Passionate Choice

Chapter 9.5

   Conversation became more general as the car took a downhill road to the right, then to the left again to curve beside the sea, past the big hotels on Cable Beach, and out on the road to the western point of the island. The hotels gave way to villas hidden among clustering trees and Selena recognized the road along the high she had travelled with Sheryl and George Manton over four year ago on her way to a party.

   She recognized also the entrance to the driveway with its stone gateposts and the pink-washed, Spanish-style balconies and purple creeper. And when she followed Sora into the big room where the party had been held, her heart quailed and she felt a rush of terrible regret because here was no tall stranger there staring at her across the room with blazing blue eyes.

   Instead, there was another stranger, a shorter, darker man whose eyes were blue but did not have the brilliance of Keith's. He was Tim Walker and he welcomed her pleasantly to the house.

   "Keith's on his way," explained Sora. "Selena's come for her luggage. She's going to stay here for a few days." Sora turned to have over Daniel to his nanny who had just appeared, then swung back to Tim. "I must talk to you, darling. I have a little plan to discuss with you. As soon as I've shown Selena to her room."

   The room was big, on the second floor. It was furnished with a king-sized bed covered in a blue and green print. The walls were painted ivory against which simple pine chests glowed. On one wall, there was s long wardrobe with sliding doors. Opposite, arched windows opened on to a balcony. Through a door to the right of the bed, Selena glimpsed a tiled bathroom. Her luggage had been placed on a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed.

   She didn't unpack completely. Although Sora had told Tim she would be staying a few days, she couldn't be sure that she would. Only if something happened to stop her from going back to Britain, would she stay. Only if Keith asked her to stay, would she stay.

   In the exotic bathroom, exotic to her because it had a whirlpool bath set into the floor and numerous mirrors in which she could see her reflection from all angles plus huge fluffy towels, she wallowed in hot water for a while, shampooed her hair and then soaked again. When she was dry, she draped herself in a towel and decided to search for a hair-drier. She found one in a cupboard which was full of male toilet requisites; shaving foam, razors, after-shave lotions. The previous guest to stay in that room must have forgotten to pack them when he had left.

   Her hair dry, she returned the drier to the cupboard and padded over the pale blue carpet into the bedroom to dress. As she slipped into the other dress she had brought with her, a pale turquoise cotton printed with a darker blue pattern, a simple design with a V-neck, no sleeves and a tight fitting skirt slit at both sides, she had the strangest feeling that the room had a 'used' atmosphere, unlike most guest rooms she had stayed in. Although near and spotless, the bed looked as if they had free been sat on. And then it was so big and the view was so wonderful, across a lawn planted with shrubs and palms and many flowers to a line of casuarinas through which the sea, now touched with crimson from the setting sun, gleamed.

   Turning away from the windows, she looked across the room at the wardrobe and in sudden impulse, she went to it and slid back one of the doors. There were lightweight men's suits on hangers. She peered further in and saw rows of shirts. Closing the first door, she slid open another and saw cotton slacks and even jeans hanging up. On the floor, there were shoes.

   She closed the door carefully and went back to her luggage to take out the sandals she intended to wear. She wasn't in a guest room. She was in a room that was used regularly by a man and the only man she knew who lived in this house on a regular basis, besides Tim Walker, was Keith Walker. Sora had shown her to this room because Sora assumed she and Keith were still having an affair and still lived together when they could.

*A/N: Please my patron in Patreon and read chapters in advance. My other works are also available there. Or if you just want to support me. Please look for creator Zetar086.
Love lots ♥️