Written in the Stars

by Xavier, Dilys

  The two women were just about to cross the road when a car pulled up outside the departure terminal with a squeal of tyres. A man jumped out, pulled a bag from the back seat, slapped a hand on the car roof and ran into the building. Suzi stared at the running figure and then grabbed Charlize’s arm.

  ‘I swear that man looked like Steve Pardoe.’

  ‘What man; where?’

  ‘Never mind, he’s gone now,’ she said, as the man disappeared into the crowd of people thronging the concourse. ‘It was probably my imagination.’

  The two women spent the first day catching up on each other’s news. Charlize arranged a party for the following evening to introduce Suzi to her new circle of friends. She confided that she had also invited Steve, reasoning that if they met on neutral ground it would be better for them both.

  And now, as they gathered in the lounge, Suzi looked in vain for Steve. The disappointment was almost crushing. Then Lloyd appeared at her side.

  ‘I’ve just had a phone call from Steve’s mother to say he’s been called to an urgent job in Australia. Apparently their representative in North Queensland has been rushed to hospital and Steve was the only person who could supervise the installation of their pumps.’ He clasped Suzi’s hand. ‘I’m so sorry to disappoint you, Suzi. His mother apologised for not phoning sooner, but she forgot.’

  ‘When did he go?’

  ‘Saturday.’

  ‘Then it really was Steve I saw at the airport.’ She sniffed softly, as Charlize joined them. ‘Why do things keep going pear-shape?’

  ‘He might be back before you leave.’

  ‘Don’t count on it,’ Suzi said bitterly. Then she turned to her friend. ‘Sorry Charlize, I don’t want to spoil your party.’ She looked meaningfully at the collection of bottles on a nearby table. ‘Let’s get hammered and forget about it all.’

  She almost tiptoed out into the kitchen the next morning. Charlize laughed at her woebegone expression.

  ‘You did nothing out of the way, so there’s no harm done.’ She put her arm around Suzi. ‘What will you do now that Steve’s out of the picture?’ When Suzi hesitated, she continued. ‘I had hoped to spend more time with you, but my workload has suddenly increased, and I’m afraid the next few weeks will be critical to the success of my work here. I am so sorry, Suzi.’

  ‘That’s okay, I’ll take off and have a look around by myself, and then I’ll make up my own mind about the place.’

  Lloyd returned from a round of golf just before lunch and suggested that they should take advantage of the lovely weather to have a look at some of the northern beaches. By the time they returned late that afternoon Suzi understood why Charlize was so enamoured with the country. She was really impressed with the bay area and could well understand why the properties there attracted such high prices.

  ‘Come on,’ Lloyd said, the next day. ‘I’ll take you on a tour of the suburbs on the south side of the harbour.’ Suzi enjoyed looking around, but by mid-afternoon the main roads were filling up with holidaymakers returning home after the Easter break. ‘Time to head home,’ he said, ‘and we’ll finish off the day by eating out at the bistro this evening; it’s a smart place.’

  The next day Suzi caught the train to Wellington, and had just settled into the window seat when an elderly gentleman sat down next to her. He doffed his hat as he said hello.

  ‘So we’re travelling companions.’ A smile played around his lips. ‘Now if I get too garrulous you just tell me to shut up. I won’t be offended.’

  ‘I wouldn’t do that,’ Suzi said. ‘I’m sure you’re the perfect gentleman.’ When he nodded she glanced at the unusual badge fastened to his coat lapel. ‘Are you a returned service man?’

  ‘Yes, I am, and somehow I’ve managed to outlive most of my contemporaries.’

  ‘That’s quite an achievement.’

  ‘I suppose so. Now let me tell you something. When we gather to honour our dead companions we offer a prayer that contains the lines… ‘Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn… ‘

  ‘And at the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we shall remember them.’ Suzi finished the quotation.

  ‘That’s very good.’ The old man sniffed. ‘Unfortunately age wearies those of us that survive.’ Then he gestured at the airline label on her carry bag. ‘I can see you’re not from this part of the world, and you’re definitely not Scottish. Irish… perhaps?’

