Page 35 of The Little Island Flower Stall
Running the words of the email over and over in her head, by the time she neared the final stop on her route, Bella was agitated, already regretting her arrangements with Rory. Why had she thought this a good idea? As if life wasn’t complicated enough, she’d added him and all the secrets she was having to keep from Celestine to the mix. But when she stepped off the bus and found him waiting at the stop for her, Bella’s resolution to put some emotional distance between her and Rory almost failed. They’d agreed to meet at the museum, but the fact he’d taken the time to work out her bus route and come to meet her was sweet. She wasn’t used to sweet, and as she saw him break into a warm smile, her resolve crumbled.
‘Have you been here long?’ she asked as she walked over. ‘I thought you said you had some things to do first so we’d be meeting at the museum when you were done.’
‘I did, but I decided they’d wait. I thought it would be easier to meet you here after all. You could have shared my taxi, but by the time I’d called it, I figured you’d have already been on the way.’
‘Probably. You needn’t have worried; I could have found the museum…’
‘I know that, but I thought…You don’t mind, do you?’
‘God no! Of course not!’
They started to walk, leaving the bus to pull away again.
‘I’m really looking forward to this,’ he said. ‘I’ve read loads about it. It’s supposed to be a great place.’
‘I can’t say I know much about it, but it sounds fascinating.’
‘Well, thanks for coming over and keeping me company. It’s OK doing these things by myself, but sometimes it’s nice to share it, and you seemed interested, so…’
‘I am. Very interested. Have you got any more news on your search?’
‘Not at the moment. Quite honestly, I’m starting to think you’re a much better detective than I am. Most of what I’ve learned since I got here has come from you. Looking at parish records and censuses is all very well, but it only tells a fraction of the story.’
Bella recalled how keen Dolly had been to talk to Rory. As for her own misgivings…once she’d reviewed the situation, nothing had changed. Now that she considered it properly, no good could come from getting Dolly and Rory together. Celestine was bound to find out eventually, and who could say how she’d react? Bella couldn’t deny she was still mad with curiosity about the events of that time, but Celestine’s reluctance to discuss it seemed to go much deeper than simply being scarred by her memories of Jersey’s occupation. Was satisfying her curiosity worth upsetting her aunt? Sure, Bella had come to St Rosa to help Celestine, but when she thought about it, she was getting the best end of the deal. Here she had a chance to breathe, no real responsibility, six weeks in the most beautiful place, a chance at a new beginning and to rebuild her pride in herself, and all that was largely due to the kindness of a great-aunt who hadn’t had much attention from Bella over the last fifteen years. Looking at it that way, Bella felt guiltier than she had the other day when she’d almost been caught snooping through her aunt’s dresser. Surely Celestine was entitled to keep any secrets she chose to?
Bella looked up and saw a large noticeboard advertising the museum, with an arrow pointing the way to the entrance. ‘I think this might be it,’ she said, nodding at it.
‘That was quick. Didn’t think it would be so close.’
He got out his wallet as they walked to the payment booth. Bella unzipped her bag and dug around for her purse, but beforeshe could get it out, he’d asked for two tickets and pressed his card to the reader.
‘You didn’t have to get mine,’ Bella said.
He turned to her with a smile. ‘It was my idea, and I’m happy you came. Let me treat you.’
‘Since you put it like that, I’m actually doing you the favour, right?’ Bella grinned back at him.
‘Exactly.’ He handed her one of the guide leaflets he’d been given at the entrance booth. ‘You can earn your keep by helping me make sense of the exhibits. I’m bound to miss something.’
‘Ah, so that’s why I’m here? Backup!’
‘It’s not quite like that. I also really like talking to you, so there’s that.’
‘Hmm, so backup and entertainment?’
His laughter grew. ‘I’m not handling this well, am I?’
Bella smiled up at him. ‘I’m only winding you up. Sorry.’
‘Don’t be – I like it. Feels like a long time since I’ve been able to banter with someone like this.’
Bella wanted to ask why that was, but he stopped at the introductory exhibit and was already engrossed in reading the information board. ‘Jeez, would you look at this,’ he said, his eyes not leaving it. ‘Five thousand slave workers…a thousand metres of tunnel by hand. Must have been hell on earth. You can’t begin to imagine it, can you?’
Bella went to stand next to him, following the same words. She wanted to absorb it, as he was doing, but she was far too conscious of his body heat. Even when she inched away, she could still feel it, as if it were pulling her back. Trying to get a grip, she could only thank her lucky stars that this was hardly a romantic destination and at least she could be certain they weren’t on an actual date, because if there’d been any hint of a date, she might not have been able to control herself. No, thiswas only to discover more of Jersey’s past – something they were both keen to learn more about – and that was good.
They moved through the dimness of the tunnels, lit only where there were more items on show: old work boots, shovels and picks, ancient food tins with faded labels, black-and-white photos of streets patrolled by lines of young men in soldiers’ uniforms. At each one Rory stopped, taking in every detail, sometimes making notes in a book he’d pulled from his rucksack. They’d discuss some aspect and Rory would offer an opinion, asking for Bella’s take on it. She learned more at each juncture; not only about the island and the time of occupation, but also about him. The more she learned, the more she understood, but the more she understood, the more she realised there was still so much she didn’t know.
When they came to a section about life for ordinary people during the occupation, about how it challenged family and community bonds and how some even grew to feel sorry for the occupying forces, how some chose to betray their own and some risked everything to help escaping prisoners, they were both silent, reading side by side. Bella finished her section and shook her head. She didn’t even know where to begin. She’d told Celestine she wanted to understand those times, and while it had been partly a ruse for her visit here today with Rory, it was true. She did want to understand it, but no matter what she saw here today, she didn’t think she would ever truly comprehend what life must have been like during those years. It did help her to see why Celestine chose not to talk about it.
