The Angel Tree (48 page)

Once LJ and Tor had left, David turned to his niece. ‘Ma’s worried about us going away, isn’t she?’

‘A little, perhaps. But I suppose, when you’re eighty-five, maybe you do worry whether you’ll live to see another summer.’ She shrugged.

‘Goodness, Ava, you’re so mature. Older than your years.’

‘Well, I’ve been brought up by a very wise lady.’

‘I saw your grandmother in London, by the way. I told her that I won’t be around for the next six months.’

‘Don’t worry, Uncle David, I’ll keep tabs on her.’

‘And I saw your mother when I was in Los Angeles.’

‘Really?’ replied Ava, obviously not especially interested. ‘How was she?’

‘Okay, but going through a difficult patch.’

‘Has she mislaid another husband?’

‘Ava, really! She
is
your mother.’

‘I only know of her from the gossip columns, the same as everybody else. Sorry, Uncle David.’

‘I understand. And I suppose the good news is that you’ve been far better off growing up here with Ma than you would ever have been with Cheska. Not that that makes it right, of
course,’ he added hastily.

‘Anyway, Uncle David, I just want you to know that Aunt LJ and Granny will be fine. I want you to be able to go away and not worry about anything. Now’ – Ava yawned –
‘I’m going to go upstairs and kiss LJ goodnight, and then I’m going to bed, too.’

‘Oh, before I forget.’ David dug in his jacket pocket and handed her a folded piece of paper. ‘That young man – the grandson of Ma’s old friend – asked me to
give you this.’

‘Thank you,’ she replied, taking the folded piece of paper from him.

David saw the flush rise to her cheeks and was glad of it. ‘So, what’s his name?’

‘Simon.’

‘He really reminded me of someone, but I can’t think who just now. Anyway, he said to tell you to give him a call if you end up in London. Goodnight, sweetheart.’

Ava kissed him warmly on the cheek. As she wandered into the house, David wished he could shake off the sense of anxiety he felt. Holding the fort while he was gone was a lot to ask of an
eighteen-year-old girl who needed to concentrate on her own future. But, as Tor said, he’d been there for all of them for years, and it was only six months, after all . . .

Two days later, David and Tor boarded the plane to Delhi. As it left the runway and he looked below him at the fast-disappearing landscape of England, Tor took his hand and
squeezed it.

‘Are you ready for our big adventure?’

David tore his gaze away from the window and turned to kiss her. ‘Yes, I am.’

Two weeks after the party LJ was enjoying her ritual afternoon cup of tea on the terrace. Although she had never travelled out of Great Britain, she doubted that, if she had,
she would ever have seen a view to compare with the one in front of her. However many years she had left – and the doctor seemed to think it was a good few, if she were careful – LJ
knew she could die happy tomorrow at her beloved Marchmont. As the late August sun beat down she closed her eyes and dozed, enjoying the warmth and the soothing sound of the stream below her. Very
soon it would be September, and autumn, her favourite time of year.

‘Hello, Aunt Laura-Jane.’

The voice was familiar, but LJ didn’t open her eyes. She thought she must be daydreaming.

‘LJ.’ A hand shook her gently. ‘It’s me, I’m back.’

LJ blinked against the sunlight when she opened her eyes, and as the woman standing in front of her came into focus, her face drained of colour.

The woman came closer, and cold hands covered her own. ‘Darling LJ, it’s me, Cheska.’

‘I know who you are, dear. I’m not senile yet,’ she replied as steadily as she could.

‘Oh, it’s so wonderful to be back.’ The hands moved upwards from her hands and wrapped themselves tightly around her shoulders, almost squeezing the breath from her.

‘What . . . why are you here?’

The grip unlocked and Cheska knelt in front of LJ, a look of hurt crossing her features. ‘Because this is my home, my daughter lives here and I wanted to come and see my dear Aunt
LJ.’ She paused. ‘You don’t seem very pleased to see me.’

‘Well . . . I . . .’ LJ swallowed hard. ‘Of course I’m pleased to see you. I’m just . . . a little shocked, that’s all. Why didn’t you write and let us
know you were coming?’

‘Because I wanted to surprise you.’ Cheska stood up. ‘Oh! Just look at that view! I’d forgotten how beautiful it is here. Any chance of a cool drink? I got in a taxi at
Heathrow and came straight here. I was so excited about seeing you all.’

‘I’m sure Mary could find you something.’

