5 Peppermint Grove (22 page)

When they arrived poor Ruth who was trying to balance a cashew nut on the side of a beer mat to appease Marty. She was an incredible friend!

Two bottles of wine later and Ruth was singing with the bucks, arm in arm, at the bar. Brian had taken it easier than the rest.

Julia hoped that it was because he was interested in spending some time with her so she happily got involved in the singing but kept an eye on Brian. She looked at her watch. It was long past midnight and she fancied an opportunity to be on her own with Brian.

Ruth had finally given in to Marty and was snogging him now at a corner of the bar.

Brian looked over and noticed what his friend was doing. He seemed a bit startled and then turned to Julia.

“Do you fancy taking a walk over by the beach? Or we could go to the salt lake behind our hotel?”

Julia jumped at the offer and followed Brian who had started strolling slowly along the promenade.

“Those guys are going to get too drunk and fall down!” he said and Julia laughed.

The quokkas were out in their thousands, hopping along the path in front of them.

“They are so like rats – I got the fright of my life by the pool earlier when I saw my first one,” Julia said.

“Yeah, and they really take over Rotto at night, don’t they?”

They came to the wide open green at the harbour front where Julia and Ruth had eaten earlier and the space was covered with quokkas bounding about everywhere.

“Come on, follow me – they know where to scavenge – there won’t be so many at the lighthouse.”

He put his arm loosely around her shoulder and the stars shone brighter with each step they took along the meandering path.

Julia could smell his skin and it was very different to the way that most of her lovers had smelt. She usually liked her men to smell of cologne. But she definitely preferred dark-haired men like him and he also had the strong features that she liked.

“Are you interested in astronomy?” he asked, leaning his head back and looking straight up at the stars.

“Oh, that’s more Ruth’s sort of thing – I’m a practical girl. There’s enough going on for me on Planet Earth.” She giggled.

“It’s a great sky in Rotto – good as the outback. Look up there – that’s Orion.”

The stars were brighter than they had been at home but she didn’t know what Brian was talking about. She had been with an Italian called Maurizio once who talked all night about constellations while they lay on their backs in the hill town of Taormina on the island of Sciliy but that had not mattered as his English was broken and she loved the tone of his voice. Brian talking about the stars somehow didn’t have the same ring to it. A part of her longed for him to snog her. She had made up her mind that she wanted some romance but the build-up all evening had been different to what she had expected. Now he was talking about stars which was another twist in this butch man’s bow.

“Are you the project manager on the site at Peppermint Grove?”

Brian shook his head. “No, I’m the architect but it’s my business partner who’s building the house.”

That explained his artistic side and fascination with the stars to some extent, Julia figured.

All the time Brian’s grip remained loose but constant along her shoulder. She wondered if he was going to make a move and part of her longed to do something dramatic like throw her arms around him. As they walked further up the hill the crickets started to click and the quokkas were more difficult to spot in the darkness. Only the odd ray from the full moon above them fell on the path they were treading.

“Almost there,” Brian whispered.

When they got to the lighthouse the view was spectacular, the moonlight creating glistening jewels in the water and casting ribbons of white along the coast as the gentle waves lapped the shore.

“It’s stunning.” Julia stared out at the ocean. She felt a very long way from home suddenly. Strange when it resembled the beautiful Burrow strand that ran along the back of her home in Howth. Suddenly Dylan came into her head – this was around the time that he would be meeting Gillian. Why should she care? She was on the other side of the world standing next to the gorgeous Brian? She asked herself the question but couldn’t find the answer.

“I’ve seen this view plenty of times but it always makes me shiver,” Brian said.

“Why?”

“Not sure, just a feeling!”

“I live beside the sea in
Ireland – I love it. Where do you live in Perth?”

“I live in Karrinyup – it’s near the beach – north of the river.
How long are you staying in Perth?”

“Two weeks.”

“That’s a pity – there’s plenty you won’t see. You should stay longer.”

“I’ve a business at home – I feel bad taking two weeks.”

“That’s right, you’re in the travel business. Where is Ruth working while she’s here?”

“She is working for the Irish Tourist Board. She is adamant that it’s a change of scene for two years only and then she is returning home. I miss her terribly.”

“You two are really good mates then.”

Julia nodded. “Friends since we were eight.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of history!”

Brian’s arm slipped down from Julia’s shoulder. He turned so that they were facing each other.

“We’d better go back!” he said suddenly.

Julia was deflated. She had expected him at that moment to kiss her. If Gillian was going to be getting it on and Ruth was already in action back at the hotel then she really needed to feel loved, or desired at the very least. She desperately wanted to be taken in his arms and fall down on the sand and have passionate sex – or, at that moment, a snog would suffice. But Brian had already started the walk back to the hotel.

It was
seven o’clock and time to meet Dylan at last. Gillian had bided her time in work as there was no point travelling home to change and then come back into the city.

The porter stood wearing a top hat and long coat and he bid Gillian good evening as she walked through the swing doors of the Shelbourne Hotel. The warmth and opulence hit her and she felt butterflies flit inside her stomach. A large display of pungent lilies to her left wafted their scent through the air, their beauty doubled by the massive mirror that rested behind them. She didn’t know which way to turn until suddenly someone came up behind her and touched her on the arm.

“Hi there – hope you haven’t been waiting long – Craig and Odette picked me up from home and they were a bit late.”

Gillian was completely taken aback to see Odette by his side.

“Eh no, I just got here,” she said.

