Roses For Katie

by Dilys Xavier

  Later that night she thought about all the changes again. She had things to look forward to and decisions to make. She enjoyed thinking about it all. But, lying in the darkness it suddenly seemed too good to be true, and as she closed her eyes, a feeling of apprehension clouded her mind.

  ‘Please, God,’ she whispered, ‘don’t let anything go wrong now.’

  Chapter Three

  The next morning was bright and sunny, and Katie sighed contentedly when she looked at her garden through the bedroom window. Only now did it really come home to her that she was about to have a whole new rose garden, and lots of other new shrubs and trees as well… exotic, expensive, extravagant things. In fact, thanks to Aunt Mabel’s bequest, now she could buy anything she fancied, and afford for Pat O’Reilley to do all the hard work. However long it took wouldn’t matter. This was the most exciting thing that had happened to her in ages, and she could barely wait for the work to begin.

  She showered and ran downstairs just as someone tapped on the back door. She opened it to find Pat standing there with his friendly smile lighting up his pleasant face.

  ‘Top o’the morning to you, Mrs. Turner.’ His greeting was like a breath of spring.

  ‘Good morning, Pat. You’re early,’ Katie replied warmly.

  ‘Yes, there’s no time to waste, so I’d best begin straight away. I wondered if you’d chosen some roses out of the catalogues I gave you, as you’ll be needing to make up your mind pretty soon,’ he said, with another enchanting smile. ‘I’ll be happy to advise you at any time you wish.’ His face lit up with an impish grin. ‘Y’know, it pays to shop around a bit; there are loads of garden centres, but some are better than others. The catalogues will give you an idea of the size and colour of the blooms, and tell you which roses are fragrant. And the price, of course.’ He touched his forelock. ‘I’ll make a start now by digging up the old rose bushes out front, okay?’

  ‘Thanks for your advice, Pat. I’ll look at them again over my breakfast.’ Katie went through the catalogue a second time and marked what she fancied. She made out a list and put it on the kitchen dresser shelf. An hour had passed, and it was time to leave for her appointment. She slipped on her coat, and called out to Pat as she walked over to her car. ‘I won’t be home until lunchtime, so I’ve left you a flask of coffee and some biscuits on the little table in the back porch.’

  After almost two hours of work, the beautician put the finishing touches to her client’s fingernails. Katie studied her reflection in the mirror again. It delighted her. The new swept-up hairstyle was most becoming, and made her look years younger. The undivided and expert attention of the beautician had made a surprising difference. She not only looked different, but she felt different as well. I’ll do this more often, she thought, as she wrote out a check.

  When she arrived home, Katie looked around eagerly for Pat, but he had gone. She stared at a huge pile of tangled roots and straggling plants that had been heaped high in the far corner, presumably ready for burning when dried out enough. This was evidence of what he had done already, and she raised her brows, pleasantly surprised that he had accomplished so much in such a short time. The whole area had been cleared and dug over as well; it was ready for the new bushes to go in.

  As she walked into the house, she found a note under the flask saying he would be there the next day. With a smile, she closed the door behind her, and breathed a deep sigh of relief that he was proving to be such a good worker.

  Mindful that Richard’s dinner parties usually finished late, she rested after lunch, then had a leisurely bath before dressing. At precisely seven o’clock she set off in her car. Angie greeted her with open arms. ‘You look gorgeous in that lovely suit. You put me to shame,’ her daughter-in-law said.

  ‘Thank you. More importantly, how are you feeling?’ Katie asked.

  ‘Ah, so Richard’s told you the news?’ She beamed at Katie. ‘I’m fine. No problem at all. This time it’s a girl, and due just before Christmas.’

  Katie clasped her hands together. ‘Wonderful. I hoped it would be a girl this time.’ She appraised Angie’s cool manner, and found it hard to believe that someone who had prepared a meal for eight people could look so poised, especially with an energetic toddler to cope with as well.

  Just then, Richard appeared with an armful of wine bottles. He put them down, gave his mother a hug, and then stood back to appraise her appearance.

  ‘Your hair looks great, Mum. Keep it like that — it really suits you.’ He winked. ‘I think I’d better keep an eye on old Rex. I know he’ll fancy you, the way you look tonight.’ Then he sighed, and spread his hands. ‘But I bet he’ll bore you stiff with his holiday stories.’

