Follow a Star (30 page)

‘You’ve been playing hard to get and not taking my calls. And you’ve been busy, so busy,’ he crooned. ‘The media’s been buzzing with stories about you.’

Abruptly he pulled back, grabbed hold of her hand and forced her on to the bed. ‘Come on. Come and tell me what you’ve been doing. Or who.’

May folded herself in the corner trying to protect herself by squeezing in between the headboard on one side and the wall on the other. Unconcerned, Aiden bounced on the mattress beside her, stretching out and making himself comfortable. He looked up at her, his mouth curving into a smile. ‘I warned you how unhappy I’d be if I found out you hadn’t told me everything about your sailing trip, didn’t I?’

‘Aiden,’ she said, determined not to let him push her around any longer. ‘There’s nothing to tell. And what I do is no longer any of your business. Now please go.’

‘Have a think about that. See what you can remember.’ He patted the space next to him. ‘And while you do, lie down and have a look at this with me.’

May stayed put, but to her horror he pulled out his phone and flicked over to a porn site.

‘Get out,’ she ordered, trying to remain calm. ‘Take your filth with you and get out now.’

Aiden raised his eyebrows. ‘I can if you like, but then you won’t get a sneaky preview before it gets posted on YouTube. I promise you, you’ll want to see this.’

She wanted to tell him how disgusting he was, but the effort of trying to give the illusion of being calm was too much. She shivered, feeling the colour drain from her face and her hands grow cold as she prepared to face whatever was coming.

He sat up close beside her. ‘Come on now, don’t be shy. This is really hot stuff and I know you like a little fun.’

She waited, numb and sick for the torture to be over, so that he’d leave her alone.

‘There now.’ He smiled, running his hand down her thigh as he curled against her. ‘So … who have we got here?’

May dragged her eyes to the screen to buy herself time. And then she saw what was playing out in front of her.

‘Oh, look! A home movie,’ he whispered close to her ear. ‘A little reminder of happier times. Don’t we make a lovely couple? And look at you? Oh, you’re going to be very popular with all the boys when they see what you can do with those luscious—’

‘Turn if off!’ May demanded, lunging towards the phone.

‘Oh, no you don’t,’ he sang, pulling her back down and grabbing hold of her hair. ‘Come on now, May. Don’t say it doesn’t turn you on? I’m turned on – feel!’

She pushed him away and sank back, feeling the fight leave her body and the tears start to spill over. ‘How could you? How could you film us making love? How could you abuse my trust like that?’

‘It’s not an abuse, it’s a beautiful thing. A lasting souvenir of our love. So, we can either keep it to ourselves or share it with the world. It’s entirely up to you, May.’

May watched her glimpse of happiness disappear, all her hopes shredded.

Then the door burst open and Cathy exploded in. ‘Leave her alone, you nasty little shit!’

‘Stay out of this, Mum,’ May warned, afraid of the power Aiden now had over her.

‘Why, look who it is,’ he smirked. ‘Why don’t you come and join us? Let’s see if your mum enjoys our film too. She’s still got a great figure for an older woman.’ He leaned back and considered the matter. ‘Do you know I’ve never had a mother and daughter before? I think it’s time I’ve found out what I’ve been missing.’

‘You’ve got to be fucking joking!’ Cathy hissed.

‘I’m glad you think it’s funny,’ Aiden said with a warped smile. ‘Did you tell May all about our little pact?’

‘Oh don’t try that,’ May said. ‘I already know you promised to give the shop back if I came running.’

‘You didn’t tell her?’ Aiden chuckled. ‘Ah well, guess I’ll have to. How do you think I knew where to find you, May, when you set off on your little sailing adventure?’

May stared at her mother and grew cold. ‘Mum?’

‘You know how tedious your parents can be about money. Remember how they’d always be hanging round our flat looking for scraps? Of course you do! So how far do you think your mother would go to save her shop? Who do you think told me where you were – for a price?’

‘Oh, Mum. Please say it’s not true?’

‘He’s lying!’ Cathy’s face had gone white. She shook her head and opened her mouth, but the words took an agonisingly long time to come. ‘It wasn’t like that, May. I was thinking about your career. Aiden … he … told me you were in trouble and it would only get worse if you didn’t face up to the situation.’

‘You
sold
me to him?’ May said, pushing past him and getting up.

‘No, he tricked me,’ Cathy insisted. ‘He’s taken the lot.’

