The men in the boat threw him a line, and picked Tatiana out of the water while Harry swam to shore. He was shivering, and Gypsy, who turned out to be surprisingly efficient, immediately threw the towels and blankets she’d brought back from the yurt over him. ‘Here, darling, you need to get as warm as possible,’ she said.
‘Have this,’ said Freddie, giving him a nip of brandy. ‘I brought it with me tonight to keep me going, didn’t realise it was going to come in so handy.’
Tatiana was being given the once over by the men on the boat, who had wrapped her up in blankets, and seemed to be checking for hypothermia. By the sound of her loud complaining, she was recovering well, but there was still no sign of Ant or Bron.
‘There!’ Josie suddenly spotted them at the entrance of the cave. But then a wave went over their heads and they were lost from view.
‘This was a bloody stupid idea,’ had been Ant’s first thought as he followed Harry into the water, but then there was no time for thought as he battled with spray, wind, waves and the cold. Time and time again the current dragged him towards the side of the cave, and he forced himself back on track. By the time he reached Bron, Harry was halfway back with Tatiana.
‘Fancy a lift?’ Ant said. ‘Only you look a bit knackered.’
Bron was looking very cold, shivering violently.
‘Come on, let’s get you out of here,’ said Ant.
Ant was strong, but he wasn’t the greatest of swimmers. It took all his brute strength to get to the middle of the cave. The dark and the pounding of the waves disorientated him, and he had several panicky moments when he thought they might not make it. Then he became dimly aware that the entrance of the cave might not be too far away, and forced himself to power on. Bron seemed too worn out now to help, barely even kicking. It was like having a lead weight in his arms, and Ant was struggling to get him to the entrance, which was tantalisingly close. He tried not to think about the effect that age, and the water, would be having on Auberon’s body. If he was finding it tough, Bron must be really struggling. Don’t think about that, Ant admonished himself, otherwise we’re both lost. One stroke at a time, he told himself, one stroke at a time. Then just as he was nearly there, a huge wave smashed over his head, and Bron moved suddenly out of his grasp. And then Bron was gone, and Ant was alone with the waves and the wind, in the darkness.
Seeing that Josie was still perched anxiously at the side of the cave, Diana went up to Harry.
‘You okay?’ she said.
‘Fine,’ said Harry. ‘Bit chilly.’
‘Have another blanket then,’ she said. ‘You need to keep huddled up, to avoid hypothermia.’
‘She’s right,’ said M’stard, throwing another blanket over him. ‘And here, have another nip of whisky.’
‘I’m going to be paralytic if you’re not careful,’ said Harry. He stared nervously at the cave. ‘Has anyone seen Ant yet? He’s taking a long time.’
‘Too long,’ said Diana. She looked really worried. She followed Josie to the edge of the cave, where they both watched in silent horror as the coastguard’s boat shone torches in the water, to see if they could spot anyone.
Diana felt a chill go down her spine. Ant. Not Ant. Whether he wanted her or not, now she’d met up with him again, she couldn’t imagine a world without his big brash presence in it. Didn’t want to.
She strained to see in the gloom of the cave. It was easy to detect movements that weren’t there, but …
‘Jose – can you see?’ She clutched at Josie’s arm as she saw a body moving in the water, no, two bodies, swimming side by side. The men in the boat saw them at the same time, and shouted rapid orders. Ropes flew into the water, and first Bron, and then Ant, were hauled to safety.
‘Thank God,’ said Josie, tears in her eyes, ‘I thought I’d lost him.’
‘Sorry?’ said Diana.
‘Ant,’ said Josie, her eyes shining. ‘I’ve been so blind. I’m in love with Ant.’
Now: Bron
He’d felt he was going to be a hero, seeing Tati like that, frightened and trapped in the cave. But he’d messed up and managed to lose the rope. He’d needed rescuing himself, and then had to be ignominiously hauled into the boat. Not only that, he’d spent the coldest, wettest, most terrifying hour of his life, only to end up looking like a prize idiot. Tati would laugh at him more than ever.
