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CHARLOTTE’S EYEBROWS rose in enquiry as Tess entered the kitchen.
‘Evening. You’re very late, everything okay?’
Tess threw her bag on the table before pouring herself a glass of water.
‘Yes, I think so. Had to see a patient after surgery and now I’m starving. Anything to report before I go upstairs?’ Tess drank greedily, feeling hot as well as hungry.
‘I managed to squeeze in some reading and there’s not much left now. I covered 1878...’ She filled her in with the details, finishing with, ‘Pierre was still hitting her and her health wasn’t good.’
‘Oh, no.’ Tess bit her lip.
The next day her father arrived and this time stayed at the Pandora in Hauteville. They arranged to meet at St Michel with Jack during her lunch hour.
‘It’s great to see you, Dad, and looking so well.’ Ken looked fitter and had a healthy colour and Tess was relieved, glad he looked his old self again.
‘And you look pretty bonny yourself, love. Something must be agreeing with you, eh?’ He tilted his head, his eyes twinkling.
She felt herself redden.
‘If you must know it’s going quite well with Jack but please don’t pump him will you? It’s early days and we’re taking it slowly.’
‘Understood. Right, are we going in, then?’ They had met outside the front door and Tess pushed it open. She hadn’t been round for several days and was keen to see the progress.
‘My, what an improvement,’ Ken said, as they stood in the hallway. Tess smiled as she took in the painted walls and the newly fitted lights. The mahogany staircase and panelling gleamed and the wooden floor glowed with fresh polish.
‘Glad you approve, Dad, I’m looking forward to moving in. Let’s see if Jack’s around.’
She led the way into the front room and found the painter working on the walls, the wooden floor covered with dust sheets. She had chosen a pale creamy yellow for most of the walls and a deep green for the fireplace wall in the front room. And without the chimney breast the dining area looked much bigger.
‘Hi, is Jack here, please?’
‘In the kitchen, Tess,’ replied the painter, barely glancing her way.
She went back into the hall and through the door leading downstairs, her father following. Jack was talking to the electrician, finishing off the complicated electrics in the kitchen now the tiling was completed. Jack came over to say hello, kissing Tess and shaking hands with Ken.
‘Well, young man, you seem to have done a grand job for my daughter. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far.’
‘Thanks, Ken, I’m only happy if my client’s happy,’ Jack said, squeezing Tess’s hand. She had to avoid her father’s eyes in case she blushed and moved over to see what Sparks was doing. He explained how he was wiring up the appliances to switches above the worktop. Tess nodded and walked round, leaving Jack and Ken to chat. This was the first time she’d seen the kitchen looking more or less finished and as she ran her fingers along the granite worktops she admired the understated matt cream units. Her big extravagance was the range cooker, a sleek black and silver contraption with a double oven and grill and topped with an extra-large hob. It would, she hoped, encourage her to improve her culinary skills to match those of her friends. Other appliances were hiding behind unit doors and in the centre of the room was an old farmhouse table and chairs to soften the blandness of the units. The old downstairs loo was now a functional utility room and another door led directly to the garden. New, bigger windows and clever lighting made the whole area look and feel bright and airy.
‘Everything okay?’ Jack said, joining her.
‘More than okay, thanks. I love it.’ She nodded towards the jungle outside. ‘I’ll need to organise some help with that if I’m to enjoy sitting outside this summer.’
‘No worries. I’ve arranged for a lad to come and clear it next week. Then you can see what’s worth keeping or whether to start from scratch.’
‘Thanks, that’s thoughtful of you.’ She turned to her father and suggested they check out the rest of the house before she ran out of time.
The first floor bedrooms were ready to be painted and looked light and airy with fitted wardrobes and the master bedroom now boasted a small en suite, complete with shower cubicle, loo and basin. Tess and Ken admired the workmanship before checking out the main bathroom, now fully tiled with a roll-top bath, walk-in shower, loo, bidet and vanity unit.
‘It’s just like a five-star hotel, love. I can’t believe how much you’ve transformed the old place.’
‘Well, I have had a lot of help, Dad. And when I can afford it, I’m going to add a conservatory on the back of the kitchen, like my neighbour. Come and have a quick look at the attic rooms. We’ve smartened them up, but not doing too much yet as I don’t need them and have run out of money, anyway.’
She showed him the two rooms, now with new larger windows, newly plastered walls and boasting central heating like the rest of the house.
‘It’s a big house, alright, love. Going to be a bit big for you on your own, isn’t it?’ Ken said, with a sly glance at her and Jack.
