‘It’s a compliment to him that she wants to repeat the exercise.’
‘You’re not . . . shocked? Or disappointed in her?’
‘Of course not, why should I be? It’ll be great to see her happy again.’
Sophie put her arms round him and rested her cheek against his jacket. ‘I do love you,’ she said.
Vicky was even more forthright.
‘Good for her!’ she said.
Jonathan looked at her in surprise. ‘That’s all you have to say?’
‘What more is there? It’s great that she has a second chance.’ She looked at him consideringly. ‘You don’t look too pleased about it.’
‘He seems a bit . . . enigmatic,’ Jonathan hedged.
‘Have you met him?’
‘No, I—’
‘Then how can you possibly know? Not that there’s anything wrong with a bit of enigma! Anyway, I have faith in Anna’s good taste. I’m sure he’s charming.’
It was arranged that Jonathan and Vicky would collect Anna, and they’d drive to Beechford together.
Now the time had arrived, she was assailed with doubts and worries. Would she be introduced to Lewis’s family, and if so, in what capacity? She suspected that the high-profile guest list would all either have celebrity status or long-standing connection with the Group. She should have cleared this with Lewis, but was loath to bother him at this stage with such trivialities.
The die was cast, she told herself dramatically, and whatever would be, would be.
Saturday the twentieth of November was crisp with frost and blue of sky, the Surrey countryside bathed in thick sunshine that lit berries and bare branches alike with a touch of gold.
‘Got your posh frock?’ Jonathan asked humorously.
‘Most certainly,’ Anna replied.
‘Vicky insisted on a complete new wardrobe!’
‘Untrue,’ Vicky calmly contradicted, from the back seat. ‘A new dress, certainly, and shoes and bag to go with it, but that’s all.’
‘She’ll be the belle of the ball!’ Jonathan said fondly.
‘I’m wearing my bronze satin,’ Anna remarked. ‘I’ve had it a while, but I always feel good in it.’
‘It’s lovely,’ Vicky agreed. ‘You wore it to the Golf Club dance last year.’ When Miles was with them. She hurried on, ‘It matches your highlights!’
‘Thank God all I have to worry about is a black tie!’ Jonathan commented. ‘And by the looks of it, ladies, we’ve arrived.’
They’d been driving for several minutes alongside a stone wall, the length of which was now broken by a wrought-iron gate between two pillars. A man in uniform awaited them with a board, and Jonathan wound down his window.
‘Good afternoon, sir. Could I have your name, please?’
‘Farrell,’ Jonathan supplied. ‘All three of us.’
The man marked them off on his list. ‘Thank you, sir; if you care to continue up the drive, my colleague will explain the parking arrangements.’
‘Guarding against gatecrashers,’ Vicky commented as another car turned into the gate behind them.
The drive was almost a mile long, bordered on both sides by trees and shrubs strung with fairy lights.
‘It’s like driving in a grotto!’ Anna remarked.
As the house came into sight, a second uniformed figure approached, and again Jonathan stopped.
‘If you’ll drive to the front door, sir,’ he was told, ‘your luggage will be unloaded and your car valet-parked.’
In the large, bustling lobby, girls in powder-blue suits and white blouses were greeting guests, handing out keys, and escorting them to their rooms, while porters threaded their way to the lifts with trolleys of luggage.
‘Everyone seems to be arriving at once!’ Anna commented.
Before conducting them to their rooms, their hostess pointed out the drawing room, where tea would shortly be served. ‘There’s no hurry,’ she assured them, ‘just come down when you’re ready.’
Anna was relieved to find her room next to Jonathan and Vicky’s. ‘Give me a knock when you’re ready to go down,’ she said. ‘I wonder if Sophie and Angus have arrived yet.’
The room she found herself in was large and comfortable and had a small balcony overlooking the grounds. A tap on her door heralded the arrival of her suitcase, and she unpacked quickly, relieved to find no creases in the satin dress. She did so hope, for Lewis’s sake, that everything would go off well. Perhaps, just for twenty-four hours, his worries could be put on hold.
