Nate put his hand on the door, but tried not to alarm her. ‘I’m a friend of Maud’s, but I can’t get my car into the grounds of the school to get her out of there,’ he explained.
The woman stopped trying to close the door and looked at him again, more closely this time. ‘Nate Ridgemore?’ she gasped, blushing and spluttering slightly.
He nodded and spoke quickly. ‘Can I leave my car on your drive while I try and find a way to get Maud out?’
‘Of course! Take as long as you like. I’ve got to go across and collect my son soon, but I was leaving it until the last minute, it’s a madhouse. Do you want to walk across with me? I can get you in.’
Nate had no doubt he could get in, as he was so determined to get to Maud, but he realised, as this was a school, the children’s safety would come first. Maud might have to wait until nightfall to go home. ‘That would be great. Thanks,’ he said, waiting for her to collect her bag and shut the door behind her. She was grinning and began chatting to him, asking how he had met Maud, but he was trying to keep his head down. No one would expect him to be here, so he hoped they’d think he was just another school parent coming for his child.
He had literally set one foot onto the pavement in front of the school bouncers, when flashbulbs went off in his face and people started to call out his name. He smiled apologetically at his new friend, but it seemed she was the one who had whispered his name to her friend just inside the gate, and then all hell had broken loose. She shouted to the security guards and they pulled them through the gates and then shut them, before using their bodies to block further entrance. The woman appeared delighted at the drama, but Nate just fretted at making Maud’s day even harder. He’d been so set on seeing her and holding her after the day she’d had, he hadn’t thought things through clearly. He said a quick hello to the people standing staring at him just inside the gate, thanked the woman he had walked across the road with through gritted teeth, and followed the signs for the school’s reception area. He needed to get Maud out of here so that the press would leave and the children could get home safely.
Seeing Daisy come out of reception, he called to her and she ran into his arms and began crying noisily. He didn’t really know what to do, as he’d come here for Maud, but Daisy had been treated appallingly too. He hugged her and asked her where Maud was. Daisy sniffed into his arm and then led him to the headmistress’s office. He opened the door to find Maud, looking tiny and sitting with her shoulders slumped, staring at the floor. No one else was in there, so he approached her and hunched down in front of her face. She looked up with watery eyes. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, pulling her onto his lap where she curled into a ball and cried. He stroked her soft hair and whispered soothing noises while she calmed down, then kissed her gently on the nose and wiped her tears away.
He pulled her up to standing and looked deeply into her troubled eyes. ‘He’s not worth your tears...’
Maud’s head shot up in surprise. ‘Oh, I’m not crying about that detestable waste of space! I’ve lost my job and time with my best friend because of that man. I hate him. I told him that if he ever comes near me or my friends again, I’ll plaster his face all over social media and tell everyone what a repugnant sleazeball he is. If he didn’t have a pregnant girlfriend...’ she said, glancing at Nate’s shocked expression for a moment before continuing, ‘I would have sent out the social media picture anyway. She’s welcome to him.’
‘Then why are you crying?’ he asked, his heart lifting at the fact that Tom was no longer his problem.
‘Because my parents are going to hate me for losing my job, and I can’t tell them about it because I’m stuck here. I don’t think they know yet. They’ve been on holiday and refuse to read the papers until they get home. They got back today, and now they will hate me, on top of everything else that’s happened today.’
‘Do you really want this job anymore? Haven’t you got an exciting new career before you now?’ he asked carefully, not wanting her to stamp on his foot for being a presumptuous ass.
She pressed her face into his chest and snuffled a bit, mumbling that her parents were not like other people and she always disappointed them. He couldn’t imagine anyone being disappointed with such a sweetheart as Maud, but families could be tricky. He just had to look at his own tribe to know how messed up they could be. ‘So let’s go to visit them and explain what has happened,’ he said simply.
Maud looked up in surprise. ‘We?’
‘Yep,’ he grinned. ‘How bad can it be?’
Maud giggled then and he gave her another quick kiss on her forehead, before pulling her out of the room. She grabbed her bag in a daze. ‘How do we get out?’
