Written in the Stars (9 page)

The only cloud on the horizon was the dual ownership of Caxton Manor. She had no idea how was she going to resolve that.

Chapter Nine

Mark’s parents stopped off at the restaurant to say hello before going on to their hotel in a nearby town. As Suzi watched them embrace him she felt more than a little twinge of envy. While Mark gave Ben and Jane Brinstead a tour of the premises, Judith plopped down on a nearby chair.

‘How’ve you been Suzi? It seems an age since we spent any time together.’

‘Busy.’ She gestured at the dining area. ‘It keeps us on our toes, but I not complaining. What about you? Mark tells me that you’re engaged… is that true?’

‘Yes.’ Judith held out her left hand to display a diamond ring. ‘Isn’t it beautiful.’ She spoke about how happy they were and then went on to say that her fiancé, Jonathan, hoped to join them later in the week. ‘And what about you?’ she asked peering intently at Suzi. ‘How are things between you and Mark? I believe it’s getting a bit serious.’

Suzi was about to reply when Mark came bustling into the dining room bearing a tray laden with coffee and a large plate of sandwiches. When he sat down next to his sister, Suzi found herself comparing them again. She had almost forgotten how closely they resembled each other. In her opinion, they could easily pass for twins, even though there was a three-year age gap.

‘You both seem to have done very well here in such a short time, Suzi.’ Ben said, selecting another sandwich. ‘Mark tells me you’re hoping to move into bigger premises in the New Year.’ He nodded his head and winked at the same time. ‘That’s the ticket, don’t rest on your laurels. Get out there and make things happen.’

Suzi stole a look at Mark, but he made no sign that he had heard what his father had said. She wondered if it was just a passing remark or whether Mark had been secretly planning something without her knowledge. Ben always gave the impression that making decisions was a man’s prerogative. Her thoughts were interrupted as Jane spoke again.

‘What did you like most about Cyprus, Suzi? I’ve heard it’s a romantic place.’ She glanced quickly at her son. ‘Mark tells me you’re both out and about whenever you can make the time, so are you planning anything over Christmas?’

Before she could answer, Ben climbed laboriously to his feet and pointed at the ornate clock behind the reception desk. ‘We’d better let these busy people get on with things.’ He grasped his wife’s arm and urged her up off the chair, and then looked meaningfully at Judith. ‘It’s time we were on our way.’

As they were saying goodbye, the first customers arrived for lunch, and the steady flow of people didn’t stop until it was time to close for the afternoon. Mark slipped off straight after preparing the last meal and did not return until it was nearly time to open for dinner. He bustled around the kitchen hurriedly catching up on the work he had neglected that afternoon. His manner made it clear he had no time to talk, which gave Suzi no chance to query him about his mother’s remarks.

It’ll wait until they’ve gone home, I suppose, she thought, as she walked back into the dining room, hoping that Mark wouldn’t think he could take control just because he was currently more personally involved with her.

She had barely opened the door next morning when Gary Hyland breezed in and gave her a friendly peck on the cheek before making his way into the kitchen. He had worked for Mark in the past and was quite capable of maintaining the high standard of what was expected by Stow Restaurant’s customers. Suzi liked his cheerful manner, but she was well aware that Gary saw all women as potential bed-mates. The young waitress would have to be on her guard while he was around, and one or two older ones as well.

She accompanied Jane and Judith on a shopping expedition the following afternoon while Mark and his father attended a local point-to-point meeting. Suzi tried to fit in as many trips with Mark’s family as possible, but felt relieved that the business limited the number of activities. She had enjoyed those she had joined, and she felt very comfortable with Mark’s parents; she liked Judith’s fiancé as well, and seriously considered how she would feel to be related to them.

However hard she tried to convince herself, she could not see herself as part this family. Admittedly, she was very fond of Mark, but spending extra time with Mark and his relatives soon made it clear that she did not want to marry him; she simply didn’t love him; that little X factor missing.

Mark’s family called into say goodbye the following day and things quickly returned to normal. Pre-Christmas parties had to be catered for, and the number of bookings seemed to increase from week to week. By now, the pace had become quite hectic.

Suzi moaned aloud when she received a letter from the solicitor again. He explained that the legalities of the inheritance had not been satisfactorily dealt with yet, and stated that although Steve had initially expressed a willingness to sell her his share, his solicitors had not yet indicated that he still wished to pursue the idea. However, Mr Duncan promised to keep her duly informed, so that was that.

Gary could see how frustrated Suzi had become, and he sidled up to her one morning.

‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘You can rely on me to help out over the festive season. In fact, I’ll handle the restaurant trade so that Mark could be free to cope with any extra work that turns up.’

‘It’s a lot more demanding this year,’ she lamented, to Charlize when they met at their favourite rendezvous for a morning coffee. ‘I find it hard to drag myself out of bed each day, so thank goodness Gary Hyland has agreed to help out. It would be horrendous otherwise.’

‘And how are things with Mark?’

‘You mean…? Oh, our social life is almost non-existent now. Mark’s too busy organizing things, chasing up deliveries, checking on a thousand and one things to have much time for anything else’

‘How do you feel about that?’

Suzi gave a little laugh. ‘It’s okay. I don’t mind except when he gives me a little broadside.’

‘What do you mean?’ Charlize asked, an inquisitive look on her face.

‘Oh, he’s still on about moving into larger premises,’ Suzi replied, ‘and every time we have to set up in a hall somewhere, he moans about the inconvenience.’

‘I suppose he would have been a lot happier if you’d inherited Caxton Manor totally?’

‘No doubt, but as you know I’d be putting my head in a noose by mortgaging the place, even if it was all mine.’ Suzi pulled a face. ‘Mark has hinted that he might be able to raise enough money to buy Steve Pardoe’s share, but I think it’s all talk. He’s in the same position as me—hocked to the hilt—almost.’

‘Have you heard anything more from your solicitor?’

Suzi pulled another face. ‘That silly old so-and-so huffs and puffs, but does nothing.’

‘If you’d known about this Kiwi chap earlier, you might have been able to work something out with him while he was here.’

‘Amen to that. It’s a pity Duncan refused to disclose his name at the time.’

‘Don’t worry. I expect it will work itself out okay.’

‘I still don’t know how I really feel about Mark,’ Suzi stated abruptly. ‘He can be good fun, but I can’t bring myself to be intimate with him. There’s that something special missing.’

‘Well that’s a jolly good enough reason not to marry him,’ Charlize remarked, sagely, ‘and you must remember how many marriages flounder because people never get away from each other. They get sick of the sight of their partners.’

‘You’re right. It’s a stupid idea.’ Suzi glanced at her wristwatch. ‘Good grief, is that the time? I must dash.’ She jumped up and kissed Charlize on the cheek. ‘See you later.’

As she made her way back to The Stow Restaurant, Suzi reviewed her relationship with Mark. She knew he had done everything in his power to make the business prosper, and he would probably try just as hard to make the marriage work. But, and it was a big but, and was she prepared to make the same effort? Maybe I need to be a bit more loving, she mused. Maybe I should let him sleep over one night and see what happens, she mused. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she rejected it out of hand because she just could not imagine herself in bed with him.

‘Let’s get Christmas out of the way,’ she murmured. ‘Maybe things will sort themselves out.’

Chapter Ten

Steve had not seen much of his friend, Jock MacTavish, since their last year at Dunedin University. The strong bond they had formed whilst attending college had strengthened over the following years, and Jock had gone into the family engineering. He surprised Steve by phoning one evening to ask for advice.

‘We had a piece of pumping equipment imported from America some years ago; it’s been okay until now, but it’s no longer working properly.’ He sounded frustrated over the phone. ‘On top of that, the company has gone into liquidation and their spare parts division no longer exists.’ He paused for a few seconds. ‘Any chance you can help?’ The two friends had a lengthy conversation about the problem and then Jock rang off. Three days later he called again. The detailed sketches that Steve had sent to help him sort out the problem had not relieved the situation.

‘Surely you can fix a pump,’ Steve protested. ‘You don’t need me to tell you how?’

‘I thought so, but maybe it’s just that I can’t read your handwriting.’

‘Thanks a bunch.’

‘Would you come down and sort it out for us? We haven’t spent much time together over the past few years, so it’ll be a good excuse to meet up, have a few beers and catch up on the news and all that.’ There was a pause. ‘We’ll pay your airfare and you could make a little holiday out of it. How about it, eh?’

Steve agreed. It would be a welcome break away from the awkward situation with Kirsty, he knew he needed time to himself. And now as the plane began its descent he looked down on the small town that nestled at the bottom of South Island, and smiled. He was looking forward to the reunion with a great deal of pleasure; it would be good to see his old friend again.

Jock was waiting in the reception area.

‘Well, Stevie,’ he said, clasping his friend’s hand tightly. ‘It’s so good to see you again. Come on, the car’s outside. I’ve done my license in by too much drink, so Jenny had to drive me here.’

‘Jenny?’

‘My kid sister.’

