by Caragh Bell
‘Oh, Daddy! You met Mummy when she played Salomé!’
‘Yes,’ he confirmed. ‘The first time I saw her perform was in the title role.’ He smiled at the memory and turned to Gloria. ‘It was in Dublin and it caused a stir, I can tell you. Irish society was quite conservative until recently. The sexuality of Salomé caused outrage and the production almost didn’t happen. It was like the riots regarding Synge’s Playboy of the Western World in 1907. It was publicity gold, of course, and only served to make Grace even more famous.’
Aurora opened the book carefully, aware of its age and fragility. Its pages were yellowing slightly and, with the lightest touch, she opened Act One.
‘Oh, Daddy, it’s perfect,’ she sighed. ‘I just love it. Thank you so much!’ She hugged Henry fiercely and then Gloria, almost crushing her glasses in the process.
‘Right!’ said Gloria with a laugh. ‘Now, where is that delivery from Waitrose? If they don’t arrive, we’ll have no canapés tonight.’ She deposited a plate of drop scones on the table, along with a squeezy bottle of honey. ‘Dig in.’
Chapter Eighteen
James kissed Claire’s shoulder and hugged her close. He knew it was almost noon but he had no inclination whatsoever to face the world. Sleeping in was such a luxury, he wanted to relish it before they went back to the war.
Claire threaded her fingers through his and pulled him even closer, sighing in contentment. Her bed was warm and cosy, and the duvet clung to them both like a glove. She could hear her parents pottering round downstairs but, like James, she had no intention of getting up.
‘Did you sleep well?’ she murmured with her eyes closed.
‘Like a log,’ he replied.
Her room was sizeable enough, dominated by a large bed and a tall bookcase filled with medical books and journals. Posters of Oasis and Pulp still hung on the walls and old hockey trophies still stood on the shelf. As it was just Claire and Melanie, her parents had left their bedrooms as they were. They had two spare rooms for guests so there was no need to box anything away.
James’ iPhone buzzed on the bedside locker. ‘Ignore it,’ he mumbled, his eyes fastened shut, hovering between awake and asleep.
Claire squeezed his hand gently and nodded.
The phone buzzed again. Still he didn’t move. It was only when it vibrated for the third time that he sat up and yawned.
‘I should’ve put it on silent,’ he said, stretching. ‘What does a guy have to do for some peace?’
He unlocked the home screen and Aurora’s name popped up. Accessing the messages, he smiled. The first one read:
Daddy gave me a first edition of Salomé! Delighted. What are you up to?
James raised an eyebrow. He clicked on the following message.
What time are you coming home? Don’t forget my party!!
He typed back straight away saying that he would be over in the afternoon, finishing the text with a smiley emoji.
‘Who is it?’ asked Claire sleepily.
‘Borealis,’ he replied, replacing the phone on the locker. ‘She’s wondering about her party tonight.’
Claire’s eyes opened and she turned to face him. ‘What party?’ she asked.
‘Her birthday party. I thought I mentioned it.’
‘No, you didn’t.’ She sat up straight. ‘You do remember that we have a brunch date with Melanie and Charles tomorrow?’ Her little sister and her fiancé had booked a table at Coya, a posh Peruvian eatery in Mayfair.
He shrugged. ‘Not really, but that’s no problem. We can just get the tube from Mum’s place.’
‘You want to stay over?’ She looked doubtful. ‘Remember how hungover you were after Christmas? The same thing might happen if Henry produces his Calvados.’
He grinned. ‘That was some night. God, I was so sick on Boxing Day.’
‘Yes, I remember.’ She frowned. ‘You arrived here like death warmed up. My poor parents didn’t know what to say.’ She forced a smile. ‘Let’s go tonight for a couple of hours and make our excuses. Melanie booked this brunch especially and I’ve been really looking forward to the four of us getting to know one another. Charles is a top guy.’
‘A couple of hours?’ he repeated. ‘I just texted her and said that I’d be over this afternoon.’
‘But we’re supposed to meet my friend Molly down town. Do you remember anything? She’s dying to meet you.’ She crossed her arms. ‘Aurora will have lots of people around her. She won’t even notice if you’re not there.’
