That Long Lost Summer
Page 19
Ricky said, ‘I knew someone whose dad was had like that. He nearly drowned when his boat collapsed beneath him.’
Laurie had seen Alegria come out of the summerhouse and now he jumped out of the pool and came running and dripping to where she sat sleepily at the table nursing a mug of black coffee with Ricky beside her, the two of them almost propping each other up.
‘My grandpa’s gone to heaven, and so we are going to Spain to see Mum,’ he said, as excited as if they were going to the zoo.
‘Oh, God, how sad.’ Alegria was shocked.
Xavier said. ‘I heard from Laurie’s mother last night. Her father’s been very ill and he had a sudden heart attack. We leave for Spain this afternoon.’
‘Oh, how dreadful, I’m so sorry.’ Hugo’s expression was genuinely sympathetic.
Laurie squeezed in between Alegria and Ricky. ‘We’re going on a plane but this time Dad is coming with me. It’s very sad for Mum. Grandpa’s her daddy.’ Flora wondered if, in the circumstances, Xavier and Darcy might make up their differences and make an effort to stay together now until Laurie was older. It would be a good thing to do, she thought, for their child’s sake.
‘It is very sad, Laurie. I’m so sorry.’ Didi stretched over to pat his hand. ‘Did you know your grandpa well?’
She glanced at Xavier who was now occupied in getting Laurie a glass of milk. He leaned over Flora to reach the jug and she surreptitiously moved closer to him, feeling the warmth of him against her.
Laurie wriggled closer to Alegria. The three of them were sitting on a padded bench, brought out when they had lots of people. ‘No, not really, but he gave me cars from his collection. I wonder which one he’ll give me this time.’
‘You’ll have to wait and see,’ Didi said, feeling it best not to say any more on the subject.
Xavier poured himself a cup of coffee and stayed standing while he drank it. He did not look her way although Flora felt they were both so conscious of each other they could be soldered together.
Hugo, as if staking his territory, announced again, a little louder this time, that he and Flora were going on a sightseeing trip later.
‘Anyone got any ideas?’ he asked cheerfully.
‘Depends how far you want to go,’ Ben said, ‘I think Ramatuelle is lovely, once used by pirates to watch for invaders and if I’m not gate crashing I’d love to come with you, hobble along. Of course, there are other pretty hill villages too, though I know that Ramatuelle has a good restaurant if that appeals to you.’
‘Pirates? Will you see pirates? Can we go, Dad?’ Laurie asked eagerly.
‘Not today, we’ve got to catch our plane to Mum,’ Xavier said. ‘But it’s a charming place, worth going to.’ He caught Flora’s eye before saying he must go and pack and Laurie must join him when he’d finished his milk.
‘Of course,’ Flora said, not looking at Hugo. ‘If we go there,’ she added, ‘how far is it from here?’
Ricky jumped in. ‘I won’t go, if you don’t mind, Uncle Ben. I’d like to stay here.’ He glanced at Alegria.
‘Of course,’ Ben said. ‘You’ve got that long drive back tomorrow, so stay by the pool today.’
Flora caught Alegria’s dazzling smile and gave her the thumbs up.
She and Hugo almost made up their minds where to go when Hugo had an important call from his office. A trip to a music festival in Salzburg did not have enough people on it to make it viable so there was much discussion with his business partner about what to do.
Flora sat by the pool reading her book, waiting for him, though her thoughts and attention were concentrated on Xavier and their stolen moments of bliss. She did feel a kind of guilt, but it was more a feeling of just finishing off the chapter that she’d started with Xavier all those years ago. She realised that, at no time, had Xavier suggested she leave Hugo and go with him. It would, of course, have caused a terrible commotion in the house party. In fact, she wondered how many people, apart from Susie, Matt and Eadie, knew anything about it at all.
She wondered too, how much they really did love each other. ‘Day to day loving,’ as her grandmother once put it, encompassing nappies and broken nights, money, health and job problems. Sticking together and supporting each other was real love, she’d said. True love was more than a summer romance; it must endure the iciest of winters and come out stronger.
Granny had been through the war, with far worse dangers than she and Hugo would ever face.
Alegria and Ricky sat as close as two sunbeds would allow. Laurie, who’d been taken back to his room to help pack after breakfast, appeared again and bounced round them. There was no sign of Xavier. Hugo was in the little study sorting out his work problem.
Flora wandered over to join Eadie.
There was the sound of an engine starting, then there was a bang, a few choice words in French from Serge, and the engine shuddered into silence.
Ben, who was sitting in the shade nearby, said, ‘Oh dear, that sounds ominous,’ and he struggled up and hobbled over to the campervan.
‘Doesn’t sound well, does it? Poor old wreck of a van,’ Eadie said, coming over and sitting down beside Flora. ‘We meant to leave tomorrow and I promise the pictures Tom chose will all be ready here for your carrier to collect. We’ll keep in touch and come over in plenty of time for the show.’ She squeezed Flora’s hand. ‘I can’t believe I’ve… you, dear Flora, have given me this chance.’
