Season of Desire: Complete Edition (38 page)

Other than that, there seems to be nothing. I hurry to the wardrobe and open it, then pull out all the drawers, but everything is bare. I’ve been less than five minutes but I can hear footsteps pounding along the corridor outside and a hand shaking the handle from the outside.

‘Hey there, open this door!’ comes the cross voice of a woman.

I abandon the drawers and stand in the middle of the room, looking about. Surely there must be something that will help me find out where Miles has gone!

‘I’ve got a key and I’m going to use it,’ says the voice outside, and immediately I hear the key being inserted in the lock.

Then I see a paperback propped on the shelf near the television. It’s a spy thriller. Perhaps it belongs to Miles, or perhaps just left here by some other occupant. It’s the only thing I can see, anyway, so I pick it up and flick through the pages. Two thirds of the way through is a slip of paper that must be marking a place. There are some letters and numbers on it, so I fold it quickly and slip it into my pocket, just as the handle turns and the door opens to reveal the house manager, her face flushed and angry, with Thierry standing just behind her.

‘What are you doing here, miss?’ the house manager says, trying to balance out her obvious annoyance with politeness. ‘You shouldn’t be in here.’

‘Just looking around,’ I say airily. ‘I found this – it’s been left here.’ I toss the paperback on the table. ‘You should try it. I hear it’s very good. Well, I’ll leave you to it. Sorry to disturb you.’

I walk out past the house manager, shooting Thierry a look as I go past him. I know I can’t expect him to risk his job for me but even so – he wasn’t willing to help his colleague either. They watch me go, frowning, as though wondering what on earth I’m playing at, but I don’t care. I don’t know if the slip of paper I’ve found will help me, but I do know it’s all I’ve got right now.

In the privacy of my room, I take out the little piece of paper and unfold it. It’s been scrawled on in pencil, as though the writer was taking up the first thing he found to write with while he was on the phone. It reads:
D – new
and then a string of numbers which I guess is a mobile phone number with the British code in front of it.

I only know one friend of Miles and that’s Dominic. Could he be
D
?

I wish I could investigate Dominic a little more, but I don’t know where to start. I don’t even know his surname, or the address of the chalet where we stayed. I wonder if he might still be at the Schloss Marika, but I’m sure that’s a dead end. He and Beth were only going to be there briefly.

I stare at the piece of paper and the numbers written on it.

What the hell. What’s the worst that can happen?

Impulsively I snatch up my mobile phone and tap in the number. It takes a few seconds to connect and I realise that my heart is pounding. Then it rings and after an agonising wait, it is suddenly answered.

‘Hello?’ says a male voice.

‘Hello – who is this?’ I ask.

‘Who is
this
?’ comes the reply.

It’s a fair question but I don’t want to reveal anything about myself in case this is a strange number. I strain to recognise the voice but I can’t. ‘Is this . . . Dominic?’

‘Who wants to know?’ shoots back the voice.

I suppose I can hardly expect anything else but I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep this cat-and-mouse game going. ‘Listen, I don’t know who you are, but I’ve found your number and I think you may be the friend of a friend of mine. My friend is called Miles. Do you know someone called that?’

There’s a long pause and then the voice says in a different tone, ‘Freya? Is that you?’

I take a deep breath of relief and laugh. ‘Oh yes! Yes, it is – is that Dominic?’

‘Yes!’ He sounds astonished. ‘How did you get this number? Hardly anyone has it, it’s new.’

‘Miles wrote it down somewhere and I found it.’

‘Is everything all right? Why are you calling? Are you okay?’

‘Yes, I’m fine but . . .’ I flush a little even though Dominic can’t see me. ‘Have you seen the papers?’

‘Ah. Now you mention it, Beth did draw the story to my attention. I’m sorry for you both. What a rotten stroke of luck to have a photographer catch you in Klosters. Unbelievable.’

‘Do you know that Miles has left here? He went first thing this morning after he and my father had a showdown.’

There’s silence at the other end of the phone.

‘Dominic, do you know where Miles is?’

