Everything to Nothing (25 page)

‘Of course I
understand daddy,’ she hugged his arm tighter, ‘but I disagree with
you. Your love for each other should be a building block. She’d
want you to be happy. She’d want you to have some companionship and
she certainly would not ever dream of wanting you to be lonely,
never ever would she want that, surely?’

‘Yes, I suppose
you’re right. I’ve just never met anyone who can come close to her
glory, her beauty, her personality, her unwavering support for
me.’

‘Maybe you’ll
find her in the future.’

‘I doubt it
angel, I really do, unless you want to marry me?’

‘Dad!
Honestly!’

He laughed out
loud and quickly picked up his daughter and spun her round, and
round. ‘Dad! Put me down! Your back! Remember what the doctor
said!’

He continued to
laugh as he stopped spinning her and linked her arm again. ‘Anyway,
enough being morbid. It is nice to talk about your mother, but let
us continue and talk about happier things. How’s college going?
There is no way my beautiful daughter is single! Tell me about
him!’

‘Okay dad,
let’s carry on walking. I’m hungry and want some soup. Shame we
haven’t got our phones. We could phone ahead and get them to make
us something.’

‘It will only
take chef a minute to knock us up some broth!’

‘Indeed!
Onwards then dear father!’

‘Indeed young
lady, onwards and upwards!’

They turned
away from the lake and made their way to the mansion. Suddenly her
father stopped and exclaimed out loud. ‘My word! How stupid of me!
I forgot!’

‘You forgot
something?!’

‘I know,
astonishing!’ One of the many reasons he had been so successful was
his prodigious memory. ‘It has been a busy week. Never mind.’

‘So what have
you forgotten? You’re taking your lovely, adoring daughter away to
Fiji again with no phones or internet to disturb us?’

‘No, but I
think you may prefer what I’m just about to tell you.’

‘Well please
continue then father, please continue!’

‘You know of
course that I’ve been sponsoring a Formula 1 team this last
season?’

‘Yeah, of
course.’

‘It’s good for
business. I get a small section of the car to advertise on and a
section of the driver’s race suits. Expensive, but my marketers
insist it pays for itself. Anyway, I mentioned having some
corporate tickets to the C.E.O., and he has given me three.’

‘Oh, brilliant!
Who are you going to take?’

‘Well, I was
thinking of taking a couple of guys from work.’ He paused for a
moment, waited for her pout and the I-want-line to appear, but they
did not and he thought that maybe his little girl was growing
up.

‘That’s great!
They’ll really appreciate it!’

‘Don’t be silly
Sally! As if I would want to spend such a precious weekend with two
stuffy business men! I was thinking of you and Michelle, that is if
you don’t mind hanging out with an old man for a weekend?’

David briefly
popped into Sally’s mind and then an image of her best friend with
her tongue down her date’s throat, but she had already made up her
mind to forgive Michelle, so she replied, ‘Of course we won’t mind!
We’ll be honoured to spend it with you! Which Grand Prix? The
British?’

‘No, he twisted
my arm for a little bit more money so I twisted his a little
harder!’

‘Good! Where
then?’

‘Monaco.’

‘Monaco?!
Really?! Wow! That’s going to be amazing! Thank you so much dad!’
She swung around him and kissed him firmly on both cheeks.

‘I haven’t
finished yet. He twisted again, and so did I!’

‘Go on, what
next?!’

‘Well, I’ll
tell you later if you’re good!’

She stamped her
foot, and the pout and the I-want-line appeared and he reversed his
earlier thoughts. ‘Tell me now or I’ll sulk and sulk and sulk!’

‘Okay then
baby. On the Saturday afternoon, well more like early evening when
all the qualifying is done, we get an hour on the track in sports
cars!’

‘Oh… my… God!
Seriously? Seriously? How have you managed to twist his arm that
much?!’

‘Money talks
angel, money talks.’

‘Talks?! It
must have been shouting! Can we afford it?’

‘Don’t be
ridiculous Sally. It wasn’t that much! They got those fines last
season, remember? I said I’d help them out a little.’

‘A little?! How
much?’

‘A little.’

Another pout
and another line. ‘Tell me!’

‘Okay. Four
million.’ He said it casually, like they were discussing the new
cost of a first class stamp.

