Unsuspectingly, she answered his probing questions about her personal life and circumstances. Too late, she realised his interest was not in her, but in his daughter. Jean-Luc, she discovered, was married, but his wife was delicate and there were no children. His proposition stunned Briony.
'The money your father settled on me helped me to go into advertising. Let me have my daughter and I'll give you the capital you need to set yourself up in some kind of business.'
She refused, of course. She adored Iseult, and there was no way she was going to part with her if she could help it. But Jean-Luc was nothing if not persistent. He visited her at Promilla's flat. He bombarded her with letters and telephone calls, sent presents for Iseult. He pointed out that Briony could barely support the child, but that with her father Iseult would have boundless advantages. He was charming with Iseult and before long the child adored him and looked forward to his visits. Finally worn down by despair, her inability to find work, her fast dwindling resources and the conviction that she was acting in Iseult's best interests, Briony capitulated. Her only stipulation was that she must be allowed contact with her daughter, and to this Jean-Luc agreed.
Iseult was only seven when Jean-Luc took her back to Paris. The child would soon settle down, he assured a tearful Briony. He would, he promised, bring Iseult to England twice a year and allow her to visit her natural mother.
That was over two years ago. To do him justice, Jean-Luc had kept his word. He'd given Briony the lump sum that had enabled her to go into partnership with Promilla here in Gwinvercombe. She'd missed Iseult dreadfully, of course. But she saw her twice a year, the child wrote regularly and Briony had learned to sink her unhappiness in hard work. Fortunately, Iseult had taken to Jean-Luc's frail wife, who treated the little girl as indulgently as if she'd been her own.
So, at first, Iseult had been content enough. But she was growing up and lately her letters had contained worrying hints that all was not well at home. She told Briony of constant rows between Jean-Luc and his wife. Iseult was a mature ten-year-old now and, reading between the lines, Briony guessed Jean-Luc was seeing other women. If the child was allowed to visit her at Christmas, she would be able to find out if Iseult was really unhappy.
When Briony pulled up the shop blinds next morning and began to renew the window display, she saw the silver-grey Rolls-Royce glide slowly past. Her heart somersaulted. But then she remembered; Teale was on his way to London. It was less hassle, he said, to go by train. He must have kept his promise to lend his sister the car.
Sure enough, it was Rhoda who entered the shop a few minutes later. A little breathlessly she enquired, 'Not late, am I?'
'No. We're up early for once. Prom's in the studio, laying out some work for you.'
'That's a very satisfying sound,' Promilla said later that morning. Her dark head tilted on one side, she was listening to the steady hum of the sewing machine. Although much of the finer detail of her craftwork was done by hand, the machine also had its part to play. 'I've never seen a woman work so fast. At this rate,' she said half-jokingly, 'I may be able to take time off to go to Karachi, after all.'
'I don't see why you shouldn't.' Briony was perfectly serious. 'You haven't had a holiday in two years. And it's not that you can't afford it.' Promilla's parents had left her comfortably off.
It was obvious from the start that Rhoda was going to fit in well, and both girls liked her immensely. Matthew didn't seem to object to his wife working practically alongside him. In fact, he remarked once that it was quite like the old days, when they'd been going through their 'self-sufficiency' period.
'We still are in a way,' Rhoda pointed out. 'We grow our own vegetables, we have the nanny-goats for milk and the chickens for eggs.' Briony suspected that most of the industry was Rhoda's. Matthew was totally impractical. She was full of admiration, too, for the way the other woman had coped during her husband's prolonged absence.
Teale had been away for nearly two weeks before Briony nerved herself to enquire about him from Rhoda. His sister, of course, knew nothing of his errand to the art gallery. Over their morning coffee she told Briony, 'All I know is that he intended to see his publishers about a jacket for his latest book. Being one of their top authors, he has a large say in the design. He was only supposed to be gone a day or two. But then he phoned me last Thursday to say Charlene's mother had contacted him. Charlene wanted to see him urgently.'
'Oh?' It was difficult to show only polite interest when she was avid for further information.
