Ben rang late in the morning, just after she’d returned from her shopping expedition. He’d taken a taxi from Heathrow into London and they relished the time to talk and catch each other up on what they’d both been doing.
Ben's first stop was the bank where he met with the manager, then it was off to Graham's office where all the legal documents for the partnership were ready and waiting for his signature. The other partners were there to congratulate him. He knew them all well, as he’d worked with most of them for the past few years while completing his studies at local NHS hospitals. Now that he was finished, and fully qualified, they were delighted to have him as a partner. He was a talented doctor and seemed to have an inborn instinct for the work. It helped that his patients seemed to adore him and they certainly had complete faith in his abilities to take care of them. The partners greeted the news that he was getting married with approval – a young, good-looking doctor was safer to have around if he was married. Ben handed over his bank draft for the £500,000 to buy into the practice and officially became the newest partner in St. Anne's Hospital and Centre for Women's Health.
Ben spent some time in what was to become his office and talking to a few of the staff, then he rang James to ask if he would have time to see him in the morning…he had something personal he needed to discuss with him. He and James knew each other through him taking care of Helen throughout her pregnancy and birth of their twin girls, as James had gone with Helen to as many of her appointments as possible. He agreed to see Ben at nine thirty when he could spare half an hour.
It had been decided that Ben would stay at Charis' home in Chelsea, as it would soon be their home. She’d given him her key and warned him to be careful of Mrs. Everett next door. If she saw him coming she’d interrogate him as to who he was and what he was doing there. Ben planned to spend the first two nights in the Chelsea house, Wednesday at his parents’ home, back to Chelsea for Thursday night, then fly back to Cairo on Friday, a very busy week. He thought of Charis almost every moment and hoped she wasn’t too busy. He wanted her to be rested and relaxed for their wedding.
Dinner with the Carruthers, Graham and Allison, was pleasant. Ben had been to their home many times. Graham had not only been his boss but he was a good friend and Ben was now Allison's doctor. Her previous pregnancy, when she was carrying Nicholas, had seemed to be going well, but when her usual doctor became ill, Ben took over her care and was concerned about something that he thought not quite right. He mentioned it to Graham and together they had diagnosed and treated her. It wasn't overly serious, or life threatening, but it had certainly worried Allison, so she was thrilled to see that Ben was back and had already made an appointment at St. Anne's Hospital to be his first patient when he returned to work in four weeks’ time. Nicholas, who would be a year old next month, kept them entertained with his antics until his mother took him up to bed.
*****
Charis had been lying in bed and trying to sleep for an hour or more when she heard the quiet ‘ding’ – a text! Picking up her phone she smiled as she read the message from Ben. He’d arrived at the Chelsea house and would call her in the morning. She dialled his number immediately.
“You should be sleeping,” he said. “It's late.”
“I’m finding it difficult to sleep without you beside me,” she replied.
“If I was there with you, you most definitely would not be sleeping,” he told her.
“Nor would I want to be,” she said with a smile in her voice.
“I'm in the house and safely avoided Mrs. Everett.”
“What do you think?” she asked. “Will it be okay? Will you be happy there?”
“I’ll be happy anywhere with you, but yes, I think it will be perfect.”
He found himself standing in a big living room. There was a small entry way, a staircase to the upper floor immediately opposite the front door, but the entry opened up into the large room he found himself in. The kitchen was at the front of the house and open to the rest of the room. The cupboards were an ivory colour and the work surface black granite. The sink was under the window and there was a large side-by-side fridge-freezer, a range cooker and a small walk-in larder.
Between the kitchen and living area was an oak refectory table with several chairs. It backed onto a sectional sofa which was facing the back wall where the television was placed between two sets of french windows that opened onto a small back garden. A large stone fireplace with a wood burning stove was on the wall opposite to the staircase. Between the chimney breast and the kitchen was an oak Welsh dresser and on the other side of the fireplace, floor to ceiling shelves which housed Charis' DVDs, and few photos and lots of books – next to her passion for music came her love of reading - with a comfortable armchair diagonally in front, facing into the room.
The floor was fieldstone in shades of dark cream and light browns and a carpet in different tones of beige lay in the sitting area. There was an oak coffee table in front of the curved sectional sofa; a soft beige with turquoise, green and blue cushions scattered on it. The walls were painted cream. The whole room looked restful, warm and inviting. Beyond the staircase he saw her desk and computer and next to it a door leading into a utility area. From there a door led out to the back garden, another door into the garage at the front of the house. Ben saw a wall of laundry appliances, a downstairs WC and a walk-in storage room complete with a large upright and well stocked freezer and lots of shelves. He opened the door that led into the garage that was as good as empty and large enough for the car he wanted to buy. He suggested to her that they buy one when they’d returned to London. He rather fancied a Jaguar XF, a luxury sports car. He liked its understated elegance. Ben asked her what she thought. Charis didn't mind what they had, but she preferred it in dark blue or green.
