Page 87 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

“But––?”

Ezra’s expression brooked no argument, however, so I rolled my eyes, closed the office door again, and took up the seat next to him.

“What do I do now?” he said.

“You let them in to the meeting,” I said. “They’re in a digital waiting room.”

“How very bizarre,” he frowned. “I must admit, I wasn’t as nervous as this on opening night at the Old Vic.”

He clicked to let the first participant, Caroline, into the call.

Her pretty face appeared on the screen. She was in an office, talking to someone, who I presumed was a work colleague. When she saw me first, an engaging smile broke across her features. “Hi, Bailey. Well, this is a lovely surprise. How are you?” Then her voice vanished when she caught sight of Ezra.

Her eyebrows jumped under her thick, dark fringe. She gave me a hesitant look. “What’s going on?”

Before I could answer, Laura was invited in by Ezra, and her pale features morphed onto the split screen. She appeared to be at home. There was a bookcase behind her and on top of it was a holiday photograph of Laura and a smiley brunette, both gazing into each other’s eyes. That must be her partner.

Ezra offered me several petrified, sideways glances. He reminded me of a deer caught in headlights. “Go on,” I whispered. “Just say the first thing that comes into your head.”

Ezra cleared his throat and studied both images of his daughters on the screen. “Hello. Hello there. Hi. Um … hi.”

Caroline gestured to the colleague hovering beside her, and seemed to be explaining that she needed to take a personal call, though she was on mute so the only sound was Ezra awkwardly greeting his daughters for the first time.

Laura ran a hand through her messy bob and gave Ezra an unfathomable stare.

Caroline sat rigidly in her leather chair. Her lipstick coordinated with the berry shade of her satin blouse and she looked elegant and professional. Like her sister, her eyes scanned Ezra with a look of shock, as though not quite believing it.

“Go on,” I encouraged Ezra.

Ezra gradually began to relax and talk. He faltered at first, struggling to find the right words, but soon the story of his young life and the numerous affairs he’d had came spilling out. I could tell that the girls were wondering where he was going with this story and how long they would have to listen to it before he got to the parts they were specifically interested in. I also noticed he hadn’t asked them anything about themselves. Still, at least he was here and that was a good thing.

“I had a rampant ego that was fuelled by my modelling days in London. I would languish in bed all day then get dressed up and haunt The Marquee Club. I was obsessed with David Bowie and copied everything he wore. Everyone was, to be honest, and we were like glittering jewels amongst the gaudy, neon venues of Soho.”

Ezra smiled at the memory as the three of us listened.

“I had long, shaggy hair, cheekbones you could ski-jump off, and the brash attitude to match.”

He regaled the girls with tales of the strict dress code of Annabel’s nightclub and the various hangers-on that would congregate outside in the hope of gaining access to its hallowed chambers. “It felt rather like you were at a party in someone’s opulent drawing room!” he exclaimed.

Then something clouded in his eyes. I could sense he was gearing up to a revelation and I hoped that Caroline and Laura would bear with him until then.

“I got noticed on the modelling circuit. After RADA, it wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I needed the money and it didn’t take much effort to lean against a wall and look brooding and rebellious.” He rubbed at his chin. “I love what I do – being able to transform into someone else; to inhabit another life – but there’s also a dark side to the industry. I didn’t realise… There were things… Back then I was so naïve, and what I witnessed along the way…”

He trailed off, and I could see that he’d got their attention now.

“Like what?” Caroline asked. I realised these were the first words either of the girls had spoken to their father.

I watched Ezra carefully consider what he was about to say, so as not to cause the girls undue alarm. “You might have heard that my autobiography was released very recently. In it I’ve laid bare many of the traumatic and distasteful memories I carry with me from that time as a young model and actor.”

Laura’s light, whispering voice echoed out. “Yes, we’re reading it now, but we haven’t got to those parts yet… It’s been all over the press, though. Sounds like it’s rather explosive.”

Ezra snorted. “That’s rather an understatement.” He sat back in his chair. “I’ve kept quiet for years because … well, for lots of reasons. Fear, shame, a misguided sense of duty… For a long time, I just wanted to forget it ever happened, but I’m not prepared to do that anymore.” He shifted in his chair. “But now I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve done the right thing.”

“What do you mean?” asked Caroline.

Ezra rooted in his coat pocket, located the note, and held it up to the screen so Caroline and Laura could read it.

“But… My God! Who is it from? And how do they know about us?”