Chapter thirty-six - Caernarfon

Jess stifled a yawn as she walked into the kitchen the following morning. Carys reached for the kettle. "Looks like you need a coffee."

"Tea will be fine, thanks."

"Shame. We have boxes of the Heroica stuff and I can't give it away." When Jess yawned again, she said, "Did you have trouble sleeping?"

"No, but it took me a while to fall asleep." She'd autopsied her late-night conversation in the car with Gareth until the early hours, picking it apart as she began to wonder if she'd missed her chance. Although he'd agreed to take her out he hadn't been as enthusiastic about the idea as she'd hoped.

"What did you think of the band?"

"They were great. I'm often working in the evenings so I don't get the chance to listen to live music that often."

"Jon mentioned that Gareth was playing."

Jess was glad Carys' had her back to the table. The mere mention of his name had caused a heated reaction that must have been obvious even to a casual observer. "Y..yes. He was very good."

"You wouldn't have said that if you'd been here over the summer," Carys muttered as she brought the drinks to the table. "It was awful."

"Why?"

"Gareth was...brooding. Something happened while he was working away, but he wouldn't tell me anything about it. Instead, he moped about the house like a depressed teen. All I heard from that stupid guitar was a bunch of mournful rock ballads."

Jess loaded a bowl with cereal and covered it with cold milk. "That must have been...interesting."

"Annoying. I was more than willing to offer him a sisterly shoulder to cry on, but it's difficult sympathising with someone when they won't tell you why they're miserable. In the end, I lost all patience with him and banished him and his guitar to the boathouse."

"Perhaps those coffee fans were getting him down."

"No, it couldn't have been that. The Heroica advert hadn't come out yet. Besides, if it was work related he would have told me. I think he met someone he liked and they didn't fancy him. Not sure why, though. He might be my brother, but even I can see he isn't totally ugly."

Jess laughed. "No, he's not ugly. Not at all."

"I know, right? But then, of course, he found that new girlfriend in London." The red-head leaned forward, as though imparting some big secret. "She's some relative of a friend of his, although I don't believe they can be that serious. He's never bought her here for a visit and he doesn't talk about her either, no matter how many times I ask."

"Perhaps she works in town and can't get away." If everyone else was keeping the fake girlfriend news from Carys, Jess wasn't going to be the one to reveal the truth. "You see the occasional picture in the paper, of course."

"Every photo I've seen she's draping herself all over him but he doesn't seem to be really into it." Carys stirred her coffee with a thoughtful languor. "I hope she likes him, and she's not just with him for the fame."

Jess offered Carys a reassuring smile. "Your brother's very sensible. I don't think he'd spend that amount of time with anyone unless he was comfortable with them. Talking of spending time, I accepted Gareth's kind offer to take me sightseeing last night."

A smile grew on Carys' face. "That's a great idea. I would have taken you around myself if I didn't have so many things I needed to do today."

Jess gave whispered thanks to her stars that Carys was busy. A day out for three wasn't what she'd planned for at all.

The kitchen door opened unexpectedly, making her jump. She hadn't heard any warning footsteps. Gareth was wearing black jeans and a grey hooded fleece with a zipped front. "Morning." He gave Carys a quick hug before turning to Jess. "Are you ready to go?"

She glanced at the clock. "Aren't you having anything to eat?"

Carys shook her head. "He's not big on breakfast, although he ought to have something."

Jess pushed her half-full bowl away and drained the last of her tea. "In that case, yes, I'm ready. Should I check with your dad first to make sure he doesn't need me here?"

"He doesn't. I already asked."

She picked up her coat and bag, waved goodbye to Carys and followed him out to the courtyard with a mounting sense of nervous excitement.

His car was still parked where he'd left it the previous evening. Gareth opened the passenger door for her. "Is there anything, in particular, you'd like to see today?"

The one 'thing' Jess had been waiting for was now standing right in front of her, but she couldn't come right out and say that...not yet. Baby steps. "I think we agreed on your favourite parts of Wales, didn't we?" Ignoring her acute embarrassment, she looked up into his eyes and smiled. "I'm putting myself completely in your hands."

Jessica cringed inside...her first determined attempt at flirting with Gareth sounded awkward and more than a little stupid. Still, they had to start somewhere.

She climbed into the car and settled herself, while Gareth threw a bag onto the back seat. Then they began their journey. "So, where are we going?" she asked once they turned onto the main road, heading away from Bangor.

"Didn't you say you're putting yourself in my hands?"

"Yes."

"Well then," he said with a slightly crooked smile, "you'll have to trust me."

Of course she trusted him, but that didn't stop her from being curious. "Just give me one word, then. Town or countryside?"

He laughed at her persistence. "Does it matter?"

"No. It just gives us something to talk about on the way."

"Is that a rule of yours, like Elizabeth Bennet wanting Darcy to comment on the size of the rooms or the number of couples while they're dancing?"

"You do know your Austen." She smiled, but chose her next words carefully. "No, I have no rules but I do feel that I have...that have a lot to learn about each other."

After a moment or two driving in silence he said, "So if I said we were going to a town, what would that teach you about me?"

"Not much on its own, but then I would want to know why you chose it, and the why would possibly tell me something."

He nodded but didn't immediately answer her question. Perhaps that had something to do with them being stuck behind a slow-moving lorry. "We're heading to Caernarfon, because I think you'll appreciate the history of the town. If you prefer shopping, that's also an option. And, of course, there are plenty of places to eat when you're ready for lunch."

"So you're taking me somewhere that you believe is most likely to offer the sort of things I like."

"I got the impression at Exley Hall that you liked the historical aspect of the classic novels, but naturally I'm hedging my bets, just in case I misunderstood."

Of course he'd been listening to her, picking up on her likes and dislikes. How many facts had he squirrelled away for future reference? He knew so much about her, and she knew comparatively little about him. "Tell me something about Caernarfon that isn't in the guidebooks. Something you like about the place."