by Anna Premoli
“Yes, we’re going to have to put on a bit more of a show for her,” he agrees, rubbing his jaw.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, let’s dance,” he says, suddenly dragging me over to the dance floor. And since I’m very lucky, they only play slow numbers here.
“Do we have to? The last time I danced to something like this I was about fifteen. There must be a reason it's been so long, don’t you think?” I beg him.
But Ian doesn’t seem to hear my protests and pulls me close to him. I suddenly feel as though the whole room is staring at me.
“You’re holding me too tight,” I say, trying to pull away. “You need to let me breathe.”
I can only pull back a few millimetres, though – he won't let me go any further. Nearby, Katie and Jeremy are dancing, and her irritated gaze never leaves us.
Then Ian whispers in my ear, “Right – time for the coup de grâce.”
“What do you mean?” I ask immediately, but instead of receiving an answer, I see his inscrutable face coming closer and closer to mine. I hope he’s not about to—
But suddenly, his mouth is on mine and for a moment I'm totally petrified.
But this is just a fake kiss, I repeat to myself. It’s not a real kiss, it’s not a real kiss, it’s not a real kiss—
But it does need to be credible, I suppose.
So when Ian opens his mouth slightly, I do the same. And when he squeezes me in his arms, I let him.
And anyway, what other choice do I have, here, in a hall full of people who've been watching us since the moment we arrived?
The real problem is that I feel my knees going, and my heart is beating like mad. And that's without even mentioning that I want to open my mouth even more… God, this is grotesque!
Another moment and then I’ll pull back, I think, my confidence returning.
And when I feel Ian’s tongue touching mine I do pull away, as though burned. Ok, enough is enough. I look at him, confused, and see that he looks pretty shaken too.
Fine, at least I’m not the only one. The next few moments are quite embarrassing.
“I’d say that's probably enough,” he says, his cheeks reddish.
“Absolutely,” I agree, my own face burning. Not far from us, Katie has almost passed out in horror, and she’s not the only one.
“Right, now let's get out of here,” he proposes, taking my hand. I nod, and allow him to lead me out of the hall.
We try to ignore the curious looks and whispers all around us, and walk quickly back to the nearby car park where Ian's car is parked, trying unsuccessfully to avoid a series of disappointed paparazzi. Trying to keep my eyes down, I get in the car as quickly as possible.
“Shall we make a run for it?” he asks.
“Don't spare the horses, James.”
Chapter 11
I slept atrociously last night, thanks to London's high society and that gala dinner. Not to mention that it took me about an hour to get my make-up off before I could even get into bed. And the day ahead doesn't promise anything better.
A worried Laura and Vera observe my lost expression as I stare into my coffee.
“So, did you do your duty last night?” asks Vera, sticking a chocolate biscuit into her mouth.
“Sort of,” I confirm to her, sleepily. I'm too tired for conversation this morning.
“I have to ask – how can you resist a guy like that?” my friend asks. “Because, I'm telling you, if I got my hands on him—”
The truth is, that unexpected kiss upset me a lot. Last night I was so nervous that when we got to my front door I literally ran away from the car, barely saying goodbye. How mortifying. But after all, for a man who probably kisses who knows how many girls every month, one more shouldn't make any difference.
I lay my head on the table on desperation.
“So, do you want to tell us everything first or do we have to find out the details from the press?” asks Laura in a threatening tone, as she unfolds the morning paper.
“Open it,” I grumble, with my head still on the table. I really don't feel like talking about my evening.
Laura obeys my order and spreads it out in front of her and Vera. There's a picture of us, accompanied by another smaller one from last week, and a caption.
“The Earl of Langley was present last night at the cancer research fund raising event,” Vera reads, “looking very elegant and in the company of the same girl with whom he was photographed last week outside a well-known club in central London. The girl's identity is still unknown, but witnesses tell us that the heir of the Duke of Revington never left his partner's side and at one point even kissed her on the dance floor.”
“What???” says Laura. “He kissed you?”
I look up and see their bewildered expressions. “A pretend kiss,” I reply in a tired voice.
“A pretend kiss?! He kissed you!” replies Vera.
“So,” says Laura, getting to the point, “how was it?”
“I don't know, really—” I say, honestly, “I wasn't expecting it. And it wasn't exactly a kiss kiss—”
“And what would a kiss kiss be?” Vera asks me, sounding irritated.
“I don't know, with a bit of tongue—” I explain.
“Jennifer!” Laura reprimands me, “that doesn't sound like you! All that matters is his tongue?!”
“Of course not!” I say, but the truth is that I probably have been thinking about his tongue too much over the last ten or twelve hours, and that's no good. I have to start thinking about something else. I'm a young woman, serene, calm… and – I must admit – just a tad sexually frustrated. Which is not surprising, if you bear in mind that I was dating a philosophy professor who was way beyond such base impulses. In fact, why the hell did I wait so long to dump him? And if I think about it, the most depressing thing is that it was him who dumped me… My god.