He still says nothing and I say, flustered, ‘You do know, don’t you? Please, Dominic – he’s not returning my calls or texts and I’m desperate to speak to him.’

At last Dominic says, ‘I’m sorry, Freya. I do know where Miles is but I can’t tell you. I’ve promised I wouldn’t. He needs some time away from the madness to recover.’

‘Please!’ I’m agonised by the fact that I’m so close to finding out what I want to know, but now Dominic is refusing to play ball.

His voice is firm. ‘I’m sorry – but no.’

‘At least give him a message from me!’ I cry, worried that he’ll ring off and I’ll have lost my chance.

After a moment, he says, ‘All right. I don’t see how that can hurt.’

‘Thank you,’ I say breathlessly, and then wonder what on earth I want to say that Dominic can relay for me.

‘Yes?’ he prompts.

‘Tell him – tell him that we can weather the storm together – if he wants. Tell him to call me. I . . . I
need
to talk to him.’

‘Okay.’ Dominic sounds sympathetic but I know he’s unshakeable. ‘And Freya?’

‘Yes?’

‘I’m sorry. I really am.’

I know that I have to come out of my room and face real life again soon. I can’t stay here for ever, moping over my phone and wondering if Miles will call. But what am I going to do?

My father is furious with me. My sisters are far away. I was supposed to visit Jimmy in LA. Perhaps I should do that – escape this awful winter and go somewhere hot and sunny. But being so far away doesn’t appeal to me right now, and the idea of fun in LA seems flat without Miles to share it with. I decide to make a plan to visit Flora in Paris. I love that city and perhaps I’ll be able to shake the press off my tail for a while. They’ll certainly be waiting around to see whatever I’ll do next and lying low until something else comes along to distract them seems like the best option.

It’s late when I finally emerge from my room to see if the family are gathering for dinner. Jane-Elizabeth is in the drawing room, sipping on a gin and tonic and reading a magazine. She jumps up when she sees me.

‘Are you all right, darling?’ she says, all concern, and I remember why I love Jane-Elizabeth. She doesn’t hold grudges and she always puts our well-being before everything else.

I nod. ‘I’m sorry I was a bit devious about going away for the weekend. I just didn’t want to involve you in lying to my father.’

She smiles. ‘That’s all right. I can see why you did it. You looked so much better when you got back, you obviously had a marvellous time with him. And why not?’

I smile a wobbly smile back. Jane-Elizabeth’s understanding is breaking down my defences. ‘It was lovely.
He’s
lovely. He’s not what they think he is, I promise!’

‘I’m sure he’s not. You’re having a hard time,’ she says sympathetically. ‘Your father’s told me some of it and naturally he has no idea why you’re so upset. He can’t understand it. Now, I’m going to get you a gin.’

She bustles about at the drinks tray while I say, ‘Dad thinks Miles has brainwashed me. But he also just doesn’t see that I need to be able to live the way I want.’

Jane-Elizabeth nods as she puts ice into a tumbler. ‘You know why he’s so protective, and why he doesn’t trust anyone. He’s terrified of losing you.’

‘But he can’t keep me under glass for the whole of my life! I have to take risks, and get hurt, and make mistakes and all the rest of it.’

Jane-Elizabeth pours out the gin, tops it up with sparkling tonic, drops in a slice of lemon, and brings it over to me. ‘I know that, Freya, my dear, but your father feels he gave you some freedom over that affair with Jacob, and look what happened.’

‘That wasn’t my fault – it’s Dad’s blasted money that makes me vulnerable to all this! That’s why I’m chased all over the place, and photographed without my permission and blackmailed!’

‘And that’s exactly why he doesn’t trust Miles,’ Jane-Elizabeth says softly. ‘But you know very well that the money brings blessings as well. Your father told me you’re thinking of working for the Foundation.’

I nod. I’d forgotten all about it with the furore of recent events but it’s still a good idea.

‘I think that would be an excellent thing to get your teeth into. And if you still feel the same way about Miles in a few months, perhaps your father will relent.’

