Unexpected Blessings

  ‘I bet he said “just like Paula,” because my mother thinks she has to feed the starving multitudes, truly believes she’s Mother Earth.’

  ‘I know she does, and yes he did say that. Nicely.’

  ‘Oh, I know. Gideon adores my mother.’

  ‘Who doesn’t? Anyway, getting back to my sketches, in particular I took this area as my model, Linnet, but instead of small, self-contained boutiques I made an open-floor plan…’ Evan glanced around, and added, ‘That way, with no real walls, or entrances into boutiques, the customer feels no constraints, can see everything, well almost. Oh goodness, there’s my mother!’

  ‘Where?’ Linnet asked, glancing around, a look of expectancy on her face. ‘I don’t see anyone who could possibly be your mother, Evan.’

  ‘Over there, the woman looking at the négligées. The blonde.’

  ‘The blonde! That’s your mother? Gosh, I can hardly believe it. She looks like your sister.’

  ‘Not quite.’ Evan giggled, and then taking hold of Linnet’s arm she purposefully hurried her across the floor, exclaiming, ‘Hello, Mom! Fancy seeing you here!’ as Marietta Hughes swung around.

  Her face lit up at the sight of her daughter. ‘Hi, Evan honey. I was going to call you when I’d finished here.’

  ‘Mom, I’d like you to meet Linnet O’Neill. And Linnet, this is my mother.’

  The two women, both beaming, shook hands, and then Marietta said, ‘You look very young to be the boss.’

  Linnet began to laugh. ‘I am too young to be the boss, and anyway, I’m not. My mother runs Harte’s, Mrs Hughes.’

  ‘Oh, I know that. I mean Evan’s boss. That’s what she always says, Linnet’s my boss.’

  ‘I bet I know why you’re browsing through all these gorgeous nightgowns, Mom. You’re looking for something special for Angharad, who you’re convinced is going to be a bride soon.’

  Marietta gave her daughter a bright smile and shook her head slowly. ‘Why no, I wasn’t looking for something for your sister. I was browsing for myself.’

  This comment startled Evan, but she managed to keep a neutral look on her face and answered, ‘Oh, well, there are some lovely things here, Mom. Linnet does a lot of the buying.’ She turned to Linnet, and went on, ‘What do you think would be suitable for my mother?’

  ‘Let’s go down to the other end, Mrs Hughes, I know just the designer for you. I think you’ll love her nightgowns and négligées.’

  ‘Thanks, Linnet, and please call me Marietta.’

  Linnet inclined her head, smiled, and taking hold of Marietta’s arm she led her to the other end of the nightgown section and a series of well-stocked racks.

  Evan followed, walking behind Linnet and her mother. Today Marietta was wearing a pale-blue cotton skirt, matching cotton shirt, and high-heeled blue sandals. Evan couldn’t help thinking what great legs her mother had. Funny, but she’d never noticed her legs before. Of course not. Her mother had been in a dressing gown or trousers for most of her life.

  Once more, innumerable questions ran through Evan’s head. What had wrought this extraordinary change in her mother? She had no idea and she was riddled with curiosity. She made up her mind to find out. As soon as she possibly could.

  Tessa sat at her desk staring into space, thinking about her impending trip to Paris, feeling suddenly ambivalent about it. She wondered if she’d made a mistake, agreeing to go with her twin when he went to start the movie.

  The thought of leaving Adele alone with Elvira worried her, even though they would be at Pennistone Royal, which was now a fortress, thanks to Jack Figg and his security systems. When she had voiced her worries to Lorne yesterday, he had suggested she ask Linnet to spend the weekend at Pennistone Royal in order to keep an eye on Adele. ‘She’ll never refuse you, Tess,’ Lorne had said, had reminded her how much Linnet loved the little girl. ‘Go on, ask Linny, you’ll see, she’ll say yes.’

  And so this morning she had approached Linnet, admittedly a little tentatively, and had been happily surprised when her half-sister had so readily agreed. Half-sister. That’s the way she always thought of Linnet. Just as she thought of Shane as her step-father, which he was, but he had treated her like his own, and she knew how much he loved her. But they were O’Neills and she was a Fairley, and somehow she could never forget that. On the other hand, Linnet had behaved like a true sister when Adele was stolen by Mark. She had taken charge, done all the right things, and because of Linnet everything had been handled with the minimum of fuss for the maximum of success…

  The shrilling phone on her desk interrupted her thoughts, and she reached for it. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Is that you, Tessa?’ a woman’s voice asked.

