Finding Mother Page 24

  chapter 36

  Hélène took a deep breath, fingernails digging into her palm. Releasing the door she reached out to shake hands with Mary and Ian, who looked like perfectly ordinary people and not the ogres she’d created in her head.

  ‘Hélène, it’s lovely to meet you at last! Ian and I have been quite excited these past weeks. And you’re getting married! How wonderful!’ Mary gushed, looking flustered as they shook hands.

  As Ian grabbed her hand in a firm clasp, Hélène took in his air of authority. A man used to being in control. She felt unsure of herself as he said, ‘Pleased to meet you, Hélène, and congratulations on your forthcoming marriage.’

  Nicole, perhaps sensing the tension in the moment, suggested they all went through to the terrace and she’d make the tea.

  Hélène went to protest, but Nicole pushed her into leading her parents down the hall.

  ‘Go on, there’s nothing to worry about, they owe you, remember,’ she whispered in her ear, giving her arm a quick squeeze.

  ‘Why, your house is enormous, Hélène! Nicole warned us it was big but still…’ Ian swept his arm around the hall as he surveyed the staircase and various corridors.

  ‘Yes, it’s a bit of an anachronism these days, isn’t it? A Victorian, gothic folly built by a man with more money than sense!’ she laughed nervously. ‘You probably noticed the twin circular towers at the front?’ Mary and Ian nodded. ‘Well, the architect was apparently inspired by the round tower of Torteval Church, only built in 1818. It has the tallest steeple on the island and houses a fifteenth century French bell. It’s a lovely little church and I…always wanted to get married there.’ She knew she was babbling from nervousness, but couldn’t help herself. In spite of Nicole’s reassurance, she felt awkward with these people. Her daughter’s parents.

  Mary and Ian nodded and they continued out to the terrace.

  As they exclaimed over the garden and view Hélène tried to relax. Nicole wheeled out the tea trolley, saying she’d go and fetch her grandmother. She returned a few moments later pushing Eve’s wheelchair.

  ‘Here we are. Grandmother, I’d like you to meet my parents, Mary and Ian. Mum, Dad, this is Eve.’

  They all shook hands before settling themselves around the table.

  The conversation was stilted as Nicole poured the tea and passed round cake. General comments on the weather and the house were tossed around but Hélène still felt ill at ease. She glanced over at Mary and thought she looked equally as uncomfortable, despite her opening words. It’s not easy to acknowledge each other. We both have such a vested interest in Nicole that it was bound to happen. I’m jealous of her! She had all the joy of those early years and is responsible for the way she’s turned out. I only supplied my womb!

  Eve and Ian drifted into a conversation about the Occupation and evacuation of the islanders. Born in 1939, Ian was sent to England with his mother in 1940 and he and Eve compared notes on their experiences. Being so young, his memories were hazy and very different to Eve’s but they still had something in common. Hélène saw that Nicole was leaning towards them, listening, apparently fascinated.

  This left Mary and Hélène apart.

  ‘You must have found it very…strange meeting Nicole after all this time,’ Mary began, barely looking up from her tea.

  ‘Yes, it was. I’d given up hope of her wanting to…to find me. So it was wonderful that she did.’

  Mary looked up. ‘It was quite…upsetting for me, us. We wondered if she felt we hadn’t… loved her enough.’ She was chewing her lips and Hélène noticed the over-bright eyes.

  ‘Oh, not at all! She’s told me what great parents you were, are.’ Hélène leaned forward. ‘She loves you both very much, believe me.’

  Mary reached for a tissue and blew her nose.

  ‘But she’s planning to stay here, be near you. You’ll see her all the time!’

  ‘She isn’t staying because of me! It’s Ben she wants to spend time with. We’ve…become close, yes, but you’re still her mother. I…I can’t compete with what you’ve done over the years. I envy you that. And I know I can never make up for those years. But I do love her, as any mother would love her child.’ She felt the tears pricking at her eyes and Mary handed her a clean tissue from her bag. ‘Thanks,’ she muttered.

  Mary put her hand on her arm.

  ‘I think we both have to accept that Nicole has two… mothers now and we’ll have to share her. It won’t be easy but we…we must try.’

