The Italian restaurant where Jean-Claude had booked a table was only a short walk away. Nanette’s heart missed a beat as she saw him standing there waiting for them.
‘Happy birthday,’ he said in greeting. The words ma chérie were added so quietly, that only Nanette heard them and she smiled at him gratefully. Gallantly taking her hand in his, Jean-Claude escorted her to their table where an attentive waiter was waiting to pour the champagne before taking their orders.
Apianist was playing a medley of Italian songs and several couples were making use of the small dance floor around which the tables were grouped.
‘Will you excuse us while the birthday girl and I have this dance?’ Jean-Claude asked, looking at Mathieu and Patsy.
‘Go ahead,’ Mathieu said looking at Patsy. ‘Would you like to?’
‘I’ll sit this one out, thanks,’ Patsy answered. ‘I think the bump would rather get in the way.’
Nanette, moving slowly around the dance-floor, Jean-Claude’s arms holding her close, breathed a sigh of happiness. A feeling that this birthday was going to herald in a year of changes to her life flooded through her body – and surely this time, they would be good changes.
‘Thank you for my beautiful flowers, JC,’ Nanette murmured.
‘My pleasure. I have another present for you, too, but you will have to come to the villa to collect it. Maybe when Patsy has returned home? Now we’d better return to our table, I can see the waiters arriving with our food.’
The meal was delicious. Conversation and laughter flowed between the four of them. It was only when the waiter brought the sweet trolley for them to choose from that she realized Patsy had gone quiet.
Concerned she looked at her.
‘Patsy are you all right? You look awfully pale.’
‘I’m fine – just feel a bit queasy. Probably too much rich food. I think I’ll skip dessert.’
‘Do you want to go home?’ Nanette asked.
‘Certainly not. But if you could just point me in the direction of the ladies?’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Nanette said, giving her an anxious look.
‘You stay here,’ Patsy said standing up. ‘I’m pregnant – not incapacitated. I see they’ve got your favourite dessert,’ she added glancing at the trolley. ‘So enjoy.’
But Nanette could hardly swallow a spoonful of her tiramisu, delicious as it was. When after ten minutes Patsy hadn’t returned she stood up.
‘I’ll just go check on Patsy,’ she said.
Nanette found her sister, sitting in a wicker chair, sipping a glass of water given to her by the concerned restroom attendant.
‘What’s going on?’
‘The doctor should be here any minute,’ the attendant answered. ‘I’ve told the lady not to move.’
‘Why do you need a doctor?’ Nanette demanded. ‘Is it the baby?’
Patsy bit her lip. ‘I’ve started to bleed. Not a lot,’ she added quickly seeing Nanette’s face. ‘But enough for me to need some medical advice.’
The restroom door swung open and a man entered.
‘I’m the emergency doctor. I gather we have a problem with a pregnant lady? Perhaps I could ask everyone to wait outside for a while?’
‘Doctor, my sister doesn’t speak French,’ Nanette said. ‘Do you need me to translate?’
‘Non, merci. I speak enough English. Please give me five minutes alone with the patient.’
Nanette made her way back to Jean-Claude and Mathieu and quickly explained the situation to them, before returning to see what the doctor said.
‘Bed rest for the next twenty-four hours. And then check with a doctor again. No exertion.’
‘How about flying? I’m booked to return to the UK in a couple of days?’ Patsy asked.
The doctor shrugged his shoulders. ‘Go to the clinic and see what the consultant advises.’
Jean-Claude insisted on calling a taxi to return to the apartment where he and Mathieu solicitously helped Patsy across the foyer to the lift. Once back in the apartment, Nanette saw Patsy into her room before joining the men in the sitting-room.
Mathieu was holding a piece of paper which he handed to Nanette.
‘Florence left this note for you. Apparently Zac has been ringing all evening.’
Nanette sighed as she read the housekeeper’s message:
Zac Ewart needs to talk to you urgently. Would you please ring him at whatever time you return. Mathieu will give you the number if you don’t have it.
