The Scent of His Woman (12 page)

‘Good morning Nora, that coffee smells good.’
‘It is good too, here you help yourself while I get your breakfast. You’ll be needing it
today.’
‘Too right, I’m going to explore further afield today. I think I’ll get a train and get out
of the city. There’s a little travel office right by the conference centre. They’ll be able to
advise me where is the best place to head for to see the real Canada.’
‘Oh there’s no time for sightseeing, Mr Mathias left his instructions. His driver will
take you shopping, see here is a note, so you know what to get. I expect he’s planning
something wonderful like the opera. You really need to see the cultural side of the city. It’s
very popular.’
‘Shopping. Oh lovely.’
Trying not to let her disappointment show, not wanting to seem ungracious, Lexie
opened the envelope and read the note, putting the credit card that was with it on the
counter. “9 am meeting, should be over by 10.30, will take you out for the day when I get
back, in the meantime go shopping. My driver knows where. Use my card and this time no
black!” Oh drat the man, what was it with him and shopping, did he think that’s all women
thought about? She ate her breakfast, all the while turning over her predicament in her
mind, but there seemed to be no way out of it. She would have to go along with whatever
Geth had in mind and forgo this one-off chance to get out into the countryside. They would
be going back home tomorrow and it was unlikely she’d ever be able to afford to come
back. Oh it really was too bad!

Half an hour later she was sitting in the limo as it made its way along the straight, wide,
multi-laned arteries of the modern city. Glass fronted skyscrapers towered each side,
reflecting the city in mirrored splendour and Lexie found herself gazing about her in awe.
Everything was so huge, so modern, so from another world. She was still wide eyed with it
all when the limo took a side lane and seemed to allow itself to be swallowed up by the
city. Moments later it parked in an underground car-park and lexie found herself met by a
courteous young man ad escorted to a large lift, which took them up into the heart of the
building.