‘Four million?!
Bloody hell dad, that’s a lot!’

‘It’s not
really angel. The money is just sat there so we might as well use
it. Anyway, I can probably get some kind of tax break on it; put it
through the books as a corporate event.’

‘Nice, but
still, four million!’

‘It’s nothing
to us and you know it.’

‘Yeah, I
suppose. Wait until I tell Michelle. She’ll start doing back-flips
she’ll be so happy!’

‘I’m glad
angel. We can all look forward to it together.’

‘We’ll be
looking forward to it and looking forward to it and looking forward
to it!’ She pressed her body against his and rubbed against him
almost like a cat would that wants feeding. ‘Daddy, are we going to
take the yacht?’

He looked down
on her as she pressed herself against his arm. ‘Enough of your
female tricks little lady! I’ve already booked a berth right next
to the track. That cost quite a lot too, mainly because I had to
buy off the people who were in the queue ahead of us, but it will
be worth it!’

‘That’s
brilliant daddy! Thank you so, so much!’ She kissed him again
firmly on the cheek and skipped along next to him as they
approached the mansion.

He was
overjoyed to see her so happy, but as they got close to the house a
member of the household staff ran out of the front doorway. He
muttered under his breath, ‘Oh, oh. This doesn’t look good!’

‘Ohhh bugger!
Sell-up daddy, let’s buy an island where it is quiet and we can
chill out, where there are no phones or anything!’

‘It doesn’t
quite work like that darling. I’m sorry, again.’ By this time the
staff member had reached them.

‘Sir, sorry to
disturb you. Urgent call. One of your directors. They’ve been
trying your mobile?’

‘My mobile is
in the Mini which is over there.’ He pointed through the mist and
the outline of the car could just be seen. ‘Send someone to bring
the Mini back to the garages along with my planes and then bring
our phones back to us. I’ll be in my office.’

‘Certainly
sir.’

He turned to
look at his daughter. ‘I’m sorry angel. Yet again our time is
disturbed. I really must do something about this. Sure you don’t
want to take over the business after me?’

‘Definitely.
And what would be the point? If you want to spend more time with me
you couldn’t because I’d be the one answering the urgent calls
instead of you!’

‘Good point
well made! Right, I must dash. I will try to catch up with you
later. Sorry.’

‘It’s okay. Go.
It must be important.’

‘I’m on my way.
We’ll catch up again soon, I promise.’

‘Yeah, I know
dad. Go on.’

He leant down
and kissed her on each cheek and then dashed past Alfred who was
now present at the top of the front steps. Sally approached him and
walked up the steps to him. ‘Good afternoon Alfred.’

‘Good afternoon
Sally.’

‘My car and my
father’s planes?’

‘Of course.
I’ll send someone straight away.’

‘Thank
you.’

‘Anything for
lunch ma’am?’

‘A soup, please
Alfred, one of the chef’s special chicken broths, and some thick,
crusty bread. Could you ask someone to stoke the fire in east-wing
drawing room and have the soup ready in fifteen minutes.’ The
sentence started as a question, but definitely finished as an
order.

‘Of course.
Anything else my dear?’

‘A box of
chocolates.’

‘Of
course.’

Sally walked
past him into the main hallway. ‘Oh, and ask someone to look in the
library for the sequel to Wilbur Smith’s River God, I believe it is
called Warlock, and ask them to bring it to me in the drawing
room.’

The library was
massive. Shelf upon shelf of books stretching from floor to
ceiling, it was one of the biggest rooms in the mansion, second
only to the Great Ballroom. It had been created by her mother and
was one of her only few vices considering the money she had at her
disposal. The shelves were packed with literary classics, modern
books and a plethora of first editions. The monetary value of the
collection was immense, but to Sally it was priceless; it was part
of her mother.

Usually she
would enjoy finding her own books; her mother’s spirit seemed to be
present in the library, but today all she wanted to do was curl up
in the sumptuously decorated and furnished drawing room and read a
good book.

‘I’ll ensure
that the book is brought to you in the drawing room with
haste.’

‘Thank you
Alfred.’

‘Is that all
ma’am.’

‘Yes, thank
you.’

