Hidden past

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She jumped up and began pacing again and he couldn't see her face, but her voice was strangely quiet. 'Yes, I do. I saw my Pa buried and my brother and him only twenty-five years old. Oh, yes, I know how it feels.'

"Then isn't that even more of a reason why you should go?'

She shook her head violently. 'I can't, Edward! I just can't! Ma will come over and Bridget will go. I'll send a wreath - Ava will understand."

Edward caught her by the shoulders, anger flooding his face. I just hope she does, Chloe! And I hope that if you ever need her she'll forget how damned selfish you are! Knowing Ava, she will. Oh, go back to bed, Chloe, you need your beauty sleep! You're beginning to look like Delia Heysham did before she retired.'

She twisted out of his grip, her face pale, her eyes haunted.

'You'll never understand, will you? Never! Oh, leave me alone! I don't need you to tell me how I look, I can see for myself in a mirror. Just leave me alone!' Edward's anger had faded as for once she hadn't screamed the words at him. He'd reached out to take

her hand but she'd moved away. 'Chloe, what's the matter? What's driving you? You can't go on like this."

Her eyes were still bright with unshed tears and for a moment he'd thought she was going to break down, but then she'd smiled. 'Leave me alone, Edward. If I told you, you wouldn't understand.' 'But something is driving you?' he'd persisted.

Again she'd smiled. 'Yes. Ambition. It's always been that and it always will be.'

He'd turned away. Exhaustion had obviously sapped her strength and weakened the volatility of her temper. And so he'd gone to arrange for a wreath to be sent from Chloe to the brother-in-law she'd never known, and he wrote a letter to Ava.

He wondered why he loved Chloe? Was it because she was so difficult, so selfish and so headstrong? These days she was like a highly-bred racehorse - skittish and edgy which was why she needed a strong hand on the bridle. Yet he remembered her as she'd been the night he had first seen her in Liverpool.

 The fresh, young Irish girl with a voice and a face like an angel - and a temper that would make even Lucifer quake. He'd applauded her ambitions then; now he wondered if that ambition would destroy them both. He'd only himself to blame. He'd fuelled her dreams by bringing her to London.

The theatre was his world, it always had been, yet there were times lately when he wished he could pack a bag and go away. As far away as possible and prefer ably where there were no theatres at all, but the only places like that were the African Bush or the outback of Australia.

At the end of the month the producer and the writer of the show were throwing a party and Edward and Chloe had both been invited. Chloe could hardly contain her excitement, thinking she'd at last been accepted into that exclusive, higher circle of theatrical society that she hovered on the fringe of. She'd talked about nothing else for a week wondering who she would meet, what she would wear, and praying she would be asked to sing.

The crowds had thinned as Edward parked the car and walked around to the stage door to collect Chloe on the night of the party. Ellie opened the dressing room door to him and he knew by her expression that something was wrong.

'What's the matter, Ellie?' he whispered. 'She's not well, Mr Vinetti, but she won't admit it,' she whispered back as she ushered him in.

Chloe was dressed in a stunning creation of white lace and silver-beaded fringe. A silver ribbon headband with two osprey feathers for decoration was fastened over her Titian hair. She was sitting applying rouge to her cheeks and, despite the artificial colour, she didn't look well. 'What's the matter?'

"There's nothing the matter! Ellie's fussing about noth ing, as usual. Do you like my dress?' 'Beautiful, not to say stunning, but your tongue is a little sharp!

'So would yours be if my wrap!' you felt like Ellie handed her the short white fur cape and Chloe pulled it around her shoulders and stood up. 'Are we ready?' 'You're not going. You're ill. I can tell just by looking at you!' Oh, don't start, Edward, please. I'm going tonight even if I have to crawl there. I'm going to enjoy myself.'

"That's what I think is the matter with you. You've been "enjoying" yourself too much!' Chloe's eyes narrowed. You can stay here if you want to, but I'm going! This is one of the biggest nights in my career - anyone who is anyone will be there. Ellie, get them to call me a cab.'

Ellie looked from Edward to Chloe.

'Go on! Do as I tell you!'

'Miss O'Donnell, don't you think Mr Vinetti is right?" Chloe snatched up her bag and gloves and got as far as the door before she staggered and swayed. Instantly they were both beside her.

She was fine, she told herself. It was just a dizzy spell. She'd had a few before, it would pass. But the light-headedness, the leaden feeling in her limbs didn't pass and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

He picked her up and carried her to the couch. 'Chloe, you're going home and I'm calling a doctor, although I don't think there's anything wrong with you that a few weeks rest won't cure.'

'I can't rest! What about the show?'

"To hell with the show! You're on the verge of collapse. You've had about two nights off since you went into rehearsal. You can't go on like that indefinitely, Chloe. You'll end up in hospital and then your career will go right down the drain. I've seen it happen time and time again. In a few days, when you're a bit stronger, you're going home.'