‘I haven’t kissed him,’ Gemma said, suddenly wondering what sort of rumours were flying around about her.
‘I mean, in the film,’ the girl said.
‘Oh!’ Gemma said in relief. ‘Well, we’ve not done that scene yet.’
‘But it’s coming up soon, isn’t it?’
Gemma nodded.
‘And you’ll tell me all about it, won’t you?’
‘If you like.’
The girl giggled again. ‘I bet he’s a good kisser,’ she said. ‘I mean, I’ve heard he is.’
Gemma wished she’d stop talking about kissing. She had a scene to do with Oli later that evening, and all this talk of kissing was bound to put her off.
‘I heard that he has an affair with every actress he kisses,’ the girl went on.
‘Who told you that?’ Gemma said, spinning around to face her.
‘It’s just what I’ve heard.’
‘Well, it’s probably just a silly rumour, and you shouldn’t go around spreading it.’
‘But he isn’t involved with anyone, is he?’ the girl said. ‘It’s not like he shouldn’t be allowed to have some fun.’
That was true enough, Gemma thought. Oli was one of those types who wouldn’t settle down until he was at least forty-five, and then he’d probably have about a dozen kids and live on a vineyard in the South of France, telling the press how he turned his back on the bright lights of fame and had found the simple pleasure of farming and family. And Gemma would play no part in it, because he wasn’t interested in women like her at the moment. He wanted them young, stunning, and fun. He wanted the kind of woman who could stay up partying with him all night. He wouldn’t want somebody whose perfect evening was to sit down with a new ball of wool to dream up a new design for a waistcoat. Gemma would never be exciting enough for someone like Oli, so why did she have to go and fall for him? It really was perverse.
‘Who’s that girl?’ the makeup artist asked, breaking into Gemma’s thoughts about how unfair love could be.
Gemma looked across the lawn expecting to see Oli arm in arm with a skinny model, but he was holding the hand of a little girl with a blond ponytail.
‘I don’t know,’ Gemma said.
At that exact moment Teresa saw him, and Gemma and the makeup artist watched as she launched herself towards Oli with the speed of a cheetah.
‘Annabel!’ she cried.
‘Mummy!’
‘Mummy?’ Gemma said. ‘That’s Teresa’s daughter?’ She suddenly remembered Teresa mentioning her daughter on the minibus and how she’d love one of Gemma’s knitted outfits for her.
Gemma and the makeup artist watched as Teresa spun the little girl around, hugging her close.
‘Where have you been?’ Teresa cried.
‘She’s been with me, silly,’ Oli said, coming forward with a big smile.
‘What were you thinking?’ Teresa shouted at Oli, causing everyone on the film set to stop what they were doing and watch.
‘What are you on about?’
‘Everyone’s been worried sick!’
‘What’s the problem?’ Oli asked. ‘She wanted to see her mother, and I thought it would be fun.’
‘Clare’s been in tears, Oli,’ Teresa said.
Oli frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘You can’t just run off with a child like that.’
‘But I didn’t run off. I told Clare,’ Oli protested.
‘You told her to her face?’ Teresa said.
‘What do you mean? Bel went through to ask Clare’s permission, didn’t you, Bel?’
Bel hid her head in her mother’s skirt and didn’t say anything.
‘Annabel—did you go and ask Clare permission to leave with Oli?’ Teresa asked.
Oli raked a hand through his hair as he waited for her answer.
‘I didn’t think she’d let me come,’ Annabel said in a quiet voice, ‘and I wanted to see you.’
Teresa sighed. ‘For God’s sake, Oli—you can’t believe the word of a child. You should have told Clare yourself what you were doing.’
‘But I did,’ he said. ‘I shouted through before I left with Bel.’
‘But Clare’s partially deaf, Oli! She needs to be able to read your lips.’
‘What?’ Oli’s face fell. ‘I had no idea! God. I’m sorry.’
‘You should be,’ Teresa yelled. ‘Don’t ever do anything like that again!’
‘I won’t,’ Oli said, his face pale.
