Echoes of Love (8 page)

Those dark eyes were still penetrating into her very soul. Her heart rate quickened, her mouth went dry as she took a deep breath.

‘If I had a boyfriend I really cared about, then what he did wouldn’t make any difference,’ she replied. ‘As long as it was legal!’

‘Oh good,’ he said. ‘I’m very relieved to hear it.’ He grinned at her and slipped his hand into hers. Her heart went into overdrive and she turned to gaze through
the window at the swans on the river in the hope that he wouldn’t see the flush that she knew had flooded her cheeks.

‘OK, so come on – if you weren’t sitting here with me right now, what would you most like to be doing?’

Anna frowned. It was hard to think of one thing better than being with Felix.

‘OK,’ she said slowly. ‘I guess playing my saxophone with an awesome jazz band – preferably somewhere tropical that had white sand beaches and huge ice creams!’

She spent the next twenty minutes filling him on her passions (jazz, books, horses and tapas) and her loathings (maths, heights, the smell of popcorn and all forms of reality TV).

‘That is so weird,’ he said. ‘I thought I was the only person on the planet who hated reality shows.’ He took a sip of his drink. ‘And chat shows – I hate
those, especially the ones where . . .’

He stopped in mid sentence and pulled a face.

‘Oh God, there I go again. I forget your dad’s on TV and . . .’

‘You know who my dad is?’ Anna’s heart sank.

Felix nodded. ‘Zac told me,’ he admitted.

‘And that’s why you’ve asked me out.’ She couldn’t conceal the note of irritation in her voice. ‘Because if it is . . .’

‘Don’t be silly, of course it’s not,’ Felix said. ‘I’ve never even seen your father – I’ve more interesting things to do with my life than sit
around watching TV.’

Anna smiled. ‘That’s a relief. Sorry, I get a bit sensitive about it,’ she confessed.

‘Why? Because your dad’s so, well, direct?’ He laughed.

‘I thought you didn’t watch the show.’

‘Zac filled me in – said that he’s had a few run-ins in the past, and now he goes just about as far as he can go without getting sacked.’

‘He’s outspoken, that’s for sure,’ Anna admitted. ‘But what really gets me is the way all my friends at my old school angled to get invited to my place, not because
they wanted to be with me, but just so they could meet my dad. And when they did, he ended up being so totally over the top and embarrassing.’

‘If you’re talking embarrassing parents, I bet my mother could give your dad a run for his money any day! The way she goes on and on . . . Oh. Sorry.’

‘What for?’

‘Zac mentioned about your mum dying,’ he said hesitantly.

‘It’s OK,’ Anna assured him. ‘What about your dad?’

‘They don’t live together any more,’ he said shortly. ‘Anyway, let’s just concentrate on us, right?’

‘Us?’ If he was thinking of two-timing her with this Ruth girl he had another thing coming.

‘Yes.’ Felix leaned towards her, cupping her face in his hands.

Part of Anna’s brain was insisting that she push him away, insisting that she demanded to know the truth about Ruth. But the kiss that followed made the construction of even the simplest
sentence a total impossibility.

There was just that one thing lurking at the back of her mind. It was when they had abandoned all idea of a movie – she hated horror films and he couldn’t stand the thought of
another vampire movie – and were walking up Chinnor Hill to the Ridgeway, a few flakes of snow falling from a leaden sky, that she could stand it no longer.

‘Who’s Ruth?’ She hadn’t meant it to come out quite as abruptly.

‘Ruth? She’s my aunt – my dad’s sister – and she’s over from Barbados for a flying visit.’

‘Your aunt? I thought . . .’ She checked herself quickly.

‘You didn’t think it was a girl?’ he asked, mischievously.

Anna said nothing.

‘And if it had been, would you have minded?’

‘No, of course not . . . Yes, a bit,’ Anna replied, avoiding his gaze.

‘I wouldn’t have asked you out if I’d been seeing someone else,’ he said. ‘You’re not with anyone, are you?’

Anna shook her head.

‘Great.’ He eyed her anxiously. ‘I guess you think I’m a bit of a saddo, wanting to spend time with a slightly eccentric sixty-three-year-old, when I could have seen you
earlier, but she’s hardly ever in England and . . .’

‘It’s OK, you don’t have to explain,’ Anna interrupted, not caring about the details now she knew who Ruth was.

‘I want to,’ Felix assured her earnestly. ‘See, she’s always been there for me. Always treated me like an equal. Does that make any sense?’

‘I know what you mean,’ Anna nodded. ‘Bit like my godmother, I guess; since Mummy died, she’s the one person I can really be up front and myself with. No pretence, no
worrying about saying the right thing . . .’

‘Exactly!’ Felix replied, tightening his grip on her hand. ‘Roo never goes mental or tells me how to live my life. Which is more than I can say for some people.’

‘And your parents do?’ Anna ventured, recalling in minute detail the rows she’d had with her father when she announced that she wanted to leave Swancote Hall and study music
and politics at Fleckford College and the way Marina had fought her corner.

‘My mother certainly does,’ he sighed. ‘When I told Roo this morning about trying again for the Marines, she was so over the moon about it, really behind me. Whereas my mother
. . .’ He fell silent and shook his head.

‘Maybe your mum’s just scared for you,’ Anna suggested. ‘You know, ending up in the middle of a war zone.’

‘I don’t think she’s scared exactly,’ he replied. ‘See, she’s an out and out pacifist – or at least that’s what she calls herself. Exhibitionist
more like . . .’

