Chapter 20
20
‘Holy mother, it’s Jack Montgomery,’ Lily hissed as he walked down the aisle. ‘And he’s coming this way. The seat beside you is free. Quick, get him to come and sit there.’
‘But I thought that was Dom’s seat,’ Vi protested. ‘I was holding it for him.’
‘Never mind. He’ll find another one,’ Lily insisted. She waved at Jack and shouted: ‘Hello, there is a seat free here beside Vi.’
Jack, who had been looking a little uncomfortable under the stares of so many people, seemed relieved as he pushed in and sat down beside Vi. ‘Thanks.’ He held out his hand and leaned over Vi to shake Lily’s. ‘Hi, I’m Jack.’
‘I know,’ Lily said, blushing. ‘Hello. I’m Vi’s sister Lily. How marvellous to meet you in person.’
‘And you.’ Jack smiled at Liam. ‘And who is this?’
‘It’s me,’ Liam said.
‘Of course it is,’ Jack said, taking Liam’s hand and shaking it. ‘Hello there. I’m Jack.’
‘Jack,’ Liam said and then pointed to his round little tummy. ‘Liam.’
‘What on earth are you doing here?’ Vi interrupted.
‘I came to watch the show,’ Jack replied. ‘I thought it might be something unique not to be missed.’
‘A performance by five-year-olds?’ Vi stared at him. ‘I thought you were in Yorkshire for Christmas.’
‘No, that didn’t really work out,’ Jack said. ‘I’m going to go to New York to stay with friends instead but then I thought I’d stop off here on the way to see this.’ He turned to look at Vi. ‘I just wanted to see you , to tell you the honest truth.’
‘Why?’ Vi asked, her heart beating as he looked at her. She suddenly remembered her dream and felt her cheeks blush.
‘Shh, the curtain is going up,’ Jack said as the lights dimmed.
‘Shh,’ Liam echoed, putting his finger to his lips.
‘You heard,’ Jack whispered and took Vi’s hand. ‘We’ll talk later.’
His warm hand holding hers made it hard for Vi to concentrate on the performance. But when Naomi fluttered onto the stage looking enchanting in her tulle skirt and matching wings, Vi pulled her hand from Jack’s grip. Naomi’s dance was lovely and the whole group of little fairies danced perfectly in time with the music. When they had finished, the audience gave them a standing ovation, shouting, ‘Bravo,’ over and over again, Jack among them.
He turned to Vi, his eyes shining. ‘That was the most beautiful dance I’ve seen in a long time. Those little girls are the cutest.’
‘Oh yes.’ Vi smiled as she glanced at Liam, who had fallen asleep on Lily’s lap. ‘But some of us found it very tiring. I think he slept through most of it.’
‘Thank goodness that’s all he did,’ Lily said. She turned to Jack. ‘We’re all going to Granny’s for a drink and a bite to eat after the show. Mulled wine and mince pies. Would you like to come?’
‘I’d be honoured,’ Jack said. ‘Thank you.’
‘You can go with Vi in Granny’s car,’ Lily said.
Jack gathered up his coat. ‘Thanks, but I have a car. Violet, do you want to come with me?’
‘Thanks, but I’ll go with Granny,’ Vi replied, feeling flustered. She wanted to ask him what he was doing, arriving unannounced like this at her little niece’s ballet show and why he was holding her hand and acting as though they were in some kind of relationship. Was he doing it for a bit of distraction, or was there another reason?
‘But where is Sylvia?’ Jack asked, looking around.
‘I think she went outside,’ Lily said. ‘I saw her walking out with a friend. She’ll be in the car waiting for Vi.’
‘I’d better go,’ Vi said. ‘I’ll see you there, Jack. You can park in the courtyard.’
Jack nodded. ‘Okay. See you at the manor.’ Then he looked around as someone called his name, asking him for his autograph while other people took photos of him with their phones. ‘I’ll try my best to get out of here alive,’ he joked as Vi left.
‘Good luck,’ she shot over her shoulder as she left him to deal with the attention. He seemed perfectly at ease and chatted and smiled while he signed autographs and agreed to do selfies. Vi walked to the car where Sylvia was waiting, still wondering why Jack had arrived like that.
The dining room at the manor was buzzing with the news that Jack Montgomery was in town. But then the guests started on the mulled wine and mince pies and talked about the show and how lovely it had been. Naomi, still in her costume, walked around with a plate of mince pies and Vi passed around glasses with mulled wine. By the time Jack walked in the door, the party was in full swing and nobody except Vi and Sylvia noticed him.
‘There’s Jack,’ Sylvia said to Vi and waved at him.
He immediately came to their side and took Sylvia’s hand. ‘Hello, Sylvia, thank you for inviting me to the party. I have to say the show was lovely. Such talented children.’
‘Yes, they were very good,’ Sylvia agreed. ‘You should tell their teacher how much you enjoyed it.’
‘Of course,’ Jack agreed.
‘Violet will introduce you,’ Sylvia said. She paused, studying him for a moment. ‘But tell me, how did you find out about the show? I don’t imagine for a moment that you went to see it because you enjoy watching five-year-olds dancing. You just wanted to see Violet, didn’t you?’
Jack nodded, looking oddly shy as he glanced at Vi. ‘Yes, I did. We had such a good time together when I was last here, and then – as I was on my way to New York – I thought I’d stop off to wish her a happy Christmas. And you, too, of course.’
‘Of course,’ Sylvia said, looking amused. ‘But now I have to look after my guests,’ she continued and started to move away. ‘Violet, get some mulled wine and mince pies for Jack, will you?’
