Missing (52 page)

‘Me, me,’ Rufus answered, and flashed a grin that almost suggested he knew what he was saying.

Laughing, Miles said, ‘I’ll need instructions on what
I
have to do to keep him fed, watered, entertained and out of mischief while you’re gone.’

Going round to open the boot, Vivienne said, ‘His favourite toys are here, in this box. We’ve also brought a good supply of nappies – he probably needs changing right away, so I hope you’re up to it – and there’s plenty of food in the Tupperwares, as well as juice, milk, in fact everything any self-respecting one-year-old could wish for.’

‘Oh my, what a handsome lad you are,’ Mrs Davies declared, coming out of the front door. ‘You must be Rufus. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.’

Intrigued, Rufus’s eyes widened, then in an exuberant surge he tried to throw himself at her.

Chuckling with pleasure, Mrs Davies turned to Vivienne. ‘Hello, I’m Emily,’ she said, holding out a hand to shake.

‘Really?’ Miles chipped in. ‘I never knew that.’

Mrs Davies raised her eyebrows. ‘I expect there’s a lot about me you don’t know. Probably don’t want to, either,’ she added to Vivienne.

Warming to the twinkly-eyed housekeeper, Vivienne clasped her hand in both of hers. ‘It’s lovely to meet you,’ she said. ‘I hope Rufus and I aren’t going to add too much to your workload—’

‘Pfft,’ Mrs Davies interrupted. ‘I’ve brought up four of me own, so this little fellow won’t be no bother for me. Let’s get you all inside now, shall we? It’s turning a bit chilly out here.’

The instant Vivienne stepped across the threshold she was assailed by the familiar smell of the place, and closed her eyes to inhale deeply. It was part Miles, part woodsmoke and part something that was uniquely its own, a mix of candlewax, old wood and a vague hint
of
mould, and as the memories came flooding back she felt Miles’s arm go around her. How could she even begin to express how happy she was to be here? She only wished it could all be as perfect as it felt.

‘Any word from Jacqueline?’ she asked, as Mrs Davies bustled off back to the kitchen.

‘No, but she’s still in regular contact with Kelsey, so I’m not feeling quite as worried any more. On the other hand, I won’t relax completely until I know where she is, and what the heck her future plans might be.’

Fully understanding that, she said, ‘Have you spoken to Kelsey again about me being here?’

‘Not since Sunday, but I’ll remind her when I call later.’

Vivienne nodded and tried to swallow her nerves as she turned to gaze around the entrance hall again, taking in its impressive collection of postmodernist paintings and the high arched window at the far end which allowed an uninterrupted view of the terraces and lawns beyond, right down to the lake. She started to smile. ‘So you had it put in,’ she said.

‘As you can see,’ he responded. ‘And the window’s not the only one of your ideas that I followed through. You’ll find them all over the place, but if you’re about to take off again the tour will have to wait. Do you have any idea what time you’ll be back?’

‘My guess is, it’ll be late. If Rufus starts playing up, though, just call and I’ll try to get back sooner.’

‘I’m sure we can manage. Before you go, tell me about Sharon.’

Sighing despondently, she shook her head. ‘To be truthful, I was a bit taken aback by the change in her after just a few days,’ she answered. ‘She’s determined to try and keep her spirits up, but the effort’s taking its
toll,
you can see that in how tired and grey she’s looking. And it’s not going to get any easier, because she’s just told me that she has to start another course of chemo next week.’

‘Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that. Still nothing positive about a donor?’

‘No, but at least the auction’s coming in time to provide some financial help with transport to and from the hospital, and taking care of the children. I just hope we can get it to her by next Wednesday, when her treatment’s due to begin.’

‘I can always bridge the gap, if necessary,’ he offered. ‘In fact, I’d intended to make a straight donation, so why don’t I give it to you, instead of going through the official channels?’

‘That would be great if Sky hadn’t offered to double what we make, so we need your funds in the pot. Bridging the gap would be wonderful, though, if we need it, and we can pay you back as soon as the money’s released. Now,’ she went on, checking her watch, ‘crash course in Rufus about to begin, then I’ll have to go like the clappers if I don’t want to be late.’

Half an hour later, still munching on the smoked-salmon sandwich Mrs Davies had prepared for her, she drove into the stable yard and came to a halt next to a gigantic trailer that hadn’t been there before. She soon discovered it was divided into dressing rooms for the ‘auction lots’, while the smaller vehicle behind it was for make-up. The place was a frenzy of activity with crew and the construction team still working on the barn, the WI setting out rows of chairs or decorating their telephone tables, and Pete bossing about Theo and six of the firemen, who were being photographed for one of the local papers.

