Chapter 25 Daniel
Chapter 25
Daniel
Ore looked scared as she sat down, and Daniel felt angry. He turned his gaze to Claude, who calmly took a seat beside Chuck and began pouring a glass of beer for himself. Daniel had been keeping an eye on them, and it didn’t look like anything untoward had happened. He had been a bit surprised to see her smoking, and then he’d had to remind himself that he’d only known the woman for a couple of days, and really that meant he didn’t know her at all.
Carlos tapped a teaspoon to his glass and ran the guests through the meal in front of them, but Daniel wasn’t listening. He was too busy looking at Ore and trying to not be too obvious about it.
‘Did you want a drink?’ Nicole was standing over him with a jug of something.
‘Um, no, I shouldn’t,’ he said, distracted. He shot a glance at Claude, but the man’s expression was as ambivalent as ever. What has he said to her?
‘It’s not alcoholic,’ Nicole continued.
‘Sure, OK, thanks,’
Nicole leant over just as Frederik turned suddenly, and then most of the jug of something was splashed over Daniel’s white trousers.
‘Shit, sorry.’ Nicole was flustered, the jug still in her hand.
‘It’s fine, I’ll just go clean myself up a bit. Apologies, folks, do start without me.’ He gave Carlos, who had been cut off mid spiel, an apologetic look. Truthfully, he was glad to get away from the table for a moment to clear his head.
He took off his shoes, walked to the dinghy and fished out a cloth from the pile of supplies. He had dipped it in the sea and began dabbing when he heard a light splashing behind him.
‘Ore?’ She had rolled up her own white trousers and was wading towards him. ‘What’s up?’
‘I asked Nicole for some sparkling water and she said there should be more in the dinghy.’ Ore paused, as if wondering whether to go on. ‘And to be honest, I also just needed to get away from that table for a bit,’ she added shyly.
‘What happened?’
Ore looked self-consciously down at her feet. ‘I’d hoped it wasn’t that obvious,’ she said quietly.
‘Oh no, it wasn’t, I just …’ Daniel knew it was unprofessional to say what he did next, but he also knew after today, he would find it hard to forgive himself if he didn’t warn her. ‘I know that Claude has a bad reputation when it comes to beautiful young women.’
It was only when she looked up at him, startled, that he realised he’d called her beautiful. It felt so obvious to him now that she was, that he’d forgotten it was an intense thing to say. Now it was his turn to be self-conscious.
‘Well um …’ Ore cleared her throat and busied her hands tying her braids into a ponytail, avoiding his eyes. ‘I have to say that’s hardly a revelation Daniel … him being a creep I mean, not that I’m um … that I’m beautiful or whatever.’
The sound of the water lapping around their calves filled the silence. Daniel was at a loss for words. He didn’t know what he had expected her reaction to be, maybe he’d just wanted to ‘save her’, to be the hero who warned her about the dragon. It was pitiful really, as he couldn’t seem to muster the courage to actually save her from the beast.
It was Ore who broke the stalemate. ‘But something weird did happen.’ It was almost a whisper.
Daniel threw the cloth back into the boat and faced her. Almost instinctively he reached out his hands, laying them on each of her arms. She looked up at him, her dark eyes deep with fear, and maybe … tenderness?
‘Tell me, Ore.’
She hesitated for a moment and then: ‘I think there’s something … I don’t know … sinister going on. I was asking Claude about his time at boarding school with Chuck …’
‘Wait, I had no idea they were old friends. I thought he was just one of his investors …’ Daniel mused.
‘Well that’s exactly it, there’s basically nothing online about Chuck’s early childhood, but Claude told me they were at some school in Belgium together when they were kids, and when I asked Chuck he said that he grew up in Oklahoma …’
Daniel was having a hard time keeping up. It seemed like a random detail to get caught up on. What the hell did it matter if Chuck went to some fancy school in Europe? And why was Ore so shaken up about it?
‘… and I found this old clipping from the college newspaper where Chuck is talking about speaking Flemish as his party trick.’ Ore’s words were tumbling out now, her eyes wide and slightly frantic.
So was he only pretending not to understand Claude on the boat earlier? It was all so strange.
‘And then I said this other thing … And he, I think he threatened me.’ She looked for a moment like she had more to say, but then she dropped her head and began muttering to herself, inaudibly, her breathing shallow and fast.
Daniel’s hands were still clasping her. ‘Ore, look at me.’ She did. ‘Take a deep breath.’ She did. ‘And another one.’ I won’t let anyone hurt you. Soon her breathing had slowed and he watched as the anguish melted from her face. Her arms slid around his waist, and as naturally as if they had embraced a thousand times before, his arms enveloped her.
Daniel felt himself descend into a deep sense of calm. Standing there, in the shallows, holding her, with the heat of her breath rippling over his chest, it was impossible to imagine that the rest of the world was turning.
He had no idea how long they stood like this, and at a certain point he became aware that they were just within sight of the marquee. Maybe from a distance it wouldn’t be clear what was happening, but they had surely melded into one singular figure, no longer distinctly two.
Daniel pulled away first, and then wished he hadn’t. Ore looked bewildered and a little ashamed. ‘Sorry that was … inappropriate of me,’ she began.
‘It wasn’t … I didn’t … It was nice.’ A burning heat rose into his cheeks as he spoke.
‘Yeah, it was nice.’ Ore looked at him, and before they knew it, they’d both burst into a fit of giggles.
‘God, is it always this intense? Boating, yachting, I mean? Maybe it’s something to do with being out at sea. Don’t they say it makes people go crazy?’ Ore was smiling. She seemed happier, lighter than she had done. The realisation made Daniel glow with something like pride.
‘I’ve heard it is yes, but usually I like to stay out of “the crazy”,’ Daniel replied.
‘Doesn’t look like there’s much chance of that this time, I’m afraid.’ Ore chuckled.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, Daniel would have been dismayed to hear that. Now though, he was almost excited by the prospect.
‘I better head back anyway; they’ll be wondering what’s going on …’ Ore turned to look back at the beach. ‘They can probably see us from there, can’t they …’
She reached into the boat and pulled out a bottle of water. ‘Well I guess there’s nothing to be done about it now. I have well and truly revealed my unprofessional colours.’ She shrugged and began wading back to shore.
‘You coming?’ she called over her shoulder.
I think I would follow you anywhere. The thought popped into Daniel’s head with such force and clarity that it alarmed him, but he hitched up his trousers and caught up with her anyway.