  ‘Welsh.’

  ‘Ah yes, I’ve read a few books about Wales. ‘The Stars Look Down’ and ‘How Green is my Valley’. Dreadful times; such suffering and hardship for those poor people.’ He paused to allow her to respond and then went on. ‘Things have improved in Wales since those days, I should hope.’

  ‘Yes, they have. All the mines have closed, except for one that’s kept open for tourists. The economy is bustling, though.’

  ‘Good, now let me tell you all about this beautiful land you’re visiting.’

  The old man kept up a running commentary as the train made its way through the pleasant green countryside. By the time they reached Wellington, Suzi knew a great deal more about New Zealand than when they had started. He grasped her hand as they prepared to leave the carriage.

  ‘Now, remember what I said, don’t fly back to Auckland... catch a bus. Stop off at Taupo and have a look at Rotorua, and visit the hot pools.’ He chuckled. ‘But don’t get up to any tricks in the rivers; they are heated by the geysers, and can harbour some nasty bugs.’

  Suzi kissed his cheek and made her way out of the railway station and then she caught a cab to the city centre. She spent the next day strolling around the windy capital.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Nick Bolte forced a grin on his face as Steve approached the hospital bed.

  ‘Sorry about this, mate.’ He spread his hands wide. ‘I should’ve known better to jump in the water without looking, but…’ He stopped again.

  ‘Never mind. Just get well again.’

  ‘Yeah. I thought I’d be up and about in a few days, but there are complications. Secondary infection or something.’

  ‘Just as well you were rushed here then.’

  ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ Nick grimaced at the memory. ‘You can’t imagine the pain. It was horrific. I passed out a couple of times on the way into town. Anyway enough of my problems, so, to put you in the picture, let me tell you what I’ve done so that you can get on with the job straight away.’

  Steve was delighted that everything went according to plan, but it took longer than he had anticipated, so he had to work through the two next weekends. He finally flew down to Brisbane late Tuesday afternoon, two weeks after he had arrived there, and the next day he caught a plane back to Auckland.

  Vince met him at the airport.

  ‘You look a bit ragged, son. Everything go all right?

  ‘As well as could be expected, but I had to put in a lot of hours.’ He threw his bag on the back seat. ‘I’ll need a couple of weeks off to recover.’

  ‘How’s Nick?’ Vince asked, ignoring the hint.

  ‘He’s all right. Well no, he’s not all right, but he’s on the mend. He showed me his leg,’ Steve shuddered. ‘It’s a terrible mess. He’ll be scarred for life.’

  ‘But he’s still on side.’

  ‘Yes, he’ll be able to check that everything’s operating okay. I think we’ll do well over there, now that we’ve got our foot in the door.’

  *

  After spending a night in Nelson, Suzi continued south to Greymouth and caught the TranzAlpine Express to Christchurch. The travel agency had made arrangements for her to take a tour that started the following day. It included Mount Cook, Queenstown, and Milford Sound

  After dinner one evening she made her way up a gentle slope to a little sanctuary that overlooked the surrounding countryside on one side, and Lake Taupo on the other. The restful environment was in direct contrast to the hustle and bustle of the past few weeks and within a very short time the
world and its problems all seemed to fade away.

  One by one the events that had caused her so much trouble were gently consigned to the past. A face swam into view. Mark still wore his chef’s hat, but she could barely distinguish his features from the line of men who stretched out behind him. Men who had pursued her over years with varying degrees of success—the fiery Italian, Giorgio, the cuddly Andy, the bookish Cedric, and many more.

  A wave of sadness engulfed her. Could she have found lasting happiness with any of them? It seemed not. The women who had featured so strongly in her life seemed to materialise against the backdrop to the starlight night—her waspish mother, June and Judith, and Uncle Bart’s half-sister, whose ‘old worldliness’, had enchanted her as a child. Each had played a role helping her to become the person she was. But who was she? The answer continued to elude her.

