Joe stuck his hands in his pockets.
“Can’t say that I blame him. Lucy told me what’s been going on. I think Geraldine has been talking to the girls about it. I can tell you that my daughter is not going to be sent anywhere she doesn’t want to go and I certainly wouldn’t make her board anywhere. I’d rather teach her at home.”
Patrick looked back at him.
“And Lucy is of the same mind? Teaching at home isn’t always ideal and it needs a lot of commitment.”
Joe shrugged and looked a little uncomfortable. He clearly hadn’t discussed anything with his wife.
“Lucy knows how I feel. I’m sure she feels the same, but whatever the case we’d make sure Anna could stay at home if she wanted to.”
Aaron glanced between the other men. He hadn’t met any of their children but he could see they meant the world to them.
“I’m glad I don’t have kids yet. Sounds like they’re a nightmare.”
Joe shook his head and grinned. The atmosphere lightened considerably
“Not really. Most of the time it’s brilliant being a dad; best thing that could have ever happened to me apart from finding Lucy. Fortunately there’s loads of time before Anna has to go to senior school. Things might have changed here by then. There might be other options available.”
Patrick scoffed.
“You’ll be lucky. This is rural France. It’ll take years for anything to change around here. It’s part of the charm of the place, but it’s also part of the problem.” He turned back to Aaron. It wasn’t a secret that David and Geraldine were having problems. “David’s eldest is nine next year. The schooling system is different here. The kids all go to a middle school before they go up to their senior years. Parents have to enrol children in the school of their choice now to ensure his place, but the best place for Robbie is miles away and it would mean boarding. Robbie’s refusing to leave home. Geraldine and David aren’t happy about it, but they don’t have an awful lot of choice given that Robbie is adamant that he wants to become an army doctor. It’s causing a lot of argument, not helped by Dave going off without telling Geraldine or any of us what he’s doing or where he’s going. Ellen has asked me to talk to him, but he’s refusing to say what he’s up to. Not that that would be a problem at all. He can do what he likes of course, but what with opening this place, we need to know that all the activities are covered so we can give all our guests the holiday or help they deserve. I only hope that it’s all sorted out soon.” There was a short silence afterwards before Paul gave a small cough and a sudden, almost embarrassed grin.
“Dave’s problems aside, I suppose as we’re talking about kids you might as well know. Amy’s expecting. The baby is due in late December. She’s hoping that it’s not going to arrive on Christmas day.” Paul nearly fell over as Patrick and Joe both let out simultaneous delighted yells as they launched themselves at him and slapped the new prospective father on the back while Paul laughed and flushed with pride.
Aaron offered his congratulations.
“So, all of you have family now. At this rate you’re going to need another château to live in.” He laughed.
Patrick’s brows furrowed quickly.
“I’m not giving up my cottage,” he said stubbornly before he began to explain. “It’s in the grounds of the original estate. I’ve been there since I moved to France and I have no plans to leave it. Ellen and I love it. We’ve made a lot of happy memories there. We had to add a small room for Rose, but the house is perfect for us. David lives in the penthouse apartment at the château because Geraldine is our live in nurse at the hotel. Joe and Lucy have a house down by the river, convenient for all the activities we run. Gemma lives here as you know and Paul and Amy live on site too. It’s convenient for them and easy for Paul. I’m sure their suite can accommodate a baby and if not we’ll find them somewhere very close by.” He grasped Paul’s shoulder and clasped it in a show of friendship. “This is the best news. I know Ellen will be thrilled for you both.”
Paul grinned sheepishly before his expression became grim again.
“I just wish I would be able to see him or her one day. It’s my one regret,” he spoke quietly, his voice hoarse with feeling.
Patrick breathed deeply. He didn’t even want to imagine never seeing his beautiful daughter, Rose. His fingers gripped his friend encouragingly.
“Don’t give up. There is always the chance. New things are being developed as we speak.”
The man spoke quietly but Aaron felt his own throat tighten at the emotion of the moment.
“I can’t imagine what you have to go through every day of your life. I don’t know how you can bear it.” The words tumbled from his lips before he could stop them. He was surprised by a feminine voice right behind him.
“He doesn’t have to bear it alone. He has me to share it with him and at least he won’t have to watch me get huge and fat or see the baby go through that ugly stage they all seem to have at one point or another.” Amy linked her arm through her husband’s and gave it a squeeze of support while the men offered her their congratulations in a slightly less exuberant fashion than they had her husband.
Joe gave her a hug even as he looked outraged at her words.
“Are you even daring to suggest that my lovely Anna has ever been or is ever going to be ugly?” His baby girl was only just six months old and was his pride and joy.
Paul laughed. The big, scarred man was putty in his daughter’s tiny hands.
“Knowing what you looked like before that bomb sorted out your ugly chops, it wouldn’t be surprising at all...poor kid! It’s just as well she takes after her beautiful mother.” There were good natured laughs as Joe threw a mock punch at Paul while Paul fended him off with his white cane.
