Just Rewards

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

  “I do not know. I’ll phone you as soon as I have news.”

  He hung up before she could tell him she would be at Pennistone Royal for the weekend, and to call her on the landline.

  Looking over at Elvira, she cried excitedly, “Mr. Deléon is safe.”

  “That’s wonderful news, Mrs. Fairley.”

  “Why are you crying, Mumma?” Adele asked, sitting up, touching Tessa’s wet face.

  “Because I’m happy, darling, very, very happy!”

  Adele stared at her, looking puzzled.

  A moment later the driver was pulling up outside the front of Pennistone Royal.

  As Tessa opened the car door, she saw Great-Aunt Edwina and Emily on the doorstep, and she leapt out of the car, ran toward them, waving and shouting, “He’s safe! Jean-Claude is safe! He’s coming home.”

  Emily ran to meet her. They embraced, and Tessa started crying again. So did Emily. After a moment, they composed themselves and walked back to Edwina, who was beaming at them.

  “Tessa, my darling Tessa, this is wonderful news. And I think we all deserve a drink. I was going home, but I think we must now go back inside and pop a cork, or at least have a lovely glass of sherry.”

  “What a good idea, Great-Aunt Edwina. And hopefully we can have it in the upstairs parlor with Mummy” Tessa answered.

  Adele came running to Great-Aunt Edwina, a smile on her face, then said, “Mumma told me you’re my great-great-great-great-aunt.”

  Edwina looked down at this exquisite blond child, a true Fairley if ever there was one, she thought, and said, “Not so many greats, my darling. I’m not that old.”

  “How many greats then?”

  “Just one, Adele … . I’m Great-Aunt Edwina, that’s what you must call me.”

  Adele laughed and allowed the nanny to guide her inside. Elvira took Adele to her room to freshen up, and Tessa helped Edwina climb the stairs, followed closely by Emily.

  As they walked into the upstairs parlor, Paula glanced at the door and asked, “Where were you?” Then, spotting Tessa, her face lit up, and she exclaimed, “There you are, darling.”

  “Mummy! Wonderful news! Jean-Claude is safe.” Once again Tessa began to cry, and so did Paula, as they embraced.

  Emily said, “Whilst you mop yourselves up, I’m going down to the kitchen for a bottle of bubbly. We’ve got to toast Jean-Claude.”

  During the time Emily was gone, Tessa told her mother about Philippe’s phone call and then explained, “I’ll go back to London over the weekend, and fly to Paris on Monday. He’s bound to be on his way by then.”

  Paula was silent for a moment, and then she said quietly, “We have news here, too, darling. Rather sad. Uncle Robin died today.”

  “Oh, Mummy, I’m so sorry. What happened?”

  “He just died, peacefully.”

  Edwina said, “We’re planning his funeral for Wednesday.”

  Tessa’s face fell. “Oh, dear …”

  She got no further. Edwina exclaimed, “But there’s absolutely no reason for you to be there. You’re better off going to Paris to look after that darling fiance of yours. Robin won’t mind if you’re not there when we bury him. He was a true romantic, if ever there was one. Look at the way he carried on with Glynnis. And for fifty years.”

  Tessa stared at Paula, biting her lip.

  Paula nodded. “Edwina’s right, darling.”

  Within minutes Emily returned with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, followed by Margaret with a tray of glasses. “It’s luvely news, Tessa,” she said. “I’m glad he’s safe and sound.”

  “Thanks, Margaret.”

  Emily poured the Pol Roger and passed the flutes around. “Here’s to Jean-Claude! And to the two new Hartes.”

  Tessa gaped at Emily. “Evan’s had the babies!”

  “Exactly,” Emily responded, smiling. “A couple of redheads, too, according to their delighted father.”

  “True Hartes then,” Tessa said. Looking at Edwina once again, she asked in a low voice, “Are you sure I don’t have to come to the funeral, Great-Aunt Edwina?”

  “Absolutely. I’ve banned you!”

  The four women laughed, and Paula thought, What a day. And thank God I haven’t had a difficult time processing all of this. Two happy events. One sad one. Somehow the balance is right.

  34

  Jack Figg stood with Linnet and Julian near the lych-gate of Pennistone Royal church, waiting for members of the family to arrive.

