‘That’s his fault for supporting me so well,’ she muttered wryly. ‘Now I can’t cope without him. All his fault. Oh, where is he?’
It was an hour before he returned and it seemed like for ever.
‘I’ve been to the hotel,’ he said, dumping a large suitcase on the table. ‘I took the wedding dress with me and your mother’s going to pack it away for you. She gave me some clothes to bring you.’
Her wedding dress had been hanging up in the bedroom, which meant he must have crept in and removed it while she was asleep. Then her attention was taken by the clothes she found in the case.
‘Why did you bring this?’ she asked, lifting a glittering cocktail dress.
‘You can wear it tonight, when we go out.’
‘Are we going out?’
‘Yes. I’ll take you back to your hotel at the end of the evening, but before that we need to give Dan a taste of his own medicine. He flaunted himself before the cameras, so you have to do the same. Then everyone will know you don’t give a stuff about him.’
‘Don’t I?’
‘No, you don’t. You mustn’t. I know what I’m doing, Freya. Trust me.’
‘I do,’ she said.
‘But you think I’m giving you orders again, don’t you? Laying down the law, acting like my father?’
‘No, he never takes so much trouble about people’s feelings,’ she said. ‘I don’t mind taking a few orders from you.’
‘What was that? Did I hear you right? My bolshie Freya being meek and mild? I don’t believe it.’
‘I can do meek and mild if there’s a good reason.’ She managed a smile. ‘I can even say, Yes, sir. No, sir. Three bags full, sir.’
‘This I have to see,’ he said dramatically. ‘It’ll be a whole new experience.’ Then abruptly he dropped the humorous manner. ‘Don’t worry. I just mean to look after you.’ He took her face between his hands. ‘That’s all that matters now. Please believe me.’
‘I do,’ she said. ‘It’s strange how content I feel to leave everything in your hands. I didn’t know it before, but there’s nobody I trust like you.’
To her surprise Jackson looked uneasy, but she thought she understood. He was more used to her sparring with him than trusting him. But now those days seemed a long way off.
CHAPTER THREE
NOW FREYA REALLY discovered Jackson’s flair for taking charge. In the suitcase she found items of make-up and for hair care, evidently packed by her mother.
‘Thank goodness,’ she said. ‘At least I can look my best tonight.’
But he shook his head.
‘Tonight you’re a star,’ he said, ‘and a star doesn’t do those jobs herself. She employs a professional.’
‘You mean a beautician? I don’t know any.’
‘But I do. She’ll arrive this afternoon, to place herself at your service.’ He hesitated before adding, ‘Unless, that is, you have any objections?’
Her lips twitched. ‘Don’t worry. I know the proper answer to that. Yes, sir. No, sir.’
‘You forgot Three bags full, sir. But I’ll let you off this time. I’ve got to leave now, but I’ll be back this evening.’
Naomi, the beautician, arrived at three in the afternoon. She listened politely to what Freya had to say, but clearly needed no instructions, having already received them from Jackson.
It was ironic that once Freya would have objected to the way he was directing every step. But now the sadness that consumed her made it hard to think, and it was a relief to leave the decisions to him.
She had to admit that Naomi did a magnificent job, turning her into as great a beauty as she had been as a bride. The elegant dress had a short skirt that showed off her well-shaped legs, and the expert make-up made her look delightful, the lavish hairstyle enhanced her. But when she offered to pay Naomi waved her away.
‘That’s all been taken care of,’ she said.
‘But can’t I give you a tip to thank you?’
‘That’s been taken care of too. Mr Falcon was very insistent.’
‘You mean he told you not to take a penny from me?’
Naomi smiled and shrugged. ‘Mr Falcon is a very generous man.’
She hurried out.
Yes, he is, Freya thought. More than I ever knew.
Jackson was home at six o’clock, nodded approval at the sight of her, then disappeared to don his evening clothes. When he emerged she too nodded her approval.
‘We’ll do each other credit,’ she said.
‘That’s the spirit. We’ll show ’em.’
Downstairs, he loaded her case into his car and headed out onto the road.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked.
He gave her the name of a restaurant, famous for its glamour and luxury and for being a favourite home of major personalities. Within a few minutes they had arrived.
‘Ready?’ he asked as they headed for the entrance.
‘Ready for anything,’ she replied.
‘Then here we go. Smile. They’ll be watching.’
‘Do they know we’re coming?’
‘I have a few friends in the press.’
Sure enough, heads turned as they entered. There were some cheerful waves, which Jackson returned.
A waiter showed them to a table, and the first few moments were taken up with formalities. At last they were alone.
‘Now, let’s get down to business,’ he said.
‘Business?’
‘You see those two over there?’ he asked, nodding in the direction of a table where a young couple were holding hands and gazing rapturously into each other’s eyes.
‘Yes. But we’re not going to do that, are we?’ she asked, aghast.
‘No way. Hell will freeze over before I ask you to give me that adoring look. They’re an example of what we mustn’t do. If we act like a couple in love it’ll cause a scandal. People will think you were betraying Dan and that’s why he headed for the hills.’
‘Right. So what do we do?’
‘We laugh. Let everyone see how light-hearted you are.’
‘You’ve got this all worked out to the last detail, haven’t you?’
‘Is that a polite way of saying that I’m taking charge too precisely?’
‘No, but you do seem to have a gift for organising. Perhaps nature meant you to be a film director.’
Jackson grinned. ‘You’re not the first person to say that, but the guy who said it first was really mad at me. He was the director of a TV show and I annoyed him by arguing all the time. “Everything’s got to be done the way you say, hasn’t it?” he yelled.’
‘And what did you reply? I’m glad you’ve realised that?’
‘You understand me far too well.’
Then the humour died from his face and he took a long breath.
‘I