Legacy of the Past

by Anne Mather

‘All right,’ Adrian frowned. ‘Will I see you this weekend?’

  ‘Come to the flat,’ she said awkwardly. ‘If I’m home, you know you’re always welcome.’

  ‘Very well.’ Adrian returned to his letters and Madeline closed the door with a feeling of relief. She had expected all sorts of personal questions about her early departure.

  Outside it was a wonderful spring day; warm and sunny with the scent of flowers assailing her nostrils from the school flower beds. Madeline felt it was good to be alive all of a sudden. Her pale cheeks warmed a little, but her eyes betrayed the strain and emotional torment of the last few days.

  The red Sheridan halted at the school gates only seconds after she left the building and she hurried down to it and slid in besides Nicholas.

  She stared long and searchingly at him, enjoying the pleasure of just looking at him, while he in his turn studied her. Then with gentle fingers he touched the black marks beneath her eyes, and said softly:

  ‘You’re a fool, aren’t you?’

  Madeline did not trust herself to speak and merely nodded. Nicholas sighed and then glancing up the drive to the wide windows of the school he determinedly started the car and they drove away.

  They drove away from the town, turning off the main highway on to meandering country lanes, running between hedges now blooming with all their spring greenery and brushing the wide automobile as it droned along. Wild crocuses and daffodils starred the grassy banks, a rippling, gurgling stream chuckled its way over smooth white stones beneath a hump-backed bridge that they glided over. Madeline felt her fears and apprehensions melting away in the glory of the morning. Spring was here, and she was with the only man she ever wanted to be with. Surely nothing could go wrong now.

  Nicholas drew off the road on to a grassy stretch beneath the branches of a massive oak tree, and switched off the engine. The quietness was only broken by the sound of the birds and the drone of a solitary tractor in the distance as it moved leisurely across the fields.

  Madeline sighed and lay back in her seat and then looked along at Nicholas. Now that she could see his face she saw lines of weariness about his eyes and she said, in a small voice: ‘Do you still want me?’

  With a groan, Nicholas slid his arm along the back of her seat and turned towards her. With his free hand he caressed the softness of her hair, his thumb moving rhythmically over her smooth cheek.

  ‘Do I want you?’ he echoed. ‘God, you know I do.’

  He bent his head and put his mouth to hers, gently at first and then with increasing pressure. His fingers encircled her throat and he muttered: ‘I could kill you for what you’ve done to me.’

  She opened her eyes reluctantly and looked up at him fearlessly. ‘Darling you couldn’t be so cruel. To yourself of course. I love you, and I’ll marry you whenever you say.’

  Nicholas half-smiled as he looked down into her eyes. ‘I couldn’t anyway. You’re much too dear to me, whatever you decide.’

  He released her and reached for his cigarettes. He had got to ask about Diana and he dreaded introducing a jarring note.

  Lighting two cigarettes and handing her one, he said slowly: ‘And what about your daughter?’

  Madeline drew on her cigarette luxuriously, feeling warm and drowsy. ‘We’ll tell her today, unexpectedly.’ Then she suddenly sat up. ‘But you’re going to Italy today!’ Her eyes were full of consternation.

  ‘Relax,’ he said, drawing her back against him. ‘I’m not going, at least not today anyway.’

  ‘But…but how…?’ Madeline looked concerned.

  ‘I guess I was going to contact you,’ he murmured, releasing her hair from the French knot, by pulling out all the pins and throwing them on the floor. ‘Take it down, honey, I like to be able to run my fingers through it.’

  Madeline blushed charmingly and quickly released the last few strands, running her own fingers through it, loosening it ‘Is that better?’ she asked.

  ‘Much better,’ he murmured, kissing her mouth lingeringly. ‘God, you know I couldn’t have left the country without seeing you again. I’m glad you rang me, though. I wanted you to feel the same.’

  ‘I did…I do.’ She stroked his cheek. ‘And I look such a mess.’

  ‘You’re only tired,’ he murmured, caressing her ear with his lips. ‘Can’t you sleep?’

  She shook her head.

  ‘Nor can I,’ he murmured softly. ‘However, that can easily be remedied.’

