Once Bitten

by Oliver, Marina

  She forgot her suspicions when they reached the house Justin wanted to see. It had been built in the 1930s, by an American architect.

  'It's ugly,' was Judy's first reaction.

  It was like a pile of blocks built higgledy piggledy on the side of a steep hill, with windows scattered haphazardly in the walls.

  Justin laughed. 'It was the modern style. Partly this was a result of a lack of good oak for building, and the need to use new materials, but also it was a deliberate attempt to get away from the fashion of recreating old styles. Think of the pseudo-Tudor black and white or the mock-Georgian, like the one we are living in.'

  'That's only recently been built, it wasn't built in the thirties,' Judy pointed out.

  'No, but many houses like it were built, and the fashion is still with us.'

  'If the design is good, practical and looks good, why not? They are even building mock-Victorian terraces, with several floors, but incorporating a garage in the ground floor to cater for modern requirements.'

  'Yes, what you say is right, and maybe all the best designs have been done before. The only innovation today seems to be in the interior layout. It's partly why I prefer to work on bigger projects, hotels and community centres. There's more scope for innovation. But let's go inside. From what I've read and been told about it I think that will astonish you.'

  Judy had to admit it did, and she found it far more pleasing than the exterior had been. There were odd staircases connecting the various levels, but it was light and airy, and though from outside the blocks had appeared all the same size and shape, they had been connected to make larger rooms, if sometimes rather oddly shaped. The decoration with bright colours and murals on several of the walls was startling, but not unpleasant. A route was mapped out with arrows on the floor, and Judy laughed and said it was essential, or she would never have found her way.

  'I wouldn't like to live here, though,' Judy said as they reached the end of the tour. 'It's too busy, and confusing. I prefer my decoration to be more muted, soft colours on the walls so that any pictures can be seen without distraction.'

  'Next time we must go to one of the old castles, then,' Justin said. 'Let's go home. Those dogs have been very patient, being left in the car.'

  *

  A strange car was sitting in Sadie's driveway when they reached Cherry Tree Close. Justin heard Judy's gasp of dismay and glanced at her as he switched off the engine.

  'What is it?'

  'That's Mark's car,' she said, whispering as though she could be heard in the next house. She was pale and shivering.

  'It's the first time he's brought it into the Close, as far as I know,' Justin said. 'I wonder if he is staying, or simply visiting? Well, we'll soon find out. Come on, let's get these dogs inside.'

  Judy almost ran to the front door while he dealt with the dogs and locked the car. She was in the hallway, trembling, and he put his arm round her shoulders, hugging her to him.

  'It's OK, Judy, he's not here. Don't worry, I've put the chain on the door, he can't get in. Why don't you put the kettle on? And feed these dogs? They are doing all they can to tell us how starved they are. I'm going up to change.'

  She took a deep breath and stepped away from him.

  'Thanks. I'm being stupid. Right, kettle, dog food. Come on, pooches!'

  By the time he came downstairs she had recovered her composure. He didn't tell her he had been searching the bedrooms, on the very faint chance Mark had somehow entered the house while they were out.

  Judy began to tell him of some ideas she had for new designs, based on the house they had seen that day and all the different architectural styles they had talked about. Later, as they ate freezer meals she expanded on the idea, and even had a rough sketch of Fay's house as a model to demonstrate what she meant.

  'People could have drawings of their houses, individually designed Christmas cards, or compliments slips, even place mats, and if I can find a good way of printing on linen, I could supply matching napkins too. I wonder if Susie could do these? I haven't seen any at her place, but it must be possible if they don't need lots of new expensive machinery.'

  She had, he was thankful to see, recovered her composure with the inspiration of work.

  Later, tossing restlessly in bed, Justin thought back over the day. Judy had been an ideal companion. She had sensible ideas, opinions of her own, yet she had been content to walk in companionable silence without feeling the need to chatter as Barbara had.

