‘He’s my father,’ she murmured.
Had he heard right? ‘Sorry?’
She looked him straight in the eyes and said loud enough for the couple to hear her. ‘He’s my father.’
‘That’s what I thought you’d said,’ he replied, turning slowly as he became aware that the arguing had ceased. The man was now peering around Gabriel trying to see who’d just spoken. Aware that Daisy didn’t care if they’d heard her, Gabriel stepped back to let her face the older man. He was surprised when neither of them spoke, butsimply studied each other. She’d never mentioned her father before and he’d assumed he must be dead.
‘Daisy?’ The man eventually said. ‘What are you doing here?’
Gabriel looked at Daisy to see how she’d react, but her cold expression didn’t change. He couldn’t help wondering what sort of relationship she had with this man. It wasn’t good, that much was obvious. He was distracted by a whimper and turned to the couple. The man’s wife looked as if she was about to pass out.
Gabriel said, ‘Maybe you’d like to come into the office, sit down and have a chat?’
He wasn’t sure what they wanted to do but standing outside around the pool area with other guests arriving wasn’t the best audience for them to have this reunion. When no one reacted, apart from the boy showing interest in the girl who had helped haul him out of the pool, Gabriel added, ‘Grab your things and follow me.’
He didn’t wait for them to reply, but started collecting their towels. The man moved first, glaring at the woman and murmured for her to be quiet and that he’d explain everything later. Gabriel presumed by her reaction that he’d never thought to mention anything about Daisy’s existence.
He glanced at Daisy, and seeing she was still glaring at the couple, walked over to her and pushed her back gently to get her moving.
She looked up at him in surprise, as if she’d just registered his presence even though they’d spoken only moments before. ‘Where are we going?’
‘Inside. Somewhere private. You look as if you’d like to talk.’
‘About what?’ she frowned.
He lowered his head to hers. ‘I think you’ve come assomething of a surprise to this man’s wife and son.’
‘You can say that again.’
Gabriel pushed her gently and she began walking inside, slowly, staring at the man as she passed. He gave his daughter a sheepish look and then focused his attention on collecting his wife and son’s belongings together.
‘But I want to swim,’ the boy whined.
‘Later.’ His mother snapped. ‘Your father has something he wishes to discuss with us.’
Gabriel wasn’t sure that the boy needed to be a witness to what was coming next. He glanced at his watch and said, ‘The lifeguard should be on duty any second. If you like, your son can wait with Fi at reception until he arrives. She’ll make sure the lifeguard keeps an eye on him while you’re not there.’
The mother nodded.
They followed Gabriel inside, Daisy occasionally giving looks at the couple who were now whispering furiously. Her father dragged the boy along with them towards the reception area.
Gabriel asked Fi to watch over him until the lifeguard arrived for his shift. ‘Please also send in a tray of tea and biscuits to the office,’ he said. ‘And don’t put through any calls until I say.’
Fi nodded. ‘You all right?’ she asked Daisy.
‘Fine,’ Daisy said, looking anything but. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
‘It’s fine, I’ll ask Jo to come and cover for you if I need to.’
The four adults made their way to the office. He indicated for them to take a seat on one side of the desk and for Daisy to sit in his father’s chair. Gabriel then went into the next-door office to collect a fourth chair for him to sit on.
He re-entered the silent room and realised that heneeded to take charge if they were going to get anywhere. ‘OK, it seems to me that Daisy is surprised to see you here,’ he said to her father. ‘Mr, erm…’
‘Baxter. Peter Baxter,’ said the man, trying to take his wife’s hand but she snatched it away and glowered at him in supressed rage. He cleared his throat. ‘This is my wife,’ he said by way of introduction to Daisy. ‘Stella.’
‘Yes,’ said the woman, finally finding her voice. ‘And that poor unsuspecting child out there, who—’ she directed her venom at Peter ‘—almost drowned not ten minutes ago, is in shock to discover that he is not after all an only child but has a sister who must be, what? Twenty, twenty-one?’
‘Twenty-six,’ Daisy replied.