Everyone watched as Teresa stalked towards Marlcombe Manor’s front door, Annabel’s hand tightly held in hers. ‘Five minutes, everyone,’ she yelled. ‘We’ve wasted enough time today.’
***
When Clare’s mobile rang at the bed and breakfast, both she and Kay jumped.
Clare answered it, holding the phone to her left ear. ‘Teresa?’
Kay’s heart hammered in her chest as she waited to hear more.
‘Really? Oh, thank goodness!’ Clare said, her eyes closing. ‘No, he didn’t tell me. And she’s okay?’ There was a pause. ‘All right. No, that’s fine. I’ll see you later on. Thanks, Teresa.’
‘She’s safe?’ Kay asked.
‘She’s with Teresa. Oli took her with him.’
‘What? He just took her?’
‘Apparently he told her to check with me, and she told him she had, and then Oli yelled through to us before he left. Did you hear him?’
‘No,’ Kay said. ‘I mean, I heard the door close and knew he’d gone, but I didn’t know he’d taken Annabel with him.’
Clare shook her head. ‘He didn’t know I’m partially deaf,’ she said. ‘I usually get by with this rather poor excuse for a left ear and lip reading, and I think Annabel’s taken advantage of that.’
‘Oh, dear,’ Kay said.
Clare sank down into a seat. ‘I guess she really wanted to see her mum.’
‘I guess so.’
There was a knock at the door. Kay got up, wondering what on earth could possibly happen next.
‘Adam,’ she said a moment later.
‘Hello,’ he said, a tiny smile lighting his face. ‘May I come in? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.’
Chapter 29
Kay ushered Adam through to the living room.
‘You won’t believe what’s been going on here,’ she said. ‘We’ve been absolutely beside ourselves.’
‘We’ve?’ Adam questioned, wondering who else was at Wentworth House.
‘Come and meet Clare.’
‘Ah,’ Adam said, realising that his declaration of undying love was being put on hold for a little while longer.
‘Clare,’ Kay said, entering the living room, ‘this is Adam. Adam, meet Clare.’
‘Hello, Adam,’ Clare said, and the pair of them shook hands.
‘Clare’s Teresa’s nanny,’ Kay said.
‘I was nearly her ex-nanny,’ Clare said, flopping down into the armchair by the window.
Kay sighed. ‘We’ve just been startled out of our wits. Teresa’s daughter went missing.’
‘Annabel?’ Adam said.
Kay nodded. ‘She just disappeared.’
‘But she’s okay?’
‘Oh, yes. Turned out Oli had taken her out to Marlcombe Manor.’
‘Without telling anyone?’
‘It was a misunderstanding,’ Clare explained. ‘One never to be repeated, I hope.’
‘I thought Teresa sounded stressed when I called her,’ Adam said.
‘She didn’t say anything to you, then?’ Kay asked.
‘No. But she never really talks about her private life. Her whole family could be kidnapped and held to ransom, but Teresa would still want to get on with the day’s scenes.’
‘That sounds like Teresa,’ Clare said. ‘Listen, I’m going to get going to our bed and breakfast.’ She stood up. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Kay. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’
‘I’m afraid I wasn’t much help.’
> ‘I hope we’ll see each other again soon.’
‘You and Annabel must come and have dinner with us when the gang’s all here.’
‘I’d like that.’
Adam watched as Clare left the room and listened to them saying good-bye at the door. He was alone with Kay. Now was his chance.
She came back into the living room. ‘I expect you’ll be heading up to Marlcombe too,’ she said.
‘No, actually, I was wondering if you’d like to go out somewhere.’
‘You’re not working?’ Kay asked him.
‘The mobile’s on, so I’m officially available for work,’ he said with a little smile. ‘And I’ve already dealt with at least a dozen calls today, so I’m hoping things will quieten down now.’
‘But I’m afraid I’ve got to work here.’
‘Then I can’t tempt you to come fossil hunting with me?’
Kay smiled. ‘Oh, Adam, I have so much to do.’
‘Like what?’
She looked at him. ‘You can’t keep helping me out with the chores.’
‘But I don’t mind. If it means I have the pleasure of your company, I don’t mind helping out with a few tasks first.’
