Everything changes but y.., p.35
Everything Changes But You, page 35
‘Thank you, Ali, dear,’ she said. ‘Thank you for rescuing me. You really are a treasure.’
‘You’re welcome, Marg,’ said Ali, ‘just thought it would be pretty rubbish to be there while some bloke went grubbing through all your stuff. It’s not right what’s happening to you, but Hannah said you’re not sure if you want to stay at the house anyway now, even if you could buy it back, is that right?’
Marguerite was too surprised to reply. She had said that, in the kitchen that afternoon, after Anthony had told them the final outcome, but because she hadn’t elaborated on it further, or ever mentioned it again, Marguerite had thought Hannah might have forgotten it, or dismissed the idea as something silly said in the heat of the moment.
Ali had turned to look at her, that appealing open expression on her face, clearly expecting an answer.
‘Yes,’ said Marguerite firmly, wishing Ali would keep her eyes on the road. ‘That is something I do need to talk to Hannah about in more detail.’
Ali turned to smile at her again, nodding encouragingly.
‘Look at road, please, Ali,’ said Pavel, from the back.
‘Road …’ echoed Nancy, which seemed to do the trick. Ali looked ahead again, which made Marguerite feel more able to speak freely.
‘The thing is,’ she said, ‘I want a change. I want to live in London again. It was a tremendous shock when I first got the letter saying the house wasn’t mine, but I think from that moment, I started to move on. But it’s not just about me, Ali. It’s Hannah’s family home too and perhaps she’s been hoping that they would all live in it one day.’
‘Oh, I think it’s all fine,’ said Ali, slowing down to pass some horses and then speeding off again round the blind bends, ‘she just wants you to be happy. That’s what she told me – but she would like to know what you’re planning to do, Marg, so you need to talk to her, that’s all.’
‘So you think I should just, as you say … tell her?’ asked Marguerite, turning the idea over in her head as she said it.
Ali laughed.
‘Oh, you Poms,’ she said, ‘you’re hilarious. Yes! Open your mouth and tell her what you want to do, is it really that scary? It was OK when you told her what was going on with the house, wasn’t it? And here you are doing exactly the same thing again, worrying yourself to death when all you need to do is open your beak.’
‘Beak!’ said Nancy from the back. ‘Tweet, tweet.’
‘That’s right, Nance,’ said Ali, laughing, ‘that’s what Granny’s got to learn to do – sing like a birdie, tweet tweet.’
She beeped the horn in time with Nancy’s tweeting and Marguerite couldn’t help laughing too.
Ali and Dominic stood at the entrance to the barn, the strains of Patsy Cline filling the air, and raised their beer bottles to each other. With hay bales, tables with red-and-white chequered cloths and a fiddle band setting up their gear on a temporary stage, it looked like the set for a cheesy Elvis musical. Exactly what they’d intended.
‘Thanks, Ali pops,’ said Dominic, clinking his bottle against hers and then hugging her, ‘you’re the best. I couldn’t have done any of it without you – well, I could have, but it wouldn’t have been nearly so much fun.’
‘It’s been great,’ said Ali, hugging him back. ‘Well, it was bloody rude that you didn’t want to marry me and all that, but thanks for laying Pav on as an alternative, that was generous of you.’
‘Consider him your annual bonus,’ said Dominic, ‘and so lucky for me that he’s also a master carpenter.’
‘Yeah, wasn’t that a coincidence?’ said Ali, laughing. ‘But I do wish he’d get here, do you think anyone’s going to come? It’s five past seven and there’s usually some freak who gets to a party right on time … I want it to get started.’
She drummed her cowboy-booted heels on the ground.
‘Hang on a minute,’ said Dominic. ‘I’ve got something I want to give you before the hordes turn up.’
He reached in his back pocket and pulled out an envelope, which he handed to her.
Ali opened it, mystified, to see a crisp £50 note, on top of more of the same. She did a quick count and turned to him with her mouth open.
‘There’s £1000 in here,’ she said. ‘Is it for the builders? Who do I give it to?’
Dominic laughed, patting her on the shoulder.
