‘You wouldn’t know, of course you wouldn’t,’ Isla said, her mind racing. What the hell did any of this mean? ‘Are you quite sure it was Serendipity Sound you saw listed? I mean, I don’t even own it yet – none of us does – so I don’t know how anyone can advertise it on a holiday let site.’
‘I’d know it, and, besides, the name was in the information. I thought it was kind of odd at the time, but it’s not really any of my business.’
‘It’s empty right now,’ Isla said thoughtfully. ‘I went up there yesterday and…’
The Christmas decorations. Suddenly it all made sense. Justin had the keys, so this was his doing? Was this why they were all so desperate to persuade her to take the inheritance? Because if nobody got theirs then what happened to the houses? What happened to the rental opportunities? She’d never thought to ask but it was safe to assume that they’d have to turn in keys and access to the properties.
Had the McCoys banked on her not wanting much to do with her place even if she was the official owner? Had they assumed that she’d rarely visit and the house would stand empty? That they could make a little money from it even if they couldn’t own it? And by the McCoys, which members of that family was she talking about here? Not her dad, surely, not after all he’d said. Justin wasn’t exactly a McCoy, but as Celine’s nephew he was close enough. And he had keys. Hadn’t he made clear all along his intention to look after the place for her when she was in England? Did that mean making a healthy profit from it on the side and never having to share it with her? Who’d know if he did? Was that the reason he’d tried so hard to make an effort with her? If he’d tricked her into a relationship then she’d be sure to alert him every time she planned to visit St Martin so he could make sure the house was empty for her visit. It was beginning to feel like she’d been scammed.
‘Can you show me the website?’ Isla asked. Dahlia nodded shortly and opened up a laptop standing idly on a nearby desk and typed in the address.
‘There you go.’ Dahlia sat back as they surveyed the page together.
‘Bloody hell.’ Isla sucked in a breath as she read the rental prices. ‘I never even thought about renting it out. I mean, I suppose I might have done but… God, I’m an idiot.’
‘I can’t believe your dad would do this; he’s so well respected around here.’
Isla shook her head. ‘I don’t think it’s him… at least, I don’t want it to be him. We’ve just found each other after twenty-four years, and he seems like he genuinely wants to make up for lost time but…’ She shook her head again, more forcefully this time. ‘He wouldn’t – it doesn’t make any sense.’
‘Then who would?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe my cousin?’
‘The guy who came here to see you earlier in the week?’
Isla turned to her. ‘Of course – you didn’t know him. I thought you knew the family.’
‘I know Ian, Celine and the kids. Not him, though. I guess he doesn’t live in town.’
Isla nodded thoughtfully. She’d never even thought to ask exactly where Justin lived – it never really seemed like an issue.
‘How do you feel about the family members of mine that you do know?’
‘They seem like decent folks, for the most part – pretty well liked around the village. Benet wasn’t always easy growing up, but I guess they have it under control.’
‘What was wrong with Benet?’
‘Nothing in particular. You just get the impression that they’ve always been a little disappointed by him. I think he might pull his weight a little more than he does, and I don’t think he makes the best choices when it comes to the types of people he associates with.’
Isla chewed on a nail and stared into space, weighing up the information Dahlia was giving her. It made her realise just how little she knew of this branch of her family and just how much of an outsider she really was.
‘What are you going to do?’ Dahlia asked.
Isla shrugged, her gaze returning to the photo of Serendipity Sound on the screen. ‘I don’t know. I’m not even sure this is a crime. I mean, I don’t even know which of us owns the place at the moment because nothing has been sorted.’
‘But you need to put a stop to it, surely? This is your place in all but name and, as far as I can tell, it’s stealing.’
‘Do you think I should email the website? Tell them to take it down?’
Dahlia nodded. ‘It’s a start while you get to the bottom of the mystery. And speak to your lawyer too – see what he has to say on the matter. Maybe you want to do that before you contact the site so you can show him the page and he can see for himself what’s going on.’
