Chapter 33 #3
‘And then one morning, after I’d been home about a week, I heard her crying and pleading outside my open bedroom window.
She’d totally forgotten I was upstairs.’ Angus gives a wry smile.
‘She often forgot about me, certainly when I was away and even when I was back home convalescing. It was always Dad who’d phone and write every week when I was at school.
Dad who’d remember my medication, Dad who’d bring me lovely things on a tray; sit with me and chivvy me along when I was depressed and fed up with it all.
While Mum was out at yet another charity lunch or fashion show, rolling home, more often than not, worse for wear.
Anyway, that morning she was out in the courtyard below my bedroom window talking to Brad Logan… ’
‘Brad Logan? That gorgeous actor in Summerton?’ I feel my eyes widen.
‘So, she’s crying, telling Brad she’s done as he instructed and told Dad she was pregnant. Even though, apparently, it couldn’t possibly be his…’
‘But how did she know the baby wasn’t Theo’s?’ I stare at Angus, transfixed, urging him on.
‘Oh, she was very explicit. Said Brad knew she and Dad had separate rooms, that they hadn’t had sex for ages.
That Dad couldn’t possibly be the father…
’ Angus shakes his head, clearly angry. ‘And this, what I’m going to tell you now, is why I can’t forgive her, Anna.
So Mum’s going on and on, shouting at Brad that she’s done what they’d agreed: that when she realised she was pregnant and it must be Brad’s, can’t possibly be Dad’s, she’s joined Dad in his bedroom…
and… you know… How could she do that, Anna? To Dad? To Immi?’
I shake my head in response. How? To Theo? Lovely Theo?
‘She’s shouting and carrying on, telling Brad that she didn’t love Dad, that she didn’t want to be on this bloody cold estate much longer and wanted only to be with him.
She kept saying repeatedly: “This is your child, Brad.” I can still hear her, shouting and crying and pleading with the tosser.
Because he was, you know, Anna,’ Angus now says, ‘a complete and utter tosser. As far as I know he was already married, with a couple of mistresses on the side to keep him warm while he was away filming. A hysterical mum and newborn baby were the last thing he wanted in his life.’
‘Oh, my goodness.’ I’m feeling both a terrible sadness for Theo that he’s married to this awful woman, as well as the start of a creeping relief – joy – that Noah and Immi might just be OK after all.
Angus is still talking and I come back to what he’s saying.
‘Brad’s shouting back that she has to stick to their original plan.
She’s already told Dad the baby is his – that there’s going to be another Mandeville to keep the aristocratic line going – so why the fuck – sorry, language – is she going back on it all now?
He most certainly does not want a baby. All this will ruin his personal life, as well as his career.
He’s married, for God’s sake. And’ – Angus pauses – ‘if she doesn’t want another kid, she should do what everybody else does in the situation and get rid of it. ’
I wince at that.
‘I was out of bed and watching from the window by then,’ Angus continues.
‘I watched as he physically took hold of her and shook her. Even though I’d heard my mum being so duplicitous, she was still my mum, and I banged on the window.
They were fighting so much, neither of them heard.
So, I guess Mum finally realised that Brad wasn’t going to stick around, and even though she didn’t want to be with Dad, realised it was her best option to stay and continue at being lady of the manor after all.
All she had to do was pass the baby off as Dad’s. ’
‘There’s another reason Honor played the pregnant wife card,’ I say.
‘Oh?’ Angus raises an eye.
‘Your mum had somehow found out that your dad had met up with me again. I still don’t know how she knew at that point.
But, anyway, she guessed he was going to leave the estate to be with me.
She actually came to my office to tell me that she and your dad were going to have another heir to Mandeville Hall.
As far as I knew she didn’t know I was pregnant as well – your dad never told her.
To be fair, I didn’t know if my baby was Theo’s or Michael’s, my partner at the time. ’
‘Goodness.’ Angus gives me a look. ‘You older generation knew how to live.’
‘Thank you, Angus,’ I say, reaching up to kiss his cheek. ‘Your dad and I can sort it from here. I’m assuming he doesn’t know that you’re here?’
‘He knows I’m in London but doesn’t know I’ve contacted you. Doesn’t know what I know.’
I stare at Angus. ‘Your dad doesn’t know all this? What you’ve just told me?’
Angus shakes his head. ‘I’m just passing on to you what I know,’ Angus says seriously. ‘I reckon it’s up to you, Anna, what you do with all this.’
‘I don’t want to be the one to come between you and your mother, Angus. It would utterly ruin your relationship with her.’
Angus gives a little smile. ‘I’m a big boy, Anna. And the relationship with my mother – if there ever was one – was ruined years ago.’