A French Affair (32 page)

‘Would you hate that? When you’re used to it just being the two of you?’

‘No, I don’t think so. As long as Nicholas is happy, so am I.’

Gina had her arms round his neck, giving him a hug, before she checked to see if he would be OK with this expression of affection and gratitude. Fortunately he didn’t leap away in disgust.

The person in charge of catering was a student, but to Gina’s private and extreme relief, she was a woman in her thirties, retraining after a life in advertising, and was extremely well organised.

‘Well, you have to be, when you’ve got children,’ she said to Gina when Gina complimented her on her clipboard and series of lists which rivalled even Gina’s. ‘How up to date are we on numbers?’

Gina shrugged. ‘There’s a friend of someone’s mother who said she was bringing a table’s worth but she hasn’t confirmed. I couldn’t say it’s all too late because she’d be a good contact if we ever did anything like this again.’ She heard herself say ‘we’ although up to now, whenever Nicholas had got over-excited about another
performance-with-food she’d mentally, if not audibly, distanced herself from something so unwieldy. This time she had a real incentive to work so hard for nothing – even if the real reason had become somewhat blurred. Was it her love of the French House that she was doing all this for, for the dealers who worried there, or was it for the love of its owner?

Matthew had, by text, promised he would appear with the lots for the auction, complete with a written programme, in plenty of time. Gina had rung Jenny who promised her this was so and she would bring plenty of copies. Anthea had told her it was a slight shame that people wouldn’t have time to study the list of items beforehand, but she promised to do her best to get every penny out of them.

‘Honestly, with a few glasses of champagne on board, people get very into the whole auction thing,’ she had explained. ‘First of all they bid to make sure things don’t go for nothing, and then they end up buying something they didn’t know they wanted. But that’s for charity auctions. At least this time they’ll get some lovely antique.’

‘You think?’

‘Oh yes. Matthew has a wonderful eye for quality.’

Since despite his long absence Gina was still feeling that inconvenient yearning for Matthew, she got a little frisson of pleasure to hear him praised. ‘As long as he’s not late. Jenny told me he’s on his way back from Edinburgh right now.’

‘He won’t be late, trust me.’

Everyone who should be there had now arrived so Gina went to see how Sally was getting on with the flowers. Gina hadn’t foreseen a need for flowers until relatively recently. It was only when they realised the
fires couldn’t be lit without everyone roasting and risking their costumes bursting into flames that Gina and Nicholas agreed some of the fireplaces had to have something in front of them. He sent Bernard into the attics and produced some fire screens, but in the great hall, where people would congregate for champagne, they decided a fire screen would detract from the marble mantelpiece.

‘Surely you know someone who does flowers?’ Gina had said to Nicholas. ‘For the church? Something like that?’

‘No,’ Nicholas had replied. ‘Don’t you have a contact?’

After ringing round everyone she could think of, she asked Sally if she knew anyone.

‘Gina,’ Sally declared indignantly. ‘I could do the flowers, no problem. But they’d need to be huge and they’d be very expensive.’

Gina took a breath. ‘No, they’d be free, but you’d have to get them from Nicholas’s estate and I happen to know he’s let the garden go horribly.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Sally. ‘As long as I can hack away, I’ll find things.’

‘God, Sals, it would be so brilliant if you could do it. I don’t know why I didn’t think of asking you straight away. I know you’re fantastic at that sort of thing.’

‘It’s all right. I’m not offended. You’ve got too much on your mind to see the bleedin’ obvious.’

‘It was so awful when we weren’t speaking. It was like I was missing an arm. I even lost my appetite.’

‘It was horrible,’ said Sally. ‘But I’m back on the team now.’

Now, Gina found her sister in a pantry, surrounded by
foliage. ‘Have you discovered anything to put in the vases that’s not green?’

Sally turned, secateurs in hand. ‘It’s been amazing! The garden is full of wonderful things – even at this time of the year – and so enormous I can be really lavish. Look at my arrangement for
The Mikado
room.’ She gestured to a Chinese vase containing branches which appeared to be covered in blossom. ‘I know
The Mikado
is Japanese but we’re not being too purist.’

‘I’m not either. I promise,’ said Gina. ‘What is that plant?’

