by Anita Waller
For Brenda, it was not so good. She had to face the possibility that her daughter was a murderer.
30
Amy checked through the spy hole then opened the cottage door with a smile fixed on her face.
‘Welcome,’ she said. ‘If you follow me, I’ll take you to meet my husband.’
The study door was open and John looked up expectantly. His own smile froze on his face before he recovered sufficiently to hold out a hand.
‘John,’ Amy said, grinning triumphantly, ‘this is Mark Carter.’
Carter’s short, stocky figure paused momentarily in the doorway. He could tell that this extremely attractive woman had forgotten to mention to her husband that his new secretary was a man.
Mark strode forward and clasped hold of the proffered hand.
‘Mr Thornton, it’s good to meet you. I’ve long been an admirer.’
‘Please –‘ John vaguely waved a hand, furious with Amy for the subterfuge. It didn’t matter that his new employee was a man, it did matter that she had hidden it from him.
‘It’s John. We’ll be working closely together.’
‘I’ll leave you to get on with it.’ Amy closed the door as she left the study. Her sense of satisfaction knew no bounds.
John looked at his new employee with interest. Around five feet nine inches tall and well built, he was smartly dressed in a pale blue shirt and navy pin stripe suit – with a horrendous eye-catching tie. It added colour to his staid appearance. His glasses afforded him a serious air but on that first morning John came to appreciate his subtle sense of humour. By lunchtime he was reluctantly beginning to admit to himself that Amy had chosen well.
At lunchtime he also decided to do away with the title ‘secretary’ – he now had a personal assistant.
Mark was good; a fast typist, an excellent telephone manner and, to John’s amusement, he had an intimate knowledge of every character in all of John’s earlier books.
‘Adam Clarkson,’ he said slowly, chewing on the end of a pencil.
John looked up and waited for him to go on.
‘Adam Clarkson,’ he repeated. ‘He’s almost exactly like Alan Chivers in Rest In Pieces. Even got the same initials.’
John was intrigued.
‘Go on.’
Mark had the grace to look a little uncomfortable. After one day in the job, he was already picking at the author’s work.
‘Well, as I said, their names are too similar, they both have grey eyes that change to blue in sunlight, both have short blonde hair. One has a wife called Carole; the other has a girlfriend called Catherine. They both live in penthouse apartments, both rolling in money. Both drive Lamborghinis. Thing is, anybody who is a fan will spot it straight away.’
‘And I didn’t.’ John stared at him thoughtfully. ‘You’ve already earned this month’s salary. It’s going to need a major re-write. Damn, anything like that slows down the momentum but I couldn’t carry on knowing that that part’s wrong. Still, I’ll make a start tonight…’
‘Can I suggest something?’
‘As long as it’s not along the lines of scrapping the book altogether.’
‘Hardly. I know I’ve only seen a small part of it but it’s superb. No, I was going to say that if you tell me the changes you want to make to his appearance and life style, I’ll go through it and alter everything. All you need to do then is okay the changes and you won’t have lost the pace.’
‘Think you can?’
‘I’m sure I can – I won’t actually be doing anything except substituting brown for grey, little things like that. You’ve already done all the work.’
‘Well, I’m glad you’ve picked up on it before I go any deeper into the book. It’s funny – I’m so careful not to get characters with any similarities within the novel but it never occurred to me that characters in separate novels shouldn’t have similarities either. My problem is that I never read a book after it’s written – it goes on the shelf and off we move on to another. I forget who is in what. These two men play the same sort of anchor role in the novels. I suppose that’s why they ended up with similar characteristics. Thanks, Mark.’
‘No problem, boss.’
John soon learnt that the phrase no problem, boss was a stock answer from Mark that was always meant.
Amy smiled all day long and even gave her tiny daughter five minutes of her time before putting her back into her pram with a pink dummy.
31
That bleak, cold Monday in October was a memorable day for Ronald Treverick. It was a new branch in his working life and one more step closer to the Andrews family. He was slowly, carefully getting within striking distance of Amy.
And Amy’s baby.
32
‘I want to take you out. Buy you something.’
Dawn laughed.
‘Got anywhere special in mind?’
‘As a matter of fact, cleverclogs, I have. Do you think you can persuade David to let you have a couple of days off? I thought we could go up to London, take in a show and stay overnight.’
‘David won’t need to be persuaded. But how can you get away?’
‘I’ll tell Amy it’s a book signing. She hates them, all the hanging around. Besides, now that we’ve got Lauren, she’ll have to stay at home.’
‘Doesn’t sound chauvinistic, John Thornton?’ she rebuked. ‘Little wife staying at home…’
‘Wasn’t meant to. So? Can we go?’
‘If you can get away with it, I definitely can. And surely no one will see us together in London!’ She laughed. ‘We’ll be so anonymous, we’ll be invisible.’
‘I feel like a beached whale.’
David looked up from the newspaper to smile at his wife.
‘You’re beautiful.’
‘So is a beached whale to another beached whale but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy looking like one.’
He folded the paper and dropped it into the magazine rack.