“Ok, tongue aside, how was it?” insists Laura.
And at this moment there's no point lying – or, perhaps, I just haven't got the strength.
“He's a bloody good kisser, if you really want to know. And that's all I'm saying!” I add, feeling shaken.
“I've never said anything about it before because I didn't want to rub salt in the wound, but since you're looking so agitated I'm going to have to bring it up: you like this guy, don't you?” asks Vera unexpectedly, looking up from the newspaper.
“What? Nooooo!” I shriek in an attempt to convince her, my face a mask of horror.
“It is pretty weird, though,” reflects Laura, “you say you totally despise him but then you agree to pretend to be his girlfriend. Don't you agree there's something a bit illogical about all this?”
The discussion brings me out of my comatose state and almost gets me out of my chair. “There's nothing illogical or unreasonable about it! We made a deal, which I think is very much in my interest. I mean, I go out with him twice, and in return he'll keep out of my way at work. I honestly think that it's very, very sensible! It's exactly because I can't stand him that I agreed to it,” I say emphatically, in the vain hope of convincing someone. If I could convince myself it might be a start.
Vera looks at me almost pityingly. “If you say so…”
I go back to sipping my coffee. Maybe I'd have been wiser opting for a camomile this morning.
“So are you having lunch at your mum's today?” she asks again, generously changing the topic.
“Unfortunately, yes,” I confirm, miserably.
“What if they've seen the paper?” says Laura, nodding to the photos.
I try to imagine the scene for a moment.
“No chance. The last time a newspaper as depoliticised as that entered their house was probably during World War II. And that was probably only because they were looking for coded messages.”
*
“Are you okay, Jennifer?” my mother asks me for the tenth time.
What can I do? I've literally been in a cold sweat for about two hours. That i
s, since the moment I arrived and saw a copy of the most depoliticised newspaper in Britain lying on the table in my parents' dining room.
If this is a nightmare, I want to wake up! Now!
“I'm fine, Mum,” I assure her for the tenth time. And for the tenth time it doesn't work. She looks at me doubtfully, not hiding her disappointment at not yet having been able to work out what's behind this frenetic mood of mine.
A bored looking Michael looks at me from across the table, while Hannah, instead, gives me smiles of encouragement. In moments like this I'd even be willing to forget that I come from a country that is maniacally obsessed with controlling inflation, even at the expense of the economic growth of all Europe!
“Darling, are you quite sure that everything's ok between you and Charles?” asks my mum. “We haven't seen him for ages. You're not having… problems are you, by any chance?”
The tone is the one she uses for funerals or the outbreak of riots around the world.
It's the perfect occasion, and it's been handed to me on a plate.
“Actually, we're taking a little time to think about the relationship. We are both very busy with work right now.”
On hearing my words, everyone stops eating and looks at me. Long minutes of deafening silence seem to go by – it's a contradiction in terms, I know, but what can I do?
“But it's nothing serious…” I add meekly.
As usual, Stacey must immediately say her piece. “Of course it's serious! Charles is the perfect man for you! You can't let him slip through your fingers!” she says, vehemently.
If you likes him so much, I think, why don't you marry him—
I decide not to reply and continue eating the spelt salad on my plate. It's even worse than the vegetable soup, just for the record.
Michael continues to scowl at me.
“Is anything the matter?” I ask him. I can tell that he is pre-occupied by something. “No, why?” he answers, but it's obvious that there is indeed something big on his mind.
After lunch we help our parents clear the table and wash the dishes, and Hannah and I dry the glasses.
“Do you know what's up with Michael?” I ask her, worriedly.
I see immediately from her reaction that there is, in fact, something to worry about. “Oh Jenny, it's all my fault!” she cries out.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, trying not to sound too alarmed.
“Those pictures of you in the paper! I always read the social events pages – we Germans just love news about the royal family so much…” she explains, “because you know we don't have one.”
“And you stumbled across the photos of me,” I finish for her.
“Yes, and Michael saw them before I could turn over. You don't know how sorry I am.”
“Never mind,” I re-assure her, as I try to decide what to do. Bloody hell, I could really have done without this.
“Is it serious?” she asks, anxiously.
I look at her without really understanding the meaning of her question, but then it dawns on me.
“Of course not!” I reply. “I only went out with the most eligible bachelor in the whole bloody country. Obviously it's nothing serious.” At least that part's true.
Hannah puts a glass on the table and looks at me with her beautiful green eyes. “I know your family is not keen on the nobility and the rich, but you can tell me. If you really like him and want to talk to someone, you can tell me. Michael will never find out. I promise.”
Now I understand why my brother loves this girl so much – it almost brings tears to my eyes to see how sweet she is.
“Thank you, but really, there's nothing serious.”
She is about to add something but then freezes. “Ok, but if you change your mind, Michael and I will be in London for a few days before we set off again.”
“Thanks, Hannah,” I say.
And I decide to clear off as soon as possible. In case someone decides to accidentally open that newspaper.