  ‘Behave, Richard,’ Katie scolded, playfully. ‘I’m sure it’ll be a lovely evening, and don’t you worry about me. I’ll cope with Rex just fine. Anyway, you should be more tolerant of him; he’s older than you, and his interests are different.’

  It was only minutes later that Rex arrived, bearing a small bouquet that he handed to Angie with a Victorian flourish. He cleared his throat noisily, and looked expectantly at the bottle of Tomatin Malt whisky in Richard’s hand.

  ‘You’ve met my mother, of course,’ Richard said, as he handed the man a glass of his favourite drink. Smiling, Rex nodded, his eyes steadily fixed on Katie. He reached out to greet her, and then led her by the hand to the sofa, sitting down alongside her, and turning his head so that his bright blue gaze remained on her face.

  ‘You’re looking well, Mrs. Turner. In fact you look positively stunning, if I may be so bold,’ he said, graciously.

  ‘Thank you,’ Katie said, delighted to have yet another compliment. She silently assessed his attributes — guessed he was in his early fifties; a strong, virile looking man, and really quite handsome. Then she studied his tanned face, the shock of slightly greying hair, and the neatly clipped beard, for a few seconds. ‘You must have spent some time in the sun recently,’ she ventured.

  That was all Rex needed. He took a deep breath and gazed up at the ceiling. ‘Ah, yes, I spent most of my recent vacation in the Caribbean, until it got too hot. I stayed in the Montego Bay area in a lovely old colonial mansion named ‘Old Hope’; it was built in seventeen sixty-five by a plantation owner of Welsh descent.’ He turned his gaze back to Katie. ‘It’s a hotel now. I found the place cosy and the food super. They do English cooking there, you see, and they’re really proud of their menu.’ He crossed his legs and fiddled with the top of his sock as he thought. ‘I enjoyed some leisurely horse riding there as well, and some beautiful walks.’ He leaned closer to her. ‘Have you been to that part of the world? I find the scenery quite stunning, the sea as clear as mineral water, and the flora and fauna something never to be forgotten.’

  ‘Oh, no. My holidays over the past few years have been rather conservative,’ she told him, ‘but maybe it’s time I travelled again. I’m thinking about it. Perhaps you’d give me some advice?’

  ‘Delighted to,’ he said. ‘My favourite spot is Majorca. I own a lovely little place in Valldemosa on the rugged west coast of that lovely island. It’s quieter in that region, away from the concentration of tourist attractions, and that’s why royalty and film stars buy homes there.’ He took a sip of his drink, and then added, ‘I let my house to friends when I’m not using it myself. It helps pay for the upkeep, y’know,’ he said, with a dry chuckle.

  ‘Majorca sounds a beautiful place,’ Katie said, trying to sound appreciative even though she had never heard of Valldemosa, and knew nothing about the Mediterranean island he was describing.

  Rex lowered his voice and spoke in a confidential manner. ‘Perhaps you’d like to spend a holiday there with your friends?’ His brows went up. ‘It’s only a few hours’ flight, and I’d let you have it cheap.’ He looked pleadingly at her. ‘George Sand, the French novelist, said that Majorca could soon compete with Switzerland.

  Katie shook her head slowly. ‘Whatever the author said makes no differenc
e to me; anyway, that was generations ago.’ She gave him one of her winning smiles. ‘Thanks for the offer, Rex, but quite honestly I can’t think of anyone I’d like to spend a holiday with in a strange country.’ She looked a trifle sad. ‘Since Greg died, three years ago, I haven’t thought about going anywhere, but perhaps it’s time I did. Maybe I’ll try a coach tour, or a singles holiday… they advertise some wonderful trips, and, of course, you’re more than likely to be travelling with people of your own age. I think that would be nice. Yes,’ she said, nodding vigorously, ‘It’s time I went out and about more.’

  ‘That’s the ticket,’ Rex enthused, ‘get out and enjoy yourself.’

  ‘It’s not easy to make new friends, though,’ Katie said softly. ‘You see, Greg and I did everything together, but I suppose I’ll have to make the effort to go places on my own one of these days.’

