Summer Idyll

By Katakin Summer

They met on a train. He was rude and irritable. She rebuked him. Julian was an author with writers block brought about by a bitter divorce. Amelia was a musician and music therapist who struggled to make ends meet. After their train encounter it was unlikely they would meet again. They did. Could they ever get over their first meeting and even tolerate each other let alone get to really know each other?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katakin Summer
• Release date: Sep 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9780473583910

Katakin Summer

Katakin came to writing romances as a second career. She loves doing it. She loves animals.

Book preview

SUMMER IDYLL

A Romance

BY

KATAKIN SUMMER

******

Published by The Volupta Press

Smashwords Edition

Copyright Katakin Summer 2021

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-0-473-58391-0

CHAPTER ONE

Julian Steele was seated in a train. It was crowded. There was standing room only in the rush hour and he had only just managed to secure a seat on the aisle, before there was yet another surge that had people crammed like sardines. Sometimes he had to stand for much of the journey into the city then back to the outer suburbs. He was sunk in thought. He’d had another bruising interview with his lawyer who said the property he once shared with his wife was now ready for sale. Julian brooded. His mood was dark, so when a woman was swung against him and almost landed in his lap, her briefcase knocking his face, he was understandably irascible.

For god’s sake, woman! Must you? he snarled, trying to edge himself back hard against the seat as the briefcase thumped him on the head again.

The woman grasped at him as she tried to get herself upright, but the speed and swaying of the train made her unable to do anything other than fall further onto him. Trying to extricate himself, his temper soured even more. He managed to finally shove the woman who now attracted all eyes, so she could stagger to her feet and clutch wildly at the edge of the seat. Julian detached the briefcase from her slackened grasp and set it on the carriage floor.

Would you kindly leave the briefcase on the floor? he asked icily.

The woman steadied herself.

So sorry, she gasped, still clinging to his seat. The train is moving about.

So are you, was the retort. Please don’t do that again. I’ve had a very trying day.

The woman was about to speak again, then she said indignantly,

Haven’t we all? If you had a shred of decency you would assist me rather than revile me.

Would I?

Julian noticed the attention had gone from them. People had lapsed back into the usual indifference and blankness that was the ever present response to being crammed into a limited space with multiple others.

Yes, you would. Or offer a seat.

Why the hell should I do that?

You are a gentleman, aren’t you?

When I feel like it. I don’t now.

Clearly.

The woman straightened herself as best she could, gathered her dignity and stood erect, her glance down at Julian one of contempt.

May I hold onto your seat, or is that too much to ask?

Not at all. Just do it and shut up.

The woman went to respond, then closed her lips firmly as she stared straight ahead. The rest of the journey passed quickly, with nothing more being said. At the second last station Julian spoke curtly.

I get off here, so if you wouldn’t mind letting me out of the seat? You may as well have it.

The woman picked up her briefcase in a firm grasp.

I alight here as well so there is no need for your belated chivalry, is there?

She began to edge through the crowd moving en masse to the train doors, Julian behind her, his expression still forbidding. He was a tall man so could see over most people. He had a shock of chestnut curls that looked unruly and the most startlingly vivid blue eyes. When he wasn’t frowning he had an upturned mouth; he had finely arched black eyebrows that looked at complete variance with the chestnut hair and the blue eyes, and he had a slightly aquiline cast of profile. He looked athletic and was anywhere between thirty-five and forty. He was casually attired in jeans, shirt and fleece vest, a cap held lightly in one hand and a jacket in the other. A bag was slung casually over one shoulder.

He shuffled along with everybody else, until at last he managed to get off the train and stride along the platform for the platform exit. At the turnstile he saw the woman again. She had got her briefcase entangled in it, in such a way she was causing a blockage. He strode forward, exasperated.

For Christ’s sake, woman, you’re a menace to humanity.

Before she could speak he had dislodged the case and had pushed her, with it, through the turnstile as others crowded through behind them like a surge of humanity. The woman was pushed to one side as they did. Julian paused, stared down at her about to speak, then changed his mind and walked on. He reached a bus stop. He resignedly leaned against a fence while he waited in the queue, only to see the same woman come hurrying along, breathless, to stand at the end of the queue he was in.

Idly, with nothing else to occupy his mind, Julian watched her. He saw that she was of slender build, probably in her mid twenties, and she was very attractively dressed. She had mid-length, wavy brown hair streaked with blonde that was pretty. She had a rather delightful profile, then, when she turned her head, he saw she had a straight little nose, a bow of a mouth and really wide open, darkly fringed big eyes. She saw him further down the line and immediately turned her head away.

The bus arrived and it was already fairly full. Julian sighed. By the time he got to the head of the queue he could see the driver was getting tetchy and about to close the door, so he stood back. The door snapped shut with a wheeze and the wait continued. The next bus arrived. Julian was at the front of the queue. Then he saw how far back the woman was and how miserable she actually looked, her head slightly drooped and her shoulders hunched after she saw the crowded bus come to a standstill. For no reason, Julian called down the line. Every head turned in his direction, including hers. He gestured at her. She only saw an anonymous man and mouthed,

Me?

He brusquely nodded and gestured again. She looked nervously around and looked back at Julian.

Hurry up, you stupid creature. We’ll all miss the bloody bus.

