Leo had a large oyster on the clamp ready. He went over to his table and began to carefully open it. The couple gathered around and Isla edged forward, peeping between them, as Leo expertly prised open the shell. Again, any pearl present wasn’t immediately obvious in the jelly-like innards of the mollusc. Isla heard Gloria Goldman give out a tiny sigh of disappointment, but once Leo had welded his scalpel, there was a gasp from both of the Goldmans that had Isla bobbing up and down behind them trying to see what had been revealed. Seconds later Leo handed over the pearl.
Mr Goldman had it between his fingers. He took out an eyeglass to examine it.
‘This is incredible,’ he uttered. ‘Quite a statement piece. A 10mm silver cream pearl of perfect quality!’
Gloria gave out a little squeal of excitement.
Leo sat back in his chair. The epitome of cool. As if seeing perfect pearls pop out of oysters was now an everyday occurrence for him. His only tell that he might be disgruntled, Isla noted, was that he was rubbing his chin with his index finger and thumb.
‘What I need to know at this stage, Leo…’ Mr Goldman expressed, ‘is whether you are willing to sell your share in this pearl farm to me with a view to staying on as a generously salaried managing technician?’
Isla’s head snapped up, her attention immediately refocussed.
What? They wanted to buy Leo out too?
She felt her pulse racing. What would Leo say?
She imagined he might punch Mr Goldman’s lights out for even suggesting that he sell his precious farm. She watched as Leo paused and took a breath.
He glanced at her momentarily before answering ever so casually, ‘I’m not sure. Let me think it over.’
Mr Goldman handed Leo his business card. ‘That’s my cell number. Call me when you decide or if you want to discuss terms. I can promise to make you a wealthy man, Leo.’
Mr Goldman then turned to Isla and she smiled back at him enthusiastically.
‘Okay, are you ready to see the rest of the island?’ she asked, thinking that she probably sounded like a tour guide rather than the present owner of this island paradise.
‘No. Thank you, but we already saw it from the air and my wife has said she loves the house, despite the pest problem. So, it seems that I now have to make it known to you, Miss Ashton, that we are only interested in buying your island if it includes the entire pearl farm business and not just fifty percent of it.’
Isla couldn’t hide her shock. For some reason she’d assumed any potential buyer would be more focussed on the opportunity of owning a Caribbean island with palm trees and beaches and not the fact that it had a newly established and yet to prove itself pearl farm business.
Mr Goldman turned his attention back to Leo and he shook his hand.
‘I do hope you’ll consider doing business with me, Mr Fernandez. Just to be clear, your decision to sell would be the overriding factor in whether or not we make an offer to Miss Ashton.’
Leo glanced again at Isla. This time he was wearing a rather bemused expression.
‘Like I said, I’d have to think about it. Give me a couple of days and I’ll call you.’
‘Good. Although I’m not known for my patience, am I, darling?’
Mrs Goldman giggled. ‘No, you are not, my dear.’
A call was made to their pilot, to let him know they were on their way back and ready to leave and so Isla ushered the Goldmans back to the golf cart.
Leo waved them off, smiling and making it quite clear to Isla that he was thoroughly enjoying seeing her absolutely seething at her sale being foxed over his fifty percent of the pearl farm.
As they drove away into a cloud of dust and sand, he lifted up the pearl to gaze at it.
Who’d have thought he’d ever hold such power in his own hands?
Chapter Thirty Three
A small group of people are gathered on the side of a hill under a cloudless blue sky. The church behind them is painted white in colonial style. It has a spire that is leaning precariously and being supported by bamboo poles until it can be repaired after the damage inflicted by the hurricane. The mourners have their heads lowered in prayer and beneath their wide brimmed hats, their shaded eyes are firmly closed, yet the view from this lofty vantage point is stunning: a sparkling blue-green sea for a full three hundred and sixty degrees around, and below, a white-sand palm-fringed beach is shimmering in the mid-morning heat. A mound of freshly dug earth is piled neatly to one side of Jack Fernandez’s grave, and some of those gathered, like his son Leo and his friend Isla, are now openly weeping. After prayers and a blessing led by Minister John, the casket is lowered into the ground as the congregation sings ‘Will Your Anchor Hold’.
