Fallen Angels

by Tara Hyland

  ‘This way.’

  She followed Gabriel through some bushes, to a makeshift trail cut out of the rockface. It was steep in places, and the stones were covered in slippery moss. Gabriel, who’d obviously done the walk hundreds of times, took the lead and carried their bags down, while Olivia went more carefully. But finally they reached the beach.

  Gabriel’s friends ran over to greet them.

  ‘You made it, buddy!’ one of the guys greeted him, slapping him on the back.

  He was a tall, muscular young man, with dark hair and eyes. Gabriel introduced him as Teddy. Then there was the more studious-looking Brett, who had sandy hair, a wiry build, and glasses. The two girls were called Trudy and April, both blonde and bouncy in their polka-dot bikinis.

  Olivia hung back, feeling shy and very young. She wasn’t even used to hanging out with people of her own age, and they were all at least two years older.

  ‘I’m baking,’ Trudy, the prettiest of the girls, said. ‘Let’s go for a dip.’ Her words might have been to the whole group, but her eyes were on Gabriel.

  ‘Sure! I’m in!’ April said, taking her hand.

  The two girls ran off towards the sea, leaving Olivia with the three guys.

  ‘You up for a swim?’ Gabriel asked his sister.

  ‘I didn’t bring a bathing suit,’ she said apologetically.

  ‘Don’t let that stop you,’ Teddy said with a wink.

  Gabriel punched him on the shoulder. ‘Hey! That’s my sister.’

  ‘Sorry,’ Teddy apologised. He looked over at where the girls were splashing in the water. ‘Why don’t I go over there and cool off?’

  He ran off then. Olivia could see her brother staring enviously after him.

  ‘Don’t worry about me.’ She reached into her bag and pulled out a book. ‘I’m happy to read.’

  Gabriel hesitated, not sure what to do for the best. He knew how sensitive Olivia could be, and he didn’t want to leave her here alone.

  Brett must have sensed his dilemma. ‘You go,’ he piped up. ‘I’ll stay here and entertain Olivia.’

  Gabriel looked between his sister and Trudy, who was calling out to him from the water. He didn’t like the idea of abandoning Olivia, but if Brett said he was happy to look after her . . . There were certain friends of his that he wouldn’t have dreamed of leaving alone with his little sister – Teddy, for one – but Brett was a good guy. She’d be safe here with him.

  ‘Well, if you’re sure . . .’ he said to Olivia.

  ‘I’ll be fine,’ she assured him, not wanting to ruin his day.

  He didn’t need any further encouragement. She watched him run off towards the sea, swimming out to join the others. Trudy squealed delightedly as he came up behind her and dragged her down into the water, and soon the foursome were splashing and play-fighting, and challenging each other to races up and down the coastline.

  Olivia and Brett walked over to where the group had set up their umbrellas. She sat down on the blanket, and he followed suit. Another scream of delight came from the water, and they both looked over.

  ‘You can go and join them if you want,’ Olivia told him. ‘Don’t feel obliged to babysit me.’

  ‘It’s not an obligation, it’s a pleasure,’ he said gallantly. He nodded at her book. ‘What’s that you’re reading?’

  ‘Oh, it’s a Victoria Holt novel. Just a romance. But she writes historical books as well,’ Olivia added, not wanting him to think she only read trash, ‘under the name Jean Plaidy.’

  ‘Oh, right.’ He lay down on his side, propped up on one hand, and looked up at her. ‘Do you like history then?’

  The question surprised her, as did his level of interest. ‘Yes, I do.’

  ‘What period?’

  As Olivia started to tell him, she was surprised at how easy it was to talk to this person she hadn’t even known half an hour earlier. The day was turning out better than she’d expected.

  After her stepchildren had left, Franny busied herself writing thank-you notes for the wedding gifts. By one, she had only written ten, and was already bored with the whole process. Hilda, the housekeeper, with her impeccable sense of timing, came to ask what she’d like for lunch. Even though Franny wasn’t especially hungry, she ordered food anyway – it gave her something to do at least.

