A Slippery Slope (9 page)

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘Good
morning!’ Josh called out from the hallway the following day.

Verity and Lucy stared at one another across the bed they were
making.

‘That’s Josh,’ Verity said. ‘And Mistral’s in the kitchen!’

‘Oh shit! We’re upstairs, Josh,’ Lucy yelled.

‘Okay,’ Josh yelled back.

‘He’s not coming up,’ Lucy said after a few moments.

They both dashed towards the stairs.

‘What the fuck!’ they heard Josh say.

‘I think he’s seen, her,’ Lucy said as they ran down the stairs as
fast as they could.

Josh spun round at the kitchen door, a look of both astonishment
and anger on his face.

‘Would someone mind telling me why there is a dog asleep in the
kitchen?’

‘It’s my fault,’ Verity said, walking past Josh towards Mistral,
who was once again curled up in front of the fire. ‘We found her a few days
after ... after you left. She was just lying in the snow and she had blood on
her head. Peter said she’d probably been hit accidently by a skier or
snowboarder and had just run off and collapsed where we found her. He fixed her
up and ... and we’re looking after her.’

‘You’re what? Who’s Peter?’

‘He was a guest. He’s a vet and–’

‘You asked a guest to tend to a stray dog!’

Verity could feel her hackles rising. ‘I didn’t
ask
.
Although I would have if he hadn’t offered. He was skiing with us so we found
her together. He was the one who suggested bringing her back here, actually.’

‘A dog? In a ski chalet?’

‘What’s wrong with that? I didn’t know dogs were forbidden in ski
chalets,’ Verity said icily. ‘There’s nothing in your info pack that says
they’re not allowed.’

Josh scowled. ‘That’s because it never occurred to me that anyone
in their right mind would bring a dog into my chalet! And what is that awful
smell? Is it diseased or something?’

‘
She
is not diseased. She’s injured!’ Verity said,
emphasizing the ‘she’.

‘Then why does
she
smell so awful?’

‘She ... she has a bit of a ... stomach problem.’

‘Dear God. In my kitchen!’

‘It’s only wind,’ Lucy chimed in. ‘That’s why Etienne suggested we
should call her Mistral actually, because she suffers from strong wind and ...’
Her voice trailed off.

Josh’s face looked like thunder. ‘Etienne knows about this?
Etienne allowed it?’

‘It’s not his fault either,’ Verity said. ‘It’s mine. Completely
mine. He said you’d be furious but I didn’t believe him. I didn’t think anyone
would object to helping an injured animal. Am I wrong?’

‘I don’t object to you helping it ... her. I object to it ... her
… being in my kitchen. There are hygiene regulations for chalets, you know!’

‘She’s very hygienic. And she’s never in here when we’re preparing
food.’

‘Not that it improves things in the slightest – and I almost dread
to ask – but where is it ... she … when you prepare food? Please don’t tell me
you put her in the sitting room. Please!’

‘Of course not. We put her in our bedroom,’ Lucy said.

Josh shook his head. ‘Well, she’ll have to go. I’ll take her to
the pound. There must be one–’

‘You won’t!’ Verity snapped.

Josh’s mouth fell open. ‘Excuse me! This is
my
chalet,
Verity, and I will not have a dog in
my
chalet! Do I make myself clear?’

‘Abundantly,’ Verity hissed. ‘Then I have no choice but to leave
with her. I’ll find somewhere and we’ll be gone by the end of the day.’

‘What the!–’ Josh let out a derisive snort. ‘You’ll be lucky to
find accommodation for yourself during Christmas week, let alone you
and
a dog!’

‘Well, I’ll have to try. Come along, Mistral. We’re leaving.’

Mistral got up and sauntered over to Verity, licked her hand and
sat down beside her.

‘Mum?’ Lucy looked uncertain.

Josh raked a hand through his hair and shook his head. ‘This is
fucking unbelievable!’

‘You’re who’s unbelievable! Making all this fuss over an injured
dog. I really had a higher opinion of you than this,’ Verity snapped.

His head shot up and his eyes turned a deep dark grey. ‘Don’t push
me, Verity.’

‘I have no intention of
pushing
you,’ she said, an
inappropriate memory flashing through her mind. ‘I still remember what happened
the last time I
pushed
you, although you seem to have conveniently
forgotten it!’

‘I have
not
forgotten it, I assure you,’ he almost growled.

Mistral barked and got to her feet as if she wasn’t sure what to
do.

‘Don’t upset her!’

‘Oh forgive me! Perhaps I should just leave and let you get on
with it.’

‘That would be wonderful, but I don’t suppose you’d do that, would
you?’

‘No. I won’t. This is
my
chalet, Verity!’

‘So you constantly remind me. Fine. We’ll go.’

‘I’m ... I’m coming with you,’ Lucy said.