‘What on earth can be so important? I’ll ring him in the morning,’ Nanette said. ‘I’m too tired and worried about Patsy right now.’
As Mathieu went to say something, Nanette held up her hands.
‘Mathieu, my days of running after Zac are long gone. Incidentally have you finished with the Vacances au Soleil papers yet?’
Jean-Claude shot his son a swift glance. ‘What were you hoping to find?’
Mathieu shrugged. ‘Just an address.’
‘And was it there?’ Jean-Claude asked.
There was a barely perceptible pause before Mathieu shook his head. ‘No. I’ll get the papers for you now,’ He went into his temporary office, returning seconds later with Nanette’s envelope.
‘I said I’d take Patsy in some warm milk to help her sleep,’ Nanette said. ‘Shall I make us a nightcap too?’
Mathieu shook his head. ‘Not for me. I’ve got a breakfast business meeting tomorrow so, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to bed. Goodnight.’
Nanette said to Jean-Claude as the door closed behind Mathieu, ‘Can I get you anything?’
‘No thanks. I’ll leave you to look after Patsy – and don’t worry. I’m sure she and the baby will be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Thank you for a lovely evening, JC,’ Nanette said. ‘I really enjoyed myself.’
Jean-Claude gave her a gentle kiss and he was gone.
As the door closed behind him, the telephone rang. Quickly Nanette snatched the receiver off its hook before the shrill noise could disturb everyone.
‘Zac stop pestering me—’
‘I need your help, Nanette,’ Zac’s voice interrupted. ‘I want you to go to Pole Position, meet someone and put something in the safe for me.’
‘What? You ring at nearly midnight to ask me to do something trivial that your skipper can do?’ Nanette said incredulously.
‘No, he can’t,’ Zac answered quietly. ‘You’re the only person apart from me who knows a) where the safe is and b) the combination to it.’
‘You mean the secret, personal one, in your cabin?’ Nanette asked, as realization dawned. ‘You’ve never changed the code?’
‘No.’
‘Can’t the skipper simply put whatever it is, in the main safe until you get back?’
Zac sighed audibly down the phone. ‘If I hadn’t had to come out here early there wouldn’t be a problem – I’d have been there to deal with it myself. As it is, I’m unlikely to get back for a few weeks. I’d rather it was totally out of sight. Five minutes, Nanette, that’s all it will take.’
‘You’re not asking me to help with something illegal are you?’ Nanette demanded.
‘Definitely not,’ Zac replied instantly. ‘If it makes you feel any better I can tell you it’s something to do with Vacances au Soleil.’
Nanette took a deep breath.
‘OK,’ she said reluctantly. ‘I’ll do it tomorrow.’
‘Good. Eleven o’clock on board. You do remember the combination?’
‘Yes.’
‘Thanks, Nanette. I owe you one.’
‘If my returning memory is right, Zac, you owe me more than that,’ Nanette said.
‘When you get back we need to have a serious talk. Goodnight.’
Quickly, before Zac could start to question her, Nanette replaced the receiver. She was determined to challenge Zac face to face, to see his reaction to her accusation. Now was not the time.
Tomorrow she would go to the yacht
and do as Zac asked – but this was positively the last time she would do anything Zac Ewart asked of her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next morning Nanette took the twins to school before returning to the apartment and making Patsy some breakfast.
‘You still look a bit peaky,’ Nanette said. ‘How do you feel?’
‘OK, thanks, and I’m really sorry for spoiling your evening,’ Patsy said. ‘Did I hear the phone last night, after Jean-Claude had left?’
Nanette nodded. ‘Zac.’
Patsy looked at her. ‘And?’
‘I’m going to collect something and put it in his personal safe on board Pole Position this morning,’ Nanette answered slowly, knowing that Patsy wouldn’t like it. ‘Don’t worry,’ she added. ‘It’s not good for you in your condition. It’ll only take five minutes and then I intend to forget about Zac Ewart until he gets back from Indianapolis next month.’
‘Do you know what it is you’re collecting?’ Patsy asked.