‘I can’t wait a few months!’ I say, agonised at the idea. ‘I need him now!’

Jane-Elizabeth fixes me with a solemn look. ‘If you’re really serious about this, you’ll need to be prepared to wait, Freya. Your father will not come round in a matter of days. I’ve never seen him so angry – it’s a symptom of his fear, not an indication of his lack of love for you, but he’s furious. He considers Miles disrespectful.’

‘That’s not true!’ I burst out. ‘Dad has been completely disrespectful of
him
! You should hear the way he spoke to Miles, and what he said. Miles has been nothing but honourable!’

Jane-Elizabeth holds up her hands. ‘All right. I’m sure that’s true. But the fact is, he’s the last man on earth your father would want for you right now. And that’s not going to change overnight.’

The atmosphere at dinner is icy. My father is stony-faced and barely speaks to me, while Jane-Elizabeth looks uncomfortable and miserable as she picks at the food put in front of us. Only Estella seems at all chirpy. In fact, I’d say that she’s positively revelling in the situation. I wonder what my father is going to say to me – surely he’ll speak to me before this meal is over and ask me what I’ve decided to do. I don’t want to start more rows and conflict, or make him angrier, but I can’t lie to him either. I’ve had enough of all that.

We’re listening to Estella babble on, talking about how there were hordes of press photographers at the gate of the house when she left it this morning, as though we all need reminding of the fact, when my phone vibrates in my pocket. There’s a strict no-phones-at-the-table rule, which is why it’s on silent, but I can’t ignore it. What if it’s Miles?

‘Excuse me,’ I say, standing up and hurrying out of the dining room, taking out my phone as I go. I don’t recognise the number but answer anyway, as soon as I’m far enough away from the dining room not to be heard. ‘Hello?’

‘Hi, Freya,’ says a voice I can’t place. ‘I hope you don’t mind me calling. It’s Beth.’

Beth?
For a moment I’m confused and then realisation washes over me. ‘Beth! Hi, how are you?’ My pulse quickens and I can feel a tremor in my fingertips.

‘Listen, Dominic told me you called him wanting to know where Miles is.’

‘Yes, that’s right.’ I’m breathless. ‘He wouldn’t say.’

‘I know. He feels bound by that bond of brothers thing. He knows that Miles is desperate to go to ground for a while, until all this blows over. But . . .’

‘Yes?’

‘I can guess what you’re going through, being parted from him. I could see you’re crazy for him. And I can also understand it – I don’t know Miles well but he seems like a fantastic guy. Very attractive too.’

‘Yes,’ I say, pierced with longing as the memory of him fills my mind. ‘Do you know where he is?’

‘I don’t know where he is this very second,’ she replies, and my heart sinks. ‘But I do know that he’s coming here for a few days from tomorrow.’

‘Really?’ I’m filled with joy again. At last, I’ll find out where Miles is.

‘He’s going to stay with us while he makes various arrangements.’

‘Where are you right now? At the chalet?’

‘No,’ Beth says. ‘In Paris.’

‘Paris?’ I blink as I take this in. Paris is perfect. I was considering going there in any case. I say quickly, ‘I’ll be there tomorrow.’

Beth laughs. ‘I guessed you’d say something like that. Okay – call me when you get here and we’ll sort things out.’

‘I will,’ I say, my heart suddenly light and full of happiness. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

‘Sure – and it’s between you and me for now, okay? I guess I’m just an old romantic after all . . .’

Chapter Twenty-One

My news causes a thaw at the dinner table. My father is glad to hear that I’m going to Paris to stay with Flora. But he has a condition. I’ll have to take Thierry with me as my security.

‘Dad, I don’t need a bodyguard,’ I say, exasperated.

‘Don’t be silly, of course you do. More than ever, now you’re front-page news. I won’t feel happy unless I know you’re being looked after.’

Being spied on, more like,
I think to myself but there’s no point in fighting my father on this. Things are bad enough between us, and I’m happy to see that his mood towards me lightens as I tell him my plans.