  ‘Yes, it is. Who am I speaking to?’

  ‘It’s Great-Aunt Edwina,’ the Dowager Countess of Dunvale announced, bellowing down the phone like a bustling British general about to lead his troops into battle. ‘Have you forgotten me, Tessa Fairley?’ she went on. ‘I certainly think so! I haven’t heard from you in the longest time.’

  ‘I haven’t forgotten you at all, Great-Aunt Edwina. In fact, I was talking to India about you the other day, and we–’

  ‘How is that granddaughter of mine? It strikes me she’s become decidedly elusive lately. Haven’t heard from her either. Never mind, you’re both very young, no time for an old lady like me, what?’

  ‘Please don’t say that!’ Tessa exclaimed, feeling guilty about neglecting her great-aunt, and also wondering why Edwina was phoning her. There was always a reason when she made a call. Suddenly Tessa thought of Dusty Rhodes and the stabbing, wondering if Edwina had got wind of it. But how? Easily. She lived near Harrogate, just outside Knaresborough, and news travelled fast, bad news travelled faster. And there was also Uncle Robin who lived nearby at Lackland Priory, and spoke to Evan all the time, who no doubt filled him in about everything.

  Clearing her throat, Tess said, ‘India and I were talking about giving a dinner party for you, Great-Aunt Edwina, and the only reason I haven’t phoned you is because–’

  ‘Adele was abducted,’ Edwina interrupted. ‘I’m glad Linnet managed to foil that terrible husband of yours. And that the child is safe. Now, what’s this about a dinner party? Why would you and India give a dinner party for an old lady like me? And who would come, eh? Now answer that one, Tessa Fairley.’

  ‘Your son and daughter-in-law would certainly come–’

  ‘Bah! Rubbish. All the way from Ireland. Forget it. Anthony never moves too far from those damned bogs of his.’

  ‘They would come, Great-Aunt, and so would your grandchildren, and Mummy and Shane, and I’d come, and what about your brother and sister, Robin and Elizabeth? And there’s Emily and Winston. The whole family would come, I’m sure of it.’

  ‘And would my darling India bring her new boyfriend, do you think? The famous artist.’

  ‘You’d have to ask her,’ Tessa murmured, noncommittally, afraid to be drawn into a discussion about Russell Rhodes, unaware of how much the old countess knew. Probably everything, she thought to herself, groaning inside.

  ‘I want to see you and India. And as soon as possible,’ Edwina said.

  ‘Oh. Is something wrong, Great-Aunt?’

  ‘No. Well, not that I know of, but I am ninety-five, you know. Still in fine fettle, mind you, ready to tackle anything or anyone. So, how about it? When are you two likely to be in Yorkshire?’

  ‘We both have to be there this coming week. We’re revamping the Harrogate and Leeds stores,’ Tessa explained quietly, more than ever worried now.

  ‘Then I’d better see you then. You’ll come to dinner at Niddersley House. Please be good enough to inform India. I can’t reach her on the phone. And let me know tomorrow at the latest which evening you’ll come to supper.’

  ‘Yes, Great-Aunt Edwina. What about our dinner–’

  ‘We’ll discuss that when I see you next week.’

  ‘I’ll try to find India. She must be somewhere in th
e store, out on the floor.’

  ‘When you do find her, please have her telephone me. And thank you, Tessa. Goodbye.’

  ‘’Bye, Great-Aunt. I’ll tell India to give you a buzz, and we’ll see you next week.’

  Tessa hung up, sat back in the chair, and wondered what this was all about. She couldn’t help asking herself if Edwina knew about the stabbing, that question rearing up again as it had a few minutes ago. How could she know? Robin could have told her. After all, they were siblings.

  My God, she’s the oldest of the lot, Tessa suddenly thought. Emma Harte’s first child, born when Emma was only sixteen, out of wedlock. Only daughter of Edwin Fairley. And a true Fairley right down to her boots, even though she was illegitimate. Aunt of her father, Jim Fairley, who had been Edwin’s grandson. God, what complications in this family, she thought.

