Tripping on Love (20 page)

'OK Germaine, we've set those aside and I’ll leave a message you'll be back to pay and collect them.'

Thanking the assistant, Germaine exited the shop, as I followed her lead, unaware of my irritated glances in her direction.

Grafton Street quickly lost its appeal after another hour of numerous unsuccessful shoe shop visits. Ironically, I had discovered and purchased a stunning biscuit coloured dress in a small boutique off the main street, which wouldn’t be in its full glory unless I found a cream shoe to team with it. The likelihood was slim indeed.

Glancing at my watch, it was almost time to head back to
the hotel. Edward would be finishing his meeting and I still needed to check my emails. I'd had enough shopping for one day. 

Walking towards a small bistro I sat down and picked up the menu. A delicious array of mouth watering options danced in front of my eyes. I looked up, spotting the waitress approaching to take my order, my eyes drawn in surprise to the green metallic shop front behind her. Zuldo.

'Can I get a latte and a brie and spinach panini please' I requested distractedly, as an idea formulated in my head. The waitress began jotting against her notepad as I abruptly stood up, surprising even myself, and making her jump. 

'Sorry but I have to go, scrap that order.'
 

Picking up my bags with a sense of purpose, I headed towards Zuldo, heart pounding. Was I really going to go through with this?

My palms were sweating as I walked through the entrance doors into the familiar shoe haven, heading straight for the counter. A middle aged woman stood at the till arranging shoes into boxes. 

'Hello' she said smiling pleasantly. 'Can I help you?'

I smiled as warmly as possible. 'I’m here to collect some shoes that were set aside for me. Although I'm unsure if my sister came in earlier and already picked them up' I lied confidently. The woman bent down under the counter.

 
'Let's see' she said checking the shelves. 'What name were they under?' 

'Germaine’ I said quietly, looking around discreetly to ensure that the real Germaine hadn’t chosen the same moment to appear.

The assistant placed a box in front of me with a note pinned to it, lifting the lid to reveal the delicate cream leather creations. I nodded excitedly.

‘Yes
, those are the ones.’ Looking at the shoes again was confirmation that my decision had been the right one. They were meant for me.

My heart thudded as I paid the assistant, all the while holding my breath in fear that I would be caught out. No sooner had the cashier handed me the receipt
and newly purchased shoes, I turned on my heel and made a rapid exit from the store. Satisfaction flooded through me as I scuttled along O'Connell Street, towards the hotel. Mission accomplished.

Edward was already waiting for me as I walked into our hotel suite, happily swinging my shopping bags.

'Hello, good shopping trip?' he asked looking up from his laptop, a frustrated expression on his face. I carefully placed the bags down and went across to where he was sitting. 

'Yes, I got a few nice bits' I said cheerfully, sitting myself down next to him and kissing him on the cheek.

'Are you OK?' I asked hesitantly. My stomach lurched. He was avoiding my eyes. Surely he couldn’t have found out about my shoe fiasco already? Had I been caught on CCTV? The realisation of my actions sank in. 

Edward closed his laptop and put his arm around me, drawing me close to him and kissing me passionately. All thoughts of my fraudulence drifted away as I lost myself in his embrace.

'I am now' he said, pulling away from me and smiling. 'I had a rather heated business meeting with a client; I’ve suggested a follow up dinner, tomorrow evening. Partners included'. Edward looked at me. 'I think you'll like his wife, I’ve met her before. She runs a health food business.'

I nodded enthusiastically. He had used the word partners. I tried to stifle an excited laugh, Edward considered me his partner. Not a woman he was seeing, but a partner. The type of word that usually indicates, or precedes, marriage. The laugh came out like a funny sounding squeak. Edward looked at me strangely.

I hadn’t imagined in my wildest dreams that less than forty eight hours after leaving Spain, I'd be holed up in a luxury hotel with Edward. 

I couldn’t bear to envisage the disappointment and hurt that I’d feel if things changed once we left
Ireland. I had to make every moment count. 

Seductively, I straddled Edward, slowly unpinning my hair and allowing it to tumble loosely down. Removing my top in one swift motion, I pressed my breasts against him and looked firmly into his eyes, noting his surprise and lust. I had wasted far too many years being prudish and shy with other partners. It was time to show Edward that I could be his every fantasy.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

The rain fell hard against the windows waking me with its gentle tapping. Opening my eyes I noticed the empty space beside me. I vaguely remembered Edward whispering to me whilst I was in a sleepy state that he was going for an early morning jog.
  There had been no contemplation on whether to join him. In addition to my tiredness, my body ached in places I didn't know it was possible to ache. 

The previous afternoon and evening was a vague blur of passion and room service. Any plans we'd had were casually discarded, as the hours had ticked by.

I got up, walking straight towards the bathroom with the intention of showering, before tucking into the pre ordered breakfast that awaited me.  The idea of revelling alone in the luxury of the grand suite was an enticing one. Not thirty minutes later I was seated at the dining table, newspaper open, pouring myself an orange juice when my mobile rang. Instinctively I knew it would be Stella. 

Picking up my phone, her name flashed across the screen. Edward would be back at any moment. I answered hastily.
 

