by Minna Howard
Alegria, caught sight of him. She leapt up and ran to him. ‘Oh, Jean Claude, vous etre en avance. Early.’ She embraced him.
Matt, after watching the scene for a moment, got up from the table and went over to them. They heard him say quietly to Alegria. ‘Could you introduce us, please?’
‘He’s a friend, don’t be so protective, and I was just going to.’
‘Bonsoir, Jean Claude.’ The man gave a little bow in Matt’s direction.
‘I’m ready to go. Night, everyone.’ She took Jean Claude’s arm and turned to go.
Matt, out of his depth, hovered a moment. ‘Don’t be late,’ he said.
‘I’m no longer a child, I can do what I like, Uncle Matt,’ Alegria said, pulling Jean Claude through the door and away.
‘I’m sure she’ll be fine, Matt, though perhaps he’s a little old for her. Though remember she’s been alone in Italy for over a year so she must have got used to leading her own life,’ Susie said, though she sounded worried. ‘I just hope she doesn’t take after her mother,’ Flora heard her say quietly to him.
The episode seemed to leave a damper on the evening and soon people started to turn in.
Xavier had gone to put Laurie to bed leaving Flora feeling lost. If only Hugo would contact her so that she would know that he was safe.
32
Xavier put Laurie to bed; he was over tired now and fractious, saying his knee hurt, which it probably did, though they had soaked it in the bath and the wound didn’t look too deep. It was important that he spoke to his mother but it always made him want to be with her and he would endlessly question Xavier as to why they were not all living together in the same house. And though he’d done his best to explain, Laurie never really understood.
He was quite hot, Xavier thought, as he hurried him into his pyjamas. He should have gone to bed sooner but they’d had supper late and he’d been happy with Alegria until that man had turned up and spirited her away. Also, the heat of the day was still lingering in the shadows. Xavier read to him, the two of them lying side by side on the double bed and later, when he came to bed himself, he’d lift him into the small single one.
‘I wish Mum was here.’ Laurie’s voice was petulant, interrupting the story. ‘When can I see her? Can I ring her now?’
‘You’ve spoken to her already this evening and it’s too late now, we’ll ring her first thing in the morning,’ Xavier said. It was past eleven, they would disturb the household and with Mike so ill that would not be right. This he tried to explain but Laurie wept and said he’d forgotten to tell her something when she’d rung earlier. Xavier held him close, struggling to soothe him until at last, worn out by his day, he fell asleep in his father’s arms.
Feeling restless now himself, he decided to go for a short walk before he turned in. He crept out of his room leaving Laurie in his bed.
There were a few subdued lights left on in the garden, mostly round the pool. The far edges, round the perimeter, were much darker, just a few lights from the path outside the property casting a ghostly glow. The garden was deserted as everyone else had gone to their rooms. He found the small side door from the villa to the garden unlocked, which did not surprise him because no one came this far along the path at night. If thieves were looking for rich pickings there were plenty of other places to choose from that were easier to get to.
He walked across the grass skirting the pool and the summerhouse where Alegria slept. He heard a movement and stopped, listening, a slight frisson of fear making him cautious. Alegria was surely still out and all looked quiet from Eadie and Serge’s campervan parked on the drive behind him.
He stood still, peering out at the pale haze coming from the few lights in the lane outside the garden. He was certain there was someone there. He waited, clenching his fists, ready for anything, then Flora came through the gate and almost bumped into him.
‘Oh,’ she jumped, her hand to her heart. ‘I thought… I just wanted to get out of my room, have some air… and you scared me.’
‘You scared me,’ he said, relief flowing through him. ‘Where have you been?’
‘I couldn’t sleep, felt sort of closed in with my worries. I just thought I’d go for a walk but it’s so quiet along there it spooked me so I came back.’
They were not touching but he could feel her fear.
‘Well, bed time now,’ she said. ‘It’s long past midnight. Where are you going?’
‘A walk like you. Laurie took ages to settle. I felt like some fresh air.’ He put out his hand and took hers, holding it in both of his own. He waited for her to make some inane remark and pull away, but she did not.
