by Marnie Perry
‘Then they weren’t worth knowing, or getting to know, if a man can’t see beyond the alcoholic mother to the pretty, smart, funny, lovely young woman who is her daughter then that’s there loss. And my gain.’ He added with meaning.
She cast her eyes down but she was smiling well pleased as she said shyly, ‘you’re so silly.’
This time he didn’t laugh but said firmly, ‘can’t you just take a compliment in the spirit in which it’s given, genuinely and sincerely?’
She still looked doubtful but said, ‘okay.’
He chuckled, ‘so am I forgiven now?’
‘Of course. I’m sorry I reacted as I did, I should never have taken your laughter so personally.’
‘I’ve told you I understand.’
‘I know, and thank you.’
He smiled that bright ever so sexy smile and released her hands, ‘you’re welcome.’
Her hands felt suddenly cold and she wished he would cover them again with his own; she wanted to continue to feel that warm, tingly sensation.
So that he would not sense her reaction she said, ‘oh, and by the way, I don’t think they had welders in Shakespeare’s time.’
‘Carpenter then, whatever, it would have been a travesty.’
She laughed, relieved they were no longer talking serious stuff, and about her too. She seemed to have been the subject of most of the conversation tonight and subsequently learned hardly anything about him. He had skimmed over the subject of his family, his mother, his absent father, even the uncle whom he had lived with from a young age. He seemed to have very skilfully and successfully managed to steer the conversation back to her.
She had seen something in his eyes when he had held her gaze, an understanding, a rapport, an affinity. She had seen something else too and that was what had made her uncomfortable, but at the same time excited as she had never been before. She needed to get away from him for just a few minutes to clear her head.
She said rather shyly, ‘I must use the bathroom before we leave.’
He nodded and watched her as she walked towards the bathrooms well pleased with the way the evening was progressing.
CHAPTER 18.
He knew of course she was putting some distance between them, getting some breathing space to recover her equilibrium. He would have had to be blind or stupid to have missed the way she had looked at him, how her hands had trembled slightly in his, how her cheeks had flushed a rosy pink when he had started into her eyes. He had known enough women to recognise the signs of desire when he saw them. He was amused by it, and even more amused because he knew she was trying hard to suppress those desires. He felt like calling the waiter over and asking him to slap him on the back for his very skilful psychoanalyse of her. Although she was easy to read, it was obvious she was deeply affected by her upbringing.
He smiled to himself. If she had money, which he knew she had, she could have hired him to do away with the mother and rid herself of the bitch long ago. But then she might not have come here and he might not be earning the easiest five million bucks in history. She came walking back to the table and smiled at him, she sat down and picked up her wine. He asked if she would like coffee but she declined and added that she was enjoying the wine although he noticed she had only had one glass, if that.
He asked, ‘so you’ve definitely decided that Gulfport is next on your list of places to see in more detail?’
‘Oh yes, I’m going to come tomorrow, I think I’ll get the bus. The Carters, that’s the family who are staying in the cabin opposite mine, often come here for the beach etcetera and they usually get the bus in, so that’s what I’ll do.’
‘You like the bus?’
‘Oh yes, you see so much and people talk to one another, it’s a revelation.’
He laughed, ‘don’t people in England talk to one another?’
‘Yes of course, but rarely on the bus. In fact people generally look for a seat as far away from everyone else as possible.’
‘Strange. The bus here is a way to find out what’s going in case there’s something you might have missed, someone else always knows something you don’t.’
‘I know, that’s why I like it, plus the accent of course.’
‘Thanks.’
She laughed. He said, ‘would it be too presumptuous of me to invite myself on your explorations tomorrow. It’s been a long time since I spent any time in Gulfport; I used to love it as a kid.’
As usual she was amazed that this man wanted to spend time with her, what’s more he always asked if he could as though it was important to him. She said, ‘of course not, I mean of course it’s not presumptuous, I would love some company, especially someone who knows the area.’
