The Little Island Flower Stall

Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

‘You’re picking this up so quickly.’

Celestine smiled with obvious pleasure as Bella waved off another satisfied customer.

‘Only because you teach it so well.’

Bella could also have mentioned that, although Celestine was giving out compliments about Bella’s work, it hadn’t stopped her aunt from being at the stall herself whenever she could.

‘I would say,’ Celestine continued, ‘I wouldn’t have put that shade of pink and lilac together, but if that’s what he chose, then…if I hadn’t been busy with someone else, I might have said something.’ She shrugged, and Bella couldn’t help but smile.

‘What you mean is I should have said something to him when he chose them?’

‘Of course not! I would have done had I been serving him, but perhaps I’m too old-fashioned…What do I know about modern design?’

‘A lot,’ Bella said. ‘I don’t have all your floristry experience, but I do know that the customer is always right.’

‘Even when they’re wrong.’

‘Exactly! I like a well-selected bouquet as much as the next person, but I think what the customer wants, the customer gets.’

‘I’m sure you’re right.’

Bella’s smile spread. She could see that Celestine was far from convinced, even as she said so.

She was rearranging the vase she’d just taken the pink roses from when she heard Celestine tutting.

‘Oh, here comes Bernard. Is he going to be here every day until the Liberation Day celebration is done?’

‘Morning!’ Bernard said. ‘Don’t look so worried – I’m not stopping.’

‘That’s a shame,’ Celestine said so sweetly that Bella almost spat out the tea she’d just taken a sip of. Bernard looked at Bella and held up a suit carrier.

‘I think this is about your size. Couldn’t match exactly what you sent over, but hopefully this will be close enough.’

‘My uniform?’ Bella asked, taking it from him. Despite what she’d said about it all being a bit mortifying, she couldn’t deny a kick of excitement. Celestine had been right about one thing as they’d gone through the photos of past Liberation Days: child Bella had longed to be a part of the parade. She had to wonder what child Bella would say if she could see grown-up Bella holding her costume, finally getting her moment.

He nodded. ‘I’ll email everyone with the exact timings, but rehearsals start this week.’

‘Rehearsals?’ Bella repeated.

‘Yes. We don’t just turn up and march around, you know. There’s a lot of planning goes into this.’

‘Don’t we know it,’ Celestine mumbled, though it seemed that what Bella caught, Bernard didn’t. He only smiled and nodded and then bid them goodbye with a reminder that Bella should keep an eye on her emails.

‘Honestly,’ Celestine huffed. ‘Who made him king of the world?’

‘He’s not that bad,’ Bella replied as she unzipped the suit carrier and peered inside. ‘Ooh! Would you look at this? It looks like the real thing!’

Letting the cover fall to the ground, she held up the suit. It was navy blue, woven from a heavy wool with brass buttons and a matching peaked cap.

‘You’re going to look wonderful!’ Celestine clapped her hands together, her previous irritation at Bernard seemingly forgotten.

‘Wow!’

They both looked round to see Rory at the stall, hands in his pockets, gazing at the suit with a broad smile.

‘What’s that for?’ he asked.

‘Oh, it’s for the Liberation Day parade.’ Bella bent to pick up the cover.

‘For you?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘You’re taking part?’

‘Yes. I’m just sitting on one of the jeeps or something…not sure yet.’

‘That’s so cool! Now I have to come and see!’

Bella noticed Celestine looking and realised she’d never met Rory.

‘Celestine…this is my…friend. We went to the museum together…This is Rory.’

Rory leaned forward and held out his hand to shake Celestine’s with one of those smiles that always melted Bella.

‘Oh…’ Celestine flushed. ‘How do you do?’

‘It’s so good to meet you,’ he said. ‘I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you.’

‘Really?’ Celestine shot a pleased glance at Bella.

‘Of course!’ Bella said. ‘What else was I going to say about my favourite great-aunt?’

‘Aww…’ Celestine waved away the compliment. ‘Don’t be silly.’ She turned back to Rory. ‘So you’re on holiday?’

