The Jersey Scene series box set

by Georgina Troy

  Daisy nodded. ‘Yes. We met when I was finishing my year away and just as Gabe was beginning his trip to Asia.’

  Lydia narrowed her eyes. ‘Well you can have all the time in the world to catch up now you’re both here,’ she said, looking, Daisy thought, very pleased with herself.

  ‘Gabriel will collect you at six-thirty. That will give you a bit of time after your shift ends to freshen up.’

  Knowing Lydia well enough to be aware that she wasn’t asking as much as telling Daisy what her evening arrangements would be, she nodded. ‘Lovely.’ She looked at Gabe, realising he was still staring at her in amazement and smiled. ‘I’ll be waiting for you at the back of the hotel.’

  He nodded. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’

  ‘Right,’ Lydia said, waving her grandson over to join her. ‘Come along; I was expecting you earlier and there’s a few things I need to show you.’

  ‘Of course, the fire.’

  Daisy watched them walk down the corridor together. Gabe followed in silence as his grandmother spoke excitedly, telling him about the night a week before when they’d all been woken by the alarms sounding off throughout the hotel. He glanced over his shoulder at Daisy, who gasped and sat back down in her chair. She reached out to take a new pencil from the tub on her desk and spotted the time on her computer screen. She didn’t have long if she was going to get this lot to balance before her shift ended.

  ‘He’s gorgeous,’ Fi murmured, staring after him. She sat down next to Daisy. ‘So, tell me, then?’

  ‘Tell you what?’ Daisy asked, having no intention of doing any such thing.

  ‘I’m not blind; you two were clearly much more than just friends.’ She nudged Daisy. ‘Oh, go on, Daiz, tell me.’

  ‘Don’t call me that,’ she said, hating that nickname but not wishing to explain about her ex, Aaron, and how that was his pet name for her. ‘There’s nothing to tell,’ she lied pushing away any thoughts of the man who’d controlled two years of her life. ‘Now let me get on with this or Francesca is going to go mad. You know she leaves tomorrow for that shoot and she wanted to see this lot reconciled. I want her to go away relaxed and not worried about how things are carrying on while she’s away.’

  ‘Jobsworth.’

  ‘Nosy cow.’ Daisy couldn’t help smiling at her annoying colleague and pointed at Fi’s keyboard. ‘You have letters to type. Now would be a good time to do them, ready for Francesca to sign in the morning.’

  Fi groaned. ‘Fine, but I will be asking about you and Gabriel again, so don’t think I’ll forget.’

  Daisy didn’t doubt for a minute that Fi would bring up the subject again, but for now she needed a little time to get used to the idea of seeing him here. She stared at the spreadsheet in front of her, pretending to be absorbed by it, but all she could think of was Gabriel.

  Chapter Two

  Daisy

  It was hard to know what to wear for dinner. Daisy wanted to be respectful and dress smartly, but at the same time she didn’t want Gabe to think she was trying too hard. Seeing him again was bittersweet. She hoped his initial cheerful reaction to seeing her continued. He had every right to be angry with the way she’d left things between them.

  Trying to remain positive, she took a quick shower and stared at the floral cotton dress she’d decided to wear. Wrapping her arms around herself she thought back to Gabe holding her, if only briefly, back in Reception. She couldn’t deny it had felt good.

  ‘Gabe,’ she whispered, sitting down at the fitted dressing table and pulling a brush through her damp hair.

  She stared into space for a bit, remembering meeting him in Vietnam on the sun terrace in Ho Chi Minh City. She’d taken a seat at his small metal table because it was the only one available. He’d been laughing when she sat down.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ she asked trying her best to sound self-assured after taking a sip of her drink. She couldn’t help noticing how good looking he was, but knew her lack of confidence meant that if there had been any other seats free she’d have rather taken one of those instead of trying to make small-talk with this intimidating stranger.

  ‘I’ve just messaged my dad to say where I am and he was shocked,’ he said. ‘I know the Vietnam War ended back in the seventies, but in my dad’s mind this is still a dangerous place, a war zone even. He was quite concerned to think I was in Saigon, as it was then.’

