Blue Moon (Book One in The Blue Crystal Trilogy) (11 page)

When she saw us together in the
café that first lunchtime, holding hands and gazing at one another
over the table, Tash had been quite unpleasant.

“So, how long has this been
going on for?” she demanded, sitting on the seat next to me and
throwing down her backpack on the table.

“It’s just started…” I began to
say, but she cut me short.

“Oh, save it. D’you think I’m
an idiot? It’s obviously been going on for a while, and you didn’t
have the guts or the decency to tell me. Well, it’s obvious who
comes first, isn’t it? And it’s not your friends.”

“Tash, why are you being like
this?” I failed to understand her animosity.

“It’s okay,” said Theo,
diplomatically, “I understand. You feel let down and…”

She cut him short. “Let’s get
one thing straight, Blondie,” she said nastily to Theo. “You don’t
understand how I feel and you never will. I don’t feel let down.
The problem is I don’t trust you. We don’t know anything about you,
and you might have pulled the wool over Little Miss Naivety’s eyes
here, but you don’t fool me. There’s something about you and your
sister that doesn’t add up. And I am determined to find out what it
is.”

Theo attempted to placate her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I will never hurt Emily,
she’s too important to me.”

Tash shot him a venomous look.
“Save it, Blondie, I don’t want to hear it. I’ll be watching you
and as soon as you put one foot out of place, you’ll have me to
answer to. D’you understand?” She spat the words into his face and
I sat speechless, too shocked by her words to know what to say.

Again Theo smiled, but I sensed
a chilliness beneath his outward demeanour.

“Like I said, I don’t know what
you’re talking about, but I warn you, Tash, don’t cross me or my
family.” He let go of my hand, folded his arms defensively and
stared at her.

“Like I’m really scared,” she
mocked him. “Gotta go, some of us have work to do.”

She looked at me dismissively
and grabbed her backpack, swinging it violently over her shoulder.
“See you around, Emmie.”

With that parting shot, she
tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and walked out of the
café with her head held high.

Theo looked after her, a
worried expression on his face.

“Sorry about that,” I said
softly. “I don’t know what’s the matter with her. She’s not
normally like that. I think either she’s jealous, or more likely,
worried about me.”

“Yes, I’m sure that’s it,” said
Theo, smiling, but there was no mistaking the coldness in his
eyes.

We didn't fare much better with
Seth. He wasn’t as bad as Tash, but he certainly wasn’t
over-friendly. He eyed us holding hands with suspicion and before I
had chance to speak to him, muttered something about rugby practice
and having to go.

He accosted me later on that
afternoon, as we walked to a tutorial together.

“So, what’s going on Emmie?” he
asked. “This is all very sudden with Theo, isn’t it? You never
mentioned anything to me or Tash.”

“Well, I suppose it is very
sudden, but it’s not like I’m getting married to him. We’re only
dating, and it’s only just begun. There’s been nothing to tell.” I
failed to understand why my friends were making me feel so
defensive. I had nothing to feel guilty about. This was their
problem, not mine. If they didn’t want to see me happy, they knew
what they could do.

“Okay,” said Seth, “just don’t
forget us, will you?”

“Of course not,” I answered,
feeling very perplexed with it all. “He’ll probably get bored with
me after a few dates.”

Seth just looked at me and
walked into the tutorial, silently finding his seat and sprawling
in his chair. I sat down and once again failed to take in anything,
so disturbed were my feelings and thoughts.

As I turned the key in my
locker and took out my coat, ready to get the bus home, Theo was
there once again.

“Hi, Emily,” he planted a light
kiss on my forehead. “I thought you might like a lift home…”

“Oh,” I said, startled, “You
mean, in your car…?

“No, on the front of my
bicycle. Yes, of course in the car. What else would I mean?” he
grinned at me.

“Okay,” I laughed, trying to
gather my thoughts. “Is Violet alright with this?”

“I don't have to get permission
from Violet for everything I do,” he pointed out.

“No, I know, I didn’t mean
that,” I said awkwardly. Yet again, he was making me feel naïve and
gauche. “I’m just not sure she approves of you seeing me.”

“You leave Violet to me,” he
said sharply. “Now, do you have everything?”

