Guernsey Retreat

by Allen, Anne

  ‘Hi Louisa, good to meet you. Yep, the next little Mauger is due in August. Hope it’s not too hot!’ She moved up to let Louisa sit down and Nick reached across to shake her hand, murmuring ‘Hi.’

  Ben continued the introductions. ‘Next to Nick is his little sis, Colette and her brand new fiancé, Jonathan. Got engaged last weekend.’

  Louisa offered her congratulations as they shook hands. Paul returned with the drinks, squeezing in next to Louisa. Within minutes they were all chatting happily; the main topic being what plans they had for the Easter break. The newly-engaged couple rather sheepishly admitted that they had booked a night away in Jersey; they couldn’t go away for longer as Colette owned a restaurant and it was a busy weekend. Nick said he was taking his family to Sark for the long-weekend and Ben admitted that he and Nicole would probably aim to catch up on their sleep.

  ‘Tell me about Sark. It’s the larger island beyond Herm, right?’ Louisa asked.

  ‘Yes it is and it has a totally different atmosphere to Herm, but still laid back. There’s no traffic; only cycles, horse and cart or tractors are allowed. It boasts several hotels which have been smartened up recently, although personally I have a soft spot for the old Dixcart.’ Nick shrugged. The others nodded their agreement. ‘But times change, so…We usually stay onboard our boat but this time we’ve booked a B&B, to give Jeanne a break,’ he said, grinning at his wife, ‘and we’ll hire cycles to get around. This will be the first time we’ve taken young Harry and he can sit on the back; much easier than pushing a buggy on the dirt roads. You do get some great views cycling thanks to the steep cliffs, but it can be hard work getting down to the beaches.’ He took a sip of his lager. ‘You and Paul should come over and we could show you around.’

  ‘Oh, that’s kind of you but–’ Louisa wondered if Nick thought they were a couple. What had Paul told him?

  ‘Thanks, Nick, but I’m working over Easter. We have a lot of new guests arriving. Pity, would love to see Sark. Perhaps when I can get some time off.’ Paul chipped in quickly.

  ‘Sure thing. You can get there in a day trip on the ferry if you’re short of time.’ Nick turned back to Louisa. ‘Have you visited Herm yet? Now, that’s my favourite getaway place, isn’t it, Jeanne?’

  ‘And mine. We’ve enjoyed some magical times there, Louisa. The beaches are stunning; you can almost imagine you’re in the Bahamas on a good summer’s day.’

  Jonathan and Colette added their endorsement, saying they were planning to get married in Herm, as had Nick and Jeanne. For a moment Louisa wondered if Paul had put his friends up to extolling the virtues of the islands as an incentive for her to stay.

  ‘I haven’t been off Guernsey since I arrived, but that was only three weeks ago. If…if I do stay a while, I’ll certainly visit the other islands. They sound irresistible!’ She noticed Paul give her a quizzical look, but only smiled. She still needed time to think about his offer and it involved a major life change. And if she continued to feel the way she did for him, it would be impossible for her to stay if the feelings were not reciprocated.

  The evening was full of chat and laughter and Louisa felt herself drawn into the camaraderie of the little group. It seemed that Paul had been accepted into their number without question, and now they were pulling her in as well. From what she heard, it was clear that the others had, for the most part, known each other from schooldays, creating a strong bond. It was not until she thought of herself and Paul as the “outsiders”, the only non-Guerns, that Louisa reminded herself she had Guernsey-born grandparents. So she was part-Guern too! Maybe that’s why I love it here so much. Perhaps I’m carrying a genetic memory from my ancestors. And why Malcolm was drawn to come here. As she listened to the conversations going back and forth, it seemed that fate might be playing a part in bringing her here now, at a time when she stood at a crossroads in her life. Showing her that, if she did decide to stay, there was a ready-made group of friends waiting. Definitely a plus, she thought, as they said their goodbyes.

  ‘Enjoy yourself?’ Paul asked as they strolled back to his car.