Chapter 12
The telephone in the office rings ominously. That's the last thing I need – I need to finish reading this report on recent changes to tax policy. Then there's a recession on, they're are always coming up with something new. An idea just pops into some politician's head while she's in the shower, or while he's walking the dog… So it's no wonder that laws don't make a lot of sense.
“Yes?” I answer crossly, because I want to make it clear that I'm very busy.
“Jenny, your brother's downstairs,” the receptionist tells me, not at all intimidated by my tone.
“Who?” I ask in surprise. During the nine years I've worked here, nobody from my family has ever dropped by. I thought they were just completely unaware of the existence of the place – that they'd erased it from their maps.
“Your brother, Michael. Can I send him up?” she asks, as though talking to an idiot.
“Of course, I'll wait for him by the lift. Thank you so much, Emily.”
I try to recover quickly from my astonishment and hurry towards the lobby. In a few seconds there he is, my brother, in all his glory.
“Hello, Michael!” I greet him with surprise, because this is one visit that I really wasn't expecting.
“Hello, Jenny,” he answers, walking out of the lift and kissing me on both cheeks. I see a few people giving us curious looks. It seems that lately I've been doing my bit for company gossip.
“What are you doing here?” I ask directly, since my brother knows me very well and knows that it is pointless beating about the bush with me.
“Hannah and I are leaving tomorrow, I thought I'd just pop in and say hello.”
Michael never pops in to say hello to anyone, mind you. He's always too busy saving human lives.
“Can I get you a coffee?” I ask, because I don't really want to have this weird conversation right here in front of everyone.
“All right,” he agrees.
And Michael doesn't even drink coffee. This visit is starting to seriously intrigue me.
“So, how long are you going to be away this time?” I ask, as we walk towards the coffee lounge.
He shrugs in resignation. “Who knows. Three or four months—”
“It's not that I don't appreciate the visit, Michael,” I admit, while pressing the buttons on the coffee machine, “but I'm dying to know why you're here. Because if I remember correctly, we already said goodbye to each other on Sunday.”
He stares at me, an embarrassed look on his face. Great.
“I saw the paper on Sunday,” he says in a low voice, as if that explains the mysteries of the universe.
“Well, I'm glad you can find time to keep yourself informed. And?” I ask innocently. I've got no intention of making things easy for him.
“And I'm worried! It's normal – you're my little sister, and seeing pictures of you in a newspaper… all made up and dressed in a way that, frankly—”
“Yes, I get the idea,” I cut him off, irritably, “but how old am I?”
“Thirty-three,” he says through his teeth, aware of where this is going.
“And do you really think that at my age I should have to answer to anyone for what I do?”
Michael doesn't like being caught off guard. “This isn't about where you go, or, frankly how you go. It's about who you go with,” he says, emphasizing the words.
It'll probably be for the best if I try not to get too worked up.
“I didn't want to worry you, but the truth is that I've been single for weeks and have the right to go out with whoever I want,” I say. I can't deny that I'm slightly annoyed, because I can't stand my family interfering – as much as I love them, it's always better to keep my distance when it comes to my love life.
“Of course, if it weren't for the fact that the guy in the picture is not the kind of fellow you usually date. Those are the type of people it's just not worth going out with,” he blurts out, sadly.
And I'm sorry, because I know that Michael is actually he
re with the best intentions. He got to know high society pretty well when he was going out with Linsey, the girl he was madly in love with for a good chunk of his life. It all ended badly, because when two different worlds clash it usually does. Linsey's father began putting pressure on her when he realised things were getting serious, and Linsey, faced with the choice between Michael and having daddy pay for everything, opted for the easier of the two options. Just the way everyone knew she would.
Or rather, everyone except Michael, who took it really badly. I think it took him years to recover. Hannah was a godsend. When she appeared in his life, my brother finally managed to start healing.
I still remember Linsey very well: work to pay your own way? As far as she was concerned, that meant being poor! A pearl of wisdom that we'll all remember forever.
The tragedy is that people from her world all think like her. Usually, their only job is taking care of their assets – and they even have the nerve to claim that it's hard work!
“I know that you've suffered and you don't want anything like that happening to me,” I tell him sincerely, “but you have to trust me. There is absolutely nothing between me and Ian St John. I'm not that stupid. To tell the truth, I actually find him quite unpleasant.”
And I really believe that I do, I'm not just saying it to re-assure my brother. The gentleman certainly isn't one of my favourite people just because I've spent a few hours with him – and, even worse, I was forced to do it.
But as soon as I finish the phrase, from around the corner what should pop out but the perfect face of Ian, in all its glory. Michael notices him immediately and gives him a doubtful look.
“Have you got a minute, Jenny?” the little lord asks me with a flash of his best smile – the one he usually uses to get everything he wants.
“Not now,” I answer sharply, because I'd like to convince my brother that he can set off for the third world without having to worry about me. And because Ian should know me well enough by now not to try the smile on with me.
My tone must have hit the target, because his expression darkens.