A Jersey Kiss (Jersey Romance Series) (24 page)

“
I know, and you look a mess,” said Shani, holding out a mug for her to take. “Drink your coffee, then you can freshen up. You’ll feel much better then.”

Bea, not having the emotional or physical strength to argue, let Shani take charge. Catching sight of her puffy pale face, swollen eyes and cut temple, with the angry purple and black bruising glaring back at her in the ornate mirror on the wall, she groaned in anguish that anyone, let alone Luke, had seen her in such an awful state.

After luxuriating in a hot lavender bath, Bea took a couple of painkillers. She was feeling a little better. Shani wanted her to make an appointment with a doctor to ensure her head didn’t need a couple of stitches, but Bea insisted it wasn’t necessary. Instead, she suggested they make the most of the colder weather and go out for some fresh air. They walked along the paths in between the World War Two gun placements and bunkers at Noirmont Point and watched Flea sniffing intently for rabbits.

“
Is it because of the baby?” Shani asked eventually. Bea shook her head. “What’s really the matter, then? I’m sure you’re keeping something from me and it’s making me nervous.”

Bea once again wondered how much easier it would have been if Tom hadn’t confided in her about Luke’s problems with the police and his money laundering suspicious.

“You can tell me anything, you know that, don’t you?” Shani said.

Bea felt guilty and nodded. She needed to somehow explain things to Shani without breaking the confidentiality code she had to live by as a Trust Officer. She spent her working life looking after others’ trusts and companies and it went against her principles to discuss business when she shouldn’t.

“Bea?”

Bea chewed her lower lip.
“Shani, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but I’m not allowed.”

“
So, it’s not about the baby? I know that must be hard for you to take in.” Bea shook her head again. “Who’s it to do with?”

“
I can’t tell you that either, sorry. It’s nothing for you to worry about, though. It’s more to do with work.”

“
Tom.” Shani pulled a face. “I might have guessed.”

“
Sorry?” Bea pulled on Flea’s lead when he walked too close to the deep steps of a bunker. Why was Shani always so intuitive? “Why do you mention Tom?”

Shani stopped walking and stared at her, hands on her hips.
“I knew he would have something to do with it.”

Bea stood and shrugged.
“It’s difficult and Tom hasn’t actually done anything wrong.”

“
So, tell me. You work for the same company and he is your manager, after all. “

“
He knows something that he felt I should be told, that’s all,” Bea eventually confided, reining in Flea’s lead to get him back to the pathway once more and out of the bracken.

Shani stared at her, a confused expression on her face.
“This has something to do with Luke, I presume?”

Bea gasped.
“You don’t know anything of the sort. I’ve told you I can’t discuss this and I really am not allowed to.”

“
Okay, so how come he can tell you then? I don’t get it.”

“
He told me to make sure I didn’t inadvertently get myself into a difficult situation.”

“
With Luke.”

Bea rolled her eyes.
“Will you forget about Luke, for pity’s sake? I can’t tell you anything else.”

Shani shrugged and began walking again.
“All I know is that something is playing on your mind and I don’t like it.”

Bea hugged Shani.
“Neither do I, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Shani stroked her rounded stomach. She stopped and took Bea by the arm.
“It’ll all work out, just hang in there.”

“
I hope you’re right.” If it doesn’t, she was just going to have to deal with it.

Shani pushed her chin deeper into her red woollen scarf.
“I wonder if Luke’s boat is one of those out there?” She pointed, changing the subject. “Mind you, it does look a little rough today.”

“
I doubt it. He’s moored at St Catherines over the other side of the island. I suppose living on his boat while he does up his cottage is an obvious place for someone who loves the sea like he seems to.” She inwardly cringed at the thought of him spending all night watching her sleep. What had she said to him? God, her head was still pounding. “Anyway, I have more pressing matters to worry about. I need to sort out this money for Simon.”

Shani groaned.
“If only you could discover what this Jersey Kiss thing is and maybe you could sell it. If she your aunt left it to you in her will then it must be worth something.”

“
I know,” Bea said, shivering and doing up her ancient Burberry mac. “But I’ve looked everywhere for it. There isn’t any paperwork that I can find no paintings that look valuable and certainly no jewellery. If I don’t find a way out of this financial mess, I’m going to have to seriously consider selling The Brae, and I can’t bear the thought of losing everything Aunt Annabel worked so hard to achieve. I’d feel as if I’d let her down badly, not to mention you and the baby.”

“
I know you would, but you shouldn’t. We need to discuss my rent.”

Bea shivered.

“Bea,” Shani said. “I know it’s sometimes awkward to talk about these things, so I’ve contacted a rental agency and explained my situation. They suggested I pay you about one hundred pounds per week. Do you think that’s enough?”

That sounded fine. She needed to find approximately one thousand, four hundred pounds each month. Shani wasn’t an owner of the gym, simply one of the supervisors and Bea didn’t want her to worry about finances.
“Are you sure it isn’t too much for you?”

“
No. I’m happy, as long as you are with that amount.”

Flea barked.

Bea smiled. “That’s great. I can let Mr Peter’s know when I meet with him tomorrow.” Bea picked up Flea’s ball and threw it for him, smiling as he bounded off like a fluffy breezeblock after it. It had been much quicker working this out with Shani than she’d expected. Then again, Shani never liked to waste time messing about, so she shouldn’t be too surprised by the short and decisive conversation.

I wish I could afford to help you out more,
” Shani said, wrapping her scarf another time round her neck. “Why is it so bloody cold, it’s March for heaven’s sake! “I’m sick of this weather too.”

“
What time is your appointment with the bank manager?”

Bea groaned.
“Nine o’clock. It’s the third time he’s seen me and the poor man keeps trying to find ways to help because of my aunt, but we’re not getting very far. He can only do what he’s allowed to do and I suppose I’ll be able to find out exactly what that will be when I see him tomorrow.”’

