by Jules Wake
‘It’s so lovely to see you.’
‘You too,’ Laurie laughed, ‘I don’t normally make my guests cry before they’ve even crossed the threshold.’
Siena sniffed and laughed, giving her sister another hug. It really was so good to see her.
‘Hey landlady.’
‘Hey tenant, how you doing?’
‘That bloody tap is still dripping and you should have warned me about the package you wanted storing.’
Siena felt Laurie stiffen.
‘Joking!’ Jason held out his hands towards both of them. ‘Tell her Siena.’
‘Ignore him. He’s been the perfect host. Although he does get a bit territorial about the bathroom.’
Laurie had looped her arm through Siena and keeping a steady school-marmish gaze on Jason, guided them towards the front door.
‘Territorial?’ Me?’ With an exaggerated, camp wipe of his brow and a naughty look her way, he said, ‘I’ve been allocated a piece of shelf space less than a nano-millimetre square. I swear every product Clarins and Clinique make are represented, and Estée Lauder and Elizabeth Arden get quite a good look in, too.’
‘Oh dear.’ Laurie looked worried.
‘He’s joking.’ Siena reassured her sister and couldn’t resist adding. ‘He likes to moan.’ She shot him a wicked smile. ‘Yes he’s very good at moaning.’
Jason’s eyes went wide and his mouth shut with a decided snap. She bit back a snigger. The dark look he sent her way, filled with the promise of retribution, sent a quiver shuddering through her belly. It didn’t take a genius to work out that someone planned to make her pay later.
The door through the porch opened into a beautiful hallway with a high plasterwork ceiling. Siena’s eye was drawn to what looked like William Morris wallpaper.
‘Is that real?’
‘Oh yes,’ said Laurie with feeling. ‘It is. It’s taken me a while not to be terrified that I might inadvertently damage or recognise something that is old or valuable.’
‘Pish,’ Siena looked at the intricate botanical pattern of the rug beneath their feet, the rich greens and creams faded but still breathtakingly lovely. ‘If they’ve lasted this long, they’ll be fine.’
The large fireplace and its cast iron grate, the size of a small bed, would probably outlast the next ten generations of people living here.
‘Easy for you to say,’ said Laurie. ‘You grew up with it all.’
Siena punched her arm. ‘It’s just stuff. Old stuff. Beautiful stuff, but still stuff. Seriously, what’s the point of having it if you’re so frightened you can’t enjoy it? You might as well lock it away in a box.’
Jason caught her eye. With a flash of insight, she knew he understood in a way that she couldn’t share with Laurie. A direct parallel of her life. She’d been so frightened of doing the wrong thing, that she’d shut herself away from experiences, from life.
How did you claim that your life had been wanting, when you’d grown up in a fairy-tale chateau, with designer clothes, millionaire playtime, mixing with celebrities and minor royalty? Especially not when she knew every last intimate corner of the two bedroom terraced house Laurie had grown up in, with their father.
Siena refused to feel guilty about the dad she’d never known. Despite his smiling photos in the house, she had no memory of him. No matter how hard she delved.
‘Lovely house Laurie, I can see why you moved.’ Jason moved in to give her a polite kiss on each cheek.
Laurie smiled. ‘Wait until you’ve dusted and cleaned the place, especially since Norah’s not been well. I’d swap for Brook Street.’
‘For a few days,’ Cam’s voice came from a doorway to the right.
‘Cam.’ Jason strode forward and gave him a man-hug. Siena watched. He made up the third part of Will and Jason’s university triumvirate. She was intrigued to see how he fitted with Jason. Definitely the most casual and laid back of them all. And even more at home in that double denim look.
‘Good to see you. Nice place.’
‘Belongs to the missus, but it’s not bad.’
Laurie shook her head. ‘I am not the missus and if you say that again, I’ll make you dust every last book in the library.’
‘See what I have to put up with?’ It was obvious he absolutely adored her sister by the way that his eyes had never left her.
Siena’s heart tripped. Jason looked at her like that sometimes.
‘Tell me about it,’ said Jason folding his arms and leaning up against a wall. ‘Siena is known as the General at work. Obviously runs in the blood.’
