Where the Heart Belongs (6 page)

No need to ask which man he had in mind. ‘I won't,' she promised.

‘I know him of old. Please be sensible and have nothing more to do with him.'

She smiled but didn't answer.

INGRID SHOWS HER TRUE COLOURS

Ferniehope Castle was very quiet after the group's noisy departure next morning with much laughter and banging of doors. Shona wandered from room to room checking that no
one
had left anything lying around they might not be able to find later. She gave Jack's office a wide berth because she knew Ingrid was working in there, finalising next week's programme for the group of wildlife enthusiasts.

In the guests' lounge she found the pile of completed quiz sheets laced neatly on the piano lid. On the top was the one marked with Jeannie's name in a flowery scrawl. She had got top marks. Rex's effort was at the bottom. Smiling, Shona left them where they were.

She heard the telephone's ring from the hall and paused as Ingrid stuck her head round the office door.

‘It's for you,' she said abruptly.

‘I'll take it in the dining room,' said Shona.

She was glad she had because the voice on the end was Felix's.

‘This evening?' he said. ‘Any good? Bessie's Kitchen is doing a curry night. D'you like curry?'

‘I'm sorry, Felix,' she said, a catch of disappointment in her voice. ‘I'm on duty here.'

‘That's too bad. Can't you just slip out without anyone noticing?'

‘You know I can't. It's more than my job's worth.'

‘Then get another.'

‘As easily as that? I don't think so.'

‘OK, then, how about if I get Bessie to put
on
a special curry when you and I can actually get there?'

‘Liz,' she said.

‘Yes, Liz, of course. You know her?'

‘A little. I'd love that, Felix. I'm so sorry about tonight.'

‘Got paper and pen handy? I'll give you my number.'

‘I'll remember it,' she said with confidence. If she didn't Jodie would be at her throat. ‘But I'll write it down just in case. And thanks.'

She replaced the receiver, and before she forgot put the number he had given her on to her mobile.

The phone rang again, but this time Ingrid dealt with it in the office.

Later, when Shona came in from the garden with a bunch of daffodils to arrange in the empty lounge fireplace she was surprised to find Ingrid waiting for her.

‘Oh hello,' she said. ‘Did you want me?'

Ingrid looked at her quickly and then away again. ‘About tonight. You're free if you want. Jack just phoned. He'll be here himself after all. No need for both of you to be.'

‘Great. Thanks, Ingrid.' Shona felt lighthearted as she put the flowers in position and pulled out her mobile to phone Felix. Already her mind was on what to wear if his invitation was still on. Her new skirt and the cream and burgundy top. Medium heels would be best and her new drop earrings.

She
changed her mind only once and that was to substitute the skirt for a pair of jeans. When she was at last ready she picked up her bag, slipped her mobile into it and took one last look in the mirror to check her hair.

*   *   *

Felix was waiting for her in the car park and together they went into the warm and lively atmosphere of Bessie's Kitchen. Liz's curry night was obviously popular and there was just one vacant table.

‘Lucky us,' said Felix as he pulled out Shona's chair for her. They both selected vegetable biryani, a speciality of the house.

‘Liz seems to be in her element,' Shona said, waving to her across the room.

‘She's done wonders with this place,' said Felix.

‘D'you often eat here?'

‘Now and again. It's Tamsin's favourite.'

‘Have you heard from her? How is she?'

He looked troubled. ‘She's unhappy, I know that. I don't know what to do as I'm away so much. I really am grateful to you for looking after her, you know. I wish I could do something for you to show my appreciation.'

‘There's no need,' she said quickly.

Their food arrived and Felix picked up his fork. Before Shona could do the same her mobile rang. ‘Please excuse me, Felix,' she
said.
‘I meant to turn it off.'

‘Don't mind me.'

Hastily she scrabbled in her bag and saw that the caller was Jodie. Smiling, she held the phone to her ear.

‘Oh Shona, it's me,' said Jodie, her voice shaking.

