CHAPTER 62
Jess headed across to the stables, half-wishing her car, with her riding boots and hat, wasn’t parked in the village. In the tack room, she slipped off her shoes and found a pair of boots in her size. She turned as she heard footsteps outside and was surprised to see Afric.
“Oh, hey, Jess. I didn’t realise there was anyone else in here.”
“Yeah, I was thinking of going for a ride. I’m heading back today.”
Afric nodded. “I’m going to take the Lady Linford mare out for a bit.”
Jess remembered there had been a horse-riding scene during filming. But that had been before … “Are you sure you should be riding at the moment? You know, with the pregnancy …”
“Oh, I’m not, you know ...”
What did that mean? She’d lost the baby?
“It’s not what you think.” Afric folded her arms. “You really saved my ass, you know. And I owe you the truth, but I need you to swear you won’t tell anyone.”
“Okay.”
“I wasn’t pregnant.”
Jess stared at her. “But that recording – the one that was leaked –”
“That was me, yeah.” Afric frowned. “But it wasn’t Spencer. It was someone else.”
“So why didn’t you –”
“He’s married.” She tipped her chin upwards.
It hadn’t been Dermot, then. Relief flooded her body as she mentally flicked through the rest of the cast. Maybe those rumours about Afric and a fellow cast member on her previous movie was all simply speculation and gossip.
“When I told him, I did think I might be pregnant. I was just late, really late to be honest, but I hadn’t actually done a test.” Afric gave Jess a wry look. “Even if he wasn’t married, he already has a son, and he doesn’t want any more kids. It’s over now, anyway.”
God, the movie would be a total let-down after all this. “But I don’t understand why Spencer pretended to be the father.”
Afric laughed dryly. “For the sake of the movie, obviously. The last thing either of us wanted was for the truth to get out – the whole thing would have gone tits-up. And after Spencer’s last movie, he couldn’t afford that.”
“Was that the only reason?” Jess asked.
“Does it matter?”
When Jess said nothing, Afric added, “All that stuff about him not wanting to work with me was true.” She skated the toe of her boot across the ground.
“We fell out on our last movie because Spencer found out I was with this guy and he didn’t like it.
He was pissed because I was hurting somebody special to him. ”
Someone special? Who? “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry the leak forced you into having to pretend a relationship with Spencer,” Jess said.
“I still love him.” Afric met Jess’s eyes again. “Crazy, right? My family would disown me if they thought I’d got involved with a married man.”
To think she’d been worried that she might be bored in a small village for six weeks. Something struck her. “Does anyone else know?”
“On the movie, you mean?” She pulled a face. “Pretty sure a couple of people suspect. Dermot knows alright, but he’s a good mate.”
“So what now?” Jess realised she was genuinely curious.
Afric flicked her a sharp look. “I suppose I’ve told you everything else. And it’s not like you’re going to tell anyone.”
Should she take that as a compliment?
“I’ll have to announce that I’ve lost the baby,” Afric said flatly. “And then I’m going to head home for a while and see my family. Eventually Spencer and I will break up. Hey, you okay? You look a bit –”
“I’m fine.” Jess tried to think. “So I presume Megan Wilson knows this is all fake?”
“Spencer’s not seeing Megan anymore, he’s seeing someone else.” Afric shrugged. “But Lisa made sure they kept it quiet.”
It was hard to keep up! She debated asking the next question but decided she wasn’t breaking her promise to Sinéad if she asked Afric about her and Robert.
“I just found out that you and Robert used to hang out in college. It must have been … nice for you to reconnect when you met again?”
Afric shrugged. “I didn’t recognise him at all until he told me who he was at the summer solstice party. The guy looks way different to how he looked in college.”
“I’ve seen a photo,” Jess murmured.
She nodded. “He was just Robbie back then too, so I just didn’t connect the dots. Are you guys serious?”
“No. I’m heading back to Dublin. And we won’t be staying in touch.”
“I’m not exactly shocked, to be honest,” Afric said.
“He never mentioned that he knew you. His aunt just told me.”
“He was at a couple of the Lir parties in second year and he started hanging out with us, which was cool. Then he asked me out and I told him I just wanted to be friends.”
“So you never dated?”
“Nope, but after I turned him down I started hearing really bitchy things about me. Like, I couldn’t prove anything but …”
Just like the rumours Emily had heard about herself, Jess thought, feeling a fresh wave of disgust.
“I know you’ve only known him a few weeks,” Afric was saying, “and I can’t be too judgy after how I’ve screwed up. But if you want my opinion, the guy’s a bit of a jerk.”
When Jess said nothing, Afric gestured to Jess’s riding boots. “Are you coming out?”
Part of her still wanted to go but she suddenly realised she’d had enough of Linford for now.
“Actually, I’d better get going. But best of luck. I hope the movie will be a huge success.”
“Me too.” Afric turned and headed out to the stables.
Jess was walking back towards the castle when she saw Doug approach. She plastered on a smile as they drew closer, her heart sinking when he stopped and grabbed her elbow.
“Glad I ran into you, honey. Wanted to say thanks for everything you did – you’re a star.”
“My pleasure, it’s all part of the Charleston Group service.”
He nodded, his gaze drifting across to the stables.
“I think Afric is taking one of the horses out,” Jess said. She watched for his reaction, but Doug simply smiled.
“She’s a good rider.”
It had to be Doug, she realised, the pieces slotting together in her head. Doug was the person Afric had started seeing on her last movie. And Mel and Spencer went way back. That was why Spencer had been upset with Afric. That was why he hadn’t wanted her on this new movie – he’d known the truth.
Doug released her elbow and Jess resisted the urge to rub it.
“I’m gonna go over and say hi to these horses. See you around, Jess.”
The lens cover! “Hang on.” She took it out of her pocket. “I found this. I thought maybe one of the camera crew might have lost it?”
He took it from her and inspected it carefully. “I think this is the one I lost a few weeks ago. I’ve a habit of putting the clips in my pocket and forgetting to replace them.” He gave her a sharp look. “Where did you find it?”
“On the ground,” she said, hoping her face wouldn’t give anything away.
That was how he’d sometimes slipped out of Afric’s suite, she realised.
He’d timed it perfectly with his runs through Linford Wood.
She remembered something Afric had said about the man she was involved with having a son.
“Will your child be finished camp by the time you’re due to head home? ”
“Sure will.” He smiled proudly. “He’s had a great time. No interest in the movie business – smart kid!”
Smarter than his dad.
He gave her a wink before striding purposefully towards the stables. Jess didn’t look back as she walked away. All she cared about now was finding Adam.