A Jersey Kiss (Jersey Romance Series) (22 page)

“
Put like that,” Mel shrugged, “How can I refuse? Grant’s busy anyhow and these damn wedding preparations are stressing me out. I need to get away from them for a bit.”

“
It’ll probably do me good to have time away from the smell of paint and white spirit.” Bea smiled, relieved to have a reason not to spend any more time in Joyce’s company.

“
Look at all the cars already parked here,” Bea said as she tried to figure out where she should park her dusty car. The only space she could see was between two shining Mercedes and, with her lousy parking she thought it preferable to draw up on the roadside instead.

“
What is it about bangers that people never bother to wash them?” Mel looked back at Bea’s ancient Mazda.

“
I daren’t,” Bea joked. “The thing would fall apart if you wet all the rust.”

Having been given their orders for the day, Bea led the way to their pitches. It never ceased to amaze her how Shani, with her toned features, had such a matronly mother. Mrs Calder’s robust frame was supported by such short legs and ankles that Paul cruelly insisted any young oak would be grateful for and nothing at all like her daughter’s. Her steel grey hair, pulled back into a tight chignon, framed the powdered f
ace with beady black eyes that never missed a trick and pursed cherry matt-red lips Bea was sure had never uttered a gentle word to anyone.

“
Step to it,” she bellowed. “I want these stalls ready for visitors as soon as you can. No point in wasting time.”

“
Blimey,” said Mel, indicating the elderly women scuttling around the room answering Mrs Calder’s orders. “This lot are terrified of her.”

“
Aren’t you?” Paul laughed. “I wouldn’t cross the old bag.”

“
Hey, that old bag is my mother.” Shani punched him on his shoulder. “Only I’m allowed to criticise her and don’t you forget it.”

“
I can see who the next generation of old bags will be led by,” he laughed, before running off with a tray of cakes he’d been supposed to take to an old lady’s stall.

“
Steady on, young man,” Mrs Calder’s voice bellowed across the room. Voices hushed and Bea giggled as Paul stopped messing about and mouthed an apology.

“
So, you all understand. Melanie and Paul, you are to man the second-hand bookstall and Beatrice and Shani you can have the preserves.” Mrs Calder pointed to the rickety trellis tables laden with jam filled jars of all shapes and sizes.

“
Come along then, jump to it. Lady Dulbury will be arriving in half an hour to open the fayre. I need you all to make sure your stalls are immaculate and presentable and don’t forget one of you needs to be in charge of tying the moneybag round your waist. You’ll find more than enough change in them, so do be careful not to lose them. At some point today a photographer from the Gazette will be here to cover the event and I don’t want any of you letting the side down.”

“
Whose bright idea was it to help out today?” whispered Paul behind his hand to Bea. “I’d rather be moping by myself than being bossed around here.”

“
I’m not deaf,” Shani said, her voice quiet. “Now stop messing about and come with me.”

“
If you’re not careful you’re going to morph into your mother,” Paul giggled ignoring her. Mel grabbed his wrist and dragged him to their stall.

“
No. No. No, Mrs Baxter, not like that.” Mrs Calder pounded over to the cake stall, her sensible brogues slapping the hard earth lawn where the poor white-haired old lady fumbled with a disintegrating Victoria sponge.

“
Quick, let’s look busy,” Shani said, frantically tidying up their stall.

Bea didn’t argue. She nudged her gently.
“You must take after your dad.” She raised a playful eyebrow.

“
Thankfully, I think I do. Do you know, when I was small I was sure I was adopted and even had the guts to ask her once.”

“
Phew, that’s brave,” laughed Bea at the thought of it. “What did she say?”

“
Nothing, she told me not to be so rude and sent me to my room without any supper.”

They were mid-titter when Shani’s mother noticed and made her way back over to their stalls.
“I presume by the chit chat that you two are satisfied with your presentation?”

“
Yes.” They nodded, almost standing to attention and trying not to laugh.