‘Again, nice to be of use.’
‘Oh don’t start, you know what I mean.’
He laughed, ‘I could pick you up in the car, unless you really want to travel by bus.’
‘Oh the car would be nice, we could explore other places then without having to look at bus timetables.'
‘The car it is then. I’ll call for you at your cabin at…nine again?’
‘Yes, thank you. Oh no, wait, I promised to call on Dean in the morning, to have tea with him.’
She might have been mistaken but she could have sworn she saw real anger in his face; it was just for a moment before it was completely gone. But she didn’t imagine the tightening of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes. But he said quite calmly, ‘all right, where and what time?’
‘Say ten, outside the bookstore?'
He nodded, ‘okay.’ He took out his wallet and said, ‘are you ready to leave?’
She looked at her watch, ‘gosh, is that the time? Where has the evening gone? The company must be better than I thought.’
He smiled but she could tell it was a little strained. He waved his hand and the waiter came hurrying over. Adele marvelled at how sure Hennessey was of himself, how he just seemed to know that the waiter would come running the instant he raised his hand. She half expected him to snap his fingers but of course he didn’t. She was usually wary of confident, self possessed people, not being one herself they made her feel intimidated and timid in comparison, but he had not made her feel that way, he had made her feel daring and a little audacious. But his confidence did not make him arrogant on the contrary he had seemed very laid back and good humoured.
Hennessey gave the waiter a card and he disappeared with it, coming back a few minutes later with a receipt and said, ‘I hope the meal was to your satisfaction, sir,’ he looked at Adela, ‘madam.’
She assured him that it had been delicious and Hennessey said, ‘yes, fine.’
She picked up her bag and shawl and they walked down the restaurant amid more appreciative glances towards Hennessey from the female patrons.
Outside they walked in silence until she asked, ‘is something wrong?’
He glanced at her, ‘no, why?’
‘I just thought you seemed a little quiet those last few minutes in the restaurant. I wondered if I’d upset you.’ Of course she knew the exact moment he had become withdrawn it was when she had mentioned having tea with Dean Maxwell.
‘I’m not upset.’
‘Well, maybe not upset, but you suddenly seemed to tense when I mentioned Dean Maxwell. Look, I know you don’t like him but…
He stopped walking and turned to her, ‘you’re right, I don’t like him, but if you do that’s your prerogative, as is who you have tea with.’
She felt her face flush, she knew he had thought she was hinting that he was jealous of Dean, but she hadn’t meant that at all, she would never for a moment imagine that a man like Sterling Hennessey would be romantically interested in her, why would he be? Why would Dean Maxwell come to that? She stammered, ‘I didn’t mean, I never thought that you…’ She broke off lowered her eyes and walked away.
He let her walk on alone then he followed. He caught her by the arm bringing her to a halt. He said, ‘I’m sorry, it’s just,’ he
gave an exaggerated sigh, 'it’s just that I’ve been around and I know men like Dean Maxwell, they seem all friendly and sociable and jovial on the surface but underneath they have hidden agendas.’
She frowned, ‘hidden agendas?’
‘Yes. I could see last night in the bar what he was thinking, he didn’t like me being there because that was when he was going to make his move.’
‘His move?’ Her voice was a mere whisper.
‘Yes. He knows that you’re here alone, he knows that you like company and chat. He ply’s you with tea, invites you to the bar and talks about one of your favourite subjects, books, he even owns a bookstore. He’ll get you to trust him then he can take whatever he wants from you without any of the usual encumbrances that go with it, like courtship or marriage. You’ll just go back home remembering you had a nice time with a man who cared about you for a while. But to him you’ll be just another notch on his bookshelf, out of his mind and out of his thoughts, just another conquest.’ Of course he was talking about himself but he also knew that Dean Maxwell was not the charming, affable guy he made out to be, he knew people well enough to spot a shallow user when he saw one, after all, he was one too.
