravy is a special concoction and will make you smile when you taste it. It’s just a lot of effort to make it just for myself.”

  Had she seen through his ruse of a delayed dinner guest? Possibly. He didn’t care. She was staying. That was all that mattered.

  “I need to check on a piece of work in the forge. I’ll leave you for a while to finish your preparations.”

  When he returned, Cara had set up the small round table in the dining room at the front of the cottage. She’d put out a plain white cloth with deep red placemats and white napkins. Two silver candlesticks held red candles. The centerpiece was a white camellia with dark rich foliage floating in a bowl. She grinned at his reaction when he bit into the lamb.

  “It’s good, isn’t it? Even if I do say so myself.”

  “This is the second time I’ve tasted your food Cara. I haven’t been disappointed on either occasion. I think it was very wise of me to have you cook while Janet is away or she would be jealous.” Seth poured himself a glass of water. He had removed the wine glasses. If she wouldn’t drink, neither would he.

  “Trust me if I can find Janet’s recipe book, I wouldn’t be so nice. I’d love the recipe for her cookies. By the way, please don’t let me stop you having some wine. It’s just I have to drive back to Bristol. I don’t like to drink while I’m working.” Cara sipped on her tonic water.

  He needed to break the silence. He wanted her to feel comfortable with him but knew his presence didn’t engender calm in most people. “Have you always wanted to cook?”

  “Yes, I made the kitchen a mess from an early age. My mother always hoped I’d grow out of it. I think she still does.”

  He wanted her to tell him everything about herself. Then, he knew there would be no escape from caring about her. Perhaps it was too late already.

  “I was always a blacksmith. I started as a farrier. After that, I made swords or scythes or daggers, anything people would buy. When my wife died, I needed the money. I liked to drink.” He was saying too much.

  “I’m sorry I mentioned the wine.”

  “I still enjoy the odd glass. Then again, it was a long time ago. I have discovered there are worse demons than the bottle, though it is bad enough.”

  Seth stood up when she did to help with the dishes. Following her into the kitchen, he wanted to touch her. He wanted to carry her upstairs to his room and slowly remove her clothes and caress her. To discover things about every inch of her body. He wanted to know how she would react to him. To hear her groan with pleasure.

  He left her to serve dessert. It was a homemade blackberry and strawberry ice cream with thin caramel flavored wafers. As he went back and sat down. She placed his plate down and smiled at him. He wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to him. He was hard for her again. He only had to think about her and all he could imagine was being inside her. He needed to get his mind onto something else.

  “So did you inherit your culinary skill?”

  “Yes, from my grandmother. My family was originally from Ireland. My Nanna had a cookbook published earlier this year. Unfortunately she passed away not long after. I was sick for a while last year and couldn’t eat. My partner, Daniel came in with this wonderful crème caramel. I don’t think I had realized how important food was till then.”

  She was biting her bottom lip. Did she feel she was saying too much? Seth knew she had been in hospital a year ago, but was unaware of the cause. She would tell him in her own good time if she wanted to. She appeared so full of health. Had he found her only to lose her? She took the occasional deep breath and held it. “Are you well now?”

  “Yes. Look I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be boring you with my medical history.”

  The color rose to her cheeks with her honesty. He almost reached over to touch the soft skin. Instead, he ate the wonderful food. The ice cream melted in his mouth as the wafer crumbled on his tongue. He should be telling her how delicious it tasted. He couldn’t look up for fear his feelings of desire would show in his eyes.

  “Seth, there’s something I wanted to ask you?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s about a dagger I saw in your forge the last time I was here. I know this sounds ridiculous. I dreamed of one that looked the same. It was the knife with two snake’s heads on it.”

  “I fixed a dagger like that a long time ago. The one you saw was just a copy.” This was definitely a mistake. He should never have asked her. He had been a fool to think she wanted to stay to be with him. She just wanted to get information.

  “I know it’s an odd question. It’s just I’ve been trying to make some sense of Shona’s death. I know the dreams most likely have nothing to do with it. I’m just trying to think of anything that might help.”

  “I lost a close friend once to murder,” Seth said, slowly. “They never found out who did it. For a long time, I tried to make some sense of it. You must move on.” It would not be prudent to mention he had never taken his own advice.

  “I’m sorry. It’s funny, but I knew the other night that you’d lost someone too and understood my pain. You’re right though. I have to move on. I just hope the police get the bastard. Sorry about the language.”

  “Don’t be. It’s been a very long time since my friend died. I think they’ll be able to help you now in ways that they couldn’t help me then.”

  The darkness of the night surrounded him and increased his emptiness as she drove off a short time later. The world somehow appeared more complete when she was near, as if she had filled the cottage with her presence.

  A car pulled out from under the trees on the other side of the main road. Seth watched as the taillights disappeared into the distance. It seemed like two red eyes following their prey. Few cars stopped near the cottage and even less at eleven o clock at night.

  As he walked through the front door, the smell of the food still lingered. The car was probably just a couple of kids kissing in the dark on a lonely road. Touching the camellia, he picked up the lovely flower. Just the lightest touch bruised the petals.

  He had promised to protect her. What if she was being followed? He headed for the garage.

  Seth revved the bike, as he stopped at red lights entering Bath. The car next to him was full of loud music and laughter. The music continued, but the laughter stopped as he lifted his visor and glared. Frightened eyes stared back at him.

  The lights changed and they were gone. He couldn’t move. Rage like this had overpowered him before. He had to control it. She was not his woman. All they had shared was a kiss, but he knew Rosie’s killer was still out there. He would really go insane this time if he lost
another woman he loved.

  He walked down the street disappearing into the shadows of a tree across from her flat. She lived on the second floor. The lights shone. No one screamed for help.

  Cara walked out the front door and picked up a basket from the back of the van. She walked back into the building. The door closed behind her. Looking up to her flat, he saw someone pull back the curtain and gaze down. She couldn’t have gotten there that quickly. Seth had to get inside, but how? Not through the front door with the intercom link, he thought. He would try the back garden.

  He made his way up the alley at the side of the house. The rear door had a simple lock. Reaching for the handle, it turned. Damn, it was unlocked.

  Seth crept past the door to the downstairs flat. If he was wrong, then Cara would never want to have anything to do with him again. He saw himself as her protector, but stalking was what it was called these days. He knocked on her door. Why was she taking so long? Maybe, the person at the window was her lover. He was a strong man but at this moment he was unsure how this would all play out. The door opened.

  “Yes, what is it? Seth? What the hell?”

  He thought it a good sign that she looked more confused than frightened to see him.

  “When you drove off, I believe you were followed.” She went to shut the door. He put his foot in the way.

  Her eyes widened but not in fear. It looked more like anger. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Seth. To tell the truth, having you turn up like this is freaking me out. I can’t believe you followed me here. How do you know where I live? I should call the police.”

  She still pressed against the door blocking his entry. “I found your address when you dropped your bag at the forge. I’m not trying to scare you. When I pulled up outside, I thought I saw someone at your window. Please let me check. If there’s no one here, then I will leave. I won’t come back. I promise.”

  Cara hesitated but eventually opened the door.