  Opening her engagement book, Tessa turned to the coming week, flipped the pages, looking for a night to go over to Niddersley House. And she noticed at once that she was due to fly to Paris on Thursday evening with Lorne. Thursday August 30th, 2001. And her mother was coming back from New York on September 5th.

  We’ll have to go to dinner with Edwina on Monday or Tuesday, Tessa decided, because she would have to return to London on Wednesday afternoon.

  Closing the book, she stood up, grabbed her mobile, slipped it in her jacket pocket and went out into the store, looking for her cousin India, knowing she must relay the messages from her grandmother.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  ‘I’m pleased we bumped into each other the way we did,’ Marietta Hughes said, smiling across at Evan. Mother and daughter were having lunch together in The Birdcage, one of the restaurants in the store. Chatting away easily, sipping their water as they waited for their food, they were completely relaxed with each other.

  ‘So am I, Mom,’ Evan responded, ‘and Saturday is always a good day for me. I’m usually working on my computer, catching up on paperwork. It gets really hectic during the week.’

  ‘I was going to call you after I’d strolled around the store, but I’m afraid I got caught up admiring the beautiful nightgowns,’ Marietta explained with a girlish laugh. ‘Imagine that, at my age.’

  Evan merely nodded, sat gazing at her mother, thinking that Linnet’s words of an hour ago had been so true; Marietta didn’t look old enough to be her mother. She was forty-nine, soon to be fifty, yet she appeared much younger. Did she look suddenly youthful because she was obviously not suffering from depression? Was she happier and less burdened down with the problems of her illness? Or was it something else as well as better health? A face job maybe? No, her father didn’t have that kind of disposable income to pay for plastic surgery. Well, yes, he did actually, since his mother’s death; Glynnis Hughes had left both her and her father small legacies.

  ‘You’re staring at me, Evan. Have I got dirt on my face? Or don’t you like the way I’m dressed?’

  Evan blinked, swiftly exclaimed, ‘Don’t be silly, Mom, of course you don’t have dirt on your face! And to be honest, I think you look great. Just as you did last night. If you want to know the truth that’s why I’m staring at you like this. You’ve undergone such a change it’s fantastic. You’re such a different woman I can hardly believe it.’

  ‘Sure you can, you’re seeing it and seeing is believing, isn’t it, Evan Hughes? Remember when I used to say that to you when you were little…’ Her mother’s voice trailed off when she saw the sudden puzzlement on Evan’s face.

  Then Evan cried, ‘Of course, I remember! When I doubted there was a Santa Claus you said, “Seeing is believing,” and you and Grandma took me to the local department store to meet him one Christmas.’

  Pleased that she had remembered Marietta broke into smiles, took a sip of her water, and remarked, ‘You were such a lovely child.’

  Evan leaned across the table and said in a conspiratorial whisper, ‘Come on, Mommy, ’fess up, tell me what’s happened?’ When Marietta remained silent, Evan volunteered, ‘You’re on a new medication, aren’t you? And it’s changed your life, hasn’t it?’

  Marietta still didn’t say anything and after a moment Evan sat back in the chair and waited. As the silence dragged on she wondered if her mother was upset, resented her probing, and she reached out, took hold of her hand, squeezed it. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t pry this way. It’s just that I’m thrilled you look so great, that you seem a bit better in health.’

  ‘I’m a lot better, and you’re not prying. And I do want to talk to you, Evan, but I don’t know where to begin.’

  ‘Begin at the beginning,’ Evan suggested, ‘and take as long as you want. I’m pretty much finished for the day, so I’ve plenty of time. And naturally I’m all ears.’

  ‘The beginning, yes…it started last February, just after you left. I don’t know whether you remember Auntie Dottie. She was my mother’s sister and she lived in LA, not far from my mother. They were very close until Mom died.’

  ‘I remember her vaguely; you used to talk about her sometimes. She’d worked as an actress in films when she was young, in the forties.’

  ‘That’s correct,’ Marietta said, looking surprised. ‘I can’t believe you even remember that, you only met her a couple of times when she came East with her husband on business. You were very small at the time. I was her only niece and she usually made a big effort to see me. Auntie Dottie was married to Howard Kempson. He was head of publicity at Ardent Pictures until his death about ten years ago.’

