Game of Scones

by Samantha Tonge

  I sniffed loudly, crying enough tears to extinguish any forest fire. I’d got it wrong. Niko didn’t want to share his life with me. I’d never seen him looking any happier than he did today, standing up in front of his loved ones, with his future wife.

  ‘Pippa, stop!’ My heart sank. That was no Greeklish but Henrik’s voice. Easily his long legs caught up with me. He held my hands, for a moment seeming to forget his burnt, bandaged skin.

  ‘What is wrong? Come back… your friends…’ A muscle in his cheek flinched. ‘They have something to tell you.’

  I shook my head. ‘No… um… I feel sick, and, and their future… it’s nothing to do with me now.’

  ‘But Sophia just told me you are moving to Taxos.’

  I met his gaze and forced a laugh. ‘No… that was just a silly dream. She, um, must have misunderstood.’

  His face lit up. ‘Really?’

  ‘In fact… let’s leave for England right now. We can book flights over the phone. Be packed within a couple of hours. Go back to our flat – to our London life.’

  ‘Are you mad?’

  ‘No…’ I said brightly. ‘Three weeks was way too long a holiday for me, anyway. I need to return to my desk.’

  ‘Well… I could do with getting back to collect the rest of my clothes and meet up with the boss. I’ve a feeling I’ll be spending a lot of time in Kos, over the next few months. But tonight?’

  ‘Let’s do it!’

  ‘The police might want to speak to us about the fire.’

  I shrugged. ‘I doubt it – sounds like they’ve worked out the cause.’

  Henrik’s brow furrowed. ‘Don’t you want to say goodbye to everyone?’

  Oh God. Eyes refilling. ‘I hate goodbyes!’ I squeaked, still in that bright voice. ‘And the villagers… they don’t need my help any more. Perhaps I’ll come over anyway, later this year, and visit you – pop into Taxos at the same time. I’ll help fund a renovation of the teashop – look on it as an investment. Georgios and Sophia are already doing a great job of running it. I can email over my scone recipes and always be on call to give advice. I can deal with Orion Lakis from England – I won’t let the village down.’

  ‘Really? I mean… okay. Sure. That’d be great. Well yes. Let’s get back to London.’ He beamed. ‘And get back to our executive routine.’

  Uh oh. As I packed and booked tickets, an uncomfortable feeling sat in my chest – that Henrik believed I was having second thoughts about him and would get back together. I’d put him straight once we were back in England. But first, I just needed to get on that flight and leave my hurt behind on the island. I hardly said anything in the taxi, wishing, like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it could fly.

  However, finally we arrived at the airport and before checking in, sat down, waiting for the massive queues to subside. Tears threatened again. All I could think about was missing gooey baklavas, Demetrios’ colourful cravats and Sophia’s warm hugs.

  ‘Pippa!’ said Henrik.

  ‘Sorry, did you say something?’

  ‘I just wondered… next weekend – how about a spa getaway. Just the two of us. The last couple of weeks has been full-on.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘We need a holiday after this holiday.’

  Oh dear. My suspicions had been right.

  ‘No… I mean, no thanks – what a lovely idea, but… but when I said I wanted to return to the London life…’

  He swallowed. ‘Oh. Now I feel stupid. You didn’t mean to us?’

  I shook my head. ‘Sorry,’ I whispered. ‘The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you again.’

  Those slate eyes glistened for a second. ‘I understand. Thank you for your honesty.’ He looked at the ground. ‘Sorry, if I was ever a disappointment – not being as honest as you hoped.’

  ‘No! Henrik! You’ve… you’ve been a… a brill boyfriend. Loyal, supportive, sensitive… And… I kind of get it. Why you kept the ThinkBig deal a secret. Your career – it means more to you than mine does to me.’

  ‘Yes. And this holiday has made me question why. I could have tried to change ThinkBig’s mind about the original development in Taxos, so that you and I were on the same side. But I couldn’t. It always comes back to my Mum – how she doted on Dad and when he left she had nothing. It’s made me feel I have to keep my professional life to myself and not let it be influenced by anyone I’m dating. At least I will always have my career as a reliable constant throughout my life, whatever happens with people I… I love.’

