‘I lived in a pretty village near the sea,’ she said finally, not wishing him to know the full extent of her story. ‘So I spent most of my time on the beach, or wandering around the cliff paths, finding places to sketch or paint.’
‘Do you still paint?’
‘Sometimes,’ she said, not wishing to think about how much she missed those days.
There was a brief silence before Gabe asked, ‘Do you think that’s where you got your travel bug?’
‘Maybe. There were always so many holidaymakers around and I always wondered where they’d come from.’
Gabe stared at her in silence for a bit. ‘How come we spent so much time together in Vietnam and never talked about our pasts? What did we talk about?’
She shook her head, allowing herself to think back to those perfect weeks where she’d been happiest. ‘Probably the places we’d been to and what we’d seen.’ She had spent two years trying not to think too much about thoseblissful days and nights with him. ‘I should think Jersey and Devon were farthest from our minds when we were so far away.’
He nodded. ‘Yes, you’re probably right. And art, of course.’
Daisy smiled. Gabe had been a keen sketcher in Vietnam and they’d had many conversations about it and about how the light was different there to at home, making the colours of the earth and sky seem more vibrant somehow.
She twisted the ring on her finger.
‘You kept it then?’
She frowned, unsure what he meant. Then following his line of vision realised he was referring to the interlaced triple rings he’d bought her at a tiny jewellery shop they’d come across during the last week of their time together. The ring, with its yellow, gold and white bands. ‘Oh, yes, I wear it all the time.’ She didn’t add that it comforted her when she was feeling especially vulnerable. The thought made her glance down the garden towards the beach. She was being silly. She was safe here. No one knew her, so who could let him know where to find her?
‘I’m pleased,’ Gabe said, bringing her back to the present. He frowned. ‘You OK?’
She forced a smile. ‘Yes, I was just thinking.’
‘You looked troubled for a moment,’ he said. ‘Are you sure there’s nothing bothering you?’
‘Nothing,’ she lied. Aaron had ruined far too much of her life already; she was determined to overcome her fear of him, somehow.
She really must learn to hide her feelings if she didn’t want anyone to start questioning her about her past, she decided. If she was going to make a new life for herself then she needed to push aside her memories of Aaron and what he’d done to her. He’d ruined her life in Devon but she had a chance to make a life for herself here in Jersey. She placed her hand on the table, letting the sun glint onher ring. ‘I didn’t think there was a reason to take it off,’ she said, awkwardly bringing the subject back to happier memories. ‘It’s a beautiful ring.’
‘I’m glad you like it; I wasn’t sure if you were just being polite when I bought it for you, but when you told me you had to leave it seemed the perfect sentiment.’
She stared at the three intertwined bands. ‘They met, they fell in love, they parted,’ she said, thinking how sad they’d both been when she discovered she had to cut her trip short.
He raised his glass. ‘Come on, let’s not think about the past. Nan will go mad if she thinks I’ve ruined your evening. We’re here to enjoy her food.’ He laughed. ‘I hope.’
Relieved he’d lightened the mood, Daisy joined him. She was enjoying herself, not only because of seeing him again, but also for the chance to get to know Lydia a bit better and spend an evening away from the hotel and the constant noise that went with living on-site.
‘Gabriel, can you come and help me please?’ Lydia shouted from inside the house.
He gave Daisy a smile and got up. ‘It’s good to have you here,’ he said simply, before walking off to help his grandmother.
Daisy breathed in the rose-scented air in the pretty garden. She didn’t think she’d ever spent time in any private garden as beautiful as this one. She looked at the herb border and longed to smell a sprig of the abundant rosemary growing along the back. She would love to paint it sometime.
‘Here we are,’ Gabriel said, placing a plate of penne pasta in front of her and another on his grandmother’s place. He took the plate his grandmother was holding for himself. ‘I’ll go and fetch the salad and bread.’
‘It’s arrabbiata,’ Lydia said. ‘I hope you like it.’
Daisy did. In fact she thoroughly enjoyed the entireevening with one old friend and another newer one. Lydia asked Gabriel more about his latest project and Daisy could see how proud Lydia was of her grandson from the sparkle in her eyes.
‘I love it, but it’s very intense, which is why I can’t afford to be here for too long,’ he said, between mouthfuls. ‘I need to get back to the others and do my bit as soon as possible. We’re hoping for approval from a new sponsor to keep the project going.’
‘Where is it,’ Daisy asked, ‘and what does the project involve?’
‘It’s in South Africa. Down the south coast from Durban, just outside Umkomaas,’ he added. ‘We’re looking at newly discovered marine life and why it’s chosen that habitat to breed in.’