  Unable to face writing any more letters, she spent her afternoon exploring the grounds, before swimming laps in the Olympic-sized outdoor pool. Back in her room by four, she slept for two hours. Waking, she was excited to see that it was nearly six – Max should be home soon. Now, with renewed purpose, she began to rush around, preparing for his return. She washed and styled her hair, picked out a striking cocktail dress. By seven, she was seated in the library, enjoying a vodka martini, listening out for his arrival.

  Hilda came in at half seven. ‘I just wanted to check – what time would you like dinner to be served, Mrs Stanhope?’

  ‘I’ll wait until Max gets home,’ Franny said airily.

  The housekeeper looked surprised. ‘Perhaps it would be better for you to have your meal now. Mr Stanhope may be some time still. He often works very late.’

  Franny bristled. She didn’t like being told what to do by this supercilious woman. ‘I told you: I’d prefer to wait,’ she said firmly.

  ‘Very good, Mrs Stanhope,’ the housekeeper murmured. If Hilda was irritated by Franny’s snappy tone, she didn’t show it. Instead, she quietly withdrew. As soon as she’d gone, Franny went to fix herself another drink.

  Gabriel and Olivia returned around eight, laughing and talking as they came through the door. They said a quick ‘hello’ to Franny, explained that they’d already eaten, and went off to their rooms, leaving her alone to wait.

  It was nearly midnight by the time Max got home. Hearing his car, Franny ran down to the hall to greet him, throwing herself in his arms.

  ‘Oh, darling, I missed you!’ she said, aware that she was more than a little tipsy. She’d given in at ten, and eaten the lukewarm meal, but the food hadn’t even begun to soak up the four vodka martinis that she’d drunk.

  ‘Me, too.’ He hugged her briefly, before pulling away. He looked tired, she saw. Well, he would, of course – having been out since six that morning. With the two-hour drive each way into San Francisco, he’d spent fourteen hours working and four hours travelling, she calculated.

  To Franny’s disappointment, he was so exhausted that he wanted to go straight to bed.

  ‘Is it always like this?’ she said, as they lay together in the darkness.

  But Max didn’t answer. He was already asleep.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  ‘Who are you? What are you doing in my house?’

  Theresa’s eyes were wide and frightened; she had a poker in her hand. Cara eyed it warily. Her grandmother had been getting worse lately, her temporary loss of understanding making her violent.

  Cara smiled gently, trying to show that she meant no harm.

  ‘I’m a friend of your daughter’s . . . of Franny’s.’ She’d quickly learned that there was no reasoning with her grandmother when she was in this state. At first Cara had tried, patiently explaining to her grandmother who she was and how they were related. But when Theresa was having one of these episodes, it was impossible for her to see anything clearly.

  Theresa looked with suspicion at the girl in front of her. ‘I don’t believe you. If you’re a friend of Franny’s, then where is she?’ Cara had no idea what to say. Taking her silence as an admission of guilt, Theresa snorted. ‘Trying to rob the place, are you? Well, you won’t get past me.’ Brandishing the poker, she stabbed at her granddaughter. Luckily Cara had been keeping an eye on the makeshift weapon as they talked, so she was able to step out of the way in time, and it grazed her harmlessly.

  It’s not her fault, Cara reminded herself. She doesn’t mean any of this. She held out her hands to take the poker.

  ‘Please, Granny. Give it to me, and then I’ll make you a nice cup of tea.’<
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  Theresa stared at her for a long moment, and suddenly something seemed to change. She looked down at the poker that she was holding. ‘Why do I have this?’ she said wonderingly. Then she let the poker drop to the floor.

  Relief coursed through Cara. Disaster had been averted – for now, at least.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  The first month of marriage was more difficult than Franny had imagined it would be. Max was either at the office or away on business, which meant she rarely got to see him, making it hard to find an appropriate time to tell him about Cara. Gabriel and Olivia spent most of the time out of the house, too, seeing friends – which left her alone and feeling strangely useless. Her attempts to befriend Max’s children had met with no success, mainly because her stepson continued to resist her overtures. So when one morning at breakfast Franny learned that her stepdaughter was going to turn sixteen that August, she knew that it was the perfect opportunity to get to know the girl better, while also giving her something to occupy her time.