‘So you haven’t tracked down Hugo?’ he heard himself ask. The night wrapped round them, giving them a sort of anonymity, a cover for confidences.
She said, ‘No, I don’t know if he’s decided to leave me, not wanting to be with me alone without the girls, or… well, he’s…’ She sighed. ‘I’m furious with him for thinking he’s the only one missing our daughters. I feel it’s so selfish of him not to share his feelings with me.’
‘It certainly is.’ He let go of her hand, reaching out in the dark for her. And then she was in his arms and they were kissing, deep passionate kisses. He felt desire rise in him like a whirlwind, echoed in her. He pulled her into the trees and they lay down on the sun baked ground in the dark, tearing at each other’s clothes and it felt so right to be together at last. Then they heard Matt calling. He was in the garden with a torch.
‘Xavier, are you out here?’ He came towards the gate. ‘Laurie’s ill…’ He went out into the lane.
Laurie ill. It was like a bolt of icy water. ‘Sorry, my darling, I must go.’ He pulled on his clothes and jumped up, giving her one last kiss and ran out on to the lawn, where he almost bumped into Matt.
‘Ah, there you are. Susie and Didi are with him, he’s been dreadfully sick, poor little boy.’ He put a hand on Xavier’s shoulder. ‘I think the worst is over, but he wants you. Were you having a walk?’
‘Yes, just so hot,’ he said, rushing past him into the villa and down to his room. It reeked of vomit and there was a pile of bedclothes on the floor. Didi was putting on clean sheets while Susie held Laurie on her knee. He was lying back against her, wan and listless.
‘Dad, you went, you weren’t there.’ Tears ran down his cheeks.
He almost snatched him from Susie’s arms, guilt thumping like a drum inside him. ‘I thought you were asleep, I… I went for a little walk, I’m so sorry. What happened?’ He turned to Susie.
‘I heard him crying, screaming really, he’d been sick everywhere, but I think he’s better now. He was in your bed, but we’ve changed the sheets and his pyjamas, I’ll put everything in the machine now.’ She bent down and picked up the dirty sheets. ‘Don’t give him anything to eat, just little sips of water and we’ll see how he is in the morning. I don’t think it’s serious, just too much heat and excitement.’ She stroked Laurie’s head as she passed.
‘Poor fellow, I’m here now, I wasn’t far away.’ He should have stayed with Laurie; he’d been tired and grumpy, no doubt feeling ill but not making it clear to him. How ill was he? Xavier was consumed by fear, Laurie had never been ill while with him. But at least Susie didn’t seem worried about it.
‘I want Mum,’ Laurie said, breaking his heart, making his guilt twist tighter. Darcy would probably have guessed he wasn’t well and stayed with him.
Susie left with the sheets and Didi said. ‘Dad’s here now, you’ll feel far better in the morning.’ A mother of three, she smiled at him before she too, left the room. ‘It’s probably the heat, being in a new place, different food, nothing serious.’
Flora appeared in the passage outside his room, hovering a little as if unsure of how to deal with the situation. ‘How is he?’ Her voice was concerned, her face anxious. She came into the room and in that moment, Xavier realised Matt and Susie knew that he and Flora had been in each other’s arms, moments from making lov
e.
No one said anything, they didn’t need to, but Flora left the room quickly and scurried back to her own.
33
Flora shut the door behind her, threw herself down on the bed and wept. Wherever was Hugo and why had he not contacted her, leaving her here alone? She could still feel Xavier’s arms round her, his body, his kisses bringing back that summer when they had fallen in love, the first time she had felt so deeply, so passionately for anyone.
After raging against fate for putting her in such a position she calmed down though she was suffused with guilt that Laurie had been sick and left calling hopelessly for his father, who was in the garden out of earshot in a passionate clinch with her.
These things happened, small children were often sick and soon recovered, but she and Xavier should not have fallen so passionately upon each other like that. She was a married woman and should not have let it happen. There was something about the dark that tricked you into forgetting your real life. She and Xavier still loved, or anyway lusted after, each other just as they had all those years ago. But life had changed and moved on, so until and unless she was free of her marriage, she was wrong to make love to him.