They turned and marched towards the bedroom and Mistral followed
at their heels.

‘Where do you think you’re going?’ Josh yelled.

‘To pack, obviously,’ Verity said without a backward glance.

‘Fucking hell! Stop!’ he demanded.

Verity turned to face him. ‘I think you mean, ‘Stop
please
,
don’t you?’

‘Verity, I am very close to considering murdering you right now.
Be careful what you say. I can only take so much.’

‘As can I,’ she said. ‘From the moment we arrived you have treated
me as if you owned me. You walk in and out of here – even coming into our
bedroom on our first day, sorry,
your
bedroom – and you never consider
that we may be ... well, you never consider us. You think just because you own
this chalet, you own us. You even thought you could kiss me and walk away
because you wanted to.’

‘He kissed you!’ Lucy said, her mouth dropping open and her eyes
bulging. ‘When?’

Both Josh and Verity glanced at Lucy.

‘It doesn’t matter, darling. Nothing happened.’

‘It was a mistake,’ Josh snapped.

‘Believe me!’ Verity snapped back.

Lucy looked from one to the other before disappearing into the
bedroom.

‘Now look what you’ve done!’ Verity said. ‘Are you happy?’

‘What
I’ve
done? You’re the one who brought up that
unfortunate kiss. Not me.’

Verity sucked in her breath. ‘We’ll be gone in half an hour.’

She turned away but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
Mistral barked and growled.

‘Stop this! Please.’ He let her go and raked his hand through his
hair. ‘I don’t know how this got so out of hand,’ he said, calmer now. ‘I can’t
have a dog in my chalet, Verity. Can’t you understand that? There are all sorts
of health and safety implications. What if it ... she... bites someone, apart
from anything else? You must see that this is impossible.’

Verity calmed down too. ‘I .can see that it’s ... awkward, but she
doesn’t bite and where else can she go?’

‘She looked as if she was going to bite me just now.’

‘That’s because she was protecting me. We ... we have become quite
close, Mistral and I.’ Verity shrugged. ‘I can’t let her go to a pound. Surely
you can see that? Now I really must go to Lucy. She’s ... she’s clearly upset.’

‘She’s not the only one,’ Josh said. He let out a long, loud sigh.
‘This is impossible. Absolutely, bloody impossible! Look, I’m going for a walk.
You talk to Lucy and I’ll come back in half an hour. We’ll ... we’ll see what
can be done then.’

‘What do you mean by “what can be done”?’

‘Frankly, Verity, I have absolutely no idea. But clearly I’ll have
to think of something. Just ... just don’t ... go.’

Josh turned on his heel and stormed from the room.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

‘So
you can see why I’m annoyed, Etienne,’ Josh said, gulping down a very large
whisky.

They were sitting beside the fire at Josh’s home on the evening of
his row with Verity.

Etienne sniggered and shook his head in disbelief. ‘Look, Josh,
I’m really sorry about the part I played in this. Mistral was already at the
chalet when I got there and it was obvious there was no way that Verity or Lucy
– or even that vet guy, Peter – were going to let her go to a pound. Not that I
actually know where there is one.’

‘Neither do I as it happens.’

‘Well, what could I say? They told me they’d already asked around,
and they were going to put notices up in the bars and tell the information
bureau, the police et cetera. We all thought someone would come forward and
claim her. She’s not a bad looking dog and apart from the cut on her head,
she’s as fit as a fiddle, so Peter said. No one would have dumped her, I’m
sure.’

‘She may be as fit as a fiddle but she smells like a bad drain
sometimes. I wouldn’t blame someone for dumping her.’

‘Josh! You know you don’t mean that.’

‘No, I don’t know how or why anyone would dump an animal. She doesn’t
seem to do very much except sleep though.’ He nodded towards the bundle of
golden fur curled up on his rug.

Etienne chuckled. ‘I still can’t believe that Verity got you to
agree to look after a dog!’

‘Neither can I! But I didn’t have much choice, did I? I couldn’t
allow Mistral to stay in the chalet and unless I did something, both Verity and
Lucy would’ve left. Although they wouldn’t have found anywhere to go, so it was
a bit of an empty threat. The woman is stubborn enough to do it though and I couldn’t
have them wandering around looking for somewhere to stay.’

‘Besides which, you’d have had a chalet full of guests with the
prospect of no one to look after them.’

Josh sighed. ‘That’s the worst part. Not that I had a chalet full
of guests and potentially no one to look after them, but the fact that I didn’t
even think about that! All I could think about was not letting Verity and Lucy
walk the streets. I really should have told her to go, but I just couldn’t do
it.’

Etienne studied Josh’s face. ‘So going away didn’t help one little
bit then?’

Josh sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Nope. Not one iota.
Although it did mean I could close the deal on that parcel of land I’ve been
negotiating over all summer and start to draw up the plans for the new chalet,
so it did me a favour on that score.’

