‘Oh, that too,’ she told him hastily. ‘Of course.’
She was going to miss having Jed constantly around. Amanda was wonderful, but now that she was pregnant she had become even more preoccupied with married life and Ellie couldn’t blame her. What she was surprised about was that she felt a pang of envy for her friend.
Ever since the night Clive had revealed his fear of another commitment, the subject had lain dormant between them. When Ellie thought of Clive, she thought only of warmth, fun and a life free of complications and anguish. And she wanted to keep it that way. Not going forward, or back.
On reflection she was pleased that she had dashed off at the last minute with Rosie to Lanzarote. It had been hot enough to get a light tan. She slipped into the honey coloured chiffon and silk dress that she had bought for the ball, liking the tiny train that gave a satisfying swish as she turned to leave. She would have liked to have looked a little less gaunt, her shoulders less skinny but at least she no longer had hollow eyes and her hair was behaving itself.
As Jed handed her into the gondola — commanding a great deal of attention himself in his white dinner jacket and ruffled blonde hair — that was to take them the few hundred yards down the canal to the Palazzo, he told her jokingly she was likely to end up marrying the Prince.
For someone who prides herself on a deeper understanding of life, Ellie thought guiltily, it only took a borrowed dress and a few compliments to restore a sagging ego. Really, you are so easily seduced, she admonished herself, as she began to explore the beautiful Renaissance building, admiring pictures by Tintoretto and Titian, sculptures by Verrocchio and gazing upwards at the breathtaking painted ceilings and, in spite of herself, enjoying the spectacle of so many exquisitely dressed people.
You’re meant to be level-headed, seeing all these people for what they are, realizing this is just another job, she sighed.
After which she promptly abandoned all attempts to keep a grip on her sense of reality and knew as she wandered around the ornate rooms, admired the loggia and coveted the view from one of the turreted windows out over the Grand Canal, that the piece she had come here to write was writing itself.
She told Prince Stefano so when he extravagantly embraced her as she met him in the grand salon where the reception before the ball was being held.
‘It is, of course, my perfume that lends enchantment to everything,’ he claimed expansively, seizing her wrist and inhaling, with a look of reverence on his face, the subtle blend of oils that was the hallmark of his perfume.
Ellie was laughing as he continued to hug her, to the evident enjoyment of his friends, when she felt herself being watched. Standing silently in the doorway gazing at her, Theo’s expression was impossible to read.
The smile faded on her lips.
She heard nothing, saw nothing. The room went into orbit. His gaze held hers for what seemed to be at least ten minutes but it was no more than mere seconds before she saw he was not alone.
Debra — in a dramatic black dress which left nothing to even the dullest imagination (and caused Rosie to mutter bitchily that she was surprised she had bothered with the dress at all) — was clinging limpet-like to his arm.
Behind him she glimpsed Lady Broughton and Sir Findlay, and next to them a tall, slender woman whose dark beauty matched Theo’s. Ellie knew at once that she was his mother. Beside her stood a much older man, silver-haired, distinguished and who hadn’t changed all that much since Ellie had last seen him accusing her father of theft.
He was holding Ria Stirling’s arm while talking animatedly to Max Culver immediately behind him. On Theo’s left was Jed and somewhere in the recesses of her spinning brain it occurred to her that Jed seemed awfully friendly with Theo.
But for now this meeting was not how she had imagined it would be. Ellie wanted to be able to smile coolly and pass on with a mere nod. And here she was staring numbly at him, clearly in anguish. She found she couldn’t move and oh my God, here he was coming over, bringing Max with him to introduce him to the Prince.
In the confusion of greetings, she found herself being warmly hugged by Lady Broughton, pecked on the cheek by Sir Findlay and gathered in a bearlike embrace by Max. Debra’s eyes swept over Ellie and she smiled distantly with a languid ‘how are you, so lovely to see you,’ and then Theo was turning to her.
She wanted to scream, don’t do this, take me away, I can’t breathe. But instead she found Jed was firmly and loyally gripping her elbow, refusing to leave her and equally refusing to let her run away.