She surveyed the trestle table and all that it held for a few seconds before sighing loudly, her whole body quivering as if to emphasize her concerns.
“It’ll have to do, I suppose. You are amateurs after all, and I must be grateful for whatever help I can find today.” She clapped her hands together and marched off once more to check on the others.

The jostling and elbowing in front of their stall slowly began to subside.
“We’ve all done extremely well, don’t you think?” Shani shouted from the middle of the hall three hours later.

“
Most of our jars have been sold,” Bea said to Shani proudly. “Even the boxes hidden under the table to restock are almost gone.” Bea looked down at her own bag containing two jars of damson and raspberry jam she’d bought for herself and her parents. “I’ll just pop these last few jars on the stall, see if we can sell them too,” she said. Sensing someone there, she stood up, arms full of jars, and placing them on the table, asked, “Can I help you?”

Luke held a carrier bag full of books.
“Yes, please,” he said.

EIGHTEEN

Mole Hills

Startled by his voice, Bea looked up, knocking over two of the jars.
“Hell,” she said, as he instinctively reached to catch them before they hit the ground.

Luke smiled at her, his eyes sending signals through her entire body as she hurriedly tried to think of a reply.
“Well done,” she said, impressed by his instinctive reactions.

“
Well?” he asked, waiting for a reply.

Bea frowned.
“Sorry?” Why did she find it so hard to stay focused when he was around?

Luke shook his head.
“Can I buy a couple of pots?”

“
Of course you can, as much as you like,” she said, unable to stop her lips drawing back into a wide smile. “Anyway, what are you doing here? I wouldn’t have thought this was your sort of thing.”

He looked around at the other stalls.
“I could say the same to you. However, my excuse is that this is my parent’s home and my mother is on the Committee with that old battle-axe over there.” He inclined his head in Mrs Calder’s direction.

Bea leant towards him,
“Lower your voice,” she whispered. “She’s Shani’s mother.”

Bea laughed when Luke’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into his fringe.
“Poor girl. Doesn’t take after her though, does she?”

“
No, thankfully not,” Bea giggled. “So, do you always help out at these things then?”

He shook his head and shuddered.
“No, only when they’re held here, which thankfully is only once a year. My mother always asks me to hang around to help with any heavy carting about, and I don’t really mind. It’s a bit of fun, and I’m usually paid with a couple of ciders from that stall, and Jersey Wonder’s from over there,” he said, indicating a converted ice-cream van behind him.

“
What a surprise,” Leilani said, suspicion souring her voice. “When Luke suggested I come here today, he didn’t mention you might be working here, Beatrice Potter. Isn’t it delightful how we keep on bumping into each other? I suppose we have to expect it on this tiny island of yours.”

Bea forced a smile, determined to be pleasant.
“Leilani, have you been enjoying the fayre?”

“
It seems a little more interesting now I’ve seen you’re here. I thought there would only be old ladies fighting over tea cosies, or whatever you call those horrible knitted coats for teapots,” she said, approaching Luke and snaking her arms through his like a particularly clingy feline. “Lukey,” she said, raising an immaculately sculptured eyebrow in what Bea presumed was supposed to be a sexy look. “Your mother asked me to find you. She needs you in the other room to help re-arrange some tables.” She turned back to Bea. “I gather the afternoon teas are more popular than they had anticipated.” She took one of his hands in both of hers and began pulling him towards the house. “Ta, ta, Beatrice,” she said over her shoulder in a mock English accent.

Bea ignored her and caught Luke’s eye. He mouthed an apology and smiled at her before following Leilani.

“God, I hate that rotten cow,” Shani said from behind her. “Hey, I’m thirsty, do you mind holding the fort for a bit?” she asked, crossing her legs as only someone expert in yoga could manage. “I can get us some lemonade after I’ve visited the Ladies room.”

“
Not at all, off you go.” Bea watched as Shani walked off, wondering what was different about her.

