Dangerous Waters, page 28
As he walked away Jeanne felt blessed indeed. She had helped Gran to be re-united with her lost baby and she had, admittedly rather unwillingly, been the means of bringing her parents’ killers to justice. As she knelt at the grave she took a deep breath before beginning her story.
Before returning to La Tonnelle Jeanne dropped into Molly’s to bring her up to date. She stayed just long enough to have a cup of tea and left a very relieved Molly, to return to Bordeaux.
Once back she rang Aunt Kate. She had avoided phoning her before, not wanting to worry her. It was not easy to tell Kate that her beloved sister had been murdered and that she, Jeanne, had, for the second time, come close to being killed. Her aunt tried gamely to hold back the tears as they talked. Feeling guilty, Jeanne agreed to go over for a visit as soon as things settled down. She needed to collect the rest of her belongings, anyway. As she put down the phone she wondered if she could persuade Nick to go with her and meet the one close remaining member of her family. It would do them both good to get off the island for a few days, she thought.
They enjoyed a quiet Indian meal at The Bridge that night and all the anxiety and fear of the last few days began to diminish, eased by the spicy food and chilled Indian beer. Jeanne even found herself giggling at something Nick said and when she went to the Ladies and glanced at herself in the mirror she saw the sparkle was back in her eyes.
It was still quite early when they returned home and Nick made them each a coffee before they sat curled up together on the sofa, listening to music. Less than an hour later Jeanne began to yawn and Nick murmured, ‘Come on, time for bed. I think you could do with some of my special therapy.’
She peeped up at him.
‘Oh, yes. And what’s that exactly?’
‘Come upstairs and you’ll find out!’ he said, kissing her enticingly on the lips.
‘Mm, might just do that!’
They were no sooner in the bedroom than Nick pushed her gently onto the bed and began to remove her clothes, tantalisingly slowly. His fingers brushed her skin and desire shot through her. He then pulled off his shirt, kissing her expectant and yearning body as he stripped. Finally, they were lying skin to skin and her excitement was mounting to an almost unbearable pitch. They kissed hungrily, their love-making becoming more urgent. Nick slid inside her and she gasped. The intense pleasure which began to flow through her body washed away all the horror and anxiety of the day and a while later they collapsed in each others’ arms and fell quickly asleep.
Thursday morning saw a transformed Jeanne busy at her computer, working with renewed enthusiasm on her book. It was if the heavy load she had been carrying for fifteen years had now been shaken off and she felt invigorated. Being in love helped, she thought, with a smile. Heady stuff! Her fingers flew over the keyboard and she wrote more in a morning than she had achieved in days before what she thought of as her ‘rebirth’. Another spur to creativity was the cheque from her agent which had been in her post at Le Petit Chêne. She was feeling rich and after a very satisfying day’s work went off to buy fillet steaks for their supper that night.
By the weekend the couple had established a daily routine which suited them both. Jeanne worked on her book during the day and Nick came home for a light lunch. He was back in the evening in time to help with supper and Jeanne was pleasantly surprised at how good a cook he was, despite his protestations to the contrary.
On Saturday she suggested they both go to Le Petit Chêne as Nick had not been there for some weeks. It was such a glorious day that Jeanne packed a picnic for them to eat in the garden.
Nick was impressed with the changes made and seemed particularly pleased that the original character had been retained. Upstairs the old wooden floors had been stripped, sanded and wax polished and downstairs old reclaimed oak flooring had been laid over the cold flagstones, except in the kitchen which now boasted honey-coloured terracotta tiles.
‘You’ve got great taste, Jeanne. But I should know that by now, shouldn’t I?’ he said, with a cheeky smile.
Jeanne grinned and said, ‘I’ve always thought I had good taste where property’s concerned. But my taste in men has been, until now, decidedly dodgy! Now, I’m dying to see the kitchen.’
All the units were in place with the doors and drawer fronts fitted. A bright blue Smeg fridge-freezer stood proudly against one wall and the range cooker gleamed under the spotlights. Her gran’s dresser was back in place, awaiting the final touch of the blue and yellow china.