Lots of children and parents were sitting in the main hall, and the headmistress was explaining that their departure would be delayed. Nate walked into the room and a hush fell as people started to recognise him and saw him holding Maud’s hand. Some of the children began giggling and Maud smiled shyly and waved at one or two. Nate took charge and explained to the harassed parents what was happening. He was well versed in these situations and knew what to do.
He explained that Maud hadn’t expected her work to be quite so popular. He waited while people laughed and then ploughed on. Both he and Maud would be donating a painting each to the school, to be auctioned at the gallery, and the money would go towards facilities or equipment the school needed to apologise for any inconvenience that day. Mrs Ganty gasped in shock and some of the parents began clapping and cheering, as the school was in dire need of new sports equipment.
Nate explained that Maud would be taking time away from the school to give this furore time to die down, then she would decide on her future after discussion with the school and parents. Maud looked a bit shell-shocked at this, but he squeezed her hand to tell her to keep quiet for now and trust him. It was their only way out.
‘Maud and I will go and speak to the press now,’ he felt Maud shake with fear beside him. ‘I have asked Maud’s agent to arrange a press interview for tomorrow, so they will leave the premises when we do. It will then be safe for you all to return home.’ Everyone started jumping around and clapping and they all got up and cheered Maud. She blushed and thanked everyone for being so supportive, turning away before she burst into tears.
Nate tried valiantly not to stare at the headmistress. He’d learnt from Dot when she’d called him earlier in a panic, that Mrs Ganty was one of Tom’s women too. Dot had explained that the headmistress was the one who had let Maud down by sleeping with her boyfriend, not Daisy. He led Maud to the school gates. The parents and children were still in the hall, so they were on their own. ‘You ok?’ he turned and asked her. ‘I’m sorry for taking over, but we have to speak to the media. Dot’s organised a meeting for you both tomorrow. She’s so excited, while you’re trembling.’ He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. ‘You can do this.’
Maud didn’t say anything other than to nod her consent. She hoisted her bag further up her shoulder and gritted her teeth. ‘Let’s go.’
Chapter Forty-Five
Maud breathed a sigh of relief as they got into Nate’s car and drove towards her parents’ house. She wasn’t that terrified to see them after what she’d just been through with the press, she was just tired to her core. The journalists had been wonderful and had wanted to find out more about her story and her new work. She was very flattered, and not as frightened as she’d thought she’d be, as Nate had told them all about the meeting Dot had set up for the following day. He’d handed out Dot’s business cards, reminding them they all needed to contact Dot for an interview with Maud, or to get an invite to the media launch. They had happily stood for a few photos outside the school, then by Nate’s car, and had been left alone to drive away with minimal fuss. Maud had called Daisy from the car and told them the press were leaving and the children could go home. She also asked her to tell the parents and children they could all come to her next exhibition as her guests. She’d
heard Nate splutter and then laugh heartily next to her, as he no doubt pictured Dot’s angry face at all the extra work. Well, it served her right for dumping this mess on her doorstep in the first place.
She directed Nate to park in her parents’ driveway and held her breath while she tried to calm her nerves, which suddenly flared up again. He got out, came round to her side of the car and opened the door. ‘You’re going to have to get out of my car at some point, Maud,’ he joked, reaching for her hand.
She took it gratefully and tried to be braver. She peeked down at her clothes and sighed at how rumpled they looked now. Her mum would hate her top, and probably never talk to her again for being chucked out of her job.
‘You’ll be fine,’ soothed Nate, wrapping her into a warm hug as the door opened and her parents stood in the hall, staring mutely at the big man with his arms around their daughter, standing next to a shiny top-of-the-range sports car.
‘Maud?’ her mother looked about to say more, but her dad just coughed and beckoned them inside the house, when he saw their neighbours’ curtains twitching at the sight of such an expensive car.
Maud kept hold of Nate’s hand as they walked inside, which made him beam a wide grin at her parents, who grimaced back. Maud tried to stem the jitters, but her heart felt broken at the look in their eyes. They all sat down in the lounge after brief introductions and her mother busied herself making tea and putting biscuits on a china plate, before returning and sitting next to Maud’s dad without a word.