‘But ... you still feel the same about Verity?’

Josh smirked. ‘More so, if anything. You’d have thought I’d have
learnt my lesson from the last time. I said then that I’d never get involved
with one of my chalet girls, again. Ever. Yet here I am, even more besotted by
this bloody woman now than I was the day I left, and I have no idea why. From
the moment I met her, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to kill her or kiss her
and I felt that again today. Times by ten!’

‘I know how you feel,’ Etienne said, looking rather despondent.

‘No good news for your love life either then?’

Etienne shook his head. ‘No. Every day I tell myself to forget it.
There are plenty more skiers on the mountain, as they say, but every day I find
I’ve asked her again!’

‘And she’s still saying no?’

‘Yep. She’s still saying no.’

‘I keep telling myself that Verity is nothing but trouble. She’s
in the middle of a marriage break-up, she’s lost her job after God knows how
many years and she’s doing something she wanted to do when she was in her
teens. It’s a recipe for disaster. I know it is. And yet ...’

‘And yet you can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to
hold her in your arms and show her how you feel.’

Josh threw Etienne a sardonic look. ‘Something like that,’ he
said, grinning. ‘The woman certainly drives me crazy. And on top of everything
else, I’ve now got a bloody dog to look after!’

‘And a smelly one at that.’ Etienne screwed up his face as another
fart escaped from Mistral’s rear.

***

‘Are you sure you’re okay about it?’ Verity asked Lucy as they
prepared for bed.

‘Yes, Mum. I’ve told you one hundred times already. I’m fine. It
... it was just a shock, that’s all. Not as much of a shock as finding Dad in
bed with Daniella of course, but a shock all the same. It’s clear Josh fancies
you but I ... I didn’t realise you
liked
him.’

‘That’s the strange part about it. I’m not sure I
do
like
him. From the minute we arrived here, it’s as if I’ve become a completely
different person. I get drunk. I dance on tables. I behave like a
sixteen-year-old with a crush! I ... I keep wondering if this is all just ...
some sort of reaction to your father’s infidelity. I still love your father,
Lucy. But part of me hates him for what he’s done. He’s leaving me though, so
there’s nothing I can do to change things. Whether I like it or not, my
marriage is over. But as for Josh fancying me, I don’t think he does. I ... I
think it was just one of those spur of the moment things.’

‘I’m not convinced about that. As for you behaving differently,
that’s a good thing, in my opinion. It’s better than sitting around moping and
there’s nothing wrong with letting your hair down and having a bit of fun. I
... I honestly don’t know why I was so surprised but it sort of felt as if you
were cheating on Dad! And that’s just plain stupid. Dad was the one who
cheated, not you, and he made it very clear that he wants out of the marriage.
You’ve got every right to move on and find someone else to love.’

‘Hold on, Lucy! I’m not in love with Josh. I ... I just think I’m
...’

‘In lust with him?’

Verity met Lucy’s eyes. ‘Yes. I suppose that’s about it. And ... I
suppose I feel as if I need some male attention. Rejection does that to you.’
She forced a smile. ‘But as I said, Josh clearly regretted kissing me, so it
won’t happen again anyway.’

‘I think that’s just because you work here. It would be very
awkward, wouldn’t it, if you started dating and things didn’t work out? Perhaps
he’s got a rule against going out with his staff. He seems to have a rule for
everything else,’ Lucy joked. ‘I can’t believe he took Mistral home with him
though.’

‘And I can’t believe he apologised! When I thought about it
afterwards, I was the one in the wrong. This is his chalet and it’s his
business so I should abide by his rules. ... All of them,’ Verity added with an
impish grin. ‘A ski chalet kitchen is obviously not the best place for a dog. I
should’ve known that. We couldn’t have just left her though, so I’m not sure
what else we could’ve done. I think he realised that when he went for a walk.’

‘And that’s why he apologised,’ Lucy said, ‘because he realised
that we weren’t doing it to be difficult, we simply had no choice. I hope he
remembers to get her dog food. And take her for her walks.’

‘I’m sure he will, but we can always remind him. ... So, are you
sure you’re okay about that kiss?’

‘For heaven’s sake, Mum! Yes! Now go to sleep. Goodnight.’

***

Verity didn’t see Josh until Tuesday and although it had only been
one day, she was wondering whether he was regretting taking Mistral – and
letting her and Lucy stay. But that was the least of her problems. This was her
third attempt at making crème brûlée and it was another abysmal failure.

‘Bloody hell!’

‘Everything okay?’ Josh asked from the kitchen doorway. ‘May I
come in?’

‘What? Oh, it’s you.’ She was very tempted to tell him to bugger
off but she thought better of it. She wished he hadn’t witnessed her latest
cooking disaster though. ‘Yes, of course you can come in. You don’t need to
ask.’

