Sunset in St. Tropez (14 page)

“Is this” – Pascale struggled for the right words, torn between curiosity and good manners – “someone you"re interested in, Robert?”

“We"re just friends,” he said simply, and then realized that everyone was listening, and he looked faintly embarrassed. “She's an actress. Gwen Thomas. She won an Oscar last year.” Diana stared across the table at him, in open disapproval, the moment he said it. She was more critical of everything these days.

“Why would she want to come here?” she said bluntly. “We"re not very interesting, and the house is a mess. Do you really want her to come here?” They were all praying that he didn't, they didn't want a stranger in their midst, particularly one who was more than likely to be difficult and spoiled. And the two women were certain that “the actress,” as they referred to her among themselves, was trying to take advantage of him in some way. They loved him dearly, and after so many years sheltered in marriage, they assumed he was naive.

“She's a very nice person. I think you'll all like her,” Robert said calmly, as the men nodded, curious to meet her, and the two women frowned.

“This isn't exactly Rodeo Drive,” Diana persisted, trying to discourage him, but he looked unimpressed either by her lack of enthusiasm for meeting Gwen, or by Pascale's. John and Eric were actually secretly intrigued, but wouldn't have said it to their wives.

Pascale couldn't think of anything worse than having to entertain some spoiled prima donna. She was certain Gwen Thomas would surely be a nightmare, she was famous enough to be. It would ruin their whole vacation. And possibly Robert's life. “How long is she staying?”

“A few days, a week at most. It depends on when she has to get back to L.A. She's going into rehearsal for a movie, and she wanted to rest first. I thought this might be fun for her.” He said it in a fatherly, protective way. “I think Anne would have liked her. They share a lot of the same views and attitudes. She likes the same books and music and plays.” Pascale looked at John with worried eyes, and Diana even glanced at Eric. Neither woman believed for a minute that they were just “friends.” They were sure that Gwen Thomas was out to get him, and that he was an innocent about to be slaughtered. It was inconceivable to either woman that the actress"s motives were pure.

And as silence fell on all of them, Eric asked for the check, and they each paid their share, while John pored over the bill, determined to find a mistake. He always assumed that restaurants were out to cheat him, which was why Pascale hated going out to dinner with him. By the time he finished pulling the check apart and recalculating everything, he always spoiled her dinner. But she was so unnerved by the impending arrival of Robert's “friend” that she paid no attention to John. She could hardly wait to discuss it all with Diana the next day, and she thought it a bold move for Robert to bring Gwen here. It seemed too soon after Anne's death to be dating anyone. The match and the visit seemed wrong to her in every way.

“Shall we go then?” Robert asked pleasantly, as they went back to the cars, and drove back to the house. Pascale and Diana rode with John on the way back and they talked animatedly about their plans to “save” Robert from the evil Gwen.

“Why don't you give the girl a chance and see how she behaves?” John said sensibly, and both women were outraged. It made him wonder if they were jealous of Gwen, but he wouldn't have dared suggest it to them. All they said was that they were worried about Robert, and owed it to Anne to protect him from a girl who was clearly unworthy of him, according to them.

They all said good night to each other at the house, and Mandy was already home in bed. But Pascale lay in bed thinking about the nightmare that was about to descend on them, and turned to John with a worried look.

“What about the paparazzi?” she asked anxiously.

“What about them?” he asked blankly. He had no idea what she was thinking. Her imagination seemed to be running wild.

“They'll be all over us if that woman comes here. We won't have another peaceful minute for the rest of the vacation.” It was a valid thought, and something none of them had considered yet.

“I don't think there's much we can do on that score. I"m sure she's used to it, and can handle it,” he said, sounding unconcerned. “I must admit, I"m surprised he asked her here, particularly with you and Diana down his throat,” he said, looking amused.

“We"re not down his throat,” she fumed, looking very French. “We care about him. She probably won't stay more than a day, when she sees the house,” Pascale said hopefully. “Maybe she'll leave, when she realizes we"re on to her. Robert may be an innocent, but the rest of us aren't.” And then suddenly John laughed as he listened to her.

