5 Peppermint Grove (8 page)

He opened a report that was awaiting his attention and started to type but his mind was constantly being pulled back to thinking about
Lydia. He had to do something and he couldn’t wait for Julia’s reply. He wanted to answer Lydia’s email and he had to do it now.

Dear Lydia

I can’t tell you how much it
would mean to see you. The thing is, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I really don’t want to settle forever in Singapore. I want to come home and spend time with my family – I was only here a couple of months when my father died and I never got a chance to be with the family at a time when they really needed me. The thing is I have always been too selfish and putting myself first. I realise that now and I realise that I was this way with you. You who are the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, complete woman that I have ever known. I’ve never been happier than when we were together. I wish I could turn back the clock and be in that loving relationship with you once again. What happened was all my fault. I want to make it up to you – I want to be with you.

Please
, Lydia, let me know if there is any hope at all that you would consider coming back into my life and starting again. What we had was too special – we really can’t let our lives be wasted one moment longer. I look forward to that cup of coffee. I know that it is your birthday soon and I have something special for you.

With all my heart

Michael

Then he pressed send.

Chapter Nine

Carol was so excited. She was finally going to meet Ellen and she was sure that they were going to get on famously. She was disappointed that Greta had decided not to join them in Cologne but she would meet Greta another time. She looked at her phone and smiled when she saw the text was from her.

Have a great time. Look forward to hear all when you return. G

Carol smiled. Every time she thought of Greta she seemed to send her a message or an email.

“Are you ready, Mum?” Odette called up the stairs.

“Just coming now!” Carol replied.

She pulled the zip on her small case and checked her look in the mirror. Was she really going to
Germany for an adventure on her own? Ellen would be on the road now, making her way to Cologne. They had figured that it would take longer for her to travel by train than it would take Carol to fly from Ireland.

Carol went into the kitchen where Horatio was sitting.

“Will you be okay now, Dad?”

“Well, I just hope Julia doesn’t mind
about the Brazilian lady coming to look after the house while you’re away.”

“She knows all about Paola – in fact it was Julia’s idea.” Carol assured him.

“Really? Well, you know what she’s like – you might come home to a dead body in the house – the poor Brazilian woman’s or mine!”

Carol kissed her father on the forehead. “Just don’t do anything silly like falling in love with Paola. I believe she’s quite beautiful.”

Horatio sat up in the chair. “Well, nobody told me that – I can’t be responsible for my actions in that case!”

“Come on, Mum!” Odette urged. “You don’t want to miss your flight!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Now be good, Daddy.”

Carol felt like a small child going on a school trip as she looked out the window of Odette’s car. This was so out of character for the person that she used to be. She didn’t know Ellen very well but they had been playing bridge online for six months now and the two women had a lot in common. They were both widows, both had an elderly parent living with them and they liked reading the same books and watching the same movies – when they weren’t playing bridge of course.

“Have you got all your details – and your passport?” Odette asked.

Carol fumbled in her bag and produced a folder. “Yes, here it is. I’m staying in the Hilton in the Altstadt – that’s the old town!”

Odette had to hide a giggle – she wished Julia was here to hear her mother. “Is it really?”

“Yes – and we’ll be just beside the cathedral and main train station.”

Odette pulled up at Departures.

“Would you like me to come in with you?”

“Not at all, sure you have the small ones to pick up from school.”

“Alright then, I’ll be here to pick you up on Monday, okay?”

“That’s lovely. I really appreciate the lift.”

Odette leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek.

“Thanks again, love, and I’ll get something nice for the kids,” said Carol.

She pulled her case behind her and walked into the check-in area. She felt butterflies in her stomach. A part of her grieved about her reluctance to travel in the past and she regretted time wasted that she could have spent travelling with her husband. But it was too late for that now and she had to make the most of her life.

Lydia
looked at the e-mail that Michael had sent a few days before. She didn’t know how to respond – it was so out of character for Michael to lay his heart on the line in this way. She had spent the most marvellous weekend with Peter in Monart spa retreat. They had lounged around in white fluffy robes. They had walked in the beautiful wooded grounds and she had gone horse-riding with him on Saturday afternoon – Peter was a proficient rider. He was wonderful and gentle and encouraging with her every step of the way. If it wasn’t for these emails she would be floating on air. It was cruel of Michael to come back into her life just now – when she had met a man that she felt she could spend the rest of her life with.

But what troubled her more was the fact that she couldn’t stop thinking about Michael and, if Peter was so right for her, she shouldn’t be thinking of her old lover.

She wished that Julia wasn’t his sister. She was the one friend that she would consult on matters of the heart and she would always give a good counsel and advice on what to do – but Michael was her brother and she couldn’t be sure that Julia could remain unbiased. However, when he split with her last time Julia most definitely was there for her.

Lydia
had to reply to his email and she had to say what she really felt in her heart.

She looked over the
text again. She trusted Julia. She wanted to email her right away and see what advice she had. But maybe she should wait until the weekend was over and, if she felt the same, email her early next week – yes, that was the best thing to do.

Carol took a seat at the front of the plane. She had only opened her magazine when a stocky man of medium build asked if the seat beside hers was taken.

