Dreams Can Come True (27 page)

“Sorry to disturb you, Madam.” It was the manager; a small man in a stiff black suit, with a toadying air, whose eyes seemed to dwell somewhere around Maggie’s shoes.

“I was wondering if you would like to take dinner here instead of in our restaurant. I noticed that your husband hasn’t put in an appearance yet and…” he coughed. “I’m sure you wouldn’t like to have attention drawn to the fact you are dining alone.”

Maggie stood for a moment and stared at him, relieved that it hadn’t been Johnny. But what was wrong with dining alone? Was he suggesting something? Something impolite, for heaven’s sake? She was saved from answering him, as Johnny came walking briskly up the hall.

Her heart began to pit a pat as she saw his elegant stride. He looked a little windblown and had changed from what she imagined would be a smart sailor suit to evening dress. Black tails, white frilled shirt and a top hat that he carried in the crook of his arm. In his hand was a large masculine-looking overnight bag. The thought crossing her wildly thrashing mind that it would have a change of clothing and his nightwear in.

“Ah, you must be the manager of the establishment,” Johnny said a little breathlessly. “I’m Captain Dockerty. Got caught up in stormy waters out in Liverpool Bay. Here now. Did you want something? My wife and I will be down at eight thirty for our evening meal. Sorry darling…”

He shut the door firmly in the surprised face of the manager, then after looking Maggie up and down quizzically, he hugged her to him, then kissed her warmly on her gaping mouth. When he had finished, he looked over her shoulder with appreciation at the surroundings they were in.

“Well, you’ve certainly done us proud, Maggie. I couldn’t believe it when the man in the lobby said we had been put in the Crosby suite on the first floor. Is that a bathroom over there. That bed that I can see looks far more comfortable than my bunk on the Irish Maiden. So, what are you doing with your outdoor clothes on? Why hasn’t the maid put your clothes away? Have you only just got here like I have? I thought you were leaving Neston early so you could have a look around the shops without me hanging around?”

Maggie pulled away from him and sat down in a small gilt-edged chair. She covered her face with her hands and began to sob quietly.

Johnny stood in amazement, wondering what she was doing. He knew he was later than he said he would be, but he had expected her at least to have changed into an evening gown, or even have a maid on hand pinning up her hair. What had got into her all of a sudden? He shoved his bag aside with his foot and knelt down on his knees in front of Maggie, trying to take her hands in his.

“What’s the matter with you? Was it that man that was hanging round the door? Has he upset you? Come on Maggie, out with it.” Johnny started to get angry. If someone had hurt her in some way then he’d go straight down and deal with it.

Maggie rubbed at her wet cheeks distractedly and tried to take command of herself. This was silly. She was acting like a child.

“No,” she said hastily, keeping her eyes averted from his in case she softened her resolve.

“It all got too much for me, sitting around this afternoon waiting for you. I should have gone shopping like I said I would, but I didn’t and it gave me time to think. We shouldn’t be doing this, Johnny. I’m a married woman and I don’t even know yer properly. The thought of all this was exciting. You and me together, pretending to be Captain and Mrs Dockerty. It all seemed a world away when we were planning this in Neston, but now it’s happening, I don’t think I can go through with it. I think I should go back home.”

She brought her eyes up to meet his, expecting an angry face, waiting for a tirade from him saying that she had played him for a fool. But there was none of that. He was smiling kindly at her, nodding with understanding. He raised her to him and kissed her on both cheeks slowly.

“Maggie, do yer think I’m a monster? Did yer think that I’d drag yer over to that big bed through there and have me way with yer? This week is for us to get to know each other. I lost yer once to that eejit from Killala but I’m not about to lose yer again. I know yer married and yes, we’re both Catholics, so we’re bound to do the guilt thing. But you only get one chance at true happiness in this life, so let’s take it while we can. I’ve arranged five days leave and in that time we’ll do the sights, tramp round the shops and take our loving very slowly. We’ll even put a bolster down the middle of the bed, if yer think that I’m just after your body. Now come on, Mrs. Dockerty, I’m starving. Shall I ring for a maid to help you with your dressing? I believe that’s what they do in fancy hotels!”

Maggie reflected on Johnny’s words as the maid fastened her into the wasp waist corset, then placed the bustle beneath the underskirt of the peach-coloured, shot silk evening gown.

