Karen Aldous - The Chateau

It was now over four hundred years since she had been captured, imprisoned and then burned at the stake. For four hundred years she had been seeking someone to help. She could never rest until her mission was complete. Was it so wrong to want to be back with her husband and family? Hope flooded through her. Now she had the contact and the host was receptive she had to keep track of her. The country had changed and she had stretched her energy wide to keep abreast of what was going on – a plethora of modern transport, huge glass buildings, peculiar items which lit up. Wonders indeed. And she had to build on her knowledge of her host’s life. On her last attempt, her host went away and she had lost track of her even though she knew the area well. The host had disappeared into a large arch in the mountains that didn’t end. She has since learned that these arches went right through the mountain for miles. These are new mountain passes but they call them tunnels. She had to make sure she stayed with the new host, Georgina, but they call her Gina. A very pretty girl who hasn’t passed out yet!

***

All too soon Gina returned to London. She let herself into her flat and picked up her post. It had been a wonderful wedding and she’d loved seeing all her family. Quite a weekend, bar the nightmares. They were vivid and disconcerting. And, the woman. Apart from dreaming of huge angry brown bears under her bed as a child, she’d never experienced anything like it. During one dream she’d thought she’d heard a woman calling. It was hard to understand but someone close to the woman, another female voice, was calling the name Anis-Frescoro or something similar. She couldn’t be sure. She wanted to confide all this to someone, her mother possibly. But what could she tell her; no she would never believe her. Everything in her mother’s garden was rosy and nice. And she’d go straight and tell Aunt Bernie.

Gina just hoped she would sleep better tonight, back home. It was always possible the altitude had been affecting her mind. It can do that, she knew. She’d had some pretty vivid dreams before in the mountains. Not as upsetting as these though. Anyhow, she was home now.

Spending time with her parents had been quite refreshing. Since starting up her new business in London, she hadn’t had much of a chance to get to see them these last twelve months. She did wonder if her father was OK. He’d seemed rather distant but had insisted he was fine. Maybe it was his reaction to the wedding; his baby boy getting married. There had been a lot of tears from him and her mother. Especially during James’s speech. That had really taken everyone by surprise.

Her heart wrenched again. Her brother and her new sister-in-law had already planned their family. That had really knocked her sideways. It was only difficult to take in because James was four years younger. She’d always teased him about being ‘Uncle James’ one day but, such as it was, she would be Aunty Gina before she was even a mother. Don’t you dare start feeling sorry for yourself!

In the office the following morning, Rebecca, Gina’s assistant, was already at her desk, brushing a vast curtain of long strawberry blonde hair down one side, as Gina arrived. She smiled as Gina scuttled in from the wind, forcing the door behind her.

‘Phew, that’s some wind this morning. How did the wedding go?’

‘It was amazing, thanks. Yes, all went to plan. And Switzerland, I’d forgotten how beautiful it all is. The lake, the mountains, sheer heaven.’ Gina almost blurted out something about her scary dreams but thought better of it. There was too much to do to start adding drama into the office.

‘Wasn’t it cold?’ Rebecca asked, sliding her brush into her bag and pulling out her make-up bag.

‘No, not at all, the weather was gorgeously warm. Montreux has a bit of a micro-climate, it’s a bit like the French Riviera.’

‘But no beach, shame.’

‘Oh, contraire, the lake has beaches, promenades, sailing boats. You should try it.’

‘Maybe I will one day. So how are the newlyweds?’

‘Yes, very good, they’re so happy together. So,’ Gina paused, ‘well suited and madly in love.’

‘Lucky pair. Where are they honeymooning?’

‘Venice, I believe.’

‘Oh, so romantic.’ Rebecca sat back dreamily.

‘Anyway, how are things here? Are they still buzzing?’ Gina scratched her head anxiously while peering at a large tin on Rebecca’s desk

‘Haven’t stopped,’ Rebecca said and went on to explain all the business activity over the weekend.

‘Brilliant. That’s what I like to hear. I shall have to go away more often.’

Gina, switched on her computer and began checking her emails. Flicking through and deleting rubbish as she went. She was surprised to see an email from Oliver Martin and opened it with curiosity.

Hope you had a good journey back. It was lovely to meet you at the weekend. I do hope we meet up again. Took the liberty of seeking out your website.

Hope you don’t mind me getting in touch. I wondered if you could give me some help with research, which I’m currently doing for a site in Battersea, riverside. 2, 3 and 4 bed apartments, four penthouses. If I send you spec and square footage, would you be able to give me some guide prices?

Also, I’ve got four of the villas I was talking about here in Montreux and would be happy for you to market the remainder in London. You wouldn’t be treading on any toes. Let me know and I can send you details. Maybe pop along when you’re next back in Switzerland. See them for yourself.

‘Interesting,’ she said aloud.

‘What’s that?’ Rebecca asked.

‘Oh, just someone I met at the weekend. Might be some new business,’ Gina said, dragging her fingers through her hair and then resting her chin in her palm. How he got the name of her business she didn’t know. She could only guess he’d asked one of her family. Well, she would have a think before she replied. She had met people before who were full of promises and she really didn’t have time right now to begin speculating on what could be years off, even if he was deadly attractive.

‘Coffee. Do you want one?’ Rebecca boomed, waking Gina from her trance. ‘And, cakes, of course.’

‘Mmm, yes please, before these phones start. What have you baked this time?’

‘Just some lemon cupcakes. Mum was cleaning out cupboards last night so I kept them simple.’

‘Ha! Lovely, do you think she’ll come and clean mine?’

Rebecca marched out to the kitchen with a snigger. ‘She probably would.’

The two of them managed to catch up on work and gossip while drinking coffee, Gina not giving too much away about Max and their recent drama. He often popped in and although she trusted Rebecca totally, she didn’t like airing her dirty laundry in the office. She did wonder though how long Max would be in the United Emirates for. She hadn’t thought to ask him. She didn’t really want to give him the impression she cared. But, of course, she did. She knew he wasn’t one to sit still, accepted that he’d be off to Manchester, Berlin or Milan at a moment’s notice, but United Arab Emirates was different. She presumed he’d organised his ex-wife to keep his daughters Daisy and Gracie, which was a shame, she had missed them this weekend.

A week later, Max texted Gina at five to say he’d arrived back the previous evening and would meet her at eight at the White Horse in Parson’s Green. Gina was quite pleased with this arrangement because it meant they were unlikely to argue in public. After another busy week she was tired but she’d felt rather lonely and looked forward to seeing him. She wished she could have at least arranged to see his daughters; they would have kept her mind off the nagging echoes of those nightmares too.