“Yes,” I answered, closing my
locker door. I saw Seth at the end of the corridor and called after
him. “Seth, can you tell Tash I’m not catching the bus? I’m getting
a lift with Theo…”

I know he heard me, because he
turned and looked at me. But he didn’t respond, just turned on his
heel, his expression unreadable, and walked away. I stared after
him.

“Guess your friends don’t think
much of me, do they?” said Theo.

“Oh, they’ll be fine,” I said,
trying to convince myself. “They just need a bit of time. Don’t
worry about them.”

“I don’t,” said Theo, with
arched eyebrows. “It’s you I’m interested in, not them.”

The way he looked at me made my
stomach flip and goose bumps run down my spine. I shuddered,
feeling completely weak in his presence. I would do anything for
this boy. Even give up my friends.

“Come on,” he said, taking my
bag, and I followed him down the stairs, past the main hall, into
the reception area, and out into the open air. As we walked through
the college gates, I saw the gleaming black Jaguar and the
unpleasant chauffeur lounging by the car door.

“Hi Aquila,” said Theo, walking
up to the car. “One more to take home today. This is Emily.”

“Hi, Aquila,” I muttered shyly
from behind Theo’s back, aware that this odious man didn’t like
me.

His black eyes glittered at me.
“Yes, we’ve met,” he said dismissively, asking Theo, “Do your
mother and father know about this?”

Theo laughed shortly. “And what
are they going to do about it? We’re only giving Emily a lift home,
what’s your problem?”

“No problem,” he answered
through gritted teeth, and opened the door roughly, saying to me,
“Get in, please.”

I slid onto the smooth leather
seats looking around me. This was the kind of luxury I could get
used to. Theo sat next to me, placing his leg close to mine. My
insides flipped again and I felt frozen to the spot, my body
tensing in anticipation of things to come. Should he be doing this?
Was it appropriate? Appropriate or not, it felt fantastic, and I
grinned at him, feeling like the cat who’s got the cream. He smiled
back, his wonderful, sunny smile, and I knew, whatever happened,
whoever disapproved, I didn’t care. I just wanted to be with him.
There was a slight commotion outside as Violet arrived and was
ushered into the front seat by Aquila. She turned and looked at us
angrily.

“Hi Emily, did you miss the
bus?”

“Er, no…” I stuttered, “Theo
said I could have a lift home.” I glanced at Theo for support.

“It’s okay, Vi, don’t get in a
sweat,” he smiled sweetly at his sister. “Emily only lives down the
road from the hall, it’s no problem to drop her off.”

“If you say so,” said Violet,
frostily and turned, staring very deliberately through the front
window. “Can we have some music on, Aquila?” she asked, without
even looking at the chauffeur, who by now was sitting in the
driving seat, with the engine idling. “Elgar’s Salut d’Amour would
seem appropriate,” she added sourly.

“Sure. Why not?” he said
stonily, not looking back at her and pressed a button on the
console.

Beautiful music filled the
cabin, and it would have been perfect had not the atmosphere been
so chilly. I sat, feeling perplexed. What was with this weird
family? I couldn’t get their measure at all. Surely Violet wasn’t
jealous of me being with Theo? And why did the hook-nosed Aquila
seem to dislike me so intensely? He looked at me as if I was a
piece of meat on a plate, and I felt very uneasy in his presence.
Frightened, even. If he was a servant, he had no business having
opinions about me. Surely he was there to do his job? Something
didn’t add up, but I couldn’t work out what it was.

Then Theo took my hand in his
and all my doubts and insecurities melted away. I felt safe and
protected. The haunting melody of the violin filled the air and I
sat back against the smooth, cool leather, losing myself in the
experience. I’d come a long way in the last few days. From being a
sad no-hoper without even the glimmer of a love life, I now had the
best-looking boy I’d ever met as my boyfriend, and I was being
taken home in his chauffeur-driven car. Who’d have guessed at the
beginning of the week that life could take such an upward turn? I
squeezed Theo’s hand and he squeezed it back, making me smile. I
didn’t need to look at him, I knew he was feeling as happy as I
was. I purposefully didn't look in the driver’s rear view mirror
and risk seeing Aquila’s scowling, angry face. Why spoil a perfect
moment with his unpleasantness?

