Watch for Me by Twilight

by Kirsty Ferry

  ‘It’s Fate.’ Aidan grinned. ‘Meant to be.’

  ‘Yes. I’d like to think they were meant to be together, and if this is all we can do for them, then so be it.’

  ‘It’s not much to show for them, is it? Here, this might help a little. I did a copy of the photograph for you, the one of the engraving. I thought it might add to the collection.’

  ‘Oh, brilliant!’ Cassie took the photograph he offered to her and turned back to the cabinet and unlocked it again. ‘This gets pride of place I think. What an awesome find.’

  ‘I thought so.’ He smiled. ‘Oh, what’s that? There’s something wedged down the back there.’

  ‘What?’ Cassie leaned in and saw something stuck behind the shelves. ‘Ah! It’s a silk scarf, like the one you’ve got.’

  ‘The one you’ve got now, I think.’ Aidan grinned.

  ‘Details, details.’ Cassie shook her head and stood with the scarf in her hand, searching the other shelves. ‘Where on earth did this come from? I can’t remember bringing a scarf. But Margaret was helping earlier, so you never know.’ She looked at it and frowned. There was a logo printed on one of the corners and she straightened it out gently. ‘Liberty of London. Very nice. Blue and white are so pretty together, aren’t they? Well, it must be from in here. I’ll put it next to Stella’s book; I’m pretty sure there’ll be notes in her clothing lists or outstanding bills for Liberty. We can pretend.’ She smiled and arranged it deftly, then closed the cabinet again.

  ‘You really have done well. Hopefully there’ll be lots of people here this weekend to see them. And I’m quite proud of myself as well.’

  Cassie smiled up at him. ‘And so you should be. You’re the one that’s made this place safe. You utterly saved me. I’d have been totally screwed otherwise.’

  Aidan shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. He stared around the court and looked up to the viewing gallery. Cassie followed his gaze, strongly aware of the impression that someone had just run along the gallery and sped down the stairs. She quickly looked over at the door and saw the flicker of a white tennis dress, a streak of what might be red hair, disappear around the corner. And the oddest thing – there was a blue and white scarf flying from the handle of the tennis racquet the girl carried. Cassie bit her lip and looked away, her eyes drawn to the cabinet and the mysterious scarf. Could it be …? She shook her head, and returned her attention to Aidan.

  ‘It was meant to be, I think, Cassie. I was meant to come here and be with you. And the most important thing is that I managed to keep it all largely professional. However, you’re no longer my client, so I’m not going to hold back any more —’

  In an instant, she was in his arms, being pulled towards him half-roughly. She gasped and his lips came down on hers, silencing her with his kiss. Cassie was unable to do anything but respond. Aidan was tall, and warm and safe-feeling, and, once she was in his embrace, his arms held her so gently that it was most definitely as if they were meant to be as one, sharing that kiss amongst the residue of Rob and Stella’s love affair.

  Eventually, they broke apart and she looked up at him. ‘Gosh. If that’s you being unprofessional, I’m awfully pleased you chose to be – like that – with me. You should have been even more unprofessional before. I like it.’ She felt her cheeks flush and she was shaking, just a little bit, as he ran his hands down her arms and took her hands in his.

  ‘I don’t usually fall for my clients. But with you – I’ve wanted to be unprofessional from the first time I saw you, when I delivered Rob’s sketchbook to you, right at the beginning.’ He looked over her shoulder towards the door. ‘I do hope your brother hasn’t got a telescope trained down here. I can’t be answerable for what I just did and I shall strenuously deny it.’ He smiled down at her, teasing. ‘Will you ban me, now your project’s completed? Now you’ve had the best of me?’

  ‘Absolutely not. I can’t ban you. I just don’t know when I might need that level of service again. You’re going nowhere, Aidan Edwards.’

  ‘Good.’ He leaned down and brushed her lips with his again, sending little fizzing shivers right down her body, right to her toes. He pulled away and lifted his finger, tracing it down the side of her cheek, to her collarbone. It sent fireworks through her, and even more so when he dipped his head and kissed her collarbone.