  Daisy understood his father’s reaction. ‘My mum said the same when I told her I planned to visit here. She said she remembers her parents listening daily to the news bulletins about the dreadful losses.’

  They gazed down at the busy streets and cheerful faces around them.

  ‘It’s hard to imagine the chaos happening here back then when Saigon fell, isn’t it?’ he asked staring at her.

  ‘It is.’ She recalled a documentary she’d seen recently of grainy film showing an Air America helicopter resting on the top of a building with people crowding up a roof ladder, trying desperately to reach it.

  That hot evening in the bar had been the first of many evenings spent in each other’s company. She’d readily agreed when Gabriel suggested she travel with him to see a few towns on their way to Hội An, where they’d both planned to stay for a while. By the time they reached their destination they were besotted with each other, but typically with the timing in her life, she’d also heard from home that her mother’s health had taken a nasty turn and had to hurriedly return to England. Everything had disintegrated after that.

  Now though, seeing him back here and giving up all that he loved to assist his family, she could see he’d meant it when he’d told her, ‘Family is the most important thing you’ll ever have, Daisy. If you need to go to your mum, then we’ll just have to deal with it. We’ll make a plan to meet up again when she’s settled.’ She’d reluctantly agreed with him, but things hadn’t turned out as either of them initially hoped.

  The landline in her room rang, making her jump. She glanced at her bedside clock and saw she was late to meet him downstairs. Picking up the phone, she heard Fi’s stammering attempt at professionalism and could tell Gabe must be standing in front of her.

  ‘Thanks Fi,’ she said. ‘Please tell Gabriel I’m on my way.’ It seemed odd referring to him by his full name. She pushed the thought aside and hurriedly dressed, picking up her bag with one hand and running the other through her long, wavy fair hair. She hoped it would be dry by the time they arrived at Lydia’s house.

  She pushed open the door leading from the staff quarters to the reception area and hesitated when she saw him leaning against the counter, laughing at something Fi was saying. He looked so relaxed and at home here. As he should do, she thought, but it was still strange seeing someone she associated so much with her travels and the heady colours and scents of Asia, standing at her workplace in Jersey.

  He looked up and seeing her at the doorway, held up a set of car keys. ‘I’ve got transport and have been instructed not to dawdle, so we’d better get a move on.’ He waited for her to reach him, then smiled at Fi. ‘It’s great to see you again, Fi,’ he said. ‘Tell that brother of yours that I’ll take him up on his offer to go kayaking with him and his mate Ed one of these days.’

  ‘Will do,’ Fi said, winking slyly at Daisy as soon as Gabe turned his back to hold the door open for her. ‘Have fun,’ she mouthed.

  Daisy pulled a face at her and followed him to the red sports car. ‘Wow, you must be special to Mrs Grey if she allows you to drive her car,’ she teased getting in, happy that the roof was down and her hair would have a chance to dry during their drive.

  Gabriel stepped into the car next to her and started it. He put the car into gear and turned to her, smiling. ‘It’s not hers, it’s mine. You’re looking very lovely,’ he said. ‘Your hair’s grown a lot.’

  ‘Thank you; it probably needs a trim, but I haven’t got around to finding a hairdresser on Jersey yet.’

  ‘It’s small, but there’s a lot to discover here,’ he said
steering the car down the driveway. Checking nothing was coming, he pulled out onto the main road. ‘Does it feel strange seeing me here?’

  She was relieved she wasn’t the only one experiencing that surreal sensation. ‘Yes, very.’

  He drove in silence for a couple of minutes. ‘I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how come you ended up working at The Encore?’

  Gabe had never been one to hold back from facing anything awkward, so his question didn’t surprise her. ‘I’d never been here before, and after–’ she hesitated, not ready to share her story with him. ‘Well, after I decided to leave Devon, I remembered you mentioning how beautiful it was here. I needed somewhere to work and have experience working as a receptionist in a hotel back home. The Encore provided me with a job and somewhere to live.’

  ‘I can tell by the look on your face when I arrived at the hotel that you didn’t know it was run by my family,’ he studied her face briefly, then turning back to focus on the road ahead, added. ‘You wouldn’t have come to The Encore if you had known I was connected to it, would you?’