‘For the moment, maybe, but who knows?’ She shrugged, avoiding looking at Jack. ‘Now, I must run and we’ll see you tonight at eight for dinner, okay?’ Ken nodded and they retraced their steps downstairs with Tess dashing to her car, leaving the men to say their goodbyes. She’d known her father wouldn’t be able to resist saying something about her relationship with Jack and could only hope he’d behave when they ate together. With a heavy sigh, she started the car and drove back to the surgery.
Jack had suggested they dine at The Wellington Boot, known affectionately as the Welly Boot, the restaurant of the Hotel de Havelet, yards from her father’s hotel and with the same superb views of the bay and islands. Tess enjoyed the meal, though was still feeling less relaxed around Jack. He appeared a great guy, ticking all the boxes on the list of what she wanted in a partner, but...it was all happening so quickly. And the examples of poor Eugénie and Sally kept pushing their way into her mind. Unnerving. Ken, meanwhile, was quite chirpy, looking forward to moving to Guernsey when he found the right property. Tess was going with him to view his choices after work the next day and he showed them copies of the agent’s details.
‘They both look great, Dad, particularly the new development with views over La Salerie.’ She handed the details to Jack, who promptly laughed.
‘I’m flattered you’ve chosen this, Ken, as it’s one of mine. Will be interesting to see what you think of it.’
‘So you’re the vendor?’
‘That’s right. There are only two units left as they’ve been very popular.’
Ken grinned. ‘If you’ve finished them to the same standard as Tess’s house I’ll be very tempted. It’s dearer than the other one near Castel Church, but I like the idea of being on the edge of Town.’
‘Tell you what, why don’t I come with you tomorrow? I can answer any questions you might have better than the agent.’
‘Good idea, lad, especially if I can negotiate a discount, eh?’ Ken chuckled.
Tess picked up her father the following day at six thirty and drove out to Castel to view the first apartment. Ken was disappointed with its dated condition and they then met Jack at the development not far from Les Cotils, perched on a hill and with clear sea views. Once inside, Tess knew Ken would love it. More contemporary than their family home, it offered a luxury open-plan kitchen and living area, a spacious en suite bedroom, separate bathroom and a small terrace and garden with views to match those of her own house.
‘Well, Dad? What do you think?’ Noting the gleam in his eye, she didn’t really need to ask.
‘It ticks the boxes, all right. It’s just the price...’ He gave Jack a sly look.
‘Okay, let’s talk about that, shall we?’ Jack winked at Tess as he led Ken onto the terrace. A few minutes later they returned, shaking hands.
‘I’ve bought my new home, love. And Jack says I can move in as soon as the advocates sort the paperwork, which shouldn’t take long for a cash sale.’ Ken beamed at her and she gave him a hug.
‘I’m so pleased, Dad, it’ll be lovely to have you here. Did you drive a hard bargain?’ She looked from him to Jack, who shrugged his shoulders.
‘Let’s say we’re both happy.’
After returning Ken to his hotel, where he was meeting up with an old friend, Tess returned home in thoughtful mood. Had Jack given her father a discount because of her? If so, and it didn’t work out between them, would he be annoyed? And he was definitely going above and beyond on her house. She reminded herself that it was his responsibility, not hers. No-one could guarantee the smooth path of a new relationship. Not that Tess wanted to finish with him, she was just a bit scared. There, she had admitted it! Not necessarily scared Jack would turn out to be a drunken, violent partner, but scared to commit to another human being. Losing some control. Oh...the ringing of her phone interrupted her thoughts. It was Paul, phoning to say although Sally was still at La Folie, her husband had grudgingly agreed to her terms and she was awaiting his signed acceptance. She would then move in with her mother until she bought a new home. Tess thanked him for the update, heaving a sigh of relief. Result!
She was spending the evening at home instead of Jack’s. It had been her idea, telling him she had things to catch up on, and would see him on Saturday night after taking her father to the airport. Jack had looked a bit put-out but offered to cook dinner for them on Saturday. In truth, Tess wanted a chance to both stand back a little and to finish the diaries. After enjoying a plate of pasta she settled down with the final part, beginning with Juliette’s death in 1883. Tess had grown to like the sound of her and understood Eugénie’s sense of loss and also wasn’t surprised how deeply Hugo’s death had affected her two years later. She had loved him for over twenty years and suffered so much. Reading on, Tess was pleased to see young Victor had stood up to his father who now left Eugénie alone. About time! She was even more cheered by the news of Hugo’s bequest. The entry dated May 1888, ‘I am dying’ made her cry out, ‘Oh, no!’ Her eyes filled with tears as she continued reading. Pain relief. Morphine injections. Sophie’s tears. Victor’s tear-stained face. Eugénie’s calm acceptance of her fate. Then the final entry, June 1888. Shaky writing. Forthcoming death. Son. Journals...attic cupboard. Secret drawer...desk. Tess gasped, looking at the desk behind her. Door...plastered over. Secret. ‘If it needs to be found, it will be...’