James got out of bed and pulled on his jeans. ‘She’ll definitely notice, Claire.’ He pulled a T-shirt over his head. ‘I’ve never missed her birthday.’
‘You won’t miss it,’ she argued. ‘How about we show our faces at around ten, have a glass of wine and then leave?’
‘Her birthday is at midnight,’ he argued. ‘She was born on the stroke of the New Year.’
‘She’s not a child, James.’ Claire’s eyes flashed. ‘As I said, she’ll have plenty of people around her to sing and clap. You’ll not be missed.’
He stared at her speculatively. ‘I’ve barely seen my family since we got back. It’s been your friends and your relations. Now, you don’t want me to attend my sister’s birthday party.’
‘I wasn’t saying that . . .’
‘Well, I’m going over this afternoon as promised. You can join me later if you want.’
He stalked out and banged the door. Claire punched the pillow in frustration. She didn’t want to go to some kid’s party on New Year’s Eve. There were a million other things they could do. Now, she would have to smile and be polite and endure small-talk with strangers. He needed to realise that Aurora was a big girl.
When they had first met, she had been eager to hear about his family: Gloria the matriarch, Henry the playwright, William the joker, and Laura the spoilt brat with a heart of gold. He talked about Aurora the most and from his stories she had imagined her to be a small girl. The adult version she had met before Christmas had been a shock. She hadn’t expected such a beauty or someone with such a bond with James. She obviously meant a lot to him.
She flopped down the pillow and sighed. He was always so easy-going so this was definitely a side to him she had never seen. Melanie always teased her about her tendency to be a control-freak. Maybe he had a point: their week off had been predominantly about her family. She curled up into a foetal position. Should she compromise and go to the party? With any luck, they could sneak off at a decent hour. She just wanted the brunch to go well. What was the problem with that?
Aurora zipped up her new dress and straightened the hemline. It was a short sparkly figure-hugging ensemble with a scooped neckline and short sleeves. Ophelia had convinced her to buy it the week before, claiming that it was ‘made for her’ and that she would ‘regret it forever’ if she didn’t take it.
She had to admit that her friend was right. It looked really well with her long hair cascading down her back and her black heels giving her extra height. Laura had promised to do her make-up after a quick sandwich. She had just arrived back from Ireland, her arms laden down with duty-free bags filled with black pudding, cheese, whiskey and Guinness merchandise. Aurora couldn’t wait to hear about her trip – how had Lydia reacted to the news that her friend was going out with her future father-in-law?
The door swung open and Laura arrived into the room, her Louis Vuitton overnight bag on her arm. Throwing off her heels, she sat on the bed and sighed. ‘I’m knackered!’
‘How did it go?’
She reddened slightly. ‘Well, it was more positive than negative . . . in the end.’
‘Oh?’
‘Christian was already there when I arrived. He had flown in the day before. Lydia opened the door of her flat and nearly collapsed!’ Laura smiled. ‘She couldn’t figure out why I was paying a visit out of nowhere.’
‘Where does she live?’
‘Oh, she and Luca live in the centre of Cork city. Quite a plush place, I’ve
got to say. Her cousin Colin lives in the same building. Did you meet Colin when you visited us in Paris? He was always flying over on mini-breaks so you may have crossed paths.’
Aurora shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘Colin is one of a kind: very good-looking, ridiculously spoilt by his rich parents, incredibly kind and as gay as Christmas.’
‘He sounds like fun.’
‘Oh, he is,’ Laura agreed. ‘He absolutely adores Lydia and is almost like a father to Sienna. He keeps buying her Baby Dior and fur jackets.’
‘Anyway, tell me about Lydia and Luca. How did they react?’
Laura inhaled sharply. ‘As I said, I rang the doorbell and Lydia answered. She was so shocked . . .’
‘You said that already.’
‘Okay, okay, give a girl a bloody chance. Anyway, the flat was full, needless to say. Colin and his boyfriend Val had called over with wine and Thai take-away, Christian was on the couch with Sienna on his lap and Luca was watching a baseball game. I was slightly taken aback, to be honest. Chris had promised me that it would be low-key.’
