She shook her head and shot him a pitying look. ‘At least they’re both home made.’ She gave the order to a passing waiter, telling him to add a big salad too.
Dan opened his laptop, tapped in his code and stared unseeing at the Wordle page before him, as if it were telling him something of vital importance about the world’s economy. He frowned, propped his elbows on the table, and pressed his steepled fingers against his mouth in an attitude of concentration. It usually fooled people into believing he was thinking Important Thoughts.
Augi glanced his way and her eyes contracted a little at the corners. If he hadn’t been studying her so hard, he wouldn’t have noticed. But he was, and he did. It seemed Augi wasn’t fooled. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe the fact he couldn’t stop looking at her had given him away.
But most of the time Augi talked to Lucy, focusing on what she had to say. As he watched her out of the corner of his eye, he tried to figure out what it was that differentiated her from everyone else. Because it wasn’t only her attitude and beauty. Then he got it. She had no device on her. No phone, no tablet to refer to, no laptop. She was disconnected from any form of electronic device. He liked that too. He snapped his laptop closed. If she was aware he was looking at her, there didn’t seem much point in trying to cover it up.
He smiled his thanks to the waitress who served him his pie and chips. And he pushed the salad to one side. The sun filtered onto him through the lush hanging baskets outside. As he strained to catch what Augi was talking about, he glanced out to the old hotel and beyond that to the florist shop above which Lucy’s apartment was. So contained. He was beginning to appreciate that about Lucy’s world. It was a world she defended tooth and nail. If something came into it she didn’t like, she declared war on it. Which he considered to be fair enough.
He couldn’t hear what Augi was saying, but he was mesmerised by the sound of her voice which filtered through his body like a soothing ASMR vibration. And while she was absorbed in talking to Lucy it gave him the opportunity to watch Augi more directly.
The sun glanced off her thick, lustrous hair. He’d never seen hair so shiny, nor so straight. It would have been too uncompromising on some people but it suited her. From the nose, not some plastic surgeon’s idea of perfection, but straight and characterful, to her high cheekbones and smooth brow, there was no padding, no spare flesh to soften her features. But she didn’t need any. Why blur perfection?
He’d only got through half his pie when, from their movements, Dan got the impression the meeting was winding up. He didn’t want this vision to leave before he’d had a chance to redeem himself by actually saying something adult and sane. He leapt up, and walked over to them.
They were deep in conversation and oblivious to his presence, so he took the opportunity to enjoy the sound of Augi’s voice. It rippled across his senses, teasing and calming them at the same time.
She suddenly looked at him, her olive complexion reddening slightly. He liked that. Lucy followed her gaze.
‘Dan! I thought you’d gone. You’ve been so quiet.’ She looked from Augi, back to Dan again and jumped up. ‘But while you’re here, why don’t you talk to Augi about what you’ve found out about a certain someone?’
Perfect. He didn’t have to rely on small talk — which he suspected the woman before him would have no time for. They had something in common, even if it was a vile man who was trying to use Lucy and turn MacLeod’s Cove from a real village into a rich man’s playground.
‘Of course,’ said Dan, taking Lucy’s seat as she vacated it and returned to the kitchen.
For a moment he wondered if Augi would leave. He was reminded of a delicate deer, poising, sensing danger, about to disappear.
‘If that’s all right with you,’ he added gently, needing her to know that he wouldn’t keep her there if she wished to leave. He glanced at Lucy who was standing in the kitchen, checking on something in the oven. He also wanted Augi to know that he was capable of looking at something other than her for a few minutes. When he looked back he was relieved to see the nervousness had been replaced by her previous self-containment. ‘Although I think Lucy will appreciate it if we can combine our knowledge and provide her with some kind of defence against his man. Because, from what I’ve discovered, he’s not a nice man. And I’m not happy that Lucy has chosen to do battle with him.’
He’d hoped that by making it clear he was on the side of the good guys, he’d convince her that he was someone who could be trusted. But, like Lucy, and like himself, he sensed trusting wasn’t something that came easily to Augi.
She inclined her head. ‘Of course.’ She glanced over at Lucy and he saw Augi’s face soften. When she looked back again the softening had gone. ‘I would do anything to help Lucy and Kate. They’ve both been very good to me.’
She blinked and looked down suddenly, as if she’d said more than she’d intended.
‘They’ve both been very good to me, too,’ said Dan, trying to reassure her that he wasn’t about to give her an inquisition, but had taken her comment lightly. Even if he had made a mental note to ask his mother about her.
He was rewarded with a relieved smile. Lines bracketed her mouth as the smile widened. It was as if she didn’t smile very often. Now he was sitting close to her, he noticed for the first time the lines around her eyes, lines which told of experience, like decorative scorings which emphasised her eyes.
He looked away quickly, before she could guess his thoughts.
‘So, did you find out similar things to me about this rat, Oliver Perry-Warnes?’ he asked.
‘I think I found out why he is a rat. From what I’ve gleaned, I would say that he would have been taught at a young age what kind of behaviour would be rewarded.’
‘And that was?’
‘Anything which resulted in success. Only success. His father left quite a trail of wreckage behind him. But his grandparents were extremely wealthy, pillars of the community. The two influences would have moulded Oliver’s character uniquely. On one hand he might want to aspire to the legacy of his grandparents, and yet, on the other, the way he chooses to get there sounds purely influenced by his father.’
‘That would certainly fit with what I discovered. Oliver Perry-Warnes wins. That’s it. He’s ruthless and he’s determined to succeed at any cost. Which all adds up to me not liking my sister doing battle with him.’
‘Indeed. But it seems she’s very determined. I doubt she very often loses either. And she doesn’t seem to be dissuaded.’
‘No. Once our Lucy gets the bit between her teeth, there’s no stopping her. I think all we can do is to smooth her path as much as possible and hang on to our hats as she takes us all on a journey.’
His smile faded. He’d wanted her to be amused — even faintly — by his allusion. But Augi’s smile froze a little before dropping.
‘I think…’ she began, before looking around, ‘that I should get going. I need to open the library soon.’ She jumped up.