‘How are you, Eleanor?’ Theo asked quietly, taking her hand briefly.
Just for a second as Eleanor felt the warm clasp of his hand, she didn’t blame Debra for fighting to keep her hold on him. If she had someone — him — she knew she would do the same.
With her nerves beginning to restore themselves to something approximating normality, she managed to return his greeting with a polite smile.
‘My mother was anxious to meet you,’ he offered when Ellie clearly had nothing to say. ‘If you have time...’
He got no further. Ellie’s control began to dissolve. How dare he try to introduce his family, the family who took away her home, as though they had done nothing to her? Was he completely dead to all sense of human decency?
‘I’m afraid I must disappoint your mother,’ she said icily and then very deliberately added, ‘You must excuse me, I have to join the people I came with — my friends.’ And with that she turned on her heel and walked away through the crowd, not caring that they were all exchanging startled looks.
*
‘Darling, whatever did you find interesting in her? She is positively rude.’
Debra’s amused voice fell on deaf ears.
‘You shouldn’t listen to gossip, my dear, especially when they get my views out of context,’ Theo remarked.
‘But you never give your views,’ objected Debra, pouting her lips.
‘Nonsense,’ he said levelly. ‘You just don’t listen.’
Debra pursed her lips, opened her mouth, thought better of what she had planned to say and gazed around the room. Eleanor Carter had disappeared and with a courteous smile Theo had moved them towards their table.
Prince Stefano was charming Sarah Broughton, the others had departed for the dance floor and Max Culver was laughing at Sir Findlay’s attempts to slide away unnoticed.
Having failed to get Theo to dance, Debra was becoming increasingly irritated with his mood. That damned girl would be here. A few months before she had felt Eleanor Carter was a threat. Weeks, months, without a mention of her name had restored her confidence in keeping Theo’s attention; that, and the fact that while he never confirmed the rumours that they would marry, he hadn’t denied them either.
It occurred to Debra that she might have played her cards badly. Perhaps it would have been wiser to have turned a blind eye, let him get it out of his system at the time.
No-one knew him better. Challenge him with what he couldn’t have and he stalked it till he got it. And then threw it away.
Increasingly she was having to rely on the power of a sexually fertile imagination to keep him at her side. If only the studio would send the car later. God, how she hated those grey early mornings and that bloody make-up girl’s tactful silence when she was doing her eyes.
Theo, amused by her silence, glanced at her and spoke softly.
‘On this occasion you are absolutely right. I have never given my view of Eleanor Carter to anyone — except Eleanor Carter.’
Debra stiffened. ‘And what was that?’ she said lightly.
Theo laughed. ‘Nothing that would interest you. Or her,’ he added reflectively.
‘Why not? Did you try to get her interested in you? Oh, poor darling,’ she laughed. ‘And there she was desperate about Clive O’Connell Moore. Still is, according to Brook Wetherby.’
‘He isn’t here though, is he?’ observed Theo.
‘Not sure, but Brook said she’s now virtua
lly living at Westminster with him. Can’t say I blame her. He really is the most exciting man — so talented. I gather she met him when she went to interview him. Marvellous ploy for a girl like that to get to meet influential men.’
Getting no response, with Theo still sitting gazing lazily ahead, Debra pressed on.
‘You’d think they would have more dignity, wouldn’t you? It’s so obvious and I can never understand why men fall for it. Even you did for a bit, go on, admit it. You thought she was interested in you.’
Her tone was teasing, but her eyes were watchful.
‘Oh, I didn’t misunderstand her motives,’ said Theo deliberately. ‘Eleanor Carter was very interested in me — but not the way you think.’
‘And now…?’ Debra held her breath, but anyone passing their table would never have known.
‘Now? My darling, you said so yourself. Now she is with Clive O’Connell Moore — and I am with you,’ with which he smiled and held out his hand to lead her to the dance floor.
Debra, smiling brilliantly up at him as they circled the floor, was quite sure he was lying.
