'See what I mean?' Ella snapped. 'He is so bloody annoying.'
Chapter Nine
Tabbie fiddled with the stem of her third glass of wine.
She hated this bit. She usually tried to keep it secret for as long as possible, but Gill was too nice to lie to, and he wasn't the type to take advantage of her. Not that spending an afternoon with the guy made her an expert on him and what he may or may not do, but she had a good feeling about him, and Tabbie had learnt to trust her feelings. Besides, she had been the one who had told him about her celebrity status.
'It's not really me who's the celebrity. It's my father.'
'Your father?'
She nodded but avoided meeting his eyes.
'Simon Saint Sorrel.'
'Um. I'm sorry, Tabbie, but I'm not really well-versed when it comes to celebrities. I've never heard of him.'
Now she did look at him. 'You've never heard of Simon Saint Sorrel?'
Gill shook his head. 'No. Sorry.'
She smiled wanly. 'I thought as you were into history, you would doubtless have heard of him. Perhaps it's too recent for you though. Thirty-three years is pretty modern, I suppose, all things considered.'
'I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying that your father was famous thirty-three years ago, or famous for something he did thirty-three years ago?'
'Both. He's still famous now. But perhaps only in certain circles. And strictly speaking, infamous is more apt.'
'Infamous?' Gill looked surprised.
Tabbie took a deep breath. 'Simon Saint Sorrel was the Chairman of Saint Sorrel's Bank, which had been around since the 1790s. Until my father embezzled several million and ran off with the nanny. The bank collapsed and it all caused quite a stir, to put it mildly. I was merely a baby at the time, so have no recollection of it of course, but some say he ran off with her and some say he murdered her and disposed of the body. Neither he nor my nanny has ever been found. Or the money. But like the Lochness Monster, sightings of him are reported from time to time. He seems to pop up all over the globe, but he's never popped up to visit me.'
'That must be difficult to deal with.' Gill reached out and squeezed her hand.
She gave him a grateful smile. 'I always think I've got used to it and then wham! Something happens and it all comes flooding back. My mother never speaks of him. Not even to say anything bad. Her life was hell for years after he left, but she bore it with grace and dignity and a steadfast determination to get through it. We had no money and we lived on the generosity of friends for a long time but she refused to drop his name from hers. She believed that would only make things worse. I, on the other hand, dropped it as soon as I could. Once I discovered the truth, that is. But I'll never be free of the connection.'
'Do you want to be?'
Tabbie sighed. 'I'm not entirely sure. I'd like to be free of the scandal. And although we knew nothing of his plans, my mother and I still feel the disgrace, somehow. I don't think we'll ever be free of that. Sometimes I imagine what it might be like to meet him. And I wonder if he's as bad as he's made out to be. But I try not to dwell on it too much. That way madness lies.'
'Forgive me for saying this, but have you considered writing a book about him? Don't look so surprised. You're a writer, after all.'
'I write blogs.'
'You're a writer no matter what you write. Blogs are like short stories. They're written to entertain. Writing a book about your father may not be light-hearted and fun, as you said you try to make your blog posts, but it might be cathartic. Writing definitely helps me deal with things I'd rather not. Face issues and subjects that are sometimes tough to handle. It's just a thought.'
Tabbie mulled over his words for a moment or two. 'And it's a good one. Even if I don't publish it, writing it all down might be just what I need to finally lay his ghost to rest, so to speak.'
'I'd be happy to help in any way I can, should you want me to.'
'That's very kind of you, Gill. I appreciate it more than you can imagine. But for now, what I'd really like you to help with is the research about Jennet de Witt and her descendants, all the way down the line to Aurelia. Some of the stories Aurelia told me last night and more this morning, were fascinating. There must be records from the 1600s. And maps, possibly. Aurelia mentioned the place where Jennet died, which is somewhere near Witt's Cottage but has been lost over time. It was known as The Witch's Tears, because of what happened there, but having told me about it, Aurelia then said she has no idea where it is. She says it was 'lost' many, many years ago. Possibly centuries. But I'm not sure I believe her. I think she may be lying to me about it, although I have no idea why. I believe it's some sort of rock formation, from something she said, but I may be wrong.'
