The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (37 page)

He had seen her redden with embarrassment before but now her face was almost beetroot and he instantly regretted his outburst. Before he could speak and apologise she said rather dejectedly, ‘of course, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. And thank you.’

God, but what the hell was it with this woman, he’d snapped at her and she’d apologised. The strange thing was he
was
sorry, he’d embarrassed and upset her and spoilt a very nice evening, and now she would leave with his anger on her mind and not the pleasant time they had spent together. He
was
angry but with himself, because she might not want to see him again and that would spoil his carefully laid out plans. But part of him, a part he did not want to admit to, didn’t want her go back to her cabin thinking he was a short tempered sexist pig. But the thought of her paying for dinner when she was the means of earning him five million bucks sickened him and he did not like that feeling, it felt too much like guilt.

She stood, picked up her bag then looked over to the bar and waved to Bob who was busy serving but not to busy to wave back and call out, ‘thank you, Miss…Adela,’ he nodded at Hennessey, ‘y’all come back soon now ya hear?’

She waved and called back, ‘I will, and thank you.’ But there was a tension to her smile that Hennessey noticed but hoped others would not.

Other people began to call out “see ya,” and “night now.”

They walked towards the door, she saying goodnight to people as she passed, he nodding, a false smile fixed on his face. He opened the door for her but did not touch her as she walked by him as he had done earlier.

They walked along the pavement towards the path that led to the woods.

She did not speak as they walked and they had just reached the periphery of the woods when he suddenly took her arm and brought her to a halt.

She looked up at him nervously obviously, thinking he was going to tell her off again for offering to pay for dinner. He sighed heavily and ran the fingers of his left hand through his hair, ‘I’m very sorry for my behaviour back there, it’s just that I’m an old fashioned kinda guy when it comes to paying on a date with a woman.’ He tipped his head to one side as he had done earlier and knew was endearing, ‘it’s the southern manners in me.’

Her smile did not quite reach her eyes as she said, ‘no, don’t apologise, it was my fault, I should not have argued with you when you said you’d pay, I embarrassed you and I’m sorry.’

He shook his head, ‘no you didn’t.
I
embarrassed
you
. I spoilt a perfectly lovely evening with my old fashioned; some might call it sexist, out look. Will you do me the favour of forgetting about the last five minutes or so and just remember that we had a good time.’

Her smile this time was genuine, ‘of course, I’m just so glad
you’re
not upset.’

‘And
I’m
so glad
you’re
not upset, otherwise I’m in serious trouble with the sheriff.’

She chuckled now and he was relieved. Good, all his sucking up had paid off. He wasn’t sure whether to be happy or pissed that he still had the capacity to suck up to a woman, it had been such a long time since he had felt the need.

He smiled that disarming smile, ‘so, are we cool?’

She laughed at the very American saying, ‘yes, we’re…cool.’

He laughed too, ‘good.’ He was relieved that they seemed to be on the same friendly footing as before his outburst.

When they reached her cabin he wondered if she would invite him in, if so should he go in or not? No, it would not be a good idea, that would be too intimate; he did not want to get
that
close to her this soon. On the other hand it would be a significant step forward.

As it turned out he didn’t have to decide because she said, ‘well here I am safe and sound, so my friend the sheriff will be very pleased with you.’

I doubt that thought Hennessey but laughed, ‘so I can spend the night in my own bed and not in the county lock up, what a relief.’

Again he could see her wondering whether he was mocking her about her friendliness with the sheriff and the other townsfolk. Again she would have been correct.

He took the key from her and opened her door. She said, ‘you’re left handed.’

‘Yes.’

I noticed in the bar when you picked up my pen and you ate with your fork in your right hand.’

‘You’re very observant.’

‘Actually I’m not; I’m hopeless at noticing things. My brother had a moustache from when he was seventeen to twenty five and I never even noticed when he shaved it off.’

Hennessey laughed and she said, ‘I must be too wrapped up in myself to notice the things and people around me.’

Really? He might find that characteristic useful. But it was heartening to know she had observed those little things about him. He couldn't resist saying, ‘I don’t think that can be true, but if it is I’m honoured that you weren’t too wrapped up in yourself to notice certain things about me.’

Even in the dark he could see her face redden, she said quickly, ‘thank you for your company this evening, I enjoyed myself very much.’

‘As did I,
very
much.’

He hesitated on the verge of asking her to spend the day with him tomorrow, or at least asking if she wanted company on her trip to Jackson but decided against it, he didn’t want to appear too pushy. No, tomorrow he would search her cabin while he knew she would be out all day. So he said, ‘sleep well then, and I may catch you around town tomorrow. Oh, have a nice day in Jackson.’

He saw the disappointment flicker across her face and he found it hard to suppress his mirth. He debated whether or not to give in and invite himself on her trip but decided to leave her guessing for a while, yank up her interest a little, let her think about him tonight and tomorrow.

She said, ‘thank you, and thank you for dinner. Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight.’ He didn’t kiss her and she didn’t attempt to kiss him, but he never expected her to.

She turned and went indoors and he began to walk down the few steps to the path, she began to close the door when he heard her say, ‘goodnight, Mr. Hennessey.’

He turned but she had closed the door. Mr. Hennessey. Interesting. Was it just her English formality or was she mad at him for not asking to see her again? Or because she had sensed his mockery over the sheriff’s friendliness towards her? He chuckled as he walked up the path and through the woods to his hotel. Whatever, by the time she saw him again, she would be all too willing to accept another date with him. She would forgive him; he could tell she was a forgiving soul. He wondered if she would find it in her heart to forgive him the ultimate sin.

