Page 50 of A Chance in a Million
‘I shouldn’t, really. I’ve drunk quite enough this evening as it is. But a little drop more won’t hurt. And let me give you a hand with the dishes.’
Despite his objections, she helped him collect all the dishes and take them back inside. He refused to let her start washing them, objecting there was a dishwasher for that very purpose, and dragged her back outside again. He poured the last of the wine into two glasses and they walked over to the top of the field and sat down on the tinder-dry grass. She deliberately sat down close enough to him to be able to feel his warmth through her shoulder, and it felt good. A few moments later a black shadow wandered up and plonked himself down at their feet, stretching out with a deep sigh. David leant forward and ruffled the dog’s ears before turning his attention to Jane.
‘Cheers. Hope you enjoyed the barbecue. It looks as though Dino did.’
She clinked her glass against his. ‘I enjoyed every minute of it. You live in such a wonderful place and I love your family.’ She took a sip of wine and decided that he sounded relaxed enough for a few questions. ‘So, what’s the plan? Do you intend to spend the rest of your life locked away up here like a hermit or are you going to re-join the outside world?’
He didn’t reply immediately and she let her eyes roam down the valley, past the lights of the village towards the flickering orange glow of streetlights down on the plains. In many ways, being up here really was like being marooned on an island, separated from reality, and she could well understand why he had chosen it as a place of refuge.
‘I honestly don’t know.’ He sounded distant, pensive. This was followed by a long, but not awkward, silence before he spoke again. ‘It depends on so many things, starting with the operation next week.’
‘Is it a big operation? Should I be worried for you?’
‘That’s very sweet of you, but it isn’t life-threatening. I should be out again in a matter of days.’
Yet again, she struggled to repress the urge to ask him exactly what it would entail but his reticence to talk about it stopped her. The fear that had been plaguing her returned to the forefront of her mind. What if he had been injured somewhere particularly intimate and personal? It was a scary thought but this would explain his depression and his reticence to talk about it. She took another, bigger, mouthful of wine before replying.
‘That’s good to hear. So, assuming all goes well – and I’m sure it will – what’s the plan? Will you come down to meet the Hollywood delegation with your mum in early September? Come to think of it, that’s barely ten days or so from now. I’m sure she’d be grateful for the support.’
‘I’m sure she would. I will try, honestly. It all depends how things go…’
He lapsed into silence and she didn’t press him any further. Instead, she turned the conversation to Saturday’s wedding and told him the names of some of the people she expected to see there. He even recognised a few of them and asked to be remembered to them. She took this as another good sign. Even though he had opted to use a pseudonym for his writing and had locked himself away in isolation, it now appeared that he was at least prepared to reveal his existence – albeit three years on.
Sitting there alongside him like this, she realised without a shadow of a doubt that she was falling for him hook, line and sinker. If he were to take her in his arms and kiss her, she knew that not only would she not resist, she would relish the idea. But he didn’t. She could hear warmth in his voice and his interest at what they were talking about, but it didn’t go any further. She still remembered the feel of that fleeting kiss she had given him after Dino’s rescue and considered proving that she was a modern woman who was prepared to make the first move. However, she immediately discarded the idea because of the possible complications this might create for her and her job if he didn’t react the way she hoped. Finally, unable to put up with the suspense any longer, she decided to go off home and stood up. He immediately followed suit.
‘Going? Dino and I’ll walk you to your door.’ Hearing his name, the dog opened his eyes, stood up, and shook himself.
Together, they walked back down past the villa and across the grass to the summer house. When they reached the door, there was a part of her that came very close indeed to asking him to come in, but once again she held back and this time she realised it was for two reasons and, interestingly, she could honestly say that Mark was no longer one of them. The main reason for saying nothing was of course the fact that she worked for his mother and a false move now could screw up what had become a most enjoyable job, and the second was the Labrador who was standing staring at her as if to say, ‘I’ll be watching you’.
She was still mulling these thoughts over in her head when David threw her into total confusion by leaning towards her and kissing her softly, but tenderly, on the lips. She found it the most natural thing in the world to reach up with her hands and catch hold of his head and pull him tightly towards her, savouring the feel of him in her arms. She kissed him back and melted against him. Even the mass of hair rubbing all over her face didn’t spoil the excitement and enjoyment she felt. Finally, he had reacted as she had been hoping.
Then, as if he had had a change of heart, he stepped back and caught hold of her hands. This time when he spoke, his tone was hushed, his demeanour more low-key.
‘I’m sorry, that was a mistake. This can’t go anywhere. I shouldn’t have kissed you. Please excuse me. Forget that happened.’ The words came out in a rush.
She recoiled in shock and her response was immediate and heartfelt. ‘I’m sorry, David, but I can’t forget what just happened. It was magical. I wanted that kiss to last forever.’
She saw him shake his head and the moonlight glint in his eyes. ‘I’m really sorry, Jane, but it’s best if I leave you now. I hope you enjoy the wedding. I’ll see you when you get back.’
And, with that, he and his dog disappeared into the night, leaving her feeling more confused than she had ever been.
Chapter 28
All the way to the airport next day and throughout the whole flight, there was only one thought in her head. It was those four words he had murmured: ‘This can’t go anywhere’. What did they mean? Why couldn’t things develop between them? The way he had behaved, it had almost sounded as though he was being prevented from getting closer to her by something or somebody beyond his control? Was there somebody else? There had been regret in his tone – of that she felt sure. But why?
It was early evening by the time she got to Heathrow airport and met up with her parents. In the car they told her about the touring holiday they had had in Tuscany and further south after their weekend with her, and she told them more about life in the hills and Dino’s brush with disaster in the cave. It was only when they had finished dinner and she was in the kitchen helping her mum with the dishes that she decided to tell her all about David. She left nothing out, telling her how her feelings for him had been deepening almost on a daily basis, culminating in the barbecue and his inexplicable behaviour at the end of the evening. Her mother listened intently right to the bitter end before commenting.
‘You say he sounded regretful? So you think he maybe wanted things to get more serious but he was somehow being prevented from doing so?’
Jane nodded despondently. ‘I’m afraid that’s the way it sounded to me.’
‘And what do you think might be holding him back? Is there another woman involved?’
‘I don’t think so…’ Jane hesitated, racking her brains yet again. ‘He’s never so much as hinted, and I’m pretty close to the rest of his family now – I would have thought they might have mentioned something.’
‘Mind you, even with that beard and all the hair, he’s a very good-looking man – and very wealthy, don’t forget. It seems very unlikely he should be all alone. Are you sure there isn’t someone?’
Jane shook her head in frustration. ‘I honestly don’t know for sure, but my gut feeling is no. We all live fairly close to each other up there in the hills. I’m sure I would have noticed if a strange woman had appeared, and he definitely hardly ever leaves the estate. No, I don’t think it’s that.’
