Honorable Intentions

by Pauline Saull

  “Lilian’s right about us needing that extra half page in the paper, Suzy.” Ann looked up from the draft sheet she was working on. “Even cutting down on the text won’t make much difference to space. It’s really tight.”

  “I’m delighted to hear it.” Suzy laughed. Frankly, she found it amazing. Simply by adding the Mason name to her father’s ailing agency there was this sudden surge of very welcome business. And on top of that all her preconceived ideas about Jake Mason had been turned upside down. He had vision, stamina, an enquiring mind and boundless energy in his professional life. What she found herself wondering was he like in private?

  Chapter Seven

  Porterhouse was almost continually busy. When Suzy wasn’t out looking to sign up new listings, she was busy negotiating contracts and loving the fact that she was practically never still. Brian was also enjoying the work load, accepting everything which came his way with enthusiasm.

  “I can’t imagine sitting at home now,” Lilian said keenly. “I’m thriving in this hectic environment. It’s a pleasure coming to work.”

  Ann laughed. “Me too.”

  And Ann was the one who amazed Suzy the most. Having taken on the difficult and sometimes frustrating advertising task, she had effortlessly turned it into a job she obviously took great pride in. Their page and a half in the local paper looked extremely good and read so well. Ann had shown herself to be a wizard with beguiling, descriptive words and used the official photographer’s shots with excellent results. She’d also shown an interest in the intricacies of signing up new listings and had asked to start accompanying Suzy whenever possible.

  Since the day at the site Suzy hadn’t set eyes on Jake, missing him when he had called in one day to leave the promised plans in the office for her. A short note attached told her she could start buying furnishings for the show houses, as by the end of August one thatched cottage, a semi, and a larger family home would be ready. This excited Suzy. She had never given thought to design before she’d tackled the office. As for her own small cottage…well, she’d hardly done anything with it. But for Jake’s properties, she really wanted to get the interiors right, and already had plenty of ideas floating around inside her head.

  She discussed a few ideas with Lilian. “I want him to be pleased with what I do,” she said. “It’s important.”

  Lilian looked at her. “I’ve found him very easy to please, a most amenable man. I’m sure you’ll have no problems.”

  »»•««

  At home that evening Suzy had a call from her parents.

  “Darling,” her mum said loudly. “We’ve decided to stay on in Spain a week longer. It’s quite exciting. We think we’ve found something we could both be very happy with. It’s a small villa on the outskirts of Almeria, something we can easily afford once the house sale goes through. What do you think of that?”

  “It’s great, Mum. All that sunshine, no freezing winters. Lovely. Go for it.”

  “Have you had any interest in our house yet?”

  “I’m hoping for an offer tomorrow, Mum. The couple seem dead keen and want a quick transaction. I’ll let you know as soon as it happens.”

  “Wonderful. And is everything working out all right for you, dear? Dad did worry for a while, but I told him off.”

  “It is, Mum. Better than I thought.” Suzy pulled the telephone out onto the patio at the back of her cottage, and before sitting on one of the wrought iron chairs, moved it into the sun. She suddenly felt shivery.

  “I’m actually going to be in charge of the interior design of that new site I told you about. I’m looking forward to it more than I could ever have imagined.”

  “And Jake Mason. Are you managing to get along with him?”

  “Well,” Suzy said as she pushed her hair back, “I don’t see that much of him, but when I do, assure Dad that I am civil and polite with him. We sort of rub along.”

  “Good. Now, Dad and I were thinking, if you can get a few days away, why don’t you fly over, maybe the Bank Holiday weekend? We should hopefully be settled in then.”

  “Perhaps, Mum. I have such a lot on at the moment.” Suzy felt the dull throb over her temple which had started moments before begin to worsen, and shivering again, pulled her cardigan around her. “I’ll see what I can sort out,” she said. “Leave it with me.”

  After the call finished she went back inside, closing and locking the door. Talking had made her throat feel really sore and it hurt when she swallowed, as though something was well and truly stuck there.