They did not spot Sophie and Angus during afternoon tea, though with the continually moving throngs of people, it was hardly surprising. The drawing room was a large, pleasant room, where sofas and chairs had been grouped round low tables ready laid with stands of cakes, sandwiches and plates for four people. Soon after they seated themselves, a waitress arrived with two teapots, offering Indian or China tea.
As well as tiny sandwiches with a variety of fillings, there were scones, accompanied by individual dishes of cream and jam, and little iced cakes.
‘I bet this isn’t the usual fare!’ Jonathan joked. ‘Think of the calories!’
Anna was keeping an eye open for Lewis, but he was nowhere to be seen. Probably checking last-minute details for the evening, she assumed. However, when, forty minutes later, they’d returned to their rooms, he phoned her.
‘Everything OK?’ he asked.
‘More than OK – fabulous!’
‘Excellent. Family all here?’
‘I came with Jonathan and his wife. I’ve not seen the others yet.’
‘Your son’s a journalist, isn’t he? If he’d like to write up the occasion, he’s more than welcome. My PA can give him any details he needs – we never turn down the chance of publicity!’
‘I’ll pass the message on! But Lewis, if anyone asks about my connection with Mandelyns, what should I say?’
‘How about we’re considering a merger?’
She caught her breath.
‘Look,’ he went on, ‘we’ll only manage a couple of words at most this evening, but once all this is over, I think it’s time we discussed a few things. Agreed?’
For a heart-stopping moment she hesitated. But she’d already admitted to herself that just as she’d fallen for Miles so quickly, so had she for Lewis. If he now needed an answer from her, she knew what it would be. ‘Agreed,’ she said.
When they went down for the reception, a very different scene met their eyes. The sound of conversation had floated up the stairs to meet them as throngs of people milled about the foyer, glasses in hands, and Vicky, noting the elegant dresses of the women, was thankful she’d splashed out on a new outfit.
The drawing room was transformed. Such furniture as remained had been pushed against the walls, and a bar was set up at the far end, though it didn’t appear to be in service. Through a sudden gap in the crowd, Jonathan caught sight of Myrtle, with the dapper young man who was her husband. She raised her eyebrows at him and blew a kiss. Then the crowd closed again, shutting her off from view.
Waiters and waitresses were moving between the groups with trays of glasses, and as Anna was taking hers, she heard her name called, and turned to see Wendy manoeuvring her way towards her.
‘Hello, Wendy! Lovely to see a face I know!’
‘Ditto! We’re sitting together at dinner, which is great. Have you seen the seating plan? There are several around, but I can tell you we’re on table eight.’
‘Thanks. May I introduce my son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan and Vicky? Wendy Salter, whom I met in South Africa.’
‘I recognize you from the photos!’ Vicky said, taking her hand.
‘Lovely to meet you. The rest of my family are around somewhere, but you’ll see them when we go through.’
‘Your daughters are with you?’ Anna asked.
‘One is, with her husband. The other lives in Brussels.’
‘Of course – you told me.’
Their attention was c
laimed by a burst of static from a microphone, followed by Lewis’s voice.
‘Ladies and gentlemen . . .’ The room fell silent. ‘I’d just like to welcome you to Mandelyns Court this evening and say how delighted I am that you’re helping us to celebrate our thirty-year anniversary. Everyone here has contributed in some way to the continuing success of the Group, and this is by way of a general and very heartfelt thank you. I hope to have a word with you all individually during the evening, and to this end there’ll be a complimentary bar in this room after the meal, which I hope will give everyone the chance to mingle. In the meantime, dinner is now about to be served. Enjoy your meal.’
There was a burst of applause, followed by a slow drift towards the door. As she and Wendy entered the restaurant, Anna saw that each of the round tables seated ten, though when she reached theirs, only nine places were laid. To her relief, Sophie and Angus were already there, and they were soon joined by George, his daughter Joanna and son-in-law Bruce. Searching for her name card, Anna found she was seated between George and Angus.
‘I’ve seen several famous faces,’ Sophie informed them as they all sat down. ‘Four TV stars and two MPs, as a starter!’
‘We looked out for you at tea,’ Jonathan told her.
