Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
E zra stood halfway up the staircase and addressed his guests, thanking my mother for the party in a way that made her glow and preen. I watched him charm the crowd, ever the entertainer. They laughed and clapped and it was clear he had them in the palm of his hand.
Looking like a suave Bond villain, Ezra raised one hand and indicated towards the drawing room. “Please, ladies and gentlemen, do avail yourselves of the wonderful hospitality and let’s celebrate the start of a new year and the release of my autobiography. Here’s to free speech!”
He winked at me and scooped a fresh glass of champagne from a passing waiter. There was a loud ripple of applause and calls of “Hear, hear!”
Ezra caught my eye and I smiled. I hoped he could read in my expression my gratitude for all he had done and my admiration for how far he had come. I turned my gaze to Caroline and Laura, who were standing discreetly off to one side. I turned back to Ezra, and he seemed to catch the question in my look. Now? it seemed to say. I nodded.
He looked over at his daughters and they both smiled.
“Excuse me, ladies and gents. If I could just have your attention again for a few minutes more, please, before we engage in an evening of debauchery on this wonderful Hogmanay night…”
Lusty cheers and laughter rose up from the assembled throng.
“I would like to introduce to everyone here two very beautiful and special young women.”
Caroline and Laura exchanged a glance, and I could see that they now held hands; supportive sisters who would never be alone so long as they had each other. Family indeed.
Ezra beckoned to Laura and Caroline to stand in front of him on our spiralling, grand staircase. The partygoers gazed back up at them, bemused. “I would like to introduce Caroline and Laura … my daughters.”
There was an excited hum that swept through the assembled guests.
“Yes, you all thought this handsome old goat never had any children. Well, it transpires that I did, but I only discovered that recently.” Ezra’s expression was shyly proud. “I must give full credit for these two wonderful young women to their mothers.” Ezra broke off and gestured towards the back of the crowd. “Toni? Jules? Where are you both?”
Stunned heads, including mine, turned to see the two elegant women clutching champagne flutes. Toni was glamorous in a long, flared, silver dress and Jules looked classy in a pale pink, long-sleeved number. “Ah. There they are. The beautiful mothers of my two beautiful daughters.”
Caroline and Laura gawped at one another and then at their mothers. If their shocked expressions were any indication, they had not been aware that their mothers would be here tonight.
“They’ve made me realise what’s important in life. It hasn’t been an easy few months for me, as some of you might know. My reputation was called into disrepute.”
There were tuts and murmurs of agreement. “But though I’ve missed out on my daughters’ formative years, I want them both to know that I won’t miss a single second of the rest of their lives and intend to make a bloody nuisance of myself from now on!”
Ezra hugged the girls and they all exchanged teary smiles as there were enthusiastic shouts and applause.
“So, let’s raise our glasses to the only thing that really matters. Here’s to family!”
Glasses clinked, there were more exclamations and shouts of “Hear, hear” and a round of applause, before the guests milled past us, eager to sample the generous spread of Scottish fayre that my mother had organised. The swirl of bagpipes started up again and there was a thump of joyous, tapping feet along to the music.
Mum and Dad nodded and smiled at the sea of faces.
I watched them gliding through the crowd, Ezra in the middle and proudly linking arms with his two lovely daughters receiving the congratulations and greetings of the guests. Laura beckoned to her partner, Tori, who was looking ravishing in a gorgeous ice-blue frock, and they too linked arms. Ezra gave Tori a dazzling smile. “Have I told you three girls about the time I sailed the Med with Richard Harris?”
I rolled my eyes. Goodness knows if any of these tales were true, but they were certainly entertaining. Then my attention fell on my pale and distracted mother.
As soon as the remainder of Ezra’s guests spread themselves out between the drawing room and the library, Mum moved towards Zach. Her expression was haunted.
“Marcus just told me what you did. You were looking out for Anastasia.”
I noticed two smears of colour appear in Mum’s cheeks.
“Yes. At least I tried to.”
She swallowed, an odd look rearing up in her eyes. “More than I ever did, and I’m her mother.”
“What?”
Mum gave her dark, shiny cloud of hair a shake. “What Ezra just said is true, but I haven’t been doing that for either of you. I’ve been far too busy judging my son and daughter, because I didn’t want you to make the same stupid mistake I did.”
“Marrying Dad wasn’t a stupid mistake,” grinned Marcus. His smile vanished when he saw Mum wasn’t smiling.
I shot my brother a puzzled look. “Mum, what is it? Is there something you’re not telling us?”
Dad smiled at Mum. “Come on, Ness,” cajoled Dad. “You know you can tell us anything.”
“I’m not perfect. Far from it,” she blurted out. “But I just wanted to make sure our children stayed on the right path. I didn’t want either of you doing what I did. Risking everything for somebody who wasn’t worth it.”
I glanced at Dad, as if to say, “What on earth is she talking about?”
Mum carried on. “I still feel so wretched over that Declan Rooney. I should’ve known what he was like from the off. He reminded me so much of him.”
Mum’s pensive stare carried across the grand hall, through the sea of bodies. She appeared lost in her own thoughts for a few moments.
“Mum?” I asked, concerned. “Talk to us. What is it? Who are you talking about?”
