CHAPTER ELEVEN
Bright morning sunlight shone outside the barn as Delphie worked on the designs for Gareth. She phoned him to update him on the artwork.
‘I’ve inked more of the sketches to a finished artwork level,’ she told him. ‘I’m heading down to the town with a painting for the bakery shop. I thought I’d hand them into you at the hotel.’
‘I’m not at the hotel,’ Gareth told her.
‘Well, wherever you are in town. We can arrange to meet and I’ll give you the designs.’
‘I’m back in Edinburgh,’ Gareth revealed.
Delphie blinked. ‘Edinburgh?’
‘I drove home last night. I only planned to stay at the hotel for a few days,’ he reminded her.
‘Yes, but I assumed you’d at least let me know you were leaving.’
‘Sorry, my focus has been on working with Sienna and Steaphan, organising other auditions, and I’m busy with the show. But email me the designs. I’m meeting the show’s director later today.’
The scenario was familiar. Gareth used to make his own plans, often forgetting to tell her. Not that he was obliged to do this, but it always made her feel like she was on the outskirts of his life rather than at the heart of it.
‘I’ll do that,’ she said, disguising how she felt.
‘Thanks, Delphie. I hope you’re not annoyed with me because I left without telling you.’
‘Not at all,’ she lied .
After the call, she took a moment to adjust her senses. This was typical of Gareth, but as she sat in the barn gazing out at the sunlight, breathing in the fresh country air, she realised he’d done her a favour.
Without further hesitation, she emailed the designs to Gareth and then closed her laptop. She still wanted to create the designs for the show, especially as a lot of the artwork was complete. But if Gareth was happy to deal with the work via email, he’d released her from the pressure of having to go back to Edinburgh if she didn’t want to. Or at least in her own sweet time.
Wrapping up the acrylic painting for the bakery shop, she put it in the back of her car and drove down to the town. Sunlight flickered through the trees, and she drove with the window open, feeling the pressure cooker of her schedule lift a little.
Parking outside the bakery shop, she carried the painting inside.
Catriona and Kian’s faces lit up with anticipation. ‘Is that the painting?’
Delphie had wrapped it in light, glassine paper to protect it. ‘Yes, it’s ready for hanging.’
‘Oh, let’s see it,’ said Catriona.
Customers sitting at the tables paused from enjoying midmorning tea and coffee to view the painting.
Kian helped Delphie hold the painting while she carefully unwrapped it.
‘It’s wonderful!’ Kian announced, holding it up to show Catriona, and then letting the customers see it .
From the delighted look on everyone’s faces the painting was going to be a popular addition to the bakery shop.
Kian asked Delphie’s advice on how to hang it up properly on the wall behind the front counter, and together they tackled the task.
‘There you go,’ said Delphie.
‘I love it,’ Catriona announced, standing back to admire it.
Customers chimed–in with praise for the painting.
Seeing the colours of the painting to full advantage under the lights of the bakery shop, Delphie was pleased that the pastel tones benefited from the pops of bright red, pink, yellow and blue.
Leaving them to enjoy their painting, Delphie walked to her car and saw Sienna and Steaphan coming out of the dance studio, presumably having finished rehearsing with Wil. So she decided to drop by to talk to him.
The studio was quiet when she walked into the reception, but then she heard the piano music like before. The dramatic notes of the music sounded wonderful, and she ventured in to find Wil dancing a routine she’d never seen before.
Unaware that she was watching him, he took full advantage of the empty dance floor, leaping and spinning as if performing in a classic ballet, though not one she recognised. Then he flowed into a sweeping ballroom routine and only stopped when he saw her reflected in the mirror.
‘Delphie!’ he gasped, and hurried over to switch the music off, giving the impression that she’d caught him dancing something she wasn’t meant to see. That secretive quality she’d sensed from him before.
‘I’ll go,’ she offered immediately, turning to hurry away.
‘No, wait,’ he beckoned. ‘Come in. I was just...’ He didn’t finish telling her and merely ran his hands through his hair in an awkward manner.
She couldn’t fathom out what was wrong. He was the one to always encourage her to pop in to see him.