Bella held her breath for the shortest time. She’d asked Rory not to mention his quest, but would he forget?

‘I’m visiting,’ he said, and Bella had to admire his tact. ‘Getting a real feel for the island too.’

‘And how do you like it so far?’

‘I love it! I feel right at home here.’

‘That’s good to hear.’

‘I can’t imagine anyone saying anything else,’ Bella cut in. She gave Rory a silent look of thanks. ‘It’s nice to see you…Was there something in particular you wanted, or were you just passing?’

‘I was wondering if you might have time to…I don’t know…I wondered whether you wanted to grab some lunch or something? There’s no pressure if you’re busy.’

‘Um…I would, but we’ve got so much to do today.’

‘I can look after the stall,’ Celestine cut in, but Bella shook her head. Much as she wanted to go off and spend a few hours in Rory’s company, she didn’t want to leave Celestine minding the stall. It was bad enough that her aunt insisted on turning up for work every day, despite having Bella there to do it for her, without leaving her to manage alone.

‘I don’t suppose you’re free later?’ Bella asked.

‘I can be. What time?’

‘I’m not sure when we’ll be done here. Can I text you?’

‘Sure, whatever you need.’

He stood for a moment, gazing down at her, and she wondered whether they were meant to hug or something. But then he said goodbye to Celestine and went on his way.

‘Well,’ Celestine said as they both watched him walk towards the beach. ‘You never said he was so handsome.’

‘Is he? I hadn’t really thought about it.’

Bella turned back to see Celestine grinning.

‘OK,’ Bella said sheepishly. ‘Maybe I had. But I told you, there’s nothing more going on but friendship. I can’t get involved.’

‘Why not? I know you’re still married, but nobody cares about that these days, do they?’

‘I don’t care about that, only because Sean didn’t care. But I don’t think it’s a smart move. I’ve just met Rory.’

‘Everyone who ever fell in love had to meet for the first time. It never stopped any of them.’

‘Fell in love?’ Bella gave a self-conscious laugh. ‘Talk about jumping the gun! He’s good company, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say there’s anything like love going on.’

‘But you do like him. And don’t try to deny it because I could see it in your face the moment you laid eyes on him. You lit up like Christmas.’

‘Celestine!’ Bella huffed. ‘I think you need to rent a steamy romcom from Prime to get that out of your system! I did no such thing!’

‘I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about, but I know what I saw.’

Bella went over to a crate of foliage. ‘This lot needs trimming,’ she mumbled. ‘I’d better get on with it.’

As she pulled some cutters from the drawer beneath the counter, she could hear Celestine chuckling. She knew she was beginning to get feelings for Rory, but was it really so obvious to everyone else? Was it obvious to him? That couldn’t be good – she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea about the time they were spending together. When she met him later, she’d have to keep herself in check or else put him in the picture.

Bella walked to the promenade after work via St Rosa’s church, where Celestine had a book club meeting. With half an hour to spare, they spent it wandering the churchyard, Celestine showing Bella where some of her ancestors were buried. Bella’s interest had been cursory at first – she’d never met any of these people and knew very little about them. But as she began to read the inscriptions on each headstone, the weight of history, of her ancestry, pressed down upon her. It had never occurred to her so viscerally before, but the people here, lying in the ground beneath their feet, were the people whose lives, in ways big and small, had made Bella’s life what it was today. They were a part of her.

Once Celestine had gone in to join her fellow book club members, Bella walked slowly to the beach where she’d arranged to meet Rory. Her time in the churchyard had set her mind racing again. Her family’s past was easy to find – she’d just seen it. Rory’s was hidden, and she couldn’t imagine how that felt.

The evening was still and calm, and the sun was already setting by the time she’d reached their rendezvous, casting a bronzed light over the sea. Gulls criss-crossed the sky, swooping and circling. Bella tried not to laugh as one of them dove towards a man eating a hotdog and snatched it clean away. She’d seen it happen many times before – not least the day she’d met Rory – but it would never not be funny. There were a few brave families still on the beach, wrapped in fleeces and blankets as they did their best to squeeze every last drop out of their day, but most had gone – back to hotels and guesthouses or else in cars to return to the ferry and home.