She had bought the dress on impulse last time she had visited Chester, thinking she could wear it at one of the many charity balls she was always being invited to. But with no one to escort her, it was difficult to summon up the courage to go alone and the dress had sat forlornly in her wardrobe for quite some time. But here she was, about to go to dinner with a very handsome escort, throwing caution to the wind, embarking on this second chance of happiness, hoping it wouldn’t come to a bitter end. Because what had happened when she had taken Jack back into her heart again? Betrayal and treachery, from a man who had insisted they take their marriage vows in the first place, when she had been prepared to sit out the famine in her family home. Was she expected to live out her days as a spinster would, although Jack could have a lover at his stud farm? If there was a God, did he want her to live her life growing older and bitter, only concerned with business and how much money she could earn? No, she and Johnny deserved this time together. He had said he had loved her for twenty four years!

She felt calmer as she looked in the cheval mirror, patting the curls on top of her head where the maid had entwined peach satin ribbon. Johnny had disappeared somewhere, but was not disappointed when he returned clutching a small delicate posy.

“These were the last the woman had in her basket,” he said gruffly, “though I don’t think violets go with the colour of your gown.”

He thanked the maid and tipped her a few pennies. Maggie had whizzed around before she came to help her, putting all the clothes back into the wardrobe again.

“Maggie, you look beautiful. I can’t believe I’ve got you back in me life again.”

He took her in his arms and kissed her cheek.

“I aim to make this week the happiest you have ever had.”

They were greeted by the Major Domo as they hesitated in the restaurant doorway. The place seemed to be in a uproar, with white-gloved, uniformed waiters rushing about with tureens, silver platters and bottles of wine or champagne.

“It’s the Aintree Races this week, Sir. I must apologise if your table isn’t ready yet, but I’ll set one of my staff to it as soon as one of them is free. Meantime, would you and your good lady wife like to sit in the drawing room? I could bring you an aperitif, on the house of course.”

Maggie felt herself relaxing as they entered the comfortably-appointed room, with its pretty fabric-covered sofas, occasional tables and heavy rugs on the shining wooden floors. Couples sat nursing their after-dinner coffees or drinking from fluted glasses. A man sat at a grand piano quietly playing a popular tune.

“I would like a small glass of sherry, thank you,” Maggie said to the young man who had been summoned, while Johnny ordered a tot of rum.

“I was a little worried just then, Johnny. Jack could be here on business from Ireland. Did you know he had a stud farm in Wicklow?”

“Yes, Eddie’s dad told me when I was contemplating calling to visit you. I’d heard he’d cleared off again. Must have caused a lot of heartbreak, Maggie. Not only just for you.”

“I’m over it now,” she shrugged. “It was Hannah who suffered more than me. She had always been Jack’s princess and this business with Eddie brought out the worst in her father and I have to admit we were going through a bad time.”

“Not happy, I suppose, that you’d managed to exist without him while he was off in America all those years,” Johnny said dryly.

“Well, what was I supposed to do without him, Johnny? I’m sure the Dockertys filled yer in with all the details; told yer about Miss Rosemary and me rise to fame.”

“Yes, of course they did,” he replied gently. “You were the enemy as far as Maddy was concerned; she was bound to tell me all she knew. But I thought we were putting this behind us; starting afresh as it were.”

“ To face the future we have to talk about the past,” Maggie said quietly. “You must know all there is about me and I need to know all about you. No hidden secrets from each other, nothing that could rear its head and cause any problems. I had enough of that with me husband. You know that Hannah is only Jack’s?”

Johnny was saved from making further comment as their drinks arrived on a silver salver. They both took a sip from their respective glasses gratefully.

“It all sounds rather lively in the restaurant,” Johnny said to the waiter. “We can hear the noise from here.”

“We’ve got two parties in this evening. One belongs to Lord Belsham and the other is part of the Earl of Sefton’s group. One of their horses won on the steeplechase at Aintree and they all turned up unannounced on our doorstep. The manager couldn’t turn them away, of course, because of who they are. But they’ll be going soon. Off to one of their regal residences to continue their celebrations, I’m sure.”

Maggie tugged at Johnny’s sleeve as the waiter walked away from them.

“Johnny,” she said urgently, a blush appearing in her cheeks in her agitation. “Johnny, we can’t eat in there if Lord Belsham is there with his party. Can we go somewhere else fer dinner? I’d rather not be where he is… I might see someone I know.”