Wiping her eyes, Tess stumbled over to the desk, wondering where on earth the secret drawer could be. She opened the lid and started pushing and pressing various panels and knobs. Nothing. Perhaps Charlotte could help, she was more used to antiques. She ran downstairs and found her in the sitting room with Andy watching television. Charlotte looked up in surprise as Tess gabbled on about the diary, Eugénie dying and a secret drawer in the desk.
‘Oh, I see. There’s a secret drawer? Right, I’m coming.’ Andy was left staring after them as they ran upstairs.
‘I don’t know what I’m looking for, and thought you might know more about antiques.’ Tess showed Charlotte the last entry in the diary and her eyes widened.
‘Isn’t it sad? And she would be so pleased to know you’ve found it, Tess. Her direct descendant. Now, the drawer.’
Charlotte frowned as they stood in front of the desk.
‘My father had a secret drawer in his desk but it was a different design. You have to look for something not quite right...’ She pulled out drawers and compared their depth to that of the desk. One was much shorter. They looked at each other with round eyes. Charlotte pushed her fingers into the space. ‘There should be a spring or a panel.’ They heard a click and she pulled out another, much smaller drawer, crammed with old letters.
‘Oh! Fantastic! Let me see...yes, they’re all addressed to Eugénie and posted from abroad.’ Tess opened the top one but struggled to read the writing and passed it to Charlotte.
‘It’s from Alice, written after Hugo’s death. It must be the last letter Eugénie received from the family.’
‘So there’ll be letters from Hugo and Juliette in here, too. Wow!’ Tess cried, spreading the letters on the table.
Charlotte picked one up.
‘This is his handwriting. May I?’
Tess nodded and Charlotte started reading the letter. ‘It’s the one he sent after Juliette’s death. What a wonderful collection. These are even more precious than the diaries. So poor Eugénie left quite a legacy.’
‘Yes, she certainly did. And I have to decide what to do with it.’ Tess chewed her lip, still reeling from the poignant account of Eugénie’s death.
Charlotte threw her arms around her.
‘Hey, I can see it’s upset you. She got under my skin too and I’m not related. Sit down for a minute. Do you have any wine?’
‘Yes, there’s an open bottle in the fridge. Pour us both a glass.’ Charlotte filled two glasses and sat beside her.
‘Cheers! To Eugénie and may she rest in peace.’
Tess repeated the toast and took a sip of wine.
‘It’s been quite a journey and I only wish Aunt Doris hadn’t wasted all those years looking for the answers which were upstairs all along. I’ll probably be able to chuck away all those papers,’ she said, nodding towards the boxes in the corner.
‘Maybe. But at least now you do know the truth and can relax and enjoy your beautiful home.’
Tess nodded, taking another sip.
‘I wonder how long that awful husband of hers lived after she died. Not long I hope.’
‘Don’t you have the family tree Doris drew up? That will tell you.’
‘Of course! It’s in the desk.’ Tess searched one of the drawers and pulled out a large sheet of paper. She scanned the names near the top. ‘Yes, Pierre died in 1891, in his early fifties. Good, that means Victor was free of him when he was only twenty-one.’
‘And what happened to Victor?’
Tess read a bit more.
‘He married at twenty-five, had a son and a daughter but the daughter died young. Victor died in his forties.’ Tess frowned. ‘My mother said those who lived in the house tended to die young, but people did in those days. And Doris proved her wrong, didn’t she?’
‘Yes, and I’m sure you’ll live to a grand old age, surrounded by your children and grandchildren.’
‘That’s my life mapped out, then,’ Tess said, laughing.
Charlotte joined in, before saying, ‘Look, why don’t I leave you alone now? See you in the morning, okay?’ Charlotte stood, glass in hand.
‘Okay, thanks.’
Her father left for Exeter on Saturday, planning to clear the house prior to completion and expected to be back within two or three weeks, ready to move into his new apartment. Tess still hadn’t heard from her mother and Ken said he’d encourage Elaine to get in touch.
‘I don’t want you two falling out because of what’s happened, love. She’s your mother after all and didn’t make a bad job of bringing you up, did she?’ her father had remarked as they said their goodbyes at the airport. Tess had to agree with him. But at the moment her priority was Jack and their budding love affair.
‘Hi, did Ken get off all right?’ Jack greeted her as she arrived at his cottage.