‘I am not’ Siena pulled up short, narrowed her eyes at Jason and turned to Laurie. ‘Yeah Ok I am, but I tell you. It’s the only way to get anything done.’
Laurie nodded with great enthusiasm. ‘Don’t I know it?’ She included Cam by hooking an arm around his shoulders and pulling him to stand beside her. ‘Basically they’d be utterly lost without us.’
‘Completely my darling.’ Cam managed to look hen-pecked for all of two seconds, before he swooped down on Laurie and began tickling her.
Siena’s mouth went dry and her eyes automatically sought Jason’s. He grinned, clearly remembering the time he’d tickled her and moved to stand behind her, his breath warming her neck.
‘Seems being ticklish runs in the family,’ he muttered in her ear as if he’d made a great discovery. ‘Useful to know.’
The small party made its way down the stone flagged corridor through a door on the right to a cosy drawing room, which was obviously where Laurie and Cam spent most of their time. The coffee table was littered with files and plastic wallets of papers, a couple of blueprint plans coiled loosely and a small fire crackled in the grate despite it only being three in the afternoon.
‘Have a seat. I’ll go and rustle up some drinks. Norah’s out of hospital but she’s still very wobbly on her pins. We’ve come to a loose arrangement. She’s as stubborn as anything. She makes the tea and coffee and allows us to bring it through.’
‘So who’s in charge here?’ asked Jason.
‘Laurie is of course.’ Cam’s eyes danced, his lips quirking with suppressed laughter.
Laurie darted off to the kitchen and Siena settled back into the soft cushion of the old velvet sofa. Actually it was a touch too soft, a distinct dip hollowed out the rose velvet cushion of the seat and the back cushion sagged heavily, pushing its weight into her shoulders. Giving up the fight against it, she kicked off her shoes and curled up in the corner.
‘There’s still a heck of a lot of work to do,’ explained Cam. ‘We’re concentrating on getting the—’ he stopped, his mouth suddenly zipped shut. He continued awkwardly ‘the rooms decorated. We come last. So you might have to rough it a bit, this weekend; the kitchen is being re-done. ’
‘Rough it?’ Jason looked around the room. ‘Looks a tough gig to me.’
‘Not you. Siena’s used to a bit more refinement. I’ve been to the Chateau. Very grand.’
Siena made a very thorough examination of her bare nails. Cam sounded slightly mocking.
‘Yes, very refined.’ Jason agreed deadpan. Too deadpan; if she dared look at him she might laugh. Jumping his bones and dragging him into a field for wild uninhibited sex hardly qualified.
Cam didn’t seem to notice the undertone, although Siena wondered if it might be because they were such an unlikely couple, it wouldn’t cross his mind.
‘Remember that hideous student house we had?’ He turned to Siena. ‘That was when Jason and Will went into serious beer production. There were plastic bottles everywhere, and jeez, the spillages. Those carpets were rank.’
No, Cam had definitely pigeonholed them into two separate spheres.
‘So what exactly are you doing?’ asked Siena. She’d been so wrapped up in her new life, she’d been rather rubbish at asking Laurie about hers.
Cam’s face shuttered. ‘I’ll leave Laurie to tell you about that.’ He changed the subject none too subtly. ‘How’s it goi
ng with the brewery? I saw your beer in one of the Sunday supps.’ Siena tuned out. Laurie had been quite cagey on the phone, lots of talk about builders and being busy but not much more. It was clear now that she’d been avoiding giving straight answers.
‘Here we go, tea and coffee.’ Laurie returned carrying a huge tray, rattling with delicate bone china cups and saucers.
‘How gorgeous!’ Siena jumped up to clear a space. ‘You needn’t have gone to this much trouble.’ Not that Jason would be too appreciative; he liked his coffee long and strong. These pretty cups probably held no more than quarter of that of his favourite mug.
‘Thank you. I’ve been going through Uncle Miles’ cupboards. He had some beautiful things; it’s a shame not to use them. Plus, I thought I’d start practising with you.’
As Laurie sorted everyone’s drinks out, Siena caught a brief interchange between her and Cam. He shook his head and she put her finger up to his lips with a shake of her own.
