John took the bend with just a tad more juice than the icy tarmac could forgive and after screams from man and brakes, heard only by an early owl, he and his smart new BMW soared gracefully into a field. High banks of cushioning snow would have caught him like a child tossed squealing into a blanket, but for the unfortunate positioning of a standing stone rising fifteen feet through the snow. The granite obelisk, engraved with weather faded circles, indecipherable Roman graffiti and arrow-shot hearts, was perfectly placed to halt the car and took the impact with seeming equanimity, rocking forward only slightly as if in courtly acknowledgment of a sacrifice.
The car, its shiny red bodywork dimmed to dark grey in the gloom, drew back upon itself like a folding Chinese lantern, lurched once and was still.
Chloe stood at the uncovered window of her apartment, looking down to see who might be coming by, but the effect of the dark outside and the light within made a mirror of the window and she saw herself reflected. As was her habit she inclined her head so that the cheek, cruelly scarred in a train crash was furthermost from her view. Turning Chloe went as if to push the redial button on the phone she was holding but changing her mind she called her sister’s number instead.,
“Celeste, hi Hon’ it’s me, God, I know I’m a pain, I only seem to call you lately to moan.”
Chloe heard her sister sigh. “That’s what sisters are for Chlo’. What’s up? Men or money?”
“Bit of both Cel’.”
“What! Has John been messing with that waitress again?”
Chloe smiled despite herself. “Celeste you know very well she was a celebrity chef, but no I don’t think so, although he’s preoccupied lately, I haven’t seen the signs.”
“He’s not getting fat again then, with her creamy sauces?”
“Cel, be serious, John should have been home ages ago. I’ve been ringing his mobile for ever, I managed to get us tickets for that new tenor he likes and he swore he wouldn’t be late.”
Celeste sighed audibly again. “Chloe’ I know museums don’t pay much, but why do you foot the bill for everything? You spoil John and he doesn’t deserve you. I think you should see that councillor again, get back your confidence, you’re still just as beautiful as ever you know. The accountants would have a fit if they knew you paid for the B.M. especially your putting it down as a pool car!”
Chloe came clean, the stress of pretence was too much.
“That’s another thing” there came a catch in her voice. “The business isn’t going so well, I’ve been keeping it afloat with my compensation but that’s nearly all gone, John says we mustn’t let it get out, we’ve to keep up appearances or the shares will crash.”
“My God Chlo! What can I do?”
“Nothing Hon, but John’s going to make good, he went off yesterday to investigate some ruin or other, he reckons it will take the world by storm, but he won’t tell me the details yet, just says it will make his fortune.”
“Yes Hon’! His fortune! Why don’t you drop him? He’s just a sponging dreamer. Harry’s always had the hots for you, he must be loaded, his father owns half a county!”
Chloe laughed. “I may at that, if John’s stood me up. When I stayed at Harry’s place in the summer, you know when John was … eating rich food” the sisters giggled “Well Harry did a carving on this huge stone they’ve got on their land, it stands in one of their fields, you can see it from the lane, quite awesome; He carved out initials on it in a heart, quite sweet really, he’d even bought a chisel with him, had it in the picnic basket, been there for three hundred years apparently.”
Her sister laughed. “What the chisel?”
“No, the stone, dopey. Its’ meant to have these special powers, anything carved in it is set in stone, if you believe all that trash, I know you do, you and your crystals. Well thanks for listening again Hon; I’ll try John one last time, bye Celeste, love to Bob”.
John’s mobile broke the silence, dueting Nesum Dorma with the owl.
The next afternoon Harry and his father stood at the crash site, hands shoved in pockets, their faces ruddy with the cold, as the tow truck drew away.
Heavy rescue vehicles had churned up the show and they’d finished clearing it to the hedgerows with snow-shovels.
The older man spoke, his breath rimy as it met the air.
“Shame Hal, about the prof, what was he down here after anyway? I didn’t think you had the time of day for him. Mind you the ladies always had a soft spot for him, even y’r mother put a dab of perfume behind her ear when she saw him drive up, some sort of ruddy India Jones or whatever his name was.”
Harry caught his father’s eye, “Business brought him down Pa, him being an expert in antiquaries I wanted to show him one or two pieces that I thought we might let go, what with Grandfather’s death duties and the house falling down about our ears. The prof was interested in this old stone… ironic that.”
Harry clapped a gloved hand about his father’s shoulder and they walked over to check the obelisk for damage.
“Barely a scratch.” Said Harry with relief. “I might see a way forward now Pa, I’m hoping to marry money, new money, I know, but let me worry about that, it’s all in hand.”
Pulling off a glove Harry traced an engraved heart with one finger. And he smiled.
Lesley James (The Inn Scribers)
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