  There was security everywhere, and there had been guards around the church for several days. Jack and his staff had also used bomb-sniffing dogs and metal detectors in the building itself, not wanting a repeat of the explosion which had happened on the day of Evan and Gideon’s wedding. The wall had been skillfully repaired.

  Jack had taken all these precautions because, as he knew only too well, it was impossible to predict what might happen, especially with a loose cannon like Jonathan Ainsley in the picture. And yet, deep down inside, Jack knew instinctively that Jonathan would come to the funeral of his father, and therefore nothing would happen to the church or its occupants.

  As if reading his mind, Linnet suddenly turned to him and said, “I bet Ainsley comes to the funeral, so nothing’s going to happen to any of us. Bad things happen to the Hartes only when he’s far away.”

  Jack chuckled and exclaimed, “You just read my mind, Beauty.”

  Julian said, “Yes, she has developed a bad habit of doing that lately. I’ve started to think she’s a witch.”

  “I’m glad Dad persuaded Mummy not to come, Jack, aren’t you?” Linnet said, swiftly changing the subject.

  “I am, yes. She’s really not up to it yet.” Jack lifted his eyes, glanced at the sky, pale blue and blameless, filled with early morning sunlight. “It’s a grand March day, but there’s a cold wind blowing down from the moors. In fact, it’s going to be very nippy in the cemetery. That’s why I’m pleased Evan won’t be here either. And a funeral is always very draining on everyone; she’s better looking after herself.”

  Linnet nodded. “Tessa won’t be here either. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Your father told me,” Jack replied. “I understand Great-Aunt Edwina forbade her to come, sent her packing off to Paris to wait for Jean-Claude.” .

  “Yes, she did, she apparently banned her. And Edwina was right, let’s face it. As Mummy said to me this morning, life is for the living. Anyway, she left Adele and Elvira at Pennistone Royal, which we all agreed was the best thing for her to do. She’ll have her hands full in Paris.”

  “I hear she’s pregnant,” Jack murmured, gazing at Linnet, his eyes narrowing. “I suppose that means you’re going to be the boss lady after all?”

  “You bet!” Julian exclaimed.

  “Only until Mummy can come back to work,” Linnet immediately interjected. “She’s not retiring. And anyway, one never knows with Tessa. She might easily decide to commute from Paris after the baby’s born; she’s always believed she’s the Dauphine.”

  “Linnet will be going it alone, Jack, for the time being anyway. Solo, so to speak,” Julian explained. “Evan’s out on maternity leave, Tessa preoccupied with matters in Paris and her baby, and India’s got to cope with Dusty and his problems as well as the northern stores. But I’ve no doubts about my girl. She’ll do a fine job.”

  “I second that,” Jack exclaimed and then asked Linnet, “When will your mother be well enough to go back to Harte’s? Another month or so?”

  “Oh, no, Jack! The neurologists have told her she has to take it really easy for at least six months. They said she can go back to living her normal life, if she’s comfortable doing that, but she can’t even contemplate returning to work for six to eight months, perhaps longer. Yesterday Daddy confided that he plans to take her to Villa Faviola in the summer. He thinks the South of France will do her good.”

  “I always trust your father’s judgment,” Jack remarked and pulled out a sheet of paper, l
ooked down at it. “Emily gave me this list of names last night. Can I just read it off to you, Linnet, so you can tell me if there are any changes?”

  “Of course, and I think there might be some, Jack. The phone’s been ringing this morning.”

  Jack gave her a swift glance. “Let’s start with the Hughes family. Owen, Marietta, and Elayne. They will all be here, I imagine.”

  “Only Marietta, unfortunately. She arrived at Pennistone Royal very late last night, and this morning at breakfast she told me that Owen and Elayne didn’t come over from the States after all.”

  Jack raised a brow, looking askance. He exclaimed, “Really! That’s surprising. She told me two days ago that Owen had agreed to come and was bringing Elayne with him.”

  “Obviously he changed his mind. She wasn’t very forthcoming earlier, but I think she’s embarrassed that Owen is staying away from his father’s funeral. You know Evan can’t come. She’s exhausted after the birth of the twins. Also, there’s some minor complication. Anyway, she’s still in Queen Charlotte’s, and her doctor won’t permit her to leave the hospital until the end of this week.”