‘Good idea.’ Isla looked up with a tight smile. ‘Thank you. I wish I’d told you about this much earlier instead of trying to deal with it all myself – I’d have saved a lot of trouble.’
‘Hey, you didn’t even know me. I wouldn’t have expected you to share all your private business with me as soon as you arrived but I’m glad we got a chance to uncover this now before you got ripped off big time.’
Isla looked up at the clock on the wall. ‘I suppose it’s far too late to contact Grover now and tomorrow I’m meant to be flying home so it might have to wait until I’m back in England. I could ask Dad but I don’t want to let on that I know until I get Grover’s take on things, and if I give any inkling that I know about it I expect whoever is responsible will take the listing down pretty sharpish so my proof will be gone too.’
‘Why don’t you eat now and think it over? You must be starving.’
‘I must admit dinner is long overdue.’
‘So you’re feeling better?’ Dahlia asked with a warm smile. Isla had to return it. Dahlia was a lovely woman, the sort of woman who’d make a gorgeous gran. She had no recollection of Grandma Sarah at all, but from what she’d heard the woman had been difficult, to say the least. How lucky Dahlia’s family were, how blessed to have her. How come the good people always went to other families? What had she done to deserve the dysfunctional bunch she’d been landed with?
‘Did Seb say he was coming back to dinner?’ Isla asked, suddenly remembering that she had another problem to deal with. She hated the thought that she’d offended him and hated even more the idea that she might fly out tomorrow without having the chance to see him again.
‘I think so. Did you two have a fight or something?’
‘Not exactly. I think I might have offended him though. I don’t know… I just wanted to explain before I went home.’
Dahlia’s warm smile had now spread into a grin that was a little too smug for Isla’s liking.
‘What?’
‘I think he really likes you.’
‘I like him too.’
‘No, really likes you.’
‘Well that’s just silly. We hardly know each other.’
‘Isn’t that how all love affairs begin?’
‘A love affair! I hardly think so!’
‘So you don’t think he’s handsome?’
‘He’s… well, he’s cute, I suppose. In a handsome if slightly weird mad professor way. Like if someone zapped your history teacher with sex appeal. But he’s absolutely not my type at all.’
‘What exactly is your type? Because if a handsome, sweet man like that was interested in me I’d give him a shot. What do you have to lose?’
Isla gave a disapproving frown and Dahlia chuckled. ‘OK, I get it. I’ll zip it up. In answer to your question, he’s coming back for dinner at eight so you could catch him then. Maybe you could share a table after all – it’s not long to wait if you want to change your reservation.’
‘I suppose I’ve pretty much missed my reservation anyway,’ Isla said, glancing up at the clock. There was only ten minutes to go until Seb was due back to eat. Would he welcome the intrusion, though? She supposed there was only one way to find out.
Isla rolled her eyes as she spotted that Dahlia had placed a single rose in a vase on the table right at the
back of the restaurant. Where she’d even found a rose in the French Alps in the middle of the winter was anyone’s guess. And there seemed to be candles everywhere; where there used to be a sprinkling of subtle tealights, there was now a riot of golden flames in heavy silver sticks, candelabras, glass jars and crystal dishes on every surface of the dining room. It was like Liberace had flown in and dumped his surplus. Isla couldn’t help a sneaking suspicion that the display meant Dahlia was still clinging to the idea that she could throw Isla and Seb together like a fairy godmother on happy pills. Did she not see that they weren’t suited one iota? Then again, Dahlia had been so wonderful, so supportive, how could Isla be cross? She only wanted to see two people she’d taken a shine to happy, and what was wrong with that? Besides, Isla had plenty more on her mind than Dahlia’s attempts at match-making. The more she thought about it, the more she had to conclude that Justin was responsible for the house rental scam – and if not wholly, then he had to be involved somehow. At the very least, he had to have known about it, otherwise why would he have gone back to the house to clean it up the day they’d been there?
She’d barely had time to dwell on any of this when she looked up to see Dahlia ushering Seb over to the table. He looked faintly surprised to see her sitting waiting for him and threw a questioning glance at Dahlia, followed by a swift once-over of the room, which revealed that he was as confused by the candles as everyone else. But she simply shook her head and bade him to take a seat.