‘So what are you practising for?’ asked Jason, snagging a second buttery biscuit from the floral china plate, having already drained his coffee. ‘The national tea making championships? Yorkshire’s quarter-finals of hostess with the mostess? WI membership?’
Cam and Laurie exchanged another one of those looks.
‘Just being a good hostess,’ said Laurie her voice a touch flat.
Siena wondered if they might have had a row. Maybe Cam hadn’t wanted guests. She didn’t know him that well. Ha! She didn’t know her own sister well.
‘I hope Cam’s not taking advantage. He’s a lazy git. Remember that girl, what was her name, the one with the huge,’ remembering where he was Jason hastily added, ‘personality. You had her running up and down, waiting on you hand and foot.’
‘I do remember that girl, thank you. Not sure Laurie really wants to hear.’
‘Oh, I do.’ She grinned at Jason. ‘Always useful ammunition.’
Cam groaned. ‘Remind me why I didn’t kill you years ago?’
‘Free beer, mate. Free beer.’
‘Yeah, I don’t get it free now. When you’re finally making some decent stuff. Don’t forget all the years I spent being your guinea pig, drinking all kinds of shit. Don’t suppose you tell many people about the time you gave me alcohol poisoning?’
‘Now there’s no need for that. It was in the name of development. No major achievement’s ever made without a few sacrifices along the way. Besides you’re still here, what are you complaining about?’ Jason jumped up. ‘In fact, in remembrance of your historic services to drinking, I have brought you a couple of bottles. I’ll go and get them.’
Siena started to rise but Jason waved her away. ‘No, don’t worry, I’ll bring the bags in from the car.’
‘Do you want a hand?’ asked Cam.
‘Yeah, that’d be good. You look like you could do with some exercise.’
Cam punched him in the arm, Jason retaliating with a headlock. Ribbing each other raucously as they went, the two men could still be heard from the corridor beyond.
Laurie smiled. ‘God, I dread to think what those two were like as students. Probably had a full blown harem going. How’s it going sharing the house with Jason? Is it a bit cramped?
‘I feel mortified now.’ Siena hid her face in her hand. ‘Just assuming I could turn up. What a brat, eh? Jason’s been really, erm,’ she squirmed in her seat, ‘good about it.’
‘I did say you’d always be welcome and that the room was yours but—’
‘You’d given up on me?’
Laurie crossed the room and sank down beside her on the sofa, their legs touching. ‘No, I never gave up on you. You’re my sister.’
‘Real sister, not half-sister.’
Laurie’s face became grave. ‘I wondered when you’d figure that out. I was a bit cross, to be honest, that you hadn’t. It seemed so obvious … but you were younger than me when it all happened.’
‘Younger and stupider. I tackled Maman about it when you’d gone. She said it was easier when I was little to tell everyone that Georges was my father. When he left and she married Harry, I still assumed he was my father. I knew we’d lived in England and Maman had been married before. I was too dumb to question anything. I’ve been doing a bit more questioning recently.’
‘So have you sorted a course out? Are you going home for Christmas? Will you come back in September to start?’
Siena took in a deep breath. ‘Things,’ shamefaced she turned to her sister; time to fess up, ‘have sort of changed.’
Silence.
Laurie’s level expression gave nothing away as she did the tipped head to one side, I’m-listening thing, which she was so good at.
‘They didn’t exactly go to plan.’ Laurie’s lips twitched, or at least Siena hoped they had. ‘In fact you could say they haven’t gone to plan at all.’
‘So you had a plan?’ Amusement twinkled in her sister’s eyes.
Siena rolled her eyes and she drew her hair back into a ponytail which she knotted into a loose bun. ‘No. No plan. None at all. Spur of the moment. I ran away. Left a note. Then you weren’t there and I didn’t want to go home.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘Jason wasn’t that happy at first.’
‘Siena! That’s naughty. You told me he was fine with you staying.’
‘I know. I fibbed. But he is now, honestly.’ She hugged the secret of how fine he was to herself.
‘How fine?’ asked Laurie looking very suspicious.
Siena tried to study the fireplace without looking shifty but failed miserably.
‘Siena! No, you and Jason?’
‘Ssh, don’t tell Cam. I don’t think he approves of me.’