Assuming from her place in the line that the man who had berated her would be gone now, she was unaware who the figure imperatively yelling and gesturing actually was. She quickly began to half-run, arriving breathlessly beside Julian about to mount the bottom step but not actually taking note of him.

Oi, you! No queue jumping! was hollered down the line, followed by aggrieved mutters.

Go to hell! returned Julian, a hand down to pull the young woman aboard as others squashed in behind them.

She was too breathless and squeezed to know who her benefactor was as she uttered, gratefully,

Thank you.

She just stood swaying along with everybody else until the bus lurched to a stop to let passengers alight. She ended up being pushed further down the bus. Julian hung onto a strap. At last, he alighted with a group, among them the woman who stood on the pavement trying to get her bearings after the rush off the bus. She saw Julian, whom she instantly recognized, as he strode away down the road. She eyed his tall figure balefully as she slowly began to follow him.

~~~

Since his marital breakup and subsequent squabbles over house and money, Julian had finally bought an apartment in a five-storey block, where he tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to come to terms with how his life had been turned upside down. He was bitter and resentful. That his wife had been enjoying a long-running affair with one of his closest friends was hard to swallow and he had decided he would not make the inevitable divorce one that would in any way aggrandize his friend.

His solicitor was an aggressive advocate. When his wife threatened him with court action, Julian was advised to fight, so he took her on and won. She said she would never forgive him, because with the loss went an order that the family home was to be sold and the divvying up from it would not be as beneficial as she hoped. Nothing was. Though Julian would do well out of the final settlement, he was a bruised man who had become isolated – he couldn’t face the pity or commiseration of anyone.

The apartment was in a different part of London from where he’d lived with Miranda. He wanted to get as far from her as he could, but that also meant the inconvenience of the regular commutes that were enough to drive a sane person to desperation. Now Julian flung open the door of his apartment, firmly shut it, and stalked into the lounge where he threw himself down into an armchair. He stretched his hand out to the waiting glass and bottle. He knew he had begun to drink more heavily than he should, but in the mood he was in he didn’t care. He sat morosely staring at the wall until he decided he’d go to the pub round the corner and get something to eat there. He would be solitary, but as he was, he preferred to be that way.

Once ensconced in the pub he got a drink, placed an order and looked round for a table set back so he could study the patrons. He was a writer so people-gazing was a part of his life. He stretched out his legs and let his head fall back. It made the pub lights play on his chestnut curls so they had a golden glow and it highlighted his features that were shadow and light as people passed backwards and forwards beyond him. He began to mellow. The fire he was near threw out considerable warmth and he started to relax, his eyes half-closing until he heard the voice above him say quietly,

Your order, sir.

He lazily opened his eyes. He stared blankly up into big grey eyes that stared as blankly down into his blue ones. He stretched up his hands to take the proffered tray, saying with an indolent drawl,

Thank you. I didn’t know you worked here.

Well now you do. Excuse me.

Juilan watched the waitress turn away to serve another customer. He ate slowly, watching her from the corner of his eye. He had intended to leave after eating, but instead rested back with another drink, aware the pub was thinly patronized this evening. It meant he could idly watch the young woman and the patrons. It was with time drawing on that Julian roused himself. He pulled on his jacket and walked slowly from the pub at the same time as he saw a figure emerge from the pub side door and begin to walk quickly away. Since it went in his direction he ambled after it. He let his mind drift. He didn’t see a shadow detach itself from a building and approach the figure now well ahead of him, but his attention was sharply arrested when he saw that someone was struggling and calling desperately for help.

Whoever it was, was being steadily dragged into the bushy shrubbery that ran alongside the road and flanked the river below; it was also clear whoever needed help was no match for whoever had them. Julian broke into a run, but by the time he reached where he thought he’d seen the twosome disappear, he couldn’t see anyone. Then he heard the crying not far from him. A man was astride a figure who tried to fight him off. Julian heard a rending sound.

Going closer, he saw a man clutching at the throat of a young woman. That galvanized him. He strode to the man. He put a hand in his collar from behind and twisted it so the man fell back, choking, a hand up to claw at the one that was strangling him. Julian twisted it tighter until he sensed the man was beginning to weaken, then he released him. The man now lay barely conscious. Julian went to a knee to see what he could do for the woman who lay sobbing for breath and with her hands to her throat.

Bastard, said Julian between his teeth, his hand going into his pocket for his smart phone. He waited, then after using it as fast as he could, he put a hand down to help the woman to her knees where she stayed, her head hanging.

Can you get up? he asked, in a deep voice.

The woman nodded slowly, accepted his help and stood, shaking. Julian whipped off his jacket that he wrapped round her.

You’re in shock. Where do you live?

The woman was clearly not able to think.

Will you wait here a moment? Don’t be afraid. I won’t leave you.

There was a weak nod. Julian trod over to the inanimate man and, kneeling, studied him cursorily, taking in details he knew he wouldn’t forget, even though light was limited. As he returned to the woman, he was grateful when he heard the siren and two police cars drew up. He saw a flickering flashlight searching in an arc.

Anybody there?

Down here! he yelled. The flashlight steadied and Julian knew two officers approached him.

You sent for us. Why?

Him, responded Julian, pointing down to the figure lying just beyond him.