'Yes. I don't know why.' Rhoda looked worried. 'I hope she's not trying to get him back after all this time.' So did Briony!
'Is that likely?' Briony hoped she didn't sound as aghast as she felt. 'How long have they been divorced?'
'Let's see. Little Scott must be six now. So it must be five and a half years. No, it's not likely.' Rhoda was obviously reassuring herself as much as answering the question. But Briony felt a little easier in her own mind. Of anyone, his twin sister must know Teale best.
'I suppose you've heard all the gossip?' Rhoda asked as she took up her sewing again. 'Why Teale divorced Charlene?' She didn't wait for a reply but went on. 'She was playing around. I don't know who with. But I do know Matthew wasn't having an affair with her. Teale wouldn't believe that, but I know. And I told him so at the time. Did he really think I wouldn't know if my own husband was being unfaithful to me?'
'Then why did Matthew go away? It was about the same time that Charlene left, wasn't it?'
'The same day, unfortunately. But that was coincidence.' She looked challengingly at Briony.
'I'm not saying I don't believe you,' Briony said hastily. 'I want to believe you. I like Matthew and I like you. I'd like to see Matthew succeed with his painting.' She put down her empty cup and walked over to the easel where his latest work was in progress and studied it as they spoke.
'It would be the making of him,' Rhoda agreed. 'He should never have given it up all those years ago. But my family brought pressure to bear on him; he thought he was conforming for my sake, trying to hold down a conventional job. But I didn't care about that. As long as I had Matt and the children I was happy. We would have managed. As it was, he went from job to job, getting more and more discouraged and finally thoroughly depressed.'
'Has he always been so moody?' Briony remembered how Matthew had been when he'd first come to the Blue Unicorn and thought she could see an improvement in him.
'He's always been highly strung, ever since I've known him. He veers from extreme highs to extreme lows. But I know how to calm him down and how to cheer him up. If he'd been happy in his work, I'm sure maturity would have solved all that. I think Teale's accusation was the last straw. Charlene didn't deny it. And suddenly one day Matthew disappeared and that was the last I saw of him for six years, until a few weeks ago. Six years, Briony!' Rhoda's voice shook at the remembrance. 'Can you imagine what it was like? Not knowing where he was, or even if he was still alive?'
'Did you go to the police?'
'We tried everything.' Rhoda stood up and began to pace the studio as if she was reliving those years of anxiety, of waiting for news. 'But he seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Charlene swore she didn't know where he was. We kept getting reports that he'd been seen, first in one place, then in another, all over the country. I followed up every lead. Nothing. Finally, Teale forbade me to go haring off on these wild-goose chases. The disappointment when I found another dead end was destroying me.'
'And then he turned up here, practically on his own doorstep.'
'When I heard he'd been seen here in Gwinvercombe, I thought it was just another unfounded rumour. Teale was away. He had the car, in any case. And Libby— that's my youngest—was down with chicken-pox. But I couldn't let it go, just in case. So I phoned Teale in London.'
'And he came chasing home, and that's when I had my first encounter with him,' Briony said wryly.
'Yes.' Rhoda's face expressed concern. 'He told me about that
. I'm sorry you were on the receiving end of his anger. But I never believed for a moment that there was anything between you and Matthew. And I rather suspect Teale's glad there wasn't. He has a great deal of respect for you, Briony.' She sat down again at her machine, but she did not begin work immediately. Instead, her grey eyes, so like her brother's, were fixed consideringly on Briony's face. 'I wish…'
'Did you ever find out where Matthew had been all those years?' Briony interrupted quickly. She thought she knew what Rhoda wished, but she was afraid to hear her say it, in case she betrayed herself.
'Yes.' Rhoda hesitated, then asked 'Can I trust you, Briony? This is something I haven't even told Teale.'
'If you'd rather not…'
'Actually, it will be a relief in a way to tell someone. I had a job to get it out of Matthew. He was so mortified.'
'It won't go any further, I promise.'