‘Isla said she wanted to talk to you and you’re almost always eating alone so I thought it would be a good idea to let you sit together for dinner tonight. It’s Isla’s last night in St Martin, so you should take the opportunity to get to know each other a little better.’
Isla was about to remind Dahlia that they’d already done that but then thought better of it; she’d already insulted Seb once that evening, and it might sound like a complaint.
‘Oh,’ Seb replied, looking confused but taking a seat across from Isla just the same. ‘I suppose it’s alright then.’
Now it was Isla’s turn to be faintly offended. I suppose it’s alright then? Was it that much of a hardship to sit with her for an hour? Or had she really upset him that much outside on the steps?
‘Shall I get you some drinks?’ Dahlia asked, seemingly oblivious to the strange atmosphere now settling over the table.
‘That would be lovely,’ Isla said, forcing a cheery smile. ‘Thanks, Dahlia.’
After a quick confirmation of their order, Dahlia bustled off while Isla shot Seb an awkward smile.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said as he reached for the menu, moving a pongy scarlet candle out of the way. ‘I did try to tell her this wasn’t a good idea.’
‘It’s fine,’ he said stiffly. ‘Just unexpected.’
‘If you’d rather eat alone I completely understand, I—’
‘Of course not,’ he cut in, looking up from the menu. ‘I wouldn’t hear of you moving. Forgive me, I’m just tired.’
‘I suppose you must be, working all day. I just thought… well, I wanted to apologise. For the way I spoke to you outside on the steps earlier. It was a complicated situation and I didn’t want to drag you into it. You understand, don’t you? It came out all wrong and I didn’t mean to be rude; I just panicked.’
‘It looked like an unpleasant situation from where I was standing but I apologise that I waded in without being asked to.’
‘God, you have nothing to apologise for! I mean, it’s sweet that you wanted to help. But I just didn’t want things to escalate.’
‘And I suppose they would have with my help?’
‘No. Maybe. Yes. I don’t know.’
‘He’s your cousin?’
‘Sort of. I suppose it just goes to show that what they say about not being able to choose your family is true.’
‘What do they say?’
‘You know, that thing about you can choose your friends but not your family? Essentially if you get landed with crap family there’s not a lot you can do about it.’
‘Oh. Right.’ Seb’s head went back into the menu. Isla fought back a frown.
‘You’re still angry with me.’
‘Of course not,’ he said, looking up. ‘I’m just hungry.’
‘Don’t lie.’
‘I’m not. It’s just… what you said about families…’ He shook his head. ‘It’s nothing.’
They were silenced for a moment as one of the waitresses on duty with Dahlia brought their drinks over. Isla threw a glance towards the bar and could see Dahlia herself watching them with interest, even as she tried to make it look as if she wasn’t. Isla didn’t know whether to laugh or hurl the little vase from the table at her, rose and all.
‘So, your business in St Martin has been concluded satisfactorily?’ Seb asked as the waitress left them again.
‘Sort of.’ Isla took a sip of her beer. It was cold and malty and very good. ‘OK, not really. I thought it was, but then…’
‘Was that what you were arguing about? On the steps outside with your cousin?’
Isla tried not to smile, but despite the subject of their conversation she was pleased to see that she was drawing Seb out of himself again. She liked chatty, open Seb, not the wounded puppy version of him who refused to talk.
‘Not exactly. I suppose it was connected. It looks as though I’ll be leaving tomorrow with things still in a bit of a mess. It means I’ll very likely have to come back. Although I was planning to come back anyway, just not quite as soon as I might have to.’
‘Could I be of assistance? I’m planning to stay on for a while.’
Isla glanced up from her own menu with a silent question.
‘I know I said I was flying back for Christmas,’ he said with a faint sigh. ‘The truth is there’s no reason to, so I’ve changed my mind.’
‘No reason?’
‘People are busy, you know…’
‘Your family are too busy to spend Christmas with you?’
