Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Connor and Kate were facetiming me from Happy Beans Café after work. ‘How’s everything going in Harp Brook?’ Connor gushed in a mock-posh voice. ‘Are you lady of the manor yet?’
I sat down on the edge of my bed. It was nice to see their grinning faces. Their timing was perfect. It was early evening and I’d come upstairs to have a little break from Grandpa.
‘So,’ said Kate, ‘are you relaxed and chilled out? Hang on – have you cut your hair?’
Connor gasped. ‘Wow – you look sassy and chic!’
I let out a nervous laugh. ‘Thanks. I like it shorter.’
‘Right, tell us about your break so far?’ Kate asked.
‘We’ve been here four days and I’ve broken almost every rule.’
They both laughed. ‘When you’re on holiday, rules must be broken,’ cried Connor.
‘This is not a holiday though,’ I groaned and gave them a detailed account of the events so far.
Connor scratched his head. ‘Crikey, Rachel, you and Grandpa Eric have been busy.’
Kate giggled. ‘I would have paid good money to have been a fly on the wall when you were chatting up the handsome but annoying builder with Eric behind you holding up a pair of fluffy pink handcuffs.’
I tried to lie. ‘He’s not handsome.’
They both burst out laughing.
‘Nice try,’ said Connor. ‘We know you, Rachel. So, it’s kinky times for the newlyweds.’
‘I feel guilty for telling you about the handcuffs. That’s Maddie and Frank’s private business,’ I explained. ‘I am going to be in so much trouble when he finds out about the suit.’
‘What are you going to do about Eric and Dorothy?’ asked Kate. ‘Harp Brook’s answer to Romeo and Juliet.’
I shrugged. ‘No idea. The snow has been a godsend as we can’t go out anywhere, but Grandpa has spent the day telling me about his love for Dorothy.’
‘Does your family know any of this?’ Kate asked.
Connor nudged her. ‘Rachel’s not going to casually update the family WhatsApp with, “Having a great time, Grandpa is in love with a local woman called Dorothy. I’ve allowed the cleaner to move in. We’ve torn one of Frank’s designer suits and Grandpa found a pair of Frank’s pink handcuffs which he waved about in front of the builder. Merry Christmas, fam!”’
Kate chuckled and nodded. ‘Yeah, you’re right. Janice would go crazy on her sun lounger.’
‘Grandpa claims he feels like a new man down here in Harp Brook.’
Connor chuckled. ‘You need to watch Grandpa Eric.’
I nodded. ‘It’s like having a teenage son who is in love with his new girlfriend.’
They both laughed.
‘I better go. Grandpa will want his tea.’
‘Good luck.’ Connor waved and Kate grinned.
Once tea had been cleared away, Grandpa went to the living room to watch TV and I stayed at the table talking to Layla.
‘How are you doing?’ I asked, pouring us both a glass of wine. Since arriving at Harp Brook, I’d not touched a drop of wine. After the stress of the past few days, I was gasping for a glass.
Layla smiled. ‘Much better, thanks. It’s been a godsend staying here. You and Eric are so nice and he’s hilarious. He’s told me all about Dorothy.’
‘I think Grandpa needs to slow down.’ The wine, a delicious Sauvignon Blanc, slipped down my throat with ease. ‘Do you know anyone who can repair suit trousers?’
Layla took out her phone. ‘Let me think. Kay who runs the gift shop does a bit of repairing on the side.’
I groaned. ‘She’s not a fan of me or Grandpa. I will need to work on her.’
‘Oh, before I forget, do you want me to leave the electric gates open tonight so tomorrow we don’t have to get up early for the builders?’ Layla asked. ‘I fancy a lie-in.’
‘Do you think that will be okay?’
She nodded. ‘They can come and go as they please.’ Her phone vibrated with a message. I prayed she was not back talking to Ryan.
‘How are things with you, Layla?’
With a shrug she said, ‘The usual. People are still letting me down. I must have been bad in a past life or something.’
As her phone bleeped a second time I asked, ‘Are you seeing anyone?’
‘After what Ryan did to me – no. Most fellas run a mile when they know I have a kid.’
I decided to change the subject. ‘Okay, look I’m keen to get to know Harp Brook a bit better. Do you know many of the locals?’
Layla nodded and cast me an uncomfortable look. ‘Not many like Mr Baxter.’
‘I’m sensing that. Do you know why?’
She fidgeted in her chair and when she spoke, kept her focus on her wine glass. ‘I think it’s the way he comes across.’
