Chapter 22 #2
‘And the owner doesn’t usually rent it out,’ Ian added. ‘We see him around occasionally. Good-looking young chap, isn’t that right, Sue?’
‘Oh, very,’ Sue agreed, without hesitation. ‘He’s younger than us. Done very well for himself, though. And he’s into his boats, isn’t he? Didn’t he win that yacht race they did a couple of years ago, love?’
Ian nodded. ‘I’d forgotten about that.’
‘Yes, that’s Tom,’ Poppy confirmed, feeling a sense of pride as they gushed about him.
‘Well.’ Sue raised her eyebrows approvingly. ‘He must think a lot of you to lend you his place like that.’
‘I think Martin looks after it for him when he’s not around,’ Ian said. ‘You know Martin Roe, don’t you, Poppy? He looks after a lot of the villas. That man is a godsend.’
‘Yes, helped us out of a pickle or two,’ Sue agreed.
‘I’ve met Martin,’ she told them. ‘He’s dropped by a few times.’
‘He’s such a nice man, isn’t he?’
Interesting words for Martin. They didn’t quite match Poppy’s impression of him.
‘He’s the one you need to ask if you ever need anything,’ Sue continued. ‘He’s English, like us, but he knows all the locals. I think Crete suits him better than back home. It gave him a fresh start after everything that happened.’
‘Everything that happened?’ Poppy repeated.
‘You know, with his accident and all.’ Sue waved her hand, as if it was something that should be common knowledge to everyone.
Poppy’s blank expression must have given her away to Ian, because he filled her in.
‘Martin was in a nasty car accident a few years back. You must have noticed the scarring on his face.’
‘I did, but I had no idea how he’d got it.’
‘Poor man,’ Sue murmured sympathetically. ‘I think he keeps to himself mostly. Lives up in the hills somewhere, doesn’t he, Ian? Don’t think he has a lady friend.’
‘I’ve never seen him with a woman,’ Ian agreed. ‘And he’s never mentioned anyone. Not that our Martin is much of a talker.’ He laughed.
‘He’s just reserved, love. Not everyone needs to talk the hindlegs off a donkey.’
There was a certain irony to Sue’s words, but she didn’t appear to notice.
She held up her wine glass for Ian to refill and he topped her up, then did the same to Poppy before she could protest. It was a habit he seemed to do every time her glass dipped below half full, almost like an automatic reaction.
And each time, she told herself she could stop drinking whenever she wanted.
But then she’d take another sip anyway, because refusing felt rude, and because the warmth of the alcohol was smoothing the stresses inside her.
They were about halfway through the main course when Sue and Ian’s questions began to become more personal. Not dramatically. It was just the nature of them that started to make Poppy feel uncomfortable again.
‘So, Tom is just a friend, is he?’
Poppy had a mouthful when she asked, so nodded.
‘Just checking our Jeremiah has nothing to be jealous of.’
‘No, of course not,’ she managed, almost choking on her food. She quickly took another gulp of wine. Her cheeks reddening.
Sue burst out laughing. ‘Relax. I’m only teasing you, darling. You can have as many partners as you like. Ian and I won’t tell. We’re not fuddy-duddies.’
‘Nothing’s even happened with Jem anyway,’ Poppy pointed out.
‘But you’d like it to,’ Ian said, waggling his eyebrows and looking a little smug. ‘Good-looking lad like Jeremiah.’
Their sudden questioning of her love life had Poppy spluttering. Her personal life was none of their business. ‘Can we please change the subject?’ she asked a little stiffly.
‘You’re embarrassing her, Ian.’
Poppy glared at Sue. ‘I’m not embarrassed,’ she snapped. ‘I just don’t want to talk about it.’
Her sudden outburst had the table falling silent.
Sue was the first to speak. ‘Okay, my darling, calm down. We were only trying to have a little bit of friendly banter.’
Was she overdramatising the moment again?
‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised, her cheeks flaming. ‘I shouldn’t have snapped. I’ve been a bit stressed since Keira flew home,’ she added, feeling she owed them an explanation.
Sue and Ian exchanged another cautious glance.
‘It’s okay, Poppy. No harm done,’ Ian told her.
‘I expect it’s lonely in that big place all alone,’ Sue added.
‘I’m okay.’ Poppy shrugged, remembering Ian had said something similar on the ride over. ‘It’s just very quiet. Too much time to think.’
‘Now, that’s never good.’ Ian laughed. ‘Sue’s never liked the quiet, have you, love? It drives her mad.’
