Hidden Treasures

by Fern Britton

  *

  Helen was finding it hard to concentrate on her work. In the end, she gave up and stood by the office window to watch for Piran to turn up with her car. At elevenses she wandered out to the catering truck for coffee and toasted teacake. She scanned the perimeter of the green. No Piran. She decided to eat her snack on the top deck of the dining bus, the better vantage point to scout for her familiar little Mini.

  Her quietly ordered life had turned upside down in the last twenty-four hours. Her best friends, Simon and Penny, were on the brink of something that Helen really wasn’t sure she was happy about. She loved them both, but individually, not as a couple. And now her heart was doing pole vaults every time she thought of Piran. What the hell was happening to her?

  Within moments she was joined by Dahlia, who enveloped her in a perfumed air-kiss.

  ‘Mwah, mwah, darling. How’s your head?’

  ‘I’m fine. How are you coping with yours?’

  ‘I ignore it. It’s the professional in me. I am never late and I never pretend to be ill.’

  ‘Apart from feigning a sprained ankle to pull Piran?’

  Dahlia pulled a sorrowful face. ‘You’ve got me there. Anyway, don’t you want to know how your ex behaved when we got back to the Starfish last night?’

  ‘Not particularly.’

  ‘OK. If you don’t want to hear the latest on Piran, that’s your business.’

  Dahlia made a move as if to leave. Helen looked up and stopped her.

  ‘OK. I’m interested. Tell me.’

  ‘Well, I think I must have had a little doze in the back seat …’

  ‘You were smashed.’

  ‘… but when we go to the Starfish, I woke up to hear Piran and Gray talking about you and me. Naturally, I pretended to still be asleep.’

  ‘Naturally. What were they saying?’

  ‘Piran was being rather sweet about me, actually. He told Gray not to mess me about, as he could see I was a nice woman who—’

  ‘What did he say about me?’

  ‘I’m getting to it! So, he was doing a really good job of pointing out my attractions to Gray, who, rather sweetly I thought, said that I was “a walking wet dream”. Isn’t that lovely?’

  ‘Well, that’s Gray all over. He’s about as useful as a wet dream.’

  ‘Now, let’s not fall out. You did give me permission to toy with him, didn’t you?’

  This was clearly a rhetorical question, so Helen didn’t bother to answer.

  ‘Anyway, then Gray starts arguing with Piran about you. Really angry. Accusing Piran of using your fragile mental state to—’

  ‘Oh, for God’s sake! I am NOT mad!’

  ‘Listen: using your fragile mental state to take advantage of you. He said, “Keep your hands off my wife, and her money. Which happens to be my money anyway.”’

  ‘The little shit! It’s my money. How dare he!’

  ‘Wait, there’s more. Piran told him to get out of the car and go to bed before he did something he’d regret. So Gray got out of the car and shouted to Piran, “Why don’t you marry your sister. Isn’t that what you inbreds do down here?” Well, that was it. Piran moved like a bullet. He was on to Gray like a flash and threw him on to the bonnet of the car.’

  ‘Oh my God! Is he all right?’

  ‘Well, I leapt out of the car – you really need a bigger one, darling. It’s jolly difficult in a tight dress to—’

  ‘Get on with it!’

  ‘I ran up the steps to the hotel and roused the night porter, who took one look at the brawl on his doorstep and rang the police. Not what we needed at all! I ran back to the boys, still both slugging it out, but now on the pavement. I told them the police were coming and to scarper PDQ. By the time the cops arrived – two adorable young men, by the way – Piran had driven off and I had given Gray my room key and told him to mop himself up.’

  ‘He’s got his own room at the Starfish.’

  ‘Never mind that. So, when the police arrived I was waiting for them on my own. I apologised for wasting their time and told them that a couple of fans of mine had got a little rowdy. Nothing to worry about. It turned out that my Bond film was one of their favourites, so we had photos all round, a couple of autographs, and Dahlia saved the day.’

  ‘How does Gray look?’

  ‘Ghastly. A bruised cheek and, when I looked this morning, some rather angry-looking red scratches on his back. Mind you, that might have been me.’ She smiled innocently up at Helen, who returned a weary smile.