Patrick left a few moments later after asking Amy to look out for his email about the meeting. Joe followed him saying that he had some shopping to pick up before he collected Gemma and the walking party from town.
Aaron gathered up the recipe books and turned back towards the château. Paul kept pace with him but waited until Amy left them for the kitchen gardens before he spoke again. He tapped his stick against the paving, searching out any obstacle. He was still not quite sure of the new swimming pool area. People tended to move the loungers without telling him.
He gave a quite cough.
“Talking of family and relationships, you know that Gemma is part of the staff here. Strictly speaking, she shouldn’t become involved with you.”
Aaron looked up, startled at the man’s blunt tone.
“I wasn’t getting inv...” he began but then sighed and gave it up. “Is it so obvious that even a blind guy can see it?”
Paul laughed and nodded.
“Afraid so. Not much gets past me around here and the air was positively crackling between the two of you when you danced last night. Look, to be honest it’s none of my business what you both do. Gemma’s no idiot. She can do what she likes so long as it’s all consensual, but I don’t want you leading her into something she might regret later. Are you sure being her partner in this cooking challenge is a good idea?”
Aaron shook his head before he remembered that Paul couldn’t see his gesture.
“Probably not, if you put it like that, but it’s already been decided. Everyone has partnered up already and I can’t let her down now. I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize her position here though.” He paused and let out a frustrated breath. “I really like her, Paul. She’s not like any other woman I ever met before. She’s strong and smart and as sexy as...well, you know exactly what I mean. But that’s not all I think about her. I want you to know that it’s not just a fling on my part. I don’t go in for one night stands, if that’s what you were thinking. I know I would never have met her if I hadn’t been forced to come here, but she’s right on the top of a long list of things that’s making me more than glad that I am here now.”
Paul tilted his head as he listened to Aaron’s sincere tone
. He thought for a few seconds before he responded.
“A lot of people feel the same about these two places. Ellen and David have inspired a lot of loyalty over the years. They are two of the kindest, bravest, most generous people I have ever met and their respective partners are equally deserving of praise. Joe and Lucy deserve praise too. Joe’s been here from the beginning, but he only found the love of his life a couple of years ago. Neither of these ventures would be here without all of their combined strengths and hard work. You won’t hear a word against them from anyone. Not at the hotel, in the services or even in the local community. No one would like it if Gemma was hurt either. She’s been a good friend of them all. Joe is fiercely loyal to her too. He owes his own happiness to Gemma and the rest of the gang. Don’t do anything that would cause her pain. It would become very ugly if she was upset in any way.” There was more than a hint of a threat in his tone.
Aaron felt his guts clench. He would never hurt any of them intentionally, but some things might be beyond his control. He set his jaw and spoke determinedly.
“She won’t be hurt. Not at my hands at any rate. I respect her far too much for that and I respect what you are all doing here too. I wouldn’t do anything to endanger any of it.”
Paul breathed out and then smiled fondly.
“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear. We’ve all known Gem a long time. She’s as hard as nails on the outside, but as soft as whipped cream at the same time and she has a heart of the purest gold, not that she would ever admit it. She thinks that we guys don’t know what she’s really like, but we do.” He paused thoughtfully before continuing. “Of course, if you discharge yourself or move out of the château then there’s nothing much I can do about what relationships you have. That would be entirely private, though I still wouldn’t want to see her hurt.”
Aaron raised an eyebrow as he studied the blind man, wondering if he was telling him to leave or just feeling out how serious he might be. He decided that telling the truth was probably his best and only option.
“If only my choices were that simple.” He paused and straightened his shoulders as he plucked up the courage to continue. “I am under orders to stay here until the investigation into my helicopter being shot down is over. If I attempt to leave then I’m up on an AWOL charge at the very least.”
Paul scratched his head.
“Hell! What a mess. I guessed there might be something like that holding you here. You probably heard that Patrick has been doing some investigating.” He let out a bark of a laugh as Aaron drew in a sharp breath.
“I thought I’d been quieter than that.”
Paul grinned and pulled his own earlobe.
“Not much gets past these. Being blind brings all your other senses to the fore pretty quickly to compensate. Footsteps on gravel, even quiet ones are easy for me to pick up...So you know what they’re saying in the reports then.” It was a statement not a question.
Aaron was still unnerved that the blind man had known he was listening. He nearly nodded again, but managed to stop himself.
“Yes, most of it, but I’ve asked for it all to be reinvestigated. I know what happened and I’m not trying to lie my way out of a bad situation. We were ambushed and fired upon. There wasn’t much I could do about the crappy landing. You know how those birds go down when you’ve lost the rotor. Like a sack of shit mostly, but this time we got lucky and landed right side up with all passengers reasonably intact. As far as I was concerned I had the worst of it when I was flung out through the flipping cockpit screen. I cited my passengers as back up to my statement but although they have been mentioned, apparently no one has given a statement or even come forwards as a witness. I’m over a barrel and I’ve made a bit of a fuss about it all; that’s why I’ve been bunged over here out of the way. Whatever the outcome I don’t think I’m about to get my old job back any time soon.” His tone told Paul everything he needed to know about how Aaron felt about that.