‘If you’re working on choreography for Sienna and Steaphan—’
Wil cut–in. ‘No, I’m not. It’s not for anyone in particular.’
His response puzzled her even more, so she changed the subject. ‘Gareth has gone back to Edinburgh.’
Wil walked towards her, those eyes of his full of intensity. ‘Sienna mentioned this. She was here with Steaphan. We were adjusting the choreography for their routine.’
Delphie nodded. ‘Yes, I saw them leaving. I was handing in Catriona and Kian’s painting to the bakery shop. They seem happy with it.’
‘I must go along and have a look,’ he said.
Delphie sensed that they were sidestepping the issue of what Wil was secretly up to, so when his phone rang, she left him to talk to another dancer about their choreography.
‘I’ll see myself out.’
She noticed that he’d pinned up a copy of the poster behind the reception .
Outside the dance studio, she took a deep breath, feeling unsettled, and she jolted when her phone rang. It was Gareth.
‘I know it’s short notice, Delphie,’ he began excitedly, ‘but I’m having lunch with the show’s director tomorrow in Edinburgh, and he wants to meet you. I showed him your latest designs and he’s impressed with your ideas and wants to discuss pushing ahead with your artwork. The set designer and others will be there.’
Delphie hesitated. It wasn’t too far to drive to Edinburgh, but somehow she’d locked off that part of her world for the time being, enjoying the seclusion of the town.
‘Can you join us?’ Gareth urged her. He told her the details of the lunch meeting.
Delphie glanced back at the dance studio, and made her decision. ‘Yes, I’ll be there.’
‘Bring any other designs you have with you,’ Gareth advised her.
‘I’ll work on a few more tonight,’ she said. ‘I’ve ideas for the show’s opening scenery to create a wonderful atmosphere. It would be handy to discuss this with the director and the set designer.’
‘Great, I’ll see you tomorrow,’ he said, sounding delighted.
As Delphie walked along to her car, a message came through from Wil.
Have dinner with me tonight at my house. We’ll talk about the choreography you saw me practising.
A double–edged dagger cut through her heart. On one side, she wanted to have dinner with Wil, to see his house, and to talk to him about what he was planning. If only he’d invited her sooner. But she was already committed to going to the city and needed to work on the extra designs. Considering the artwork she wanted to take with her, she’d be busy sketching and painting for the rest of the day and into the evening.
Gareth just phoned. I need to work tonight on my designs for the show. I have a lunch meeting in Edinburgh tomorrow with Gareth, the show’s director and others .
Wil muttered under his breath, wishing he’d invited her earlier.
Good luck with your meeting. See you when you get back .
Their messages ended there, but she felt the lingering doubt and regrets between them as she drove back to the farmhouse.
Wil locked the front door of the dance studio and put the piano music on loud, as if to drown out the feelings of frustration. He should’ve told her the first time about his plans. He’d seen the questioning looks she’d given him. But he wanted to tell her properly, not in a brief conversation. Now, she was having lunch with Gareth in Edinburgh, back in the city where she once belonged.
Standing in front of the mirrors, he began dancing — strong, dramatic opening moves in time to the melodic waves building from the music resonating around him.
But nothing drowned out the feelings he had for Delphie. Or the gnawing doubt that he missed his chance for happiness with her .
Delphie worked in the barn, creating the new designs for the show throughout the rest of the day and into the early evening.
She tried not to think about Wil and put her focus on the artwork. Satisfied she had the designs she needed, she put them carefully into a portfolio ready to take with her to Edinburgh the following day.
Turning off the lights in the barn, she walked over to the farmhouse, noticing that the night sky was overcast with barely any stars to be seen. A storm was brewing. She could feel it in the air, and hurried into the warmth of the kitchen.
While dinner cooked in the oven, she wandered through to one of the rooms where she pictured she’d set up her artwork when the barn was being used for the party night. Her grandmother sometimes used this room for crafting, and the window overlooked the garden.
As the timer pinged on the oven, she went back through to the kitchen and served up the casserole for her dinner. Plans for the things she wanted to discuss at the meeting in Edinburgh flickered through her mind. Gareth had given her a rough idea of what they’d talk about over lunch.