Gill beamed at her. 'I'll be delighted to assist you. I could use a break from the book I'm working on. This will be fun in addition to being informative. It would be fantastic to know more about the village. There're more superstitions, myths and legends in this village than in any other place I've ever been or written about. Some actually appear to work, which is both amazing and troubling at one and the same time. Does this mean you'll be staying on for a while?'
Tabbie nodded. 'Aurelia has very kindly said that I may stay with her for as long as I please. I asked her if she would mind me doing some research into her ancestors and at first she seemed rather reluctant. She said that telling a friend about them was one thing but making their history public knowledge was a different matter entirely. I assured her I would tell her anything and everything I discovered and I wouldn't write anything in my blog that she was not completely happy about. Is that okay with you? It may be that after all our research, we can't write about any of it.'
Gill shrugged. 'Half the fun of it for me is simply doing the research. Discovering clues and snippets and stories and people long forgotten. I don't know Aurelia well. I've only lived in the village since last October, but I do respect her and her privacy, so yes. If she says we can't use any of it then we won't. Just knowing it is enough for me.'
Tabbie beamed at him. 'That's exactly how I feel. I knew I'd like you, Gill. I knew it the moment I saw you. When do you want to start? Is now a good time? Sorry, but as you'll soon discover, patience is not a virtue I possess.' She laughed cheerfully. She had not felt this good in a while.
'Oh Hell!' Having glanced at his watch, Gill leapt to his feet. 'We've been chatting for almost two hours. Ella will kill me. I've got to run, Tabbie. Um. May I give you a call later? I'll discuss it with Ella and work something out.'
'Of course. But do you need her permission? Sorry. That was rude of me.'
Gill laughed. 'No. I don't need her permission. But neither do I need her thinking I'm more interested in my computer and research than I am in her. The more she knows about what I'm working on, the happier we'll all be. Trust me on that. Bye for now.'
He waved to her and also to Alexia as he raced towards the door.
Tabbie shook her head as she watched him go. Ella was a very lucky woman.
Chapter Ten
Ella sometimes forgot how lucky she was to have a man like Gill but most of the time she wondered how she got so lucky.
This wasn't one of those times.
'From now on,' she said, as he tore along the hall and kissed her on the cheek, 'whenever you leave me a note telling me you're 'just popping out' I'll realise that means you'll be gone for several hours without so much as a word.'
'You're annoyed? I suppose that's understandable. I'm sorry, Ella. I lost track of time.'
'That's not all you've lost.' She saw the look of concern spread across his face. 'You've lost your apple and cream turnover. Bree and I got tired of waiting for you, so we shared it.'
Relief swept over him. 'For a moment there I thought …' He coughed as he ran a hand through his hair. 'It doesn't matter. You and Bree were welcome to it.'
'Did you have fun?'
'I did.' Excitement filled his eyes. 'Tabbie wants me to help her with a project. We'
re going to be researching the history of this village and some of the families living here throughout the centuries. I'm rather excited.'
'I can tell.'
'Why are you giving me that look?'
'What look?'
'Something between suspicion and surprise.'
'Do I have anything to be suspicious or surprised about?'
'Of course not. That's why I asked what the look was for.'
'Hmm. This … project of the stunningly gorgeous Tabbie's – is there one particular century our latest celebrity visitor is interested in?'
Now Gill gave Ella a look something akin to suspicion and surprise.
'Has someone been gossiping about Tabbie already? Or did you Google her?'
'Does it matter? You haven't answered my question.'
He eyed her for a second before responding. 'Is something going on that I don't know about? You're acting a little oddly, even for you.'
'Even for me? What the hell does that mean? Are you saying I act odd? Oddly? Whatever. Are you saying I'm weird?'
