They spoke for a little longer until raucous voices could be heard coming along the pathway towards the party. She saw a couple who she recognised from many films, walking hand in hand. Gabriel followed them, his head bent slightly as he said something amusing to his grandmother.
The glamorous couple stopped at the door, letting Gabriel and Lydia walk ahead of them into the room. Gabriel called out for everyone’s attention.
When Daisy saw who was standing there she gasped, and turning to the woman standing next to her said, ‘That’s Brynmor Wensley Morgan, and his wife Soraya.’ She was unable to believe that she was in the same room as the great actor she’d seen in so many films and had never been able to afford to watch at the theatre.
The woman looked at her strangely. ‘I take it that you’re new here, otherwise you’d have probably come across them both before. They’re good friends of the family.’
Daisy shook her head. ‘Yes, fairly new,’ she whispered.
Gabriel held his hands up to quieten the excited chattering in the room. ‘Dear friends, we’re here tonight to celebrate fifty years in the business that is show, for this amazingly talented couple that all of us know and most of us are lucky to consider as close friends.’ He held up his glass in a toast. ‘I’d like you to join me in raising your glasses to our fabulous hosts, Bryn and his lovely wife, Soraya.’
The guests cheered and raised their glasses, chanting their hosts’ names as the couple made their grand entrance into the packed room.
‘Bryn would like to say a few words,’ Gabriel said,stepping back to let the larger-than-life actor and his wife speak.
Daisy watched Gabriel. Living with his theatrical parents seemed to have given him a confidence she couldn’t imagine possessing.
‘And,’ Bryn continued, bringing Daisy back to the present as his clipped, strong voice carried easily to everyone in the room, ‘to celebrate half a century in the business that Soraya and I love so much—’ he arched an eyebrow dramatically ‘—despite neither of us getting the merest sniff of an Oscar, Soraya and I would like to thank you all for travelling here tonight through the inclement weather to enjoy our special evening with us.’
The guests clapped and Bryn and Soraya took a bow, laughing and giving each other a quick peck on the lips.
Soraya clamped her free hand over Bryn’s mouth as he opened it to speak, and said, ‘I’d like to thank the Encore, and the girls from Lapins de Lune, and especially the divine Gabriel.’ She lifted her hand in a mock whisper. ‘Who really should have become an actor and delighted us all on the screen as well as in this hotel. You’ve all worked very hard to make tonight possible.’
Daisy joined in the applause. She beamed at Lydia who looked resplendent in her shiny dark grey dress and matching headdress with long opera pearls tied in a lose knot below her chest. Lydia spotted her and walked over.
‘You look stunning, Daisy,’ she said. ‘How lovely to see you here tonight. I wasn’t sure if you’d be on duty or not.’
Daisy shook her head. ‘Not tonight; Fi’s holding the fort but she’ll join us later.’
Lydia looked at Gabriel. ‘Is that elegant brother of hers coming tonight?’ She looked back at Daisy. ‘Young Sebastian Fielding caused something of an uproar here inthe island last year. It was in all the papers, and not just the local one.’ She lowered her voice. ‘He can come across as a little fierce, but he’s a hardworking man who only wants the best for his employees, and he’s devoted to his younger sister.’
Daisy recalled Fi’s chatter about the brother who bossed her around but spoiled her. ‘She talks about him a lot.’
‘Gabriel,’ Lydia said, waving him over to join them. When he reached them, Lydia said, ‘Why don’t you relax for a moment and ask Daisy for a dance? You’d like to dance, wouldn’t you?’ she asked, her tone implying that a refusal would be out of the question.
Daisy smiled. ‘I’ve got no idea how to Charleston,’ she said, presuming that’s what Bryn and Soraya and their guests were doing on the dance floor.
Lydia grabbed hold of Daisy’s arm and one of Gabriel’s, and pushed them towards the dance floor. ‘Go on, you two.’ She shook her head. ‘In my day you never missed an opportunity to have fun.’
Gabriel took Daisy by the hand before she had a chance to argue and led her onto the wooden floor. ‘Sorry about that,’ he said. ‘But she won’t give up until we do. It can’t be that hard, can it?’ he said, watching the others for a second before beginning to do a vague impression of what they were doing.
Daisy laughed at his comedic attempts to copy the others. He was obviously more used to the water than the dance floor, but she decided that if he could have fun without worrying about making a fool of himself, then she could do the same.
‘There you go,’ he shouted, not attempting to hide his amusement at her. ‘You’ve nearly got it.’
Two dances later and Daisy, out of breath but happy, took Gabriel’s hand and led him over to one of the tables. ‘Can we sit?’ she asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
He turned his chair so that he was facing her a bit more and nodded at one of the bartenders, who immediately brought over a tray of drinks. Thanking him, Gabriel took two glasses from the tray and handed one to Daisy. ‘That was fun.’
She laughed. ‘It was. I’m a bit of aStrictlyfan and love watching the different dances. I think the Charleston always looks great fun.’
‘I’m so glad you came tonight, Daisy,’ he said, before leaning forward and kissing her quickly on her lips.
Startled but pleased with what he’d just done, she smiled. ‘So am I.’
‘I want you to know that I’m doing everything in my power to sort out my divorce.’
Daisy’s mood plummeted. She hated to be reminded of his situation and that they couldn’t be a couple. ‘Let’s not talk about it tonight.’