‘Viburnum bodnantense,’ said Sally, slightly smug. ‘And Bernard found me some amazing vases.’

‘Nothing too valuable, I hope,’ said Gina.

‘No. The beauty is, they are all damaged. Bernard said they were hardly worth anything.’

Gina left chuckling at her sister being so pleased to be working with damaged goods. Then she went to check the loos. By the time she’d gone back to Sally to ask her to put flowers in the Ladies, it was time to see if the wine had all arrived. The portable loos were arriving later. She’d make sure they got flowers too.

She had employed a firm of cleaners – an expense she felt was justified knowing it would be far too much for Nicholas’s regular cleaner – and now she felt her decision entirely justified. The woman in charge was managing her team with calm efficiency and they were cracking on at an impressive pace.

Having told the team what a brilliant job they were doing and mentioning casually that they shouldn’t spray polish on to the antique furniture – just in case they didn’t know that already – Gina went to the kitchen to see how Bernard and Nicholas were coping. She found only Bernard, who
explained that he’d sent Nicholas for a rest – mostly to keep him out of the way.

‘Tea?’ asked Bernard, holding up a kettle.

Gina nodded and sat down at the table and found her clipboard.

‘It all seems to be going well,’ said Bernard, putting a mug near her hand. ‘Don’t you think?’

‘Yes. I just wish we’d charged more for the tickets.’

‘Really? They seem quite expensive enough already.’

‘I know. Everyone thinks so but the costs really mount up. Still, I’m sure it’ll be fine.’ In her heart she had stopped hoping to make masses of money and just wanted to break even. That seemed a high enough target at the moment.

At five o’clock, when Gina was just going to make her rounds again, Sally came and found her. ‘Come on, missus, you’re getting changed now.’

‘Oh, Sally, no need for that. I don’t need to be ready until about quarter to seven. No one will be here until seven.’

‘Time to do as you’re told for once. I’m going to do your hair.’

Sally had taken hold of Gina’s arm and was leading her firmly towards the stairs.

‘It doesn’t take a minute to do that. I washed it this morning.’

‘What were you planning to do with it?’

‘Just put it up in some sort of bun. I’ve got a scrunchie somewhere.’

‘Thank God you have a sister who takes these things seriously. Come with me.’

There had been a bedroom allocated for their use and
Gina now saw there were things on the dressing table she had not put there.

‘Sit down,’ said Sally, pushing Gina firmly on to the stool in front of the triple mirror. ‘I borrowed an anglepoise so we can see what we’re doing. I got you a hairpiece.’

‘No need for that,’ Gina exclaimed. ‘It doesn’t matter what I look like. As long as I look reasonably elegant—’

‘And wear the dress—’

‘Oh shit, the dress!’

‘What? Did you leave it at home?’

‘No! It’s in my case, but I completely forgot to get it altered. It won’t fit, Sal!’

‘Don’t worry. I’ve got needle and thread and loads of ribbon and things in case we need it for your hair. Now sit down and let me turn you into an Edwardian lady.’

‘I think I should be looking Georgian, or Regency, really.’

‘But the dress is Edwardian and no one will know the difference anyway. Both styles are fairly high waisted and not too sticky-outy.’ Sally picked up a strand of Gina’s hair. ‘It’s a pity you washed it really, it would have been better for a bit of grease. Still, I’ve got hairspray.’

‘I never use hairspray!’

‘You do now!’

Three-quarters of an hour later, Gina looked at herself. Her hair was swept into an elegant chignon that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the drawing room at Downton Abbey. ‘I would never have thought I could look like this,’ she said. ‘You’re amazing.’

‘I looked up how to do it on YouTube,’ said Sally, obviously very pleased with her efforts. ‘And I bought the kit. Now, let’s try the dress. I must say, it would have
been good if you’d taken it out of the case. But never mind. I borrowed a steamer to get the creases out.’

Sally, obviously not trusting Gina to do anything, swung her case on to the bed and took out the dress. She held it up. ‘It’s survived quite well, considering.’

‘It’s been on a hanger since I got it,’ Gina said, sounding apologetic.

‘We’ll give it a good steam and then you can put it on. Go and have a very careful shower or a good wash while I work.’