  ‘Yes, I did. They’re a great bunch. I can see why you like getting together with them. It was nice of Nick to invite us over at Easter, although–’

  ‘Look, I’m sorry about that. I can see that you might wonder what I’ve said to him about us.’ He stopped and turned to face her. ‘I didn’t say we were an item or anything,’ he said, looking embarrassed. ‘Nick must have presumed we were, as you’re the first girl I’ve taken along to meet them. Please don’t let it affect your decision on whether or not to work at the centre. If we were a couple then working together might not be a good idea.’

  Louisa felt her heart lurch. So he wasn’t interested in her as a girlfriend. Only as a physio. So why introduce her to his friends? To say she was confused was putting it mildly.

  ‘It’s okay. I can see how Nick might have got the wrong idea,’ she said, suddenly wanting the evening to end. Not wanting to say anything now, she knew she would refuse the offer of a job. Her hopes for the future had been lifted and dashed in one evening. Once in the car, she closed her eyes, hoping Paul would take the hint and leave her in peace. He did. As soon as they arrived back at La Folie, Louisa muttered a quick good night and escaped to her room to nurse her wounded feelings. Reluctantly deciding it was too late to talk it over with Charlotte, she went to bed and spent a restless night wondering how soon she could leave. Without upsetting her father.

  The next morning, having finally drifted off about five, Louisa woke to the sound of knocking on her door.

  ‘Louisa! Are you all right? It’s Charlotte.’

  Glancing at the clock she saw it was eight thirty. Groaning at the memory of the previous evening, Louisa dragged herself out of bed and padded to the door.

  ‘Hi. I…I overslept. Come in.’

  ‘You look dreadful! Are you ill?’ Charlotte said, giving her a hug.

  ‘Not exactly. But I didn’t sleep well and I…’ she felt herself crumple.

  Charlotte guided her to the sofa and sat them both down.

  ‘I smell man trouble. Tell me all,’ she said, patting her arm. Louisa obliged. ‘Mm, it sounds like Paul isn’t being honest with himself. On the one hand, he wants you to meet his friends, which is fine and dandy. And usually indicates the start of a relationship. But then he offers you a job, which would keep you here all right; the downside being it would be difficult to be more than friends. Or at least, in his opinion,’ Charlotte said, looking thoughtful. ‘It is generally considered to be bad form to mix business with pleasure, so he might be right there. And with the added complication of your being the boss’s daughter.’ She crossed her legs and leant back.

  Louisa digested her words and sighed heavily.

  ‘So what you’re saying is that, although he might have some feelings for me, he doesn’t expect us to become a couple, just friends. I would find it too difficult to stay here if that’s the case. Which means I’ll turn the job offer down and go back to London.’ Her heart felt leaden at the thought.

  ‘Hey! That’s not quite how I put it. What I said was that he does have strong feelings for you but hasn’t fully acknowledged them. You know what men are like! Always the last to admit to how they feel. As if it would un-man them, or something,’ Charlotte said, waving her arms. ‘From what you’ve said, it was a spur of the moment suggestion that you work here. He wants you to stay so you can get to know each other better. Makes sense. But I’d guess he hadn’t thought it through until later; feeling obliged to say that a couple couldn’t work together. He’s trying to be professional but has made a right hash of it. In my not so humble opinion,’ she added, with a grin.

  Louisa was about to answer when the phone rang. She got up to answer it, mouthing ‘sorry’ to her friend. It was her father and he sounded excited.

  ‘Louisa, I’ve just had a call from John Ferguson. He’s found out that the old rascal Archie had a son in ’48.
To a woman called Isabel. And he was named Edward. Isn’t that good news?’

  ‘Yes. That would make him about the age of the man I saw. So it could have been him!’ Her earlier feelings of woe were replaced by an excitement that they were on track to finding That Man. ‘What happens now?’

  ‘John is liaising with some old colleagues from the Met. He needs their co-operation in tracking down this Edward’s address, starting with the staff listed with the Underground. Only the police would have the authority to request that information. He did say it could take a few days, however. So we won’t need to go over yet.’ He went on to ask how she was and what she was up to and Louisa skirted around the truth by saying she was fine. She did not mention Paul.

  Replacing the phone she turned to Charlotte and told her what Malcolm had said.

  ‘That’s great. Look, I’ll have to shoot or I’ll be late for yoga. Shall we catch up afterwards? We could take a walk along the cliff, well away from everyone,’ Charlotte said, heading for the door.

