Chapter 20
The bathroom was amazing. Tallulah had never seen, let alone used, anything so luxurious. The shower room in her building was minimalist, reminding her of school showers. Cheap white fittings and basic tiles gave it an institutional ambience, added to by the temperature of the water, which hovered around the tepid mark. The one in Aiden’s parent’s house was the complete opposite. It had a huge white freestanding bathtub as well as a separate walk-in shower. Thick white towels hung over the heated towel rail, and a thick white rug lay on the floor.
“Let’s save time,” Aiden said. “We could share.”
“Let’s not,” Tallulah replied, almost certain he wasn’t serious. “I’m going to have a bath anyway. I haven’t had a bath for about five years.”
“It’s a big bath.” Aiden stood in the doorway.
“Mine.” Tallulah bared her teeth in the parody of a smile. “You promised. Go and find your own.”
As he turned away, she called after him. “How long have we got?”
“About forty-five minutes.”
She turned the taps on, letting the warm water half-fill the tub before sniffing a bottle and pouring some rose-scented oil into it. She hoped the senior Marlowes wouldn’t mind. It’s not my fault I’m stuck in their house though, it’s their son’s. And theirs. No one forced them to invite me. A nervous twinge ran through her. She stripped off her wet clothes and threw them on the tiled floor.
The bath was wonderful. She spent nearly half an hour wallowing in the deep scented hot water, before rinsing her hair and towelling herself dry. Someone had left a hairdryer on the bed in the guest room, and she assumed it was Aiden. Her hair formed a wild cloud around her face when she’d finished drying it, so she damped the brush and smoothed it over her curls in an attempt to tame them. Afterwards she studied herself doubtfully in the full- length mirror. Her hair still waved around her head like streaky candyfloss, and she raked her fingers through it in dismay. She had no make-up, and normally it wouldn’t bother her, but this particular day knowing she had to meet Aiden’s family, it did.
She wrapped her ankle-length tie-dyed skirt round her waist and fastened the sash in a bow at her side. The indigo blouse was short enough to show a flash of pale skin when she stretched up to rake her fingers through her hair again. Heaving out a sigh, she assessed her reflection. There was no way she’d ever look as perfectly groomed or as expensive as Aiden’s sister. Even if she spent the day in a beauty salon and a year’s income on her clothes, she’d still look messy, so if they were expecting another Sasha, they’d be disappointed. She tugged her skirt round and twisted in front of the mirror, trying to see the back.
A tap on the door dragged her away from the mirror, and she turned around as the door opened.
“How did you know I’d be dressed?” She scowled at Aiden.
He gave her a slow smile. “I didn’t.”
Her scowl deepened as he came farther into the room.
“You look beautiful.” He walked round her and tugged at the bow. “What happens if I undo this?”
“What are you? Ten?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I lose my skirt.”
For a moment, it looked as though he would try it to find out, but he checked his watch. “We’d better go down.”
Tallulah tightened the bow and turned for a last look in the mirror.
“You look like the Christmas tree fairy.” Aiden tugged on one curl.
She jerked her head away. “Is that bad?”
“Of course it’s not.”
“It’s just that I’m not used to this sort of place.” Why am I so nervous? It’s pathetic. She’d always known she was as good as anyone else, however rich and successful they were. It was almost as if these people were really prospective in-laws.
Aiden took her hand. “You look perfect.”
He was dressed casually, in a chocolate brown, loose linen suit and a rich blue silk tee-shirt. His overlong hair was thrust carelessly behind his ears.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.”
He bent and kissed her briefly, pulling away almost immediately.
“What was that for?”
“To give me courage.”
“Why do you need courage? I’m the one who’s being inspected. And living a lie and—”
“Come on, Tinkerbelle. You’ll be fine.”
When they entered the small sitting room, everyone else was already there. William Marlowe sat in a comfortable armchair by the long windows, with an older woman standing by him. She was almost as tall as Aiden, slim and stylish, with short, dark hair and a discontented mouth that would have been as lush as her son’s if her lips hadn’t been tightly pressed together. She glanced at her watch.
