Follow Your Star (13 page)

She stopped to watch a crowd of yellow crowned Amazon parrots squawking and bickering over some spilled seeds whilst the village pig rooted in some undergrowth just yards away. The small monkey who’d taken her banana the very first day they’d arrived in the village ran towards her chattering excitedly, weaving in and out of her legs as she approached the hut.

Angela was busy sorting through a haphazard pile of muddy boots and dangerous looking machetes and smiled her welcome at Vanessa.

Standing in the entrance of the hut, Vanessa watched as several of the village women began sorting through the remains of the Brazil nut harvest. She was surprised by how few nuts there were.

‘We have to sell most of the harvest,’ Angela explained. ‘And this year was not very productive. I hope next year will be better but then the
aviamento
will have changed too.’ She shrugged. ‘We know already we will be paying a higher price before the next harvest.’

Vanessa looked at her questioningly. ‘
Aviamento
?’

‘It’s the system that provides these,’ Angela said,
gesticulating towards the boots and machetes.

‘We get the stuff necessary to do the harvesting on the understanding that this middle man will buy the nuts from us at a low price. He will sell them on and take any profit we should have had.’

‘That’s terrible. Can’t you sell the nuts direct?’

‘No. We need the equipment to gather them and don’t have the money to buy it.’

‘The government farm where you got the seedlings from – can’t they help?’

Angela shook her head. ‘In the past they talked about helping us to change the system but nothing happened. And now this foreign guy’s man from Rio has muscled in on the nuts as well as the dam.’ She glanced up. ‘Luigi thinks we’ll end up being forced to leave. We don’t need a lot of money to survive here but we do need land and food. Brazil nuts give us both our flour and oil.’

‘Is there enough there for the villagers until the next harvest?’ Vanessa asked.

Angela shrugged. ‘Depends on how well they keep. It’s difficult to stop them going mouldy in this humidity as we don’t have proper storage.’

There was a short silence as both women looked around, each lost in their own thoughts.

It was Vanessa who broke the silence. ‘Do you want a hand cleaning those machetes then? Or is there something else you want me to do?’

‘Be careful how you handle them,’ was all Angela said, as she handed her a piece of rag.

As she carefully cleaned the lethal tools, Vanessa couldn’t stop thinking about the problems the villagers faced. There
had to be an answer.

Ambling back through the compound after the work was finished, Vanessa found Ralph waiting for her outside the large communal hut.

‘You don’t look very happy,’ he said, taking her hand as they walked towards their own hut.

Vanessa sighed. ‘I just feel so sad for this place. Everyone knows the rain forest is dying because of the way agriculture is taking over, but the people are dying too – if not physically, by being forced to move out of their villages. Give up their traditional way of life. Even Angela is talking of leaving.’

Ralph was silent as a frustrated Vanessa aimlessly scuffed up some earth with her foot.

‘I’m hoping my film will make people sit up and take notice. Do something about the problems,’ he said quietly.

‘I know you came to film the true story of the natives,’ she said squeezing his hand.

‘I just hope it isn’t too late and it just serves as archive material for the way it all was.’

There was a short pause before Vanessa deliberately changed the subject. ‘How are you feeling? It’s lovely to have you up and about again, but you mustn’t overdo it. I must ask Angela to show me how to make that ointment before we leave and take some home with us. The twins are always falling over getting bruises and.…’ She stopped in her tracks and pulled Ralph round to face her.

‘That’s it,’ she said excitedly.

‘What?’

‘I’ve thought of something we
can
do to help the villagers and preserve their way of life. We’ll help them form a cooperative to sell their natural remedies and their produce
including the Brazil nuts. With a co-operative at least the villagers will be in control themselves and not some sleazy middle man.’

It was late in the afternoon of Nanette’s birthday and she and Patsy were out on the balcony of Mathieu’s apartment arranging a magnificent bouquet of flowers from Jean-Claude.

They’d spent the day mooching around Monaco old town and entertaining the twins before returning to the apartment. Mathieu had now taken Olivia and Pierre off swimming and the sisters were finally catching up on each other’s news.

‘These are beautiful flowers,’ Patsy said. ‘Jean-Claude must be really fond of you,’ she added with a sideways look at her sister.

