Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Extract)

Chapter 6

Marina danced with Fabian. As the DJ was playing something romantic, Marina had her arms wound tightly around Fabian's neck. She had discarded her high heels some time ago so he had to stoop to avoid being throttled. Marina attempted to squint at her watch but it had become tangled up in his blond ponytail. Eventually she gave up and looked at his watch.

"I haven't seen Caitlin for a long time," she said.

"Yeah, it's so dark in here."

Marina decided it would take too long to explain. "I wonder where Hugh has gone? It's a quarter past twelve. Weren't the fireworks supposed to have been set off at midnight?"

"Were they?" he commented disinterestedly, before bending to kiss her neck.

Marina sighed. "We'd better go and find Caitlin and Hugh."

"Maybe they've gone off for a bonk."

"Maybe they have - but not with each other, that's for certain. In fact, I bet Hugh's making up to some teenage tart right now." Marina untangled herself from Fabian's embrace. "Still, I suppose we ought to make the effort to find them. You search the garden. I'll check upstairs."

Fabian grinned. "And whoever finds the most fornicating couples wins!"

* * *

Caitlin sat on the riverbank, dangling her bare feet in the water. She had abandoned her shoes somewhere behind her on the lawn. The water was inky black with only the reflection of the moon to create ripples of silver across its surface. In the daytime the river was so clear the gravelly bottom could be easily seen, as well as occasional fish.

Oblivious to the damp grass soaking through her skirts, Caitlin stared across the water, deep in thought. On the opposite bank were pastures, which Hugh rented out to a local farmer. There ought to be a herd of cows in there at the moment but Caitlin could not see them. Maybe cows went home to bed at night like everyone else? Like she ought to do. Just a few hours ago she was all for playing happy families with Hugh, and now she was falling in love with a perfect stranger.

The man had rolled up his trousers and was swishing his feet back and forth in the water. His socks had been screwed up into little balls and stuffed into his shoes, abandoned beside him. The moonlight shone on his short, spiky hair. Caitlin wanted to run her fingers through it and ruffle it up.

She sat on her hands, reminding herself she was a married woman. But he really was the most perfect stranger.

It occurred to her that she ought to ask his name. But just as she turned to ask him, his face moved, blotting out the moon, and his mouth landed firmly on hers. She was so surprised she froze.

He kissed her gently, as though fearing rejection. Then more confidently, his tongue dipping and diving between her lips, until she got quite carried away and joined in, in a most immoral fashion, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. Then his mouth began to slide down her neck, the tip of his tongue curling around the little hollows of her collarbone. Caitlin sighed and melted into him.

Just as the stranger's hand slipped around to caress the back of her neck, while her mind slipped into oblivion, a familiar voice broke her concentration.

"Mrs Kirkwood ... er, hem ... Mrs Kirkwood ... "

"Mrs Kirkwood?" her new friend whispered softly in her ear.

"I can explain," said Caitlin, knowing full well she couldn't.

"Mrs Kirkwood," repeated Fabian patiently, "May I have a couple of words?"

She grit her teeth. "Sure, 'get lost'."

"That's three," muttered the voice in her ear.

Caitlin giggled.

"Mrs Kirkwood," continued Fabian relentlessly. "It is urgent."

The man released her.

She scrambled to her feet, grabbed Fabian and hauled him away from the riverbank. "What's so urgent? Has something awful happened?"

"The fireworks that were supposed to go off at midnight? Didn't."

"Oh hell! Has anyone noticed?"

"Only Marina - and I suppose she doesn't count? Most people have dropped off to sleep in the Residents' Lounge."

"I can still hear music."

"The DJ refuses to go until he gets paid."

"Hugh can sort him out when he decides to turn up. Now, how are you at lighting fireworks?"

"Dunno, but I've got a cigarette lighter here somewhere." Fabian tugged it out of his trouser pocket. The silver glimmered in the moonlight as he flipped the lid off and tried to light it. Nothing happened.

"Terrific!"

"Sorry, I've never needed to use it. Dad bought it for my twenty-first - he doesn't know I don't smoke and I didn't want to hurt his feelings."

"Try mine," suggested the stranger, having heard every word. Another silver cigarette lighter flew through the air.

Fabian neatly caught it. "Thanks!" he called. "I'll bring it straight back."

"I'll bring it straight back," said Caitlin. She smiled up at her new friend. "I'll return as soon as I've sorted out these fireworks."

"Don't be too long," he said, "or I might turn into a handsome frog."

Caitlin hitched up her wedding dress and followed Fabian in the direction of the barbecue. The stranger sighed and took out another cigarette - before he remembered his missing lighter. Slightly peeved, he flicked the cigarette into the water and looked around for his shoes.

* * *

Caitlin left Fabian with a torch and a list of instructions, but relieved him of the lighter and a box of sparklers. She left him to set up the fireworks and returned to the hotel to round up the guests, taking the route past the indoor pool to save her bare feet. The huge chestnut trees, just coming into bud, cast long, sinister shadows across the barn but she could see her way by the lights streaming through the open door.

She slowed down. That was not right. The poolside was washed down every evening by the caretaker, who then locked the barn door at ten o'clock promptly. So she tiptoed across the flagstone path, pausing as she reached the open doorway. Every light in the building blazed.

The sensible thing would be to call security, or one of those bored Special Branch officers. But she could hear laughter and lots of splashing - hardly the behaviour of a terrorist. Most likely it was a gang of Hugh's dreadful friends.

Caitlin entered the barn.

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