‘It’s not that simple. I, um… well, I have some more work to do on my current project and as I have to come back in the new year it seemed silly to go home in the first place. So I decided to stay on for Christmas and continue working straight after until I’ve finished. I had mentioned to Dahlia a couple of days ago I might so she was holding my suite for me.’
‘Won’t your family be upset you’re not home?’
‘I’m sure they’ll get by just fine,’ he said, and Isla got the feeling there was a lot he was holding back. More than a feeling, she knew the truth of it like she knew her own name.
‘There’s something you don’t want to deal with at home? Something that feels worse at Christmas for some reason?’
‘It’s not that—’
‘You can tell me; I’ll understand. After all, look at the mess my family is in. I guarantee yours can’t be any worse than mine.’
He shook his head. ‘It’s just bad memories, you know. Something that happened a long time ago.’
Isla narrowed her eyes. ‘Something to do with that girl you won’t tell me about? The one who broke your heart?’
He paused, opened his mouth to reply, but then Dahlia’s voice cut across them and they both turned to see her standing at the table. ‘Ready to order yet?’ she asked, moving the candle that Isla had shifted back onto the table between them.
‘Um… yes,’ Seb replied, visibly flustered by the interruption, the old uncertain, slightly flaky version of him back again. ‘At least I think I am. Isla?’
‘Oh, I’ll have the steak,’ Isla said, almost shoving the menu at Dahlia.
‘Steak, yes… sounds good – I’ll have that too,’ Seb agreed, though Isla was sure that if anyone had asked him thirty seconds later he wouldn’t have been able to remember what he’d ordered. She’d been half amused and half annoyed at Dahlia’s attempt to throw them together tonight but now she was irritated beyond measure at her interruption, just when she felt certain that Seb was about to say som
ething massive and she desperately wanted to hear what it was. Somehow, something told her that the moment had been and gone and she might never hear it now.
Dahlia nodded amiably and glided away again, looking pleased with herself.
‘Do you get the impression she’s up to no good?’ Seb asked as he watched Dahlia disappear into the door that led through to the kitchens.
Isla stared at him. But then she started to laugh as she picked up the candle again and placed it onto an empty table nearby. ‘Oh, thank God it’s not just me! She’s impossible, isn’t she?’
‘But she means well.’
‘Of course, and she’s absolutely lovely. But barking up a very wrong tree.’
‘Quite,’ Seb said, and then his smile faded. ‘Quite the wrong tree.’
If not exactly relaxed, dinner had been fascinating and Isla had barely drawn breath in the end. There was no more mention of Seb’s secret – if indeed there was any secret at all – and Isla had the sense he didn’t want to mention it again. So the conversation had been deftly turned onto her. At first she hadn’t wanted to talk about Justin and his advances, but a few beers had seen that resolve crumble. So she told him about that, about Serendipity Sound and her theories on why it was being listed on a holiday letting site when it shouldn’t have been, and she asked for his thoughts. She didn’t even know why, but perhaps it was a diversionary tactic, a way of avoiding the real conversation they should have been having, the one that he’d started but that Dahlia had interrupted. They couldn’t go back to it – the moment had truly come and gone and it looked like it was gone for good. Isla couldn’t even consciously admit to what was hanging in the air between them but it was there all the same. As for his thoughts on her puzzle, he had as many theories as she had, but as she herself said, they couldn’t be sure about any of them. There was only one way to get to the bottom of it, and that was to talk to the people involved. Which, as Isla explained again – as she had to Dahlia – meant showing her hand and giving them a chance to get rid of the evidence before she could act on it. So for the time being, it looked like they were all going to be kept guessing.
‘Perhaps I could give you my phone number,’ Seb said awkwardly as they finished their desserts. ‘Just in case you might like to let me know how your dilemma pans out. I’d like to know how you’re getting on and if you’re alright. If that would be OK, of course. I mean, I wouldn’t want to overstep any boundaries and I completely understand if you don’t want to give it to me…’
A Cosy Candlelit Christmas: A wonderfully festive feel good romance (An Unforgettable Christmas Book 2) Page 18