Bank Holiday Monday was Molly
and Danny’s last full day before their guests returned so they made the most of
it, it was an inclement day, so they put all their effort into enjoying the day
and enjoying each other.
As it turned out they got to
do it all again on Tuesday because for a variety of reasons they weren’t going
to get the ferry until Wednesday morning and the rest of that day was taken up
with Victoria and Elisa telling them every detail of their trip which Molly and
Danny enjoyed immensely but the following day in complete contrast, they were
very quiet and restful.
Friday was Victoria’s 40th
birthday and they were taking her to the Orangery at the Beaumont Manor for
dinner and they were being joined by Katie and Nikki Harrison, George Wood, the
Vicar, Arielle Nicholas and Harry and Sam Archer.
But just after lunch Harold
Jardine paid her a visit and after being invited in, he said
“I know you're busy tonight, but I just wanted to wish you a very
happy birthday and give you a little gift”
Victoria smiled at his embarrassed fidgeting as she unwrapped the
present,
“Oh how
thoughtful,” she said, “they’re my favourites”.
“I know, I had
help” he said, and their eyes met for the first time
“I hope you enjoy
them”
And as he turned
to walk away it was her turn to blush.
“Thank you” she said and
kissed his cheek
“Well I’ll leave you to enjoy
the rest of the day and I’ll see you tomorrow”
“Ok bye Harold”
“Tomorrow?” Molly asked after
he’d gone
“Yes, he’s taking me to
dinner tomorrow night” she replied
“For a birthday meal”
“And I suppose it isn’t a
date” Elisa commented
“Oh no this one is definitely
a date” Victoria replied
On Saturday evening Harold
knocked on the door of Cliff Haven and then he and Victoria got in the waiting
taxi and travelled to St Pierre, and once they got out, he said
“I booked a table at The
Gondolier”
“Is that ok?”
“Absolutely” she replied
During dinner she told Harold
about the job offer at the Bellevue
“You might stay on Beaumont?”
he asked hopefully
“Possibly, I’m not sure” she
replied undecidedly
“Have you done the pros and
cons?”
“I have” Victoria confirmed
“And?”
“Nearly all pros”
“What are the cons?” Harold
asked
“Well firstly, I have a life
in Colorado, which isn’t a deal breaker, but I have an apartment, such as it
is” she explained “And the other one is I don’t have anywhere to live, I can’t
stay at Molly’s long term”
“Well I can’t help to resolve
the first, but the second one is a different matter, I have a flat over the
shop in Spaniards Creek that you could rent” he said
Straight after the Sunday
service at St Clara’s and the third reading of the banns, Victoria changed her
clothes and shoes and took herself off for walk to clear her mind and think
about her future.
Victoria’s favourite walk was
beside the Spanish River, but she was not alone in that, but that day she
needed to be alone, so she walked in the direction of Beacon Rock so she could
think.
Although she had an apartment
in Colorado Springs, she had no roots put down
anywhere, no family or close friends, no husband or lover, and no contracts to
fulfil, so she was free to make the move almost immediately.
Since she’d been on the
island, she had experienced feelings she had never had before, she actually
felt part of the place, she felt like she belonged, but was she suffering a
delusion.
She sat down on a
rock beside a stream and as she listened to the babbling of the water she said
The next day Victoria phoned
Chief of Medicine, Deborah Woodward and said that she was interested in working
for her, and later that day they had a formal interview, which lasted several
hours.
As a result she was booked on
a flight back to Colorado on Wednesday to clear out her apartment and to
arrange for her belongings to be shipped to the UK.
She rented a furnished
apartment and because of the nature of her work she didn’t have a lot of
belongings, there were some items she had inherited from her parents and a few
precious items that had been gifted to her from her patient’s grateful family members.
She spent a day sorting
through her drawers and closets donating the majority of them to Goodwill and
packed the rest into suitcases.
Molly had recommended Here,
There & Everywhere Domestic and Business Removals as she had used them when
they were leaving the states, so she contacted them before she left and they
gave her the details of their US agent, so that was who she used.
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