by Klaire, Jody
Rebecca hung her head. “I love you, Pip, but you don’t understand.”
I folded my arms, the club-bag clunked forward. “I say you do and you should trust yourself.”
She smiled and turned to Mr Monmouth-Whitely.
I knew the smile, “what did I know?” I sighed and dragged the bag over to Doug. I would have gone for it. I would have. I grinned. Ooh, look at me all brave.
Chapter 50
Berne batted off one of Sergio’s hairdressing assistants and went to Pippa’s dad who gazed out of the window in the main reception room. He looked pensive and she smiled as she spotted the Bluetooth headset in his ear.
She tapped him on the shoulder. “Bonjour, how is Rebecca doing?”
He turned to her. He had eyes much like Pippa but hers were more expressive.
“On the way to the seventeenth hole,” he muttered. “Rebecca just bogeyed.” He shook his head. “Charles says the wind knocked it off course.”
Berne winced. “The score?”
He squeezed his shoulder. “They were both five under par until then.” He sighed and jutted out his chin. “Fair play to the girl. Her mother, and I dare say even her grandfather, would be proud of her performance.”
Berne beamed. “It is one shot, oui? She can still win.”
His eyes tracked over her face for a moment and a smile much like Pippa’s oozed out. “Not unless Pippa can tie his clubs together.”
He held his finger to his ear as if getting an update.
Berne smiled at him and left him, catching hold of Stephanie’s elbow as she dashed past, half changed. “They are on their way to the seventeenth hole. You are sure Pepe does not realise?”
Stephanie grinned and tapped her nose. “Non, Pepe does not demand to see my driving licence.” She blew out a breath. “Unlike the supervisor at the range in Monaco. I thought he would read it out.”
Berne chewed on her lip. It was fortunate he had not said too much. “They do not realise how well you play?”
“Madame Henri does not say that I played often with Emilie, she was happy to watch me pretend, oui?” She shook her head with a cheeky grin. “Alors... I take lessons from Pepe.”
Berne tutted. “She is not good?”
“She throws the club and ball at herself,” Stephanie said with a giggle. “Mais, I think she does it to tease Rebecca a little.”
“Perhaps, she knows how to help her play?” Berne hoped so. She wanted Rebecca to find her freedom from the scars that were so raw.
“Perhaps,” Stephanie tucked her hair behind her ears. “I only hope Pepe will not mind...” She motioned to the dress. “I like her very much.”
Berne kissed her on the cheek. “She will be very happy for you.”
Madame Henri strode in, her gaze drifting over their outfits.
“Stephanie-Marie, you are not dressed. Why do you stand around in your negligee?” Madame Henri raised her eyebrows, chastisement in her voice but affection in her eyes.
“I am going, Madame.” Stephanie winked at Berne, pulled up her dress from under her feet and flashed Madame Henri a cheeky smile as she passed by.
“How is she playing?” Madame Henri said, pecking Berne on both cheeks and striding over to Pippa’s dad.
“On the way to the seventeenth. Doug has a plan B if she’s still losing.” He sighed. “However much I’d like to see the old windbag lose, wouldn’t want Doug to be less than fair.”
“Perhaps Rebecca will surprise you. She has a strong spirit.” Madame Henri flashed a charming smile. “Et, she has Pepe with her.”
Pippa’s dad turned to look at her, his cheeks rosier than could be accounted for with the weak sunlight through the cloud.
“Oui,” Berne said. “Pepe can get her confidence to shine. She knows her heart.”
His eyes filled with a twinkle as he looked from one to the other. “Of course.” He cleared his throat, puffing out his chest. “I had my best round with her, why not?” He ran his hands up and down as if he had braces and arched his back. “Yes, why not?”
Madame Henri’s gaze drifted to her. “You are only half dressed also. Why have you not had your hair done?”
Berne opened her mouth.
“You go to Sergio. He will not let you wander off.” She tapped her on the bottom. “Allez!”
Berne saluted. “Oui, Madame!”
She tutted and Berne sucked in a breath. She hated having her hair fussed over.
