We had been jogging for over a half hour, when I felt a few raindrops on my skin and then a few more. Then the rain started to pour down.
“Catherine, don’t fret! We will wait it out at the old miner’s cottage, which is not so far from here,” panting, Jules struggled to get her words out.
She was also shouting as the rain was bucketing down now and it was difficult to hear. After a while, I was not so convinced that there actually was a cottage nearby. I couldn’t see one anywhere near, and we were already soaked.
Suddenly, the path split into two. Jules went left and I followed. This trail was different to our previous trail. It was rugged; a light green moss covered the loose terrain, making it slippery. It descended rapidly and was not easy to navigate. It seemed that this trail was not regularly used; its wet overgrown foliage striking against our bodies.
About ten minutes later, I could finally see the cottage.
“Here we are!” Jules pointed with her arm stretched out ahead.
And there it was. A run-down little cottage: abandoned and unexceptional. Built out of dark charcoal stones with a shingle roof, it was almost overgrown by the trees that surrounded it. Jules lifted the rusty latch and with a big squeak the old door opened. Surprisingly, the inside of the cottage was well kept.
“Thank God for this cottage. I can’t tell you how many times it has saved me from our erratic weather.”
“How long do you think we will have to stay here?” I asked.
“Not too long. I might get the fire on, just in case. Our wonderful Dr Simons found out that I had been caught here a few times, and surprised me by stocking up the cottage with some firewood and a few other necessities for me. Dr Simons is a true gentleman.”
If I didn’t know any better, I would bet that Jules had something for our ‘wonderful Dr Simons’. It seemed that he might have something for her too.
“Jules, how long has Dr Simons been at the college?”
“Oh, I remember that day quite clearly: two-and-a-half years ago. It was a stormy Saturday afternoon. He was expected to arrive in the morning, but his plane was delayed and the weather didn’t help his journey to the college.” Jules paused to attend to the fire, and then continued. “He was completely soaked when he arrived. I got him some towels and showed him to his room. He was very appreciative and the next morning he wrote me a card thanking me for being so welcoming and hospitable. We have been close friends ever since. We have so much in common, what with our walks and a love of flowers and wine.”
“Is he married?” I asked abruptly.
“No, never married. I don’t understand why. He would make any woman proud to be his wife,” she replied.
“Is he coming to dinner tonight?” I asked.
“Why, yes he is, and Mr Barclay.”
“Oh… OK… that’s great.”
I tried not to act excited at the opportunity to see James this evening.
The fire was burning strongly now and the cottage had a nice cosy feel about it. There was a small run-down kitchenette, a small sofa in front of the fireplace and a four-seater timber dining table. The two other rooms I assumed were the bedroom and the bathroom. The room got very warm very quickly and we both stood in front of the fire to dry our clothes as much as we could. Jules started humming. She was in such a good mood. Talking about Dr Simons and being at the cottage had left her happy and content. I was determined to have them together before the year was over. We both sat on the sofa thinking. Between the crackling of the fire and the thumping of the rain, Jules and I didn’t need to speak. Other than the wet clothes, I felt so comfortable and at ease. I laid my head onto the sofa and closed my eyes to think about James.
I was terrified of the feelings I had for him; they were getting stronger. I wondered about his feelings towards me; could he care for me that way or was it all in my head. Perhaps he was just an empathetic principal trying to comfort me.
“Listen. I think the rain has stopped,” Jules announced.
We looked at each other for a second and then got up at the same time and ran out of the cottage, laughing.
The run back seemed a lot quicker. As we approached the college, we slowed to a walk.
“Jules? Who owns the cottage?” I asked.
“Oh, that would be Mr Cartwright.”
“What!”
“It’s fine. He has no interest in it, which is obvious from the state it is in. I don’t think I have ever seen or heard of him being there. Oh, no, I lie… he was there once last year. Dr Simons went to stock up the cottage and walked in on Mr Cartwright. Dr Simons was very embarrassed but Mr Cartwright was a perfect gentleman and was pleased that the cottage was being used occasionally. He even invited Dr Simons to stay for tea and they had a marvellous talk. Mr Cartwright owns a substantial amount of property in the area, and rumour has it that once upon a time, his family owned most of the land surrounding the college. The properties have been sold off throughout the years.”
“Wow! I suppose that’s why all of those women are after him,” I said cheekily.
“I suppose you’re right,” Jules agreed.
“Now, our dinner reservation is for 7 o’clock tonight. I have organised a taxi to pick us up at 6. I thought we could go for a walk through the village beforehand. You might like to go through the shops,” she suggested.
“That sounds wonderful, I can’t wait.”
“And the men will meet us at the restaurant at 7. I am so happy!” Jules said, with tears of joy in her eyes.
“Oh well, here we are!” Jules said, trying to dismiss her emotional flare up.
“I’m going to have a shower and change. If the weather holds up, I might go and explore the grounds.”
“See you at 6 if I don’t see you before,” I added.
Running to my room, I couldn’t help touching James’s door as I went past. Upon opening my door, I discovered an envelope inside. I picked it up and closed my door. With excitement due to the assumption that it was from James, I quickly opened the letter.