‘It’s for you, dingbat, it’s your real annual bonus. As you’re working for a banker it seemed only fair to give you one. It’s how we do things in my world.’
‘Wow!’ said Ali and threw her arms around him. ‘Thank you so much. I’ve used up all my savings and it feels so good to know I’ve got an emergency stash again.’
‘Good,’ said Dom, ‘that sounds like an excellent plan and hold on … I think I can hear a car.’
They ran out to see two minibus taxis pull up, containing all the workmen from Dominic’s development, plus an assortment of lady companions. Next to arrive were Hannah, Anthea and the kids – plus five dogs. Dominic had insisted the canines were invited, saying you couldn’t have a proper family party without dogs and small children on the dance floor.
Hector was dressed as a cowboy, with water pistols in his holsters and he gave Dominic a good squirt in greeting. Nancy was wearing her Snow White dress with a plastic tiara and polka-dot shoes from a Minnie Mouse outfit. She was carrying her best magic wand. Dominic bent down and scooped her up.
‘Don’t you look beautiful, little princess,’ he said. ‘Will you do me the honour of a dance later?’
Nancy giggled and hit him on the head with her wand.
‘And here are two even more beautiful princesses,’ said Dominic, turning to greet Hannah and Anthea. ‘Well, maybe, one princess, one queen. Hello, your maj,’ he said kissing Anthea on both cheeks, then doing the same to Hannah.
‘Where’s your mum?’ he asked her.
‘Oh, she’ll be here any minute,’ said Hannah vaguely. ‘She had, er, something to see to at the house – but she is coming.’
They followed the children and dogs in to the barn to greet Ali and Dominic turned to watch Hannah go past. She was wearing a sleeveless 1950s summer dress, tightly waisted, with a full skirt to mid-calf, and cowboy boots, and looked absolutely gorgeous. In the brief moment of kissing her cheek he’d noticed the freckles on her shoulders. He’d badly wanted to kiss them too.
Her husband must be an absolute idiot to leave her alone for so long. It was over two months now, or something ridiculous. He might be a so-called ‘male model’ – and Dominic had seen a picture of him in Hannah’s kitchen, so knew he was disgustingly good-looking, in a swarthy kind of way – but to have a wife as beautiful and lovely as Hannah and those gorgeous children and then to go flitting off to the other side of the world was just plain stupid. He didn’t deserve such a wonderful family.
Dominic watched Hector squirting his water pistols at Ali’s boots while she tried to jump out of the way, and Nancy chasing after Hector squealing to have a go. Such great kids. He walked over to them.
‘Hey Hec,’ he called out, ‘give me one of your weapons, then it’s me and Nancy against you and Ali … WATER FIGHT!’
Marguerite and Anthony were standing in the kitchen waiting for the taxi. He took hold of both her hands in his and brought them up to his lips.
‘I can arrive separately, if you prefer,’ he said.
Marguerite shook her head.
‘No,’ she said, ‘no more smoke and veils. I’ve told Hannah that we have become, er, friends and she’s happy for us, Anthony, she really is. She adores you and I think she’s hugely relieved she doesn’t have to feel guilty about that now. She doesn’t even mind that it’s all happening rather soon after Charlie’s death. She said I deserve some fun – I was so touched. But she doesn’t know about the past, she thinks it’s all a new thing and I really want to keep it that way, don’t you?’
Anthony nodded.
‘Definitely,’ he said, ‘I’m all for the new Marguerite who comes right out and says what’s going on for her, but only for the here and now – we don’t need to go back over the messy past. Another country and all that.’
‘I’m so glad we agree about that,’ said Marguerite, smiling at him, but then she dropped her eyes and Anthony saw a frown appear between them.
‘What is it?’ he asked, raising her chin with his forefinger so she would look at him again.
‘Oh, Anthony,’ she said, tears filling the grey-blue eyes he so loved, ‘it’s just I still feel so bad about what I did … It makes me feel as though I don’t deserve this happiness now.’
‘What?’ he asked gently. ‘Tell me, you’ll feel better if you do, you know that now.’
‘Making myself hate you like that,’ she said. ‘It was so wrong, but you know it was the only way I could get over not being with you. If I couldn’t love you, I had to hate you.’
