Sunday, 8 September 2024

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (095) Saying it with Flowers

 


Harold Jardine left the Hospital and went straight to the Hotel; he had spoken to them earlier and said he would stay another night.

He walked up to the desk and said

“Hello, I’m Harold Jardine”

“Are yes Mr Jardine, how are you?” Julie Wilman said, “Fully recovered?”

“Just about yes, thanks to my saving angel”

“Is it true you had never met before?” she asked

“Yes, Though technically I still haven’t met her” he said, and Julie looked at him blankly

“I have no recollection of it at all, I only know of it by what the nurses told me, which the paramedics had told them” he clarified

“Didn’t I hear that she visited you at the hospital?” she queried

“Yes, twice” he said “but I was sleeping on both occasions”

“Oh I see” she said

“I am very grateful for everything she did though, perhaps I could leave a note for her” he suggested

“I’m sorry but she checked out” Julie said

“Oh what a shame, I would have really liked to have thanked her, thank you anyway” he said and took his room key off the desk and turned away.

“She’s still on the island though” she said, and he brightened then she added

“She’s staying with friends in Spaniards Creek”

Which deflated him again, it was a small village, but he couldn’t go door to door asking if she was staying with them.

“I have the address” Julie said and smiled

 

The next morning he packed his bag and went down to reception where the tall willowy Julie Willman was standing.

“Good morning, Mr Jardine”

“Good morning” he said “I’d like to check out please”

 

When he had settled his bill, he took an envelope from his pocket and put it on the desk and said

“Can you please make sure this gets to the members of staff who had to clean up after me”

“That really isn’t necessary” Julie said “they were only doing their jobs”

“Nonsense,” he insisted

“I will see that it gets to the right people” Julie said “Thank you”  

 

Harold Jardine owned and ran the Cabot Town General Store/Post Office on St Giles du Cabot Island, but he also owned the shop in Spaniards Creek, which was where he stopped first when he reached the village, but his first port of call was St Pierre.

 

After leaving the General Store he walked up Cliff Top Road to Cliff Haven.

He knocked on the door and as the door opened, he took a deep breath and did a double take when it was opened by author Danny Nightingale.

“Oh erm I was looking for Victoria Pullen” Harold said

“Well you’d better come in than” Danny said stepping aside “She’s in the lounge”

 

“Oh hello” Victoria said “it’s nice to see you fully recovered”

Then added “I almost didn’t recognise you with your clothes on”

There was a peel of laughter and then he said 

“I can’t express how grateful I am”

“It was nothing” she retorted

“I have to disagree on that,” he said almost forcefully “I would just like to give you these flowers as a token of my gratitude”

“Oh” she said “How lovely”

“It’s really quite inadequate under the circumstances” he said.

“Perhaps I could take you to dinner one night, to thank you properly, Saturday perhaps”

“Yes, that would be lovely” she replied

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