The Triumph of Katie Byrne (24 page)

Katie sat at the dressing table, checking her make-up and wig. She thought, as she stared in the glass, that she had a slight look of Emily Brontë, and this pleased her. She knew it was the wig that created the effect, and she was glad she had chosen this particular style.

The wig had a middle parting, with soft waves and curls on each side, which touched her temples and face; once she had put it on, her appearance had definitely changed, no question about that.

Katie smiled to herself, aware that she now looked like a woman of the nineteenth century, which was important. Victorian, of course. And she also knew that she could walk out on that stage and be Emily. In a few moments she would be doing just that.

It was Sunday evening, February 20th in the year 2000, opening night of
Charlotte and Her Sisters
at the Barrymore Theatre on West 47th Street. And she was opening in a play on Broadway. Finally. At long last.

She slid out one of the drawers in the dressing table, and looked down at the photograph which lay there. It
was of Carly, Denise and herself, taken on her sixteenth birthday. She nodded. Tonight was as much for them as it was for her.

Rising, Katie straightened the skirt of her long, dark-blue dress, looked in the mirror for a final check, and walked across the dressing-room floor.

There was a knock on the door. ‘Five minutes, Miss Byrne!’ the call boy shouted a split second before she opened it and went out.

Charlotte and Branwell were on the stage in this first scene of the first act, and Katie moved towards the wings, stood waiting for her cue. She was nervous, shaking inside. It was stage fright. Fear of failing out there. So many actors suffered from it. Richard Burton had, she knew that. His stage fright had been so acute in the first play he had ever done, someone had given him a glass of brandy to calm him. And that was how his drinking had started.

She shook this thought off, concentrated on the words being said on stage, and suddenly she was on. For a split second she was frozen in the wings, then the adrenaline kicked in, and she moved forward, found herself out there, centre stage, under the bright lights. And the words came easily, flowed out of her.

‘More bills, and more bill-collectors, Branwell,’ she said with cool deliberation. She was Emily, facing Branwell down. ‘We are
all
going to end up in debtor’s prison if we’re not careful. It won’t only be you, brother
dear. And then where will this family be? And what about poor Father? Brought to shame and dishonour by a profligate, dissolute son. Oh, and one other thing, Branwell. Do not send Anne to get your opium for you ever again. I forbid it.’

She sailed through the scenes, all six of them.

Blackout. Curtain. End of Act One.

As the curtain came down the applause was deafening, and every single actor knew it was going to be as big a hit as the London production in the West End.

Katie rushed off stage to her dressing room, to change her costume and retouch her make-up. All she could think about was the next act. It was even more complex than the first, and she was hardly off stage. Furthermore, she had a death scene.

Act Two could make or break her.

Of course it made her.

The party was in full swing when Katie arrived at Tavern on the Green with Christopher Saunders. He had waited for her while she had toned down her stage make-up, done her hair and changed into her dress for the evening. It was long, made of purple velvet and had an old-fashioned look about it which she loved. Her only jewellery was a pair of amethyst drop earrings which Chris had given her yesterday, much to her surprise and delight.

Christopher had brought her over to the restaurant in Central Park in a chauffeur-driven car which he had hired for the evening. ‘Katie, you were miraculous,’ he had told her in the dressing room, and he had kept on saying it all the way from the theatre.

‘Everyone was good,’ she murmured just before they alighted from the car.

Leaning into her, he kissed her cheek. ‘But you stole the show, darling girl, whether you want to admit it or not.’

Melanie and Harry Dawson, and Jack Martin, the director, were waiting at the entrance, and they congratulated her yet again, told her what a great performance she’d given. Smiling, but filling up with nervous tension, she put her arm through Christopher’s, and taking several deep breaths she walked into the room with him.

More deafening applause. And then her family were surrounding her. Two sets of grandparents, aunts and uncles, her mother and father and Niall. And suddenly she spotted her brother Finian.

‘Oh,
Fin
!’ she cried, ‘you came all the way from Oxford!’

‘Sure did, Katie,’ he said, hugging her to him. ‘How could I miss this. The first of many big hits for you, I know.’