‘You’ve got awfully bossy lately, Sal,’ said Gina, going to the bathroom.

When she got back a little later the dress looked perfect. ‘I don’t think it can have been worn much,’ said Sally. ‘Maybe only while the portrait was painted. Now, let’s get it on.’

‘It won’t fit, I know!’ said Gina, nervous now. She stepped into the dress Sally was holding out for her.

‘There!’ said Sally, stepping back. ‘It fits perfectly.’

‘I can’t believe it. Are you sure it’s really done up?’ Gina put her hand to her back to check for a gap.

‘Yes! I knew you’d lost weight. I’ve also bought these shoes as I knew you’d only have your boots.’

Gina grinned at her sister and took the shoes. They were almost flat but decorated: a perfect combination of comfort and glamour. They fitted perfectly.

‘Now check your make-up and you’re done!’ said Sally.

Gina couldn’t help being impressed. She really saw the similarity between herself and the portrait now. She just hoped Nicholas would be pleased.

Sally was in the bathroom, getting into her own dress so,
as time was getting on, Gina set off downstairs alone. She had gone along the corridor and was at the top of the stairs when she realised the lighting, which had taken a lot of thought and planning, was on.

Gina, and Nicholas had agreed with her, felt that when people entered the hall they should have the sense of going back in time. Other rooms would be well lit for the performances, and supper would have enough light for everyone to eat by, but this first impression would be as it would have been when the house was built.

There was a huge fire crackling in one of the two fireplaces (the other couldn’t be used because of a faulty chimney and risk of costumes going up in flames but they’d agreed this one needed a proper fire with good-sized logs) and very carefully placed candelabra lit the space. Although she had planned it all and knew what to expect, Gina still felt there’d been some sort of magical transformation. She set off down the stairs with a smile on her face.

She had been aware of two tall male figures talking but it was only when she was halfway down the curving staircase that one of them turned, and she realised that the man talking to Nicholas (who was wearing a velvet smoking jacket and cap) was Matthew. She stopped and the two men regarded her in silence. Suddenly self-conscious, she set off again.

Matthew took her hand as she reached the bottom but didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. His normally inscrutable face was alive with admiration and – was Gina imagining it? – longing.

‘My dear girl,’ said Nicholas, ‘you look sensational. I shall have your portrait painted and hang it next to my grandmother’s.’

Gina smiled and looked at Matthew who still said nothing but searched her eyes with his own. Then he kissed her mouth. ‘I’ve missed you.’

‘Really?’ she breathed.

Nicholas cleared his throat. ‘Just going to check on the wine.’ Then he limped off.

Matthew took Gina into his arms and kissed her properly.

All the tension and anxiety that Gina had been living with for the past weeks – ever since France – seemed to melt into his kiss. It was only when his hands started creeping into her hair that she realised this wasn’t the moment.

‘I’ve missed you too, Matthew,’ she whispered huskily. ‘But about two hundred and fifty people are about to arrive and I have to look after them.’

‘So no chance of carrying you back up the stairs and ravishing you in the master bedroom?’

She giggled. This was so unlike Matthew she was tempted to call his bluff and say, ‘OK then,’ gather her skirts and lead him to the bedroom at a run. But she couldn’t. ‘Later – maybe?’

She saw his throat move as he swallowed. ‘Later, definitely.’

Just then, Sally appeared. ‘Hey, you two, get a room!’

‘We’ve got a room,’ said Gina, ‘but unfortunately no time to take advantage. Matthew, have you got the items for the sale?’

‘I have. Anthea’s having a look at them now.’

Nicholas walked back into the hall, Bernard behind him with a tray of filled glasses. ‘I think we should all have a quiet drink together before battle commences.’

Although she never usually drank when she was working, Gina took a glass. ‘Here’s to Nicholas and his beautiful house and to a successful evening.’

‘And here’s to Gina and the French House and to a successful evening,’ said Nicholas, raising his glass to her.

‘
DO YOU MIND
running me through what’s going on?’ said Matthew after they had finished their champagne. ‘I feel rather out of the loop.’

‘Of course. Follow me. How did Edinburgh go?’

‘Well, really. Not ideal timing, of course, but things are fairly well sorted out now and I got some very nice items, some of which you’ll see at the auction later.’