Roses For Katie

by Dilys Xavier

  ‘You won’t be sorry,’ he said. ‘You’ll enjoy every minute of your stay… I’ll see to that, never fear.’

  ‘Right, so now join me for lunch.’ Katie said. ‘I’ve made a cold turkey lunch with tiny new Jersey potatoes and a great big mixed salad. It’s all ready in the dining room, so come and grab yourself a chair.’ For a short while, they ate in comparative silence.

  Suddenly, as though he had been given a dig in the ribs, Rex glanced at his wristwatch, and pushed back his chair. ‘Thank you for a delightful lunch,’ he said, graciously, brushing his napkin over his beard, ‘but I really must go now. I apologize for rushing away like this, but business calls.’ He tapped his finger on his wristwatch. ‘I’ll be in touch very soon to discuss our trip in detail.’

  She watched him drive through the gates and then relaxed in one of the recliner garden chairs to drink her coffee in the warm afternoon sun. The delicate fragrance of the Peace rose blooms wafted across the lawn, reminding her again of Greg, and the days when they both would sit and enjoy their beautiful gardens. More nostalgic thoughts crowded her mind and she felt herself slipping into the past once more. Fragrant aromas softly enveloped her, and she breathed in the perfume, delighted that the heavenly scent would continue now that Pat had taken her garden in hand. Thinking about Pat brought her mind back to the present, and to the now imminent art exhibition. With that realization, she phoned Elspeth.

  ‘I hope you’re free to come and stay overnight this coming weekend,’ she said. ‘The local art exhibition is on, and I thought you might like to see the paintings that Tanya, and Cuthbert, have on show.’ She waited for several seconds, then added, ‘Tanya’s showing seven paintings, but I think Cuthbert has a dozen on show. They’ll be there for the preview on Friday evening.’

  ‘Oh, so Cuthbert will be there; that’s great news,’ Elspeth said, with a hint of excitement in her voice. ‘My word, yes, I’d love to come and see him again… er… all the paintings as well, of course. Thanks for telling me about it Katie. I’ll be down early on Friday, okay?’

  For Katie, that meant more cooking beforehand, but it filled the waiting time for her, and it seemed that Friday arrived in no time at all.

  When Elspeth came in through the door, Katie could tell how excited she was, and promised herself that somehow this would be a weekend her friend would treasure. She wasn’t quite sure how she would engineer the plan she had in mind, but she was determined to make it work. She gave her friend a hug, and then sat her down in the kitchen while she made a cup of coffee. As she waited for the percolator to boil up, she turned to her friend with a beaming smile.

  ‘Tell me, what have you been up to since I last saw you. Anything exciting?’

  ‘Exciting? Hardly,’ Elspeth replied, clucking her tongue. ‘Been to a few meetings… the usual, y’know, but I’ve been really looking forward to this visit; it couldn’t come quick enough.’

  ‘I’m glad you’ve come early. Matter of fact, I’m having my hair done this morning to look good for tonight,’ Katie began, ‘and I’ve booked you in as well… you need it. It’s my treat. Just look at this.’ She walked across the kitchen and lifted the limp ends of Elspeth’s straggly hair. ‘It’s always the same; long, lank, and dull,’ she scolded. ‘You could look a lot smarter, Elspeth Astelle; your face is pretty, so it’s about time you did something to your hair. Trust my hairdresser, he’s good.’

  She stood back and studied her friend’s prettily puckish face. It was like a little elf’s face, and her even smile was bright and attractive. Her hair really let her down, and so did her dowdy clothes, but all that could soon be changed. As usual, Elspeth’s mousy coloured hair was parted on the left, brushed straight down over her ears, and jagged on her collar.

  In response to Katie’s comments, Elspeth crossed over to the kitchen mirror and looked at herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and tossed her head. ‘Mmm… I know what you mean, but I’ve never got time to waste in a salon. I’m always too busy.’ She shrugged. ‘But, okay, if you’ve arranged it, then I’ve no option. It had better be worth the time though.’