‘But there’s a huge meal to prepare for tonight.’
‘Teresa said they’re going to eat out tonight,’ Adam said. ‘She didn’t tell you?’
‘No,’ Kay said. ‘Are you sure?’
He nodded. ‘Said there’d been so many delays that they weren’t going to be back until late.’
‘Oh.’
‘So that leaves you free, doesn’t it?’
‘I suppose,’ Kay said. ‘Although I really wanted to make a cake.’
‘A cake?’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Something nourishing and luxurious. I’ve got to practise.’
‘And you’ll come with me if I help you with the cake?’
‘You don’t have to help me.’
‘But I want to,’ Adam said. ‘Come on. Lead me to the nearest apron.’
The two of them headed into the kitchen, and Kay giggled as Adam reached for a floral apron that hung on the back of the kitchen door.
‘It actually suits you,’ she said with a grin.
‘I hope you’re joking.’ He washed his hands at the sink as Kay donned an apron of her own. ‘So what were you thinking of?’ Adam said. ‘Nourishing and luxurious?’
‘Aha!’ Kay’s eyes misted over, making Adam wonder what she was thinking, and then it hit him. She was making the cake for Oli, wasn’t she? It was he she wanted to impress.
‘Okay,’ he continued, undeterred. ‘What ingredients do you have?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Kay said, opening and closing cupboards. ‘Just a bit of flour and some eggs and sugar. Nothing exciting.’
‘No cocoa powder?’
‘I’m afraid not.’
‘So chocolate’s out.’
‘I guess.’ Kay looked disappointed.
Something caught Adam’s eyes. On the worktop by the sink, two bright lemons sat side by side. ‘Can we use one of those?’ he asked.
‘Sure,’ Kay said. ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘Wait and see.’
There then followed a flurry of activity as sieves, spoons, and bowls were brought together in the pursuit of deliciousness. Kay measured and Adam mixed, the two of them working in harmony.
‘I’ve never made a lemon sponge before,’ Kay said.
‘This is a very special lemon cake,’ Adam said. ‘Nana Craig used to make it for me. It was a cure-all cake, and I could tell she’d made one as soon as I opened the front door. The whole house smelled lemony.’
Kay smiled, and Adam watched as she poured the gooey yellow mixture into the loaf tin and put it into the oven.
‘So the lemon juice and sugar are in here?’ Adam said.
‘Aye-aye, Captain!’ Kay said.
It was Adam’s turn to smile. He might sound like a captain, but he very much doubted that Kay viewed him in the same way as she did Captain Wentworth.
‘Good,’ he said, removing his apron.
‘You’ll make someone a very good wife one day,’ Kay said.
Adam looked at her disapprovingly. ‘Very funny.’
‘Oh, I didn’t mean to make fun of you,’ Kay said quickly. ‘I’m just impressed. All the men I’ve been out with couldn’t even open a can of beans, let alone make a cake.’
‘That’s what happens when you’re brought up by your grandmother,’ Adam said. ‘You can make cakes, sew on buttons, and tell your delphiniums from your hollyhocks. Only don’t go spreading such news around. I do have a reputation to keep up.’
‘You mean you wouldn’t want Gemma finding out about such things?’
Adam sighed. She was still fixating on him and Gemma, wasn’t she? ‘It’s just that I might be taken advantage of,’ he said, ‘by women who want to use my culinary skills to impress others.’
Kay looked at him. ‘You know who this cake’s for, don’t you?’
‘I have a hunch.’ He watched as Kay’s face flushed pink.
‘I don’t suppose I’m very good at keeping secrets, am I?’ She untied her apron and hung it up on the back of the kitchen door.
Adam wondered if she was going to say any more, but she didn’t. He didn’t press her, because he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what she might say.
‘So,’ he said, ‘are you up for some fossil hunting?’
Kay smiled. ‘Really?’
‘You bet,’ Adam said. ‘You’ve got to see Charmouth.’
‘Okay. I’ll go and get ready,’ Kay said. ‘Will you keep an eye on the cake?’
