CHAPTER 2
It was nearing the end of a glorious summer's day, the hills of Lakewood alive with birdsong, the trees in full bloom swaying gently in the light breeze, sweet flower scents filling the air. The Ardlay Mansion was bathing in the late afternoon sun, splendidly decorated with subtle lights, stunning floral displays and beautifully arranged dinner tables for a few special guests on the great terrace overlooking the rose garden. The orchestra was playing a leisurely tune in the background, while the servants were busy attending to the requests of the visitors.
Everyone was seated enjoying a scrumptious meal in the midst of animated conversation and effortless laughter, a bunch of children running around playing and shouting merrily, when a tall, blond young man with light blue eyes and a confident smile stood up and tapped the edge of his wine glass with his knife to get the attention of the audience.
The chattering swiftly stopped, and all looked at the handsome man who was about to start talking.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please let me welcome you formally to our home and to this very special occasion. I am Anthony Ardlay and we are here today to celebrate the 30th wedding anniversary of Sir William Albert and Candy Ardlay! Please, would you raise your glasses to the health and happiness of this wonderful couple I am honoured to call my beloved parents!"
He raised his glass "To Albert and Candy!"
"To Albert and Candy!" the audience chanted.
He turned to look towards his parents who were both beaming with pride; Albert bent and kissed tenderly his wife and then he got up still holding her hand in his.
"Anthony, my son, thank you for your kind words which they mean so much to both your mother and me. Dear guests, it is indeed a great pleasure to have you all here with us today. Thank you very much for joining us in marking this very special occasion. It has been 30 years, but as I stand here before you, I still cannot believe that this beautiful, enchanting, amazing woman (Candy's cheeks turned bright red) who has brought immense happiness to my life all these years, agreed to become my wife..."
Albert's speech was going on in the midst of applause and cheering from the invited guests, but Candy wasn't listening any longer. She looked up at her husband's handsome figure, as attractive and imposing as always in his suit, his stature largely unaffected by all the years that passed since their wedding day and let her mind take her back in time, to another warm sunny day, when a 17-year old Candy White ran up Pony's Hill...
***
"I am so happy, I am so happy, I can hardly contain myself ... I will go out and find Albert..."
Before anyone could even say anything to her, Candy had rushed out of the orphanage door and up the hill she had ran up to so many times...
"I am back Pony's Hill! Ah, my homeland! "
Within minutes she reached her favourite plateau, the very place where years ago as a little girl she had first met her Prince... she stopped to catch her breath. She looked around her taking in the peaceful scenery, gazing up at the fluffy white clouds in the sky and reminisced....
"Anthony was not able to come here... and that winter day when Terry climbed up here all alone..." Stear's laughing face crossed her mind's eye and her heart filled with a stabbing pain...
"I have so many memories on this hill, tears, laughter..." Candy's eyes welled with sad tears.
"Little girl you are much prettier when you smile". Candy turned around startled... momentarily numb and speechless, when she realised that the words had been uttered by none else than... Albert? Albert! Her Prince of the Hill was ALBERT!?
"You are much prettier when you smile..." his words echoed into her head... that sweet voice, blond hair, those blue eyes ... and then it suddenly all made perfect sense! There he was, standing next to a tree smiling at her, his blond unruly hair framing his handsome face, his deep blue eyes looking at her with so much warmth and kindness, she thought her heart would burst with happiness!
Still shaken, she took a couple of shy steps towards him, whispering "Albert, Uncle William... and then...my Prince!"
"Candy..." said Albert, tenderly, the way he looked at her a big affectionate embrace in itself.
And then, she stopped thinking, for there was nothing to think about, she just ran to him, ran into his open arms and hugged him with all her might,
"Albert, dear Albert, all these years, you, you took care of me, all these years, your brooch was my previous treasure, my comfort, the evidence that I had really met you, that you were not a child's dream... oh Albert, Albert..." she kept mumbling incoherently into his arms.
Albert held her tight and buried his face in her sweet-smelling hair, his own thoughts full of the memories of this little girl, a girl whose smiles he loved more than anything else,
Candy, I will never forget your smiles. I will never forget you. Candy...
They stayed embraced for a while, Candy lost in the memories of that first encounter and sobbing lightly, Albert content to just be there with her, the two of them, alone, free at last from past secrets.