Sue ignored him. Her focus stayed on Poppy. ‘Do you feel safe?’
Poppy’s stomach dipped.
‘Yes,’ she lied. Because she didn’t want to open that door and consider that the little things that had been happening were down to anything sinister. ‘Of course.’
‘Good,’ Sue said, but she didn’t sound convinced. ‘Ian and I do worry about you. You’re a young woman on your own in a remote place and a big house. Crete is mostly safe, but…’ She trailed off, leaving Poppy to wonder what she had been about to say.
She forced a laugh. ‘You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine.’
‘Us Brits, we stick together and look out for one another.’
Sue patted the back of Poppy’s hand. Her touch lingering a fraction too long.
‘You must miss having someone around,’ she said quietly.
Poppy shrugged. Even though it was true, this conversation was making her a little on edge. ‘I’m fine,’ she repeated, a little more firmly this time.
Ian grinned. ‘You keep saying that.’
She was sure he meant it lightly, but his comment had her back up. She took a sip of wine, her throat dry.
‘You know, you don’t have to pretend with us, love,’ Sue said, watching her.
‘I’m not pretending.’
Although Sue’s smile remained, it seemed to sharpen. ‘I just mean, you don’t have to be brave all the time.’
Ian raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement. ‘Everyone needs someone to lean on.’
Poppy stared at them, suddenly aware of the closeness of the room; the candles flickering and the warm heaviness of the air. Her cheeks were hot.
She forced a smile. ‘I have people back home.’
Sue made a small, dismissive sound. ‘Yes, back home. But not here.’
They were just being kind. And if Poppy wasn’t already unsettled, their words would have landed that way. Instead, they continued to niggle, even as the subject changed.
Ian went to pour more wine.
‘No, thank you,’ she told him, already feeling the effect of what she had drunk. Startled when he ignored her, topping up her glass anyway.
‘Oh, go on,’ he said lightly. ‘It’s Sunday. And it’s to relax.’
Poppy’s fingers tightened around her fork. She wanted to tell herself she was being paranoid. Sue and Ian were simply warm, slightly overbearing people who liked to feed and water their guests.
It was the questions they had been asking that had put her on edge. About being alone. About feeling safe. It began to make her feel as though she was being measured. Assessed. Almost as though they were trying to gauge how much she would tolerate.
She was grateful when Sue started with her anecdotes again – this one about a farewell barbecue they had thrown back home before moving to Crete – and she was able to finish her dinner without more questions.
After they had eaten, Sue cleared the plates with brisk efficiency, stacking them neatly before carrying them through to the kitchen. While she was gone, Ian insisted on topping up Poppy’s glass again.
She had given up protesting, figuring she would try not to drink it.
Not so easy, though, when the glassful sat in front of her.
When Sue returned, she squeezed in on the bench seat beside Poppy, closer than before. Her knee brushed against Poppy’s under the table.
It was an accident, and Sue didn’t even seem to notice. Still, Poppy pulled discreetly away, not comfortable with having someone in her personal space.
‘I suppose I should book a taxi,’ she said. Time to call it an evening.
‘You don’t need to do that yet,’ Sue said dismissively. ‘We haven’t even had dessert. I’ve just put it in the oven to warm it up.’
‘I can book it for a later time,’ Poppy suggested.
‘Love, don’t worry about it for now. The night’s still young.’
‘I have an idea,’ Ian said. ‘Why don’t you stay? We have a spare room, and it will save all this fussing about with taxis.’
‘Oh, that’s a good idea,’ Sue agreed.
Poppy was dreading returning to Tom’s villa, but being at Sue and Ian’s wasn’t much better. Of course, she couldn’t say that. Not after they had been so hospitable.
‘Thank you for the offer, but I think I’d better get a taxi back. I’d like to get an early start on work in the morning.’
‘In that case, I can drive you,’ Ian said.
Surely he would be over the limit.
She asked the question as diplomatically as possible.
‘I’m still sober enough,’ came his reply. ‘I’ve only had the one glass.’
Really?
The bottle on the table was now empty. He had been topping up the wine glasses throughout the meal.
Not all of them, though. Now Poppy was paying attention, she realised she hadn’t seen him top up his own glass. Only hers and Sue’s.
‘Someone has to keep an eye on things,’ he added. And this time, the sly smile he gave her had Poppy’s nerves churning.
She really didn’t want to get in the car with him again.