  Aidan stood upright again, and smiled. ‘I’m pretty good at maintenance contracts, you know. After a job is completed, I do like to be kept on the books to check things out. But if I hope that will happen, I should probably be entirely truthful with you.’

  He felt Cassie stiffen in his arms. ‘What’s to be truthful about? Was your scarf really from a girlfriend then and not Petra? Is there someone else? Because if there is, I don’t want to get involved, I really don’t.’

  She began to wriggle out of his embrace, but he held her tighter and shook his head. ‘No. Nothing like that! Don’t worry. You’ve met the other love in my life, and it’s currently parked near the garages.’

  ‘Oh!’ She relaxed and laughed. ‘That’s good to know.’ She pulled a face. ‘Tom, you know, despite him being such a lovely man and my best friend’s brother, has the morals of an alley cat. He was honest with me before we started seeing each other, and I did appreciate it, but at least he was monogamous for the time we were together.’

  ‘I’m not like Tom.’ Aidan laughed. ‘Not at all. No, I’ve always said once I give my heart away, I’ll do it properly. I’ve never quite done that, until maybe now.’

  Cassie flushed and looked down. ‘Maybe now is a good time to give it away?’

  ‘I hope so. But what I need to tell the person I’ve given it to, is that I stole something from them. And I’m keeping something else from them as well. You know that address from the Dordogne?’ He didn’t quite know how to phrase that – ‘your mother’s address’? ‘Anne’s address’? So ‘the address from the Dordogne’ seemed like the safest option.

  This time Cassie did draw away and looked up at him, stunned. ‘My mother’s address?’

  Okay, ‘your mother’s address’. He could work with that.

  ‘Yes. Your mother’s address. I’m afraid I rescued it from the bin. I thought you might want it in the future. And that’s not all.’ He dropped his head. This was the hardest part. ‘I think she’s been here. I think I’ve actually talked to her.’

  ‘She’s been here? What did she say? What did she look like? God!’ Cassie’s nails dug into his arms and she looked into his eyes pleadingly. ‘Is she coming back?’

  His heart went out to her. ‘I don’t know if she’s coming back. I told her about the weekend. I mentioned the twins, and she wanted to know who had twins. And I think she thought I was Alex.’ He frowned, remembering. ‘She looks a bit like you. She’s tall and she’s got the same colouring, and her eyes are brown, like yours.’

  ‘Alex’s eyes are dark blue.’ Cassie’s voice was small. ‘He says I look like Horace. He says my eyes look like a begging spaniel’s.’

  Aidan couldn’t help but laugh gently. ‘Cassie, you’re so adorable. You don’t look like a begging spaniel at all.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Look, I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you her address. And if she doesn’t appear over the weekend, why not write to her?’

  ‘Yes. Yes, I suppose I could.’

  And she threw her arms around his neck again and said she needed to thank him properly. Aidan didn’t mind in the slightest.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  June 1942

  She knew, of course, that she had to tell him. It was just a case of when.

  They sat together, her head on his shoulder, as she tried to decide whether she was dreaming or not. But his heart was beating as she laid her hand on his chest, and his breath was warm as he kissed the top of her head.

  ‘I’m just checking you’re real,’ she told him, and he pulled her closer.

  ‘I am. Are you?’

  ‘I am.’

  H
e laughed and stroked her hair away from her face. ‘I don’t really know what happened, if I’m honest. I’m told I ejected somewhere over France, and the villagers took care of me. Then I took a crazy trip over the mountains and ended up in Spain with pneumonia. But I got here in the end. One day, I’ll go back and thank everyone who helped me.’

  ‘But not as a pilot.’

  ‘No. Not as a pilot. I think my days as a pilot are over.’

  ‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad.’

  ‘I know. I’ve done my stint in the skies. From now on it will be a desk job for me – I can still help that way.’ He grinned, his smile lighting up her world as always. ‘And if my trade-off is a walking stick for the rest of my life, I’m happy to put up with it.’

  She pulled away and looked up at him in astonishment. ‘Really? That’s what they say?’