“Why, does he know yer, this Lord Belsham? I hadn’t heard that yer mixed in such exalted circles, Maggie,” he replied teasingly.

“No, I don’t know him, but Jack did. Jack went over to America as his agent. It would be just my luck fer Jack to be in contact again with him, especially as he’s in to racing now. He mentioned Aintree as one of the meetings where he raced his horses.”

“Oh, all right, Maggie. Let’s not spoil our evening with you peering over yer shoulder and jumping at the slightest sound. I’ll ask for a menu and see if we can have our meal served in our quarters. Mebbe even better, hey? It’s not every day that I get me dinner served in the Crosby suite. I’ll take advantage while I can.”

After they had finished their meal of pheasant paté, cod creole and lemon crumb pudding, Johnny poured the last of the wine into the two silver-stemmed goblets before them.

“Ah, that was a wonderful meal, Maggie, wasn’t it? And this Burgundy is a good drop of stuff too. I don’t usually drink wine, but I might take it up if this is anything to go by. How about you? Are you a wine drinker? Have you got a cellar full of interesting wine?”

“We haven’t got a cellar,” Maggie replied, lethargically. “No, I’ve never been much of a drinker. A drop of sherry before a meal, maybe another after, but Miss Rosemary didn’t drink wine at all, so I’ve never bothered to try it. Yes, the meal was very pleasant. I must ask Joan if she knows how to make that lemony thing. A drop of sauce of some sort would have been nice with it though; I’ve a bit of an aversion to cream.”

“I’ll ring for someone to clear these dishes away, Maggie, and I’ll ask fer another bottle of this, unless you’ve had enough and want to retire now.”

“No, it’s still early, but even if it wasn’t, I think you and I should use the time fer talking, but perhaps I’m being selfish. Perhaps you’d prefer to go to sleep instead.”

As they waited for someone to come to their suite, Maggie began to feel rather self-conscious. This was ridiculous really. Here they were, all dressed up in formal clothes; she in a tight restrictive gown and high-heeled boots, Johnny sat there like a mannequin in a tailor’s window. The room was warm and a pleasant glow emanated from the gas lamps. The food she had eaten was having a soporific effect on her and the wine had made her limbs feel heavy. There was a silence hanging companionably between them. Neither wanted to break it, talking maybe of unpalatable things.

The young man who had served them their meal arrived.

“Everything all right for you, Sir, Madam? I’ll clear these away shall I and then I’ll uncork the wine? You’ll probably be pleased to know the gentry have departed! It’s always like this when the gee-gees are running. They seem to follow one another around all of the racecourses.”

“Jack used to do that,” remarked Maggie, once the rather familiar Liverpudlian waiter had gone on his way. “I never knew whether he was at Epsom, Derby, Cheltenham or Chester. He would tell me he was away fer a few days of racing, then I’d not see him until he turned up again!”

“Well, let’s not talk about Jack, Maggie. I’d like to know what it is like being at the head of a vast business empire, because when I first met you, you hadn’t got a pot to piss in.”

He laughed when he saw Maggie’s face redden in annoyance.

“That may be so, but it’s taken me years to perfect this cultivation,”she snapped. Then she smiled ruefully at him, as she realised he was teasing.

“Oh, come on, Maggie. We may be sitting here pretending that we were born to this kind of lifestyle, but you and I know our backgrounds all too well. So let’s not put on airs and graces while we’re alone. We’ll not be disturbed until the morning now, so let’s say I change into something more comfortable and you can do the same.”

She nodded tentatively then Johnny bounded off to the bedroom, coming back a little later wearing a pair of brown moleskin trousers and a plain cream collarless shirt with nothing on his feet.

“Phew, that’s better, Maggie. I don’t think they need a fire burning in each room like they have here. We’ll let them die down a bit, shall we? Now it’s your turn. What will you change into?”

Maggie had been pondering on this all the while Jack had been away changing. Would it seem too forward of her if she was to wear her nightdress and her matching robe? Or should she put on one of her day dresses? The muslin one was fairly simply cut, but it did have a garish pattern on. The georgette one had far too many ruffles and flounces and it was a bright yellow. She would look just like a daffodil in this pastel shaded room. She decided on her nightwear. If Johnny thought it was a signal for any tomfoolery, it was his hard luck.