Written in the Stars (5 page)

‘It has never slipped off before.’

Her look made it clear that she didn’t believe him. After all, she had made him promise faithfully it would remain on his finger no matter what happened.

*

Charlize phoned and wanted to catch up on all the news, but soon realised that Suzi wasn’t ready to talk yet, so they arranged to meet soon and have coffee together. Mark gave her a long hard look when she arrived at the restaurant later that morning. It was as if he had also been affected by her liaison with Steve. Soon, the pressure of work filled her mind, and it was mid-afternoon before she had a chance to sit quietly and think about things. Steve’s on his way home, she thought, and I must do what Charlize said, namely file the episode under pleasant memories and get on with my life.

Two days later, as they were about to close for the afternoon, a man burst into the restaurant and insisted on seeing the manager. When Suzi asked if she could help, he demanded to know why he had been turned away from the restaurant the previous Sunday.

‘What do you mean by being turned away?’

‘I rang up and made a booking. I wanted to give my wife a surprise, but when we got here we weren’t allowed in.’

‘On Sunday there was a private function going on at the time, that’s why.’ Suzi took a step back to get out of range of his alcohol-laden breath. ‘The restaurant wasn’t open to the general public.’

‘You didn’t say that when I phoned up,’ the man protested.

‘Let’s have a look in the book, shall we?’ Suzi reached for reservations book.

‘What did you say your name was?’

‘Smithers.’ He continued to talk as she turned the pages. I booked a table for Sunday and I wasn’t allowed into the place. My wife was very upset. I promised to take her out for dinner and… ’ He stopped as she laid the open book in front of him.

‘See here, Mr Smithers, your booking is for next Sunday. You arrived a week early.’

‘Don’t you be telling me what I did.’ He pushed the book away. ‘It’s your fault. You wrote down the wrong date.’ As the irate man continued to berate her in a loud voice, Mark came out of the kitchen. He had been cutting up some meat and still carried the carving knife.

‘What’s the problem?’ he asked, as they looked in his direction. ‘Is this creep threatening you Suzi?’

The man paled visibly as Mark advanced towards them, still with the knife in his hand. ‘It’s not fair,’ he gulped, ‘I just wanted to know why I was turned away on Sunday, that’s all. I wasn’t going to hurt her. There’s no reason for you to threaten me with a knife.’

Mark dropped the knife on the floor, and grabbed him by the shirtfront.

‘I don’t need a knife to sort you out, mister. If you come in here and distress Ms Spencer again, you’ll be in more trouble than you can handle.’ He marched the man backwards to the door. ‘Get out and stay out, you drunken bum.’

As the door closed, Mark turned to Suzi.

‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes, yes, I’m okay.’ But as she spoke tears ran down her cheeks. It was as if the incident had unleashed all the feelings she had bottled up since she had met Steve. As she began to sob, Mark placed a protective arm around her shoulders.

‘It’s okay, Suzi,’ he murmured, holding her close. ‘I’m here to look after you; I’ll see you come to no harm.’

Without thinking, Suzi nodded her head. It was only later that she realised the implication behind his words.

Chapter Five

Suzi lay awake for a long time that night, thinking about the events of the past few weeks. Steve had come into her life like a whirlwind, but he was out of it just as quickly. It wasn’t likely she would ever see him again—he had no reason to return to Wales. Then she thought of Mark and began making comparisons. Although he might not have the charm or charisma to set her heart aflame, he was genuine, and they got on well together.

She had been both amazed and delighted with the way he had rushed to defend her that afternoon. The incident with the drunken man had been unsettling, but thanks to Mark’s timely intervention it had come to nothing. The man had obviously drunk too much and probably wouldn’t remember anything about it when he sobered up. Nevertheless it could have been nasty.

She wondered if had been the natural outcome of Mark’s concern for her well-being, an attempt to gain her affections, or simply, an automatic response to protect her. Then she reminded herself that it was unlikely he’d had enough time to weigh pros and cons. No, it was not his style to be analytical—he was just a nice guy. And now, as she reviewed their relationship, Suzi realised she had come to depend on him far more than she had ever expected. And, for some reason, that troubled her.

Charlize had repeatedly counselled her to find a new boyfriend, but that was easier said than done. Because of her involvement with The Stow Restaurant, she wasn’t as free as she once was because the work was not conducive to a normal active social life. Mark had made it clear he would like them to spend time together on a social basis, but they never managed to make it happen. And yet, she liked him as a person, and trusted him enough to form a partnership. ‘That must be worth something,’ she murmured into her pillow, moments before she fell asleep.

It was business as usual the next day and neither of them mentioned the inebriated man’s intrusion. Mark seemed chirpier than usual and Suzi assumed he was pleased that he had been there to defend her. That evening, he came out of the kitchen as she was saying goodnight to the last customer, and beckoned her. She thought he wanted to tell her he was going home as he usually did, but he pointed to a table by the window.