‘So what happened then?’
‘Well, Colin poured me a glass of wine and offered me some leftover Pad Thai –’
‘Laura!’ said Aurora in exasperation. ‘Did you tell them or not?’
‘Well, I couldn’t, could I? Not then,’ she protested. ‘There was no opportunity. Sienna started crying as she was overtired and then Lydia pulled out a game called Cards Against Humanity and insisted that we all play.’
Aurora giggled. ‘So, you ended up drinking wine and playing a board game. Oh, Laura, Mission Accomplished!’
‘Then it got worse. Lydia asked me if I wanted to sleep on the couch as Christian was using the guest room. I waited for him to interject, but he ignored the conversation. He just smirked infuriatingly and gave Sienna her bottle. I mean, I thought that I’d be sleeping with him.’
‘So, did you sleep on the couch?’ asked Aurora, wide-eyed. She couldn’t imagine her sister slumming it.
‘No, thank God. Colin offered me his spare room, so off I went.’ She shook her head. ‘I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was grateful and Colin is the best host in the world. The guest room in his place was like something out of the Ritz with an amazing bed, a flat-screen TV and Netflix. I felt like I was in a hotel. He even made me pancakes with berries and syrup the next day.’ She got up and picked up a kohl pencil. ‘We might as well work as we talk. Now, look up at the ceiling and don’t move.’
Aurora obeyed and her eye flickered as Laura expertly drew a line along the base of her lid.
‘So, I presume you broke the news at some stage?’
Laura nodded. ‘The next day actually. Lydia invited me over for coffee. Christian had been texting all night apologising but saying that it was not the right time blah blah. When I arrived over, Luca and he were out so it was just Lydia and Sienna.’ She brushed some eyeshadow onto her lid and blended it slightly. ‘So I told Lydia.’
‘How did she react?’
‘Not too badly, I must say. She knows me for a long time and she also knows that Christian’s marriage is on the rocks. I tried to explain to her that I didn’t mean for it to happen and all of that.’
‘When did you tell Luca?’
‘I didn’t.’ Laura looked relieved. ‘I don’t know him as well, so I was pretty apprehensive. Chris told him over drinks downtown.’
‘So, you’ve been accepted.’
‘Gosh, no. Not yet.’ She shook her head vigorously. ‘That evening, Christian got up to go to bed and gestured for me to follow. Luca looked like he wanted to vomit.’
Aurora giggled. ‘How did Colin react? Was he shocked too?’
‘Oh, it would take a lot more than that to shock Colin. His only qualm was the possibility that I might get married before him!’
‘Married?’
‘He has been trying to convince his boyfriend Val to propose ever since same-sex marriage was voted in by the Irish public last May. He hints all the time and gets weekly manicures ‘just in case’, but Val won’t budge. When Luca proposed to Lydia, it nearly sent him over the edge as she had always been such a commitment-phobe. He couldn’t believe that she would be hitched before him.’
‘So, he’s paranoid that you’ll pip him to the post.’ Aurora laughed. ‘Fat chance of that, right?’
Laura said nothing. She just continued to dab eyeshadow onto her skin. ‘Who’s coming later?’ she asked, changing the subject.
‘I’m not sure. Ophelia, of course. Some old friends from school. Some of the RADA crew and maybe Paul.’
‘Paul?’
‘My co-star.’ She smiled. ‘He plays my lover in the new play.’
‘How about your director?’ Laura looked at her slyly. ‘Will he make an appearance for his favourite leading lady?’
Aurora blushed furiously. ‘Gosh, I don’t know. Probably not. He has plans: some exclusive party in Chelsea.’
‘Any news there?’ Laura dabbed some blusher on her cheek innocently.
‘No way! He’s off limits. I mean, a director can never get involved with his actors. Everyone knows that.’ She sighed. ‘He’s so handsome though. I mean, there are times when I wish he would just kiss me.’
‘So you fancy him then?’
‘Of course. Everyone does. He’s very fit.’
Laura nodded in agreement. ‘He’s all that. Now, look up at the ceiling so I can apply the mascara. Don’t blink.’