  ‘Yes, well, being on one’s own has its advantages, but there are disadvantages as well, and don’t I know it?’ Rex nodded, but made no further comment for several seconds. Then he heaved a deep sigh. ‘My wife took off with a younger man years ago. We divorced eventually, and I made a new life for myself. No children, thankfully. Of course, I decided never to risk marriage again, oh, no… once bitten… y’know the old saying?’ Rex gave an odd little chuckle and pulled a face, then cast a quick glance at Katie. ‘Look here, this won’t do… I think we’ve become somewhat introspect. Let’s not get gloomy.’ He looked at her empty glass, and reached for it. ‘You’re ready for another drink.’

  Just then, Richard ushered in Ted and Eva Hobson and introduced them to his mother. They got talking straight away, and by the time Rex returned with more drinks, the conversation had turned to gardening, with Katie telling them what plans she had for her rose garden. In a short while, Jim and Josephine Pardoe arrived. Angie announced that the meal was ready, so they all carried their drinks into the spacious dining room and sat down at the table.

  Angie had excelled herself yet again. For starters, she had cooked a tasty baked haddock, topped with poached egg, and served with a rich cream sauce. Next, came her expertly made pot-roasted beef with palenta and salsa verde. When she finally served the delicious dessert of rhubarb and blueberry compote with ginger ice cream, everyone expressed delight. Richard quickly noticed this, and looked extremely proud as the guests praised Angie for the wonderful meal.

  Katie was seated next to Rex, who continued to expound on his visits to various parts of the world. To her, it seemed he had been everywhere, and even though he had this tendency to monopolize the conversation, Katie quite enjoyed his tales. Moreover, she had not enjoyed exclusive attention from a man for some time, and he, in turn, was obviously flattered by her keen interest in what he was saying.

  The guests retired to the sitting room for coffee and liqueurs after the meal, and Katie found herself flanked by Rex, and the Pardoes, who were a middle-aged couple with substantial financial interest in the electronics firm that employed Richard.

  ‘Everything okay, Mum?’ Richard murmured as he passed close to her to serve more drinks to his guests.

  ‘Fine thanks. I’m thoroughly enjoying myself,’ she whispered. In fact, Katie could not remember how long it had been since she had enjoyed herself this much. It was about eleven when the guests began to leave, and she felt quite sorry that the evening was at an end. Whilst Richard and Angie were saying goodnight outside to the two couples, the professor turned to Katie with a genuine smile.

  ‘I’ve enjoyed talking with you tonight,’ he said, carefully enunciating his words, ‘and I must say I’d really like to continue our conversation another day.’

  Katie felt colour creeping into her cheeks, and lowered her head to hide the flush. Before she could reply, he continued, ‘Look here, my regular car is a comfy Mercedes, but I’ve just had a vintage Auto Union restored by a local chap. I’m collecting it tomorrow and taking it out for a trial run. Why don’t you come along?’

  Katie hesitated for a few seconds. Why not, she thought. ‘All right, I’ll come if you promise not to speed.’

  ‘Speed? You’re joking, of course. That would be far too risky on the narrow country lanes around here. But of course, the old girl actually was raced on the continent years ago.’ He chuckled. ‘The only thing you have to worry about is whether I’ll need your help to push it off the road if it breaks down.’ He hesitated for a moment. ‘Tomorrow afternoon all right for you?’

  Katie agreed enthusiastically, and then said goodnight to Richard and Angie when they returned. They saw her to her car and, feeling happier than she had in a long time, she hummed a tune as she drove home. She tried to think of what she would wear for her trip out with Rex, so as soon as she got inside, she went straight upstairs to her bedroom, intending to look through her clothes. When she glanced at her comfortable bed, she suddenly felt tired. Totally resisting the temptation to go through her wardrobe, she undressed and climbed in between the cool sheets. She nestled down with a satisfied sigh, and was soon asleep.

  Katie was having her breakfast the next morning when her son rang. ‘So how did you cope with your ordeal last night, Mother?’

  ‘What do you mean cope? And that was no ordeal,’ she said. ‘In fact, I found the man entertaining and pleasant, even if slightly tipsy at the end of the evening. Anyway, I’ve promised to go for a run in his vintage car this afternoon.’

  ‘You’ve promised… what? Mother… you’re going out with the man?’