  I placed my smaller hand over his and he glanced sideways at me.

  ‘You like him, really like him, don’t you… Niko?’ he mumbled.

  I stared back. ‘Yes. Yes, I do, Henrik. It’s come out of nowhere.’

  ‘Damn.’ he muttered and tried to smile. ‘It’s okay, Pippa. I should have faced up to this earlier. Look, I’m just going to get a coffee… want one?’

  I didn’t when he left but by the time he got back, I was absolutely parched.

  ‘What took you so long?’

  Henrik stared into his coffee. ‘I, um, got lost.’

  Lost? Good thing we weren’t in a big international airport, then. He looked at his watch as the queue for our check-in desk disappeared.

  ‘Come on,’ I said and stood up.

  ‘Just let me finish my drink.’

  ‘Henrik! We’ll miss our flight.’ My throat ached. The thought of leaving Kos filled me with relief and despair all at once.

  Finally Henrik stood up and threw his paper cup in the bin. Slowly he walked towards the check-in desk, every now and again turning around. He checked his luggage in first, moving slower than a turtle out of water and I was just about to ask him if something was wrong when a familiar Greeklish voice called out my name.

  I gazed up at Henrik and my eyes went blurry.

  ‘What have you done?’ I said before turning around. Niko was running through the airport, shirt hanging out of his jeans. I turned back to Henrik. He bent down, kissed me on the cheek and pushed my suitcase towards my feet.

  ‘Listen to what he has to say, Pips. And… good luck.’

  Huh?

  I turned around again. Niko stood half a metre away from me. He picked up my suitcase and headed over to the bench, where Henrik and I had been sitting.

  ‘Now, wait a minute,’ I said and followed him. ‘I’m going to miss my plane. How did you know I was here?

  ‘Henrik.’ he said and took my fingers. We both sat down. ‘And what were you doing, leaving without letting me know?’

  ‘I… didn’t think you’d mind,’ I said and pulled back my hand. ‘And congratulations – you and Leila have set a wedding date?’ My flight was called to the departure lounge and I stood up. Niko pulled me back down.

  ‘Wedding date? No… we announced that the engagement is off.’

  I stopped fiddling with my ticket. ‘Off?’

  ‘Yes. Have I said it right? I mean–’

  ‘I know what you mean, but… why?’ My heart pounded.

  ‘Henrik still hasn’t explained to you?’

  ‘He knew?’ I turned to the check-in desk. My Dutch Titan had gone.

  ‘Yes. After you left the taverna, we told everyone. Henrik – I think he hoped to get back with you. So that probably why he said nothing before the airport – he wanted to return to London as quickly as possible. But in the end… guess he’s a good man. He accepts that you no longer love him and wanted the best for you.’

  ‘I don’t understand…’ In exasperation I shook my head. ‘So, you and Leila… was I right about her travelling?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘How long have you known?’

  ‘Months.’

  I gasped. ‘But… Niko… this makes no sense.’

  ‘Does this?’ He leant forward and pressed his soft mouth against mine. Within seconds, my body responded, pressing close against his. Eyes tightly shut, kaleidoscopic magic fairy dust lit up my vision. I pulled away, trying to understand what was happening, before once ag
ain finding those tender lips. My skin prickled from head to toe as his fingers cupped my cheek and gently undid my ponytail.

  ‘Oh Pippa… so long I’ve waited,’ he whispered and met my gaze. ‘Always it’s been you – so hard to pretend… so hard to try and do the best…’

  ‘But… what… when…?’ Oh, sod explanations! I leaned forward and our mouths met. God, his lips felt so sweet and warm. He kissed softly, yet an urgency drove him, a power that said he needed Pippa Pattinson. I pulled away briefly, for breath, then my need for him kicked in even more forcefully. My body trembled as I clasped his collar and pulled him closer still. A hot glow spread through my limbs and felt unfamiliar yet comfortable… dangerous yet safe…

  Finally we parted, me ignoring a mixture of smiling and disapproving faces of passers-by. Niko grinned and my world felt complete.

