Abandoned Child

by Neale, Kitty

  Dear Lorna,

  So, where have you been hiding yourself? You’ve no idea how difficult it was to get your address out of Aunt Myra. For a start she won’t speak to me no more on account of my profession – not that she has a leg to stand on, stuck in that house with that miserable old git of a husband, though I shouldn’t say it. So I got our cousin Pete, who does talk to me but only when the others don’t know about it, to go round and finally he wheedled it out of her. Said she wasn’t looking too good. So that’s partly why I’m writing, to see how you are.

  The other is to say you lucky sod, living by the sea. Don’t suppose you fancy a visitor? I’d love to come and see you. Here’s my phone number – but don’t ring too early as no one will thank you for it.

  Love, Maureen

  Lorna threw back her head and laughed for the first time in what felt like ages. Her cousin wrote exactly like she spoke, and she could hardly wait to talk to her in person. Hurriedly she checked her watch. No, definitely still too early. Well, she’d give it another hour and then ring her. If anyone could chase the blues away, Maureen could.

  Joe pushed open the swinging door leading to the public bar of the pub nearest to his uncle’s house. So, it was a bit early for a lunchtime pint, but he felt he’d earned it. He’d just have the one before Denis turned up. He didn’t make a habit of it but he needed to think about what he was going to say, and the chances of getting a bit of peace and quiet anywhere else were slim. Gratefully he sipped his bitter, watching the sun’s reflection through the lead-paned windows. This was a grand little spot – he’d hate to have to move on too soon.

  ‘All right, Joe?’ Denis slid into the seat beside his nephew. ‘Bit warm for this, isn’t it?’ He nodded towards Joe’s old donkey jacket, slung over the back of the chair.

  ‘Warm one today, all right,’ agreed Joe. ‘Glad you could get away for an hour. He works you hard, that Adam Mortimer.’

  ‘It’s good regular work though,’ Denis replied, licking the froth from the beer on his upper lip. ‘I wouldn’t knock it. He don’t have a clue about that side of things so I get first refusal on the lot. Only too glad to put some of it your way, mind.’ He smiled at his nephew. ‘How are you finding him?’

  Joe tried not to squirm. He could keep a poker face in most situations but not in front of his uncle, who knew him too well. ‘He seems okay,’ he began. ‘Bit posh, of course. Or trying to be,’ he added perceptively. ‘Doesn’t ask awkward questions, usually just lets me get on with things.’ He paused. ‘It’s the things he lets me get on with, though. Some of the jobs have been a bit odd. Do you ever get that?’

  Denis looked up from his pint in surprise. ‘Odd? How d’you mean? Tricky piping? Got to expect that in these places – old properties, or ones what have been divided so someone can make a bit extra. You wouldn’t want to live in a lot of them yourself, but I never came across one I couldn’t fix in the end.’

  ‘No, that’s not it.’ Joe sipped some more beer. ‘It’s like some things he doesn’t want fixed. The opposite, in fact.’

  ‘What, he wants you to break stuff?’ asked Denis in amazement. ‘Don’t talk daft. That’ll lose him money, and if there’s one thing he doesn’t like it’s paying for anything he doesn’t have to.’

  ‘Not quite,’ said Joe. Then he changed his mind. ‘Sort of. It’s like he’s out to cause trouble somewhere. It doesn’t make sense, but that’s what he’s after. Never says as much, but it’s like, make that lock stiffer, not easier, fix that tap just enough so it’ll last for a day or two but will start to leak after that.’ And that was just the start of it, he thought. But if his uncle didn’t know anything about it, he’d keep the other stuff to himself.

  ‘No, you must have got that all wrong,’ insisted Denis. ‘He’d only have to call you, or me, back to do it right. You must have misunderstood.’

  ‘Suppose so,’ said Joe. ‘Well, you know him better than me. So, have you heard the latest about Aunty Mary? She’s only gone and dyed her hair like them punk rockers …’

  The two men passed the rest of their lunch break speculating about what had driven Denis’s youngest sister to throw aside years of respectability, putting it down first to boredom, then losing her mind, then finally to a man. ‘Ah well, you should have seen her years ago,’ laughed Denis. ‘She was a bit wild then. Looks as if she’s reverted to type.’ He set down his glass. ‘Right, got to go. See you later.’ And he headed for the door.