Shona felt an icy chill though the room was warm. ‘Jodie, what's wrong? What's happened?'

‘It's Duncan. He had an accident. He . . . he's broken his ankle.'

‘Broken his ankle? Where are you?'

‘At the hospital.'

‘Which hospital? Is he all right?'

‘They've operated on him and his leg's in thick plaster all the way up. They're keeping him in tonight.'

‘D'you want me to come back? I can be there in . . . '

‘No, oh no. You can't do anything here, Shona. No one can. I just thought you ought to know, that's all. He'll be out of action for weeks. I don't know what we're going to do.'

‘You'll stay living exactly where you are, Jodie, until it suits you to move into a place of your own.'

‘But you'll have to come back after your holiday and get another job and you'll need us out of your apartment.'

‘Listen, Jodie.' Speaking earnestly, Shona leaned forward as if Jodie was sitting across
the
table instead of Felix poised with his fork halfway to his mouth. ‘I've got myself a job here. It's live-in, so your accommodation's not an issue. I'll fill you in on the details tomorrow. Promise.'

‘So we really don't need to worry about the apartment?' The surprise and relief in her cousin's voice made Shona smile.

‘A crisis?' said Felix as she clicked off her phone.

‘That was my cousin, Jodie,' she said. ‘You probably remember her.'

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Should I?'

Shona picked up her fork. ‘She was the little girl who liked to follow us about.'

‘Sorry, you've lost me.'

For a confused moment she wondered if he was the same Felix Langholme that she had known years before. Laying down her fork, she stared at him.

‘Would you like us to leave?' he said. ‘You're obviously in shock, Shona.'

‘No, it's not that. You don't remember me so of course nothing makes sense. Those holidays twenty years ago . . . I was the bigger girl, Shona Renison.'

‘Shona Renison by all that's wonderful.'

She laughed shakily. ‘You remember now?'

‘I should think I do.' He leaned forward eagerly. ‘I can hardly believe it. Dare I say you've grown into a beautiful woman? I never thought we'd meet again and now here you
are.
But something bad's happened?'

‘Jodie's husband's broken his ankle,' she said.

‘And they're keeping him in hospital overnight? I heard that much, Shona. But that's a good thing. Lets him rest where they can keep an eye on him.'

Felix's voice was so sympathetic that Shona felt ashamed of her initial panic. She began to eat again, scooping up mouth-watering morsels of aubergine steeped in rich sauce. ‘This is one of the best biryanis I've ever eaten,' she said.

Felix looked pleased. ‘That's the spirit. So, tell me about this Jodie I'm supposed to remember.'

Shona smiled. ‘It feels like a fairy tale. I can see you're the same Felix as you were then. D'you remember joining in our games over on the island? We had some fine times and you were part of them.'

‘Leckie Shore,' he said, the light of memory shining in his eyes.

She smiled. ‘I'm glad to be back.'

‘So Jodie was that little girl and you were . . . Shona. Yes, yes, yes!' He laughed with pleasure.

She felt her cheeks glow as they talked about those far-off days, finding so much to reminisce about that time stood still.

‘We're practically related,' he said when Liz had removed their empty plates and produced
the
dessert menu.

He looked pleased about that but she wasn't so sure. He had been something more, something special. But that was then. She was here with him now enjoying this meal because he wished to show his gratitude to her for taking his daughter back to school. Nothing more.

As they ate their lemon cheesecake he filled her in with a few details of his own life, his studies at Falmouth Art College where he specialised in ceramics, the chance he had after he left to work with a firm in Cornwall where he met his future wife. And the agony of losing her in childbirth and his decision to move back north where he had family connections to help him bring up his young daughter until she was old enough to board at a suitable school.

Shona wanted to ask more about Tamsin, why she had run away and what the school was going to do about it, but felt it was too personal. He would tell her if he wanted her to know. ‘And the work you do now?' she asked instead.