‘It was so good of Bryan to treat you to this holiday,’ Nanette said, not rising to the bait. ‘Shame he couldn’t come with you.’

‘Wrong time of year for a farmer to take a holiday,’ Patsy said ruefully. ‘What with silage and haymaking, not to mention baby calves arriving. I’m sure Helen is enjoying looking after him though.’

‘Getting in practice for the new arrival?’ Nanette teased.

Patsy groaned. ‘Don’t. I’m really quite fond of her and I know she’s excited at becoming a grandmother, but she does have this tendency to try and take over.’ She glanced at Nanette. ‘You will still be able to come back and be with me when “the bump” makes its appearance? I’ll understand if you can’t though.’

‘I’m going to do my best,’ Nanette answered. ‘It all depends.’ She paused and concentrated on carefully pushing
the last orchid into the arrangement. ‘I may end up bringing the twins with me.’

Patsy gave her sister a quizzical look. ‘I get the feeling something is clearly going on down here – and not just with Jean-Claude either. Tell me all!’

Nanette blushed, but decided to ignore her sister’s remark about Jean-Claude for the moment.

‘We think, no, we know, Mathieu and Zac are embroiled in something illegal. And can you believe Zac wants me to work for him again?’

‘I hope you’ve told him no way!’

‘I tried to, but he wasn’t listening to me. And now Mathieu says it would help him if I did.’ Nanette shrugged helplessly. ‘But JC is against it, even to help Mathieu.’

‘Does Vanessa know about your worries over Mathieu?’

Nanette shook her head. ‘No. She’s too far away to do anything and I don’t want to worry her unless I have to.’ Nanette glanced across at her sister. ‘There’s another thing. I’m starting to remember things about the accident.’

‘That’s good,’ Patsy said. ‘Isn’t it?’

‘Not sure. Yes, it’s good that my memory is fully functional again but some of the things I’m remembering are frightening.’

‘Not started the nightmares again?’

‘No.’

‘That’s all right then.’ Patsy said comfortably. ‘Now, I’m sure this Mathieu business will eventually sort itself out and anyway, there’s nothing you can do about it. What I really want to know about is you and Jean-Claude. He’s very attractive.’

Before Nanette could answer, Florence, the housekeeper,
appeared with another large bunch of flowers.

‘The concierge just sent these up, with this card,’ she said, handing an envelope to Nanette.

Even before she tore open the envelope, Nanette knew who these particular flowers were from.

Exasperated, Nanette said. ‘They’re lovely flowers but I wish he hadn’t sent them. I’m going to have to say thank you and the last thing I want to do at the moment is thank Zac Ewart for anything. And why is he going to ring me this evening?’

‘We won’t be here anyway, will we?’ Patsy said. ‘Aren’t we going out to dinner in’ – she looked at her watch – ‘about an hour, with Jean-Claude and Mathieu to celebrate your birthday in style?’

‘Heavens, is it that late already? We’d better get ready.’ Nanette took Zac’s flowers out to the kitchen and asked Florence if she’d kindly find a vase for them.

Mathieu, arriving back with the twins from swimming just then, handed Nanette a small package.

‘Olivia and Pierre thought you’d like this. Happy Birthday from us all.’

‘This’ turned out to be a beautiful silk scarf from one of the designer boutiques on Avenue de Monte Carlo.

‘Thank you,’ Nanette said, gently fingering the luxurious material. ‘It’s lovely. I shall wear it this evening.’

The Italian restaurant where Jean-Claude had booked a table was only a short walk away. Nanette’s heart missed a
beat as she saw him standing there waiting for them.

‘Happy birthday,’ he said in greeting. The words
ma chérie
were added so quietly, that only Nanette heard them and she smiled at him gratefully. Gallantly taking her hand in his, Jean-Claude escorted her to their table where an attentive waiter was waiting to pour the champagne before taking their orders.

Apianist was playing a medley of Italian songs and several couples were making use of the small dance floor around which the tables were grouped.

‘Will you excuse us while the birthday girl and I have this dance?’ Jean-Claude asked, looking at Mathieu and Patsy.

‘Go ahead,’ Mathieu said looking at Patsy. ‘Would you like to?’

‘I’ll sit this one out, thanks,’ Patsy answered. ‘I think the bump would rather get in the way.’