Dear Catherine,
I am very sorry for what you went through last night. My intentions to ease your pain were strong but my actions, unfortunately, weren’t strong enough.
Mr Kemp is a very suspicious and complicated man. If any part of me believed that you were in any kind of danger in his presence, I would have removed him from the grounds immediately. It is apparent that he is not happy with you being here, but that is all. And without contradicting myself, I need you to trust that I believed every word you said and do not doubt you at all. I also apologise that I won’t be able to make tonight’s dinner plans since I believe it will cause Mr Kemp to be even more of a nuisance.
James
What? No! That isn’t fair. How can Mr Kemp get away with what he did last night? And we have to tiptoe around him.
I sat at my desk for a few minutes; I didn’t want to be the third wheel tonight. I had been really looking forward to seeing James again.
I should make Mr Kemp come tonight as payback, knowing how much he dislikes me. Like they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I quickly pulled out some clothes to change into and went to the shower. I dried my hair and put on some basic make-up. I wore jeans and boots, with a white blouse and jumper, putting on some of my favourite red lipstick to finish my look. I was very happy with the outcome. I only wish I was getting ready for James, not the garden gnome, Mr Kemp.
I left my room and locked the door. I went directly down the hall to Mr Kemp’s room. It was easy to find, he had been whining about his ‘eviction’ ever since I got here. I knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked again. I then heard a clatter. I knew he was in there, but still no answer. I waited for a minute and knocked again. I was getting impatient. Finally the door opened about ten centimetres.
Mr Kemp must have been in bed. His hair was untidy and he seemed dazed and confused as he put on his glasses to see who had woken him.
“You? What is it that you want, no
t another accusation I hope?” He barked.
Unbelievable, not even slight remorse for what he had done to me.
“Mr Kemp, Jules and Dr Simons and I are meeting for dinner at 7 o’clock this evening. Would you care to join us?” The words were as painful as chewing on glass.
“Me? Dinner with you? Will Mr Barclay be joining us?” he asked sarcastically.
“No, he hasn’t been invited. I just think it would be nice for us to have a chance to get to know each other better. We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot.”
Mr Kemp looked down and around his room. If he were a normal person he would have been thinking about providing an answer to my question, but knowing what he is capable of, I could see that he was already plotting.
“Yes, I accept,” he answered.
“Great, I will have Dr Simons pass on the details to you.”
I couldn’t bear to look at him a minute longer. I turned around and left. When I got halfway down the hall, I heard his door close. I wasn’t exactly sure what my plan was just yet. Maybe if James knew that Mr Kemp didn’t hate me so much to have dinner with us, then he would relax about being seen with me. I had to find Jules and let her know that James wasn’t coming and Mr Kemp was. I knew I would have a lot of explaining to do.
It wasn’t hard to find her. She was sitting with Dr Simons in the common room and they were laughing at something in a magazine.
“Jules, there you are,” I said as I approached them.
“Catherine! Hello dear!”
“Good morning, Dr Simons,” I said.
“Good morning, Catherine.”
“Jules, I’m sorry, but James can’t make it this evening, so I have invited Mr Kemp.”
There, I’ve said it, no beating around the bush.
“WHAT!!!” Jules and Dr Simons shouted in unison.
“I know it doesn’t make sense, but I just thought that if he had a chance to get to know me, he might like me and in return leave me alone.”
“Have you gone mad,” Jules asked.
“No… not at all.”
“Mr Kemp? I don’t know, Catherine. He has been so mean to you, I don’t think I could be nice to him,” Jules said as she shook her head from side to side.
“I agree. I don’t think I will be able to look him in the eye and be friendly towards him,” Dr Simons said with a stern look.
I appreciated their loyalty.
“Listen, please, no-one could possibly dislike him as much as me right now, but I am trying to make the situation better… for all of us.”
They looked at each other and then Jules turned towards me.
“Alright. But it will be difficult, and if he steps out of line once I will not bite my tongue.”
“Thank you, thank you. I am off to watch some of the boys’ sports. Can you please forward the details onto him and I will see you at 6,” I said, without waiting for a reply.
I headed straight for the field at the rear of the college. At least half the students were still here, having not headed home for the weekend. Some of the students were horse riding. Some were playing soccer – which they called football here – and others were just hanging out. I decided to head for the horses. There was a stable at the far end of the field. The stable was big enough to accommodate 12 horses. The first horse I saw was magnificent. Its coat was extremely shiny and smooth, with a neck and poll of amazing length. I started to stroke the horse on its forehead. It was so calm in nature, and its approachability made me feel confident.
“Excuse me Miss, that’s Sugar, she has a great nature, would you like to take her for a ride?” a young voice enquiry.
As I looked around and noticed it was one of my students.
“Thank you, Mathew, but I think I have had enough adventure for today. I may take you up on that offer one day soon though,” I replied with gratitude.
“Just let me know,” he said as he turned away and headed back to his friends on the oval.
I turned back to the horse, which now had a name.
