The Angel Tree (30 page)

‘I’m just pointing out that it’s obvious to everyone that Cheska’s got a huge crush on you, and we don’t want any tantrums holding up production.’

‘I’ll treat her like a piece of Dresden china for the next few weeks, promise.’ Bobby nodded at Charles, then set off up the beach towards the billowing make-up tent.

‘Charles is thrilled with you,’ said Leon as he and Cheska were propelled by the wind along the seafront towards the hotel. ‘He says it’s the best
performance you’ve ever given. I was telling your mother that I’ve had a call from an American producer. If this film is the hit everyone expects it to be, I think Hollywood will be
beckoning.’

‘But I didn’t think Hollywood was interested in me.’

‘They weren’t when you were younger. They had their own crop of child stars. But now you’ve matured things are different. Look at what a big star Liz Taylor has become over
there. Your mother is arranging passports for you both and I’m helping to sort out the visas. When this film is in the can, we’ll fly you out.’

‘Leon’ – Cheska pulled her hair away from her face – ‘I’m not going home this weekend.’

‘Right. Have you told your mother?’

‘No. I wondered, well . . . would you tell her? Say we’re running over schedule or something and we have to do some extra filming on Saturday and Sunday?’

‘You want me to lie for you, Cheska?’

She stopped walking and faced him. ‘Oh Leon, please! You know what my mother’s like! She’s so overprotective I can hardly breathe.’

‘I presume the real reason you want to stay in Brighton is to do with your co-star?’

‘Sort of, but mainly I just thought it would be really nice to have a whole weekend to myself for the first time in my whole life.’

Leon regarded his client thoughtfully. Now that Greta wasn’t there to speak for and organise her, Cheska’s personality was slowly beginning to assert itself. The chemistry between
her and Bobby was obvious. Morally, he knew he should tell her, warn her what she was getting into and try to steer her away. Yet, he equivocated with himself, surely the worst that could happen
was that she would nurse a broken heart for a while? Everyone had to fall in love for the first time and it would do her no harm whilst she did so to convey that emotion on film. And, after all,
her private life was really none of his business.

‘Okay, Cheska,’ he said finally. ‘I’ll tell your mother for you.’

‘Anyway, Cheska asked me to send her love and apologies. She says she’ll see you next week.’

‘Didn’t she ask if I would come down to Brighton?’ Greta asked, nervously lighting a cigarette. It was a habit she’d taken up again recently, out of sheer boredom.

‘To be honest, the weather is dreadful down here and it’s played havoc with the film schedule. For the next few days they’re out on location most of the time and doing some
night shoots, too.’ The lies fell smoothly from Leon’s lips. ‘If I were you, I’d stay indoors in London.’

‘I suppose you’re right. Just promise me that my little girl’s all right and that you’re keeping an eye on her.’

‘She’s just fine, Greta, believe me. And turning in a great performance. So, see you at the Ivy on Monday?’

‘Yes, thank you, Leon. Goodbye.’

Greta put down the telephone and listened to the silence in the apartment. It was broken only by the clock on the mantelpiece slowly ticking away the seconds. The past few days had seemed
endless. Only the thought of Cheska arriving home tonight had been keeping up her spirits. She had cooked shepherd’s pie, Cheska’s favourite, and could smell its enticing aroma
emanating from the kitchen. She glanced at the table, already set for two.

She had no girlfriends to call, nothing to do and nowhere to go. Her mind flickered for a moment towards David. Perhaps she had been mad to refuse his marriage proposal, to devote her life to
Cheska’s career, when she might – just might – have found happiness for herself.
No
, she told herself firmly; she’d chosen to close that door and it would never be
opened to her again.

All that was left was to face the harsh reality that Cheska was making her redundant after nearly sixteen years of devoted service.

Greta had believed it could never happen to her again. But it seemed that, once more, she was entirely alone.

‘Oh darlin’, if you only knew how much I’ve wanted to do this,’ Bobby whispered into Cheska’s ear as he removed the last piece of clothing from
her slim young body. ‘Let me look at you.’

Bobby knelt above her on his hotel bed, taking in the newly developed contours of her hips, waist and breasts, the soft light casting dancing shadows over her creamy skin. He normally preferred
a little more flesh on his women, but still, Cheska’s adolescent body made for an enticing sight.

