‘You’re right. I got fixated on one detail. I shouldn’t have got so carried away. When I applied for the show, I didn’t know who’d be hosting it. All I knew was it was a last man standing show and guessed there must be times during the show when contestants can talk about themselves. I’m going to use every slot or opportunity to tell everyone watching the What Happens in… about Hannah. All I have to do is remain on the show and get support from the public. One of them might know her. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to partner with you. I think together we could get through quite a few rounds, or days, and that’ll give me time to mention her and my hunt for her.’
He left his arm in position. ‘You thought I’d be good enough to get through?’
‘Of course. You’re really clever and up for all sorts of challenges. Look how you took on the murder mystery event, the daft fashion show at the golf club and pushed me about in a wheelbarrow. We’ll be really good together. Melinda thinks we’re the perfect team.’
‘But you might have been partnered with Jim who’s a genius! Or Oscar whose dog has gazillions of followers.’
‘But that doesn’t mean we’d get along. And they have different reasons for being here to me. They could easily take umbrage that I’m not on the show to win thousands of pounds but to ask for help in finding Hannah. You know the truth. Besides, I want to be with somebody I feel at ease with. Somebody who makes me laugh and lets me be who I am. I can be a little too intense for some people.’
A small smile tugged at his lips. ‘You feel at ease with me?’
‘Isn’t it obvious?’
He sidestepped the question. ‘So, Anneka Rice might not be hosting the show but there’s every chance you’ll be able to get your message out there. The more challenges we win, the bigger the name we create for ourselves and the better your chances of getting in the public’s eye. Everyone loves a winner with a good story and you have a very special story to tell.’ A heavy silence fell between them. Bryony thought he was going to remove his arm and accuse her of using him, but he didn’t. ‘You’re right. We work well together and we can do this. I’ll help you every inch of the way so we stay on the show and get those opportunities to appeal for Hannah’s return.’
‘Thank you, Lewis.’
‘What for? You’re my teammate. It’s only natural I’d support you.’
‘For supporting my idea – not laughing at me – and for being a good friend.’
‘I wouldn’t ever laugh at you,’ he whispered, leaning towards her and kissing her lightly on the forehead.
Her stomach lurched and she wanted to drag his lips onto her own but sense kicked in. She couldn’t ruin this friendship and Lewis might not take kindly to any advances.
Lewis broke the silence. ‘While we’re being open with each other, I ought to tell you about Maxwell.’
‘You don’t have to.’
‘I do. It’s only fair.’
She propped herself up on an elbow. Lewis lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.
‘I haven’t been honest with you. Maxwell is a woman – a woman with a peculiar name. She liked that – being different, being individual. She hated anyone calling her Max in case people thought it was short for Maxine. It was always Maxwell to everyone.’
Bryony held her breath.
‘I let you assume she was male because it was easier than going through the wretched details of what happened, and part of me was amused that you believed I was involved with a man. I confess I overheard you and Melinda discussing me the very first time I met you. After I sneaked into the utility room with Sean, I earwigged your conversation. Melinda told you I wasn’t your type. She hinted I was gay. I thought it was pretty funny, especially the whole “tonsil tennis” conversation.’
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened.
‘Don’t say anything. I can hear you’re about to,’ he continued. ‘Let me speak first. Breaking up with Maxwell was the worst time of my life. I didn’t merely lose the love of my life, I lost my own identity too. Overnight, I became invisible – a nobody. It’s difficult to explain but Maxwell is gregarious, outgoing and draws attention to herself wherever she goes. It’s who she is. She loves people and parties and staying up all night with crowds of friends, whereas I’m quieter, calmer and – believe it or not – more withdrawn. In truth, I don’t really enjoy that type of social scene. I prefer smaller, friendly get-togethers.
