“Actually, I can.” Harriet paused, not wanting to keep any secrets from Charlotte but also not wanting to steal her thunder. “I work with Nick in Westminster.”
“Oh, I see,” Charlotte said. She appeared to be thinking for a moment before she said, “Erin had passed on a few contacts for job leads. I didn’t think to ask where she’d found them.”
“So what did Nick want?”
“Well, he said I could go in and meet with the hiring manager today – that she’d be expecting me. So I went out shopping and then went in, had an interview, and…” she trailed off, and shrugged.
“You got a job?” Harriet asked. Charlotte nodded and so Harriet said, “That’s brilliant. Congratulations, my darling.” She hadn’t meant to use a term of endearment.
“Thanks,” Charlotte replied. “It’s not a great job, and it’s only part-time, but it’s a job. I’ll be a research technician. I start next week.”
“We should celebrate. Shall we go out to dinner?”
Charlotte hesitated and then said, “I’ve already made plans with Erin.”
“Oh,” Harriet said. “Well, good.” After a moment, Harriet remembered to smile.
“You could come with us,” Charlotte suggested.
“No, that’s all right. I wouldn’t want to be a third wheel. Besides, you two should catch up.” Harriet took Charlotte’s hand in her own and squeezed it. “Really.”
Charlotte replied, “I could come back here after dinner. So you and I can catch up, too.” There was a glint in her eye that told Harriet she had a different idea about catching up with her than catching up with Erin.
Harriet steadied herself for Charlotte’s response as she told her, “I have a meeting to go to tonight.”
“A meeting?” she asked.
“An organization meeting,” Harriet clarified.
“I didn’t realize that you still… I mean, I thought, now that you’re an MP… but I guess that makes sense. You can have even more sway now.”
“It’s changed. Evolved, you could say. I’m trying to bring the organization’s ideas into the mainstream and, so far, dare I say it, I’m succeeding.”
“And Joanna? Is she still…?”
Harriet shook her head and replied, “No one has seen or heard from Joanna since that night twelve years ago. She and Paul and Geoff disappeared into the ether, along with some of the other members.”
“Without a trace?” Charlotte asked.
“There have been rumors of groups associated with her – possible splinter groups – but nothing concrete has materialized.”
“So she could be anywhere. She’s gotten away with everything,” Charlotte said. Harriet could see some of the anger resurfacing in Charlotte’s expression.
“We’re working on a possibility – the latest rumor. But it’s too early to say,” Harriet replied.
She looked down for a long moment and then met Harriet’s eyes again. “Can I come to the meeting?”
Harriet thought about what the other members of her inner circle would say, how they might react, but then she reminded herself that she was in charge. “It’s a small group, not like before. It’s only a handful of us. I try to keep us distanced from the larger membership. It’s safer this way.”
“So, am I… welcome, in this small group?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes,” Harriet said. “Yes, of course.” She added, “The meeting is at nine o’clock tonight.”
Charlotte stood to go and said, “I’ll be sure to be back here by eight thirty then.”
“Perfect,” Harriet replied. She walked Charlotte to the door, still feeling worried about the group’s response to bringing her to the meeting.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Charlotte and Harriet took the Tube’s District Line from Fulham Station to Westminster, changing over to the Jubilee Line and arriving at London Bridge Station. From there they walked the ten minutes to the meeting. They were late to arrive. Harriet used her key to let them into the shop, then spoke the security code to the shop’s computer to reactivate the alarm.
Harriet knew that the two sets of footsteps on the stairs would alarm the others in the event that no one had been watching the video monitors, so she asked Charlotte to wait in the shop as she went ahead. She climbed the stairs to the top level and saw that everyone was there. Zoe and Ethan were both watching the door to the stairs, waiting for her arrival, and greeted her as she approached the table. Rhys and Marta, two of her most trusted information gatherers, stopped their conversation to say hello. Thomas merely looked up at her from his cup of tea.
