Lovers' Lies

In the enormous cobbled courtyards, black-clad gardeners were painstakingly removing weeds and grass in the continuing work of restoration. As the tour party crossed the baking hot stones Felicia mentally clothed the crowds of Chinese sightseers in the sumptuous, graceful fashion of the courtiers and servants who had once lived and worked here.

Leaning on the barrier at the doorway of The Palace of Heavenly Purity to photograph a wonderful dragon screen behind the high throne, she found herself standing next to Joshua Tagget, his arm brushing briefly against hers.

Felicia stepped hastily back, and he turned his head. ‘Sorry,’ he murmured. His eyes lingered on her—not too blatantly, but in the manner of a man appreciating a good-looking woman, and with a hint of interested enquiry.

Felicia managed a tight smile before she walked away, ostensibly to photograph one of the bronze cranes on the terrace, and heard Joshua’s deep voice ask Jen a question about the intricate carved ceiling of the throne room. She felt her hands clench, and with a sense of rising panic wondered how she was going to stand three weeks of his proximity

There was some comfort at least in knowing he had no idea who she was. She would just keep out of his way as much as possible and pretend they had never met. There was no reason to let his presence destroy her enjoyment.

By the time the party had passed through the Gate of Earthly Tranquillity to the Imperial Garden where plants and trees gave an illusion of coolness, they were relieved to take a rest.

The guide pointed out two intertwined old trees. They are called “the love trees”.

Joshua laughed quietly, and Felicia thought with unaccustomed viciousness, Yes, you can laugh at love—it was always a game to you.

But it hadn’t been a game to poor Genevieve. Genevieve had died for it, while Joshua walked away unscathed.

They left the Forbidden City for the Summer Palace and lunch at the Ting Li Guan restaurant. ‘This means in English, the Pavilion for Listening to the Orioles Sing,’ Jen informed them.

‘Oh, isn’t that charming!’ Maggie exclaimed.

‘Lovely,’ Felicia agreed, manoeuvring herself into a chair as far from Joshua Tagget as possible before taking off her hat and sunglasses. She was surprised to find that she was hungry as well as thirsty. Tucking into prawns, rice and something deep-fried that was unfamiliar but delicious, she almost managed to forget the man she’d been carefully avoiding all morning.

The restaurant lay on a lake shore, and after eating they were taken across the water in a canopied boat with a dragon’s head at the bow. Seated at one side of the boat between Maggie and a young couple holding hands, Felicia removed her sunglasses to focus her camera on a series of glittering curved roofs gracing the steep, wooded hillside above the lake. She felt a breeze tug at her hat, and was too late to save it from being whisked off her head.

It didn’t fly straight to the water, but instead skimmed a few yards along the boat, where a tanned, masculine hand stretched out and captured it.

A few people laughed and applauded, and Felicia stood up—just as Joshua did the same, her hat still held in his hand.

He stepped towards her and, her hair whipping about her face, she reached for the hat. ‘Thank you.’

‘My pleasure.’ He was smiling, but with a faint frown between his brows as if he was trying to place her. His gaze dropped momentarily to her name tag. ‘I’d hang onto the headgear if I were you.’

‘Yes,’ she said, and returned to her seat.

Instead of reclaiming his own he followed her, placing a hand on one of the posts supporting the canopy above them as he looked down at her.

Felicia turned her face away, studying the hired canoes and other small ferries dotting the ruffled waters of the lake.

‘I know it’s an old line,’ Joshua said, ‘but do I know you from somewhere?’

Felicia swallowed before turning an indifferent, clear blue gaze on him. ‘You’re right,’ she said coolly, not bothering to lower her voice, then paused. ‘It is an old line.’

She turned again to contemplate the view. Maggie made a small, protesting sound. The male half of the young couple cast Joshua a sympathetic glance, and the girl smothered a giggle.

Felicia couldn’t see the expression on Joshua’s face as he received the very public snub, but after a moment she heard him laugh softly, and then he removed his hand from the post and strolled away.

A few seconds later Maggie said tentatively, ‘He seems quite a nice young man.’

