When Alice Met Danny

by T A Williams

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t be sorry, Alice. He lived a full life and, just like my father, he survived a war. He was in the infantry all the way through the Second World War, from Dunkirk to D Day and beyond. Not many did that and came home intact.’ Her old eyes were staring out into the branches of an ancient oak tree in the field across the road. ‘He died last year, just three months short of his hundredth birthday.’ She turned and focused again on Alice. ‘Isn’t it funny that you’re there and he’s there, and Daniel’s next door to your house in Lyndhurst Avenue. It’s almost as if it were meant to be.’

  Chapter 35

  Alice couldn’t get Mrs Cooper’s words out of her head as she walked along the path by the river. A series of coincidences seemed to be leading her towards an MA, maybe even a doctorate dealing with the First World War. Only a few weeks ago, the idea had not even entered her head. As the dog plunged in and out of the water, returning from time to time to shake himself all over her, she was still trying to make sense of it all. And all these Dannys, for crying out loud? She was thinking hard when her phone started to ring. It was her friend, Sally.

  ‘Hi Sal, how’s it going?’

  ‘Fine up here in the big city, but how about you? How did the big date with the gorgeous older man go?’ Alice sighed, rather regretting having let her friend in on her plans.

  ‘Um, depends on your point of view.’ She hesitated, unsure how to continue. ‘We had an excellent meal in a lovely little Italian restaurant…’ Her voice tailed off.

  ‘And then? What happened then? Come on, Al, spill the beans.’

  Alice realised she could either tell her to mind her own business or tell her the truth. Their friendship went way back, so she opted for full disclosure. ‘Well, then he invited me back to his house, and he showed me some nude drawings.’

  ‘Ooh, saucy!’

  ‘But they were of his partner.’

  ‘Ah, that’s a bit odd. What did she look like?’

  ‘He, not she.’

  ‘Ah.’ There was a pause. Then another, ‘Ah.’

  Alice decided to admit her failings. ‘I’ve started checking for wedding rings now, Sally, but I missed all the signs on this one. He’s very good-looking, he’s very generous and he’s even a writer. I thought I was onto a winner.’

  ‘Well, three out of four isn’t too bad. Better luck next time. And next time is…?’

  ‘Next time is tomorrow with Danny from London, but that’s not a date as such. He’s got a girlfriend after all. We’ll just be two friends hanging out. But at least I’ll be with a windsurfing legend.’ She went on to tell Sally how famous Danny Kemp had turned out to be. Sally was impressed.

  ‘I told you he was a good one to go for. I fancy him all the more now, myself. Don’t let a little thing like a girlfriend stand in your way.’ She paused briefly. ‘Now, a boyfriend’s a bit of a deal breaker, I’ve got to admit. But not a girlfriend. A bit of competition is healthy.’

  No sooner had Alice finished the call than the phone rang again. This time it was none other than Danny from London, aka windsurfing god. ‘Hi Alice, I was just checking to see if you are still on for tomorrow night.’

  ‘Hi Danny. I was just talking about you.’

  ‘Oh dear, that sounds ominous.’

  ‘Not at all, I was just boasting that I’m going out for dinner with a windsurfing god.’

  ‘Erm, you forgot the “veteran” part. Anyway, the reservation’s for eight o’clock. How about I come round for you at seven? I’d love to see the cottage and I must meet my namesake after all.’ His namesake chose this particular moment to run up and shake himself all over Alice. She squealed.

  ‘Danny, stop it.’

  ‘What did I do?’ Nevertheless, he guessed it wasn’t him she was referring to.

  ‘Not you, the dog. He’s been swimming. Anyway, seven’s good. I’ll see you tomorrow.’ She paused. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing you again.’

  ‘Me too, a lot.’

  She returned the phone to her pocket and threw a stick into the middle of the river. Danny plunged back in and retrieved it. The game continued until her phone rang a third time. She glanced at the screen. It was Daniel Tremayne.

  ‘Hi, Daniel. How did the TB testing go?’