  ‘You must let me throw a party for you,’ she declared.

  ‘A party?’ Her stepdaughter tested the unfamiliar word out. ‘Where? Here?’

  ‘Would you like that?’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ The girl’s enthusiasm was palpable, but then her eyes clouded over. ‘Except . . .’

  ‘Except what?’

  ‘I don’t think my father will like the idea.’

  ‘She’s right, you know.’ Gabriel’s voice came from the doorway.

  Damn, Franny thought. She’d hoped to have the conversation before he came downstairs. Turning, she found her stepson smirking at her.

  ‘Oh?’ She tried to sound unperturbed. ‘And why’s that?’

  ‘From what I hear, Dad used to love entertaining here. But ever since our mother died, he hates having people round. Trust me,’ Gabriel said with authority. ‘He won’t be pleased.’

  And you’d just love that, wouldn’t you? Franny thought. But, not wanting her stepson to think that he’d won, she forced herself to appear unconcerned.

  ‘Oh, what nonsense. It’s his only daughter’s Sweet Sixteenth. Of course he’ll want to celebrate.’ Seeing the worried look on Olivia’s face, Franny gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘Don’t worry – leave your father to me. You just start planning what to wear.’

  Gabriel shrugged. ‘Suit yourself. But remember – I did try to warn you.’

  Max was away in Geneva. When he called that night, Franny broached the idea to him. But it seemed Gabriel was more attuned to his father’s wishes than his new young wife was, because he told her in no uncertain terms that he didn’t want her to organise any party.

  ‘But why not?’ Franny wanted to know.

  ‘Because Olivia’s a very private person. I don’t think she’ll enjoy being the centre of attention for the night.’

  ‘But Max!’ Franny couldn’t believe how disappointed she felt. ‘It’s her sixteenth! Of course she should have a party to celebrate.’

  ‘That’s hardly up to you to decide, is it?’ Max sounded irritated. ‘Olivia is my daughter, and I really don’t think it’s a good idea.’

  ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake,’ Franny said crossly. First he told her to connect with his children, and then, when she finally came up with a way to do that, he shot her down. ‘It’s too late to back out, anyway. I’ve already promised that she could have the damned party, and it’s not fair to let her down.’

  ‘Then perhaps you should have discussed it with me first.’

  There was a click on the end of the line. It took Franny a moment to realise that Max had put the phone down on her.

  Later he called back. They were both calmer then, and equally contrite.

  ‘I should never have interfered with your children,’ Franny rushed to say.

  ‘No, it was my fault.’ Max sighed heavily. ‘And maybe you’re right – we should go ahead with this party.’

  Franny was delighted. If this was a success, then perhaps it would finally be the right time to tell Max about Cara.

  Franny threw herself into the preparations for the party. Olivia was due to turn sixteen on 18 August, which gave her less than a month to plan everything. It was easy enough to hire caterers and a band for the night – the Stanhope name was enough to make anything available. But the guest-list was a little more problematic. Olivia had frighteningly few friends. The list of names that she did put forward for invites was written in Gabriel’s handwriting, which told Franny everything. Of course, it was easy enough to make up numbers. There were business acquaintances of Max’s to invite, along with Juniper’s executives and stars, to add some glamour to the night. And if it felt a little sad that most of the guests had never met Olivia before, Franny had to admit that the girl didn’t seem to mind. She just seemed excited that a whole evening was being planned in her honour.

  And Franny tried to make the event as special as possible for her stepdaughter. The week before the party, she took Olivia on a shopping trip to San Francisco. After a night in the Fairmont, they spent the next morning trying on dresses in the White House, before lunching in the venerable department store’s tearooms. As Franny sat watching Olivia happily tucking into an ice-cream dessert, she couldn’t help wondering if she was making all this effort for Max’s daughter because she wasn’t able to do so for her own.

