Camellia (81 page)

'Shame we can't christen it immediately,' she giggled, flinging off her clothes. 'But the film starts in just over half an hour and I'm dying for a drink. But bless Magnus – I didn't fancy sleeping alone again.'

Ten minutes later they came back down the stairs – Mel in her slinky long cream dress, Nick in a navy-blue suit and striped tie.

As Nick opened the door to the bar, a barrage of party poppers erupted, smothering him in paper streamers.

Mel stood back shaking with laughter. Nick was transfixed, eyes wide with shock, mouth hanging open.

'What the Dickens is going on,' he gasped, seeing at least thirty of his family and friends dressed up and grinning at him. 'I don't believe this!'

If Magnus had once doubted his son's ability to be a convincing actor, Nick's display of feigned amazement put him straight. Everyone, including Mel, was taken in.

Again and again this week Magnus had been tempted to abandon the idea of the party and not just because of Edward Manning. Everyone, family, friends and staff were intensely curious about Mel – why she'd left Oaklands, why Manning had tried to kill her, what her connection with Helena was. On top of that Magnus knew they were also all wondering where he came into the story – how he knew Sir Miles Hamilton and Helena and why the police had questioned them all. A few moments ago when he'd warned everyone to say nothing to Mel about Manning or the police presence outside, it created even greater confusion.

Magnus was at heart an honest man, and he would have found it more comfortable to tell the truth than lie or evade the issue. But he was only one of the supporting cast in this drama, and unless Helena and Miles were prepared publicly to reveal their relationship to Mel, he couldn't offer a plausible explanation about any of it, to anyone.

Sophie and Stephen were both bristling with indignation, convinced they were the only people being kept in the dark. Joan and Antoine were a little hurt he couldn't take them into his confidence and he knew the rest of his staff were whispering about this mystery together.

Glancing about him Magnus saw it in all their faces. Sophie had made a great effort with her appearance tonight: she'd had her dark hair put up in a French pleat at the hairdressers, with make-up and her black cocktail dress she was, if not glamorous, at least sophisticated. But though she was smiling and chatting to everyone, every now and again she'd glance balefully in Magnus's direction. Stephen was very smart in a dark lounge suit, a full glass in his hand, June, his wife by his side, but he appeared to be studying Miles and Helena as if trying to work it all out. Even Joan and Antoine, although clearly touched that they'd been included tonight, looked slightly strained.

But Magnus knew he had to put all this out of his mind. The party was for Nick, and what counted tonight was his youngest son's happiness.

'I'm as proud as punch of you.' He took a step closer to Nick putting one hand on his shoulder, his voice gruff with emotion. 'This is my way of showing it.'

'Oh Dad, you silly sod,' Nick hugged his father tightly. 'Am I really going to be put through watching it with all of you?'

'You just wait till you see the size of the television I hired for the night,' Magnus said. 'Now how about some large drinks before we go into the private cinema in the dining room?'

Mel was so busy watching Nick's face, she didn't notice Helena come through from the back of the crowd to stand by her side.

'You look wonderful, Camellia. I hope you feel as happy and well as you look.'

Mel turned her head in surprise at the now familiar husky voice.

Helena looked like a film star tonight, in a floor-length blue and green chiffon low-cut gown, with wide, almost mediaeval sleeves. Diamonds sparkled at her throat, wrist and ears, and her dark curls cascaded onto her shoulders. The glamour threw Mel, bringing back an unexpected twinge of resentment.

'I'm fine now, thank you,' she said.

A fleeting look of hurt in the woman's velvety dark eyes immediately shamed her for giving such a stilted, cold reply.

'I'm sorry, that came out all wrong/ she added quickly. 'I think I meant past hurts don't matter any more. Tonight and all the tomorrows are what count.'

'A commendable sentiment,' Miles's deep gravelly voice came from her right. He pushed his way past a couple of Nick's actor friends. 'And my dear, you look ravishing.'

'And so do you, Smiley,' she said, reaching out to touch his waistcoat. It was red silk, embroidered with gold thread and she had the oddest feeling he'd put it on for her benefit. 'This is absolutely spectacular.'

She knew in that instant she'd made amends to both of them by using Helena's pet name for him. Delighted smiles passed between them.