Her Aunt Bridget was squeezing in between them, looking ravishing in red silk with her red hair swept up
into an elegant chignon. ‘You knocked ‘em dead, Katie mine. Congratulations.’

Katie nodded, turned, her eyes seeking her mother. At once, Maureen came forward and they embraced. Her mother said, through her tears, ‘I’m so proud of you, mavourneen, you were just extraordinary up there on that stage.’

‘Thanks, Mom.’ She beckoned to her father, who was standing just behind her mother. ‘Did you enjoy the play, Dad?’

‘I did, Katie.’ He hugged her tightly. ‘But you’ve always been a star, as far as I’m concerned. Congratulations, honey.’

‘Hey, what about me? Don’t I get a chance to kiss her?’ Niall exclaimed. Katie brought him into the circle, then embraced her brother. And as she did she realized that somehow Chris had managed to remain glued to her side through all the excitement.

‘I’ve a surprise for you,’ Chris now said, and taking hold of her hand, he led her through the family group. As they parted to let her pass, she found herself staring at Xenia. Katie’s expression was one of total astonishment as she viewed the people standing there with her.

‘You were fabulous.’ Xenia smiled at her. ‘Congratulations. ’

‘You were wonderful,’ Verity exclaimed.

‘You
were
Emily,’ Lavinia said.

‘Thank you, Katie, for understanding everything I told you about Emily. Lavinia’s correct, you
were
her, and I can only say, you deserve every award that’s going. Many, many congratulations, Katie.’ As he spoke, Rex walked towards her, put his arms around her, and held her. Against her hair, he whispered, ‘You’ve stolen this show, you know, my dear.’

‘Phew!’ she exclaimed a moment later, her eyes sweeping over them. ‘How did you all get here?’

‘On a plane,’ Lavinia said.

‘They were so desperate to come to the opening, to root for you, Katie, I finally phoned Melanie from London. She was happy to invite them.’ Xenia threw Katie an odd look. ‘And she certainly seemed to know the name Rex Bellamy.’

‘Oh yes, I’d told her about him weeks ago, how he’d helped me.’ Katie gave Rex a loving smile. ‘And thank you for that, Rex, and thanks, all of you, for coming to New York to support me. I’m so touched.’

Katie introduced Christopher to them, and she was chatting to Verity when Xenia took hold of her arm. ‘Katie, there’s my client Peter Thomas Roth and his wife over there. They’re with Melanie. Oh, look, they’re heading this way.’

A moment later, Melanie was introducing the Roths to Katie and Christopher, and Xenia introduced her group from England.

Melanie said, ‘Peter is one of my backers, Katie, and
he’s glowing tonight because he feels we’ve got a big hit. I think we do, too. I
hope
we do.’

‘What a great performance you gave, Katie,’ Peter said. ‘You were spellbinding.’

‘Thank you,’ Katie murmured, smiling back at him.

‘Yes, you were superb as Emily,’ Noreen Roth interjected. ‘I think you’ll get a Tony nomination for your performance, and you deserve it.’

They talked about the play for a moment or two longer, and then Melanie drew Katie aside and said, ‘I thought you’d like to know that Jenny Hargreaves gave birth to a little girl. Tonight. In Yorkshire. Prematurely. And that’s why she’s not here to see her play open on Broadway. But you knew she was pregnant, I think I told you that.’

Katie nodded. ‘I’m so pleased for her. Perhaps I can send her a message. Or flowers. Something.’

‘Of course, that’s no problem. Oh and Katie.’

‘Yes, Melanie?’

‘She’s named the baby Emily.’

Katie simply smiled, her bright-blue eyes full of happiness.

The centre of interest shifted as the other actors began to arrive and mingle with everyone in the big room. Katie and Chris circulated with her family and friends, and Katie kept accepting congratulations, smiling broadly, enjoying every moment of this very special evening.

It was a foregone conclusion that Chris would spend the night with her. And once they arrived at the apartment building on West End Avenue he let the car go.

They went up to the apartment in silence, not speaking in the lift. Nor did they say a word when they entered the small entrance hall of her apartment.

He held her with his eyes.

She stared back at him.