‘Mary! Goodness, is she still here? Nothing’s changed, has it? I’ll run along to the kitchen, find a drink and say hi to her. Back in a second.’

As Cheska disappeared into the house LJ found tears in her eyes. Not of joy, but of fear. Why now, when David was away with Tor . . . ?

Cheska returned after a while, holding a tall glass of iced water. ‘I have so many gifts for you – they’re in the hall. Where is . . . is Ava here?’

‘She’s out on the estate somewhere.’

‘Do you think she’ll be surprised to see me? Will she know who I am, do you think?’

‘Of course she will, in answer to both of your questions.’

Cheska started to pace up and down. ‘She won’t hate me, will she? For leaving her, I mean. It was impossible to send for her at the beginning. And then, as time went by, I thought it
was unfair to unsettle her when she was obviously so happy here. You do understand, don’t you?’

LJ nodded slowly. She felt too numb to begin a fight.

‘But do
you
hate me, LJ?’

‘No, Cheska,’ she replied wearily. ‘I don’t hate you.’

‘Good, because now I’m back I promise I’m going to make up to Ava for all the years I’ve been away. Wow, it’s hot! If you don’t mind, I’m going to go
and change into something cooler. I feel horribly sticky. Can I use my old bedroom?’

‘That’s Ava’s room now. Use the old nursery. It’s been turned into a guest room,’ LJ said coldly.

‘Okay. If Ava comes back while I’m upstairs, don’t tell her I’m here, will you? I want to surprise her.’

Ava returned exhausted after her day out on the farm. She felt exhilarated as, a week ago, she’d received her A-level grades, and they’d been more than good enough
to secure her place at the Royal Veterinary College in London. And, yesterday, she’d passed her driving test, which meant she could finally drive LJ’s old Land Rover.

LJ had been as thrilled as she had, although Ava had initially been concerned about how much the course and her living in London would cost. They’d discussed it over a celebration dinner
that night.

‘Darling girl, you’ve helped me on the farm since you were small and never asked for a penny. Besides, there is a legacy, Ava, from your grandfather. It’s quite a lot of money,
and will comfortably cover the cost of your board and lodging in London. I know it’s what your grandfather would have wanted. I’m so very proud of you, darling. You’ve achieved
your dream.’

Ava swung open the kitchen door and saw Mary was preparing a rack of lamb.

‘Hello, Mary. I thought LJ and I were just going to have a salad for supper tonight?’

Mary looked up and shook her head. ‘There’s been a change of plan,
fach
. You have a guest, see. They’re out on the terrace. I think you’d better go and say
hello.’

‘Who is it?’

Mary shrugged noncommittally. ‘Go and see for yourself.’

As Ava walked into the drawing room she could hear the sound of LJ’s voice, and another vaguely familiar one, with the faintest twang of an American accent. She took the steps down to the
terrace and saw the back of a woman with a mane of blonde hair sitting in a chair next to LJ.

Ava stood stock-still, unable to move. The woman must have heard her footsteps, for she turned around.

The two of them stared at each other for a long time.

Then Ava heard LJ’s voice. It sounded strained and unnatural.

‘Ava, dear. Come here and meet your mother.’

LJ watched the two of them together, her heart a churning cauldron of emotions. When Ava had first appeared on the terrace, LJ had seen the apprehension in her eyes. Cheska had
stood up and flung her arms round her daughter, and Ava had stood numbly, unable to respond. Then they’d sat down and talked like the strangers they were. Slowly, as the evening had worn on
and they’d drunk the champagne Cheska had brought with her and insisted they open, Ava had lost a little of her shyness.

During the supper that followed, LJ saw that Cheska was working hard to bring her daughter under her spell. She told stories of her life in Hollywood, the people she’d met and anecdotes
about other cast members of
The Oil Barons
.

LJ thought she knew Ava inside out, but it was hard to know how she was feeling tonight. Outwardly, she certainly seemed to be listening in delight to her mother’s stories.

Eventually, after coffee, Cheska yawned. ‘Pardon me, but I’m exhausted. I’m going to turn in now. I was in the air all last night and didn’t sleep a wink.’ She
stood up and kissed LJ on the cheek. ‘Thank you for supper. It was delicious.’ Then she moved to Ava and put her arms round her. ‘Goodnight, honey. I do hope you don’t have
much planned for the next few days. I want us to spend as much time together as possible. We have a lot of lost time to make up for, don’t we?’

