Rendezvous in Cannes (12 page)

Chapter Thirty

An hour or so later when the party was in full swing, and Leo and Rick were deep in discussion about the woes of both the publishing and film worlds, Anna slipped away for a few moments by herself.

So many people here wishing her and Leo well; some she knew as friends, others she knew as business acquaintances, others she had no idea who they were. She could see Bruno on the terrace standing apart from everyone and taking a call on his mobile.

She hoped she’d get the opportunity to talk to him before the evening finished. See if he had any idea what Philippe had written in his will before she went to the lawyers tomorrow.

There was somebody sitting on the upholstered swing seat hidden away in a quiet corner at the top of the garden. Not wanting company, Anna was about to turn and leave when she heard the sound of sobbing. Moving closer she asked quietly.

‘Are you all right? Can I help? Or would you rather be left alone?’

The tear-stained face that Verity Raymond turned towards her made her hurry forward, and sitting alongside her she gently placed an arm around Verity’s shoulders and waited for the younger woman to compose herself.

‘Teddy is furious with me,’ Verity said struggling to control her sobs. ‘He thought I’d given up on something, but today when I told him some exciting news, he realised I hadn’t. He’s even accused me of trying to get my own way by deceit and going behind his back. He was still on about it this evening and we had another major row.’ Verity wiped her face with the back of her hand.

‘All I want is for him to be happy and for us to have another baby. He adores Cindy and I’m sure he’d feel the same about another child but now he just refuses to discuss it.’

‘Cindy is a delightful child,’ Anna said. ‘You must be so proud of her.’

‘Yes I am but I do worry that she is being spoilt as an only child. I had been hoping she would have some brothers or sisters before now but,’ Verity shook her head.

‘Anyway, I mustn’t bore you with my personal problems. What are you doing up here? It’s your party going on down there. You should be down there living it up.’

‘Oh I just needed some time out,’ Anna said. ‘You know how it is.’

Verity nodded her agreement. ‘Maybe this is the wrong moment but I was hoping to talk to you sometime about your new film project. Would there be a part for me in the film?’

Anna looked at her astonished. ‘It’s a period drama. Not your sort of thing surely?’

‘My very first role in rep was Rosalie the maid in Lady Windermere’s Fan. I’ve had a soft spot for costume drama ever since. The contemporary stuff I do now is great fun but I’d love a chance to wear long skirts for a change!’

‘Well, I’ll tell the casting director about your interest but I can’t promise anything,’ Anna said. ‘You know shooting is going to start this autumn in the UK? Don’t you live in the States these days?’

‘We’re buying a place near my parents in Gloucestershire. Cindy needs to be settled in school for the next few years,’ Verity said. ‘At least Teddy and I are agreed on that, and that it will be in England.’

‘Well, when you’re settled in Gloucestershire we’ll meet up. Leo is quite close, in the Cotswolds, and when we’re married I’ll be moving there. You must come for lunch and we’ll get to know each other properly.’

‘I’d like that. Thank you Anna.’

‘Ah, this is where you’re hiding,’ Leo said, suddenly appearing at the top of the path. ‘Anna darling, Bruno has been looking for you. He wanted to talk to you before he left. You may just catch him if you’re quick. If not, you’re to phone him tomorrow.’

‘I was hoping to have a word with him too. Excuse me, Verity. I’ll see you later.’ Anna made her way back down into the garden and on to the driveway where she could see Bruno standing by the villa gates.

‘Bruno, you’re not leaving already? Leo says you were looking for me?’

‘Yes. I have something to tell you.’

‘Something about Philippe?’

‘Jacques phoned an hour ago to tell me about the telephone conversations he’s had with Felicity Howell.’ Bruno looked at Anna before saying quietly.

‘Anna, I think I already know the answer to my question, but I’d really appreciate you telling me the truth yourself. Did you ...’

‘Yes,’ Anna interrupted. ‘I had Philippe Cambone’s baby. I named him Jean-Philippe before I gave him away.’

‘I thought so,’ Bruno said. ‘Oh Anna. I don’t know what to say.’

