The Vow (17 page)

Returning to Graylings late that afternoon after a pleasant stroll around the market town and a delicious lunch which as predicted Lucy had felt well enough to do full justice to, she noticed the newspaper Alicia had left behind.

She poked it suspiciously, as if it might bite and asked, ‘Is it awful?’

‘
Fairly. If you take my advice you won’t look at it until just before we leave tomorrow evening.’

‘
Okay,’ she agreed with an alacrity which amused Marcus whose own way was to confront and deal with problems immediately. Hers was an almost childlike desire to avoid unpleasantness.

They went out to admire the large hole which would soon become a swimming pool and then walked around the garden. As they discussed how everything was beginning to look a little tired and desperately needed rain, large dark clouds were blown in by the strengthening wind. Within minutes it was raining steadily and continued to do so late into the night. Everything in the garden seemed to sigh with relief and open itself up to the cool refreshing downpour.

After a light supper they sat by the open French windows in the sitting room enjoying the fresh breeze after weeks of airless heat.

‘
I hope it’s dry tomorrow. I want to pop along to the club to see how the ladies are faring in their tournament,’ commented Marcus.

Lucy’s heart sank.
‘I don’t have to come, do I?’

‘
Yes, you know you do. Come now, Lucy, don’t be faint-hearted,’ he told her firmly.

‘
Its alright for you, you don’t have a very cross six foot woman gunning for you. Goodness knows what she’s been telling people.’

‘
If you knew my sister you would realise that meeting her in public is the best possible option. To Alicia appearances are everything. She won’t have said a word about our little contretemps because she’d prefer to die horribly than have anyone know I threw her out. She will greet us both with well bred good manners,’ Marcus assured her.

He was absolutely right. Arriving at Ginny’s that morning, with her fury just about under control, Alicia had glossed over her change of plans. They had got their wires crossed she said, she hadn’t realised Lucy would be with her brother and really didn’t feel comfortable seeing the girl installed in Helena’s house. That Alicia had never been close to Helena, or that the house was as much Marcus’s as his dead wife’s, Ginny was too tactful to mention. By the next afternoon, having played extremely well and been instrumental in what was going to be a fine victory for Oakwood, Alicia was ready, for the time being anyway, to treat Lucy with equanimity. And she knew she could not afford to antagonise Marcus any further. If he wouldn’t listen to sense she would have to approach the problem from another direction, and she already had the germ of an idea.

Watching Lucy chatting happily with Greg and other members she had met on her previous visit Alicia thought, don’t get too comfortable, young lady. When my brother goes to the palace to be knighted
it will be me, not you, at his side.

Oakwood’s ladies won the challenge cup in great style. Lucy and Marcus stayed for the presentation ceremony and celebratory
Champagne toast before going back to pack ready for the drive home. Despite her initial worries Lucy had enjoyed the afternoon. She had been introduced to many more of the members, all of whom had made her feel welcome and accepted, and Marcus had stayed at her side the entire time.

They gave the appearance of a close and happy couple; those who commented at all said what a pleasant girl she seemed, a little young for Marcus perhaps, but good luck to them.

~

The newspaper was still on the kitchen table and Lucy knew she couldn’t put off reading Culver’s article any longer. It was worse than she had anticipated.

‘This is horrible!’ she said in dismay. ‘Now it’s not just me but my family too. And you, of course, but you don’t seem to care.’

‘
It’s irritating, but of no real consequence. He is a singularly unimportant little man with equally unimportant opinions,’ Marcus told her.

Lucy was looking as if she might cry. He went on,
‘Lucy, I think you have to ask yourself, honestly, why his comments upset you so much. That maybe it’s because there is a grain of truth in them.’

She looked uncomfortable and he continued,
‘Culver is suggesting you are with me because of my money and position, and in this he is correct.’

Lucy was about to object but Marcus lifted a finger to silence her.

‘We both know we are together because of what the other can provide. It’s a fair trade and you should not let him make you think otherwise. Our relationship may not be built on love and romance, but it is built on honesty. You are going to have to accept that some people will believe you set out purposely to marry me, as I will have to live with others thinking I am yet another misguided middle-aged man who thinks an attractive girl, young enough to be his daughter, is in love with him.’

She tried to return his smile, but still looked glum.

‘I agree it’s unfortunate Culver has chosen to involve your family, but I don’t think that’s likely to happen again. Look at it this way, Lucy, all things being equal you will soon be Lady Delacroix with enough money and freedom to live your life the way you choose, and Culver will still be a sad little hack with a sad little life.’