                                                            *********

Adela closed the door and leaned on it, disappointed and embarrassed, embarrassed over her faux pas in offering to pay for the meal. She knew now she should not have made such a fuss about it, she had obviously wounded his pride. And disappointed because he had not asked to see her again. But then why would he, they’d met in unusual circumstances then found that they were staying in the same town. He had offered her a lift home out of courtesy and because he was going in the same direction, it would have been silly, not to mention rude, not to. And they had both missed their lunch so it seemed reasonable that they should eat together. There was nothing more to it than that.

But still the feeling of disappointment remained.

She had liked him; to say that he was handsome would be an understatement. She had always liked a man with longish hair and his came to just below the collar of his shirt, giving him a kind of raffish air. And never had she seen such eyes, so large and clear and an indescribable blue, if she had to say what colour they were she would have said maybe indigo, but even that wasn’t quite right; they were like the colour of the sky between dusk and night. His face was slightly tanned and healthy looking, he had full lips surrounding white teeth, which were prevented from being perfect by a slightly crooked lower front tooth.

He was a very masculine man, a man’s man as the saying went, also a woman’s if she knew anything. He was also charming and witty and very gentlemanly. Southern manners as he had said.

But what struck her most, apart from his height and his eyes, was his air of confidence and self assuredness.

Oh what was she doing, listing the attributes of a man, a man she would never see again?

She pushed herself off the door impatiently and made for the bathroom where she got ready for bed.

She lay on the bed and despite her tiredness sleep would not come. She thought about this afternoon and the scene in the diner and how he had come to her rescue. She wondered what he had said to the trucker man, because despite what he had told her she did not believe that he had just pulled him up about his manners. She thought about their dinner together in the bar, and how funny he had been and how genuinely interested in her he had seemed and in her trip and her life at home.

But she knew he had been mocking her at times, like when Bob and the other patrons had been so friendly. And when Sheriff Taylor had come over to their table his hand had tightened on his glass and she had sensed his discomfort.

She had seen the flash of anger in his eyes before he had swiftly suppressed it when the sheriff had all but ordered him to see her safely home. Maybe he had been in trouble with the law and now hated all cops, or perhaps, like so many people, didn’t trust them.

He had also seemed uncomfortable when she had been talking about where she might go next while she was here in Mississippi, certainly he had tensed up. Where had she been talking about when he had done that, Jackson? No, that was earlier. Crystal Springs, that was it. That was when he had looked ill at ease. Still, she might have imagined it, or it meant nothing.

She had debated asking him in for coffee but she still felt awful and awkward about making him angry, well, maybe not angry, irritated then. She wondered if she would see him out and about. He had said that he wasn’t staying long just passing through really. So maybe he would be gone tomorrow or the next day. But she had to admit she hoped that he would stay for a while, that she would meet him and that he would ask her to dinner again. Sterling Hennessey, Sterling, that was a nice name.

She heard her mother’s voice saying, “
Why are you lying awake thinking about that man? A man like that would never be interested in you, why would he be, he’s not blind or mad is he? He’s after your money that’s all, or sex, maybe both.’
Adela heard that course, vulgar laugh she had heard so often directed her way. Her mother was wrong, Sterling Hennessey didn’t know her or anything about her so how would he know about her money, and why would he want anything else from her? He could have any woman he chose, so there mother. She mentally stuck her tongue out at her mother then shook her head and cleared her mind of her words.

Eventually through sheer exhaustion and with his nice name in her head she fell asleep.

In the morning she was up early and after showering and changing into shorts and a blouse then had breakfast washed down with two cups of coffee. After she’d slipped on her trainers, put on her hat and grabbed her backpack she headed out.

She saw the Carters just coming out of their cabin and went over to say good morning. They informed her they were on their way into Gulfport to “do” the beach. The kids had loved it the previous day and wanted to go back and a day lazing on the beach suited their parents just fine.

Adela could not help but think of the previous evening and how Sterling Hennessey had laughed at her joke about "melanoma by the sea." She felt a sharp pang of regret knowing she had ruined the evening by insulting him.

Angela said, ‘are you all right, Adela.’

She swiftly pulled herself back to the present, ‘oh yes, why?’

‘You looked a little distracted there for a moment.’

‘Oh sorry, it’s still very early and I never really wake up properly until at least midday.’ This was untrue but she didn’t want to explain why she had had a restless night.

They laughed and Angela said, ‘I know what you mean, Paul is just the same and the kids take after him, me now, I’m an early bird, can’t sleep beyond 6.30a.m and I’m as bright as a button, aren’t I sleepy head?’ She tousled her husband’s hair and kissed his cheek.

He said, ‘you sure are, honey chops,’

Adela felt a strange sadness wash over here as she witnessed their affection for each other. Unbidden an image of Sterling Hennessey came to her. She mentally shook herself and told herself to stop that this instant. She had heard Sally use this phrase to the kids, it always made her smile.

She said, ‘well I’d better be off. I’m thinking of going into Jackson today, it’s quite a haul so I want to make an early start.’

They said, ‘yes, we’d better be off too,’ she looked towards her two sons who were showing their impatience at the delay in starting their fun day at the beach by punching each other on the arms and head.

Adela laughed, ‘have fun.’

‘Oh we will, you too. Bye.’