Chapter 45
‘Here, before you go.’ Troy put an envelope in Briony’s hands. He looked over at his grandfather. ‘This doesn’t belong to you. I wish … I wish I’d never been your spy.’
Briony looked at the envelope. ‘What’s this?’
‘It’s the deeds to The Beach House. I found them.’
‘How … when?’
‘When you found me upstairs during the party, remember? I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was searching high and low for the deeds, as per my grandfather’s instructions.’
Briony threw Frank a filthy look. How could she tell her grandmother that he was behind all this? How could he tell her? Now she knew why he had been reading those letters on that boat, and going for a dive. He had been figuring out how he was going to tell her himself – without losing her again. That wasn’t Briony’s problem.
She turned to Troy. ‘Are you saying they were in The Beach House all along? I looked myself, and never found them.’
‘They were in the old bureau you’d brought in from the outbuilding.’
‘They couldn’t have been. I looked in there too.’
‘But you didn’t find the secret compartment.’
Secret compartment?Briony mouthed.
Troy nodded. ‘I’ve been such a fool. I was going to give them to you, save them for after we’d cut the ribbon, during the party. Then I saw Sebastian waving at you through the window, got mad, rushed downstairs, and stashed the deeds in the glove compartment.’
‘You came back in the house,’ Briony recalled.
‘Yes, I sat in the truck, calmed down, and realised as usual I was just overreacting, so I thought I’d give them to you after the party, as a surprise.’
‘Then Freddie turned up.’
Troy nodded. He didn’t need to say anything more. They both understood what had happened.
‘Can you forgive me?’
Frank stepped forward. Briony noticed. She held up her hand, and said, ‘Don’t. Say. A word!’
Frank surprised everyone by shutting his mouth.
Briony smiled at Troy. ‘You know I can.’
Richard looked at Frank. In all the years he’d know him, Frank had only ever let one person talk to him that way, and it wasn’t himself or Frank’s late wife. It was Blythe. He peered at Briony, a young woman Frank had only just met, and thought, What makes her so special? Perhaps it was the fact that she reminded him of Blythe.
Richard’s lip curled into a smile. This was just what Troy needed. If he didn’t know how to stand up to his formidable grandfather, then here was a young woman, someone he was going to spend the rest of his life with, who would teach him how – it was a match made in heaven. He slapped his knee. What were the chances that Troy would fall in love with Blythe’s granddaughter?
Briony glanced at Richard, wondering what he was looking so pleased about. She then turned her attention to Frank. She’d shut him up because she didn’t need him telling her that she must forgive Troy. She could tell Frank was used to giving the orders, getting his own way. Briony looked at the man she loved and decided that things were going to change.
Troy took her hand. ‘You will come back – won’t you?’
She offered him a reassuring smile. ‘Of course I will. But Troy, will you do something for me?’
‘Anything – just name it.’
‘Will you look after my grandmother’s dog, Luna?’
Sebastian overheard. He stepped forward. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘No, I’ll look after her dog,’ said Frank.
Briony eyed Frank. Perhaps that wasn’t a bad idea – Luna might help break the ice when he told Blythe the truth. ‘You have to take her with you to the hospital. My grandmother will love to see her. But Luna is also a therapy dog in training.’
‘Ah,’ said Richard, ‘she needs to earn her stripes.’
Briony looked at him quizzically. She had no clue what that meant, but Frank was nodding, and so was Sebastian. She shrugged. ‘Well, yeah I guess.’ Briony added, ‘You need to take her to visit the people on the ward where Grandma has a side room. Oh and the children’s ward.’
She caught the look on Frank’s face, and smiled a knowing smile. Frank had to come down from his ivory tower and meet some ordinary people in the community for a change – families with sick children going through a tough time. Maybe he’d learn a bit of humility along the way.
That thought gave her another idea. ‘Oh, and Luna has other rounds too.’
‘What – more therapy?’ Frank raised his eyebrows.
‘Of sorts. You have to take Luna to see Joss.’
‘Who?’
Troy said, ‘He is quite a guy. I like him. He’s a lawyer who volunteers his time helping people in the community sort out their problems.’
‘For free?’
Nobody bothered to dignify that question with an answer, although Sebastian said sarcastically, ‘That’s why they call it volunteering, Dad.’
‘Why would he do … that—’ Frank stopped short when he caught everyone staring at him.
Sebastian shook his head at his dad. ‘I’m going up to the house to change.’ He scooped up his tracksuit from the sand.
