A Rose Petal Summer

by Katie Fforde

  ‘Apart from your beautiful hair!’ wailed Skye.

  Caro went into the kitchen. She felt very in the way with all this melodrama going on. She burrowed in her cupboard for some peppermint tea. She thought it would be soothing and she wanted to disguise the fact they’d already had wine. When she’d put the kettle on, she got out the whisky and some glasses. From a hostess point of view, she was ready for anything.

  Skye was still obsessed with her daughter’s new look. ‘You may think you are all right, darling, but how can you be?’ Skye’s gaze swept the barge with a look that expected to find Sodom and Gomorrah.

  ‘Can I offer anyone any refreshment?’ said Caro, aware she sounded like a character from The Archers – Jill Archer, probably. ‘The kettle’s boiled, or there’s whisky. Or wine.’

  ‘Have you been giving my daughter alcohol? May I remind you she’s only seventeen?’

  Having Skye’s furious beauty turned on her was not pleasant, especially as Caro was aware she had let Rowan have wine, just minutes before. However, Caro was determined to remain calm. ‘I’m just offering you a drink after a long journey. There’s no need for you to get aerated about it, Skye.’

  ‘I don’t know how you can talk like that when you think of the harm you’ve put my daughter in!’ Skye obviously hadn’t made a resolution to stay calm.

  ‘What danger?’ said Caro, pouring whisky into two glasses and handing one to Alec. She then put a peppermint teabag into a mug, added water and gave it to Skye. She obviously did not want alcohol at that particular moment.

  ‘This!’ said Skye triumphantly.

  Her tone made Caro look up. Skye was brandishing a copy of a newspaper.

  ‘What’s that?’ asked Rowan.

  ‘It’s a picture of you! In the papers! In a very compromising position!’

  Caro suddenly felt faint. What had Rowan and Scarlet been up to when she thought they were buying clothes and cupcakes? ‘Can I see that?’

  Reluctantly, Skye handed over the paper. It was her trump card and she didn’t really want anyone else to get hold of it. But she probably realised they needed to see for themselves the ghastliness within its pages.

  The paper was folded to the relevant page and Caro took it, her hand shaking. She felt overcome with guilt. She’d been in loco parentis and something had happened to Rowan.

  It took Caro a few moments to work out what she was looking at and then she realised it was a photograph of Scarlet and David, but she and Rowan were in the picture too. It must have been taken when they were coming out of Selfridges, when they first met. The caption read: ‘Who’s the beauty with golden couple David Callaghan and Scarlet Lloyd? No one knows but it can’t remain a secret long. This sort of loveliness must belong to a star of the future.’

  Caro lowered the paper and Rowan snatched it.

  ‘It was taken when we were shopping,’ said Rowan. ‘But there weren’t any paps there.’

  Alec had hold of the paper now. ‘It was probably taken on someone’s phone,’ he said. ‘And sent to the paper.’

  ‘I don’t care who took the picture!’ said Skye, her voice still pitched several notes higher than usual. ‘I am just appalled that my daughter should be in the paper as if she were a – a—’

  The right word eluded her and Alec broke in. ‘An extremely beautiful young woman?’

  ‘She may be beautiful’ – Skye turned on Alec as if he were personally responsible for this disaster – ‘but she should not know the meaning of the word “paps” in this context.’

  ‘For goodness’ sake, she’s not a child,’ snapped Alec, losing patience.

  ‘I don’t think there’s anything to worry about in this picture,’ said Caro. ‘We were in a department store – a perfectly decent public place.’

  ‘So I should hope!’ said Skye, just shy of a shriek. ‘But why were people taking your photograph?’

  Rowan broke in, possibly trying to protect Caro from her mother’s spectacular wrath. ‘Only because we were with David and Scarlet—’

  Skye turned on her daughter. ‘You know these people? The “golden couple” the newspaper talked about?’

  Skye made inverted commas with her fingers and suddenly Caro wanted to hit her. ‘They’re an extremely nice couple we happened to meet,’ she said. ‘Now, Skye, why don’t you sit down and have something to drink? You must be tired.’ She was about to offer her use of the bathroom but realised Scarlet might still be in there. If she had any sense, she’d stay there until Skye had left.

  ‘I think you are making a huge fuss over nothing,’ said Alec, who’d taken the paper. ‘As I said on the plane, there’s nothing remotely indecent about any of this.’

