Emma's Secret

  Eventually Evan fell asleep, curled up against Gideon’s back, one arm thrown over his body, one leg entwined with his. Her last thought was that this was where she wanted to be for the rest of her life. With him always.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Paula glanced at the full-sized portrait of Emma Harte hanging over the fireplace in her office, and said to Emily, ‘Grandy would be very proud of you, Dumpling, you’ve done a wonderful job the way you’ve run Harte Enterprises.’

  ‘She’d be proud of all of us, actually, and I do think you’ll have to stop calling me Dumpling. It’s a most unsuitable name for a middle-aged woman. Quite embarrassing, actually.’

  Paula started to laugh. ‘I agree, but I can’t help it, darling. I started calling you Dumpling when you were four or five years old, and I guess it’s a habit that’s hard to break.’

  ‘Try.’

  ‘I will’

  There was a small pause, and Emily glanced around Paula’s office, suddenly exclaiming, ‘Gosh, it’s like spring in here with all your wonderful flowering plants, and the daffodils look beautiful. I wish I had your green fingers. You’ve always been able to make things grow ever since we were little.’

  ‘It’s just luck really. Well, Emily, let’s go over the guest lists for Winston’s and Shane’s birthday party. I see you have pretty much included everyone I put on my list, so we’re in agreement there. I don’t think there’s anyone to add.’

  ‘I think there is. One person is missing, Paula,’ Emily remarked, settling back in the chair on the other side of Paula’s partners’ desk, which had once belonged to Emma, as had this office.

  With a small frown, Paula asked, ‘Who did I miss?’

  ‘Evan Hughes.’

  ‘But she’s not family,’ Paula began and stopped abruptly. ‘Of course! Gideon’s been taking her out, so Linnet tells me, and obviously you think he’ll want to bring her with him. But will it last until June? It’s only March now. Or is this serious?’

  ‘Yes, it’s the first time he’s ever been serious about a woman in his life. You know the story…how he found her looking for the executive offices in January. Well, he’s been seeing her ever since. And I think the initial friendship has blossomed into a love affair.’

  ‘Oh! How do you know?’

  ‘Winston told me, and he got it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.’

  ‘What did Gideon say to Winston?’

  ‘A few weeks ago, that night Winston spotted Jonathan Ainsley and Sarah Lowther in the Dorchester Grill Room, the two of them had a talk about Gideon’s love life. Winston point blank asked him if there was anyone serious, and Gideon said he’d just met someone he thought could be, but it was too soon really to say. Well, a couple of days ago, he told his father he did have serious intentions about Evan.’

  ‘And what about Evan? Did he say how she felt?’

  ‘That she was very involved with him, but being sensible and cautious she thought they should get to know each other properly before making a long-term commitment to each other.’

  ‘That sounds like her. Linnet says she’s very down-to-earth and practical. And a workaholic, which Linnet loves because she’s such a slave driver. But I will add this, Emily, India is crazy about her as well. She can’t speak highly enough about her. Evan seems to be rather popular all around.’

  ‘So I hear. Amanda thought she had a look of you.’

  ‘I didn’t know Amanda had met her.’

  ‘The other day, before she flew to New York, she came to the store to see Linnet–to bring a couple of gowns for the retrospective, actually–and Linnet introduced them.’

  ‘Do you think she looks like me, Em?’

  ‘No, I don’t, to be honest. Oh yes, she’s the same type as you–tall, slender, dark-haired, exotic looking–but that’s all it is, really. She doesn’t have your widow’s peak, and her eyes are grey not violet.’

  ‘That’s what Linnet says, but oddly enough, Shane did a double-take the other day when he met her.’

  Emily shook her head. ‘I just don’t see it. On the other hand, she tends to dress like you, in very tailored clothes, which adds to the impression, perhaps. But who cares, she’s obviously not a relative. On the couple of occasions I met her I liked her, Paula.’ Emily leaned forward slightly, and gave her cousin a long hard stare. ‘I trust my son, he’s a good judge of character, and his happiness is all that matters for me. If he wants to marry Evan, then it’s all right by me, and by Winston. But you know he’s anxious to have grandchildren. He’s banking on Gideon to deliver the goods, because he’s certain Adrianna will do her best not to get pregnant by Toby.’