‘I will.’ Vi didn’t move from her spot. ‘In a minute. I just want to know… well, what Granny just asked. How on earth did you know where to find me?’
Jack smiled. ‘Detective work. I remembered how you said you didn’t want to miss your niece’s ballet show. Then I googled a bit, found the ballet school and saw the notice about their Christmas performance. But it’s true what Sylvia said. I just wanted to see you before we got caught up with Christmas and everything. Please don’t ask me why.’
‘I’m afraid I have to ask just that.’ Vi pulled at his arm. ‘But I see people are getting excited now. They’ll want to be introduced. We could go somewhere more private to talk for a minute.’
‘Good idea. Where?’
‘Granny’s study. Come with me.’ Vi went out through the door and down a corridor, Jack following close behind.
Once in the study, Vi turned on the light and faced Jack. ‘Okay. Now we can talk. Or you can.’ She stood in the middle of the floor and folded her arms, looking at Jack.
‘What do you want me to say? Explain why I’m intruding into your private life? Trying to get to know your family, especially your grandmother?’
Vi nodded. ‘Yes. All of that.’
Jack sighed, looking awkward. ‘Now you make me sound like some kind of stalker. I shouldn’t have barged in on the show like that. But…’ He paused. ‘I’m not sure you’ll understand what I’m going to say, or even believe it.’ He looked around the room. ‘Can we sit down?’
‘Okay.’ Vi sank down on a chair beside the antique desk while Jack sat on the little couch in front of the fireplace. ‘Go on, then,’ she urged. ‘What made you come back here?’
‘Kerry,’ he said. ‘This magical place. I only spent a day or two here but I fell in love with it, with the mountains and the ocean and the light and the air and…’ He stopped and laughed. ‘It sounds crazy when I say it like that. But I felt so good that day we spent together.’ He looked at her for a moment. ‘And then there’s you and your fabulous granny and your sister Lily and that tiny tot in her lap. And this manor with all its history. The people here are also something else. Warm, kind, funny but with great integrity and grace.’ He drew breath and looked at his hands. ‘It’s all a very beautiful package. I’ve never felt such peace as here. Not even in Yorkshire.’
‘Oh. I see. I do understand. I really do,’ Vi said softly, oddly touched by his little speech. ‘That’s what I love about it too. I had forgotten how unique it is – forgotten what family really means, but now it’s all coming back to me.’ She laughed. ‘You know what they say around here? “A day out of Kerry is a day wasted,”’ she quoted.
‘Great saying. I’m envious of you,’ Jack confessed. ‘You can always come back here and be with family. Do you know how lucky you are?’
‘I do now.’ Vi thought about how much she loved everything: the ocean and the mountains, the rain and wind, the sunshine and the green grass and how impossible it would be to live without ever seeing it all again. She had been away for a long time, chasing her dream of a great career, but now she was falling in love with her old home at the same time as he did. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes as she met Jack’s gaze. ‘I believe you. And I think it’s wonderful that you feel like that after just one day here.’
‘Thank you.’
His eyes met hers and for a moment, it was as if time stood still. Jack took her hand and squeezed it, then he leaned forward as if to kiss her. But a sudden noise outside made him pull back and the moment was lost.
He stood up, looking dazed. ‘After all this, maybe we should join the party? They’ll be wondering what we’re up to.’
‘I know.’ Vi got to her feet, disappointed that the spell was broken. ‘Let’s go back. Everyone will want to meet you.’
‘They’ll want to meet Jack Montgomery,’ he remarked. ‘The film star. Not the scared little boy I am inside.’
‘We all have fears and doubts and sadness,’ Vi said. ‘But it’s not a good idea to show it. Let’s go out there and be – whatever they want us to be. The package has to shine. Never mind what’s inside.’
Jack laughed. ‘You’re very wise for one so young.’
‘It came to me just now,’ Vi said. ‘It was something in one of Kathleen’s letters that made me think. She had told her husband something about herself nobody else knew. I think it’s something that might have shocked people. But he wasn’t shocked at all and said that all famous people have to create a public persona that has nothing to do with who they really are.’
Jack nodded and opened the door. ‘“Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant,”’ he quoted. ‘That’s a famous line he said in an interview once. And I think it was true. The real Cary was actually Archie Leach with a very sad backstory.’
‘Maybe Kathleen had a very sad backstory too,’ Vi suggested, feeling a frisson of doom. ‘I hope it’s not something we will have to hide.’ She walked through the door and started down the corridor. Jack closed the door of the study and followed her. ‘I’m trying to figure out what kind of persona I should create,’ she said as they walked towards the dining room from where they could hear that the party was still going. ‘Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m expecting to get really famous or anything, but all of this is making me realise I’m quite a private person.’
‘Don’t be the girl next door,’ he suggested as he opened the door for her. ‘Sweet, kind, outdoorsy. That’s the real you. But your other persona has to have more attitude.’
‘What kind of attitude?’ Vi asked, hovering on the doorstep.
‘Be mysterious,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Don’t be available for interviews. Don’t pose on the red carpet.’
‘Is that an option?’ Vi murmured back. ‘It sounds like a good one.’
‘Thought it would suit you,’ he said before they joined the party that was promising to go on all night, now with more food and sparkling wine that Arnaud provided. Jack was soon invited to do selfies and to join groups of people who wanted to meet him and tell him how much they admired him. Vi enjoyed watching him being the charming, glamorous film star she now knew was only an act. The real Jack was a different man altogether, a man she was beginning to feel a spark with. It frightened her. But she had never felt so alive in her life.