Lucy Gordon - The Monte Carlo Proposal

‘Baked beans on toast,’ he said, knowing that was my favourite. ‘I bought the beans specially for you this morning.’

While he cooked I looked around. Jack had made this place sound small, but maybe his idea of small wasn’t everyone else’s. It was light and spacious, with two bedrooms, a large bathroom, an office and one big living room.

‘That’s your room,’ Grandad said, pointing.

It had a double bed and was furnished with discreet luxury in various shades of brown and fawn.

‘Where are you sleeping?’ I asked him.

I followed his finger and opened the door of the other bedroom, where there were two single beds.

‘Grandad-?’

‘Him and me have to share, luv. There’s nowhere else. I don’t mind.’

‘ You don’t-?’

‘As long as he doesn’t snore.’

‘He doesn’t snore,’ I said defensively.

Grandad nodded in a satisfied way. ‘I thought you’d know about that.’

‘I’ll throw a baked bean at you in a minute.’

He cackled. ‘Come and eat.’

While I was eating he said, ‘You should’ve told me about him.’

‘There was nothing really to tell.’

‘You’ve got a millionaire nutty about you and there’s nothing to tell?’

‘He’s not nutty about me. This is a gesture to a friend.’

‘Pull the other one. He’s turning his life upside down to look after you. Even I can see that.’

I said nothing, but my mind went back to the phone constantly ringing in the back of the car. How many meetings had he put off for my sake? What else was there?

‘Did he give you all that stuff you brought home?’ Grandad asked.

I nodded.

‘Why didn’t you ask him to help you?’

‘Because I don’t-’ I started to say that I didn’t want Jack’s help, but the words faded.

‘Yes, you do,’ Grandad said. ‘Because you’re as nutty as he is.’

There was no arguing with him in this mood. When Grandad gets hold of an idea he’s like a terrier with a bone.

I had a long, luxurious soak, feeling the prison wash away from me. Then I went to bed, slept for an hour, and awoke feeling more or less human again.

There was a suitcase in my room, filled with the packing that Grandad had done for me. I’d kept a few of the clothes Jack had bought me because they were good quality and useful, but I refused to put any of them on now. Instead I chose old jeans and a sweater. I think, in my daft way, I was trying to send him a message.

If I was, it fell flat. He came in about eight o’clock, nodded briefly to us, and vanished into the study. From there I could hear him constantly on the phone. When he emerged, about an hour later, Grandad said, ‘Something to eat? Beans on toast?’

‘That sounds good.’

He began knocking up the dish, assuring me that Jack loved it because he’d had it last night. My mind boggled at the thought of Jack eating Grandad’s cuisine.

I managed to take him aside and say quietly, ‘I’m sorry you have to share a room with him. I never thought of anything like that.’

‘I don’t mind. I just want you to be easy in your mind about him. Don’t worry. He’s going to be all right. And so are you.’

‘Jack, I want to ask you something. Is that your room I’m sleeping in?’

‘Of course. There was no other way of arranging it. Are you comfortable?’

‘Yes, it’s lovely in there. The bed’s so soft. But-’

‘Right, that’s sorted that out. Is that food ready yet?’

Over the meal I could see that somehow they had become the best of friends. I guess there’s something about getting pie-eyed together that forms a bond between men. Grandad launched into the story of his life, with embellishments.

‘You’ll never believe the fight I had to put up to keep her,’ he said, glancing at me. ‘One bloke looking after a baby on his own! Social Services weren’t having that. They said they were going to take her and find her a foster home. I said, “Over my dead body”. But they wouldn’t give up. Came knocking at midnight, demanding that I hand my little girl over. I told them they’d have to take her by force.’

Glancing up, I caught Jack’s eyes on me and saw in them a gleam of humour as he recognised the story I’d told him on the boat. But he concealed it from Grandad and asked in a suitably awed voice, ‘You beat them off at the door?’

‘Of course I did. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my little girl.’

Jack suddenly began to concentrate on his plate. I could see him restraining his laughter with difficulty, but Grandad, lost in lyrical flight, noticed nothing amiss.

He became expansive. The rest of the family crept into the conversation, with all the riper stories raked up and relived. I made feeble attempts to stop him, but somehow Jack always sabotaged these efforts, so at last I gave up and went with the flow.

Even so, I wasn’t for prepared for Jack saying, ‘We’ll have them all to the party.’

‘Party?’ Grandad’s eyes popped.

‘The party to celebrate Della’s return. We’ll fix a date and you must call them all up.’

‘Jack,’ I said nervously, ‘I don’t think that’s a very good idea-’

His eyes flashed, warning me to say no more. ‘I think it’s a great idea.’

‘’Course it is!’ Grandad yelped. ‘We’ll have a great party. Leave it all to me.’ He patted my hand. ‘Just wait till they see this place, luv. It’ll make their eyes pop.’

I groaned, and hid my head in my hands, but Jack seemed unfazed.

When the meal was over Grandad had an attack of tact and went off to bed. I think Jack and I were equally embarrassed. I washed up, ignoring his protests, and went to my own room.

Getting to sleep wasn’t easy, and when I did nod off I awoke after a couple of hours. I got up and went out, meaning to head for the kitchen. But the light from my room, falling onto the sofa, showed me the last thing I’d expected.

Jack was stretched out under a blanket. I stayed still for a moment, watching him, holding my breath. With his daytime patina of confidence gone, he looked worn and haggard. I’d thought he looked older at the prison, but this was worse.

I’d done this to him.

I crept closer and sat down on a stool where I could see his face more closely. The last time I’d seen him asleep had been on the boat, when we’d both been full of loving and his face had shown blissful contentment. Not any longer.

The noise of snoring had been coming faintly from beyond the bedroom door. Now it suddenly increased, causing Jack to give a start and wake up. He didn’t show any surprise to find me there, but yawned and stretched.

‘Hello,’ he said sleepily.

‘I’m sorry about this. Grandad driving you out, I mean. I guess you didn’t know what you were taking on.’

He grinned ruefully.

‘I admit the snoring takes some getting used to, but he’s a great old boy.’

‘Just the same, this can’t go on. You need your sleep, and you don’t need to have your days disrupted. I think Grandad and I should go home tomorrow.’

‘Great, if you want to get me into real trouble.’

‘What do you mean? I’m not going to abscond. I’ll turn up in court on the right day.’

‘You don’t understand. I’m standing surety for you. The court needed a promise about where you’d stay, and the lawyer gave them this address. If you move out they’ll haul me into court.’

I just gaped at him. I’d faced court in a haze, and I hadn’t understood this.

‘You promised them that I’d stay in your home?’

‘I didn’t say anything about it being mine. I still officially live with Grace. Nobody will connect me.’

‘They will in the end. Jack, you’re taking such risks for me.’