Guy nodded. ‘Please. You can keep it, but if you could get a copy made for me that would be good. I talk to that photo a lot.’
‘Sure.’
Liz handed the photo to Leon. She and Guy watched as the expression on Leon’s face changed. ‘I do look like him, don’t I?’ And he brushed a tear away. ‘Sorry.’
‘As well as looking like him, you’ve got a lot to live up to,’ Guy said quietly.
Leon gave a slight nod and glanced at his watch as it buzzed.
‘Damn. I have to go earlier than I expected. We have each other’s number now so we can keep in touch over the next couple of weeks while I’m at sea.’ Leon looked at Guy mischievously. ‘Do I get to call you Uncle?’
‘If you want to.’
‘Are you going to take me out for treats?’
‘Possibly. But I’ll also tell you off if you misbehave and ground you for weeks at a time.’
Both of them laughed before Guy reached out and gave him another quick hug.
‘You take care and we’ll see each other again when you get back. And once the season finishes, you need to make time for me to introduce you to your grandfather. Okay?’
Leon smiled. ‘Okay, Uncle. Thank you both for supper. I’m truly sorry I have to dash.’ And he held up his hand. ‘High five?’
And Guy slapped his hand against his nephew’s before Leon turned and left.
Guy stood in the open doorway watching him go, a smile on his face even as the tears started to fall.
43
As the two of them drank their breakfast coffees and ate their toast Tuesday morning, Guy said, ‘I’ve got to go and see Sandy this morning. I shouldn’t be too long.’
‘I think I’ll go for a last wander around Antibes in that case. I’d like to take some photos for research and to look back on with happy memories,’ Liz said. ‘Shall we walk so far together?’
Half an hour later, Guy kissed Liz goodbye as she turned in the opposite direction to him for the marina and he went on into town. As he walked, he thought about why he was going to see Sandy and the one question he wanted answered. Inevitably, Jacqueline and the years they’d spent together came into his mind. Good years in the main, especially when they had first met and fell in love. It was only in the later years of their marriage that she’d changed – that they’d both changed, if he was honest. After the accident, when he’d succumbed to those dreadful weeks of anguish and sadness for Jacqueline, he’d started to wonder if their marriage would have survived for much longer or was it already in its last stages? Meeting Liz and realising how much he wanted her in his life, not missing Jacqueline, he strongly suspected the marriage had been in its death throes. Whatever truths Sandy told him that morning, he was now ready to cope with them and move on with his life with no regrets.
Sandy opened the door and gave him a big smile as she saw who it was. The smile faded as Guy said, ‘I need to talk to you about Jacqueline – and why she was in a taxi on that particular day.’
She held the door open silently and he walked in.
‘Romain home?’
Sandy shook her head. ‘No. Cup of coffee?’
Guy accepted the offer to give him time to sort out the thoughts racing around his mind.
As Sandy placed the coffee in front of him, she said, ‘Sometimes it’s better not to know certain things.’
‘Not in this instance,’ Guy said. ‘I need to have closure.’
‘Promise me, though, you won’t hold me responsible for Jacqueline’s actions. The contract for renting the villa arrived this morning, please don’t cancel it because you are upset by the little I can tell you. I don’t know everything, but what I do know is sure to upset you.’
Guy gave a weary sigh. ‘I promise. Do you want me to sign it before you talk to me?’
‘No, I’ll take your word for it.’
Guy took a mouthful of coffee, swallowed and looked at Sandy.
‘Do you know why Jacqueline was in that taxi on that fateful day?’