  She thought a soak in a hot bath would be just the thing. It was early in the evening but the thought of bed after lying in the steaming bath was too beguiling. She soaked in water as hot as she could bear, which unfortunately did nothing to ease her throbbing headache and aching body. She eventually pulled the plug, climbed out, dried off, and crawled between the bed sheets gratefully.

  In a fitful sleep of nightmarish dreams, Suzy tossed and turned. Her body appeared to be on fire, yet still she shivered, waking to pull the duvet around her, longing to get up for a cold drink to ease her throat, but not having the energy to do it. When dawn broke she felt no better. Staggering into the bathroom she located the last of two aspirins, quickly swilling them down with a glass of water before crawling back into bed. Her head felt as if it were about to burst.

  She had no idea of the time when she heard the phone downstairs ringing, but couldn’t have roused herself to answer it anyway. She had never felt so dreadful in her life. After a few minutes, her cell phone rang on the bedside table, and reaching out from the depths of the duvet, she dragged the phone under.

  “Hello,” she croaked huskily.

  “Suzy?” Lilian said with some alarm. “Are you all right? Though that’s a silly question as you obviously don’t sound it.”

  “I don’t feel at all well. What time is it?”

  “Almost noon. I became worried when you didn’t show up at the Stanning’s place.”

  “Oh, no!”

  “Suzy,” Lilian said with authority. “It’s no big deal, Brian went instead and they’ve signed with him, but whatever is wrong, dear?”

  “A fever. I’ll be all right when I’ve slept it off. I should be in tomorrow.”

  “Mm, I don’t know about that. Do you need anything?”

  “Lilian, I would love something to take this dreadful headache away, and my throat is so sore. There’s nothing here, I had the last two aspirins last night.”

  “I’m on my way. Can you let me in?”

  “There’s a key hanging behind my sign, the one with a duck on it which says, WELCOME,” Suzy said.

  Closing the phone she quickly drifted into a restless sleep and before long the sound of a car on the gravel beneath her window pulled her back into part consciousness. Hearing the opening and closing of her front door, she felt a huge stirring of relief―painkillers; at last, something to take the dreadful feeling away and ease her aching bones and sore muscles.

  Hearing the bedroom door open quietly, Suzy poked her head out from the depths of the duvet, struggling to focus on the figure approaching her bed.

  I’m still hallucinating, she thought, as Jake’s face appeared in her line of vision.

  “Hi there,” he said quietly. “Lilian was concerned, said you sounded in a bad way with a fever and she was coming over with some stuff for you. The office is so busy I said I’d come instead. I’ve raided the chemist.” He held out a carrier bag.

  “Ooh!” Blearily, Suzy looked up at him. Never had she felt so wretched and disgustingly ill, and Jake Mason was here to witness it. He, looking fresh and healthy, laid a tentative, cool hand on her forehead.

  “Wow,” he said. “That would fry an egg.”

  “Oh,” moaned Suzy again, sliding under the covers. She wanted to die. Even in the depths of the misery of a good dose of what she now felt certain was the flu, she was mortified he should see her like this. He’d disappeared briefly. She heard him run downstairs. He was qui
ckly back.

  “Can you sit up, Suzy?” He tapped the duvet.

  Pulling herself from its warmth Suzy hauled herself up. Jake held out a glass of orange juice and two tablets. “Take them,” he ordered.

  She popped the pills in her mouth and he held the glass steady as she emptied it. He then spoon fed her some liquid from a bottle. “How long have you been burning up?” He pushed her damp hair back.

  She coughed miserably. “It started last night. I’m so cold. Every bone in my body aches,” she said, barely audibly. Her throat felt like sandpaper. “Thank you.” And closing her eyes she slipped back under the covers.

  Vaguely aware he was still in the room, Suzy lay huddled in a ball listening as cupboards were opened and closed. Suddenly, feeling the comforting weight of blankets over her, she sighed softly, and within minutes was fast asleep.