I nodded. ‘That sounds about right.’
She picked up her phone. ‘I didn’t know he used to be in films.’
‘Yes, action films. A long time ago.’
Her nails tapped softly on the screen as she scrolled through a page on her phone. ‘There’s an article out today about him,’ she explained. ‘I often google him. He’s being interviewed about his plans to buy out this film company and how he’s worked hard to change his public image.’
She showed me her phone screen. There was a glamorous photo of Frank and Maddie standing together with the ocean behind them. ‘He says he’s looking forward to raising a family and living life by his strong values of transparency and kindness. And he says he’s excited about making good, wholesome films.’
I wanted to know more about life inside this house. ‘Do you clean both the east and west wings?’
Layla fiddled with the tiny L on her chain. ‘Yes – why?’
‘I just wondered. I’ve always been curious about the west wing.’
She shrugged. ‘There’s nothing special in the west wing. It’s identical to the east wing, there’s a living room, a cloakroom, and a study I think.’
‘Oh, I see. I’m just being nosey.’
‘I’m not allowed to show you,’ Layla said. She touched her necklace. ‘Mr Baxter had it written into my contract and Mrs Baxter said I had to keep hold of the keys.’
‘Written into your contract?’
She nodded. ‘Mrs Baxter spends…’ My phone began to vibrate and interrupted Layla. It was my mother. ‘Excuse me, Layla, my mother is on the phone.’
As I stepped away to talk to Mum, my Maddie anxiety crackled inside of me. Why had Frank written it into Layla’s contract that the west wing was not to be shown to anyone?
‘Rachel, we are all worried about how you’re coping in the snow,’ explained Mum, coming through over WhatsApp video call, cocktail in hand. It was night over there and she was sitting outside with the pool lit up behind her. She was wearing a bright blue halter neck vest top which accentuated her dark tan, and her shoulder-length brown hair was full of curls. ‘You’re not keeping everyone updated on what’s happening.’
‘Mum, I’ve been busy, and I spoke to you at the weekend.’
I walked into the living room, as she would probably want to talk to Grandpa.
‘Pass me to Dad, please,’ Mum ordered.
‘Grandpa,’ I said, ‘Mum wants to talk to you.’ As I handed the phone to him, I arched my eyebrows and put my finger to my lips to remind him that there were things we’d agreed to keep quiet about. To my horror he stared gloomily down the camera at Mum.
‘Dad,’ Mum said, ‘you look sad. What’s going on?’
‘Dorothy,’ he said, making my entire body flinch.
‘Who the hell is Dorothy?’ Mum barked.
‘A beautiful lady who I danced with yesterday. We had a wonderful time together and I think I am in love.’
‘What the hell is going on?’ Mum cried. Instinctively I grabbed the phone from Grandpa. I needed to do some urgent damage control. Mum was busy shouting for Aunty Karen. ‘Karen, we have a problem. Come here quick.’
I smiled at Mum. ‘Nothing to worry about. I took him to the Senior Tea Dance in the afternoon.’
Mum frowned. ‘Aunty Karen specifically told you to keep excitement for Dad to a minimum.’
‘He had one short dance and I helped him back to his seat.’
Aunty Karen’s heels were clip-clopping towards the phone. ‘What’s up, Janice?’
‘Rachel took Dad to a Tea Dance for the elderly.’
‘Mmmm… Rachel’s not read my rules on caring for him,’ said Aunty Karen, bursting into view. Her cerise sun dress matched her angry pink sunburn. ‘Carry on.’
‘Dad told me he’s in love with the old dear he danced with.’
‘He’s losing his marbles,’ hissed Aunty Karen. ‘Ignore him. He says all sorts to me.’
Mum turned back to the camera. ‘Rachel, please review Aunty Karen’s rules on caring for your grandfather.’
‘I think we need regular updates,’ hissed Aunty Karen.
Mum nodded. ‘You got that, Rachel? Right, we better go off to that fish restaurant, Karen. Gary says it’s the best on the island.’
Once the call had finished, I turned to Grandpa. ‘We agreed to keep things quiet. I am now in trouble.’
‘Ignore them, Rachel. I need to see Dorothy again.’
As I walked out of the living room, I thanked my lucky stars that Grandpa had not told Mum what he had found in Frank’s suit pocket.
Layla had disappeared upstairs, which was a shame as I wanted to find out more about the secretive west wing. I made a mental note to speak to her again about it.