Chapter 13
Bella logged on to her work account for the first time in four weeks. The cats sat either side of the computer, on top of the pad and diary she had laid out on the table. Taking a deep breath, she scanned her emails, then closed her eyes when she saw she had 3,600 unread messages despite her out-of-office message. ‘No, it’s fine.’ She looked at Yin and Yang. ‘Once they’d seen that they would have contacted the right person. So it’s fine. I just have to go through and delete.’
She checked the time — 7 a.m. She had two hours before anyone else would be logged on, and three hours before their first Zoom meeting, so she began to trawl through the messages, sipping tea and trying to un-fuzz her brain, which didn’t feel as razor sharp as it had a month ago when she’d arrived in Lagos.
Having read through one particularly long message three times before realising it had been sent to her in error, Bella decided she had been enjoying far too much sun and relaxation, so put the radio on in the background to try to help motivate her through the emails. Because, she reasoned, once she’d done that she could hit the ground running and get on with this part-time thing before she could go back to full-time and life would return to normal.
She heard something skitter along the wall behind her and glanced back. It had gone, and she felt surprisingly relaxed about it. It was completely normal at Flo’s house, but definitely not in her modern fourth-floor flat in London. Apart from the mice she’d found a few years before.
Making her second cup of tea at 8 a.m., she was interrupted by a knock on the door.
‘Is that you, Deidre?’
Bella opened the door to find Elena dressed in a sleek green jumpsuit and white-and-yellow trainers.
‘She’s run off again, and I thought she might be here.’ Elena was breathing heavily and had broken into a little bit of a sweat.
‘No, no, she isn’t.’ Bella smiled. ‘I like your outfit.’
Elena twirled around. ‘It’s a bit dressy for dog walking but I feel the need to always look my best when I see Will. Although, this outfit is not good for chasing dogs.’
‘Well, it’s lovely. I’m sorry, I’m working, or I’d offer you a tea or something.’
‘Tea?’ Elena looked confused. ‘Oh, yes, I forgot, you’re British.’ She smoothed her trousers. ‘This isn’t really my kind of thing, but, you know, anyway, if you see her, here’s my number.’ Elena handed her a card. ‘I will leave you to it then. Deidre’s certainly keeping me on my toes.’ She turned to walk down the track, then began to trot. ‘There you are!’ she shouted. ‘You naughty dog!Deidre! Deidre...’
Bella went inside and settled back down with her drink, her heart thumping nervously the closer she got to ten.
‘Hello, Bella.’ Lil was smiling at her from her computer screen. ‘Well, this is exciting in your new Portuguese home.’
‘Temporarily.’ Bella smiled back. ‘But yes, it’s quite a nice set-up.’
‘It looks very calm and serene.’
‘Oh yes. It’s so quiet here. Not like when I’m working at home in the UK with all that traffic noise and people walking along the street. I hardly see anyone.’
‘I’m not sure how you’re managing with that given you like to be in the middle of everything.’ Lil laughed. ‘Now, I think our new head of department will be organising a catch-up with you, but she’s only just started so we’ll just carry on as is, shall we?’
Everyone on the call nodded and murmured their agreement.
‘I thought I just saw something run along the wall behind you, Bella,’ someone said.
‘Oh.’ Bella decided it was easiest not to explain the geckos.
‘There it is — I saw it too!’ said someone else.
Bella glanced back and pretended to examine the wall. ‘I can’t see anything, but I’ll have a look around after work.’
‘Maybe it’s the internet connection,’ said Lil.
‘Probably is. Right, I’m ready to get on, shall we start?’
* * *
‘This is nice.’ Bella got out of the car and Deidre bounded out behind her.
‘Yes, dogs aren’t allowed on some beaches in the summer, or even all year round, so I thought this would be a good change.’ Jorge walked towards her, then kissed her on both cheeks.
‘Will has a check-up today so asked if I’d take this one for a walk.’ Deidre was rolling around on her back in the grass. ‘I’m always happy to. She’s lovely.’
‘I’m glad you said yes to meeting up. It was rather spontaneous on my part.’