He laughed nervously. 'You're the editor, sweetheart. And, yes. But in a good way. That's one of the things I love about you.'
'Oh really? What are the other things?'
'Sorry?'
'The other things you love about me, Gill. What are they?'
'Um. Far too many to mention. What's this all about, Ella? Is this because I wasn't here for tea with Bree? Or is there something else behind this attitude of yours?'
'Attitude of mine! You've got a nerve. I wasn't the one who disappeared for over an hour last night. Or who did the same today but for more than two hours. If anyone around here has an attitude problem it isn't me, Guillaume de Fonteneau!'
'Okay. Now I know you're mad. Not that kind of mad, before you shout at me. Mad as in angry. Furious, even. You only use my full name when you're really cross. What have I done to upset you?'
She glowered at him. 'The fact you need to ask merely proves to me that you're the one with the problem. I love you, Gill. Perhaps you need to decide if you still feel the same about me.'
'What? Of course I do. You really are mad if you doubt that.'
He laughed and tried to take her in his arms but she pushed him away.
'Your attempt at humour has failed. Perhaps you should go dashing off back to Tabbie Talbaine and her … tasty titbits.'
He let out a heavy sigh of irritation.
'That's what this is about? Tabbie? If you think I'm interested in her sexually, romantically, or in any way other than as a new friend and a research partner, you're mistaken. And deluded. I find the project far more enticing and exciting than the woman I'm helping. Next time we meet, I'll take you with me and then you can see for yourself.' He suddenly smiled. 'Are you jealous, Ella?'
'No I'm bloody well not. I'm just cross that you went to see her when you should've been here with me and Bree. That was rude of you and you're not usually a rude person.'
The smile faded. 'You're right. I'm sorry. I'll apologise to Bree. It was rude of me. It's simply that I get excited when I have a chance to talk to someone about history and the lives of people from previous eras. You know that. You know I love research. Uncovering clues and resolving mysteries is a passion of mine.'
'Yes. I do. I'd like to say it's one of the things I love about you. But at the moment, it's not. Oh. But as you're so excited about history and research, you should be overjoyed to know that Hettie wants you to dig something up for her. It's not a body or something in her garden before you ask. It's a map. A map of this village as it happens. A map from the 1600s. It seems Tasty Tabbie isn't the only one who's doing research into this village in centuries gone by. While you're mulling that over, as I can see by your expression, you already are, I'm popping out.' She walked towards the back door. 'And that means I'll be gone for at least an hour. Probably more.'
'What? Oh, very amusing.'
'Was it? My mistake. It wasn't meant to be.'
She slammed the door behind her as he called out her name. He wouldn't run after her. She knew that. He'd let her cool down and later, they might talk about it. Or not. They had had a couple of disagreements before. Rows even. But this one was different.
Should she go back and apologise?
For what? For being cross. For being jealous. For being human.
Her feet sunk into the muddy sand on the dunes, the grass still wet and the sand damp from days of rain. The weather was miserable again. And so was she. Torrential rain was forecast. A storm was coming. Possibly in more ways than one.
She'd said things to Gill she hadn't meant to say. Hurtful things.
But so had he. That was so unlike him.
Something had undeniably changed in their relationship since Mia and Jet got married.
And it wasn't a change for the better.
It was definitely a change for the worse.
Chapter Eleven
'Ella!'
Ella stopped. Had Gill chased after her? The voice on the wind didn't sound like his but perhaps the worsening weather had distorted it. She turned, smiling but her smile soon faded.
'Hello, Justin. And hello, Little M.' The dog was excited to see her and leapt up and down, splattering patches of wet sand from her paws all over Ella's jeans and jacket.
'Get down Little M,' Justin commanded but as he was laughing, Little M clearly thought it was a good game and jumped even higher, catching Ella on the nose with her claw.
'Ouch. Justin! Can you please put her back on her lead? I'm not in the mood to be mauled by a dog, however playful and loving she may be.'