  He nodded. ‘Ejecting from an aircraft can cause so much damage, as the twins told me.’ He smiled down at her, his eyes warm. ‘Does all sorts to one’s spine, and even popped my shoulders out, which was, I’m sure, interesting. They said I’m lucky not to be in a wheelchair. Compression fractures of the vertebrae or some such thing. Cuts and bruises from the cabin shattering. Oh! And one chap I’ve heard of swears he’s lost an inch or more from his height.’

  ‘My goodness!’ Stella was horrified and her gaze travelled up and down Rob, trying to pinpoint the injuries. Of course, he looked perfectly well, apart from a few little scars on his cheekbones and forehead that were barely noticeable.

  ‘It’s not so bad. Maybe if I’d been in a proper hospital, it would have been better, but I count myself fortunate that I landed where I did.’ He shrugged, and Stella didn’t miss the wince that flitted across his face as he did so. ‘And then, of course, the Resistance stepped in. And I ended up on a plane, coming home. To you.’ He leaned forward and kissed her, and she almost melted. It took her back so many summers ago to that secret room at Hartsford Hall and the moonlit swim in the river.

  ‘To me.’ She looked down at the ground. ‘Not just to me, though. To everyone.’ Her heart began to pound and she looked back up at him.

  He nodded. ‘To everyone. My brother doesn’t even know yet. How is “everyone” by the way? I feel terrible – I haven’t even asked! And the twins won’t tell me at all.’

  ‘Oh! Of course. Well, Mary and Lois you can see for yourself. They’ll never change. My father died but there’s no need to be sorry about that. And Vronnie and Stephen married. And Rosie and Oscar are next.’ She flushed and looked away. ‘And Leo and Helen married too.’

  ‘Leo and Helen? What about Anthony?’

  ‘He died.’ Her chest tightened and she fought back tears. It was still unbearably sad. ‘The boys were with him. They came home. Stephen is – better, now; sort of, anyway. He doesn’t say much about it, but it affected him deeply. And Oscar. Well.’ She half-smiled. ‘He got the wheelchair, poor thing. But he’s determined to stand at the bottom of that aisle for Rosie and dance the Rumba afterwards, or some such nonsense.’

  ‘God. How awful.’ Rob drew her closer. ‘Not Oscar’s dancing. But Anthony. Poor chap.’

  ‘And you were MIA.’ She tried to laugh. ‘Had to be different, didn’t you?’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘You’re forgiven.’ She started to chew nervously on the edge of her fingernail. It was now or never. ‘And then there’s Catherine.’

  ‘Catherine?’ Rob looked at her. ‘Another new chum? I don’t know her, do I?’

  ‘No. Not yet.’ Stella felt sick. ‘You will. She’s very small.’

  ‘Small?’

  ‘Yes. Tiny, in fact.’

  ‘Tiny?’

  Her heart was galloping now, and she thought she would be the next one to drop dead. ‘Very tiny. About – so big.’ She spaced her hands out to the approximate size of the baby.

  ‘What?’ He looked perplexed. ‘She’s a baby?’

  She flushed. ‘Yes. She’s four months old. Very sweet.’

  ‘Four months?’

  ‘She was born in February.’ She was going to die, she really was—

  ‘February?’ It was so obvious that he was calculating the date of birth and the date of conception. ‘So who …?’ He suddenly stopped and stared at Stella. ‘February. So we’re talking about … May. Yes?’ His eyes drilled into hers, shocked.

  ‘Yes.’ Her voice was almost a whisper and she dropped her gaze. She started to tremble. ‘May. Someone had twenty-four hours’ leave, as I recall.’ She was going to be sick, she knew it.

  ‘Good God.’ She risked looking up at him. He was still staring at her. ‘May. Oh, Stella.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, covering her face with her hands. ‘I’m so sorry.’

  He put his fingertips under her chin and tilted her face up to his, forcing her to look at him. ‘You’re bloody sorry? What on earth for?’

  ‘For … I don’t know … for springing it on you like this. We’ve only just found each other again.’ Her voice caught on a sob and he pulled her towards him.

  ‘No. No, it’s not your fault. You’ve got nothing to apologise for. I’m the one who should be sorry for putting you in that position. I should have known better …’

  ‘Absolutely not! I could never blame you, Rob. I was just as reckless. I never thought further than the fact you were there, and I had missed you so much.’ She buried her face in his chest and the tears flowed freely. The whole story came out, rather muffled and very soggy, but she told him absolutely everything. Right up to the present day, and the fact that his daughter was only a matter of feet away from him, probably around the corner being spoiled rotten by three aunts and one uncle.

