A Face To Die For (12 page)

He pulled me closer and we kissed tenderly. It was good to feel his arms around me and to melt into our own little intimate world again. Nothing else seemed important any more. The phone was taken off the hook and dinner could wait. Talks about Susannah could wait. I was hungry for the scent of his body, craving his blissful caresses.

Hastily discarding our clothes we slid down onto the rug in front of the fireplace; cushions heaped around us; eager to satisfy our urgent needs. In the end dinner was totally forgotten as, exhausted from lovemaking, we fell asleep; our naked bodies entwined.

I awoke later feeling chilled even though the heating was still on. Alex's arm lay heavily on me. I looked across. He was sleeping peacefully. Gently disentangling myself from him I tiptoed to the bedroom and grabbed the eiderdown.

I spread it over us and snuggled down again with him. He mumbled, 'Mmm ... Come here, honey. I thought you'd left me.' Once more we drifted off into a cosy, blissful sleep together.

*

A delicious sensation of warm breath and sensual tingles between my legs wakened me early. A mound was heaving under the eiderdown; it was Alex 'enjoying me', as he called it.

Later on, as orgasmic waves slowly subsided and we were both left gasping for breath, I looked up and noticed the old clock on the mantelshelf indicated that I must get a move on. I was meeting a couple of potential buyers today from Scotland so I mustn't be late into work. Both of us were starving. Once showered, I quickly scrambled some eggs, made a heap of toast and a pot of coffee.

Alex had no rush. He was likely to be jet-lagged for a few days and had decided to phone his office to say he wouldn't be in until later in the day. Un-showered, he still smelled of sex as I kissed him goodbye. Not surprising, after all our lovemaking last night and again this morning.

*

That evening when I arrived home there was a message from Alex propped up against the ketchup bottle on the kitchen table, and unwashed dishes were still stacked on the drainer.

Sorry, honey, forgot to tell you I'm out for dinner tonight. Business. See you later. No idea what time. Love you heaps - Alex.

'Blast!' I groaned. 'Oh Alex, you lazy beast, you might at least have rinsed the dishes!' Cleo wound herself around my legs, reminding me I hadn't fed her this morning. I knew Alex wouldn't have given her anything either, poor thing.

Just as I was scooping some Kit-E-Kat into her dish, the phone went. 'Blast.' Quickly plonking the bowl down on the floor, I almost fell over the cat as she darted forward.

'Anna, it's Philip.' Mum and Philip often called me Anna. But why was he phoning me, and not Mum?

'Philip, how lovely, how are you ...how's Mum?'

'Not too good I'm afraid... your mother, I mean. She's in hospital.

Panic sliced through me. 'Oh my God! What's happened?'

'Well, she found a lump in her right breast yesterday, and she was rushed in this morning to have a biopsy. It's malignant, so they've immediately done a full mastectomy.' Philip's usual light cheery voice sounded heavy and strained. 'I tried to phone you last night but the line was engaged. Anyway, thank heavens I've got you now. Didn't like to worry you at work.'

'But, you should have! So they've operated already? That's quick. Poor Mum. How is she?' I felt dreadful now about the phone being off the hook all night.

'The operation went fine, and she's bearing up well, considering. Hell of a shock though for her, poor darling. Only hope they've caught it in time, that's all.' He gave an enormous sigh.

I gulped with emotion, tears filling my eyes. Poor Mum. A mastectomy... her whole breast removed. I felt sick, visualising the surgeon's ghastly invasion of her body.

'You still there, Anna … Annabel?'

'Mmm. I'm sorry, yes,' I blubbed. 'Look, I ... I must see her. I'll get there on the first train tomorrow, Philip. Give her my love, and tell her I'm coming.'

'She'd love that. Cheer her up a bit. Are
you
all right?'

'I was. Not so sure now, though. Oh, it's so awful ... I don't know what to say. I mean, she will be OK, won't she?' I choked back more tears.

