The Angel Tree (54 page)

‘Er, it’s ticket only, Cheska, I’m afraid.’

‘I’m coming as the guest of Dorian, my agent, actually. Come on, Ava, let’s give Simon some time to talk to other people.’ Cheska almost pushed Ava out of the dressing
room and towards the stage door, where they found Dorian waiting for them. ‘Ava, darling, I’m afraid Dorian doesn’t have a spare ticket for you. Why don’t you come to the
Savoy tomorrow for breakfast with me?’

‘I have a lecture, Mother.’

‘Well, lunch then, or dinner. We’ll speak tomorrow. ’Night, honey.’

Ava watched as Cheska linked arms with Dorian, who mouthed goodnight to her as she pulled him away along the street. Feeling depressed and deflated, Ava walked along the road to catch a bus back
to her halls.

When she arrived in her room, she saw a note that had been pushed under her door.

‘
Sorry,
’ it said. ‘
Forgot to tell you earlier that someone called Mary rang for you at lunchtime. She says can you call her back urgently. Helen from the room next
door
.’

Ava’s mouth turned dry and her heart began to beat against her chest. LJ . . .

Grabbing some change, she went to the payphone. It was past eleven at night now, so she just hoped Mary was still up and would answer the phone. Thankfully, she did.

‘Mary, it’s Ava. I’ve only just got your message. What’s wrong?’

‘Oh thank God, Ava!’

‘Please, just tell me! Is it LJ?’

Ava heard a sob from the other end of the line. ‘No, it’s not LJ.’

‘Thank God! Oh, thank God. Then what is it?’

‘Ava, it’s Marchmont.’

‘What about it?’

‘There’s been a dreadful fire. Oh, Ava, Marchmont has burnt down.’ Mary began to cry in earnest now.

‘Was anyone . . . hurt?’

‘They can’t find your mother and, as the fire started at night, they don’t know—’

‘Mary, my mother is fine. I’ve just seen her here in London.’

‘Well, look you, what a relief! I knew she was coming there, but I thought she was leaving this morning, and . . .’ Mary’s voice trailed off. ‘Well, it’s good news
she wasn’t at the house last night.’

‘She told me she’s staying at the Savoy. I’ll call now and leave a message for her. She’s at a party now, though, and I’ve no idea what time she’ll be
back.’

‘Ava, I really think we have to try and contact your Uncle David. Do you have the list of numbers he left for emergencies?’

‘Yes. I’ll work out where he’s likely to be and leave a message
poste restante.
Although how long it’ll take for it to reach him is anyone’s guess. I think
he’s still in Tibet. Listen, Mary, I’m going to get on the first train home to Marchmont tomorrow.’

‘No, Ava! You’ve missed too much of your first term already, your great-aunt would say the same I’m sure. And besides, there’s nothing you can do for the moment, really
there isn’t.’

The beeps on the phone went. ‘Mary, I’m sorry, I have to ring off now, as I don’t have much change and I need to call my mother. I’ll speak to you tomorrow
morning.’

Replacing the receiver then picking it up again, Ava got the number of the Savoy from Directory Enquiries and left a message for Cheska to call both Mary and her immediately. As she walked
shakily back down the corridor, Ava’s eyes filled with tears as she thought of her beloved Marchmont, burnt to the ground.

Wondering how on earth she could sleep, she curled up in bed and lay there shivering, thinking how everything seemed to have gone so terribly wrong since Cheska had arrived at Marchmont.

Ava knocked on the door of Cheska’s suite at the Savoy at ten o’clock the next day. Having tried calling and been told that Miss Hammond’s number was blocked,
she’d decided to skip yet another lecture and go in person.

‘Mother, it’s me, Ava.’

After a moment, the door opened and Cheska, mascara streaked down her face, hair awry, threw herself into Ava’s arms.

‘Oh God! Oh God! I’ve just spoken to Mary. LJ will never forgive me, never! Why did it have to happen while I was in charge? They’ll both blame me, you know, oh yes they
will!’

Ava saw the expression in her mother’s eyes. She looked quite mad.

‘Of course they won’t. Come on, Mother. It was an accident, surely?’

‘I . . . I don’t know. I don’t know . . .’

‘Mother, you must calm down.
Please
. This will do no one any good, least of all you.’

‘But I . . . oh God . . .’

‘Look, I . . . I think I ought to call a doctor. I—’

‘
No!
’

The vehemence of Cheska’s response startled Ava. She watched as Cheska wiped her eyes and blew her nose on a sodden handkerchief. ‘There’s no need to get a doctor. I’ll
be fine now that you’re here, really.’

