Still not sleeping well, with a day on her feet fighting crowds, watching over the children and hustling from one place to the next, Julia was shattered.
All week, when she did eventually sleep, it was fitful, filled with strange dreams she couldn’t quite remember or disturbed by an odd tapping at the window that was most likely the branch of a tree or shrub but in the dark of night seemed something else, something sinister.
Tonight, Sam had told her, she would be having dinner with Douglas and two of his friends, Charlotte and Oliver Forsythe. Julia had met Charlotte and Oliver on several occasions when she’d visited Tammy and Gav. Charlotte was the editor-in-chief of a glossy fashion magazine and Oliver’s family was in banking. “In banking” was Tammy’s way of saying his family owned the controlling share of a bank with hundreds of branches nationwide. Julia liked them both. Even though she didn’t know either of them very well she knew they’d been good friends to Tammy and Gav.
They would all then be off to an art gallery opening. There, Sam warned her, she would face the “paps”. Thus the need for Sam’s “frocks” as Sam had informed her she wanted Julia to be confident in the face of the onslaught.
“And every girl knows, confidence often comes in the form a fantastic outfit!” Sam had proclaimed (quite rightly).
This was something Julia had not anticipated. She did not look forward to this evening, dressing up and having dinner with people she didn’t know very well was enough of a drain on her flagging resources. But facing “paps” made it all the worse.
“Paps” was English slang for “paparazzi”. Tamsin and Gavin, she knew, were both photographed frequently at balls and other events that Tamsin supported in her role as Lady Tamsin Ashton Fairfax. But Douglas was positively hunted by the photographers. Julia had seen his face dozens of times in various magazines in The States. Until Sam reminded her, it hadn’t occurred to Julia that, in being with him, she would also face the paparazzi. This would be a unique experience but she couldn’t imagine they’d have an interest in her when Douglas was there as a target. Perhaps, she thought (or more to the point hoped), it wouldn’t be that bad.
“I thought I’d take the kids to a movie tonight, if you don’t mind,” Sam said, interrupting Julia’s thoughts.
“Wicked!” Willie shouted what Julia was coming to learn was his favourite word.
“In Leicester Square, Lizzie, where they have all the big premieres, like Harry Potter.” Sam went on when Lizzie didn’t act as thrilled as Willie.
“Okay,” Lizzie muttered, too well-mannered to ignore someone speaking directly to her but also not willing to show any excitement.
“Is that okay?” Sam asked Julia and Julia nodded and smiled. The kids would love it and they certainly had enough of being holed up in austere, posh houses.
She saw Veronika standing away from the group, her face carefully blank and Julia had an idea.
“Could you take Veronika as well? I’m sure she’d like to see Leicester Square and she’d help you out with the kids,” Julia asked Sam quietly, looking at the young girl across the room and giving her a wink.
“Sure thing. Ronnie you’re coming with us!” Sam announced and Julia watched with satisfaction as Veronika’s studiously controlled face positively lit up.
The Russian girl had been a godsend that day. She carefully looked after the children, was immensely gentle with them, occasionally cautiously affectionate and she obviously took her job very seriously. She’d also noticed that, several times, Veronika lost herself in wonder at the sights they’d seen and Julia was pleased that she’d brought her along instead of leaving her with Carter while just she and the kids enjoyed their activities.
“But we must go, on the double, or we’ll miss our showing. Come on! Chop chop!” And Sam clapped her hands as the kids and Veronika trooped into the hall to get their coats.
Julia was carrying her evening bag and walking beside Sam and she pulled it open to take out some money for the kids and Veronika.
“You have a car big enough for all of them?” she asked, sorting out two fifty pound notes because she had no idea how much an evening out to the movies in London would cost. Considering the exorbitant cost of everything else that day, a hundred pounds might not even cover it.
“No worries. We’ll take a taxi. Haven’t experienced London unless you’ve had a ride in a London taxi. I have one waiting outside with your frocks. We’ll swing by my house, drop off the dresses and off we go,” Sam assured her as they stopped several feet from the front door.
“Can you come directly back after? Ruby shouldn’t be out late,” Julia requested.
Sam laughed. “I’ve got five nieces and two nephews. Don’t worry about us, I know the drill. We’ll be fine.”
Julia started to hand her the money when a deep voice came from behind them.
“What’s happening here?” Douglas asked.
Julia whirled around and saw Douglas was standing in the open doorway looking sophisticated wearing another superbly-tailored navy suit, this one without pinstripes. It was accompanied by a deep burgundy shirt and monochromatic tie.
She hadn’t seen him since Wednesday, hadn’t even spoken to him on the phone. She’d just managed to force him, and the disturbing and confusing rush of feelings she was having, out of her mind. At the sight of him standing there managing to look both dashing and unapproachable, those feelings crowded in on her uninvited and she felt her breath momentarily quicken.
Ruby dashed to him and threw her arms around his legs. He touched her head lightly, this she accurately took as a signal to disengage and Douglas nodded to Willie’s, “’Lo, Uncle Douglas,” and briefly and distractedly touched Lizzie cheek as he walked by the girl.
“Sam is taking the kids to the movies. I was just giving her some money,” Julia explained.
Ignoring the proffered notes, Sam ordered, “I’ll put it on my expense account. Right boss?” she said with a cheeky grin at Douglas and, not waiting for an answer, she addressed the crowd. “We’ll be late if we don’t go and you two will be late if you don’t go… children! Onward!” she ordered and trooped the kids to the door leaving Julia standing there, still holding the notes in her hand.
“Hang on!” Julia called. “Kids… kisses!” And they all came back, briefly pressing kisses to her cheek and rushed, followed by a quiet Veronika who appeared to be trying to make herself invisible, out the door.