She smiled shyly up at him as he stripped off his shirt, trousers and then his underwear. Bobby leant forward and licked her ear with his tongue. ‘Let’s take it slowly. I want to
enjoy all of you.’

Cheska closed her eyes as Bobby’s tongue moved from her ear and down to her neck. She felt his teeth give her skin gentle nips as his mouth moved down to caress each of her breasts in
turn. She lay wondering if what she was allowing Bobby to do was terribly wrong, but her body was telling her it was the most natural thing in the world. Bobby rose above her again, his hands
reaching for something on the bedside table. ‘Gotta keep you safe, darlin’,’ he said. ‘Right, ready?’

As he positioned his body over hers, Cheska raised her head. ‘Bobby?’

‘Yes?’

‘Do you . . . do you love me?’

‘’Course I do, baby. You’re so gorgeous.’ He kissed her then, hard on the mouth, and as she responded she felt him enter her.

Cheska gasped loudly as a sharp pain ripped through her.

‘It’ll get better from here on, you’ll see,’ he soothed. ‘Oh baby, you feel so great.’

Cheska watched Bobby’s face just inches above hers as he began to move faster, his muscular arms either side of her body. Then, with a sudden moan he rolled away and fell onto the pillows
beside her.

Cheska lay watching the flickering flames in the fireplace, wondering if what she’d just experienced was how it was meant to be. A hand trailed across her breast.

‘You okay? You’re very quiet.’

‘I think so.’

‘Don’t worry. The first time is always the worst, but the night is young and I’m gonna show you what lovemaking can really be like.’

Cheska arrived on set on Monday morning feeling as though she’d been caught in a tornado and set down in the land of Oz. Her body was covered in small bruises, the result
of elbows and knees jamming together in moments of passion. After forty-eight hours spent in bed with Bobby, the centre of her was sore and tender, her legs wobbly, like jelly.

‘Hi, Cheska. Have a good weekend?’ Charles took in her dancing eyes and high colour.

‘Oh yes, thank you,’ she assured him. ‘The best weekend of my life.’

‘I won’t be in until late, Mummy. We’re shooting some night scenes. Bye,’ Cheska called, opening the front door to leave the apartment and slamming it
behind her before Greta had a chance to reply.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she slid onto the soft, butter-coloured leather seat of the waiting studio car. After the freedom she’d experienced in Brighton, coming back to London and
her mother had felt more claustrophobic than ever. She couldn’t wait to leave in the mornings. Bobby had found them a small bed and breakfast in Bethnal Green, close to the school being used
as the location for the film. The two of them would disappear off at the end of the day’s shoot to make love. Cheska usually just told her mother filming had run over. Lying to her had become
second nature.

Half an hour later the car pulled up at the school gates. Cheska checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror and got out, her heart beating in anticipation of seeing Bobby.

‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could stay together for the whole night like we did in Brighton?’ murmured Cheska.

‘Yeah,’ Bobby replied, throwing her underwear to her as she lay on the bed. ‘Shake a leg, baby. I gotta go.’

‘Where to?’

‘Oh, just meeting some people.’

‘Can I come with you?’

‘Not tonight. Anyway, that mother of yours will have you for breakfast if you’re not home by ten.’

‘Could we go out together some other night? You know, to a club?’ Cheska climbed reluctantly out of the rumpled sheets and began to dress.

‘Maybe.’

‘When?’

‘Soon.’ Bobby sounded irritated.

‘Filming’s nearly over. Only a week left. Then what will we do?’

‘We’ll work something out. C’mon, Cheska. It’s gone half past nine.’

‘Sorry, Bobby.’ She followed him obediently out of the room and they walked down the stairs.

‘See you tomorrow.’ Bobby kissed her on the cheek as he hailed her a taxi outside.

‘I love you,’ she whispered before stepping inside.

‘Me too. Bye, baby.’

Cheska waved at him through the back window of the taxi and wondered where he was going. She knew so little about him, she realised, not even where he lived. But soon she would know everything
about him, share his life completely, not just be a small part of it.

She was sure Bobby would ask her to marry him. After all, in her films, when two people fell in love, marriage was always the next step.

When she arrived back at the apartment she turned the key in the lock, hoping her mother would have gone to bed. With a sigh, she saw that the lights were still on in the sitting room. Greta was
on the sofa in her dressing gown, watching television.

