The Angel Tree

by Lucinda Riley

  Mary looked at her in surprise. ‘But, surely, if you’re not here for a couple of days, I should come up to the house to check on it anyway?’

  ‘There’s no need, Mary. I promise that I’m fully capable of locking up before I leave. Really, I insist.’

  ‘If that’s what you want, it’s very generous of you, Miss Cheska. And you’re right, it will be nice to spend some time with Huw. I’ll go and see Mrs Marchmont whilst you’re away, of course.’

  ‘Actually, when I saw her earlier today the matron told me that, tomorrow, she’s going to Abergavenny Hospital for a couple of days so her consultant can run some tests and assess her progress. It’s probably best if you leave visiting her until later in the week. For once in your life, forget about Marchmont and all of us’ – Cheska smiled kindly – ‘then you can come back feeling refreshed.’

  ‘Okay,’ Mary agreed doubtfully. ‘I’ll be off now. Your supper is in the Aga,’ she said, removing her apron. ‘Have a lovely time in London and send a kiss to my Ava, won’t you?’

  ‘Of course.’

  As Mary left for her cottage, she couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Miss Cheska had always been a strange one and no mistake, but as she was Mrs Marchmont’s niece, she felt it wasn’t her place to question her instructions.

  That night, Cheska roamed the deserted corridors of Marchmont. The voices in her head – and one in particular – were very insistent tonight.

  It should be yours, you have to fight for it . . . She hates you, she always has . . .

  Cheska sank onto the bed in her old nursery, the room where Jonny and she had once lain sleeping peacefully together in their cribs. She’d adored him. And then he’d gone away.

  ‘But you didn’t go, did you, Jonny? And you never will!’ she wept, her legs crossed in the way she’d always sat as a child, but now with fists in her eyes to stop the tears and the voices.

  ‘They’ll never stop, will they? You’ll never stop!’ she screamed in anguish. ‘Leave me alone, leave me alone . . .’

  As the voices reached an unbearable pitch in her head, Cheska suddenly realised what she had to do to stop them.

  Destroy the memories and they couldn’t haunt you any longer.

  Yes, yes, that was it!

  She closed the large case she had packed in preparation to leave for London the following morning, picked it up and took it downstairs with her to the front door. Then she entered the drawing room, went to the fireplace and collected the box of firelighters and matches, and headed back upstairs. Calmly, she pulled the wastepaper basket towards her and set it underneath the old wooden rocking horse her aunt had once told her had been David’s. Taking an old picture book she had once loved as a child, she tore out its pages and screwed them up into balls, putting them one by one into the basket.

  Kneeling down, she lit some matches and dropped them onto the paper. It leapt into flames immediately and she sat down on the edge of the bed, watching as they licked at the peeling painted flank of the wooden horse. Satisfied, she stood up to leave.

  ‘Goodbye, Jonny,’ she whispered.

  By the time she left the room, the rocking horse was a bright, burning mass of fire.

  49

  When Ava returned to her room after her last lecture, she jumped hurriedly into the shower, climbed into a clinging black dress Cheska had bought her in Monmouth, put on a dab of lipstick and ran back out again to catch the bus to Shaftesbury Avenue.

  The theatre foyer was already crowded, and she weaved her way through it up to the dress-circle bar, where her mother had said they should meet.

  ‘Honey!’ A radiant Cheska flung her arms around Ava and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘Come and sit down. Dorian has ordered champagne.’

  ‘Who’s Dorian?’

  ‘Dorian, my darling, is my new agent. Well, he’s not really new. He’s just taken over from Leon Bronowski, who used to look after me when I was an actress in London years ago. He’s just dying to meet you. Look, there he is now.’

  ‘Oh.’ Ava watched as a balding, middle-aged man dressed flamboyantly in a scarlet velvet evening jacket and gold cravat approached their table.

  ‘Miss Marchmont . . . Ava.’ The man took her hand and kissed it. ‘I’m Dorian Hedley, agent extraordinaire and about to be responsible for your mother’s already glittering career. Good God, Cheska, she could be your double! Champagne, Ava?’

  ‘Just a small glass, thanks.’ She turned to Cheska, who was looking fabulous in a sparkling midnight-blue evening dress. Seeing her in it made her feel plain and dull in comparison. ‘But I thought you already had an agent in Hollywood?’