Eventually she went quiet, and he gently pushed her away from him, lifted slowly her chin for her to face him and said,
"Come on now, there is a party organised in your honour, we shouldn't be keeping our friends waiting, eh, what do you say?"
Candy nodded;
"Yes, our friends are waiting for us, so let's go and enjoy this wonderful day with them."
They walked down the hill together, Candy turning to look at Albert from time to time, still trying to come to terms with the shocking revelations of the past few days. Her close friend, Uncle William... and now her Prince!
Despite the deeply emotional time every one of the visitors was going through at the time, the party on Pony's hill was a great success, perhaps a bitter-sweet reprieve from the private pain each of them was going through. Patty, Archie and Annie still heartbroken from Stear's recent death, Candy, mourning both her lost love and beloved dead friend, and Albert, trying to stay strong for the sake of everyone in the family.
He lost yet another nephew, he saw his precious adopted daughter suffer so much from her separation from Terry, and now, the head of the grand Ardlay family, a thousand worries and business concerns on his shoulders... but somehow, being up in the hills, temporarily detached from the anguish of those recent events had a strange healing power on all of them. The warmth and hospitality of Miss Pony and Sister Mary, the joyful sounds of the children laughing and teasing, their happy games with Meena of course, the kind company of Tom and Mr Stephen, all helped take their mind away from the dark grip of recent events even if for a little while.
Candy looked around the table at all her friends, and a wave of immense affection and calmness filled her heart. She was so lucky to be loved by so many wonderful people, to have had her life enriched by them, each one helping her grow in their own way. She knew she had a long way to go before her heart would be whole again, but she was determined to face the future with courage and hope for a better tomorrow!
Her eyes lingered on Albert for a little while, her newly re-discovered Prince of the hill, sharing generously his contagious smile with everyone around him, looking out for the kids and telling them interesting stories from his days travelling abroad. She stood up and raised her glass;
"A toast!" she exclaimed. "To all our friends, present and gone, and to all of you for helping me overcome all difficulties in life!"
***
"I would also like to make another significant announcement", Albert continued his speech.
"As I am sure you can tell, Candy and I are not getting any younger (there was laughter from the guests at that point, "ha, we've heard all that before Albert" shouted someone "you're not convincing anyone my friend!" offered another, "he still climbs trees, you know!" added a third), "so ha-ha, yes, OK, OK" Albert laughed big-heartedly too.
"Anyway we have decided to take time out and go back to travelling around the world. We wish to be more closely involved with the numerous charity projects we have initiated over the years, and feel this is the right time for us to withdraw from the public eye and spend more quality time with each other."
Candy looked up at him affectionately and smiled. Albert brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.
"This also means, that from now on, our son Anthony will take over as the head of the Ardlay family, with assistance of course both from us but also his sisters, Elroy and Rosemary."
There was another round of applause, as Anthony approached his father to give him and his mother a warm embrace.
"But enough of speeches, Ladies and Gentlemen, let's all get on with enjoying this great party!"
Oh, Albert, Candy thought to herself, I love you so very much.... How can I ever thank you for all you've done for me over the years. I met you as a little girl, I grew up sheltered in the shadow of your ceaseless care and affection, I became a woman in your arms, I brought our children into this world with you by my side, and here I am now, facing the twilight of our lives again standing next to you, my wonderful husband, my friend, my soul mate...
"Well, my darling, I think we are expected to lead the first dance" he interrupted her thoughts.
He offered his arm to her and she followed him smilingly to the dance floor, her lovely gown graciously swaying with each step. He held her close to him, breathing in her perfume, as he had done so many times before and moved them along to the slow, romantic tune played by the orchestra. Candy rested her head on his chest, closed her eyes, savouring every moment of that magic evening... 30 years Albert, 30 years of all of life's ups and downs and yet, if I were to use one phrase to describe it all, it would have to be unimaginable joy.
"Albert", she said looking straight into his deep blue eyes, "I want you to know that if I had to live my life all over again, I wouldn't change anything. Nothing at all... thank you for bringing so much happiness into my life, my husband, my Prince."
Albert kissed her forehead tenderly and then looked at her softly, his eyes betraying the depth of emotion he had for her, then whispered "I am the one who should be thanking you, my love. I simply can't imagine living a single moment without you, Candy".
He pulled her tighter towards him. They kissed and let the mellifluous music take them away in its slow rhythm...
***