‘Yes, thanks.’ He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It felt good, but she found herself pulling back, with a tentative smile. For the moment the spontaneity had gone.
‘What’s wrong? And don’t tell me there isn’t anything, because I won’t believe you.’ Jack’s brow was furrowed as he held her arms.
‘Let’s have a drink and we can talk. Okay?’
He nodded and, after dumping her bag in the hall, she followed him outside. Now early August the evenings were staying hotter and the cottage doors and windows were wide open to encourage a breeze to flow through. On the patio the table was set with two glasses and a bottle of white wine in ice. Jack poured the wine and sat beside her.
Tess took a large swallow of wine.
‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ He went to say something, but she stopped him. ‘Let me finish. My feelings for you haven’t changed. It’s...it’s I’m a bit scared of rushing things. I’ve had to deal with a nasty case of domestic violence this week and it made me very angry. Angry with the husband for the way he’s treated his wife, and angry with her for letting him. I’ve calmed down now and, thankfully, the wife is leaving him. Added to this, I’ve been reading Eugénie’s diaries and she was also abused, to the extent that she died relatively young.’ She saw Jack’s face harden and hastened to add, ‘I’m not saying I think you would be abusive, but it’s touched a nerve in me and made me aware how scared I am of commitment. Of letting someone else play a big part in my life. Does this make sense?’
‘I guess. As a man it’s not something I’ve had to worry about, for myself, that is. Although I understand how awful it must have been for you dealing with this, you are one tough cookie, Tess, and I can’t see you ever being under any man’s thumb, literally or figuratively. And, speaking for myself, I would never, ever want to harm you. The opposite in fact. If anyone threatened to hurt you in any way, I’d be there for you.’ He reached out and stroked her hand, his eyes locked on hers.
She felt her heartbeat quicken.
‘Thank you. I think it’s all happened a bit fast with us, and we need to get to know each other better. Don’t you agree?’
‘Sure, I’m happy with that. I know you’ve had a lot going on and there’s no rush, is there? Let’s enjoy ourselves, starting with dinner, which is ready, if you are.’
‘Yes, please.’
With two weeks to go before the house was due to be ready, Tess became increasingly excited about the move. It had been a relief to clear the air with Jack and her former joy at being with him had reappeared. And once settled in her own home, she would feel more in control of her life. And could see Jack as much or as little as she wanted. In the meantime she had to go through Doris’s papers and decide what to do with Eugénie’s diaries, letters and Hugo memorabilia.
She discussed it with Charlotte one evening.
‘I think you have three choices, Tess. One, keep everything in your house; two, copy the letters and offer the originals to Hauteville House, together with the more valuable memorabilia; or three, keep the originals and offer copies to Hauteville,’ she said, ticking them off her fingers. ‘We could talk to Stéphanie once you’ve made a decision. My only thought is, you’d need to have appropriate security and insurance to keep anything original at home.’
Tess frowned.
‘That’s what bothers me. Do I want that worry? No-one will be interested in the diaries so I’ll hang onto them, it’s everything else that’s a problem. What would you do?’
‘Much as I’d be tempted to hang on to everything, I’d have to accept it’s not practical and would be depriving the public of a glimpse into Hugo’s life here.’
‘You’re right. Once I’ve moved let’s ask Stéphanie if she’d like to come round and see what I have and go from there.’
‘Good idea. She can see the original hiding place as well.’
By the following week Tess had worked her way through Doris’s collection of papers, keeping only a handful of interest. The rest were binned. Now all she had to take to her house were Doris’s books and what she had brought from Exeter. While she had been at Jack’s at the weekend he had offered to help with her move.
‘That’s great, thanks, but are you sure you don’t have an ulterior motive?’ she’d asked as they lay curled up in bed.
‘What possible ulterior motive could I have for helping my gorgeous, sexy girlfriend sort out her new home? Unpacking boxes, shifting furniture, setting up the TV, making the bed...’
Tess had burst into giggles, spluttering, ‘Exactly!’ before he’d stopped her with a lingering kiss.
One evening Tess was in the kitchen with Charlotte, who offered her a glass of wine.
‘Andy and I would like you and Jack to have dinner with us here on Friday, seeing as it’s your last night. And he’s welcome to stay over,’ she said, with a grin.
‘Thanks, I’ll ask him. I’m sure he’ll be only too happy to accept.’
He was, and on Friday Tess left work looking forward to what promised to be a memorable weekend. She walked into the house to be met by a wonderful aroma of garlic and herbs and found Charlotte in the kitchen watching James eat while she prepared vegetables.
‘Hi, I thought you’d sworn off cooking hot meals and was expecting a salad,’ Tess said, giving James a kiss on his forehead, the only clean part of his face.