“We’re not late,” Aiden said, striding forward to kiss her cheek. He pulled Tallulah forward. “This is Tallulah. Tallulah, this is my mother, my father. You’ve met Francesca?”
Tallulah nodded and smiled at Francesca, who stood by the fireplace with a man who fulfilled every tall, dark, and handsome cliché.
“And that’s Gareth, Francesca’s fiancé.”
“Hello.” She smiled faintly, registering Francesca’s air of tension. Aiden had told her about their lunch. Or lack of lunch.
Aiden’s mother turned her attention to Tallulah. “I hear congratulations are in order.” Her eyes were unfriendly. “Your engagement came as a huge surprise to us. After all, none of us have met you, or even heard of you before this week.”
“Mother?” Aiden interrupted. “Blame me, not Tallulah. Anyway, it was all very sudden.”
“It certainly was.” Mrs Marlowe gave Tallulah an icy smile. “Gareth? Could you get the champagne?”
A bottle stood in a cooler on a small side table. Gareth squeezed the cork out of it, with an expertise that suggested it was something he did a lot, and poured the effervescent liquid into the six glasses. He handed them round.
“Congratulations to you both.” William raised his glass in time with everyone else, before his wife took it away and handed it to Gareth.
Tallulah sipped her champagne, not sure whether she was impressed or not. She lifted her head as she realised Mrs Marlowe was addressing her.
“We know nothing about you, Tallulah,” she said. “Would you like to tell us a little about yourself?”
Tallulah glanced at Aiden who flapped one hand at her. She assumed the gesture meant ‘start talking.’
“There’s not a lot to say. I live in London, study art, and I’m temping at Marlowe’s for the summer.”
“Where did you meet Aiden?”
“I’m working—”
“You know perfectly well where we met, Mother,” Aiden interrupted. “I told you when you phoned.”
Mrs Marlowe’s smile was chilly enough to freeze the champagne. “I must have forgotten. And what about your family? What do they think of your engagement?”
Tallulah thought about their amusement and shrugged. “They don’t mind. But we’re—” She started to say there wasn’t really an engagement.
“What do your parents do?” Mrs Marlowe interrupted. “Do they live in London? Work in London?”
Tallulah kept her face expressionless. It was a hostile interrogation. “My mother died when I was fourteen, and I never knew my father. I’m not sure my mother knew who he was.” That was a lie. Out of all the men Ellie Becks had slept with, she remembered Tallulah’s father, talking about him whenever she was drunk or maudlin. He’d been her first lover, and first betrayal. It wasn’t the sort of thing Tallulah wanted to discuss with strangers, and Mrs Marlowe’s air of smug superiority annoyed her.
“So you’re an orphan?” Mr Marlowe said.
Tallulah nodded.
“No pesky relatives to worry about.” Aiden came up and placed his arm around her shoulders.
Tallulah gave him a sultry smile. “I’ve plenty of pesky relatives. You’ve met my youngest brother?”
He nodded. “Nice boy.”
Tallulah grinned as she remembered what Kyle had interrupted. “There are two more where he came from, and then there are the twins.”
“Twins?” Mrs Marlowe raised a plucked eyebrow.
“I’ve never met them,” Tallulah told her. “They were taken away when they were born. They’ll be nearly twelve now, and I hope when they’re old enough they’ll come looking for the rest of us.”
Mrs Marlowe’s smile was forced. “Shall we go through to dinner?”
Aiden released Tallulah and took his father’s arm.
William pushed himself to his feet. “I’m not an invalid.”
Tallulah followed Mrs Marlowe across the corridor into a large formal dining room. Do people really eat in places like this? she wondered. Little cards, with names written on them, marked each place setting around the table. Tallulah spotted hers next to Aiden’s. I hope the food’s good, because the company isn’t much fun.
She waited until Aiden had helped his father to his seat at one end of the table before sitting in the chair he pulled out for her. He sat next to her along one side of the table, while Francesca and Gareth were on the other side, Gareth directly opposite her, with Mrs Marlowe facing her husband.
Other than Aiden, Francesca was the only member of the family Tallulah had met. She forced herself to speak. “Do you live down here?”
Francesca jerked with surprise. She’d obviously been lost in her own thoughts. “Live here? Not really. I still have my room, but Gareth and I spend most of our time in his London house.”