  ‘Leila and I love each other as friends – and dating, it seemed like the next logical step. Our families are a good match… neither of us met another person… It seemed sensible to get engaged, even though our relationship missed that… that romantic glitter.’

  Clasping his hands, I nodded.

  ‘And it cheered Grandma up so much, what with the recession. And then she got really ill. Business got worse. Everyone kept saying our wedding was the only positive thing to look forward to. We didn’t dare admit to everyone that we’d made a mistake, in case Grandma got worse… But the last few weeks, especially since you returned, she stronger and stronger…’

  My heart beat furiously and for the first time in days my chest felt as light and carefree as one of Pandora’s sponge cakes.

  ‘That’s why you were upset when she collapsed and her health seemed to have taken a step backwards.’

  ‘Yes. Of course, I was upset with worry for her – but also because it made us think if Grandma had deteriorated again, we’d have to go through with the marriage. Then when it was just low blood pressure, Leila thought it was safe to break up, that Grandma was still strong enough. But I was still concerned… probably over-anxious… Leila and I disagreed.’

  ‘That’s why you two weren’t talking, on the picnic.’

  He nodded. ‘It’s always been you, Pippa. Tomboy. My juicy little fig. My soulmate.’

  I ran a hand over his caramel skin. That’s why he’d talked of “respecting” Leila and not mentioned the word “love”. Everything made sense. He was no playboy. No cheater. All this time he’d been just the opposite, doing the honourable thing, however difficult, for the sake of his family.

  ‘And remember those women I flirt with in the taverna, right at the beginning of your holiday, after you fainted?’

  I thought for a moment and then nodded.

  ‘I know them well – they come back here three years now and are gay!’

  He laughed but instead – yes you’ve guessed it – my eyes filled up once more. ‘Oh, Niko … how could I have doubted you – so easily tossed away my gorgeous view of you from our childhood?’

  ‘I’ve always loved you, Pippa, and that last summer, when we were fourteen, seeing you stung by those jellyfish – it made me realise the depth of my feelings. It ignited a spark of romance. But I never thought you’d return. The summers passed without seeing you again.’

  My eyes tingled. ‘Couldn’t you have confided in me about your and Leila’s dilemma?’

  ‘No – because you and Grandma have always been so close, I worried you might confide in her. My behaviour must have seemed strange – especially as someone who not a brain person, who would bore you…’ He bit his lip and looked straight at me.

  ‘Oh God – please say you didn’t really believe I meant that. I know you’ve been angry and quite rightly, but… but in every way, you are more than a match for me. You see Sophia – your whole family – was counting so much on the wedding. She heard about us on the beach, with the policeman…. I think she thought I was leading you astray. I had to knock you back. Do the decent thing. Insulting your intelligence like that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I can’t think of anyone who would bore me less.’

  Gently, Niko ran his thumb across my cheek. ‘Mama told me tonight, after our announcement, that she’d heard about the policeman. I guessed that was why you backed off. Like me, you want to do the right thing. And of course…’ He grinned and poked me gently in the ribs. ‘There are lots of interesting things to learn about fishing.’ He leant close. ‘Like choosing the right bait… like reeling in a special catch…’

  I leant closer. ‘And I have lots of fascinating facts to tell you about the finance business – like how some people like to massage figures.’ We grinned and kissed again.

  ‘So this announcement?’ I said eventually, and smoothed down my hair.

  ‘Leila is going travelling – she has a job as an au pair, something she’s always dreamed of.’

  ‘And how did your family take it?’

  ‘Shocked. But, well, Grandma…’ He chuckled. ‘Remember when you little, she read your cup – said you would marry a foreign man? Grandma says that secretly she always knew you and me would get together.’

  ‘I assumed it was Henrik, what with him being half-Dutch.’ Talking of which… I looked at the departure board. The flight had left. Niko squeezed my hand.

  ‘Henrik is a generous man. We must invite him over, when he back in Kos. Let him see how Pippa’s Pantry is doing.’ Niko cleared his throat. ‘There is one more lie I have to admit to,’ he whispered as we finally drew apart. ‘I really do want to make fuck with you.’

  Through tears of joy, I giggled. ‘As long as you don’t call me Shirley Valentine.’