  »»•««

  Suzy opened her eyes, lay still in the cocoon of her duvet, and considered how she was feeling. Her head wasn’t hurting quite so much, though her throat was still sore. Blissfully, the fever appeared to have abated somewhat, which wasn’t surprising considering that her sheets were uncomfortably damp. The T-shirt she’d slept in clung to her making her feel chilly, and she made the effort to get up. The bedding would have to be changed.

  What time was it?

  Pushing the duvet back she sniffed. A tantalizing aroma coming from downstairs found its way into her clogged nostrils.

  Who was here now? When had Jake gone? Flinging her arm out to reach for the clock, she knocked it onto the floor. Immediately, footsteps pounded up the stairs and the bedroom door flung open. To her absolute embarrassment, Jake rushed in.

  “Oh, no.” She sank back on the pillow.

  “Aha!” he said. “I thought you’d fallen out of bed. How are you feeling now?”

  He placed his hand on her damp forehead as she looked up at him.

  “Fever’s gone,” he said with a pleased smile. “You’ve slept for two hours. Good.”

  “You’re still here?” she said unnecessarily.

  “I wasn’t happy leaving you alone in that state.”

  Suzy bit her lip. “Well, thank you. You’ve been very kind, but I’m fine now. In fact I think I’ll get up, I feel in need of a hot bath and change of bed linen.”

  “Mm.” He studied her thoughtfully. “You’re in the midst of a bad dose of flu, Suzy. You’ll be really weakened by it. So…” Jake collected her dressing gown from the hook behind the door. “Would you let me run a bath for you and stay within earshot?”

  She felt totally unable to summon up an argument, and after all what was the point? She nodded. “Thank you,” she said in a small voice.

  Jake smiled, whistling as he went off to the bathroom. She heard the welcome sound of water filling her tub. Although she hated to admit he was right, when she put her feet to the floor, her legs suddenly turned to jelly.

  Apart from facing an undignified crawl on all fours across to the bathroom, she had no choice but to await his help.

  And so, sweaty, wobbly, hair plastered to her head, feeling as weak as a kitten, Suzy was half walked, half carried by her boss into the bathroom.

  “I can manage now, thank you,” she said. The door closed and Suzy stripped off her T-shirt and underwear, throwing them on the tiled floor where they landed with a wet slap. She climbed carefully into the hot scented water and immersed herself with a deep contented sigh. Lying back, she dipped her head under and shampooed her hair.

  Feeling a little better, enveloped in a cloud of perfumed steam with her head supported against the end of the bath, she thought about Jake. That he’d taken it upon himself to come to the cottage when he heard she was ill was extremely thoughtful of him, caring and considerate.

  She rubbed her body lazily with soap.

  I must, she mused, reconsider my opinion of him once again. It appears I have a very sympathetic boss and should be extremely grateful for the fact.

  Pulling the plug, she cautiously climbed out and dried off, tying a small towel around her head. Although she was feeling marginally better, the simple act of bathing had been exhausting, making her thankful that she’d be able to get back in bed. Slipping her dressing gown on, she peered into her bedroom. It was empty, the door open.

  She stopped and stared at the freshly made bed, the white cotton sheets turned back invitingly, and couldn’t help smiling.

  Wow!

  Taking a clean nightdress from her drawer she pulled it on and slid beneath the cool clean bedding with a sigh of relief; doing so very little had drained her. She lay propped on the pillow her mind whirling pleasantly, wondering how she could possibly ever look at Jake again without blushing. For Heaven’s sake! The man had just disposed of her used bedding.

  “Suzy?” Jake called from the bottom of the stairs. “I heard you get out of the bath. Would you like to try some chicken soup?”

  “Please,” she croaked.

  »»•««

  Suzy demolished two bowls. It was delicious. “You made this?” she asked hoarsely.

  Jake laughed. “No way! Supermarket’s best! Though you wouldn’t know it was from a packet if you saw the mess in your kitchen.”

  “I…I really can’t thank you enough.” Her voice almost disappeared.

  Jake shook his head. “Don’t try to talk. Take another couple of pills and sleep. I’m sure you’ll wake up tomorrow feeling tons better. I’ll get rid of the mess downstairs and let myself out quietly. But don’t,” he warned, “consider coming into the office tomorrow.”