‘Nothing to say,’ Anna said quietly. ‘Other than for me to say I’m sorry Philippe never got a chance to meet his son.’

‘Yes, he would have welcomed that,’ Bruno said. ‘Jacques has also been putting two and two together by the way. He asked Felicity if she knew the name of her husband’s mother. She said yes, it was on the copy of the original birth certificate they’d managed to obtain, but that it was proving impossible to trace her.’

Bruno glanced at Anna. ‘Rightly or wrongly, when she told him the name, Jacques said he knew a woman with that name and that she was in town for the festival. Felicity immediately begged him to arrange a private meeting for her and her husband.’

Anna gasped. ‘What did Jacques say?’

‘That it wasn’t his decision but he would see if he could arrange a meeting. He’s asked me to talk to you first because it’s not as straightforward as it seems,’ Bruno paused.

‘Her husband has had second thoughts about this whole business of tracing his roots. Because Philippe died before they could meet up he has decided not to continue the search for his mother.’ Bruno was silent for a moment.

‘Basically because he’s very bitter about the fact that she gave him up. So even if you agree to a meeting, there’s no guarantee that he will come. It could turn out to be just you and this Felicity Howell.’

‘Is her husband in town for the festival too? Do we know what he does?’ Anna asked.

‘Yes he’s in town and he has some sort of connection with the film industry. Felicity was vague on the subject – deliberately, Jacques felt. Will you let Jacques arrange a meeting?’

‘I don’t know,’ Anna said with a sigh. ‘Is there any point if my son has decided he doesn’t want to see me? Doesn’t want to have any contact because I abandoned him?’

‘Wouldn’t you like to know about his life? Learn how he’s turned out? There are all sorts of things his wife could tell you. Maybe even persuade her husband to meet after all.’

‘Have you met this Felicity woman? What is she like?’

Bruno shook his head. ‘I don’t know. Like Jacques I haven’t met her but she sounds genuine enough. Jacques says she’s desperate to help her husband come to terms with his adoption. Philippe dying so close to their planned first meeting has really shaken him. He had so many questions he wanted to ask him. Questions only you can answer now. If you do meet Felicity, it might be the start of getting him to change his mind over you,’ Bruno added gently.

‘So you think I should agree to meet this woman?’

Bruno sighed. ‘Anna, it has to be your decision and yours alone. No one is going to pressurise you into doing something you’re not comfortable with.’

‘I told Leo earlier that I had to continue trying to trace Jean-Philippe butI also promised him that I would stop beating myself up with guilt. That the future was more important to me now than the past,’ Anna said slowly.

‘To be so close to meeting Jean-Philippe, only to learn that he despises me,’ her voice trailed away. ‘I don’t think I could cope with him saying that to my face. Maybe it would be better just to leave things the way they are and get on with my life with Leo.’

‘It’s your decision, Anna,’ Bruno said. ‘Don’t decide anything you might regret while you’re so emotional. Talk it over with Leo. Sleep on it. Give me a ring when you know what you want to do. Ah, here’s my taxi – and here’s Leo to claim his fiancée for the last dance of the party. Goodnight Anna.’

‘What did Bruno want?’ Anna, tense in Leo’s arms as they danced slowly together as the notes of ‘Begin the Beguine’ drifted around the garden, stumbled over her own feet at his question and Leo’s arms tightened around her.

‘Are you okay?’

Anna shook her head. ‘Not really. Can we find a quiet spot and talk?’

Wordlessly Leo lead her to a deserted corner of the garden out of sight of the remaining partygoers. ‘Now tell me.’

‘Felicity Howell wants to meet me, even though her husband has decided he doesn’t want to continue the search for his real mother.’

‘Why and how does this woman know about you?’ Leo demanded. ‘Did Jacques tell her who you were?’

‘No. It was only after Felicity told him the name on the birth certificate they’d seen was Lucinda Ann Carstairs, that he said he knew someone of that name, and that I was in town for the festival.’

‘Your name isn’t Lucinda Ann Carstairs...’ Leo’s voice died away. ‘Of course. Changing your name was one of those precautions you took to ensure you disappeared wasn’t it?’

