Ellis and pulled a face at him. It was a gesture that surprised Caroline but also delighted her. So she had a sense of humour. She wondered if her son had one too.
‘You haven’t got the job for sure yet, young lady, so don’t get clever,’ Mrs Frazer shot back at her.
It was a put-down, but Caroline didn’t take it to heart because she had faith in her own work. Without a word she handed the portfolio to the older woman and sat back while she leafed through it.
‘You can call me Vanessa,’ she murmured when she was halfway through the book, not looking up.
Caroline stole a glance at Ellis who gave her just the smidgeon of a smile.
At last Vanessa slammed shut the book and with tremulous fingers handed the book back to her.’You’ll do,’ she said. ‘You’re good, not exceptional, but I can’t expect better outside of London.’
‘I’ve seen the real thing,’ Ellis interjected smoothly, ‘and she’s exceptional, take my word for it, Mother. Now, Caroline, perhaps you’d like to explain to us both how you intend to work. Mother doesn’t travel so therefore a visit to your studio is out…’
Caroline felt a small glow permeate through her at the compliment to her work but quelled it when she realised it had probably been executed more for his mother’s benefit than hers. Yes, it was going to be a difficult assignment and she hadn’t met the stallion yet!
For the next ten minutes Caroline explained about the initial sketches she wanted to do and measurements she needed and the way she worked. She told them she used the lost wax method and would be able to show them her wax maquettes which would give a slightly smaller version of the completed work at a later stage and then she fell into silence and drew rapidly, taking careful and continuous observations of her subject. Not a difficult task, Caroline thought as she worked. Vanessa Frazer’s bone-structure was as interesting as her son’s.
When Caroline thought Vanessa was tiring she eased up and glanced across at Ellis who had stood all the while behind his mother, listening and occasionally nodding with satisfaction. Ellis gave her a look which suggested enough was enough. Caroline was glad. All the time she had been working a part of her had been worrying about Martha; now all of her was.
As if the child was psychic there was a sudden wail from outside the door. A wail that brought Caroline to her feet like a shot in panic.
‘I want Mummy!’
The door burst open and Martha tore into and across the room to Caroline before anyone could stop her.
‘Mummy, the horses are wonderful and there’s one that fits me——’
‘I thought I told you——’ In a rage Ellis Frazer strode across the room to Karen who stood helplessly in the doorway, her face flushed with embarrassment.
A heated exchange of words ensued behind Caroline as she clutched at Martha’s shoulders to hold her back, but she heard none of them clearly. Her total concentration was on the frail lady in the wheelchair who was staring with shock at the small girl in front of Caroline. Panic surged inside Caroline as the woman seemed to pale even more and visibly shrink back from the child.
The door slammed behind them and suddenly Ellis was there at his mother’s shoulders, steadying hands covering them in support. Caroline saw them tighten and then soften and she looked up at him in dismay.
‘I’m so…so terribly…sorry——’ she started to
whisper, but Ellis silenced her with a look that would have floored a giant.
‘I should have explained, Mother——’ he started, but didn’t finish because of an interruption from Martha.
‘Are you a queen?’ the little girl asked in awe.
Ellis snapped his eyes shut in sufferance and Caroline caught a gasp in her throat. Not now, she silently pleaded with Martha.
‘Do I look like one?’ Vanessa asked in a tolerant whisper, seeming to have recovered far quicker than Caroline or Ellis.
‘You haven’t got a crown but——’ Suddenly Martha stepped away from the restriction of Caroline’s hold on her and leaned across the wheelchair to touch the jewels at Vanessa Frazer’s throat.
Caroline noted Ellis’s hands moving down to the handles of the wheelchair as if he was about to pull his mother out of the reach of the inquisitive child. But mercifully he didn’t. None the less, his knuckles whitened as his grip tightened.
To her credit Vanessa Frazer suffered the scrutiny of the child’s curiosity with great control and dignity as Martha fingered the exquisite necklace at her throat. A true lady, Caroline thought, sensing that Vanessa had no time at all for small children. She sensed something more too but wasn’t sure how to interpret it. After the initial shock of Martha bursting into the room, Caroline thought she had seen a sign of sorrow in the old lady’s eyes but she could have been mistaken. Emotions were running high in the hot, claustrophobic room, more so Caroline’s for making that snap decision earlier to bring Martha with her. It had been an enormous mistake.
‘Do you like jewellery?’ Vanessa was asking the little girl.
Martha was now hanging over the arm of the wheelchair and kicking her legs behind her. ‘I want my ears pierced like my friend, Becky, but Nanny says I’ll look like a gypsy. I’d like to be a gypsy and then I could travel the world to find my father.’ The little girl took a deep breath before going on and Caroline felt faint. ‘My father is a prince and he’s looking for us.’
Vanessa’s watery eyes widened as she gazed at the child.
‘What an extraordinary child,’ she murmured, suddenly closing her eyes and leaning her head back.
Ellis moved her then, back a few paces away from the fire and away from Martha. ‘Time for your rest, Mother.’
A papery hand came up with surprising swiftness. ‘Leave me. I’ll rest when I’m good and ready.’ Without opening her eyes she went on to murmur, ‘So, you have a daughter, young lady. With or without a husband you are a very fortunate lady.’
Caroline’s eyes widened at the words which had echoed what Ellis had said yesterday and then her heart sank as the old lady added firmly, ‘Don’t bring her again. I’ve seen all I can bear.’
Dark undertones thrust Caroline back in time till she thought she must have stepped into a time warp when she’d entered this house. It was so wretchedly Gothic as to be unbelievable.
‘But I’d like to come again.’ Martha’s little voice filled the room when she realised the old lady had meant her. ‘I like the horses and I like you even if you don’t like me.’
Ellis cleared his throat. Caroline clawed at her drawing materials and thrust them into her bag and before she knew it had clutched at Martha with her free hand and was across the room with her before anyone could say anything else.
Outside in the hallway where a hundred years ago she had crossed the threshold, Caroline thrust her bag into Martha’s arms and the car keys into her small hand. ‘Get in the car, sweetheart. I’ll be out in a minute.’
Martha looked disappointed but for once didn’t protest. She turned to look up at Ellis who had followed them out and stood, just behind Caroline. ‘Thank you for letting me see the horses,’ she said politely, and turned and skipped out of the open front door, untouched by the old lady’s cool dismissal of her, obviously not having fully understood it.
In a fury Caroline turned to face Ellis Frazer. ‘Well, I’m the first to crack,’ she blurted. ‘Forget the com-mission, Mr Frazer. I would find it unbearable to continue one stage further——’
‘Just a minute——’
‘Not another minute more!’ Caroline rushed on. ‘I just don’t choose to go on with this. For a short time in there——’ her hand came up to wave towards the interior ‘—I warmed