'Sorry. Still trying to get to grips with this dog-sitting lark. Little M. Come here. Sit.'
This time his voice was firmer and he bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. Little M obeyed and Justin clipped on her collar, holding her a short distance away from Ella. The dog sat beside him, as good as gold, merely twisting her head and swivelling her neck when she spotted a gull, or a piece of dune-grass flying by.
'Thanks.'
Ella smiled at him and reached out and patted Little M's head which made the dog respond with a lick but as Ella had whipped her hand away, Little M licked thin air.
'No Gill?' Justin asked.
'We're not joined at the hip.'
'Oh dear. Do I detect a tear in the banner of blissful harmony?'
'Do what?' Ella burst out laughing. 'Who are you and what have you done with the real Justin Lake?'
Justin grinned. 'You might not believe me, but that's a line from the film I've just finished working on.'
'You're using lines from films now to talk to your friends?'
'And to chat up women.' He winked. 'Want to hear one?'
'Not particularly.'
'When I saw you, I understood the real meaning of beauty for the first time in my life.'
Ella raised her brows. 'When I heard those words, I understood the real meaning of nausea for the first time in my life.'
Justin sniggered. 'I've missed you, Ella. The people I hang out with in Hollywood simply don't get the importance of sarcasm.'
'Perhaps you're hanging out with the wrong people.'
'That's what I've been thinking. Rather a lot lately, as it happens. Are you heading somewhere?'
'In life generally, you mean, or right this second?'
'Both.'
'In life generally, apparently not. Right now, to Corner Cottage to get uncharacteristically drunk with Cathy and Christy.'
'How drunk is that? You used to get pretty out of it when we were dating.'
'What can I say? I'm a lush.'
He gave her a look of concern and reached out and touched her arm.
'Is everything okay, Ella? Seriously now. No joking.'
She held his gaze for a moment or two before nodding.
'Yeah. Everything's fine. Just the time of the month.'
'Oh God. I remember those.'
'From your own personal experience? Or do you mean you remember how my monthly cy
cle could sometimes affect me?'
'The latter.'
'Are you saying I was moody?'
'Why do I get the feeling that there's no right answer to that question? If I didn't know you better, I might think you were trying to start an argument.'
'You might be right. I told you. Time of the month.'
'Not sure I buy that, but hey. I'll go with it if it makes you happy. Can I walk with you to Corner Cottage? Sorry. May I walk with you? I don't want to get a detention for getting the old grammar wrong, do I?'
Ella grinned. 'You may. But don't expect a gold star. Or any jovial banter because I'm just not in the mood.'
'Cathy and Christy are sure as hell in for a good time then.'
'Better than you think. They don't know I'm coming. And I haven't even had the good manners to bring a bottle of wine. Good thing we're friends.'
They ambled along the sand for a few seconds, Ella kicking clumps of grass they passed and Little M trying to eat the clumps Ella had kicked.
Justin stopped abruptly and grabbed Ella's arm, turning her around to face him. Little M pulled on the lead to reach another clump of grass but sat, having clearly realised she couldn't make it.
'Okay. Are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or am I going to have to guess?'
'Nothing's wrong. I told you. Time of–'
'Bullshit. Don't give me that crap, Ella. We may not have dated for long but I think I know you better than that. Is it Gill? Are you having problems? Alexia told me when I popped into the pub just now that Gill was in there this afternoon with Tabbie. Are you jealous?'
'No.'
'Ella. Look at me. Are you jealous? Because I honestly don't think you have cause to be. I didn't really get to know Gill before I left last year – for obvious reasons. But since I've been back for the last couple of weeks, I've got to know him a bit more and there's one thing I can tell you for certain. The man is crazy about you. As crazy as Jet is about Mia. And we all know how crazy that is. Christ, my best friend who I'd known my entire life had a complete transformation in a matter of weeks after falling for her. Now that really is crazy. But nice, crazy.'
Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane Page 7