  Hélène nodded, feeling as if she and Mary had reached some kind of understanding. Acceptance.

  She’d hardly drawn breath when the doorbell announced Adrian’s arrival and she left to let him in.

  Adrian gave her a long hug before pulling back and whispering, ‘Are you all right? You’ve been crying! Are they being horrible to you?’

  She managed a weak smile.

  ‘They can’t hear you, they’re on the terrace. And no, they’re being okay. Mary’s obviously upset about me being part of Nicole’s life now, but I think it can be worked out. I haven’t spoken much to Ian as Mother took him over. Come on, before they wonder what we’re doing.’

  ‘Mary, Ian, I’d like you to meet my… fiancé, Adrian Bourgaize.’ She couldn’t bring herself to introduce him as Nicole’s father.

  After the requisite handshakes, Adrian joined them at the table and Nicole went off to make more tea.

  Hélène held her breath, praying that Adrian wouldn’t meet with the judgment he feared. She sensed an initial wariness from Ian, who, she thought, might be feeling at a disadvantage meeting the man who had fathered the child he couldn’t.

  The two men seemed to eye each other up, the way men do when they are in competition for a woman. Only this time not for a lover, but a daughter. But Adrian had not spent years as a headmaster for nothing and she watched, fascinated, as he turned on his easy charm. The charm that had worked on her. Twice.

  Sitting back in her chair she listened as Adrian focused the conversation on Mary and Ian, encouraging them to talk about their life in retirement. Once golf was mentioned as a mutual interest, the three of them became like best buddies. Eve reached over and whispered to Hélène, ‘I think it’s going very well, don’t you? You can stop your worrying now, my girl, and look forward to Saturday,’ she smiled slyly.

  ‘You knew I was worried about us meeting them?’

  ‘Of course! But I always knew it would be all right. Nicole’s such a lovely girl that her parents had to be nice too,’ Eve said, patting her arm.

  Nicole returned with a fresh teapot and the little tea party continued while Hélène slowly relaxed.

  Ben collected Nicole that evening, eager to know how the meeting of her parents had gone. Or the Clash of the Titans as he so wickedly referred to it.

  ‘Well, there certainly wasn’t any battle, not even of the egos. I admit I’d been worried on Mum’s behalf, as she could have seen herself usurped by Hélène. I sensed some tension initially, but by the end of the afternoon they were all getting on like a house on fire. So, a result!’ she grinned at him. ‘More like “The Famous Five” than “Clash of the Titans”, with golfing anecdotes taking centre stage rather than feuds between the gods of the universe!’

  Ben laughed.

  ‘Good! So now it’s my turn to be inspected. Hope I’m not found wanting!’

  ‘Just be on your best behaviour and you’ll be fine. They’re becoming quite mellow in their old age; Dad could be quite scary when he was in full Advocate flow. I was always glad I never ended up on the witness stand in front of him.’

  ‘Oh, thanks a lot! That’s really boosted my confidence. Not,’ he said, glancing towards her while he steered the car onto the main road.

  She leaned over to give him a quick kiss.

  ‘Seriously, I’m so pleased that The Parents have hit it off. Could have been very awkward at the wedding if they hadn’t. And Hélène is so excited, I think s
he’s finding it hard to believe it’s really happening. After all these years.’

  ‘It’s a big deal for her, so it’s to be expected. Is everything under control with the preparations?’

  ‘Yep. The cleaner’s been working overtime, smartening up the dining room and sitting room. Everywhere you go the smell of furniture polish mingles with the perfume of cut flowers scattered about the house. It’s as if the old place is finally waking up and putting on new clothes.’ Her face dropped. ‘It’s such a bitter-sweet time for everyone, though. Underneath we’re worried about Grandmother and how long she’ll be with us.’

  Ben reached out and gripped her hand.

  ‘Hey, don’t get maudlin! She’s determined to make it for the wedding and she will. After that, no-one can say, but at least there’s something great to celebrate and Eve would be the first to admit she’s had a good innings. And she’s as excited about the wedding as Hélène is.’

  ‘True. Okay, let’s focus on the good stuff for now. And your imminent cross-examination by my father!’ She grinned at him.

  ‘Great!’

