Roses For Katie (22 page)

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.’

She stood still and looked straight into Rex’s face. ‘I can’t cut Tom off like that, Rex. I won’t,’ she said, adamantly. ‘It would be unkind, and anyway, I’ve promised to help him set up his house, and I intend to keep that promise.’ She took a deep breath before she went on. ‘And as for Pat, it was my idea, not his, that he should live in the annex. I feel safer with a man living that close. The robbery at the manor has made me aware of how easy it is for someone to break in.’

‘Your gardener isn’t the only one who could make you feel safe. And as for this colonel… what’s he up to… asking you to help set up his home? Is he so useless he can’t do it himself? What’s at the back of his mind, eh? And where did he pop up from so suddenly, anyway?’ The questions flowed fast from his lips. Then he fingered his beard while he thought. ‘It seems odd to me. I think he’s involving you for a particular reason. He’s got something up his sleeve, I’ll guarantee.’ He lifted a warning finger. ‘Be wary, Katie; I suspect you barely know the man.’

She opened her eyes wide as she thought about this. Rex could be right. She took a long, hard look at the man sitting across the table. He was handsome, and quite charming, and even though a bit fiery on times, that was part of his charm, and forgivable. But as for confining herself exclusively to only one of her male friends, well, that was just not on. She was enjoying life too much as it was right now, and intended it should continue that way.

‘Look, she said, I’m flattered by what you’ve said. But I don’t have special feelings for any particular man, at the present time. Let’s leave it like this. I’ll go out with you whenever it suits us both. We can enjoy each other’s company, and if anything ever develops, we’ll deal with it then.’ She wagged a finger under his nose. ‘But, please, don’t try to tell me who my friends should be, how I should live, or what I should do, and when. I’m an independent individual, able to think for myself, and that’s the way I like it. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ he said, in a subdued voice. ‘Okay, as long as you’ve forgiven me for my recent show of bad temper. It won’t happen again, I promise. But I still wish you’d come with me to Majorca,’ he said, and rose to leave.

It was almost evening, when Tom phoned again.

‘Katie,’ he said, his voice sounding full of apologies, ‘when I called today, I was eager to discuss certain things with you, but I couldn’t in front of your gardener. I don’t relish his knowing my business.’ He paused, obviously waiting for her response, but when she said nothing he continued. ‘I wondered if I could see you this evening? I’d like to take you for a short drive and a meal in a nice little country inn somewhere, where we could have a chance to talk undisturbed. I know you; if I come to your place you’ll spend half your time in the kitchen making a meal, and I wouldn’t want you to burden yourself.’

‘Yes, that’s fine,’ Katie said. Call for me as soon as you wish.’ She replaced the receiver and hurried upstairs to have a quick shower, and change.

As soon as Tom arrived, he began to talk about his project. ‘The kitchen will be finished in two days. The decorator’s coming to colour the walls the day after. Then it’ll be time for the furniture to be delivered.’ He gave her a sideways glance. ‘It’s all happening, Katie, and I can hardly believe it. My shares are doing well, considering; I’ve just made a handsome profit, and I’ll make more when I sell at the right time.’ He breathed a sigh. ‘Meeting you at the dinner was the greatest thing that’s happened to me in years. It’s like you’re my lucky mascot. At times I pinch myself to make sure it’s all true.’

As he said that, Katie felt herself going hot and cold all over. This was the last complication she needed, and she wondered what sort of a predicament she was inadvertently letting herself in for with this man.

Tom pulled into the parking area of The Old Oak. It was mid-week, and early enough in the evening for it to be quiet inside. ‘I know they serve a good meal here,’ he said. ‘Simple, but good. Come on.’ While they were waiting for the food to be served, Tom looked surreptitiously around and then reached for Katie’s hand. He squeezed it gently. ‘Before I take you home,’ he said, ‘I want to show you a couple of nice chestnut geldings just down the road from here. I promised to teach you to ride a while ago… remember? That means you’d need to spend a couple of days at my new place.’ He looked up at her sharply. ‘Overnight, I mean, of course.’