  Katie smiled. For once, Elspeth was taking orders from her. ‘After we’ve had our hair done, we could have lunch in town, and then browse around some of the shops, if you’d like that.’ She glanced at the time. ‘Come along, girlie, we have to be there in fifteen minutes, so let’s go.’ As she left, she called out to Pat to say she’d left some coffee and cake on the porch table for him, and then they both climbed into the car and Katie drove out through the drive. ‘Good,’ she exclaimed, as she spotted a space to park the car right outside Manuel’s salon. ‘This saves me the time looking for a place in the car park, and it’s a five minute walk from here.’

  Manuel greeted them effusively, as always. His bright smile was encouraging and he seemed to put Elspeth at ease straight away. He began immediately, attending to Elspeth first, on Katie’s insistence, while she buried her face in a couple of fashion magazines left for clients to enjoy.

  It was several hours later before Manuel had finished with them both, and he stood back, proudly admiring what he had done.

  ‘Madame looks elegant,’ he said, proudly to Elspeth. ‘You like, yes?’

  ‘Well, it certainly looks different.’ She turned her head this way and that to study it.

  Manuel had coloured her hair a lovely shade of rich corn, and swept it back off her face. He had arranged a length of hair on top in a loose, curly pile, and dropped a prettily curled tendril on either side of her face. The style accentuated her fine-boned cheeks and pert nose. It was a magical transformation, and if that doesn’t fetch Cuthbert, then nothing will, Katie mused.

  ‘Yes, I like it,’ she said, quietly, still staring in the mirror, and looking as though she couldn’t believe what she saw.

  ‘Right, we’ll have lunch in the restaurant, just down the road from here,’ Katie said, ‘then we’ll go to a few shops afterwards, as I suggested.’ The meal they had was quickly served, and first class. They both had the same home-baked beef hot-pot, a specialty of the little restaurant.

  Less than an hour later, Katie guided her friend into a little gift shop, where she examined the costume jewellary displayed on the counter turntable. She picked out some long diamante dropper earrings. ‘These are just right for you, Elspeth,’ she said, handing them to the shop assistant to wrap up.

  ‘But I never wear… ‘

  Katie lifted her hand in protest. ‘Then it’s time you did.’ She pressed the little parcel into Elspeth’s hand. ‘A present, so if you don’t wear them, I’ll be offended.’ Next, Katie insisted on a brief visit to a small but elegant dress shop a few yards away. ‘The pleated silk amber coloured dress in the window is you to a tee,’ she said. ‘It’s in the sale, so go and try it on.’

  There was no hesitation on Elspeth’s part when she saw how good the dress looked on her, she bought it straight away. ‘Right,’ she said, tucking the box under her arm. ‘Now can we go home?’

  By half past seven that night they were both dressed and ready to go.

  ‘How do I look?’ Elspeth asked as she pirouetted in the hall.

  ‘Ten years younger, for starters,’ Katie said with a smile. ‘And those earrings finish the picture.’ She linked her arm under her friend’s, and drew her towards the door. ‘Come on, girlie… knock ‘em stone dead.’

  Even though they were well in time for the opening, Katie had some trouble finding a spot to park her car, and had to leave it on the roadside opposite the village hall. She and Elspeth walked arm in arm through the open door and into the outer hall where wine was being served to the pre-view guests.

  When they reached the main hall where the exhibition was set up Katie looked around for Tanya. ‘All the exhibitors will be milling around here somewhere,’ she mumbled. ‘Where’s that daughter of mine?’

  ‘Oh, look, there’s Cuthbert, talking to that man in a gray suit? D’you see him?’ Elspeth eyes shone like a lovesick schoolgirl�
�s.

  Just then, Cuthbert gave a glance in their direction, and immediately excused himself from his companion. His eyes were firmly fixed on Katie’s face as he approached, but when he got close-up, it was Elspeth he stared at, with an obvious new-found interest.

  ‘So lovely to see you again,’ he said, grasping Katie’s hand. His eyes flicked again to Elspeth as though unable to believe what he saw.

  Katie heard Tanya call her name from across the room. ‘Please excuse me,’ she said, ‘Tanya’s calling me. I’ll catch up with you both later.’

  Elspeth seized her opportunity. ‘Come on, Cuthbert, I’d like to see your paintings.’ She waved her program under his nose. ‘I don’t know where they are. Show me please.’

  As he turned to her, his eyes lit up again. ‘Elspeth, you look simply gorgeous. I hardly recognized you. You look so different tonight… what have you done to yourself?’