‘Now tell me what’s wrong. I’d say come and sit on my knee and tell me what’s wrong but you’re so much like a beached whale…’
She threw a cushion at his head.
‘I hate you.’
‘No, you don’t. Would you love me just a little bit more if I treated you to a couple of days in London?’
Pat’s eyes sparkled.
‘I’d love you a hell of a lot. I’ll ask Mum and Dad if they’ll have Pilot. When can we go?’
‘Whoa, whoa! We have to go mid-week. I like my weekends with Pilot. Besides, Dawn’s booked a two-day holiday next week and it’s easier if I take the same days off. She wants to go and see her mum.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Why not ask Amy and John if they’ll have Pilot for us?’
‘No!’ Her reply was too fast.
‘But they think the world of him and we’ve never asked them to look after him.’
‘I’d rather not, David. Mum loves having him, you know she does.’
David shrugged his shoulders.
‘Whatever you say.’
‘And don’t think you can bring any work for one of the London publishers. You tell everyone at that office that we’re going to the Cotswolds or they’ll have you running errands all over the place.’
He laughed.
‘Okay, I give in. The only people who will know where we are will be our parents. Promise.’
She smiled and patted her bump.
‘Good. Mother and baby whale feel quite happy now.’
John booked them into the Royal Garden Hotel. Dawn stared around their suite then sank onto the bed.
‘This is wonderful,’ she sighed. ‘When you said a couple of days in London I didn’t expect this!’
‘Only the best for my princess.’ He lay by her side then reached across and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘I love you, Dawn’
‘And I love you,’ she laughed, ‘but please don’t spoil things. Let’s not mention sharing lives, setting up home together or anything like that while we’re here.’
<
br /> Just lately John seemed to bring up the subject every time he saw her and yet she knew if she ever agreed he would not be able to walk out on Amy and Lauren.
He kicked off his shoes and placed his hands behind his head.
‘What do you want to do, Dawn?’
‘Harrods,’ she said promptly.
‘You know what I mean.’
‘Leave it, John.’ There was a warning note in her voice.
‘No, I’m not pushing for anything. Answer me honestly, where do we go after this?’
She thought for a long time and John was just beginning to think she wouldn’t answer when she spoke.
‘I see us carrying on exactly like this until the day we die. I don’t want any more from you than that. I’ve had a taste of a man permanently in my life and it’s not what I want. I’ll always be your other woman, John. That’s enough. Give me whatever time you can without rocking the boat at home. I would never take you away from your Lauren permanently.’
‘So you don’t want a child?’
The question was so sudden, so unexpected that it took her breath away. It was as if he had read her mind.
‘What made you ask that?’
‘Most women wouldn’t settle for what you say you’re prepared to put up with. I wondered if a child is likely to figure in your life.’
‘Ask me in another year,’ she said enigmatically. ‘Now come on, let’s go shopping. I want a new dress for tonight’s outing.’
Pat eased her bulk down into the armchair and kicked off her shoes. David bent and kissed the top of her head.
‘Okay?’
‘Tired. It’s a long drive and I don’t feel very comfortable. I think I’ll have an hour’s nap, if that’s okay by you.’
‘It’s your break, sweetheart. You do whatever you want and perhaps later we can go shopping. I think you deserve something special.’
‘For putting up with you?’ She grinned.
‘Just for being you. I bless the day I met you – you know that, don’t you?’
‘Hey! Why so serious? I know you love me.’
‘It’s just that sometimes I get so wrapped up in work I forget to let you know how much you mean to me. I’ll go down to the foyer and have a mooch around. Never stopped at the Hilton before. And while I’m down there I’ll see if they can help us get tickets for a show. Anything special you’d like to see?’
‘Well, I know this sounds silly with all the musicals that are around at the moment, but I’d really like to see the Mousetrap.’
‘Your wish is my command,’ he said with a small bow. ‘Now go to sleep and I’ll see you in an hour.’
He closed the door softly behind him. Pat walked over to the bed. She didn’t bother to undress, just put her head on the pillow and drifted away.
The baby moved several times but she didn’t notice. She dreamed that the newcomer would be a little girl and that the midwife was Amy Thornton. As Amy pulled the baby out of her she grasped it by the head and gave a sharp twist. The baby gave one cry and died, her neck broken.
Bathed in sweat Pat woke with a small gasp of protest. She looked at the clock realizing that she had only been asleep for about ten minutes. She stood no further chance of any rest.
She walked over to the large window and looked down on the metropolis bustling many floors below her. Amy was haunting her.
She was in the bath when David returned, proudly carrying two tickets for The Mousetrap.
‘Okay?’ he asked smiling at her huge stomach.
‘Mmmm,’ she said. ‘Fine. No problems at all.’
Dawn had never had a dress that cost £250 before. She had also never owned shoes costing £100, or six sets of matching lingerie. When John had said he wanted to buy her something she had imagined a gold bracelet or a watch.
She took the cream stockings and dress out of the hotel wardrobe for the fifth time and held it against her.
‘But do you really like it?’ she asked.
‘I like it,’ John said with a smile. ‘I love you. Can I tell you again how much pleasure you’ve given me today? And after we’ve fed on the best that this hotel has to offer and been to the theatre I’m going to bring you back here, take you to bed and make love to you all night long.’