Finishing dinner, she tidied up and decided to have an early night.
Lying in bed, she pulled the quilt up and watched the dark clouds swirling across the night sky. Snuggling under the covers, she tried not to think of any impending storms .
Wil drove home at night from the dance studio after a busy day.
He parked outside his house and walked up the garden path, noticing the angry sky above the countryside. The heady scent of the flowers indicated that rain was due.
If Delphie had accepted his dinner invitation, he’d have made an effort to cook a meal for them, but instead, he made himself a couple of slices of hot buttered toast and a mug of tea.
Wil ate this in the living room, having lit the fire, and sat watching the flames flicker in the hearth...and thought about Delphie’s meeting in Edinburgh.
He genuinely hoped it went well for her. But he was concerned that Gareth would sweet talk her into changing the plans she’d made to enjoy her time in the town, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Now she was heading back to where she once belonged. This could change everything if she was persuaded to step back into her busy life in Edinburgh, perhaps splitting her time between there and the farmhouse.
Drinking down his tea to wash away the bitter taste of regret that he hadn’t handled things better, he settled down at the fireside and wrote notes for his choreography while listening to another piece of the piano music in the background.
His large notepad was filled with ideas for creative routines, character notes, rough sketches and plans.
By the time the last embers of the fire burned themselves out, he’d made more progress with this, and put his notes aside.
Turning off the lights, he went to bed .
In the shadowed darkness, he watched the stormy sky, wondering if it was all bluff and thunder, or whether it would rain during the night.
Storm clouds pressed the breath out of the day as Delphie left the farmhouse the next morning and got into her car.
It hadn’t rained overnight, but she put her trench coat on the back seat of the car, along with her portfolio, in case it was bucketing down in Edinburgh.
She wore a classy grey skirt suit and white chemise, with two–tone grey court shoes. An outfit from her graphic design days in the office. Smart and stylish. The only colourful aspect about her was the artwork tucked into her portfolio.
Driving off, she headed down the coast, catching glimpses of the sea through the trees and greenery.
From there, she drove over the bridge that spanned the Firth of Forth, and headed towards Edinburgh, into the heart of the city.
The sun was tussling with the grey clouds, trying to fight its way through. Neither was winning. This clash created a dramatic backdrop to the city’s magnificent skyline. Historic buildings were silhouetted against the impending storm along with the spires rising up towards the slivers of bright sun.
After parking her car, she put her coat on, and carrying her bag and portfolio, she walked towards the restaurant where she was due to have lunch.
The familiar sights and sense of the city made her feel like she’d been thrown back into her old life, especially as she was due to meet with Gareth. Some things never changed, and yet she felt so different being there. Edinburgh hadn’t skipped a beat since she’d left. But she felt out of step with it.
Shrugging off her uneasiness, she walked into the restaurant armed to the teeth for the meeting.
Wil dashed in the rain from the dance studio along to the bakery shop for lunch.
Shaking off the droplets, he sat at a window table, gazing out through the rain, thinking that the scene looked like one of Delphie’s watercolours.
Kian handed him a lunch menu. ‘We’ve got a rainy day special. A bowl of lentil soup with wholemeal bread, followed by our tasty stew and dumplings.’
Wil handed back the menu. ‘I’ll have the special. It sounds delicious.’
‘What do you think of our painting?’ Kian said, gesturing to it hanging behind the counter. ‘Customers are fair taken with it.’
Wil admired the artwork. ‘It’s great. I love the colours.’ He compared it to the selection of cakes on display. ‘And you and Catriona are instantly recognisable.’
Kian nodded and smiled. ‘We are. We’re so pleased with it.’ Then he hurried away to get Wil’s order.
Wil gazed over at the painting. Delphie’s dance figures were beautiful, but she’d really captured Kian and Catriona in their bakery shop. Seeing the painting made him wonder if she was now having lunch in Edinburgh. He glanced through the rain on the window. A mix of emotions unsettled him, from missing her, to hoping that Gareth wasn’t trying to inveigle Delphie into a situation that suited him rather than her.
