The Plantation - Di Morrissey [104]
‘I don’t mind.’
‘Well, Julie, don’t make any plans for tomorrow evening,’ said Martine mysteriously.
Julie and Christopher caught a taxi downtown to a sprawling but simple restaurant called Wonderland, which was situated beside a small tidal inlet. When they told the owner that they were meeting Aidi, he beamed.
‘Ah, yes, I am Tun, please come this way. We have a nice table for you, outside here.’
Christopher ordered two Tiger beers and they studied the menu.
‘Everything that’s cooking on that charcoal brazier over there smells terrific,’ said Julie. ‘And don’t forget, it’s my turn to shout.’
When Aidi arrived with his pretty wife, and young son and daughter, he ordered food for everyone. ‘This is Malaysian Chinese-style seafood and you must try the fresh prawns,’ he said.
Julie and Christopher burst out laughing at the sight of the platter of prawns. Each prawn was almost the length of their forearms. The prawns had been split in half and grilled over an open fire, and were served with a spicy dipping sauce. Smaller prawns, calamari, chilli crab and fish also appeared accompanied by fresh, crunchy vegetables.
‘What’s this vegetable?’ asked Julie picking up a long green soft vegetable with her chopsticks.
‘Kang kong, water spinach, but we add belacan, the shrimp paste, which gives it a strong flavour,’ said Aidi.
‘I like the ikan bahar, the spicy fish,’ said Christopher to Julie.
‘I like everything,’ laughed Julie.
Julie and Christopher hugged Aidi and his family goodbye and wandered back towards the harbour, agreeing that it had been a lovely evening.
‘I think that I got out of tonight’s dinner very cheaply,’ said Julie. ‘All that delicious food and it hardly cost a thing.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Christopher. ‘I think that eating foreign cuisine in a place like this is a bit silly, when the local food is so good.’
They strolled along the main street and decided not to go into any of the small bars but bought ice creams instead, before heading back to their hotel.
‘Have you got company in your bed?’ asked Christopher. ‘I mean, the cats.’
‘Oh, yes. I made the mistake of putting down a bowl of milk that was left over from breakfast and I soon had three of them in residence. I rather like it. They seem quite clean and they are very friendly.’
‘Sleep well. I’m off fishing tomorrow, at dawn. So I might bring back dinner for Nerida’s chef.’
‘Good luck. And thanks for coming out with me today. It was fantastic.’
‘I enjoyed it too. Selamat malam.’
Julie went for an early morning walk, accompanied by two cats who followed her faithfully around the gardens, the pool area, the rice fields and along a dusty road, before she swung back to the resort and went into the resort’s open-sided restaurant as the early morning rays from the sun glinted on the nearby lagoon.
She ordered breakfast and sat in a dreamy state indulging in the peacefulness of the morning and enjoying not having to worry about work, or make any momentous decisions.
Alice, Nerida’s business partner, placed a coffee pot and a platter of fresh fruit in front of her. ‘Feel like eggs? Pancakes?’
‘Good morning, Alice. Pancakes sound delicious. Thank you. Did you go to Penang?’
‘Yes, but everything there was well in hand, so I didn’t stay. What are your plans for today?’
Julie poured her coffee. ‘I’m not making any. Just see how the day unfolds, though Martine seems to have something in mind.’
‘Enjoy the day. I’ll tell chef to start on your pancakes.’
‘Thanks, Alice.’
She finished breakfast, changed from her walking shorts and joined the others in the big villa.
‘I wish I’d thought to ask Chris if I could go fishing with him,’ she said to Shane.
‘Oh, another time, perhaps. Those friends of Ursula and Werner sometimes take their boat out. The tender on it, I mean.’
‘A big mother ship with a crew of eight isn’t what I call fishing,’ said Julie. ‘I’m more into a small open boat and a couple of rods.’
Martine, dressed immaculately in crisp white linen shorts and a striped French