“Do not forget to see your parents, they wish to see you also, oui?” Madame Henri called out.
Berne half-turned. She felt too nervous to see her parents and they would know she was. “Oui, Madame.”
Madame Henri held her gaze until Berne shrugged. She strode off in search of Sergio, rubbing over her stomach. Her hands were clammy from nerves. Her stomach tightened further as she wandered into the room where Stephanie was getting her hair done. Good nerves.
Chapter 51
The wind had picked up as we stood at the tee on the eighteenth hole. I knew Rebecca could make that shot. Just like back in the indoor golf centre. She just needed to believe in herself.
“Would you like to call it now?” Mr Monmouth-Whitely asked Rebecca with that smug smile on his face.
“No.” Her tone was blunt.
He laughed at her. “You know you always bogey this one. I won’t be that silly.”
I moved.
Doug grabbed my arm. “Thumping him will make her drop a shot.”
“Can I do it when she’s beaten him?” I muttered, glaring at the big hairy nostril-ed meanie of a mean man.
Doug nodded. “You might have to queue.” He pursed his lips. “It’s not gentlemanly, not gentlemanly at all.”
Rebecca watched Mr Monmouth-Whitely set up the shot. Her chin wobbled and she shuddered out a breath. “Why do I disgust you so much?”
He frowned and looked up at her. “Excuse me?”
“You can’t even look at me without cringing.” Her eyes misted with tears. “I lost her too. You weren’t the only one who had their heart ripped out.”
His eyes glinted with pain. “This has nothing to do with your mother.”
She laughed a defeated laugh. “Yes, it does. We lost her. It tore us both up. She held us together.” Tears dribbled off her nose.
I clung to Doug, stifling my sob.
“What would she say to you?” she threw her hands in the air. “What would she say about where we both are?” Her voice was so small, so filled with heartbreak.
Mr Monmouth-Whitely’s eyes glinted again, more than pain, no they were filled with agony. I’d seen it often in Rebecca’s eyes. He glanced back at the clubhouse. “She knows my reasons.”
He set up his shot and started his practice swing.
Rebecca was forced to watch now. She wasn’t allowed to interrupt. I couldn’t go to her or she would drop a shot. Golf was a pain in the backside. Musical statues in the flipping cold.
Mr Monmouth-Whitely thwacked the ball. I scrunched up my eyes, then sighed as it landed not far from the green.
I scowled. “Doug, which club does she need to make it in two?”
Doug blinked a few times and looked at me.
“She’s getting a birdbrain or an eagle or whatever one means in two.” I nodded to him.
He smiled, squeezed my shoulder and tapped a club. “This one.”
I yanked it out and walked over to Rebecca. She didn’t even look at the club or notice me. She placed the ball on the tee.
I walked back to Doug and he took my hand. I said a silent prayer as she swooshed through her practice swing.
“Believe in yourself,” I whispered to her. I squeezed Doug’s hand. He squeezed back.
Rebecca closed her eyes and took a long slow breath. Tears dribbled down her cheeks.
“Come on. You can do it,” Doug whispered. His voice sounded as wobbly as I felt.
“I love you,” I added. “Babs loves you.”
She opened her eyes and swung.
Thwack.
The ball sailed up into the air.
Doug sucked in a breath, Mr Monmouth-Whitely sounded like he’d swallowed a bug the way he gasped. Rebecca handed me the club, back to the course.
The ball flew, straight, true.
Doug gripped onto my hand.
I gripped back.
“It’s going to overshoot,” Mr Monmouth-Whitely said, no smugness, just shock.
The ball reached the edge of the green, dipped, dropped.
I grabbed Rebecca by the shoulders and turned her to look.
The ball hit the ground. Rolled...
“Come on, you beauty,” Doug muttered.
It rolled... and rolled... I needed my glasses on but I was sure...
“Is that the—”
“It is!” Doug grabbed for my hand, Rebecca grabbed for the other, making a club sandwich.
“It’s going to miss.” Mr Monmouth-Whitely sounded like he didn’t want it to.
The ball rolled... swerved...
Plop.