Mum steadied herself. “I was eighteen at the time and had fallen for someone who I thought loved me back. His name was Ace Watson.” She hesitated, gathered her thoughts, and continued. “He told me he needed money; that he’d got himself into a spot of bother and, like a fool, I agreed to help him. So, I stole your grandmother’s trinket box and gave it to him to sell.”
“Mum!” I exclaimed. I was stunned.
“Your grandmother spotted me in the garden, giving the trinket box to Ace and demanded he hand it back. But he threatened me with a knife, so your grandmother let him have it. I never saw him again.”
“Sounds like a real charmer,” ground out Marcus.
I stood there, shocked, my sympathy for my mother rising. It was starting to make sense now. The constant protection and need to look out for us; the judgemental way Mum viewed our relationships; the helicopter parenting, even now we were adults.
That was why she’d always been so judgemental about Marcus and me and our futures. She’d been carrying this guilty secret around for years. She’d fallen for a bad boy who’d betrayed her and she didn’t want either me or Marcus going through the same thing.
Mum took a gulp of champagne. “Ace’s family moved away shortly after.”
“What happened to the jewellery box?” I asked. “Was there anything valuable or sentimental in it? Was Grandma cross?”
“I don’t know,” she confessed with visible embarrassment as she took another mouthful of her champagne. “No doubt he sold it and pocketed the money. My mother was furious, but I think overall she felt I’d had a lucky escape. She was glad he had shown his true colours before anything more … significant happened. I did think about recruiting a private investigator to try and find the pieces, but there was nothing of any real value – just costume jewellery. I felt wretched about it. Still do.” She rolled her eyes upwards. “So now you know. That’s why I was always so tough on both of you. I didn’t want you to echo the mistake I made.” Her eyes filled up again. “I love you both so much. I’m sorry.” Her voice tailed off into a whisper.
“Excuse me,” I smiled to one of the waitresses. “Could I have a glass of water for my mother please?”
The young woman nodded her dark plait. “Of course, madam.”
When she returned with a glass of water, Mum took it with grateful thanks and savoured one long gulp.
Dad, meanwhile, pulled Mum tighter to him in a visible act of support.
“Why didn’t you tell us any of this, Mum? Why have you kept it to yourself all this time?”
Dad agreed. “This is the first I’ve heard of any of it.”
Mum’s tear-sprigged eyes shone. “I was so ashamed. I stole from my mother for a rat who didn’t deserve my loyalty. It was a terrible thing to do and my mother was so disappointed in me. I was disappointed in myself, and that feeling never left me.”
That sounds very familiar , I thought to myself. We were much more alike than I’d ever imagined.
She blushed deeper, her bottom lip wobbling. “I didn’t want either of you to go through what I did. There are so many untrustworthy men?—”
Dad pretended to gasp in shock. Mum managed to laugh, despite a tear sliding down her cheek. She gave the lapel of his dinner jacket a playful slap. “You’re the exception, Henry.”
“Thank goodness for that!”
Her expression became earnest again. “I know I haven’t handled things well. I should’ve talked to you instead of trying to interfere in your relationships.” Mum gripped her glass of water. “But it felt like the past was repeating itself and I realised what I should have done is teach you how to spot grifters and cheats and liars instead of just paying them to go away.” She flicked us both pleading looks. “Can you forgive me?”
Marcus scooped Mum into his arms. “Yes, Mum. Of course we can.”
They hugged.
Then Mum gestured to me and I hurried over to be gathered into her arms. We held each other for what seemed like the longest time. “I’m not going to interfere anymore,” she croaked into my hair.
“Well let’s not make too many rash promises,” I laughed, planting a kiss on her cheek.
Mum bit back a sob and laughed. “I mean it. In a few hours, it’ll be midnight, so that’s my New Year’s resolution. I’m so proud of both of you.”
I dropped my eyes. “I’m sorry too, Mum.”
“For what?”
“For partying like that and always getting splashed across the tabloids.”
She shrugged. “It’s all in the past, and anyway, there are far worse things.” Her gaze was soft and appealing. “And look what you’ve achieved! Your business is thriving … and you’re so good at it, darling.” She looked over at Zach who was talking to my father. “Something tells me you and that handsome young man are going to be very happy together.”
Suddenly, Ezra’s theatrical burr rang out and interrupted us again. Ezra was standing in the doorway of the drawing room, with his party guests arrayed behind him. “I think we need to see our fabulous hostess on the dance floor. Please give a warm round of applause for the wonderful Countess Tweed Muir.”
Mum protested, going pink. “Oh God! I can’t! Not after all this!” she hissed to the four of us. “I must look an absolute fright.”
I reached over and dashed a bit of stray mascara away from under Mum’s right eye. “Yes, you can. You’re good to go.”
Dad agreed. “Come on, Ness. When have you ever let your audience down?”
Mum looked doubtful, but after more cajoling from me, Marcus, and Dad, she adjusted her dress and strode towards the drawing room.
There were cheers and thunderous applause.
Zach grinned across at me and a smile broke out across my face.
“Ezra was right, you know. The show must go on.” He gave me a mouthwatering smile. “So will Lady Anastasia therefore do me the honour of dancing with me this evening?”
I smiled against his mouth as his lips came down to meet mine. “Bailey will do, thank you very much. And yes, I’d be delighted. Just give me two seconds.” I winced as my toes let out a howl of disapproval. “I just need to take these bloody shoes off!”