  ‘Yes, honey, I do. But . . . oh, I’ve been feeling for a while that it was time for a change. Dorian here has convinced me that I’m right, haven’t you, Dorian?’

  ‘Yes. We Brits seem to lose all our best products to the States, so I’m happy I just might have lured one back.’

  ‘So . . . Mother, you’re going to stay here in the UK permanently?’

  ‘Well, I’m going to give it a try. I walked into Dorian’s office late this afternoon just to say hello, and the two of us began chatting and found we saw eye to eye about so many things. Dorian was coming to the first night tonight as he has a client in the show, so we went out for a drink and he’s convinced me that my future lies here in England.’ She reached for Ava’s hand. ‘Isn’t it wonderful? I mean, now we can be together in London.’

  Ava frowned, thinking of LJ. ‘Of course.’ She sat quietly, listening to Cheska and Dorian dissect various television programmes, giggle at gossip and bitch nastily about a particularly well-known actress. She wished she hadn’t come. She felt completely out of place.

  Eventually, the two-minute bell rang and Dorian led them into a box on the left-hand side of the stage. Ava looked down into the stalls and saw people whispering and pointing up towards her mother.

  The lights went down and soon the auditorium was full of the sound of fifties rock and roll. Simon made his entrance and Ava’s eyes never left him as he and the other actors impersonated some of the best-known pop stars from the era.

  After the interval, the show moved into the sixties. The lights dimmed and Simon came forward to stand at the microphone, dressed in a pair of jeans and a cardigan.

  Ava was enraptured by his lovely, mellow voice as he sang a ballad. She noticed that her mother was straining forward, breathing hard, her eyes focused on Simon too.

  ‘Yes, that’s the madness, the madness of love . . .’

  Mother and daughter sat side by side, lost in their memories. For Cheska, the terrible thing she had done yesterday was wiped from her mind. That had been a dream. This was reality. He’d come back to her, and this time it would be forever.

  Ava remembered when Simon and she had walked along the Thames together and how comfortable she’d felt with him. But at the same time she realised that Simon was a talented, handsome man who, after tonight, would have a horde of girls after him. He was obviously way out of her league.

  The cast got a standing ovation at the end of the show, and Cheska cheered louder than anyone.

  ‘You don’t mind popping backstage with us, do you, Ava?’ Cheska said to her as they left the theatre. ‘I must go and tell Bobby how wonderful he was.’

  ‘You mean Simon, Mother,’ Ava corrected her.

  Once inside the stage door, Dorian went to see his client and Cheska strutted off towards Simon’s dressing room. Without knocking, she marched inside to find a throng of well-wishers already there. Elbowing her way through them, Cheska went up to Simon, who was talking to someone, and threw her arms round his shoulders, kissing him on both cheeks.

  ‘Honey, you were wonderful! What a debut! You’ll be the toast of the town tomorrow, I promise you.’

  ‘Er, thanks, Cheska.’

  Ava, who had stayed near the door because of the crush, saw that he was taken aback by her mother’s extravagant praise. Then he spotted her and smiled, moving past Cheska towards her. ‘Hello, h
ow are you?’ he asked softly.

  She smiled shyly. ‘Fine, thanks. You were great.’

  ‘Thank you. I—’

  Cheska broke the moment, her voice unusually shrill. ‘I’ll see you at the party, Simon.’

  ‘Er, it’s ticket only, Cheska, I’m afraid.’

  ‘I’m coming as the guest of Dorian, my agent, actually. Come on, Ava, let’s give Simon some time to talk to other people.’ Cheska almost pushed Ava out of the dressing room and towards the stage door, where they found Dorian waiting for them. ‘Ava, darling, I’m afraid Dorian doesn’t have a spare ticket for you. Why don’t you come to the Savoy tomorrow for breakfast with me?’

  ‘I have a lecture, Mother.’

  ‘Well, lunch then, or dinner. We’ll speak tomorrow. ’Night, honey.’

  Ava watched as Cheska linked arms with Dorian, who mouthed goodnight to her as she pulled him away along the street. Feeling depressed and deflated, Ava walked along the road to catch a bus back to her halls.