  “She’s all right, though?” Jack asked, concerned.

  “Oh yes, she’ll be fine in a couple of days. It’s just rest she needs.”

  “Okay,” Jack muttered, crossing out more names. “Only Marietta from the Hughes family. Now to the Clonloughlin lot. Emily has a big question mark against all of these names. What do you know? Are they coming?”

  “No. Edwina told them not to bother. She decided she wanted to keep the burial low-key. She thought it silly to drag Anthony and Sally and the family over from Ireland. Especially since she’s planning a big memorial for Robin in London in a few months.”

  Jack put lines through the names of the Dunvales and their two sons and said, “So it’s only India, then, representing her parents and brothers?”

  “That’s right,” Linnet answered. “But Dusty’s coming with her.”

  “So I see. Robin’s other sisters are coming, aren’t they, Linnet? Your grandmother Daisy and Elizabeth, Robin’s twin.”

  “Absolutely. Grandma’s staying with us, and Elizabeth is with Emily at Allington Hall. Oh, and don’t forget Elizabeth’s husband, Marc Deboyne. I’m sure Emily listed him, since he’s her stepfather.”

  “She did. But Amanda and Francesca are not mentioned.”

  “Amanda’s in China, you know she does all the buying for Harte Enterprises. Emily thought it perfectly ridiculous to pull her back here. As for her twin, Francesca is on holiday in Thailand. Again, Emily made the decision to let Francesca and her family finish their holiday in peace.”

  Jack nodded his understanding and went on. “As Hartes go, I have Emily, Winston, Toby, Gideon, and Natalie. I know they’re all going to be here. Then there’s you and Julian, your father, Grandfather Bryan, and Emsie. Your mother’s not coming, but what about your brother? Desmond’s not on the list.”

  “Dad decided not to pull him out of boarding school for a funeral of one hour, and Mummy agreed. She said it was silly. But Lorne’s coming.”

  “My father is also definitely coming,” Julian murmured. “I’m sure he’s been included.”

  “He has indeed, Jules. Well, I guess that’s it.”

  Linnet shivered and exclaimed, “I think it’s getting colder out here, can we go up to the church?”

  Julian and Jack followed Linnet up to the porch, where they stood sheltered from the wind.

  Within minutes the procession of funeral cars rolled down the hill, and the family, dressed in mourning black, alighted and began to file into the church.

  At last came the hearse bearing Robin Ainsley’s body. His pallbearers were Winston, Toby, and Gideon Harte, Michael Kallinski, Shane O’Neill and Lorne.

  After shouldering the coffin, the six men, representing the three clans, walked up the path and into the church with measured steps.

  The church was filled with masses of flowers. Sunlight poured in through the stained-glass windows, and organ music soared to the rafters as the pallbearers brought Robin’s coffin down the aisle to the altar steps.

  As Linnet slid closer to Julian in the pew, she recognized the strains of William Blake’s “Jerusalem,” her own favorite hymn.

  It was when the choirboys began to sing the words that a lump came into her throat and she discovered her eyes were moist. She thought of Evan and the conversation they had had yesterday. Evan had so wanted to be here, to pay her last respects to the grandfather she had known for only just over a year but had grown to love so much.

  The funeral service began with prayers and hymns, and then the vicar, the Reverend Henry Thorpe, spoke beautifully about Robin Ainsley and all that he had been as a man, a politician, and a parishioner. When the vicar had finished, Robin’s three sisters came to the lectern together.

  It was Edwina who was the first speaker, as the eldest. Her words about her brother were eloquent, and she touched on his many kindnesses to all of his sisters, his genuine brotherly love and his enduring friendship toward each one of them until his death.

  Elizabeth, Robin’s twin, spoke of their closeness and then went on to enumerate in a faltering voice his many acts of courage during the Second World War. At that time he had been a fighter pilot in the RAF and very brave.

  And last, Daisy, Emma’s daughter by Paul McGill, talked about Robin’s acts of kindness to his RAF comrades. He had brought warmth and comfort to them during the Battle of Britain, she said lovingly, by making them part of his family, bringing them home to be spoiled by his mother and his sisters. He had always been true blue, she finished.

  Finally, it was Winston Harte who went up to eulogize his uncle, speaking about Robin’s brilliant career as a Member of Parliament, expounding the major differences he had made in the country through the bills he had introduced, his many triumphs in the House, the things he had accomplished during his long political career.

