Page 30 of Rendez-Vous in Cannes
Hand in hand, they made their way indoors and up to the bedroom. Leo carefully unhooked the expensive necklace from Anna’s neck and replaced it in the box.
‘I’ll put it somewhere safe until we return it later today,’ he said.
Anna smiled her thanks as she slipped her beloved pendant over her head and back around her neck. ‘As beautiful as that necklace is, I’m more comfortable wearing my lowly gold pendant.’
Leo smiled in understanding.
Anna, too tired to do more than remove her make-up and clean her teeth, climbed into bed, gave Leo a quick kiss and was asleep within minutes, her dreams filled with memories of the party.
So many people, so many congratulations, so much champagne. The general consensus of the evening had been thatFuture Promiseswas about to be a big hit at the box office and would earn worldwide recognition for its young stars. Consequently, Helen and Rupert had been the toast of Cannes. Anna, delighted for them, had enjoyed basking in the reflected glory.
The theme of the after-screening party – ‘Future Promises – What’s Yours?’ – had proved to be a major hit. The venue, draped and decorated like a mystical sheikh’s tent, with zodiac signs, huge silver moons and stars hanging from the pleated ceiling and large golden suns shining from the walls, had been a perfect setting for a fun evening of make-believe and fortune telling.
There was a wheel of fortune, origami fortune tellers, fortune sticks, Chinese fortune cookies, astrology readings and even a Romany gypsy, complete with bunches of lavender and a crystal ball, in a curtained booth for those that fancied a personal consultation.
Partygoers eagerly entered into the spirit of things as a king’s fool and jester cavorted around making mischief and encouraging everyone to join in the fun. Music had been provided, disco-style, by a young DJ and the whole evening had been, as Leo said later in the limousine going home, ‘a night to remember for all the right reasons’.
Anna had seen the gypsy fortune teller early in the evening and had been tempted to have her gaze into the crystal ball on her behalf then, but the number of people already waiting had put her off. It was gone one o’clock in the morning as she and Leo swayed to a last smoochy dance tune when she saw ‘Cassandra’ sitting alone in her booth.
‘I know it’s silly,’ she’d said, glancing at Leo. ‘But shall we? Just for fun.’
Smiling, Leo had led her by the hand over to the booth. ‘You go in and see what she has to say. I’m going to organise our car home.’
Cassandra had looked up as Anna hesitated at the entrance to the booth, suddenly not sure that she wanted to do this.
‘I’m sorry – am I too late?’
Cassandra had smiled, shaking her head as she beckoned her in. ‘Please, sit.’
Anna had sat down in front of the round table with its scarlet velvet covering and watched apprehensively as Cassandra had gazed trance-like at her crystal ball before starting to speak.
‘Although something from the past is making waves in your life at the moment, you are entering a very happy period. I see a man who loves you and wants to take care of you in the future. Through him, the family life you’ve always dreamed of will be yours, I see grandchildren – a little girl holding a toddler by the hand – families coming together. A journey of some sort. The past embracing the future.’ Cassandra had paused and looked up at Anna before adding quietly, ‘Do not mourn the past, nor worry about the future, live the present moment wisely and earnestly.’
* * *
The next morning, as she slowly came to after a few hours’ sleep, the exciting events of the previous night’s party floated through Anna’s mind. Followed swiftly by the scene with Cassandra and her words about not mourning the past.
Anna knew the gypsy had told her mostly things that she already knew. She knew she loved Leo as much as she hoped he loved her and knew they could be happy together, that his family could become hers, his grandchildren hers. But ‘the past embracing the future’ – what did that mean?
As the picture of Cassandra in her booth faded from her mind, and knowing she wouldn’t go back to sleep, Anna slipped out of bed. Pulling on her dressing gown, she tiptoed out of the room and went downstairs.
Her mobile phone was on the kitchen work surface and she picked it up before unlocking the door and stepping out onto the terrace. Sitting in one of the cane chairs Poppy had placed out there, Anna opened her phone and scrolled down until she found the number she wanted and pressed the dial button.
As the connection was being processed, Anna tensed, her whole body rigid with expectation, her fingers playing with the locket chain that was again around her neck.
‘Bonjour.’
‘Bernard, it’s Anna,’ she said quickly. ‘I need to talk to you.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘You didn’t tell me Philippe had a secret family in the States.’
‘That’s because he didn’t,’ Bernard said.
‘That reporter last night, at the Palais?’
Anna could hear Bernard’s deep sigh down the telephone.
