They waved goodbye and headed north toward the Highlands. In spite of it being bleak and rainy, Hildy had never been so happy. Please, God, she prayed, don’t let anything happen to spoil this. She still had a gnawing feeling that somehow, somewhere, in some unexpected way, Greg would find a way to spoil everything. Although she hated to see this vacation with Jay come to an end, she was anxious to get back to Boston and sue Greg. She wanted him behind bars where he could do no more harm to her or to anyone else.
They spent their time leisurely enjoying the scenery and stopping at pubs for lunch and afternoon tea. As the sun began to set and dusk closed in around them, they looked for an inn where they could stay - some place quiet and secluded.
As they drove along, Hildy spied a lovely motel by the side of the road. Done in English Tudor style, there were separate cabins by the lake, away from the main building.
“Oh, Jay!” she exclaimed. “Let’s stop here.” Just the thought of being in his arms made her shiver with anticipation and joy. Our wedding night! What a beautiful place for it!
Jay drove the car to the front door of the lodge and went in to see if they had a vacant cabin. In a few minutes he came out and drove the car to one of the cabins beside the lake. “Come on, sweetie,” he said as he handed her the key, “you go inside while I get the luggage. The owner said it was already heated. I told him we were on our honeymoon, and his wife is fixing our wedding dinner.”
He placed their luggage on the racks ready to be opened as soon as they finished eating.
When they entered the dining room in the main lodge their meal was waiting for them. The owner’s wife had set a table beside the fireplace where it was cozy and warm.
And, oh, what a meal it was! Fresh salmon with dill sauce, steamed vegetables fresh from the garden, and to top it off, a plum pudding with a rich, caramel sauce and some vintage champagne.
As soon as they finished eating, the owner’s wife shooed them off to their cabin. “I know what it’s like to be newly married,” she told them. “You want to be alone and get to know each other. Scoot now! We’ll see you in the morning. Breakfast is served from seven to ten, so come whenever it suits you.”
As they made their way back to the cabin they could hear crickets chirping and frogs croaking - romantic music for their first night together as husband and wife.
Hildy emerged from the bathroom in a beautiful, lilac nightgown and matching negligee that she had bought when she went shopping with Margaret.
She took extra time to make sure her wig was securely fastened. The long, dark hair fell provocatively on her shoulders and framed her angelic face.
Jay was waiting for her. He gazed at her longingly. How beautiful she is! he thought. He could wait no longer. With one quick motion he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
It was a wedding night they would never forget. They were swept up in the height of emotion and ecstacy. They had longed to be in each other’s arms, and now they were. They held back nothing. Hildy’s trembling body ached with a desire she had never felt before, and she gave herself wholly to Jay.
He held her in his arms as if he couldn’t get enough of her. She was his wife now, and there was no reason to wait any longer. He pulled her close. She clung to him as he kissed her deeply, gently, passionately.
She reached up and framed his face with her hands. Her arms wound around his neck as she kissed him. For the first time in her life she felt like a whole person - loving and loved.
She woke the next morning and turned her head to make sure she hadn’t dreamed the whole thing. Jay was sleeping peacefully beside her. She leaned over and kissed him.
He stirred and opened his eyes. He reached up and pulled her down into his arms with a satisfied sigh. They belonged to each other now, and nothing would ever come between them.
“Hungry?” he asked.
“Starved!” She reached for her negligee. “I’ll hurry,” she told him.
She was through with her shower in fifteen minutes. She took a few extra minutes to blow-dry her blond hair before tucking it up under her wig. When she emerged, her long blond hair was neatly pinned and covered with the wig.
Jay longed to sweep her up in his arms and take her back to the bed again, but he thought better of it, and quickly showered and dressed, ready to go to breakfast. There was so much more of Scotland to see, and so few days to see it. They walked to the main building hand in hand.
What a wonderful breakfast it was - a typical English breakfast, complemented with clotted cream, scones, and strawberry jam!
The rest of the trip was spent sightseeing. Each night was spent in a new motel where they found ecstacy and fulfillment in each others arms. As they drove the long road by Loch Ness they looked for Nessy, but as much as they searched they never did see the Loch Ness Monster.
They finally reached the Orkney and Shetland Islands, noted for their peaceful way of life and gentle landscape. From there they could see the smooth, whaleback islands with pastoral scenes and grazing cattle. The moors, covered with blue heather, was a haven for a wide variety of birds and plants. The spectacular red sandstone cliffs were covered with throngs of seabirds.
As Hildy and Jay stood and watched, the birds rose and soared, as if to say, “Come fly with us! We’ll take you to the heights!” But they were already there.
After visiting the romantic grandeur of the Highlands and Islands they headed for the Castles at Arbroath in Angus. They had booked a room in the Tower Apartment of a fifteenth century Castle situated in the middle of its own walled park and forest. The turnpike staircase was furnished in period style.
As they made their way up to their room they felt like a Prince and Princess out of centuries past. A canopied double bed waited for them.
There were many other places to see, but they had only a short time left before they were due to fly back to Paris, and they planned to stop off in Edinburgh before returning to Courtney Castle.
