Chapter 15
After the morning session, Liz decided she’d find a spot in the shade in the garden. Working outdoors was always a treat and it seemed a shame to ignore the beautiful weather down here.
Fetching her laptop from her room, Liz remembered to put on sun protection but hesitated before grabbing her wide-brim sun hat with its silk scarf tied around the crown, the ends floating freely down her back as she placed it on her head.
The hat had been a mad impulse buy in Exeter shopping for clothes for the retreat.
She’d seen it and fallen in love. It was such a joyful piece of feminine clothing.
She’d adored wearing hats before she was married, but Ralph had always criticised her choice for one reason or another, so she’d stopped.
This one seemed perfect for the South of France.
But, once home, she’d tried it on again and had immediately heard Ralph’s voice, ‘What a waste of money, doesn’t look right on you at all.
’ She’d felt foolish then for imagining it suited her, for imagining it made her look elegantly sophisticated.
An expensive mistake. The hat had stayed on the wardrobe shelf until the last moment of packing for the retreat when she’d thought, Sod it.
I love this hat, I’m taking it with me, and she’d carefully placed it in her suitcase.
Now, as she caught an unexpected glimpse of herself in the mirror on the landing outside her room, as she made her way downstairs, she gave a small smile.
Once downstairs, she placed the laptop on one of the small tables in the garden and went to fetch a cold drink from the fridge in the dining room.
And bumped into Guy. Not literally, of course.
He was placing some more coffee pods in the container by the Nespresso machine, and turned as she walked in.
There was a second or two tense pause before they both went to speak.
‘Please,’ Guy said. ‘I know I should say ladies first, but I owe you an apology for the way I reacted to your comment. I’m sorry I walked away like that.’
Liz gave him a soft smile. ‘Apology accepted. I was going to apologise to you. I felt dreadful about upsetting you, for not choosing my words more carefully.’
‘Good, I’m glad we’ve cleared the air between us,’ Guy said. ‘Wouldn’t want you to put me in one of your books as the villain.’
‘Now there’s a thought,’ Liz said, laughing. ‘I might bear that in mind.’ She suspected Guy could never be the inspiration for a villain in her mind, although she could see that he would be a perfect model for one of her hero characters.
‘Is it too early to ask how you are enjoying the retreat?’
‘A little early to say, but I am enjoying being here. The villa and the garden are wonderful – the food’s good too,’ she added, her eyes sparkling at him.
‘Thanks – I have to admit I am enjoying being back in the kitchen doing simple things. How’s the writer’s block?’
‘I’m happy to tell you your garden has given me an idea, which, hopefully, I can develop into a story.’
‘Good. Positives all round.’
Liz nodded as she opened the small fridge under the table and took out a bottle of sparkling water. ‘I’m going to sit in the garden for an hour and work on my idea.’
Guy’s next words took her by surprise.
‘Can I tell you how much I love your hat? And how good you look?’ He gave her a worried look. ‘I’m never sure these days whether it’s allowed to comment on a woman’s appearance or whether it’s totally prohibited.’
Liz looked at Guy. She almost asked him if it was over the top but stopped herself. The man had paid her an unexpected compliment, for goodness’ sake. Accept it graciously. It was a long time since Ralph, or any man come to that had complimented her.
‘Thank you,’ she said, smiling at him.
* * *
After topping up the coffee capsules, Guy left Zoe doing the prep for lunch and opened the cubbyhole cupboard.
He needed something more than slicing and chopping vegetables to occupy his mind right now and tackling the dreaded accounts was long overdue.
He’d gather a bundle together and take them with the laptop up to the terrace and work there.
That was the theory anyway, but once up on the terrace, trying to banish thoughts of Liz and his reaction to her and the hat proved impossible.
Why had he told her he loved her hat and that she looked good?
It was the truth. In fact, she looked more than good – she looked beautiful.
When she’d smiled her thanks, her smile had lit up her face.
If he’d paid Jacqueline a compliment like that, she would have acted all flirtatious and given him a teasing, come-hither smile.
Whereas Liz had simply been gracious in her acceptance.
The two women were opposites in other ways too: Jacqueline, dark-haired, brown-eyed and long-limbed, whilst Liz was the epitome of the classic English rose, with her blonde hair and blue eyes.
The kind of woman he’d always thought of as being out of his league.
But there was something about Liz that gave her a quiet air of self-reliance that he found attractive.
Made him want to get to know her better.
Not that he was thinking of asking Liz, or any woman, out.
For the last twenty-five years, he hadn’t looked at another woman.
He and Jacqueline had been good together for most of that time.
It was only in the last year there had been an undercurrent of dissatisfaction coming from Jacqueline.
It had started when he’d refused outright to even consider buying a grander villa with ten bedrooms, a ballroom that would make an ideal restaurant, a swimming pool in the extensive grounds and the possibility of creating a spa.
That kind of business did not appeal to him.
Guy had repeated his no when she showed him the sales brochure.
But no matter how many times he said he wasn’t interested, she didn’t listen.
She insisted he couldn’t keep saying no until he had actually visited the place with her.
For a quiet life, he’d gone with her. He could see the potential of the place, but he’d still said he wasn’t interested.
He pushed the thoughts of the difficult months that had followed from his mind and tried to concentrate.
Sorting through spreadsheets, adding and taking away figures in column after column of figures, Guy sighed.
Whilst the current bank account still had money in it, and Sandy’s payment for the fortnight had filled the coffers somewhat, there was no doubt the loss of income over the last eight months had taken its toll. Decisions would have to be made soon.