‘It’s OK,’ said Anthony, ‘I know you didn’t hate me really … I think I even knew it at the time, really.’
‘Well, I’m glad to hear that, but I feel so bad that I made Hannah hate you too,’ she said. ‘I blamed you for all Charlie’s excesses, making it all your fault when really I was the terrible one all along, betraying my husband … and my child.’
She looked wretched, but Anthony just smiled gently, shaking his head.
‘We all did bad things, Marguerite,’ he said. ‘I betrayed my best friend and he was no saint either, you know that.’
He wondered how much she did know. He certainly wasn’t going to tell her the details. He knew them; it was how he’d been able to live with himself all these years. Charlie had been just as bad in his own way – you could almost say worse – but it could all stay buried with him. It was time for them all to move on.
‘We did things we regret,’ he continued, ‘but none of it matters now. And you didn’t betray Hannah, you stayed with her father for her, when I begged you to leave him. She need never know about all that and the great thing is, she doesn’t hate me now, does she? She didn’t hate me from the moment she met me properly, so let it go now, please. We are so lucky to have this second chance and I just want to enjoy it.’
‘Are you sure?’ said Marguerite.
‘One hundred per cent sure. It’s all in the past and I’m much more excited about the future these days,’ said Anthony.
‘So am I,’ said Marguerite, realising it was true as she said it.
‘So will you celebrate that with me by wearing this?’ said Anthony and he reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring.
It was thick gold, with two snake heads meeting on top of the finger. One had a turquoise eye, the other was coral.
‘Oh,’ said Marguerite quietly, knowing immediately how old and precious it was.
‘Is it good enough for my Cleopatra?’ he asked, taking her right hand and slipping it on the ring finger, ‘we might move it on to the other hand one day, but for now, it can go there.’
Hannah had persuaded Anthea to find a table and claim it as her own. Once she had her settled there, she went to the bar to get them some drinks. She needed a bit of Dutch courage for what she had to tell her, so took up Dominic’s suggestion she had a whisky chaser with her beer, cowboy-style, but then he seemed to be sticking around and she needed a moment alone with Anthea.
‘Dominic,’ she said, ‘I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to go and talk to Anthea – I won’t be long, but there’s something I must tell her. I’ll tell you after, OK?’
‘Fine,’ said Dominic, looking a bit bewildered, but putting it down to mysterious women’s business, he headed off to see what his builder boys were up to.
Hannah sat down with Anthea and took a deep breath.
‘Anthea,’ she said, her heart hammering, ‘I have something to tell you.’
‘Is it about your mother?’ Anthea answered, smiling broadly.
‘Yes,’ said Hannah.
‘Has she got a fancy man?’ said Anthea, picking up her drink and fixing Hannah with a wicked look over the top of the glass.
‘Well, yes,’ said Hannah, ‘but how on earth did you know?’
Anthea shrugged. ‘She’s got her old glow back. I’ve known your mother for fifty years, Hannah, since before you were born, or Charlie even inherited the house. I remember what she looked like when she first came down after they got engaged. She was ravishing. She’s always been beautiful, but over the years with your father that glow started to fade. In the last few months, it disappeared entirely – but recently it’s come back. And I came to the conclusion there was only one possible reason and it had to be male. Who is he?’
‘It’s Anthony,’ said Hannah, astonished, but deeply relieved she hadn’t had to spell it out, she’d been so dreading it. ‘My father’s best friend – remember?’
Anthea roared with laughter.
‘Oh, that’s priceless,’ she said, ‘the best friend. Charlie would love it …’ she looked up to the ceiling and raised her glass. ‘Cheers, Chaz, don’t worry, she’s being looked after.’
‘Do you really think he’d be pleased?’ asked Hannah.
‘Good God, yes,’ said Anthea, ‘he was always half in love with Anthony himself. Oh, look! Here they are, the happy couple. Ooo oo! Over here!’
She waved her arm in the air as Hannah sat back, feeling rather stunned by it all. She was hugely relieved it had been so easy to tell Anthea, but now she had to deal with seeing Anthony and Marguerite out together in public for the first time.