‘Ain’t life a bitch?’ Aiden said pleasantly. ‘But just to show you there’s no hard feelings, I’ll think about letting you have it back, once May’s safely tucked up at home with me. Shall we do that for your old mum, May? Are you going to make us all happy?’

May’s eyes met Cathy’s and she read the mourning for the loss of her business there, before it was masked. She found her rucksack and started packing.

‘That’s my girl,’ Aiden said, stretching lazily. ‘I like that you’ve put up a bit of fight, you were getting to be such a doormat. Let’s go home and make some new films.’

‘Don’t do it, May. I don’t give a stuff about the shop, it’s not important,’ Cathy said urgently, catching hold of her arm. ‘I only want to do the right thing by you.’

May stopped what she was doing and stared at her mother. ‘Yes? Well it’ll be the first time ever.’

Cathy tried to hang on to her. ‘Listen to me, May, I’m so, so sorry.’

May shook her off and Aiden jumped up. ‘Come on, then,’ he said, ‘let’s get out of here.’

Bill, pulling into the boatyard, congratulated himself on his remarkable self-restraint. He couldn’t wait to be with May again, to talk to her, to make love to her, to hold her close through the night. Heck, he just longed for them to have more time together. But, he’d forced himself to be patient and stopped off at Black Orchid on his way back from his appointment where he’d asked Frankie to make him up an enormous bouquet of cream roses and pale pink lisianthus. Frankie – who wanted to do something showy with birds of paradise and bamboo, had chided him gently for his lack of originality, but Bill insisted he was a traditional kind of guy.

He took one last look at the bouquet taking up most of the passenger seat and wondered whether to take it with him or leave it there as a surprise. The indecision was beginning to make him nervous – he hoped May liked flowers and didn’t think it was some chauvinistic gesture to get her into bed. He shook his head. They had such a lot to find out about each other. If May was looking forward to them spending more time together as much as him, they were about to have a lot of fun.

Looking up, he froze at the scene unfolding in front of him. There was May hurrying along the towpath that led from George’s caravan along Campion’s Creek and round to the yacht basin. Her backpack was shoved over her shoulder and she must have been in a desperate hurry to get away from something because she was still wearing the same jeans and T-shirt he’d watched her take off for him only the night before. What the hell? Bill tensed seeing Aiden Cavanagh following her, strolling along behind her as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

May seemed to sense his gaze. She paused, lifting her pale face to him in mute appeal, and everything went into slow motion as the blood rushed to Bill’s head. The man behind her smiled to himself when May stopped. He caught hold of her arm, roughly pulling at her to keep her walking, and grabbed the strap of her rucksack too, to drag May along with him, but by then Bill had leapt out the van and was running towards them.

‘Stay out of this, Bill, please,’ May pleaded as he ran towards her. ‘So that no one gets hurt. You don’t know what he can do.’

Cavanagh, still holding on to her, looked up with interest.

‘Oh look, how sweet.’ He smiled. ‘Here’s your sailing friend come to say goodbye to you. You’ll pay later, my friend, for the liberties you’ve been taking with my girl, but as you can see we’re busy right now. I saw your photo all over the paper – “Cherry’s mystery man”. The only mystery is what she saw in you. But there, we all like a bit of variety from time to time, don’t we, May? He’s a big ugly brute, though. Did you fancy a bit of rough?’

Anger ripped through him and Bill started towards the detestable little man taunting him.

‘Don’t, Bill,’ May begged.

‘No, don’t, Bill,’ Cavanagh mocked. ‘Or May might be very sorry. Do you want to tell Billy Boy here about the little film we made together or shall I send him the link later? Or shall we all say goodbye to each other nicely and go our separate ways. What do you think, May?’

Bill watched in agony as May struggled with her emotions, helpless to ease her pain. And then she spoke. ‘I think,’ she began quietly, ‘that you should leave now, Aiden. You’re not going to hurt me ever again. I want you out of my life for good.’

‘And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll think carefully about that,’ he threatened, his face darkening. ‘Don’t forget that I know what’s best for you.’

May shook her head and her voice grew in strength as she continued. ‘No, you don’t. I’m not an impressionable girl anymore. You can’t turn on the charm and think you can make me feel special like you once did, because I’ve seen the ugliness within you. You used me. You made me believe that I had to please you because I was nothing without you. I thought I owed you, I thought you were acting in my interest, but gradually the small sacrifices I made for you became bigger.