‘Your message arrived at just the right time. I’ve started working again so needed a de-stress somewhere different.’
‘You have a lot on.’ Jorge began to walk. ‘How did all the visits go from the estate agents?’
‘Very useful. I want to make sure that when I get it valued I choose the right ones.’
‘I like to have information — you know, pros and cons, positives and negatives — so I can weigh them up and make the right decisions.’ Jorge picked up a stick and threw it for Deidre. ‘Of course, with business there is always a little bit of instinct.’ He took his baseball hat off to push his fringe out of his eyes, then put it back on again. ‘But I believe that also comes from knowledge.’
Deidre collected the stick and dropped it in front of them, wagging her tail.
‘I agree. Though maybe it’s not instinct but confidence in what you know.’ Bella glanced at him, wondering whether she found him attractive or not. She knew he was attractive. It was a fact. Whereas Hugo was definitely attractive and she could feel it. But Hugo wasn’t her type. She swept the image of him practising yoga on the beach in a wetsuit away firmly, along with the near-kiss. She hadn’t seen him since then. Was it her avoiding him, or him avoiding her, she wondered.
‘And you also get advice from lots of people, don’t you? Mostly with the best of intentions.’ He picked up the stick. ‘Shall we get a drink? There’s a café over there under the trees.’
‘Oh, yes please.’ Bella nodded. ‘I could do with a nice cold drink before I get back to some work.’
‘It’s Sunday.’ Jorge shook his head. ‘I thought you were working part-time?’
They found a table and sat down. ‘I am. But it’s my first week back and I’m trying to get on top of things so it’s taking a bit more time than normal. Although, to be honest, my job has never really been nine to five, more like eight until I’ve finished.’ Bella felt an unexpected knot in her stomach. ‘Due to a restructure, the department has a new boss so things will change a bit, I expect.’
‘Ah, I understand.’ Jorge waved at the waitress to get her attention. ‘Unfortunate timing though.’
‘Yes indeed.’ Bella stroked Deidre’s ears absent-mindedly. The knot in her stomach began to unravel. ‘Hopefully it will be OK.’
‘I think that I may be so keen on working and making money because my mother works so hard. She is alone and I want to make life easier for her.’
Bella glanced at him. ‘I understand. My father had an accident when I was a child and life has been challenging for my parents ever since. I want them to be happy, so I try to take the financial pressure from them.’
‘I knew we were similar.’ Jorge smiled and leaned forward, catching her gaze and holding it for a moment.
‘ Olá, bom dia. ’ the waitress brought over a bowl of water for the dog and put it in front of her, then smiled at Jorge and Bella expectantly.
‘ Uma bica e . . .’ Jorge smiled at Bella.
‘Um . . .’ Bella rifled through her Portuguese words in her head. ‘ Sumol de laranjana natural . . . se faz . . . favor? ’
‘ Muito bem! ’ Jorge shook her hand. ‘Well done. Keep at it.’
‘Fresh orange juice?’ asked the waitress.
‘Yes please.’ Bella wondered if she’d ever get to the day when someone didn’t need to check what she’d said.
‘One day you will look and sound so confident that no one will check what you’ve said in Portuguese after you’ve said it.’
‘I was wondering that.’ Bella looked at him again, her gaze now hidden under her sunglasses, reflecting that he appeared to be able to read her mind.
The drinks arrived. Jorge picked up his cup and took a sip of the coffee. ‘So, I hear that Hugo is taking forward his plans for the charity he and your aunt were planning to launch.’
‘Is he?’ Bella picked up the glass. It felt cool and refreshing, so she held it for a second before taking a drink. ‘I knew he was talking to people about it but didn’t know it was that far forward. Did he tell you?’
‘Oh, no.’ He shook his head. ‘We don’t really talk. I have only met him a couple of times through my aunt and the people at the House on the Hill. I heard it through the grapevine.’
‘Ah, the grapevine.’ Bella added it to her list of things to ask even more questions about.
‘I wonder how he’s going to get the right access. Has he spoken to you about using some of your land? I believe the track to his house is too narrow but borders your orchard?’