  She smiled. ‘I know, darling. And in the nicest possible way.’

  He put his mouth to hers again, and for a long while they lost themselves in each other, hungry for a closer contact.

  They had coffee in town and arrived back at the flat about twelve. Diana was not at home, although Madeline had expected she would be as the college had closed for the holidays the previous day.

  ‘She must have gone shopping,’ she said, taking off her coat. ‘Would you like to stay for lunch or are you due back at the hotel? I understand you have another guest, apart from your mother.’

  Nicholas smiled. ‘Now who could have told you that?’

  ‘It was Harvey,’ she admitted, rather shamefacedly. ‘I saw him last night at the play.’

  ‘Was that why you decided to ring me?’

  ‘Partly,’ she murmured truthfully, ‘but I didn’t really need much of an excuse. I’ve been longing to see you all week.’

  Nicholas removed his overcoat. ‘Good,’ he remarked smugly, and she chuckled.

  ‘But what about this girl?’ she asked softly. ‘Did you used to be in love with her?’

  ‘No!’

  Madeline sighed. ‘Don’t be mean.’

  ‘All right.’ He pulled her to him, moulding her body to his. ‘She is my mother’s candidate for the position of wife to Nicholas Vitale.’

  ‘Oh! So Harvey was right.’

  ‘If he said that, yes.’ He put his mouth against the side of her neck. ‘Do you think she might be elected?’

  Madeline slid her arms tightly round his neck. ‘Not if I have anything to do with it,’ she murmured tensely.

  ‘And you have everything to do with it, haven’t you?’ he said lazily. ‘No, honey, my dear mama, Maria and Sophia are all on their way to Rome at this very moment.’

  ‘What!’ Madeline was astounded. ‘But I thought your mother was on her way to America.’

  ‘She was. But when I refused to return to Italy with Maria my mother couldn’t let her go alone. Besides, I told them about you.’

  ‘Did you? Good heavens, what did they say?’

  Nicholas grinned. ‘Well, they looked a bit green at first, but they’ll come round. Maria is doing a great job of public relations.’

  Madeline buried her face against his chest. ‘Oh, Nick,’ she whispered. ‘I love you.’

  ‘I should hope so,’ he drawled, in an amused tone. ‘Considering I’ve already bought a special licence, you—’

  ‘A special licence? Were you so sure of me?’

  He shook his head, serious for a moment. ‘Not sure at all, honey, only hopeful.’

  ‘Well, your hopes are realized. Are you sure about this?’

  ‘Absolutely. And you?’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure,’ she murmured, drawing his mouth to hers again, unable to believe in the reality.

  After a few minutes Nicholas put her away from him.

  ‘Go make the lunch, honey,’ he said a trifle thickly. ‘I’m only human.’

  Madeline looked in the refrigerator to see what they could have for lunch. There was some steak and plenty of vegetables, so she decided to grill the meat and pressure-cook the vegetables to save time. Tinned fruit and cream would do for dessert, and after satisfying herself that the meal was under way she returned to the lounge.

  Nicholas was stretched out on the couch reading a newspaper, and she smiled.

  ‘I can still hardly believe all this is happening,’ she exclaimed with a light laugh. ‘When I woke up this morning I dreaded what you might
say when I rang.’

  ‘What did you expect me to say?’

  She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Probably that you didn’t want to see me any more.’

  ‘Oh, if you only knew,’ he groaned, leaning forward to catch her as she passed, but she evaded him and ran into the bedroom.

  ‘I won’t be a minute,’ she called, and closed the door.

  She washed and changed into slacks and a Tricel blouse, and went over in her mind what she was going to say to Diana. There was bound to be an argument; but whatever happened she intended to be firm. It was no use beating about the bush.

  She was applying a pale lipstick to her lips when the door opened and Nicholas stood in the doorway.

  ‘Your pressure cooker is blowing its top,’ he remarked sardonically. ‘I turned it down, but you’d better check that it’s okay.’

  Madeline smiled teasingly. ‘Darling, don’t you know if it’s all right, or are you so undomesticated?’

  ‘I guess I am,’ he murmured, shrugging.

  ‘It’ll be all right,’ she said. ‘Am I to have a completely helpless husband?’