Aurora obeyed and focused on a cobweb dangling from curtain rail. Her eyes blinked involuntarily which earned her a frown from her stepsister.
‘Right, you’re all done.’ Laura sat back in satisfaction. ‘Not bad if I do say so myself.’
Aurora looked in the mirror and her hand flew to her mouth. Looking back at her was a different girl. Her large brown eyes were bigger than usual, circled with black kohl and enhanced with long lashes. Her lids were smoky and her lips were painted a glossy nude colour, making them look full and sensual. Her cheekbones were accentuated with a soft blusher and her skin was like porcelain.
‘Wow, Laura. Thank you.’ She shook out her hair and arranged it so it framed her face. ‘I look my age for once. Although Daddy will have a heart attack when he sees me done up like this,’ she added laughing. ‘You know he still thinks of me as ten years old.’
‘Well, Daddy needs to lighten up.’ Laura flicked her blonde hair out of her eyes. ‘This is the twenty-first century. I think you look fab.’ She pulled a bottle of Prosecco out of her bag. ‘Let’s have a tipple before the party,’ she suggested. ‘It’s not as chilled as I’d like but c’est la vie.’ She popped the cork and glanced around the room. ‘Have you got any mugs or glasses up here?’
Aurora shook her head. ‘Just espresso cups that I got from Maggie to complement my new Nespresso machine.’ She pulled a box out from under a pile of clothes. Opening it, she extracted two small white cups and placed them on the dressing table.
‘They’re small but functional.’ Laura handed her a small cup filled with bubbles. ‘Happy birthday, little sis. Santé!’
They sipped their drinks and almost immediately Laura had to refill the cups as they were so tiny.
‘Shall we just swig from the bottle?’ suggested Aurora, laughing.
Laura smiled. ‘There’s uncivilised and there’s totally uncivilised. Espresso cups aren’t ideal but far better than necking from a bottle like tramps.’ She handed the replenished cup to Aurora. ‘Speaking of Maggie, can she make it tonight?’
Aurora shook her head sadly. ‘It’s too far for her to travel. I understand completely. I mean, her back is very troublesome.’ She looked wistful for a moment. ‘It feels like centuries since I’ve been back there, you know? It’s funny how memories fade. I mean, do you remember Freddie Thompson? He just graduated from university and is now a horticulturalist.’
‘Freddie the pig farmer?’
‘Yes!’ She laughed. ‘I haven’t seen him in years.
Whenever Daddy and I went to visit, we never crossed paths. He was always off somewhere.’
‘You two were close, yeah?’
‘Oh, yes. We were best friends. He wrote to me for two years after I left. I still have the letters. Then, the letters stopped. I guess he moved on.’ She sighed. ‘He doesn’t use social media so the only news I get is from Maggie.’
‘Perhaps you should go back,’ said Laura thoughtfully. ‘It was a huge part of your life.’
‘Perhaps.’
Thinking of Cornwall and her old life made her feel so guilty. There was a variety of reasons for her absence: Henry’s advancing years and his reluctance to drive such a long distance, George and Seb taking over the maintenance and supervision of the big house and, of course, the memories it evoked. When she was a little girl, she had seen nothing wrong with her upbringing. Her lonely life and her isolation had seemed normal and she had accepted them. Now she could see how disadvantaged she had been. Her teenage years in London had shown her that.
Maggie kept in touch but she never came to the city. She hated London and made no bones about it. Being separated from the old lady had been hard at first. There was many a night that James had calmed her down as she screamed in her sleep, calling for Maggie and sobbing. That all faded as time went on and Gloria became a replacement. She was kind and motherly. Albeit not as good a cook, a worthy substitute nonetheless.
She imagined her mother’s grave for a moment: the white pillars standing steadfast against the howling wind and crashing waves. It had been three years since she had last visited. She and Henry had travelled down for the twentieth anniversary of her death and he had placed roses near the headstone as always. Time healed everything and memories inevitably faded away. When she was a child, Grace’s memory remained fresh in her head as she saw her portrait every day. Now, that same painting was covered to protect it from sunlight and she only had an image of it on her wall.
Chapter Nineteen
James crept up behind his mother and said ‘Boo!’ in her ear.