‘Wow! This is great! A lot more user friendly than mine. What colour scheme are you using in here?’
Jeanne showed him the paint sample card with a sunny yellow marked off and the samples of the hand finished tiles in a range of tones that would form the splash-back, complementing the wall colour. He nodded approvingly and checked out the utility room where the laundry equipment was now fitted under a laminated worktop next to a sink unit.
The plasterer had finished and there were just a few areas still drying out around the cottage. In the summer’s heat the walls would be ready for painting within the week. The en-suite shower was now working and Jeanne took great pleasure switching on the various taps.
‘That shower looks awesome! I look forward to trying it out,’ Nick said as they stood hand in hand in the transformed room.
‘Ah, well now. You’ll need to be invited, won’t you?’ she teased.
He looked at her seriously before replying. ‘Perhaps we should discuss that over lunch.’
Not sure how to respond she led the way through to the master bedroom. This was completely bare as the old furniture had gone and her clothes and the bedding were safely stored in the attic. The walls had been re-plastered, a blank canvas waiting for Jeanne’s personal touch.
‘Looks like you need some furniture,’ Nick said, waving his arms around the empty space.
‘I know. I don’t have anything so it means a lot of shopping before I move back in, something I’m quite good at. The most essential item is the bed, of course!’ She shot him a provocative look.
Nick cleared his throat.
‘So, when are you planning on moving back?’
‘Martin reckons they’ll be out in a week now. The kitchen’ll take a bit longer but that’s not a problem so I could move back next weekend. I want to start painting as soon as possible.’
He frowned. ‘There’s a lot of work here for just one person. And what are you going to do about wardrobes and other storage?’
‘I’ll have to buy them. It would have been nicer to have fitted units but it’s so expensive.’
He nodded. ‘Yes it is, thanks to the high cost of labour. Now, how about we continue our talk over lunch? I’ve built up quite an appetite.’
Nick carried the cool-box while Jeanne spread out a rug on the grass. Her patio and pergola were under construction and not ready for use. As soon as they were, she planned to buy the furniture needed for proper alfresco dining. After they’d filled their plates with salad and a selection of cooked meats and cheeses, Nick opened the bottle of chilled white wine.
‘Santé!’
They sipped their wine and began to eat. She was aware that Nick had something on his mind and wasn’t sure if it was good or bad. Do I ask him outright or do I sit and stew while he waits to tell me? Deciding to take the initiative she asked, ‘Is there something you want to discuss?’
‘Yes, there is. I think we should talk about where we go from here.’
‘You mean after lunch?’ she replied, all innocence.
‘No, you idiot! You know very well what I mean. You’ve said you want to move back here in a week’s time which is fair enough. It’s your home and I can see you’re longing to get back and finish it. And it’s a credit to you. It really is. But I think you’ve underestimated how much there is still to be done and I don’t want you wearing yourself out. It’s about time you relaxed and had some fun. So, I’d like to offer my services.’
Jeanne grinned and raised her eyebrows.
‘Not those kind of services! Even though they are certainly available anytime madam requires them! I meant painting walls and building wardrobes. The deadlines have eased at work now so I could cut down my hours a little in order to help you. But I do have an ulterior motive.’
‘Oh yes. And what’s that?’ She bit her lip. It sounded ominous.
‘I’d like to spend more time with you and if you’re here and I’m up in Bordeaux that won’t be so easy. I thought that if I moved in with you while we were finishing off the cottage that would solve the problem. I’d get to see a lot more of you and you’d get your cottage finished more quickly. So, what do you think?’
Think? She wanted to shout for joy! He wanted to be with her! That sounded good to her and she’d be glad of the help. And other, er, services! she acknowledged.
‘I’d love it. But when two people do up a place together it can really strain the relationship. Do you think ours is strong enough to cope?’
He looked at her so intensely that she caught her breath.
‘I think so, don’t you?’ he said at last, stroking her face.