Maud decided this was too painful. ‘You’ve read the papers, then?’
‘Why didn’t you tell us it was you, Maud?’ her dad asked, hurt obvious for all to see. She felt Nate stiffen by her side. He knew exactly how they felt.
‘I didn’t tell anyone,’ she said simply. ‘My friend, Nate’s sister, is an artist’s agent and she began searching for me after seeing the original articles in the paper. I got scared that I would lose my job, so I didn’t tell a soul.’ She omitted to mention Daisy had been in on it the whole time, as she had suffered enough lately, and Maud’s mother would give her a stern talking-to for lying to her.
She sighed and went over to hug both her parents, which made them soften a little and they begrudgingly hugged her back. Her mum actually had tears in her eyes and was being remarkably quiet, whilst Maud had expected her to scold her at the very least.
‘Does it matter if you lose your job?’ her dad asked seriously now, patting his wife’s knee. ‘It says in the paper that your art is worth a fortune and you’ve sold every piece?’
Maud blushed and looked at Nate for guidance. ‘Maud did sell every piece, but that doesn’t mean she will every time,’ Nate said, seeing her mum registering shock at his brutal honesty. He laughed and apologised. ‘I’m an artist too, so I know that art is subjective and a piece you love might be hanging on a gallery wall for a long time. Maud is new to this, so she’s not very confident in her work, which is why she didn’t tell any of us.’ By including himself in that statement, he instantly formed a bond with her parents and he saw her mother’s smile of sympathy that he’d been treated as poorly as they had. He could obviously see the sudden mutiny on Maud’s face, as she was about to point out they had always thought her art was appalling, so why would she tell them anything? But he squeezed her knee and she clamped her mouth shut on the words she so badly wanted to speak aloud. Maud’s parents were nodding at Nate with understanding and her mother sent her a stare to tell her she’d been very naughty. It was like being five again.
‘Maud may well sell every painting she creates, but she’s worried she needs a back up plan. She doesn’t.’ Nate said with confidence.
‘We’ve heard of you and your work, Nate. So we realise you know an awful lot about art and can help Maud,’ said Maud’s dad, carefully. ‘This has all been a bit of a shock, as you can understand. But we’ve spoken about this at length, haven’t we, Rosemary?’ he said, looking at his wife and holding her hand, ‘and we realised that maybe we had been holding Maud back, and that was why she didn’t tell us?’
Maud nearly passed out in shock. She sprang up to cuddle them both, as her dad asked Nate if he’d like to look around the house and garden, and the doorbell rang so Rosemary went to answer it, visibly annoyed at the interruption of her famous daughter and handsome new suitor. She quickly whispered to Maud that she was coming round to the idea of this art malarkey and had decided it was very chic to be a ‘proper’ artist, not one of these abstract or impressionist imposters. Maud just smiled and shook her head. Her mum would never change, but she was too happy at this moment in time to care.
Her parents’ neighbours, Marcy and Don, rushed into the lounge in a flurry of excitement. Marcy’s eyes lit on Maud and she pulled her into a fast hug and squealed in delight. ‘Why didn’t you tell us when we were last here that it was you, Maud?’
Before Maud could speak, Nate wandered in from the garden where her dad had been showing him his neat shed, and both neighbours just stood in mute awe. Rosemary smiled brightly and introduced Maud’s suitor, Nate, which made Maud want to die of embarrassment on the spot. ‘Nate’s a friend, Mum,’ she said in a high-pitched voice, as her cheeks flamed and she got the urge to run and jump out of the nearest ground floor window, even if it was closed.
‘Don’t be so coy, Maud,’ said Nate, coming and wrapping his arms around her waist, making every part of her flush red. He kissed the top of her head and introduced himself to her neighbours as Maud’s boyfriend. Maud nearly fainted on the spot. Was that what he had become? She rapidly decided she quite liked the idea and leaned against him for support.
