‘Oh, so you think me being in agony is funny, do you?’ remarked Keith in his old good-humoured way.
‘Not at all,’ Nina said, pleased that he had tried to help, even if it had gone painfully wrong for him. It explained why he looked so drawn. ‘I’m just picturing you in your Superman cape.’
‘Now you’re making fun of me.’
‘Maybe just a tiny bit. Come with me and I’ll find you a nice comfortable chair, and a drink.’
She had rounded up some glasses of wine and had Keith seated when she heard a sudden noise that cut through the buzzing hubbub of people enjoying themselves. She scanned the gallery, seeking out the source of what had sounded like somebody in distress. Her gaze eventually settled on the farthest corner from her.
She wasn’t the only one whose attention had been attracted by the noise. Amongst others, Jakob was also staring in the same direction as Nina and in unison, they both began moving towards the focus of the commotion. Once there, they found Venetia on the floor with Cassie kneeling on one side of her and on the other side, of all people, was Saul.
Instructing everyone to stand back and make room, and sending Jakob off to fetch a chair while wondering if she should call for an ambulance, Nina was relieved to see Venetia open her eyes. Clearly dazed, and the colour drained from her face, Venetia looked up at Nina, then Cassie, and then, turning her head to look into Saul’s face, she gave a small gasp.
‘It is you, isn’t it?’ she murmured.
‘I’m afraid it is,’ he said, his voice low and shaky.
‘In that case,’ Venetia said, easing herself into a sitting position, ‘you have some explaining to do.’
As well as finding a chair, Jakob returned with a glass of water and at her own insistence, Venetia was soon declaring herself perfectly fit and well and telling everyone to stop fussing.
‘I fainted, that was all. And don’t you dare think of calling an ambulance!’ This was aimed at Ronnie, who had now joined them with Ben and had his mobile in his hand and an agitated expression on his face.
‘But what made you faint?’ he wanted to know. ‘Nobody faints without there being a reason. And usually it’s a bad reason.’
When Venetia didn’t answer, it was Cassie who spoke. She pointed an accusing finger at Saul, and said, ‘Ask him. He knows why Venetia fainted; it was because she was so shocked at seeing him.’
With all eyes now on Saul, he said, ‘I’m an old friend from way back.’
‘You were a bit more than that,’ Cassie said sharply. ‘I heard what she called you when she recognised you, and it wasn’t Saul!’
‘Cassie, darling,’ said Venetia, ‘I expect he’s as shocked to see me as I am at seeing him after all this time. After all, it is more than sixty years since we last saw each other. I’m just sorry I overreacted by fainting. It was most undignified of me.’
‘Is Saul your childhood friend, Lucien?’ asked Nina in astonished disbelief.
Venetia looked up at the grizzled man standing next to her and when he gave a small nod as though giving her permission to go ahead, she nodded in turn. ‘Yes, Nina,’ she said, ‘he’s the very dear friend I told you about.’
‘The one who ran off and never had the decency to let you know where he was or that he was okay?’ said Cassie.
‘Cassie, my dear, you sound so cross, please don’t be. Not when there’s so much to be happy about.’
‘But I am cross,’ Cassie said, heatedly, ‘because when you fainted, I thought you’d died! And I think you’ll agree, that was pretty upsetting!’
‘But it wasn’t his fault.’
‘It was his fault for running out on you all those years ago.’
Nina realised that the anger Cassie was displaying echoed the way she had reacted when Nina had told her all that Venetia had shared with her about Lucien, how he’d disappeared and leftVenetia broken-hearted as a sixteen-year-old girl. Understandably, abandonment to Cassie was practically the worst thing that anyone could do to another person.
Stepping forward, Ben put a solicitous arm around Cassie. ‘I think maybe we should let Venetia and Saul, or whatever his name is, have a few minutes alone together, don’t you?’
Reluctantly, they did just that, but not without casting curious backward glances. Nina and Jakob were immediately approached by several guests keen to make a purchase and it was when the necessary paperwork had been completed that Nina felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Cassie.
‘Come quick,’ she whispered, ‘they’re leaving!’
‘Who’s leaving?’
‘Venetia and Lucien!’
