‘I can tell by the look on your face when I arrived at the hotel that you didn’t know it was run by my family.’ He studied her face briefly, then turning back to focus on the road ahead, added, ‘You wouldn’t have come to the Encore if you’d known I was connected to it, would you?’
‘No,’ she said honestly.
‘Then I’m glad you didn’t know,’ he said, turning the car into a small lane. ‘Why didn’t you answer any of my messages?’
As soon as she’d see him standing outside the hotel Daisy knew he would ask her this question. It didn’t help her come up with an acceptable answer for him though, and she certainly wasn’t ready to tell him about her issues with Aaron. ‘I’m not sure what to say, really,’ she said, racking her brains to come up with something that didn’t divulge her true story.
‘It’s OK,’ he said, giving her one of his smiles she remembered only too well. ‘I understand if you’ve moved on. It was two years ago after all, but our time away together was pretty amazing.’
‘It was,’ she said wistfully. ‘But our lives were going in opposite directions.’ She hoped he wasn’t going to question her too much, although he had every right to expect a few answers. She recalled the promises they’d made to each other to stay in touch and meet up again as soon as they could manage to, but she’d left him in H?i An and believed their relationship to be a beautiful memory from her past.
‘So, what have you been doing since I last saw you? I mean, after you returned home to Devon. You seemed so happy in Vietnam, it was hard to imagine you staying back in England.’
‘It wasn’t easy,’ she said truthfully. ‘But I haven’t been doing much,’ she fibbed. ‘I’ve been here in Jersey since April to help set up for the season and I’m loving it. Your grandmother is incredible,’ she said, hoping to divert his attention away from her. ‘I really like her.’
‘She is,’ he nodded. ‘I spent a huge amount of my childhood staying with her.’
‘Was that because Francesca and Rick were away working?’
‘Yes.’
‘You never told me your family had a hotel,’ she said, trying not to sound accusatory. ‘I never connected you with Francesca and Rick. You said your last name was Wilson.’
‘It is.’ He laughed. ‘It’s a little complicated. You see, my dad’s real surname is Wilson, but there was another Rick Wilson with an Equity Card, so he uses his mother’s maiden name of Malone. Mum uses her maiden name, Fiore. Nan used to be an actress back in the fifties and she reverted to her maiden name, Grey, the one she used forher acting career after she split up with her husband.’
Daisy followed what he was telling her until he reached the bit about Lydia. ‘I never knew your grandmother was an actress too!’
He gave her a wide smile. ‘You didn’t realise she wastheLydia Grey, fifties blonde bombshell and Jersey’s answer to Marilyn Monroe?’
Daisy laughed at his teasing. ‘My mum was a huge fan of hers and had all her films.’ She conjured up a picture of the actress at the height of her fame. He wasn’t joking – his grandmother was the Lydia Grey. ‘How did I not realise that before? I love her work.’ She stared at him, trying to recall what had happened to end Lydia’s career at the height of her success. ‘But she disappeared suddenly after only a few years. What on earth happened?’
Gabe slowed the car to turn into a long driveway. He sighed. ‘It’s a bit of a mystery, I’m afraid, and one she refuses to discuss,’ he said. ‘She fell in love with my grandfather, but things didn’t work out; that much I do know. She has said that I look very much like him.’
Daisy wished she could see a picture of Gabe’s mysterious grandfather and hoped she’d be able to find out more about Lydia’s past. She recalled her mother talking about the actress’s disappearance from the public eye and much had been speculated about it. At least she knew Lydia was OK now. ‘It’s exciting to finally have met her,’ she said eventually.
He shrugged. ‘She’s always seemed happy. I think whatever did happen was life-changing. Her marriage didn’t last all that long, but she’s never encouraged any of us to ask about it, always changing the subject if we do get a little curious.’
Daisy opened her mouth to ask him what Lydia had done next, but he parked the car and got out, holding her door open for her. ‘She’ll be waiting for us around the back on the terrace.’
They hurried round along the stone pathway and Gabriel raised his hand and waved at his grandmother, sitting at a table. Her step faltered as she was confronted by the exquisite view in front of her. She presumed Lydia’s home had been built sometime in the fifties and the garden, which looked as if it led straight out onto a beach, was awe-inspiring.
‘See, I told you I’d get her here safely,’ Gabriel called.
She hurried to catch up with him. She straightened her dress and tried to tidy up her unruly hair before greeting her hostess. ‘Hello, Mrs Grey,’ she said, looking around her at the perfectly manicured lawn that dipped gently towards a view of the bay, framed on two sides by two enormous pine trees. ‘What a spectacular view.’
Lydia stood up and gave Gabriel a hug, then motioned for Daisy to take a seat at the table. ‘I’m glad you like it.’ She stared out to the rolling waves on the navy sea out in the bay. ‘I’ve lived here for decades and still think I must be dreaming for the first few seconds that I’m awake.’
‘I can see why,’ Daisy said, imagining how idyllic it would be to wake up at this house every morning surrounded by the vivid colours from the garden and going to sleep with the sounds of the waves all around.
‘Darling, go and pour Daisy a Bellini, and get yourself a cool drink.’ She turned her attention back to Daisy. ‘I hope you like them. I make excellent Bellinis, so I’m told.’
She thought she spotted a hint of sadness in Lydia’s eyes. ‘I love them,’ Daisy said.
Gabe was soon back with her drink, which was delicious.
‘Good?’ Gabriel asked. ‘Nan only uses the best white peach juice,’ he said. ‘She insists that’s the difference between a perfect Bellini and an average one, don’t you, Nan?’
‘It’s heavenly,’ Daisy said, before taking another sip.