  ‘You mean, after all that, he could still perform?’

  ‘Beautifully.’

  Helen snorted a small laugh down her nose.

  ‘I think you two could be made for each other.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Dahlia took Helen’s hand and squeezed it. ‘I’d better get back to work. We are in the church today for the funeral of Lord Trimsome. That bloke who won your local talent show has his big close-up today.’

  ‘Oh yes, Tony’s big day! I’ll see if I can slip in as an extra.’

  Helen looked out of the bus window again, scouting for her car or Piran. But there was still no sign.

  38

  A couple of hours later, there was still no sign of him, so Helen busied herself working on a spreadsheet for Penny. Try as she might to focus, she found herself thinking about Piran every ten minutes or so. She worked through lunch. No one disturbed her.

  It wasn’t until about two that she pushed her chair back from her desk, stretched her arms above her head and walked to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. As she was putting the bag in the mug, she heard the front door open.

  Gray’s voice called out, ‘Helloo.’

  Her shoulders sagged. Just the person she didn’t need. She returned to the office.

  ‘Hello, Helen, darling.’ At least he had the grace to look sheepish. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Fine, Gray, thank you.’ She tried to sound breezy. ‘Did you enjoy the party?’

  ‘Not much.’

  ‘Liar. Dahlia told me the end of the evening was spectacular.’

  Gray immediately perked up. ‘Did she? What else did she say?’

  ‘I am not inflating your fat head further. Your black eye and swollen cheek are doing that themselves.’

  ‘Ah yes!’ Gray took on an aggressive but wounded stance, stroking his painful cheek. ‘Your caveman boyfriend did this to me. Totally unprovoked. I warn you that if you continue your relationship with him, you will be yet another statistic in the ugly stain of domestic abuse.’

  ‘Nothing to do with you calling him an inbred who should marry his sister then?’

  Gray puffed out his chest and pulled himself up to his full six foot three.

  ‘He’s a bully-boy who will only make you unhappy. I can look after myself, and I gave him a couple of punches that hurt. But you, Helen, won’t be able to defend yourself.’

  ‘I don’t need to defend myself from him. He’s a sweet, kind man.’

  ‘So was Crippen.’

  Helen sighed. ‘Have you come here just to warn me off Piran, or is there another reason?’

  ‘As it happens, there is another reason, yes. I wanted to do the honourable thing and let you know something before anybody else told you. Dahlia and I slept together last night.’

  ‘I know, she told me.’

  Gray pulled up a chair and leant forward anxiously. ‘Did she really say I was all right?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘I’m so sorry if it hurts you, darling.’

  ‘I am completely inoculated against you, Gray.’

  ‘Yes, but … a tiny part of you must find this very difficult.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Not even a bit?’

  ‘No, though that is clearly what you want me to feel.’

  Gray sat back in his chair and looked defeated. ‘I can’t believe how lucky I was to have you and how stupid not to realise what a treasure you are to me.’

  ‘Gray, you are a huge shit, but I
wouldn’t have missed any of it. Friends?’

  ‘Friends.’

  They stood and gave each other a long hug. Finally they broke apart and Gray said, ‘I’m always here for you, you know that.’

  ‘You mean, you’re always there for me as long as it’s not while you’re with Dahlia, or watching the football or going to cricket or …’

  ‘OK, you’ve made your point. Just promise me one thing: that you won’t let Piran into your life.’

  ‘I no longer have to promise you anything, Gray.’

  *

  Another couple of hours went past and the door opened again, bringing with it the damp smell of early spring. Helen looked up hopefully. But it wasn’t Piran, it was Simon, looking utterly wretched. His shoulders were hunched, his head down.

  ‘Simon, what on earth’s the matter?’

  To her astonishment, he burst into tears and leant himself against the wall.

  ‘Here, sit down.’

  He sat and put his head in his hands. The tears kept flowing and his breathing was ragged.

  ‘Oh, Helen, I am not worthy of my calling. I can no longer be of spiritual guidance to the village, or call myself a vicar.’ Fresh tears sprang from his eyes and heaving sobs left him bent double over his knees.

