Along for the Ride

“How?”

“She was eleven; she simply needed to be treated like a young lady -- she wasn’t a child anymore.”

Jason enjoyed the image of the young Georgie, the rascal of a kitten who was calmly tamed by a glamorous sophisticate. With such a sexy, glamorous lady as her mentor, it was no wonder Georgie had turned out to be such a siren.

“She just needed a guiding friend. Anyway, now that there is less to do, we have a young girl from the village, Maddie, who comes in daily to do bits of housekeepi

ng and food preparation, but otherwise the domain is all mine.” She turned away toward the wall of shelves, stacked with cooking utensils, to select her tools. She glanced out the window. “Ah, here’s Maddie now. Just in time.”

Felice seemed to welcome the chance to feed and entertain him as her new guest. She moved around the kitchen as if it were her stage, every act done with bravado and flourish. She eyed him up all the while, and Jason sat on the edge of his chair, alert to her every movement and the intensity of her continued appraisal.

Maddie was first given the task of sorting forest fruits for a summer pudding, and Jason noticed that she dallied overly long with the gooseberries while she eavesdropped on their conversation, apparently eager for gossip to take back to the village. Meanwhile, Felice created a gourmet omelet in minutes, with duchesse potatoes, crackled ham, and a tossed salad, instructing Maddie as to which herbs she was to collect from the walled garden, and exactly how to pick them. She tossed plump cherry tomatoes and radicchio in her secret-recipe French dressing, and then wielded a cucumber like a weapon before scrolling it into elegant spirals with a carving knife.

The omelet melted in his mouth, both sumptuous and piquant, and while he enjoyed the food she had prepared for him, Felice eyed him up as if he was all those things, too.

As they chatted, he began to piece together the information he was offered, and it suddenly dawned on him that Georgie’s father was David Montgomery, an MP whom he’d had the chance to meet several years earlier when he was a fledgling photographer. He’d been called in to take some portraits to accompany an interview, because the photographer who had been booked had gone off sick. It had turned out to be a real career break for him.

“You know David already?” Felice was surprised.

“If it’s David Montgomery, Randlethorpe seat?”

She nodded, confirming his suspicions, and when the man himself arrived in the middle of the afternoon, the two greeted one another like old comrades. David had very much liked the portrait and had asked for use of it for further publicity material. He claimed that a large, heavily featured man had to grasp every opportunity to appear as debonair to his constituents as Jason had made him look. David was a big bear of a man with woolly eyebrows and craggy features. He could appear distant, which was quite opposite to his personality.

As the afternoon mellowed toward evening, they sat on the terrace with Felice, the three of them discussing the nature of the publicity engine. Felice brought out a tray with glasses and a tall jug of Pimms and lemonade. The two dogs sat either side of David, happily flanking their owner.

“Have you photographed many famous people?” Felice asked

“Several. Although when I’m taking photographs for someone, it’s not really their status but their personality that I’m interested in, and that’s what I attempt to convey.”

“You aren’t one of those dreadful people who wait for movie stars outside restaurants to catch them when they have had one glass of wine too many?” Her tone was teasing.

“No.” Jason’s reply was emphatic, with a warning flicker of the eyebrows. “I prefer to work with someone, and I’m very cautious about the invasion of people’s privacy.” As much as he denied it, his mind was very much preoccupied with that particular subject. “David, you were in the Cabinet when there was that scandal, the minister’s wife who had been involved in nude sex shots years earlier?”

“Oh, yes, the Pendlebury affair.” David reflected. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s a curious subject, people’s reactions.” Jason grew thoughtful. “To one extent or another, we all have photos taken of us in the past that we don’t like, that will continue to exist ... immortalized on celluloid. It’s the idea that they can be so damaging to a career that concerns me.”

“Publish and be damned.” David slapped the table with his hand for emphasis. “I agree with you precisely; we all have skeletons to one degree or another. People shouldn’t be judged by their past. If it ever happened to me or someone close to me, I’d say face up to it and ride the storm, whatever the controversy. At the end of the day, you have to believe that no publicity is bad publicity. It’s just about whether people can face up to it bravely and soldier on.”

Jason reflected on what had been said. In theory it was true, but the bottom line was that he hadn’t wanted to be responsible for putting Zoë in that position, where she had to decide whether to be brave or to buckle.

“Georgina!” David exclaimed suddenly, pushing back his chair and causing the dogs to bound up, as well.

Cal and Georgie were on the steps to the terrace, approaching the party assembled there. David grabbed his daughter into his arms and crushed her against him. “It’s been too long, princess.”

“It’s only been twelve weeks, Dad.” Georgie looked pleased to see him but slightly embarrassed at her overwhelming bear of a father.

“Your friend, Jason, he took that photo we used in the campaign three years ago.”

“Really?” Georgie smiled at Jason proudly.

“And this must be Calvin, the artist?” David glanced at the sketchbook tucked under Cal’s arm. He put out his hand in greeting.

“Very pleased to meet you.” Cal shook his hand while David looked around at the gathering, beaming to himself, a man who was happy with his family and friends around him.

“I think the occasion gives just cause for a visit to the village pub, and a true heart-of-England meal, to celebrate.”

Behind him Felice rolled her eyes. She’d obviously been thwarted in her plan to fuss over their needs. However, Jason noticed she didn’t spoil his plans and went along with them.