Villa of Sun and Secrets

by Jennifer Bohnet

  ‘Joel.’

  Maddy looked at her. ‘Really? When you said Joel was your pool boy, I wasn’t expecting him to be like that! Way to go, Mum.’

  ‘Maddy, behave. It’s not like that.’

  ‘Why not? Maybe it should be,’ Maddy said. ‘He looks… nice,’ she finished as a smiling Joel began to make his way over to them.

  ‘He is nice,’ Carla said. ‘And he’s a good friend. Friend.’ she repeated for good measure. ‘I’m still a married woman.’ Although, in a few weeks, that wouldn’t be true: she’d be single and free again, a state she was determined to enjoy. The days of a woman needing a man to complete her were long gone. Although having a close, special male friend to share things with would be wonderful, she had no intention of deliberately setting out to meet anyone. If it happened, it happened. If not, she’d enjoy her new life in France and work hard to turn the villa into a successful chambre d’hôte.

  22

  The morning of Josette’s birthday, Carla and Maddy were in the kitchen decorating the cake Carla had made ready for the birthday tea. Sam was reading down by the pool, with the cat once again curled up on his lap.

  ‘Sam’s got a fan there,’ Carla said, glancing out of the window.

  ‘Mmm,’ Maddy said.

  Something in the sound made Carla turn and look at her daughter. ‘You all right?’

  ‘Who’d have thought the first birthday without Granny we’d be here in France celebrating with Tante Josette instead,’ Maddy said quietly, glancing at Carla as she creamed butter and sugar together for the icing. ‘D’you think Granny is turning in her grave? I mean, she never had a good word to say about her twin, did she?’

  ‘No, she didn’t,’ Carla admitted. ‘And birthdays with her were always such hard work – I’m hoping Josette’s today will be fun.’

  ‘For twins they weren’t at all alike, were they? Not just in looks. Even when Granny was being nice, there was still something. Tante Josette is much easier to be around.’ Maddy said with a sideways look at Carla. ‘Has she talked to you about what it was like growing up as a twin here in this house?’

  Carla shook her head. ‘Not really, but I do think the two of them were close as children – until they were quite grown-up actually and then the feud kicked off. I keep hoping Josette will tell me something of the family’s history, but she seems determined to keep the past in the past.’ Carefully, Carla smoothed the butter icing over the top of the cake before placing a ‘Bon Anniversaire’ in the centre and a single sparkler candle behind it. ‘There. What d’you think?’

  ‘It looks great, Mum, reminds me of the cakes you used to make Ed and me. I know I shouldn’t, but I’m going to clean the icing bowl. Want some?’

  ‘No, thank you,’ and Carla watched affectionately as her daughter wiped her finger around the bowl and licked it clean. ‘Going back to the thought of Granny turning in her grave – she can’t. Her ashes are in my room.’

  Maddy stared at her. ‘You’ve brought them here?’

  Carla shrugged. ‘Nobody could decide where to scatter them at home, so I thought Granny might like to be back in France. I did think about scattering them here in the garden, but when I mentioned it to Josette she went quiet and said she’d think about it. So far she hasn’t come back with a yes or a no, or any other suggestion.’

  ‘Why not just do it without mentioning it to her?’

  ‘I’ll probably do that, although I don’t want to upset Josette and I got the feeling that she’s not happy with the idea of scattering Amelia in the garden. Anyway, that’s a problem for another day. Now, promise me you won’t mention the cake and having a birthday tea here this afternoon. I want it to be a surprise. No giving Josette time to think of an excuse for not coming back here after lunch.’

  ‘Promise. Why are we going to Cannes anyway? Why not a restaurant in Antibes?’

  Carla hesitated. ‘I’ve seen a photo of Josette as a young woman with a man in Cannes and I think her happy memories of the place have faded over the years. I want to give her a present day, happy memory. With family.’ she added.

  A couple of hours later, sitting around a table in the Garden Restaurant of the Carlton Hotel, Carla picked up her wine and invited everyone to wish Josette, ‘a very happy birthday’. Customers on nearby tables overheard and raised their own glasses and smiled congratulations in Josette’s direction. An emotional Josette responded with tears in her eyes and a whispered ‘Merci.’