She was sitting, hair bedraggled, wrapped in blankets, holding court with the coastguards, most of whom appeared to be completely under her spell. Even soaking wet and blue with cold, she was beautiful to him. Not just beautiful, Tati looked magnificent, like a mermaid straight from the ocean. Whereas he …
Bron allowed himself to be examined by the experts, who checked his vital signs and insisted on making him drink some weak hot tea. He’d rather have had whisky, but it did make him feel better rapidly. True he’d got quite cold in the water, but surrounded by blankets he’d warmed up quickly. But he must look a right state. Unlike Ant, who was a vision of glowing young manhood. Bron felt quite jealous of the admiring looks Tatiana was casting him. She was barely sending any looks in his direction. Bron sighed heavily. He’d wanted to prove something to Tati today, and had only succeeded in looking like a fool. A stupid romantic old fool.
Chapter Thirty-One
‘You love Ant?’ her friend’s shock was palpable. ‘What about Harry? What about me?’
Oh God. In her moment of clarity, Josie had forgotten all about Diana’s declaration of love to Ant.
‘I’m sorry, Di,’ said Josie, ‘but it’s just the way I feel. I can’t help it.’
She walked away feeling she should care more, but somehow she didn’t. She’d spent the whole night in turmoil. But now the sun was rising, and a new day was dawning and everything had become crystal clear. Harry was her past. Ant was her future and she’d nearly lost him. The sight of Ant fearlessly ploughing through the water was one she wouldn’t forget in a while. Harry was heroic too, a little voice in her head said, but she ignored it. She was done with confusion and misery. Now she knew what she had to do.
‘Do you think they’re going to be all right?’ Josie said, anxiously scanning the boat where Ant and the others were being checked over. She felt so responsible for what had happened. She should have remembered the danger of getting cut off in the cave. It was something that had happened to her several times in her teenage years, but never so dramatically as this.
After what seemed like forever, the boat putt-putted slowly to the shore, and the coastguards let everyone climb out.
‘You’ve all been very lucky,’ the captain said. ‘Nothing worse than a dousing. But that was incredibly dangerous. You should never have attempted a rescue like that.’
‘Sorry,’ said Harry, ‘that was my fault. We were worried you wouldn’t get here in time.’
‘As it happens, you got away with it,’ the coastguard said, less sternly. ‘Besides, he added with a twinkle, ‘it’s not every day we get to rescue celebrities. But don’t do it again. That cave is notorious. Like I said, you were very lucky.’
Tatiana was looking slightly stunned, and her cavalcade rushed forward, making soothing noises, plying her with drinks, wrapping her up in so many layers she looked like a mummy, and generally behaving in the over-the-top manner Josie had come to expect.
‘I’m so sorry, Tatiana,’ said Josie, ‘I was only trying to help. I’d completely forgotten the tide was coming in. It’s all my fault.’
‘Nonsense,’ said Bron, briskly. ‘If anyone’s to blame it’s me, for letting Freddie persuade me to go along with this hypnotism nonsense. It got out of hand, and we should have put a stop to it hours ago.’
‘You?’ Tatiana said. ‘You had something to do with that – that idiot pursuing me?’
‘Yes, and I’m sorry,’ said Bron, ‘but I can explain …’
‘Forget it,’ said Tatiana, delivering a ringing slap round his face. ‘You and Freddie, same old, same old. And there I was, feeling grateful
that you tried to rescue me. Come on, we’re going back to the yurt.’
And with that, she and her cronies stormed off.
‘I guess I deserved that,’ said Bron with a sigh.
‘Talking of Freddie,’ Ant looked around, ‘where is he?’
He’d been there when Harry and Ant had dived into the water, but he seemed conspicuously absent now. Having caused all this mayhem, he seemed to have done a runner with Will, who’d been filming the rescue. Light blue touch paper and retire …
‘He might have gone back to the theatre to deal with Mike,’ said Bron. ‘If I know Freddie, he’ll be getting him to sign all kinds of disclaimers.’
‘Why are you still friends with him?’ asked Ant curiously.
‘Why is anyone friends with anyone?’ said Bron. ‘Habit, years of rubbing along together. Despite everything, we do make a good team.’
‘Except when he ruins your love life,’ said Ant.
‘There is that,’ said Bron.