  He reminded himself forcibly that he did not want any new romantic entanglement. He liked Judy, and they had been thrown together in rather unusual circumstances, but he must keep his distance. For her sake as well as his. She had been badly hurt, and he must not do anything to add to that hurt. He admitted he felt affection for her, but it was, wasn't it, a brotherly feeling? He must make sure it remained that way.

  For a brief while he wondered whether he should leave, but immediately rejected the idea. While Mark was in the vicinity, and showing signs of aggression, he could not leave Judy alone. Should he indicate he had a new girlfriend? That, however, would not convince Judy, for he had been open with her about the hurt Barbara's defection had caused him. And even if she believed him, he somehow did not wish to appear fickle in her eyes.

  He would have to steer a very cautious path between support for Judy and a cool friendliness. He must also try to discover what Mark intended. Ken apparently knew him well, so perhaps when he took the dogs out he could manage to meet Ken and persuade the man to tell him Mark's plans. So garrulous a man as Ken would surely know, or be eager to find out.

  ***

  Chapter 5

  To Judy's intense relief Mark's car had gone the following morning.

  'Was it there all night?' she asked Justin as she made coffee.

  'I didn't see. My room looks out over the back.'

  'And I didn't think to look.'

  'We can ask Ken if we meet him out with the dogs.'

  'I'm sure he'll know,' Judy said. 'He's the Close gossip.'

  'You sound more relaxed,' Justin commented.

  Judy gave a shamefaced grin.

  'I'm sorry I was such a wimp yesterday. I was startled, seeing his car when I assumed he'd left the area.'

  'You must still be careful.'

  'I will, but I need to do some shopping. We're almost out of milk as well as other things. I can go to the big supermarket. Surely, even if Mark is there, he won't try to kidnap me.'

  Justin protested, but Judy, her confidence restored, insisted she was not afraid, and could not depend on him to protect her for the rest of the time she spent in Cherry Tree Close. He finally accepted, but came to the front door to see her safely into her car, reminding her to keep the car doors locked until she was safely amongst the shoppers in the supermarket car park.

  Judy confessed to herself she was apprehensive, but she managed to find a parking slot close to the entrance, and after a careful look round she slid out of the car and made a dash for the shop. There was no sign of Mark, but when, in the aisle where Judy was choosing biscuits, she heard her name called, she dropped the biscuits she had just selected and swung round in a panic.

  She found Magda Tibbetts looking at her in concern.

  'Judy, my dear! I'm so sorry if I startled you. Is anything the matter? You looked scared to death.'

  'I – yes, I was thinking of something else. Sorry,' Judy managed, and bent down to pick up the packets of biscuits. She felt ashamed of her nervousness. If only she had kept her wits about her she would have realised it was a woman's voice, not Mark's.

  Magda still looked worried, but Judy, her thoughts in a whirl, resisted the temptation to confide in her. If she told Ken, and he told Mark, as he surely would, she would feel even more vulnerable than she did already. When she woke that morning she had resolved to be brave. Really, she told herself, however angry Mark was, he was unlikely to hurt her. He had never shown any tendency towards violence before. Yet however much she tried to con
vince herself she still shivered when she thought of his clenched fists, and the furious expression on his face. It wasn't the Mark she knew.

  'Come and have a coffee with me. I've finished my shopping, when I've paid for it we can sit and relax for a bit. You're far too jumpy to drive yet.'

  Judy nodded. 'I've finished now. I'd like that.'

  If she kept close to Magda when she went back to her car she would be safe. Judy shook her head. She was being foolish. There were plenty of other people around, and no sign of Mark.

  As they settled down with coffee and croissants in the small café attached to the supermarket, Judy forced herself to be calm. Magda was frowning, so Judy took a deep breath and began to say how much she had enjoyed the barbecue, meeting everyone.

  'We like entertaining. Justin told Ken how you both happened to be at Fay's house. I understand you didn't know one another previously. It must have been such a shock to find a stranger there when you arrived.'