“Poor Robert. He should only know what you have in store for him when she gets here. I don't suppose we'll ever get used to the idea of someone else in his life,” John said pensively. “Anyone but Anne seems like such an intrusion. But he has a right to do what he wants. He's a grown man, and he needs female companionship. He can't stay alone forever. And if he likes this girl, Pascale, why not? She's beautiful, she's young. He enjoys her company.

He could do a lot worse.” It actually sounded pretty great to him, more so than he would have admitted to Pascale.

“Are you crazy? What have you been drinking? Don't you know what she is? She's some little tart of an actress, and we have to save him from her.” It was an extreme point of view, to say the least. She sounded like Joan of Arc on a crusade.

“I know what you think. But I was just wondering if we have a right to interfere. Maybe he knows what he's doing.

And maybe they really only are just friends, and if it's more than that, maybe he's in love with her. Poor Robert. I feel sorry for him.” But how sorry could one feel? One of the biggest stars in Hollywood was coming to visit him. If nothing else, it was certainly more exciting than his life had been with Anne.

“I feel sorry for him too. He's an innocent. Which is exactly why we have to protect him. And Mandy would be horrified if she knew about this.”

“I don't think you should tell her,” John said seriously. “It's up to Robert what he tells his daughter about this woman.”

“She'll find out eventually anyway,” Pascale said ominously.

“Let him have a little fun after all the sadness he's had over losing Anne. That's probably all this is anyway. Just a good time. We'll find someone decent for him eventually,” she said firmly.

“He's not exactly doing badly on his own,” John reminded her. “Hell, she's a knockout, and one of the most well-known actresses in the country.”

“Precisely,” Pascale said as though he had proven the point to her. “And that is why we have to protect him. She can't possibly be a good person, given all that,” Pascale said emphatically.

“Poor Robert,” John said again with a smile. And as he drifted off to sleep that night, snuggled up to Pascale, John knew he should feel sorry for him, but in spite of all of Pascale's dire predictions, it sounded pretty good to him.

The rest of the week rolled by, with them all eating dinner at home, and in restaurants, relaxing and lying in the sun, swimming, and sailing. And Mandy left on Saturday, only a day earlier than planned. In spite of everything, she and her father had had a great time. He had told her vaguely that there was a friend visiting him the following week, and she was relieved that he would be surrounded by friends. She kept meaning to ask him who it was, but in the flurry of activity before she left, she forgot. She assumed it was one of his old friends, or someone from the bench, and it never occurred to her that it might be a woman and not a man.

On Sunday night, as Pascale and Diana cooked dinner, there was a sense of anticipation over Gwen's arrival the next day. Robert hadn't said much more about her, but it was obvious even when he mentioned her, that he was excited to be seeing Gwen. Pascale and Diana, and even Eric and John to some extent, were still curious and suspicious of her. In spite of all their preconceived notions, they weren't sure what to expect.

Robert seemed like a babe in the woods to them. He hadn't dated in years, and certainly never anyone like this woman. Her world was completely unfamiliar to him. She was famous and sophisticated, and she led a life they all disapproved of, on principle. She wasn't “respectable,” as Pascale said, she was divorced, and she had never had children, which suggested, to them at least, a certain selfishness and egocentricity. She was obviously wrapped up in herself and her career. Pascale hadn't been able to have children. They were sure that Gwen Thomas hated children.

They found a thousand reasons to dislike her, even before they laid eyes on her.

When Monday morning came, Gwen called, and when Robert talked to her, she said she would arrive by car at lunchtime. They were sure she would drive up in a long black limousine, probably with a liveried chauffeur, or something equally absurd. They had had Marius fix her bed, in what had been Mandy"s room, but none of them would have minded if it broke again. They were like kids at camp, or in boarding school, waiting to torture the new girl.

Robert was aware of none of it as he showered and dressed before she arrived. He was wearing white shorts, a white sport shirt, and a pair of brown sandals, and he looked very handsome. He was a goodlooking man, and with a tan he looked better than ever, younger and healthier than he had in months, or even years.

Pascale suggested they not wait lunch for her. But Robert said he would skip lunch too, and take her out to a bistro in St Tropez if she was hungry. It seemed more polite to him than simply ignoring her, and eating with the others.