Ant glanced at Harry, who was talking to the girls. He hadn’t spoken to any of them since getting out of the water. He didn’t like to go near Josie, because of what Harry had said earlier. He still wanted to be the decent friend. But something in what Bron said stirred up forgotten memories. Harry only knew Josie because of him. They’d come down here when they were at uni and he’d thought he was in with a chance, and then Harry, his mate, had stolen Josie from under his nose. Ant’s indignation completely overrode his memories of having been distracted with Kerry – Kelly? He’d taken his eye off the prize and Harry had claimed it. And now Josie had chosen him again, and Harry had lost. It was the way of the world, and all was fair in love and war. He’d just nearly drowned. Life was too short to be noble; he wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. It might never come his way again.
Diana stood feeling miserable, trying to ignore the fact that Ant was making puppy dog eyes at Josie, who was clearly itching to be alone with him. But Harry had cornered her, and was talking earnestly to her, so when Bron and Ant decided it was time to leave, Josie had no choice but to stay. Diana decided to follow them though she didn’t quite know why. Nothing was ever going to bring him back to her. The whole thing was a total mess, and she couldn’t think how they could remain friends after this.
‘That was brave,’ she said, as she caught up with Bron.
‘Brave or stupid?’ said Bron. ‘Tati wasn’t impressed, and without Ant coming to my rescue, it could have been a very different story.’
‘It was nothing,’ said Ant. ‘It was pretty stupid of all of us to have gone in. The things we do for love, eh?’
‘So you only went in to help to show off to Josie?’ said Diana, feeling worse than ever. ‘Ant, you’re unbelievable. And there was me thinking you had a vulnerable side.’
‘It wasn’t just that,’ protested Ant.
‘It’s all right,’ Bron patted him on the shoulder, ‘I did the same. Even if I still gained nothing from it.’
‘You don’t think she’s going to forgive you, then?’ said Diana.
‘You saw her face,’ said Bron, with a sigh. ‘I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me.’
Harry felt hopeful when Diana left with Bron and Ant. Josie was staring out to sea, ominously silent.
‘Well?’ he said in the end, unable to stand the silence.
‘Well, what?’ said Josie.
‘What’s happening with us?’ said Harry.
He thought again of having seen Josie and Ant holding hands earlier, and how Ant hadn’t acknowledged his comment about it. A short stab of jealousy shot through him.
‘I thought we’d established there is no more us,’ said Josie, her gaze unblinking from the horizon. ‘I’m sorry, Harry. It’s over.’
‘This is about Ant, isn’t it?’ said Harry. ‘Josie, he’s my best friend.’
‘And Di’s mine,’ Josie shot back, ‘but that didn’t stop you snogging her.’
‘I didn’t snog her,’ said Harry. ‘She threw her arms round me.’
‘And I found you asleep with your arms wrapped round her,’ said Josie.
‘Again, not guilty,’ said Harry. ‘Diana curled up next to me when I was already asleep.’
‘Ant told me the way he feels, and I wasn’t sure,’ said Josie, ‘but now I am. It’s him I want, not you.’
Without looking at him, she turned away and headed up the cliff.
‘It’s not what you really feel,’ Harry shouted into the wind. ‘It’s just Freddie screwing with your mind. And I’m going to prove it.’
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ant, Bron and Diana reached the theatre and pushed their way in. Freddie was sitting with a dazed looking Mike, saying, ‘When you awake, none of this will have happened. You never met Tatiana Okeby here, you never agreed to produce her in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. You have just been on an early morning stroll and had a little doze. When I count to three, you will fall into a deep sleep, and when you wake up you will have forgotten everything, three, two, one …’
And Mike slumped down.
‘Perfect,’ said Freddie, to Will. ‘I think we can use that.’
‘Do you really think that’s a good idea?’ said Bron. ‘I don’t think Tati will be happy to be shown up on camera.’
‘It was your idea,’ said Freddie.
‘And I’ve changed my mind,’ said Bron. ‘Come on, I thought it was going to be funny, but it hasn’t turned out that way.’
‘Maybe you’re right,’ said Freddie. ‘I think the words sue, and you may have been uttered as she left.’
‘And what about us?’ said Ant, ‘I don’t think your experiment has been entirely successful.’