*
For the entire evening Ellie avoided the Stirlings. She glimpsed Theo dancing with a woman who she knew had to be the much talked about young Baroness, Gisella, once so heavily linked with him. She coldly noted that they seemed to be enjoying each other’s company rather too much.
Later while dancing with Prince Stefano who, having satisfied himself that his employees were doing their duty, was wasting no opportunity to flirt with every pretty woman in the room, she came within arm’s reach of Theo as he listened attentively to something Debra was whispering in his ear as they circled the crowded floor. Ellie thought Debra pathetic and marvelled that Theo could be so attracted to someone so desperate to get him.
Congratulating herself that the danger of running into him was nearly over, she only just managed to beat a hasty retreat as she rounded a corner, escaping the clutches of an over-amorous French Comte, and nearly collided with Theo, grim-faced and deep in a private talk with his mother who — to Ellie’s surprise — was looking agitated.
Finally exhausted with trying to pretend she didn’t care who he was with, that she never wanted to lay eyes on him again, she found a temporary refuge in the room that had been set aside for Rosie and Piers to work from. Closing the door behind her, she thankfully closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool marble wall, trying to ease the ache in her head.
At around midnight, she cautiously opened the door and emerged in time to hear the Prince make a charming and amusing speech. He thanked everyone for coming, assuring them that this evening had saved goodness knows how many trees, but his dear friend Sarah Broughton would undoubtedly have an accurate figure if they wanted one.
Then the orchestra began to play a waltz, the signal that the ball was coming to a close. Ellie — escaping both the Prince, who had had far too good a time, and the renewed attentions of the French Comte, who swore she would have a much better one if they left quietly without any more ado and went back to his apartment — had never felt so miserable or alone.
Sighing, she turned to go in search of Rosie and Jed and was totally unprepared for the shock of walking blindly straight into the arms of Theo, who guided her silently but firmly back to the dance floor.
The impact of finding herself being held by him after four months of silence and longing and wanting only to be where she now was, brought a sob to Ellie’s throat.
‘Don’t, Eleanor, it’s all right.’ His voice was troubled. ‘I understand.’
She leaned her head against his shoulder and felt him pull her close to him, cradling her hand against his chest, his arm holding her tightly around her waist. She no longer cared whether he understood or not. Just for this moment, she yearned for the world to go away.
He didn’t try to speak. She was aware that his hand was holding her back as they danced very slowly. As the music died he gazed down into her face and it took every ounce of herself control not to tell him right there in the middle of the room that she loved him.
‘Daa-rling, there you are.’ A voice cut across them and instinctively Ellie moved behind Theo as Debra, eyes flashing, pushed her way through the throng of people surrounding them with Jed bringing up the rear.
Jed had time only to give Ellie a very broad wink, before Debra was saying: ‘Jed was a very persistent and naughty boy and dragged me off to dance — I told him you would be looking everywhere for me.’
Theo, who still held Ellie’s hand behind his back, gave it a gentle squeeze as he released it, saying drily, ‘Far be it from me to deprive Jed of your company, Debra — I see you’ve brought Max and Stefano to find me as well — what a search party.’
He had placed himself between Ellie and the others and the screen provided by his broad shoulders had given her time to take a deep breath and look reasonably self-possessed.
‘I think Jed and I must find the others,’ Ellie interjected, attempting a strained smile, not wanting to say one more word or spend another minute in the company of the woman who had more claim on Theo than she ever would.
Ellie’s plans for a quick exit were demolished. The Prince, after a triumphantly successful ball, was in no mood to let festivities end there.
‘We will go to Florians,’ he announced, sweeping an arm around Ellie and the other round Jed. ‘And we will have no — how you say — party poopers.’
Ellie looked helplessly at Jed, who just shrugged.
The ride back on Stefano’s launch towards the landing stage at St Mark’s Square was a nightmare for Ellie. Debra gave a whole new dimension to the phrase ‘glueing oneself to another’, and Jed, apparently intent on straightening his cuffs, asked Ellie and a giggling Rosie, if Theo decided to hurl himself into the murky waters of the lagoon, would Debra plunge in regardless of the damage it would do to her hairstyle?
