‘Thank you,’ she said, squeezing her eyes together as she placed her foot down on the ground. She’d never been inside a bunker before, in fact this was the closest she’d been to any, but she hoped that access wasn’t going to be difficult. From what she’d seen there weren’t any obvious doors leading into the concrete building. She hopped next to him with one arm around his waist as he took most of her weight.
‘What brings you here? Is Nan with you?’
She shook her head. ‘No, she’s in a meeting, but she asked me to bring that to you.’ She indicated the envelope he was holding in his free hand.
‘Did she read it?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she answered through clenched teeth. ‘She said it was important and that you’d wanted to see it as soon as possible.’
‘Oh, OK. Thanks for bringing it to me.’
‘No problem,’ she said, wincing when her good foot landed on a sharp stone and her ankle almost gave way.
He held her more tightly, stopping her from falling over. ‘Let’s take a breather on that bench,’ he said. ‘I’ll have a look and see what you’ve brought me.’
She had to stop herself from groaning in relief as he helped lower her onto the wooden bench, dedicated to someone who obviously loved this place during their lifetime. Gabe sat down next to her, the heat from his bare leg against her own sending electric currents shooting through her thigh. He didn’t seem to notice as he ripped open the top of the self-seal envelope.
Pulling out the document from inside, Gabe narrowed his eyes. She could tell this wasn’t something that made him happy.
‘Is everything all right?’ she asked hesitantly.
He shook his head.
‘Bad news?’ She hoped it wasn’t but by the troubled expression on his face this document contained information that displeased him greatly.
‘Afraid so,’ he said. He tapped the cover letter with his index finger. ‘They’re informing me our funding’s been pulled.’
‘No, that’s awful.’ Surely there weren’t many projects for marine explorers to cover. She recalled him telling her stories about his exploits and conservation plans when they were in Vietnam together, so understood how keenly he’d feel this unexpected halt to his plans. ‘Didn’t you have an inkling they would do this?’
He shook his head. ‘Not exactly,’ he said quietly. He stared out across the rolling waves in the channel at the end of the headland. She rested her hand on his knee, only vaguely sensing that it might be construed as being a little forward in the circumstances. She didn’t care. Regardless of their differences, he was someone she cared about and his beliefs were important to him and therefore to her. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘Isn’t there anything you can do?’
‘If you can wait here a moment, I’ll go and tell the guys that I need to get back to The Encore. I’ll take you back in the hotel car and make a few calls, see if there’s anything I can do to change their minds.’
She watched him walk away, so tall and muscular. ‘Years of being busy outside,’ she murmured to herself, aware that despite her best intentions she was feeling the stirrings of something she’d hoped to put behind her where he was concerned.
He disappeared down a ladder into a hole that must have been the entrance to the bunker he’d been working on and she was relieved not to have had to follow him inside there. He soon came back out of the bunker closely followed by another tall, dark man who had an air of authority about him that was hard to miss. He was very handsome and looked very similar to local actor, Henry Cavill, who she’d only recently discovered came from Jersey. Surely it couldn’t be him, she thought. Daisy stood up, flinching in pain as the pressure on her foot increased as it touched the grassy soil beneath her.
‘Daisy, this is Sebastian Fielding,’ he said, indicating the man next to him who, she noticed, also had a beautiful smile. She decided that his photos in the Gazette hadn’t done him justice. In fact, she thought, he would have been almost too good looking if it hadn’t been for his slightly crooked nose, brought on by someone breaking it at some point in his life, she guessed.
It dawned on her that Gabriel had said his last name was Fielding. She smiled at him. ‘You must be Fi’s older brother. She talks about you a lot,’ she said, smiling and holding out her hand for him to shake.
He took her hand in his and nodded. ‘I am, though I can imagine that more often than not she’s telling you how mean I can be,’ he joked.
‘Not at all,’ she lied. ‘Although I gather you don’t like the thought of her going to Glastonbury by herself, which seems pretty mean to me.’ She laughed, relieved he could tell she wasn’t being serious.