  ‘Sure. See you later.’

  As Louisa padded into the bathroom she thought about what Charlotte had said about Paul and his perceived feelings for her. The bottom line was that it was all conjecture. Neither of them knew with any certainty what Paul actually felt. So, what should she do? Go or stay?

  chapter 20

  Spring was showing off its technicoloured coat of many colours as Charlotte joined Louisa in the garden. Tulips, massed in rows of red and yellow, stood proudly with their heads opening up to the sun. Daffodils were still in evidence amongst their younger bed-mates of grape hyacinths and irises. Shrubs of viburnum and lilac scented the air. Small pockets of wisteria buds peeped from behind the shelter of green leaves criss-crossing the rear wall of the house. As the women strolled towards the gateway to the cliff path, they stopped to drink in the smells and vibrant colours assailing their senses.

  ‘It’s as if the garden has suddenly woken up and put on its best clothes to beguile us,’ Charlotte said, admiring the pink and white flowers of a japonica.

  ‘I’ve always thought spring’s the best time for gardens. And whoever planted this one knew what they were doing. My grandmother would have approved,’ Louisa said, feeling uplifted in spite of herself.

  ‘I don’t possess even a fraction of a green finger, but I do like gardens. Other people’s, that is.’ After walking through the gate, they linked arms and headed eastwards. For a moment they were quiet, thinking their own thoughts. Then Charlotte asked quietly, ‘Have you come to any decision? About the job?’

  ‘I’ll turn it down. Nicely, of course. Make up some excuse about needing to be in England, I guess. And if the man is found, I will need to go back–’

  ‘Yes, but not for long. It’s your decision, naturally, but if you were to stay then Paul might finally wake up to the fact that he fancies you like mad and wants you as a girlfriend. Not a work colleague.’

  ‘Then I’d be out of a job!’

  Charlotte raised her eyebrows. ‘So? That’s not the end of the world, is it? I’m sure you could work somewhere else on the island if necessary. And who’s to say you couldn’t carry on working together? If you were happy, it wouldn’t be a problem.’

  Louisa kicked at a stone on the path. ‘I know there’s some sense in what you say, but in the meantime I’d have to work with Paul while…while hiding my feelings. And if he didn’t “wake up” as you put it, I’d be worse off than I am now. It’s the thought of rejection…’ she felt tears well up and brushed them away, angry with her own weakness.

  ‘Hey, I understand! Don’t beat yourself up about it, Louisa. You’ve been hurt. We both have. You must do what feels right and I promise not to say any more.’ Charlotte gave her a hug and Louisa smiled. They continued on their walk, and by tacit agreement, the subject of Paul was left behind.

  Louisa knew it was cowardly, but she managed to stay away from Paul that day. She planned to tell him her decision after yoga the next morning, hoping to find a suitable excuse in the meantime. That evening Malcolm was taking her to dinner at La Fregate and she was looking forward to getting away for a few hours. A soothing aromatherapy massage with Lin had helped her to feel calmer and more certain of her decision. As she changed into the smart trouser suit bought the previous week, it occurred to her that Charlotte might be able to recommend other centres, like La Folie, where she could apply for a job. The thought cheered her. Much as she would hate leaving La Folie and Paul, it would be easier if a new life beckoned.

  *

  Malcolm hummed to himself. He was pleased with the progress Ferguson had made and had every confidence that, before too long, Edward Blake would be traced and would prove to be the man who had attacked Susan. At this point he was not sure how that could be proved, but in his view that was a minor concern. On top of this, he had received good news from the surgeon. The fracture was healing up nicely and his blood pressure was down. He had been reminded to watch his diet and take gentle exercise, but that was something he was happy to do. As he changed his shirt for dinner, he found himself smiling at the third piece of good news of the day. Paul had phoned to say that the bookings were up, with very few spaces left over the coming months. Glowing reports had been appearing in the media; a couple of their guests had been undercover journalists, returning home to write articles praising La Folie for its “unique ambience, faultless attention to detail and the high standard of the staff”, to quote one of them. Malcolm could not be more proud. Although his hotel empire had been much bigger and sold for many millions of dollars, he felt more in tune with La Folie. He liked the thought that the guests were experiencing much more than a mere holiday. They were, according to their feedback, finding a way back to health, on all levels. Letting go outmoded and unhealthy lifestyles and becoming enriched by an inner peace. Just like himself. He never stopped feeling grateful for that chance meeting with Paul, who had opened his eyes to a whole new world. And a chance to show everyone that there was still life in the old dog yet. He grinned at his reflection in the mirror as he adjusted his tie. Paul had also mentioned that he had offered Louisa a job and hoped that Malcolm was okay with that. Of course he was okay with it! It would mean his daughter would be living nearby and they could spend as much time together as they liked. Apparently she had not yet given her answer, but Malcolm shrugged that aside. Why on earth would she say no?

