Page 52 of Rendez-Vous in Cannes
‘Actually, I’m not the caretaker,’ she said, faltering as Teddy turned to look at her. How would he react if she told him the truth right now?
‘Oh?’
‘I’m… Philippe was an old friend.’
‘I was due to meet him for the first time last week,’ Teddy said, a sad expression on his face. ‘Sadly, I left it too late. Everybody I talk to say he was one of life’s gentlemen – in every sense of the word.’
‘Yes, he was,’ Anna said quietly. She took a deep breath before continuing. ‘I’ve met your daughter, Cindy, at the villa where I’m staying. She’s a lovely child. You must be very proud. Your wife too – Verity – she came to my party recently.’
‘Hang on. Are you Anna Carson? The woman who gave Cindy that lovely necklace as a birthday present?’
Anna nodded. ‘Yes. She offered to lend me her balloon, the helium one, for my party.’
Teddy looked at her incredulously. ‘And because of that you bought her a gold necklace for her birthday?’
Anna shrank beneath the intensity of his gaze. ‘No, not just because of the balloon. I wanted to give her something special – she’s such a sweet child and…’ She took another deep breath as she came to a decision. ‘And because in another life, my name was Harriet Ann Carstairs – and yours was Jean-Philippe – and in all probability Philippe Cambone had intended that cradle to be yours.’
In the silence that followed her words, Anna clutched the pendant around her neck tightly, praying that she had chosen the right moment to speak out. That she had done the right thing. That Teddy would respond favourably to her.
But Teddy had taken a step backwards, away from her. His face void of any expression, he said, ‘You’re Harriet Ann Carstairs?’
Anna gave him a tentative smile, her whole body taut with anticipation as she waited for her son to acknowledge her.
‘So, that makes you the mother who gave me away and deprived me of knowing my natural father.’
Anna nodded slowly, as anxiety gripped her body. His response to her words was all wrong. She didn’t want him looking at her like that with pure disdain in his eyes. Eyes that just a moment ago had reminded her of his father. She wanted to explain and for him to understand, even if forgiveness was impossible.
Several seconds passed before Teddy spoke again. ‘As far as I’m concerned, you have no right to call yourself my mother and my daughter already has a grandmother. She doesn’t need or want another one.’
He turned away and left her standing alone in the room that should have been his nursery. Anna listened to his footsteps echoing through the cottage as he ran down the stairs and out into the lane, slamming the door behind him.
29
‘Thanks,’ Anna said, wrapping herself in the towel Leo handed her as she climbed out of the pool early on Friday morning. ‘Are you going to have a swim?’
‘Not right now. I’ve made us some coffee,’ Leo answered, indicating the cafetière and cups on the patio table. ‘We need to talk.’
Ignoring his last words, Anna moved towards the table. ‘I’ve been thinking, how d’you feel about doing some sightseeing over the next few days? I was thinking we could go to Monaco today and have a mooch around. Maybe Antibes tomorrow? There’s so much to see down here, we’d be silly not to do some exploring while we’re in the area. We could even go over the border to Italy. San Remo maybe? I’ve never been to southern Italy. What d’you think?’
‘I think you’re trying to avoid the subject, but, yes, we could do some sightseeing if that’s what you want – after we’ve talked.’
Anna sighed, knowing what Leo wanted to talk about: last night – or rather the consequences of last night. The memory of that meeting with Teddy Wickham in the cottage would remain with her forever. Talking would not erase it from her conscience or alter its effect on her life.
‘I meant what I said on the boat coming back, Leo. Teddy Wickham has made up my mind for me,’ Anna said quietly. ‘The matter is closed. No more soul-searching. No more hoping for any sort of reconciliation.’ She could feel her heart breaking even as she uttered the words and her hands shook as she accepted the cup of coffee Leo had poured for her. ‘Like you’ve been saying all week, I have to move on. Let my past mistakes go. Get on with my – our – life together.’
‘You’re not even going to fight to see Cindy then?’ Leo asked.
Anna bit her lip. ‘No.’
‘I know I’ve been saying leave the past behind, but all the same I can’t help feeling you should try again to get Teddy to listen to the truth,’ Leo said. ‘Then you will at least know you’ve done all you could to do the right thing as far as your Jean-Philippe is concerned. As well as for Philippe and yourself,’ he added gently.
Leo placed his coffee cup on the table and took Anna’s from her before taking hold of her hands.
‘I love you and know the kind of person you are – caring, kind and compassionate. Teddy has this picture of you as the hard-hearted woman who didn’t care about him from the beginning. A picture that I know is simply not true,’ Leo paused. ‘Verity is clearly on your side. Go and see her. Get her to talk to Teddy. I think he should at least be presented with the evidence that the fault was not all on your side. I can’t bear the thought of anybody thinking so badly of the woman I love.’
‘Leo, you didn’t see the look in Teddy’s eyes when he told me I didn’t have the right to call myself a mother. He didn’t need to tell me how much he hates me – it was all there in his expression.’ Anna was silent for several seconds before adding, ‘I don’t think there is any way through that kind of anger. I don’t think I have the courage to even try.’
Just then, the entrance phone for the villa gate buzzed. Leo answered it, turning to look at Anna, before he pressed the button to open the gate and replaced the phone.