  When she arrived in her room, she saw a note that had been pushed under her door.

  ‘Sorry,’ it said. ‘Forgot to tell you earlier that someone called Mary rang for you at lunchtime. She says can you call her back urgently. Helen from the room next door.’

  Ava’s mouth turned dry and her heart began to beat against her chest. LJ . . .

  Grabbing some change, she went to the payphone. It was past eleven at night now, so she just hoped Mary was still up and would answer the phone. Thankfully, she did.

  ‘Mary, it’s Ava. I’ve only just got your message. What’s wrong?’

  ‘Oh thank God, Ava!’

  ‘Please, just tell me! Is it LJ?’

  Ava heard a sob from the other end of the line. ‘No, it’s not LJ.’

  ‘Thank God! Oh, thank God. Then what is it?’

  ‘Ava, it’s Marchmont.’

  ‘What about it?’

  ‘There’s been a dreadful fire. Oh, Ava, Marchmont has burnt down.’ Mary began to cry in earnest now.

  ‘Was anyone . . . hurt?’

  ‘They can’t find your mother and, as the fire started at night, they don’t know—’

  ‘Mary, my mother is fine. I’ve just seen her here in London.’

  ‘Well, look you, what a relief! I knew she was coming there, but I thought she was leaving this morning, and . . .’ Mary’s voice trailed off. ‘Well, it’s good news she wasn’t at the house last night.’

  ‘She told me she’s staying at the Savoy. I’ll call now and leave a message for her. She’s at a party now, though, and I’ve no idea what time she’ll be back.’

  ‘Ava, I really think we have to try and contact your Uncle David. Do you have the list of numbers he left for emergencies?’

  ‘Yes. I’ll work out where he’s likely to be and leave a message poste restante. Although how long it’ll take for it to reach him is anyone’s guess. I think he’s still in Tibet. Listen, Mary, I’m going to get on the first train home to Marchmont tomorrow.’

  ‘No, Ava! You’ve missed too much of your first term already, your great-aunt would say the same I’m sure. And besides, there’s nothing you can do for the moment, really there isn’t.’

  The beeps on the phone went. ‘Mary, I’m sorry, I have to ring off now, as I don’t have much change and I need to call my mother. I’ll speak to you tomorrow morning.’

  Replacing the receiver then picking it up again, Ava got the number of the Savoy from Directory Enquiries and left a message for Cheska to call both Mary and her immediately. As she walked shakily back down the corridor, Ava’s eyes filled with tears as she thought of her beloved Marchmont, burnt to the ground.

  Wondering how on earth she could sleep, she curled up in bed and lay there shivering, thinking how everything seemed to have gone so terribly wrong since Cheska had arrived at Marchmont.

  Ava knocked on the door of Cheska’s suite at the Savoy at ten o’clock the next day. Having tried calling and been told that Miss Hammond’s number was blocked, she’d decided to skip yet another lecture and go in person.

  ‘Mother, it’s me, Ava.’

  After a moment, the door opened and Cheska, mascara streaked down her face, hair awry, threw herself into Ava’s arms.

  ‘Oh God! Oh God! I’ve just spoken to Mary. LJ will never forgive me, never! Why did it have to happen while I was in charge? They’ll both blame me, you know, oh yes they will!’

  Ava saw the expression in her mother’s eyes. She looked quite mad.

  ‘Of course they won’t. Come on, Mother. It was an accident, surely?’

  ‘I . . . I don’t know. I don’t know . . .’

  ‘Mother, you must calm down. Please. This will do no one any good, least of all you.’

  ‘But I . . . oh God . . .’

  ‘Look, I . . . I think I ought to call a doctor. I—’

  ‘No!’

  The vehemence of Cheska’s response startled Ava. She watched as Cheska wiped her eyes and blew her nose on a sodden handkerchief. ‘There’s no need to get a doctor. I’ll be fine now that you’re here, really.’

  ‘Okay, well, what about a brandy or something? It’s good for shock, I think. Shall I send down for some?’

  Cheska pointed to a cabinet in the corner of the exquisitely furnished sitting room. ‘Try in there.’

  ‘Right. Why don’t you go and tidy yourself up a little. I’ll pour you a glass of brandy, then we can discuss where we go from here.’