Troy rolled his eyes at his grandpa and said what everyone else was thinking. ‘Because helping others is just the right thing to do. I should not have to spell that out. Perhaps Luna here will give you some lessons in humility.’
Briony grinned at Troy. So did Richard.
Briony thought, He’s taken the words right out of my mouth.
Troy turned to Briony. ‘Sorry, but I don’t understand why you can’t take her with you if you’re going to see them in the hospital?’ He halted. ‘Oh, god – you’re not planning on coming back – are you?’
Briony squeezed his hand. ‘I told you – I am coming back. Just not immediately.’
He raised his eyebrows.
‘I have some … unfinished business in Oxford.’
He whispered, ‘Freddie?’
She nodded.
She glanced at Frank. ‘It’s agreed, then. You’ll take Luna. And do what I said.’
Frank stared at her. ‘All right, yes. It’s agreed.’
Frank caught Richard grinning. ‘What’s got into you – grinning like a Chesire cat?’
Richard’s eyes roved to Briony.
Troy said, ‘Wait, what about Wilbur, your foster fail? And the kittens? You’re not taking them with you – are you?’
Briony looked at him. She knew she’d arranged with Emily to take all the animals back, although she couldn’t imagine handing any of them over, most especially her sweet little sausage dog.
‘I’ll take him,’ Troy said quickly. ‘I’ll take Wilbur.’
‘All right. But I’ll be back for him.’
Troy grinned. ‘I know. I’m counting on it.’
Briony smiled. She knew what his game was. If he took her dog, he knew it was guaranteed she’d be back.
Luna came running down the beach, straight up to Troy.
‘Hey girl!’
‘What is that?’ said Frank, his eyes wide, taking a step back.
‘That is Luna,’ said Briony, realising Sebastian must have let the dog out when he went to change. For some reason, she thought it might have been Frank who’d secretly given her grandmother the puppy, although thinking about it, she couldn’t imagine why he’d do such a thing. She guessed it might remain a mystery unless Blythe told her where Luna had come from.
‘What about the kittens? Can I have them?’
Briony whirled around at the sound of Willow’s voice behind her ‘Willow, sweetheart, what are you doing out here? I thought you were looking after them in the house?’
‘I wanted to come and see Grandpa. I was worried.’
‘There was nothing to be worried about,’ said Frank reassuringly. ‘And by the way – do you know you’re my favourite granddaughter?’
‘I’m you’re only granddaughter,’ said Willow, rolling her eyes, looking as though she’d heard it all before.
Briony was smiling at that comment when she saw that Sebastian had joined them again, now dressed in his tracksuit.
Willow looked at her grandpa. ‘You promised I could have the kittens.’
Grandpa looked nervously at his granddaughter. ‘Willow, why don’t we have his conversation in private.’
‘You promised that if I was your spy, and told you everything that happened at The Beach House, then I could have them.’
Everyone turned around and looked at Frank.
Sebastian rounded on his father. ‘Really? A five-year-old child. What on earth are you teaching her?’ He looked at Troy and mumbled, ‘And that’s the reason I wanted her kept away from his influence.’
Troy lowered his eyes. ‘Sorry, Dad.’
Frank lowered his eyes too, and said, ‘I’m a bad person, aren’t I?’
Everyone said, ‘Yes!’ in unison, apart from Willow. ‘No, you’re not. I love you, Grandpa.’
Grandpa knelt down and gave her a hug.
‘Ugh, you’re all wet, Grandpa. Where are your normal clothes?’
‘Right there!’ Frank pointed at the boat. ‘Now, let’s go and find those kittens, shall we? And then Grandpa can get out of this wetsuit.’ He picked up a carrier bag containing his clothes out of the boat, and paused in front of Briony. ‘Is it okay if she has the kittens?’
Briony said, ‘I think you need to ask her dad – don’t you?’ She turned around and looked at Sebastian. So did Frank. Before he had a chance to ask, Willow was begging her dad, ‘Please? Please can I have them?’
Of course, Sebastian said yes.
How could he not?thought Briony.
Frank looked at his granddaughter, before settling his gaze on his son. ‘You won’t … keep her from me, will you? I promise to mend my ways.’
‘No more spying, Grandpa,’ said Willow, frowning at him.
Frank crossed his heart. ‘I promise, no more spying.’
Sebastian sighed. ‘Go on, then, take your grandfather and show him your kittens.’
Briony had been holding her breath, hoping Sebastian would forgive Frank.