‘I was besotted with her. I would have walked over broken glass in bare feet if she had asked me to. It sounds silly when I say it out loud. I sound so… pathetic. It also made for a calmer existence to go along with whatever she wanted to do. It was easier to say yes when she wanted to go off out to a celebrity gathering rather than put up with the pouting, the sulks, the petty tantrums. Her beauty came hand in hand with a temper. She can be quite a spitfire when she’s wound up. I admit I really loved being her boyfriend. I couldn’t believe she wanted to be with me of all people – I was out of condition, scruffy and a bit geeky. Hardly a catch for any woman let alone a stunner like Maxwell. I’d spent my life behind computer screens and hadn’t exactly taken time out for finishing school.’
The comment tickled Bryony and lifted the atmosphere.
‘I never got used to that fact; after all, she could have been with someone better-looking or more exciting than me. When we went out together other men would give me sneaky, envious glances. I bet they were wondering what a bloke like me was doing with such a glamorous woman on my arm and I would think, Yep, amazing, isn’t it guys? She’s mine. It made me feel important – boosted my ego – and so I trotted along behind her like an obsessed fan or a faithful dog. It must have looked peculiar to people. We’re opposites in many ways: She has stacks of showbiz friends; I’m more of a loner. She works with a huge variety of people; I work alone at home. Being with her meant I became visible to others and no longer the recluse I was before I met her.’
Bryony waited while Lewis struggled to convey how Maxwell had dazzled him and won his heart.
‘The break-up took me by surprise and I fell to bits. Maxwell declared we were over and suddenly I couldn’t bear to be in the flat a minute longer. I had to get away from her and so I did.’
Bryony waited for him to speak again. She could hear the hurt in his voice and wanted to hug him but refrained.
‘I spent the first night on a bench by the Thames and mulled over everything. Come morning, I had a vague idea of what I had to do. I collected my car, stuck a pin in a map and ended up in Derby. Once I arrived there, I walked into a lettings agency and took a lease out on the first property they showed me. Life had lost all meaning. Might sound dramatic but that’s how it felt at the time. Meeting Sean in the gym was the first bit of good luck I’d had for a while. Then becoming friends with you all and having a laugh helped me to recover. I’m better. I’m not over it completely but I’m much better.’
He paused to take a sip of water then resumed his monologue, his tone slightly brighter. ‘Maxwell works in television. She’s a researcher and it’s due to her I applied for What Happens in... She got sick of me yelling answers at the television set whenever a quiz show was on so she applied to the show on my behalf. That was way before all the buzz surrounding the show, yet it was only after we’d split up and I’d moved to Derby, I actually got an invite to attend the audition in Birmingham. By then, I’d begun to change – both physically and mentally. I’d started taking control of my life at last. I’d even released some of the anger that replaced the tears and hurt. I’d met Sean, Melinda and you. I thought, Why not, and so I went along to that audition in Birmingham, thinking it would be a distraction – something to do. I’m so glad I did.’ He stopped to let the subtext of his words sink in.
‘And then there’s you. You’ve been funny, full of life and a teeny-weeny bit bonkers. You made me smile again. You got me involved in stuff I might never have considered, including this trip to France that I’m really enjoying. However madcap this idea of yours is, it
’s worth pursuing and I’m more than happy to be a friend and help you find your sister. You might feel differently about me now. I should have told you sooner.’
Bryony remained silent for several minutes. She could hear his steady breathing as he waited for her to speak.
‘You little shit,’ she said at last. ‘You knew all the time I believed you were gay. I even fancied the idea that you and Oscar might become an item. I thought you made a lovely couple.’
She heard a deep chuckle. ‘Even funnier… Oscar’s not gay either. He’s a handsome, young man who is passionate about dancing. He’s got a girlfriend called Lucinda who’s also a dancer in New York. She plans to join him in London in a few months.’
Bryony smiled at him. ‘And now I think you’d better put that pillow you suggested between us.’
‘Spoilsport,’ he replied, tugging it back into position.
CHAPTER TWENTY
MONDAY, 24 JULY – MORNING
The contestants gathered in the library. Bryony and Lewis were the last to arrive. Donald was perched on a stool looking uncomfortable, his thick legs protruded beneath a vibrant tartan kilt. His socks hung defiantly to his meaty calves. ‘The first person to sing “Donald Where’s Your Troosers” will be subjected to a terrible punishment. They don’t call me Bravefart for nothing,’ he boomed.