Gareth glanced at her. “Where do you live, Tallulah?”
“Near King’s Cross,” she said. “I’ve a room in an old arts centre.”
“A new development?” he said. “There’s a lot of rebuilding round there. Some of it’s pretty impressive.”
“King’s Cross was always a bit seedy,” Mrs Marlowe said. “It must have changed a lot.”
“It has.” Tallulah met her eyes. “But my building’s still waiting to be redone. I think they’re going to turn it into loft apartments, or something similar. It’s just a shell at the moment.”
“Do you squat?” Mrs Marlowe’s face took on an expression of deep disapproval.
“Not quite. The building’s owners charge us a nominal rent to live in it. To keep it occupied until they’re ready to start work.”
“Doesn’t that make you feel insecure?” Gareth asked. “Wouldn’t you like your own place?”
“In London?” Tallulah couldn’t help laughing. “Some chance. Where do you live?”
“In Islington,” he said. “I’ve a townhouse there. It must be quite close to you.”
And a million miles away, she thought, distracted as a warm hand settled on her thigh.
William cleared his throat. “So when do you plan to marry my son?”
She glanced sideways and caught Aiden’s eye, as he slid his hand higher. “We haven’t decided yet. Nothing’s settled. I don’t know if—” Catching his hand with her own, she pushed it away.
“You’ll have a long engagement?” William asked. “Like Gareth and Francesca?”
Tallulah shrugged. She gave up trying to explain. Aiden could do it. “Probably.”
It would be very short if she had her way.
She turned to Francesca. “Aiden told me you got engaged six months ago. Do you have a date?”
“Next summer.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people,” William said. “Your mother and I were married after an engagement of six months.”
And then you took up with Elaine, Tallulah thought. A great advert for marriage. Aiden gave her a sidelong glance and a tiny shrug.
There was silence for a moment before William spoke again. “So, Aiden? Are you planning on living in England once you’re married?”
Aiden shook his head. “No. Why would I?”
William turned to Tallulah. “Doesn’t it bother you to leave your family behind? Aren’t you close to your brother and sisters?”
“There’re always visits,” she said. “I haven’t really thought about it yet. I’m sure Aiden told you it’s early days.”
“And what would Aiden do in England?” Gareth asked. “His business is in New York.”
“He could come back to the family firm,” William said. “It’s time I took more of a backseat.”
“It’s not going to happen,” Aiden said.
Francesca glared at him, but picked up her glass and took a hefty slug. She slammed the glass back down, before sending a killer stare to her father.
“Are you driving back to London tonight?” Her mother gave her a disapproving look. Both she and Gareth had drunk more than anyone else. Tallulah didn’t blame them. She was surprised they weren’t already alcoholics if this was a typical evening in the Marlowe household. No wonder Aiden wanted out.
“No.” Gareth spoke when Francesca took another mouthful of her wine. She’d barely eaten. “We’ll stay the night and go back tomorrow.”
“What about you?” Mrs Marlowe turned to Aiden.
“I said I’d drive Tallulah back. She’s got things on tomorrow morning.”
I do? It was the first she’d heard of it, and when Mrs Marlowe raised a questioning eyebrow in her direction, she had to think fast.
“Military fit-camp. Seven o’clock in Russell Square.” She’d never been to an exercise class in her life. “Aiden said he’d come with me.”
Francesca lifted her eyes from the table top. “Seriously? On Sunday morning?”
Aiden patted Tallulah’s hand. “I have to work to keep up with her. Tallulah’s a live wire. A bundle of energy.” His hand landed on her thigh again.
Tallulah narrowed her eyes at him; half wishing she could drag him to the dawn fitness session. Unfortunately, it would mean getting up and going herself, and she wasn’t that annoyed.
“Tallulah?” Mrs Marlowe said. “It’s an unusual name.”
“She chose it herself.” Aiden smiled as his finger drew a circle just above her knee.
“How do you mean?” Mrs Marlowe’s brow furrowed in puzzlement.
“She used to be called Jade.”
Tallulah closed her eyes. What’s he playing at? Can the evening get any worse?