‘Okay, well, what about a brandy or something? It’s good for shock, I think. Shall I send down for some?’

Cheska pointed to a cabinet in the corner of the exquisitely furnished sitting room. ‘Try in there.’

‘Right. Why don’t you go and tidy yourself up a little. I’ll pour you a glass of brandy, then we can discuss where we go from here.’

Cheska stared at her daughter. ‘How did I ever manage to give birth to someone like you?’ she said, and took herself off to the bathroom.

Ava poured out the brandy and sat on the sofa until her mother returned looking pale, but immaculate. ‘Now, all I know is there was a fire. Could you please try to tell me exactly what
happened?’

‘Well, I left Marchmont on Monday at about eight o’clock in the evening. Mary said Jack Wallace called her when he saw great clouds of smoke billowing out of the upstairs windows in
the early hours. He called the fire brigade, but I think by that time it must have got a really good hold.’

‘So how bad is the damage?’

‘Pretty bad, Mary told me. The roof has gone and most of the inside, but apparently the outer walls are still intact. Jack told Mary they were saved by torrential rain. I suppose we must
be grateful for that, at least.’

‘Do they know how it started?’

‘Mary said it might have been an electrical fault. Some of the wiring was very, very old. But, oh Ava’ – she shuddered – ‘the worst thing is that I could have been
in there. I only decided to leave for London earlier that evening on the spur of the moment. I’d originally planned to go the next day.’

‘What about the animals? Are they all right?’

‘I’m sure they are and that Jack’s making sure they’re looked after. The fire only affected the house.’ Cheska covered her face with her hands. ‘I don’t
want to see it. I just can’t bear the thought of that beautiful house blackened and smouldering.’

‘We have to go up to Wales. In fact, we ought to leave immediately.’

Cheska removed her hands from her face and looked at Ava in horror. ‘You don’t mean you want me to drive to Marchmont now, do you? No, no, I couldn’t face it.’ She began
to cry again.

‘Well, I’ll go then.’

‘
No!
Please, Ava.’ Cheska grabbed her hand. ‘I need you here with me. You can’t leave me alone,
please
. Just give me some time to recover from the
shock. I can’t go yet, I just can’t.’

Ava could see that Cheska was becoming hysterical again. She moved closer to her and put an arm round her. ‘Okay,’ she sighed. ‘I won’t leave you.’

‘Jack Wallace said there’s nothing we can do, anyway. He’s taking care of the farm as usual, and Mr Glenwilliam is dealing with the insurance company.’

‘Well, when you’re calmer, we must go as soon as possible. Mary said the police will want to talk to you, to see if you noticed anything strange before you left Marchmont.’

‘Surely they can come here? I’m far too distressed to drive. Besides, I’ve got a big meeting on Friday morning. I met a director at the after-show party last night who is
desperate for me to be in his new television series.’

‘Can’t you reschedule it?’ Ava was aghast that her mother could even think about her career at a moment like this.

Cheska caught the look on Ava’s face. ‘If necessary, of course I will. And I called the nursing home this morning. LJ is doing very well. Obviously, we mustn’t tell her
anything until she’s strong enough to cope, so I think it’s best we don’t visit for a day or two. None of us would be able to hide it from her if we saw her now.’

‘I suppose you’re right, although she’ll need to be told soon. I just thank my lucky stars she was in the nursing home, otherwise . . .’ Ava shivered. ‘And poor
Uncle David. What is he going to say when he discovers his mother is recovering from a stroke and Marchmont has burnt down? I’ve left him a message, but I don’t know when he’ll
get it.’

‘Have you? Well, you and I are going to have to deal with this ourselves until he’s home. We can get through if we stick together, can’t we? Give each other support and try and
sort things out.’

‘Yes. Mother, listen, if we’re not going to Marchmont today, I have a lecture this afternoon. Is it okay if I go? I’m horribly behind as it is.’

‘You will come back afterwards, won’t you? Promise me?’

‘If you need me to.’ Ava rose, kissed her mother and left the hotel, glad to be out in the biting October air and on the streets, where everything seemed to be going on as
normal.

Ava returned dutifully to the hotel after her lecture to find that her mother had ordered room service and copious champagne.

‘I thought we could watch a movie together,’ Cheska suggested as she poured the drinks and lifted the silver lids from an array of different dishes. ‘I didn’t know what
you wanted, so I ordered a selection.’