  ‘Is this about Penny?’

  He mumbled something.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Yes, it’s Penny.’

  ‘OK. Do you want to tell me about it?’

  He sat up and she saw such misery in his beautiful chocolate-brown eyes that she got up and knelt by his side, her hand on his knee.

  He took out a handkerchief, blew his nose and wiped his eyes.

  ‘Dear Helen. I have sinned. I slept with Penny in her bed last night.’

  Helen pretended not to know this already.

  ‘Is that a sin?’

  ‘Not in itself. But I … kissed her. Passionately. I have reneged on my vow to God.’ He started crying again.

  ‘I don’t think you have. I think you are a normal man who wants to love and be loved in return.’

  ‘Oh, I do, I do. I have had so many disappointments. And then I stupidly scared you off as well. I just feel such a failure. A failure to myself, to God …’ Fresh crying.

  ‘Now that’s self-pity. Stop it.’ Helen put both hands on his shoulders and turned them towards her. His face followed reluctantly. ‘What I see is a lovely person. A sincere man of God. A good vicar. And a handsome, funny, kind man.’

  ‘You do?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then why did you reject me?’

  This was a tough question to answer without hurting him.

  ‘Because …’ She paused. ‘Because I am not right for you. I am selfish and like my own space. I love our friendship because we don’t own each other. I want my freedom, and you deserve more than I can offer.’

  ‘Is that the only reason? It’s not because of anything else?’

  ‘Nothing else.’

  He sat quietly, thinking and wiping his eyes. Her thighs were beginning to ache in her crouched position, so she stood up.

  ‘Would you like me to put the kettle on?’

  ‘No, thank you. But would you do me a huge favour?’

  ‘Anything.’

  ‘Would you talk to Penny about me and find out what she feels? Last night was wonderful and shaming, but I can’t stop thinking about her. Only, I don’t think I can bear to be hurt again.’

  ‘Should I tell her we have talked?’

  ‘Yes, but please don’t tell her I have made a spectacle of myself.’

  ‘What spectacle? You are a human being, just like the rest of us.’

  He hugged her hard and kissed her cheek. ‘Thank you, dearest Helen.’

  She watched his familiar form lope back to the vicarage, red eyes hidden beneath his muffler and specs.

  ‘Bloody Penny!’

  It took her a long time to get her mind back on the spreadsheet.

  *

  It was only a matter of minutes before she was disturbed again. Jako stuck his head round the door and said, ‘Helen, your mate Tony is asking for you. We’re all set up ready to shoot Trimsome’s funeral, and it’s his big moment.’

  Helen looked at her desk, then thought, Sod it. She grabbed her coat and ran after Jako.

  The church was warm and bright under the large lights. There were lights out in the churchyard too, shining through the stained glass and making the interior shot look fantastic.

  Lord Trimsome’s coffin was draped in his red and ermine Lords gown and coronet, with a simple hand-tied posy of garden flowers placed on top.

  The pews were full of villagers dressed in their ‘extras’ costumes. Queenie resplendent in a green velvet cape sitting next to Polly in a deep purple and lace-bodiced gown. They both wore glorious bonnets with dark veils. They didn’t see Helen, who kept to the shadows round the edge of the church. Penny found her.

  ‘Hi. Glad you could make it. Piran turned up yet?’

  Helen tried to look nonchalant. ‘Not yet.’

  Seeing the anxiety in Helen’s face, Penny changed the subject. ‘Tony’s remarkably relaxed. I’ve just had a chat with him. Do you know what he’s singing?’

  ‘“Ernie – The Fastest Milkman in the West”?’ Helen said with a straight face.

  Penny laughed. ‘No, you loon. “Dido’s Lament” from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. The singing coach says Tony is fantastic, a natural counter tenor. He’s worked really hard on it.’

  There was a flurry of activity at the vestry door. ‘There he is.’

  Helen saw an angelic-looking Tony walking to his position in the choir with a dozen other men and boys dressed appropriately. Tony’s unmissable dark, sleek head just a fraction taller than everybody else’s.

