Chapter 32
32
Natalie adjusted the hard hat they’d all been issued with even though they were safely positioned far from the glass furnace. Three men moved in silence; the tip of an iron rod glowed white hot. Another man was forging a red and orange vase, his face a picture of concentration behind his safety goggles. It was hard to imagine how the globule of molten glass could be turned into a precious objet d’art by nothing more than the glass blower’s skill with hands and mouth, yet that was precisely what was happening right in front of her.
Cate’s blonde hair and mint-green blouse glowed in the ethereal light. Natalie fought the urge to cough, desperate not to break the artisans’ concentration. Phil’s hands were thrust into his pockets, his forehead beading with perspiration in the heat, causing the make-up girl to be on full alert with her fluffy powder brush. Lucia had abandoned her trusty folder in the corner, watching with arms folded. The camera crew moved around, quiet as cats. There was no need for Natalie to speak; Cate’s and Phil’s rapt faces expressed more than any words, and the necessary explanations would be added in Natalie’s voiceover once Floella had chosen her edit.
One of the glass shapes began to take on the form of a cheetah, or perhaps a leopard – she had no idea how to tell the difference.
‘ Incredibile !’ Lucia gasped, immediately clapping her hand to her mouth.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll edit that out,’ Natalie said.
The glass blower carefully set the creature down to cool, signalling for them to stay back. He removed his goggles.
‘That was superb, an experience I will never forget,’ Phil said.
The make-up girl dashed forward. After a quick dusting of powder, Phil repeated his comment for the camera. His words sounded as natural as though he were saying them for the first time. Was he a good actor, a natural liar? Natalie studied his face. No, he wasn’t acting, just trying to do his best. Despite her initial conviction, she was now almost entirely sure that Phil wasn’t the one who’d followed her that night.
He caught her looking. ‘Was I okay? Do you want me to say that again?’
‘No, second time was perfect.’
The director nodded in agreement, signalling at the cameraman to stop the filming.
‘Thank you again for this,’ Phil said.
‘It’s a pleasure, Phil,’ Natalie said.
Cate glanced at her sharply.
Natalie smiled, flashing Cate what she hoped was a ‘speak later’ look. Cate turned away, feigning an interest in the glass leopard.
‘I was hoping to speak to someone about creating a chandelier for Cate’s dressing room. We were talking about that over breakfast, weren’t we, darling?’ Phil draped an arm around his wife’s shoulder.
‘Phil’s so thoughtful. It will be a gift for my fortieth birthday so the details will have to be a surprise but he has such a good eye, I know I can leave him to commission something exquisite.’
‘We will talk to the showroom manager; he deals with all such enquiries.’ Lucia glanced in her folder. ‘We could see him in his office now if you would like to follow me.’
‘Yes, thank you, Lucia.’ Phil shook the nearest glass blower’s hand. ‘ Grazie .’
The man nodded, turning back to the furnace without speaking but with a twitch of a smile.
Cate hung back slightly, allowing Lucia and Phil to walk side by side down the long factory corridor. Natalie let out a breath. At last, she could talk to Cate. Apologise, try to explain.
‘You should audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company when we get back,’ Cate said coolly. ‘The way you were chatting to Phil earlier, you’d think you were best buddies.’
Natalie slowed her steps. ‘I can say a few words on a TV show but I’m no actor… and I don’t think Phil is.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Cate’s eyes swivelled in Phil’s direction. He and Lucia had stopped to look at a vintage advertising poster high on the wall.
‘Cate, look at me, please!’
Cate sighed melodramatically. She turned her head.
‘I’ve been thinking… about Phil. I’m sorry for what I said yesterday. He’s a nice guy, like you said. He seems kind, genuine. My gut tells me he wasn’t the person who attacked me.’
Cate’s eyes narrowed. She regarded Natalie, stony-faced. ‘Perhaps you should have waited to meet him before you started throwing accusations around.’
‘Please listen. The boy in that alleyway was the same height as Phil, he was wearing the same designer trainers. And he knew my name. I’d assumed it must be Phil.’
‘That’s a pretty big assumption, don’t you think? Wouldn’t exactly stand up in court, would it?’ Cate’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
‘I didn’t think any of the others knew my name. Phil was the only one of those boys that I spoke to on our trip. I was far too self-conscious to go up and talk to anyone at the masked ball before I sneaked away. But I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I really am so, so sorry I said those things about Phil. I’m going to find a way to make it up to you, honestly I am.’