'He left here determined to get some kind of job. He wasn't going to come back until he had something to show for it, and he did work for a while. But then he had a complete nervous breakdown. He was in a psychiatric hospital for four years under a different name. He didn't want any of his friends or family to know. As he began to improve, they sent him to rehabilitation classes. Part of the therapy was painting, and Matthew began to rediscover himself. Have you never wondered why he doesn't come here on Mondays?' And, as Briony nodded, Rhoda explained, 'He has to go for regular check-ups.' Rhoda stood up and came to join Briony at the easel. She looked critically at the landscape Briony was studying. 'If he could make a success of this, I really believe there'd be no looking back. Already his style is calmer, more self-controlled.'
'Wasn't it rather strange that he should be living round here,' Briony said, 'and coming to me for painting and yet you didn't know he was home?'
'Poor Matt!' Rhoda sighed. 'He wasn't sure what kind of reception he'd get after six years, especially since I'd moved out of our old house in Barnstaple and into Teale's cottage. And yet the poor lamb so wanted to be near us.'
'You must love him very much to be so understanding. It can't have been easy, waiting for him all those years. And he loves you,' Briony said wistfully. 'It must be rather wonderful to love each other like that.'
'Yes. That's what Teale has never been able to understand—why Matthew and I are so good for each other. I don't think Teale's ever known what it's like to be really in love. I certainly don't believe he was ever in love with Charlene. I don't know what he'd do if he ever fell for someone really hard.' She chuckled ruefully. 'I think it might upset his pride.'
'What did you think of Charlene?'
'She was pretty. A little like you to look at, but much more superficial. She hadn't your depth of character, or your intelligence. All she was interested in was her appearance and having a good time. D'you know, Briony, I've known her actually change her outfit four times in one day. She even kept a chart so she didn't repeat the combination that week! As for having a good time, that meant going to parties, preferably where celebrities gathered. When she found Teale couldn't be dragged back to that brittle, insincere life-style, she started going on her own. I know she was running around with other men. But I can't say for sure whether she was actually physically unfaithful to Teale.'
'What about little Scott? Do you think he's Teak's child?'
'Yes. And anyone who saw him would say the same. But Teale either can't or won't see it.'
'Teale came home last night,' Rhoda reported on Saturday morning. 'I gave his housekeeper a lift into town. She said he's brought little Scott with him. I'm dying to know why.' So was Briony.
'Simple,' Promilla said, when Briony told her. 'Go up tomorrow and find out.'
'Oh, yes, just like that?' Briony said sarcastically. 'Won't it look a bit obvious?'
'You've been up there the last two Sundays, painting,' Promilla reminded her. 'So why not tomorrow? We're well into October already. There won't be many more fine weekends for sitting out sketching.'
But Promilla wouldn't have been able to persuade her if she hadn't already wanted to go, Briony thought as she took the by now familiar route to the old manor house. She wouldn't announce her arrival to anyone, but would just take up her usual position and begin work. If Teale chose to acknowledge her presence, that was up to him.
It was difficult to concentrate on the painting, especially since it was necessary from time to time to look at her model, and Briony found herself wondering whether she had seen a movement at a window, or whether she had been observed.
In spite of this constant alertness, she was startled into a betraying gasp, her face, as always in strong emotion, going first pale and then fiery red, when Teale came upon her unawares.
'I'm sure you must be dying for a coffee break. You seem to have been out here since the crack of dawn.'
She had been early. But then, she'd been awake off and on half the night anticipating this encounter. Finally, it had seemed she might as well get up.
'I've brought a flask,' she told him, but she was pleased when he insisted she would enjoy a freshly brewed cup far better.
'How's the painting coming along?' asked Teale as they walked towards the house. The rough-mown grass was uneven and he placed a supportive hand beneath her elbow.
'I've only done the preliminary sketches so far. I like to transfer them to canvas and work them up in the studio. Our climate doesn't really lend itself to painting out of doors. Either it rains or else it's windy and you get dust and leaves stuck to the canvas.' She was speaking rapidly, nervously, as she always seemed to at any initial encounter with Teale. The feel of his hard hand on her arm wasn't helping, either. She took a deep breath and forced herself to say more calmly, 'How was your trip to London?'
