2010
They stayed a little longer, Tabby wanting to hear more about the Occupation as well as anything they could tell her about Wolfgang. When Elsie mentioned he had been billeted with other officers at The Imperial, Tabby gasped.
‘How strange! We’re having lunch there.’
‘I think someone saw them together there and told Bill. And they first met at Pleinmont when Olive was collecting firewood, she told me.’
Before they left, Tabby asked them if they’d join them for lunch, but they declined, saying they’d have some soup before their afternoon nap. Both Elsie and Charles did look tired and Tabby didn’t press them. Promising to stay in touch, they left.
Natalie again let Stuart take his mother’s arm as they walked the short distance to the pub. She was glad of the time to think. Her head buzzed with what the couple had told them, the jigsaw nearly complete. She was upset on Olive’s behalf about Wolfgang’s perfidy, having convinced herself he had been an honourable man killed in action. Although Elsie had said his letter mentioned family reasons for his marriage, in her mind he had behaved badly.
The pub was busy, with customers spilling onto the lawn outside overlooking the bay. Inside Natalie pushed her way through the crowd to ask if they could have a table in the restaurant, appropriately called The Water’s Edge. The waitress said they were lucky, a table in the window had just been vacated and would be ready in a minute. Stuart ordered drinks as they perused the menu.
‘I recommend the seafood as it’s caught in the bay. Can’t get fresher than that!’
The waitress called them to their table, Rocquaine Bay laid out before them.
‘Wow! You can see across to Fort Grey. I don’t know why I haven’t been before. Did you come here, Mum?’ Stuart pulled out chairs for Tabby and Natalie and all eyes turned towards the vista of golden sands leading up to the striking white top of Fort Grey, now a maritime museum, and once used by the Germans.
‘Yes, with friends after swimming on the beach down there.’ She pointed to the small beach with a jetty below. ‘Of course, it’s changed now and we only ever had crisps with our drinks. Couldn’t afford to eat out in those days.’ Her face clouded. ‘And it’s strange to find out my mother and…and Wolfgang met here, in a room upstairs.’ She lifted her eyes to the ceiling. ‘A bit surreal, isn’t it?’ Tabby looked at them, an air of sadness about her.
Stuart cleared his throat.
‘It is. Would you rather we went somewhere else? If it upsets you–’
‘No, I’m fine. I’m glad we came here, all part of laying the ghosts, don’t you think?’ She smiled at Natalie. ‘Thank you for suggesting it, and for all you’ve done to help me clear up the family mystery. I think this calls for a celebration, don’t you? Let’s have champagne! And I, for one, will have the Moules and Frites. Perfect!’
By Monday Natalie felt as if she’d put on pounds. Tabby had insisted on taking her and Stuart out for dinner on Saturday night and her parents invited them all for lunch on Sunday. Natalie had phoned her mother on Saturday afternoon to tell her about the meeting with the Le Prevosts. She knew her mother was dying to meet Stuart and only hoped she wouldn’t come on too pushy, like Tabby, who continued to make it plain she was delighted they were a couple. There was one fly in the ointment.
‘Does Tabby know you can’t father children?’ she asked Stuart when they were alone, finally, on Saturday.
‘Not exactly. She knew the mumps could result in infertility, but we never discussed it when I was older. She’s not the sort of mother you can talk to like that.’
‘Well, perhaps now would be a good time to tell her. If she sees we’re serious, then she’ll start dropping hints about babies, it’s what mothers do. And I don’t want that. Did she not say anything when you were with Pam?’
‘A bit, but I didn’t know I was infertile for years. Then Pam insisted we got checked out and found it was me with the problem. A few months later she left.’ He stroked her face as they sat on the sofa in her sitting room listening to music. ‘You’re right, I should tell her and I will. What about your mother?’
‘I’ll tell her. At least Phil’s made her a grandmother; it reduces the pressure on me.’
If Molly had been disappointed, she’d hidden it well, offering a warm welcome to Stuart and Tabby on Sunday. Natalie relaxed, letting the conversations flow around her. Stuart and her father were soon deep into discussions about the Grammar, where her father had taught for years, and Tabby and her mother talked about Natalie’s cottage and the now resolved mystery. As they left later that afternoon, Molly whispered in her ear, ‘Stuart’s lovely, darling. I hope you’ll be happy together.’
Knowing Matt was due early on Monday, Stuart had left her to get ready and returned home for breakfast. Natalie was in the kitchen when she heard his pickup and grinned. So much had happened since Matt’s last visit. She found him staring at the hole in the ground.
‘Morning. I see the police have saved me some digging. Is everything all right now? Must have been awful for you.’ He scratched his head.
‘Wasn’t great, but it’s all sorted now. So, remind me what we’d agreed for the pond?’
She left for work knowing that in a couple of days her pond and waterfall would be installed and working, complete with aquatic plants. She only needed to buy the fish. Simple.
As Natalie pulled into her drive, Stuart nipped out of The Old Barn. She smiled at him.
‘Missed me that much, did you?’ she said as he wrapped his arms around her.
‘You bet. It’s going to be hard with you going off to work and me having nothing to do all day except chilling out on the beach or going to the pub–’ She stopped him with a kiss.
‘Don’t rub it in! Did Alan arrive safely?’
He walked with her into the cottage, saying Alan and Tabby were now ensconced in a suite at La Grande Mare at Vazon. ‘Mum’s been given the go-ahead to bury Olive and she’s arranged the funeral for Saturday at St Peters Church. She thought you might want to attend.’
‘Of course. I feel as if I know Olive intimately. What about the inquest?’ she said, reaching for the kettle.
‘Next Monday, but you won’t need to be there. We’ll go with Mum. It’s just a formality and the DI said he expects the verdict to be “unlawful killing by person or persons unknown”. Once that’s over Mum and Alan will return to France and, hopefully, life can return to normal.’ He tried to kiss her, but laughing, she pulled away to make the tea.
‘Time for that later! Let’s take the tea outside and see how Matt got on today.’
No longer out of bounds, they used the back door and walked the few feet to what had been a big hole and a pile of earth. Matt must have worked hard; the top and bottom pond liners were in place, separated by rocks to form the waterfall. As yet the ponds were empty. A small weeping willow and a castor oil bush formed a backdrop, with space for further planting and a seat.
‘Looking good. So your garden will soon be completed. Are you pleased with it?’
She smiled. ‘Very. And it seems right, somehow, doesn’t it? The renovation of the cottage, giving it a fresh start after all the drama of the past. Laying your grandmother to rest, finally. Us. New beginnings.’
‘We do have one problem, though.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Assuming we make a go of it, where shall we live?’ He waved his hand in the direction of The Old Barn. ‘We hardly need two houses.’
Natalie chewed her lip.
‘Good point. I do love my cottage…’
‘I know. And it’s got a bigger and better garden, complete with pond.’ He hesitated. ‘I do have a suggestion. But it’s only a suggestion, you can say no.’
She tilted her head and grinned.
‘Uh huh. Tell me.’
‘Seems Mum’s falling in love with Guernsey and I thought perhaps she and Alan could use my place as a holiday home. Better than selling it to a stranger, yes?’
‘I think that’s a perfect idea. As long as they’re keen. Have you said anything to them?’
‘Of course not. Far too soon. In the meantime we can keep both our homes and spend time together or apart, as we like.’ He put his arms around her, and kissed her. A long, lingering kiss.
Coming up for air, she murmured, ‘I think together sounds better, don’t you?’