The Return by Jan Bowles

Author:Jan Bowles [Bowles, Jan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Siren-BookStrand, Inc.
Published: 2010-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

The Bay of Funchal stretched out before them. They had left the airport only a half-hour before and had driven to the main city of Funchal with Robert pointing out several places of interest. With the sun beating down on them, she felt thankful for the air-conditioning inside the Aston Martin.

“I’m exhausted. I never knew promoting a book could be so much hard work.” She sighed as she leant back against the leather seat.

“Yes, I’m sorry. It hasn’t been much fun for you trailing after me, but the publicity is necessary.” He stared ahead, concentrating on the traffic.

She looked at his profile. Since their wedding night, he’d been more courteous to her, more respectful. But then they had mostly been in the public eye. Legions of adoring fans had queued to see him, on their whistle stop tour of the UK as he promoted his new book. Now they would be on their own, and his true feelings would begin to show again. She couldn’t help but feel anxious.

She turned to look out the car window. The bay surrounded by lush green hills rose majestically above the tiny boats, and one large cruise ship anchored in the harbour. The waves reflecting the sunlight as it ebbed and flowed. The hillside, a natural amphitheatre ground into the rock centuries before, encompassed the whole area. The tropical green slopes lay covered with an array of scattered buildings with red tiled roofs.

They climbed ever higher until the bay spread out below them.

“Almost there.” He looked quickly at her. “Welcome to Casa Pelo Córrego.” He drove the Aston Martin through the large iron gates and parked it outside the villa. “It means house by the stream.”

The beautiful white villa with its large four-arched veranda and sweeping red tiled roof created a welcome sight.

As they stepped from the car, Marielle welcomed the ocean breeze that fluttered through her hair. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the sweet smell of blossom and the fabulous blue of the sea far below them. Maybe she would be able to relax here after all.

Robert appeared to visibly unwind, the taut lines on his face melting away as he, too, breathed the rarefied air. “I had someone open it up for me this morning.” He took her hand in his. “I’ll show you around. We have to make the best of it, Marielle, for Jemma’s sake. She needs a happy home life and continuity, whatever you feel about me.”

“I know you’re right, Robert. I just hadn’t expected any of this to happen. I wished we could have bought her with us.” She knew that this felt new for them both. Their lives had changed forever.

“Me, too,” he said gruffly. “I’ll show you around the grounds and villa. You’ll soon start to relax.”

How could she relax when she worried about their future together? “You’ve got a lovely home here,” she eventually said as he led her around the lush tropical garden with its banana trees, mango, and papayas.

“It’s your home, too now.

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