‘He hasn’t mentioned it.’ Bella took another long sip of her drink. ‘I’ve only been here since April. We don’t know each other that well. He seems to be a very honest man, so I’m sure he would talk to me about it if he needed to.’
‘Of course.’ Jorge leaned back in his seat. ‘I have a friend who he hurt very badly. She doesn’t like him very much. Now, anyway.’
‘None of my business,’ Bella said quickly. ‘I’m only passing through, as you know. So, he is just my neighbour.’
‘Just your neighbour, of course. Gossip... I sometimes forget myself. And when my friend and he split up, there was sadness and anger on both sides. And I just hear her side.’
‘Absolutely.’ Bella didn’t want to hear any more about Hugo’s love life. But she did want to hear about the road access. From him, not third or fourth hand from Jorge. She looked at her watch. ‘I’d better go. The sooner I get this report finished the sooner I can move onto more work on the house.’
‘Are you going into town tonight? My aunt tells me that Ignacio and Duarte will be a double act of living statues.’ He laughed. ‘I love their joie de vivre and sense of fun.’
‘I may pop in for a walk around later.’ She checked her phone, thinking about how much work she had left to catch up with. ‘I can’t wait to see them if I do. Where will they be?’
‘I’m not sure. My aunt was quite vague. She’s been like that since she met Will.’ He put his cup down and paid for the drinks.
‘I’ll pay my share.’ Bella took her purse out of her bag.
‘No.’ He put his hand on hers. ‘Next time it’s your turn.’
‘Yes. I’ll make sure it is.’ Bella stood up to go.
‘Did you speak to Lenny and Martim in the end?’
‘Ah, yes I did.’ Deidre clambered to her feet and barked at Bella excitedly. ‘Thank you for passing me their contact details.’
‘Of course, they will know all about the access issues with Hugo’s place. Your aunt and one of his relatives had a big falling out about it many years ago. His—’ he thought for a moment ‘—uncle... great-uncle... anyway, a long time ago.’
‘I’m still weighing everything up property-wise.’ Bella held her hand out to shake his, but he leaned in and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘We are in Portugal, Bella.’
‘Well, off I go!’ She put the lead on Deidre.
‘ Até a próxima .’ He smiled.
‘Until next time.’ She waved at him as she climbed in the car.
‘Such a lot of information, Deidre,’ she said to the dog. ‘I’m not sure I wanted all of it.’
* * *
As Bella arrived at Will’s to drop Deidre off, Lenny and Martim were sitting in a truck talking to him from their window.
‘That was a very useful chat,’ she heard Martim say. ‘If you need any more information just let us know.’ He wound the window up and started the engine, waving at Bella as they drove off.
Will was standing in the doorway looking drained.
‘Is everything all right?’ Bella got out of her car followed by the dog, who bounded up to Will and bounced around him excitedly.
He broke into a smile. ‘Yes. Just...’ He rubbed his face. ‘I’m not going to be able to get back to work for a few weeks, and I’m finding not being able to walk properly frustrating.’
Bella nodded, thinking about her father on one of his good days hobbling around the house on his sticks, and then on a bad day when he couldn’t get out of a chair without her mother helping him. Whatever kind of day it was, his expression was determined, but exhausted.
‘And the money . . . well . . . I rely on my earnings to top up my pension.’
‘Is that what Lenny and Martim were here about? Money for your house?’
‘They just arrived. I didn’t ask them to come.’ He sounded defensive. ‘They’ve heard from somewhere about my accident and have been attempting to make me an offer they think I can’t refuse.’
‘I know it’s none of my business, but I didn’t realise the money issue was that bad.’ Bella got Deidre’s lead out of the car and handed it to Will.
He sighed. ‘Early days. But I don’t know how they knew about me. And they seemed to think you were considering selling your land.’
‘I decided against it,’ Bella said. ‘It didn’t seem right to knock the place down and bulldoze over all the love Great-Aunt Flo put into it.’
‘Ah.’ He smiled weakly. ‘You are getting drawn in, aren’t you? When you arrived, it was one of your options. You’ve fallen in love with it.’