Suddenly, they moved at the same time, came into each other’s arms. Chris held her tightly against him. Katie clung to him. He kissed her neck and her cheek, but a moment later he held her away by the shoulders, looking deeply into her lovely eyes.

There was a small silence as they gazed at each other as if mesmerized, frozen in place in the foyer.

Finally Chris spoke. ‘I meant what I said four weeks ago, Katie. That night at Le Cirque with Xenia. I do need you. Very much.’

‘I knew you weren’t speaking lightly. That’s not you.’

‘I’ve fallen in love with you.’

‘Yes, I know you have, Chris.’

‘And you, Katie, what do you feel?’

‘The same. I love you.’

A faint smile crossed his face, and was instantly gone. He took hold of her hand and led her into the living room. Katie flung her purple velvet stole on a chair, and the two of them sank down onto the loveseat. Chris leaned into her, kissed her lightly on her mouth. A
second later, he said, ‘You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Katie Byrne.’

She rested her head against his chest, enjoying this closeness. ‘You’re very special to me, Chris. As no one else has ever been.’

He put his arms around her and began to kiss her ardently. She returned his kisses with equal passion, and her hands went up onto his neck and into his hair. They kissed for a long time, and then he stood up, gave her his hand; Katie took it and rose, and together they went into the adjoining bedroom.

They shed their clothes and found each other in the dim light of the bedroom. Chris embraced her, held her in the circle of his arms, then led her to the bed; they lay down on it, facing each other, and their eyes locked. They gazed at each other for a long time.

Eventually Chris reached out and stroked her face, saying nothing, and then he bent his head, kissed her breasts with tenderness. It was the first time they had made love, yet they seemed to know each other instinctively.

Her hands stroked the back of his neck, and he felt her fingers strong and supple on his skin. And her body was strong and supple under his touch, long and lithe and beautiful. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known, ever wanted, and he knew full well that without her his life would be nothing.

But he did not say a word, he just went on kissing
her tenderly, stroking her inner thigh, slowly moving his hand towards the core of her.

Katie felt tense and excited, filled with a longing for Chris, a yearning she had known since their first meeting. But there was also a sense of peace within her as well, because she knew this man was ideal for her. He was the man she had always been searching for, and she knew she loved him deeply.

Chris moved abruptly, pushed himself up on one elbow, looked down at her.

She stared up at him expectantly.

Chris reached out, turned on the bedside lamp. ‘I want to see your face,’ he murmured softly, touching her cheek.

Her eyes were wide and very blue. She half smiled at him.

Chris brought his mouth to hers. His tongue touched hers, lingered next to hers, and it was a moment of absolute intimacy, like he had never known, the prelude to passion.

Gently he turned her on her back, and moved onto her slender body, fitting his close to hers. How well they fitted together, he thought. His passion soared, he felt as though he would burst with desire. He moved swiftly then, taking her to him, and she called out sharply, said his name as he entered her.

Katie felt as though her mind had emptied itself of everything except her thoughts of Chris; her desire for
him was paramount. Her arms and legs were wrapped around him, as if never to let him go, and she felt herself becoming part of him, as they moved, found their own rhythm. And as they flowed together to become one, Katie thought her heart was exploding as she was carried along on a wave of ecstasy.

The drive from Manhattan to Malvern had taken her exactly two hours, give or take a few minutes, and Katie was pleased she had done it in record time. It was just turning ten o’clock on the dashboard clock when she parked outside the garage at her parents’ house.

‘It’s only me, Mom,’ she called out as she went through the back entrance and into the kitchen.

Maureen looked up, a startled expression on her face. She was standing at one of the kitchen counters, chopping apples, and she put the knife down, exclaimed, ‘Katie! Goodness, I didn’t expect you so soon.’ She glanced down at herself, and added, ‘Oh dear, and here I am in my pinny. Whatever will Chris think.’

Katie burst out laughing. ‘Mom, he wouldn’t think anything untoward if he saw you in your pinafore. I’m sure his mother wears one too. She’s not that grand. But he’s not with me, I drove up by myself.’

Maureen frowned and shook her head. ‘But I thought he was coming up with you today. For lunch. That’s what he said last week, at the opening. “I’ll see you
next Monday, in a week. I’m driving Katie up to see Carly.” That’s exactly what he said, mavourneen. And I said I’d make lunch for you. So what happened?’

