‘Serena told me at her party. She said she was very upset you weren’t joining her in New York.’ He sipped his champagne slowly. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
Cate dipped a piece of bread in some olive oil and swirled it around on her plate. ‘I didn’t think it mattered enough to tell you. Didn’t want you to think I wasn’t committed.’
‘I would never think that about you.’
They looked at each other. She felt uncomfortable. It was the sort of look that lovers might share.
‘I’ll be honest, I might have considered the job if we hadn’t got the money that day,’ she continued slowly. ‘But I’ve lived and worked in New York before. It doesn’t hold that mythical appeal it does for some people. And it’s not like I even particularly wanted to go the first time.’
‘So why did you go?’
She looked at Nick and felt for the first time she could really trust him. They had been through so much over the last few weeks, spent so much time together, she felt a desire to be honest rush over her.
‘I went to get away from my father.’
Nick said nothing. He just looked at her reassuringly, encouraging her to talk.
‘I guess he’s always made me feel so inadequate, and when you’re old enough to get away from it, you do.’
‘Why, what did he do?’ He touched her hand lightly. ‘You have to talk about it, Cate, or you will never get it out of your system.’
She paused and took a deep breath that seemed to go on for ever. But the champagne, her good mood and their growing close friendship made it easier to discuss.
‘You want to know when it started? When my mother died.’ Cate began to play with the ring on her middle finger. ‘My mother was wonderful. Kind, beautiful,’ she said quietly. ‘She was a Dior model in the sixties. She just had this way of making everything seem OK even when it wasn’t, like she’d read me The Wizard of Oz every time I was ill and couldn’t get to sleep.’ She smiled softly, then paused, noticing that his gaze was directly meeting hers.
‘Anyway, when I was seven, she took Camilla and me to see a musical in London. Venetia was at Pony Club camp. Serena was still a baby and at Huntsford with our nanny. We went to see Oliver!’ She giggled at the memory of it, then the smile faded and her face clouded over.
‘I remember my dad was supposed to come with us but he was busy. He was always busy. Some meeting in London – I don’t know what the excuse was at the time. Anyway, we went to the theatre and then came back to our house in Chelsea where we were staying that night. I remember it was a really hot evening. I was running around in the garden in my sundress while my mum was watering the flowerbeds.’
Nick noticed her voice had started cracking, but she carried on.
‘Then she collapsed right there in the garden. I just didn’t know what to do. I was only seven, Nick.’ Cate looked up pleadingly at him, as if she was trying to persuade him to see her side.
‘I couldn’t get hold of my dad. I found an address book in a drawer with all these numbers in and I tried them all, but I couldn’t reach him. I called the ambulance and a neighbour who I didn’t know came to stay with Camilla and me.’
She took a large gulp of wine and brushed something away from her cheek.
‘The next thing I knew, it was the middle of the night. My dad came to the house and told us mum was dead – it was a clot on the brain. He said I hadn’t been quick enough.’ Cate looked at Nick. ‘He said it was my fault.’
She exhaled deeply, and felt strangely liberated. Nick could see the guilt painted on her face, an inch thick. He wanted to come round the table and hold her tightly, but instead he stroked her fingers across the table.
‘No wonder …’ he began. ‘Cate, it’s –’
‘It’s fine,’ said Cate quickly, brushing at her cheek again and looking away. ‘I’m glad I told you. Now I bet they do a great tiramisu.’
Nick knew she didn’t want to talk any more and distracted her with jokes and silliness. Cate giggled. She hadn’t giggled in a long time and it was fun. So much fun that she hardly noticed that the meal was over, the bill had come and the restaurant was emptying out.
‘Wanna walk back or get a cab?’ asked Nick as they moved from their table.
After the champagne and the earlier Bellinis, Cate felt tired but light-headed.
‘Do you mind if we walk? At least some of the way. I hate going to bed with a fuzzy head.’
‘OK. Let’s go and get our coats.’
They joined a small queue of diners at the cloakroom. In front of them a couple laughed as they collected long overcoats from the elegant brunette holding a coat hanger. The man was tall and thickset and his hand looked huge as he stroked the curve of the small blonde woman’s buttocks. The platinum blonde squealed as her companion’s fingers slid down the waistband of her skirt.
‘Inappropriate behaviour for such a refined establishment,’ whispered Nick into Cate’s ear and she laughed.
The couple turned round, and suddenly they came face to face with William Walton and Nicole Valentine. Cate’s giggles immediately dried up and Walton’s mouth dropped open.
‘Catherine Balcon. Erm, hi …’ Walton was stumbling over his words, his face flushing slightly.
‘William. Nicole. What a surprise,’ said Cate in a flat voice.
‘Yes, well,’ said Walton, clearing his throat. ‘Out here seeing advertisers. Getting them excited about Nicole’s appointment to editor and Class’s imminent relaunch.’
Nicole smiled smugly at Cate and cocked her head to the side. ‘On a mini-break are we?’ the American woman asked sugary-sweetly.
‘Actually, no. We’re here for the same reason you are,’ said Cate with as much confidence as she could muster. Nick touched the small of her back for encouragement. ‘We’re in the middle of a launch ourselves.’
‘So we hear,’ said William, trying to repress a smirk. ‘Surprised you got the money to be honest.’ His lips were drawing into a thin, sly smile.
Cate met his gaze firmly. ‘Well, our investors were very impressed with both the product and the team,’ she replied pointedly. ‘I think we’re going to do very well. Very well indeed.’
Walton’s arrogance had returned. He looked at Nicole, his hand moving back to her buttocks.
‘Don’t go trying to poach any of your old colleagues,’ he stopped to grin wolfishly. ‘Not that you could afford them.’
Cate’s eyes narrowed.
‘Well, I’m glad to see you’re getting everything you’ve paid for, William,’ she said. ‘Staff loyalty and all that.’
Nick stepped between them and handed Cate her coat.
‘Goodbye, William. Goodbye, Nicole,’ said Cate as they moved away, her voice refusing to falter. ‘Have a good time in Milan.’ She smiled as sweetly as she could. ‘It certainly looks like you are already.’
William and Nicole stared back. Fuming.
‘You OK?’ On the street Nick put an affectionate arm around her waist. Cate let him keep it there, proud of herself that she had had the final word with Walton and Nicole, but still feeling angry and frustrated. That bitch!
‘You were one cool customer,’ grinned Nick.
‘Well, it all makes sense now,’ she replied angrily. ‘Do you think she was sleeping with him before I got fired?’
‘Almost