Page 36 of The Missing Sister
‘I have a fake necklace and earrings that I bought once and have never worn.’
‘Perfect. Oh, and of course, some heels, but not too high. Tomorrow, my dear Star, you will be Lady Sabrina Vaughan.’
‘You mean, I have to act?’
‘Hardly.’ Orlando rolled his eyes. ‘Think of it merely as preparation for your future wedding to my brother. You will be a real lady then anyway.’
‘That’s different... I’m not sure acting is mymétier, Orlando. I’ve always had the most terrible stage fright.’
‘You will just be playing yourself, only with more lucre, and it is I who will be doing most of the acting.’
‘That’s a relief. Do we need any help from CeCe and Chrissie?’ asked Star. ‘They’re in London now, although CeCe is busy putting her flat on the market and sorting her stuff out to be shipped to Australia.’
‘No.’ Orlando waved the thought away. ‘Under the circumstances, the last thing we require is another D’Aplièse sister. This is a delicate operation. Have the suite booked under your pseudonym, and mine under “Orlando Sackville”.’
Star had to chuckle at the literary allusion. ‘All right then.’
‘Now, be gone and leave me to work,’ he intoned. ‘I shall meet you on the platform tomorrow, in time to catch the nine forty-six train to London. Goodnight.’
By the time Star arrived home, Mouse had gone to bed. She put in a quick call to Atlantis and explained the situation to Ally.
‘Well, if Orlando thinks it will help, I’ll send an email to Claridge’s now to reserve the rooms,’ Ally said. ‘What exactly do you think he has up his sleeve?’
‘I don’t have a clue, but he’s awfully clever and has helped me solve a couple of mysteries before.’
‘I’m intrigued. Now, he said I should book your rooms under pseudonyms?’
‘Yes. Orlando Sackville.’ Star spelt it out for her. ‘I’m sure he chose it in honour of Vita Sackville-West, who inspired the bookOrlando, written by her friend Virginia Woolf.’
‘Well, at least we’re not the only family with obscure names,’ Ally chuckled. ‘And what pseudonym are you using?’
‘I’m to be Lady Sabrina Vaughan. Anyway, I’d better try to get some sleep if I’m going to practise being a lady tomorrow.’
‘Let’s just hope that whatever your boss has planned, it works. I’ll call Georg’s secretary in the morning so she can arrange for the bill to be sent to her.’
‘Okay. I’ll keep in touch as often as Orlando allows. Night, Ally.’
‘Night, Star.’
Orlando was already waiting on the platform at Ashford station when Star ran to join him, just as the train was approaching.
‘Good morning. One might say you were cutting that fine,’ he noted as the doors opened and they stepped inside.
‘I had to take Rory to school, then hunt through my wardrobe to find something suitable to wear,’ Star panted as she sat down. ‘Will I do?’
‘You look perfect,’ said Orlando, admiring the elegant summer dress that showed off her slim figure. ‘Although perhaps you could style your hair in a chignon? It might help make you look a little more stately.’
‘Orlando,’ Star whispered into his ear, ‘we’re not putting on an Oscar Wilde play, you know. These days, actresses and supermodels – common people to you – marry into the aristocracy all the time.’
‘I am aware of that, but given that you told me our Mrs McDougal has lived in New Zealand for over thirty years, she, like me, may be a little behind the English times. But no matter, I think you look ravishing and will fit into our upcoming surroundings perfectly.’
‘I wish Mouse could have joined me this evening. We could do with a couple of nights away together. Isn’t it ironic that he is the real thing – a lord – yet not in a million years could he afford to stay at Claridge’s?’
‘Of course he could, Star. He has a houseful – or currently a storage facility full – of precious antiques, paintings and objets d’art that are worth a small fortune. But he, very sensibly in my book, would not think staying in a luxury hotel is worth spending his money on.’
‘You’re right, of course, and besides, the renovation of the house is costing everything he has. I do sometimes dream of moving into a modern semi where it’s warm and everything actually works. And where my boyfriend comes home to me in time for supper and we chat about our days... or anything other than dado rails and RSJs – whatever they are.’
‘High Weald is the other woman in Mouse’s life,’ Orlando declared.