Will your anchor hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill your latest breath,
On the rising tide you can never fail,
Will your anchor hold within the veil?
Will your eyes behold through the morning light,
The city of gold and the harbour bright?
Will your anchor safe by the heavenly shore,
When life’s storms are past for evermore?
Isla was staring across the grave at Leo, who was standing alone and staring down thoughtfully at his uncle’s grave. Anya, whom she had expected to be at his side supporting him, was instead standing next to a tall, rather attentive and handsome man who was holding a small child in his arms.
‘Psssst…’ Isla nudged Grace, who was singing loudly. ‘Who is that with Anya?’
‘Well, it’s her husband and her baby son, of course.’
‘Really? I thought… I mean, I didn’t know she was married?’
‘Yes. They got married last year. It was a white wedding, but just six months later the baby was born. They claim he was premature, but some of us can count on all fingers.’ Grace tapped the side of her nose knowingly.
Isla felt her heart miss a beat. So Leo wasn’t with Anya, after all. She had been completely mistaken. She had based all her assumptions on just a few incidents that now, looking back, actually meant nothing at all. Leo had referred to Anya when he was talking about the pearl farm because they worked together. And she was at the farm every time because it was her job. Coming out of his bedroom in a bath gown and the mention of a baby…?
Well, they must have explanations too unless, of course, they were having an affair?
But just one look at Anya with her husband and their baby told her that was absolutely an assumption too far. She gazed down the hillside to the village and the harbour below. From here, it was possible to see the true extent of the damage to the roofs of the houses that were closest to the waterline and to the boatsheds that hadn’t been able to stand up to the force of the hundred mile an hour winds and giant waves. Yet, today was so calm and the sea so flat, in complete contrast to the chaos and the sheer power behind the storm.
Over the past two days, she’d seen how the island’s population had come together to try to protect their island and each other and then to salvage what they could in the way of crops, to clear away debris and up-rooted trees and to fix and mend. There had been a wonderful coming together of people and of community spirit. Everyone had been part of it and had worked hard for a single cause, even the children and the old people. It didn’t matter what life had thrown at them – death, loss, destruction, fear – they all faced it together and they had supported each other as they were now here supporting Leo. It was all so humbling.
It was also exhausting. Last night, again, she’d had hardly any sleep. When she had slept, she’d had mixed-up nightmares about being back in the grotto cave with Jack, who’d come back from the dead to tell her he’d found Ernest Rocha. It was all very disturbing.
After the last line of the hymn was sung, she moved closer to Leo, to stand by his side.
‘Do you think they’ll mind being so close to each other?’ he asked her, noting how Jack and Kate’s graves were next to each other in the church yard.
Isla shrugged. ‘Well, I think it’s about time they reconciled their differences, don’t you?’
She linked her arm through his. ‘It’s just a shame they couldn’t have done it years ago.’
‘Tell me that we aren’t going to be as stubborn or as mistaken as them, Isla?’
‘No, we are not. You and I are going to behave in a polite and civilised way.’
They walked away from the graves and followed the other mourners down the hill and along the coastal path. Poignantly, they observed Mango Cay, now only accessible by boat.
‘I see that your prophecy has been realised in your own lifetime, Leo.’
A smile played on his lips at the memory. ‘Do you remember me saying that to you? I must have only been about eleven or twelve years old.’
‘Yes. You always said that when the bridge fell, you’d have your own island too.’
‘Well, I was being a little presumptuous. I do believe it’s you who now has two islands.’
They followed everyone back to the main house, where she and Grace had been busy all morning making sandwiches and cake. Once they had made sure everyone had a cup of tea and something to eat, Minister John did a great job of rallying everyone around the piano. He played quite beautifully and everyone joined in and sang some more of their favourite hymns.