‘Um, yes. But what happens when we finish the cottage? Will you move back to Bordeaux?’
‘That depends on you. If you want me to stay here with you, I will.’
‘But what about La Tonnelle? Don’t you want to live there? It’s your family home.’
He shook his head.
‘It hasn’t felt right being there since dad died. And after Helen’s renovation… well! It’s lost its soul. I’m thinking of selling it and using the money to back Colette with her restaurant. What do you think?’
‘I think it’s a fantastic idea!’ Jeanne was excited. ‘Colette’s bound to be a success and she can use all my family recipes. Might even boost my book sales!’
A thought struck her.
‘But if you sell La Tonnelle, you’ll have nowhere to live except here with me, will you? Are you sure that’s what you want? I don’t want you to be here just ‘coz you’re homeless,’ she said, half jokingly.
‘Well, I’d quite like some security of tenure, naturally. Wouldn’t want to think I could be thrown out at any moment!’
He stroked her hair from her face and kissed her gently on the lips before murmuring in her ear, ‘If we were married I’d feel happier.’
Jeanne’s eyes opened wide and she felt her stomach flip over as she took in what he’d said.
‘You’re asking me to marry you, Nick?’ she said softly.
‘Yes, I guess I am. I’d like you to be my wife and the mother of the many children I hope to have!’
As she opened her mouth in protest he laughed and put his fingers over her lips and then said. ‘Well, perhaps two children would be enough. So, what do you say, Miss Le Page?’
‘I say yes, Mr Mauger. Yes please!’
‘Great! I’d say that was reason to celebrate, wouldn’t you?’
‘And what exactly do you have in mind for this celebration,’ she replied, feeling her insides melting as Nick’s hands slipped inside her top.
‘Oh, I’m sure we can think of something, don’t you?’ he murmured, his hands encircling her breasts.
‘I, er, guess so.’ She closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy what promised to be quite a celebration.
chapter thirty-five
The next few days passed in a blissful haze for Jeanne. She made excited phone calls to Kate and Freya, the latter letting out such a screech that Jeanne had to hold the phone away from her ear.
‘The dishy man’s proposed! Oh, my God! That’s brilliant news, girl. I’m so, so happy for you. You weren’t by any chance wearing that lovely rose quartz were you?’
Jeanne’s fingers instinctively touched the pendant round her neck and smiled.
‘Yep, I’ve been wearing it for a few days now. Perhaps it’s my lucky charm!’
‘Looks like it. So, when’s the wedding going to be?’
‘Oh, there’s no rush. Perhaps next year. We want to see how we cope with living together while we finish off the cottage. Just in case!’
It was true that there was no hurry. They both wanted to make absolutely sure that this time round they had chosen the right partners. And for Jeanne it had only been a few months since the break up with Andy and the loss of her baby. At least Nick had made it clear how much he wanted a family and she could now give free reign to her dreams of playing with their children in the garden of Le Petit Chêne. Jeanne hugged that picture to herself as she made a site visit before going on to take flowers to the graves.
She had just parked her car when Reverend Ayres approached.
‘Good morning, Jeanne. How are you this fine day?’
‘Very well thanks, Vicar. In fact I’ve got some news for you,’ she smiled.
On hearing about the engagement the Vicar expressed his delight and said that he hoped to have the honour of marrying them when they’d set a date.
‘Oh, I’d love that! It would be so good to have a happy family occasion celebrated here at long last.’
‘Yes – completing the circle, as I believe that both your parents and grandparents were married here.’
Jeanne nodded and they chatted for a few more moments before going their separate ways.
‘Mum and Dad, I’ve got something wonderful to tell you!’
Kneeling by their grave her heart was filled with love, but sorrow still lurked on the edge. As she spoke she thought of not just what she had gained, the love of a wonderful man, but the loss of her loving and would-be proud parents. She felt so sad that her mother wouldn’t be at the wedding, wearing a posh frock and big hat, the beautiful mother of the bride. Her dad would not be walking her proudly down the aisle as he’d always envisaged. Wiping away the tears falling on the freesias, Jeanne consoled herself with the thought that as the wedding would be at St Saviours, her parents and grandparents would be nearby. Surely they’d be wishing them both well. Come on, girl, get it together, she told herself, as she went over to her grandparents’ grave.