Rarely had she been so stunned, ‘Dean isn’t like that. And anyway, even if he was why would he be interested in me?’
‘There you go again, putting yourself down, thinking that no man could ever find you attractive, find you sexy or alluring.’ Without her noticing he had moved closer to her so that she could feel his breath on her face.
She swallowed hard obviously flustered, ‘I…I’m not sexy, or alluring, you…you’re being silly again.’
He smiled a slow soft smile that took her breath away. ‘No, not this time.’
They looked deeply into each other's eyes. Adela’s heart was beating uncomfortably fast then faster still as he leaned very slowly towards her until his lips were a hair’s breath from hers. Suddenly she recalled a significant sentence in his damning little speech about Dean Maxwell. She drew back and he noticed her eyes change from anticipation and hope, as well as a little fear, to accusation. She said, ‘so what you said about Dean being interested in me for only one thing, if that is true then it follows that it also applies to me doesn’t it.’
He frowned, ‘what do you mean?’
‘Well you obviously assume that he’s a Lothario,' she said scathingly, so I must be some sort of fly- by -night who would sleep with a man then move on. You must have a very low opinion of me too, Mr. Hennessey. Or maybe you think that of women in general.’
His eyes widened at her words and her anger, well maybe not anger as he knew it, but she was certainly annoyed with him. He said, ‘I think nothing of the sort, not of you and not of women in general. But Maxwell is a charmer,’ he smiled sardonically, ‘a Lothario. I know his type.’
‘Perhaps because you’re one too and you recognise a like mind.’
He stared at her in amazement then smiled a wicked smile, ‘perhaps.’
She stared back and he could see the annoyance turning to disappointment then to hurt before she turned and walked away.
He followed her and walked beside her. He said, ‘look, that was a joke, what I just said. I’m not like Maxwell, I don’t use women, I have great respect for them, and for you. And I don’t believe for one instant that you’re a fly- by –night. I said before you’re a very decent and moral person, who would never settle for a one night stand.’
She ignored him or at least didn’t acknowledge him nor did she slow her pace, so once again he grabbed her arm and swung her round to face him. He said firmly, ‘it’s because I think you’re those things that I worry about you. Maxwell might lead you to think that there would be a future for you both; he might even tell you so. You’ve said yourself you wanted to get away from home, from the bad memories there, you might be led to believe that your future is here…with Maxwell. It wouldn’t take a mind reader to know that you’re inexperienced in the ways of the world, in the ways of men. I just…I just don’t want you to be hurt, that’s all.’ He prided himself on the sincerity in his voice, it sounded genuine even to him.
She looked back at him and said with feeling, ‘I may be inexperienced in the ways of men but I’m not completely unaware of what goes on in the world, and I’m not a gullible fool either,’ she let her annoyance get the better of her and before she could stop herself she added, ‘you’re the second person since I’ve been in this country to tell me I’m inexperienced of the ways of the world.’
Adela could have kicked herself. She knew of course that he would know nothing about Olivia, but any mention of her association with her made her nervous and wary and she worried that it made her seem as though she had something to hide. It was irrational verging on paranoia she knew, but she felt it anyway.
He narrowed his eyes and waited for her to continue but she didn’t. He prompted, ‘oh?’
She didn’t reply but looked away,
He sighed again and said, ‘that’s the second time I’ve made you mad at me tonight, and I’m very sorry if I’ve made you angry or hurt you.'
She raised her eyes to his and let out a prolonged sigh, ‘no, don’t be sorry, you told me the truth as you saw it, it’s nice that you care enough to do that. But I’m really not interested in Dean Maxwell in…in that way.’
He grinned, ‘I’m very pleased and relieved to hear that.’ That much was true.
She gave him a confused look that only a real innocent could give, ‘relieved?’
‘Yes, relieved,’ he took her hand in his and stroked it softly, ‘because…and I have to tell you this…I’m jealous of that damn guy.’