  Suzy smiled. “I won’t,” she promised.

  “Is your hair almost dry?”

  She nodded, feeling suddenly very shy, and pulled the towel off.

  “Let me just give it a final rub,” Jake said, and without waiting for an answer vigorously scrubbed at her hair. “That’s better,” he said. Crossing to her dressing table he picked up the hairbrush and walked back to the bed.

  Suzy took it from him wordlessly and brushed her hair in long strokes. She glanced up to see Jake, a small smile playing around his mouth as he watched her, and against all reason and possible logic Suzy felt the odd sensation of her heart thumping against her ribs at the look in his eyes.

  “I’ll leave you to sleep,” he said and quietly left her bedroom. Placing the brush on her bedside table, Suzy lay down and stared at the ceiling, her thoughts confused…although agreeably so, and was amused to realize that she felt remarkable content and very happy.

  Before sleep overcame her she listened to the noises from her kitchen. She heard the sound of Jake whistling, cupboards and drawers opening and closing, the washing machine going into spin mode, shaking the bathroom pipes as usual, and along with those comforting sounds from below she experienced a sensation of utter safety and wellbeing.

  He cared about her welfare, and this thought gave a monumental shift to her opinion of Jake Mason. After she heard her front door close and his car start, she slid beneath her duvet with a soft contented sigh and was able to fall, at last, into a deep rejuvenating sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  It was mid-morning the following day before she called the office. Lilian answered.

  “How are you, dear? Jake said it was a bad dose of flu.”

  “I feel so much better, but I’ll stay off today. Is…is he there?”

  “Jake? No, he’s off somewhere with Miss Roll, though I expect him back after lunch. Shall I get him to call you?”

  Suzy swallowed hard on the huge lump of disappointment threatening to close her throat. “No, that’s okay, Lilian. It was nothing important, but my parent’s house…any news?”

  “Yes, oh yes, of course. I forgot to mention the contracts were signed last night. It’s all done.”

  “Great. I’ll give Mum a call.”

  Suzy spent the rest of the day alternately reading and listening to the radio, but she found her thoughts constantly straying to Jake and Amanda, Amanda and Jake. What was their relationship? Lover
s? Good friends?

  “Oh for Heaven’s sake! What do I care?” She went into the kitchen where she microwaved a potato and made a salad. She then returned to the living room, flopped on the sofa and flicked the TV on, where she sat and watched a mindlessly boring program on the life and habits of the glow worm. At eight thirty, after calling her parents with the good news, she went back to bed.

  The following morning, feeling vigorously refreshed she ate a breakfast of poached egg on toast with two cups of coffee, and set off for work.

  Lilian and Ann greeted her warmly. Brian smiled.

  “Sounds as though you had a bad dose of man flu,” he said.

  Suzy grinned. “If that’s how men suffer, then I feel for you. I don’t want that again in a hurry.” She looked around, not wanting to ask.

  “Jake sends his best wishes, said you’re to take it easy.” Lilian looked at her with a smile. “He went away yesterday for a couple of days to an island called…What was it, Ann?”

  “Malinda,” Ann replied. “Somewhere in the Caribbean. Sounds gorgeous.” She glanced out of the window and pulled a face. Rain bucketed down and people hurried by tucked under dripping umbrellas. “Won’t be like this, I bet,” she added.

  Suzy walked to her desk. “No, I’m sure it won’t.” She sank onto her chair feeling ridiculously close to tears. Why hadn’t he mentioned the fact that he was going away? But then, there was absolutely no reason why he should. She was his employee, for Heaven’s sake, not his keeper. She opened her laptop and started work.

  Toward closing time, after a busy day when the reception phone barely stopped ringing, Suzy heard Lilian’s delighted voice. “Hi, Jake. How’s it going in the sunshine? Good. Sure. I’ll put her on. For you, Suzy,” she called. “Do you want me to put it through?”

  But Suzy, on legs which wobbled slightly due to the aftereffects of the flu, had already walked through to reception. She smiled and took the phone from Lilian.