He’d kept a careful distance from Diana since getting out of the water. He had been so stunned when she’d tried to kiss him earlier, he’d reacted instantly. He knew he’d been cruel, and felt bad about it, but Diana wasn’t for him, not any more. Not now he’d found Josie again. He didn’t want to hurt her any more than he had to.
‘You can say that again,’ said Diana. ‘I think I can count this as one of the most traumatic, upsetting and humiliating experiences of my life. So I don’t want you showing any footage of it at all, thank you very much.’
‘Oh,’ said Freddie, looking a little discomfited. ‘Has it really been that bad?’
‘Bad? It’s been worse than bad.’ She gave Ant a knowing look. ‘I’ve fallen in love and been rejected, my best friend briefly chased me round this stage, and I’ve fallen out with all of the people I really care about. Tonight is the story of my life writ large. Everyone gets happy endings but me.’
‘Do you really feel like that?’ Ant was genuinely surprised. Despite her confidences in him earlier, Di had always seemed invulnerable to him, as if love didn’t matter to her. He’d really thought the feelings she’d developed for him were skin-deep, brought about by the hypnotism; perhaps he’d been wrong.
‘Not that you’d care,’ snapped Diana. ‘Because it looks like things have worked out for you.’
‘What?’ said Ant.
‘She’s coming up the path right now,’ said Diana.
Ant turned as the gate creaked, and he saw Josie coming shyly towards him.
‘I’ve made my decision,’ she said shyly. ‘And I choose you.’
And with that, she stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
Diana felt sick to the pit of her stomach when she saw Josie kiss Ant. It didn’t seem fair. She had both Ant and Harry lapping out of her hands, and Di had no one, even if it was the hypnotism that had addled their brains, they’d still both chosen Josie. Diana knew it was mean-spirited of her, but she wanted just for once for Josie to know how it was when life didn’t go the way you wanted. Let her feel rejection and disillusionment.
‘So you haven’t managed to sort things out with Ant, then?’ said Bron, putting a sympathetic arm round her shoulder.
‘I thought maybe I had,’ said Diana, ‘but looks like I was wrong.’
She stared gloomily at Ant and Josie, who seemed oblivious to everyone else.
‘You’re still in love with Ant?’ Bron said perceptively.
‘I don’t know – yes – no, maybe,’ said Diana. ‘I’m feeling extremely confused right now. I’m not sure which of my feelings are real anymore.’
‘I think you’d know,’ said Bron. ‘Just as I do about Tati.’
‘Do you think she’ll get over what you did to her tonight?’
‘Somehow, no,’ said Bron sadly. ‘I think I might have finally nailed the coffin on our relationship.’
‘And I think I’m destined to be a bitter old spinster,’ said Diana. ‘Quite frankly it wouldn’t matter who I was in love with, being friends with Josie means that no one looks at me. They all flood to her.’
Diana had never thought about this before, but suddenly realised it was true. It hadn’t mattered so much when she and Josie were both playing the field, and nothing was serious. But since Josie had met Harry it mattered very much. Very much indeed.
Harry sat down after Josie was gone.
Josie had got muddled up tonight. They all had. She didn’t know what she was doing. He’d have to remind her of how she really felt. Harry got up and strode off. He was going to find Freddie Puck and sort this out once and for all. Ant had had his chance with Josie all those years ago, and blown it. Faint heart never won fair lady. Harry was damned if he was going to let her go so easily now.
He set off back up the cliff path, not quite sure what he was going to do. As he reached the theatre, he saw Mike Slowbotham stumble out, looking sleepy.
‘Hello old boy,’ he said. ‘Seems to be a bit of a party going on in there. I must have had a hell of a night. I can’t remember a thing.’
Maybe Freddie had put one thing right, thought Harry. Time for him to get everything else right too.
Josie was sitting on a hillock, holding Ant’s hand in a happy daze, completely oblivious to everyone else. She felt otherworldly. A morning mist was creeping over the theatre, casting strange shapes and making her feel quite ethereal. She knew Diana was angry with her, but she couldn’t mind somehow – though a bit of her thought she should – because sitting here, leaning against Ant, was making her feel sublimely happy. Happier then she’d ever felt in her life before.
Midsummer Magic Page 24