  ‘Well then. What’s she doing there?’ His voice was shaking now, and his expression was earnest. He looked so young, just like he’d looked so many years ago when she’d chased him into the squash courts and they’d asked Leo for a sword to open the champagne bottle. ‘Surely she should be here. With us.’

  ‘She should be.’ Stella smiled up at him, a watery smile, but a smile nevertheless. ‘And she will be. Can you walk well enough to find her?’

  ‘I’ll bloody well force myself to.’ He leaned down and kissed her. ‘Come on. Take me to her. Please.’

  He leaned on Stella’s shoulder as they made their way slowly around to the front of the hospital. He wasn’t quite sure what he could expect. And what, for God’s sake, did one do with a baby? He felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He suspected he would learn and learn quickly.

  He looked down at Stella, a new kind of respect and a deeper love than ever breaking through his emotions. ‘Thank you,’ he said, quietly.

  ‘What for?’ They stopped and faced each other.

  ‘For keeping her close. I’m the one that should be sorry. I went off and left you, and I should have – I don’t know – held back or something.’

  Stella giggled. ‘Held back? Good grief, Rob. D’you think either of us could have held anything back that day?’

  He grinned, remembering, and winked at her, which had her giggle turn into a laugh. ‘No. No, I don’t think that would have been possible given the circumstances.’

  ‘Frankly impossible.’ Her smile was mischievous. ‘Look. There they are. Do you see her?’ She clasped his hand tighter and pointed to a cluster of people. He recognised the twins in their uniforms, saw Helen’s dark hair, took in the tall, slim Leo next to her, but his attention wasn’t really on them. It was fixed on a small, pink bundle in one of the twins’ arms.

  ‘I see her.’ He almost whispered. ‘Catherine. It’s a pretty name.’

  ‘It suited her. Are you ready to meet her?’

  ‘Yes. I should have met her so much earlier. I should have been there for you even before you had her—’

  His voice cracked and she drew him closer. ‘No matter. You’re here for her now.’

  ‘And,’ he replied, trying to make a joke, ‘I’ll be here for her brothers and sisters, won’t I?’
<
br />   ‘Just try to escape again and you’ll see what happens.’ Stella looked up at him. ‘Come on. Come and see your daughter.’

  His daughter.

  He somehow found the strength to propel himself forwards without Stella’s help, and the group of people broke off their conversation. They turned and there was a shout of joy as Helen ran towards them with her arms outstretched and Leo hurried after her. The twins brought up the rear with the baby, and Helen hugged and kissed him briefly, while Leo moved in to shake his hand – and then they looked at Stella, almost questioningly.

  ‘He knows.’ She blushed.

  Lois – or Mary – handed the pink bundle to Stella, and a tiny hand escaped from the blanket and flailed in the air. Rob couldn’t help it. He caught the little fist and leaned down to kiss it. The baby looked up at him, her eyes wide and curious, a smile breaking across her face.

  ‘She’s got your eyes, darling Rob.’

  Rob nodded, mesmerised by the dark blue gaze that fixed him curiously. ‘My eyes. But everything else is you. Her chin and her nose. The shape of her face.’ He eased the pixie hood off her head carefully and laughed. ‘She’s blonde. I thought she’d be a redhead.’

  ‘No. She’s blonde. Strawberry blonde, maybe.’

  ‘She’s perfect. May I?’ He held his arms out, his heart beating madly.

  Stella nodded; he could see that words escaped her. She handed the baby to him, and Rob knew in that exact moment the meaning of unconditional love.

  ‘I’ll never leave you again,’ he whispered, bringing Catherine close to his face. He kissed her forehead tenderly. ‘You’ve got me back now, and that’s exactly where I intend to stay.’

  The baby smiled again, as if she understood everything he said. Stella’s arm came around his waist and he turned to her and kissed her as well. ‘It’s God’s honest truth,’ he told her.

  ‘I know.’ And she kissed him back.