‘She can be impossible. I’m sure you did your best.’
Nathan shrugged. He was distracted suddenly, looking over Naomi’s shoulder. When Naomi followed his gaze, Annie was walking out of the room, alone. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘Time I had a little chat to your sister and put her in the picture so you can stop avoiding her.’
‘I haven’t been avoiding her.’
Nathan looked into her eyes. ‘Oh, you reckon?’
Naomi detained him. ‘What are you going to say?’
‘Come on, Naims. I’m sure she’s already guessed we’re together. I shouldn’t need to say much.’
Naomi was nervous, but she let him go. Nathan left the room. Naomi could only stare after him blankly. He’d done an amazing job with Siobhan over dinner, chatting to her, drawing conversation from her so naturally. He was amazing with people. Naomi adored him for it. Suddenly remembering the need to look out for Siobhan now dinner was done, Naomi cast her gaze across the room in search of her. She could see Megan and Madeline standing together, and Bridget who was getting very friendly with Annie’s friend, Dominic. But she couldn’t see Siobhan.
Naomi was about to go and ask the girls if they knew where she was, when Henry appeared, carrying a wad of cash. Henry chatted to Naomi long enough to gauge her approval about every aspect of the evening. Assured she’d had a wonderful time, he excused himself to pay the string quartet before they left.
The viola player straightened up and turned round. Naomi froze. He did too. His horribly familiar face winded her. Tom Butterworth, the cheating rat who’d poisoned a hundred dreams, was staring at her across the room.
The noise faded. The bodies felt far removed. Every body, that is, except Tom Butterworth’s. Despite not moving, he seemed so close and so colourful and tall. It was as if there was only the two of them in the crowded room. Naomi stiffened and continued to stare him out. In her head she was screaming, hoping he could read her eyes. How dare you come here? Turn around and get out. Tom Butterworth didn’t back down. Her instinct was to run, but no way was she going to move. Her house, he could run.
Nathan couldn’t rescue her. She’d have to deal with this alone. Tom began striding towards her. The compulsion to vanish overwhelmed her. She stayed still. Her heart was thudding by the time he stood, close up, right in front. He’d grown. Having been forced into a confrontation, she was determined to speak first. She hoped an opening sentence would occur to her. She snatched the first one that came along.
‘When I told you to get out of my house, I meant for ever.’ Her tone was calm, but cold.
Tom, in white shirt, held up his hands in surrender. There were wet patches under his arms. ‘I don’t want to cause trouble.’
Naomi was repulsed. ‘The fact that you’re here causes trouble. How’ve you got the nerve to come back?’
He tried to reach out and touch her arm. Naomi pulled back. ‘Naomi, please. Let me explain.’
‘I’ve heard your explanations before, Tom.’
His voice rose. ‘It was three years ago. If you’ll give me the chance, I only want to apologise –’
‘No chance,’ she said firmly. ‘I don’t want to hear it.’
Tom snorted a couple of heavy breaths. ‘What do you want me from me?’
‘Get out and leave me alone.’
‘Fine,’ he said, throwing his arms up. ‘I’ve done my job. I’m going. For a so-called Christian, you’re not very tolerant or forgiving.’
Naomi felt her mouth drop open. She also felt two warm hands press down on each of her shoulders from behind.
Nathan’s voice, barely holding on to calm, said, ‘You watch where you’re throwing your accusations, mate.’
Tom clenched his teeth and looked at Nathan. ‘We’re trying to have a private conversation here. I’m sorry, who are you?’
Naomi found her tongue and answered for him. ‘Nathan Stone. He’s my fiancé,’ she said softly, discreetly swapping the ring onto the other hand, then shifting to Nathan’s side. She took his hand without taking her eyes off Tom. Nathan squeezed it firmly, no need for words. ‘Nathan, this is Tom Butterworth.’
‘I should have guessed.’
‘Your fiancé?’ Tom said, not quietly. ‘Since when?’
Nathan edged closer to Tom. He was a couple of inches taller and far more athletically built. ‘None of your business.’
‘Fiancé?’ came a voice behind Naomi. It was so filled with horror, Naomi didn’t recognise it.
She turned. Annabel stood hands on hips. ‘I thought I was coming to have a word with you about your boyfriend, but fiancé? What the hell?’