‘All night long?’ She looked at him, her eyes dancing.
‘All night long.’ He was emphatic. ‘I’m going to start at your toes, then up to your knees, then your inner thighs are going to be so delicious, then…’
‘Whoa!’ she called, laughing. ‘Before we get to the next bit I think you should know something. Contraception’s off the menu.’
There was silence for a moment.
‘But…I haven’t brought…’
‘Doesn’t matter. I stopped taking the pill a month ago. My choice.’
‘I don’t understand. You said ask me in another year or so.’
‘I know. Hopefully in another year I’ll either be having a baby or already have one. Ask me in another year if a baby is on the cards.’
‘Shouldn’t we have discussed this?’ He sounded pompous.
‘No. I’m ready for a baby in my life. If it hadn’t been you it would have been someone else. I won’t ask for support, I won’t ask for involvement with this child. Given a choice I’d choose you for its daddy because I desperately love you, but if that doesn’t suit…’
‘It suits all right.’ He said with a growl. ‘God, you’re the most dogmatic, stubborn female I’ve ever met in my life. Do you have to be so independent?’
‘Yes, I do.’ She turned and hung the dress in the wardrobe. ‘Now, John bloody Thornton, take off your clothes and get in that bed. We’ve still an hour before we need to get ready. Let’s make a baby.’
It was during the interval that David spotted John. His blonde hair and height made him stand out in a crowd. Not expecting to bump into anyone who knew him John had taken no steps to hide.
‘Isn’t that John?’ he said, nudging his wife. She looked in the direction of his pointed finger.
‘Yes, but that’s not Amy. She’s got dark hair.’
John lifted his head from Dawn and his eyes locked on to David’s face. He blanched and gave a half wave.
Dawn, standing facing him and with her back to the Farmers, glanced up at him.
‘You look positively ill,’ she said with a smile. ‘Too much sex can turn you grey, you know.’
‘Dawn…’ he faltered, ‘there’s something you should know. Standing about ten yards away is someone we both know quite well.’
She stiffened and didn’t turn.
‘Do you want to tell me who it is or shall we play a little guessing game?’ she asked with a shaky laugh.
‘I’ll give you a clue. He’s spending a couple of days in the Cotswolds. Oh God, they’re coming over.’
‘Can you hide me under your jacket?’
‘No.’
‘Then it’s face the music time.’
She turned round and smiled at the Farmers; there was an audible gasp from Pat.
David’s smile became fixed.
‘Dawn! But…’
‘My mother’s fine, David,’ she said with a grin that she didn’t feel like displaying. ‘How’s the Cotswolds?’
He said nothing for a moment then roared with laughter.
‘Touché!’ He turned and looked at his lifelong friend. ‘Although your mother doesn’t look too well from where I’m standing. Sit down over here John. Pat, come on, you look as if you could do with a sit down as well.’
He took charge, feeling a sort of hysteria bubbling inside him. He didn’t know what to say and wanted to get John on his own. The theatre foyer was hardly the right place to do that.
Whisky for the men and Martinis for the ladies calmed the situation and they agreed to meet up for coffee after the performance. Neither John nor Dawn remembered much about the rest of the play.
33
He closed the room door behind him and pulled Dawn into the shelter of hi
s arms.
‘How do you feel?’
‘Oh, John,’ she sighed. ‘It’s not my problem really, is it? It’s yours. Pat is Amy’s closest friend. She’s bound to tell her.’
He shook his head.
‘I don’t think so. As we left the restaurant she pulled me back. She asked if you keep me sane. When I said yes she smiled and said “well that’s all right then ‘. So I don’t think we need to worry about Amy finding out, not from Pat anyway. No, it’s David who’s prudish. I’ll have to talk to him of course, explain how much we mean to each other. But he could go either way.’
‘Well, I guess I’ve lost my job. That was always the risk I suppose. It’s a shame because I like working at Farmers.’
‘Whatever happens, you won’t suffer financially I promise. But let’s not jump the gun. In fact, let’s go to bed, forget the rest of the world and screw each other silly.’ He bent, picked her up and threw her on the bed.
‘What’s this?’
‘My notice.’
David stared at Dawn, taking in the unusually sombre outfit she was wearing; it made her face look even paler.
‘Why?’
‘Because…well you know why. We work closely and something like this will come between us. And I can’t give John up, not for you, nor Amy, not for anybody.’
‘Not even for Lauren?’ he asked.
‘Yes, for Lauren.’ She said it without even having to think about it.
‘That’s the Dawn I’ve grown to admire over the past eighteen months or so. I don’t want to lose you so take this back,’ and he handed her the letter. ‘However, as you say we do have a close working relationship. If you are open and honest perhaps we can face it then put it to one side. How long has it been going on?’
She shrugged her shoulders as she sat in the chair opposite her employer.
‘About a year and three quarters. I should make one thing clear though – I have no intention of taking him away from Amy. Even if he left her I won’t let him move in with me. I’m his bit on the side, David, and that’s how it will stay.’