‘No. But it can’t be anything too large because the safe isn’t that big,’ she answered.
‘Have you told Jean-Claude or Mathieu what you’re doing?’
Nanette shook her head. ‘No. Mathieu has already left and I’m not expecting to see Jean-Claude this morning.
‘What are you doing?’ This, as Patsy went to throw off the bedcovers.
‘I’m getting up and coming with you,’ Patsy said.
‘Oh no you’re not. The doctor said bed rest for twenty-four hours, so don’t you even dare to think about getting up,’ Nanette scolded her. ‘And when I get back I’m ringing the clinic to make you an appointment for tomorrow,’ she said and tucked Patsy firmly back into bed.
Later that morning she left Patsy with some magazines and strict instructions to take it easy and made her way down to the harbour.
Walking towards the yacht she could see the gangplank was raised making access from the quay impossible. Hadn’t Zac told the crew he’d arranged for her to meet someone on board? What would she do if the crew had all disappeared for the day and she couldn’t get on board?
To her relief as she got nearer, she saw Phil, the skipper, out on the starboard deck talking to someone on the next yacht. Seeing her standing at the stern, Phil raised a hand in greeting but didn’t immediately move to lower the gangplank and let her on board. Instead, he finished his conversation and took his time before pressing the button that would lower the gangplank. Nanette was sure he would never have dared to have kept Zac waiting, but he was clearly trying to make a point.
‘Zac has asked me to meet someone here and—’
‘I know,’ Phil interrupted. ‘He phoned me this morning.’ He looked hard at her. ‘I’m sure you are aware that the captain of a boat is the one held legally responsible for whatever takes place on board – regardless of whether he or the owner sanctioned it.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Nanette said quietly. ‘All I can say is, Zac assured me last night, that it is nothing illegal he wants me to put in the safe, otherwise I certainly wouldn’t be here.’
‘Until this morning I wasn’t even aware there was a second secret safe on board this yacht. It is something I should have been told about.’
‘This is something you are going to have to take up with him.’
‘Oh, I intend to,’ Phil said. ‘But if you speak to him before I do, you can tell him that I’m seriously thinking of looking for another position – one where the owner treats me with the respect and trust I deserve.’
Nanette was silent, not knowing what to say.
‘Cooee.’
They both turned to see Evie standing on the quay.
‘Hi, Nanette, haven’t seen you in ages. How are you? Can I come on board?’
Without waiting for a reply Evie slipped off her high heels and walked down the gangplank.
‘I’ve got a package for Zac,’ she said, rummaging in her bag and producing a paperback-sized parcel.
‘You have?’ Nanette said surprised. The last person she’d expected to be meeting was Evie.
‘It’s from Luc,’ Evie explained. ‘My ex-boss as of today,’ and she held the package out to Phil.
Phil shook his head, declining to accept the parcel. ‘Not me. Nanette is here to collect it – and put it somewhere safe,’ he added.
Evie looked at the two of them, clearly sensing the tension, before shrugging her shoulders. ‘Whatever. I’ve done my bit.’
‘Thanks,’ Nanette said, taking the parcel.
‘Have you got time for a coffee?’ Evie asked.
‘Love one. Give me five minutes to put this away first.’
‘All right if I go down below?’ Nanette asked, turning to Phil.
‘Be my guest – you know where it is,’ and Phil moved away indifferently.
Closing the master cabin door behind her, Nanette walked across the cream deep-pile carpet towards the en-suite bathroom.
The luxurious bathroom with its marble and gold fittings had been spared refurbishment last year and was exactly as Nanette remembered it. Kneeling down she opened the vanity unit under the double marble sink and lifted out the white towels that were stored there.
Carefully she tapped at the front edge of the flooring shelf to loosen it before lifting it out and laying it on the floor. Sitting back on her heels she looked at the small dial previously hidden by the false cupboard bottom but now exposed in the recess under the sink. What was she going to find when the safe door opened? What secrets did Zac already have stashed away within the steel box?