  ‘I tend to agree with that. Well then, let’s add Evan Hughes to the list. I see you didn’t,’ Paula murmured.

  ‘I wouldn’t, not until I’d spoken to you. By the way, Mummy’s really excited about coming, seeing the family.’ Emily started to laugh. ‘She’s so excited, in fact, I do believe she’s thinking about having another face job before she faces the entire family.’

  Paula laughed with her. ‘Poor Aunt Elizabeth, you do malign her, Em, and I’m sure she’s not going to have a face job. She looks half her age and perfectly wonderful.’

  ‘You’re right. But she is hightailing it to Paris. To Balmain on the rue Francois Premier to be exact. She wants Oscar de la Renta to make her a fabulous evening gown. And she told me she’s getting her ill-gotten gains out of the bank.’

  ‘Ill-gotten gains?’

  ‘All the diamonds her husbands and lovers have given her over the years.’

  ‘Emily, that’s a downright lie, and you know it! Your mother bought her own jewellery. Remember what Grandy said–that your mother’s husbands all had dubious titles and empty wallets.’

  ‘Except for my father. Tony Barkstone was a true blue Englishman and so was Derek Linde, Amanda’s and Francesca’s father. Mind you, they didn’t have a bean between them but they were nice. Mummy should have never dumped either one of them. But you’re right, she did buy her own stuff, except for some rather nice pieces Grandy gave her, with the understanding they came to Amanda, Francesca, and me when she dies.’

  ‘You’ve told me that before. Amanda is doing a great job at Genret, don’t you think?’

  ‘Yes, I do, and Amanda’s getting her divorce moving forward, by the way.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it. I thought it was a mistake right from the beginning,’ Paula replied and added, ‘by the way, I spoke to Aunt Edwina in Yorkshire the other day. I couldn’t believe how she sounded.’

  ‘Well, she is very old, you know. Over ninety.’

  ‘No, no, what I meant is that she was fantastic. Sounded as if she was about to lead the entire British army into battle.’

  Emily grinned. ‘That’s Edwina. I do believe her favourite granddaughter India gets that enormous energy from her. It’s bred in the bone, I guess.’

  ‘I think so. Now, Em, what do we do about Uncle Robin?’

  ‘I think we have to invite him, Paula. He’s not responsible for his son’s treachery to the family.’

  Paula nodded, picking up another sheet of paper. ‘I like your suggestion about having various food bars during drinks, but we have to settle on the actual dinner menu. How—’ Paula stopped, glanced at her private line as it buzzed, and picked up the receiver. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Mother, it’s me. Tessa.’

  ‘Yes, Tessa. What can I—’

  ‘I want to see you,’ Tessa cut in swiftly. ‘Immediately. I have to talk to you. It’s very important. And it can’t wait, so I’m going to come up to your office now.’

  ‘I’m in a meeting at the moment,’ Paula responded, her voice cool, contained. ‘I can’t see you for at least half an hour.’

  ‘Then I suppose I’m going to have to wait until then.’ Tessa banged the phone down without any further discussion.

  As she replaced the receiver Paula looked across at her cousin and said in a clipped tone, ‘The Dauphine is in something of a sn
it, it seems.’

  ‘She really does think she’s the heir apparent, you know,’ Emily remarked. ‘She has illusions of grandeur. She certainly thinks she’s going to take over from you, Paula, sooner rather than later.’

  ‘Grandy often used a wonderful Yorkshire saying in such instances: “You know what Thought did? Followed a muck cart and thought it was a wedding.” Rather apt, wouldn’t you say? I’m afraid Tessa has a few lessons to learn…the first one in half an hour.’

  ‘What’s my problem, you ask? Really, Mother! You should know by now it’s Linnet and her ridiculous sibling rivalry. It can’t possibly have escaped you that she acts as if she owns this store. It boggles the mind the way she walks about, telling everyone what to do, throwing her weight around. She thinks she’s in command of everyone; certainly she bosses enough people about. Not me, of course, she wouldn’t dare, but her underlings, oh yes indeed. And now, on top of everything else, she has another assistant, as well as India. It’s preposterous. I don’t even have an assistant, merely a secretary. And do you know what she did the other day? She countermanded an order of mine, and I was—’

  ‘Countermanded!’ Paula exclaimed, cutting her daughter off. ‘That’s a peculiar word to use. This is not the army.’