‘Morning, Donald,’ Bryony replied, catching Nicola wincing at the remark. ‘You look very debonair today.’
‘Thank you, Bryony. I have tried to make an impression and this kilt will certainly grab attention.’
‘He’s out to win,’ hissed Lewis once they’d moved out of earshot. ‘Why else dress like that?’
There were a couple of women that neither of them recognized in one corner. Laura was chatting animatedly to Oscar and Jim while Biggie Smalls was perched on Roxanne’s knee, gazing into her eyes. She looked up as the pair entered the room.
‘You look lovely, Bryony. You really suit green.’
‘Thanks. I’ve got other outfits I prefer but they’re patterned or too dull. It’s been so difficult to choose something bright, plain and smart as requested. I think this one is what you’d call an opulent emerald.’
Lewis smiled widely and said, ‘I had a similar dilemma. I couldn’t decide between the outrageous-orange and the rose-pink polo shirt. It’s been such a tough decision.’
Bryony shook her head in mock despair and said, ‘The sad fact is that it’s true. He’s been flouncing about for an hour in a panic over his outfit. He brought along about ten different choices. In the end I couldn’t bear seeing him in such a tizzy so I suggested he wear the bright blue polo top so we didn’t clash.’
Lewis shrugged helplessly. ‘What can I say? I don’t normally think about what I wear for work, given I usually work from home. I grab whatever is clean.’
‘It’s okay, Lewis. My wife chose two outfits for me to wear. She laid out shirts, jackets and trousers on our bed and even added the shoes, socks and underpants in case I forgot them. She’s been a little mischievous though. Look!’ Jim lifted one leg of his pressed, dark grey trousers to reveal socks bearing tiny Mr Men characters. He chuckled warmly. Bryony felt a surge of affection for the man.
Jim studied Donald before speaking again, ‘That’s a very interesting tartan. I’ve never seen a mint green and yellow tartan. What clan is it from?’
Donald laughed. The sound vibrated around the room. ‘It’s a “WTF” tartan. A friend had it made up for me. It’s not from any clan I’m aware of.’
‘Doesn’t your family have a special tartan?’ asked Jim, oblivious to the nudge Donald gave Nicola.
‘Families from Wimbledon don’t generally have tartans.’
‘Are you not of Scottish descent?’
Donald guffawed. ‘No. I’ve no Scottish blood in my veins. My mates dared me to wear a skirt on television and since I’ve got fifty quid riding on it, I’m wearing the kilt.’
Donald tried to catch Bryony’s eye but she looked away as Laura moved to the front of the room and coughed slightly to ensure she had their attention.
‘Sorry I couldn’t be with you yesterday. In case you don’t remember me, I’m Laura and I’m the producer for What Happens in… You’ll meet various other crew members over the next few days but for the moment you only need to recognize Roxanne, who you all know, and Nina, who’s an assistant on this show.’ A slim girl with deep auburn hair and almond eyes looked over from where she was sitting and waved at them.
‘So, finally the mystery is about to be unveiled. It was somewhat cloak and dagger but I’m sure you understand why. We want this to be as spontaneous as possible. Today is a chance for the audience at home to get to know the contestants. It won’t be too taxing and hopefully, it’ll be a huge amount of fun. We’re going to start with you doing a piece to camera. That is, where you talk about each other. You’ve had a chance to find out about each other on your trip here. Use all that information to put together a montage of your teammate, so for example, Jim, you might want to talk about Oscar’s dog, Biggie Smalls, or what he does as an occupation. We only want a few sentences though, not the person’s life story.’
Jim acknowledged her with a serious nod. She continued. ‘After that, we have your first challenge. I can’t say any more at this stage other than it is awesome. We’ll film all morning but only an hour of footage, with the highlights of the day, will go out tonight on the first show. We’re expecting massive viewing figures so wear your broadest smile and enjoy yourselves. You’ll get the afternoon off to recover, and this evening at eight o’clock, we’ll record a live segment here in this room, during which we’ll announce the results and the losing team will have to leave the château, the show and France. The winners will then get a chance to do a private piece to camera about the day and say what they most enjoyed or disliked and how they felt it went. That will all go out live.’