Afterwards, John encouraged people to stand up and say something about Jack and how he had either impacted or influenced their lives. There was some humour and some praises revealed and some raucous anecdotes and repartee. Most were kind. Some, who’d been on the whisky rather than the tea, didn’t hold back and told stories that painted Jack as the dubious character that most believed him to be.
When Leo stood up, the room fell silent except for the sound of a few who coughed nervously.
As he looked around the room his tired eyes sparkled with emotion. ‘Okay. So we all know that Jack made mistakes. But before we think too badly of him, perhaps we should all reflect a little on our own mistakes in life and consider how they might have affected others?’
Minister John held up his right hand righteously. ‘Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.’
Each person, whether standing or sitting, nodded their head in agreement or shrugged in acknowledgement.
When Leo’s cool green eyes settled on Isla, she felt her throat tighten.
‘As everyone here knows, Jack Fernandez was a father to me,’ Leo continued. ‘I was too young to remember him taking me in and giving me a home, but I’m well aware of how he cared for me, fed me, clothed me, and took responsibility for educating me. Jack was a generous man. And let’s not forget that he was a successful fisherman and a treasure salvager too.’
Minister John shouted out, ‘Hear, hear!’
Everyone in the room replied, ‘Amen!’
Leo raised his glass ‘To Jack Fernandez, forgiven but never forgotten. May he rest in peace.’
Everyone in the room was roused to repeat the toast and Minister John thanked Leo for his ‘generous words’ before leading another prayer.
Isla watched Leo from her spot at the back of the room. She saw him differently now that they’d broken down their barriers. Her anger towards him had subsided and a sense of understanding had taken its place. She felt free and calm and in control of her emotions at last. It felt good.
Once the tributes were over and Leo had shaken hands with his friends and well-wishers, he came over to speak with her.
‘Thank you for all that you and Grace have done today, Isla. It was a good send off. I think Jack would have approved.’
‘I think Jack was very proud of you, Leo. Especially of what you’ve achieved with the pearl farm.’
He studied her for a moment and when he spoke there was an edge to his voice. ‘It’s not Jack I did it for, Isla. It was you.’
‘Then I think it was a generous and romantic gesture,’ she professed. Then feeling awkward, she laughed. ‘If a little heavy on the generous.’
He shook his head and looked irritated. ‘It was supposed to be heavy on the romantic and, just to be clear, I wasn’t stalking you. I was merely—’
‘Yes, I know…’ she interrupted with a smile. ‘Your internet stalking was healthy curiosity rather than creepy intrusion.’
She laughed and this time he laughed with her.
‘Well, I do admire a woman who can admit when she’s wrong,’ he said.
‘Apparently, that’s not the only thing I was wrong about,’ she admitted.
‘I can’t help but agree with you on that score.’
Thinking he obviously thought she was talking about the pearl farm, she took a deep breath. ‘I mean, until today, I had thought that you and Anya were together.’
He looked astonished. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean, that I thought you were in a relationship together.’
He looked flabbergasted. ‘Really? Whatever gave you that crazy idea? I mean, she already has a husband and a baby son?’
Isla sighed and shrugged. ‘I just assumed some stuff and got it all wrong. Then I saw her come out of your apartment yesterday morning and—’
‘I told her to take a nap while I was out,’ Leo interrupted. ‘She told me that she’d been up all night with the baby. But anyway, it makes no sense. Why would I have kissed you if I was with someone else? Why would you think that?’ He was genuinely upset.
She cringed. ‘Oh, I don’t know. I feel a bit silly about it now. I think that maybe, deep down, I was just looking for another reason to leave.’
Her explanation hung heavily between them.
He frowned. ‘So, tell me. When are you leaving, Isla?’
‘It’s going to be tomorrow morning now. Have you made your decision yet about selling your half of the pearl farm to Mr Goldman?’