'It has been said, that a man of my age should wear more discreet clothes,' Miles said with a rumble of laughter in his voice. 'But I have always maintained that if everyone was to dress as they feel, we'd all understand one another a great deal more quickly.'

'Then I should be wearing red,' Mel admitted. 'That's my favourite colour. What would that say about me?'

'Ah, ha!' he exclaimed. 'Red signifies a huntress. But as you chose cream tonight that suggests to me that you have found what you were looking for. Am I right?'

Mel looked from Miles to Helena. She sensed that they were both still uneasy. This was all new for them too.

It was a strange moment. The room was filled with Nick's family and friends. To them, aside from Nick and Magnus, she was merely an ex-employee turned girlfriend - a curiosity perhaps, because of the recent events, but nothing more.

Mel was aware her idea of family life was distorted. She'd only really ever observed it as an interested outsider – sometimes with yearning, but more often with cynicism. She had the choice now either to claim these two strangers as her family and be prepared for the difficulties which would come with it, or to back away politely and keep the independence she valued. It wasn't easy. She wasn't sure she could ever be what they wanted, and once she'd committed herself she would have to stick by her decision.

'Yes. I have found what I was looking for,' she said carefully. 'Me.'

Miles looked a little perplexed, but Helena's eyes showed true understanding. She lifted one hand and caressed Mel's cheek, her tender gesture showing that she knew Mel had placed a foundation stone on which all three of them could build.

Magnus elbowed his way through the crowd with a tray of drinks. 'Nick told me you'd like gin and tonic,' he said, handing a glass to Mel. 'Brandy for Miles, lemonade for Helena and whisky for me. I need it too. If I ever get the idea of throwing another surprise party, lock me up until the madness has passed.'

'It was worth it though, wasn't it?' Mel said. 'I've never seen Nick look so surprised. I thought he'd guessed when he saw the police on the gate. Are they really necessary? I mean do you get followed by fans much, Helena?'

Helena had to think quickly. People did turn up on the film set every day, but the real draw was Rupert Henderson, her young co-star. 'It isn't me people are likely to chase after, but Nick,' she said with a wide smile. 'There was a great deal in the local papers about him while you were away, and Magnus has had his hands full for the last two days with people wandering into the grounds hoping to see him. After tonight it will probably be worse.'

Magnus shot her a look of gratitude. 'Speaking of Nick's film, it's about time we all went in and took our seats,' he said. He put his arm around Mel. 'And I haven't even had time to tell you how gorgeous you look tonight, or ask about your foot.'

'The foot's all better, and I'm glad I look human again. But you haven't told me what's happened about Edward? And where's Con? He said he was going to come.'

'Con couldn't find anyone to stand in for him tonight,' Magnus replied, glad that as usual she'd strung all her questions together. 'But he said he'd come down – if not this coming Sunday, the next. I think he's finding it a bit of a struggle without you. Now let's get Nick and get in the dining room. We can do all the chatting after the film.'

The dining room had been turned into a cinema, with the biggest television Mel had ever seen put up on a table. Magnus had replaced the dining tables and chairs with the more comfortable wicker armchairs and settees from the orangery. Nick, Mel, Helena and Magnus took the biggest settee right in the front, with Miles in a chair next to them. The rest of the party gathered to both sides and behind them.

'I'll bring round the ices,' Nick joked, a little embarrassed to find himself the focal point of the whole evening. But he was glad to discover that he had at least drawn all the guests' attention away from what was going on outside. He'd peeped out through the curtains just before coming in here and he'd seen the police patrolling the grounds with torches.

Magnus had half expected some of the guests, particularly the actor friends, to interrupt the flow of the film by making ribald comments, but the story was so powerful that they quickly became immersed in it. In fact Magnus found himself forgetting that the tough instructor who bullied, cajoled and reached the hearts and minds of those young offenders, or shinnied up rock faces seemingly effortlessly, was his son. But every now and then, mostly when the camera caught Nick in a close-up, and he saw the lad's clear blue eyes, and his angular cheek bones, he felt a pang of sorrow that Ruth wasn't here beside him.

Mel, sitting between Magnus and Nick, was so enthralled that when they got to the part where Nick fell into the crevice, she cried out in fear.

