join them, to come up and make the birthday toast.
After this, the birthday cake would be wheeled in, the orchestra would play ‘Happy Birthday', and Marius would cut the cake. The plan had been made yesterday and it was all very straightforward.
But she was taken aback when Marius rose almost immediately and headed in the direction of the band. A moment later, Malcolm was at her side, along with David Oldfield, and the three of them followed Marius, stood with him to one side of the band.
When the last song finished, there was a loud drum roll and everyone left the dance floor, went back to their tables. Another drum roll echoed as David walked over to the podium and picked up the mike. ‘Good evening, everyone, and welcome. Now, please don’t get worried. This is not going to be an hour of speeches. No, not at all. Neither Annette nor Marius wanted that. However, there will be a few words from Marius before he cuts his birthday cake.’
There was a round of applause when Marius stepped forward. He went to join David at the podium, who handed him the mike.
‘I want to thank you all for coming,’ Marius began. ‘I’m thrilled and flattered to see you all here tonight at my sixtieth … so many good friends and colleagues. But this is not simply a birthday party for me, but a celebration of Annette as well. The other day I decided it must be a double-headed event; I felt my wife should share it with me. Because I believe she deserves to be honoured … for conducting one of the greatest art auctions ever held. Her sale of the lost Rembrandt was extraordinary, and she is extraordinary. In every way … a wonderfully talented painter, an art consultant of enormous expertise, a dealer par excellence, and for a number of years my right hand when I still owned the Remmington Gallery. Altogether a unique woman.’
Marius paused, looked across at Annette, and said, ‘Come and join me, darling.’
She did so. Putting an arm around her, he said, ‘Congratulations, Annette, you really pulled off a big one, and have now entered the big league of art dealers.’ He laughed. ‘I suppose I could say you’re now one of my competitors. But why not? I love it, and I love you.’
A waiter brought glasses of champagne. ‘Here’s to you, Mrs Remmington,’ Marius toasted.
There was a burst of applause and Annette kissed him on his cheek, and then just stood there holding her glass, smiling, enjoying for a moment being in the limelight. And then unexpectedly she felt that small knot inside her stomach, and the lead pellet of anxiety lodged there once again. She managed to keep the smile on her face as she thanked the guests, thanked Marius once more for his lovely words, and then she introduced Malcolm Stevens.
Taking hold of Marius’s hand, she led him to one side so that Malcolm could take over. He was witty, clever, insightful, serious and cheeky by turn. He had everyone laughing within seconds as he drew a verbal portrait of a man he obviously admired and cared about, and whom he truly understood, and who would not be troubled by his irreverence.
The audience loved Malcolm and his words, and there was much laughter and applause, at times a few whistles, hoots and catcalls. Hilarity prevailed, as Malcolm had intended.
Marius loved Malcolm’s speech as much as everyone else, and he came over with Annette to stand with him when a waiter rolled in a table. Standing in the middle was a giant-sized birthday cake, and sixty candle flames fluttered on top of it as the waiter pushed the table across the ballroom.
Stepping forward, Marius picked up the cake knife, stared out at their guests, his face creased with laughter. He blew out all the candles and plunged the knife into the cake.
At this moment the orchestra began to play; every one of the occupants of the ballroom began to sing ‘Happy Birthday'. And all raised their glasses to him.
Annette joined in, but she suddenly felt her throat constricting. Thoughts of that phone call about Hilda Crump intruded. What was that about? That name from her youth was linked to trouble in Annette’s mind, and she shivered as her past loomed large. You never escaped your past, did you? Inevitably, it came back to haunt you. The past was immutable.
Annette went to see her sister on Friday morning. She usually spent part of Saturday with her, but this week she was going to Kent to make decisions about Christopher Delaware’s paintings and the auction of them.
Laurie was waiting for her, full of smiles and eagerness, happy to see her. As she usually was. There wasn’t a day when Laurie hadn’t welcomed her with a loving, wide-open heart and open arms, her pleasure at being with her reflected on her face. Laurie. The real beauty in the family with her green eyes and golden-red hair. Laurie, who had wanted to be an actress when she was a child and had been cheated of the chance.
The two of them sat together in front of the fire, in Laurie’s den in her flat in Chesham Place, just around the corner from their home in Eaton Square. It pleased Laurie that she and Marius lived nearby because it gave her a sense of security; Annette felt the same. If ever Laurie needed her urgently or in any kind of emergency, she could be there within minutes on foot.
Almost immediately she told her sister about the phone call from Malcolm Stevens earlier that week, and how he had brought up the name of Hilda Crump.
Laurie listened, her face calm, the expression in her intelligent eyes changing ever so slightly by the time Annette finished.
There was a small silence, and Annette realized Laurie was running everything through her mind in that analytical way she had. Finally Laurie said softly, ‘I hope you’re not worrying about this.’
‘I have been. Well, a little bit. It was such a jolt, hearing that name out of the blue, and I couldn’t help wondering who could possibly be looking for Hilda Crump.’
‘Yes. Who? Yes, indeed who? And also why? But listen, it doesn’t really matter. Hilda went away years ago, she’ll never be found, not unless you break the promise you made. You’re not going to do that, are you?’
‘No, I’m not. Obviously.’
‘We’ll never know who’s looking for her anyway, not unless the private detective informs Malcolm, and he then tells us. But whoever it is doesn’t matter. Hilda’s not available and we can’t give anybody any information.’
‘But we were so involved with her, we were privy to so much.’
‘Only you and I know that, and it happened long ago. Over twenty years, Annette. Believe me, it doesn’t matter.’
Annette leaned back in the chair, staring at her younger sister. ‘If that’s the case, all right.’
‘There’s no question in my mind. Just please stop worrying, because if you don’t I’ll start worrying about you.’ Laurie laughed. ‘Now, please tell me more about the party. On the phone you’ve been awfully sketchy. I’m longing to hear everything.’ Her eagerness was reflected in her eyes.
Annette said, ‘I wish you’d been there, enjoyed it with us, Laurie. I can’t understand why you were so adamant about not coming, and neither can Marius. He wanted you to be with us as much as I did.’
‘In this? In this wheelchair? Don’t be silly, I’d have been a useless encumbrance. An inconvenience.’