Finding the Sky producer, Vivienne went straight into a meeting that didn’t end until long after five. At that point she took a moment to call Miles, who assured her he and Rufus were getting along famously, and after being blown a couple of raspberries down the line and treated to a shriek or two, she rang off to start on the dozen or more phone calls she needed to make or return. By seven thirty, fortified by one of Stella’s home-baked pasties and a glass of the production manager’s Sauvignon Blanc, she shut herself up in one of the dressing rooms to begin ploughing into the emails that required attention before the morning, while Theo and the firemen took over the barn to rehearse their routines.

It was close to ten o’clock by the time she eventually turned into the drive at Moorlands, feeling exhausted, but exhilarated, as much by the hilarity she’d just left behind as to be coming home to Miles.

‘Ah, at last,’ Miles yawned, when she found him half asleep on the bed with a spark-out Rufus in dinosaur pyjamas beside him. ‘Have you eaten? Mrs Davies made a lasagne—’

‘I’m fine,’ Vivienne interrupted, kicking off her shoes to lie down with him. ‘Did you speak to Kelsey again?’

‘Mm, I did,’ he confirmed, pulling her against him. ‘She still didn’t have anything to say about your visit, but I’ve had an idea that I think might work rather well.’

‘Oh? Are you going to enlighten me?’

‘Absolutely, but not right now, because with his lordship out cold, I was hoping we might take advantage of this rare opportunity to spend some time focusing on us.’

*

‘Dad, it’s me,’ Kelsey cried into her mobile. ‘What time are you coming to pick me up?’

‘Actually, I’m not,’ he told her.

‘Yeah, yeah, very funny. I came back for four days—’ Her face suddenly froze as she realised he might not be joking. ‘Oh, yeah,
she’s
there, isn’t she?’ she said, her heart turning over as she looked across their shared room at Martha.

‘Yes, Vivienne and Rufus are here,’ he replied evenly. ‘I told you last night they’d arrived, and I’m hoping you’ll be here soon too, once Theo has collected you.’

Kelsey blinked, then her eyes rounded with awe. ‘Oh my God, Dad! Are you serious?’ she demanded, a rush of blood flooding her cheeks. ‘Theo’s coming to get me?’

Martha’s mouth fell open.

‘He’s already on his way,’ Miles informed her.

‘On his motorbike?’

‘On his motorbike.’

‘Oh my God, oh my God, why didn’t you tell me? I have to get changed. What time will he be here? Dad, you are like so dead for not telling me. What if he’d turned up and I was still in my uniform?’

‘You’ve still got plenty of time,’ Miles responded dryly, ‘he only left a few minutes ago.’

Kelsey’s excitement was already turning to panic. ‘I have to go,’ she said urgently, and without as much as a goodbye she tossed the phone onto the bed and clasped her hands to her face. ‘Did you hear that?’ she said to Martha. ‘TKS is coming to get me. You are going to die when you see him. He is sooo fit. I mean, I know you’ve seen him on TV, but in real life … Oh my God, I think I’m going to be sick.’

Martha was laughing. Since half the school was seething with envy that Kelsey actually knew TKS, she had no problem understanding what a big deal this was for her friend. ‘What are you going to wear?’ she demanded. ‘It’ll have to be jeans if you’re going on his motorbike. Shit, what about all your stuff? How are you going to get it home?’

Kelsey stared at her in horror. ‘I know, I’ll get Dad to bring me back tomorrow,’ she declared, and overcome with excitement again she began squealing and jumping up and down. ‘He is so lush, Martha. You just wait. I mean he’s too old for me, I know that … Actually, I think he just sees me like a sister, which is OK, because I don’t mind having a brother. I mean one that’s older, not
Rufus
, who’s apparently there at the house. I am so pissed off about that. Just because Mum suddenly thinks Vivienne’s all cool and wonderful doesn’t mean the rest of us have to think so too.’

‘He’s dead cute, though,’ Martha said. ‘You know, in the photos I’ve seen.’

Kelsey slanted her a look, then remembering Theo she started to grin again. ‘I’m going to call Mum and tell her,’ she suddenly decided.