Bella checked her watch. She was a few minutes late, but she needn’t have worried because Rory was nowhere to be seen either.

Ten minutes later, she saw him hurrying towards her. He was breathless as he caught up with her, but Bella soon realised it wasn’t from his jog over.

‘Sorry I’m late! I have news!’

‘Don’t worry, I was a bit late myself. Is everything all right? Is it good news?’

‘My DNA results came back.’

Bella gestured to ask whether he wanted to walk and he nodded. ‘Your DNA? That was quick. There was something unexpected in it?’

‘Yes.’ He paused, almost as if he was building the suspense for her. ‘All the usual stuff I knew about and then a surprise bonus. A strand from western Europe. And you know I thought it was going to be Polish?’

‘Because of the newspaper clipping you found with your grandad’s things?’

‘Yes. It’s not Polish, though. You’ll never guess where it’s from.’ Bella opened her mouth to reply but his excitement didn’t give her time. ‘It’s German!’ He grinned, shoving his hands into his pockets as he strode beside her.

‘German?’

‘I know!’

‘Does that mean…?’

‘I have no clue! But it’s a development, right?’

‘And nobody in your family –I mean, the family you know of – is German? Oh, this family stuff is so confusing. Let me think…It’s from the right side of the family to mean something? Because it’s your grandad who was adopted?’

‘Got it.’ He nodded as he kept pace with her. ‘Honestly, I find it just as confusing sometimes.’

‘Right, so nobody there has German roots?’ she asked.

‘Nope. At least, not that they’re aware of. I mean, as far as everyone knows, there’s no German in my mum or dad’s side. But that’s just it – as far as anyone knows . And as we all know, my dad’s side is where the adoption is, where Violette Le Saux fits in! So it has to be that, right?’

Bella’s mouth fell open as she pieced together the information. There was only one conclusion she could draw, even though it seemed so unlikely. ‘Violette had an affair with a German soldier?’

‘Who knows? But it’s a possibility, right?’

Bella paused, turning it over in her mind. He seemed so excited by his breakthrough, and she could see why, but another possibility occurred to her, one that wasn’t quite so nice or exciting. It clearly hadn’t crossed his mind that Violette might not have had a choice in her liaison with this soldier. Since at this stage there was no way to be sure of what had happened, she decided not to raise the possibility.

‘What’s next? How do you go about confirming any of this?’

‘More records, for a start. I’m not sure where I can go for them, but I have the number of a local historian so I’m hoping he can help. I could do with finding out which soldiers were posted here and when – that might narrow it down a bit.’

‘It would have to narrow it down a lot – there must have been hundreds. What about newspaper reports? Would that help?’

‘It’s difficult to know what there was – remember there was an information blackout. People couldn’t even own radios to get news from the mainland, so I doubt there would have been a legitimate newspaper running. But there might be underground stuff. I suppose there might be stories that were printed after the war.’

‘Like the clipping in your grandad’s stuff?’

‘Yes. I must admit I’m stumped; I don’t have a clue how that fits in now.’

‘But it must be connected somehow – you said it was something to do with one of the forced workers who were kept here. That’s why we went to the tunnel museum, right? So where did that come from? Would it give you a clue?’

‘I think that’s from an article written after the war. It has to be connected somehow – otherwise, why would Grandad have kept it? I need to do some digging. I don’t suppose…’ He paused. ‘Does this change anything? For you, I mean?’

‘You mean do I still want to help you dig? Yes, I’m happy to keep going…’

‘But?’

