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‘Then why don’t you find out?’
‘How?’
‘By asking him out. You got dressed up and were prepared to go out last night …’
Emily bit her lower lip. ‘What if he says no?’
‘What if he doesn’t?’
Emily stared at her.
A young woman approached their table, interrupting their conversation. She set a tea-tray down and served up sandwiches with salad and crisps, and two slices of chocolate cake.
Alice picked up the teapot and poured them both a cup of tea, hoping that Emily would change her mind and ask Joss out. Apart from anything else, she was interested to find out more about the enigmatic other guest. He might be masquerading as a carefree surfer dude with his ripped jeans, tousled blonde hair, and faded tan that suggested it wasn’t that long since he’d been bumming around somewhere like Thailand, but Alice wasn’t fooled. There was a lot more to Joss than met the eye. Something had happened in his life; of that she was certain. Something that had thrown his life off course and led him there.
Alice was no stranger to that scenario. She was thinking of her house move. But that wasn’t why she was there.
We all have secrets, she thought.His can’t be any worse than mine.Was he there trying to escape something he’d done in his past? She could hardly say she was escaping her own past. The guest house was the last place she should have returned to. Where it happened, where it all began …
‘Alice – the tea!’ Emily exclaimed.
‘Oh crumbs! Look what I’ve done!’ The teacup was overflowing, the tea soaking the tablecloth. Alice put the teapot down.
The waitress, hearing the commotion at their table, came running over.
Alice said, ‘I’m so sorry. I spilt the tea.’
‘Don’t worry.’ The waitress mopped it up with a cloth. ‘I’ll bring you a fresh pot.’
Alice looked at the young woman apologetically. ‘You’re so kind.’
‘Don’t mention it.’
The waitress took the teapot and returned to the kitchen to collect a replacement.
Emily leaned forward in her seat. ‘Are you all right, Alice?’
Alice fixed her gaze on Emily. She wanted to confide in her, tell someone what had happened at the guest house all those years earlier.
‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ Emily asked, searching her face.
Alice took a deep breath. ‘Years ago, when my husband and I stayed at the guest house—’
‘Here’s another pot of tea, ladies.’
Alice hadn’t seen her coming. ‘Oh, thanks.’ She watched the young woman walk over to a couple who had just entered the café and were waiting to be seen to a table. Turning back to Emily, she said, ‘I think you’d better pour the tea this time.’
Emily smiled at her as she picked up the teapot. ‘You were saying about the time you stayed at the guest house with your husband?’
You can’t tell anyone.
Alice swallowed.You can’t tell anyone. It has to be our secret. We could go to prison for this.Her husband’s words always came back to haunt her. Even after all these years, could that still be the case?Do you want to find out?A little voice in her head said.
Emily set the teapot down and looked at her intently.
Alice looked sheepish. ‘I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. How silly. Perhaps it will come back to me.’ She spooned some sugar into her tea and added a splash of milk from a small jug. She sat staring at her cup, feeling Emily’s eyes scrutinising her. She changed the subject. ‘What about Joss? Will you ask him out?’
Emily sighed. ‘I don’t know.’