‘
That’s true, I suppose,’ she agreed in a small voice.

‘
And to that end, with your agreement, I will start talking to my lawyers and arrange your appointment in Harley Street.’

Lucy nodded, trying to look more certain than she actually felt.

Deep in thought, she didn’t say much on the journey back to London. They’d had such an enjoyable few days, got on so well and had fun. It was lowering to hear Marcus describe their relationship in such brutally honest terms. She knew theirs was a business arrangement but she preferred not to be reminded. She also knew Marcus had summed up quite rightly why Culver’s comments upset her. She began to wonder if she was getting in too deep. Was it all worth it? Having to read unflattering, but almost true things about herself in the paper, having her family under attack now, the deep disapproval of her best friend, although at least good old Amy didn’t keep going on about it these days. And then there were the likes of Lydia Fanshawe and Marcus’s own sister to contend with. And what was it all for? Money, possibly a title, and an empty marriage to a man who didn’t love her and apparently wasn’t even interested in sleeping with her. What had seemed feasible, a good idea even, was now looking much less so. With Marcus talking about lawyers and gynaecologists she really wasn’t sure she could go through with it.

They pulled up outside the Finsbury house, and as if he had read her mind Marcus said,
‘Lucy, I chose you because I felt sure that as well as being able to give each other what we want we could build a good life together. These last few weeks have made me even more convinced of that. I know from experience that a marriage built on friendship, trust and respect can work very well but it isn’t, perhaps, for everyone. I think you should take some time now to consider if you want to go on. I will understand if you feel you can’t.’

She looked into his eyes searching for something, and he knew he had to give it to her.

‘I hope that isn’t the case. I should miss you.’

This time she did cry, quietly with the tears left to trickle down her cheeks.

Marcus laughed. ‘There’s really no need to cry, Lucy.’

He gently pulled her towards him and the kiss, if not passionate, was tender and lingering. By the time Lucy entered the house she didn’t know if she was coming or going.

~

Amy looked up from unloading the washing machine and said with exasperation,
‘Well hello, Miss Incommunicado!’

Looking sheepish, her friend replied,
‘Sorry, Amy, my mobile got left at Marcus’s on Friday morning and I haven’t given anyone the number at Graylings. I don’t actually know it. Have there been lots of calls for me?’

‘
The only people who haven’t called are Maidstone Borough Council and I expect that’s just because they’re closed for the weekend. Your mother is going to sue although I’m not sure why as Culver was rather nice about her. Catherine is threatening to kill him with her bare hands which I think is quite possible. Your gran is put out she didn’t get a mention, despite not actually being there, and wanted to remind you about going for tea. Ellen called from someone else’s bed, no change there then, and seemed moderately pissed off. But the worst was your dad who said Sarah was in floods of tears.’

Lucy slumped down in a chair at the table.
‘Oh no, poor Sarah! That bloody man Culver. Catherine had better get in the queue to kill him!’

Amy took a seat opposite.
‘Is he really worth all this, Lucy?’ she asked.

Lucy sighed heavily.
‘I don’t know, Amy. I really don’t know. I’m a bit confused at the moment.’

Amy was not going to miss a chance to hammer home the facts as she saw them.
‘I think you must be! The Lucy I know wouldn’t want her family and friends publicly insulted, all for a man she is only interested in because he’s rich!’

Lucy sat looking miserable.
‘Am I being a selfish bitch?’

‘
Lucy, you ruined Sarah’s wedding day!’

Lucy knew there was one call she had to make before she could go to bed. Sitting on the bottom stair she tapped in Kit’s number and when her new stepmother answered she blurted out,
‘Sarah I am so, so, sorry. I wouldn’t have had this happen for the world.’

To her surprise Sarah laughed.
‘Oh don’t worry Lucy, it’s not your fault anyway, but I’m fine with it now. I was a bit upset at first, but then I got loads of calls from everyone saying what a hoot it all was and how brilliant the wedding made it into a national newspaper! And it has to be said, it’s a great photo. I look gorgeous!’

Lucy felt weak with relief.
‘I was so frightened that worm Martin Culver had spoilt it all for you, after it being such a lovely day.’

‘
Yes, it was, wasn’t it? But really Luce, it’s fine. In fact, I’m expecting to be the star turn when I go back into work on Tuesday. Hang on, your dad wants a word.’ She passed the phone to Kit.