  ‘Hello Alice. Very well indeed. We’re clear. And with all the animals we’ve got, that’s terrific. We’re all celebrating. In fact, that’s what I’m calling about. I’m taking the boys out for dinner tonight at the King’s Arms. I wondered if you’d like to join us.’ Before she could answer, he added ‘I’ve asked Megan as well. She’s coming.’

  Alice accepted willingly, her resolution to miss dinner now conveniently forgotten.

  Alice walked down to the pub at seven o’clock, leaving an exhausted Labrador fast asleep in his basket, an all-pervading smell of damp dog still filling the kitchen.

  She spotted them immediately upon entering. They were sitting at the big table in the far corner. Daniel Tremayne was there, along with five men, ranging in age from late teens to late fifties. He waved her over.

  ‘Alice, do come and have a seat. Megan will be here shortly.’ He pointed to the bottles on the table. ‘Drink? White or red?’

  ‘Hi, Daniel. A glass of white would be nice.’

  He introduced her to his “boys”, who all looked and sounded bright and cheerful. Clearly they had a good relationship with their boss. The conversation was animated and she soon found herself telling them about the house full of poo, watching their expressions go from incredulity to horror, to side-splitting mirth as she did so. Megan arrived just as the laughter was calming down.

  ‘Did I miss something?’ Megan took a seat on the other side of Daniel Tremayne, who reached for the bottles. ‘A glass of red please.’ He poured her drink and explained. She looked across at Alice. ‘But of course the poo is long gone now. It’s good to see you can laugh about it now.’

  ‘I may even have a buyer for the house already.’

  ‘So, have you definitely decided to sell?’ Daniel reached over and topped her glass up. She noticed that he was drinking mineral water.

  ‘Yes, I plan to settle down here in Woodcombe.’

  ‘Well, that’s a reason for celebration in itself.’ Daniel Tremayne sounded genuinely pleased. ‘I won’t be losing my tennis partner after all. By the way, are you on for Sunday? The forecast is still looking good.’

  She confirmed that she was looking forward to it. He smiled and passed the menus around the table. They all chose what they were going to eat and more drinks arrived. Alice was delighted to see him dispensing alcohol to all and sundry without any apparent difficulty or remorse. Once she had finished her white wine, she opted to join him in some mineral water. ‘Wine’s full of calories, and you should have seen the enormous piece of cake I had this afternoon.’

  ‘So, where are you going to live, then?’ He sipped his water. Alice saw that Megan was still on her first glass of wine, while most of the “boys” were well into their pints.

  Alice explained about the agreement she had reached with Derek Tinker. The more she thought of it, the better it sounded. ‘I can stay renting Duck Cottage until the sale goes through. Then, once I’ve bought the cottages, I can rent Drake Cottage out to pay the mortgage. It’s a perfect solution.’

  The food began to arrive. The conversation flagged as everybody settled down to eat. In spite of the big piece of cake, Alice found she was quite hungry. Like Daniel, she had ordered mussels and chips, which were delightful. As the food disappeared, so the conversation picked back up again. She told them about her decision to go back to university, omitting any mention of the first name of the man who had interviewed her. Two of the “boys” were soon performing a double act, miming the vet trying to extricate himself from a cow. They had the whole table in stitches. All, Alice noted, apart from Daniel Tremayne. His expression was serious, his gaze far away.

  ‘What is it, Daniel?’ She kept her voice low. He turned
towards her and she saw the look in his eyes. She glanced down the table. All the attention was on the antics of the two comedians, so she leant a little closer to him. ‘Is something wrong?’

  He managed a tired smile. ‘A lot less wrong than it used to be. I was just thinking how unusual the sound of laughter has become for me.’ Alice noticed Megan turn towards him and smile encouragingly. He drew strength from the two of them. ‘It’s so good to be with happy people.’ His smile broadened.

  Chapter 36

  Danny from London turned up bang on time at seven o’clock on Friday. Alice saw his car pull up outside, a collection of windsurfing boards tied to the roof. She opened the front door and went out to greet him, accompanied by Danny the dog. He gave her a big smile and then turned his attention to the dog.

  ‘What a beauty!’ He knelt down and stroked him. ‘You’re a handsome fellow, aren’t you?’ Danny the dog seemed equally pleased to see his two-legged counterpart. Alice led both of them into the house and, once in the kitchen, Danny rather surprised her by catching hold of her and kissing her on both cheeks.

