‘No, lovey,’ Lindy said quickly. ‘Why don’t you help me serve the tasty puddings we’ve brought with us. I don’t want to have to take them all home again with me. Come along.’
Zac caught his mother’s eye and gave her a grateful smile. She waved for him to make the most of the distraction and go.
His mum really was the best, he decided as he gave Melody’s hand a gentle squeeze and they began walking towards the La Pulente end of the beach.
24
MELODY
Melody strolled away from the small group excited to have some time alone with Zac. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful though and Lindy, Gareth and Lettie had gone to a lot of trouble to make their evening on the beach a perfect one. Noticing a chocolate cake that she supposed was one of Lindy’s specialities and a bowl of what looked like tiramisu next to it, she decided to have some later, if there was any left.
‘I’ve been thinking,’ Zac said as they walked barefoot in the soft creamy gold sand. ‘When the festival is over maybe the two of us can go and visit the other Channel Islands, or at least one or two of them. Would that be something you’d like to do?’
Excitement coursed through her. ‘I’d love to. I’d have to check with Lettie that she can do without me for a few days, but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do. I’ve been desperate to visit Sark ever since readingAppointment With Venus. Could we make sure one of those islands is Sark?’
He laughed. ‘Of course. We’ll do whatever you want.’ He frowned thoughtfully. ‘I don’t think I’ve heard of that book before.’
‘It was made into a film in the early 1950s and starred David Niven, Kenneth More and Glynis Johns. It’s one of Gran’s favourites and when it was on television a few years ago she persuaded me to watch it with her. I’ve read the book many times.’
Zac raised a finger. ‘Did you know Kenneth More lived in Jersey for a while?’
‘No, did he?’
‘He did,’ he confirmed proudly. ‘His father worked on the railway we used to have here until the occupation. He went to Victoria College.’
She clutched his forearm with her free hand. ‘That’s so exciting. I never knew that. Oh, I can’t wait to see Sark for myself.’
‘I can’t wait to visit again.’ A tennis ball flew towards them, a wet spaniel racing after it.
Then Melody noticed a dog owner holding one of those long plastic arm-like things she had presumably used to fling the ball for the dog to chase.
‘Sorry,’ the lady shouted. ‘Got my aim a bit off.’
‘It’s fine,’ Zac said, bending down to pick up the ball and throwing it away from them. Immediately the dog changed course and followed it.
‘That was close.’ She laughed. ‘I thought we were going to get wet and sandy from that dog for a moment there.’
‘So did I.’
Wanting to return to their interrupted conversation, Melody said, ‘You were saying about visiting some of the other islands.’
‘Yes, I’d love to show them to you.’
‘I’d love to go with you.’
‘I tell you what, you speak to Lettie and find out some dates when she’ll be happy for you to take time off and then plan around that. Sound good?’
‘Sounds great.’ It really did, she thought. To be able to visit one of the places she had dreamed of ever since she had read the old copy of the book she had discovered in her aunt’s bookcase one summer when she was staying at her home, was a dream come true. She thought of the stories she had read about the Dame of Sark during the Second World War and La Coupée, a narrow isthmus of land connecting Great Sark with Little Sark. She could barely wait to go there and travel over that high narrow strip herself after so many years imagining what it must be like to do so.
She thought of Patsy and how much she would also enjoy the islands and felt guilty.
‘What is it?’ Zac asked. ‘Something troubling you?’
‘It’s Gran. I couldn’t possibly leave her behind when I visit the islands. She’s the reason I came here in the first place and the least I can do is include her when I’m visiting places I know she would want to see.’
He pulled her to him. She felt the warmth of his strong arms around her and calmed immediately. She looked up at him, wanting him to kiss her, and when he lowered his head so his lips met hers, she closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment. He was an incredible kisser, this charming, cheeky man she was falling for. Melody wondered where this would all lead, but not daring to wait for the alternatives of what their future might be to come to her, pushed the thoughts away and focused on the moment and the pleasure of being in Zac’s arms.
After a while, he led her towards the lowering tide and they made their way back to the others, walking the entire way with their feet in a couple of inches of water. She glanced down at her toes with their crimson nail varnish and gave his hand a slight squeeze.