He climbed the stairs, covered in soft beige carpet, and stood in awe of the incredible room he was in. Open to the stairway was the room Charis called her sitting and music room. It was divided into two sections. He stood facing an elegant open fireplace. On the back wall another pair of french windows opened onto a small black wrought iron juliet balcony. A large sofa faced the fireplace with a comfortable arm chair either side and ivory display cabinets each side of the chimney breast. The whole room was done in shades of cream, splashes of colour coming from lovely accessories placed tastefully around the room and the burgundy and dusty rose coloured curtains and cushions on the sofa and chairs.
But what took his breath away was the picture above the mantelpiece. It was a painting of a little girl, maybe two or three years old. She was sitting in a field of grass engrossed in making a daisy chain. There was already a daisy chain in her deep golden curls and a look of concentration on her sweet, pretty face. Charis! Charis when she was a little girl in her happy times with her father. He thought it was the most charming and sweetest picture he had ever seen.
“Are you still there?” he heard her ask.
“That picture – is it you?” he eventually managed to ask.
“Yes,” she said. “Do you like it?”
“I love it.” He was quiet for a moment and then added, “If we have children they must all be girls and look just like their mother.”
“And some boys who are just like their father,” she replied.
He laughed and it broke the spell the picture had cast on him.
The front third of the room was dominated by the impressive grand piano. One wall was covered entirely with shelves, filled with books, sheet music and photos. He saw a full set of her father's books, a photograph of her parents at their wedding, one of her mother, and he could see the likeness to Charis. Her mother's hair was lighter than Charis', her eyes not quite such a deep blue. She was undoubtedly beautiful but not as lovely as Charis. In the middle of the wall was another large picture. About half way up the wall a few shelves were missing, in their place this photograph of a wonderful house nestled in its surroundings and looking as though it had been there forever. He knew instantly it
was Meadow Lea Hall and he now understood why she loved it so much.
On the wall opposite the picture of her house was a montage of photos of Charis as a little girl, and he knew she’d put them there as a reminder of the happy times in her life. There was one of her at about three years old blowing a dandelion clock and one of her a bit younger with a butterfly poised on her finger, a look of rapt delight on her little face. He noted a photo obviously taken at the beach, the sea behind her, a sunhat half covering her face and partly hiding a cheeky little grin and another one where she was covered in mud, bent over and peeking through her chubby little legs, and one of her slightly older peeping out from behind a tree trunk, and a formal portrait of her and her father together.
And then he saw one that he immediately recognised - Charis as a teenager. It had been taken at a school concert and he remembered being there, at her school, one of the rare occasions when he’d gone with his family to support Jennifer. Charis had performed a short ballet solo as part of a group. She’d been wearing a diaphanous white dress over a white leotard. This photo had been taken with her back to the camera, her face turned sideways, in profile, her deep golden hair tumbling over her shoulders in soft curls. She looked exquisite and once more she took his breath away. He studied them all as they talked quietly together on the phone. He told her he loved her and would talk to her tomorrow…that she should try and get some sleep.
“Less than two weeks now, my love, and you will be my wife, and we will be here together.”
Charis smiled, whispered good night and hung up, knowing that now she’d be able to sleep.
Ben remained in front of the picture of Charis at the school concert. He searched through his memories, trying to determine exactly when it had been. He believed it was probably the Christmas concert the year she was sixteen. She’d also sung “Panis Angelicus” and he’d been mesmerized by the sweetness of her voice. She’d stood alone, looking small and almost lost on the big stage, and then she started to sing. A hush fell over the auditorium, full of parents, family and friends, and you could have heard a pin drop. As she finished her performance the audience erupted with applause - some even stood and cheered. For a moment she froze…looking stunned, then she smiled shyly, bowed and hurried off the stage. Ben smiled at the memory. He wondered if she still sang or danced. He hoped so.
He continued his exploration of the house. As soon as he entered the next room he knew that it must have been the room Charis had designed to be her dressing room and study. She had later decided, after she moved in, that she didn't need it. She preferred to have her office area downstairs and the wardrobe in her bedroom provided ample space for all her clothes. Charis had suggested that he might like to use it for his study and dressing room. He knew at once that it would be perfect. Opposite the door was a wall of built in wardrobes. To the left of the doorway, ample room for a desk and comfortable chair, and was already wired for phone and internet. A large window overlooking the back garden and there was a tallboy on the opposite wall. He walked over to the window and looked down on the garden. It was dark but the moonlight was bright enough for him to make out a patio just below him running the full width of the house. A small shed in one corner with a trellis hiding it from the rest of the garden and a pergola in the opposite corner with a gate leading to the rear alleyway between. There wasn’t a lawn. Instead it was paved with some kind of stone but it was too dark for Ben to see properly. There were shrubs and lots of flowers around the edge of the little courtyard and some randomly placed where the paving had been purposely left out to provide small flower beds. He imagined it would look glorious in the daylight.
He tore himself away from the window and headed through another doorway, a small walkway to the bedroom. On the right hand side a wash basin was set into a row of cupboards and on the left a door into the tiny bathroom; a bath with a shower above and a toilet. The room was tiled in white with a black and grey trim. A heated towel rail covered with burgundy coloured towels completed the room. All that was needed.