“No, I’m travelling on my own,” she said and then regretted giving the information. He did seem like a nice decent person, though, and his aftershave was tasteful.

He took out a book and put it on the table top in front of him. It was entitled
How to Play Better Bridge
.

Carol’s eyes were fixed on it and she had to pull them away as the man noticed her attention.

The pilot announced ready for take-off and the cabin crew took their seats. As the Boeing 737 careered down the runway Carol noticed the nice man looking at her profile. She felt strangely attractive inside – it had been a long time since she had been noticed by a member of the opposite sex.

“I’m always nervous as we lift off,” he said in a soft northern brogue.

Carol giggled like a schoolgirl. “Oh yes, me too.” Then she nodded towards his book. “I see you play bridge!”

“I do but I’ve a lot yet to learn. Do you play yourself?”

“Oh, a little,” she smiled.

“It’s a great pastime. I don’t know what I did with myself before I played.”

Carol noticed the glint in the man’s eyes. She felt very lucky in her choice of seat.

As the captain turned off the seat-belt sign, the air stewards quickly set about selling refreshments.

“Would you like a cup of tea – or maybe something a little stronger?” the stranger asked. “I have to admit I like to have a brandy when I fly.”

“Oh, that’s very kind of you – well, maybe I’ll have a brandy too then.”

“With a mixer? Ginger ale?”

“Oh yes, ginger ale would be lovely.”

They clinked their plastic cups together and chatted non-stop over the UK and Holland. When the captain informed the passengers that they were now in German airspace Carol felt giddy but couldn’t blame it entirely on the two brandies she had consumed.

“Are you staying in
Cologne?”

“Yes, actually – in the old town. I’ve never been to
Germany before.”

“Neither have I,” he said with a knowing smile.

“Have we met somewhere before?” Carol’s tongue had loosened considerably since finishing the second brandy and there was something incredibly familiar about Gerry, with whom she was now on first-name terms.

“I don’t want to tease you any more. We have met actually.”

“Where?”

“It was online!”

Carol sat up, startled by the revelation. “You know who I am?”

“Yes, and I know Ellen too – Carol, I’m Greta!”

Carol was astounded. She felt slightly nervous. “You’re not a woman!”

Gerry laughed. “No, I’m not a woman but Greta is a name I use – I find some of the women players only want to play with other women – they feel more relaxed with them – and I must say I enjoy the chat and sociable aspect of being a woman online. You and Ellen are always so friendly and nice to people when they start playing. I’m not as good a player as you and Ellen but you were both so encouraging I found my game improve after I started to play with you both.”

Carol laughed. “I don’t know what to say!”

Gerry smiled. “I know I’m taking a big risk by introducing myself this way but I didn’t know how else to tell you. I hope you don’t mind if I join you for the next couple of days?”

Carol didn’t know how to respond.

“In separate rooms, of course,” he said. “Ellen told me where you were both staying.”

“Does she know that you are a man?”

Gerry shook his head. “I knew that I would be meeting you both at the tournament in the
UK so this was as good a time as any to come clean.”

He seemed like a kind and gentle man.

“So how much of what you’ve told me about Greta is true?”

“I am a widower – not a widow. And I’m a retired schoolteacher. Pretty much everything else that you know about Greta is me!”

Carol chuckled. “I am surprised but, you know, we can have a few cracking games of bridge in Germany – and I hope you like shopping?”

Gerry nodded. “I do. I always seem more relaxed in ladies’ company. Thanks for taking it so well, Carol.”

Carol was beaming inside. She hadn’t had this much adventure going anywhere – ever!

Chapter Ten

Julia was inundated with messages and calls as she co-ordinated the final details of the 2012 Perrin Travel brochure.

The first thing she did was open her emails and there were twenty waiting for her.

She opened the one from Lydia and was startled to see that she had forwarded an email from Michael to her. She was taken aback by the sentiment and the tack that her brother had taken. Why hadn’t he sent it to her first before sending it to Lydia? This was not the way to get back to a girl’s heart – for a start it was too needy and he was putting himself on a plate to be punished and rejected in any way that Lydia wished to do it. And she, Julia, would have no qualms about sending such a pleading puppy dog on his way after such an email. However, it did say something about the depth of feeling Lydia must still have for Michael that she didn’t send him an instant PFO!

She read the email again and considered what to say. In the end she decided to ring
Lydia – it was easier than writing it down.

“Julia – am I glad to hear from you!”

“Hi, Lydia – I just got your email – wow, that’s certainly spelling it out for you, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what to say to him – I’ve just come back from the best weekend ever with Peter.”

“Oh, where did you go?”

“We were in Monart.”

“One of my favourite places on earth. Had you been before?”

“No, but Peter had – he brought me horse-riding and we had the most romantic meal in our dressing gowns!”

Julia laughed. “Sounds good but what are you going to do about your other admirer?”

“I was wondering if Michael had said anything to you? He’s not playing mind games, do you think? Is he only interested in me now that he knows I’ve met someone really nice?”

“Relax, Lydia – you know Michael – he’s true to his word and if he’s saying that he wants you back and loves you then you know that he really means it – he doesn’t come out with statements like that easily or often!”

Lydia
knew that what Julia was saying was true.