But the moment she saw her mother on Anthony’s arm, all doubts disappeared. She was indeed radiant and the two of them looked so right together. Hannah felt a deep pang to see another man where Charlie used to be, but she was so fond of Anthony already, it wasn’t nearly as hard to handle as it could have been. She jumped up and rushed over to them.
‘Hello, Anthony,’ she said, kissing his cheek and squeezing his hand at the same time, ‘lovely to see you.’
Anthony looked so happy and sweetly shy about it all, Hannah had to give him another kiss and whisper in his ear.
‘I’m so glad about you and Mummy,’ she said, ‘now I don’t have to be secretive about having lunch with you any more.’
Then she managed to get round to her mother’s side to whisper in her ear.
‘I’ve told Anthea, she’s cool – and so am I,’ and then she dashed off to find Dominic. She wanted to tell him before he saw it. Ali already knew and had agreed to keep quiet, so Hannah could tell him herself. It just seemed the right thing to do, as it was his party and it would probably cause a bit of a stir among the guests and it was still all so new to Hannah, it wasn’t something she could just blurt out casually.
She found him outside talking to a group of his builders and sidled up to him.
‘Hi,’ she said discreetly in his ear, ‘can I steal you for a moment?’
Dominic turned to her, smiling.
‘Of course,’ he said, ‘what do you want me to do?’
‘I just need to talk to you for a moment,’ said Hannah, wishing she didn’t sound so melodramatic, ‘somewhere a bit more private.’
‘I know just the place,’ said Dominic and led her off round the side of the barn. It was still light and Hannah could see an old tractor at the far end.
‘Is that where we’re going?’ she said.
Dominic nodded and when they got there, he opened the tractor’s door, got in and then reached his hand down to help her clamber up the high step. Hannah sat down in the funny little cabin and giggled.
‘Well, this is cosy,’ she said.
Dominic smiled and passed his beer bottle to her.
‘Fancy a swig?’
‘Thank you,’ said Hannah, taking a drink and then handing it back.
‘What did you want to tell me?’ asked Dominic.
‘It’s silly really,’ said Hannah, ‘but I just thought I should tell you formally, because it’s your party … it’s just that my mum is, well, she’s dating and she’s brought her, er …’ what the heck was he? ‘… boyfriend along tonight. So everyone’s going to see them together.’
‘Wow,’ said Dominic, ‘that’s good isn’t it? She’s a beautiful woman, I’m not surprised some septuagenarian George Clooney has snapped her up. Who is it?’
‘Well, that’s the other thing. Do you remember that barrister I told you about? The one you convinced me I had to ask to help us with the house, even though it was really tricky for me to approach him because he was my dad’s worst drinking buddy and my mother absolutely loathed him … Remember all that?’
Dominic nodded, looking a bit puzzled.
‘Well, I did ask him – big thanks to you,’ continued Hannah, ‘and he really helped us and now the amazing thing is, he and my mum have got together, which is insane because she used to hate his guts, but he doesn’t drink now, he gave up a couple of years ago and he and Marguerite have found they like each other after all, which is weirdly great, because I adore him too and, as I told you, I felt really guilty about secretly being friends with him when Mummy hated him so much …’
She stopped short, realising she was gabbling. Dominic was smiling at her indulgently, rather as he would at Hector telling one of his long, involved and mostly fictitious stories about his school day.
‘His name’s Anthony,’ she added.
‘Well, that all sounds terrific,’ said Dominic. ‘I’m delighted for all of you and very touched you felt you had to let me on it like this.’
Hannah stopped for a moment and just looked at him.
‘It’s, er, just them being here together tonight for the first time,’ she said, ‘it’s kind of their coming-out ball and I thought, as the host, you ought to know, in case there was any awkwardness. And I suppose I didn’t expect Anthea to be so cool about it and thought you ought to know for that reason, but it turns out she had actually guessed Mummy had a “fancy man” as she called it and she thinks it’s great.’
She was gabbling again, but it was all so weird, she couldn’t help it.
‘Yes, she’s very intuitive, Aunt Anth,’ said Dominic, ‘not much gets past her. Well, thanks for telling me, Hannah, it’s good to be in on the goss – does Ali know?’