Charlotte grimaced
‘We’ve had a few this week and I’ve really missed proper food. And so has Andy. I loaded up the slow-cooker this morning so haven’t been near a hot stove. I’m aiming for eight, and we can have a drink and nibbles in the garden first. Are you ready for tomorrow?’
‘Yes, some smaller items were delivered today and Jack was there to sign for them. The big stuff will arrive tomorrow and then it’s all systems go.’ Tess nicked a carrot and started chewing on it. ‘Right, I’ll shower and change and be down soon.’
August was getting steadily hotter and she was glad to cool down and change into a short cotton dress. She tidied the rooms ready for her overnight guest as best she could, considering the piles of stacked boxes and cases.
Downstairs she joined Charlotte and Andy in a cold lager and a few minutes later Jack arrived. Tess experienced a strong flick of desire as he kissed her. It promised to be a great evening.
It was. The next morning Tess struggled to wake when the alarm went off at eight.
‘C’mon, sleepyhead. We have to get a move on, literally.’ Jack’s laughing face greeted her as she slowly opened her eyes. Move! Yes, it was moving day. She was taking possession of St Michel in all its new glory. Within minutes she was showered and dressed in shorts and T-shirt, as was Jack, and after a quick breakfast of coffee and toast it was time to load up the cars with her possessions. Andy lent a hand with the desk, placed carefully in the back of the Range Rover and Tess and Jack managed everything else. Once the cars were full Tess hugged Charlotte, Andy and James goodbye and they stood and waved them off.
Tess opened the front door of St Michel, to be met with the strong smell of fresh paint. She laughed and Jack asked what was funny.
‘I was thinking what a huge improvement the smell of paint is compared to the awful smell when I first got the keys.’
‘Right. Now, let’s empty the cars before any furniture arrives, which won’t be long.’
Tess hadn’t seen the house completely empty of workmen and equipment and it was a joy to walk around the rooms glowing with fresh colour ready to welcome her. They loaded everything into the sitting room first before Jack moved the cars to leave space for the delivery vans. While Jack was outside Tess carried her cases upstairs and stood in her bedroom with a big smile on her face. The freshly polished four-poster now had a new mattress and muslin hangings and looked gorgeous. All she had to do was unpack the bed linen. She checked out the en suite; good. A quick look at the other bedrooms and bathroom confirmed everything was spotless. A pleasant surprise after so much building work.
Downstairs Jack had returned and together they positioned the desk in the sitting room, where Tess thought Eugénie had originally placed it. The big dining table was in place by the far window waiting for the new chairs.
Jack put his arms round her.
‘Happy?’
‘Oh, yes. And it’s going to look even better when the sofa and chairs arrive. And the other bits like the TV. Thanks, Jack, you and your men have done brilliantly. It’s better than I’d ever imagined.’ She smiled up at him and his mouth came down on hers. The doorbell rang and they moved apart, laughing.
‘Looks like you’ll have to thank me later. Come on, let’s see what’s arrived.’
By the end of the afternoon Tess would willingly have crept upstairs for a nap in the inviting bed. Every muscle ached from lifting and unpacking boxes and arranging the new furniture. She took a break and, leaving Jack setting up her new LED television, slipped into the garden for some fresh air. The grass had been cut right back and she could see the old shrubs and planting along the borders. They would need work, but Tess saw it as a labour of love to recreate what was once a pretty garden. Taking deep breaths of paint-free air, she walked down towards the far boundary and stood in front of the tall eucalyptus tree, offering shade on a hot day. A passage from Eugénie’s diary came to mind ‘he was laid to rest under a eucalyptus tree at the bottom of the garden’. Tess knelt down and touched the bare earth. ‘I’m going to plant a camellia here for you, Arnaud, so you and your mother won’t be forgotten.’ Feeling a movement behind her she said, not turning round, ‘Have you finished setting up the TV?’ When there was no reply, she turned and watched as the hazy figure of Eugénie looked at her, smiling. Then, with a nod of her head, she was gone.
Tess found herself waving at the disappearing figure, knowing she wouldn’t be back. But their bond would always be there.
‘Who were you waving at?’ Jack came out of the back door.
‘Oh, it was a pesky wasp.’ She had yet to tell him about seeing Eugénie. Perhaps later...
He came up and holding her head still, gave her a long, lingering kiss.
Coming up for air, she said, ‘What was that for?’
‘It’s my way of saying I love you, idiot girl. You may be a clever doctor, but I’m not sure how well you understand the workings of the heart.’
She smiled, her own heart racing with joy.
‘Oh, I do understand, Jack, I do.’
The End