  Cheska stared at her daughter. ‘How did I ever manage to give birth to someone like you?’ she said, and took herself off to the bathroom.

  Ava poured out the brandy and sat on the sofa until her mother returned looking pale, but immaculate. ‘Now, all I know is there was a fire. Could you please try to tell me exactly what happened?’

  ‘Well, I left Marchmont on Monday at about eight o’clock in the evening. Mary said Jack Wallace called her when he saw great clouds of smoke billowing out of the upstairs windows in the early hours. He called the fire brigade, but I think by that time it must have got a really good hold.’

  ‘So how bad is the damage?’

  ‘Pretty bad, Mary told me. The roof has gone and most of the inside, but apparently the outer walls are still intact. Jack told Mary they were saved by torrential rain. I suppose we must be grateful for that, at least.’

  ‘Do they know how it started?’

  ‘Mary said it might have been an electrical fault. Some of the wiring was very, very old. But, oh Ava’ – she shuddered – ‘the worst thing is that I could have been in there. I only decided to leave for London earlier that evening on the spur of the moment. I’d originally planned to go the next day.’

  ‘What about the animals? Are they all right?’

  ‘I’m sure they are and that Jack’s making sure they’re looked after. The fire only affected the house.’ Cheska covered her face with her hands. ‘I don’t want to see it. I just can’t bear the thought of that beautiful house blackened and smouldering.’

  ‘We have to go up to Wales. In fact, we ought to leave immediately.’

  Cheska removed her hands from her face and looked at Ava in horror. ‘You don’t mean you want me to drive to Marchmont now, do you? No, no, I couldn’t face it.’ She began to cry again.

  ‘Well, I’ll go then.’

  ‘No! Please, Ava.’ Cheska grabbed her hand. ‘I need you here with me. You can’t leave me alone, please. Just give me some time to recover from the shock. I can’t go yet, I just can’t.’

  Ava could see that Cheska was becoming hysterical again. She moved closer to her and put an arm round her. ‘Okay,’ she sighed. ‘I won’t leave you.’

  ‘Jack Wallace said there’s nothing we can do, anyway. He’s taking care of the farm as usual, and Mr Glenwilliam is dealing with the insurance company.’

  ‘Well, when you’re calmer, we must go as soon as possible. Mary said the police will want to talk to you, to see if you noticed anything strange before you left Marchmont.’
>
  ‘Surely they can come here? I’m far too distressed to drive. Besides, I’ve got a big meeting on Friday morning. I met a director at the after-show party last night who is desperate for me to be in his new television series.’

  ‘Can’t you reschedule it?’ Ava was aghast that her mother could even think about her career at a moment like this.

  Cheska caught the look on Ava’s face. ‘If necessary, of course I will. And I called the nursing home this morning. LJ is doing very well. Obviously, we mustn’t tell her anything until she’s strong enough to cope, so I think it’s best we don’t visit for a day or two. None of us would be able to hide it from her if we saw her now.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right, although she’ll need to be told soon. I just thank my lucky stars she was in the nursing home, otherwise . . .’ Ava shivered. ‘And poor Uncle David. What is he going to say when he discovers his mother is recovering from a stroke and Marchmont has burnt down? I’ve left him a message, but I don’t know when he’ll get it.’

  ‘Have you? Well, you and I are going to have to deal with this ourselves until he’s home. We can get through if we stick together, can’t we? Give each other support and try and sort things out.’

  ‘Yes. Mother, listen, if we’re not going to Marchmont today, I have a lecture this afternoon. Is it okay if I go? I’m horribly behind as it is.’

  ‘You will come back afterwards, won’t you? Promise me?’

  ‘If you need me to.’ Ava rose, kissed her mother and left the hotel, glad to be out in the biting October air and on the streets, where everything seemed to be going on as normal.

  Ava returned dutifully to the hotel after her lecture to find that her mother had ordered room service and copious champagne.

  ‘I thought we could watch a movie together,’ Cheska suggested as she poured the drinks and lifted the silver lids from an array of different dishes. ‘I didn’t know what you wanted, so I ordered a selection.’

  ‘I have an essay to write, Mother, and an early lecture tomorrow. I’ll eat, and then I must go home.’