‘Ah, I vaguely remember a youngster, skinny, obnoxious and under your feet all the time.’ Steve laughed. ‘I suppose she’s changed by now?’

‘You’ll soon see for yourself.’

Jenny acknowledged Steve’s hello and then shoved the Mitsubishi into gear and accelerated fiercely out of the airport parking lot. She glanced at him from time to time as she drove towards the MacTavish home, but made no effort to join in the conversation. When she jammed on the brake outside the house, she turned to her brother.

‘Will you be monopolizing Steve the whole weekend?’

‘Go away with you,’ Jock growled, softly. ‘Leave the man be. You’ve got boyfriends aplenty.’

After she got out of the car Jock handed Steve the car keys. ‘You can drive us to the factory.’

Jock’s father looked up as they entered the office, and seemed pleased to see Steve again.

‘I wondered why my son couldn’t sort out our mechanical problem himself,’ he said, grumpily. ‘It’s a bit silly to drag you all this way.’

‘Well, come on, let’s have a look at that pump,’ Steve said, shrugging himself into a pair of overalls. It took longer than he had anticipated to isolate the problem, and he had to fabricate a piece to replace a damaged part, that meant it was nearly five o’clock before he finished.

‘That’s it,’ he said, wiping his hands clean on cotton waste. ‘You’ll just have to insert the O rings when they arrive. I’ll put them in the post first thing Monday morning.’

‘Thanks, Steve. I suppose I could have fixed it myself and kept the old man happy, but you’ve always been more of a hands-on man than myself.’ Jock slapped him on the back. ‘Anyway, it was a good excuse to catch up with you. Now, I don’t know about you, but I could use a drink. Let’s find a pub.’

After they had dined, the two friends retired to the study with a bottle of malt whiskey.

They were nearly half way through the bottle when Jenny poked her head around the door after saying goodnight to her date.

‘Are you going to invite me in for a drink?’ she asked, tossing her head provocatively, ‘or are you keeping it all to yourself?’

Steve studied her in the subdued lighting, noticing that every aspect of her face seemed a little out of proportion. Her blue eyes were too large, her freckled, upturned nose too small, and her mouth too wide. Even her limbs look awkward, her long shapely legs ending in a tucked-up, seductive little bottom. However, as a whole, she was incredibly attractive, and quite unusual. She caught his eye and smiled.

‘So, Steve, what are you going to do with yourself for the rest of weekend?’ she asked, in her soft Scottish brogue. ‘Are you going to stagger from pub to pub with my dear brother, reminiscing about the good old days?’

‘Have you any better suggestions?’

‘Aye, but you’ll need to ask,’ Jenny said, quietly, peering at him over the top of her glass. ‘Na tim’rous beastie a gud enow, m’loon.’

Jock laughed uproariously, but refused to comment about her choice of words, except to say that he had misgivings about her morals. ‘Many years ago, she decided to live up to a redhead’s reputation rather than live it down,’ he said, and laughed again. ‘But don’t get me wrong, she’s a bonnie lass and I love her dearly.’

The two men spent the next morning fishing off the jetty, and then lunched at a nearby pub. Mindful of Jenny’s admonition, Steve steered his friend away from the bar afterwards, and went for a drive in the country. By the time they returned to the MacTavish house, it was late afternoon, and Jenny met them at the door.

‘Maureen said she’d love to meet your old flat mate,’ she announced, looking meaningfully at Jock. ‘And she’s looking forward to having dinner with you both this evening.’

Jock took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly.

‘Women! Bah, they’ll take over your life given half a chance.’ He turned to Steve. ‘Maureen and I have an agreement of sorts.’

‘Yes,’ Jenny agreed, a trifle sarcastically. ‘She has to chase after you. If she didn’t take the initiative, she’d never get her hands on you.’

‘So you decided to give her a helping hand?’

‘Aye.’ She grinned mischievously and then turned to Steve. ‘I’ve lined up the most sought after woman in Invercargill for you.’

‘That’s kind of you, Jenny.’ Steve said, trying to keep a straight face. ‘I hope you’ve found a date for yourself as well.’

Jenny laughed softly. ‘Touché.’

They managed to get a table at one of the better restaurants in town. The food was good, but the service was better, and the wine waiter kept their glasses full. Jock and Maureen seem to complement each other perfectly, and Jenny hinted that they would probably tie the knot next year.

Like all restaurants in provincial cities, it closed the doors at ten o’clock, and as they made their way outside Jenny slipped her hand into Steve’s. ‘It’s too early to go home. Let’s go for a drink somewhere.’