Naomi could feel her cheeks colouring. This was exactly the reaction she’d been dreading from Annabel.
‘Annie, I was going to tell you about us, but –’
‘But what, Naomi?’ Annabel shouted. Her stare was intense, face set tight. ‘You thought maybe you’d get him to come on to me first, so he could humiliate me and knock me back and tell me he was my twin’s boyfriend?’
‘I did not come on to you,’ Nathan intervened. ‘I asked you for a quiet word. That isn’t an invitation, Annabel. You led me into Naomi’s piano room. I just wanted the chance to properly explain that Naomi and I are together.’
‘You took my arm,’ Annabel said, forcefully.
‘I propped you up so you didn’t collapse,’ Nathan said, quietly but firmly.
‘This is priceless coming from her,’ Tom piped up, eyeing Annabel. The room hushed except for the drama going on in the centre of it. All the strength drained from Naomi. All eyes were on them. There wasn’t a hole in the floor to crawl into, but she looked for one anyway. Camilla had just returned with Lorie and Simon. ‘She did exactly the same thing with me, then blamed me for it. She’s unbelievable.’
Annabel turned her attention to Tom, the shock of seeing him registering for the first time. ‘And what the hell is he doing here?’ she yelled, pointing at him, fixing a glare. ‘How dare you tell Naomi about that?’
‘She knows. She’s always known,’ Tom yelled back. ‘She was there that night, Annabel. She heard everything.’
‘You, with Tom?’ Nathan asked Annabel. ‘How could you do that?’ He turned to Naomi. His voice softened. ‘Why didn’t you tell me it was Annabel?’
Naomi said nothing. Camilla charged forward, red-necked. She reached the scene. ‘Now, let’s sort this out calmly, and privately.’ She threw Henry a vicious look then lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Not another word in here, you four. Hear me? Follow.’
Camilla marched for the door. Tom, looking bewildered, filed behind. Naomi, still attached to Nathan, followed. It was a long ten paces. At the door, Camilla turned and paused, waiting for Annabel, who hadn’t moved. Her arms were crossed. After a wordless glare, Annabel followed too.
‘Music, Henry.’
Without speaking, Camilla led them, heels clicking, to Naomi’s large piano room, which had an assortment of chairs and a display cabinet holding music trophies and certificates. Dance music started up in the dining room. Camilla closed the door and indicated for everyone to find a seat while she remained standing. Everyone sat down. She allowed a tense silence while she eyed them all individually.
‘I’m utterly speechless,’ she eventually said, pausing to purse her lips.
‘I doubt that,’ Annabel muttered.
‘Not another word from you until you’re spoken to,’ Camilla snapped. She glared at Annabel until she looked away. Then Camilla found Tom. ‘I suspect you started this.’
‘I didn’t,’ Tom protested mildly.
Camilla cut in. ‘I should have allowed Loretta to throw you out, instead of which I gave you an opportunity and a specific instruction not to speak to either of my daughters tonight. Which part of that didn’t you understand?’
‘Knowing he was my ex-boyfriend, why did you let him stay?’ Naomi came in, voice shaky. ‘What was he even doing here in the first place?’
‘By some cruel coincidence I manag
ed to book a string quartet which included him.’
‘Or were you hoping I’d get back with him and finish with Nathan?’ Naomi asked.
‘Of course not,’ Camilla said, outraged. ‘After what happened with Tom, I knew there was no chance of that.’
‘How do you know what happened?’ Annabel said, despite the warning.
Camilla’s neck glowed. She paused. ‘Naomi’s diary.’
‘What?’ Annabel and Naomi yelled in unison. They were incapable of any more.
The word hung a while until Tom spoke. ‘Look, Mrs Hamilton, can I just say, Naomi saw me tonight, or I’d have left without speaking to her. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I only wanted to apologise.’
‘You accused her of being intolerant and unforgiving,’ Nathan said. ‘How’s that an apology?’
‘That was after she told me where to stick my apology and told me to get out. For ages, I’ve wanted to say sorry, and – ’
‘Yeah right,’ Naomi said. ‘How about, “I don’t do guilt.” Those words sound familiar to you, Tom?’