‘Actually, we skipped it. Tamsin phoned just as we were leaving, which delayed us a bit, and then we were stuck behind a tractor for about ten miles. The joys of the countryside! This place is fabulous, though, isn’t it? You should see our room!’
‘Have you been here before?’ Vicky asked Wendy.
‘Not for a long time, though we did have a weekend at Woodcot a couple of years ago.’
‘I know what I’ll ask for my next birthday!’
The meal was superb – individual seafood soufflés, followed by roast duckling, a magnificent cheeseboard, and a dessert of îles flottantes, soft meringues floating on creamy custard and topped with caramel sauce. Wines were served with each course, and coffee and liqueurs followed. There was only one toast, proposed by a thin, dark man whom George identified as Lewis’s son Cameron, and they all stood to drink to: ‘Mandelyns – the next thirty years!’
Yvonne, who, with Tina, had been keeping a discreet eye on the proceedings, breathed a sigh of partial relief as the meal came to an end. Everything seemed to have gone smoothly, and her only concern was that Cameron was drinking more than usual; she hoped no one else had noticed the slight slur in his voice when he’d proposed the toast. Still, she told herself, it was understandable; they’d been under a strain for weeks now, and this was a brief chance to relax.
Tina came up to her. ‘Reckon we can escape now and have our own meal?’
‘I think so.’
‘You’re staying in staff quarters tonight, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, though I’ll probably stick around till most of the guests have gone up.’
‘Good luck, then!’ Tina nodded to the crowded drawing room. ‘The words “free bar” acted like a magnet – looks as though they’re settling in for the night!’
As the meal ended, the ladies had taken what was euphemistically referred to as a ‘comfort break’, and on her return, Anna, who’d been ahead in the queue, hesitated at the entrance to the restaurant, wondering whether to return to their table. As far as she could see, George, Bruce and Angus were deep in conversation, but Jonathan glanced up, saw her, and came to join her.
‘Enjoy the meal?’ he asked.
‘Very much. I shan’t need to eat for a week!’
‘I’m sure you can manage a drink, though, while we “mingle” as instructed! Sophie’s keen to do more celebrity-spotting!’
Anna was about to reply, when a voice behind them drawled, ‘So this is Mrs Anna Farrell.’
She turned, taken aback at the tone, and looked into the flushed face of the man who’d proposed the toast – Lewis’s son.
Jonathan said levelly, ‘Let me perform the honours: Ma, meet Cameron Masters; Cameron – as you guessed, my mother, Anna Farrell.’
Cameron nodded, his dark eyes intent on her face.
‘I met your father in South Africa,’ Anna faltered, sensing animosity.
‘Oh, I know.’
Jonathan said, ‘If you’ll excuse us, we’re just—’
But to her consternation, Cameron Masters caught hold of his arm. ‘Just a minute, Farrell, I want a word with you.’
Jonathan flushed. ‘Then if you’ll just let me reunite my mother with . . .’
But Cameron’s grip had tightened, and suddenly his face changed, became somehow threatening. He said in a low voice, ‘You were having an affair with her, weren’t you?’
Anna gave a shocked gasp, and Jonathan stared at him in stupefaction. ‘What did you say?’
‘Oh, don’t play the innocent with me! I know! I followed her to your hotel!’
His voice was rising, and Anna, suddenly nervous, glanced anxiously round and, to her relief, saw Lewis moving quickly towards them.
‘Cameron? What’s going on?’
Cameron’s hand fell. ‘He was having an affair with Elise,’ he said.
Lewis stiffened, his eyes moving rapidly about him. No one was looking their way. ‘We’d better go somewhere we can talk,’ he said tersely. ‘Follow me.’
‘What does he mean?’ Anna asked urgently as Jonathan took her arm. ‘What’s he talking about?’
But Jonathan, his face white, only shook his head. Ahead of them, Lewis had opened a door, glanced inside, then waited till the three of them had entered, before closing it behind them. They were in some kind of office, furnished with a desk and chairs.
He turned to his son, his face tense. ‘You’d better explain that remark,’ he said.
Cameron seemed only too ready to comply, and from his flushed face and increasingly agitated manner, Anna saw fearfully that he was more drunk than she’d realized.