‘
Hi, Dad, how’s married life?’

‘
To be honest it’s been a bit fraught so far.’

‘
I know. I feel awful about Sarah being upset like that.’

‘
Oh, she soon got over it, and anyway it’s not your fault. Even your mother doesn’t blame you and she’s the one I meant when I mentioned fraught.’

‘
Oh dear, did she have a fit?’

‘
That would be one way to describe it I suppose. She is usually a reasonable woman but reason completely deserted her.’ Kit couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice, ‘When I said I didn’t know why she was so upset seeing as she hadn’t been insulted, like Catherine and Ellen, she said that the little shit-bag had no right to be saying anything about her, good or bad.’

Lucy gasped.
‘She didn’t really say shit-bag, did she?’

‘
She did. And several other words the like of which I have never heard from her lips.’

‘
Poor James, I bet he’s had a hard time of it!’

‘
Oh, he’s in complete disgrace because all he can do is laugh, and apparently your gran has told her to stop moaning about what must be the most interesting thing to have happened in her mundane life for years! Never mind, it’s a storm in a teacup, she’ll have calmed down by now and Catherine and Ellen are big girls, they won’t be bothered for long. But what does interest me is where Culver is getting his information. I know reporters have their contacts and sources, and that the wedding was hardly a secret, but it’s not everyone who knows about ACE. He’s talking to someone close to us, Lucy.’

‘
That’s not a nice thought, I hadn’t really taken that in, but you’re quite right of course. Whoever could it be?’

‘
I don’t know, but I’ll keep thinking about it. Don’t forget, Sarah and I will be away for a fortnight from Thursday. Come for supper, the pair of you, when we get back. And by the way Lucy, I like your Marcus.’

‘
Thanks, Dad.’

Doing her best to follow this conversation from the kitchen Amy had been disappointed to hear Lucy laughing, and obviously not getting any grief from Kit or Sarah. If only everyone had been able to contact her straight away on the Saturday morning then she would have got the real brunt of it, now of course they were all starting to calm down. Still, Lucy was obviously having some doubts about her relationship with Marcus.

She would just have to keep up the pressure.

Coming down the next morning Lucy found Amy turning the place upside down looking for her mobile.

‘I’m getting as bad as you. I must have left it at Alex’s yesterday. Bugger, bugger, bugger!’

‘
Why don’t you call yourself using the house phone?’ suggested Lucy. ‘If it is at Alex’s he’ll answer and perhaps you can get him to drop it off at the hospital on his way to work.’

‘
Good idea except I can’t remember the number. Who knows their own number for goodness sake!’ Amy was running late and getting flustered.

‘
Then look at one of your bills, the number will be on that,’ Lucy told her calmly. ‘I’ve got it listed on my phone but of course it’s not here.’

Amy rummaged through a drawer in the old pine dresser, came up with her last bill and dialled in her number.

~

Alex was just going out of the front door when he heard a phone ringing. He knew it wasn’t his house phone, and his own mobile which vibrated as well as ringing was sitting quietly in his pocket. He went back into the flat trying to follow the sound of the musical beeping. He tracked it down to under a pile of yesterday’s newspapers and as he flicked open the tiny phone caught sight of the caller’s name in the display panel. Somehow he wasn’t surprised, but he was very disappointed.

‘Hello, Amy’s phone.’

A man’s voice said,
‘Oh, hello. Is Amy there?’

‘
No, not just now,’ replied Alex, forcing himself to be polite.

‘
Okay, no problem. I’ll try again later.’

‘
Yes, you do that,’ Alex muttered and disconnected.

Seconds later the phone rang again and this time it was Amy. As he agreed to drop by the hospital with her phone he added,
‘And Amy, I think we need to talk.’

~

Lucy, Zoë and Gina were sitting having coffee by the open window in Lucy’s workshop. Gina, who in her late thirties was a sculptress of some renown, had worked in the co-operative for many years and was without question its leading light. They were discussing the weather, currently everyone’s favourite topic of conversation, which had reached a very un-English temperature of thirty degrees. There was a tap at the open door and they all looked around to see the huge figure of Saule filling the doorway, Lucy’s phone in his hand.

‘
Mr Delacroix thought you might be needing this,’ he told her.

‘
Oh thanks, Saule, that’s great. Sorry to have put you to the trouble of bringing it over.’

