Queenstown in the easy silence of familiarity, the retrofit CD player belting out Don McGlashan songs over the rattling of the cab, and Rob’s hand on Charlotte’s knee. The road wound down out of the hills and through the gorge and at last the lake spread out in front of them, a silky blue grey beneath the snow-covered mountains.
As they dropped down the steep hill into the centre of town, Rob pulled into an expensive-looking apartment complex, its wide plate-glass-windows framed by cedar and stone. Charlotte stared. ‘So this is where my hundred- and-forty bucks an hour goes, eh?’
‘Can’t think of a better way to spend it.’
‘It’s people like you who’ll be the death of us poor sheep farmers, you know.’
‘Poor baby. Heaven forbid you should have to hock an antique. How much was Andrea’s townhouse again?’
‘Ah, but I’m told it’s tax deductible.’
‘Isn’t everything? I’m putting this week on expenses.’
She gasped. ‘You’re not!’
‘Entertaining a valued client.’ Rob started to laugh. ‘Don’t look so offended — I’m only joking.’
‘About the expenses, or the valued client?’
‘The expenses, of course.’ He leaned over and kissed her. ‘You’re definitely my most valued client.’
Inside, Charlotte explored their studio. The view from the terrace was stunning. With a flourish, Rob flicked the gas fire on. Apart from the fire and the king-size bed with its faux-fur throw, there wasn’t much else in the room. Charlotte perched, a little nervously, on the end of the bed.
‘Okay?’ Rob asked. ‘We can go somewhere else if you don’t like it.’
‘No, it’s lovely. It’s just …’
‘What?’
‘It just feels a bit weird. Us being here.’
Taking her shoulders, he eased her backwards. ‘How does this feel?’
‘Mmm … not bad.’
‘And this?’
Charlotte arched under his hands. ‘Getting better.’
Sometime later, Rob dragged a reluctant Charlotte out of bed to hire some ski gear. Then he drove her back to the apartment and left her there. ‘I’ve got something I need todo in town,’ he told her mysteriously. A bit miffed, Charlotte settled down to watch TV.
He returned half an hour later, looking furtive. ‘I’ve got you a present,’ he announced shyly, producing a bulky parcel from behind his back. It was the ski jacket Charlotte had been drooling over in a shop window.
‘You didn’t need to do that!’ She pulled it on, delighted. ‘It must have cost a fortune.’
‘It’s all right. It was on sale.’
‘You sure it wasn’t tax deductible as well?’ laughed Charlotte, hitting him playfully.
Half an hour later, she raised her head from the pillow. ‘I’m not sure I’m going to have any energy left for skiing.’
‘Skiing? Who said anything about that?’ said Rob, pulling her down again.
They did, however, manage to make the slopes the next morning. After an hour helping Charlotte down the learners’ slope, Rob decided it was time for her to take a lesson — although when her instructor appeared, Charlotte thought he was going to change his mind.
‘Off you go on your red runs,’ she said wickedly. ‘Laurent and I will be just fine.’
They met back at the café for lunch.
‘How’d it go?’ asked Rob, taking off his glasses to reveal a face already tanning.
‘Great! I can snow-plough now,’ said Charlotte proudly. ‘You look like a panda.’
‘Thanks. How was Laurent?’
‘Lovely.’ Charlotte gave a wistful sigh. ‘He says I ’ave great balance — I told him I walk up a lot of hills. We’re having another lesson this afternoon.’
By the end of the week, Charlotte was thoroughly enjoying skiing.
‘I think I’ve created a monster,’ moaned Rob, as she overtook him. ‘You’re a speed freak.’
‘You know what the really fantastic thing about this is?’ she asked, breathless at the bottom of the run. ‘Chairlifts.’
Returning home on Sunday, Charlotte scanned Blackpeak’s hills
As they dropped down the steep hill into the centre of town, Rob pulled into an expensive-looking apartment complex, its wide plate-glass-windows framed by cedar and stone. Charlotte stared. ‘So this is where my hundred- and-forty bucks an hour goes, eh?’
‘Can’t think of a better way to spend it.’
‘It’s people like you who’ll be the death of us poor sheep farmers, you know.’
‘Poor baby. Heaven forbid you should have to hock an antique. How much was Andrea’s townhouse again?’
‘Ah, but I’m told it’s tax deductible.’
‘Isn’t everything? I’m putting this week on expenses.’
She gasped. ‘You’re not!’
‘Entertaining a valued client.’ Rob started to laugh. ‘Don’t look so offended — I’m only joking.’
‘About the expenses, or the valued client?’
‘The expenses, of course.’ He leaned over and kissed her. ‘You’re definitely my most valued client.’
Inside, Charlotte explored their studio. The view from the terrace was stunning. With a flourish, Rob flicked the gas fire on. Apart from the fire and the king-size bed with its faux-fur throw, there wasn’t much else in the room. Charlotte perched, a little nervously, on the end of the bed.
‘Okay?’ Rob asked. ‘We can go somewhere else if you don’t like it.’
‘No, it’s lovely. It’s just …’
‘What?’
‘It just feels a bit weird. Us being here.’
Taking her shoulders, he eased her backwards. ‘How does this feel?’
‘Mmm … not bad.’
‘And this?’
Charlotte arched under his hands. ‘Getting better.’
Sometime later, Rob dragged a reluctant Charlotte out of bed to hire some ski gear. Then he drove her back to the apartment and left her there. ‘I’ve got something I need todo in town,’ he told her mysteriously. A bit miffed, Charlotte settled down to watch TV.
He returned half an hour later, looking furtive. ‘I’ve got you a present,’ he announced shyly, producing a bulky parcel from behind his back. It was the ski jacket Charlotte had been drooling over in a shop window.
‘You didn’t need to do that!’ She pulled it on, delighted. ‘It must have cost a fortune.’
‘It’s all right. It was on sale.’
‘You sure it wasn’t tax deductible as well?’ laughed Charlotte, hitting him playfully.
Half an hour later, she raised her head from the pillow. ‘I’m not sure I’m going to have any energy left for skiing.’
‘Skiing? Who said anything about that?’ said Rob, pulling her down again.
They did, however, manage to make the slopes the next morning. After an hour helping Charlotte down the learners’ slope, Rob decided it was time for her to take a lesson — although when her instructor appeared, Charlotte thought he was going to change his mind.
‘Off you go on your red runs,’ she said wickedly. ‘Laurent and I will be just fine.’
They met back at the café for lunch.
‘How’d it go?’ asked Rob, taking off his glasses to reveal a face already tanning.
‘Great! I can snow-plough now,’ said Charlotte proudly. ‘You look like a panda.’
‘Thanks. How was Laurent?’
‘Lovely.’ Charlotte gave a wistful sigh. ‘He says I ’ave great balance — I told him I walk up a lot of hills. We’re having another lesson this afternoon.’
By the end of the week, Charlotte was thoroughly enjoying skiing.
‘I think I’ve created a monster,’ moaned Rob, as she overtook him. ‘You’re a speed freak.’
‘You know what the really fantastic thing about this is?’ she asked, breathless at the bottom of the run. ‘Chairlifts.’
Returning home on Sunday, Charlotte scanned Blackpeak’s hills
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