“I’m sorry. That really stinks, but you know how the system works. It’s never been perfect. If there’s anything that might show up the services in a bad light it mostly gets covered in red tape or endless investigations and I suspect that any witnesses you might have had don’t even realize that there is a problem. They haven’t come forwards because no one has asked them to. I know exactly how you feel. I had to put up with a ton of shit that eventually led to my wife being walled up by some bloody terrorist. Patrick and my friend’s here were the only ones who believed I was telling the truth. It was no fun, believe you me, but we all came through it eventually. You just have to trust your instincts and the people around you. You know that you can come to any of us in confidence if you need to.”
Aaron took a few moments to think about everything Paul had said. One part definitely had him confused.
“Amy, walled up? What the hell was that about? What does that even mean?”
Paul gave an involuntary shudder as he recounted some of the story.
“I recognized the voice of the terrorist who blinded me when I was back in London. He was meant to be dead, but I never forgot the sound of that bastard’s voice. It was literally burned into my brain. I beat the living shit out of him after I heard him demanding benefits at the welfare centre. Unfortunately everyone thought I had gone cuckoo and I was brought up on an assault charge. Everyone thought that I made a wrong identification because I couldn’t see the shit face. The bastard ended up following us over here and going after my Amy because she was the only one who could have identified him after the trial. Unfortunately a very pregnant Geraldine was caught up in his vile plan too and both she and Amy were drugged and sealed in behind the sauna wall here.” He flicked his head towards the château. “Our French builders were on strike and there was no one else around. We wouldn’t have had a clue where they were if I hadn’t walked straight into a wall that shouldn’t have been there in the hydrotherapy suite. Amy delivered Luc while they were still sealed behind the false wall.”
Aaron’s face was a picture of horror as he spun towards the indoor hydrotherapy suite and stared as though he could see through the very walls Amy had been sealed behind.
“Jesus! They could have died in there! You might never have found them.” He gulped a few times before he turned back to Paul. “Makes my problems pale into insignificance. I’m surprised that Amy can bear to live in the place.”
Paul let out a low laugh.
“She’s made of strong stuff; had to be to put up with me for a start, that’s for sure. This place was just a building site back then. The bastard and his friends built the false wall only a few feet in front of the original one. Because everything was being newly renovated it would never have come under suspicion. It was just lucky that I had worked for a few days on the pool area and had paced it wall to wall about a hundred times just so that I wouldn’t walk into anything. When I nearly broke my face on the fresh plaster I knew immediately that there was something wrong. I don’t make mistakes like that. Takes too much toll on ones nose.” He rubbed his face as though remembering the sensation.
Aaron laughed, Paul’s self deprecating gesture lifting his spirits slightly. He rubbed his own nose.
“Yeah, I guess it would. But I still don’t think I would be comfortable living in a place that might have been my own tomb.”
Paul lifted his face to the cool breeze that skimmed over the surface of the pool. There was a delicate scent of the sea mixed with pine. He breathed it in deeply and felt contentment surge over him.
“I fell in love with Amy here. Right here in amongst all the dirt and cobwebs. She was my shining light when I was in a very dark space. She still is.” He added quietly as he closed his sightless eyes and sighed happily before opening them again. “It’s changed a lot since then, but I have noticed that she doesn’t go into the hydrotherapy area unless she has to and then never alone. Can’t say that I blame her. It must have been terrifying.”
Sweat beaded on Aaron’s brow at the mere thought
of being so confined.
“Something like that would have driven me stark raving mad. I can’t bear being cooped up. It’s why I like flying. I feel as free as a bird. I’d be in the funny farm for the rest of my life if I was ever trapped like that. You lot have married some seriously strong women.” He truly believed it. Everything he had seen and heard in the last few days had only reinforced his opinion.
Paul snorted and raised an eyebrow before he whispered.
“I know, however I’d rather you didn’t let on to any of them that we think that. It’s bad enough trying to hold your own against them. They certainly don’t need any other ammunition or encouragement.” They both smirked as they wandered back towards the château.
“I have some emails to catch up on.” Aaron made his excuses to leave his companion at the kitchen door, but Paul held out a hand to stop him for a moment longer.
“Look, I’m not going to get on your case about this, but if there’s anything you need to share, it would be a good idea to do it sooner rather than later. Whatever you heard Patrick say, I know that his pal Alex won’t give it up until he’s absolutely ten thousand percent sure about things. He’s like a dog with a bone and he’s a demon with the computer. Everything leaves a trace. He will find out if you’re...well, if you are hiding anything, anything at all.” There was compassion in his tone that Aaron could feel in his bones. He looked at Paul’s features carefully as he breathed deeply.
“I know, but I’m not hiding anything. I’m telling the truth. There’s nothing to discover.”
Paul was silent for a few seconds, clearly still sceptical. He breathed out slowly.
Scarred Survival (Scarred Series Book 5) Page 10