by Caragh Bell
‘Best of luck,’ added Gordon, thumping Henry on the back. ‘Never say never.’
‘This means we’ll be a family,’ breathed Aurora, her pale cheeks rosy. ‘This means I’ll have a sister?’ Her eyes sparkled and she turned to James in delight.
Laura’s blue eyes widened as it dawned. ‘Does this mean we’ll have to live here?’ Her voice started to rise. ‘I can’t live here – I hate it here!’ She jumped to her feet. ‘Mum! Tell me that you don’t want to move here!’
William pulled her dress. ‘Sit down, for God’s sake.’ He made apologetic eyes at the table.
‘No!’ she yelled in panic, pulling free. ‘My life is in London, Will. Our life is there. I don’t want to live in this place. I have my school and my friends.’ She turned to her mother wildly. ‘Mum?’
Gloria hushed her. ‘We’ll discuss all that later, darling,’ she soothed. ‘Now, sit down.’
Aurora regarded Laura in confusion. ‘But of course you’ll live here,’ she said logically. ‘This is where we live, Laura. Now that we’re a family …’
‘No!’
James got up and strode over to his sister. ‘Come with me,’ he ordered, pulling her towards the door. ‘Bloody hell, Laura, there’s a time and a place.’
‘Shut up, James!’ she seethed as he pulled her into the hall. ‘It’s fine for you! You’ve left home. I’m still a minor.’
‘Enough,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘You’ll upset Mum.’ He led her towards the kitchen.
Back at the table, George sipped his wine slowly, ignoring the scene between Gloria’s brats. He had more pressing questions.
‘This is certainly a surprise,’ he said in his silky voice. ‘Why the rush?’
‘Well, I’m not getting any younger, son,’ Henry said. ‘I decided to take the plunge. I’m fed up with being lonely.’
‘Hear, hear!’ yelled Gordon, refilling his glass. ‘Quite right, Sinclair, you old dog!’
Cressida glanced at her husband in alarm. He hadn’t said a word since the big reveal and was viciously twisting his napkin around and around.
‘Seb?’ she whispered, placing her small hand on his arm.
‘Shut up!’ he hissed, shrugging it off violently. ‘Not a word.’
William took the golden opportunity to fill his glass with wine. Turning sideways, he downed the red liquid greedily. No one took any notice, so he hastily refilled it. Gloria’s marriage didn’t bother him. He liked Henry and the bottom line was he wanted his mother to be happy. He agreed with Laura though; he couldn’t imagine life as a country squire. Still, he was sixteen. Just a couple more years and he was a free man.
‘I’m so happy, Daddy!’ cried Aurora, running up to her father and hugging him.
‘Me too, my darling,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘It will be a new beginning for both of us.’
Gloria reached out her hands for a hug and Aurora fell into them. ‘I’ve never had a mother before,’ she said shyly. ‘Just Maggie.’
‘Well, now you do,’ said Gloria with a tender look. ‘I’m going to look after you all.’
‘Are you feelin’ better, my lovely?’ Maggie rubbed Laura’s rigid shoulders in concern.
‘No,’ she said frankly. ‘No offense, Maggie, but I can’t live here. I just can’t.’
Maggie glanced at James. She wasn’t surprised by the news. It echoed the time Henry had married Grace: that too had been done in secret and had caused just as much furore. She had been initially as horrified as the boys about Grace. How could Henry run off and marry a girl half his age? So impulsively? However, when she met the beautiful young girl, her heart had melted. She was just so sad and lost. Her eyes were faraway and her spirit waned as her belly grew.
Henry’s new wife would be a good thing. He needed companionship; he needed a friend.
‘Master James,’ she began. ‘Did they mention anything about movin’ ’ere?’ She honestly didn’t know what would happen. She couldn’t see Mr. Henry living in a city but she couldn’t imagine Gloria’s little ’uns fitting in here either.
James shook his head. ‘Nothing. I mean, they didn’t have time before motor-mouth here started ranting.’ He leaned backwards against the kitchen counter. ‘It’s early days, little sis. They’re not going to uproot you right away.’
Laura started to sob. ‘I won’t do it! I just won’t!’