  Carla started in recognition as a man seated at a table nearer the window got up and began to thread his way through the restaurant towards them. She smiled and stood up to greet him.

  ‘Bruno, how lovely to see you again. Let me introduce you to my tante, Madame Josette Rondeau, her friend Gordon, my daughter Maddy and her boyfriend Sam. I’m sorry, I don’t know your full name?’

  ‘Bruno Grimaud. Enchanté to meet you all.’

  ‘Bruno is the man who rescued me from being knocked down on my first visit here,’ Carla said. ‘I suspect I owe him my life. Will you join us for a drink?’

  ‘Merci, mais non. I must return to my guests, but I am pleased to see you again and to meet your family.’

  ‘I’m living in Antibes now in the old family villa, so maybe we’ll bump into each other again,’ Carla said.

  Bruno glanced at her. ‘I hope so. I would like that. Enjoy the rest of your anniversaire, Madame Rondeau,’ he said, smiling at Josette before turning away and rejoining his friends.

  ‘I’m not sure you’re going to be safe living down here,’ Maddy said. ‘All these sexy men around. First Joel and now Bruno.’

  ‘Maddy, stop it,’ Carla said. ‘I’ve told you, I’m not interested.’

  ‘Maybe not at the moment, but when you are, you’re going to be spoilt for choice,’ and Maddy, wiggled her eyebrows wickedly at her mother before picking up her wine.

  It was gone three o’clock before lunch was finished and Carla asked the concierge to order their taxi. ‘Now for your presents and cake back at the villa,’ she said to Josette. ‘No argument,’ she added, holding up her hand. ‘It’s your day for being spoilt.’

  Sitting in the taxi travelling back to Antibes, Josette stared unseeingly out of the window as the car sped along the bord de mer. How could meeting a stranger with the name Grimaud throw her thoughts into such turmoil? It was a common enough Italian name. She knew there were hundreds of Italians living along the French border. But hearing Bruno’s surname had been an unexpected shock, sending a tremor through her body.

  Today’s birthday was turning out to be unlike any she’d experienced in the last fifty years. Carla and the others had gone to so much trouble to give her a special day, making her feel cherished as never before. How could she possibly contemplate telling Carla – and Maddy – the family secret from the past knowing without doubt it would destroy any growing feelings between them and her. But would it be better to get the true story out into the open now before they all got too close?

  ‘Earth to Josette. Are you listening to me?’ Gordon said, gently nudging her.

  ‘Sorry, I was thinking about something I should maybe do and can’t decide when would be the best time, if I do decide to do it. What did I miss?’

  ‘I was just explaining about your birthday present. You have to wait until Tuesday when you and I have a lunch date and afterwards you will have your present, okay?’

  ‘Gordon, you don’t have to give me anything,’ Josette said. ‘Lunch, though, would be lovely.’

  ‘I get the feeling you haven’t had much spoiling in your life,’ Gordon said quietly. ‘And I, for one, am happy to indulge you,’ and he picked up her hand and held it tightly for the rest of the journey.

  Josette smiled at him before turning to look out of the window again. Would he still be her friend when he learnt the secret of her past? Her life was in a good place at the moment, by putting the secret out into the public domain, as it were, she would be throwing herself on the mercy of others and it was impo
ssible to anticipate their reactions. It was painful to contemplate being cast aside again.

  ‘D’you truly think living in the moment is the right thing to do? Or at least try to do?’ she asked, suddenly turning to face him. ‘What if it causes problems? What if…?

  ‘Honesty is the best policy has always been my motto,’ Gordon said. ‘It’s easier to go forward and build trust when things are based on truth rather than lies.’

  ‘Is that what living in the moment means to you? Living an honest open life?’

  Gordon nodded. ‘That’s what I believe it boils down to.’

  Josette leant back against the leather of the taxi seat. ‘I wish I had your confidence about that.’

  Silently, Gordon squeezed her hand.

  Once back at the villa, Carla shooed everyone out onto the terrace while she and Maddy organised the birthday cake and opened the champagne. As they appeared carrying the cake with its lit sparkler, Josette clapped her hands in delight.