‘I could tell, that last day,’ he began, ‘that she was anxious to get back from Chester, though she denied it. So when we reached the hotel, I hung around to see what she’d do, and sure enough, once everyone was out of sight, she hurried straight out again and made for the taxi rank. I went after her and took the next in line.’ He stared accusingly at Jonathan. ‘We followed her to the Commodore Hotel.’
Anna turned to Jonathan. ‘You were there, in Manchester? You never told me.’
‘Go on,’ Lewis commanded. Jonathan, watching his face, wondered if he was reaching the same conclusion as himself. Poor bugger, he thought.
Cameron paused, his breathing laboured. ‘By the time I’d paid off the taxi,’ he continued after a minute, ‘she’d disappeared. There was no sign of her in the public rooms, so the only possible explanation was that she’d gone to one of the bedrooms.’
‘But why should you think it was Jonathan’s?’ Anna queried, but again received no answer.
‘I was surprised – relieved, I suppose – to see her back for dinner,’ Cameron went on, ‘and as soon as it was over, I took her aside and asked her where she’d been. She refused to say and cut me short by going upstairs with Tina. Later, I knocked on her door, but she wouldn’t open it, and, not wanting to disturb other guests, I had to leave it.’
Lewis reached behind him for a chair. ‘I think we’d better sit down,’ he said. He turned to his son, who, alone, remained standing. ‘What I don’t understand is why it mattered if she’d met someone?’
Cameron didn’t reply, and it was Jonathan who said flatly, ‘Because they were lovers. Had been, since before she went to Mandelyns.’
Lewis’s attention switched to him. ‘What makes you say that?’ he demanded harshly.
‘His mother told me.’
Cameron laughed – an ugly sound. ‘Good old Mother! Always one to rely on! I wondered why you were sniffing round her.’
‘But why make a secret of it?’ Lewis demanded, and Anna ached at the hurt in his voice. ‘You could have told me, surely? After all, there was no reason why you shouldn’t have had a relationship. And what
about Alice? Ah!’ He supplied the answer himself. ‘Alice – Elise. Of course.’
‘But I still don’t understand why he suspected Jonathan,’ Anna persisted.
‘He took her mobile,’ Jonathan said.
There was instant, total silence as the implications of his words sank in.
Then Lewis came slowly to his feet, his face a mask. ‘My God,’ he said softly.
Anna also rose and, hurrying to his side, took his hand, which closed on hers almost convulsively. Jonathan, watching the two of them, felt a constriction in his chest. This, he realized, was the greatest possible test of their feelings for each other.
Lewis’s eyes were riveted on his son. ‘I think you’d better go on,’ he said.
Cameron stared back at him, his eyes brilliant, his face contorted. ‘I’m sorry, Father,’ he stammered in a choked voice. ‘It should never have happened. God damn it, I loved her!’
If he expected a response, he didn’t get one, and, after a minute that seemed to last for ever, he dug a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket, extracted one, and lit it with shaking hands, inhaling deeply before continuing. ‘I didn’t sleep that night. I was jealous, angry, frustrated – everything rolled into one. I knew I couldn’t get through the day without knowing who she’d been with, so after breakfast I went back to her room and was about to knock, when I saw her coming down the corridor. She stopped when she saw me, but she could tell I wouldn’t be put off this time, and we went into her room.’
There was a long silence. Cameron swayed on his feet, and Jonathan, pitying him in spite of everything, pushed one of the chairs towards him and he sank on to it. Tears were now coursing down his cheeks, and he made no attempt to wipe them away.
‘She swore she wasn’t seeing anyone, though I could tell she was alarmed when I mentioned the Commodore. And when she still refused to say who she was visiting, I just . . . lost it. I caught hold of her and started to shake her, shouting at her to tell me the truth.’
There was a long pause, then, slowly, he continued. ‘She must have thought I was going to hit her, and God help me, I might have done. The table was just behind us, and the next thing I knew, she had the knife in her hand.’
Anna, only partially understanding, glanced up at Lewis. He seemed to have aged ten years in as many minutes, and her hand tightened on his, offering him what support she could.
Shifting Sands Page 23