Nanette, moving slowly around the dance-floor, Jean-Claude’s arms holding her close, breathed a sigh of happiness. A feeling that this birthday was going to herald in a year of changes to her life flooded through her body – and surely this time, they would be good changes.

‘Thank you for my beautiful flowers, JC,’ Nanette murmured.

‘My pleasure. I have another present for you, too, but you will have to come to the villa to collect it. Maybe when Patsy has returned home? Now we’d better return to our table, I can see the waiters arriving with our food.’

The meal was delicious. Conversation and laughter flowed between the four of them. It was only when the waiter brought the sweet trolley for them to choose from that she realized Patsy had gone quiet.

Concerned she looked at her.

‘Patsy are you all right? You look awfully pale.’

‘I’m fine – just feel a bit queasy. Probably too much rich food. I think I’ll skip dessert.’

‘Do you want to go home?’ Nanette asked.

‘Certainly not. But if you could just point me in the direction of the ladies?’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Nanette said, giving her an anxious look.

‘You stay here,’ Patsy said standing up. ‘I’m pregnant – not incapacitated. I see they’ve got your favourite dessert,’ she added glancing at the trolley. ‘So enjoy.’

But Nanette could hardly swallow a spoonful of her tiramisu, delicious as it was. When after ten minutes Patsy hadn’t returned she stood up.

‘I’ll just go check on Patsy,’ she said.

Nanette found her sister, sitting in a wicker chair, sipping a glass of water given to her by the concerned restroom attendant.

‘What’s going on?’

‘The doctor should be here any minute,’ the attendant answered. ‘I’ve told the lady not to move.’

‘Why do you need a doctor?’ Nanette demanded. ‘Is it the baby?’

Patsy bit her lip. ‘I’ve started to bleed. Not a lot,’ she added quickly seeing Nanette’s face. ‘But enough for me to need some medical advice.’

The restroom door swung open and a man entered.

‘I’m the emergency doctor. I gather we have a problem with a pregnant lady? Perhaps I could ask everyone to wait outside for a while?’

‘Doctor, my sister doesn’t speak French,’ Nanette said. ‘Do you need me to translate?’

‘
Non, merci
. I speak enough English. Please give me five minutes alone with the patient.’

Nanette made her way back to Jean-Claude and Mathieu and quickly explained the situation to them, before returning to see what the doctor said.

‘Bed rest for the next twenty-four hours. And then check with a doctor again. No exertion.’

‘How about flying? I’m booked to return to the UK in a couple of days?’ Patsy asked.

The doctor shrugged his shoulders. ‘Go to the clinic and see what the consultant advises.’

Jean-Claude insisted on calling a taxi to return to the apartment where he and Mathieu solicitously helped Patsy across the foyer to the lift. Once back in the apartment, Nanette saw Patsy into her room before joining the men in the sitting-room.

Mathieu was holding a piece of paper which he handed to Nanette.

‘Florence left this note for you. Apparently Zac has been ringing all evening.’

Nanette sighed as she read the housekeeper’s message:

‘What on earth can be so important? I’ll ring him in the morning,’ Nanette said. ‘I’m too tired and worried about Patsy right now.’

As Mathieu went to say something, Nanette held up her hands.

‘Mathieu, my days of running after Zac are long gone. Incidentally have you finished with the
Vacances au Soleil
papers yet?’

Jean-Claude shot his son a swift glance. ‘What were you hoping to find?’

Mathieu shrugged. ‘Just an address.’

‘And was it there?’ Jean-Claude asked.

There was a barely perceptible pause before Mathieu shook his head. ‘No. I’ll get the papers for you now,’ He went into his temporary office, returning seconds later with Nanette’s envelope.

‘I said I’d take Patsy in some warm milk to help her sleep,’ Nanette said. ‘Shall I make us a nightcap too?’

Mathieu shook his head. ‘Not for me. I’ve got a breakfast business meeting tomorrow so, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to bed. Goodnight.’

Nanette said to Jean-Claude as the door closed behind Mathieu, ‘Can I get you anything?’

‘No thanks. I’ll leave you to look after Patsy – and don’t worry. I’m sure she and the baby will be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘Thank you for a lovely evening, JC,’ Nanette said. ‘I really enjoyed myself.’