Chapter 34
34
The morning before the art exhibition, Ray and Dorrie arrived, laden with gifts. There was a bottle of Mo?t for Finn to celebrate his first exhibition, there was a huge gold box of Belgian chocolates for Jade and even a squeaky toy for Mickey, who wasn’t interested in toys unless he’d stolen them. There were toys for the new puppies too, although Jade had explained they were a bit young for toys at the moment. That had got lost in translation.
They both insisted on helping out around the sanctuary and Ray laughed his head off at Mr Spock’s bad language, which no one had yet managed to curb. Dorrie took over the puppy feeding for the day. She was enamoured with the little ones.
‘Maybe Ray and I could have one when they’re old enough,’ she said to Jade when everyone else was out of earshot. ‘I know he’d love it. I’ll speak to him.’
That night, they all went to the Red Lion for supper where they were greeted by a jubilant Mike.
‘Have you heard the news? The plans for the new housing estate have been put on indefinite hold!’ His voice was triumphant as he pulled a pint of Guinness for Ray and clunked it onto the long wooden bar. Jade and Dorrie were sharing a bottle of white wine and Finn had said he wouldn’t have any because he wanted to keep a clear head for the following day.
‘What does indefinite hold mean?’ Jade asked Mike, looking at him with interest, even though she’d had a phone call from Ursula, so she and Finn already knew the plans were on hold.
‘They withdrew them completely when they saw the survey. Too costly to proceed. I suppose they can resubmit them again at some point in the future. But they won’t be wanting to sit on a big plot like that for too long without doing anything. That’d cost money.’
Jade nodded politely. She and Finn might have inside information but they were also both painfully aware that Rural Developments would need to build houses at some point to get their investment back. Or they’d have to sell it on again to some other developer who’d do the same thing. At the moment, all they had was a stay of execution.
The four of them were just heading to their table with their drinks when Mike shouted after them. ‘Have you seen Aiden lately? That daft vet got himself into a spot of bother in Venice, did you hear about that?’
Jade shook her head when Ray nudged her arm. ‘What’s all that about then?’
‘We’ll leave it to Mike to fill you in later,’ Finn said. ‘It’s quite a long story!’
* * *
The next day, everyone was going to the exhibition in separate vehicles.
Jade, Ray and Dorrie were going from Duck Pond Cottage. Sarah, Callum and Ben were meeting them there.
Finn was going early to meet Eleanor as he’d have to be there for the duration. The others would be there for the official opening time which was 11a.m.
Aiden and Kate had said they would pop along too. ‘It will be a good distraction,’ Aiden had said. ‘And it’s not as though I can work at the moment. I’m still signed off.’
Ray had asked if Bridie would be at the exhibition, and Finn had said no because she didn’t know about it. ‘I told her I worked as a handyman. I didn’t mention I was an artist.’
‘Why on earth not?’
‘Because until I’ve sold some more of my work, Dad, I still don’t feel as though I really am.’
On the morning itself, Finn couldn’t decide whether he felt more or less nervous than the day he’d gone to meet Bridie.
‘I think it might be more,’ he said to Jade as, suited and booted, he finally got into the Toyota.
‘At least this time you’ll have rent-a-crowd to support you,’ Jade said, bending to kiss him. ‘You never know. This time this evening you might be rich. Richer, anyway,’ she added swiftly when she saw his frown.
‘Yes, don’t jinx it. Anyway, I don’t really mind if I don’t sell anything. It’s the kudos of being there that’s the main thing.’
‘Finn McTaggart, you’re a hopeless liar.’
‘You’re right. I am. Of course I want someone to buy something. I just can’t imagine anyone actually will.’
Jade rolled her eyes. ‘Let’s hope you’re feeling a bit more confident by the end of the day. See you very soon.’
She waved him off. It would be another hour or so before she’d leave to join him. She’d already made breakfast for Ray and Dorrie and Dorrie had helped with the early puppy feeds, which they’d also had to time around the art exhibition. Now, feeling at a loose end, she strolled down the yard to talk to Dawn.
* * *
The exhibition was being held at The Guildhall in Salisbury, an imposing municipal building dating back to 1795, and the city’s equivalent of a town hall. It was a place that was hard to miss if you visited Salisbury because it was set bang in the middle of the city next to the marketplace and was often used for exhibitions and fairs.
Today, Finn found himself looking up at the impressive grey building with its tall stone pillars and huge oval windows with new eyes. He felt nervous as hell and it was a major effort to walk up the steps through the pillars and go through the main entrance into the foyer.
The exhibition was signposted and when he got to the room itself, he found a hive of activity.
The venue, a large room with hugely high ceilings, oval windows, sparkling lead crystal chandeliers and mustard-yellow walls, had been divided up into alcoves with the clever use of room dividers, so that it was both one big space but also several individual spaces too.
This way each artist had their own unique section of hall. There were only three artists, Eleanor had told Finn, and this was fairly standard for a multi-artist event. The other two were well established – Finn had seen and admired both of their work – and this made him feel even more nervous, but also very privileged and pleased too, to be there alongside them.
The paintings were already up, but there were white-shirted waiters and waitresses scurrying around setting up tables and cups and saucers in one of the spaces. Coffee, tea and tiny dainty cakes would be served when the event opened.
Finn saw that Eleanor was deep in conversation with a middle-aged man in purple checked trousers and a sky-blue jacket, sporting a short beard and a grey ponytail. They were chatting beside a window, adorned with red and gold velvet drapes, held back with gold tasselled cords.
Finn assumed the guy must be another artist until Eleanor spotted him and beckoned him over. ‘Finn, this is Henry Barton, my favourite art dealer. Henry, this is Finn McTaggart, one of my artists.’
Henry turned towards him and held out his hand. He had hard blue eyes and a wide smile. ‘Finn, what a pleasure to meet you.’
‘It’s great to meet you too, sir.’ Finn knew Henry Barton by reputation if not by sight. Everyone knew who Henry Barton was.
‘You can drop the sir.’ The art dealer looked amused. ‘I didn’t have a knighthood last time I looked.’ He exchanged a smile with Eleanor, who smiled ingratiatingly back.
‘This is Finn’s first fair, Henry.’
Finn flushed, feeling as though he had already committed a faux pas and they were still an hour off opening the doors.
To his huge relief, the situation improved a hundredfold with Henry’s next words. ‘You’re doing OK, son. I see you have some “reserved” stickers already.’
‘Do I?’ Finn glanced at Eleanor, doing his best to keep his voice ultra casual, while at the same time resisting the urge to jump up and down and shout ‘Yay!’ at the top of his voice.
‘Indeed you do,’ she said, gesturing towards the alcove at the back of the room. ‘Go and see.’
Finn went to see, and he was amazed to find that the big canvas of Stonehenge, which was one of the most expensive pictures he had on display, had a reserved sticker on it. He stood there looking at it with his heart pounding. Wow. Someone had liked his painting enough to reserve it. Eleanor had told him about presales, which happened when galleries sent digital images of pictures to a select handful of their most valued clients.
But Finn hadn’t expected for a second he would get any presales. He glanced around at his other paintings and saw reserved stickers on a couple of the other small pictures too.
Reserved didn’t necessarily mean that the picture was definitely sold. The collector usually wanted to see a painting in person before clinching the deal and handing over any actual money, but it was a very good sign. And it was an excellent start to the day. Finn felt his confidence ratchet up a few notches.
The sales of these three paintings alone would pay for their wedding. If things continued to go as well as this, he could splash out on a honeymoon.