  Aware that those words were more likely to enrage Skye further, rather can calm her down, Caro almost pushed Skye into a seat. ‘Of course you’re worried: your daughter has been away from home for the first time. But please let me set your mind at rest. She’s always been perfectly safe and with an adult, ever since I joined her here on the barge.’ She handed Skye the peppermint tea, trusting it wasn’t so hot it would scald her.

  ‘But who are the adults?’ Skye took a sip from the mug and seemed to relax just a tiny bit.

  ‘Me, her father or—’

  ‘Scarlet’s really lovely!’ said Rowan. ‘She bought me this top.’

  ‘And is she responsible for the desecration of your beautiful hair?’ said Skye.

  ‘No, that was me,’ said Caro, not thinking properly for a second. ‘I mean, Rowan had cut it herself but I took her to the hairdresser afterwards.’

  Skye didn’t seem to have heard the bit about Rowan cutting it herself. ‘You!’ She put down her mug so she could point at Caro, something Caro absolutely hated. ‘You had my daughter’s hair cut! I have never cut my daughter’s hair. I’m going to sue you for damages – damage to my daughter. It’s an abuse!’

  ‘No it’s not!’ said Rowan. ‘I cut my hair. It’s my hair. I can do what I like with it. I had made rather a mess of it so Caro took me to someone who made it look OK.’ Rowan seemed crushed suddenly. ‘I thought it looked quite nice.’

  ‘It’s beautiful, chicken,’ said Alec. ‘You’re beautiful.’

  ‘And it makes her vulnerable!’ declared Skye, who then sat back and drank some more tea, exhausted by outrage and budget air travel.

  Caro didn’t know what to do to calm this situation. While in many ways Skye was being unreasonable, in fact Rowan was a bit vulnerable. She was young and naïve and, yes, beautiful. Caro’s last little bit of hope that she might, in the end, be able to go to France with Alec faded. She had to stay in London for Rowan’s sake.

  ‘Mum?’ Rowan had seated herself next to Skye. ‘I know you only want the best for me. I really get that. But the best for me right now is to be here, in London.’

  Alec was holding a glass of whisky, staring into it, but not actually drinking it.

  ‘Why?’ asked Skye. ‘Why isn’t your life in one of the most beautiful parts of the world enough for you?’

  ‘I need to broaden my horizons.’ Rowan was obviously using an expression she’d heard someone else use. (Caro suspected Scarlet.) ‘Not just run around surrounded by wildlife and amazing scenery, although of course I do love that. But actual people, shops, theatres, cinemas, exhibitions.’ She paused. ‘I’m a teenager, Mum. We need those things too.’

  ‘I thought I’d brought you up not to be materialistic,’ said Skye.

  ‘I don’t think wanting to go to the movies counts as being materialistic,’ said Alec mildly.

  ‘Don’t you butt in!’ Skye snapped. ‘You’re an absent father most of the time!’

  Alec inhaled sharply and then clenched his teeth. Caro could see him trying hard not to throw this comment back at his ex-wife. She was absent a lot of the time too, doing yoga and other esoteric activities with her clients.

  ‘I do think Rowan’s upbringing so far has made her one of the sweetest girls imaginable,’ said Caro. ‘And also one of the mo
st sensible. Really, she’s not dazzled by London, she just wants to take advantage of the good things it has to offer.’

  Caro was proud of this little statement. It may have sounded a bit like copy for an ad for the capital, but for something she hadn’t thought out previously, it was quite good.

  ‘You mean like drugs? Alcohol? Knife crime? Sex?’ Skye raised a sceptical eyebrow in Caro’s direction.

  Caro sighed and tried again. ‘I did specify the good things, Skye. Rowan’s shown no interest in any of those other things.’

  ‘You know my daughter better than I do, I suppose?’

  Caro wanted to groan. ‘No! But I have seen her in the West End. I know she’s not into drugs and things.’

  ‘You’ve exposed to her to them, just to find out?’ Skye really had sarcasm down to a fine art. ‘I hardly think taking her to a department store is much of a test.’

  ‘Enough, Skye,’ said Alec. ‘Caro has been incredibly kind to our daughter. Please be polite, at least.’