Nanette took a deep breath. It had been a long time since she and Zac had devised the code. She only hoped she could remember it.
Counting under her breath, and slowly turning the dial, Nanette concentrated on remembering the correct sequence of numbers and the number of turns she had to make to the right and then to the left before she heard the satisfying click of the lock undoing and she was able to pull open the door.
The safe was empty – except for the handgun. Nanette stared at it stunned. Since when had Zac found it necessary to have a gun on board? Sitting back on her heels Nanette looked at the packet Evie had given her, wondering about its contents. She sat there for several minutes before coming to a decision and closing the door and spinning the combination lock.
The flooring shelf slid back in easily and Nanette replaced the towels tidily before shutting the vanity unit door, picking up her handbag and leaving the bathroom.
Evie was waiting for her in the stern and Nanette quickly said ‘Goodbye’ to Phil who was busy adjusting fenders near the bow, before following Evie down the gangplank and back on to the quay.
‘Shall we have coffee at the apartment?’ Nanette suggested. ‘Then I can introduce you to my sister Patsy. And, tell me, why is Luc your ex-boss?’
Evie sighed and glanced around before saying quietly, ‘I think his business is in trouble. He’s talking of restructuring, or he may give up altogether. Anyway, he’s given me two months’ pay in lieu of notice and told me he doesn’t need me anymore. He has promised to help me find another job if I want to stay in Monaco. Which I do.’
‘Have you heard of any jobs going?’
‘No. But I’ve got an interview with an agency tomorrow so I’m hoping they’ll come up with something,’ Evie said. ‘Even if it’s only temporary.’
Nanette glanced at Evie as a sudden thought struck her. Should she tell her about Zac needing someone for Vacances au Soleil? But how could she possibly recommend a job with Zac when she suspected he was involved in something illegal?
Instead she said, ‘I’ll have a word with Jean-Claude if you like, he may know of something.’
‘Thanks,’ Evie said. ‘I’m hoping something does turn up. I really like it down here and would hate to have to leave.’
The consultant at the clinic where Nanette had made an appointment for Patsy was thorough in his examination. And definite in his opinion.
‘Everything seems fine now. But I suggest you fly ho
me as soon as possible in case the bleeding starts again. Leave it too late and perhaps the airline will refuse to let you fly. I think you will possibly deliver early.’
Leaving the clinic the sisters decided to walk back to the apartment. As they strolled slowly along the embankment enjoying the sunshine and dodging the tourists, Nanette said, ‘I’ll ring the airline and change your ticket to an earlier flight. As much as I want you to stay, I think the consultant is right.’
Patsy nodded. ‘Another twenty-four hours will be OK though, won’t it? I really want to see the twins’ school play tonight.’
‘First available flight after this evening then,’ Nanette said. ‘Now, are you up for some retail therapy in Rue Princess Caroline before lunch?’
‘Silly question, of course,’ Patsy answered. ‘I’ve got to make the most of my time here – besides I must find a present for Bryan.’
‘Good, but then you must get some rest before we go to the play. It’s my afternoon to work for Jean-Claude so I won’t be around for a couple of hours. If you don’t want to stay in the apartment alone you can always come up to the villa with me.’
Patsy shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine. I’ll probably sit on the balcony and snooze for a couple of hours. Shopping always tires me out even when I’m not pregnant!’
Once back at the apartment Patsy went to sit on the balcony while Nanette telephoned the airline to change her flight. To her dismay she was told the only flight with seats available was just eight hours before the one Patsy was already booked on – hardly worth the cost of changing.
Nanette glanced at her sister dozing happily in one of the wicker chairs on the balcony and decided to simply abandon the idea of getting Patsy home early. She still had at least five weeks to go and Nanette began to pray that the consultant’s possible early delivery prediction fears wouldn’t be proved true in the next few days.
Bryan, she knew, would be devastated if he wasn’t with Patsy when she gave birth to their first child. How she was going to keep her own promise to be with her sister was something she’d worry about next month.
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