‘You know, my flower,’ he remarked thoughtfully, ‘despite all those press reports and indeed my own more modest conversations with him, I’m not convinced he’s that taken with the mega star.’
‘You could fool me,’ retorted Ellie, taking a swift look across the deck to where Theo was standing close to Debra, shoulders propped under the edge of the cabin. Hands thrust deep into his pockets, he was smiling indulgently at the outpourings of the Prince, who had decided that Piers had not photographed him at the ball in the way that best captured his personality.
‘I think we should start again, yes?’ He gesticulated wildly. ‘I stand ‘ere, very proud, yes?’ and to the hilarious laughter of his guests he struck a pose that would not have shamed an old-time matinee idol.
Ellie couldn’t help laughing and instinctively looked at Theo to see if he was enjoying the joke, to find he was already watching her.
‘Oh dear, oh dear,’ giggled Jed as he caught the exchange. ‘Carlysle will have your guts for earrings.’
The boat pulled smoothly into a space reserved for the Prince. The laughing, noisy crowd disembarked, led by Rosie, Piers and Stefano who set off across the nearly deserted square to the world-famous coffee shop that was, even at this late hour, still full of appreciative customers.
How it happened Ellie wasn’t sure, but suddenly she found that Jed had swooped the whole party ahead of her including Max Culver and Debra, pouring outrageous compliments into the actress’s baubled ears as they went.
The Prince, having noticed Theo walking thoughtfully alongside Ellie, simply smiled to himself, and turned his attentions to Jed. From the moment he had laid eyes on the columnist at Sarah Broughton’s, the Prince had decided he was the face to promote his new range of men’s toiletries — which was sufficient excuse to be found monopolizing such an enchanting young man.
‘That’s right,’ said Theo’s amused voice as he saw enlightenment dawn on Ellie’s face. ‘I think you’ll find he would much prefer Jed’s company to yours.’
‘Jed is not promiscuous,’ snapped Ellie.
‘I never said
he was, just that Stefano prefers Jed’s company — as I prefer yours.’
Ellie could see the high-spirited group disappearing into Florians as she and Theo in unspoken agreement made their way slowly across the Piazza, past the silent, darkened Doge’s Palace, and turned left on to the nearly deserted long promenade that by day was filled with souvenir stalls and pavement cafés, and by night with lovers strolling in the moonlight.
‘You have an odd way of showing it,’ she replied carefully as they left the square behind and joined the Riva degli Schiavoni walking towards the Danieli.
Across the still water of the Canale di San Marco, the wavering reflection of the monastic church of San Giorgio Maggiore on the tiny island of the same name was eerily visible and Ellie wondered how it was that she was in the most romantic city in the world with a devastatingly handsome man and she was actually bickering with him.
‘How’s Clive?’ he asked abruptly.
‘Clive is fine.’
‘Not with you though?’
‘No. I’m working and so is he. This is not a social occasion. And I don’t want to talk about Clive.’
‘Neither do I, as it happens.’
As they mounted the shallow steps rising over one of the tiny bridges spanning the narrow waterway, he slipped a hand under her elbow. She moved away as soon as they had reached the other side.
‘I’m sorry you didn’t want to meet my mother,’ he said. He sounded regretful rather than censuring.
Ellie’s temper got the better of her nerves and she rounded on him. ‘What the hell do you think I was going to say to her? "Oh, how nice to meet you after all these years, yes thank you we all survived in spite of your husband’s attempts to destroy us?"’
Theo grimaced ruefully in a way that made Ellie’s heart turn over.
‘I’m sorry, you’re quite right. I just thought — hoped — seeing you again, that maybe you had changed...’
‘Changed?’ she gasped. ‘Why should I change, and change what? Why don’t you do a bit of changing. Now there’s a novel idea,’ she went on sarcastically. ‘How about you doing something for someone else for a change? I suppose you’re still holding out for Linton’s Field, I assume you’re still going ahead with that bloody building or whatever it is you’re planning.’
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