‘I’m thrilled to have found you and your pictures, they bring such joy,’ Flora said warmly.
Hugo appeared, looking frazzled.
‘Have you sorted it?’ Flora asked anxiously.
‘I hope so,’ he said, ‘now let’s set off for Ramatuelle. We haven’t got enough time to check on the boat as well. I’ll leave that to Edmund. Is Ben ready?’
‘I’m ready.’ Ben struggled up and came to join them.
Relieved they were not going to see the boat, Flora hovered a little, waiting for Xavier to come from his room so she could say goodbye, but he did not appear and Ben and Hugo, discussing the day ahead, were already getting into the car.
Susie wished them a good day out. She said quietly to Flora, her eyes soft with compassion. ‘I’ll make your goodbyes to Xavier.’ Though as she spoke Xavier emerged from the villa.
‘Goodbye, we are just off to Ramatuelle.’ She went to him feeling as if part of her was being torn away. ‘Have a safe trip, I’m sorry it’s such a sad one.’
‘Thanks.’ He bent over and kissed her on her cheek, a friend’s kiss not a lover’s. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder. ‘I love you.’ His voice was soft in her ear. He stepped away and called over Laurie to say goodbye.
‘Are you coming, darling?’ Hugo called to her. She walked across the lawn and got into the car beside him without looking back.
Epilogue
It was October a year on. The leaves were just turning and the gallery was buzzing with excited people crowding round Eadie’s pictures.
Flora was exhausted after organising it all, but it was going so well and had such a good atmosphere, with people evidently amused by the goings on depicted in vibrant colour in the pictures.
Everyone from that summer holiday in the Villa Emeraude was there, thrilled to be together again and celebrating Eadie’s success.
‘They look so good here, we must buy one,’ Hugo said, his arm round Flora. ‘You choose. The girls will love it when they come home.’
‘I like the market one best,’ she said, remembering how she, Xavier and Laurie were there.
‘Good choice.’ Hugo kissed her and went to pay for it.
‘Only if you like it too,’ she called after him, looking over at Eadie, who was resplendent in red silk with a sparkly bandeau round her head. Serge hovered close to her and they both seemed almost drunk with happiness.
Xavier came over to her with Laurie jumping around pointing out things he’d seen before, when the pictures were laid out on the grass in France.
‘Dad
’s bought me one for my room, when I come to stay,’ he said, excitedly pointing to a picture of a field of cows with a sardonic look in their eyes as they watched a man who’d got stuck by the seat of his pants climbing over the fence. Then he spotted Alegria, hand in hand with Ricky, and ran off to join them.
‘All well?’ Xavier was pushed close to her by the throng. He bent forward and kissed her cheek.
‘Yes, and you?’ She longed to hold him and to be alone with him but the time for them had passed and both of them knew it.
‘It’s so good to see you. You look wonderful.’
‘So do you. I’m so glad to see you.’ She slipped her hand into his, no one would see in such a crowd.
For a moment it was just the two of them before they were jostled apart. He called for Laurie and dropped one more kiss on her cheek before going out into the night.
She moved to follow him, to leave everything behind and go with him, but Hugo came up to her smiling. ‘I’ve bought two of Eadie’s pictures, I couldn’t make up my mind between the one of the market and the one of the outing to a stately home. They will look great in the living room, side by side. We’ll make room for them.’ He stood beside her, his arm round her shoulders, dear and familiar.
Eadie came up to hug her. ‘You’ve changed my life, Flora.’ Her face was radiant. ‘Serge and I are buying a brand new campervan, the latest model with all the mod cons, so it won’t keep breaking down, and we’re going to travel round America and bring back lots more paintings.’
‘I’m so thrilled for you,’ Flora said. This was her world and Hugo was her man. Xavier was a precious memory she would always hold close to her heart.
Acknowledgements
My warm thanks to my agent Judith Murdoch, my editor Rosie de Courcy, and all the supportive staff at Aria.
About the Author
Minna Howard has had an exciting career in fashion journalism and now writes full time, whilst enjoying time with her grandsons and working as an occasional film and TV extra. She lives in London.
Become an Aria Addict
Aria is the digital-first fiction imprint from Head of Zeus.
We are Aria, a dynamic digital-first fiction imprint from award-winning independent publishers Head of Zeus. At heart, we’re avid readers committed to publishing exactly the kind of books we love to read — from romance and sagas to crime, thrillers and historical adventures. Visit us online and discover a community of like-minded fiction fans!
We’re also on the look out for tomorrow’s superstar authors. So, if you’re a budding writer looking for a publisher, we’d love to hear from you. You can submit your book online at ariafiction.com/we-want-read-your-book
Get in touch: aria@headofzeus.com
Subscribe to our newsletter
@Aria_Fiction
@ariafiction
@ariafiction
Addictive Fiction