  As the service was coming to an end, Linnet turned her head and spotted Jonathan Ainsley standing at the back of the church. She grabbed Jack’s arm and whispered to him, but when Jack looked, Ainsley had disappeared.

  In the cemetery there was no sight of him either, but during the burial Jack suddenly noticed him standing apart, near a copse of trees.

  It was only at the very end that Ainsley came closer, showed himself to the rest of the family. He did not acknowledge them in any way, nor did they acknowledge him.

  Just when the vicar was intoning “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” he bent down, picked up a handful of earth, and threw it into the grave. And then, without a word or a glance, Jonathan Ainsley swung around and strode away, a tall, somber figure in black.

  The ringing of her mobile phone brought Marietta out of a deep sleep. Sitting up in bed, slightly disoriented, she reached for the phone, pressed it on. “Hello?”

  “I hope it’s not too late to call, Mother,” Angharad said. “I hope you’re not mad.”

  Startled to hear from the daughter who had so nonchalantly disappeared from her life, Marietta exclaimed, “Well, yes, as a matter of fact I am. Don’t you think it’s kind of rude? Not being in touch with me for weeks and then calling at eleven at night.”

  “Oh, come on, Mom, don’t stand on your high horse, I just wanted to say hi. Listen, I heard you were at that funeral today … I suppose you’re staying at Pennistone Royal with Paula?”

  Marietta took a deep breath. “Why are you calling me, Angharad?”

  “Just to say hello. How’s Paula doing after her brain hemorrhage? Does she have … bats in the belfry as they say here?”

  “Don’t be so stupid!” Marietta snapped. “I’m going to hang up.”

  “No, don’t, Mom. Listen, I’m engaged. Did you know that?”

  “No, I didn’t,” Marietta lied.

  “I am. I’ve got the most gorgeous diamond you’ve ever seen. What’s that saying? A diamond as big as the Ritz. Well, mine is! I’m going to marry Jonathan, you know
. He’s crazy for me … because I drive him crazy in bed.”

  “I don’t want to hear any of this nonsense, Angharad.”

  “Dad didn’t come to the funeral, did he? Why is that?”

  “Angharad, it’s very late. I have to hang up.”

  “I’d like to see you, Mom. When you come back to London, I mean. I’m not up there in Yorkshire. Jonathan is, he went to his father’s funeral. He’s going to be even richer, bet you didn’t know that. He’s getting everything. Nothing for little Evan. And how’s she doing? Had the baby elephants yet?”

  “Good night.”

  “Mom, don’t cut me off. I’ll be in London all week. I want you to see me, meet me for tea at the Ritz.” She started to laugh, sounding shrill.

  “I don’t know whether I can, I’ll call you.”

  “I’m leaving on Monday, Mom. Back to Paris we go. So call me before then, okay?”

  “Very well.”

  “You won’t recognize me. I’m very chic these days, that’s what everyone says, even Jonathan.” The shrill laughter echoed through the phone once more, as Angharad continued, “I’ll be richer than Evan … much, much richer. You see, I am going to be Mrs. Ainsley.”

  “Good night, Angharad,” Marietta said and turned the phone off.

  Sleep eluded Marietta for a while, her mind preoccupied with her youngest daughter and what she had said. Thank God she had not given anything away about Paula, or the twins being born.

  Should she meet her daughter for tea later this week? She wasn’t sure. She would have to ask Evan what she thought and, perhaps more important, Linnet. Maybe they would want her to have tea with Angharad just to find out whatever she could.

  35

  And so it began. The most relentless, backbreaking work schedule ever conceived by anybody—except Emma Harte.

  Many years before, Emma had set out to accumulate money and power, large amounts of it, and very quickly. And she had succeeded, reaching heights she herself had not dreamed of achieving. She had done it through sheer willpower, discipline, self-sacrifice, and stamina. She had been seventeen years old when she embarked upon this extraordinary journey to the top; her great-granddaughter Linnet was almost ten years older, and her aim was not to acquire money or power. What she was aiming to do was bring the great emporium Emma had founded into the twenty-first century. And faster and better than any of the rival stores could do, rivals who sought the same customers and had the same goals.