Written in the Stars (25 page)

Mark arrived with Narelle’s sister moments after they arrived. He said hello and then mumbled something about the need to get back to the restaurant to start preparations for dinner. After he had gone, Suzi showed Eileen where everything was, and then the three women had a cup of tea in the drawing room. While they were talking, Suzi’s mobile bleeped; it was a message from Charlize.

The text message contained a Wellington phone number along with the words: ‘Good news u r still alive. Ring soon.’

Suzi waited until eight o’clock that evening and then rang the number.

*

Charlize eased herself away from the sleeping figure by her side and stretched languidly. She smiled as Lloyd stirred, made a little mewling sound and then nestled into her again. She was just about to kiss his cheek when the phone rang.

‘Yes?’ When she recognized her friend’s voice she sat up bolt upright and almost shouted into the mouthpiece. ‘Suzi! Where are you? What’s happening?’ The questions tripped off her tongue one after the other.

Lloyd eased himself up on one elbow and looked at her enquiringly as she talked. Then he climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom, and by the time he returned Charlize was sitting up clasping her knees.

‘Do you want to tell me what’s happened?’

‘Oh, Lloyd, you can’t imagine the mess she’s in.’ Charlize heaved a sigh as she related their conversation and concluded by saying that she had invited Suzi to visit them for a while. ‘She’s going to think about it.

‘That’s a good idea. We won’t have enough room for her, but I’m sure Mother would be only too happy to put her up for a few weeks.’

‘Good, I’ll tell her that next time we talk.’

‘Right. Now we’d better think about making a move. They won’t wait for us just because we’re newlyweds. The weather forecast is good, so the crossing should be pleasant and the trip up the fjord to Picton should be absolutely stunning.’

*

Mark phoned the next day to say that Malcolm Stewart had called and had promised to process the claim as soon as he could. He also said that the police had not contacted him again, and he didn’t think that they were too concerned about the incident. Then he asked when he could visit her.

Suzi hesitated. She was unwilling to have anything to do with him right now. However, the situation had to be addressed and the sooner it was done the better.

‘I suppose you could call this afternoon if you wish.’

Straight afterwards, Suzi rang Jeff Bates, the solicitor who had acted on her behalf when they had formed the partnership. He was astounded to learn that she wished to terminate the agreement, but readily agreed to sort it out as quickly as possible. She made it quite clear that she expected Mark to buy her share of the business.

‘There is also the question of my personal involvement in the operation,’ she explained. ‘I feel that I should be recompensed for the goodwill I have generated since we took over the restaurant.’

‘I’m sure we covered the possibility of one party buying out the other,’ Jeff assured her. ‘And as for the other aspect, I’ll have a look at the terms of agreement you both signed at the time.’

As she put the phone down, Eileen tapped on the study door.

‘There’s a man at the door who wishes to speak to you in person,’ she said, ‘but I told him you were not receiving visitors.’ She handed Suzi the man’s business card. ‘He asked me to give you this.’

Suzi almost laughed at the woman’s terminology—not receiving visitors. It was as if she had already established herself as guardian of the lady of the manor. She smiled at the older woman. ‘It’s okay, you can show him in.’

‘I wonder what this is all about?’ she murmured, as she glanced at the name on the card.

Chapter Twenty Nine

Steve spent the next few weekends looking at houses, but nothing seemed to suit. When he came home and expressed his frustration, Norah chided him.

‘Don’t be so impatient. It’s not as if you’re in any great rush.’

‘No, I suppose not; it’s just so time consuming and I want it all sorted out as soon as possible.’ Steve pulled a beer out of the refrigerator and flipped off the top. ‘I saw a nice place today, but the agent said someone has already put a deposit on it.’

‘There’ll be others.’ Norah watched him drain the bottle and reach for another. ‘You’ve given Vince the itch now. He wants to start looking for something smaller.’

‘We could go around together.’ Steve grinned at her. ‘That’s not a bad idea really, you could check out the kitchen and storage space for me.’

‘Why?’

‘What suits me might not suit a woman. I don’t want to buy something that will need extensive alterations somewhere along the line.’

‘Who do you intend sharing it with?’ Norah asked. ‘You’re not dating anyone at the moment, let alone getting serious enough to contemplate anything serious.’ She gave him a quizzical look. ‘Is there someone waiting in the wings, or are you taking a long term view of things?’ Then she leaned closer, and whispered. ‘Or is it Suzi Lysle Spencer?’

‘That’s most unlikely under the circumstances. I don’t have any contact with her, and I have no one in mind at the moment.’ Then he shrugged and smiled. ‘You never know what’s around the corner. To be honest, I don’t want to buy something with a poor kitchen layout, or not enough storage space, and find out I’ve made a mistake after I’ve moved in.’

‘How’s your friend, Lloyd, coping with married life?’ Norah asked, changing the subject.