‘Yes. Goodnight, Cheska.’ Ava nodded calmly. ‘Sleep well.’

As Cheska’s footsteps retreated inside the house, LJ stretched across the table and placed a hand on Ava’s arm. ‘Are you all right, darling? I’m so sorry I couldn’t
warn you, I had no idea she was coming. It must have been a shock.’

Ava turned, her face shadowy in the dim light. ‘It wasn’t your fault. She’s very beautiful, isn’t she?’

‘Yes, but not as beautiful as her daughter.’

Ava chuckled. ‘Some of the stories she had to tell. Can you imagine living that kind of life?’

‘No, dear, I can’t.’

‘Do you think she’s staying long?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Oh.’ Ava stared at a moth that was flickering near the night light on the table, then gently steered it away and off into the dark.

‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ repeated LJ.

‘Yes. I mean, she’s very nice and everything, and seems like fun, but it doesn’t feel like she’s anything to do with me. I’ve always wondered how it’d be if I
ever met her, and what I felt was . . . nothing, really. I feel a bit guilty.’

‘Well, you mustn’t. It’ll take time to get to know her. You do want to, don’t you?’

‘I . . . think so. The only problem is, I don’t think I can ever regard her as my mother – I mean, not in the proper sense. You’re my mother, and that will never change.
Never. Darling LJ, you must be exhausted. Shall I help you up to bed?’

When LJ was settled, Ava went and sat in her usual spot on the edge of the bed. She kissed her great-aunt tenderly on the forehead. ‘Don’t worry about me, LJ. I’m fine. I love
you. Goodnight.’ She left the room and closed the door softly behind her.

LJ lay staring into the darkness. She felt confused, concerned and, for the first time, every one of her eighty-five years. There were things she wanted to tell Ava about her mother; she wanted
to warn her that Cheska was not all she seemed. But she couldn’t. It would sound like sour grapes, and LJ didn’t want Ava to feel any guilt about getting to know her mother if she
wanted to. And David had telephoned from Delhi only yesterday to say that he and Tor were setting off to Tibet and would be incommunicado for the next few weeks. She felt insecure and vulnerable
without him.

She eventually drifted into a restless sleep. At some point, she woke with a start, a strange noise disturbing her. She switched on her bedside light and saw she’d been asleep for less
than an hour. Yes, she could definitely hear someone, or something, moaning softly. Then she heard a high-pitched laugh. Just as she was about to reach for her walking stick and haul herself out of
bed, the moaning stopped. She lay listening intently, but the noise was not repeated.

She switched off the light and tried to relax.

She’d heard that laugh once before, a long time ago, and wracked her brain as to where and when.

Then she remembered.

It had been the night she’d found Cheska in the nursery, tearing apart the poor, defenceless teddy bear.

On Saturday evening, a week after Cheska’s arrival, Ava sat on the terrace with LJ, drinking lemonade and enjoying the sunset.

‘Where did you go today, dear?’ asked LJ.

‘Shopping in Monmouth. Cheska seems to have a lot of money and keeps buying me clothes she thinks will suit me. The only problem is, people keep recognising Cheska and asking for her
autograph. It was okay at first, but now I’m finding it a real pain. She’s very patient with her fans. I know I wouldn’t be.’

‘And do you feel you’re getting to know her?’

‘She’s very good company, and we laugh a lot, but I can’t get it to sink in that she’s my mother. She doesn’t really act like one, in the way you do. She’s
more like a sister, I suppose. Sometimes she seems terribly young.’

‘Has she said when she’s leaving?’ LJ asked tentatively.

‘No. But I suppose it’ll be soon. She has all her commitments in Hollywood. To be honest, I’ll be glad when she’s gone. I’ve got a million things to do before I
leave for London. The village children are coming over next weekend and I’m taking them on a nature tour of the estate. I can’t imagine Cheska donning a pair of jeans and helping out
with the barbecue afterwards.’ Ava chuckled.

‘No. She’s not cut out for the country.’

An hour later Cheska joined them with a bottle of champagne she’d bought on their shopping trip and poured out three glasses.

‘To celebrate us being together after all this time. Cheers, as you say over here.’

‘Yes, cheers,’ said LJ weakly. Cheska always seemed to find a reason to open another bottle, and she was getting rather bored of pretending to drink it. Fizz didn’t suit her
stomach at all.