‘I’ll wait over there for you.’ He sat fiddling with the cutlery until she joined him a few minutes later.

She looked at him quizzically. ‘Everything all right?’

‘Fine.’ His voice was a little husky. ‘I just thought I’d wait until you’ve finished.’

‘Want a coffee?’

‘No thanks. I want a few words, that’s all.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Do you realise that we never see each other outside of the restaurant these days? We spent a lot of time together when we were starting up the business, and I enjoyed that.’

When Suzi hesitated, he continued. ‘Why don’t we go somewhere for a drink together?’

‘Right now?’

‘Why not?’ He pointed to the clock behind the reception desk. ‘It’s not late. The Royal Oak will be open for hours yet.’

‘Okay, that’s a good idea.’ Then she held up a hand as if in protest. ‘On one condition—we don’t talk shop.’

It seemed as if they had only just sat down in the corner of the village inn when they were told it was closing time. Suzi looked at her watch and realised that they had spent two hours over a few drinks. It had been pleasant and, true to his word, Mark hadn’t mentioned The Stow Restaurant or any aspect of their business relationship.

‘Shall we do this again soon?’ He jiggled his car keys as they walked out of the pub. ‘I’d like to take you somewhere nice for dinner one evening.’

‘Fine by me.’ Suzi paused before opening the door of her car, laid a hand on his arm, and then brushed her lips against his cheek. ‘Coming here was a great idea.’ She slipped in behind the wheel. ‘See you tomorrow,’ she called out as she drove off.

Mark smiled and saluted her as he climbed into his own vehicle, and drove off in the opposite direction.

The following week they dined at the Lockkeeper’s Arms, a small picturesque inn situated on a nearby canal. Their window table gave them an unsurpassed view of the waterway and the tree lined former towpath that now attracted energetic cyclists. A few boats were tied up to a pontoon immediately in front of the inn, and beyond them lay the lock that gave the place its name. The walls of the bar were festooned with boating paraphernalia and numerous old photographs of the days when the waterway was vital to the nation’s economy. A montage of scenes depicting its former glory, the work of a local artist, graced a wall near their table. They studied the lifelike portraits of Irish navvies knee deep in slush, two horse drawn barges, and a woman hanging out washing on a longboat.

They both ordered the host’s recommended dish of the day, which was surprisingly well presented. The atmosphere was subdued, but pleasant, and Mark seemed pleased that she approved his choice of venue. When he began talking to the publican in an Irish accent she almost laughed aloud. She had forgotten his wicked sense of humour, and that he could mimic almost anyone. She looked at him over the top of her wineglass and smiled in response to the gleam in his eyes; the gleam that had been missing for a long time—too long.

‘Penny for them,’ she said, as he caught her gaze.

‘And to be sure ‘tis a lovely evening, oim thinking,’ he replied, in the vernacular.

‘I’ll drink to that, and here’s to more of them.’

‘You’ll not forget the penny now, will ye?’

She shook her head. ‘I owe you.’

Suzi slipped out of the car when Mark slid to a halt outside her bungalow. She would invite him in for a coffee another time, when maybe the memory of the handsome New Zealander had waned a bit. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. ‘Sweet dreams. See you tomorrow.’

The next day was busy, but she made time to ring Duncan’s office to enquire about her inheritance. She was kept holding the line for an inordinately long time, but at least, when the receptionist came back to her, she apologised for the delay. When she was finally put through, the solicitor told her that he had seen the other claimant, but he still had to evaluate their respective claims.

‘Rest assured, Miss Spencer, I’ll notify you both immediately I have something to tell.’

She banged down the receiver in disgust. ‘Stupid old codger,’ she muttered. ‘That old man is much too full of his own importance.’ The she picked it up again and phoned Charlize. They had not spent much time together over the past few weeks, and she had missed her.

They agreed to meet the following day at the local inn. And now as they faced each other across the table, Charlize wanted to know why Suzi had changed her mind about Mark.

‘I seem to recall you saying, no way, so what’s happened since then?’

Suzi toyed with her spoon for a minute, and then laid it down and looked directly into her friend’s eyes. ‘I’ve thought a lot about things since my encounter with Steve,’ she said, quietly. ‘I’ll never see him again, so it’s a hopeless situation, but I can’t pretend; I’m pretty certain that what I feel for him is love, love at first sight, if there is such a thing. There’s a danger that maybe it’ll cloud every other aspect of my life if I’m not careful.’

‘But, Mark? Are you sure? Do you honestly think he’s the right one to help you through this?’

‘I don’t know. I’m feeling rather vulnerable at the moment, and he really is so considerate.’

‘That’s hardly a reason to become romantically involved with him, is it?’

Suzi was just about to answer when the publican approached and asked if they wanted coffee or something stronger. As they looked enquiringly at each other he placed some new cardboard beer coasters on the table.