  Judy explained how Justin's flat was rented out, and he had returned early from a job abroad to find his temporary flat uninhabitable. Paul didn't tell Fay, and must have forgotten she was coming.

  'It's only for a couple more weeks, so it seemed silly for him to look for somewhere else. And I didn't want to go back to Manchester yet.'

  'Fay told me you're an artist. She's very proud of you. Do you have any of your paintings here?'

  'I don't think I'm that sort of artist,' Judy said, laughing. 'I design greetings cards, it's very commercial. No starving in a garret while I live for my art! If someone wants a picture of their cat I oblige.'

  'I'd love to see some. You have a website, I think?'

  Judy made up her mind. She liked Magda, but apart from that she might also find out from her what Mark intended, since he and Ken were friendly.

  'Yes, but why don't you come over and have a cup of tea this afternoon, and I'll show you the new ones that aren't yet on the web? I'd appreciate your opinion.'

  *

  Justin managed to push worries about Judy to the back of his mind, while he wrote his much delayed report on the leisure complex. Then he loaded the photos he'd taken of the house they'd seen onto his computer. He was planning to write an article about it for an architectural magazine, and he began to rough it out. He was so absorbed it took some time before he realised the telephone was ringing. He reached the instrument in the hall just as it stopped. Frowning at it, he decided if it were important they would ring again.

  Then he noticed the time. Judy had been gone longer than he'd expected, and he was just about to ring her mobile when he heard her car. He opened the front door and went to carry in her shopping. She looked relaxed and cheerful, and gave him a smile that looked carefree. She seemed to have got over her nervousness. He glanced towards Sadie's house, but Mark's car was not there.

  'I met Magda in the supermarket, we went to have a coffee and I've asked her for tea this afternoon,' Judy said as she locked the car and followed him into the house. 'She may know through Ken what Mark's doing. Have you seen him?'

  'No, I've been working. But it's almost lunchtime, and I've broken off. There is some salad left, I think, or do you prefer a sandwich or something on toast?'

  'Too hot for anything but salad, but afterwards I will make some scones. I can't offer Magda nothing but shop biscuits.'

  'You're a cook as well as an artist?'

  'That's one way I score over Fay. All her cakes somehow managed to get burnt, however careful she was.'

  They had just sat down at the kitchen table when the telephone shrilled. Judy's air of cheerfulness vanished. She was not as relaxed as she had seemed.

  'I'll go,' Justin said. 'It's for you,' he said a moment later. 'Brookes and something, I didn't catch the other name.'

  'That's my estate agent in Manchester,' Judy said as she went out into the hall. 'I hope it's good news.'

  She came back a few minutes later looking dazed.

  'They've had an offer for my flat. I can scarcely believe it. The market has been so dead.'

  'Congratulations.That is good news. Is it good enough? Will you accept?'

  Judy nodded. 'It's almost the asking price, but there's a condition. The buyer is someone coming back from a job abroad, and they want to move in as soon as possible. I'll have to go back tomorrow and try to find somewhere to store my things. Do you mind if I leave you to look after the dogs?'

  'Of course not.'

  He found he did mind, not being left with the dogs, but being left without Judy's company.

  She was frowning.

  'I promised to show Magda my cards. I need to print off a few I didn't do the other day.'

  'Then eat your lunch, and go off and do it now. I'll bring you some coffee. And forget the scones. Magda won't miss them.'

  *

  Magda was silent as she looked through the folder of cards Judy gave her. It had been a mixed selection, exhibiting all the techniques and materials Judy used, but Judy had not wanted to put out too many in case Magda became bored, just a sample of each type. She clearly was not bored. As she closed the folder she looked across at Judy and uttered a simple 'Wow!'

  Judy grinned in relief. She knew she was a good artist, had been told so by many people, but any praise was always welcome.

  'I must look at the rest some other time,' Magda said, and Judy felt a faint twinge of disappointment.