‘You forget that she was there too,’ Tom said, hurling an outstretched arm and finger at Annabel.
Annabel, head down, said nothing.
‘You’re wrong,’ Naomi shouted, surprising herself. ‘I’ve spent every minute trying to forget that fact, and I can’t.’
Naomi’s voice cracked on the final two words. Nathan stood and pulled Naomi to her feet. He put his arms around her and Naomi leant into his chest and collapsed into tears. Her sobbing was the only sound.
‘Naomi, you are embarrassing yourself. Pull yourself together,’ Camilla hissed.
‘Can’t you see she has a right to be upset?’ Nathan asked, impatiently. ‘She was worried about tonight when she should have been looking forward to it. I promised her everything would be OK. Then he shows up, her sister gets too friendly with me and she isn’t even allowed to be upset about it.’
‘I’ve never been so disrespected,’ Camilla said.
‘I didn’t get too friendly with you,’ Annabel screamed.
‘You tried to kiss me, remember?’ Nathan told Annabel under his breath.
‘You wanted me to.’
‘No, I didn’t.’ Nathan looked away from Annabel and switched his attention to Camilla. ‘If you want to be respected, it has to be two-way,’ he said more calmly. ‘I’m sorry, but there has to be consistency. You’ve been against us from the start and you’ve shown me no respect at all, which has upset Naomi more than anything that’s happened tonight.’
‘How dare you,’ Camilla said.
‘I hate this family,’ Annabel yelled, standing up. ‘You’re such a hypocrite, Mother. This is crap – all of it. I’m sick of taking the blame for everything around here. Shall we all stop pretending, just for once?’
‘Don’t you speak to me –’
‘I’ll speak to you any way I want because I’m a person too. Disown me if you want. I’m leaving anyway,’ Annabel screamed, the veins on her neck bulging. ‘How much was Naomi’s piano?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘We came in here, me and him,’ Annabel yelled, jabbing a thumb in Nathan’s direction. ‘We both knew why. He went to the piano and played a couple of notes and said that he’d never realised a piano could cost forty-five grand. I told him it was only fifteen, like my car. He told me Naomi had said it was forty-five thousand. So, let’s have the truth.’
Nathan pulled away from Naomi and looked at her. ‘I’m sorry, I assumed she knew.’
‘You assume too much,’ Camilla said.
‘So do you,’ Annabel bellowed at Camilla. ‘Everything’s secretive in this house because nobody is honest. No one’s allowed to be, and everyone’s miserable because of it,’ Annabel assaulted Camilla with her eyes.
‘Naomi needed an excellent instrument –’
‘Fine,’ Annabel screamed, ‘I get it. Why didn’t you just say so instead of trying to pretend you were treating us equally when you never have? Naomi’s the golden girl. It’s Naomi this, Naomi that. No one is good enough for Naomi. You’re treating him like he’s stolen the crown jewels or something,’ she said, throwing her arm in Nathan’s direction again. ‘Naomi’s the most talented person in the whole world. If only I was more like Naomi, I might have a chance of being successful in my life. You even prefer Lorie to me,’ she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. ‘I’ve had it my whole life. The only way I can deal with it is to pretend I don’t care. Well, I’m done with pretending.’
Annabel broke down and couldn’t carry on. She buried her head in her hands. It was Naomi who went to try and comfort her. ‘Annie, I’m sorry.’
Annabel pushed her away and looked at her, ice-blue eyes streaming. ‘About what, Naomi? About being Mum’s favourite? About everyone being so disappointed in me because I can’t ever measure up to you?’ She paused. ‘I’m sorry I kissed him three years ago,’ she said, gesturing at Tom. ‘I was young and stupid and thought I could prove to myself, just once, that I could have what you had. I felt horrible about it straight after. But I swear, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near him tonight if I’d known you were together.’ She threw a dark glance at Nathan. ‘Why didn’t you just tell me? Why didn’t any of you just tell me?’
Naomi covered her eyes with one hand. ‘I thought you’d think I wasn’t good enough for him. I’ve always felt inferior to you.’
Despite the tears, Annabel laughed, then cried harder. ‘See what you’ve done to us, Mother, by trying to control our lives and mould us into the perfect daughters, you’ve only succeeded in screwing us up.’