  Joe stayed where he was, thinking hard. He didn’t really care what Aunty Mary did. He was more interested in the fact that Denis genuinely thought Adam Mortimer was on the level, something he himself knew not to be true. So he was the only one who knew about the extra requests. He knew his uncle would say nothing – what went on between family stayed within family. But if he were to share the information with others … He’d come to Margate desperate to earn enough to pay off debts he’d built up across South London, and one particularly unpleasant character was becoming increasingly keen to get his money back. But maybe he could be paid with information? Or, Joe could use that information to get the money to pay off the debt, and a little more besides? Which would work best? Now that was a very interesting dilemma to have. He’d be sad to leave Margate, especially as it looked as if the weather was on the turn – it would be great to be here in the summer. But life didn’t give you a chance like this very often and he’d be a fool not to make the most of it.

  ‘And what did you do today?’ Lorna asked Penny as the little girl rushed to hug her at the school gates. ‘Did you sit next to Debbie again? She’ll have to come round to play some time to make up for the times you’ve been to her house.’

  ‘Really?’ Penny’s eyes lit up. ‘Yes please. We did lots of colouring, and we drew birds.’ She pointed at a seagull swooping low over the playground. ‘Birds like that. With yellow mouths.’

  ‘Beaks, darling, birds have beaks,’ Lorna told her gently. ‘But that sounds very good indeed. I bet yours was the best in the class.’

  ‘I didn’t finish it,’ Penny said solemnly. ‘I can show you when it’s all done.’

  Lorna nodded happily, and then decided to share her news with the girl. ‘We might have a visitor soon,’ she said. ‘Would you like that?’

  Penny nodded, then had a thought. ‘Who is it? Uncle Richard?’

  A shadow passed over Lorna’s face. ‘No, he’s still in Spain,’ she said, amazed that the child could remember him. Hastily she banished the familiar pain she felt when anyone mentioned his name. It wasn’t the girl’s fault. ‘But that’s very clever of you to know his name. I wonder if you can remember anyone else from Spain? Like the time a lady with red hair came to stay with me?’

  Instantly the girl gave a huge smile. ‘The one with the lovely clothes? She had a big shirt with flowers on it. Really big flowers.’

  Lorna had to laugh. ‘That’s right. She did. She always has lovely clothes. Well, she’s coming to stay in Margate.’

  ‘But where will she sleep?’ Penny looked worried. ‘Will she have to share my room?’

  ‘No, no,’ Lorna reassured her. ‘She’s going to a hotel.’

  ‘Like Mummy does?’

  ‘Sort of,’ said Lorna, making sure her disapproval didn’t show on her face. She knew that Ruth was getting lots of business from hotel owners who recommended the agency to their guests, and therefore had to spend lots of time meeting them, getting to know them better and ensuring she made the right impression. She just hadn’t realised how much of this Penny had noticed. Still, it probably didn’t matter.‘She’ll just sleep there and then she’ll spend the day with us. Will you like that?’

  ‘She could take me shopping,’ Penny suggested.

  ‘Maybe she will,’ grinned Lorna. ‘Maybe she will.’

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ruth paced around the living room, wondering how a flat that had at first seemed spacious now felt cramped and confined. In her hand was the letter that had arrived at the office earli
er. Thank God she’d seen it first, not Robert. He’d probably have wrinkled his nose in disapproval, wondering how she’d landed in this mess.

  She couldn’t believe that she’d had such a run of bad luck with her properties – it was non-stop, what with wiring and roofing and furniture. But this was the first time anyone had threatened to sue. She wasn’t sure what to do, and she hated that. Once she’d got Denis’s name from Adam, that had solved most of the maintenance issues, but this was in a different league.

  She briefly thought about consulting Robert – he’d most likely have come across this sort of thing before. But that would mean admitting he knew more than she did. Maybe she could dress it up and pretend it was happening to a friend, or something like that? No, he’d see through it – he was that sort of man, Ruth thought with annoyance; he didn’t seem taken with her charms.