She was filled with shame, wondering how Susie and Matt would deal with it.
‘If I had known about your past relationship with Xavier I would not have asked you both here together,’ Susie had said. Would she now expect one or both of them to leave? Would it be possible with their passion for each other still unrequited to stay on here at the villa, without embarrassment for the rest of the party? And then when… if Hugo returned, (though surely he would, even just to collect his beloved shoes) what would happen then? And more important than all of this was Laurie, a small, nervous boy, missing his mother, dropped into a situation he couldn’t possibly understand.
She took out her mobile and sent Hugo another text.
If you don’t get in touch with me by tomorrow evening, I’m going home.
She savagely pressed send.
She fell asleep at last, tossing and turning, her thoughts in turmoil. Wild thoughts churned through her head. If Hugo returned should she tell him of her feelings for Xavier, or keep quiet?
She slept late, jumping out of bed in a hurry, remembering that Tom was coming this morning to see Eadie’s pictures. She felt heavy headed and stood under a cold shower to buck herself up. In the daylight, her feelings calmed. She’d do nothing and say nothing of her feelings for Xavier while she was here in the villa. When they both went back to their real lives they’d probably discover that it was just a fleeting thing, a sort of holiday romance.
There was an air of excitement round the breakfast table when she joined them. Most people had finished eating but when they saw her, Dido said eagerly, ‘So do you know when your boss is coming to see Eadie’s pictures?’
‘Around ten,’ Flora said. It was now half past nine. Eadie and Serge were not there, nor were Xavier and Laurie, but everyone else was, some lingering over coffee or sitting close by, but all were expecting a bit of excitement.
‘In half an hour,’ Susie said. ‘I had better go and see that they are up.’ She left the table and went over to the campervan.
‘Would it not be better to have all the pictures out of the van, like when Serge photographed them?’ Sylvia asked.
Alegria appeared looking sleepy. ‘What’s up?’ She sensed the mood.
‘Flora’s boss is coming to see Eadie’s pictures,’ Sylvia said, adding brightly, ‘did you have a good time out?’
‘Not really.’ Alegria turned away. ‘Well, I’d better spruce myself up then.’ She went back inside.
Sylvia said, ‘I’ll go and feed the cat.’
‘How are the kittens getting on?’ Flora asked.
‘Fine, she’s managing to feed them. I think she must have been abandoned and got herself into trouble. I wish I could take them all home.’ Sylvia glanced at Martha.
Martha laughed. ‘No. No more cats, you promised.’ She turned to Flora. ‘She has four already and they have to go to a cat home when we go away which costs almost more than our own holiday. Someone might claim them, you never know.’
An elderly dark blue Bentley with its hood down turned into the drive. Everyone sat staring.
‘He’s early.’ Flora jumped up and ran over the lawn to greet him. It was a good sign Tom must be interested. If he hadn’t been, he would have wandered in when it suited him, probably just to please her or because he was bored.
He looked wonderful. He was in his fifties but appeared far younger, his blond hair curled into his neck and he was tanned which made his blue eyes seem even bluer. He got out and kissed Flora. ‘So, where are they?’ He smiled, and seeing the rest of the party trailing over the grass to greet him, said, ‘Lovely to see you all. Now which one is the artist?’
He glanced round them all, taking in the campervan from which Susie, Serge and Eadie now emerged. Eadie was tarted up in a long purple dress as if she was the one on show not her pictures.
Flora introduced him. She was used to women’s first reaction to Tom. Alegria, now dressed in a short pink dress over her bikini hovered beside them like a beautiful bird. Tom smiled her way, but he was faithful to his beloved Kenley, the two of them had been an item for years.
Eadie, shy now, said, ‘Oh my, what a car. That would do us, wouldn’t it, Serge?’ She touched his arm as if to gather courage. ‘I do hope you haven’t come far to see my work, but Flora said…’
‘My dear,’ Tom clasped her hand, ‘I trust Flora’s judgement, and I’m impatient to see these paintings. Now, where are you hiding them?’
