The House that Florence Left (Portuguese Paradise #4)

Chapter 5

Bella woke as soon as it was light, opening her eyes and scanning the walls and ceiling to make sure there were no more skittery uninvited guests, rolled over to check there was nothing under the bed, then gingerly got up and hurried to the bathroom, after which she picked up the broom and tiptoed down the stairs.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the chest of drawers away from the wall, then jumped back, in readiness for doing something. Although she had no idea what she would do. She liked geckos — when they were outside, that is. She had never imagined a day when she would be sharing a house with them.

‘Of course I wouldn’t,’ she said to Yin and Yang, who had both jumped off the sofa and were doing their early-morning stretching exercises. ‘I lived in London. Although I have no idea what I was sharing my flat with, to be honest.’

After a few moments, Bella decided any geckos were firmly in hiding, so pushed the furniture back into place and went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

She carried it through to the living room, sat down at the table and opened her computer so she could put her thoughts in order ready for a day of thorough research about house prices.

She sighed and took a gulp of her drink, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Then she dramatically began to type, adding to Positives under all the headings: Jorge can offer advice — more info soon.

Then she set up a separate folder in preparation for the advice he would offer to be summarised and placed succinctly in the correct place.

One of the cats jumped on her lap. ‘Right, Yin. Or Yang. I’m going to have a proactive day. Off to the beach for a morning walk to get the mind juices going, then into town to blitz estate agents. And—’ she picked up her phone and opened a language app she had downloaded the night before she’d flown out ‘—immersive Portuguese for as long as the phone signal holds out.’

She set off down the track, enjoying the birdsong, and wondering why the quiet was wonderfully relaxing during daylight and somehow terrifying at night. With each step, she tried to work out a trail around the city, based on a list of estate agents she had made, and the time it should take, factoring in a couple of coffee breaks along the route. She reminded herself as she did that she was here to do a job — dealing with the property and, in a few weeks’ time, her own paid job — so that just because she was staying in a kind of holiday idyll, she shouldn’t allow herself to be sucked into enjoying herself too much. Because that’s how she kept on top of all her responsibilities at home — timetabling everything, including rest and relaxation.

She put her earbuds in, connected to the ‘Learn Portuguese at your own pace’ app and switched it on.

‘Good morning,’ said the voice. ‘ Bom dia. Repeat.’

‘ Bom dia ,’ said Bella.

‘Good afternoon. Boa tarde. Repeat.’

‘ Boa tarde. ’ Bella smiled.

‘Good night. Boa noite. Repeat.’

‘ Boa noite ,’ echoed Bella. Climbing over a dune, she knelt down to do up an untidy shoelace.

‘Hello. Olá. Repeat.’

She stood up. ‘ Olá . . .’ She stopped. ‘ Olá . . . Oh . . .’

Hugo was striding out of the sea, shaking the water out of his hair in what Bella thought was a very movie-star-like way. And wearing a well-fitted wetsuit in, she decided also, a very movie-star-like way. Pausing on the sand, he turned back to face the shore and began a series of yoga moves.

‘How are you? Como está? Rep—’ The signal dropped out halfway through the word.

‘The café...’ She realised Hugo had seen her and he was now walking towards her shouting something, but his words were swept away by the breeze.

Bella stood still and waved. ‘Hello. What? I didn’t hear,’ she shouted.

Hugo arrived at the bottom of the dune. ‘The café isn’t open yet,’ he yelled.

‘I know. I’m here for a bracing walk. Isn’t the water very cold?’ She didn’t know what else to say as he came up to her.

‘That’s what the wetsuit is for.’ He almost smiled.

Bella found it attractive and told herself to stop finding it attractive. Although to be honest, it has been a while , she thought, trying to remember the exact date when Gino had left — physically rather than emotionally.

‘How about I make you a coffee anyway?’

It’s just a coffee. Bella’s sensible inner voice made an appearance. Just, you know, remember that he is your neighbour — temporarily. No emotional stuff. Repeat: no emotional stuff.

Bella smiled at him. ‘Oh, thank you. That will set me up nicely for the day.’

Just, well, don’t find him attractive. OK? Her inner voice was trying to sound assertive.

Hugo turned to walk towards the café and Bella watched him go.

‘Oh, right, that’s easy. Not.’

Bella realised she’d said that out loud.