Bella was silent for a moment. It didn’t change anything about helping Rory – she was still committed to that. But it changed things with Celestine. Did she know about this? Was that the reason she was so reluctant to talk about it? Was it why she’d fallen out with Violette? Was this the answer to everything? Even if Bella wanted to ask her aunt about it, even going to her with what she thought was halfway towards the truth, she was convinced that would only make Celestine even less likely to talk about it. If it was true, there had to be something in the situation that made Celestine uneasy. Shame? Was that it? Was she ashamed of her friend? It didn’t seem like Celestine to judge in that way. Was it something else? Had she been complicit somehow? Been involved in a way she now wanted to pretend hadn’t happened? Had she been covering for Violette?

Deeper and deeper, Bella was getting dragged into this ever-growing mystery. The bigger it got, the further down she went. It almost felt too late to get out now, even though she feared a day when it would cause a rift between her and Celestine.

‘It’s nothing. Just seems impossible to unravel at the moment, that’s all. You must feel the same.’

‘I don’t suppose you could go back to your great-aunt and find out what she might know about this?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘What about her friend? You said she had a friend who knocked about with Violette as a girl. She might be able to help.’

‘I don’t think she knows all that much. She was a lot younger than the rest of them.’

‘Could you ask her anyway?’

Bella was silent again. If she mentioned anything about a soldier to Dolly, and it transpired that Dolly hadn’t already known about it, she’d be straight over to Celestine to grill her. She’d spread it around the island so fast it might as well be online. Did that matter? Perhaps not the island bit – the events were so long ago not many would care. But the part where Dolly went to Celestine? That mattered a lot more. She let out a sigh.

‘It’s awkward. Dolly’s a gossip – she’s bound to tell my aunt.’

‘Does that matter?’

‘Yes!’ Bella was irritated for the first time since all this had begun. Up until now, she’d admired his determination, his single-minded pursuit of the truth. But now she could only see a blinkered disregard for who else his search impacted. She tried to see it from his perspective, but it was hard, knowing what trouble it was going to end up causing her if it went the way she thought it might. ‘It matters! It matters because she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to talk about that time or what happened. Whatever it was, it hurt Celestine.’

He flushed, his gaze going out to sea. ‘I’m sorry – you’re right.’

‘You’re fired up. It’s all right – I get that. I suppose I might feel that way too, but I can’t ask her.’

‘But you do think she might have been involved somehow?’ he asked, turning back to her.

Bella didn’t like the new interest in his tone, but she nodded. ‘I think so. I don’t know how.’

‘And she’s really determined not to talk about it? Not to anyone?’

‘So far as I can tell, she hasn’t been super keen, and to be honest, I haven’t wanted to push it. If you could see the look on her face when anyone even mentions Violette, you wouldn’t want to push it either. Please, could we leave her out of it? There must be a way you can get your answers without having to drag Celestine into it.’

He looked disappointed but then nodded. ‘If that’s what you want.’

‘It is. It’s the only thing I’m asking you for. Everything else is fair game, and I’ll help as much as I can.’

‘How can I refuse when you put it like that?’ He smiled and, as she so often did now in the face of it, she was gripped by an urge that got harder and harder to fight, to pull him into her arms and kiss him until neither of them could breathe. She’d asked him to keep a respectful distance and he’d done just that, and it was almost disappointing. Perhaps he wasn’t as into her as she’d suspected. Perhaps that was it. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve got time to catch up over a quick drink?’

‘It is why I’m here!’ she said with a smile of her own. ‘What did you have in mind?’

‘I was thinking alcohol.’

‘Obviously.’

‘And maybe a sneaky portion of fish and chips…’

Bella laughed, her tension and irritation dissipating. ‘Six weeks with you I’ll be like a whale! Whenever we get together, we end up eating!’

‘You say it like it’s a bad thing.’

‘Not for you – you’re like a rake. But for me…I’m going to have to join a gym when I get back to Shrewsbury.’

‘Shrewsbury,’ he repeated as they left the promenade and made their way towards the pub that overlooked the jetty at the far end of the beach. ‘I never asked. That’s home? Like where you started out? Or did you move there?’

‘It has felt like home, though I wasn’t born there. I moved there when I got married. I suppose it doesn’t feel quite so much these days. Not since…I don’t want to go over all that again now.’