It hardly seemed to take two
minutes before we’d arrived back in the village and I was giving
Aquila directions, although I got the sense he already knew where I
lived, for all the attention he gave me. The sleek black Jaguar
pulled up outside my house, and Aquila unwillingly got out of the
driver’s seat and opened my door, looking at me coldly.

I swung my legs out and turned
to say goodbye to Theo, but the seat was empty. Amazingly, he was
already standing alongside Aquila, taking my hand and helping me to
get out of the car.

“How did you get there so
quickly…?” I started to say, but he put his finger to his lips
conspiratorially.

“I’ll walk you to your door,”
he said gallantly, picking up my backpack.

I turned to say thank you to
Aquila, but he was back in the driver’s seat and I was glad I
didn’t have the opportunity to speak to him. He was one nasty
individual.

As we walked up the driveway,
the front door opened and my mother and Granddad peered out,
looking intrigued at the sleek black car outside the house and the
stunning boy who stood next to me.

“Mum, Granddad, this is Theo,”
I introduced him proudly, and Theo stepped forward to shake their
hands.

“Mrs Morgan, pleased to meet
you… Granddad… delighted…” He beamed at them and I knew my mother
was instantly sold, judging by the slight flush that crept into her
cheeks. Gramps was a little more reticent, taking Theo’s hand with
a curt “likewise”, and obviously sizing up the beautiful creature
that stood before him.

“Would you like to come in for
a cup of tea, Theo?” asked my mother. “Perhaps your father would
like to come too, and is that your sister in the car?”

“Yes, that’s my sister,” smiled
Theo. “But that’s not my father. Aquila is our chauffeur, and he
most definitely doesn’t take tea.”

“Oh, your chauffeur… of course
…” My mother looked visibly impressed and I stepped in to spare her
or Theo further embarrassment.

“I don’t think they can come in
today, mum, they need to get back, don't you Theo?” I looked at him
pointedly.

“I’m afraid so,” said Theo,
taking the hint. “Perhaps another time?”

“Of course, any time,” said my
mother, more than a little flustered, “any time at all, Theo…”

“Yes, pop in,” said Granddad.
“It’ll be good to have a chat with you….”

“Goodbye, Theo,” I said,
determined to put an end to this doorstep charade. Talk about
embarrassing families. These two were impossible.

“Bye, Emily,” said Theo, giving
me a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll call you later. Lovely to meet
you, Mrs Morgan …. Granddad…”

Once the front door was closed,
the questions came.

“How long has this been going
on for?” “How old is he?” “Is it serious?” “Where do they live?”
“How rich are they to afford a chauffeur…?” My mother couldn’t get
her words out quick enough. Granddad stood by, watching, saying
nothing.

I put my hands up. “Stop, Mum.
Just stop. His family have bought Hartswell Hall, so yes they’re
wealthy. He’s nineteen and we haven’t even had a date yet, so
please don’t worry. It’s not serious. We’re just getting to know
each other.”

“Sorry, Emmie, I can’t help
it,” said my mother excitedly. “He’s so gorgeous, and so charming.
Almost too good to be true… Those blue eyes, and that skin… He’s
beautiful. And to think his family are renovating Hartswell Hall.
How exciting.”

My Granddad was a little more
circumspect. “Good looks and wealth are all very well, Emmie, but
you know as well as I do they’re not important. I hope there’s a
bit more substance to him.”

“Of course there is, Gramps,” I
said defensively, but in my head, a little voice still asked
awkward questions. What did I know about Theo? Was there any more
substance to him than good looks and money? Could I trust him? What
did he want from me? And why was everybody so against this
relationship?

I had to admit, I didn’t know
the first thing about him. I didn’t know where he came from or what
his intentions were. I didn’t understand why he’d selected me out
of all the girls he could have dated. And I had no idea why he’d
been so against me initially, then suddenly changed his mind. None
of it made sense. My Granddad was right to be concerned. There were
too many questions and not enough answers.

But there again, did I have the
sense to heed his concern?

I didn’t think so.

11.
The Hall Reborn

Some of my questions were
answered that weekend, when I received an invitation to visit
Hartswell Hall and meet Theo’s mother and father on Sunday
afternoon.