Where Memories Are Made (41 page)

Jackie was sincerely thrilled for Ginger, thrilled also to be asked to be a witness at the wedding, but sad for herself that she was going to have to learn to do without her friend on a day-to-day basis. This meant that tonight would be the last end-of-season party she would go to with Ginger, the last she would spend sharing the chalet with her and having to tell her to shut up so she could get some sleep, and the last time she would see her friend's crooked smile beaming over at her from behind the reception counter.

The second reason Jackie wasn't looking forward to the party as much as she usually would have been was that she felt it wasn't right she should be having fun while the woman she thought so highly of was bound to be suffering greatly after the death of her only child. Not that Michael had proved a good son to her, but he had still been Drina's son when all was said and done. She hadn't seen Drina or Rhonnie either since that awful day just over two weeks ago. They had been whisked away by Artie just after the police had left, having taken their statements and been quickly satisfied that Michael had been responsible for his own demise. An ambulance had taken away his body.

The banker's draft had been found by an eagle-eyed camper who had been one of those gathering below at the time of the fall. He'd astutely realised the piece of paper was very important if a man had lost his life in a desperate bid to get his hands on it, so had carefully followed it with his eyes until he observed it come to rest on top of a pile of rubbish in a bin by the tennis courts. He had been shocked to discover just what the paper was, but immediately handed it straight over to the police when they arrived on the scene.

Jackie was intrigued to find out, but wouldn't until she saw Drina again, just how Mr Hewitt had taken the news that he'd been swindled out of his money and was not in fact the owner of Jolly's. But at least he had got his money back whereas most other victims of swindlers never saw theirs again, and were left with nothing but their complete humiliation at having allowed themselves to be conned in the first place.

Jackie was aware that Michael's funeral had taken place two days ago. On Drina's orders only she had attended. His mother did not believe it right that people should feel obliged to attend the funeral of a man who had treated them like dirt under his shoes. Out of respect for Drina, Jackie had complied with her wishes. She supposed that in light of what Drina was going through, her plans to develop the business had been shelved for the time being. Whether she would have the heart to resurrect them in future remained to be seen. Drina, though, had indicated to Jackie that the plans she had made included her in some way, and she still wondered about that.

She heaved a huge sigh. Close friends and other staff she had grown very fond of this season were moving forward in their lives. Rhonnie was a mother now, Ginger getting married, Al had moved to London and was working away in his fabulous new job, and lots of the other seasonal staff would not be returning next year as they all had other avenues they planned to explore. Her relationship with her mother was slowly being rebuilt and was better than most would expect it to be in the circumstances, but the close bond they had once shared would never fully repair and Jackie was learning to do without her mother's day-to-day support. Gina was happy, though, with her new love, something Jackie had always wished for her, and that made her happy too. She had been at Jolly's since leaving school at fifteen and was now nearly twenty-two. She wondered if she should consider moving on too, finding new avenues herself, new challenges to face. Trouble was she loved her job and knew that finding another with such a variety of duties, no day ever the same, meeting the many different characters who came and went through the camp's gates, would be nigh on impossible.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of the switchboard announcing an incoming call. She got up to answer it. She was surprised to hear the caller's voice was Drina's, checking whether Jackie and Harold were both in the office as she wanted to come over and speak to them both. On Jackie telling her that they were, Drina asked her to make tea for them all and informed her that she would be with them in ten minutes.

Tea made, Jackie was sitting waiting patiently with Harold in his office. He had respectfully vacated his chair to allow Drina to take her rightful place behind the desk and was sitting in front of it next to Jackie. Neither of them had a clue what Drina could be coming to say, but both of them guessed that after recent events she had decided to sell the business and, as her senior staff, was affording them the courtesy of advance warning before it became public knowledge.

They both expected Drina to arrive showing signs of her recent bereavement so were astounded to see her walk in jauntily, a wide smile on her face, wearing a smart green tweed skirt and pale green twinset, a row of pearls around her neck under a woollen winter coat. She greeted them both with a hearty good afternoon.

Having taken off her coat and settled herself in her chair, Drina smiled at both of them in turn before she began, ‘First, may I explain to you my mood, which I noticed shocked you both when I arrived. I know you were expecting to see me grieving for the recent loss of my son, but I hope you won't judge me too harshly when I tell you I have shed so many tears over him in the past that now I have reached the point where I have none left to shed.'

Drina took a deep breath before she went on, ‘Now I know you will both be intrigued to know why I wanted to speak to you in particular.'

Jackie could not contain herself any longer and burst out, ‘Please tell us you're not selling the camp?'