  Nicholas’s eyes narrowed with amused indignation as she rose to her feet. ‘It depends what you mean by helpless,’ he said, advancing towards her.

  Madeline stepped backwards laughing teasingly, but even as she did so she heard a noise from the lounge. She halted and looked past Nicholas towards the door. ‘What was that?’ she asked frowningly.

  ‘Don’t try to put me off,’ said Nicholas, smiling and continuing to walk towards her. She backed away from him in mock alarm; she was barefooted and he seemed very big as he approached her.

  The backs of her knees hit the side of one of the beds and the impact threw her off balance. With a gasp she fell back on the bed, hands, palms upwards, warding Nicholas off.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she cried pleadingly, but he twisted her hands to her sides as she lay there and leaning over her pinned her to the bed.

  ‘Now,’ he said, ‘I want a real apology.’

  ‘All right,’ she said breathlessly. ‘Let me get up.’

  ‘No. Say after me, I’m very sorry, sir, and it won’t happen again.’

  Madeline giggled. ‘I’m very sorry, darling, and it won’t happen again.’

  ‘That wasn’t quite right.’

  ‘Do you want me to change it?’

  ‘That won’t be necessary.’ He released her hands and sat down beside her. ‘In fact I think I like it better your way.’ His voice was dangerously disturbed, as he leaned over her.

  ‘Nicholas,’ she whispered achingly, resistance leaving her body so that she was utterly relaxed and yielding.

  A few moments later he forced himself up on one elbow. ‘And what do you think your daughter would think if she found us here?’ he murmured huskily.

  Madeline roused herself reluctantly. ‘Who could blame her?’ she replied, a little shakily.

  Nicholas nodded, and rolled over on to his back. ‘No wonder she has strange ideas of marriage if you and Joe never even shared the same room. How does she imagine she was conceived?’

  Madeline sat up. ‘I suppose she’s never even thought about it. After all, lots of people have separate beds.’

  ‘I guess so. But I think if I had been her I should have probed a little more deeply into my background; and your background, too, come to that. There was such a terrific difference in your ages. By the way, how old was this boy…this Peter?’

  ‘About seventeen, I believe. Why?’

  Nicholas shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I guess I was just curious.’ He smiled and sat up. ‘Everything about you fascinates me.’

  ‘Really?’ She smiled at him complacently. ‘That’s nice to know.’

  ‘Yes, isn’t it? I would like to have known Joe.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Well, he seems to have been a genuine character. There aren’t many men who would have done what he did.’

  ‘No,’ she agreed, sighing. ‘Joe was wonderful. When I think how stupid I was!’

  ‘You weren’t stupid,’ replied Nicholas. ‘You were merely very young and very frightened.’

  ‘That’s true.’ She rose to her feet. ‘I’d better get lunch. Diana will be back at any time.’

  Her words were interrupted by the sound of the front door closing. Madeline looked weakly at Nicholas, and he immediately rose and walked swiftly to the door of the bedroom. He walked into the lounge, expecting to find Diana, but instead the room was deserted.

  He turned back to Madeline, frowning: ‘There’s no one here.’

  Madeline’s face visibly whitened. ‘Oh, glory, then it must have been her coming in when I said to you that I thought I had heard something.’

  Nicholas’s face was grim. ‘Do you mean to say that Diana has been standing in here, eavesdropping all this time?’

  Madeline put a hand to her forehead. ‘Probably. Nick, do you realize what this means? She’ll have heard everything that we were saying?’

  ‘So what?’ Nicholas was angry. ‘At least she could be satisfied we weren’t making love.’

  Madeline shook her head frantically. ‘No, no. Don’t you remember? We were talking about Joe and Diana’s real father. I should imagine from our conversation it wouldn’t be difficult to put two and two together.’

  Nicholas closed his eyes momentarily. ‘God, I’m sorry, Madeline. I forgot about that. Knowing Diana, she’s probably made five.’ He shrugged. ‘Well, at least that solves the problem of whether she should be told.’

  Madeline turned away. What a terrible thing to happen! She might have known that the perfect happiness they had known earlier could not last.