  ‘You know what I mean, Mother. Don’t split hairs.’

  ‘And you watch your manners, young lady. Now stop it! You’re whipping yourself into a fury for no reason at all and dancing around like a whirling dervish gone mad. Calm down, Tessa, and let’s get to the bottom of all this nonsense.’

  ‘Yes, let’s do that!’ Tessa exclaimed, glaring at Paula. But, nonetheless, she was wise enough to flop into the chair opposite her mother on the other side of the desk.

  Paula said, ‘First of all, Linnet doesn’t have one ounce of sibling rivalry in her. That exists simply in your imagination, and yet you are using the idea of it to come in here and make trouble.’

  ‘That’s not true!’ Tessa cried, leaping to her feet. Her voice had risen and she looked angry.

  ‘Sit down! And shut up!’ Paula admonished sharply. ‘I won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour. Now, you listen to me, and listen very, very carefully, because I’m only going to say this once. Linnet does none of the things you suggest. Nor does she throw her weight around or boss people about. She gets on with her work and confines herself to that work. If you have the need for an assistant, or even two assistants, do some hiring. I have never ever prevented you from employing the help you need to do your job efficiently. Do you understand me?’

  ‘Yes, Mother. I’ll start looking for an assistant tomorrow,’ Tessa announced coldly, but at least her voice was lower.

  ‘Let us get to the core of the matter, to the reason you demanded to see me,’ Paula said, staring at her eldest daughter steadily and very intently.

  Tessa squirmed slightly under this unwavering stare, but made no comment. She shifted in the chair, and clasped her hands tightly in her lap, trying not to show her nervousness.

  Paula continued: ‘Your agitation springs from your need to know about the succession…who will one day have my job.’

  ‘No, Mother, it’s not—’

  ‘Do not deny it, Tessa. Lying doesn’t become you. I know that you’ve been talking about it to members of the family—’

  ‘Toby!’ Tessa exclaimed. ‘I was talking to Toby, my dearest friend in the family, and no doubt his father told you. It was Winston! Don’t pretend otherwise.’

  ‘I wasn’t going to do that, and you might as well know that under no circumstances will I designate a successor. I have no intention of abdicating! I would be in dereliction of my duty if I did, and I would be breaking a promise I made to Emma Harte over thirty years ago. When Grandy retired on the evening of her eightieth birthday, at her party, in fact, she charged me to hold her dream. I promised I would. And the next day when we had lunch together she asked me to promise her something else, and I did. And it was this: that I would not retire from my job as head of the Harte stores unless I was desperately ill and no longer able to execute my duties properly and with due diligence. And so, because I am only fifty-six, and in excellent health both mentally and physically, I fully intend to remain as head of Harte Stores. Since I’m a Harte I will more than likely have Grandy’s great health for many years, and I’ll probably retire when I am eighty, as she did, and not before. So you can shelve any ideas you might harbour about taking over from me.’

  Tessa was so taken aback she was speechless, and she simply sat staring at her mother, unable to think of a suitable comment to make. But she was boiling inside.

  ‘I hope you really do understand, Tessa, that I will not name a successor for the future. I will not name you and I will not name Linnet. I will only announce who’s taking over from me on the day that I actually do retire.’

  ‘But why, Mother?’

  ‘Because I don’t know who it’s going to be.’

  ‘But surely you have some idea—’

  ‘I certainly do not,’ Paula cut in peremptorily in a stern voice. ‘You both have a lot to learn; much more experience to gain. Anyway, it might not be either of you. It could well be somebody else in the family.’

  ‘But who? Surely you’re not thinking of silly little Emsie. She’s dopey and only interested in horses.’

  ‘Emsie is not silly, and she’s your loving sister, so please refrain from bad-mouthing her. But for your information, no, I’m not thinking of Emsie. I’m actually not thinking of anyone. I just told you that. Stop trying to pin me down, it’s not going to work. I’m a young woman, and I fully intend to keep my promise to Emma Harte for as many years as I can.’

  ‘What about Pennistone Royal? Who’s going to inherit that?’