He looked into her upturned face and smiled. ‘Yes, the night’s young.’ Steve was about to say, ‘have you any ideas, Jock’ , when Maureen spoke up,

‘Jock’s taking me home while he’s still sober.’ As she pulled Jock towards the car, Maureen waved them a farewell with her free hand. ‘We’ll catch up tomorrow.’

They watched them drive away, and Jenny gave a lilting laugh.

‘Poor old Jock, he irons himself out and then he’s good for nothing, so Maureen ends up even more frustrated.’

‘Why does she put up with him then?’

‘Why does any woman put up with any particular man? Usually because she loves him.’ She paused and then added. ‘Too much.’

‘And you? What about you?’

‘I haven’t found the man I want to spend the rest of my life with; not yet,’ she replied, seriously. Then on a lighter note she added. ‘Come on, we’re wasting time. There’s whiskey to be drunk.’

The first pub they chose was too dismal and almost deserted; the second was full of roistering drunks, and rather than risk another disappointment, Jenny suggested they should go home. As she drove back to the MacTavish house, Steve studied her profile again, and with her vital personality, it was easy to see why she was so attractive to men. She led the way into the house and headed for the study.

‘Let’s hope there’s some whiskey left,’ she said, switching on the light. She held up the bottle. ‘Aye, there’s enough for one, or maybe two each.’

Steve raised his glass. ‘What do the Scots say? Here’s looking up your kilts?’

‘Slainte mhaith.’ Jenny laughed and clinked her tumbler against his. ‘Slainte mhaith means good health.

When he stood up and placed the empty glass on the table, she moved to his side. For a brief moment she looked up into his face and then wrapped both arms around his neck.

‘Kiss me, Steve,’ she breathed, huskily. ‘Kiss me like you really mean it.’ Then she drew his head down until their lips met.

Her tiny tongue sought his and the sensation sent shivers down his spine. He placed both hands on her buttocks, and pulled her closer to himself as she pressed her slender body against his. When they finally pulled apart he drew in a deep breath as the feelings generated deep within him threatened to explode. Totally surprised at her boldness, he gazed at her in silence.

‘That’s only for special guys, m’loon,’ she said, softly. ‘And you’re very special.’

‘But, you don’t…’ Steve began.

‘You may not think so,’ Jenny said, quietly. ‘But from the moment I saw you, it was as if I were propelled towards you.’

As Steve tried to think of a reply, Jenny turned off the light. ‘Let’s call it a night.’ She laughed softly. ‘I’ll not be responsible for what happens if you let me kiss you like that again.’

‘But, I…’

‘I’ll not come between you and Kirsty, but that relationship is not going to last forever, is it?’

As he climbed into bed later, Steve reviewed the evening. Jenny had dominated his thoughts and desires all evening, and it was only now that she was out of his sight that he was able to think about the other woman in his life. Almost at once he recalled a similar situation with Suzi Lysle Spencer. When they had been together in Wales, all thoughts of Kirsty had disappeared from his mind. What am I trying to tell myself? How can I just push the memory of Kirsty into the background as easily as that? He wondered.

He was just dropping off to sleep when the memory of Jenny’s kiss flooded back. When he finally fell asleep the night was filled with dreams of the women in his life. As he watched the scenes his mind was playing, he noted how the dark, almost sultry comeliness of Kirsty contrasted with the fresh natural beauty of auburn haired Suzi. Both of them were a world apart from Jenny’s brazen attractiveness. Steve broke out in a cold sweat when in his dream he had to choose between them, and was still agonizing whom to pick when someone called his name.

A gentle tap on the door was followed by Mrs MacTavish’s repeated question. ‘Would you no’ like a cup of tea, Steve?’ When he answered, the woman said. ‘I’ll leave it by the door, then.’

Jock didn’t return until mid-morning. He looked slightly embarrassed, and tried to make a joke of his nocturnal habits, but they fell flat. Jenny was nowhere to be seen. Steve felt both relieved and a little disappointed, and suggested that he and Jock should take a drive before Sunday lunch. When they returned for the meal an hour later, Jenny was waiting for them. ‘You’re just in time. Come on, it doesn’t do to keep Mother waiting.’

Once lunch was over, the three of them settled in a comfortable spot in the garden, but a few minutes later Jock went inside to make coffee. Jenny took advantage of his absence and slid over to sit beside Steve, putting her face close to his. ‘So when am I going to see you again?’

Steve was searching his mind for a suitable answer when Jock returned, bearing a tray of coffee. He wagged his finger at Steve. ‘We’d better be going soon, so drink up, or you’ll find it’s a long walk to Auckland if you miss that flight.’