“
Young lady,” said a tiny old woman in front of her. “Please can you help us?” Bea nodded, hoping Shani wouldn’t be long with that drink. Her throat was parched, and she wished she’d thought to bring a bottle of water along with her for the afternoon. “We’ve just enjoyed the most delicious afternoon tea and were told that the jam they served with the scones is being sold on this stall. But we can’t decide between the strawberry and the damson.”

“
How about buying one of each?” Bea asked, giving them her brightest salesman smile.

“
We only want one jar each though,” the shorter of the two women replied.

“
Well, why not buy a different one and if you have a spare container at your home you can take half each out of the jars and swap,” she said, holding up two jars.

After a few more minutes of debate they did as she had suggested and she gratefully handed each one a jar and took their coppers.
“This bag is heavy,” she said to Paul and Mel when they came over to join her and see how she’d done. “Why can’t people use pound notes instead of all these coins, and most of them are coppers? You’d think they’d be pleased to still have pound notes over here. I don’t know why they stopped them in the UK.” Bea stepped from one foot to the other to try and alleviate her aching feet. Raking her hands through her hair, she pushed it back off her flushed face. Where was Shani with those drinks?

“
You look a bit flustered,” said Paul, coming over to join her.

Bea heard a distant boom.
“What was that?” she asked, looking around to try and see what had caused it. It didn’t appear to have come from very far away.

“
No idea, but I’d like to know what’s going on over there,” he said, motioning through the double doors over the thinning crowds to the parking area where people began congregating around a car. “I wonder if Leilani has been upsetting the locals again?”

Bea looked over to a group of about fifteen people. There did seem to be an awful lot of arm waving going on, as well as raised voices. Bea craned her neck in an attempt to find out what was so interesting, but couldn’t see past them to find out.

“Anyway where’s Shani got to?” Paul asked, taking her attention away from the on-going drama.

Just at that moment, she noticed Shani hurrying over, holding a cup of tea out in front of her in each hand trying to concentrate on not spilling them as she made her way through the bustling people.
“Here you go,” she said as soon as she reached Bea. “Sorry I was so long. There’s some sort of problem near the entrance, but I’ve no idea what and it’s too sodding cold to go and find out.”

Bea blew on her tea and peered through the people in front of her. Absorbed by what was happening, she took a sip of the hot drink, the shock of it scalding her mouth, causing her to swallow it the wrong way, which nearly choked her.

“Arrgh,” she spluttered, coughing and frantically fighting for breath. Shani took her cup from her and slapped her heavily on the back several times.

“
Oh dear, do be careful,” Leilani mocked. “We wouldn’t want you to choke now, would we?”

Bea turned and gasped for air in the face of her nemesis.
“Leilani,” she rasped, her throat raw from all the coughing. “I’m sure Luke could do with your help somewhere?”

“
Actually it’s your help I need right now,” he shouted, striding up to her stall and pointing at Bea. Leilani glared at him.

“
Mine? What for?” Bea asked, still attempting to clear her throat. He didn’t look very happy, she noted. In fact, he looked furious. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to know the answer.

“
Is that your Mazda on the road?”

“
The blue one?” she asked.

“
Yes, the dusty one, parked in front of the sign saying ‘No Parking’.”

Bea grimaced and nodded.
“Ah, yes?”

“
Good. Keys handy?”

“
Yes.” She didn’t try to fathom what exactly was going on.

“
Right. Come with me,” he said, his tone not allowing for argument. He took hold of Bea’s hand and pulled her through the crowd of nosy women trying to see what was going on.

“
You’re going now?” Leilani shouted. Bea turned to see her head about all the others, the fury on her face obvious and knew that if looks could kill a person, she wouldn’t even have time to say good-bye.

“
Yes, right now.” He pulled Bea out of the hall and across the lawn, pushing his way through the throng of people and over to her car.

“
Where are we going?” she asked, fumbling with the ignition, relieved to finally manage to start the car at her second attempt.

“
St Catherine’s Lifeboat Station. Hurry, I should be there by now.”