Laurie ignored the comment in a way that made Siena guess she was right. ‘I hate to be a pessimist but isn’t that slightly risky? It’s all very quick and what about when you go back to France and then when you start your course?’
‘Remember the plan that never was? Turns out I’m a fashion designer in my dreams but it’s never going to happen. I’m not good enough.’
‘No.’ Laurie’s sad cry made Siena smile but also grateful that she didn’t try to offer up platitudes or solutions.
‘It’s OK. I’m over it. It was one of those, I want to be a fairy princess type dreams. Not terribly practical. I see it now.’
‘So what are you going to do now? When do you go back to France?’
‘Hmm, the big question. I’ve got to go back on the twenty-third for Christmas; it’s Harry’s sixtieth birthday party.’ She bit back the sob that came from nowhere. For the last few weeks, she’d been so happy. Pretending everything was fine, not thinking of anything beyond Christmas.
‘Siena!’ Laurie scooted up beside her and put an arm round her. ‘Don’t cry.’
Now she’d started, she didn’t seem to be able to stop. ‘I can’t b-bear the thought of going b-back. Everything’s changed.’
‘Hey, it’s alright.’ Laurie rubbed her back.
‘I’ve got a job. I know it’s temporary but I know I can do it. I’ve made friends. Real friends. Lisa, she’s lovely. And Marcus and Al at the pub. My boss, Will.’ She tugged at the skin at her neck. ‘I can’t go back. My other life looks wonderful. The houses. The holidays. The parties. The clothes. But it’s all meaningless. I spend more time with Agnes the housekeeper because I’m lonely. Half the time I’m so bored I could scream and Maman is desperate for me to marry a man I don’t love and who—’
‘Look what Jason’s done!’ Cam entered the room carrying a cardboard tray of beer bottles, totally oblivious to the sudden atmosphere in the room. ‘Made me my own beer. Look.’ He lifted one of the bottles. ‘Camshaft. Isn’t that neat? We could sell it here to the … to people.’
Jason spotted her tear-stained face and leaving the bags crossed the room to crouch in front of her.
‘Hey frog-face, what’s the matter?’
‘I’m telling Laurie what a waste of space I am.’ She gulped back more tears.
He loope
d an arm around her pulling her close, resting his forehead on hers. ‘That’s crap and you know it. Look at you. Bloody brilliant. You were cut off without a penny but instead of crying and going home, you went out and got a job.’ He gave her a mock punch on the arm. ‘Bloody shit job but a job all the same. Then you got a job at the pub, which you’d run single-handed if you had to, all the while knocking up a couple of fabulous frocks on a sewing machine.’ He kissed her on the lips. ‘You’re amazing.’
Siena sighed and touched his stubbled chin, aware of the astonished faces of Cam and Laurie who’d moved closer together. Her sister was giving Cam one of those, see-told-you-so looks.
‘Oh sod this, let’s get the wine out. I think Siena deserves a toast.’ Cam said as he dumped the case of beer and disappeared, returning with four enormous balloon glasses, and a bottle tucked under his arm.
‘Why didn’t you tell me about not having any money?’ Laurie asked. ‘Did your mother, our mother, really cut you off? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped.’
‘You were already letting me stay. I thought I could get a job. Turns out I’m not qualified to do anything. Especially not a double glazing sales person, although,’ she nodded at the beautiful lead lined windows in their deep bays, ‘I could probably get you a good deal if you ever decided to rip those out.’ Next to her, Jason’s shoulders shook.
Cam sniggered. ‘Seriously?’
‘That didn’t turn out so well.’
‘No it didn’t,’ grumbled Jason suddenly tightening his grip on her hand.
‘Actually I do have another confession. You know those bottles of Lafite …’
Laurie closed her eyes as if in pain.
Chapter 25
Jason couldn’t remember when he’d enjoyed a happier afternoon, especially once Cam had got over his initial suspicion of Siena. He’d have to ask him about that. Something wasn’t quite right there.
Laurie paused outside a door. ‘I’d got two rooms ready. This one …’
‘This is Cam’s idea of roughing it?’ Jason’s eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline.
For some reason Laurie blushed. ‘They’re the first to be finished. Both have got en-suites.’ She ushered them in.