‘I didn’t quite catch that?’ Hugo looked back.

‘I said... um... At this time of the morning the beach is very... attractive?’ she couldn’t stop her voice trailing upwards uncertainly.

‘Attractive.’ He smiled. ‘That’s . . . I suppose . . . Yes, it is. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Entrancing.’

He paused, waiting, Bella decided, for her to say something interesting.

‘Magical, mysterious. Sandy?’

Hugo laughed loudly and continued to chuckle as Bella followed him back to the café.

He pushed open the door. ‘Shall we sit out here? It’s sheltered and we can still enjoy the fresh air.’ He picked up two padded seats and put them on the chairs. ‘ Gal?o ?’

‘Milky coffee in a glass like a latte, gal?o ?’ Bella grinned and sat down.

‘Coming up.’ He went back into the café while Bella sat and stared at the view. It felt still and full of life at the same time, the beach curving elegantly along the bay, the golden rocks of Ponta da Piedade glowing at one end, the cliffs above Alvor at the other, the sky a light, steely blue above the waves. Seagulls danced across the water, lifted by the air, and an ocean liner glided along the horizon, out towards the wide Atlantic.

‘If I could paint that view and hang it on my wall, I would.’ Hugo put her drink in front of her and sat down.

‘It is rather glorious.’ She picked up the glass. ‘Do you go for early-morning swims every day?’

Hugo was now in jeans and a T-shirt. ‘When I can. Life can get a bit busy, so when I’ve got time I come down. All through the year.’

‘I’d love to swim in the sea myself, but I’m very much a warm water person.’ Bella glanced at him. His hair was still damp, curling down to the top of his neck, just above a tattoo of what looked like the sail of a boat. She wondered what the rest of it looked like, then shook her head. That kind of thought is not allowed. Have other thoughts.

‘Are you OK?’ Hugo leaned towards her.

‘Yes, a fly or something was buzzing around.’ Bella took a long gulp of her drink. ‘So, how long have you had the café?’

‘For ever. It belonged to my parents. The house next to yours is my family home. I was born there and I grew up there. So, for me I have been there for ever too.’

‘So, you always knew my great-aunt then?’

‘Yes. She helped me to change the smallholding to be more sustainable. It always needs more work, but she was very supportive. She was helping me with a charitable venture too. All about the land.’

‘I live in a flat in the middle of a city.’ Bella turned her attention to the sea again. ‘I buy everything with the environment in mind. But, well, I don’t even have a balcony. There is a shared garden though. It’s nice...’ She trailed off, thinking about the things she’d left behind. There wasn’t much. Not even a pot plant.

‘So, if I was strange with you the first time we met, I apologise.’ Hugo stood up and held out his hand. ‘Both your aunt and I have been under pressure from developers over recent years — some ethical, some not. I understand you need to do what you need to do. Let’s shake on that.’

Bella got up and took his hand. ‘Yes. Of course,’ she murmured, momentarily staring into his deep, chocolate-brown eyes.

They both sat down. ‘When you said some weren’t ethical . . . ?’ Bella took a sip of her drink.

‘There is a shortage of affordable housing. Like in a lot of places. And luxury villas bring in money, I know. But it has to be in keeping with the surroundings and some people don’t care.’

‘You still haven’t defined unethical.’ Bella picked up her drink again.

‘Before the storks left there was one who would have knocked the whole place down without getting the right permission. He told your aunt. She kept saying “the storks are here, you can’t do anything to the house anyway”, and he’d tell her it didn’t matter. They’d keep it quiet. Don’t need to tell anyone.’

‘But now the storks have gone?’

‘After your aunt died. It was strange... but...’ He looked at her. ‘Mother nature, eh? And, you know, I don’t think anyone would get permission to build on the land here — I don’t think it’s good building land. But still they try. Maybe they think the regulations will change.’

A clock chimed eight in the distance. ‘Right, I’d better get going.’ Hugo stood up. ‘Take your time. And I’d like to show you the smallholding so you can see what is next door to you.’

‘Of course.’

He opened the sliding doors. ‘Tomorrow morning? It’s my day off. Sort of. Around ten? My accountant is coming around at ten thirty so it will be a quick look, but as we’re neighbours, I’d like you to understand what I am about.’

‘Works for me,’ Bella agreed. She wanted to understand that too.