  ‘Dad’s right, you know,’ said Rowan. ‘Caro has been really kind and she’s made sure I haven’t got into trouble. She’s explained where I shouldn’t go and things.’

  Skye sighed heavily. ‘Very well, I apologise if I’ve been rude.’

  No ‘if’ about it, thought Caro. ‘Look, I do understand about having a teenage daughter. In my experience, they’re always a lot more sensible than you think they’re going to be.’

  She sat down opposite Skye and Rowan, wondering if she could fetch her wine from the kitchen without making Skye think she was a complete alcoholic. ‘So, how’s Murdo?’

  ‘He’s probably going to be fine. Lennie has completely taken over, as usual, and he won’t hear of taking anything that isn’t utterly toxic. And that includes whisky.’ She indicated Alec as she said this.

  Then she moved in her seat and turned her full attention on Rowan.

  ‘So,’ she said, ‘who is this starlet you seem to have taken up with?’

  ‘That would be me,’ said Scarlet, who had obviously been picking her moment to enter the saloon. ‘I’m the starlet – whatever that means.’

  Chapter Ten

  Both Skye and Alec seemed hypnotised by the vision that emerged from the door to the accommodation. Caro gripped Rowan’s hand, silently warning her not to speak, and to trust Scarlet to say the right things.

  Scarlet went up to Skye. ‘You must be Rowan’s mother? I can see where she gets her looks from, and her sweet nature too, I guess.’ She smiled.

  Skye found her voice. ‘You’re the woman in the photograph.’ It was a statement but Caro knew that soon it would become an accusation.

  ‘Scarlet Lloyd.’ She put out a hand, found Skye’s and shook it. ‘And I’m afraid I and my fiancé David are the reason Rowan was photographed. We’d only just met Caro and Rowan or we’d have been more careful.’

  ‘Why were you photographed?’ asked Alec, who obviously didn’t read the right magazines to keep abreast of current celebrities.

  ‘Oh, it’s very boring!’ said Scarlet with a gesture. ‘It’s because David is really famous and we’re engaged and there’s an age gap. Some people just don’t have enough to do with their lives.’ She sighed.

  ‘Scarlet, what would you like to drink? Tea? Wine?’

  ‘Wine please,’ said Scarlet, and sat down.

  Skye, no longer so stunned by Scarlet’s entrance, began to look suspicious. ‘Why were you hiding in that cupboard?’

  Caro answered. ‘She wasn’t hiding or in a cupboard, she came a few minutes before you did and had gone to the accommodation at the front of the barge. Would you like me to show you?’

  Skye looked at Caro. ‘Why would I want to look at the bedrooms?’

  ‘I was thinking of the bathroom, actually, in case you wanted to freshen up after your flight?’ said Caro. Privately she was hoping that Skye’s lack of interest in the bedrooms meant she wasn’t expecting to stay but as Caro had had no idea she was coming, she had no idea what Skye’s plans were. Was there an overnight bag left upstairs in the wheelhouse? She might have to go and have a look.

  ‘I’m not a child,’ said Skye. ‘If I need the bathroom I’ll find it.’

  Caro intercepted a look of irritation sent to Skye by Alec. She found it comforting. She glanced up at the old ship’s clock fixed to the wall. Soon she’d have to think about feeding these people. The alternative, which was to tell them all to go away, didn’t seem to be viable.

  ‘So, Skye,’ said Scarlet, ‘why have you come here? Is it to visit to Caro on her wonderful barge?’

  She did sound a bit like an American newscaster on breakfast television, Caro had to admit, but she was so grateful to Scarlet for making conversation in these difficult circumstances, she wasn’t going to criticise, even in her head.

  ‘I am here’, said Skye, full of dignity and drama, ‘to take my daughter home!’

  ‘This evening?’ Scarlet was surprised.

  ‘Yes! In fact – Rowan? Get your things together. We’re going!’

  ‘But you can’t possibly take her home,’ said Scarlet. ‘She has an interview next week with a very prestigious art school.’

  ‘Rowan isn’t going to art school,’ said Skye. ‘She has a raw, natural talent and it isn’t going to be interfered with by anyone else’s idea of what art is!’

  ‘She certainly has talent,’ Scarlet agreed. ‘But even the best talent has to be nurtured.’

  ‘Not the point,’ said Skye. ‘She’s far too young to go to art school.’