‘They are in the van. We were going to bring them out,’ Eadie said.
‘Let me see them in situ and we’ll bring out the ones that interest me,’ Tom said, throwing a glance at Flora.
‘Is that all right, Eadie?’ Flora asked her, thinking perhaps she and Serge did not want him to go inside the van.
‘Of course,’ Eadie said, and then in a stage whisper to Flora. ‘We’ve been cleaning and tidying since six.’
Tom went inside the van and stood in silence surveying the pictures crammed around him. Eadie, nervous now that Tom would not like them, went back outside to stand close to Serge. Flora took her place beside Tom. She’d learnt early on that he saw what he wanted to see, and hated people drawing his attention to things.
Tom began to point at some of them. ‘Can we get that one out, and that one and the two over the door?’
Flora, used to Tom’s ways, called to Serge and began to take them down and hand them to him.
‘Right, let’s look at them more carefully,’ Tom said.
Serge laid them all on the tarpaulin just as he had when he’d photographed them. Tom spent a long time now studying each one.
Flora was very aware of Xavier. Laurie looked pale, but with the resilience of youth, was easily distracted by the pictures coming out again and, more importantly, the Bentley.
Xavier suggested they go and have breakfast and leave Tom to his work, and Laurie, with a last look at the Bentley, reluctantly went with him.
Some of the others began to drift away too, including Alegria, who, Flora thought, seemed rather subdued. Matt, Didi and Tony seemed fascinated by the array of pictures. They stayed, silently watching the process.
Eadie seemed to be struck dumb though Flora could see how anxious she was. Serge had his arm round her.
Tom put down the last picture and turned to her.
‘I think they are wonderful, Eadie. You have a great talent, a freshness about your work that seems to be sadly lacking today. I’d like to have them for an exhibition next year.’ He glanced at Flora. ‘Flora will know what dates are free, so we’ll sort it out when she gets back.’
‘Oh… thank you, thank you.’ Eadie spluttered, looking shell-shocked and Flora guessed she’d thought this all a great charade and that this gallery owner from London would just laugh in her face.
‘How exciting,’ Didi enthused. �
�Let us know the date and we’ll all come to the opening night.’
Matt said. ‘It’s wonderful, Eadie, you’re a hidden genius.’
Tom said. ‘One or two of them need a little more work. This background here is rushed, and the arm of that person looks like a stick. Can you work on those for me?’ He smiled at her. ‘Nothing major, just sharpen them up a bit and while you’re at it, that sky is a bit slapdash.’
Eadie was now in control of herself. ‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I’ll get down to it at once, sorry.’ She apologised like a child hauled up for shoddy homework.
Tom laughed. ‘You are very talented and I look forward to working with you, Eadie. You did these for your own amusement but now you’re moving into being professional and that raises the bar a bit.’ He touched her shoulder. ‘They are wonderful, free and uncompromising, and it will be my pleasure to work with you.’
Flora, who’d worked with him for a long time, had always admired the way Tom spoke to each artist and he’d been perfect with Eadie, putting her at ease.
Tom asked Eadie. ‘Do you live out here?’
‘No, we have a little house near Brighton but we travel a lot. We are on our way to Italy.’
‘I see. Will you be coming back to the UK?’
‘We will be back in plenty of time for the exhibition,’ Serge said, ‘when we know the dates.’
When at last Tom had driven away with a couple of pictures to show Kenley, Alegria, who joined the crowd to see him off, said wistfully. ‘Why are gay men so much more attractive than straight ones? It’s so unfair.’
‘What’s gay?’ Laurie piped up, chewing on a piece of baguette while he watched the Bentley leave.
‘Happy,’ his father said quickly.
34
Now that the excitement of Tom coming to see her pictures was over, Eadie was fired up with a fever of industry, determined to set off with Serge in the campervan to find more paints to touch up her pictures.
Flora felt a bit flat once he had gone. She thought of the text she’d sent Hugo in pique last night, saying she’d go home if she didn’t hear from him today and though she’d meant it at the time, she knew now that she would not carry out her threat.