Harriet walked over to her usual chair and stood behind it, placing her hands on the top of it. “Hello, everyone.”
“Aren’t you going to have a seat?” Thomas asked.
“Not quite yet.” Harriet looked at each of them and then said, “I have Charlie waiting downstairs. I’d like for her to join us.”
The others were silent for a moment, looking stunned, before Ethan said, “I thought Charlie was in prison. When did she get out?”
“A few days ago,” Harriet said. “And I know what you’re thinking – this is sudden. I didn’t mention the possibility of her being released because I wasn’t sure it was going to happen. But I’ve known about the possibility – now reality – for a while. And I think her rightful place is up here with us.”
Zoe nodded and said, “It certainly is. I’m sure we’ll be glad for her to join us.”
Rhys looked slightly troubled. He asked, “Is this the same Charlie, then? I mean, we’re talking about the Charlie, right?”
Thomas spoke up, addressing Rhys, “Yes, it’s that Charlie.”
Rhys looked at Thomas and then the rest of them, asking, “Then why wouldn’t we welcome her?”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” Harriet told him. She walked back across the room, opened the door to the stairs, and, knowing her voice would carry, called for Charlotte to come up.
When Charlotte reached the room, Harriet could see the anxiety on her face. Although everyone greeted Charlotte warmly – except for Thomas, who offered a simple handshake – it seemed that both Zoe and Thomas made her uncomfortable. She sat in the chair next to Harriet, in the seat that no one ever seemed to occupy. For once, Harriet wasn’t alone on her side of the table.
“So, let’s go ahead and get started,” Harriet told the group. “Zoe, what’s the update?”
Zoe said, “Well, I’ve been to two more meetings.” She looked at Charlotte and explained, “It’s a group that we think Joanna might be behind.” Her gaze then shifted to look at the other members of the group. “Nothing is definite yet. It feels right. It feels like it could be Joanna.”
“But?” Harriet asked.
“They’re a tough group to crack. I can tell that they’re keeping me at arm’s length… which, really, is all the more evidence that they’re into something deep. Or they’re just paranoid nutters.”
“All right,” Harriet told her. “Keep going with this. Let’s see if we can’t get them to trust you, if even a bit.”
Zoe nodded and said she’d go to another meeting the next night.
“What about Geoff and Paul?” Charlotte asked. “Has anything ever come of them?”
The others looked at Harriet to respond, but Thomas answered. “We know that Joanna was the mastermind, so we’re more concerned about finding her. And we expect that when we find her, we’ll find them too. But no, we haven’t heard from them either.” His answer seemed to satisfy Charlotte.
They carried on with the rest of business, with Marta offering a financial report on the organization, and then turning their attention to the latest actions coming out of the secondary group.
At the end of the meeting when everyone got up to leave, Zoe went over to Charlotte and said, “It really is good to see you again.”
“Thank you,” Charlotte said simply. Harriet realized she might need to help patch that relationship and made a mental note to talk to Charlotte later
about Zoe’s involvement.
Next, Thomas went over to Charlotte, leaning over and saying something to her in a quiet enough voice that Harriet couldn’t make out his words. Charlotte didn’t react to whatever it was Thomas said, and instead she moved to pour more tea into her cup. Eventually, the room cleared out, leaving just Ethan, Charlotte, and Harriet.
“I’ll be downstairs. Are you going to stay a while and work?” Ethan asked Harriet.
Harriet shook her head and told him no, that they were leaving too. Ethan wished them well and headed down the steps. Once Charlotte and Harriet were alone, Harriet turned to her and said, “Thanks for coming.”
“I guess I didn’t think about who might be here,” Charlotte said.
“I should have told you about Thomas.” Harriet paused then asked, “What did he say to you?”
“It was nothing,” she replied.
“Really nothing, or nothing as in you don’t want to tell me?” Harriet asked, walking closer to her.
Charlotte’s cheeks colored slightly as she replied, “He just said something about… well… that he had lost, and I had won. And he said that you love me.”