‘I thought you wouldn’t let me go anywhere without telling you first because you
cared
about me. I thought you wouldn’t let me go out alone because you couldn’t bear to be parted from me. And on the rare occasions when I did manage to get out to see old friends, you convinced me that it was because you were worried about me when you’d turn up out the blue to check to see who I was with and if I was where I said I’d be.’

May’s head drooped and Bill wanted to rush forwards and protect her, but wouldn’t that make him as possessive and controlling as Aiden Cavanagh? The one person who knew what was best for her was May. All he could do was hold back and hope that she would keep finding the inner strength to fight her own battle.

She cleared her throat, and held her former tormentor in a steady gaze.

‘Nothing you can do can hurt me now. I’m free of you. You have no hold on me. You can have your day in court and argue the toss about my contract if you like, but my own solicitor has advised me there’s a sufficient case for me to counter-sue, so think about how much money you want to throw away. As for your sordid little film clip’—she shook her head sadly—‘if you decide to go ahead and desecrate an act of what I thought at the time was love and which clearly meant nothing to you, I won’t hesitate to take out a cease and desist order against you.’

Bill’s heart bled for her when he understood what she was saying and it took every fibre of his self-control not to step forward and punch the loathsome piece of shit’s lights out. But May was standing her own ground, however sick she must have been feeling, and it was more important than ever for him to contain his raging emotions.

Cavanagh’s lips curled into a smile. ‘And by the time that happens it’ll be far too late,’ he drawled. ‘I can spread the word to an awful lot of people and soon everyone will know what’s really behind that sweet little girl-next-door façade of yours. Think of it as another helping hand with your career, May. Now that you’re all washed up as a pop star, you could make it big as a porn star.’

‘I don’t think so,’ said a steely voice from behind them.

Bill had been so busy worrying about May he hadn’t noticed the slim dark-haired woman stealthily moving towards them.

‘Mum, stay out of this.’

So this was May’s mother? He struggled to see the resemblance between the brittle-looking woman in her rock chick black clothes and smoky eyes and May who always looked so gentle and approachable.

‘You’re not the only one with a camera,’ May’s mother sneered, holding up her phone. ‘And I’ve just recorded your nasty little threats. You can have a day in court if that’s what you really want. Only you’ll be on trial for harassing my daughter, not just because of your despicable behaviour today but for every second you’ve bullied her and ordered her around over the last two years.’

‘Fuck you!’ Cavanagh spat, lunging at her. ‘Give me that fucking phone!’

Before Bill could move, he’d grabbed the dark-haired woman’s wrist and was twisting her arm up her back. She gasped in pain and the colour drained from her face.

‘Leave my mum alone!’ said May, jumping on his back. The older woman seized her opportunity to break free, but the phone slipped out of her grasp and clattered on to the wooden pontoon below them. There was nothing Bill could do to stop Cavanagh, who on seeing her trying to reach for the mobile, trod heavily on her outstretched fingers. At the same time, he jabbed an elbow in May’s stomach, who, winded, fell back on the towpath.

‘She’s all yours, Billy Boy,’ Cavanagh said calmly as Bill rushed towards her. He picked up the phone and juggled it in his hands. ‘Though I’m not sure you’ll want her when you see where she’s been.’ He hurled the phone into the yacht basin then smoothed his dark hair, adjusted his jacket and gave them a satisfied smile.

‘Now go and fetch it,’ said the dark-haired woman as she clambered to her knees, fell forwards and shoved him as hard as she could into the water.

May felt nothing as the police pushed him in the back of the car, even when Aiden searched for her and held her in his threatening stare. Where she had once looked to find love, all she saw now was how cold and soulless those dark eyes were. Whatever grip he’d once had on her was gone; he’d lost the power to hurt her ever again.

Of course, hearing him shrieking like an angry baby because he couldn’t swim had stripped him of some of his authority. Since there really wasn’t much of a chance of him drowning, May didn’t feel too bad about leaving him to cool off. Bill had thrown him an emergency life belt and he was in easy reach of a pair of yachts and could have clung on to either of them. Harry, who’d been out with Georgia collecting parts for
Maid of Mersea
, had been furious to learn about the disturbance in her boatyard, and had wasted no time calling the police. When they fished him out, Aiden didn’t look quite so dapper with his designer jacket all sodden and his pristine white shirt covered with oil from one of the boats. But none of that was important because May had discovered that the power to stand up to him lay entirely with her. She’d done it all by herself.

‘I could murder him for what he’s done to you,’ Bill said, still visibly furious as the police car drove away.