'Moderately successful.' He ushered her ahead of him into the drawing-room, where someone had already set out a coffee-pot, two cups and an assortment of homemade biscuits. Teale invited her to sit down and took his place beside her. 'I'm afraid business got rather pushed to one side by family affairs, but I did have time to take Rawlinson's painting, the still life, to the gallery you suggested.'
'You mentioned my name?'
'Yes, and they'll be in touch with you. They seemed reluctant to commit themselves to me. Perhaps because they knew I was a relative.'
'You said you gave them one painting,' Briony realised. 'But you took two?'
'Yes. I had rather more success with that one.' He watched her closely for any reaction. 'I was discussing a jacket for my latest book and it seemed to me that the abstract fitted the bill. The publisher loved it, Rawlinson will get the credit—and substantial rights—if he agrees to its use.'
'But that's marvellous!' Briony's heart-shaped face glowed with enthusiasm. Impulsively, she put her hand on Teale's arm. 'That was good of you!' For a moment, she sensed a curious stillness in him, then he moved away and her hand dropped to her side. She felt curiously snubbed.
'I hope Rawlinson will think so,' Teale said drily. 'He may damn me for an interfering so-and-so. He might refuse to sign the agreement.'
'Not if we get Rhoda to tell him,' Briony suggested. 'She knows the right way to handle him.'
'Woman, the eternal manipulator!' It wasn't said unpleasantly, but with a certain wry amusement. 'I'm beginning to feel a little manipulated myself. If it hadn't been for you, I doubt I would have interested myself that much in Rawlinson's affairs.'
'Oh!' Briony wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not. To cover her uncertainty she looked around the room as though admiring her surroundings. But pretence became genuine. With a fire burning in the large grate to offset the chill of the early autumn day, the room seemed homely and welcoming, despite the richness and value of its contents.
'Yes.' Suddenly it was Teale who seemed ill at ease. He rose and walked to the window, staring out at the sea, which was grey and somewhat turbulent this morning. With apparent inconsequence, he said, 'I saw Charlene while I was in London.'
'Rhoda mentioned it,' Briony said when Teale s
eemed to have lapsed into silence once more. She waited painfully for him to go on.
'And I find I owe Matthew an apology.' She guessed he was a man who didn't find apologising easy. But Briony's spirits, which had dwindled, had risen again. He wasn't going to tell her he was reconciled with his former wife. 'He wasn't having an affair with her, though she did her best to lead him on. Just to spite me, I suspect.'
'She actually admitted that?' Briony couldn't contain her surprise.
Teale turned to face her once more.
'Charlene is a very sick woman. Cancer.' He said the word brusquely. 'She knows she may not have very long to live.' Briony searched his face for pain, but saw only natural regret for a fellow human being's mortality.
'So she wanted to clear her conscience?'
'I don't know about conscience. I don't think Charlene ever had any particular religious creed.' He moved back to the sofa and sat down. 'Her only saving grace as far as I'm concerned has been that she's always been genuinely fond of her child. No, it was a kind of trade-in. The truth in exchange for my promise to take Scott, acknowledge him as my son and bring him up.'
'You agreed, of course?'
'Subject to a blood test, yes.' And, at Briony's incredulous expression, 'Though there's nothing between me and Charlene any more, I am sorry for her. But I couldn't allow my common sense to be swayed by sentimentality for a dying woman, could I? There was too much at stake. I had to be sure, don't you see?' He seemed to be pleading with her for understanding.
'Yes, I do see,' she assured him. 'And… ?'
'He's of my blood all right.' Teale sighed. 'It's going to take some getting used to, just as it'll take me a while to get used to having a young child around the house. God knows what I'm going to do with him.'
'Get to know him, I should hope,' Briony said rather indignantly.
'Yes!' Teale ran a distracted hand through his thick, dark hair. 'Will you help me, Briony?' The question was totally unexpected and she floundered a little.
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