‘How do you mean?’

‘For years, every protest march going – she’d be on it. Not just the war in Iraq or petitions to Downing Street – oh no! Want someone to tie themselves to a tree or lie
down in front of a bulldozer? Ask my mother. Don’t get me wrong – in some ways, I guess it’s good that she stands up for what she believes in. She has every right to do that
– it’s just the way she tries to convert everyone else to her way of thinking that gets to me.’ He paused for a moment, scanning the view. ‘You know what? She used to drag
me along on marches with a placard strapped to my buggy when I was too young to know what was happening. I think she only did it to attract the press.’

Underneath the strident anger in his voice, she could detect a note of real hurt.

‘Maybe it wasn’t that,’ he continued. ‘I don’t know. Maybe I was just in the way.’

‘No, I’m sure . . .’

‘See, I’m the afterthought, the mistake, the kid that should never have happened. My brother and sister were both teenagers when I came along. By the time I was at primary school,
Oscar and Skye were at uni and off her hands. I was a nuisance. An obstacle in the Rise and Rise of Cassandra Wentworth.’

‘Cassandra Wentworth? You mean, she’s your mother? But she’s . . .’ She had been about to say ‘she’s white’ and bit her tongue just in time.

‘See? Even you’ve heard of her.’ Felix paused and leaned against the trunk of an oak tree. ‘So what was it? The time she threw all those knickers out of that department
store window because they weren’t Fair Trade cotton? Or maybe when she stormed in on
News at Ten
, supporting animal rights protestors?’

‘Actually,’ Anna admitted, ‘I only know about her because of my dad. He wanted her on the programme after the knicker thing but she refused. She said . . .’

‘
I am too busy walking the walk to sit around talking the talk,
’ Felix mimicked.

‘Yes,’ Anna laughed. ‘Actually, I thought that was a pretty clever line.’

‘It’s one of her pet phrases,’ Felix replied. ‘She’s using it as her campaign slogan.’

‘So what’s she campaigning about this time?’ Anna asked.

‘She’s into politics now – wants to be an MP,’ he said. ‘She’s hoping to stand as an Independent candidate at the Muckleborough and Bythorn by-election.
Championing the cause of those with no voice – that’s her other catchphrase. As if!’

‘But that’s wonderful,’ Anna exclaimed. ‘Rooting for the underdog and all that – sorry, don’t get me going. I adore politics. I’m doing it for
A-level.’

‘Really?’ Felix stared at her in disbelief.

‘Mmm. I’ll need it for the future. Hey, just think – if your mum gets elected, she’ll get the chance to do some real good.’

‘Oh sure,’ he replied cynically. ‘She’s more about saying one thing and living another.’

Anna was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Her own father could be a pain in the neck sometimes, but she couldn’t imagine talking to a comparative stranger about him in that kind of
way.

‘You’re lucky to have your mum around,’ she said softly.

He put an arm round her shoulder. ‘I know, I know, and I’m sorry – I guess I’m just wound up at the moment because of what’s happened, but you’re right.
She’s doing her thing, and I’m going to do mine, no matter what she says. Like Roo’s always telling me, you only have one go at life.’

He smiled ruefully. ‘You’re not really serious? About wanting to be a politician?

Anna shook her head and laughed. ‘No, not a politican. I want to be a political correspondent. I’ll do a degree in politics, and then maybe a Masters, get an internship . .
.’

Felix laughed. ‘So you’ve got your life mapped out then?’

‘No more than you have,’ she said. ‘I guess when you want something enough you just have to do whatever it takes to get it.’

‘You’re right,’ he replied. ‘See, I knew we had loads in common.’

She glowed under his affectionate gaze. Little did she know that afternoon how her own words would come back to haunt her.

‘Hello? Roo – hi!’

Anna made to get out of the car and give him space, but he gestured to her to stay put.

‘What’s that? Tomorrow evening? Oh. No, sorry. I’m supposed to be going out with some mates. Oh. Really? You think so? Hang on then.’

He covered the phone with his hand and turned to Anna.

‘You’re going to hate me,’ he began, biting his lip, ‘but Ruth’s flying back to Barbados the day after tomorrow and there’s this stuff she’s been trying
to sort out for me and she wants to meet up – of course, I’ll say no because . . .’

‘No, don’t!’ Anna protested. ‘Honestly, it’s fine. We can go out any time.’

The relief on his face told her she had said the right thing. ‘You’re sure? I wouldn’t do this, only she and Joseph – that’s her husband – they’re
flying off to do this research project in Patagonia in two weeks.’

‘Go! It’s fine, honestly. Just tell her!’

When he’d rung off, he turned to face her. ‘You’re amazing,’ he said. ‘Most girls would have sulked for England. Thanks, Anna – and I’ll make it up to
you. I promise.’

‘I’ll hold you to that,’ she teased.

‘In fact,’ he said, pulling her towards him, ‘I could start doing that right now.’

CHAPTER 5

O
N THE HOTTEST DAY OF SUMMER SO FAR, THE
E
LIOTS
moved out of Hampton House. The Crofts had been happy to pay the exorbitant
rental that Walter was demanding on the proviso that they could move in speedily and be guaranteed at least a three-year tenure. Since Marina, ever the diplomat, had arranged for the Dalrymples to
invite Walter to take part in a regatta at Eastbourne just days after his arrival at Sovereign Harbour, he made rather less fuss about it than might otherwise have been the case.