Harriet swallowed hard and said as lightly as she could manage, “Well, that doesn’t sound like ‘nothing.’”
“Is it true?” Charlotte asked, looking quite serious.
Harriet studied her expression and, matching her tone, replied, “Yes.”
Charlotte hesitated then asked, “Will you take me home with you tonight?”
“I’d like nothing better,” Harriet replied with a smile.
Charlotte leaned in and kissed her in a way that started off tentative and then grew passionate. Harriet pulled her closer, pressing her body against Charlotte’s, wanting never to leave that moment.
#
After a mid-afternoon committee meeting that ran into the evening, Harriet stopped back over at her Westminster office. Although Harriet had been back on day hours for years now, she cursed the government – her government – for thinking that their feeble measures to make life more comfortable were actually enough. Anna was still in the office, diligently working away, when Harriet arrived, and Harriet told her that she should go home – and to come in late the next day.
“Are you sure?” Anna asked.
Harriet smiled and said, “Yes. I don’t want to see you here before ten tomorrow morning.” Happiness was making her feel generous as well.
Harriet settled into her office chair and called up that afternoon’s diginotes. She saw one from Dillon, the new intern, but decided to read it later when she noticed there was one waiting from Erin. She opened it and read the message.
It stated, “Would like to talk. Drinks tonight? The Crown & Cushion at 19:00. I’ll be waiting.”
Harriet knew where the Crown & Cushion was – an easy, ten-minute walk away on the other side of the River Thames. Erin must have chosen the location precisely for its proximity to her work – although not so close as to be one of the favorite locales for Parliamentary aides.
She reread the message and told herself not to feel annoyed by the demanding tone. Perhaps Erin was just in a rush. Perhaps this was her idea of flirting. Harriet felt the crease on her brow as she considered the possibilities.19:00 hours rolled around, and Harriet entered the Crown & Cushion. She scanned the room but didn’t find Erin. After ordering a drink at the bar, thinking that she might have arrived first, she noticed the beer garden off the back. She wandered outside to find Erin tucked away at a table. The beer garden was entirely shaded and had a smattering of water misters scattered around to help cool off the patrons.
“You’re hard to find,” Harriet told her lightly.
“Sorry,” Erin said, moving her briefcase from a chair for Harriet to sit.
“I don’t suppose Charlie is joining us,” Harriet said, sitting. Even though she didn’t mind Erin’s company, it felt strange to meet with her alone now that Charlotte had been released from prison.
“No,” she replied. “I wanted to talk to you alone, actually.”
“Is something wrong with Charlie’s case? The parole board? Her supervising officer?” Harriet felt a surge of worry, wondering if she had been foolhardy with how she had been avoiding Naomi.
Erin shook her head and said, “No, nothing like that.”
Harriet exhaled deeply, letting her shoulders relax. “Well, good.” She took a sip of her scotch, studying Erin over the rim of her glass and observing her demeanor. The last time they had talked in person, they had been on friendly terms – or so Harriet thought – and celebrating Charlotte’s imminent release. Clearly Erin wasn’t feeling such good cheer anymore. Harriet asked her, “So what’s going on?”
“Harriet,” Erin began, and Harriet could tell by the tone of her voice that, yes, this was one of those kinds of talks. “You know I have the greatest of respect for you.”
Harriet leaned back into her chair. “I wasn’t aware, but thank you. Please continue.”
Erin gripped the base of her beer glass with both hands, although she didn’t appear to be making any progress with draining the glass of its contents. “I really don’t know what it’s like to be in your shoes – with the positions you’ve held.” She added more quietly, “And still hold.”
Harriet waited for Erin to reach the point that she was building up to. She wondered if Erin’s change of mood had something to do with the revelation that Harriet was still part of the organization – or that she was the leader of it. She decided not to interrupt.
“I don’t presume to understand the worlds in which you operate. But I know that Charlie’s involvement with you – with your worlds, if you will – has already hurt her well enough.”