‘I rather got the impression on Saturday that I did.’

‘Oh. Yes, I’m sorry about that. I was angry.’

Josh raised his brows. ‘Really? I hadn’t noticed.’

She thought he’d reverted to sarcasm but when she glanced across
at him there was a look of amusement in his eyes and a hint of a smile on his
lips.

‘Yes. Well, I’m sorry about that too,’ she said, dropping the
ramekin full of gooey custard into the sink.

‘Having problems?’

‘I just can’t get this thing right. This is my third attempt and
...’

She darted a look in his direction, realising that she shouldn’t
have admitted that to him. She saw his creased brows and the look of confusion
in his eyes.

‘Is it crème brûlée? That’s notoriously difficult to make really
well. Although for a cook as good as you I would have thought it would be a
piece of cake ... or should that be, custard?’ He grinned at his own joke.

Verity smiled but turned away in case he saw the guilt in her
eyes. ‘Well, it isn’t. How’s Mistral?’

‘Ah, Mistral. That’s what I came to tell you.’

Verity’s head shot round. For one dreadful moment, she thought he
was going to tell her that he’d taken Mistral to a pound, but he wouldn’t do
that – would he?

‘What?’ she said, her focus fixed firmly on Josh’s face.

‘I’ve found her owners.’

‘You have? That ... that’s wonderful.’

‘Not exactly. Er. I don’t suppose I could ask for a cup of coffee,
could I?’

Verity was worried. There was something about his tone.

‘Yes, of course. Sit down and I’ll make some.’

‘How’s it going, Mum? Have you cracked it yet?’ Lucy asked, strolling
in from the hall. ‘It’s just started snowing really heavily and it’s freezing
out there. Oh. Hello Josh.’

‘Hello Lucy. How are you?’

‘Fine thanks. You? And how’s Mistral?’

Verity noticed a distinct chill in the air in the kitchen too.

‘That’s what he’s come to tell us, Lucy. He’s found Mistral’s
owners.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, but don’t get too excited,’ Josh said. ‘This doesn’t have a
happy ending.’

‘What ... what do you mean?’ Lucy asked, clearly upset.

‘Is she okay?’ Verity added anxiously.

‘She’s fine. That’s not what I meant.’ Josh sighed and ran his
hand through his hair. ‘I made a few phone calls on Sunday and yesterday, I
took her with me to Val Thorens because someone told me they thought they knew
who may have owned her. It seems Mistral is ... was … an avalanche dog.’

‘An avalanche dog?’ Verity asked. ‘That’s a rescue dog, I assume?’

Josh nodded. ‘Her previous owner took her to the ANENA training in
Les Deux Alpes. They graduated and were awarded the Maitre Chien d’Avalanche
certificate.’

‘What’s ANENA?’ Lucy asked. ‘I didn’t know Golden retrievers were
used as rescue dogs.’

‘Translated, it stands for the National Association for the Study
of Snow and Avalanches. For several years now, they’ve run a three-week course
at the resort of Les Deux Alpes. Dog teams come from all over France. They
cover everything from diet to rescue techniques and much more besides and
several breeds of dog are used, including Golden retrievers.’

‘So ... why is that a problem? You said that she
was
an
avalanche dog. Are you saying that she isn’t now? Is that because of her
accident?’Verity fired questions at him.

‘No. Um. Is that coffee ready, please? I could murder a cup right
now.’

‘Sorry. Yes.’ Verity poured each of them a cup of coffee and
waited. She felt that Josh was delaying telling them something, and that could
only mean it was something bad.

‘I’m sorry to say, Mistral’s real owner, her handler, Claude ...
is dead.’

‘Dead? Was he very old?’ Verity asked.

‘No, he wasn’t. In fact ... he was young. In his thirties. He died
in an accident – a skiing accident. An avalanche, ironically.’

‘Josh! That’s ... Oh how awful. Poor Mistral,’ Verity said.

Josh raised his brows.

‘And Claude, of course. That’s dreadfully sad. When was it? The
accident I mean.’

‘The first week in December. It was a freak accident. There was so
much snow so early this year followed by a bout of mild weather before even
more snow. Many places were off limits due to avalanche risk. Claude was just
very, very unlucky. He knew the mountains like the back of his hand apparently,
but he was guiding some off piste novices – chalet staff as it happens, but
that’s irrelevant. One of them set off the avalanche by going where Claude had
specifically told him not to. It happens unfortunately. Claude and the guy
died. The rest of them got out. It was on the news at the time, I seem to
remember.’

‘Bloody hell!’ Lucy exclaimed.

Josh nodded. ‘Claude’s parents have been looking after Mistral but
... well, they were finding it difficult to cope with her and they have no use
for an avalanche dog, especially one that ... seems to have forgotten its job
description, shall we say – and that keeps running away.’