But he urged them all to go on and eat without him. He was as calm and pleasant as ever, with no idea how resentful they were of Gwen. Had he suspected what was in store for her, he would never have asked her to come.

Pascale was organizing lunch for them at noon, when she heard a car drive up, and glanced out the kitchen window.

But all she saw was a tiny Deux Chevaux, and then she saw a pretty redheaded woman climb out of it wearing a denim miniskirt, a white T-shirt, and a pair of flat white sandals. She looked very plain, but at the same time very fresh and wholesome and clean. She was wearing her hair in a braid, and it struck Pascale for an instant that she looked a little like Mandy, only prettier. She wondered who the woman was at first, and then realized with a start that it was Gwen. There was no limousine in sight, no driver, no paparazzi, and Gwen looked around as she carried a large straw tote bag, and a single small suitcase. In spite of herself, Pascale asked Marius to go out and help her.

And as she saw him go, she spotted Robert leaving the house. He must have been watching for her from an upstairs window, like a boy waiting for a friend to come.

The minute Gwen saw Robert, she beamed, and even Pascale had to admit that her smile was dazzling, her skin beautiful, and she had spectacular legs in the miniskirt and sandals. She had an extraordinarily good figure. And she looked happy and at ease with him, as they headed slowly toward the kitchen. And within another instant, Pascale was staring at her, as Robert introduced her, and smiled proudly at Gwen.

“It's very nice to meet you,” Pascale lied. “We"ve heard a lot about you.”

“I"ve heard a lot about you too,” Gwen said pleasantly. “You must be Pascale. How has the house been?” She shook Pascale's hand, and seemed not to be aware of the chilly reception she was getting. She was easygoing, and unaffected, and surprisingly unpretentious. She had offered to carry her bag upstairs herself, but Robert had Marius do it, and then Gwen offered to help Pascale with lunch, and she stepped right up to the sink. She washed her hands, and seemed to expect to work with Pascale.

“I – no … ahh … it's fine. You don't need to help me.” So instead Gwen hung out in the kitchen with Pascale and Robert. He was talking to her animatedly about all the work Pascale had done in the house, and how comfortable she had made it for all of them.

“They should pay us to stay here,” Robert said admiringly, as John walked into the kitchen.

“Now that's an idea I'll second,” John said, glancing at her, wondering who she was. And whoever she was, she was incredibly pretty, he thought to himself, and when he saw his wife's face, he realized who he was talking to. He hadn't recognized Gwen at first, and what surprised him most was that he didn't expect her to look so human, so lovely, or so young. She certainly didn't look her forty-one years, but Pascale wondered if it was natural, or if she had had “work done.” She was wearing very little makeup, and seemed surprisingly natural in every way. She had simple, unassuming ways, a natural kindness and warmth, and staggering good looks. And as John looked Gwen over carefully, it was impossible to see in her the devil Pascale had described. And soon Pascale looked surprised and ill at ease in the face of Gwen's obvious charm.

Ten minutes later, their lunch was on the table, and the Morrisons appeared, and they stopped dead in their tracks at their first glimpse of her. She wasn't at all what they had imagined. She was far more beautiful and natural, and as she spoke to them, seemed genuinely warm. But even in the face of that, Diana told herself Gwen was an actress and could fool anyone.

Sensing none of their malevolent thoughts about her, Gwen sat down at the table with them, after carrying several platters to the table. She had jumped right in, helping Pascale, without hesitation or restraint. Robert had offered to take her to a restaurant for lunch, but she said she'd be happier here, having lunch with his friends. She said that Robert had talked so much about them that she was happy to meet them at last. And as she said it, Pascale and Diana exchanged an evil look. They remained convinced that beneath the appealing exterior lurked a bitch.

As they sat down to lunch, Robert asked Gwen comfortably about Antibes. He seemed very much at ease with her, and she said she had had fun, and done a lot of reading, and lying in the sun. She'd been exhausted when she arrived.

“What did you read?” he asked with interest, as the others sat watching her, feeling fascinated and awkward. There was a quality of unreality to sitting there chatting with her, after seeing her so often on screen. Gwen told Robert, in answer to his question, that she had read a number of very good new novels, and named them all. They were all the same books Pascale and Diana had just read.