Still finding Kelsey’s new relationship with her mother a bit weird, Martha said, ‘I’m going to make sure everyone’s around when TKS turns up. They’ve got to see you go off on his motorbike. It’s going to like so do Poppy’s and Sadie’s heads in, I can hardly wait.’

‘Mum!’ Kelsey said into the phone as she gave Martha the thumbs up. ‘It’s me. Guess what, you know Theo Kenwood-South, well he’s only coming to pick me up from school. Isn’t that amazing? It’s all right, you don’t have to call me back or anything, because I’ll probably be on my way home. I just wanted you to
know.
Um, I’ll speak to you later, OK? Uh – hope everything’s cool with you.’

As she rang off she felt an odd sort of feeling starting to creep over her, like a chill mist coming out of nowhere. Well, maybe not nowhere, because she knew it was to do with still not knowing what was going on with her mum, or even where she was, exactly. It was odd the way she wouldn’t tell anyone, a bit spooky even, except Mum did listen to her messages now, and usually she rang back within an hour, or less. So it was all right really. There was nothing to worry about, and feeling herself being scooped up by another wave of euphoria she tore open her recently packed suitcase to begin rummaging around for her new Seven jeans, and the black top with cut-out shoulders that she could wear under the leather jacket her dad had bought her in Italy last year. It had only been the two of them, because her mum hadn’t wanted to come …

‘Word’s going round faster than Lynette Howard can grow spots,’ Martha informed her, bouncing back into the room. ‘Everyone’s like,
oh my God
.’

Kelsey’s eyes sparkled. ‘You know what, I don’t even really care that
she’s
going to be there when I get home,’ she declared rashly. Then, after considering that for a moment, ‘Actually, it’s going to be a bit weird seeing Dad with Rufus the dufus, knowing he’s like his and all that.’

‘Oh it’ll be fine,’ Martha told her. ‘He’s just a baby. Theo’s the one you need to be worrying about. Have you decided what you’re going to wear yet?’

Kelsey was back in her suitcase. ‘Oh look, I’d forgotten all about this red top,’ she cried, holding it up. ‘It is soooo lush. I have to wear it. Or maybe I should save it for Saturday. You’re definitely coming
to
the auction, aren’t you? Dad’s reserved us places right in the front row, he said.’

‘Are you kidding? I’m definitely going to be there. But what about
her
? Won’t she be there too?’

‘Oh, we’ll just ignore her. With any luck she might go away.’

Martha giggled, more because she was expected to than because it was funny. ‘You know what,’ she said, getting on with her own packing, ‘I hope you don’t mind me saying, but I’m still finding it a bit freaky the way you’re suddenly OK with your mum. I mean, like she was always really cool with me and my parents, but you two were always at one another …’

‘Actually, I think she’s got God,’ Kelsey informed her, whilst wriggling out of her old jeans. ‘Or they’ve put her on new medication or something. Anyway, whatever, she’ll probably go nutso again any time now, so don’t get too worried. I know I’m not.’

Martha glanced up at her but she didn’t say anything, even though she knew that Kelsey really was worried about her mum. However, Martha could understand why she wouldn’t want to talk about it now. Who would, when Theo Kenwood-South was on his way to pick her up?

Until the moment she sauntered out of the school’s ancient front doors to find Theo waiting next to his motorbike, surrounded by younger girls clamouring for his autograph, Kelsey had never really understood what a true high was. It was like floating on air, she found. She was a movie star, a pop idol, the most important person in the world. Her heart was tripping and she was finding it nearly impossible to stop smiling and stay cool, though she was shaking and still
felt
a bit sick inside. It wasn’t only the way a path started opening up for her to go through, it was knowing that apart from the girls already stumbling towards their parents’ cars, and those who’d come out purposely to get near him, every window in the school had faces pressed to it not wanting to miss the big event.

Being too shy to look at him, Kelsey kept her head down as she walked, glancing out occasionally, but hardly registering a thing. When she reached him her elation soared to new heights as he took the small bag she was carrying, before handing her a helmet to put on.

Seconds later they were roaring out through the school gates, her arms clasped around his waist, her head resting against his back and her heart just about ready to burst.

Having thoroughly approved of Miles’s idea of Theo going to collect Kelsey, Vivienne was now daring to hope that when Kelsey came in she might be distracted, or even bedazzled enough, not to care about anyone or anything besides her new crush. And even if she did, while Theo was around surely the worst Kelsey would be was sulky and silent rather than downright rude.