She looked uncomfortable, ‘j…jealous?’
He laughed, ‘do you know since the start of this conversation you’ve repeated the last word of almost everything I’ve said, it gives a whole new meaning to having the last word.’
The tension was broken and she laughed. He knew she now thought he had been kidding about being jealous that he was just flirting with her and she could handle that better than his being jealous. He said, ‘aren’t you going to tell me I’m being silly?’
‘Why tell you what you know already.’
He laughed out loud and she joined in. After the laughter died down he said, ‘I know what we’ll do in preparation for tomorrow.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes, I’ll take you for a walk on the beach.’
‘In the dark?’
‘No better time to see the sea.’
She giggled and he smiled at her. Giggling even from little schoolgirls had always irritated him; it was one of those traits particular to women that they thought feminine and coy. But with this woman it didn’t irritate him, it made him smile and that irritated him.
He said ‘come on.’
Before she could protest, if indeed she was about too. He took her hand and escorted her across the street to the beach; she had to take off her shoes because of the heels and the sand was warm beneath her feet, the breeze cool and steady. The stars shone in the Gulf sky like diamonds. It was lovely. They walked along in companionable silence for a while until he said, ‘you do know don’t you that I meant no insult by what I said back there?’
‘To me or to Dean Maxwell?’
‘Don’t start.’
She laughed, ‘of course I know. I’m very tetchy sometimes.’
‘I’m sure you’re not, you’re the most easy going person I think I’ve ever met.’ That much was true anyway.
‘As I’ve said before you don’t really know me do you, I could have six husbands or be a criminal on the run from Scotland Yard before all you know.’
‘Now that sounds exciting.’
‘Yes, having six husbands is very exciting.’
He looked sideways at her and narrowed his eyes. She laughed. He said, ‘no, the criminal part, I might go on the run with you. I know lots of places in Mississippi we could hide out.’
‘Or I could come to Denmark with you, dye my hair
blonde.’
‘I’d appreciate the company, but not the hair dying, your hair is beautiful just as it is.’
More truth from the world’s biggest liar, he just might get into heaven yet.
He couldn’t see her face to well in the dark but knew she was blushing and waited for her to say don’t be silly. She didn’t she said, ‘you’re an idiot.’
He laughed, ‘maybe, but I’m not blind.’
She turned to him and studied his face looking for the lie, apparently she didn’t find it because she said shyly, ‘thank you.’
‘No need to keep thanking me for speaking the truth. Maybe you should learn to take a compliment for what it is.’
She looked away. My God he thought that mother of her’s certainly did a number on her, she didn’t believe there was anything good or nice about herself. He said, ‘you said before that I was the second person since you’ve been here to tell you that you are innocent of the ways of the world, do you mind if I ask who the other jerk was?’
Her smile was forced and nervous. Ah he thought, so Desi had said that had she. She must have told her sorry tale and Miss. Soft Heart had been shocked senseless and Desi had told her she knew nothing of the evil that men do and Desi had obligingly opened her eyes for her. As he would soon enough.
She said, ‘oh, just someone I was chatting to in Alabama.’
‘Jonas Lando?’
She hesitated a second or two then said, ‘er, yes, that’s right.’ She silently asked Jonas Lando to forgive her for using him in that way.
Hennessey was thinking, oh but you’re a really, really bad liar, Miss. Faraday, so much for hating to deceive anyone.
‘Well he obviously knew less about you than you say I do.’
She looked sharply at him but said nothing and they walked on in silence for a while. They saw other couples on the beach, some laughing and chatting, some silently holding hands lost in each other. There was music coming from a little way down the beach where people were having a party of some kind, Adela could smell food cooking. Hennessey said, ‘they often have picnics here in the evening time, they sometimes go on into the early hours. They catch crawfish and other sea food and cook it there and eat and drink beer.’