  ‘No…’ he said in a husky voice. ‘But one day I hope to call you Pippa Sotiropoulos.’

  If you enjoyed Game of Scones then you’ll love Samantha Tonge’s Doubting Abbey – available now.

  Turn the page for an exclusive sneak peek….

  Swapping downstairs for upstairs… How hard can it be!?

  Look up the phrase ordinary girl and you’ll see a picture of me, Gemma Goodwin – I only look half-decent after applying the entire contents of my make-up bag, and my dating track-record includes a man who treated me to dinner…at a kebab shop. No joke!

  The only extraordinary thing about me is that I look EXACTLY like my BFF, Abbey Croxley. Oh, and that for reasons I can’t explain, I’ve agreed to swap identities and pretend be her to star in the TV show about her aristocratic family’s country estate, Million Dollar Mansion.

  So now it’s not just my tan I’m faking – it’s Kate Middleton style demure hemlines and lady-like manners too. And amongst the hundreds of fusty etiquette rules I’m trying to cram into my head, there are two I really must remember; 1) No-one can ever find out that I’m just Gemma, who’d be more at home in the servants quarters. And 2) There can be absolutely no flirting with Abbey’s dishy but buttoned-up cousin, Lord Edward.

  Aaargh, this is going to be harder than I thought…

  LORD EDWARD’S E-DIARY

  Welcome to this blog. Your visit is appreciated. May I introduce myself – I am Lord Edward, the son of the Earl of Croxley. Our home, Applebridge Hall, is in the final of the Million Dollar Mansion competition. For regular updates of our progress, please do grace this blog with your presence.

  Monday 27th August

  7p.m. Good evening, readers. Finally I write my first entry. Do bear with me, as I am new to blogging, which I see as a modern twist on my ancestors’ habit of keeping journals. The programme-makers insist you will be interested in my thoughts on the competition, so I shall attempt to bring honesty and some perspective to this diary.

  Honest thought number one? Chaos has descended. The film crews arrived again today—cue a refresher course on camera and sound procedures. A national tabloid interviewed Father. To my irritation, the photographer suggested we both wore monocles and borrowed a cluster of the Queen’s corgis. Regardless of the fact I don’t know Her Majesty, my response equalled “over my dead body”.

  Some
perspective? I await a phone call from my, um, dear cousin, Abigail Croxley who, I’m sure, will confirm her intention to join us imminently. How we intend to beat the other finalist, the Baron of Marwick Castle, is still top secret. However, here is an exclusive clue: my cousin’s cooking knowledge will be an instrumental part of our tactics. I am very much looking forward to seeing her.

  Best bit of today? Right now, sitting by myself in our tranquil library.

  Worst? Gaynor, the director, handing me a DVD of Pride and Prejudice, along with a frilly white shirt and breeches. I made it quite clear that I am a down-to-earth gentleman who will never, under any circumstances, resemble some sort of romantic hero like Mr Darcy.

  Chapter 1

  Abbey was born to sophistication, whereas I was more Barbara than Buckingham Palace Windsor. The two of us had just got back from a goodbye lunch with our Pizza Parlour colleagues, and were standing in front of the bathroom mirror. Having toasted each of our redundancies, I felt a bit tiddly, but still sharp enough to realize this idea was bonkers.

  ‘Look, Abbey, I don’t know what’s behind this plan, but seriously…’ I smiled ‘…wise up. I could never trick people into thinking I was you, a member of the aristocracy. Ask me to mimic a…a pop star or footballer’s wife, then I’d give it a shot, but even then I dunno if I could live a lie for very long.’ With a grin, I shrugged. ‘Run this idea past me again.’ Perhaps I’d misheard.

  Abbey’s bottom lip quivered. ‘It’s…um, no joke, Gemma – please, pretend to be me. Just for two weeks.’ Her cheeks flushed. ‘Who else could I trust with such a mission?’

  My jaw dropped. ‘Are you out of your mind? You know I’d flog all my make-up and fave shoes on eBay if it meant helping you get out of a scrape… But this? Abbey, mate…’ My eyes narrowed for a second. ‘Marcus next door hasn’t given you one of his funny-smelling cigarettes has he?’