Page 87 of The Little Island Flower Stall
‘Neither do I. I blame him.’
‘He’s not a bad person, you know. He made a mess of things, but I know he didn’t mean to.’
Bella nodded slowly. ‘I don’t know how you can be so forgiving. Do you still love him?’
‘Yes. I suppose I’ll get over it. There’s no use in being in love with him when he doesn’t love me, is there?’
‘I’m sure it’s not as simple as all that.’
‘Doyoulove him?’ Lisa asked after a pause.
‘I don’t know what I’m meant to say to that. I mean, to you of all people.’
‘I suppose not. I don’t know why I asked.’
‘I don’t mind that you asked; I just don’t know how to answer.’
‘I understand.’ Lisa paused. ‘Do you think you’ll carry on seeing him?’
Bella shook her head. ‘I don’t think I can. Not after all this. I’ll message him to tell him what I’ve found out about his great-grandfather, but after that I think it’s best left alone.’
‘What did you find out?’
‘That love doesn’t follow the rules,’ Bella said, throwing Lisa a sideways look. ‘Something you and I know only too well.’
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sunday arrived. Bella and Celestine decided to keep their date with the food festival in St Helier. Bella insisted they both needed something to take their minds off a difficult and hectic week. Lisa and Bella had parted on amicable terms, but Bella had replied to Rory’s one text afterwards to tell him she didn’t want to see him again. She’d given Lisa the information about Klaus, and as far as she was concerned, that was the end of their partnership.
It was another glorious day, and the streets of Jersey’s capital were thrumming. Bunting was zigzagged across the roads, and baskets of flowers dangled from every lamppost. The crowds were boisterous, though people showed Celestine and her scooter great courtesy. Bella could smell the food stands before she could see them, and as the coloured awnings came into view it intensified: a curious mix of sweet, salty, spicy and sharp. In between snatches of music that changed with every few feet they went were people calling out what they had to offer. Some were walking up and down with platters of samples, and everywhere Bella looked someone was tucking into something she immediately wanted to try.
They stopped at a stage where a chef was demonstrating how to fillet and prepare fresh fish, and Celestine watched with interest while Bella tried to be patient but was soon distracted by the sugar on the air coming from a van selling the biggest chimney cakes she’d ever seen.
‘Do you want to go and get one?’ Celestine asked as she noticed. ‘I can wait here for you.’
Bella shook her head. ‘I want one, but I’m not going to get one yet. I probably ought to get something a bit more nutritious first.’
‘Pish! Thirty years ago you wouldn’t have cared less; you’d have eaten cake and ice cream until you felt sick. I don’t see why being a grown-up should stop you from doing that if it’s what you want.’
‘I can think of lots of reasons why my grown-up body wouldn’t like it.’
‘You’re on holiday – worry about all that when you get home.’
Bella grinned. ‘I’ll have one if you have one.’
Celestine looked doubtfully at a young girl who’d just left the van holding one of their cakes. ‘They’re very big.’
‘We’ll share one then.’
‘I don’t know…’
‘If you think I ought to get one, then you’re going to have to help me out. It’s all very well being on holiday, but I’ll be in a sugar coma for the rest of it if I have to eat one of those all by myself!’
Celestine smiled. ‘To help you, I suppose I could manage a little bit.’
Bella skipped off to queue for their cake, and by the time she’d returned with it, the fish demonstration had wrapped up.
‘Join us back here in fifteen minutes when we’ll be cooking authentic paella,’ the compère announced.