‘No, I haven’t.’ Bella could feel herself bristle. ‘I’m making a rational decision based on extensive research. That’s what I do.’
‘Whatever you say. They are quite persistent though, those two. They said they were working for a third party.’
‘Did they? Who?’
‘A third party who wishes to remain anonymous apparently.’
‘Right.’ Bella glanced at her watch. ‘I’d better go. I’ve got work to finish, then house stuff.’
‘Elena is bringing around a meat loaf or something, so I’d better make the table.’ His eyes widened. ‘What’s happening to me! I didn’t own a tablecloth till last week.’ He laughed. ‘It was a gift. From Elena.’
‘Enjoy.’ Bella got back into the car. ‘Anytime you want me to look after Deidre just ask.’
‘Thanks.’ He waved at her as she drove off, and when she got to the end of his drive she paused. ‘Right or left? Home or Hugo’s café?’
She decided to see if Hugo was at work to check if the rumour Jorge had heard was true, and she could have a snack at the same time to save her cooking lunch at home. ‘Yes, that is an effective use of my time,’ she announced to the road.
The café was busy, so she settled at a corner table, enjoying the buzz of conversation around her, and ordered a gal?o from Quiet Julian. ‘Is Hugo here?’ she asked.
Julian nodded.
‘Can you tell him Bella’s here and I need to ask him something.’
A family were playing football on the beach close by, and a man was walking along selling donuts, ringing a bell, shouting ‘ Bolinhas! ’ A woman walked over to him to buy one. Bella just watched, her mind beginning to calm down.
She thought of ambling and having no firm destination and smiled. When she’d left the house that morning, it was to meet Jorge and then go home and work. But she’d come here instead. Although , muttered her inner voice, you do have a final destination, and that is home. This is just a detour to gather information. Not an amble.
‘Bella.’ Hugo sat down in front of her, wiping his hands on his apron. ‘Busy day.’ He smiled, but tiredly.
‘I’ll only keep you a second.’
‘No—’ he held his hand up ‘—I didn’t mean it like that. I always have time for my neighbours.’
‘It’s about that actually.’ Her heart began to race. ‘You know your idea of the educational establishment on your land? The charity you and my aunt were going to set up?’
‘Yes.’ He was looking at the door.
Bella followed his gaze. A woman was standing at the entrance talking on her phone. She was wearing a long, expensive-looking red dress, and her dark brown hair was cut in a sleek bob.
‘Sorry. There’s a lot going on.’ Hugo’s smile had faded a little.
‘Well, I heard that you may need some of my land for road access. Is that right?’
‘Where did you hear that?’ He looked confused.
‘Jorge.’
Hugo glanced at the woman again. ‘I have only met Jorge a couple of times. Why would he say that?’
‘He heard it on the grapevine, I think...’ Bella was beginning to feel uncomfortable. ‘I just have to ask, that’s all.’
‘For the spreadsheet?’ Hugo stood up. His smile had disappeared.
‘I need to know anything that may impact the house.’
‘No, you don’t. You don’t need to know all the things you are finding out about.’ He watched the woman walk down the steps and into the car park. ‘You’re leaving anyway. You need to understand the market but you are making it very complicated.’ He stared at her, frowning. ‘Why is that, Bella?’
Bella looked down, confused. ‘Why are you so... ?’ She looked up at him again, searching for the words. ‘So... like this?’
He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.’
Bella took her purse out and placed money on the table for her drink, then left without finishing it, wondering what had happened. He was rude, dismissive and he hadn’t even answered the question.
Walking down the steps she noticed the woman Hugo had been watching sitting in her car. She was still on her phone. ‘It was a bit of a surprise,’ the woman was saying. ‘It didn’t go very well. I will have to try again. Adeus , Martim.’
Bella turned on the engine. Her mind wasn’t calm anymore, trying to make sense of the last few minutes, persuading herself that Martim was a very common name and she was making something out of nothing.
She put the radio on, turned the volume up, and allowed the Rolling Stones singing ‘Angry’ to power her home.