  Nicholas pulled on his coat. ‘I’ll go and bring her back,’ he said decisively.

  Madeline turned round. ‘Would you? I don’t like the idea of her going off, just like that.’

  ‘Nor do I.’ Nicholas smiled encouragingly at her. ‘Relax, honey, it’s going to be all right.’

  After he had gone, Madeline walked over the windows of the flat which overlooked the Gardens below. She watched Nicholas emerge from the building, but there was no sign of Diana. Nicholas looked up and down the Gardens, and like Madeline was unable to see anything. He walked over to his car and slid in behind the wheel and a few moments later he drove off down the road.

  It was half an hour before he returned, and when he did so he was alone. Madeline went to open the door on his return and she looked despairingly at him.

  ‘She seems to have disappeared into thin air,’ he remarked, loosening his coat. ‘I’ve looked everywhere. She can’t possibly have got far before I went out. My opinion is that she guessed we would go looking for her, and she waited somewhere in the apartment building until I had gone out and then followed me so that she was able to observe my movements instead of the other way round.’

  Madeline sank down on to a chair. ‘So what do we do now?’

  ‘I guess we just wait. Let’s have some lunch for a start. She’s bound to come back sooner or later. Diana isn’t the type to desert her home comforts for very long.’

  ‘Don’t you think so?’

  ‘Of course not. Come on, honey. Diana’s had a nasty shock, no doubt, but until she returns there is nothing we can do to help her.’

  ‘But will she let me help her?’ exclaimed Madeline desperately. ‘After all, I’m the cause of her dilemma.’

  Nicholas shrugged. ‘I don’t know Diana as well as you do, of course, but I’d say she was quite able to stand up to something like this. She’s not a highly strung girl, she’s simply been used to getting her own way. She’ll come round. It may even be for the best. She may look on me in a more kindly light now that she knows, or I expect she knows, that her own father was not the paragon she had thought.’ He looked understandingly at Madeline. ‘Do I sound a heartless beast?’

  Madeline managed a half-smile. ‘No, I know you’re just trying to make me feel better. Let’s have some lunch.’

  CHAPTER ELEVEN


  BY eight o’clock that evening, Madeline was frantic. She and Nicholas had combed Otterbury that afternoon in the car, going to the Seventies Club and searching the other coffee bars, but all in vain. There was no sign of Diana. It had begun raining, too, at teatime, and now there was a steady downpour soaking everything thoroughly. They returned to the Gardens twice while they were out to make sure she had not returned in their absence, but each time they were disappointed. Madeline could not think of anywhere else to look.

  At last, she said: ‘I don’t suppose she could possibly have gone over to Jeff’s.’

  Nicholas frowned. ‘Oh, yes, that boy that we took out with us on Sunday. He seemed very friendly with her.’ ‘Yes. They’ve been going out together for about three months. It’s a forlorn hope, though. She hasn’t seemed too sociable with him since he told her he’d been out with Maria and yourself. I don’t think she’s been out with him since then. Of course, she has had the dress rehearsal of the play to attend and consequently she hasn’t had much time. It’s certainly a possibility.’

  ‘Okay. Do they have a telephone?’

  Madeline shook her head. ‘I shouldn’t think so. They’re not such common things in this country. But I think the address is Poplar Road. I’m not too sure of the number. I think it’s about fourteen.’

  ‘Good.’ Nicholas started the car again. They had been halted in the town centre. ‘Which way is it?’

  ‘It’s quite near the school where I work, and of course near the factory, too.’

  ‘Okay.’ Nicholas turned the car round and they began moving up the road towards the factory. His fingers gripped the wheel tightly. He felt furious with Diana, whatever her feelings, for causing her mother so much unnecessary distress. All right, so she had had an unpleasant surprise, that did not entitle her to rush away, leaving Madeline without any means of contacting her and distracted into the bargain. He felt like shaking Diana good and hard for her thoughtlessness.

  Poplar Road was a row of council houses, each with yellow front doors and white windows. Number fourteen was identical to the rest, except that the curtains looked brighter and the paintwork had been newly washed.

  Leaving Madeline in the car, Nicholas himself went to the door, standing under the canopy to avoid the torrent that was now emptying itself over the town.