  The thought of her Sweet Sixteenth filled Olivia with both excitement and tremulous uncertainty. Like her father had said, usually she shied away from being the centre of attention, but only because she felt awkward and unsure of herself. Secretly she’d always longed to be the kind of person who was popular, who could hold a crowd – like her brother Gabriel could. In the past, that had always seemed like the stuff of fantasies, but lately she thought that she was getting better at being around people – thanks largely to her brother.

  Life for Olivia had improved immeasurably that summer. Although her father still remained an elusive figure, she and Gabriel were getting on much better. Beneath the sarcasm and the air of ennui, her brother was really quite sweet. Since that day on the beach, he had taken to including her whenever he went out with his friends, and that had slowly helped build her confidence. And now a party was being held, in her honour – the single greatest and most terrifying event in her young life.

  On the night of her Sweet Sixteenth, Olivia spent hours getting ready. Franny had helped her pick out a dress for the occasion. It was beautiful, the loveliest thing Olivia had ever owned – a ballet-length gown, made of layers of white lace, with little capped sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. She had never felt so pretty. And her stepmother had done an amazing job organising the event. As it was summer, Franny had insisted on holding the party outside in the grounds of the castle. She’d found a pretty glade within the woodlands, and transformed it into something out of A Midsummer Nights’s Dream. Fairy-lights twinkled on the trees surrounding the clearing. A band played under a canopy, and there was a raised dance floor. That Franny had obviously put so much thought into the whole evening had endeared her even more to Olivia. The shopping trip in particular would always stick in her mind. It was something she’d missed out on with her own mother.

  Olivia was especially excited about the evening because Gabriel’s friend, Brett, was going to be there. She had seen him several times since that day at the beach, on other group outings or whenever he came out to the house to see her brother. Most of Gabriel’s friends showed no interest in her, but Brett was always so sweet, making an effort to talk to her and ask her opinions.

  She was looking out for him that evening, and when he arrived – dateless, she noted, with a little thrill of pleasure – he came straight up to her.

  ‘Happy birthday!’ He hugged her tight to him, then stepped back, holding out her hands, so he could get a good look at her. ‘You look great.’

  It was said in a brotherly way, almost an echo of what Gabriel had said to her earlier, but at least he’d complimented her, Olivia comforted herself.r />
  Before she could respond, Franny came up to them, placing her arm around her stepdaughter’s shoulder.

  ‘Darling! I just wanted to check that you’re having a fabulous time?’

  Olivia beamed up at her stepmother. ‘Yes, thank you, I am,’ she said, her mind on Brett.

  Franny’s gaze drifted around the party. ‘I think everything’s perfect, don’t you?’ Then she looked over at Brett, noticing him for the first time. ‘Oh, hello there.’ She turned to Olivia. ‘Who’s your friend, sweetheart?’

  Olivia introduced Brett, explaining that he went to school with Gabriel. She didn’t think her stepmother would be interested in talking to a teenage boy, but Franny was surprisingly gracious.

  ‘Ah,’ she said. ‘I think I’ve seen you around the house sometimes.’

  Brett nodded a vigorous agreement. ‘Yes, but we’ve never met before.’

  Franny’s mouth twisted into a half-smile. ‘Gabriel’s no doubt been hiding me away from you. But it’s lovely to finally meet.’

  Olivia was about to say something, but before she could, Brett said to Franny, ‘I’m such a big fan. I’ve seen every one of your movies.’

  Franny put a hand to her chest. ‘Oh, how wonderful. I never tire of hearing that.’

  Olivia looked between her stepmother and the boy she liked. Brett was hanging off Franny’s every word, she realised. She might as well not have been there.

  ‘I wonder . . .’ Brett began, and then stopped.

  ‘What?’ Franny prompted.

  ‘Well, this may seem a little presumptuous – but would you like to dance?’ He said the last part in a rush, as though embarrassed at making such a suggestion.

  Franny’s eyes sparkled mischievously, enjoying Brett’s bashful overtures. ‘That sounds like a wonderful idea.’ She tucked her arm through his. ‘Come on, let’s see what you’re made of.’

  Franny was so busy trying to impress her young admirer that she didn’t notice the look of distress on Olivia’s face as she watched her stepmother walking off with the boy she’d planned to wow that evening.