He gave a
slight bow and walked off into the mansion to pass on Sally’s
requests to the appropriate members of staff. Sally wandered
through the mansion to her room where she changed into silk
pyjamas. Then she proceeded down to the drawing room and as she
entered a maid was laying out the soup and the Wilbur Smith book on
the table. Sally did not even acknowledge the maid’s presence and
instead sat at the table to eat the soup and bread. The maid lit
the fire and then tentatively approached Sally. ‘Ma’am, sorry to
disturb you.’

‘Yes, what is
it?’ She did not raise her eyes from the book.

‘Ma’am sorry.
We appear to be out of stock of the chocolates you requested.’

‘Right, well,
send someone out to get them then.’

‘Sorry,
ma’am.’

Sally flung her
book down and turned to stare at the maid. ‘What now?’

‘The butler
asked whether the Belgian chocolates you like would suffice?’

‘Yes, yes,
whatever. Please. Just go and bring them. Then ensure I’m not
disturbed again unless I ring the bell.’

‘Of
course.’

The maid gave a
little curtsey and left the room. The maid thought she had got off
lightly as she scampered through the halls back to the kitchen to
obtain the chocolates. In the past, when something had not been
available, it would have been a full scale tantrum, sulks and quite
possibly an audience with Mr. Gallagher and then quite possibly
sackings.

As she reached
the mammoth kitchen she flung upon one of the walk-in larder doors
and from the wide selection of available confectionary she
retrieved a box of fine Belgian chocolates. She then scampered
quickly back to the drawing room and placed the chocolates next to
Sally. She gave a little curtsey and left the room.

Sally had not
acknowledged her and had probably not even realised that she had
been into the room. When the maid discreetly looked into the room
after a few hours it was empty. She presumed correctly that Sally
had retired to her bedroom for the evening and she proceeded to
tidy up the room. The maid noticed the box of chocolates on table
and rolled her eyes. They had not even been opened.

Chapter 21

Michelle slept
well at her grandfather’s house like she always did. She waited
there until the early afternoon and helped him prepare a Sunday
lunch for Michelle and her parents. Nothing more eventful happened
until she got home and decided to call Sally. Her mobile was off
for some reason so she tried Sally’s private house phone and after
a few rings it was answered.

‘Hello?’
answered a sleepy sounding voice.

‘Sally, it’s
me. Are you asleep?’

‘Well, I was.
What time is it?’

‘It’s only six.
You tired?’

‘Yeah, long
weekend.’

‘Tell me about
it.’ There was a momentary pause until Michelle said, ‘Look, we
need to talk. Can I come round?’

‘Now?’

‘Yeah. Is that
okay?’

‘I suppose. Do
you want to have some dinner here? We could watch a movie
perhaps?’

‘Yeah, if you
don’t mind.’

‘I don’t mind,
but remember you’ve got some explaining to do.’

‘I know, I
know. Hang on. I’ll check I can borrow a car again. Dad!’ She
paused. ‘Daaad!’

‘What! Don’t
shout at me from another room, I can’t stand it! What?’

‘Can I use the
BMW again?’

‘Again? I’m
going to start charging you petrol!’ He knocked on her door.

‘Come in.’

He opened it
and put his head through the gap. ‘Where to?’

‘Sally’s’

‘Right. Back at
ten. Don’t roll your eyes; you look about fourteen when you roll
your eyes!’

‘Okaaayyy! You
sound like mum!’

‘In that case
your mum has a point! Back at ten.’

‘Right, okay
dad. Thanks.’ He closed the door and Michelle started to speak to
Sally again. ‘Yeah, no probs.’

‘I heard.’

‘Cool. Half an
hour?’ asked Michelle.

‘Yep, no probs.
Hey, we could make a night of it. Have a proper girlie night. What
do you think? We could watch the new Brad Pitt movie. Johnny is in
it too!’

‘You and Johnny
Depp! He’s not that nice Sally!’

‘Whatever! Just
because you fancy Tom Hanks!’

‘Look, I never
said I fancied him, I just said he was quite cute!’

‘Again,
whatever. You going to stay then? I went a bit mad yesterday and
got a lot of new clothes. You can have a look, oh, and there are
some shoes here too for you. Oh, and I’ve got some amazing news!
You’ll never, ever believe or guess it!’

‘Minor problem,
no way he’s going to let me stay out all night, especially if I’m
driving.’