In the final poignant scene where the young tearaway changes his mind about running away to the city and climbs back to help Nick, both Helena and Mel were sobbing. Magnus glanced round over his shoulder and saw that Sophie was too. He hadn't seen her react emotionally to anything since she was a young teenager.

As the credits rolled and Nick Osbourne's name flashed onto the screen, Magnus leapt to his feet.

'That's my boy,' he yelled, his eyes as damp as Mel's.

'Oh Dad.' Nick embraced his father fiercely, too choked up to say anything coherent. A babble of laughter and chatter broke out, hands reached out to pat his back, but his father's pride and delight meant more than anything.

'You were absolutely wonderful.' Mel hugged Nick, still sniffing and dabbing at her eyes.

'Dan was better,' Nick said. 'He made the film. Did you see that expression on his face when he was fighting? He really looked like a hard nut.'

'Which one was Dan?' she joked. 'I only saw one face throughout the whole film.'

They all moved back into the bar, the two waitresses coming in to move back the chairs for dancing later and to set up a table for the buffet. The barman was opening bottles of champagne and everyone was talking at once, trying to get Nick's attention. But Nick stayed firmly by Mel's side, introducing her to his friends, smiling happily at their extravagant praise.

'Look who's coming!' Nick whispered to Mel a bit later as Sophie elbowed her way towards them, dragging her husband Michael by the hand.

Mel thought she looked very attractive tonight. It was good to see her in a smart dress, instead of baggy tweeds and twin-sets. She hadn't any idea that Sophie had such a good figure or such nice legs.

'You were very good, Nick,' she said in the same kind of snooty voice she used to speak to Oaklands staff. 'I'm very proud of you.' She stopped suddenly, as if aware her tone was all wrong. 'I mean it, Nick,' her voice softened. 'You made me cry.'

Mel glanced at Nick, hoping he wouldn't come back at Sophie with sarcasm. To her delight he reached forward and gave his sister a warm hug. 'That's a nice thing to say, Soph. My family's opinion is more important to me than tomorrow's papers. I'm really glad you came – it's a long way from Yorkshire.'

Sophie smiled – really smiled from the heart – and for the first time ever Mel saw Magnus in her face. She shared none of his strong features, but just this once she had her father's joyful expression.

'Hullo, Mel.' She turned to Mel almost timidly. 'I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to you. It must have been terrible. But you look well now. Are you feeling better?'

It was enough that Sophie hadn't been waspish with Nick; the last thing Mel had expected from his sister was that she'd be nice to her. I'm absolutely fine now,' she said in a rush, wishing she knew how much Magnus had told his daughter. 'It's nice to see you again, and Michael.' She smiled at the whey-faced man with thick glasses standing just behind his wife. 'Isn't this a lovely party?'

Mel expected Sophie to move on men – she had never been any good at sustaining a conversation beyond two or three sentences – but to her further surprise Sophie blushed and dropped her eyes.

'I'm sorry if I was sharp with you in the past,' she blurted out.

'Were you? I didn't notice,' Mel lied.

'I was. I suppose I was a bit jealous because Dad was always talking about you.'

There was nothing Mel could say to that so she just smiled. She wondered if Sophie realised they would soon be sisters-in-law.

'Dad seems very chummy with her now,' Sophie nodded her head towards Helena who was talking animatedly to one of Nick's actor friends. 'I don't know that I like it. I hear she's an alcoholic.'

'Sophie!' Nick exclaimed. 'She isn't and anyway do you have to judge people so harshly?'

'I'm sorry,' she retorted, but her old acid tone was back, probably to stay. 'I can't helping worrying about our father, it's in my nature.'

As Sophie flounced off with Michael following meekly behind, Nick grinned. 'Now there's another person who must've been swopped at birth. She hasn't got an ounce of Mum or Dad in her. Somewhere out on the Yorkshire moors there's a couple of ogres who she really belongs to. Poor old Michael! I wonder what he did wrong in his previous life.'

As the champagne flowed, so the noise level in the bar rose. Nick had taken Mel around the room introducing her to friends. She'd seen some of them before at Oaklands – a young doctor and his wife, a jeweller and his fiancée – but most were actors.