“
Really?” Bea glanced at him, and then putting her foot down, narrowly missed a hire car.

“
Indicating might be a good idea next time,” he said, his voice softening. “And thanks, by the way.”

Bea shrugged, breathless from the unexpected excitement of what was happening.
“No problem,” she said, finally getting onto the road and putting her foot down on the accelerator. “What’s the urgency?”

“
Didn’t you hear that loud bang a few moments ago?”

“
Yes,” she said, feeling a little foolish that maybe she should know what was going on.

“
That’s the boom letting the crew know there’s a shout, or a call out. Someone’s in trouble, and if people parked where they should do,” he pointedly cleared his throat, then smiled at her, “I wouldn’t have been blocked in at the fayre.”

“
Ahh,” said Bea, realising he meant her. “Sorry about that.”

“
Turn here,” he said. “I didn’t mean you, either. If you’d have parked where you should have done, I would never have got to the station in time to join the crew.”

“
You’re a member of the crew? Aren’t you nervous?” she asked, wondering how many other things she didn’t know about this man.

“
No. Once the adrenaline kicks in, which is pretty much, as soon as the alarm is sounded, I don’t feel anything, but the need to get out there, and get to the job.”

“
I hate it when I hear that bang being sounded. I suppose whoever is on duty must have to get to the station as quickly as possible?”

“
Yes. The first ones to arrive that make up the crew for the lifeboat, launch her and then any others who get there later wait to see if they’re going to be needed.”

“
How brave,” she said, turning to glance at him.

He shook his head.
“There are far braver men than me. I’m just doing something that matters to me.”

Within minutes they reached the lifeboat station. Bea could see men running inside from hastily parked cars. She stopped and Luke immediately leapt out.
“Thanks for the lift,” he said, before racing towards the building and disappearing inside. Bea decided to wait and see them launch. Within moments huge wooden doors were pulled back and a converted tractor pushed the boat down a huge concrete slipway and onto the beach, smashing straight into the waves, engines already roaring and the crew kitted up inside. Bea gasped, impressed with their actions. She had never experienced anything quite so dramatic before.

She thought she spotted Luke, but couldn’t be too sure, then stepping out of her car to get a better view, she watched them disappearing into the distance. The vessel turned left and Bea wondered if they were going towards the Ecrehous.

****

“
Blimey,” said Shani when Bea arrived back at the stall to find them packing up the last few jars. “You never told us he was in the RNLI.”

“
I didn’t know,” Bea said, hoping Luke wouldn’t get into any difficulties wherever he was.

“
Who’d have thought he would be a secret hero?” Shani nudged Bea with her elbow.

“
I can’t say it surprises me,” Paul said. “Let’s get out of here before the Amazon reappears and gives you a slap for running off with her man.”

“
I was hardly running away with him,” Bea said, helping them pack up and thinking that chance would be a fine thing.

Shani’s mother thanked them for all their
“admirable effort”. “Quick, let’s make our getaway before she finds anything else for us to do,” Paul laughed as they hurried over to Bea’s car. Bea rested two jars of jam on the roof as she unlocked her car door.

“
I still can’t get over Luke being a real-life hero,” Paul said. “Here, give those to me.”

Shani quickly snatched them off the roof.
“No chance. These are mine and Bea’s; you said you didn’t want one. Too late now.”

Bea watched as Shani held the two jars high above Paul’s head so he couldn’t reach them. She took a breath to speak, but was distracted by the way Shani’s sweatshirt pulled against her stomach.

Bea’s mind was in turmoil. How had she not noticed? Why hadn’t Shani said anything to her? For once she was relieved that the others chatted continuously all the way to their homes. Bea dropped Mel off and then Paul at the shopping precinct, eventually arriving back at The Brae.

“
Come on, let’s get inside,” she said to Shani, barely able to contain herself.

As soon as they were in the kitchen, Bea turned to her friend.
“I can’t believe you’re pregnant and you never said anything.”