  So who else could she turn to? Lorna would be useless. She’d only done the typing when she’d worked for an agency before and had been completely unable to remember anything relevant from that. This needed someone who knew the details of contract law. Again she cursed herself for not checking the paperwork. How could she have left out a whole clause?

  That only left one person, she thought grimly. Adam. That would mean admitting her vulnerability and woeful ignorance of this side of the business, and she was unwilling to do so. She recalled that she had vowed never to reveal financial weakness to a man ever again. What choice did she have, though? Better to get it sorted sooner rather than later, Ruth thought grimly. The question was, what would be the best way of asking him?

  Ruth was more than aware of the effect she had on Adam, and didn’t deny that she found him good-looking. When he’d taken her out for meals they had had a good time together, and if she was honest with herself she missed those evenings, which had come to a halt as the business took off. She was just too busy, networking in the circles she so desperately needed to be accepted by to be a success in the town. She came to a decision. She would apologise for her lack of availability, assuming with total confidence that he had found no one else to take her place, and suggest that they resume their meals out together. After all, she mused, it would be no bad thing to be seen out and about at the right restaurants. It would give a certain impression, now that enough local people knew her to recognise her, and that sort of thing was invaluable in the long run. All she needed was the name of a decent lawyer, one who wouldn’t charge the earth, without revealing the dangerous state of her own finances. She was sure Adam had never had to worry about such things.

  ‘I’m very sorry,’ said Robert when Lorna dropped by the office. Both Ruth and Adam were out, and he’d been alone at his desk when the call had come. ‘I won’t be able to go to London this weekend after all. My friends won’t be there – they’ve been called up north for a funeral.’

  ‘Oh, poor them,’ said Lorna, instantly feeling guilty as relief at not having to cope with her mother washed over her. ‘You mustn’t worry about me. It’s a shame you won’t get your break though.’

  ‘It’s a shame I won’t have your company there and back,’ he said, then coughed in an attempt to hide his embarrassment at having said such a rash thing.

  ‘Robert, you are funny,’ laughed Lorna. ‘I’m just glad I’m not a burden to you. You know I love our conversations. It’s made such a difference being able to go by car.’

  ‘Maybe a fortnight after?’ he asked, quietly hoping that she would agree. He didn’t like to admit to himself that he lived for those drives when he had Lorna to himself. Everyone thought that Ruth was so magnetically attractive but she paled into insignificance compared to her friend. Lorna didn’t seem to realise just how lovely she was. He longed to tell her how he felt but knew she had a lot to cope with at present, so resolved to wait for the right moment.

  ‘Well, actually, I can’t make that,’ she said now, and Robert nodded, gamely hiding his rush of disappointment. Maybe she’d found someone else? He knew that she was getting divorced – she’d mentioned that on one of their earliest trips to London, while adding that she didn’t want to go into details. It was one reason why he had been determined not to rush things as he didn’t want to push her too far too fast. But now …

  ‘That’s when my cousin is coming down,’ she was saying. ‘I haven’t seen her since last summer, and she’s really good fun. She’ll love Margate. I’ll have to introduce you both.’

  ‘I’ll look forward to that,’ Robert assured her. ‘Maybe all three of us can do something together. Or will Ruth be joining you?’

  Lorna blushed, and looked away. ‘Well, the thing is, I haven’t told her about Maureen’s visit,’ she confessed. ‘They used to know each other quite well and they don’t really get on. In fact, would you mind not mentioning it? I don’t want to put you in an awkward position but …’

  ‘Think nothing of it,’ said Robert at once. But he was intrigued. Lorna wasn’t one to make up something like that, but it made him wonder what was behind her request. What could Ruth have done in the past?

  Well, that was a turn-up for the books, thought Adam. Fancy Ruth suggesting that they go out together again. True, she’d made it sound like a business tactic: everyone would assume that their firms were doing nicely if they were seen to patronise the local top spots. Confidence equals success, she’d purred. She’d also promised to foot half the bill, so what had he got to lose? He’d be seen in the company of the most attractive and eligible woman in town.