Oscar spoke up. ‘There are only three teams here. I thought there’d be more. It doesn’t add up.’
‘There are seven teams in total, the other eight contestants are staying the other side of Nantes at Grand Maison Bretagne. There was insufficient room at each hotel to accommodate you all together. They’re doing their piece to camera too at the moment. Besides, it adds an extra sense of rivalry between the teams in each property. You’ll meet the others later when we present you with your first challenge.’
Donald gave a loud guffaw. ‘That’s good, otherwise the last four days of filming would be pretty dull, what with no contestants.’
Laura ignored his outburst. ‘If everyone is happy with what I’ve said, we’ll have breakfast, and afterwards, our make-up lady here – Mattie, also known as the hairspray lady – will give you a quick dusting of make-up, powder and hairspray.’ A stout, middle-aged woman smiled at them all. ‘After that, you’ll be miked up and we’ll call you back here a pair at a time, to interview you. I’m looking for lots of energy today, people, so eat plenty of croissants now and vive What Happens in… France!’
* * *
Appetites satiated and excitement mounting, the teams were in high spirits as they waited to be made up. Bryony patted her freshly coiffed hair, now stiff with hairspray. Lewis paused to admire his reflection in an antique mirror hanging above a Louis XIV desk. I’ve never had such magnificent eyebrows,’ he stated. ‘They make me look intelligent and, dare I say it, a little younger. I’ll have to buy an eyebrow pencil and have a go myself. They make such a difference. I could even get a little creative and put them on at an angle when I’m feeling cross or draw them high so I look surprised.’ He raised the penciled eyebrows up and down for effect.
Bryony chuckled at his comical expressions. ‘I’d leave them alone if I were you. They make Sean’s eyebrows look almost sparse. He’d be over the moon if you turned up at the gym with those thick babies.’
‘He does have bushy eyebrows, doesn’t he? He was trimming them in the changing room last week. I ignored him. Didn’t want to draw attention to him. So, I s
hould forget the idea of male make-up then?’
Bryony appraised him once more. ‘I prefer you the way you are,’ she said and blushed. ‘What are you going to say about me?’ she asked, changing the subject
‘I honestly have no idea. I thought I’d wait to see what came to me when we’re in front of the camera. It would be more natural that way.’
‘It’s tough, isn’t it? We don’t want to come across too confident or too wacky.’
‘I think Donald’s bagged that angle,’ said Lewis.
‘He’s a larger than life character, isn’t he?’ Oscar said, arriving in time to catch the end of their conversation. ‘You should hear the joke he was telling the make-up lady. She could hardly keep a straight face. Almost drew a third eyebrow on poor Jim. ‘I’ve no idea what to say about Jim. He’s a lovely man but I can’t say that, can I?’
‘Talk about his passion for baking and being a full-time grandfather,’ suggested Bryony. ‘The viewers will love to know about his family.’
Oscar threw her a grateful look. ‘Thanks. I’ll do that. I don’t want to let him down. I’m so nervous I’ll mess up and say something ridiculous.’
‘You won’t,’ said Lewis. ‘Just be yourself and chat as if you’re talking to us.’
Their conversation was interrupted by Roxanne. ‘Lewis and Bryony, you okay to start?’
‘Break a leg,’ said Oscar.
‘Ready?’ asked Lewis.
‘As I’ll ever be.’
They followed Roxanne into the library and sat down on the two chairs, placed in front of a camera. Laura, by the window, waited as the cameraman adjusted his lens and confirmed he was ready to film.
Laura gave one of her famous grins. ‘I’m going to start by asking you to tell me a few interesting facts you’ve discovered about Lewis and vice versa. If you could sum them up in only a couple of sentences, that would be ideal. We need to keep it snappy and fun. Then I’ll ask you, Bryony, why you think Lewis and you are a good team. You okay with that?’
What Happens in France Page 13