Sebastian shrugged. ‘My sister is very independent and even I wouldn’t have a problem with her going to the festival with a group of friends, but she intended going by herself, for the “laugh” and seeing who she met along the way. If I know Fi, that’s a ticket for disaster.’
Gabriel laughed. ‘True, but then again, I know from experience that woman are usually more capable of looking after themselves than us blokes when it comes to travelling.’
‘Probably because they’ve got the sense to stay away from anything that seems a little dangerous,’ she said. ‘I understand your concerns, but Fi’s pretty tough.’
He laughed. ‘I’m sure you’re right there. But not paying for her ticket made her so furious she went and found a job and that’s why she’s now working for Francesca and Rick at The Encore. And she loves it there.’
‘That’s good to hear,’ Gabriel said.
Sebastian nodded. ‘She talks about you a lot,’ he said to Daisy. ‘You’ve been very kind to her since you’ve been here, showing her how everything’s done and never getting cross with her when she makes mistakes.’
Daisy shook her head. ‘She’s very clever and the guests love her. She’s the most cheerful person I’ve ever worked with.’
‘That’s good to know. She’s a great kid, even though I say so as her brother.’
Daisy went to step forward and winced.
‘We’d better get going,’ Gabriel said. ‘I’ll give you a call later and maybe you could join us for a drink sometime with Paige.’ He turned to Daisy. ‘You’ve not met Sebastian’s fiancée Paige yet, have you?’
She shook her head.
‘Daisy’s only been in Jersey a couple of months, so hasn’t had a chance to make new friends yet, but,’ he turned his attention back to her. ‘You’ll get along with Paige: she’s very friendly. She’s a shoe designer.’
‘Wow,’ Daisy said, impressed. ‘I’ve never met a designer before.’
‘We’ll arrange something,’ Gabe said, putting an arm around her waist. ‘Speak soon, Sebastian.’
Daisy waved goodbye to the man and hobbled off towards Lydia’s car with Gabriel. ‘A shoe designer,’ she repeated. ‘How exciting.’
‘She’s lovely,’ Gabriel said. ‘In fact, I’ve got a group of friends I’d love to introduce you to if you wouldn’t mind.’ They reached the car and he pressed the fob to unlock the doors, helping Daisy settle into her seat.
‘I’d love to meet your friends,’ she said honestly. ‘One day.’
He looked disappointed but nodded. ‘I understand,’ he said.
She knew he couldn’t possibly have an inkling about how she felt. He knew so little of her past. And after all, didn’t he have both his parents still married to each other and despite their occasionally noisy exchanges, seemingly very happily, too? No, he couldn’t know how she felt and she was far too embarrassed by her past to ever share it with him. She liked this new life where everyone just knew her as Daisy the receptionist.
They arrived back at the hotel and Daisy insisted that Gabriel go and make the phone calls and emails that he needed to make to try and save his project.
‘I’ll be fine,’ she said, making her way to the housekeeper’s back office and knocking on the door.
The door was opened by Mrs Vines, the housekeeper, and she show
ed her in. ‘Sit over there, Daisy.’ She squinted and bent down to inspect Daisy’s foot. ‘What have I said about those dreadful slipper things you insist on wearing; they give your feet no protection. It’s a good thing you’re not one of the chambermaids or waitresses,’ she said. ‘At least you can sit behind your desk and carry out your work to some degree with a damaged foot.’
She left the room and returned with a tub of warm soapy water and some cloths. ‘Here, put your foot up on my knee and let me see to this.’ Daisy did as she was instructed and Mrs Vines cleaned her foot, tutting noisily several times. Drying the foot carefully, she applied some ointment and bandaged it carefully.
‘Right, my girl, you take care of that foot. It should heal very quickly. You’re lucky it wasn’t worse.’
There was a knock at the door. ‘Come,’ the woman barked.
Gabriel opened the door and put his head around giving a sheepish smile at the older woman, who beamed back at him. ‘How’s the patient?’ he asked.