It dropped into the hole.
Silence.
I glanced at Rebecca, mouth open; she stared back at me; she picked up the club in our hands and glanced from it, to the hole and back to me.
“I’ve never seen such an incredible shot.” Doug’s eyes filled with tears. His Adam’s apple flexed as he cleared his throat.
Rebecca stared from the club and back to me.
I shrugged.
Mr Monmouth-Whitely stood there, tears gushing down his cheeks. He glanced up at the sky, closing his eyes for a moment, then strode over and stuck out his hand. “Your grandfather always said if you stopped over-thinking it, you’d be better than him.” He cleared his throat. “Marvellous round.”
She blinked a few times, first at his tears and his smile then at his hand. She held hers out, trembling, and shook it.
He nodded and turned to Doug. “Let’s finish up and head back to the clubhouse.”
I had no idea but I was quite sure she’d won so I cleared my throat. “And her prize?”
He half-turned. “Fine.” He met Rebecca’s eyes. “You have my blessing to marry her.”
Without so much as a backward glance, he strode off.
Rebecca stared down at her hand.
“You got a hole in one,” I whispered.
“I got a hole in one,” she whispered back, wheezing out a breath.
“Even your grandfather didn’t get a hole in one.” I put the club in the bag which toppled over, again. “I don’t know how you won though.”
“He called it.” She turned to watch her dad. “That’s what the handshake was about. He could have still drawn.”
“So why is he still playing?” I asked. Doug was handing him a club looking like he needed a hug or a cup of tea by the trembling.
“Likes to,” she mumbled then met my eyes. “You believed in me.”
I nodded. “Of course I did, I know you.”
She blinked a few times, sighed, then launched into a hug.
I “oof-ed” as she knocked me and my sodden foot off balance. Her tears soaked the side of my neck as her sobs shook us both. I held on, squeezing her, sobbing back just as hard. Golf was intense.
“I love you, Pip.”
I snuggled in, tears dripping off my nose. “You kicked his derriere.” I pulled back and grinned at her. “Let’s go find the dynamo and get you engaged.”
She chewed on her lip. “You think she’ll want to marry me?”
“Right now, I want to marry you and I’m fairly certain Doug might too.” I smiled through the tears. “At least, I didn’t have to stick the nine iron up his nose.”
She stared at me.
I waved it off. “I know that they like to call some of them woods but why? I don’t think they’re wood.” I motioned to the bag, capsized on the grass. “Who calls a metal club a wood?”
“Pip?” She blinked at me.
I tutted as I stared off after Mr Monmouth-Whitely. “Look, he’s hit the rough now.” I shook my head. “If he’s not careful he’ll need the sand wedge.”
“Did I get drunk?” She mumbled, staring at me.
I scrunched up my mouth. “I don’t know, but the bag has had a lot.” I bent over to yank it to its wheels. “Come on, my foot is soaking, my back hurts and I don’t know about you but I’d say we earned at least two chocolate bars.”
“You remind me of Babs driving that,” she said, following me onto the path.
“I did not overtake anyone on the bend and that rake took a dive of its own accord, thank you.” I squelched along the path, head held high.
Rebecca chuckled. “It was the tree I was concerned about. How didn’t you see it? It had a trunk bigger than a golf cart.” She shook her head. “Not to mention you went off-road. thought I’d have to fish you out of the lake.”
“My dad’s bag wasn’t this dodgy.” I held on as it wobbled off the path. Rebecca hurried to help me, then stopped and bent over. Laughter burst from her lips as she gripped her side.
“The steering is off,” I said, turning to put my hands on my hips.
Rebecca wiped her tears from her eyes, chuckles bursting free. “I love you, Pip. I really do.”
I sighed and yanked the bag back on the path, trying to retain some decorum. “I know.”
Chapter 52
Berne heard the cheer and hurried downstairs. Her parents, Stephanie, Fabrice, well the room was full. Everyone gathered around Pippa’s dad.
“Hole-in-one,” he said, his voice carrying. “Pippa handed her the club.”
Cue more cheers.