‘You’re looking a wee bit peely–wally the day,’ Kian said to Wil as he served up his soup and bread. ‘Dancing yourself into a shadow no doubt. We’ve seen the lights on late at night in your studio. Careful you don’t burn the candle to the wick.’
Wil nodded and smiled at Kian’s advice, and then tucked into his hot bowl of soup.
Gareth stood up from the table to greet Delphie as she walked over to join them.
He introduced her to the director and three others, one of them the show’s set designer.
Delphie wasn’t late. They’d all met up slightly early and had been chatting about the show when she arrived.
Sitting down next to Gareth, she was soon steeped in conversation with the director seated opposite her.
‘I see you have your portfolio with you,’ said the director. ‘Did you bring the new designs?’
‘I did. I finished them last night.’ She assumed they wouldn’t look at them until after lunch, but the director and the others were eager to see her artwork.
Delphie lifted up the portfolio where she’d rested it at the side of her chair, and began to explain each piece to them.
From their reaction, she’d hit the right notes with her designs.
‘With these designs, we’ll be able to plan the production now,’ the director told her .
The set designer nodded. ‘Often we’re running late trying to get the sets ready for the show. Having all of this coordinated puts us well ahead of schedule.’
‘Delphie’s background, from working as a graphic designer in Edinburgh, has enabled her to produce finished artwork to tight deadlines,’ Gareth said to them.
‘I’m impressed with your work, Delphie,’ the director told her. ‘We’re pleased to include you in the show’s production.’
A dagger of doubt stabbed through Delphie, and she shot a look at Gareth. What had he promised them?
Gareth caught the look and explained. ‘Delphie is currently living in a farmhouse up the coast where she’s working on her paintings.’
‘We’re happy to work around your schedule,’ the director assured her. ‘Besides, we’ve got most of what we need right now to make substantial headway with the show.’
The relief showed in Delphie, and she relaxed a little.
Over lunch, they continued to chat about their plans for the show, and the lunch spilled into a long afternoon discussing everything from the poster design to the lighting and costumes. Delphie enjoyed hearing how the whole process of the show was fitted together, and it was only when the daylight outside the window faded that she realised it was almost dinner time.
The lights of Edinburgh glittered like diamonds in the darkness, and the grand structures of the historic buildings were silhouetted against the night sky .
The director and the others bid Delphie and Gareth goodnight and headed out.
Gareth smiled at Delphie. ‘That went well.’
‘It did.’ She picked up her bag and got ready to leave too.
Gareth helped her on with her coat. ‘The rain has held off all day, but it looks like it’s going to pour down.’
They walked out of the restaurant and paused outside.
Delphie shivered, feeling the cold air had quite a bite to it, and it had started to rain.
‘I’ve been invited to dinner.’ Gareth pointed to a hotel and restaurant nearby. ‘Come and join us. It’s just a few friends, dancers, those involved with the show, the contests.’
The rain became heavier, and she felt the sting of it on her face.
‘I should get back to my car and head home,’ she said.
‘Nonsense, you’ll be soaked by the time you get halfway along the road.’ Clasping her arm, he ran with her across the road to the hotel, shielding her from the brunt of the rain.
They shook the rain off themselves off in the hotel foyer. He checked in her coat and other items at reception.
‘The party’s through here,’ Gareth said, leading her into the restaurant to meet his friends.
A loud clap of thunder sounded from outside, causing Delphie to jolt .
‘It’s going to be a wild, stormy night,’ Gareth added.
Delphie didn’t doubt it. Somehow, she was now about to party with Gareth in a venue they both knew well from their past together in Edinburgh.
Several smiling faces greeted Delphie and Gareth as they joined them. Delphie recognised a couple of the faces, dancers she’d met before in the city.
Everyone was getting ready to order dinner.
Delphie was pulled into the hub of their night.
Screams and laughter erupted when a flash of lightning lit up the window.
Lightning never strikes twice in the same place, Delphie thought to herself, and she had no plans to repeat her past mistakes with Gareth.