His eyes, turning cold, casually scanned the room as he replied, ‘Oh, I’m still thinking it over.’
‘And what are you planning to do this afternoon?’ she asked, taking the tone of their conversation up a notch now that he knew she was leaving the island and she wasn’t going to change her mind about selling. She was hoping they’d get a chance to talk about the reasons why he should reconsider Mr Goldman’s offer and sell his share of the farm.
Unlike Leo, she was sure that Mr Goldman was a businessman with whom she could do business. She was also sure that once Mr Goldman had bought Leo’s shares, he would be happy to supply her with his very best pearls at a heavily discounted price under a VIP – Very Important Purchaser – agreement, which she would pre-negotiate into the sale contract for Pearl Island.
‘I’m opening oysters,’ he replied. ‘Would you like to help?’
‘Sure. I’ll meet you at the pearl farm. I’ll need to help Grace clear up here first.’
‘I can help with that too. It’s the least I can do after your hard work today.’
‘No, no. You go ahead. It’s fine,’ she insisted. ‘After all, you have some thinking to do.’
When everyone had gone and as soon as she had finished clearing up, Isla dashed upstairs to change out of her dress. She was almost out of clean clothes and so grabbed a pair of shorts and a cropped top. They didn’t really go too well together, as the shorts were very short and low on her hips and the top tied under the bust, lifting up her breasts and creating quite a cleavage. For a moment or two while in front of the mirror, she wondered if it all looked just a bit too skimpy? But then she decided she was comfortable and cool and, after all, it was a very hot day.
It was already midday when she arrived at the pearl farm. She found Leo in the yard, transferring some of the harvestable oysters retrieved from the grotto into the holding tanks.
‘How are they doing? Did we lose many?’ she asked him.
‘A few haven’t made it, but they have still produced some very nice pearls. I still have another two thousand live ones to… open.’ In his hesitation, he’d turned to look at her and take in the short shorts and the bare midriff.
She sid
led up to him to look at all the oysters in the tank. ‘Can I help?’
She heard him groan and shake his head.
‘What? Are your ribs hurting? Shall I get you a painkiller?’ she asked, concerned.
‘No, Isla, it’s not my ribs. It’s just occurred to me that you’ve come over here hoping to persuade me to sell my share of the pearl farm to Mr Goldman. If you have, then I’m afraid you are wasting your time and your… assets.’ His eyes were now avoiding her and full of disapproval.
‘You are not going to sell your share to him, are you?’
He shook his head. ‘No way. Never. Nunca. Have you even checked out this Mr Goldman? Do you know who he is? Or, more importantly, what he is, and what he intends to do with Pearl Island if he buys it?’
Isla knew she should have done those things, but she really hadn’t had the time, because she’d been up before dawn to make sandwiches and cakes for Jack’s wake.
‘Erm, no, not yet. But I have my lawyers onto it. Anyway, it hardly matters if you are refusing to sell. I expect that Mr Goldman will want to pull out the moment you tell him of your decision.’
‘Well, good. Because I have looked into the very rich and almighty powerful Mr Goldman on your behalf,’ he informed her. ‘I have discovered that he has his fat fingers in many pies both in Europe and in the USA. He’s golfing buddies with President Trump himself. They even have matching towers in New York City. In Vegas, Mr Goldman is King of the Strip, so the five million dollar price tag on Pearl Island is merely casino change for him. If I were you, I’d consider putting my price up a few million. He can certainly afford it.’
‘Okay, so I can assume, since you bothered to do all that research, that for a tiny moment, you might have actually considered cashing in and selling your share to him? But then, you still don’t know what he plans to do with Pearl Island, do you?’
Leo shrugged. ‘I can assume he’ll build a casino resort on it with mother-of-pearl bricks.’
Isla glared at him. ‘Well, I believe he wants the island as a private haven for himself and his family. In much the same way that Ernest and Kate Rocha did all those years ago.’
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