Page 3 of An Island in the Sun

‘I’ve cleared space in the wardrobe and the chest of drawers for you to use. The en suite’s through there.’ Cordelia gestured to a closed door. ‘There’s also air con in here and the living room.’ With wagging tails, Bailey and Fudge clattered across the polished wooden floor to the huge sliding door that opened onto a terrace that overlooked the garden.

Tabitha wandered further into the room. From the bed, she could see past the room’s private terrace, to the edge of the pool. Apart from the solar lights marking the stone paving that dotted the sloping grass, the expanse of garden with its palm trees and tropical plants was now shrouded in darkness.

Cordelia joined Tabitha by the wall of glass. ‘It’s a view I’ll never tire of. Leave the curtains open and wake up to this, it’s magical. You’ll be very comfortable.’

‘I’m sure I will be,’ Tabitha said, tearing her eyes away from the garden.

‘Our cleaner Dolores comes once a week on Thursday mornings and she’ll continue to do so while we’re away, but please do tidy up after yourself and the dogs.’

‘Of course.’

‘Hopefully all the information you’ll need is in the welcome pack. We’re going to sleep in one of the guest rooms for the night. It’s no trouble,’ she said before Tabitha could protest. ‘We thought it would be a good idea for Fudge and Bailey to get used to you in their usual environment while we’re still here. I’ll let you settle in. Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.’

‘Thank you,’ Tabitha said as Cordelia left with the dogs on her heels.

She had a good feeling about this place. A wild and mountainous island with year-round sunshine and a subtropical climate appealed to her, plus Madeira had long been a place she’d wanted to come to, not least because she’d heard lots about it through an old friend. Being here was the perfect chance to heal old wounds and reconnect with him, despite the idea leaving her on edge. But she wouldn’t think about that now; she turned her focus to unpacking.

Over the last year, Tabitha had got used to being blown away by some of the places she’d stayed. Not all were as large or luxurious as this. A tiny apartment in the artistic Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris looking after a toy poodle had been memorable because of its stunning oak parquet flooring and exposed stone walls, plus a cafe with the most incredible coffee, pastries and macarons just a thirty-second stroll away. Then she’d spent three weeks on a houseboat in one of Singapore’s marinas with a friendly bichon frise. What she loved most was being immersed in the culture of a place, staying in someone’s home and getting to know their particular neighbourhood. She was looking forward to discovering Madeira and staying put in a place for a little longer than she had all summer.

* * *

With the front of the villa completely open to the garden, light from the living area pooled onto the terrace. Misty stalked across the grass, her eyes glinting in the darkness, while the dogs settled themselves on the paving. Tabitha sat with Rufus and Cordelia at the table to the side of the pool, beneath a pergola strung with lights and sheltered by leafy palms. Tabitha imagined it would be lovely to sit there during the heat of the day.

Cordelia hadn’t been lying about Rufus being a good cook. Dinner wascarne de vinha d’alhos, tender pieces of pork that Rufus had marinated in garlic and wine for two days before slowly roasting them in the oven, served with salad andmilho frito, a fried cornbread. The setting was idyllic and a perfect temperature despite the sun having set.

‘Thank you so much,’ Tabitha said as Rufus offered her the bowl of pork and she spooned more onto her plate. ‘This is very kind of you.’

‘We’re just grateful you’ll be here to look after our babies.’ Cordelia smiled sweetly.

Tabitha understood that pets were part of the family, but she was put off by the sickly sweet ‘ooh my little cutie-pie’ way some people doted on them. Perhaps it stemmed from not having had a pet growing up. Being the youngest, she’d never had a baby brother or sister to help look after either and she’d never believed herself to be maternal… A dull pain ricocheted from the pit of her stomach to her heart. Catching her upset before it spilled over, she quashed the thought, shifted uncomfortably in her seat and skewered a piece of pork.

Misty curled herself around Tabitha’s leg with a satisfied purr.

‘Well, that’s a good sign,’ Cordelia said. ‘Misty doesn’t much like strangers, does she, Rufus?’

With his mouth full, Rufus nodded in agreement.

‘You’re obviously good with animals and have lots of experience house sitting from your profile,’ Cordelia continued, ‘but you’ve never had a pet of your own. Is that right?’ She popped a forkful of salad into her mouth.

Tabitha nodded and swallowed her mouthful of the unbelievably tender pork. She got asked this question frequently. ‘We moved around a lot when I was growing up so we weren’t able to have a pet. There’s never been a chance since being an adult either, but I love animals and have looked after friends’ pets. Pet sitting seemed like the perfect solution.’ She held off from saying that she preferred them to most humans.

Cordelia clasped her wine glass and nodded. ‘But you’re obviously in a position workwise to travel?’

‘Yeah, I toured as a musician with bands a few years ago, but I’ve been focusing on songwriting more recently, mainly as a topliner, which means I write the melody and lyrics over a beat I get sent by a producer. Working remotely is great.’

‘And there’s no partner to miss…?’

Tabitha caught Rufus’s raised eyebrow as he shot a look at his wife.

‘No, there’s no one,’ Tabitha said firmly. ‘Lots of friends and family scattered all over the place, but no, um, boyfriend… not any longer.’

‘Oh dear,’ Cordelia said. ‘I did wonder if heartbreak was the reason you were house sitting on your own.’

Tabitha’s cheeks flushed and Rufus coughed, blustering through the awkward silence by topping up their wine glasses. ‘So, tell us, Tabitha. Why Madeira?’

‘I tend to go wherever fits in with the house-sitting dates I already have scheduled and, honestly, it depends on who says yes to me.’

‘Yes, we were amazed by just how many applications we received,’ Cordelia said. ‘We didn’t realise that there would be so many more sitters than there are sits!’

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