‘If you’d follow me Miss Owen, I will show you to our sports department, where a
personal shopper is waiting to help you with your choices.’
‘The sports department?’
‘Yes Miss, Mr mathias was in earlier and his completed order is ready. Once you are
happy we will of course deliver immediately.’
Lexie was at a loss, what on earth did Geth have in mind for the day that required a
visit to a sports department? Come to that who needed the services of a personal shopper
anyway? She was about to insist on being left to her own devices, intending to ring Geth
and find out just what he was playing at, when the lift stopped and they exited into the
store.
‘Oh.’
It was all she could say, as, eyes wide she wandered into the room, ignoring those
around her. All around her were arranged for the discerning enthusiast, the very best
cycling equipment and accessories. At least half of the spacious department was taken up
with row upon row of high-end bicycles. Serrota, Ellsworth, Klein, Bianchi, they were all
there along with many she’d never heard of. The rest of the room was taken up with the
accessory department and in the centre was a raised area with comfy sofas and low
tables, from which came the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. Lexie was in heaven.
‘Hi, I’m Sally and I’m here to help you make your selections today, can I get you a
coffee before we begin Miss Owen?’
‘Hello, yes coffee would be nice.’
Lexie smiled at the young woman who’d followed her into the shop, making an effort
to come back down to earth. After all nothing had changed, not really. This might be the
kind of shopping that did tempt her, but she still balked at letting a man pay for her clothes.
Having said that, it was evident Geth intended for them to go cycling, he must have
remembered her describing her love for it, and that consideration added to her excitement
at the prospect. So she would need some kit, just what depended on exactly where they
were going and what terrain they’d be covering. There was no way she could afford to
shop here, so the only thing left to do was to swallow her pride and use his plastic.
‘Here you are Miss, help yourself to cream.’
‘Thank you, but please my name is Lexie, and do join me.’
‘Why thank you, shall we begin to plan, though Mr Mathias was quite specific about
what you would need?’
‘Well, whatever he has in mind, I think I’ll just go for a basic set of lycra, that should
be enough.’
The next hour catapulted a bemused Lexie even further into Geth’s rarified world.
Once she’d reconciled herself to letting him pay, it had been easy. All she had to do was
make her choices from the fabulous selection on offer. A little voice in her head whispered
something caustic about how long it would take to pay this lot off, because she would pay
him back, that was a given. But she shut out the whisperer, and for the first time in her life
let the pure, unadulterated heaven of self-indulgence rule. Geth had chosen a bicycle for
her, at least he’d made it clear what he wanted her measured for. So it was the work of
only a few minutes for the measurements to be taken and her bicycle, a top of the range
Serrota mountain bike, adjusted to a perfect fit. The next task was to chose all the
accessories and clothing she would need. She went for matching shorts, jersey and
thermal jacket by Capoforma, in black and ‘celeste’, a soft duck egg blue. She added
socks and gloves, again by Capo, and finished off with shoes and helmet by Giro. All in all
it came to more than she’d spent on clothing in the last ten years, maybe longer. Again the
little voice whispered, and again she squashed it, this time with the thought that these
were an investment in comfort and they would last forever. They’ll have to the little voice
rejoined, it’ll take forever to pay for them.
By the time she’d been spirited back to the apartment, everything had been
delivered as if by magic and Geth, who was back from his meeting, was in high spirits.
‘Come on, get changed, the car is ready and we need to be off. Get kitted up and
throw a few overnight things in a bag. I’ll be five minutes, so you can have ten, not a
second more.’
‘If you don’t tell me where we’re going how can I pack?’
He just laughed, pulling her into his arms and kissing her.
‘It’s a surprise, but we’re only staying away one night so just essentials.
Now you
have a minute less.’
Fifteen minutes later they were threading their way through the mid morning
Montreal traffic. Geth handling the hired 4x4, with ease, the bicycles strapped on the back
and an excited Lexie at his side.
‘Come on you can tell me where we’re going now, and where are we staying?’
‘Ok, though you’ve probably not heard of it. It’ll take us nearly three hours to drive to
a lakeside cabin in Gatinaeu Park, just north west of Ottawa. We’re staying there for two
nights so we can get in a whole day on the bikes, and the following morning too if we want
to. It’s a great place I went skiing there once. The mountains and forests are spectacular,
but we’ll be lakeside, so we can access some of the best cycle routes in the world. it can
get a bit steep in places, but we can take our time. The main thing is we’ll have a complete
break, no meetings, business phone calls, nothing.’
‘Wow, are you sure you’re up to that?’
‘What, letting business take care of itself? Don’t you worry about me, you just worry
about how you’ll keep up.’
That made her smile, ‘just you wait, I bet I can surprise you.’
Geth just relaxed back into his seat and concentrated on the driving, ‘we’ll see
cariad, we’ll see.’
It was a lovely drive, once they left Montreal behind the scenery began to morph
into picture book Canada. Sweeping valleys, bounded by forested mountains and
crisscrossed by winding rivers and straight roads. Occasionally the blue sky would be
mirrored in the still waters of a lake, more often than not bordered by quaint towns or
villages. Lexie was enthralled.
‘It’s just as I imagined it would be, it’s so big and yet it seems friendly not brash and
modern at all.’
Eventually they reached the outskirts of Ottawa and the scenery changed back to the
suburban sprawl that heralded the approach of the city. Lexie was glad however to find
that they could skirt the city, without really entering it , reaching the southern edge of the
park by mid afternoon.
‘The cabin’s beside one of largest lakes near the centre of the park, we should be
there in less than an hour. Then all we have to do is unload and spend the rest of the day
relaxing, so we’re fresh for an early start in the morning. Do you need to stop for a break?
There’s a little town about a mile further on and then after that it’s nothing but park until we
get to the cabin.’
‘Maybe it would be nice to stop, just to stretch our legs and we’ll need to pick up
something for dinner.’
‘No need, all that’s taken care of, but we’ll stop anyway. You need to experience one
of these little country towns, they’re great, like stepping back in time some of them, but
with all mod cons.’
They stopped at ‘Old Chelsea’ village. Little more than a single straight road
bordered by traditional white wooden houses and a few shops. The one gas station really
was like stepping back in time, complete with the courtesy of a gas attendant. Once they’d
filled up, they wandered along the street to work the driving kinks out of their legs admiring
the clean lined houses and shady trees, and wound up at a charming little cafe. Geth
ordered coffee and waffles in correct, if accented french and watched as Lexie devoured
hers with enthusiasm. Two days, to have her all to himself, two nights as well. Then would
begin the downward trail to the end. First home to the anniversary party, where she would
play the part of his fiancée, then with Mam off his back, they’d return to their respective
homes as the press furore would have died down by then. They’d have to discuss the
mechanics of it, but in essence all that would remain would be the fictitious split. All it
would take would be a snap of him with a blonde in a nightclub, any blonde, it made no
odds who. A few days of speculation and it would be done. Mam would be disappointed,
she’d ring, maybe send Mared to scold him, but they’d not be surprised, not deep down.
They knew he was not the settling down type.
So why did he feel oddly as if he was about to lose something? What was the dull,
flat feeling that settled low in his gut like a lump of lead? And why was it , that her smile
dissolved that lump? Not comfortable with the train of thought, he pushed it away,
replacing it with a bright, holiday tone, hoping she would not notice just how brittle it
sounded.
‘Ok, lets make a move, the great Canadian outdoors awaits.’
‘Oh come on,’ she quipped as she rose to her feet, ‘it’s hardly the great northern
wilderness complete with grizzlies, it’s a park, a big one maybe but still a park.’
Geth caught her as she stepped through the door still laughing, her mouth tasted of
maple syrup spiced with something that was pure Lexie, he felt the magic of the moment
brand his heart.