He opened a door and was in the bedroom…Charis' bedroom…their bedroom. This room was as tastefully decorated as the rest of the house. The same carpet ran through the entire upstairs and the room was painted a soft lilac. The only furniture, apart from the double bed, was a chest of drawers on either side of the bed and a small armchair in the corner opposite the door. The bed was covered in a patchwork quilt of pastel colours. Charis had picked out a soft purple from one of the patterns as an accent for cushions and curtains. An archway led into a small dressing area with a tiny dressing table and a walk in wardrobe.
Charis had told him to sleep in her bed…their bed, but suddenly he didn't want to, not without her. He knew that there were two more small rooms in the loft so he climbed the next flight of stairs, took the door to the room on the right furnished with a double bed and noticed with relief that it was already made up. He noted the small en-suite shower room, took off his suit, shirt, shoes and socks and collapsed into bed. He’d been up and on the go for over twenty hours. He was asleep in no time at all.
*****
Ben awoke early the next morning with another busy day ahead. He found some bread in the freezer, made some toast, and with a glass of orange juice breakfast was taken care of. After a quick call to Charis he was ready for the day.
First on his list was to telephone his mother. She had no idea he was back in England and he had a lot to tell her, but didn't want to do it over the phone. After catching up on the family news he said, “I have a surprise for you all. I need you to make yourselves available from Saturday until Monday, twelve days from now – it’s very important – cancel everything please. I'll be there tomorrow and stay overnight and will explain it all to you, and Dad and Jennifer if she’s there. But it involves anyone who can make arrangements. I'm sorry that it all sounds very mysterious but you'll understand when I talk to you tomorrow. I should be there about lunch time.” Ben told his mother he loved her, asked her to say ‘hi’ to Dad and hung up leaving her to spend the rest of the day wondering just what was going on in the life of his, her wonderful much-loved son.
At nine-thirty he was sitting in James’ comfortable office. He’d been welcomed warmly. James had liked this young man when he was taking care of Helen during her pregnancy. They hadn't married until Helen was forty-two and it was three years later when their twins were born - a double whammy of a high-risk pregnancy. Although not yet qualified to consultancy status, Ben was already making a name for himself in the obstetrics department of a large London hospital and came highly recommended as an excellent doctor for high risk patients and Helen had complete faith in his abilities. Her faith in him had not been displaced. Despite a few minor problems everything turned out well and they attributed it to Ben’s excellent care.
But James had no idea why Ben wanted to see him. Ben asked about Helen and the babies and James spoke with pride of his growing family for a few minutes.
“I expect you're wondering why I asked to see you.”
“Yes, I must admit I am a little curious,” replied James, smiling at him.
“It concerns Charis Ainslie…I believe you are her trustee?” Ben asked.
“Yes, that's right. I didn't know you knew Charis.”
“I have known her since she was ten years old,” Ben told him. “Her best friend at school was my sister, Jennifer, and she spent a lot of time at my family home in Hampshire for weekends and half terms. We met up again recently and are planning to be married.”
James surprise was obvious. “Really? Why that's wonderful news. Congratulations! I'm very happy for both of you.”
“I'm pleased you approve,” said Ben. “Not that it would have made any difference to our decision,” he grinned. “But I know you are one of the few people who Charis has been able to rely on in her life, so your approval will mean a lot to her. What I really want to do is to pay some money into her account. I want to pay for at least half the worth of the house in Chelsea. We're goin
g to be living there…it's going to be our home for a few years so it's only right that I pay for half of it.” He handed a bank draft for £450,000 to James. “If the house is worth more than that then I'll give her the extra.”
James smiled. “If I know Charis, I don't expect she'll take it.”
“Yes she will,” Ben responded. “She won't have a choice.”
James was impressed with Ben's air of authority as he spoke. He was relieved to know that at last Charis had someone in her life who not only obviously loved her, but would take good care of her as well.
The next quarter of an hour was spent discussing financial matters. Ben wanted James to know that he was independently wealthy, courtesy of his birth father and his relationship to the Qumrai royal family, and could well afford to provide for his new family, but would be more than happy for James to continue administering Charis' trust fund until she came of age for the fund to be handed over to her completely…he believed at twenty-five. He also gave James a much edited account of his re-acquaintance with Charis in Cairo, and ended up inviting him and Helen to the wedding a week from Sunday.
Ben added, “I have chartered a plane to fly from Heathrow on Saturday morning and also booked rooms at a hotel for all the guests. Just let me know by Thursday evening if you can make it, as I'm headed back to Cairo this Friday.” And with a smile and a handshake he was gone.
Well, well, well, James thought to himself. I guess he really does have enough money to provide for a family.
Ben still had much to do. He visited his tailor to order his suit for the wedding. “It has to be ready by Thursday afternoon,” he insisted. He went to the St. John's Wood house and introduced himself to the Chandlers who were delighted to meet him and pleased to hear that he and Charis were to be married. They thought it was about time that she had some happiness in her life. They told him stories of when she’d been living in the house while Mildred was dying and some of the things that had happened.
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