‘Good luck with that project! What are you going to do? Buy me a bellini?’
‘Please, Cate.’
Cate was silent. Natalie could almost see the cogs of her brain turning. ‘I suppose it must have been traumatic for you, thinking you were going to meet your attacker again. I can see how you’d think that it could have been Phil. Not knowing him the way I do, I might have thought the same.’
‘Thank you,’ Natalie murmured. Cate was being so gracious, she felt even worse.
‘You know what we could do? We could ask Phil who it might have been. There were no more than twenty boys from their school on that trip. Maybe he’ll remember who else wore the Plague-doctor costume that night, who else had the same trainers as him.’
‘I’m not sure I want to know. What would I gain? There’s nothing I can do now; it’s all too late.’
Cate squared her shoulders. ‘We could go to the police.’
Natalie waited until Phil and Lucia disappeared into the factory office before she replied. ‘No, there’s no point. What would the police think? Two schoolkids fumbling in an alleyway, my word against his. There’s no evidence, no CCTV, no DNA. Coming here, it’s made me realise it’s time to move on.’
Cate threw up her hands. ‘But it’s wrong. That boy might have done the same to somebody else. He might still be doing it now.’
Natalie shook her head. She looked down at the floor. ‘It’s over. Please don’t say anything, and I’d rather Phil didn’t know.’
‘Okay, I’ll keep your secret, like you’ve kept mine about me trying to visit Mum.’ Cate gently touched Natalie’s arm. ‘But if you ever change your mind or want to talk, you know you can.’
‘Same here. You can talk to me even if we’re no longer friends. I know we can’t start again, not after I said those things about Phil.’
Cate fixed her brown eyes on Natalie’s. ‘It’s too early to talk about being friends again. But it meant so much when you came to Burano with me; that hasn’t changed. You were there when I needed you. I won’t forget that… We have been through a lot together, haven’t we?’
‘Yeah, we have,’ Natalie said quietly.
Cate twisted a lock of her hair. ‘You know, part of me wants to strangle you… and part of me wants to go back to how we were a few days ago. You were wrong to think Phil attacked you; I was wrong to think, even for a moment, he might be having an affair. But I know there’s something up with him: something not quite right. I need someone I can really talk to. It’s hard to be friends right now but maybe we can be… friendly acquaintances?’
Natalie smiled. ‘Okay, that’s fair enough: friendly acquaintances. It’s more than I deserve.’
Cate laughed. ‘It does sound a bit ridiculous, doesn’t it?’
‘A little.’
Cate smoothed down her hair. ‘Acquaintances after all these years… Oh, dammit, Natalie, you are my friend, no matter what.’
‘I don’t know what to say.’ Natalie’s voice caught.
‘Nothing. Just give me a hug.’ Cate held out her arms.
‘A quick one or I might cry,’ she mumbled into Cate’s hair.
The office door opened. They sprang apart.
‘You didn’t need to wait out here,’ Phil said.
‘I didn’t want to stand in there with my hands clamped over my ears whilst you talked about my gift. Did you get everything sorted?’
‘Yes.’ A grin spread over Phil’s face.
‘You will love it,’ Lucia added. ‘And now, you might like to visit the showroom to buy some smaller items to take home: a little souvenir, a present, perhaps.’
‘Something for the boys – they’re both mad about animals,’ Cate said.
‘A monkey or a bear,’ Phil suggested.
‘I expect there is a whole menagerie to choose from. Are you happy to have the cameras rolling whilst you look?’ Lucia said.
‘Of course. I’m getting used to being a star,’ Phil joked. ‘So, Cate, Natalie, any thoughts what sort of animal we should look for?’
‘How about a nice green turtle?’ Natalie suggested.
Cate started laughing. ‘Anything but a turtle! Do you remember Shy Kelly’s face?’
Natalie let out a snort: laughter mixed with relief.
Phil looked from one to the other. ‘Who’s Shy Kelly? What’s so funny?’
‘It’s nothing, darling.’ Cate gave her husband a peck on the cheek. ‘It’s just a joke between old friends.’
‘Let’s go and find those gifts,’ Natalie said.
‘And afterwards,’ Cate said quietly, ‘I want to know all about your date with Eraldo.’
‘We went to La Gallina Verde; it was a really nice evening. The seafood risotto was out of this world.’
‘Are you sure the risotto was the best bit?’ Cate smirked.
Natalie’s face heated at the memory of their kiss. ‘Shut up!’ She laughed.