  ‘I’m being really spoiled today,’ she said. ‘Carla, I can’t thank you enough.’ Josette looked at Carla and Maddy, her family, trying to keep the tears at bay. Was this the right time to break her silence? Perhaps it would be better to wait until she was alone with Carla. Tell her the truth privately.

  Suddenly her feelings and Gordon’s words in the taxi rushed to the front of her mind. Honesty should be king. She needed to break her pact and tell the secret. Only then would she be free to live a mindful life in the present. She took a deep breath.

  ‘Bien. Gordon has been encouraging me to forget the past and to live in the moment.’

  Everyone turned at her words and looked at her.

  ‘I have decided the time has come for me to be brave and tell you a family secret. And to pray for your understanding. But, first, could I please have another glass to boost my courage?’ Josette held out her empty champagne flute. ‘Have you got that packet of family photographs handy?’ she asked Carla, as Sam poured her drink.

  Carla fetched the packet from her bedroom and handed it to Josette, who began to riffle through the contents.

  ‘The picture I need you to look at again is… this one,’ and Josette pulled it out and handed it to Carla.

  ‘It’s me as a baby in my pram here in the garden, with Mum, Dad and Grandmother watching me,’ Carla said. ‘I don’t understand?’

  Josette shook her head. ‘Non. The baby in the pram isn’t you. It’s your brother. Robert junior. Always called Bobby.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous! I don’t have a brother,’ Carla said, staring first at the photograph and then looking up at her aunt, puzzled.

  Josette held her gaze. ‘You did. Amelia was pregnant when she married your father. C’était un mariage de fusil de chasse. In England, I think you would call it a shotgun wedding.’

  ‘So where is he now? This brother of mine?’ Carla asked.

  There was a short silence before Josette spoke.

  ‘Bobby died just after his second birthday.’

  Carla stared at the photograph again. ‘Why did neither of them ever tell me about him?’

  ‘I don’t know the answer to that, I’m afraid. What I do know is they both adored him and his loss hit them badly. Neither of them could bear to even mention his name.’

  ‘Why did he die? Was he ill? An accident?’

  ‘Meningitis. Amelia blamed herself for not getting him to a doctor quickly enough. She had a breakdown over it.’ Josette said.

  ‘Something else I was never told about,’ Carla said. ‘How long after he died before I was born?’

  ‘I think it was just over a year,’ Josette said. ‘Your birth changed everyone’s lives.’

  ‘How?’

  Josette looked away before taking a deep breath to try and stop her voice from trembling. She felt Gordon’s hand reach for hers and held it tightly.

  ‘That’s the really difficult and important part of the secret I need to tell you. Amelia was not your mother.’ Her words fell into a stunned silence that lasted, it seemed to Josette, for an eternity.

  It was a wide-eyed Carla who looked at Josette and spoke first. ‘Of course she was. Dad would never…’ She stopped as she registered the look on Josette’s face. ‘Oh my god. It’s you, isn’t it?’

  Josette bit her bottom lip as she gave Carla a brief nod. ‘Yes. I’m… I’m your mother – not your aunt.’

  There, she’d finally got some of the truth out where it belonged. What would happen now, she didn’t dare to think. Looking out at the sea of shocked faces, Josette worried she’d let too much wine go to her head and had made a grave error in telling the truth. She knew from the look on Carla’s face that they wouldn’t be playing Happy Families again for quite some time.

  23

  ‘I think I’ll make a cup of tea. You two want one?’ Carla said, looking at Maddy and Sam. A brief nod from both of them and she stood up and made her way to the kitchen. Shock had kept the three of them sitting in silence on the terrace when an agitated Josette had stood up saying, ‘I’m sorry. I think I’d better go. Thank you for today.’ Gordon had quietly said his goodbyes, taken her by the hand and left with her.

  Carla had never felt less like tea, but she had to do something grounding to reassure herself she had a normal life when it felt like her whole world had fallen apart. Maddy too, she could tell, was struggling to take in the enormity of what she’d been told.