He smiled. ‘I must show you my workshop one day. I'm a one-man band working at my designs and ceramics all hours with clients abroad I need to see periodically. That's why I have to be away from home so much. It's a living. How about you? Have you always done similar work as you're doing now?'

She
told him of her work as a researcher and of how Jodie had been so supportive through the years of looking after her father.

‘That's why I feel I must be there for her now,' she said, suddenly downcast.

‘You're a good and generous girl,' said Felix warmly. Shona felt herself flush at his praise.

They ordered coffee and Liz came to join them bringing an extra cup with her. The other diners had gone now.

‘No rush,' said Liz, pouring for them all. ‘It's good to see you both.'

Shona leaned back in her chair. Jodie's news didn't seem quite so terrible now. She would phone tomorrow and find out all the details. And Jodie would want to hear about the new life she was forging for herself here and how the meeting with Felix had come about.

Shona smiled at him as he teased Liz about drinking away her profits, glad that she had found two such good friends. And she was thankful, too, that she had slotted into a job at Ferniehope Castle with accommodation provided so that Jodie and family had one less worry at this difficult time.

Dusk was beginning to fall by the time they left Bessie's Kitchen and their cars were the only ones in the car park.

Felix took a deep breath. ‘I can smell salt and reeds and mud and all things wonderful,' he said, his head thrown back.

Shona
laughed at him. ‘What an imagination!'

‘Superb, don't you think?'

‘If you say so.'

They reached her car.

‘I see you have company.'

Startled, she looked inside. ‘Oh, you mean Toby.'

‘He's got a name?'

She clicked on her key tab and opened the passenger door. ‘He keeps me company.'

‘Mind if I have a look?'

‘Feel free' She reached inside and handed Toby to him. He turned the jug over in his hand and was silent for so long she felt alarmed. ‘Is anything wrong?'

‘Where did you get this?'

‘Why do you ask?'

‘He's the twin of one my aunt had.'

‘She had one just the same? I discovered this among my father's possessions. I'm not sure I like thinking Toby's got a brother. I thought he was all mine.'

Felix laughed suddenly. ‘He might be an only child now. My aunt's collection was split up when she died and a lot sold. He could be anywhere . . . broken, dead and buried in the mud down there at Leckie Shore.'

She laughed too. ‘So you're not going to kidnap my Toby?'

‘I wish I could.' He sounded serious but his eyes were dancing as he handed him back
to
her.

*   *   *

Instead of leaving Toby in the car Shona carried him carefully into the house. Because of Felix's interest he had taken on a value for her he hadn't possessed before. He needed looking after even though the expression on his ugly face seemed smugger now than it had before.

‘You'd better watch it,' she warned him. ‘One false move from you and you are out there in the glove compartment in solitary confinement.'

Smiling, she shut the front door behind her and then hesitated, surprised to see Ingrid hovering in the hall dressed in a long black skirt and skimpy top. Surely not waiting for her? She glanced up at the clock on the wall above the desk. Twenty minutes to midnight.

Shona felt a shimmer of alarm. ‘Something's wrong?'

‘Why should there be?'

As Shona began to head towards the staircase Ingrid moved to block her way. ‘I thought I'd check you were back before I left,' she said in a voice that sounded more rasping than usual.

Shona stifled a yawn. Ingrid was playing games but she wasn't going to join in. ‘It's getting late,' she said.

Ingrid
made no move to let her pass. ‘Jack came back.'

‘And?'

‘You weren't here.'

‘Did he want me then? You had my mobile number.'

Ingrid rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms as if she was suddenly cold. ‘I suppose.'

‘He can't have expected to see me, Ingrid, can he?'

‘Maybe. Maybe not.'

Shona stared at her, suspicion stirring. ‘Are you telling me you made it up about Jack giving me his last-minute permission to leave the place for the evening?'

‘What if I did?' A smile hovered on Ingrid's lips and there was no doubting the pleasure she was taking in this exchange.

Shona took a painful breath. ‘Ingrid, tell me, did you tell Jack where I was?'

‘I don't give my friends away.'