back peddle, “I do like it, it’s just a bit of an odd mixture, the décor and the furniture are both so different, it just surprised me that’s all.” He seems mildly placated by this, “I’m in the middle of re-decorating, the kitchen is new, and some of the furniture” he explains, apparently over it.
“Let me show you upstairs, nothing has been changed there yet, so you’ll see why I’m changing it” he grabs my hand excitedly and leads me through a glass door on the left, to the stairs. It's the first time I notice it, but the left wall is all glass; from about halfway along, to where the kitchen starts at the back is glass, so you can see the stairs. It's another odd design choice, but I guess I don't know what the end product will look like, so maybe it will make more sense once it's finished.
At the top of the stairs there is a large window with views out over fields as far as you can see, the hall then leads down to the left of the stairs with three closed doors; the first door leads to the main bedroom, it’s a good sized double room, the floor tiled the same as downstairs, but the walls in here are a burnt orange colour. There is a large but simple timber framed bed against the far wall with a standard matching wardrobe, a small bedside table on the right and another door to the left. The right wall is taken up with French doors which open up onto the impressive balcony; it runs the length of the room, but stretches about 3 meters wide with a beautiful stone wall around the edge. The views are stunning, uninterrupted countryside in every direction.
“I could spend the rest of my holiday just sitting here staring at the views”
“I guess I’m used to it, I hardly ever come out here” Carlos admits, “but if that’s where you will be, then that’s where I will be.” He states giving me a squeeze.
Walking back into the room, I notice my suitcase in the corner behind the door, nodding towards it “you weren’t kidding about it being here already” I laugh.
“Nope, my house is your house Ms. Mavers.” He replies leading me to the door next to the wardrobe, it opens up into the bathroom, which separates the two bedrooms. Inside there is what looks like a Jacuzzi bath in one corner and a power shower in the other, with a sink carved from stone. “Untouched upstairs huh?” I ask, questioning the obvious lack of simple Mexican style that was apparent in the bedroom. “well almost untouched” he relents. There is not another door on the otherside into the other bedroom, so we leave by the door which opens onto the hall; I have a quick peak into the other bedroom, it’s a shade of bright red and has two single beds, but no other furniture. “Love the colour” I joke.
“I was wondering what colour to paint my room, so maybe I will do it like this and start calling it ‘the boudoir’” he says it with a heavy French accent, “And maybe mount a mirror on the ceiling and invest in some silk sheets?”
“Oh yes, that’s just my kind of bedroom” I giggle.
“On that note, Mari came across a little bag of goodies you’ve been keeping from me” he says cryptically, I have no idea what he means, a bag of goodies?
“Now where did she say she put it?” he says returning to the main bedroom and scanning the area, “Ah yes!” he walks to the wardrobe, flinging open the doors and retrieves a bag from the top shelf, turning towards me I recognise it instantly. “She gave me a rough idea of what was in here, but lets see” he says, grinning from ear to ear. My face heats, turning the same colour as the second bedroom as I scoot across the tiled floor, almost knocking him over, “No, no, no” I screech, grabbing it off him, leaving him with a look of utter despair.
“It’s a surprise! I bought it for you when I went to town, but then with everything that happened since I’d completely forgotten!” he seems suitably happy with this answer, but tries his luck all the same, “Aw, come on, give us a sneak preview” he says, fingering the top of the bag, I whip it behind my back, “No! You can see it later tonight”