  She patted her hair self-consciously and smiled. ‘Oh, just given my hair a little attention, that’s all. Nothing drastic’

  ‘Well, it makes the world of difference.’ Cuthbert took her arm and guided her around his paintings. One picture in particular caught Elspeth’s eye.

  ‘Now that really is something,’ she murmured, ‘I’d like to buy it.’

  ‘Would you? Really?’ Cuthbert said, obviously delighted. ‘It’s a watercolour of Lake Windermere. I spend a lot of my school holidays painting in that area. Do you know it?’

  ‘Very well,’ she said, ‘and I love The Lake District too. That’s why I want this painting. I go there as often as I can.’

  They moved around his paintings, and Elspeth barely noticed the work of the other artists as she passed them.

  From across the room, Katie watched, knowing that they were most certainly unaware of her keen observation. She smiled as she saw how Cuthbert fussed around her friend, how he touched her arm at every opportunity, how he took her hand to guide her carefully around the display screens. Her plan was working to perfection. Moreover, it seemed that Elspeth’s excitement had been transmitted to Cuthbert quite effectively. And she noticed that, for once, her friend was doing most of the listening… and giving adoring attention to her companion.

  Katie turned to Tanya, who looked excited about showing her paintings for the first time. The quality of work was exceptionally high, considering that all the exhibitors were amateurs. The low prices reflected their lack of selling experience, but made the paintings affordable. Already there were lots of red spots dotted around that showed how many were sold, including four of Cuthbert’s and two of Tanya’s.

  The hall was buzzing with conversation, and locals seemed to enjoy meeting up at the event. However, by eight-thirty, most of the invited preview guests were leaving, and Katie found herself confronted by the excited couple.

  ‘Let’s go for a drink across the road,’ Cuthbert said, bright-eyed, and slightly flushed.

  Katie hesitated, fearful that if she went as well, it might spoil the atmosphere between the two of them. She wanted to give them time alone together. ‘Well, actually, I have an important phone call to make,’ she said, a bit lamely, ‘and I need to go home now to do it before it’s too late. It’s... it’s about Avondale Manor, so it’s important. You do understand, don’t you?’ Then trying to make it look like an afterthought, she added, ‘Elspeth, there’s no reason why you can’t go for a drink with Cuthbert; I’m sure he’ll drive you home.’

  Katie watched Elspeth’s facial expression change immediately; her blue eyes shone, and a sweet smile formed on her lips, but although she took a deep breath, she said nothing. It was obvious that she was doing the right thing, but whether or not Elspeth had guessed her little plan was not evident.

  ‘Then, tomorrow... ,’ Katie went on, ‘tomorrow, we could… ‘ She had no time to finish before Cuthbert spoke again.

  ‘Yes, yes, tomorrow we’ll do it properly. I’d like to take you both to lunch by way of celebrating our reunion, and a successful evening, eh?’ His voice sounded high as if he was so excited he could barely contain himself.

  Katie smiled and nodded, even though she had not the slightest intention of going herself.

  ‘Settled then,’ he said. ‘I’ll call for you both up before midday.’

  ‘Let’s see if you’ve sold any more paintings before we go for that drink,’ Elspeth pleaded, looking around.

  Katie watched Cuthbert link his arm in Elspeth’s to walk around one last time. She turned to Tanya with a broad smile. ‘How about that for a bit of matchmaking?’ she murmured.

  Tanya wondered how her mother would react if she knew that she and her sisters had been trying their hardest to work the same kind of miracle for her.

  ***

  The next morning Elspeth was the first one downstairs. Katie appeared soon after, a little bleary-eyed, but not too sleepy to notice that her visitor still seemed to be excited about last night. She raised her brows as she noted that her friend’s hairdo had stayed in place, as though she had worn a hair net all night. Already dressed in a smart pale blue suit to go out to lunch with Cuthbert, Elspeth seemed bright and perky.

  ‘What are you wearing?’ she asked Katie, as she fussed with her breakfast.

  ‘Oh… sorry, Elspeth, but I’m afraid I won’t be coming. I forgot… I forgot about something important that I have to see to this morning; it can’t wait until Monday.’

  There was no hiding the smile that broke out on Elspeth’s face; she was quite obviously delighted. ‘Cuthbert will be disappointed,’ she said, seemingly attempting to look more serious.