‘Yes. I did it all legally but my parents insisted that Lucinda Ann Carstairs died the day I gave Jean-Philippe up for adoption. Put the father’s name on the certificate – he can deal with it if the boy wants to trace him in the future, they said, but you, afterwards you change yours and disappear. Those were the instructions from my parents. They couldn’t cope with the shame of a daughter who’d ‘gone bad’ to quote their words. As for acknowledging an illegitimate grandson ...’ Anna was silent for a moment before continuing.

‘So, I became Anna Carsons; new name, new beginning - but same old memories,’ she said, biting her bottom lip and starting to shake.

Leo held her close and waited.

‘But now, the worst part is, this Felicity says her husband despises his mother for giving him up and has decided against continuing to try and find her. Says knowing who his father was will be enough.’

‘So right now, we’re talking about the possibility of you learning your son’s identity, meeting his wife but not getting to see Jean-Philippe face to face,’ Leo said slowly.

Anna nodded. ‘I’ve got to decide whether to meet Felicity and hope her husband comes with her. Or whether to walk away – and this time it really would be forever.’ She sighed.

‘I don’t know what to do. Bruno said I shouldn’t rush into a decision about arranging a meeting, that I should sleep on it and talk it over with you.’

‘I agree with Bruno. Sleep on it and tomorrow we’ll talk and decide what’s the best thing for you to do,’ Leo said gently. ‘Right now I think we should find Poppy and Daisy and say goodnight.’

Poppy and Daisy were at the table on the villa’s terrace, enjoying a last glass of champagne and some of the leftover party food. Nat, who’d been wandering around the garden making sure all the candles were safely out, had just joined them.

‘Hi,’ Daisy said. ‘It was a great party wasn’t it? Are you going to join us for a late snack too?’

‘We really came to say thank you for all your hard work and to say goodnight but I’d love an extra slice of quiche,’ Anna said, suddenly feeling hungry. ‘Need something to soak up all the champagne.’

‘I can’t resist another slice of this wonderful gateau,’ Leo said. ‘Thanks Poppy, Daisy. We’ll always remember the evening we got engaged, won’t we, Anna?’

Anna smiled. ‘Definitely. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. Must say, you do a good Charleston, Nat.’

‘Thanks. Bruno’s rock and roll routine was spectacular too, wasn’t it?’

‘He’s certainly perfected it from his original attempts,’ Anna laughed.

‘You’ve known Bruno a long time then?’ Daisy said, ignoring the warning look Poppy threw at her.

‘Yes we go way back, but we hadn’t met for years until this week,’ Anna said. ‘As Philippe Cambone’s life-long friend he’s trying to help the family sort Philippe’s affairs. His unexpected death has created several problems.’

She paused slightly before continuing. ‘The main one concerns his estate. Right now Bruno’s involved in trying to untangle something complicated with a woman called Felicity Howell.’

‘Felicity Howell?’ Nat repeated.

‘Yes, do you know her?’ Anna asked turning to him. ‘She’s written to the Cambones saying she believes her husband is Philippe’s illegitimate child.’

‘You mean there really is an illegitimate son around? It wasn’t just a publicity stunt dreamt up by that actor Sean somebody or other,’ Daisy said.

‘There really is a son and heir,’ Anna said, but before she could say any more Leo stood up.

‘Come on Anna, soon to be Mrs Hunter, I think it’s time we said goodnight.’

‘I’m going too,’ Nat said, pushing his plate away and standing up.

‘I’ll come and open the gate for you,’ Daisy said. ‘Thanks for a great party, Anna – and the introductions.’

‘Nat, before you go, you didn’t say whether you knew this Felicity Howell,’ Anna said.

Nat looked at Anna and hesitated slightly before nodding and saying.

‘I know a Felicity Howell – and so do you.’

Anna gave him a surprised look.

‘I do?’

‘Yes. She was here this evening.’

Anna looked at him in open-mouthed astonishment.

‘Whether it’s the same person who has contacted the Cambones I don’t know,’ Nat continued. ‘What I do know is: Verity Raymond is a stage name. Her real name is Felicity Wickham – née Howell.’