‘I’m sure he is,’ Felicia agreed, lying in her teeth. Joshua Taggett was far from being nice, and she had cause to know it. She withdrew her aching eyes from the view and smiled at the American woman.

‘Do you have someone back home?’ Maggie asked curiously.

Felicia shook her head. ‘No. I’m just not interested.’

‘Oh.’ Maggie looked over at Joshua, standing with his back to them now near the bow. ‘Well, let me tell you, I think you’re picky. If I were ten years younger...maybe make that fifteen...’

Felicia laughed, and saw Joshua quickly turn his head, his eyes homing in on her. He probably thought they were laughing at him. Well, let him think it. She dragged her gaze away.

After peeking at some of the jade and ivory treasures in the buildings near the foreshore, Maggie and most of the older members of the party elected to stroll along the broad winding paths seeking both beauty and shade, while others climbed the steep flights of steps to the Pavilion of Precious Clouds.

The pavilion seemed to have grown from the uneven grey rocks, they were so perfectly blended. Children scrambled happily about among the rocks and the several flights of stairs, watched fondly by their parents. In the gatehouse a small girl in a white frilly dress, white socks and shiny patent leather shoes gazed with awe at two huge ceramic statues with beetling eyebrows and fearsome snarls.

As Felicia stopped beside her the little girl regarded her with as much interest as she had the guardians of the gateway, and said carefully, ‘Hello.’

‘Hello,’ Felicia returned, ‘little princess.’

The child’s parents arrived, panting with exertion. The father picked his daughter up, smoothing her black hair away from her eyes. As Felicia made to turn away the man with signs and smiles urged her to pose with his wife and daughter while he took a picture. Felicia obliged, and then the family posed for her.

She began to make her way down again to the lakeside, only to dodge back into the shadow of the gatehouse as she caught sight of Joshua Tagget ascending the steps.

She hurried back through the gateway and took the nearest flight of steps, arriving in a small square tower. Miraculously, the narrow room was empty. An arched opening down to floor level framed a view across tiled rooftops to the vast plain below. Just beyond the opening a low stone wall hardly impeded the eye. Felicia raised her camera for the obligatory picture.

Moving to just inside the archway, she stooped for a shot of an intriguing orange-tiled roof angle, and as she straightened and turned to the doorway the space was filled by the shadowy figure of a man.

Joshua. Instinctively she stepped backwards, forgetting the open archway. Her feet struck the low barrier and she gasped and threw out a hand towards the wall, her heart plunging in fright.

With a sharp exclamation Joshua lunged forward and grabbed her arm, dragging her towards him so that she came up hard against his chest.

She inhaled the smell of soap and fresh sweat, and her cheek was momentarily pressed against his cotton shirt, warm from the sun and his body.

Then his hands were on both her arms, holding her away from him. And his voice, harsh with shock, demanded, ‘What the hell is the matter with you?’

‘You startled me,’ Felicia said. ‘I...didn’t hear anyone come in.’

His hands dropped. ‘Sorry.’ But his clipped voice told her he thought she was a fool. ‘I wasn’t following you. The message on the boat was loud and clear.’

And he wouldn’t bother pursuing a woman who had made her lack of interest plain. Felicia wondered where the buxom brunette had got to. ‘Thank you,’ she said stiffly. ‘Although I wasn’t really likely to fall. I just got a fright.’

A Chinese family appeared in the doorway and politely hung back.

‘It’s OK, I’m leaving,’ Felicia said, gesturing them to come in as she slipped through the opening.

Joshua pointedly remained standing at the top of the steps as she descended them. She could feel his eyes boring into her back until she made the shelter of the dim, shaded gateway.

Some meals were included in the tour, but Jen recommended several Beijing restaurants for those who wanted to try them. Maggie suggested she and Felicia have a drink in the hotel bar on their return from the Summer Palace and plan their evening.

Others had the same idea. The three young men had joined the party of young women in one corner of the crowded bar, and two middle-aged couples from the tour group called to Maggie and Felicia to join them.