  Fifteen minutes later Ben parked the car near the OGH and walked hand in hand with Nicole into the hotel. Her parents awaited them in the Centenary Bar and Nicole, squeezing Ben’s hand, walked over to their table.

  ‘Mum, Dad, I’d like you to meet Ben. Ben, my parents Mary and Ian Le Clerq.’

  ‘How do you do, Mr Le Clerq,’ Ben said, shaking hands.

  ‘Please, call me Ian. I’m very well, thank you, Ben. Glad to meet you. Nicole’s told us a lot about you, hasn’t she, Mary?’ Ian turned to his wife who smiled up at Ben from her chair.

  Ben leaned down and kissed Mary’s cheek.

  ‘Nice to meet you, Ben,’ she said, adding ‘and please call me Mary.’

  Ian summoned a waiter to take the order for drinks and to bring menus for The Brasserie. He then asked Ben a little about himself, and it wasn’t long before the two men became involved in a conversation about their professional experiences. Nicole and Mary sat back with their G and Ts as they listened. Nicole was pleased that her father didn’t bombard Ben with questions but let Ben chat about his work. Once the menus arrived their attention turned to their choice of food. The order duly given, the conversation turned back to Ben.

  ‘So, Ben, do you see yourself staying here for good? So many young people seem to find the islands a bit claustrophobic.’ Ian asked.

  ‘I can’t see myself leaving, though I know what you mean by being claustrophobic!’ Ben grinned. ‘As long as I can get away and stretch my wings occasionally I’m happy. I took a gap year before uni and spent it touring Australia and New Zealand. Absolutely brilliant! But I felt a bit overwhelmed by the vastness of Australia and couldn’t imagine living there. I’m much more at home in a place like Guernsey where I can be anywhere within thirty minutes or so. And I’d hate to be far from the sea.’ He turned to face Nicole, ‘I do wonder how you’ll settle here after the buzz of Bristol. We’re a bit of a backwater in comparison.’

  ‘Don’t forget I grew up in Jersey so I’m used to “backwaters”,’ Nicole laughed. ‘I admit I enjoyed living on the mainland but I’ve enjoyed the slower pace of life here. It suits me, I don’t want to be striving to prove something all the time.’ She touched Ben’s hand before adding softly, ‘And they do say home is where the heart is, so I’m very happy to live here.’

  Mary cleared her throat.

  ‘Well said, darling. Your father and I were happy to stay in Jersey until he retired and we’ve no regrets about it. The islands are lovely places to bring up children, so much safer than the mainland.’ Mary blushed. ‘Oh, I wasn’t implying that you two…’

  ‘It’s all right, Mum! If Ben and I do get together then we’d like to have children. But there’s the small matter of my divorce first!’

  The waiter arrived to tell them that their table was ready and they moved down from the bar into the restaurant. He escorted them to a table by the window of the conservatory, offering a view of the garden and out towards the harbour. Ben had ordered a bottle of champagne and they raised their glasses for a toast, crying ‘Santé’. Waiters served the local sea food they had ordered and the serious business of eating began.

  The combination of good food and wine contributed in making the evening slip by pleasantly. By the end of the meal it looked to Nicole that her parents had taken Ben under their wing as a prospective son-in-law. Once the existing one was unhooked, of course.

  ‘What do you plan to do while you’re here, Ian?’ Ben asked as they sipped their coffees.

  ‘We thought we’d pop over to Sark for a day tomorrow as we haven’t been there since Nicole was a girl. Might hire cycles so we can explore as far as Little Sark and treat ourselves to lunch at La Sablonnerie. Then, weather permitting, we’ll have a day in Herm on Thursday or Friday. It still gives us plenty of time to retrace our steps in Guernsey before we leave on Sunday.’

  ‘You’ll need to rest when you return to Spain, Dad!’

  ‘That’s the beauty of being retired, my dear. We can do as much or as little as we want. It’s now too hot for anything physical like golf or tennis, so we’ll just take it easy and read. Your mother’s filling up a case with paperbacks while we’re here to keep us going till winter!’ Ian chuckled.

