Chapter 25 #2
She’d certainly be adding a lot more colour than she’d seen in Alex’s place.
Some deep Greek blues, and splashes of lemon yellow and hot pink, would suit her.
Not that it was a design competition between the two of them.
However, his solid wooden furniture and floor tiles were very appealing.
She’d have to ask him where he’d got it from, when or, more accurately, if they got over last night.
She cursed herself for even thinking about last night, as the blood rushed to her face. Hopefully Maeve and Seamus would write it off as a hot flush.
‘And I can easily rent out my flat in Liverpool and use the money to fund the renovations.’
Seamus patted her arm.
‘That’s grand. We’ll pitch in as well whenever we can.’
A carafe of rosé arrived at the table, and he poured a big measure into each of their glasses.
‘I hope you don’t mind, but we ordered for the three of us. As you know, things can take a little time and Maeve’s starving.’
‘A morning with the bank manager can do that to you.’
Vicky didn’t mind at all. She’d got so used to sharing food after more than two months in Greece that it would feel strange now to just have one dish to herself and have to stick to it.
‘Fine by me.’
She took a big gulp of wine. It was her turn to speak.
‘Before the food comes, and we all stop talking about the sanctuary while we eat, there’s one thing I want to suggest.’
It was something that had come to her on the walk down. Maeve and Seamus were all ears.
‘There’s enough money in the budget now to take on a manager.’
Seamus frowned.
‘You?’
Vicky shook her head.
‘No. I don’t want a full-time role at the sanctuary for myself. I’m happy with things the way they are. I’ll continue volunteering most mornings, but I’ll need to go back and forth to the UK a bit, and I’d like to do some travelling around this beautiful country as well.’
Seamus nodded.
‘Understandable.’
‘I was thinking of someone who could take over a lot of the day-to-day responsibilities from you, so you could give yourselves a break sometimes too. Someone, dare I say it, younger than all of us, with bags of energy and some new ideas.’
Vicky hoped she hadn’t pushed it too far. She hadn’t even signed on the dotted line yet, and she was already suggesting a total restructure.
But Maeve and Seamus were at least smiling and doing their telepathic thing.
‘Maria!’
They shouted the name almost in unison.
‘The social media whizz?’
‘Yes.’ Maeve gulped wine. ‘She’s been volunteering for us for a while, but her parents have been pressing her into getting another proper job. After working in finance for years, she decided she hated it and jacked it in. If we could find her a proper salary, I think she’d jump at the chance.’
‘Great.’
‘And it will give us the opportunity to go on holiday after I don’t know how many years.’
Seamus leant over and kissed his wife on the head with such tenderness that Vicky had to look away.
There was plenty of hard work ahead, but she had a place in the world again, her own place, shaped by her own choices.
At the age of sixty, she’d finally broken free of the ties that bound her.
Better late than never. Taking a leap of faith and coming to Greece had been her best decision in a very long time.
The arrival of the food brought Dolly out from under the table where she’d been snoozing, and all shop talk was halted.
They made their way through a mountain of delicious kritharoto, delicate pieces of seafood, from prawns to mussels, smothered in a wine-based tomato sauce with onions and garlic and rice-sized pieces of orzo pasta.
It was accompanied by a plate of saganaki, fried cheese with honey drizzled over the top, and a simple tomato and cucumber salad with tzatziki on the side.
It was a lot more than she usually ate for lunch, but she wasn’t complaining.
Dolly got plenty of seafood morsels too in a little dish provided by the café owner, Georgis, alongside her customary bowl of water.
‘You’re spoiling her rotten.’
Georgis laughed.
‘She deserves it, after what she’s been through.’
Vicky had told him the story of Dolly’s rescue and recovery bit by bit whenever she stopped in for a snack or a coffee. Dolly was a survivor, like her.
‘That’s true…’
Vicky’s voice trailed off when she saw who was walking along the beach. He wasn’t due in today, so what was he doing here? A little voice told her he lived just a bit further up the beach and was entitled to walk wherever he wanted, but she dismissed it.
At the sight of him, Dolly broke away from the food and raced across the sand in his direction.
Vicky watched from afar as he scooped her little dog up in his arms and twirled her round, while she yelped in delight, little hussy.
Seamus stood and waved.
‘Ah, it’s Alex. Let’s invite him over for a drink.’
Vicky remained silent, and Maeve’s eyes lingered on her a little too long. She mustn’t let the cat out of the bag; she had to behave normally.
Alex seemed a little disconcerted too when he arrived at the table.
‘Oh, it’s you.’
‘Yes, it’s me. Did you think Dolly had taken to roaming the beach on her own?’
She had to get her sharp tongue under control.
‘Well, I’d hope not. That would be a little irresponsible, given she’s still in recovery.’
Maeve and Seamus were watching this tennis match of words, looking from one to the other in confusion.
Seamus picked up the carafe of wine.
‘Would you like a drink, Alex?’
‘No, thanks. I’m driving to the clinic later.’
Alex locked eyes with her and looked down at the empty plates strewn over the table.
‘Are you celebrating something?’
Maeve threw her a querying look, but Vicky managed to shake her head without Alex seeing.
‘No, the opposite. We’re commiserating. I’ve just broken the news about Bruce to them, so we decided to drown our sorrows.’
Was she imagining the judgement in his eyes at the nearly empty carafe? It was just a couple of glasses in the sunshine, for pity’s sake.
‘I see. I really think we should go out again tonight, now we know the poisoner’s back in action. He, or she, probably won’t expect us to be lying in wait.’
Vicky snorted.
‘It won’t be a she; I can guarantee you that.’
‘You seem very sure. So, are you up for it? It seems fairly urgent to me.’
Maeve and Seamus had stopped talking to each other and were waiting for her answer. He’d put her in a difficult position. To refuse to go out searching with him would make her look as though she didn’t care. It was a master class in manipulation.
‘Yes, that sounds good.’
‘Right. See you at the sanctuary at nine.’
With that, he was off up the beach, and she had to physically restrain Dolly from following him.
When Seamus tried to pour more wine into her glass, Vicky put her hand over the rim.
‘Not for me, thanks. Especially if I’m out patrolling tonight, I’m going to make a move, but please, stay a while and enjoy the peace.’
She’d take a different route back along the headland to avoid bumping into Alex before she absolutely had to.
He was early for their rendezvous, as usual, already waiting for her in the half-light, and obviously not in the mood for small talk.
She followed him out past the first field, and they walked for a good twenty minutes in silence.
The set of his shoulders told her all she needed to know.
She couldn’t carry on like this a moment longer.
‘Are you angry with me for some reason?’
He stopped and turned to face her.
‘Yes, bloody angry if you must know. I woke up, and you were gone. No note, nothing.’
A flash of something over to her left caught Vicky’s attention.
‘Shhhh.’
‘Don’t tell me to shush.’
Vicky lowered her voice to a whisper.
‘No, I think there’s someone there.’