She tutted once again. ‘I presume she was with you when it happened?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, Nan sent her on an errand to find me at Noirmont.’
That must have been an acceptable answer, because she patted Daisy’s ankle and stood up. ‘She’s fine, but I think she should wear more sensible sandals if she’s going to be running around over bunkers.’
Daisy bit her lip to stop from giggling at the image the woman’s words conjured up. She cleared her throat. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’ll try and buy something a little less dangerous next time I have an afternoon off.’
Chapter Eight
Gabriel
Gabriel went to accompany Daisy out of the housekeeper’s office, but she called him back.
‘One minute, Gabriel,’ Mrs Vines said, as he held the door open for Daisy to leave. Daisy gave him a surreptitious grin and raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t certain but he could have sworn he heard her giggling to herself as she limped down the corridor towards the staff quarters. He closed the door and turned to face the woman who had been his parents’ housekeeper at The Encore since the hotel opened when he was in his early teens.
‘Take a seat for a moment, will you?’
He did as she requested, wondering what she could wish to speak to him about.
‘Gabriel,’ she said, sitting opposite him at her desk. ‘You may not think it my place to speak to you about this, but as housekeeper here at the hotel, I take great interest in the well-being of all the staff, especially the young ladies.’
Ah, he mused, so this was about Daisy. ‘It’s not …’ he began, but immediately stopped talking when she held up her hand.
She smiled at him. ‘Gabriel, we both know you are a lovely young man, but I don’t think you realise quite how you come across to the girls we have working here, not to mention the guests.’
He didn’t like the way this conversation was going, but waited for her to finish.
‘You’re very good looking and your job, by the very nature of it might be perceived as, shall we say, rather intriguing. So, I think you need to be aware that where you might think you’re being kind to someone like young Daisy, she might take it that you’re more interested her in a,’ she hesitated, ‘romantic way. Do you see what I’m trying to say?’
He nodded sagely. ‘I understand what you’re saying, Mrs Vines.’ Although he thought she was wrong. In his experience, women were more interested in the likes of Sebastian, or Luke, men with solid jobs, with homes and a solid lifestyle. Not like him with his nomadic way of life. ‘But I can’t see that anyone would think my job heroic in any way.’
‘Daisy certainly seemed to perk up when you entered the room,’ she said, looking unimpressed at his disagreement.
‘Daisy and I know each other from our travels in Vietnam, so she’s an old friend.’
She studied him, her pale blue eyes boring into him. Could Mrs Vines see how he felt about Daisy? She had known him a long time, but he hoped he was able to hide his true feelings for Daisy well enough to stop her from worrying. Daisy had made it perfectly clear that she wasn’t going to consider being with him until he was divorced from Bella. If only there was a way round this divorce nonsense of having to wait for another two years. ‘Seriously,’ he said, hoping he was giving the housekeeper his most sincere look. ‘I have no intention of hurting Daisy in any way.’
‘Good, you keep it that way. Because, as much as I like you, Gabriel, I won’t hesitate to bring this to your mother’s attention, or even your father’s if I have to.’
He doubted his father would have much to say and all his mother would be worried about was losing Daisy as a member of staff. No, he mused, the one person she should speak to if she was so worried about his behaviour towards Daisy was his grandmother. He could see how fond of Daisy she was. The mere fact that she’d invited Daisy to the house to dinner and then gave her an open invitation to use her garden in which to paint spoke volumes to him. He supposed Daisy assumed that his grandmother was this welcoming at her home to everyone. He wondered how Daisy would feel if she discovered that she was the first member of staff to have been invited to his grandmother’s home, as far as he was aware.
‘I promise you have nothing to worry about,’ he said standing up and giving her a smile.
She relaxed, her severe expression softening now that the awkward business of his private life was over with. ‘Good, off you go then,’ she said as if he was still a teenager.
Gabriel walked to the door and pulled it open.
‘Oh, and Gabriel,’ she said.
‘Yes?’