“Mr Peters will see you now,” his secretary said, showing Bea through to his wood-panelled office.

“
Ahh, Miss Philips,” he said indicating a chair and opening a file on his desk. “I’ve studied your income and expenditure and how much money you’re hoping to borrow.”

Before he could continue, Bea told him about Shani and how much she’d be contributing by way of rent.

He listened in silence and made a few calculations. “Have to admit I can’t quite see how you’ll be able to make the monthly payments.” Bea sat up straight, determined not to let him see how much his negativity was upsetting her. “Ms Philips, much as I would like to help you here, especially as I am such an old friend of your aunt, I’m afraid that at this moment in time, I simply will not be able to sanction a loan for the full amount.” Bea opened her mouth to speak, but he continued, “Even with your friend moving in to lodge with you, I’m afraid you’ll be rather short on funds.”

Bea chewed anxiously on her lower lip.
“I have to find a way to keep the house if I possibly can.”

“
I’m sure you do, but I’m governed by procedures and have to make a decision based on those. I suggest you go home and maybe discuss this with family members, see if there is something they can maybe do to help solve this matter.”

“
Thank you, I will,” Bea assured him, knowing full well that she wouldn’t get anywhere with any of her family. “My ex-husband needs his money now and I’m not quite sure how my family can afford to help me.” She stood up and shook the bank manager’s hand. “I’ll do what I can and get back to you, if that’s all right?”

“
Yes, of course it is. I will be able to arrange for you to have a partial amount, but it would be less than a third of the value of the house and not the fifty per cent you were hoping for.”

Bea forced a smile.
“It isn’t enough, but I’d be grateful if you could put the offer in writing for me, so that if my circumstances change in any way, at least I know what I can borrow.”

“
Yes, of course,” he nodded. “My secretary will forward the paperwork to you in the next few days and should you find an alternative source of funds, then we can arrange to finalise the paperwork at that time. Best of luck, Ms Philips.”

Bea walked across the office to the door, and then turned to him thoughtfully.
“Mr Peters, I’ve been wondering if perhaps you might recall my aunt mentioning something called, A Jersey Kiss?”

His eyes widened slightly and he thought for a moment.
“I can’t say that I do. What exactly is it, may I ask?”

Bea shrugged.
“I don’t know. My aunt left it to me, but no one seems to have any idea what it could be and we can’t find any records giving more information.”

He tapped his ink blotter with his pen and stared out of the window, looking as intrigued as she’d been when the lawyer had told her about this mysterious legacy.
“I do remember her mentioning some sort of gift to you. I know she was very proud of it, but I can’t say for certain that she was referring to this Jersey Kiss. Could it possibly be a piece of jewellery? Her late husband enjoyed commissioning intricate pieces for her.” He shook his head slowly. “I’m sorry, I wish I did know. Maybe it’s a painting, or a sculpture that you’ve not noticed before?”

Bea hadn’t thought to check the house or garden for sculptures. She smiled gratefully.
“Thank you, you’ve been very helpful.”

“
Right,” said Shani, when Bea visited her in a flustered state at the yoga studio after her appointment. “We’ll have to speak to Paul, and let him know I’ll be moving in with you sooner than we expected. He’ll understand our motives, I should think. You could always consider renting out a couple of the other rooms, too.”

Bea hoped she was right about Paul, and feeling only slightly less panicky, hurried off to work to make up the time she’d taken for her appointment.

Bea sighed heavily as she walked into her house at the end of the long, arduous day. The only sound to greet her was from Flea, snoring noisily in his bed in the kitchen. Bea took off her best navy coat and hung it over the back of her chair. Great guard dog he is, she thought comforted by his complete lack of concern with the world, and wishing she could be as laid back about everything.

Later that evening, as Bea was microwaving a lasagne dinner for one, Paul phoned.
“Poor babe, the soon-to-be mother has informed me that my loss is to be your gain.”

Bea’s heart pounded hearing Paul’s voice and tried to make out if he was happy or not about Shani’s news.
“Yes,” she acknowledged cautiously. “We thought if you didn’t mind, Shani would have much more space living here with the baby, and of course there’s the garden for all the fresh air she needs.”

“
Hold it right there,” he interrupted. “You don’t need to give me the prepared speech, I do understand. After all, our lease doesn’t allow children, so we’d only have to move soon anyway. Stop worrying.”

“
Tell her everything, you little cheat,” Shani shouted in the background.

“
Shut up you, I was about to.” Bea could imagine Paul’s large blue eyes glaring at Shani in mock rage. “If you must know, Guy has asked me to move in with him and we’ve been trying to figure out a way to break the news to the mother-to-be here. We were even contemplating finding a two-bedroom cottage, so she could move in with us.”

Bea realised Shani had snatched the phone from Paul.
“I’m Billy-No-Mates, of course,” he snapped. Obviously, he had taken it back from her. “Bloody hell, can’t a fellow have a simple conversation without being manhandled by some bossy woman? Go away and let me speak to my friend,” he said. “Now Bea, where was I? Oh yes, you mustn’t worry, as now her ladyship is to abandon this unexceptional abode, Guy and I can get on with searching for our love nest sooner than we had hoped.”

Bea gave a sigh of relief.
“Well that’s one less problem to worry about. I’m glad to have been so helpful to you both,” she laughed. “Tell Shani to let me know how and when I can help with moving her things here, though I’m not sure about the rent.”

“
No, you don’t. This isn’t solely a room I’m renting, it’ll be two soon, and you’re letting me have use of all the house and gardens. I’m not arguing, Bea. If this isn’t arranged in a fair way then I can’t accept your offer to move in.”