Katie put her jacket and handbag on a chair, and stood leaning against the counter, regarding her mother, a loving smile ringing her face. ‘He decided he’d better go to this meeting in Boston today after all. He’d told them he wouldn’t be coming, but he changed his mind.’

‘Who’s
them
?’ Maureen gave her a long look, her eyes narrowed slightly.

‘The people he works with. The ecology organization. ’

‘Is it Greenpeace?’

‘No, no, it’s an organization called PlanetEarth, all one word. And there’s a division of it called Saving PlanetEarth, and that’s the one Chris runs in South America.’

‘You know, Katie, you’ve never told me
exactly
what it is Chris does.’

‘Well, in the last ten years he’s become an expert on rain forests, and what he does is try to save them. Because they are vital to life on earth.’

Maureen nodded. ‘Yes, I guess I somehow know that, honey. And I think what he does is admirable.’

‘Chris told me that sixty per cent of the world’s rain forests have been lost to agricultural and timber interests, and that most industrial nations have cleared all their original forests. Except for Canada and Russia.
Isn’t that something, Mom? It’s incredible when you think about it. Really bad news.’

Maureen nodded. ‘Do you want a cup of coffee, Katie? I only just made it.’

‘I wouldn’t say no. Thanks. Let’s both have a cup.’ Katie walked across to the kitchen table and sat down, and a moment later her mother joined her with two mugs of steaming coffee.

‘It’s good, Mom, just what I needed,’ Katie said, after taking several sips.

‘Do you want to eat anything, mavourneen?’

‘No, I’m not hungry.’

‘I’ve been thinking about Chris, you know, and ‘tis a pity he has to leave, has to go back to Argentina.’

Katie stared at her mother, but didn’t say anything. She wondered what was coming next.

Maureen said, ‘I like him a lot, and so does your father. And Niall. Although I don’t suppose our opinions matter. When you’re in love you’re in love, no matter what anyone else thinks or says. ‘Tis true, you know, Katie, love is blind. But fortunately, everyone likes Christopher Saunders, and your father and I approve of him.’

Katie beamed. ‘I’m glad, Mom.’

‘But there’s a real problem…that long-distance problem, Katie.’

‘That’s true. Chris has to leave in two weeks.’

‘Does he get a lot of time off? I mean, he’s been here over two months.’

‘He will have been here for about that length of time when he leaves. A month was his vacation time, and then he had a month to do his business here,’ Katie explained.

‘I see.’ Maureen sipped her coffee, looking sad and reflective.

Katie did not miss the thoughtful look on her mother’s face, the sadness in her blue eyes, and she said swiftly, ‘What’s the matter, Momma, why are you looking so sad?’

‘Because I know you’re in love with him. You are, aren’t you?’

Katie nodded.

‘And ‘tis a certainty he’s in love with you, even Bridget and my mother noticed that he just dotes on you. He couldn’t take his eyes off you at the opening-night party last Sunday. But he has to go away, doesn’t he? He lives there, you live here, and you’re at the beginning of a big career in the theatre. Even
The New York Times
critic says that, and some of the other reviewers did, too. So I’m sad because I don’t think your romance is going to get a chance to flower.’

‘But it has already flowered, Momma.’

‘Flowers don’t continue to grow and flourish if they don’t get watered and nurtured,’ Maureen pointed out.

‘I know.’

‘Have you discussed it?’

‘Not really, Mom. I guess we both know there is this
awful problem of being in two different countries, but we avoid talking about it. I think it’s because we just want to enjoy each other while we can.’

‘I understand what you’re saying, but it’s not very realistic of you.’

Katie sighed. ‘Chris says life has a way of taking care of itself.’

‘Too true, but it’s not always in the way we want. Take my word for it.’

When Katie was totally silent, and sat staring into her mug of coffee, Maureen went on, ‘Would you be prepared to give up the play? Go to Argentina to live with Chris?’

‘You know very well I can’t. I signed a contract for a year.’

‘
You
know full well what I’m getting at, Katie.’