‘You’re a good boy really, I do know that.’
He smiled; no one had called him a boy for about fifteen years. ‘Thanks.’ He turned and left, closing the door gently.
There was a gasp behind him. Gabriel looked over his shoulder to see Fi, her mouth open in horror.
‘What’s the matter, Fi?’ he asked.
‘Someone’s been a naughty boy?’
‘She doesn’t just call people in to her office to tell them off you know,’ he teased.
Fi glanced at the closed door and then walked up to him and lowering her voice, whispered. ‘No, but,’ she hesitated. ‘I know you said I shouldn’t gossip but it’s not gossiping if I’m talking to you about you, is it?’
‘No,’ he agreed, eager to see what she had to say.
‘I think she must have been telling you off about Daisy. Wasn’t she?’
He turned to face her. ‘Why? What’s being said?’ He knew how the other staff loved to talk. They were like a large, sometimes dysfunctional family, some bickering, but all working towards the same goal to make the hotel run as smoothly as possible. He loved being a part of this place, but sometimes, when you tried to keep your private life to yourself, it could be a little irritating to know there were others trying to second-guess everything you were doing.
She raised a shoulder in a cocky shrug. ‘Nothing much, but we all know Bella’s been here and that you and Daisy were at your grandmother’s the other night for dinner, so there’s a tote running on who you’ll end up with.’ She giggled.
Gabriel was sure she’d expected him to find this amusing, but he couldn’t imagine why. His heart pounded and he realised he’d clenched his teeth together in fury. He took a deep breath to calm down, not wishing to add fuel to their furnace and said. ‘Fi, firstly, I think you need to remember that you work here, for my family and I’d therefore like to suggest that you stop and think before commenting to any of us about the things you might overhear.’ Fi had the grace to blush. ‘Secondly, if Daisy gets to hear of this she’s going to be upset. I want you to tell me who’s set up this bet so I can go and put a stop to it.’
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. ‘Hell no, I’m not a grass.’
He thought she’d say that. ‘Fine, then you go and speak to whoever is behind this and stop it, right now. Tell them I’ve discovered what’s going on and I’m bloody furious.’ He calmed down
a little realising she was beginning to look upset. ‘Look, I’m not having a go at you. You’re young and are only learning how things work here.’ He sighed, feeling tired of the whole situation. ‘You’re also only the messenger, but Daisy’s your friend too; surely you don’t want her to be hurt?’
‘Of course, I don’t,’ she said, tears welling in her eyes.
‘Then you need to help me stop this. OK?’
‘Yes.’
‘Thank you.’
He walked away from her, seething with irritation. Sometimes working closely with others could be a hindrance on your life. He hoped Daisy didn’t think he’d been discussing their business with others. He knew she’d hate something like that. The divorce might take two years but he needed to make an appointment to see a lawyer and set the divorce in progress. He was sure Bella would agree to sign the paperwork.
The following morning he was sitting in his father’s office ready to call his lawyer as soon as it was nine o’clock. He dialled the number of his father’s close friend and legal advisor but could only get hold of his secretary. Gabriel explained the situation to her about Bella and their failed marriage. The secretary claimed it should only be a matter of weeks to draw up the papers, and Gabriel, elated rung off, happier than he had been in weeks.
Later, he walked passed Daisy and Fi at Reception and opened his mouth to wish them a good morning when a piercing scream made them all turn sharply towards the swimming pool.
‘Shit,’ Gabriel said, recognizing the panic in the voice calling for help. He ran out of the entrance, across the driveway and down to the nearby pool area where he saw a small boy floundering and the mother shouting at him to swim.
The panic on the child’s face as he disappeared down under the water shot through Gabriel. He kicked off his trainers and dived into the pool, surfacing under the child, grabbing him under his arms and lifting him up out of the water. Then swimming to the side of the pool where Daisy bent down to reach the child, he held him up to her, helping her pull the spluttering boy onto the side to his crying mother.
The Jersey Scene series box set Page 99