‘Hello, Mummy.’

Greta smiled tightly. ‘Hard night, was it?’

‘Yes.’ Cheska yawned. ‘Would you mind if I went straight to bed? I’m exhausted.’

‘Come and sit down while I make you a cup of tea. I want to talk to you about something.’

Cheska sighed as Greta went into the kitchen and filled the kettle. She sat down on the sofa and wished it wasn’t the weekend tomorrow. It meant there were two whole days until she saw
Bobby again.

Greta came back into the sitting room carrying a tray with a teapot, milk jug and two cups. She set it down and poured the milk and tea very slowly and deliberately. ‘There you are. It
should warm you up after a long night out in the cold. That is where you’ve been, isn’t it?’

‘Yes. It was freezing.’ Cheska gave a shiver and sipped the tea.

‘It’s odd, because I had a telephone call from Charles Day tonight. At about seven o’clock.’

‘Oh? What about?’

‘A change of schedule next week. It seems the actress playing your mother has gone down with a nasty stomach bug and they want to leave her scenes until the end of the week to give her
time to recover.’

‘Oh.’

‘It’s peculiar, isn’t it?’ Greta sipped her tea.

‘What is?’

‘That Charles Day would have to call to tell you something when he was meant to be directing you in a scene at the very same time.’

‘Oh, well, the thing was that Charles wasn’t feeling too well either tonight, so the assistant took over,’ lied Cheska frantically.

‘Really? And what about the past two weeks? I asked Charles if you’d been filming in the evenings, and he said no. So the question is, Cheska, if you haven’t been on set, where
on earth
have
you been?’

‘Just out,’ Cheska replied quietly.

‘“Just out”. May I ask with whom?’

‘People from the film. Friends, you know, Mummy.’

‘And would “people” by any chance include Bobby Cross?’

‘Sometimes.’

‘Don’t you
dare
lie to me, Cheska! You’re insulting my intelligence!’

‘I’m not lying, Mummy.’

‘Cheska, please. It’s bad enough that, because of you, I made a fool of myself on the phone to Charles Day, but to continue to lie so blatantly to my face, well—’

‘All right, Mummy!’ Cheska stood up. ‘Yes! I have been with Bobby! I love him and he loves me, and we’re going to be married one day! I didn’t tell you because I
knew that, not in a million years, would you allow me to have an ordinary thing like a boyfriend!’

‘Boyfriend? I hardly think Mr Cross fits into that category, do you? He must be at least ten years older than you, Cheska!’

‘What does age matter? What about my father? You told me he was much older than you. If you love someone, it makes no difference, does it?’ Cheska spat out the words venomously.

‘Let’s both calm down, shall we?’ Greta wiped her hand across her forehead, trying to control her anger. ‘Look, darling, please understand that I’m hurt because you
didn’t tell me what you were doing. I thought we always told each other the truth?’

‘But can’t you see I’m growing up? I have to be allowed to have some secrets.’

‘I know that. I do appreciate that you have your own life to lead, and that I can only play a small part in it from now on.’

‘Oh, please! Don’t try and make me feel guilty. I’m going to bed.’ Cheska began walking towards the door.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound the way it did,’ Greta said quickly, knowing that, whatever she felt, she was in danger of losing Cheska completely if she
didn’t change tack. She forced a smile. ‘Why don’t you tell me about Bobby?’

Cheska stopped in her tracks and turned back, her eyes filling with warmth at the sound of his name. ‘What do you want to know about him?’

‘Oh, what’s he like, the things you do together. I understand you’re growing up and I want to be your friend as well as your mother.’

‘Well,’ she began tentatively, then, as her mother smiled at her encouragingly, she opened up and talked about Bobby, pouring out the way she felt.

‘So, Bobby was the reason you stayed down in Brighton for the weekend?’

‘Yes. I’m really sorry, Mummy. We just wanted to spend some time together, that’s all.’

‘Did Leon know the truth?’

‘Er, no, not really,’ Cheska replied shiftily. ‘Don’t blame him. I asked him to ring you.’

‘So you think you’re in love with Bobby?’

‘Oh yes, definitely.’

‘And you think he’s in love with you?’

‘I’m sure of it.’

‘Cheska, you’re not . . . you’re not sleeping with him, are you?’