The scenery was breathtaking as they drove along. The rolling hills, the countryside known as “The Garden of Scotland,” bounded on one side by the picturesque coastline and on the other by the sweeping slopes of Lammermuir Hills, the unspoiled beaches and enchanting fishing villages - all this made it difficult for Hildy and Jay to tear themselves away. Truly, Scotland was everything Jay had said it was.
Just outside of Edinburgh they stopped at the Moffat Mills where all kinds of woolen goods were waiting to be sold. Hildy bought a lovely, pale green sweater made of pure Merino wool, and Jay purchased a beautiful corduroy, reversible jacket in Wedgewood blue. It was getting quite chilly, and they welcomed the woolen warmth as they continued on their journey.
They soon reached Edinburgh and settled in at one of the quaint hotels before strolling through Princes Street and Royal Mile, visiting Edinburgh Castle to view the Crown Jewels, and Holyrood House, the Palace of the Stuart Kings.
All too soon the honeymoon was over, and they left Edinburgh for the forty-five minute drive to Courtney Castle to return the car and have one final visit with Margaret and John.
They greeted Hildy and Jay warmly for their last night in Scotland. A delicious dinner was waiting for them.
Hildy was delighted with her newly acquired family. She hadn’t realized until now how alone she had felt. But that was all in the past. She was happy beyond belief.
“How was the trip?” Margaret asked them.
“Did you see everything you wanted to see?” asked John.
“Hardly,” Jay replied. “You can’t see all of Scotland in such a short time.”
“I hate to leave,” Hildy told them. “It’s so beautiful - so full of history. We’ll have to come back soon. I want to see the rest of it.”
After a pleasant evening spent in the drawing room of Courtney Castle, a place Hildy would never forget, they retire
d for the night, ready to rise early in the morning for their flight back to Paris as Mr. and Mrs. Jay Stuart.
CHAPTER XXVI
When Hildy and Jay returned to Paris, Hildy was wearing the beautiful engagement ring with the antique diamond setting and the matching wedding ring on the third finger of her left hand. But as brilliantly as they sparkled, they couldn’t match the sparkle of joy that shone in her eyes.
Jay, too, was beaming with happiness as they entered the lobby of La Grande Veue Hotel.
Hildy was wearing her dark wig and had again donned her horn-rimmed glasses. A strong feeling that Greg might still be here haunted her. So far she hadn’t been able to figure out how to explain the disguise to Jay or the accent which she hadn’t dropped while they were in Scotland, without telling him about Greg. She also didn’t know how to tell him why she wouldn’t be joining him in New York once the film was finished. How do I tell him I’m going to Boston to sue Greg without telling him who I am, and tipping Greg off?
Jenny, Peter, and Zack were all delighted at the news of the marriage. This, they felt, would be a strong safeguard for Hildy, and they could see how happy she was.
* * *
Greg had seen the announcement of the wedding in the newspaper while he was still in Nuits. What Jay did with his life was of no concern to him as long as it didn’t interfere with his plans to find and do away with Hilary.
All that matters is my life! My reputation! No way will I let Hilary spoil it! He had exhausted all possibilities of finding her in the wine country, and decided to return to Paris and follow a few leads.
* * *
One evening after the day’s work, the group planned to meet in the lobby and eat in the hotel restaurant. Hildy and Jay were the first ones down, and were stunned to see Greg approaching them.
Hildy was deeply disappointed, as her fear that he was still here became a reality. Here he was, still posing a threat to her newfound joy! Will I ever be free of him? She quickly composed herself, doing her best to hide behind her accent.
“Bon Jour, Monsieur,” she greeted him with an enthusiasm she was far from feeling.
He couldn’t have been more charming. “Congratulations on your marriage!” he said.
What a phoney! Hildy thought.
“Thank you,” Jay replied. “What are you doing here? I thought you went back to New York.”
Greg had a ready answer. “I went back,” he lied, “but they didn’t need me. Everything was going smoothly. It was a wasted trip. So I returned to Paris. There were still some places I wanted to check out that I thought might add to the production. But last night I read the script again and decided it’s fine just the way it is.”
“That’s the way I’ve felt all along,” Jay replied.
“I guess I needed a fresh viewpoint,” Greg said.
You need more than a fresh viewpoint! Hildy thought. What you really need is to stop stealing other people’s musicals! She had all she could do to keep from slapping his arrogant face. How she wished she could tell Jay what Greg was really up to!
She looked at Jay and saw suspicion of Greg’s explanation written all over his face. Is he finally seeing Greg for what he is? she wondered. She knew why Greg returned to Paris. It had nothing to do with the new musical that Greg claimed was his. No, he returned to look for her.
“How about joining us for dinner?” Jay asked Greg.
Hildy breathed a sigh of relief when Greg told them he had already eaten.
“I’m going to do some sightseeing,” he said.
But Hildy knew he was leaving to look for her. As they joined the others in the restaurant, she suddenly lost her appetite and picked at her food.
“What’s the matter?” Jay asked her. “Not hungry?”
Hildy smiled weakly. “No, not really. I guess I’m just tired.”