'Hey hon.'

'Lizzie, where are you?' Stella asked, urgency and exasperation in her tone. Something was wrong.

'I’m in
Ireland, is everything OK?' A feeling of dread entered my consciousness. What if something awful had happened? It wasn't the time or place to be weighed down with Stella's issues, but my loyalty was with my family. 

'
Ireland!' Stella's shriek pierced my ears and I held the handset further away as her voice gave rise to hysteria. 'What are you doing in Ireland?’

I felt myself prickle. Could I not go anywhere without having to inform her of my every step
? Or had my mother put her up to finding out where I’d disappeared to? Irritation replaced all thoughts of worry as I bristled at her shocked response. Allowing a few seconds to pass, I kept my voice even.

'I’m in
Ireland with Edward. He asked me to join him here.' Biting down on my lip, I waited for the usual barrage of questions. Stella's voice softened uncharacteristically.  

'It’s about time you were lavished with attention. But once you return to the
UK I really need to see you.'

I put down the carton o
f orange juice I’d been holding. Stella's kind comment had been hinged with a desperate edge, causing me concern.

'Stella is everything OK?' Where was my composed, stoic sister? Something was amiss.

'Things are fine Lizzie, nothing for you to worry about. You just enjoy yourself and let me know when you're home.’

‘As long as you're sure?’ I asked, relieved that whatever her issue was, it would be able to wait.
  Although I was concerned for my sister, the thought of spending my final day alone with Edward outweighed anything else.

'Positive. I'll speak to you soon
, petal' Stella said softly before cutting the call. I sat staring at the screen. I loved Stella dearly; she'd been more of a mother to me than my mother at times. However she hadn't called me petal in years. 

The door opened and Edward walked in, soaked through in his joggers.

'Morning' he said, kissing me on the cheek and pouring himself a coffee. 'Awful weather out there' he reached across for the newspaper. 

Ignoring him I bit into my toast, pre-occupied. On reflection, perhaps I hadn’t been as supportive to Stella of late as I could have been. If she was entertaining office flirtation then maybe problems at home with Miles and the children were worse than I had anticipated. It wouldn’t hurt me to make a special effort to see her once I landed tomorrow morning. Besides, the thought of her Sunday roast made my mouth water. I would call in advance to make sure she was cooking. Edward broke into my thoughts, looking up from his newspaper.

'I’ve arranged for a car to take us to Drimnagh today. There's a castle there that I thought you might like to see.' 

'I'd love that' I replied, silently wondering if Edward had access to a bottomless pit of money. Had he never heard of public transport?
 

As much as it was convenient to be chauffeured everywhere I didn’t want to become too comfortable with this luxurious lifestyle. In less than a day, I would be back living in my flat share and fighting for a standing space on the London Underground. A chauffeured car would be as distant in my reality as a genie's lamp.

'Wouldn't it be fun to take a bus or the train there?' I ventured quietly. Edward looked up from his newspaper in surprise.

'You want to go by train?' he said raising his eyebrow questioningly and suppressing a smirk. I felt a little ridiculed.

'Yes I do, as a matter of fact' I retorted, smiling sweetly at him. Edward smiled in return and gave a little nod of his head.

‘Whatever you want, we shall do. Train it is then.' He looked back down and continued reading his newspaper.

Grinning to myself triumphantly, I took a sip of my fresh orange juice. I would show him just how much fun public transport could be.

----------

We arrived in Drimnagh, my shoes squelching as I disembarked from the train. Edward followed closely behind me, shielding his face from the lashing of rain that poured from the skies above. 

I was determined to keep a smile on my face despite the circumstances. The train had been overcrowded and we'd only managed to find one unoccupied seat. Edward had insisted on me taking the seat and himself standing for the entire one hour journey.
 

In the guide pamphlet I had picked up at the station, it had suggested taking a stop prior to Drimnagh to explore a small fishing village. Unfortunately I had misjudged the distance between the station and the village.
 

Three quarters of an hour spent walking in heavy rain, with an umbrella that blew inside out every five minutes, did little to lift our spirits. At least we were now in Drimnagh, a little wet but both in one piece.

'It's stunning' I said, turning to Edward and pointing at the beautiful green countryside that stretched into hilly regions either side of us. 

'I know,
it's beautiful; and the Castle is only twenty minutes on foot in that direction' Edward said, pointing east. I stopped walking and looked up at him.

'Have you been here before?' I asked in disbelief.
 

Edward laughed. 'Of course I have.' He looked down at me, eyes twinkling. 'And the last time I came, I also took the train on a rainy day' he said with a grin.

I felt myself flush with embarrassment. The chauffeured car now made sense. He'd been trying to save me from a disastrous journey and I’d automatically judged him for it.

'Edward' I began slowly, turning to face him. 'I'm so sorry. I had no idea' I stammered apologetically.

He lifted his finger to my lips, his face still smiling warmly and affectionately at me.

'Shh, no apologies. We're here now and we are going to make the most of it.' He took my hand in his and we headed east towards the castle, oblivious to the rain and water puddles underfoot.