'I'm sure she will; though to be realistic, one can never be too positive about things like this. Cancer is such a bastard. So cruel.' His voice quavered and he cleared his throat. 'Call with the time your train's due and I'll meet you.'

That night turned out to be one of the longest nights I can remember. I couldn't eat, I felt so ill with worry. Alex eventually came in at around eleven to find my bag packed waiting in the hallway.

'What the hell...' I heard him mutter.

I came through in my pyjamas and ran into his arms sobbing. 'It's my mother. She's in hospital... had to have her breast removed. Cancer. Oh, Alex...’

'Hey, come on now, honey!' He took me through to the sitting room. Between sobs, I explained everything to him and that I was catching the earliest train in the morning to see her.

I didn't sleep a wink all night. Alex was sweet, cuddling me and stroking my hair; trying to reassure me, but it was no good. I needed to know that Mum was going to be all right. Thoughts of any discussion with Alex about Susannah were once more completely erased from my mind.

*

Philip met me at the station and took me straight back to Maddock House. There was just time for a sandwich before visiting Mum. He said she had been quite cheerful last night. 'All the more so; knowing you’re coming to see her I think, Anna.' He looked tired and drawn, and like me, I imagined he'd probably had little sleep all night.

Being out of season, the hotel, now open over two years, was quiet with only a handful of guests staying.

On arrival I quickly phoned work to find out if Alex had called them, as I'd asked him to, to explain the reason why I'd had to come to Wales so urgently. Lynda answered. Everything was in hand with nothing at all to worry about. Edward happened to be in the showroom and so I spoke briefly to him also.

'It's OK, Annabel, no problem. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. You must stay on a few days to comfort her. Lynda can manage. Do wish her well from us all here.'

'Thanks, Edward. I'll let you know when I get back. Should only be two or three days.' I was relieved to know they understood. Things would be fine in my absence. Lynda was now more than capable of holding the fort for me, and I knew she loved the chance to do it.

Mum looked quite cheerful as I arrived clasping a large bunch of yellow and white daisies. In fact it was hard to believe how cheerful she actually was, considering the horrendous operation she'd gone through only the day before.

She smiled softly as I kissed her. 'Darling, how sweet of you to come.' Tears then began spilling from our eyes as we gazed at each other, neither of us quite knowing what to say. Philip handed me some tissues from the side table. I dabbed her face and then my own.

'Come on you two. This isn't good enough. Anna, you're supposed to be here to cheer your mother up, you know.'

'I know. Oh, Mum, I'm sorry. Does it hurt?'

'Actually dear, it's not too painful. Mind you, I'm dosed up to the eyebrows with painkillers. Everyone's very kind though and I'm being well looked after.'

The lady in the next bed gave me a warm smile and an agreeing nod. God, how I loathed the way everyone listens to your private conversations in hospital wards! Anyway, I smiled politely back. I squeezed Mum's hand. No matter how hard I tried, my eyes kept being drawn to the large dressing that protruded from her nightdress, above her right breast area. I felt nauseous, wondering how far they'd had to cut. It was so unfair that she'd had to be mutilated like that. Again and again I felt on the verge of crying.

Philip jogged the conversation along mentioning my work at Courtney's and discussing the forthcoming Christmas. Dare I mention that this year I might not be visiting, because Alex had talked of us taking a skiing holiday in Switzerland? They knew about Alex, but didn't know who exactly he was, other than he was Greek, quite wealthy and travelled backwards and forth between London and New York.

I’d hoped to escape discussing him altogether until Mum suddenly asked, 'Are you still seeing your Greek boyfriend, Alex?'

I nodded. 'Yes. We're still together.'

Then I thought of Susannah. What would my mother think if she knew Alex had a wife in the States and that I was basically his mistress? Far away in London with just the usual twice-weekly phone calls to them in Wales, had avoided the need to go into too much detail before.

'You must bring him to visit sometime, dear. We'd like to meet him, wouldn't we, Philip?'

Philip smiled. 'Good idea. Once you're up and about again, darling.’