James pulled her close. ‘This is a big night,’ he said softly. ‘I’m just as shocked as you are. We can tackle all those questions tomorrow.’
Laura shook her head obstinately. ‘This place gives me the creeps. I don’t think that I’ll be able to sleep.’
‘You will,’ he insisted. ‘Just have some hot milk or something. That coffee you had a few minutes ago certainly won’t help your insomnia.’
Maggie pulled some ice cream from the freezer. ‘Would you like some?’ she asked kindly. ‘It always makes Aurora ’appy.’
‘No, thanks,’ replied Laura, wiping her nose.
James gave her a gentle shake. ‘Right, chin up!’ he ordered. ‘It’s Aurora’s birthday in about an hour and we must not ruin it for her.’
Laura raised herself to her full height, her eyes flashing. ‘Aurora, Aurora, Aurora!’ she spat, turning on him. ‘It’s like she’s the only one you care about, James. I’m sick of it.’
‘Hey now,’ he said angrily. ‘You’re out of order.’
‘It’s true,’ she continued, her eyes filling with tears. ‘Since she’s come into our life, it’s all about her.’
Maggie watched this exchange with a frown. She could see why the girl was upset. Her whole life had changed in five minutes. Teenagers were a lot harder to please than children; she remembered her niece Susan and her shouty ways. Aurora was still a child and would adapt quite easily to the new situation. Laura, however, lived in a world where she was at the centre, surrounded by her friends, her school and her social life. Any slight shift in this was seen as a threat. Staring at the young girl’s tear-stained face, Maggie felt sorry for her.
‘Come on, my lovely,’ she soothed. ‘It will all be okay, it will.’
‘Laura,’ said James gently. ‘Cut it out. You’re upset over nothing. I just want to look out for her, that’s all. She’s not replacing you. Not in the slightest.’ He pulled her close. ‘You’re my little Lolly. Remember? You’re my baby sister and always will be.’
‘Lolly?’ echoed Maggie with a smile.
‘Will called her that – still does,’ explained James, grinning.
Laura sniffed, slightly mollified.
‘It’s just that Aurora needs me,’ he continued. ‘She’s isolated and alone. She needs rescuing like Bilbo.’
‘The bloody dog?’ She stared at him incredulously. ‘You’re unbelievable!’
‘Come on, let’s help her celebrate her birthday,’ he cajoled. ‘She’s only a kid.’
‘Oh, all right,’ she conceded. ‘But remember, I’m never moving here, yeah? I’d move into your hellhole of a flat first.’
Sebastian banged the door of the library with a crash. Striding over to the decanter of scotch, he filled a glass with a trembling hand. George entered the room and closed it quietly.
‘The bloody fool!’ hissed Sebastian in fury. ‘I sometimes wonder if he’s all right in the head.’
George took a seat by the rows and rows of first editions. He rested his chin on his hand and stared at his brother speculatively.
‘We’ve been here before,’ he said in his soft voice. ‘Remember the last time?’
‘Do I what!’
‘Well, it worked out quite fortuitously in the end,’ he continued, pulling a loose thread from the upholstery of his chair.
‘I don’t think there’s a chance of Gloria dying in childbirth,’ scoffed Sebastian. ‘The old bird is past all of that.’ He knocked back his drink and wiped his lip. ‘What I don’t understand is how a man of his age could be so reckless. I bet you a thousand pounds he didn’t force her to sign a pre-nup.
’
George said nothing.
‘Which means that she and her army of brats may be entitled to our fortune.’
‘Perhaps.’
Sebastian banged his fist on the mahogany table. ‘We should have cornered him months ago and stopped it. We should have knocked sense into his head long ago.’
‘Hindsight is a great thing,’ mused George. ‘Look, Seb, there are ways and means. We need to ascertain what Gloria wants and go from there.’
‘I think that’s a fait accompli,’ replied Sebastian bitterly. ‘Someone like her is only out for one thing: our inheritance.’
‘Well, I’ll get some legal advice next week,’ decided George, tapping his fingers on the armrest. ‘If she’s indeed after our money, it won’t be a walk in the park.’
Aurora was sitting on Gordon’s knee on an armchair by the fire. giggling as he tickled her.