  Paula gaped at her daughter, flabbergasted. ‘Good God, Tessa, not only do you want my job, you apparently want my home. I’m not dead yet, and I will not discuss my will, or my intentions, with you or anyone else. You’ve gone too far today. I’m appalled at your behaviour. How dare you broach the subject of Pennistone Royal?’

  Tessa stared at her mother, her lip quivering, and then she burst into tears, suddenly sobbing into her hands.

  Instantly Paula leapt to her feet, went around her desk, bent over her daughter, and put her arms around her. Tessa flinched slightly, then recoiled. Aware of this at once, Paula drew away, and looked down into Tessa’s tearful face.

  ‘What’s the matter? Why did you flinch like that? Surely I’m not so repulsive to you?’

  ‘No, no, I have a bad arm, Mother, that’s all.’

  ‘And I hurt you as I got hold of you, is that what you’re saying?’

  Tessa nodded, her large eyes brimming.

  ‘What happened to it?’

  ‘I–I–er, well, I fell’

  ‘Here at the store, darling?’ Paula asked.

  ‘No. At…well, at home.’

  ‘Have you seen the doctor?’

  ‘It’s not necessary, Mother.’

  ‘Come on, take your jacket off, let me see it,’ Paula murmured, trying to be conciliatory, but also concerned about Tessa’s injury.

  ‘It’s nothing, really it isn’t,’ Tessa muttered, reluctant to remove her jacket. But Paula insisted and finally Tessa stood up, slipped off the black cashmere blazer and allowed her mother to look at her arm.

  ‘Tessa, this is dreadful! You must have fallen very hard to get such huge bruises. They must be awfully painful. No wonder you recoiled the way you did. Are you sure you haven’t broken any bones?’

  ‘No, there’s nothing broken. I thought at first my shoulder had been damaged, but I had an X-ray and it’s fine.’

  Paula frowned, still staring at the purple and black bruises on Tessa’s upper arm. ‘How did you say you fell?’

  ‘I didn’t. But I fell down the stairs at home.’

  ‘You must be more careful, darling. So many dangerous accidents do happen in the home.’ Paula shook her head. ‘Are you sure you don’t want Doctor Gill to take a look at i
t?’

  ‘No, honestly, Mother, I’m okay. But…well, thanks for being concerned,’ she answered, her voice suddenly grown quiet, even meek.

  Taking hold of Tessa’s other hand, Paula gently pulled her daughter closer, kissed her on the cheek. ‘I’m always concerned about you, Tessa. I love you very much. And we mustn’t quarrel like this, it’s just not right. I meant what I said, you know, I’m not going to designate a successor for many, many years. So you must relax about it. Enjoy your job here, move up the corporate ladder, and enjoy your husband and your child. Everything’s all right at home, isn’t it?’

  ‘Oh yes, yes, of course it is.’

  ‘I’m glad…’ Paula sighed as she walked back to her chair, and then added softly, ‘Marriage is relentless…no matter how much you love someone.’

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Tessa paused on the top step and took a deep breath. And then she arranged a smile on her face before putting the key in the lock and opening the front door of her house in Hampstead.

  It was a smile she had donned for years–her fraudulent smile, she called it, because it concealed her true feelings. As a child it had been a useful tool because it disguised so much–hurt, pain, sorrow, anger or discontent. And over the years she had become adept at hiding her real feelings behind that dazzling smile.

  ‘Cooee, cooee,’ she called as she stepped into the hall, and a moment later she heard Adele’s fast-flying little feet as her baby daughter came running from the direction of the kitchen, calling, ‘Mumma! Mumma!’

  Tessa swept Adele up into her arms and hugged her tightly, and then deposited her on the floor carefully. Leaning forward, kissing the child’s smiling face, she hunkered down next to her, and said, ‘I’ve brought you something special, Adele. I know you’re going to love it.’

  The child’s face lit up and she excitedly cried, ‘A present, Mumma.’

  ‘Yes, a present, darling.’ Reaching for one of the Harte shopping bags she had brought in with her, Tessa pulled out a gift-wrapped package and showed it to her three-year-old daughter. Adele’s large, silvery grey eyes became even larger in her delicate face, and she reached out small plump arms for the package.