Finishing Touches (66 page)

Barbara peered forward to get a closer look at the sequinned apparition that was accompanying Aileen and nearly choked! ‘That’s Irene! What the hell is she doing here . . . the
turncoat.’

‘Omigod! Look! Look!’ Jean nearly wet herself with excitement. ‘Who’s that getting out of the taxi? Oh crumbs, he’s as drunk as a skunk. Look at the flowers;
they’re falling to pieces.’

‘Where? Let me see.’ Barbara craned her neck. ‘Ooh, there’ll be ructions! That’s Robbie MacDonald, who used to be engaged to Cassie. I told you about him
already.’ Barbara was practically rubbing her hands with glee.

‘Oh look! Oh look! He’s being thrown out. David Williams and John are throwing him out. He hasn’t had a chance even to get through the door!’ Jean kept up a running
commentary, as Barbara devoured her first sight of her idol!

David had Robbie by the scruff of the neck and was telling him a few home truths. John hailed the taxi that had brought Robbie, as the driver was doing a U-turn to head back to town. Almost as
quickly as he had come, Robbie was back in the taxi and John was handing the driver some money. Off went the taxi. David and John were shaking hands and laughing before going back into the
party.

Barbara was almost quivering with the excitement. David Williams was so masterful! Desire scorched through her. ‘Will we go in or what do you think?’ she asked her sister-in-law,
hoping against hope that Jean might say yes.

Jean was sitting like a stone, speechless, pointing her finger. ‘Look!’ she whispered. ‘How could he! How could he betray his own wife!’

Barbara followed the line of Jean’s shaking finger and saw Martin, dressed up in his good Louis Copeland suit, with a huge bouquet of flowers in his arms, walking down the street towards
Finishing Touches
. Outside he paused, as if taking a deep breath. John and David appeared and Martin shook hands with the two men. Then, smiling as if he hadn’t a care in the
world, with his brother’s arm around his shoulder, Martin disappeared through the door.

‘I’m going to leave him,’ vowed Jean as Barbara sat stunned. ‘The two-faced rat!’

All the family had turned up for Cassie’s party, all of them except her. Had they no
pride
? Barbara thought in disgust.

A familiar Alfa Romeo squealed past from the far end of the street and came to a halt with a screech of brakes. ‘Christ Almighty! I don’t believe it!’ exclaimed a horrified
Barbara.

‘What?’ Jean didn’t think anything could be much worse than watching her own husband do the dirty on her.

‘It’s big-mouth Killeen! Duck quick; she can’t catch us sitting here!’ Barbara urged frantically.

The pair of them slid down in their seats, as Kristi parked and marched past.

‘God, would you look at the rig-out! Look at the sunglasses and it’s almost pitch dark! Typical!’ Barbara slid cautiously up the seat. ‘Nosy bitch. I bet she hasn’t
been invited. Cassie doesn’t know her. She’s going to gatecrash!’ Barbara was furious to think that her arch-enemy was going to be nosing around at Cassie’s party.

Kristi waved at someone inside as if she knew them and swanned through the portals of
Finishing Touches
.

‘Oh I hate her guts!’ Barbara almost wept in rage.

‘Oh look, Barbara! Barbara, look, she’s coming out. Look at the face on her! Oh they’ve rumbled her! Quick, duck again!’

They slid down in their seats and heard an angry clip-clop of high heels and then a slamming of a car door. Kristi did a U-turn that would have shamed a Grand-Prix driver before roaring off into
the night.

Barbara and Jean sat back up in their seats, utterly drained by the drama of it all.

Inside, the atmosphere was electric, the gaiety infectious.

‘You’re engaged, Aileen O’Shaughnessy!’ Cassie shrieked, catching sight of Aileen’s ring.

‘Even the best of us have to go some time!’ smirked Aileen, thrilled that Cassie had noticed. Laura and Judy crowded around to have a look. They were so excited and so engrossed they
never even noticed the drama at the door. Cassie and Irene hugged each other. Cassie’s face was wreathed in smiles. To think that Irene had actually flown home for the party! It was
unbelievable and she thought she was going to disgrace herself by crying. Then Martin had arrived with a huge bouquet of flowers and she
did
disgrace herself. ‘Oh Martin, I’m
so glad you came.’ She buried her face in her brother’s shoulder.

‘I’m really sorry about everything, Cassie. I just can’t tell you how sorry I am!’ Martin was nearly in tears himself.

‘It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter. You’re here now and that’s all I care about,’ Cassie beamed.

Everybody was talking nineteen to the dozen, when David caught sight of a vaguely familiar woman edging her way through the throng. He had seen her somewhere before. Where was it? It clicked. He
had seen her at the back of the court on the last day of the hearing. Cassie had told him it was Kristi Killeen, the gossip columnist. He knew Cassie hadn’t invited her, so she could be here
only to cause trouble.

Before she knew it, Kristi Killeen had been taken gently but firmly by the arm and escorted out the door.

‘Family and friends only, I’m afraid,’ she heard this man say, with an accent that was too divine for words, as she was unceremoniously ejected from
Finishing
Touches
. She didn’t even have time to find out if Barbara was there or not!

Cassie, oblivious of everything else, basked in the glow of attention from her family and friends. She was so glad that Martin had come and made amends for the unpleasantness about the will. And
Irene! Who would believe that she had taken the trouble to come all the way home for her party?

David came and stood beside her and Aileen clapped her hands for quiet.

‘I think we should toast Cassie! And wish her great success!’ she declared gaily.

A loud cheer went up as champagne glasses were held aloft. Cassie thought she was going to burst with happiness as she smiled at all the people who meant so much to her.

‘For she’s a jolly good fellow . . . !’ sang David in a deep melodious voice.

‘For she’s a jolly good fellow . . . ’ everyone else took up the chorus.

‘For she’s a jolly good fe . . . ell . . . ow, and so say all of us!’

The roof of
Finishing Touches
was almost lifted by the cheers.

Outside, Barbara and Jean stared at each other as they heard the singing inside and Cassie being toasted.

‘I don’t really want to go for a drink now, do you?’ Jean muttered.

‘No!’ said Barbara glumly. ‘Let’s go home!’

‘I wonder where Barbara is,’ Laura whispered to Aileen. ‘She’s missing all the fun.’

‘Who cares?’ bubbled Aileen. ‘She’s an idiot.’

‘Who’s an idiot?’ grinned Cassie, catching the tail-end of the conversation.

‘No-one that you know,’ Aileen laughed. ‘Are you having a good time?’

Cassie caught David’s warm gaze and smiled happily at him. ‘The best ever. I’ll never forget tonight as long as I live!’

THE END