‘How about a Fourex? You might get lucky,’ he said.

‘What? Drinking Fourex? Ha… you must be joking,’ Charlize added.

‘I’m serious. You could win a holiday for two in Queensland. Look here.’ He turned over the nearest bright yellow beer mat. ‘It tells you what to do on the back.’

Charlize took the coaster from him and then read aloud the competition rules printed on the reverse side. ‘Find the missing X, and finish the following sentence in twelve words or less. The Sunshine State is really great… blah… blah… blah. ‘ She looked at Suzi. ‘Come on, you’re good at rhymes. Think of something.’

‘Oh, I can’t be bothered. You do it.’

Charlize scribbled a few lines on a paper napkin and laughed. ‘There we are; a sure-fire winner. Listen to this.

The Sunshine State is really great
,

The sun
,
the surf and sex can wait
,

Just lead me to a Fourex
,
mate
.’

She handed it to the publican when he came back with fresh coffee.

‘Here, you can put your name to it if you like,’ Charlize said, flippantly.

‘Won’t do me any good, it’s not open to anyone associated with the company.’ He handed it back to her. ‘Fill out the coupon and I’ll give it to the rep next time he comes.’

‘What will you do if it wins?’ Suzi asked, laughingly, as the man walked away.

‘We’ll both go on the first available plane, that’s what.’

‘And buy all the Fourex we can drink?’

‘No way, I’ll stick to the sun, surf and sex.’

After they had said goodbye, Suzi headed back to The Stow Restaurant to prepare for the evening guests. Mark stopped, cleaver mid-air when she poked her head into the kitchen, and smiled as she walked over to where he stood. ‘I think it would be a good idea if we took a break before the Christmas rush.’

‘Do we deserve it? More importantly, can we afford it?’ he replied.

‘Yes. We’ve been hard at it for a year, so we could afford to close for a few days.’

‘And face the seasonal onslaught with renewed vigour?’ Mark grinned. ‘All right; sounds a good idea. Let’s look at the bookings for next month first.’

As soon as they decided on a suitable date, Mark arranged to have some maintenance work carried out while the restaurant was closed. They went out to dinner again the following Monday, but when Mark suggested it should become a regular event, Suzi held up her hand. ‘I’d prefer to do something different.’

‘Okay,’ Mark agreed, wholeheartedly. ‘I’ll take you to a bowling alley on our next evening out.’

The following week they went to dinner at a new up-market restaurant, and two weeks later spent a day at the races. Much to Mark’s delight Suzi seemed to have an uncanny knack of picking winners and insisted on paying for everything. But she argued against his suggestion to go to a local point-to-point meeting, because she didn’t fancy watching elderly horses coping with the rough ground and badly made hurdles on a farmer’s field.

By the end of the month the vivid memory of her intimate relationship with Steve was fading. Although she thought of him from time to time, her deepening association with Mark made it harder to recall those tender moments. Suzi had accepted Mark’s tentative kiss on their second date, and now it had become a natural part of their evening together. But that was as far as she wanted it to go at this stage.

Two days later Mark laid some travel brochures on the desk in front of her.

‘I thought we could go to Malta, or maybe Cyprus,’ he said, brightly.

She looked at him in surprise.

‘Together?’

‘Well yes; how else?’ Mark replied, as if it was a stupid question. ‘When you suggested we should take time off before Christmas I naturally assumed you meant together.’ Mark grasped her hand. ‘We’ve enjoyed all the outings we’ve had so far, so there’s no reason why we can’t enjoy a holiday together.’

‘Let me think about it for a little while, okay?’

She wrestled with the idea for a few days, unsure whether to agree or not. If the holiday was a success it could mean the start of a more intimate relationship. On the other hand, if it turned out to be disappointing it could seriously affect their business association. She would suffer the greater loss if things went pear-shaped. Her savings had been invested in the restaurant, and there was the bank loan too.

She wavered for a couple of days, then finally agreed, both agreeing on a trip to Cyprus. Mark made the bookings, and then placed an advertisement in the local paper to notify the public that the restaurant would be closed for a few days. Finally, he placed an identical sign in the window.

The day after their decision, Suzi received a cursory note from the solicitor’s secretary in reply to her letter asking to be brought up to date on the proceedings. Apparently Mr Duncan was on holiday, but she would bring it to his attention as soon as he returned. There was nothing else to do, but wait.

She was still waiting when they closed the restaurant doors a week later. They drove up to Gatwick in Mark’s car and booked into a nearby hotel for the night so that they would have plenty of time to catch the morning flight to Cyprus.

*

Now back in the swing of things in New Zealand, Steve had little time to think about Suzi over next few days as he caught up on the backlog of work. Vince had been asked to submit a tender to supply pumping equipment for a company in Rotorua, and he wanted Steve to have a look at the layout of the factory first.