  ‘Oh, no he won’t,’ Katie replied, with a chuckle. ‘You fed his ego to perfection last night, and you look a dream this morning. I’m sure he’ll enjoy more of that sort of treatment, so just you get going and have the time of your life. Anyway, I’m expecting Rex to call this morning, so that definitely cuts me out.’

  ‘The professor?’

  ‘That’s him,’ Katie answered, crossing her fingers behind her back for telling a fib.

  Elspeth looked at the clock. ‘Only half an hour to go,’ she said, ‘then Cuthbert will be here. Could we have a coffee now? I’m too excited to eat much of this breakfast, but my tummy’s so empty it’s rumbling.’

  Katie switched on the kettle. ‘Have a biscuit or something with the coffee,’ she said. ‘We don’t want you frightening Cuthbert away with any loud tummy gurgles.’

  Elspeth had barely swallowed her coffee, when there was a knock on the door. It was Cuthbert.

  Katie glanced at the clock as Cuthbert arrived, dead on time. She invited him in, and immediately apologized that she would be unable to join them, because she had forgotten her friend was calling. He looked a little disappointed, but quickly brightened up when an animated Elspeth appeared in the hall, smartly dressed, and looking eager to go. Katie watched them getting into the car with a great feeling of satisfaction. Elspeth’s new look seemed to have sparked an interest from Cuthbert, and she noticed how carefully he guided her friend to the car, with his hand on her waist. I think Elspeth may have found someone at last, she thought.

  With Elspeth and Cuthbert on their way, Katie had just picked up the morning paper, when the telephone rang.

  ‘Why, Tom, how lovely,’ she exclaimed, when she heard his vibrant voice.

  ‘I’ve been away again,’ he said. ‘Got back too late last night to ring you, but I’m home now.’ There was a little pause before he continued. ‘Katie, I’d like to pop down to see you this morning. Are you free?’

  ‘Matter of fact, I am,’ she said, and explained that Elspeth was staying for the weekend, but had gone out for lunch with an old school friend. ‘I thought it would be nice for them to be just the two of them,’ she added, ‘so I’m afraid I fabricated a story of having someone call about something important that stopped me from joining them.’

  ‘Then that something important could be coming out to lunch with me,’ Tom chuckled. ‘How about I call for you as soon as possible, and we’ll go s
omewhere nice?’

  ‘Just give me time to change,’ she said.

  It seemed only minutes before Tom’s car rolled up outside. As soon as she opened the door to him, he held out his hands, just as he had done when he had first called on her. He looked so dignified, standing there with his infectious smile, that it fair took her breath away.

  ‘Do come in for a minute, Tom,’ she said, returning his smile, ‘It’s lovely to see you again. I must say you look well, and very pleased with yourself.’

  ‘So would you be,’ he said. ‘I’m looking forward to the pleasure of a couple of hours with a delightful and beautiful companion.’

  Katie ushered him into the sitting room.

  ‘Moreover, I’ve just returned from completing the most satisfactory, if exhausting, business deal I’ve done in years. I couldn’t ask for better.’ He sat down at her invitation, and continued to explain what he had been doing. ‘Apart from successfully negotiating a property deal, I needed to make some sound investments, so I went north to consult an officer whom I knew well in the army. He’s in finance now, and I have every faith in him, so… ‘ He lifted his hands. ‘There’s no one else I’d trust with my hard-earned money, so it was worth the long trip for him to handle my investments.’ He looked deep into Katie’s eyes. ‘Anyway, tell me… how are things with you?’

  ‘Fine, thanks. I’ll tell you all about it over lunch, but first, I want to mention that we have to avoid having a meal at The Royal,’ Katie said. ‘Elspeth and her friend are lunching there, and I wouldn’t want to spoil their fun by turning up at the same place.’

  ‘No problem,’ Tom said, opening the car door for her as soon as they stepped outside. ‘We’ll go to The Angel And Harp,’ he said, turning the car in the direction of Caerleon village.

  Almost as soon as she was handed the menu, Katie chose chicken braised in white wine, while Tom decided on the roast chicken with Moroccan flavor. They both began the meal with iced melon and ginger for starters, and finished with a sharp lemon meringue tart.