“Hi, Gillian, nice to see you again!” Odette said and placed a kiss on her cheek.

“Hi, Odette.”

They walked into the large bar and took the settee which was just then conveniently vacated.

“Have you had any word from Julia?” Odette asked.

“Yes – well, an email. She seems to have had a good journey and is getting on really well.”

“Oh good – I haven’t had a chance to ring Mum for news. I’m sure Julia’s worried about the business. Her work is so important to her.”

Craig arrived and said hello to Gillian, nodding at her briskly. He went over to the bar and was instantly in deep conversation with Dylan. She wondered why Dylan had brought along his brother and wife – it was strange but maybe a good thing. She would like to be welcomed into the family – so maybe this was a sign!

“What is this about, Dylan?” Craig asked roughly, leaning on the bar. “I hope you aren’t trying to play happy families – you should have sorted this evening out with me first instead of going to Odette.”

“Why, Craig? Did you have other plans by any chance?”

Craig frowned. “I don’t understand why you have such an interest in what I do? Or is it because you’re bored now you have no job to go to?”

“See this as a celebration of my retirement.”

“Well, get your nose out of my family’s private affairs, okay?”

“I don’t know why you’re being so defensive!” Dylan said with a wry smile.

Craig took the bucket of Prosecco while Dylan took the four glasses, and they carried them over to the table.

“There you go, ladies – in honour of my brother’s celebration.” Craig looked at Dylan and darted a killing glance.

Julia and Brian didn’t talk much as they briskly walked down the path and the Quad came into view. The sound of laughter from the open grass centre of the quadrangle made them change tack and find Ruth with some of the bucks and a group of three other women who had been picked up by them at the Rottnest Hotel.

Ruth’s eyes shone when she saw the two coming through the arch in the Quad.

Julia went over to her friend who immediately dragged her to the side. “Oh my God, Marty is Hands Almighty – he wanted to get straight down to it at the bar – until he passed out!” she giggled. “How did you get on with Brian? You’ve been gone absolutely ages.”

Julia shook her head. “Very strange – I thought we were getting on and then he suddenly said we had to get back.”

“Maybe Aussie men are a dead loss – although Steve’s a great snog!” she giggled.

“Hey, I thought you were giving up married men!”

“Yeah, but Marty was like a washing machine – he really needs a couple of lessons!”

The two fell around laughing.

“Come on, let’s go to bed.”

Brian waved goodnight, then helped one of the bucks up off his knees and over to his bedroom while the girls slipped away.

They passed a couple of quokkas outside their bedroom and with help from the moonlight found the lock and opened the door.

“This place gives me the creeps!” Ruth said suddenly.

“What does? Rotto?”

“This room!”

Ruth shivered and went over to the bed. “Do you want to take the double bed – I can sleep in the single over here.”

“I don’t mind – whatever suits you!”

Above their heads the fan swirled noisily but they were glad of the relief from the dense heat.

“What’s that smell?” Ruth asked as she pulled the light blanket over her legs.

“I don’t smell anything!” Julia said. “Will I turn the light out?”

“Okay, but do you mind if we leave the bathroom light on?”

“No problem – I’ll be asleep in a couple of minutes,” Julia yawned.

Ruth shivered again and a powerful headache came over her – it could be the start of a hangover or the effects of the sunshine from the day. It had been particularly hot. As she closed her eyes she thought that she heard a hiss but put it down to her imagination. From the corner of her eye she saw something dark move along the wall and as her eyes became accustomed to the darkness she could make out the silhouette of a cockroach. Her mind started to play tricks and she imagined what it must have been like when it was a boys’ reformatory. She had read the notice outside telling how young European boys had been transported to the island in the early parts of the twentieth century for truancy and bad behaviour. The legacy reminded her of the anguish that must have been suffered by so many young Irish boys and girls in places just like this in
Dublin and all over rural Ireland. How cruel the world was and how awful to be so very far away from home! She sank into a sleep and twisted and turned in the heat of the night.

It was only a few minutes later when she was woken by a cold presence travelling along her body. She opened her eyes and felt the salty taste of blood in her mouth. She licked the back of her hand and could see that fresh blood had left a mark. Suddenly her phone bleeped with a message. She cleared her throat and felt more blood rise as she licked her other hand to see if the blood was still there. It was. She walked over to the bathroom, picking up her phone on the way. It was a message from her mother – she would read it later.

She looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and blood seeped from her lips. She spat into the sink and washed her hands. Cupping some water in her clean palms, she rinsed her mouth out and looked at her teeth and lips. No sign of blood. Her hands were clean and her headache had lifted. She looked around but there were no more strange feelings like there had been when she had gone to bed. A peace and calm had descended on the room but Ruth couldn’t figure out what had just happened. Something supernatural was behind it. That was all that she knew.

Before getting back into bed, Ruth opened her text message.

Hope you are having a good time with Julia. Mind yourself Mum xx.

It was strange that her mother had contacted her at that instant – sometimes mothers have a sixth sense. Ruth returned to bed and lay on her back. Something had brought her to this island and she didn’t know what it could be.

Gillian was delighted with the way the evening was going – this was the most plush bar she had ever been in. The decor made her feel like she was a character in
Downtown Abbey
. All the fine paintings and heavenly drapes were luxurious beyond her wildest dreams. She had enjoyed the Prosecco and the wonderful sandwiches Dylan had ordered. It was good that Craig and Odette were there after all as it took the pressure off her. As the night was drawing to a close she waited expectantly for her chance with Dylan.