  ‘She is,’ Scarlet acknowledged, ‘but this is a preliminary interview to see if Rowan is good enough to apply for next year. She’s lacking a lot of the qualifications that are normally necessary, owing to her – how did they put it? – “unconventional education”.’

  ‘I really need to have this interview, Mum,’ Rowan said urgently. ‘Either that or take about ten exams before next year.’

  Rowan was exaggerating, but she may well have to take a few GCSEs in something other than art, Caro realised.

  ‘Why don’t you stay, and go with her to the interview?’ said Caro, trusting Skye wouldn’t need to be on the barge with her, should she say yes.

  ‘I couldn’t possibly! I have a tantric yoga group booked for next week. I need to be at home.’ Skye appeared to be insulted just by the suggestion.

  ‘I don’t want to go on my own, Mum! And Dad can’t – he’s got to go to France. He’s going to recreate a special perfume for Scarlet. It’s his big chance!’

  ‘I don’t think your father’s little hobby should be allowed to get in the way of your education.’ Skye directed a sarcastic smile in the direction of her ex-husband.

  Caro was convinced that Skye would never have considered Rowan’s interview important if it hadn’t given her an opportunity to have a dig at Alec.

  ‘It’s not a hobby!’ said Rowan. ‘This perfume is going to be completely unique. It’ll probably make him lots of money!’

  ‘Not really, sweetheart.’ Alec shot Scarlet an embarrassed glance. ‘The money isn’t really the point.’

  ‘Typical of you, Alec. You never do anything for money,’ Skye snapped.

  ‘But Skye’ – Caro couldn’t stop herself – ‘I thought you abhorred materialism, money, things like that?’

  ‘There’s a difference between having values and allowing your family to starve because you can’t earn enough money to keep them!’ Skye’s eyes sparkled with righteous indignation. It was a look that suited her.

  ‘That’s fine,’ said Scarlet to Alec. She turned back to Skye. ‘I’ll take Rowan to the interview.’

  Caro stopped herself breaking in to say she would take Rowan. If Skye let Scarlet do it, she might still get to France.

  ‘But she can’t stay here alone,’ said Skye.

  ‘I won’t be alone,’ said Rowan, ‘there’ll be Scarlet and Joe—’

  ‘I’m not leaving you in London with – excuse me – a young woman who is hardly older
than you are and a man I know nothing whatever about.’

  ‘Thank you for the compliment,’ said Scarlet, ‘but I am quite a bit older than Rowan.’

  Caro broke in. ‘And I definitely remember telling you about Joe when you were so worried about Rowan having come down here. He’s totally reliable. He doesn’t have an evil bone in his body.’

  ‘Get your things, Rowan, this is ridiculous.’ Skye might have been into spiritual practices and inner peace but she could be very steely.

  Her tiny spark of hope extinguished, Caro sighed. ‘I’m going to be here too,’ she said. ‘Didn’t I mention that?’ It was a sacrifice, but it was the only solution.

  ‘But, Caro! You were supposed to go with Dad and do the perfume. He needs you!’ Rowan was insistent.

  ‘Well, you need me more,’ Caro went on calmly. ‘It’s fine. I was only going to speak French for him but he can do that perfectly well without me. We’ll go to your interview together and have a nice time.’

  Skye got up. ‘Maybe you could show me the bathroom now?’ she said to Caro, making it quite clear that being told it was the last door on the right wouldn’t do. She wanted to talk to Caro in private.

  The moment the two women were through the watertight door that separated the main saloon from the accommodation, Skye stopped.

  ‘You must know – it’s only fair to tell you – that Rowan is always trying to matchmake for her father. He’s utterly hopeless – I don’t even think he’s capable of having a proper relationship. And if he was, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be with you.’ Skye gave a quick little ‘I’m telling you this for your own good’ smile. ‘He’s very obsessed with beauty, and while you are obviously lovely’ – another smile – ‘he’s never going to pick you, not for the long haul. Just so you know.’

  ‘OK, and the bathroom is that door there,’ Caro said. ‘It has a sea toilet but there are instructions on how to use it. Just so you know.’

  Caro felt it would have served Skye right if she hadn’t told her where the loo was. The thought of having to have this woman in her space for too much longer was making her feel sick. And she disliked her all the more because she realised she was probably right. Alec wouldn’t really go for her when he’d had Skye.