  Sven went to chat quietly to the choir. Helen saw Tony listen carefully and nod his head once or twice. He looked very composed.

  As Sven walked back to behind the camera, Make-up and Costume stepped in and did their stuff. When they had finished, Gilly called, ‘Quiet please. Turnover.’

  ‘Running,’ said the camera operator.

  ‘Scene two hundred and seventy-four, shot seventeen, take one. Action.’

  The old organ began playing the opening bars and suddenly Tony’s voice flew like a dove up into the beautifully vaulted ceiling, sweeping around the heads of the awestruck audience, and straight into their hearts. Polly was the first to start weeping, followed by Helen, Penny, Gilly and Sven. Queenie sat ramrod straight with a proud smile on her face.

  When the music finished and Gilly said ‘Cut’, there was a silence and then a storm of applause. Tony shuffled from foot to foot, beaming out at Queenie, who gave him a big wave.

  ‘Was I all right?’

  Sven bounded up to him. ‘Tony, you were wonderful! We’re going to do this several more times and from different angles to make sure we get lots of it. Are you OK for that?’

  ‘Yeah.’ Tony laughed. ‘I’m with you all the way.’

  They did it all again a number of times, and with each take Tony’s voice rang out clearly and beautifully. Within the hour, Sven was happy.

  He called to everyone, ‘We’ve got it. That was fantastic, everyone. Let’s have a very big round of applause for our soloist, Mr Tony Brown.’

  The congregation and crew rose to their feet with a noisy appreciation of the star in their midst.

  Helen didn’t have time to fight through the crowd to congratulate him. She promised herself she’d find him later, but now she really had to finish her work.

  The early March sun was starting to set but the nights were definitely getting lighter. As she walked through the churchyard, to the lich-gate and her office beyond, a dark figure stepped out and lightly touched her arm.

  It was Piran.

  39

  ‘I’ve brought your car back. Sorry I’m so late.’

  She looked up into his extraordinary face. Tanned, straight nose, desperately kissable lips and his
blue eyes full of the sea.

  ‘That’s OK.’

  ‘Are you in tonight?’

  Her heart skipped a little. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Can I come over. About eight?’

  ‘Of course.’

  He gave her her keys back.

  ‘See you then.’

  She finished her work in record time. When Penny came to check on her, it was all printed off and in a folder.

  ‘There you go.’

  ‘Thank you, Hels.’ Penny looked suspiciously at her radiant, smiley friend. ‘Piran’s been then, I take it?’

  ‘What makes you think that?’

  ‘The radio is on, you are singing and your desk is clear. I get the feeling you want me out of here so that you can lock up. Oh, and your car is parked outside your house again!’

  ‘Penny, I’m so excited. He’s coming over to see me tonight!’

  ‘Is he? Oohh! Promise to tell me all tomorrow?’

  ‘Maybe.’ Helen was suddenly serious. ‘But there is something I nearly forgot in my excitement. Simon came round in a very bad way. He wants me to talk to you about him.’

  ‘A bad way? You mean, regretting what happened last night?’

  ‘No, no. But, I think you have tested his faith. In himself and in his calling. He wants me to test the water with you, I think. To see if you are serious about a relationship with him.’

  Penny stared at Helen. ‘Oh my God! He wants commitment?’

  ‘Simon is a man of God, Penny, and not given to throwing himself into casual relationships. He has been hurt before, very badly, and if you can’t treat him in the right way then you should just walk away now and leave him alone.’

  ‘Oh, crap. I don’t know. I like him. A lot, as it happens. The first decent man I’ve ever met who wasn’t already spoken for. But it’s complicated. I mean, he lives here and I live in London, sometimes LA, and long-distance stuff is difficult, isn’t it? Anyway, I can’t quite see myself as a vicar’s wife, can you?’

  ‘Don’t jump the gun! But don’t toy with him, either. What about if you took it slowly?’

  ‘You’re right. Shall I call him tonight?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘OK, I will. See you tomorrow then. Have a good night yourself.’

  ‘I won’t, if you don’t go right now! Bye!’