*****
‘Whoever called this a cabin, was hardly in touch with nature was he?’
Lexie was standing beneath a cavernous cathedral ceiling looking out of floor to

ceiling windows, in the living room of the most palatial “cabin”. Logs crackled in the
fireplace behind her further enhancing the back-to-nature but without any hardship effect.
The place was incredible, hardwood floors throughout even in the 6 bedrooms and both
bathrooms. The fully equipped kitchen was like something out of Country Living and just
when she thought she’d seen it all she found the patio! She was still standing staring when
Geth joined her.

‘A walk, are you mad, look at this, why would I want a walk when I could soak in
here?’
Here, was the biggest open air hot tub she’d ever seen, it sat, bubbling an
irresistible invitation Lexie was not about to ignore.
‘Come on, let’s change.’

The next time Lexie climbed into the hot tub, it was with a very real need for its
almost magical ability to soothe tired overworked muscles. It had been an incredible day, a
day she knew she’d never forget. Despite an evening of champagne and lovemaking,
they’d risen early both eager to get going. To begin with they’d taken it easy, warming up
on well tended forest trails, returning the cheerful greetings of other cyclists and chatting
easily as they rode. The way was well marked, and soon they were climbing steadily. Side
by side in a steady, companionable rhythm. The trail had continued to climb, getting
steeper and rougher with each passing kilometer, changes that were mirrored in the two of
them. Geth began to push the pace, testing her she thought, out to show the “little woman”
how to ride.

Picking up the pace she pulled ahead leaving Geth to follow and for a few minutes
he rode behind, admiring the sight of her tight little bottom wrapped in lycra and the way
her thighs bunched as she worked them hard. Then he increased the pressure and drew
alongside laughing.

There had been times when Lexie thought her lungs would burst, or her legs just
seize up, but still she kept going. Determined not to let him get the upper hand she rode
like a demon. Out in front she pushed the pace over ground rough enough to demand
every ounce of bike handling skill she possessed, when Geth pulled ahead, she doggedly
rode his tail, not giving him an inch, waiting and watching for her chance to pull ahead
again.

Then they were there at the top, pulling side by side into a clearing with nothing to
mark it as the summit other than a view of heaven. Neither spoke, for long minutes they
sipped from their water bottles and fought for the breath to speak, then when they found it,
there was nothing that needed saying. Laying the bikes down they moved together, Lexie
nestled in the circle of his arms and they sank together onto the grass.