“Sugar, huh? That’s so sweet,” I said aloud, amused at my attempt at a joke. Then I sensed I wasn’t alone, looked around but saw no-one. I felt as if I was being watched, so decided to hastily make my way back to the college. The sky seemed darker than it was minutes ago and the wind stronger. My head began to ache and I seemed to have no strength in my legs. I leaned back on the rails and closed my eyes. A shot of pain went through my body that knocked me off my feet.
“James!” I shouted for help, not caring if anyone heard me. I just needed him next to me. “James!” I yelled out his name again, this time louder. I held onto my head. The pain was becoming unbearable, I could hear voices, I looked around to see if there was anyone who could help me, but there wasn’t anyone around. Voices were inside my head and I couldn’t escape it. I felt faint…
“Catherine…Catherine…”
“Hmmm,” I groaned.
“Catherine… Open your eyes!”
“No…”
“Catherine…?”
I finally opened my eyes and there was James, crouching over me, pale as a ghost.
“She’s awake. Oh, thank God you’re awake,” said Jules who was now over me too. She smelt so nice.
“See, like I said. She will be fine,” Dr Simons hesitantly added. He also smelt good.
I sat up and looked around for James who was now standing furthest away from me, looking away.
“What’s wrong?” I looked to Jules for an answer, but she didn’t know what to say.
“What is it? Why are you all in my room?” This time I looked at Dr Simons.
“Do you not remember?” he asked with a concerned look on his face.
“Remember what?”
“Today? Do you know what day it is today? And what you did?”
“What? Of course, today is… Saturday, and we are going to dinner tonight. Um… I… was… with the horses. My head… That’s right, my head was hurting. And I…” I muttered, knowing that what I had just said was completely incoherent.
“That will do,” James said from across the room, “let her rest now.” His voice was drained.
He then opened the door, signalling Dr Simons to leave.
“Jules, how did I get here? I don’t remember!”
Jules came closer to me.
“Catherine, I came to get you for dinner. But you didn’t answer your door. I got worried so I looked for you, but couldn’t find you. I went to Mr Barclay…”
Jules paused and looked back at James, who was now thanking Dr Simons.
“Mr Barclay and I went looking for you. We had been searching the grounds for over an hour, and when he found you, he carried you back here on his own.”
“Miss Kent,” James interrupted, “you should be getting ready to leave. We don’t want Mr Kemp to start a fuss about you all being late.”
“What? I don’t understand!” I said, looking to Jules for some answers.
“Catherine, it’s just past 7 o’clock and Mr Kemp is supposed to be meeting us in the village for dinner this evening. As much as I hate to abandon you, if we don’t go this evening, Mr Kemp will be furious. Mr Barclay was quite clear that Mr Kemp must not know about this. I don’t understand why, but he suggested that we tell Mr Kemp that you weren’t feeling well. So it’s just the three of us. I really don’t want to leave you, but I have no choice.”
Jules got up and left with Dr Simons. When they finally left, James closed the door and locked it. He paused for a while with his back to me. I felt awful for what I had put him through. I hated myself for it. I wanted to say something but the words wouldn’t come. I felt useless. The room was silent for a few more minutes. James then turned and made his way to me slowly with his head hanging low and his hands in his pockets.
“James, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t understand what is happening to me. It doesn’t make any sense. Something happened at the stables, I was terrified. I heard voices, but no one was ther
e… I have heard it before… but I can’t… I can’t remember when or where, but I know I have. So many strange things have been happening, and I don’t know what’s real and what’s not anymore.”
“I hate myself for causing so much drama for you; I don’t know what I am doing wrong, I should leave… I’ll just go back.”
I felt sick at the thought of never seeing him again and for even suggesting leaving, I seemed to be always making a bad situation worse these days. Disappointed with myself, I placed my hands over my face and took a deep breath hoping that pressing down on my eyes would stop me from crying.
I didn’t realise how cold my hands were until his warm hands were touching mine. He grabbed them both and gently pulled them away from my face. How can something so amazing feel so terrifying? I kept my focus on my hands, petrified to look up at him.
My heart was now racing, and my breathing was slow and deep. I watched as my hands were slowly pulled away from me. And as my hands reached his chest he held on to them tighter.
“I can’t let you go,” he finally spoke. “Today… can never be repeated. The thought of not finding you safe tore my heart apart. You mean a great deal to me. You have to know that… I have strong feelings for you.”
He then placed one of his arms around me and brought me close to him. I bit my bottom lip trying to contain my joy, but that was impossible: I had never felt so alive and happy. And I wanted him to see how OK I was with this.
He looked into my eyes with an expression of relief and smiled.
“What were you thinking, inviting Mr Kemp for dinner tonight?” he said, looking at me directly.
“Oh that… um… trying to call a truce,” I answered.
“You cannot be left alone with him. He has no intentions of befriending you.”
“You are so beautiful,” he then said shyly. He looked down at me. “You know I have been dreaming of you for as long as I can remember, waiting patiently for you to be here. Now you’re in arm’s reach and I am struggling to resist you.”
Undying Page 8