Drina smiled at her. ‘No, dear, I'm not. I would never sell Jolly's, the place means far too much to me. Besides, it's not really mine to sell as it now belongs to Rhonnie and young Danny and I am just caretaking it for them until Rhonnie feels she's ready to take the helm. While I was nursing Rhonnie through her bereavement, then her pregnancy, I had plenty of time to think and I came up with an idea that I thought had some merit to it. I discussed it with Rhonnie and Artie and they both thought so too, as does my bank manager.

‘This camp caters for working-class people. We offer them an all-inclusive holiday at a price they can afford on the money they earn. Where, though, do better off people go for their holiday where they can find everything they want in one place? Well, that's what I aim to provide for them. Instead of our basic wooden chalets, my new camp's chalets will be built of brick, have a lounge and separate bedroom … some of them two bedrooms … and a bathroom and heating in them too so we can open all year round. Instead of one big restaurant serving the same food to everyone, several smaller ones will each offer different food, cooked by professional chefs, and diners will be able to order what they would like to eat not what we dictate to them, and will be able to dine when they wish to and not when we say so.

‘There will be shops selling quality goods, and a beauty parlour offering all manner of treatments; children will have their own clubs providing them with all-day entertainment, leaving their parents free to spend their days as they wish, and the use of a night babysitting service; there'll be an eighteen-hole golf course with several professional golfers offering coaching, and tennis courts offering the same. We will be putting on a cabaret show with professional dancers in a luxury theatre every night along with a variety of top entertainers making guest appearances. At this camp there will be no knobbly knees competitions, no egg and spoon races, no donkey rides on the beach. Sunbathers around the outdoor pool will have their every whim catered for by attentive staff. A professional swimmer will be on hand in the indoor pool to give lessons to those who wish to take them.

‘I could go on but I think you now have an idea of what my new camp will be like. I don't intend it to cater for the same numbers that this one does. It's to be smaller, more exclusive … two thousand people at a time. And they will pay well to holiday with us. I have found a site on the Devonshire coast that is the perfect setting for what I want. It is in beautiful countryside, by the sea with a private beach. I have just returned from a meeting with the bank, and the board there love my idea. I am pleased to tell you that they have agreed to the loan I asked them for and two private investors will put up the rest. I now have the funding to bring my plan to fruition.

‘Now to come to my proposition to you both.' She first looked at Jackie. ‘My dear, I will be moving down to Devon and personally overseeing every aspect of the build and refurbishment. Of course Artie is coming with me. He will be site manager. Rhonnie is coming too and will play a back seat role while she raises her son, becoming more involved on a day-to-day basis when he goes to school. So I will be needing a personal assistant. The job will be varied and very demanding and certainly not nine to five. I couldn't think of a better person to offer it to but you, Jackie.'

‘Me!' Her mind whirled frantically. A very short while ago she was wishing for a change of scene and a job that offered her new challenges. Now here she was, being offered that very job. The Three Musketeers were back in business again. Did she need time to think about it? No, she didn't. ‘When do I start?' she excitedly asked.

A delighted Drina told her, ‘As soon as we find a suitable replacement for you here.'

Then she turned her attention to Harold. ‘I never thought I would be offering you such a position because it requires a person who is good with people, has the acumen to deal with all manner of problems, and can make snap decisions in emergency situations. Several months ago you were not that man, Harold, but it seems while I was away a miraculous transformation has taken place. I would like you to consider accepting the role of manager of this camp. Of course we will make sure you have the right staff to support you, but what do you say?'

Harold stared at Drina dumbstruck. Not because he was doubting he had the ability to do this job, but because he was having such difficulty accepting the man Drina Jolly believed him to be. He felt himself swell with pride. He was no longer a shy, easily intimidated man with no self-belief, but a force to be reckoned with. With his head held high, he responded with conviction, ‘You have made the right choice in asking me to do this job for you, Mrs Jolly. I am honoured to accept.'

‘Good,' she declared. ‘You've both made me very happy. I now have the perfect staff on board to move the business forward so it's a thriving and successful one for the next generation to take over in due course.' She rose and put on her coat. ‘Right, I have a party to get ready for and so have you. We have much to celebrate tonight. I'll see you both later.'

She left them staring at each other as they both digested what had just transpired. It was Jackie who first found her voice but all she could think of to say was, ‘We haven't closed and locked the entrance for the winter. I'll go and see to it.'

A while later she pressed her back against the closed iron gates and looked back into the deserted camp that only a short time ago had been teeming with people. This time next year it would be someone else who would be closing these gates and she'd be closing those of another camp. She knew without doubt that whoever took her place here was in for a roller-coaster ride as they dealt with all the trials and tribulations, tears, heartache, fun and laughter that working for a place such as this would bring them daily. She would be taking with her numerous memories of her time here, some very happy, some excruciatingly painful, but one thing was for certain: where she was heading she couldn't wait to begin making new ones.