Marcy and Don looked as if they couldn’t believe their luck, as Maud realised they would finally have some gossip of their own to share with their reporter friend and he could stop boasting that he knew everything. ‘How on earth did you keep this a secret from us?’ They turned towards Maud’s parents, with enquiring eyes. ‘You must be so proud of Maud. We certainly are. We know two famous artists now.’ They looked at Nate and Maud and went over to congratulate them both again.
Maud’s dad had the grace to look embarrassed and was about to speak, but her mum butted in. ‘Oh, we knew how important it was to Maud to keep this a secret until her gallery opening, so we couldn’t tell a soul,’ she giggled coquettishly, as Maud’s mouth hung open at the bare-faced cheek of the woman, but also admiring how quickly she rallied from an upset. Nate looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself, and her dad brought out a bottle of good red wine he’d been saving and offered everyone a glass.
‘Did you know, she sold every single piece of work at her first show? We’re so proud of her,’ Rosemary said, making Maud almost choke on her wine. ‘Luckily, we have lots of her work stored here for safe keeping.’ Seeing the neighbours’ eyes almost bug out as they mentally worked out the net value of a house full of valuable art, Maud panicked slightly.
‘Mum...’ said Maud hastily, not wanting word to spread that her parents had valuables in the house, in case it caught the attention of thieves. Especially as she’d cleared out every single piece when she’d visited earlier in the year. She gave her mum a warning stare, which told her to stop her babbling and for once her mum frowned, and then listened. ‘Remember I took those paintings to my studio as they were taking up too much storage room here…?’ Her mum looked mortified, and then like she’d been sucking lemons, which Maud rather enjoyed. She’d told Nate that she’d stolen the paintings away during dinner one evening and he’d found the story hilarious, so he was quietly trying to stop himself laughing, but his shoulders were bobbing up and down slightly, which gave the game away. Maud was actually glad her mum was embarrassed. She should be, for the years of not supporting her daughter’s dream and pretending it made her ill.
‘But we do have the gorgeous one in the kitchen,’ her mum remembered with mutiny in her eye. She rushed to collect the painting of the house, which they obviously hadn’t seen before, even though they were regular visitors here n
ow. They all oohed and aahed over the detail and skill of Maud’s work. Maud sighed and was suddenly very tired. Nate seemed to notice the change in her and led her to the couch to sit down and put her empty glass on the side table.
‘Looks like our Maud will be having a career change and leaving teaching to spread her artistic wings,’ said her dad, beaming down at her with pride.
Rosemary smiled at her too, as she stood next to her husband. ‘Of course it helped that we nurtured Maud’s talent and let her express herself as a child. You should have seen the way she marked the walls with her fingers and then started painting all her clothes with pictures of our cat.’ Maud laughed manically and began to feel a bit like this was an out-of-body experience.
Marcy came and sat next to Maud, so that she had to budge up and was practically sitting on Nate’s lap, which he didn’t seem to mind at all. ‘What about the studio at your house? It said in the paper that you paint from home. I bet that’s amazing too? How exciting having your own studio at home, although you could probably afford a huge place now, Maud. What’s it like, Rosemary?’
Rosemary quickly sipped her wine and was, for the first time in her life, lost for words. Maud spoke for her. ‘Mum and Dad love the little studio at the bottom of my garden, they positively hang out there, don’t you, guys?’ she laughed to soften her reproving words.
Nate lifted her from his lap and got up, then put out a hand for her too. Her dad smiled at his chivalry and Marcy winked behind his back and made a thumbs-up sign, which made her face flame again.
‘I think Maud’s had a long day and needs to get some rest. She had to give a press interview today, as her launch was so successful and photographers traced her to the school where she works. I was hoping to take her out to dinner before she falls asleep on her feet. It’s been a pleasure to meet you all.’ After lots of congratulations about her interview, everyone said their goodbyes with promises of getting together again soon. Nate shook her dad’s hand and got a pat on the back in return, which made him puff out his chest in pride, as if it was so important to have their blessing on his feelings for their daughter.
If You Love Me, I'm Yours Page 22