Berne wandered over to her mother. “Ça va?”
“Rebecca wins. Her father bogeyed the hole.” She beamed, a twinkle in her eyes. “I have no idea what this means.”
Berne laughed, sinking into a hug. “Pepe was sure that she would.” She glanced around. “Has anyone told Babs? She has been so busy organising.”
Her mother touched Berne’s cheeks with her hands. “Oui, I send Erique.” She smiled. “He says that she is hoping that Doug will appreciate Stephanie-Marie’s… Wish for a family.”
Berne chuckled. “Doug is more than happy for this, at least Pepe thinks so.”
“And she is unaware?” Berne’s mother raised an eyebrow. “You have not yet asked yourself?”
“About Stephanie?” Berne shook her head. “Non, mais I hope she does not mind.”
“Oui, and you?” Her mother smiled, her white hair bobbing. “You have not asked her?”
Berne sighed. “She talks of how exhausting helping Doug is, how much fuss it is...”
Her mother raised her eyebrows.
Berne held up her hands. “I get worried she will say no.”
Babs strode in. “Stephanie, call your English crumpet and tell him allez, oui?”
Stephanie saluted, fished out her phone from underneath the layers of skirt and hurried off.
Babs locked eyes with Berne. “You, have you escaped from somewhere encore?”
Berne sighed. “Sergio wanted to know how she got on.”
“A hole-in-one,” Babs said with a dreamy smile. “My little English lemon slice.” She narrowed her eyes at Berne. “Allez!”
Berne saluted, planted a kiss on her mother’s cheek and flashed a wink at Babs. Pippa had believed in Rebecca and handed her the club. She had no real idea what that meant but she didn’t care, she was proud of them both.
Chapter 53
Rebecca had popped to the loo when we got back to the clubhouse and I took my shoe and sock off to try and wring it out. I heard someone pull up but was too busy trying to peel off the sock. Had it shrunk?
“...There is a burst water pipe,” Doug repeated out of his car window.
I looked up, yanking my sock free. Was he talking to me? “No, no. I just stepped in the pond.” I smiled at him and went back to wringing out my sock.
Doug rolled his eyes, got out, and hoisted me into his arms. I squealed and flapped my sock
at him but he carried me to the passenger side door and bundled me in. I threw my sock at him.
“My shoe, you’ve left my shoe. She’ll know you’ve kidnapped me, Fletcher.” I narrowed my eyes as he got in and we screeched off. “I’m sock-less too.”
He nodded. “Marie called. There’s been a burst water pipe. Locals called her. House is damaged.”
“Oh no.” I clicked in my seatbelt, switching on his heated seats. “Was it the electrician?” Wait, it couldn’t be. No. We done all the finishing touches. The plumber had completed his bit ages ago.
“Don’t know, but now she’s getting stressed... And... And...er...?” He sighed, turning onto the main road.
“It’s not good for the baby?” I asked, glad the seat was warming up. I was freezing. I needed to go back to France to thaw out.
“At least the sun is out.” He glanced at the cloudless blue sky. “Even if the wind is chilly.”
“What’s that got to do with Marie and burst pipes?” I folded my arms. “Are you still drunk?”
He chuckled. “I just meant...um... That’ll help to dry things out.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Doug, if there’s a burst water pipe, we’ll need pumps. Has she checked the stopcock?”
He scrunched his mouth to the side. “Yes?”
I frowned. “Great. We’ll be able to paddle down the stairs.”
I stared out of the window enjoying the view as we drove. Wales was a beautiful place even if it rained all the time. I leaned against the window then the house appeared in front of me... or I’d dropped off. Ah, well.
Doug pulled through the gates and stopped at the front door.
“At least she’s called people in.” I got out, hopping as I went.
Doug hurried up behind me and hoisted me into his arms, carrying me up the steps.
“Doug, you’re meant to carry Marie across the threshold.” I prodded him but he kept carrying me until we were inside the entrance—The floor was dry. “Where is the water?”
“I... er...”
I put my hands on my hips. “You did kidnap me!”
Babs dashed past.
Huh? “Is that—?”