‘Okay, so I do. But I can’t answer you, because I don’t know.’

Katie thought about this conversation as she drove over to the hospice in Chris’s car an hour later. Her mother was right, but she didn’t want to face making such a difficult decision. And she was quite certain, deep inside, that Chris was avoiding doing that himself.

Later, I’ll think about it later, she told herself, and endeavoured to push thoughts of Chris’s return to South America to one side. Right now she was on the way to see Carly, and that was her chief consideration. She wanted
to tell her friend about the opening a week ago, and the party afterwards at Tavern on the Green.

Twenty minutes later Katie was walking into the front lobby of the hospice, and hurrying down the corridor to Carly’s room. As usual, she ran into the young nurse, Jane, who was one of the day nurses, and they exchanged greetings. Seconds later Katie was leaning over Carly, kissing her on the cheek.

There was no response, and so Katie pulled the chair closer to the bed, sat down and reached for Carly’s hand. It was warm, not as cool as it generally was, and Katie glanced at Carly’s face. Her violet-blue eyes were open, but there was no sign of life, and her face was as bland and as passive as always.

Katie made herself comfortable in the chair, and took a deep breath. Then she began to talk to Carly.

‘I wish you could have been there on opening night, Carly. You and Denise. You would have loved it. I looked at the picture of the three of us before I went on, and you know what, you and Denise helped to carry me through the play. Of course I did it for myself, but I did it for you too. I wanted to fulfil your childhood dream as well as mine. There’s something else I have to tell you, Carly. I had a touch of stage fright. I’ve never really had it before, but last Sunday night I was stricken. At least for a moment or two, and I thought of Richard Burton as I stood in the wings. Do you remember when we read his biography, the one by Melvyn Bragg, and we
discovered how he had suffered terribly with stage fright, had started his drinking habit, having a quick nip before he went on stage. And you made me laugh when you brought me a bottle of whiskey to the school concert. Except that it wasn’t whiskey at all, but cold tea. Oh, Carly, I do miss you so. And I miss your funny jokes.

‘I wish you could have heard the applause. One thousand and fifty people applauding us last Sunday, and we took so many curtains. The play is a big hit, and it looks as if it’s going to run for a year, maybe longer, according to Melanie. The reviews were wonderful and I got quite a lot of attention.

‘The whole family came to the opening, Carly. Mom and Dad, Niall, and Fin, who flew in from London. All the aunts and uncles, and four grandparents. You would have loved it.

‘There was a party afterward at Tavern on the Green. Black tie, everyone dressed up in evening gowns. Mine was made of purple velvet. When I saw the dress hanging in the shop, I thought of pansies, and of your eyes. I wish you could have seen it. I wish you could have been there. I wish you could hear me, Carly. I’d give anything for that.’

Katie stopped and stood up. The sun was flooding the room, blinding her, and she walked over to the venetian blinds, adjusted them so that the sun was filtered.

‘Can…hear…you…’

Katie stiffened.

The low, rasping voice said again, ‘Can…hear…’

Katie swung around, rushed back to the bed, stared down at Carly, hardly daring to believe that she had actually spoken. At once, Katie saw that the eyes were different, not so flat and dead. There
was
a spark there, a hint of life.

Bending over the bed, Katie said urgently, ‘Did you speak to me, Carly? Blink if you did.’

Nothing happened. The life seemed to seep out of those pansy-violet eyes. They went dead again.

Katie said, ‘Carly, listen to me. Listen hard. It’s me.
Katie.
Blink if you understand what I’m saying.’ Her eyes were riveted to Carly’s and when Carly did finally blink several times, Katie shouted, ’Carly! Carly! You blinked.’

Carly blinked again, rapidly, and opened her mouth, tried to speak. Closed it. Then she said slowly, in a mumble, ’Ka…tie.’

‘Oh, my God! Carly, you said my name! Oh God, oh God! This is a
miracle.
’

Katie looked at the door as it flew open and Jane poked her head inside. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘No, no, everything’s right! Very, very right. Jane, come over here. Carly blinked. She spoke. Honestly she did.’