She hadn’t said anything to Jay, but she had been feeling a little upset in her stomach for the past few days. She attributed it to Greg’s relentless pursuit of her.
“I know just the remedy for that,” Jay said. “You need some fresh air. How about it? The streets of Paris are just coming alive. It should be fun to go for a stroll.”
“Hildy,” Zack said in a warning tone, “I think you should get some rest. You need to be fresh for the filming tomorrow.”
Peter sided with Zack. “We’re on a tight schedule,” he reminded her. “We have only a short time left here, and I need your input.”
Hildy turned to Jay. “I do need some rest. I haven’t been feeling like myself since we returned from Scotland. I hope you don’t mind. You can join me later.”
Jay was all sympathy. “I’ll go to the room with you.”
“I’ll see that she gets there safely,” Zack said. “Why don’t you stay with the others and visit?”
Jay looked offended.
“Jay,” Peter spoke up, “Jenny and I are going for a walk. Why don’t you come with us?”
* * *
After a moment’s hesitation, Jay agreed. He watched Hildy and Zack head for the elevator. As he walked out of the hotel with Jenny and Peter, he turned suddenly and faced them. “Peter, what in the world is going on? Hildy acts scared to death every time Greg is around. And Zack won’t let her out of his sight. You know I wouldn’t allow anyone to harm her. I’m her husband. Don’t you think I have a right to know what this is all about?”
“Jay - - “ Peter hesitated before answering. “All I can tell you is that Hildy’s life has been threatened. It has to do with her rising prominence as a writer and composer. That’s all I can say. Please promise me you won’t discuss this with anyone - not even Greg. Her life may depend on it.”
Jay was horrified. Hildy in danger? “Of course I promise,” he said. “But I don’t understand. You thought it was okay if she went to Scotland with me, but now, back here in France, she’s in danger. I don’t get it. What does this have to do with Greg? If I didn’t know better I’d say she’s afraid he might steal her ideas, but that’s ridiculous. Greg likes to help people, not steal from them. Who has threatened her?”
Peter’s eyes flashed with anger and he opened his mouth to answer him, but Jenny interrupted.
“Please don’t ask us any more,” she said quickly. “At least not for now. Just trust us.”
Jay didn’t like their reluctance. Why were they being so secretive? And he was worried about Hildy. “If you don’t mind,” he said, “I’ll go back to my room. I don’t want to leave Hildy alone.” He started to leave, then turned back. “Please tell me what more I can do to make sure she’s safe,” he pleaded. “You really have me worried.”
Peter looked grim. “She’ll be okay as long as you say nothing about this. I hired Zack to make sure she’s in no danger, and he’s doing a good job.”
Jay was stunned. “I thought Zack was her agent! He’s her bodyguard?!”
“Yes. But it’s very important that Greg not know about this.”
Jay was more perplexed than ever. “Why did you feel it was safe for her to go to Scotland alone with me? Without Zack?”
“She was perfectly safe with you,” Peter said. “Zack felt it was good to get her out of France for a while. We were all hoping Greg would be gone by the time you returned.”
“Then she’s in danger because of him?”
“I’ve told you all I can right now,” Peter said in a determined tone. “Please don’t ask me any more.”
Jay realized that Peter had closed the door to any further information. He threw his hands up in a gesture of frustration as he left and entered the hotel. He had almost reached the elevator when he heard his name being paged over the loud speaker. He went quickly to the nearest house phone and picked it up. “This is Jay Stuart.”
“Monsieur Stuart! I have an urgent call for you from New York. I will connect
you.”
It was the stage director for “Sunny Days.”
“Jay? Finally! Where have you been? I’ve been trying for the past two weeks to get you. We need your input back here. How soon can you and Greg make it?”
Jay didn’t know what to think. “Greg told me he flew back to New York two weeks ago and you didn’t need him. Is this something new?”
There was silence on the other end, and for a moment Jay thought they had been cut off. “Hello?”
“I’m here,” the director answered. “I don’t know why he told you that. He never came back to New York. I called and asked him to, but he refused. We’re really stymied here. We need your advice on several things before we go ahead with rehearsals.”
To say that Jay was surprised would be putting it mildly. Why did Greg decide not to go back to New York when I specifically asked him to? he wondered. When the stage director told him he was needed there? Why didn’t he tell him I was in Scotland? Why did he lie to me? None of this made any sense.
The last thing Jay wanted to do right now was to leave Hildy with her in danger. “Is it really that urgent?”
“It is or I wouldn’t have called you. How soon can you get here?”
Jay stood with the phone in his hand trying to make sense of all this.
“Jay? Are you still there?” the director asked.
“Yes - yes, I’m still here,” Jay said. “I’m just trying to figure out when we can get there. We’re through here in France. I’ll make plane reservations and let you know when to expect us.”
He hung up, wondering how he was going to tell Hildy, but she was sound asleep when he entered the room. He decided to wait till morning. He moved about as quietly as he could, trying not to waken her. As he looked down at her, the idea of being separated from her even for a short time was tearing him apart. He undressed and decided to sleep in the day bed so he wouldn’t disturb her. He heard her stir, but she went right back to sleep.
La Fleur Rouge The Red Flower Page 14