Frank took Willow’s hand. As he passed Troy, he paused, and put an affectionate hand on his grandson’s shoulder. Briony saw Frank looking her way. She heard him whisper, ‘You’ve found a good ’un, Troy, like Blythe.’
Frank glanced at The Beach House. ‘I should have confronted Blythe’s parents, then I’d have probably found out the truth – that she still loved me. But I didn’t. Like the fool I was, I ran away to sea, and then resolved to earn a lot of money, and prove I was worth as much her parents. I know they looked down on me, thought I wasn’t good enough for their daughter. I had no idea she did not feel the same way. I thought it had rubbed off on her.’ He sighed. ‘All these years, and who would have thought it – I didn’t have to prove a thing.’
‘Come on, Grandpa! Stop talking! I want to show you my kittens.’
Frank managed to get one more sentence in before Willow dragged him away. ‘Whatever you do, don’t let her go. Follow her, follow her to the ends of the earth, if you have to. Don’t end up like myself, or Sebastian.’
Sebastian also put a hand on Troy’s shoulder and gave him an affectionate squeeze before following Frank and Willow to The Beach House.
Briony watched them before turning to Troy. ‘I will be back, I promise.’
Troy smiled. ‘I know. And do you know how I know?’
Briony knew all right. ‘Because I love you, Troy.’
Richard stood there, awkwardly. ‘Well, I guess I’m done here.’
‘I’ll meet you back at Frank’s house,’ said Troy.
Richard shook his head as he gazed at the little boat, imagining Frank spending many happy hours taking Blythe sailing again. Little wonder he’d left it there, probably anticipating that very thing. ‘I have a feeling Frank will no longer require my services.’
Troy’s expression clouded. ‘He’s not going to fire you, is he, for telling us about the boat?’
‘No.’
‘Oh, you’re retiring?’
Richard shook his head. ‘Not me, no.’
Troy looked at him quizzically as Richard’s gaze turned from the boat towards The Beach House. ‘Now your grandfather has found Blythe, his priorities are going to change.’ He turned to Troy. ‘Are you ready to step up and head the company?’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Oh, yes.’
‘I’ll need you, Richard. I hope you’re not going to retire if my grandpa goes.’
Richard grinned. ‘I think there’s still some mileage in the old engine yet – if you really want me to stay on, that is.’
‘Of course I do!’ Troy frowned. ‘But I might not be here myself.’
Richard knitted his brow. ‘Where are you going?’
Troy turned to look at Briony, who was standing with her back to them, looking out to sea.
Richard smiled. ‘Oh, I understand. Perhaps I’ll see you later today up at the house. Or perhaps not.’ He walked over and gave Troy a hug before he took his leave.
Briony turned around. She’d heard the conversation. As she watched Richard walk to The Beach House, probably to catch a lift with Sebastian, Willow and Frank when they all left, she said, ‘I’m going to the hospital to see my grandmother.’
‘Wherever you’re going, Briony, I want to come with you.’
‘I know.’ Briony took his hands in hers. ‘But I need to do this on my own. You understand – don’t you?’
‘Of course. Then you’re straight off to Oxford to … sort things out?’
Briony looked over at The Beach House. She wasn’t just going to Oxford to see Freddie. If her mum and Sebastian were getting back together, then someone had to break the devastating news to her dad. But that was up to her mum to do – wasn’t it? She still couldn’t believe her mum would do that, break up with her dad after all these years together. But then, if it had turned out she’d been unhappily married all this time to the wrong person – Freddie came to mind – then could she really blame her?
Briony looked at the envelope Troy had given her. At least one thing had been cleared up. She had the deeds to her grandmother’s home in her hands.
‘Have you looked at the name on the deeds?’
Briony shook her head. ‘I haven’t even opened the envelope.’ She looked up. ‘That’s a peculiar question – why do you ask? Have you?’
He shook his head. ‘No, I haven’t opened the envelope either – but Frank has.’
‘And?’
Troy shrugged. ‘I don’t know, but something’s going on, because he said something really odd.’
‘Oh yeah – what did he say?’
‘He said that all these years, your grandmother has lived here keeping a secret.’
‘What do you mean?’ Briony asked.
‘That’s exactly what I asked him.’
Briony waited for an explanation.
‘He just said that it turns out The Beach House has belonged to someone else all along.’
Briony said, ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I guess someone else’s name must be on those deeds.’
They both looked at the envelope in her hands and then turned to look at The Beach House.
Troy said, ‘At least it explains one thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Why your grandmother hid the deeds.’