  He’d missed their evenings out. Ruth in the office was like a whirling dervish, never still for a moment, always on the phone, doing deals, making speculative calls, following leads, often foul-tempered, impossible to talk to most of the time. Despite himself, he had to admire the way she tackled all the problems he’d caused her. It remained to be seen how she’d cope with the latest one. But he had to find a way of discovering what sort of reserves she had.

  Now, as he carefully adjusted his favourite silk tie in the hotel lobby mirror, he reminded himself that he was here to combine business with pleasure. He was not, under any circumstances, to forget that.

  ‘There you are!’ Ruth swept in, the long black coat swinging open to reveal a figure-hugging black dress with a tiny flash of diamanté across its almost modest neckline. ‘Hope you weren’t waiting for long.’

  Before he could answer, they were led to their table, one set just in front of a large window overlooking the sea. Good, thought Adam. If we’re here to be seen, they’ll notice us from inside and out. He made a point of taking the wine list. He didn’t care how good-looking or astute a woman was – it was the man’s job to choose the wine.

  ‘I’d love a gin and tonic to start,’ Ruth said at once.

  ‘Good idea, and I’ll join you,’ Adam replied immediately, ‘as it’s so much better to decide on the wine once we know what we’ll be eating, don’t you think?’

  Ruth raised her eyebrows in acknowledgement.

  Adam smiled to himself. It seemed they couldn’t sit at the same table for thirty seconds without some kind of power game but it definitely added a frisson to the evening. Steady on, he told himself. Business. And that meant small talk first and then, after the plates had been cleared, finding out what this was really about.

  But as the evening went on, with more delicious whitebait followed by even better lemon sole, all accompanied by a dry white wine he was rather pleased with himself for selecting, Adam found himself enjoying himself more and more. God, Ruth could turn on the charm when she wanted to, and he was more than happy for her to turn it on full beam for him. Everything about her spoke of class, from the understated earrings that sparkled like the beading on her dress to the clever make-up she’d used on her astonishing catlike eyes. Even if this was business, tonight he felt like a lucky man.

  ‘So, Adam,’ she was saying. ‘It was so kind of you to introduce me to Denis. He’s been invaluable.’

  Adam nodded, waiting for what came next.

  ‘I wonder if you had any
other useful contacts, in other areas of the business?’ she went on. ‘Say, for example, someone who’s really on top of property law?’

  Bingo, he thought. His plan had worked. When Ruth had found her first clients, he’d shown her a template for a standard contract but he’d deliberately removed a key clause, meaning she’d be liable for damage when usually it would be the landlord’s responsibility. Now it looked as if that might be paying off.

  ‘Law?’ he echoed. ‘Tricky, as that depends on how much you’ve got to spend. No such thing as a cheap lawyer.’

  Ruth fiddled with her left earring and looked downcast. ‘I realise that, and I don’t want bargain basement, I want competence. However, as you know, the business is in its early stages and I don’t think it can fund someone out of the Yellow Pages. It would be so useful to have a personal recommendation.’ She flashed her brilliant eyes at him. ‘Always good to keep it personal, isn’t it? And I know any personal contact you can suggest will be worth it.’ She kept her gaze steadily on his face and moistened her lips just a little. ‘Although I suppose I can draw upon my savings if really necessary.’

  Bingo again, Adam silently crowed, forcing himself to look away from those glossy lips. She had savings. Although she hadn’t said how much, he reckoned she didn’t really look that worried about paying for a lawyer, so it must be a sizeable amount. He’d found out what he needed to know and so now he could afford to be generous.

  ‘I have just the person you need,’ he assured her. ‘I’ll give you the details tomorrow.’ He lowered his voice. ‘And it’s definitely better to keep things personal.’

  Another flash of those eyes. ‘As personal as possible, I’d say.’ Ruth sipped her wine, then finished the rest of the glass. ‘Wouldn’t you agree?’

  Was she saying what he thought she was saying?

  ‘Maybe you’d like a coffee?’ he asked carefully. ‘Or … something stronger? There are some very fine liqueurs here …’