Once Erin stopped talking, Harriet took a long, slow drink of scotch then looked her in the eye. “Let me make sure I’m understanding you correctly. You don’t want me to see Charlie.”
“Well–”
As evenly as she could, Harriet said, “You know what I’ve done to help free her. And now you expect me to give her up?”
“I know what you’ve done, and I’m grateful – truly grateful,” Erin said. “But do it for her sake. You said you loved her.”
Harriet could feel her blood pressure rising. She responded, “I do love her. And that’s why I’m not going to give her up. She’s a grown woman – she can decide whether she wants to be with me or not.”
“I’m asking you to make a sacrifice for her. To do the tough, but right, thing.”
“Who are you to say what the right thing to do is? Who are you to decide that I’m not good for Charlie?” Harriet asked, trying to keep her voice from getting loud.
“It’s not you as a person, Harriet. It’s you as the great and powerful whatever you are. It’s the organization. The SDO. Whatever you want to call it these days.” Erin’s eyes told her that she believed in what she was saying. Erin didn’t seem angry or jealous, only deeply concerned.
Harriet let Erin’s words settle before saying, “You might not realize this, but I tried to keep Charlie from the organization before.”
“Yes, you told me that you didn’t want her involved.”
“And you saw how well that worked out. For as ‘great and powerful’ as I supposedly am, I couldn’t keep her out of it before. You think I would somehow be more successful this time around?”
“You know what you could do to change that. You could tell her you don’t want to be with her,” Erin replied, regarding Harriet seriously.
“She wouldn’t believe me. She would see straight through it. And I would never be able to tell her that anyway.”
“Even though letting her go would give her the best chance at the life she’s wanted? You heard her at the hearing. She just wants to live a normal life.”
“So you think everything said at the hearing was true?” Harriet asked sharply.
Erin looked at the table and then back up at Harriet. “I just want you to do what’s best for Charlie.”
“And I thi
nk Charlie herself knows what’s best for Charlie,” Harriet said.
“Hasn’t the organization done enough damage to Charlie already?”
Erin’s words stung.
Harriet replied, “It was never the organization that hurt Charlie. It was the malicious work of certain individuals.” She added, “And I don't think you give Charlie enough credit. ‘Damaged’ or not, she’s stronger than you think.”
Erin stood from the table, leaving her drink almost untouched. “Just give it some thought.”
“There’s nothing to think about,” Harriet told her.
After she left, Harriet ordered a second scotch and sat there for a while. Despite what she had said to Erin, their conversation continued to roll around in her mind for some time.
She had another scotch and decided that she needed to see Naomi to make sure she wasn’t having any second thoughts about her role in releasing Charlotte. Harriet returned to her office just long enough to send Naomi a diginote asking when and where she would like to meet.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Harriet browsed the flower market, soaking in the colors, the smells, and the way the artificial sunlight diffused through the cloth canopies and bathed everyone in softer light. She thought back to the time that Charlotte had brought her a potted flower, back at the start to their relationship. She wondered if Charlotte would have proceeded differently if she had known how things would turn out. Erin’s words were still haunting her..
She bought a white orchid plant– the same as what Charlotte gave to her. Whether Charlotte knew the symbolic meaning of hope, purity, and new beginnings was immaterial. Harriet knew, and believed. She carried the orchid in the crook of her arm, allowing herself to feel content and trying to forget about what Erin had said. She moved through the crowd, weaving between people who strolled and lingered in front of the stalls, as she headed back toward Westminster.
Out of the corner of her eye as she passed by one of the stalls, something caught her attention. There was a person – a delivery man – talking to one of the vendors. Harriet realized with a chill why the delivery man had caught her eye – he looked strikingly similar to Geoff. She stopped to look back over her shoulder but didn’t see him anymore. She scanned the area, searching for any sign of him but finding none. Had it actually been Geoff or had her mind filled in the details of Geoff’s features? Had there even been a delivery man? Feeling uncertain and fearful, she quickly made her way out of the market.
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