‘But that’s where you’ll be heading back to when you’ve finished your time here helping your aunt?’

‘I haven’t thought about doing anything else. I don’t know. I can’t move back to the house I had there, of course. I might get a flat, but…I’ve daydreamed about staying here. It’s not practical at all – I know that.’

‘Why not?’

Bella shrugged. ‘There are all sorts of rules about coming to live in Jersey.’

‘Surely that’s no reason to stay away. If you want to live here, then you can make it happen, can’t you? There must be a way.’

‘I really haven’t given it much consideration.’ She shot him a sly sideways look. ‘I’ve been a bit preoccupied with other things. Like unravelling mysteries with this random fellow who keeps turning up when I least expect him to.’

‘Oh, I knew it would be my fault – it usually is. Haven’t you also been a bit busy making endless bunches of flowers for your aunt’s business?’

‘Yeah, and that. Fair enough – it’s not entirely your fault.’

They passed Kelvin’s boat, where Celestine had been gifted a fish by him after Bella’s first day on the stall. He spotted her and, to her surprise, waved in recognition. Bella waved back.

‘Who’s that?’ Rory asked.

‘Kelvin.’

‘Kelvin? Someone related to you? In your great-aunt’s family?’

Bella shook her head. ‘No, just a guy. He gave her a fish.’

‘OK…’

Bella laughed. ‘It’s not as weird as it sounds. He was pleased to see her out and about after her fall. Everyone seems to be. She’s pretty well loved around here. I’m almost jealous. I can’t imagine being in a town where people felt that way about me. Back home, I bet nobody in my street could even pick me out in a line-up, let alone worry about me if I was out of action.’

‘I can’t believe that.’

‘Oh, believe it. We’re not exactly community of the year. Then again, I have to admit it might have something to do with Sean.’

‘Sean? Your ex.’

‘My current, technically. We’ve only just split, remember?’

‘Yes, that’s what I meant. So he’s not a sociable type?’

‘Not exactly a likeable type either.’

‘Ah. Again, I can’t imagine that. I mean, you’re so easy to get along with, how would you end up with someone who’s unlikeable? Must be that old opposites attract thing, eh?’

‘Maybe.’

‘You and him…? You’re definitely over?’

‘Yes.’

‘Hmm. So tell me about this Liberation Day parade.’

Though she was relieved to take the conversation away from Sean, it jolted her. ‘What do you mean?’

‘What’s your role? You’ve got that amazing costume. So you just dress up and walk about, or is there some kind of choreographed thing going on?’

‘I honestly don’t know; I’ve only just been roped into it. I hope to God there’s nothing too complicated for me to do. I’m happy enough waving from a jeep, but I don’t want anything else.’

‘How did you get involved in that? Have you done it before? You said you’ve been visiting for years…’

‘Funnily, I always wanted to do it when I was a kid on holiday here, but I was never allowed.’

‘So it’s true that all good things come to those who wait?’ He chuckled softly. ‘I must remember that.’

At the pub, he opened the door for her. Bella was hit by the humidity as soon as she walked in. On a weekday, she’d expected it to be quiet, but the bar was full and rowdy, hops and salt and vinegar on the air. She hadn’t been hungry before, but now she was.

‘Could we skip the drinking bit and go straight to the food?’ he asked.

She grinned up at him. ‘I was thinking the same thing. I can smell fish and chips.’

‘Me too. I had thought we’d get them at the place on the seafront, but now that we’re here, I don’t think I can wait.’

They stood together, scanning the room for a table, and then he pointed. ‘There’s one. You go and grab it, and I’ll get us some drinks. What do you want?’

‘I don’t know…a cider would be nice.’

‘Right. Shall I order our food too?’

‘I don’t see why not.’

‘Do you want the menu first?’

‘No, fish and chips sounds great, thanks.’