----------

We arrived home in time to briefly relax before preparing for dinner. The castle had been a magical experience. Edward had claimed to know much of its history and I’d listened enraptured as he'd relayed stories of battles and destruction. Some so elaborate that I wondered if he'd invented them himself.

Putting the finishing touches to my make-up, I admired my dress in the mirror as Edward whistled to himself in the bathroom. We were meeting his client in less than thirty minutes at the restaurant. Carefully taking my new cream shoes from their box and ignoring the large 'Germaine' note still attached, I slipped them onto my feet. Although they were slightly higher than I was expecting, I was reminded of the elegant woman in Zuldo as I looked at my reflection. My calves slender, and my ankles delicate.  

Edward walked into the bedroom buttoning up his dinner shirt and smelling of lightly spiced aftershave.
 

'You look exquisite' he said stopping to admire me as I twirled in front of him.
 

Walking across to him, I reached up to fasten his tie as he looked at me strangely. Catching the reflection of us together in the mirror, it dawned on me that we were very much a couple. In only two days our relationship had shifted into something far more serious.

'Right mister, we had better be making tracks' I said, immediately lightening the fusion between us. 

Edward opened his mouth to say something and then must have thought better of it, as instead he turned, grabbing his suit jacket and wallet. I followed him out of the hotel and down towards the chauffeured car he had arranged, with silent thanks. My cream shoes wouldn't have bode well with the rainy puddles.

The restaurant was large and dimly lit. We were led by the Maitre d’ to a circular table situated centrally, beneath a large lighting fixture based on bare bulbs and feathers. 

'It's good we're here in advance' Edward whispered
, sitting down next to me at the table. 

I picked up the wine list, scanning the options and balked, catching sight of the prices. I could feed myself lavishly in my local supermarket for one month based on the cost of one of the cheaper bottles of red.
 

'Don't worry
- it's all chargeable or claimable' Edward said with a wink as if reading my thoughts. He stood up suddenly. 

'Here they are' he said discreetly moving his head towards the two people being led by the Maitre d’ in our direction.

I followed his lead, standing up, my breath catching in my throat. An overweight greying man in a navy suit approached the table. Next to him, the elegant woman from Zuldo whom I was already familiar with for all the wrong reasons, nodded in recognition. Edward moved forward, shaking the man's hand and gesturing towards me.

'Conrad, let me introduce you to Lizzie' he said
, before kissing the elegant woman on both cheeks. I stood transfixed, unable to think clearly, my heart pounding.

'Germaine, looking as
beautiful as ever' Edward said smoothly to her as Conrad moved across to greet me. Germaine looked in my direction, holding out her hand.

'It's nice to meet you' she said in her passive Irish accent as her eyes swept over my outfit from head to foot.
 

I couldn’t be sure but her mouth twitched as her gaze lingered on my shoes. Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I met her eyes and tried not to flinch.
 

'Lovely to meet you also' I replied gracefully; before adding 'your dress is fabulous'.
 

There was only one way out of the situation and that was to be as complimentary and flattering as possible. As of yet, she hadn't made any distinct hint that she knew who I was. On the contrary, it was highly unlikely that she would remember me; we hadn't spoken to one another in Zuldo. Reasoning with myself, I began to feel slightly calm
er. I was over-reacting as usual. She smiled at my comment.

'Thank you' she said, seating herself opposite me. 'May I say in return that your shoes are fabulous.'

Her smile turned to ice as she fixed me with a knowing stare. My stomach turned to water and my skin began to prickle with heat. Yes, she'd remembered me. Edward chuckled beside me.

'You ladies and your shoes.' Conrad rolled his eyes and Germaine smiled.

'Yes; some of us would kill for our shoes.' She looked at me as she said this. Avoiding her gaze I stared down at my bread roll, trying to calm my anxiety.

The conversation flowed casually as I remained quiet, a polite smile fixed on my face, nodding every so often to affirm my involvement and interest. It was hard to stop myself from sneaking a glance at Germaine. Every time I dared to, her eyes immediately caught mine. Her large steak knife glistened threateningly at me as her comment floated around in my mind. My judgement had lapsed. Had I chosen a crazed knife wielding manic to con out of a pair of shoes? Germaine the destroyer. Picking up my wine glass, I gulped the remains hastily, wishing for the evening to come to an end.

'Thirsty are we?' Edward said amused. Germaine narrowed her eyes and looked towards her untouched glass, picking it up.

'Here have mine, I don't want it' she said kindly
, holding out the glass to me. I hesitated; there were various ways for a person to spike a drink. 

Edward nudged me, his eyes darting from mine towar
ds Germaine's outstretched hand.

'Lizzie,
Germaine is offering you her drink' he instructed, waiting for me to react.

Begrudgingly I reached out to take the glass from her grasp, my eyes wide as her fingers let go of their grip, moments before I managed to secure the stem. As if in slow motion, a wave of red wine tumbled in a flow towards me, seeping into the white table cloth and racing closer and closer to my beige dress.

Edward leapt up next to me, swiftly grabbing the overturned glass before it could lose anymore of its content. 

'Lizzie, are you in a trance or something?' he asked sternly, the veins in his neck pulsing with fury.