The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin Page 0,43
were elsewhere and he took the moment to study the unusual colour of her hair – real strawberry blonde. It fascinated him, and his photographer’s eye imagined it in different lights, turning burnished gold in some and dark bronze in others.
‘Everything okay?’
‘Hmm,’ she said and a few lines appeared on her forehead. ‘Yes. Just …’ she continued absently, still playing with her hair. ‘Sorry, I was thinking about the light today. It’s very bright.’
He took her words at face value, even though he thought her distraction had a lot to do with the text. ‘Don’t worry, there are plenty of trees; you’ll be able to get lots of light and shade to take some interesting shots. Come on then, let’s do this.’ He ushered her towards the door after giving Haruka a quick hug.
‘Take care of her,’ said Haruka, a touch mysteriously.
‘I think she’ll be safe at the shrine.’
As Fiona opened the door, the sun burst in, turning her hair into the exact shade of burnished gold he’d imagined. Struck by the colour, he stopped and for an uncharacteristic moment was almost tempted to ask her to undo her braid and let it ripple down over her shoulders so he could get the full effect. Just then, she glanced back over her shoulder and the juxtaposition of an innocent goddess framed by the halo of gold almost punched him in the gut. It was the first time in a very long time that he felt a burning need to take a picture. It would be a near impossible shot to capture, with the full sun behind her but his mind was already darting off in a different direction as to how it might be achieved.
‘Gabe?’ Fiona was staring at him. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Fine. Why?’
‘You looked a little …’ She lifted her shoulders in a shrug and then gave him an unexpected, cheeky smile. ‘Away with the fairies. If there are such things in Gabe Burnett’s world. I suspect fairies are too prosaic.’
Being away with the fairies was better than being struck dumb, he mused as he followed her down the stairs. Now that he remembered her, things kept coming back to him. Like being fascinated by her hair and those bright, roving, questing blue eyes.
‘What do you know about the Meji Shrine?’ he asked, shoving the thoughts back in the box they belonged to, the one marked ancient history.
‘Not a lot, but I have this.’ She waved a guide book. ‘I can read it on the train.’
‘Or I could tell you a little about it on the way there. There’s quite a walk up to the main gate through Yoyogi Park and it’s such a lovely day that it would be a shame not to make the most of it.
He laughed at the suspicion on her face. ‘Who are you and what have you done with crotchety Gabe Burnett?’
‘Let’s say my mood has improved with the sunshine. And being shown the error of my ways.’ Her smug smile almost rivalled Haruka’s. ‘And I’m terrified of Haruka.’
‘Oh please. She adores you.’
‘It’s mutual. She’s been a very good friend.’
‘She’s lovely.’
‘Hmm … not so sure lovely is quite the word I’d use. There’s an iron fist in that velvet glove. You do know that.’
‘I’d guessed, but she has a very good heart.’
‘That she does. And she’s a very canny business woman. Although not as shrewd as Setsuko; that one is a fox among hens. Watch out for her.’
‘Setsuko!’ Fiona gave a disbelieving laugh.
‘Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. The woman makes Alan Sugar look like a pussycat.’ He had an entire cupboard of tea to prove it.
Fiona rolled her eyes.
‘On your head be it. Now, are you going to listen to me or not? I can tell you about the shrine because I did a two-day shoot there a long time ago, for Burberry actually, when I was going through my David Bailey phase and I was escorted by a very chatty Japanese PR girl who insisted I know all about it. Some of it stuck. It’s actually quite interesting.’
He paused, remembering the very first time he’d seen the shrine and how struck he’d been by the huge wooden torii, the main gate. The immense structure that left such a lasting impression with its simple beauty. Gosh, he’d forgotten that wonderful sense of otherness, of being somewhere so different from home. The feelings rushed back into a space that he’d thought was empty. The