  ‘Do you know, I recall his death. You were upset, and that must have made an impression on me. Or you did, telling me stories about her working in pictures, and how she and Howard met.’

  Marietta laughed. ‘She was only ever a bit-actress, but the family loved to boast about her movie career.’

  The waitress arrived with their tomato salads, refilled their glasses with iced tea, and hurried away.

  After a forkful of tomato salad, Evan urged, ‘So continue the story.’

  ‘In February, Auntie Dottie came to New York, to attend the fiftieth wedding anniversary of an old girlfriend from her Hollywood days. And we got together. She was pleased I was doing relatively well, but thought I should really be doing much better. She told me about her friend, Dr Anna Marcello, and insisted I make an appointment to see her.’ Marietta put down her fork, and leaned towards Evan. ‘I’ll never forget Auntie Dottie’s parting shot. She said, “Get up, get going and get a life. Before it’s too late, Mari.” I guess her words…just galvanized me.’

  ‘Sometimes we all need that kind of push from someone we trust.’

  ‘I went to see Dr Marcello, who did take me in hand,’ Marietta said. ‘She gave me new medication and superior health care. But it wasn’t only that which helped me to change for the better. Something else occurred.’

  ‘Tell me,’ Evan urged, her attention riveted on her mother.

  ‘Not long after Auntie Dottie’s visit to New York she died. She was in her eighties but seemed very fit to me, and she wasn’t a bit senile. She’d only been back on the West Coast a week or so when she had a fatal heart attack. To cut to the chase, as she would’ve said, she left me everything. Her apartment in Brentwood, some stocks, and her jewellery. It’s mostly costume but some of it is vintage and it’s very nice. Anyway, as it said in her will, I received all her worldly possessions.’

  ‘Just imagine you becoming an heiress, and all of a sudden, Mom. So unexpectedly.’

  ‘I didn’t inherit a fortune,’ Marietta laughed, ‘far from it.’

  ‘What did Dad say?’

  ‘Not much.’

  ‘Wasn’t he pleased?’ Evan asked, looking nonplussed for a moment.

  ‘Not really.’

  ‘But why not, Mom?’

  ‘Because by dying and leaving me her money and all, Auntie Dottie had changed the circumstances of my life. She’d made me independent.’

  Evan gaped at her mother, flabbergasted. ‘Dad didn’t like it? Because you didn’t need him a
nymore? Financially, that is. You’re saying that, aren’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I am.’

  ‘How awful. But you’ve been married to each other all of your lives. Since you were twenty-one, Mommy! He couldn’t possibly think you were going to walk out on him now, because your aunt left you money. Or could he?’

  ‘I don’t know what he thought then, or thinks now, Evan. Your father never discusses it with me,’ Marietta answered, and drank some of her iced tea. ‘You know, I did take Auntie Dottie’s advice last February and went to Dr Marcello. And I was glad I had listened to her. So after her death and receiving the inheritance, I decided I must absolutely take charge of my life. And my inheritance as well.’

  ‘Because you know that’s what your aunt wanted you to do, right?’

  ‘Exactly. I contacted a real-estate broker on the Coast and put Auntie Dottie’s apartment up for rent. Furnished, of course. The broker had a deal for me within the week, and I now have a regular income from that. I didn’t sell the stocks, I kept them, and what money my aunt had in her bank account when she died I transferred to a bank in Manhattan. Where I had opened an account.’

  ‘Mom, I’m so proud of you! Congratulations!’

  ‘Thanks, that’s praise indeed, Evan, coming from you.’

  ‘I mean every word.’

  ‘I just want to say this, I haven’t gone mad with the money, you know. I’ve just bought a couple of new things. It’s nice to have some pretty clothes to wear. For a change.’

  Marietta sounded so wistful when she said this, Evan looked up and stared at her mother. Hadn’t her mother ever had any nice things in the past? Not really, not that she could remember. Was that her father’s fault? Hadn’t he given her mother money to buy pretty things? Maybe he hadn’t been able to afford it then, in those days. Don’t blame him, Evan cautioned herself. Mom was very sick, always so sad, down in the dumps, depressed. Yes, Dad did his best, I’m sure of it, but he was awfully discouraged at times.