  Mary replied, ‘Well, it’s lovely to wonder round bookshops full of English books for a change. We do have one bookshop in Javea but the choice is quite limited. And your father’s right, it’s too hot to do much at this time of year. I think we’ll make it an annual event to come back in the summer, spending time in both islands. It’ll mean we see more of you, darling. And, it goes without saying, you’re both welcome to visit us whenever you like.’

  ‘Thanks, Mum. We’ll be over as soon as summer’s over,’ Nicole laughed, glancing at Ben.

  ‘From what Nicole’s told me, you live in a great place, Mary. I don’t know Spain very well, as I only ever drove around France.’

  The conversation turned to a comparison of the merits of France versus Spain before Ben suggested that he and Nicole should leave. After an exchange of goodnights, Ben and Nicole walked back to the car.

  ‘So, what did you think of my parents? I think they liked you.’

  ‘I thought they were great. Your father’s Old School with a soft centre and your mother’s very motherly. And I’m looking forward to a free holiday in Spain,’ he grinned.

  ‘Hey! Cheeky!’ She punched his arm. ‘When they visit next year would it be all right if they stayed with us? I don’t like to think of them needing an hotel when we have room.’

  ‘Fine by me. As long as you can give me a hand finishing off the guest bedroom, bathroom…’

  ‘Okay, point taken. But the money from my divorce should be more than enough to cover the cost of employing professionals and I’d like to contribute to the house, if you have no objection.’

  Ben turned towards her.

  ‘That’s generous of you, Nicole. I’ll think about it. In the meantime let’s get home and you can offer me a rather different kind of contribution,’ he said, squeezing her thigh.

  ‘Oooh, Doctor! You are naughty!’ she giggled.

  chapter 37

  The next few days passed in a haze of final preparations for the wedding. Nicole helped the cleaner, Liz, to go through the house thoroughly, so that even the rooms not being used still had a clean and tidy. With the weather forecast to remain fine for Saturday, Hélène decided to use the garden, hiring chairs and tables with parasols. As a backup the house was more than large enough to cater for the forty invited guests.

  Eve conserved her strength by resting as much as possible. But she liked to keep her finger on the pulse and would ask Hélène and Nicole to keep her updated on the progress of the preparations, offering advice as she deemed appropriate. One of her good ideas was to ask the ladies from the Western WI, of which she had been a member, to arrange flowers from the garden in the chur
ch. Two ladies turned up to cut flowers chosen by Hélène, bearing them off to St Philippe’s to fill the altar vases.

  Nicole only saw Ben when he came round to check on Eve. His visits were not medically essential as Eve seemed stable, but they reassured the family. It was agreed that he would move in at the weekend while Hélène and Adrian spent a couple of nights in Jersey. They didn’t want a longer honeymoon while worried about Eve. The carers would come in as usual and at no time would Eve be on her own. Nicole kept her company when she could and, although still intrigued about Eve’s experiences during the war, hadn’t pursued her questioning.

  Adrian came round to mow the lawn and tidy the hedges on Thursday and Nicole noticed that he looked distracted as he talked to Hélène in the garden. When she returned to the kitchen Nicole asked her if there was anything the matter.

  Hélène frowned.

  ‘He still hasn’t heard from Karen about whether or not she’s coming to the wedding. He’ll be devastated if she doesn’t but she’s not answering his calls.’ She sighed, ‘I’d hate to be the cause of a family split but what can I do?’

  ‘Has Michael spoken to her? He is coming, isn’t he?’

  ‘Yes, he’s coming but I don’t know if he’s talked to Karen. I’ll have a word with Adrian later. Oh dear, families!’

  Nicole gave her a hug.

  ‘Karen’s just making a point and I’m sure she’ll be there. Either way, it’s your day so don’t let anything spoil it for you. Go and sit down and I’ll make you a cup of tea.’

  By Friday there’d still been no word from Karen but Michael had promised to have a word with her. It was a question of wait and see.

  Saturday dawned warm and clear and as soon as the carers arrived for Eve, Nicole and Hélène drove off to the hairdressers in St Peter Port. Then it was on to the beauticians for a manicure and pedicure. They were home by eleven and Hélène went to check that Eve was properly attired in her dress and jacket while Nicole went into the kitchen to make coffee. Hélène wheeled Eve outside and Nicole remarked how well the blue suited her.