‘I thought the staff weren’t supposed to swim in the pool.’
He shrugged. ‘They can as long as they’re discreet and it’s not in the middle of the day. It’s usually quiet round about now, so why not make the most of it?’
‘Thanks,’ she said, grateful to him for the suggestion. ‘I will.’ Without waiting for him to say anything else, she walked up the stairs closest to the staff quarters to go and change into her swimming costume. Stepping inside, she pushed her window as wide as it would go to let in some much-needed fresh air – not that the humid evening was allowing much relief inside the room. She pulled off her skirt and top and changed out of her underwear and into the red halter-neck bikini she’d bought when she’d been given the job in Jersey. There wasn’t any point coming to work on a holiday island and not make the most of the glorious weather, she’d thought.
A lifetime living on the outskirts of Devon hadn’t really prepared her for island life, though one thing she hadn’t had any trouble getting used to was the glorious weather. We might only be a couple of hundred miles south of the coast of England, she thought, but this place seems almost tropical at times. She loved this island and whether Gabriel was staying or not, she hoped to be able tostay here for the foreseeable future.
She put on a loose-fitting cotton dress and flip-flops and walked outside to the pool area. She looked around, relieved to see that only the pool attendant was out there, tidying up the seat covers and straightening tables. The guests must be out seeing the island, she decided. Slipping the dress over her head, she placed it down with her towel on one of the chairs in a far corner to the entrance of the area. She walked over to the edge of the pool, dipped the toes of her right foot into the water and then without giving herself time to think, dived in.
Her warm skin stung briefly when it touched the cool water. The otherworldly feeling of gliding through the water, unable to hear or feel anything or anyone around her, was bliss. She opened her eyes and swam to the shallow end, coming up for air with a smile on her face. Wiping the water from her face, she smoothed her wet hair back from her forehead, looking towards the arched front double doors of the hotel just as Gabriel emerged accompanying a couple of guests to their taxi. He stopped and gave her a smouldering look. She felt a pang so strong that all her good intentions of not falling for him were lost in an instant.
Unable to tear her gaze away from his, the message of his regret came across perfectly and for a second she wondered if maybe she’d been too quick to dismiss the prospect of the two of them ever being able to move on from this. The man standing next to Gabriel realised he wasn’t paying attention to what they were saying and Daisy saw him look over in her direction, giving her an approving look. She bent her knees so her shoulders were in the water when the woman also looked in her direction, no doubt to see what they were staring at. She smiled at Daisy and said something to Gabriel, who reddened slightly, shook his head, and opened the taxi door for them.
Daisy swam to the other side of the pool. Not wishing to be the centre of so much attention, she hurriedly got out, and grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her chest. She picked up her bag, slipped on her flip-flops and went around the side of the hotel to return to her room. She heard the taxi purring down the curved driveway and slowed her step. How could she really expect this situation to continue? she wondered miserably. Gabriel had his issues, as well as a divorce to deal with, and was certainly going to be around for the next month while Francesca and Rick were working, and as difficult as it was going to be, she couldn’t let Lydia down by leaving.
It wasn’t only that she had nowhere else to go, but also that she didn’t back out of her contract – she’d agreed to work the entire season at the Encore. She would just have to keep her head down and work hard, saving as much as possible so that she could maybe share a flat with someone who had residential qualifications here on the island. Gabriel wouldn’t be here too long, she decided; he had too many interests elsewhere with his marine exploration.
After a few days of trying to do just that, Daisy was working on a group booking at reception when Lydia walked up to the desk. ‘Hello,’ she said, her short white hair as immaculate as ever.
‘Hi,’ Daisy replied. ‘Isn’t this weather glorious?’
Lydia nodded. ‘It is, thankfully. The guests are always so much happier when they can plan their days to the beach or simply relax by the pool.’ She nodded a greeting to a passing gentleman who raised his Panama hat slightly in acknowledgement. When he’d stepped outside, Lydia added, ‘I haven’t seen you in my garden recently. Is everything all right?’
Embarrassed to have appeared rude and to have caused Lydia concern, Daisy blushed. ‘Fine, really. I’ve justbeen, um, busy with this and that.’
Lydia looked either side of her to check no one was around, and bending in slightly said, ‘So your absence has nothing to do with my grandson’s little bombshell the other day?’
Daisy frowned. ‘I’m sorry?’ She hadn’t expected him to share their argument with his grandmother and was mortified to think they’d been discussing her behind her back.
Lydia shook her head. ‘I think that came out a little oddly. I have a confession to make to you.’
Not another confession, Daisy groaned inwardly. ‘What is it?’ she asked politely, not really wishing to know.
‘I overheard your conversation with Gabriel in my garden.’
Daisy racked her brains to think what they’d actually said. She didn’t want to offer any information if it was incorrect, so shrugged. ‘Sorry, I can’t recall what we were talking about.’
‘His marriage to Bella,’ Lydia said gently. ‘I’m sorry, I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but I was working on a small shrubbery and you two stopped in front of a couple of the bushes and there didn’t seem to be the right time to make my presence known to you. Are you all right?’
Daisy was unable to hide the look of hurt on her face. ‘It was a shock,’ she said quietly.
Lydia nodded. ‘I’m sure it must have come as a terrible blow.’ She put one hand on her chest.
It occurred to Daisy that Gabriel’s secret had brought back unexpected memories for Lydia too. Daisy could see she was troubled by them and hurriedly forced a smile. ‘I’m fine now though, honestly,’ she fibbed.
Lydia studied her face and Daisy couldn’t help looking away, aware that she could see right through her attempts at bravado. ‘I think we should sit down and have a chat,woman-to-woman. Pop round after your shift, if you want.’
‘I’d like that,’ Daisy admitted. It would be good to speak with someone she trusted, even if that person adored Gabriel above anyone else.
After her shift was over, Daisy caught a bus to Lydia’s house and the two of them went for a walk down to the end of her garden and onto the beach below.
‘I’m glad you invited me to do this,’ Daisy said, stepping out of her flip-flops and holding them in one hand. ‘I think one of my all-time favourite things has to be walking barefoot on a sandy beach.’
‘I agree,’ Lydia said, pushing the front of her straw hat down a little further onto her forehead. ‘Please don’t think too badly of Gabriel,’ she said. ‘He means well even if he’s made some choices I find difficult to accept.’
‘Don’t you like Bella?’ Daisy asked, hoping she wasn’t over-stepping the mark where her employer was concerned.
Lydia stopped walking and looked at Daisy, the intensity of her icy blue gaze reaching deep into her soul. ‘I do like her.’ She rested a hand on Daisy’s shoulder. ‘She’s a lovely girl, although I’m sure that’s not what you’d prefer me to tell you.’