'OK, I promise to bring him along on one of my next visits.'

My stay lasted three days. Mum was making a good recovery by this time. However I knew this wasn't all she'd have to go through. There would be radiotherapy later for one thing, which I'd heard could make patients feel quite ill as the repeated radium treatments build up. Then I knew she would have the agony of coming to terms with the dreadful scar, as well the psychological aspect of having only one breast and the need to use a prosthesis. I imagined she would probably cope as well as anyone could. It was nonetheless an appalling experience for any woman to face up to; knowing her body was no longer whole. Would she, I wondered, feel any less a woman?

My heart went out to her and I wished I could be more supportive. But I knew Philip would be. I felt sure that none of this would make the slightest difference to their wonderful relationship; that it wouldn’t suffer in any way… provided of course that Mum pulled through the ordeal satisfactorily

CHAPTER 9

Among other things Philip discussed with me in Wales was the possibility of selling his two Jaspers restaurants.

'With things as they are now, Anna, the less business involvements I have to worry about the better,' he told me. 'This present crisis with Maggie has decided things for me. I'm going to sell. Gordon Valoir, who manages Ealing, will, I think, jump at the chance to buy that one; if not both businesses.'

He seemed to have made his mind up and, under the circumstances; I had to agree it was the wisest thing. He continued. 'Let's face it, your mother and I are not getting any younger. The hotel alone is going to be quite enough to cope with from now on.'

Philip always weighed things up so logically and I knew he'd want to be available during Mum's recovery.

I nodded. 'I think you're absolutely right. None of us can foresee how fit Mum’s going to be from now on. Have you discussed selling the restaurants with her?'

'Yes, of course, and she's happy for me to do whatever I decide is best. Frankly, I think she'll be pleased to be shot of them. She's always disliked the travelling back and forth and loathes me leaving her. I should get a fair market price for them; they're both thriving business concerns. Anyway, I need to invest more into this hotel now; more renovations and improvements are definitely required.'

Selling the restaurants made absolute sense to me; but above all, I wanted what was best for both of them, and for Mum to beat the cancer.

*

Back in London, as I left Paddington Station in the taxi, I decided on an impulse not to go straight home to Eaton Square but instead to drop off at work first. I knew I had said I'd phone first to tell them when I was coming in but it shouldn't make any difference. Lynda wouldn't mind. Alex was in Athens so I had no one to rush home for… apart from the cat. Alex assured me a kind neighbour was feeding her so I asked the driver to head for Grosvenor Street. Work was on my mind again.

There was no one in reception or the showroom when I arrived. So I crossed to the inter-communicating door that led to my office and studio. I could hear noises as I approached; then what sounded like a female groaning in pain. It must be Lynda; something was wrong!

I opened the door, and could see nothing at first. The moaning suddenly ceased. I walked around my desk. On the floor behind lay Edward in a dishevelled state of undress with Lynda straddled across him; her skirt up round her waist and her blouse open, exposing two naked breasts. If I hadn't been quite so shocked I think I would have roared laughing.

'Annabel!' they both uttered in unison. Edward's pale face gawping at me was a picture to behold.

'We weren't expecting you,' Lynda gasped, giving me a flustered smile as she quickly buttoned her blouse. She was still seated across him.

I turned away, to save them further humiliation.

‘
Obviously not! I only happen to work here that's all,' I said, with a touch of sarcasm, and left the room.

Where the hell were Violet and Zoe? Then I remembered; Violet was having a few days off visiting her son in Clacton, and Zoe didn't work Friday afternoons. No wonder Lynda hadn't minded me disappearing off to Wales! It had given Edward and her a golden opportunity to get up to whatever they wanted together. How long had it been going on, I wondered?
Also
what about Terry, Lynda's boyfriend in the Army?

Several minutes later they emerged; clothes straightened, they both looked sheepishly at me. Edward ran a hand through his dark lank hair and cleared his throat. But before he could speak, Lynda piped up.