‘Fine,’ she huffs. ‘If you must know, your dear darling sister was blackmailing me.’
I drop my defensive stance. Dina was blackmailingCassie? This is not what I was expecting. Not at all. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘If you’d let me finish… quite soon after I became famous, she got in touch with me. I thought it was weird because although you and I were friends, I never really had a lot to do with your sister. Dina kept herself to herself. Don’t think I’d ever done much more than nod in her direction.’
‘How do you mean,she got in touch? She’d left the country by then.’
‘Yeah, well, she called me. No idea how she got my mobile number. Probably through some moron friend from school.’ Cassie takes a pack of cigarettes from her coat pocket and pulls one out. ‘God, I’m dying for a ciggie, but it’s far too cold to stand out there.’
‘So? What did she want?’
‘What most people want of course – money.’ Cassie curls her lip.
‘And what was she holding over your head?’
‘Oh, it was something and nothing. The little cow was clutching at straws.’
‘So you never paid her?’
Cassie puts the unlit cigarette in her mouth for a moment.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, miss,’ the woman on reception calls over. ‘You can’t smoke in here.’
‘It’s not lit!’ Cassie waves the cigarette and rolls her eyes at the woman before turning back to me with a sigh. ‘I did pay her.’
‘You did? So why—?’
‘Because I had this gig as a TV presenter on a kids’ show and Dina was threatening to tell the papers that I used to deal drugs.’
I snap my mouth closed at Cassie’s revelation, stunned at Dina’s audacity. Yet at the same time, not surprised at all.
‘It was all a bunch of crap.’ Cassie pouts. ‘I bought a bit of weed at college and sold it to some of my friends. No biggie. I think I even got you to try a spliff once, remember? Anyway, Dina said she’d bought some off me one time – I don’t even remember if that’s true. But she must have realised it could hurt my career. She bled a few thousand out of me over the next couple of years. I couldn’t think how to get rid of her, so I had no choice; I had to keep paying her off. Until one day she just stopped asking.’
‘When was this? When did she stop asking?’
‘Just before your wedding, actually. That was the last demand. I remember it because she asked me to put the money into a different bank account that time – a British account.’
I try to stop myself from physically reacting to this last piece of information. To keep my face as neutral as possible. ‘I’m sorry she did that to you, Cassie.’
‘Yeah, well, so am I. She better not show her face around here again, that’s all I’m saying.’
I nod, realising that Dina’s behaviour might have something to do with the way Cassie’s been treating me lately. It doesn’t excuse her, but at least it sheds some light on it. ‘Thanks for telling me.’
Cassie shrugs. ‘It’s all in the past now.’
I think of the two instances I’ve spotted Dina around Shaftesbury recently. Of the silent phone calls I’ve been receiving. If she really is back, then I have to hope she’s changed, because it wasn’t just Cassie that my sister treated badly; the last time she called me, she was way out of line. Almost out of control. I feel an overwhelming urge to confront my sister right now. To have it out with her. If I spot Dina again, I won’t hesitate to go after her. To make her explain why she treated me the way she did. Why she was so dismissive of everything I did for her. Why she seems to hate me so much. I give myself a shake to try to dislodge these bitter emotions. ‘Okay, well, I better get back to my party.’
Cassie doesn’t reply. She merely nods and walks away towards the lounge, presumably to retrieve her boyfriend.
After that, the hours pass in a haze of dancing, eating, drinking, speeches and loved-up chatter. I even dance with Madeline and Kim, who seem to have returned to their usual friendly selves – whether this is a permanent state of affairs, or just an act put on for tonight, I don’t actually care. Once the band gets going, Celia and Malcolm come onto the floor for a couple of dances, but otherwise they stay seated at a table with a lively group of their friends.
Dad made it to the party for a full half hour before retiring to the lounge bar at the other end of the hotel, happy enough to sit by the fire with his newspaper and a pint of real ale. Miraculously, he took me up on my offer to stay over at the hotel with us for the weekend. But it wasn’t because he wanted to celebrate our anniversary – his central heating packed up yesterday and the spare part he needs for the boiler won’t be back in stock until Monday. He told me this weekend away was perfect timing, as apparently the house is like an icebox and there’s snow forecast for tonight. Of course, I’d rather he’d have come here for me and Toby, but my dad is my dad. He’s not about to change his personality any time soon.
The party finally begins to wind down, and I find myself sitting on a bar stool chatting to my schoolfriends Lou and Danny about this week’s encounters with Cassie. Apparently it isn’t just me she’s been annoying with her self-centred behaviour.
From the corner of my eye, I spot Madeline leaving the room. I still haven’t had a chance to speak to her properly tonight. I’d like to have at least a quick chat before tomorrow. Make sure everything’s good between us. I excuse myself and go after her, trying my best to stay upright in my ridiculous heels before slipping them off one by one and sighing with ecstasy as my feet are released from their torture.
‘Hey, Madeline!’