  ‘What’s wrong with that? He’s not a criminal or anything bad, is he?’

  ‘No, but I’ve told you before… he likes the ladies. I wouldn’t want you to fall for his charms and get hurt in the process.’

  ‘Well, that’s up to me, isn’t it?’ Katie responded, quickly. ‘I have no intention of falling for the man, as you put it, so don’t worry.’ Katie listened to Richard’s protests for several more seconds. ‘Listen, my dear, I’ve several little jobs to do before going out with Rex this afternoon, so I must go now.’ She chuckled. ‘I’ll phone to let you know I’m home safe and sound after my trip out with the gigolo. Okay?’

  She smiled as she replaced the receiver, and realised that she was excited about the proposed trip. In fact, she felt more alive than she had since Greg had died. The feeling even made her feel slightly guilty. ‘Silly thing,’ she murmured to herself, ‘you’re doing nothing wrong.’ She wondered why children became so parent-protective, even when they had children of their own to worry about. It was as though Richard thought she was unable to look after herself, and it annoyed her slightly. She was still pondering on his remarks when there was a tap on the door. It was Pat O’Reilley.

  ‘Top o’the morning to you, Mrs. Turner, and what a beautiful day it is, too.’ He pointed to the overgrown trees on the garden perimeter. ‘I need to finish lopping those today, and if there’s enough time, I’ll dig out the rest of the old rose bushes as well. I just need you to keep in mind that you’ll have to buy a lot of replacements very soon.’ He touched his forehead. ‘I’ll see you about it before long.’

  Barely two hours later, Katie took out tea and biscuits for Pat, and again discussed ideas about the garden. She smiled as she took the tray back inside, realizing it was her anticipation of the outing with Rex that was causing the twinges of excitement in the pit of her stomach.

  Pat left while Katie was eating what little lunch she could. She barely touched what she had prepared, and felt rather like a teenager waiting to go on her first date; nervous and excited. She quickly cleared away the dishes, but took her time to get dressed. Finally ready, she went downstairs to wait for Rex to arrive, but it was only minutes later that she heard the strident blare of a car horn. All smiles, she hurried outside just as he stepped out of the magnificently restored Auto Union. He greeted Katie with outstretched arms and helped her into the car.

  Once comfortably settled in the driving seat, he gingerly selected the first gear and eased out the clutch. As the car moved forward his smile widened, and he pat
ted the steering wheel. ‘Ata-girl,’ he murmured. They were driving through the village when Katie spotted Pat O’Reilley coming out of the post office stores. The Auto Union obviously caught his attention, for he stood still and stared wide-eyed at the vintage car as it passed, and Katie realised he could not have failed to see her sitting in the passenger seat.

  Almost an hour later, Rex pulled up outside a pretty teahouse on the banks of The River Wye. It was too early for a full meal, but not having eaten a decent lunch, Katie felt hungry, so the homemade scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream were more than welcome. Now that Rex was not concentrating on driving, he began to regale her with more stories of his travels, but after a while Katie tired of them and began to lose interest. This did not go unnoticed, and he diplomatically changed the subject, and gently began asking about her interests and future plans.

  ‘You have three other children besides Richard, Katie?’

  ‘Yes, three beautiful daughters.’

  ‘My word… three daughters? So tell me about them, their names, what they do for a living and so on. I’d love to know more.’ Although Katie was curious about why he was so interested, she began to answer his questions, and Rex had to sit back and listen for a change, while she delighted in telling him all about the girls.

  ‘And do you have any hobbies of your own?’ he asked.

  ‘Only the garden,’ Katie replied. ‘I used to walk a lot with Greg, but… ‘ Her voice trailed off as her mind flicked back to those halcyon days.

  ‘So now that your children are all settled, and you’re left on your own, do you have any plans for the future?’ Rex asked, breaking into her thoughts. ‘I mean... would you consider marrying again, if you met the right man?’

  Unwilling to discuss her personal affairs with someone almost a stranger, Katie gave him a sweet smile, but no answer. Instead, she pointedly replaced her cup on the saucer, picked up her handbag and swivelled sideways in her chair as though to stand up. Rex quickly took the hint that she was ready to leave, escorted her back to the car, and drove home in a leisurely manner, with very little conversation.