‘Very well apparently,’ Steve replied. ‘He phoned me the other day to invite me over for a drink. He said they’re getting on like a house on fire.’ He laughed. ‘Of course it’s early days yet, but he’s beginning to talk like a married man already.’

‘Let’s hope it continues that way.’ Norah picked up the discarded beer bottle. ‘Don’t fill yourself up with booze… tea will be ready soon.’

Steve walked out onto the patio. He felt strangely reluctant to take up Lloyd’s offer because he didn’t feel ready to face any close friend of Suzi, and by now he had firmly convinced himself that Lloyd’s new wife was Suzi’s friend. Moreover, she and Lloyd would have put two and two together by now. They would know he had saved Suzi’s life while they were all staying at Airlie Beach, and that he was the other claimant to Caxton Manor. He hadn’t told Lloyd that he had tried to find Suzi that day, so they might have assumed that he wasn’t overly concerned about her whereabouts one way or the other. The other side of the coin was just as likely. If Suzi knew all the facts and still hadn’t bothered to contact him, then that indicated she didn’t care too much about his feelings and didn’t want to know.

Maybe that’s why I don’t want to visit. Charlize might tell me something I don’t want to hear, he thought. Maybe Suzi had recognized him, but didn’t want him to know she had. He smiled a6t the way these thoughts were racing through his head, and then began to wonder why

he still hadn’t heard any more from his solicitor. It was time the situation in Wales was sorted out now. Initially, he had been quite excited about the inheritance, but it had not taken long for his enthusiasm to wear off. He had not objected when Suzi asked to occupy the house until things were sorted out, but of course that would not resolve the long-term problem.

If he had known originally that there was someone else involved, he may not have made a claim on the property in the first place. The old house meant nothing to him personally, and even if he had inherited it outright, he would have sold it to the highest bidder. After all, he could well afford to forget about Caxton Manor altogether now—it meant nothing to him, especially since the portfolio of shares bequeathed by his deceased father had enriched him considerably. It all meant he was not overly concerned about the outcome of the inheritance. He took another pull on the bottle and sighed as his mind went back to his time with Suzi. He recalled their time together, and in particular the feeling of oneness he had experienced with her. It had far exceeded anything he had ever felt with any other woman.

‘I was sure she felt the same way,’ he murmured and then chided himself yet again for acting like a lovesick schoolboy. He reasoned that he was meant to meet Suzi; he was convinced that it was meant to happen—that somehow or other it had been preordained.

He brought up the subject of the inheritance with his father a few nights later, and mentioned his idea of going to Britain to straighten things out. Vince lowered his newspaper before speaking.

‘You don’t have to ask me if you want time off, son. You just go, okay? A break away will do you good.’ He peered anxiously at his stepson. ‘You should have spent more time in Queensland; there was no reason to rush home. You could have had a week or two in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast.’

‘I wasn’t in the mood,’ Steve said, ‘what with Kirsty’s death and all.’

‘Fair enough. In any case you can always go back if you feel like it.’ He gave a snorting laugh. ‘We’ll write the expenses off as a business trip—just say you’re checking on the pumping equipment.’

‘Yes, maybe. In the meantime I’ll sort out this inheritance business. It’s dragging on too long.’

The two men discussed the current workload, and decided that unless there was some unforeseen problem Steve could leave immediately. The next morning he booked the flight and then rang Duncan personally and asked him to set up a meeting with Suzi. He made it absolutely clear that the situation had to be resolved now. However his attempts to speak to her personally were unsuccessful.

*

Suzi shook the man’s hand motioned him to a chair as Eileen closed the door after her.

‘What can I do for you, Mr Gillam,’ she asked, glancing at the card again. ‘Have you come to tempt me with more suitable premises for the restaurant? If you have, I’m sorry to inform you that we are not contemplating a move.’

‘On the contrary, Ms Spencer,’ the man replied. ‘I am making enquiries on behalf of an international company looking for suitable property to rent in this area. I can lease this beautiful place for you at a very attractive rate.’

‘Why do you think I would want to rent out the manor?’

‘I had no idea whether you wanted to or not, but I became aware of the property, and decided it would be worth enquiring.’ Mr Gillam adjusted his glasses as he waited for Suzi’s comment. When she remained silent, he continued. ‘I’ve been asked to find something large and imposing with a nice garden. The company wants a place that has the potential to entertain guests as well conduct its business in this part of the U.K.’

‘How much?’

‘Oh… thousands a month, but I can’t name a figure right now. That would have to be considered, and satisfactory to both parties… you and the company.’ He paused when she raised her eyebrows. ‘We could probably write in a maintenance clause as well, so that you wouldn’t have to concern yourself about its upkeep. You would simply pocket the money. You would have no expenses at all.’

Suzi toyed with the man’s card as the thoughts raced through her mind. Could this be the opportunity she was looking for? Then she almost laughed aloud. An opportunity to do what? She had no plans to go anywhere, and there were still a lot of issues to be resolved before she could even consider the offer. And of course there was Steve Pardoe. Would he be agreeable to the proposition? She pushed the thoughts from her mind as the man coughed politely.