‘Aye-aye, Captain.’ He watched as she left the room and listened as her light feet padded up the stairs. He raked his hand through his hair. God! What was he going to do?
Tell her, a little voice said to him—the voice that had hurried him on to Lyme.
‘But she’s not interested in me. It’s Oli she’s in love with,’ he told himself.
And you don’t stand a chance of her being interested in you if you won’t even put yourself in the picture.
That’s true, he thought. If he just brooded and remained silent, he would get nowhere. He had to take action and let her know.
He paced around the kitchen for twenty minutes, thinking about how things might turn out and then panicking that everything would go wrong—just as it had in the past.
Don’t think about that, he told himself. The fact that it happened once doesn’t mean it will happen again.
‘No, it just feels as if it will,’ he whispered. Why was that? How could one knock affect a person so much? Nana Craig was always telling him to put it behind him, which was ironic, as she’d never been able to put her husband’s infamous misdemeanours with an actress behind her.
‘You’re not living your life properly,’ she told him on numerous occasions. ‘You can’t let that one incident shadow the rest of your life.’
It made sense to him; it really did, but nevertheless, he lived in horror of it happening again.
‘Okay,’ a voice said, bringing him back to the present. He looked up and saw Kay standing in the doorway. Her hair was loose and had been brushed, and she was wearing a pretty floral Alice band. ‘I’m not sure what to wear for fossil hunting,’ she said, smoothing down her sky-blue dress, which dazzled Adam’s eyes.
‘Something sturdy on the feet,’ he said.
‘Oh,’ Kay said. ‘Not sandals?’
‘It’s not that kind of beach, I’m afraid.’
Kay wrinkled her nose, and at first he thought it was because she was changing her mind about the whole idea of the beach trip, but then he realised it was the cake she could smell. He watched as she grabbed the oven gloves and opened the door, an aromatic waft of lemony heat escaping.
‘Wow!’ Kay pulled out the cake tin and examined it. She tested it with a skewer and pronounced it cooked.
‘I have to say that is the cutest cake I’ve seen in a long
time,’ Adam said.
‘Do you really like it?’
‘I think it looks gorgeous, but there’s one thing more to do.’ He handed Kay the bowl with the lemon and sugar mix, giving it one last stir. He then lightly pricked over the cake with a fork and nodded to Kay.
‘I’m a bit nervous,’ she said, and he watched as she poured the sugary mixture over the warm cake and then stood back to admire it. ‘Gosh.’
Adam smiled. ‘It looks great.’
She nodded. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Adam.’ She turned and smiled at him.
He shrugged.
‘I mean, I would have ended up with a bowl full of gunk if I’d been left on my own.’
‘I’m sure you’d have done fine.’
‘No, really—the last cake I made shrivelled and burnt. It was a complete disaster. Even my neighbour’s dog didn’t want it.’
‘Well, I’m sure everyone will want a piece of this.’
Kay nodded. ‘They will, won’t they?’
Adam smiled.
‘Shall we get going, then?’
Adam blanched slightly. She wasn’t going to offer him a piece, was she? Of course she wasn’t. His suspicions were confirmed. She had made it for another man, and he had helped her. What an idiot he was!
Chapter 30
Oli wasn’t paying any attention to Gemma, and she was getting annoyed.
‘You’d think I’d deliberately done something to make her miserable, wouldn’t you?’ he said, his face slightly less handsome than usual because of his furrowed brow and the thunderous expression in his eyes. ‘You’d think I never do anything right.’
‘Oli—’
‘I don’t know why I put up with it,’ he said. ‘Why do I keep putting up with it?’
‘Because she’s a great director.’
‘Director!’ Oli said, the word exiting his mouth like a poison he was trying to rid himself of. ‘More like dictator!’
Gemma had never seen him so worked up before. She hadn’t realised there was such tension between Oli and Teresa. She knew they had worked together on several projects over the years—she could tell from the way they interacted on set. Either they were screaming at each other or working to the very best of their ability, because of a kind of shorthand they used. It was quite common between actors and directors, and it was always fascinating to watch.
Dreaming of Mr. Darcy Page 19