  ‘No,’ she said honestly.

  ‘Then I’m glad you didn’t know,’ he said, turning the car into a small lane. ‘Why didn’t you answer any of my messages?’

  As soon as she’d see him standing outside the hotel Daisy knew he would ask her this question. It didn’t help her come up with an acceptable answer for him though and she certainly wasn’t ready to tell him about her issues with Aaron. ‘I’m not sure what to say, really,’ she said racking her brains to come up with something that didn’t divulge her true story.

  ‘It’s OK,’ he said giving her one of his smiles she remembered only too well. ‘I understand if you’ve moved on. It was two years ago after all, but our time away together was pretty amazing.’

  ‘It was,’ she said wistfully. ‘But our lives were going in opposite directions.’ She hoped he wasn’t going to question her too much, although he had every right to expect a few answers. She recalled the promises they’d made to each other to stay in touch and meet up again as soon as they could manage to, but she’d left him in Hội An and believed their relationship to be a beautiful memory from her past.

  ‘So, what have you been doing since I last saw you? I mean after you returned home to Devon. You seemed so happy in Vietnam; it was hard to imagine you staying back in England.’

  ‘It wasn’t easy,’ she said truthfully. ‘But I haven’t been doing much,’ she fibbed. ‘I’ve been here in Jersey since April to help set up for the season and I’m loving it. Your grandmother is incredible,’ she said, hoping to divert his attention away from her. ‘I really like her.’

  ‘She is,’ he nodded. ‘I spent a huge amount of my childhood staying with her.’

  ‘Was that because Francesca and Rick were away working?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You never told me your family had a hotel,’ she said, trying not to sound accusatory. ‘I never connected you with Francesca and Rick. You said your last name was Wilson.’

  ‘It is.’ He laughed. ‘It’s a little complicated. You see, my dad’s real surname is Wilson, but there was another Rick Wilson with an Equity Card, so he uses his mother’s maiden name of Malone. Mum uses her maiden name, Fiore. Nan used to be an actress back in the fifties and she reverted to her maiden name, Grey, the one she used for her acting career after she split up with her husband.’

  Daisy followed what he was telling her until he reached the bit about Lydia. ‘I never knew your grandmother was an actress too!’

  He gave her a wide smile. ‘You didn’t realise she was the Lydia Grey, fifties’ blonde bombshell and Jersey’s answer to Marilyn Monroe?’

  Daisy laughed at his teasing. ‘My mum was a huge fan of hers and had all her films.’ She conjured up a picture of the actress at the height of her fame. He wasn’t joking: his grandmother was the Lydia Grey. ‘How did I not realise that before? I love her work.’ She stared at him, trying to recall what had happened to end Lydia’s career at the height of her success. ‘But she disappeared suddenly after only a few years. What on earth happened?’

  Gabe slowed the car to turn into a long driveway. He sighed. ‘It’s a bit of a mystery, I’m afraid, and one she refuses to discuss,’ he said. ‘She fell in love with my grandfather, but things didn’t work out: that much I do know. She has said that I look very much like him.’

  Daisy wished she could see a picture of Gabe’s mysterious grandfather and hoped she’d be able to find out more about Lydia’s past. She recalled her mother talking about the actress’s disappearance from the public eye and much had been speculated about it. At least she knew Lydia was OK now. ‘It’s exciting to finally have met her,’ she said eventually.

  He shrugged. ‘She’s always seemed happy. I think whatever did happen was life-changing. Her marriage didn’t last all that long, but she’s never encouraged any of us to ask about it: always changing the subject if we do get a little curious.’

  Daisy opened her mouth to ask him what Lydia had done next, but he parked the car and got out, holding her door open for her. ‘She’ll be waiting for us around the back on the terrace.’

  They hurried round along the stone pathway and Gabriel raised his hand and waved at his grandmother, sitting at a table. Her step faltered as she was confronted by the exquisite view in front of her. She presumed Lydia’s home had been built sometime in the fifties and the garden, which looked as if it led straight out onto a beach, was awe-inspiring.

  ‘See, I told you I’d get her here safely,’ Gabriel called.