Molly and Peter were over the moon when Jeanne and Nick popped in on Monday evening, and had insisted on opening a bottle of champagne. They had delayed calling round as Molly’s visitors had not left until that morning and they’d not wanted to intrude. Peter, no longer feeling guilty about Marcus, made clear his approval of Nick and the two men had soon drifted off into the garden, deep in a discussion about boats and fishing.
‘Molly, I need your help with a problem,’ Jeanne said as they sat in the kitchen finishing off their champagne.
‘Of course. Oh, you’re not still having nightmares, are you?’ Molly looked worried.
‘Oh no, nothing like that. It’s just that I feel there’s still some unfinished business between Marcus and I. He was so keen for us to be a couple, told me he loved me and everything. But he knew he’d helped kill my parents! Not willingly, I know. But what was he thinking would happen if and when I regained my memory? And been able to identify him?’ Jeanne said, twisting her hair tightly round her fingers.
Molly frowned.
‘I see what you mean. He wouldn’t have been able to relax, ever. Strange. Perhaps subconsciously he wanted to be found out. It must have been a terrible burden to carry all these years.’
‘Yes. Maybe that’s why he was so materialistic – trying to blot out his guilt.’ Jeanne took a deep breath.
‘Do you think I should see him again? Ask him to his face?’
Molly looked concerned.
‘I don’t know if that’s wise. You might stir things up for yourself again, just when your life’s coming together. Whatever he’d thought about what might happen has no bearing on either the present or the future. I think he’s a very confused and unhappy young man who didn’t plan to fall in love with you, but did and hadn’t thought through the consequences. He may well have found that it was just as painful to be with you as not. Can’t you just let it go, Jeanne? Accept that not even Marcus may have known how he was going to handle the future if you’d become a couple?’
Jeanne sighed and her fingers released the tangled hair.
‘You’re right. I have to, I guess. After all, there’s a lot going on in my life now.’
Just then the men came back and Jeanne’s heart contracted as she gazed at Nick. She really was a very lucky girl, she thought. Molly was right. No point in raking up the mud with Marcus when she could just enjoy being loved by Nick.
She was happy living with him in his house but could hardly wait to move back into her cottage. She had to curb her impatience, however, as Nick had pointed out that it would be better to wait until at least some of the rooms were painted and they had a fitted wardrobe in their bedroom. Agreeing, reluctantly, that this made sense, she turned her energy into painting the rooms downstairs while Nick started work on the units for the master bedroom. She loved his designs and told him so.
‘Aren’t I lucky to have a clever carpenter at my beck and call!’
‘Hey! I’m not just a carpenter, you know. And who said I was at your beck and call?’ Nick grabbed her and they rolled over in a mock fight, both laughing as they mercilessly tickled each other.
Calming down they went back to checking through their To Do list.
‘I definitely don’t want stuffy furniture. I’d like squashy leather sofas, a modern light oak dining table with leather, high back chairs and, most importantly, a big, bouncy bed,’ Jeanne said and fluttered her eyelashes in an exaggerated fashion before getting a fit of giggles.
‘Sounds great. I particularly like the sound of the bed,’ Nick grinned as he pulled her close.
‘I think we’d better go shopping, then, Mr Mauger.’
‘Yes, Miss Le Page, I think we should!’
Three weeks later they moved in and were holding a barbecue to celebrate. Summer was nearly over but the weather remained warm and sunny and the garden was again looking at its best. The pergola looked as if it had been there for years, crafted in weathered timber and encircled with young shoots of Russian vine, honeysuckle and passionflower creeping up the posts. By the following summer there would be an umbrella of foliage to offer shade to diners as they relaxed around the large teak table. This was groaning under the weight of the food ready to feed the many friends and family invited to the celebration.