‘I’m not in a position to give you an answer one way or the other at the moment, Mr Gillam,’ she said, climbing to her feet. ‘First of all, I need time to think about it, and then I’ll have to talk to my solicitor, but thank you for your offer.’ She shook his hand. ‘I’ll call you if I want to discuss it further.’

After the man had gone, Suzi phoned to make an appointment to see Mr Duncan.

‘Ah, Ms Spencer, yes, ah I was just about to call you. I’ve had a phone call from Mr Pardoe, in Auckland, New Zealand. He asked me to set up a meeting within the next few days to discuss the outstanding business of the inheritance.’

‘That’s why I’m ringing you,’ Suzi said, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. She outlined the letting agent’s proposal, and asked the solicitor to find out the legalities of such a proposition. Then she agreed to be available for the meeting with Steve.

A wave of apprehension replaced the initial excitement she had felt at learning of his imminent arrival. On one hand she wanted to see him again, and on the other hand she did not want to risk a rebuff if he was not interested in her. Then she thought about The Stow Restaurant and her business relationship with Mark. It seemed as if everything was conspiring to keep her guessing about her future.

‘What do I really want to do?’ she murmured. The dream of operating her own restaurant had been realised, but that was about to come to an end. Her other cherished dream concerned Caxton Manor. She had longed to live in the house from the day Uncle Bart had first shown her over the premises as a young girl, and of course she had realised that too. Was there no other dream to fulfil?

Over the past few days she’d time to think about things more clearly. She had become uncomfortably aware that her idea to use the property as a convention centre and reception venue had not been well thought out. The income generated by the occasional function probably would have been insufficient to cover its upkeep. And of course, it was beyond her financial means to use it as a private dwelling—it was far too big for that, anyway. There seemed to be no alternative but to sell the place, particularly because Steve had indicated that he was not interested in keeping it under any circumstances.

I’ll wait and see what he says about things, she thought. Then she picked up the phone and called Mark.

‘I want to settle things as quickly as possible. I’ve instructed my solicitor to proceed with the termination of our contract, so you know why I need to see you.’

‘Yes, of course, Suzi. I can make it tomorrow afternoon, it that’s all right.’

As she replaced the phone she thought about their conversation. He had sounded rather upbeat. He seemed to be managing quite well without her. Narelle was still coping as hostess, and he was employing one of the casual waitresses, who had bookkeeping experience, to take care of the accounts and banking. The young woman had queried a few things with her from time to time, but seemed to have everything under control.

She wondered if he had already made arrangements to buy her share of the business. Had Ben agreed to provide the finance? Mark had casually mentioned that Judith might be able to help out for a while, so it was obvious that the whole family was involved now. Then she wondered what story-line he had concocted to explain her actions.

The following afternoon she watched him climb out of his car and stride purposefully towards the manor. He seemed to exude confidence. It was not the Mark she had known for the past few weeks. Eileen brought him into the drawing room and gave Suzi a look that she interpreted as ‘just call if you need help’.

‘My solicitor has already discussed things with your man,’ he said, after he had asked after her welfare. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve been able to find someone to take over your share of the business. However I can’t agree with your solicitor’s claim for loss of potential income.’

‘And what about the inconvenience caused by the injuries I sustained during the attack on my person while I was extracting you from your mess?’ she asked, curtly. ‘Or doesn’t that matter anymore?’

‘Yes, of course it does, but...’

‘I was told that I could sue you to recover damages.’ As Suzi paused, Mark looked down at his hands. ‘When can I expect your solicitor to have documents ready to sign?’

‘I’ll have to inform him of this new development.’

‘And then?’

‘It shouldn’t take too long. I’ll ask him to give it top priority.’

‘I suppose your father has put up some or all of the money you need?’ When Mark didn’t respond she added. ‘More fool he. I suggest you keep him keep him away from me lest I tell him the truth.’ She looked at him meaningfully. ‘You know what I mean.’

Once again, Mark agreed. Suzi knew that he would not have access to the extra money she had demanded, but she was prepared to agree to a down payment and the rest of the money over a stipulated period. The threat of legal action had made him shudder; he would not want his duplicity uncovered. The police, the insurance company and ultimately his moneylender, would learn the facts and they could all cause him a great deal of trouble.

‘That’s it then.’ Suzi stood up. ‘I’ll tell my solicitor that we are in agreement, and that he should expect to hear from your solicitor soon.’

‘Yes, of course.’

As he drove away, Suzi felt quite light-headed. It was not her nature to threaten people, but she consoled herself with the thought that he already had a guilty conscience about the way he had deceived her. Now, she was only making it clearer to him, but it didn’t make her feel any better about things. It was a hollow victory. She was staring pensively out through the window when Eileen came into the room.

‘Are you all right, dear?’