  The day had been going so well until Josette had decided her birthday tea was the right time to break the silence of the past. Why had she done it today? The ramifications of admitting her true status in the family would taint her birthday for evermore.

  Joel walked into the kitchen as she lifted the kettle to pour the boiling water and Carla glanced at him.

  ‘You’re looking serious.’

  Joel hesitated. ‘I was about to join you on the terrace when Josette dropped her little bombshell. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing.’

  ‘Not sure that “little bombshell” is the right description. More akin to a nuclear explosion,’ Carla said, sighing. ‘We’re being very British and having a cup of tea. Want to join us? There’s cake as well.’ Carla placed four mugs, plates, knife, milk and sugar on a tray as she sensed Joel’s reluctance to intrude. ‘Please do join us,’ she said quietly as Joel hesitated. ‘I’d really appreciate it. We can pretend then it’s still a normal Saturday afternoon down on the Riviera.’

  Joel took the tray from her and carried it out to the terrace table. The sparkler had burnt itself out and somebody had removed it from the cake and placed it to one side.

  Carefully, Carla cut four slices and handed them round, praying as she did so that somebody would say something and break the awkward silence that hung in the air. When nobody did, she gave a strangled laugh and said. ‘Well, at least you’ve been spared my out of tune rendition of “Happy Birthday”, so that’s something to be thankful for.’

  ‘Mum, do you believe Josette?’ Maddy asked quietly. ‘It seems such a big lie to have been covered up for half a century.’

  Carla sighed and nodded. ‘Well, we’ve always known there had to be some big reason for the feud for it to last so long, and Mum, sorry Amelia, would never talk to or about Josette, so yes, I do believe her.’

  ‘I suppose, too, once your grandparents had died there was no one else to talk to about it,’ Sam said thoughtfully.

  ‘There was always me! But none of them seemed to have ever considered it important enough for me or my family to know the truth,’ Carla said.

  ‘D’you think Granny Amelia found she couldn’t have any more children after the baby died and Josette offered to be a surrogate?’ Maddy twisted her mouth in concentration. ‘But then why hide the truth from you – and refuse to speak or see her? Oh!’

  ‘I hope you’re not thinking what I think you are,’ Carla said sharply. ‘Because your grandfather would never…’ but Maddy interrupted her.

  ‘Maybe Josette had an affair with Grampa, became pregn
ant and when she said she was going to get rid of the baby, he implored her to let him and Amelia have the baby to raise.’

  Having played with her slice of cake rather than eaten it, Carla now pushed the resulting crumbs around the plate. ‘I have no idea what happened. I do know that I’m going to have to confront Josette and ask her to talk to me about the past and tell me the whole truth – as much as I dread hearing the details.’

  ‘Whatever Josette tells you will be one side of the story,’ Maddy said. ‘It’s too late now to talk to anyone else about it and get their version of what happened.’

  ‘One sided or not, it won’t alter the truth about my parentage,’ Carla answered. ‘But it will hopefully explain a…’ she hesitated. ‘A few things I’ve wondered about in the past.’

  Maddy looked at her, but Carla shook her head.

  ‘I need to talk to Josette about my parents’ relationship. Get her to explain a few things I noticed down the years – if she can, of course.’

  ‘Probably more than you want to know,’ Maddy said, standing up. ‘I’m going to change and have a swim. Need some exercise to clear my head.’

  Sam stood up too. ‘I’m going to investigate the Irish bar I saw earlier.’ He glanced at Joel. ‘Fancy joining me for a drink?’

  ‘Sounds like a plan,’ Joel said.

  ‘Supper at about seven,’ Carla told them. ‘You’re invited too, Joel.’

  Sitting alone on the terrace after the two men had left and watching Maddy’s furious front crawl pounding length after length in the pool, Carla’s thoughts naturally centred around Josette’s thunderbolt announcement. An announcement that begged the question, if Josette was her mother, who was her father? Was Maddy right with her surrogate theory? Or had she been born as a result of her father and Josette having an affair? Something she found impossible to believe. Tiredly Carla buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath. Josette couldn’t drop a bombshell like she had and not expect more questions to be asked. Questions that Carla needed the answers to, even if she dreaded hearing them.