  A discreet cough behind her brought her back to the present. She looked around to see a member of the staff standing in the doorway. The affable man held up a set of keys.

  ‘We usually lock the doors at night,’ he said, quietly.

  ‘Of course.’ Suzi climbed to her feet and stretched. ‘I’ve been here for hours.’

  ‘Yes, it has that effect on people, and it’ll be open first thing in the morning if you want to return early.’

  The images that had been impressed on her mind repeated themselves in vivid dreams that night. It was only when she thought more deeply about the succession of faces in her dreams that she realised two were missing—Charlize and Steve Pardoe. She could understand why her friend could not be consigned to the past because they still enjoyed a close relationship. But Steve? Maybe she hadn’t finished with him yet.

  As soon as she had finished breakfast the next day, she decided continue with her journey. The bus trip to Rotorua was marred by a nasty road accident, but they were only delayed for a short time. She spent the following day visiting the Maori settlement, talking to some of the older inhabitants, and standing silently in the Kiwi house to catch a glimpse of the shy nocturnal bird. On return to the hotel she took advantage of their spa and lazed away the evening in a small, intimate lounge. The next morning she headed north to Auckland where Charlize welcomed her back with open arms.

  ‘Well, tell me all about it; what you did, who you met, and so on. I wanted to know everything.’ She sat down close to Suzi and took her hand. ‘I’m taking tomorrow off so that we can spend some time together before you go back home. It’s going to come pretty fast, and then you’ll be gone.’ She shook her head. ‘I’ll miss you like hell, Suzi Lysle Spencer.’

  After stowing Suzi’s bags in the boot of her B.M.W. the next morning, Charlize paused before starting the engine. ‘At the risk of repealing myself… .’

  ‘I know, I know… if ever I want to come back, Lloyd will use his influence with the right people to help me get started in some kind of business.’ She touched Charlize’s arm. ‘If I had to make a decision right now, I’d cancel my ticket and stay, but I need to think things through first.’

  They both shed a few tears as they parted outside the departure gate, and Suzi was still a bit dewy eyed when she boarded the aircraft an hour later. The trip back to England was uneventful, and by the time she had reclaimed the Honda from the long-stay car park, it was mid-morning. Where to go and what to do? She headed west on the M4, until she came to the turn off for Oxford, and from there she headed west through Gloucester and Hereford. Something was drawing her towards Lampeter.

  *

  Norah handed Steve a letter when he came home that evening. ‘This arrived two days ago.’

  He studied the unfamiliar handwriting and grimaced. He turned the envelope over—there was no return address, but it bore an Auckland postmark.

  ‘I wonder who this is from,’ he murmured, tearing it open. As he read it, he gave a gasp.

  Dear Steve

  I’ve spent a great deal of time agonizing over what I should write. I had been looking forward to seeing you again, but for some reason or other fate kept us apart. I dearly wanted to say I’m sorry that I was so insensitive and inconsiderate when we met in Mr . Duncan’s office.

  Steve felt a lump form in his throat as he continued to read. In many ways the letter seemed to echo the very thoughts and feelings he had also entertained about Suzi. It was as if she had tapped into his mind as she wrote it. The next two pages contained a summary of what had happened over the past few months. She lamented that she had not made a greater effort to find him at Airlie Beach, and then she went on to explain why she had terminated the partnership with Mark. Finally, she mentioned Caxton Manor, and said she was both relieved and pleased that it had not been sold.

  Maybe in time I can let it go too, but at the moment it would be too great a wrench.

  Once again Steve allowed his mind to slip back to their last meeting, and then he returned to the letter. Suzi’s closing paragraph seemed even more poignant.

  Both Charlize and Lloyd are urging me to come back to New Zealand soon. Lloyd has promised to make sure there is no problem concerning residence, and Charlize dearly wants to keep our friendship alive. I feel the same way —we need each other. In the short time I’ve been here I can understand why she has fallen in love with the country. It really is special.

  First, I must return to my roots, because when I am surrounded by things and places that I love, I will be better able to tell whether you mean more to me than anything else in this world. Then, I will consider whether I should come back.