Astonishment washed over the nurse’s face, and she ran to the bed, stared down at Carly, then turned to
Katie. ‘Are you sure? She looks the way she’s always looked for the five years that I’ve been here.’

‘Ka…tie,’ Carly said again in the same unsteady and raspy mumble.

‘Good Lord, she spoke your name, Miss Byrne! I can’t believe it. This is incredible!’ Jane was thunderstruck and gaping at Katie.

‘Please, Jane, go and get Dr Nelson. I don’t want to leave Carly.’

Jane nodded, and rushed out of the room.

Katie leaned over the bed again, and took hold of Carly’s hand. It had the same warmth, and she wondered if this meant anything.

‘Can you squeeze my hand, Carly? Can you try?’

Watching attentively, Katie saw the fingers move very slightly, but they were not strong enough to grasp her hand. Nevertheless, there was movement there, and this hadn’t happened before.

The door opened and Dr James Nelson came in, obviously concerned and worried. ‘What is it, Katie? Jane here tells me that Carly spoke to you. Is that true?’ He looked doubtful.

‘It is, Dr Nelson, it really is. She said she could hear me, and she said my name.’

James Nelson threw Katie a curious look, again as if he really didn’t give credence to what she was saying, and hurried over to the bed so that he could examine Carly. He took out his small light and looked into
each eye. He then felt her pulse, and listened to her heartbeat.

Straightening, he swung his head to Katie, and asked, ‘Can you tell me exactly what happened, Katie, please?’

‘Yes, of course. The first thing that struck me when I arrived was that her hand was warm. Usually it’s so cool. Anyway, I looked at her as I always do, and there was no sign of life at all. Her eyes were wide open, as they usually are, but they were dead, flat. So I sat and talked to her, told her all about the play, the opening, the party afterwards. There was nothing, not one flicker of life, of understanding. It was suddenly really sunny in the room, brilliant sun was coming in through the open blinds. So I got up to adjust them. Oh, one thing I forgot, Dr Nelson, just before I stood, I said I wished she could hear me.’

Katie paused, cleared her throat. ‘Anyway, I’d just adjusted the blinds when I heard this voice. It was low, rasping. It was Carly, Dr Nelson. She said, very slowly, in a mumble, “Can…hear…you.” Just like that. I was stunned, I didn’t believe it. I ran to the bed, and I asked her to blink if she knew it was me. At first she didn’t seem able to do that, and then suddenly she blinked several times. A moment later she said my name…broken up.
Ka…tie.
That was how she said it.’

The doctor shook his head. ‘I don’t understand this…’ His voice trailed off, and for a moment he appeared baffled, at a loss.

Jane, who had returned to the room with him, said, ‘It’s true, Dr Nelson. I heard Carly speak, too. I heard her say “Katie”, in the way Miss Byrne described.’

‘Ka…tie…’ Carly mumbled.

James Nelson focused all of his attention on Carly. Bending over her, he took hold of her hand. He enunciated clearly, slowly, ‘Carly, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.’

After a moment he saw the fingers move, but just barely. His astonishment was obvious. He said, ‘Blink, Carly, if you can.’

After a second or two Carly blinked.

James Nelson stared down at her, and he saw the flicker of life there in those lovely eyes. It was the most extraordinary moment of his career.

Turning to Katie and Jane, he nodded. ‘This is extraordinary. A medical first, I’m sure. Carly’s been in a vegetative state for ten years. I’ve never heard of anyone coming out of it after so long. I must admit, I’m flabbergasted.’

‘What do you think happened to bring her out of it, Dr Nelson?’ Katie asked.

‘I don’t know. It’s not that we’ve done anything different, there’s not much we
can
do for her –’ He broke off abruptly, and stared at Katie, frowning. ‘Oh my God, I recently started her on a drug called amantadine, which guards against pulmonary infection. Especially in bed-ridden patients. I wanted to protect Carly…’ He
paused thoughtfully. ‘It can be an arousal agent, that I do know. Then again, she may have had a brain-stem blockage that has gradually cleared up. Maybe it’s both things working in combination. But whatever, this is great news. As I said, it’s possibly a medical first. But I do think she’s going to take a while to get back to normal, if she ever is actually normal in the true sense of that word.’