‘No,’ Camilla said, some uncertainty creeping into her tone. ‘I’ve sacrificed everything for you girls.’
‘You’ve manipulated us,’ Annabel said, throwing her arms up wildly, letting them crash down. ‘Me and Naomi are finally managing some honesty, and you’re still deluded.’
‘Annie, that’s unfair,’ Naomi said, gently. ‘Mum only wants the best for us, you have to see that.’
‘Does she?’ Annabel said. ‘Then why don’t you share your wonderful news? I’m sure she’ll be ecstatic.’
‘Annie, please,’ Naomi said.
‘If she wants the best for us, then why are you so afraid of her?’ Annabel said. ‘Go on and tell her what I found out before she walked in. I’ve still got a few things to pack before I can get out of here.’ She looked at Camilla. ‘Sell my car and keep the money. I don’t want anything from you.’
Annabel staggered to the door, opened it, slammed it shut behind her. Camilla, who’d lost the ability to speak, didn’t move. No one spoke. Tom, the only one still sitting, stood and muttered something about needing to leave. He apologised again on his way through the door. Camilla set her stare on Nathan and Naomi until Nathan spoke up.
‘We’re engaged.’
All Camilla’s features seemed to open in alarm. There was another long silence.
‘Since when?’
‘Tonight,’ Nathan said.
‘Are you pregnant, Naomi?’ Camilla asked in a small voice as if all the air had been sucked from her.
Naomi shook her head. ‘I’ve told you we’ve never slept together.’
‘Then why?’
Naomi looked at Camilla in her chiffon gown, standing, head low, almost bowed. Her fight had gone. Naomi was seized by a sickening mixture of heaviness and sadness and couldn’t answer.
Nathan took Naomi in his arms again and rested his chin on her head. ‘Because we’re adults and we love each other and we won’t be told we can’t be together. I’d prefer to have your approval, but with or without it, I’m determined to make her very happy.’
19
CAPTIVITY
After hours of fits of rain, Naomi became conscious, suddenly, that it had stopped. The incessant pattering at the window had abated, leaving a kind of damp and heavy silence. Dan was slumped beside her on the sofa where they’d spent the night in senseless exchanges, Dan never able to reach the point
or answer the questions Naomi had asked about Nathan. He wouldn’t explain why he’d collaborated with another man to take her at knifepoint to a cemetery before bringing her to a beautiful cottage in the back of beyond. She hadn’t concluded if he’d meant to kill her and changed his mind, or if a well-laid plan had gone wrong. Dan’s mood was unpredictable. He was agitated and upset. She didn’t feel to push him.
For hours, he’d communicated by muttering fragments of information, which she was now trying to piece together. She was certain about only a few things: that Nathan was in terrible trouble and that Dan was terrified about it and had not known what to do but run and hide, taking Naomi with him. Nothing added up. He’d stare at her at times with his wild eyes and ask, ‘Don’t you see?’ She didn’t, and was forced to admit it, which only aggravated him more. Dan would revert to holding his head and crying. It had been a bizarre few hours and Naomi was filled with a horrible sense of foreboding. What am I not understanding here? That Dan was not in his right mind was the clearest thing, which was, in itself, a huge and immediate problem.
As the first morning light penetrated the closed curtains of the dim little sitting room, making the lamplight less effective, Naomi was feeling a growing urgency to get away from Dan. She came to her senses, having been utterly lost in rambling thickets of thought, and realised he’d gone quiet. She slowly sat up and studied him, head dropped back against the sofa. Dan had drifted into sleep. His face didn’t look peaceful or rested. It looked as though his expression, retaining the subject of their last conversation, had frozen and his eyelids had closed. He reminded her so much of Nathan.
Naomi stood carefully. Dan didn’t move. His mouth was shut, but he was inhaling deep breaths through his nose. His chest was heaving steadily, fingers locked loosely across his body. Naomi moved noiselessly to the door, which was slightly open. She took hold of it and opened it just far enough to slip through. She paused in the hall to listen, chest drumming a heavy beat, which she was sure would rouse Dan. The only other sound was the slower pulse of a ticking clock, which she found on the wall beside the front door, brass pendulum swinging rhythmically beneath. It was almost quarter to seven.
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