‘So, how old will you be after the clock strikes twelve?’ he asked. ‘Forty? Forty-two?’
‘No, silly, I’ll be ten.’ She rested her head on his shoulder. ‘I’ll be so old,’ she sighed.
‘So, are you going to give us a blast of that glorious voice of yours?’ he boomed. ‘Henry, tell your daughter to sing us a song.’
Henry looked at his watch. ‘We do have some time before the countdown,’ he observed. ‘Aurora, darling, would you like to sing something?’
She shrugged. ‘I suppose so.’
James and a tear-stained Laura reappeared at that moment.
‘What did we miss?’ James asked the group, positioning Laura at the table.
‘Nothing,’ announced William loudly, hiccupping slightly. ‘Tweedledum and Tweedledee left the company about ten minutes ago.’
Henry and Gordon were laughing loudly and didn’t hear him. Helena, however, had been listening intently and a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips.
‘And that Camilla,’ continued William.
‘Cressida,’ corrected Laura, grinning.
‘She went to bed with a headache.’ He smoothed his hair off his forehead and tried to look alert. He’d had the most of a bottle of wine and was desperately trying to conceal it.
‘Someone get Maggie,’ suggested Aurora. ‘She must be exhausted and she wants to ring in the New Year with us.’
‘I’ll call her now,’ said Henry, shuffling over to the door. His bad leg combined with cognac had rendered him quite unsteady and he held onto the door frame for support. ‘Maggie!’ he called. ‘Come and have a drink!’
‘This is my chance to convince her to desert,’ Gordon guffawed. ‘I’ll offer her a huge pay rise. She might just do it. Desert Henry so I can have her dessert!’ He laughed uproariously at his own joke.
William paused and processed the pun. ‘That’s bloody brilliant!’ he exclaimed. ‘Gordon, you’re a genius.’
James glared at his younger brother who was clearly plastered. Luckily, the remainder of the group were staring at Aurora who was standing under her mother’s portrait. She curtsied and held her head up.
‘I’m going to sing a song from my new CD,’ she declared. ‘I love it because it’s a little girl who sings it. Her name is Cosette and she is all alone in the world.’
Gloria put her hand to her mouth. She knew instantly what Aurora was planning to sing: ‘Castle on a Cloud’ from Les Misérables. It suited her perfectly with her cloudy dark hair and clear voice. The fact that she was motherless only added to it. Cosette, the little abandoned girl from Victor Hugo’s famous novel, dreamed of having a mother and was isolated and alone.
Maggie ambled in, her small frame slightly hunched. Her back always gave her trouble in winter and she had been on her feet all day. James jumped up from his chair immediately and offered it to her.
‘Thanking you, Master James,’ she said gratefully.
Henry stood by the fire and gestured for his daughter to begin. There were only twenty minutes or so remaining before midnight. He wanted everyone to be in position with a glass of Dom Perignon, ready to toast the beginning of a new year. Not to mind his darling girl’s tenth birthday. Her cake was waiting on the sideboard, the ten candles ready to be lit.
Aurora closed her eyes and began to sing, the candlelight flickering on her enraptured face. There wasn’t a sound in the room.
Gordon closed his eyes and swayed to the music. ‘Wonderful!’ he shouted and Helena put her finger to her lips.
James stared at her in wonder, again jolted at how good she was. It was like the young innocent girl was replaced with an accomplished performer. And she was truly happy when she was singing; he could tell that from a mile away.
Laura tried to focus on Aurora but instead her mind began to wander. What the hell was Gloria planning to do? How could she have married Henry without consulting her children? It was rash and unfair; she had betrayed them all. Her expression darkened. Her dad would not be pleased. Her darling, darling dad. Oh, how she missed him!
William rested his head on the table and closed his eyes. Aurora’s voice had a soothing effect and he was suddenly so tired. Unused to large amounts of alcohol, he began to drift off. Images floated into his mind: the cave, James and his camera and then Ella. She was standing on the beach, smoking a cigarette. She blew a smoke ring in his face and winked. He smiled in his sleep.
Gloria felt a lump form in her throat. She didn’t know if it was the song or the fact that Aurora was standing under her mother’s picture, but she felt very maudlin indeed. Henry seemed unaffected; he was just staring in delight at his daughter as she sang.