  He stared at the last few words took a deep breath and read them again. I can’t just take a chance that you feel the same way about me. So I will wait until I’m sure.

  As he finished the letter, Norah came back into the room.

  ‘Are you all right, Steve?’ she asked, anxiously.

  ‘Yes, and no,’ he replied, then uncharacteristically handed her the letter. ‘I’d like you to read this.’

  Norah handed it back to him with a sigh. ‘That’s the woman you’ve been waiting for isn’t it? What are you going to do about it?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ he replied hesitantly. ‘I’ll have to think about it first.’

  *

  As Suzi drove slowly down the main street of Lampeter she noted that it hadn’t changed much. The shops looked the same, the pubs looked the same, and even the groups of students lounging on the pavement looked the same. But of course it was all different now, because she had changed.

  It took her only a short time to realise that it had been a mistake to return to the town where she had spent her childhood. She wondered why she felt the need to distance herself from The Stow Restaurant and Caxton Manor. Was she concerned about meeting old friends, or the customers she had cultivated over the years? Did she think the past wouldn’t catch up with her in this part of Wales?

  The next morning she rang Eileen to say she was on her way back. It was mid-afternoon when she pulled up in front of the manor. The garden was in full bloom and a number of executive-range cars were parked neatly to one side of the building. The receptionist smiled sweetly as she walked into the foyer.

  ‘Can I help you?’

  When Suzi explained that she wished to speak to Eileen, the woman stiffened momentarily and said, ‘I’ll call her for you.’

  The middle-aged woman seemed to be delighted to see her again so soon and embraced her for a long time. With her help, Suzi sorted out some of the things she needed for her immediate personal use, then she made a list of what she was going to send for auction. The few pieces of furniture that remained could be stored until she decided what to do about them. Once back at the hotel she was using, Suzi sat quietly and contemplated her future. With so much on her mind, she spent a restless night and was glad to see dawn breaking, and even more pleased to hear the familiar voice of Eileen when she rang her the next morning

  ‘There’s a letter here for you. It’s postmarked New Zealand; it’s from a Steve Pardoe. Shall I forward it to you?’

  ‘No, I’ll
come and pick it up.’

  Suzi couldn’t get there fast enough. She grabbed the blue airmail letter, and ran to the privacy of her car with it. She slit it open hurriedly and scanned the contents. Then she sank back into the car seat and read them again.

  Dearest Suzi, it began, and then went on to repeat many of the words and phrases she had used in her letter to him. Steve made it quite clear that he understood why she had reacted so strangely in Duncan’s office, and blamed himself for not making a greater effort to sort things out while he was in Britain. He closed with the words.

  I really hope you will come back one day and we can have a chance to talk.

  That evening she made up her mind to go, and phoned Charlize.

  ‘Expect me by the end of the week. I’ll get everything sorted out and I’ll let you know when to expect me.’

  ‘That’s wonderful. I’ll get Lloyd to see what he can do to hurry things along when you get here.’ She was just about to say goodbye when she said, ‘What about Steve?’

  ‘I dare say that’ll sort itself out one day,’ Suzi said. ‘I think maybe we’ve both been given a chance to redeem the past.’

  ‘That’s wonderful,’ Charlize’s voice rose with excitement. ‘Would you like Lloyd to drop the hint that you’re coming back soon, or do you want to surprise him?’

  ‘What do you think?’

  Chapter Thirty Four

  As they sat around, relaxing, Charlize looked at Lloyd and then back at Suzi again.

  ‘So you want to buy a house straight away, Suzi? Why?’

  ‘Because it’ll give me a base and make it easier for me to establish credit.’

  ‘She’s right,’ Lloyd agreed, ‘although I’d be inclined to settle for a flat in the city first up, and then look around for a property.’

  ‘No. I don’t want to live in the city.’ Suzi picked up a map of the northern beaches and tapped it. ‘I want a place there. Somewhere reasonably close to the city, but unaffected by the suburban sprawl.’