While Bella settled at the table, she watched him go to the bar. He seemed at ease as he leaned on it, checking out the beers, making the barman laugh with some quip. She liked that he didn’t need to try. He wasn’t trying to be some big man or make some impression on everyone, or pretending to be someone he wasn’t. Sean would have been all alpha male, swaggering around the place, wanting desperately to look important. Pathetic, Bella realised now, and she couldn’t imagine how she’d ever been impressed by him in the first place.

She had to tear her gaze away as Rory picked up their drinks and turned to make his way over. She’d been staring, but she didn’t want him to know that. She wished she could stop doing it, but whenever he was around, it was like her gaze was magnetised and she could only look at him.

‘Here you go.’ He put down the drinks and took the seat across from her. ‘The table’s a bit small, actually. I think a bigger one is free over there if you’d rather…’

‘I don’t mind this one. It’s cosy.’

‘It’s that,’ he said with a smile. ‘Watch out when the food comes – I might have to put my plate on your lap.’

‘We’ll manage,’ Bella said with a laugh. Her gaze caught sight of another familiar face, and the man waved cheerily at her.

‘Who’s that?’ Rory asked as Bella put up a hand to acknowledge him.

‘Bernard – he’s on the committee for the Liberation Day parade. Celestine says he’s a bit self-important, but he’s pleasant enough whenever I speak to him. I might feel differently after parade day, of course.’

‘Is there anyone in St Rosa you don’t know?’

‘Quite a lot, I should think.’

‘So how come every time I’m out with you, someone says hello?’

‘Coincidence. You’ve been out with me about three times and I know about three people. It just so happens I’ve run into them all at the same time as you were there.’

‘I don’t know about that. You told me about everyone loving Celestine – I bet if you were here long enough, everyone would love you too.’

Bella flushed as she picked up her glass. ‘I doubt it.’

‘I don’t. I know I feel as if we’re good friends already.’

‘Me too,’ Bella said. ‘I never expected it, but here we are. I’m glad you came to our flower stall and not someone else’s.’

‘Is there another in St Rosa?’ he asked with an impish smile as he sipped his beer.

‘There’s a supermarket,’ Bella said with one of her own. ‘I believe they stock a passable bunch. Not arranged by an artist like myself, of course.’

He started to laugh. ‘Agreed. I’m glad I saw your place before I saw the supermarket. Just imagine how bored I’d be now if it had been the other way around. So, your Liberation Day thing – you’re looking forward to it?’

‘I think it will be brilliant. It’s always a good event, and they definitely get bigger every year. Are you?’

‘God yes! I’ve got my good camera with me too – glad I decided to bring that. Should be able to get some decent photos. I can get some copies made for you, if you like.’

‘For me?’

‘Yes, it’s all right for me to take some of you in your uniform, isn’t it?’

‘Oh…I suppose so, yes.’

Bella wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about that. Was it weird? It was certainly flattering, especially given how attractive she found him. Surely, if he wanted photos of her, he found her attractive too? Or maybe she really was reading too much into it.

‘I mean, I won’t if you’re not happy about it. I would never?—’

‘It’s fine. Of course it would be lovely to have some photos to keep. It’s not every day you get to be a part of something like this, is it?’

‘Absolutely. I’m so glad I’m here during the week it’s on. It’s a real stroke of luck. It seems like I’m getting a lot of those since I arrived.’

The way he looked at her was enough to burn her up on the spot. She’d bet he didn’t even know he was doing it. She took a hasty glug of her cider and wished the food would hurry up and arrive, just to break the tension.

‘Would it be all right for me to meet you at some point on parade day?’ he asked. ‘I know you offered and it’d be nice to have a bit of company, but I’m making sure it’s still all right. I know you won’t be available all day, of course, but perhaps when you’re done, we could catch up, see what events are on.’

‘I think there’s quite a full day. As long as Celestine doesn’t need me, that would be nice.’

He gave her that look again and she almost wished he’d stop. After a moment that seemed to last far too long, where neither said a word, Bella spotted a waitress coming towards them with two plates of fish and chips. Not saved by the bell, but saved by dinner would do.