Page 44 of Rendez-Vous in Cannes
‘Well, I’ll tell the casting director about your interest, but I can’t promise anything,’ Anna said. Verity Raymond in the already star-studded cast would certainly be a plus. ‘You know shooting is going to start this autumn in the UK? Don’t you live in the States these days?’
‘We’re buying a place near my parents in Gloucestershire. Cindy needs to be settled in school for the next few years,’ Verity said. ‘At least Teddy and I are agreed on that, and that it will be in England.’
‘Well, when you’re settled in Gloucestershire, we’ll meet up. Leo is quite close, in the Cotswolds, and when we’re married, I’ll be moving there. You must come for lunch and we’ll get to know each other properly.’
‘I’d like that. Thank you, Anna.’
‘Ah, this is where you’re hiding,’ Leo said, suddenly appearing at the top of the path. ‘Anna darling, Bernard has been looking for you. He wanted to talk to you before he left. You may just catch him if you’re quick. If not, you’re to phone him tomorrow.’
‘I was hoping to have a word with him too. Excuse me, Verity. I’ll see you later.’
Anna made her way back down into the garden and onto the driveway, where she could see Bernard standing by the villa gates, clearly waiting for a taxi.
‘Bernard, you’re not leaving already? Leo says you were looking for me?’
‘Yes. I wanted to congratulate you on your engagement. I sincerely hope you’ll be happy with Leo.’ He paused and looked at her, a serious look on his face. ‘And I have something to tell you.’
‘Something about Philippe?’
‘Jacques phoned just now to tell me about the telephone conversations he’s had with Felicity Howell.’ Bernard looked at Anna before saying quietly, ‘Jacques has also been putting two and two together by the way. He asked Felicity if she knew the name of her husband’s mother. She said yes, it was on the copy of the original birth certificate they’d managed to obtain, but that it was proving impossible to trace her.’ Bernard glanced at Anna. ‘Rightly or wrongly, when she told him the name, Harriet Ann Carstairs, Jacques said he’d known a woman with that name a long time ago and that she was in town for the festival for the first time in years. Felicity immediately begged him to arrange a private meeting for her and her husband.’
Anna gasped. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. ‘What did Jacques say?’
‘That it wasn’t his decision, but he would see if he could arrange a meeting. He’s asked me to talk to you first because it now appears not to be as straightforward as a simple meeting,’ Bernard paused. ‘Her husband has had second thoughts about this whole business of tracing his roots. Because Philippe died before they could meet up, he has decided not to continue the search for his mother.’ Bernard was silent for a moment. ‘I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s basically because he’s very bitter about the fact that his mother gave him up. So, even if you agree to a meeting, there’s no guarantee that he will come. It could turn out to be just you and this Felicity Howell.’
‘Is her husband in town for the festival too? Do we know what he does?’ Anna asked.
‘Yes, he’s in town and he has some sort of connection with the film industry. Felicity was vague on the subject – deliberately, Jacques felt. Will you let Jacques arrange a meeting?’
‘I don’t know,’ Anna said with a sigh. ‘Is there any point if my son has decided he doesn’t want to see me? Doesn’t want to have any contact because I abandoned him?’
‘Wouldn’t you like to know about his life? Learn how he’s turned out? There are all sorts of things his wife could tell you. Maybe even persuade her husband to meet after all.’
‘Have you met this Felicity woman? What is she like?’
Bernard shook his head. ‘I don’t know. Like Jacques, I haven’t met her, but she sounds genuine enough. Jacques says she’s desperate to help her husband come to terms with his adoption. Philippe dying so close to their planned first meeting has really shaken him. He had so many questions he wanted to ask him. Questions only you can answer now. If you do meet Felicity, it might be the start of getting him to change his mind over you,’ Bernard added gently.
‘So you think I should agree to meet this woman?’
Bernard sighed. ‘Anna, it has to be your decision and yours alone. No one is going to pressurise you into doing something you’re not comfortable with.’
‘I told Leo earlier that I had to continue trying to trace Jean-Philippe, but I also promised him that I would stop beating myself up with guilt. That the future was more important to me now than the past,’ Anna said slowly. ‘To be so close to meeting Jean-Philippe, only to learn that he despises me…’ her voice trailed away. ‘I don’t think I could cope with him saying that to my face. Maybe it would be better just to leave things the way they are, go home after the festival finishes and get on with my life with Leo.’
‘It’s your decision, Anna,’ Bernard said. ‘Don’t decide anything you might regret while you’re so emotional. Talk it over with Leo. Sleep on it. Give me a ring when you know what you want to do. Ah, here’s my taxi – and here’s Leo to claim his fiancée for the last dance of the party. Goodnight, Anna.’
‘What did Bernard want?’
Anna, tense in Leo’s arms as they danced slowly together as the notes of ‘Begin the Beguine’ drifted around the garden, stumbled over her own feet at his question and Leo’s arms tightened around her.
‘Are you okay?’
Anna shook her head. ‘Not really. Can we find a quiet spot and talk?’
Wordlessly, Leo led her to a deserted corner of the garden out of sight of the remaining partygoers. ‘Now tell me.’
‘Felicity Howell wants to meet me, even though her husband has decided he doesn’t want to continue the search for his real mother.’
‘Why and how does this woman know about you?’ Leo demanded. ‘Did Jacques tell her who you were?’
