‘Bye,’ said Nina, with distinct relief. She regarded her husband. ‘Can we go now?’
He smiled. ‘Yeah, I think we’re done.’
They headed for the exit. Nobody tried to intercept them. Nina gave silent thanks that the journalists had more famous prey—
‘Dr Wilde? Nina?’
‘Goddamn it,’ she muttered before turning.
To her surprise, the person who had called her name wasn’t a member of the press but an elegantly dressed old lady. Nina guessed she was well into her eighties, white hair drawn into a carefully styled bun. Despite her age, the woman’s green eyes were still bright and intelligent, regarding the redhead with a contemplative, almost approving air. ‘Hello?’ Nina said after an uncomfortable silence.
The woman blinked. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, an upper-class New England accent clear even in just two words. ‘It’s just that… I’ve seen photographs of you, of course, but I hadn’t been prepared for how much you look like Laura in person.’
Nina felt unsettled at her mother’s name being used by a complete stranger. But as she looked back at the elderly woman, the feeling grew — because she was now also experiencing an odd sense of recognition. Something about her was familiar, almost disturbingly so. ‘Do I know you?’
‘No, I’m afraid you don’t. But I did know your mother — and we should talk about her.’
‘What about my mother?’ Nina demanded. ‘Who are you?’
The woman smiled. ‘My name is Olivia Garde. I’m your grandmother.’
4
The lobby’s hubbub seemed to fade as Nina stared at the old lady. ‘That’s… that’s not possible,’ she said. ‘My grandmother died a long time ago.’
‘Yes, I imagine that’s what Laura told you,’ said Olivia, with a small, sad shake of the head. ‘But I can prove that I am who I say. If you’ll let me.’ A glance at the crowd. ‘Perhaps somewhere more quiet?’
Nina was caught between the urge to find out more and telling the impostor — she had to be! — where to go. The former won out. ‘We’re just on our way home. You could meet us there.’
‘Er, Nina?’ said Eddie. ‘We’re putting our three-year-old daughter to bed, remember?’
‘I wouldn’t want to keep Macy awake,’ Olivia told them. ‘I can meet you at your convenience.’
‘No, that’s okay. It’s okay,’ Nina repeated to her disapproving husband. ‘We’ll make it quick. If that’s all right?’ she asked Olivia.
‘That will be perfectly fine,’ the older woman replied. ‘I’ll take a cab. What’s your address?’ Nina gave it. ‘I’ll see you there. Don’t worry — and don’t you worry either, Mr Chase. I’ll explain everything.’
Nina and Eddie watched as she departed. She might have been old, but she still had a steady and determined pace. ‘Wait, she knew who I am. And Macy,’ Eddie said with a frown.
‘That doesn’t mean she really is my grandmother,’ said Nina. ‘She could have just googled me. Hell, I wrote about my parents in the book, so it’s not as if it’s a great secret.’
‘If you don’t believe her, then why’d you invite her to our house?’
‘Because…’ She wasn’t entirely sure herself. ‘Because there’s something about her that… that makes me think she might be telling the truth. I don’t know if she actually is,’ she added, seeing his look of incredulity. ‘But I want to find out for sure.’
‘She’d better not be trying anything on. If this is some con trick…’
‘Eddie, she looked about ninety. She’d have to be one hell of a grifter to try the long-lost-relative routine on us at that age.’
‘Some people never change, however old they get.’ He took her hand. ‘Come on, let’s find out what she’s after.’
The journey home did not take long, but there was little conversation on the way. Despite Eddie’s attempts to engage with her, Nina found herself gazing out of the window, replaying the meeting with Olivia in her mind.
The old woman couldn’t possibly have been telling the truth. That would mean her own mother had lied to her through their entire life together. Nina couldn’t accept that. And why on earth would Laura Wilde have told her daughter that her grandmother was dead if that were not the case…
‘We’re here,’ Eddie said.
‘Huh? Oh. Right.’ Composing herself, she got out as Eddie paid the fare.
A yellow cab was waiting outside their building. ‘Hello again,’ Olivia said as she emerged. ‘I’m glad you agreed to see me.’
‘With a claim like yours, I could hardly say no,’ replied Nina.
‘Thank you.’ The old lady surveyed the surrounding buildings. ‘Quite a nice area. Your grandfather and I once lived not far from here. We had a wonderful view of the park.’
Nina recalled her mother once pointing out a Fifth Avenue apartment building as a childhood home, but said nothing, not wanting to give the woman any hints about her past that she could weave into a fictional narrative. ‘Come inside,’ she said instead as Eddie joined her.
They entered the building. ‘So what were you doing at the premiere?’ Nina asked Olivia. ‘A Grant Thorn action movie doesn’t really seem like your kind of thing.’
Olivia laughed. ‘Oh dear me, no. It was awful nonsense, all shouting and wobbly cameras.’
Nina smiled at Eddie as they boarded the elevator. ‘Told you.’
‘No, I’m quite well known in New York’s social circles. There are few events to which I can’t get an invitation if I choose. In this case, I came specifically to see you. I watched the first five minutes for politeness’ sake, then had a meal at a little place around the corner before coming back. And,’ she went on, with a faint sigh, ‘when I realised who the characters at the beginning were meant to be, it ended any desire I had to see more.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Nina, wanting to see if her guest shared her emotions about the opening scene — and why.
Olivia’s emerald eyes turned upon her, sadness clear in them. ‘The names were different, but they were meant to be your mother and father. My daughter, and her husband. I didn’t want to watch what happened to them.’
‘Nor did I,’ Nina said, lips tightening.
The elevator arrived at the eighth floor. Eddie led the way into the apartment. ‘Holly?’ he called in a low voice. ‘We’re back.’
The thump of a pair of excited little feet jumping from a bed told both parents that any hopes their daughter might be asleep had come to nothing. ‘Daddy!’ cried Macy, running down the hall to greet them. ‘Mommy, hi!’
Eddie embraced her. ‘Ay up, someone’s still awake when she shouldn’t be. You been giving her coffee, Holly?’
‘No, just a few lines of coke,’ said the Englishman’s niece as she followed Macy out of her bedroom. Holly Bennett was currently on the third year of her American Studies degree, spending it in the States as part of an exchange programme. Her eyes grew wide as she saw that her uncle and aunt were not alone. ‘Ooh, sorry! Didn’t realise you had company.’
‘It wasn’t planned,’ Eddie told her pointedly.
‘Holly, this is Olivia Garde, a… friend,’ said Nina. ‘We met her at the premiere.’
‘How was the film?’ Holly asked excitedly. ‘Was Grant Thorn there?’
‘Ludicrous, and yes. Olivia, our niece Holly, and our daughter. Macy.’
Olivia smiled at Macy, who hugged Nina before taking cover behind her, regarding the visitor uncertainly. ‘She’s very pretty. How old is she?’
‘She’s just had her third birthday.’
‘She’s three? They grow up so quickly, don’t they?’ Her expression turned wistful. ‘I can see the family resemblance. She looks a lot like you — and like Laura. She certainly has the same hair.’