  ‘No? You’re going to say no? But why? It’s perfect! I thought you’d be happy to stay here, so we could be closer,’ Malcolm said, staring at Louisa in disbelief. They were sitting at a table in La Fregate, waiting for their starters, and he had just told her he knew about Paul’s offer. She had gone quite pale and stammered that she was planning to say no.

  Malcolm was hurt. Did she not want to be near him? Had he overestimated her affection for him?

  ‘It’s…it’s not that I wouldn’t like to be near you. Of course I would. But it’s…complicated. It would be so easy to stay and work at the centre, but…I need to find my own way. My working there smacks of nepotism and the other therapists might resent me–’

  ‘Nonsense! It’s quite normal in the hospitality business for family to work together. And you’re my family. If I say it’s okay, then to hell with anyone who thinks otherwise.’ He could feel his blood pressure rising and took a few deep breaths. Louisa lowered her head, biting her lip. She looked very unhappy, intent on pulling her bread roll to pieces. Malcolm realised he was not helping by pressurising her and softened his tone.

  ‘Look, my dear, I’m not trying to bully you into staying. I’m sorry if I came on too strong. I was so pleased when Paul told me about the job offer and only saw the benefit from my point of view. You, quite rightly, have to satisfy your own needs and desires. Have…have you made other plans?’

  She lifted her head, her eyes suspiciously over-bright. ‘I’m looking at other centres in the UK, perhaps nearer to my aunt. But I can’t make any definite plans while this business with That Man is s
till unsolved. But if you need my room–’

  He grabbed her hand, forcing her to stop murdering the bread roll. ‘There’s no problem with the room. You can stay as long as it takes. Although, after the call from John, I’m hopeful that it might be quite soon.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I understand that you want to get on with your life, Louisa, and I respect you for that. But I will miss you when you leave and would hope that you’ll keep in touch. Perhaps come over sometime.’

  ‘Of course I’ll stay in touch! And I’d be happy to see you whenever I could. My not wanting to…to take a job at La Folie is absolutely not a reflection on my feelings for you. I’ve grown quite fond of you and enjoy our time together,’ she said, managing a smile.

  He was reassured. Pleased that it wasn’t because of him that she was turning down the job, he began to wonder what really lay behind her decision. Something didn’t quite add up and he wanted to know what it was. But now wasn’t the time to probe; he had to be patient. Not easy but…

  *

  Louisa, for the first time, was glad when the meal was over and she could scuttle back to La Folie. It had been such a shock when Malcolm announced that he was looking forward to seeing her become a new member of staff. Damn Paul! She thought, driving home. He had no right to say anything to her father before she had given him her answer. Men! Who do they think they are, making decisions for us? Her initial shock had given way to anger, seething slowly inside through what had seemed an endless meal. And Malcolm’s initial response hadn’t helped. Another man who liked to take charge – as he had with her mother all those years ago. But he had, at least, backtracked from that first reaction and they had agreed not to discuss it further. Thinking about that, she allowed her breathing to slow, letting the anger ease. It hadn’t been Malcolm’s fault; it was Paul’s. He was guilty of making her feel he was interested in having a relationship with her, and then promptly sabotaging the chance by offering her a job instead! As she pulled into the drive she remembered what her father had said about family working together. That was all well and good, she conceded, but didn’t apply to working with someone who apparently didn’t reciprocate your feelings for them. Switching off the engine, Louisa got out of the car and headed inside, hoping she could return to her room unnoticed. She was in no mood to talk to anyone. She was in luck and shut the door behind her with relief. Next stop: Paul.