  ‘It really is good to see you, Alice. You look even better than the Labrador.’

  ‘Praise indeed. Well, I’m really pleased to see you too.’ She pointed to the kettle. ‘Tea? Or something else? I know you said you weren’t going to be drinking tonight, so I bought some elderflower cordial from the farm shop.’

  ‘That sounds perfect.’ She noticed that he was looking lean and hard. His hair looked even blonder than the last time she had seen him. She had the unworthy thought that he might have dyed it. He was wearing a T-shirt. Predictably, it bore a windsurfing logo on it.

  ‘Are you in uniform?’ She busied herself making the cordial.

  He smiled. ‘In a way. Years ago when I was a pro, I raced for these folk. I’ve got a box full of their T-shirts, so it seems sort of natural to wear them when I’m back in harness.’

  ‘So, are you going to win tomorrow?’

  ‘I’d be surprised. It’s a strong field and I’m the second oldest. There are only two of us over forty. Some of the other veterans are still racing on the international circuit. Twitter is alive with jokes about old fogeys.’

  She turned back towards him. ‘Nothing old fogeyish from where I’m standing.’

  ‘You’re too far away to hear the creaking bones.’ He gave her a smile. ‘I tell you what; if I win, I’ll take you out for dinner on Sunday night, my treat. Deal?’

  ‘Almost, but not quite. If you win, we do go out for dinner on Sunday, but I pay.’

  ‘I tell you what; let’s go out for dinner on Sunday either way. We can fight about the bill when we get there. For now, I’m just looking forward to competing again. It’s been a good while.’

  ‘So this is a comeback, is it?’

  He explained. ‘No, more of a one-off. The sponsors came up with the idea of collecting some of the big names from the past.’ He grinned at her. ‘It’ll probably be a competition to see who’s grown fattest.’

  ‘Did you miss it?’ She handed him his glass. ‘Two members of your fan club on the beach the other day told me you broke your leg just before the Olympics. That must have been tough.’

  His expression didn’t change. ‘C’est la vie. That was years ago now. Broken legs get mended. Some of the guys have suffered a lot worse than that over the years. But, yes, I did miss it. In fact I still do, really.’

  ‘So why give it up? Surely once your leg was healed, you could have gone back to it?’

  ‘Money, Alice. Quite simple really. I got married. We needed a place to live, some kind of stability to our lives. Windsurfing’s great if you’re young and single. Preferably with independent means. I didn’t qualify on any of the counts. Anyway,’ he raised his glass in her direction. ‘Here’s looking at you kid, as the great man once said.’

  ‘Cheers.’ She reached over and clinked her glass against his. She noticed the muscles in his forearm, and biceps. He really did look very fit.

  ‘So, what’s new?’ He settled back and watched her. There was a happy smile on his face. She couldn’t miss it.

  She told him about her interview at the university and her decision to do a history MA. He was very enthusiastic. Then she updated him on the house in Beauchamp, and how she planned to sell it. She hesitated, before breaking the bad news. ‘I’ve got the chance to buy this cottage and the one next door. I had them valued today. The only thing is that I will need to sell the Greenwich flat in order to do so. I’m ever so sorry, that’s going to leave you in the lurch, isn’t it?’ To her relief, the smile stayed on his face.

  ‘To be honest, that might suit me. The solicitors have finally sorted out the divorce settlement. I’ll have to do my sums, but I might be up for buying the flat from you, if you are willing. That is, if I stay at G&B.’

  She looked up in surprise. ‘You’re thinking of leaving?’ That was unexpected.

  ‘Just thinking, for the moment. The job’s OK, but I’m getting a bit fed up with London. As a seriously middle-aged man, no longer a callow youth, I am beginning to think about quality of life. I must say it is great to come back to Woodcombe. You’ve picked a brilliant place to live.’

  ‘Oh yes, you said you knew Woodcombe.’ Alice had forgotten that. ‘How come?’

  ‘My wife was from here. In fact, she still lives in the village.’ Alice looked up in surprise. ‘She moved back after we split up. Maybe you know her? I’m sure she knows all about you. She always had a bit of a reputation as the source of all gossip in Woodcombe, if not the whole of Devon.’

