‘You too,’ she said, shaking his hand, then taking up her brush again as soon as he was out of sight.
About an hour later, Daisy sensed that she was being watched. Her heart pounded and she tried not to panic. She looked around slowly, trying to act as if she was surveying the view, but couldn’t see anyone. She was being ridiculous. She was in Jersey now. She carried on painting until she was sure she’d heard someone say her name. The hairs stood up on her arms as she listened, butnot hearing it again, decided that she’d been imagining things.
‘There you are,’ Gabriel said, as he came along the dusty footpath.
Daisy jumped, not expecting him to be here. So that’s who she’d felt watching her. She was so relieved she couldn’t help smiling widely at him. ‘Gabriel,’ she said, unused to seeing people she knew unexpectedly here on the island. It was a comforting feeling. ‘How did you know where to find me?’
‘Fi said you were coming here to paint for a few hours,’ he said. ‘I didn’t like to disturb you, but it’s lunchtime now, so I thought I’d bring you some food in case you were hungry.’
She looked down at the small hamper he was carrying and couldn’t help smiling. ‘You’ve bought me a picnic?’
She’d enjoyed so few picnics and the best one by far had been the one Gabriel had taken to the Sunset Concert, and that had been cut short. She was still upset with him, but at that moment her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since her supper the night before.
‘You’re obviously hungry,’ he said, before she had a chance to refuse his kind offer.
She shrugged. ‘I’ve never had a picnic before,’ she admitted. ‘Well, not actuallyeatenone.’
‘We’re not going to discuss my previous attempt at bringing you a picnic.’
‘No, we’re not,’ she said, interested to see what goodies he’d packed for their al fresco lunch.
He looked happy to have pleased her. ‘Then I hope this one lives up to your estimation.’ He stepped closer to her easel, studied it, and then looked past it to the bay in the background.
Daisy hoped he liked what he saw. She knew art was subjective, but it gave her confidence when any of the few people she’d shown herpaintings to had professed to liking her work. ‘What do you think?’
He didn’t speak for a few moments, staring at the painting, before saying, ‘It’s incredible. You’re very talented.’
She smiled as he turned to face her. ‘Thank you, I appreciate that.’
‘I’m only being honest,’ he said. He held up the hamper. ‘Shall I help you carry your easel, or do you want to eat somewhere close by so you don’t have to move it?’
She looked around at the gorse and grass to try and locate somewhere suitable for them to sit. ‘There should be fine,’ she said, pointing to a small area where the grass was shorter and there was a clear view of the bay. ‘I can see my canvas from here, so there’s no chance of anyone messing with it.’
Gabriel carried the hamper over to their designated area and put it down. He unrolled the plaid picnic rug he’d taken to the concert and motioned for her to take a seat.
Daisy couldn’t hide her happiness as she settled down, closing her eyes briefly in the warm sunshine. When she opened them he was holding out a champagne glass for her to take.
‘Isn’t it a bit early?’ she giggled, feeling deliciously carefree.
‘Nope,’ he smiled. ‘My grandmother said it’s never too early in the day for either chocolate or champagne.’
‘Lydia’s a wise woman,’ Daisy said, taking the glass from him and holding it while he poured it half full. She watched as he took a small bottle of orange juice, unscrewed the lid, and topped off the drink with it. ‘You see, you’re not being totally indulgent – you’re also getting one of your five a day.’
She waited for him to make up the same drink for himself, and when he held his glass up, he said, ‘To you, lovely Daisy. Here’s to a perfect summer in Jersey.’
‘Hear, hear,’ she agreed, taking a sip and relishing the taste of the Buck’s Fizz in her mouth.
He drank from his glass and then, putting it down on a flat stone, unpacked plates, a baguette, a plate of Jersey butter, tomatoes, cold cooked Jersey Royals, a slab of brie, and some grapes. ‘I hope you like all this,’ he said, handing her a plate.
Daisy nodded. She placed her glass down carefully and then started selecting food. As they ate, she thought how perfect this all was. ‘Thanks so much, Gabe.’
‘My pleasure,’ he said, smiling. ‘I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be left alone to paint, but thought you could always tell me to get lost and I’d have left you in peace.’
She laughed. ‘I’d never do that,’ she said.
‘Really?’
‘Not when you’ve come so well prepared to feed me,’ she joked.