James was feeling just as moved. He couldn’t put his finger on it but Aurora pulled on his heart strings. He felt so sorry for her. It was unnatural for a little girl to grow up without a mother. The fact that it was the tenth anniversary of her death only added to the atmosphere.
The song came to an end and Laura shivered. She could not wait to go home. Back to normality, back to reality. She felt like a heroine from a ghost story. Any minute now and she expected Grace herself to make an appearance.
Maggie clapped loudly. ‘Bravo, my lovely!’ she cried, her eyes shining with tears.
Henry held out his hand. ‘Wonderful, my darling. Now come here and we’ll serve the champagne. Where are the boys?’
‘Oh, we’re right here,’ came a voice from the shadows. ‘We wanted some coffee but it appears the hired help is part of the family now.’
George walked into the light, followed by Sebastian.
Maggie pulled herself up, her cheeks hot with mortification. ‘So sorry, Mr. George. I’ll get some right away, I will.’
James’ eyes flashed. ‘You will not!’ he fumed. ‘You have been slaving all day. I suggest that if you two would like a coffee, then go and get it yourselves.’
George started in surprise. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’ he said to Henry.
‘This is the upstart I was telling you about,’ sneered Sebastian, pointing to James. ‘He was frightfully rude when Cressida and I called at Christmas.’ He narrowed his blue eyes and raised his head haughtily.
‘With just cause,’ retorted James, his eyes flashing. ‘You were just as awful then.’
‘James!’ squeaked Gloria, pulling his sleeve. ‘Enough!’
Henry went to stand by James’ side. He realised that his sons could be difficult, but this was blatant rudeness. ‘He’s quite right. Maggie has done more than enough.’
George scowled and turned on his heel. Sebastian followed and banged the door behind him.
Aurora’s eyes widened. She had never seen her father stand up to them before. All through the years, he had given in to their cantankerous behaviour. Her mild-mannered father preferred to bury his head in a book rather than confront them. She had just accepted it as normal; any nastiness she had experienced had gone unchecked and so she had thick skin.
Tonight she had a seen a new side to her father. Perhaps Gloria was having a positive influence on him. George and Seb treated Maggie terribly and he had defended her.
>
Her heart felt full as she regarded her silver-haired father sipping his champagne. Tonight was a new beginning in so many ways. This old house would be full again and Maggie could make drop scones for William and Laura every day. Perhaps Henry would allow her to go the local school with her new brother and sister. No more fussy old tutor. Laura loved watching soaps on the television – maybe they would buy one for the drawing room? A bright future beckoned: one filled with Nutella, family dinners, EastEnders and grown-up conversation.
‘Ten seconds!’ shouted Gordon, counting down loudly. ‘Nine … eight …’
Everyone got to their feet, except for William who was snoring.
‘Seven … six …’
James grasped Aurora’s hand and squeezed it.
‘Five … four …’
Gloria put her arms around Henry’s waist.
‘Three … two …’
Laura nudged a dozing William. ‘Get up, numbskull!’ she whispered.
‘One! Happy New Year!’ Gordon kissed Helena and hugged her fiercely.
James whirled Aurora around and around. ‘Happy birthday, Borealis!’
Laura kissed her mother coldly and shook Henry’s hand. She was not giving an inch until everything was sorted. A big conversation was looming and she had her argument all planned out. If Gloria thought that she had any intention of moving down here, then she was barmy.
William yawned and stretched. His mouth felt like sandpaper. For a moment he was disorientated, focusing in on Gordon’s face and feeling confused. Then the events of the evening came back to him and he accepted a flute of champagne from Henry.
‘Hair of the dog!’ he mouthed to Laura, grinning.
‘Happy birthday to my darling girl!’ announced Henry, pulling Aurora close. He kissed her forehead tenderly and smiled. ‘Your mother would be so proud of you,’ he whispered.
The little girl beamed back at him. Gloria watched their little exchange. Maggie had mentioned earlier how Henry found this night hard, how the reminder of Grace’s death rendered him gloomy and melancholy. Looking at his smiling face, she felt her heart soar. He looked genuinely happy and hopeful. She liked to think that she had given him that.