‘
It was no trouble. It rang twice, I didn’t answer it, but the display said it was your mother. You might like to call her back.’

Before Lucy could answer, Gina, who like Zoë had been staring wide-eyed at the big man, announced,
‘You are quite, quite beautiful! Will you pose for me?’

Saule’s face, which Lucy usually found almost impossible to read, registered surprise and then amusement.
‘Beautiful? In the “Noble Savage” way, I assume?’

‘
Exactly!’ enthused Gina. ‘I could do something quite wonderful with you in bronze. What a physique! You don’t have a problem with nudity, do you?’

Lucy and Zoë looked at each other in wonder. Saule studied the tall statuesque Gina, dressed in clay stained overalls, her chestnut hair tied up with a bandana, before replying,
‘No, I don’t have a problem with nudity.’ Pausing, he added, ‘I’ll think about it.’ And then he was gone.

The two younger women dissolved into gales of laughter.

‘Don’t be backward in coming forward, Gina, say what you think!’ advised Zoë.

‘
That is the sexiest man I’ve seen in years,’ Gina said with feeling.

‘
That’s the most frightening man I’ve ever seen!’ countered Zoë.

Gina ignored her.
‘Lucy, tell me everything you know about him immediately!’

Trying to gather her thoughts Lucy said,
‘Well, it’s not all that much really. His name is Saule, just Saule, and he’s my, er, boyfriend’s driver.’ She still had trouble with describing Marcus in this way.

‘
Minder, more like,’ butted in Zoë.

‘
Shut up, Zoë,’ Gina told her. ‘Go on, Lucy.’

‘
Well, he’s from a Nigerian tribe called the Tiv, Beno or Benue Province, something like that.’

Gina was nodding enthusiastically. Lucy went on,
‘Apparently they do that face thing, I think its called scarification, for rites of passage and to make themselves more attractive to one another.’

‘
Well, it floats my boat!’ declared Gina, sending Lucy and Zoë into further fits of mirth.

As soon as she was alone Lucy, with some trepidation, called Amelia. Kit had been right, she was now quite calm about the whole thing. Having sat through a practice meeting and two important client briefings without any comment being made she was starting to believe that she was not, after all, a laughing stock. It was however going to be some time before she forgave James and her mother for their total lack of support. When at the end of the call she told Lucy she had enjoyed meeting Marcus again and how James thought he was a nice chap Lucy was pathetically grateful.

Kind words about Marcus couldn’t be expected from Catherine, but at least by the time Lucy managed to catch her between meetings she was no longer threatening violence against Culver. She had decided to rise above it. Any form of retaliation would be unprofessional and simply bring her down to his level. It was yesterday’s news, and she was much more interes
ted in the possibility of an in-depth interview with Marcus.

That left only Ellen, and she wasn’t answering her mobile so Lucy sent her a text message.
Sorry, sorry, sorry! Call me when you can.

She was pretty confident Ellen wouldn’t be a problem; as she herself had said, the press often said very unkind things about her and it always seemed like water off a duck’s back. So by the end of the day Lucy felt as if her relationships with her nearest and dearest were back on track.

Arriving home just after seven she found Amy already there and about to start supper.

‘
Do you fancy Spanish omelette?’ she asked Lucy.

‘
No, don’t worry about me, I’m off out tonight.’

‘
Oh yes, I’d forgotten. You’re meeting up with your old girlfriends from art school, aren’t you?’

‘
Yep, we’re all off for a curry, not that it’s really the weather for it, but at least Indian restaurants are usually air conditioned. Are you seeing Alex tonight?’

‘
No, not tonight.’ Amy didn’t offer anything further.

~

Damson the Springer spaniel was starting to feel her advancing years. Her joints were getting a little stiff and she wasn’t as fast out of her basket as she used to be. She didn’t appreciate this hot weather and spent most of her day dozing in the shade of the back porch. It suited both her and Burt to take their daily constitutional in the cool of the evening. A little after eight-thirty they emerged from Elmdale Spinney just in time to see the back of an instantly recognisable red sports car disappearing towards the village.

‘
What’s old Mrs Windbag-Price doing back here on a Monday evening I wonder?’ Burt asked his dog who showed no sign of knowing the answer, or even being vaguely interested. ‘They’ve all only just been down for the weekend so she must have left something behind, I suppose. Come on then, Damsy, let’s get off home and see what Dot’s got for our suppers.’