  The penny dropped. ‘Mandy? Mandy with Panda the greyhound? Your wife?’

  ‘Soon to be ex-wife. Yes, that’s her.’

  Alice was speechless. It took her several minutes before she could think of anything to say and, even then, it was just, ‘It’s a small world, isn’t it?’

  ‘You’re telling me. When you said you were coming down here, I couldn’t believe it. Mandy and I met at Beauchamp, at one of these windsurfing competitions, all those years ago. And when I heard where you were living…’

  They chatted until it was time to head for the restaurant. His car was jammed full of windsurfing gear, but the front passenger seat was clear. They drove down to the car park by the sea front. He left the car in the front row by the road, in full view of anybody driving past. ‘Hopefully that’ll dissuade the bad boys. There’s a good few grand tied to the roof of the car. I’d feel silly tomorrow if they nicked my boards.’

  The Lobster Pot was crowded, with a handful of hopefuls waiting outside for a table. As they walked in past the queue, Alice began to appreciate just how big a celebrity he was. Of the dozen or so people waiting in line, at least half obviously recognised him. Some wished him luck, some patted him on the back and one girl asked for an autograph. He stopped to sign and immediately three others pushed programmes his way to sign. One young woman produced a marker pen and asked for a signature across the front of her T-shirt. Alice observed he was careful to avoid any erogenous zones.

  Inside, it was even more obvious. Clearly this was the place where the windsurfing glitterati were gathered. A ragged cheer went up as they walked in and he was recognised. It took ten minutes of hand-shaking, hugging and kissing before they reached their table and sat down. She looked across at him. She could see the conflict of emotions on his face. On the one hand he was obviously pleased to be remembered and feted, on the other he was clearly feeling a bit embarrassed.

  ‘Look, Alice, I’m really sorry. I honestly didn’t expect to meet all these folk here.’ He paused, before correcting himself. ‘At least, if I had thought about it, I should have realised there would be a load of familiar faces down here, but I’ve got out of the habit now. I’ve been anonymous for so long, I was starting to believe it.’

  ‘I’ve never been out with a celebrity before. Do you think we will have to fight off the paparazzi when we leave?’ She was joking, at least partially, but then she had a sudden thought. If their
photo made it into the papers, what would Mandy think? Did it matter what she thought? Her mind started doing somersaults, and she struggled to concentrate on what he was saying to her.

  ‘Alice, it’s only windsurfing. If it were tennis or football, maybe, but this is, and always has been, a minority sport. At worst, your face might turn up in Boards magazine. I bet you didn’t even know there was a magazine called that! And it’s not even to do with ironing. I’m sure none of your friends read it. So there’s no need to worry about your boyfriend getting jealous.’

  She caught his eye. ‘Boyfriend? Nothing to worry about there. Danny the dog’s the only one for me.’

  ‘The only one? Haven’t you found yourself a Devonshire beau yet? I would have expected a beautiful woman like you to be fighting them off.’

  She shook her head, then looked up at him with a smile. ‘Well, if the truth be told, I did go out with a handsome man only a couple of nights ago.’ She couldn’t miss his interest. ‘But it didn’t turn out to be quite what I expected.’

  She went on to tell him about Daniel the writer, but she omitted any reference to Daniel Tremayne. Finally, she observed, ‘But if our picture appears in the paper, what about your girlfriend? I don’t want to end up being stalked by some jealous woman.’

  ‘Then neither of us has got anything to worry about. Like I said, I’m a free man these days. Let them print and be damned.’

  She bit the bullet. ‘But what about the girl who answered the phone in your flat? You know, the one who might have been coming down here with you?’

  He stared back at her in astonishment. ‘Alice, that was Janie. She’s my daughter.’

  Luckily the waiter arrived at that precise moment with the menus.

  Chapter 37

  Alice had to park in Lyndhurst Avenue and walk down the river to the beach on Saturday afternoon. The whole town was packed with cars and people. The organisers had even set up out of town parking in fields at the top of the hill, with a shuttle bus to ferry visitors in. Clearly, the Windsurfing Weekend was big business.