The Quilt (39 page)

“You may well be if you don’t le
t that bone heal,” Mari retorted.

They looked
at Paul in unison.

“I thought you were at Coastguard?”

“No, I have been walking Jess on the beach.”

He waited patiently for them to attempt to involve him in their squabble.  When neither woman spoke he continued.

“I have been speaking to the young lady involved in the recent channel accident.”

As if synchronised the two
women narrowed their eyes.

“
She is intending to retrieve the damaged hull and restore the mural.  I have offered her dry storage until it is organized.”

“
I would think a memory like that is best left to perish.”

Pa
ul’s mouth had formed into grim determined line. 

“I rea
lly don’t think Joanne associates the mural with her friend’s death.  I also don’t think it is our business to analyse her motivation.”

Jean frowned at the dismissal and continued cautiously.

“When are you planning to move the wreck?”

Paul glanced down at his watch.

“Geoff should almost be at the beach now.”

There was an audible sigh from Mari.  She had remained unusually silent during the exchange.

“We will make sure there is something to eat and drink for anyone that is helping.”

She turned and placed a firm hand on Jean’s shoulder before steering her towards the kitchen.

Joanne’s laughter rung out with the quality of fine crystal. 
Paul stopped on the track and watched in fascination as she stood animated, devoid of the tension that he normally saw on her exquisite face.  She was surrounded by five men and held them captivated with her words.  Her hair had been released from its confines.  Its natural honey colour glowed with the luminosity of specks of gold dust.  Her face lit up with her laughter and even from a distance he could imagine the dancing mischief in her slate grey eyes. 

Chris Fenton edged closer
, but his words were indistinguishable from where Paul stood silently observing. She laughed again and touched him briefly on his tanned muscular forearm. Paul frowned at the familiar gesture and focused on the group with an arctic stare.

What the hell was the
point of her mixed messages? Was this aloof woman playing some sort of game with unspoken rules that were a total mystery to him?

Jess suddenly broke away from the group and greeted Paul. Joanne followed the old dog with her eyes and her features assembled themselves automatically into the familiar, unreadable and well-rehearsed mask.

“Paul!”

Geoff broke through the uncomfortable silence and extended his hand.

“You saved me from one of Chloe’s moods
.”

“Glad I could assist
.”

Paul and Geoff fell in
to an easy conversation turning their backs to Joanne and walking over to the hull.

“What the hell was that about?”

Geoff raised a curious eyebrow and studied the tension that was clearly evident in Pauls jaw.

“Don’t read too much in
to it, my friend.”

“Do you want to know what Chloe thinks?”

Paul turned to face Geoff and eyed him suspiciously.

“No
, I don’t.  I have no interest whatsoever.”

Heavy blankets protected the paint from the thick strops that were fastened to secure the remains of the boat to the trailer.  It had taken almost two hours to assemble the scattered debris and transport the larger undamaged section of the hull up the steep and uneven track.  The gruelling heat of the early afternoon sun bit into the sweat saturated bodies of the men as they stood surveying the wreck of the Lucky Lady.

“Glen Forrester.  The man that owns and runs the Main Street gallery would be your best bet.  He’s an accomplished artist
himself and paints on unusual surfaces.  Always up for a challenge if you can keep him sober.”

Paul glanced over to Joanne.  She met his eyes and t
hen looked away.

“I think Mari and Jea
n are expecting you all at the vineyard.”

Again the slate grey eyes questioned him
.  Intentionally, Paul focused on the mural.

“We’
ll follow you. I am sure no one here will turn down anything offered by the vineyard kitchen.”

Unanimous agreement rippled through the men.

Paul opened the sleek passenger door of the Range Rover and indicated for Joanne to get in.  She radiated tension, her face nervous and her manner formal.

“I promise I
have no interest in biting you.”

Not entirely true thought Paul but he was rewarded with a stiff smile.

Joanne studied the masculine features as he expertly manoeuvred the large vehicle and trailer up the narrow steep road.

“You live on a v
ineyard?  That must be an idyllic lifestyle.”

Paul’s mouth creased in
to an attractive smile but he remained focused on the road.

“Yes
, we are lucky to live on a vineyard and even more lucky to be able to live on this island.”

We?  Joanne felt an unwelcome sense of disappointment rise up in a wave to greet her.  What did you expect
, that a man that looks like this would be single?  Flustered, she began to talk rapidly noticing with disgust that her voice now sounded like a slightly hysterical child.

“If it isn’t
convenient to store the mermaid I will arrange to have it picked up in the week or so?    After we have unloaded would you mind dropping me off at the ferry?  I should be able to catch the four o’clock sailing back to the city.”

Paul’s eyes
momentarily left the road.  He looked at her anxiously.

“Slow down!
If it wasn’t convenient to store the hull for you I wouldn’t have offered.  I am sure you will be able to catch the four o’clock ferry and that will give you plenty of time to see her unloaded and stored safely.  We are at the vineyard now.”

He turned off the road and o
n to Marinella’s long wide driveway.

“What a beautiful property
.”