  She hurried to catch up with him. She straightened her dress and tried to tidy up her unruly hair before greeting her hostess. ‘Hello, Mrs Grey,’ she said looking around her at the perfectly manicured lawn that dipped gently towards a view of the bay, framed on two sides by two enormous pine trees. ‘What a spectacular view.’

  Lydia stood up and gave Gabriel a hug, then motioned for Daisy to take a seat at the table. ‘I’m glad you like it.’ She stared out to the rolling waves on the navy sea out in the bay. ‘I’ve lived here for decades and still think I must be dreaming for the first few seconds that I’m awake.’

  ‘I can see why,’ Daisy said, imagining how idyllic it would be to wake up at this house every morning surrounded by the vivid colours from the garden and going to sleep with the sounds of the waves all around.

  ‘Darling, go and pour Daisy a Bellini, and get yourself a cool drink.’ She turned her attention back to Daisy. ‘I hope you like them. I make excellent Bellinis, so I’m told.’

  She thought she spotted a hint of sadness in Lydia’s eyes. ‘I love them,’ Daisy said.

  Gabe was soon back with her drink, which was delicious.

  ‘Good?’ Gabriel asked. ‘Nan only uses the best white peach juice,’ he said. ‘She insists that’s the difference between a perfect Bellini and an average one, don’t you, Nan?’

  ‘It’s heavenly,’ Daisy she said before taking another sip.

  ‘I’m glad you like it, Daisy,’ Lydia said, raising her glass to them.

  ‘So,’ Gabriel said. ‘What are you treating us to for dinner tonight?’ He leant forward slightly and in a mock whisper to Daisy, said. ‘Nan is an excellent cook and likes to try out different recipes, so be prepared.’

  Daisy laughed. ‘You look perfectly healthy on Mrs Grey’s cooking,’ she teased.

  ‘Please call me Lydia,’ she said. ‘Being called Mrs Grey in my home is making me feel old.’ She rested a hand on Daisy’s forearm. ‘I don’t do all the cooking. I have Anna: she’s my housekeeper and cooks for me, as well as keeps everything in order. I mainly potter around my garden and take long walks on the beach.’ She laughed. ‘Gabriel doesn’t enjoy much of my cooking. He wasn’t impressed with the chocolate chilli sauce I concocted the last time he was staying.’

  Daisy wasn’t surprised. She hoped she wasn’t being treated to a similar combination. ‘Oh?’

  Gabriel laughed. ‘I think Daisy is a bit mo
re of a traditionalist when it comes to food, Nan.’

  ‘Not necessarily,’ Daisy said, not wishing to offend Lydia.

  ‘You like the idea of chocolate and chilli in a dish?’ Lydia asked. ‘I can’t help thinking of it as rather an unnecessary combination.’

  Daisy couldn’t help smiling. ‘No,’ she said.

  ‘I have to admit, I didn’t much like it either,’ Lydia laughed. ‘But it was worth a try. I haven’t made anything too unfamiliar for us tonight though.’

  Daisy smiled, then sat back in the cushioned metal chair and looked out across the well-kept garden to the sea once again. ‘It’s very peaceful here, isn’t it?

  Lydia nodded. ‘It can be a little too peaceful when Gabriel is away. Sometimes, in the summer, I rent out rooms to Francesca and Rick’s acting friends who’ve come over on tour to the Arts Trust or the Opera House. I like the company and it’s good to talk to new people in the business.’

  Daisy was delighted Lydia had brought up the subject of acting. ‘Gabriel and I were only just discussing your fascinating career on the way here in the car,’ she said. ‘I grew up looking at books on film and actors that my mum collected. There were loads of pictures of you.’ She hesitated before adding, ‘Do you miss that life at all?’

  Lydia took a sip of her drink and stared at her thoughtfully before answering. ‘Sometimes.’ She placed her drink back down on table. ‘I’m far too old for all that now, but I loved it when I was filming and even the initial struggle to be discovered.’

  ‘I think my mum dreamed of being an actress and when she didn’t realise her dream she tried to encourage me to act,’ Daisy admitted. It wasn’t something she’d shared with anyone else. ‘She made me go to dance and acting lessons and even took extra jobs to pay for them all.’