‘I have an essay to write, Mother, and an early lecture tomorrow. I’ll eat, and then I must go home.’

‘
No!
Please, Ava, I don’t want to be alone tonight. The police have contacted me and they’re coming to see me tomorrow afternoon. I’m frightened, really
frightened. Maybe they’ll say it’s my fault.’

‘I’m sure they won’t. They just want information.’

‘Please, I beg you, stay over with me. I just know I’m going to have the most terrible dreams.’

‘Okay,’ Ava agreed reluctantly, seeing the desperation in her mother’s eyes.

They ate, then watched a movie and Ava yawned. ‘Time for bed,’ she said. ‘I’ll sleep on the sofa.’

‘Would you mind . . . would you mind sleeping with me?’ Cheska asked her. ‘It’s a kingsize. I just don’t want to be by myself tonight. I just know I’ll have
bad dreams. Come and see.’

Ava followed her out of the sitting room and into the palatial bedroom. Cheska disappeared and came back in a satin nightgown.

‘Won’t you get changed, Ava?’

‘I haven’t got anything with me.’

‘You can borrow one of my nightdresses, honey. I’ve got several. Go and take a look.’

Ava went into the dressing room and gasped in astonishment. Hanging on the rail were a number of suits and dresses. Blouses, underwear and nightclothes were neatly folded on shelves. Even for
someone as excessive as her mother, this was a lot to bring for a twenty-four-hour stay.

Unless Cheska had been planning not to return to Marchmont at all . . .

Too exhausted, drained and confused even to begin to think about it, Ava chose one of her mother’s less revealing nightgowns and slipped it on.

When she walked back into the bedroom, Cheska was sitting up in bed. She patted it. ‘Jump in.’

‘Can I turn off the light?’ she asked as she did so.

‘I’d rather you didn’t. Talk to me, Ava.’

‘What about?’

‘Oh, anything nice.’

‘I—’ Ava couldn’t think of a thing to say.

‘Okay then, I guess I’ll tell
you
a story, as long as you come and give me a cuddle. This is fun, isn’t it? Like being in a dorm,’ said Cheska, settled into
Ava’s arms.

Ava thought with anguish of her lovely bedroom at Marchmont, now blackened and open to the night sky, all her cherished possessions gone. No, this wasn’t fun, not fun at all.

‘Well now, once upon a time . . .’

Ava half listened to the fairy story her mother was telling her, something about a pixie called Shuni who lived in the Welsh mountains. Dreadful images flashed in front of her eyes: Marchmont on
fire, LJ in a nursing home, David out of reach . . .

Eventually, she dozed off. Vaguely, she heard her mother’s voice and felt a hand stroking her forehead.

‘Maybe it’s for the best, honey, and, anyway, Bobby’s coming for brunch tomorrow. Won’t that be lovely?’

Ava knew she must be dreaming.

Ava woke to find Cheska’s side of the bed empty. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She’d drunk too much champagne last night and had a headache. She looked at her
watch; it was almost twenty to eleven. With a groan, she realised she’d missed her lecture.

‘Hi, sleepyhead.’ Cheska smiled as she emerged from the dressing room looking as if she’d just walked off the set of
The Oil Barons
. Her hair and make-up were perfect
and she was wearing one of her smartest suits. ‘My guests are arriving in fifteen minutes. Do you want to take a shower?’

Ava stared at Cheska in confusion. ‘But, Mother, surely you’re not having people to brunch? You said the police were coming later, and we really have to think about going home as
soon as possible.’

Cheska sat on the edge of the bed. ‘Honey, I told you, there’s nothing we can do at Marchmont. I called Jack Wallace an hour ago and he told me that everything is under control. He
thinks, as I do, that it’s better to stay here for the moment. I’ve also called the nursing home and asked them to tell LJ that we’ve come down with a stomach bug and we
don’t want to pass it on. It’s a white lie, I know, but at least now she won’t worry about us not visiting. Let me speak to the police this afternoon and we’ll take it from
there.’ There was a knock at the door of the suite and Cheska jumped off the bed. ‘That’ll be room service. I asked for six bottles of champagne. I guess that will be enough,
won’t it?’

‘I’ve no idea, Mother,’ Ava said helplessly.

‘Well, we can always order some more, can’t we?’ With that, Cheska flitted out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Ava sighed in despair at her mother’s mercurial mood swings, then heaved herself from the bed. Her usual energy seemed to have deserted her, and every muscle in her body ached as she
walked into the luxurious bathroom to shower.