J
oanne’s features relaxed as she admired the stone buildings and the formal symmetry of the plantings. 

“Is that a restaurant ahead?”

“Yes, we are working on the final planning approval and then it will be ready to open.”

Paul
applied the handbrake and walked swiftly around the car to open her door. 

“Please accept my apology in advance
.”

A
mysterious grin spread across his face and as if on cue two elderly women erupted from the huge heavy restaurant doors.

“
Are you apologising for them? They look so sweet, how could you say that?” 

Paul shook his head slowly. 

“Your mother?” Joanne asked.

“Yes!” both
elderly women replied in unison.

The lo
oked at each other and burst into loud riotous laughter.  Paul’s eyes narrowed in a helpless glare.

“Have you two been drinking?”

He caste Joanne a long-suffering look but she was smiling sweetly and appeared to be enjoying his discomfort.

Jean gathered enough self-c
ontrol to walk over to the mural.

“
It is in good condition considering how long it’s been out in the weather.  She must have been a very talented artist, was this a self-portrait?”

“She was very talented.  She just really didn’t know it
.”

Jo
anne smiled and a small flicker of sadness clouded her eyes.  Jean put a hand gently on her arm.

“
I now understand why you would want to preserve the hull.”

The conversation was interrupted by
Geoff’s car as it pulled up behind the trailer followed by Chris and Bradley the local policeman.  The men walked over and greeted Mari and Jean with an easy familiar hug.

“Hey Clarke
, where is a cold beer?”

Chris winked at Joanne
, his hazel eyes creasing suggestively. 

Paul stood up abruptly
, his eyes were impossible to read but they were focused firmly on Chris. 

“Would you like a wine Joanne?  Is there anything in particular you would prefer?”

The glacial coloured eyes remained focused on the younger man who appeared to be shrinking silently into his chair.

“Yes please
, white and dry would be fine.  I would love to try something from this vineyard if I could.”

She looked anxiously at
Paul and he reluctantly released Chris from the strangle hold of his eyes.  Both Jean and Geoff seemed to visibly relax and the easy conversation resumed.

“Marinella, translated it means of the sea doesn’t it?”

“Yes!” gushed Mari, “you speak Italian?”

“I spent some
of my early childhood in Italy.  But I haven’t kept it up so I am no longer able to speak fluently.”

“I suppose you
are going to say you are a chef?”

Paul closed his eyes; he should have gagged the pair of them.

“I thought you were a nurse?”

She looked pointedly at Mari.

“I can understand why people would think that.  I did help care for Sandy during the course of her illness but only because she was my friend not because nursing was my vocation.”

Joanne smiled kindl
y at the concerned faces staring at her from around the table.

“
I’m a lawyer although currently unemployed in that field.  I specialise in family law.”

Paul was a little taken back. 
He regarded the cool blonde with a new respect. 

Geoff was the first to leave followed by the other men.  
Again they paused to hug the two elderly women and politely thank them for their hospitality.  Chris was reserved and formal.  He glanced uneasily at Joanne and extended a conciliatory hand to Paul.  

“Would you mind showing me around?”

Paul looked
pointedly at his watch.  The two women had left the table and could be heard arguing in the kitchen.

“If
you don’t want to, it’s fine.”

Joanne smiled feeling
uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

“
I don’t mind showing you around.  I just find it surprizing that you would be interested.”

A frown spread across her face and Joanne absentmindedly pushed a slice of pizza around the circumference of her plate. When she looked at Paul her eyes had taken on the quality of polished steel.

“What I find surprizing is your hostility towards Chris.”

Paul looked startled but regained his composure quickly.

“Chris is a known womaniser.”

“And you don’t
think I am capable of looking after myself or are you questioning my ability to realize what he is?”

Joanne’s eyes
narrowed.

“For that matter
, do you really consider his interactions are any of your business?”

Her voice had low
ered and the words now had the quality of the hiss from a feral cat. She watched as Paul steadied his breathing.  He was regarding her carefully with his intense eyes.  No wonder Chris had shrunk away to a quivering mass on his chair.

“
I really don’t know what you are capable of Joanne.  In honesty, I don’t know you at all.   But you have been through enough recently and if it is in my power to protect you then that is what I will do.”

He levelled his stare at her.

“As I would an injured kitten.”

“You don’t need
to continually rescue me.”

She bristled angrily.
Ignoring her indignation Paul put his hand under Joanne’s elbow and gently guided her to the tasting room.  Joanne hesitated at the entrance adjusting to the pleasant coolness that enveloped her.

“Do you think we will ever have a normal
, relaxed conversation?”

She heard Paul exhale and turned to face him.  He was leaning against the heavy frame of the
door regarding her.  He was uncomfortably close, tall, muscular and exuding confidence.   A slight barely visible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.  Joanne felt her pulse quicken and the heat rise uninvited into her face.  I need to distance myself from this man.  I need to rebuild my life.

Paul broke the spell
by pushing gently past her and walking over to a small fridge that was disguised behind a co-ordinated wooden panel.  He poured two small glasses of chilled wine.