  She scolded herself for being greedy for praise, but it was seldom she received it face to face, as most of her business was done over the Internet, and she rarely met her customers.

  Magda was frowning, then she looked up at Judy and nodded.

  'Yes, there is still time,' she said, almost to herself.

  'Time for what?' Justin asked.

  'If we do it straight away, we can book a stall. The craft fair,' she added, laughing at their bewildered expressions. 'Of course, you're both new here, you won't have heard of it. But haven't you seen any of the posters? They seem to be all over the place.'

  'I saw something,' Justin said, 'But we haven't been out much. What craft fair?'

  'It's held in the next village, just a short distance away. You won't know it. But if Judy took a stall there she would sell lots of cards, especially now, when people are looking for unusual Christmas cards.'

  'Christmas cards?' Justin asked. 'Isn't it too early for them? It's only August.'

  'Yes, but they are already being sold in some of the shops, and Judy could take orders, personally printed cards, or offer to do portraits of people's pets or houses. You'd have time to do them, wouldn't you?'

  Judy had been sitting silently, considering this new possibility. She looked from Magda to Justin, both of them nodding.

  'Have I time to get a display ready?' she asked. 'I'd love to do it, but I don't have much stock, just a few samples. Even back at home I don't keep hundreds of cards around.'

  'How do you deal with orders, then?' Magda asked.

  'I keep enough in hand for small orders. They are mostly in Manchester though. If it's more, such as for Christmas cards, I have them printed by a friend who owns a print shop. But that would be expensive, to have a lot printed just on the off chance of selling large quantities.'

  'Don't worry about the cost,' Justin said. 'If necessary I'll invest some money in you.'

  'I can't let you do that!' Judy said quickly. 'I don't want favours.'

  'Don't be silly. It's not a favour. I said invest, and that was what I meant. It will be a good start to your business. You can pay me a dividend, if you want to. But in a short while you will have the money from your flat sale. You can repay me then if you prefer, call it a loan. And you can collect your existing stock when you go to clear out your flat.'

  'Good, then that's settled,' Magda said. 'If you don't have a stock of what they want half the time people will move away and forget. I will book a stall. I know the organisers, and will make sure they give you a prominent one. I'll do all the organising, getting tables and so on, and you need conce
ntrate just on getting lots of cards ready. Have plenty printed of your best selling ones, and samples of the others. We can display them on boards. I have some of those tall display boards I can borrow from the office, to put at the back of the stall. And if you let me, I'll come and do the business, the selling, taking orders and so on. Are your cards numbered, or do we have to identify them by the titles or the pictures?'

  'I – I never thought of numbering,' Judy stammered. 'I never thought I had enough to make a catalogue.'

  'I can sort that out,' Justin said, laughing slightly, 'or you two ladies will leave me with nothing to do.'

  'A catalogue. That's something else. Even if they don't buy cards they can be given a freebie to remind them. A few orders from that will pay for the cost of printing. Justin, you are on holiday, aren't you?'

  He nodded. 'Yes, for a couple more weeks. I can hold off going back to work till after the craft fair.'

  'Good, then if you can manipulate any of these computer programs that deal with pictures, you can compile a catalogue, we'll have lots printed, and give them away to anyone who looks interested. The sales from them will cover the cost of printing.'

  Judy went to bed that night too excited and apprehensive to sleep. What had she permitted Magda's and Justin's enthusiasm, and faith in her, to do? Somehow she had to justify their faith in her, so she began to plan which of her pictures would sell best, which she wanted to include in a catalogue, and firmly dismissed all thoughts of how much it would all cost if, horrors, the sale of the flat fell through. She finally went to sleep on the thought that when, or if, it did, she would be free of Mark and could move somewhere he would not be able to find her.

  *

  When she woke, feeling groggy, and forced herself into the shower, her mind was still reeling with plans for the craft fair, and it was with a slight shock she recalled she was going to Manchester that day to pack up her flat. She took a deep breath and turned the shower to cold in the hope of waking herself up.