Alicia had timed her arrival at Graylings with great care. She knew the swimming pool contractors were working late to get finished by the deadline Marcus had given them, but had decided they were sure to be gone by eight. She had eaten an early supper and set off allowing herself some extra time to take the diversion that would bring her to the house without having to go through the village itself, or past Burt Maddox’s cottage. She was relieved to find on her arrival that she had been right and there was no sign of the workmen. She let herself in and made her way straight to Marcus’s study taking care to note that the door stood open. She would be sure to leave it, and everything else, as she found it.

During the last weekend that she had spent there with Marcus, she had cause to ask him for an envelope and he had told her to look in the middle drawer of his desk. As well as the envelope, she had found a bracelet and called out to her brother, ‘Marcus, whatever is Helena’s diamond bracelet doing sitting in an unlocked drawer? Why isn’t it in the safe?’

Coming into the room he had replied,
‘I was sorting through her jewellery, it all needs to be valued again for insurance purposes, and I noticed the clasp was broken. I keep meaning to take it back to London with me to get it mended.’

Alicia opened the drawer and the bracelet was still there, she popped it into her handbag and went straight back out to her car. With a smile of satisfaction she set off back to
London.

~

It had been three years since Lucy had seen most of the women sitting around the big table, nibbling on poppadoms and knocking back ice cold lager. She had missed the last two reunions, being in France the previous year and away on location with Kit the time before. There was a lot to catch up on and everyone was talking at the same time. Of the twelve there Lucy’s career was probably the most low key. The talk was of exhibitions held, collections launched, prizes won and listening to them all she began to feel she was under achieving. They all seemed so successful. But as the evening wore on, and considerably more lager was drunk, they started to talk about their personal lives and the mood changed. Lucy grew depressed as she heard their tales of failed relationships, divorce and bringing up children single-handed. Andrea, always so popular at college with her fun loving and carefree ways, had only just left the refuge where she and her two children had been forced to take shelter from her increasingly violent partner. The bad experiences far outnumbered the good ones. On her way home in the taxi she had summoned using the card Marcus had given her Lucy found herself with a lot of food for thought.

By late the following evening even Lucy, deeply absorbed in her own thoughts about the future, had noticed Amy seemed down in the mouth and there was still no sign of the usually ever-present Alex. In turn, Amy noticed Lucy mentioned no plans for the week that included Marcus and was hopeful that her friend had finally come to her senses.

‘Not seeing Marcus this week?’ she asked casually.

‘
No, he’s a bit tied up with work. I expect we’ll catch up at the weekend.’

Lucy didn’t feel inclined to tell Amy how Marcus had insisted she took some time on her own to decide what she wanted to do.

‘What about Alex?’ she asked. ‘Two nights in a row without seeing him, that’s not like you. Has he gone away on business again?’

‘
No, we’ve had a row.’ Amy sounded and looked upset.

‘
But you two don’t ever have rows! What’s happened? Is it serious?’ Lucy asked with concern.

‘
Yes, fairly, but I don’t really want to talk about it.’ Amy’s voice was choked and she was close to tears.

‘
Oh Amy, tell me about it, I might be able to help.’

Amy was saved from
replying by the ringing of the phone. She made no move to answer it so Lucy went out into the hall to pick up. She didn’t return immediately so Amy assumed the call was for her and she had a few minutes in which to compose herself. She couldn’t talk to Lucy about the row and didn’t even want to think about the scene in the hospital car park.

‘
I just can’t believe you would do a thing like this, Amy, whatever were you thinking of?’ Alex had demanded.

‘
I’m trying to save my friend from making a big mistake,’ she replied defiantly.

‘
By having her and her family ridiculed in the newspaper?’

‘
As she feels the repercussions of being associated with a man like Delacroix she’ll come to her senses.’

Alex was scathing.
‘That really doesn’t wash, Amy. These so-called repercussions are of your making not his. It’s her decision, you can’t meddle in her life like this!’

‘
I’m not meddling!’ she snapped at him. ‘And Lucy’s never made a decision on her own, it’s always been with my help.’

‘
That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? You just can’t stand the fact that she’s trying to stand on her own two feet, that she would dare to do something you don’t want her to!’

The colour rose in Amy’s cheeks, but she insisted,
‘I’m doing it for her own good.’

‘
No, you just want to bend her to your will, and to that end you are prepared to betray her and her family. For Christ’s sake, Amy, you’ve known Kit, Amelia and the others for years, how could you do it?’