‘That won’t be necessary and violence is never the answer.’ She smiled, taking his hand. ‘You’ve done more for me than you’ll ever know, Bill. You’ve shown me that true love is unselfish. From the very beginning, when you put your life on hold to care for your uncle and gave him a reason to get well, I knew how generous and loving you were. And you had faith in me to help you deliver the boat, even though you knew nothing about me. Through you, I’ve found confidence and strength I didn’t know I possessed.’

Looking up, she was touched to see tears in his eyes. He blinked them away rapidly and cleared his throat. ‘You’ve kindly overlooked the fact I initially thought you might be after Cecil’s money,’ he said regretfully.

‘And Thunder’s, don’t forget,’ she added, seeing the old rocker wheeling towards them on an ancient pushbike.

‘Bill,’ he gasped. ‘No offence, mate, but I’m going to have words with your uncle when he finally shows his face. Making off with my sister like that.’

A white Peugeot estate rolled into the yard and Fiona leapt out.

‘You got my message, then,’ she gasped to May.

‘What?’

‘When I saw who was in the police car just now, I assumed … gosh, I’m relieved you’re all right. I thought that man was going to make a nuisance of himself. He arrived at Walton House looking for a room and I told him we were full. He didn’t like it at all.’

‘Well, he’s not going to be a nuisance to me ever again,’ May said firmly.

A slamming of the car doors behind them and the appearance of Captain Flint wagging his tail and yapping excitedly told them that Matthew was also back and, to her surprise, he was accompanied by her dad, looking very proud of himself.

‘That’s nice, a welcoming committee,’ he beamed. ‘You must have known we’ve got something to celebrate. How do you fancy extending our stay here, Cathy? Matthew here thinks he can find some roofing work for me.’

Bill caught her eye and May nodded. ‘I could do with a roofer,’ he added.

‘Excellent,’ said Matthew. ‘I knew you’d be pleased. Especially as I’ve found a tasty little project that’ll be a quick money-spinner for us all.’

‘If you regard all your clients as cash cows,’ Fiona interjected, rolling her eyes, ‘Paul and I might have to revise our offer on the farmhouse downwards.’

‘Fiona, darling, I’m hurt that you could even think I meant you,’ Matthew said, laying his hand on his heart. ‘There’ll be a bottle of champagne in the fridge when you move in to show there are no hard feelings.’

The flash of his dimple as he gave her a mischievous smile guaranteed instant forgiveness. No wonder Fiona went a bit pink and coy.

‘So,’ said Rick, looking at Cathy, ‘what have you two been up to today? Anything exciting?’

May could see her mother take a deep breath and, letting go of Bill’s hand, she crossed over to her, gave her a hug and kissed her. ‘We’ve been catching up, haven’t we, Mum? Having a bit of mother and daughter time.’

From the direction of the creek a yacht’s hooter sounded and they all turned round to see
Lucille
slipping through the tidal gate.

‘Right,’ said Thunder, rubbing his hands. ‘This better be good.’

Cecil, with the agility of man half his age, nipped ashore with the line while Janice did a very good job of neatly bringing
Lucille
alongside the pontoon.

‘I say! Jolly good!’ Cecil said, gazing at Janice with admiration. ‘You are a woman of the most surprising talents.’

Then he spotted Cathy. ‘Our plan worked, then?’ he said, cocking his head at May and Bill and winking.

‘What plan?’ Bill and May said together.

‘Cecil told me about how after he’d suddenly been taken ill, his nephew had gone in his place to fetch
Lucille,
’ Cathy said, smiling. ‘Afterwards, when Cecil was in hospital and it looked as if it might not be possible to carry out the operation because of his deteriorating health, Bill sat by his bed, encouraging him to get better by telling him about the boat, the trip and the wonderful girl he’d met, the one he couldn’t live without.’

‘Except you both seemed to be doing a jolly good job of doing exactly that,’ Cecil bristled. ‘Since it was the boat which brought the pair of you together, I thought if I disappeared in
Lucille
, you might be prompted into taking action. I hoped you might be concerned enough to come and look for me and, in doing so, realise what you meant to each other. But it seems you didn’t even notice I was missing!’

Bill opened his mouth to speak, but May motioned at him to stop. Would Janice really want to hear that they’d unintentionally witnessed what looked like the prelude to a romantic evening? And looking at Thunder’s face, it was probably better not to raise his suspicions about what she and Cecil might have been up to.

‘Fortunately,’ Cecil said, smiling. ‘I took the precaution of asking this dear lady if she would like to join me for a trip aboard
Lucille
. And a very jolly time of it we had too.’