She’d never expected it to be the night that changed her life, but it had. It had turned her from being open hearted and trusting to someone who doubted her judgement about everything. And it had made her question who she really was. Was she Bey Fitzpatrick, who was loved by everyone, or a different Bey, who was regarded with suspicion and disapproval? The thing was, she thought, the Warrens had been right not to trust her, because that night she’d behaved badly, even if she’d ended up being brave and resourceful when it mattered. The police, her mother and Paige Pentony had all said how brave she’d been. But that wasn’t how she’d seen herself. Her weakness in taking Astrid’s ring far outweighed any strength she’d shown in escaping from Raymond Fenton. And yet he was the only person she’d ever truly needed to run away from. Every other time – leaving Cleevaun House, leaving Van Aelten and Schaap, even leaving the party tonight – she could have chosen to stay. She could have faced up to the consequences of her actions. But she hadn’t trusted herself to be able to do it. Which meant she wasn’t brave at all.
She pushed open the door to the corridor. The hallway was deserted. Most people had drifted off to the reception room, which was where she was supposed to be too. Stay or go? she asked herself. Run away or face up to things?
Oh hell, she thought, taking a deep breath and turning towards the reception room, I’m done with running. This is the most important collection in my life. I have to see the reaction, no matter what it is.
She secreted herself close to the stage and to the long mullioned windows overlooking the garden, where she could observe without being seen herself. The hum of conversation was eager and excited. She felt her own heart beat faster with excitement too.
She turned and looked outside again. The gently falling snow was landing on a spider’s web, stretched taut across the cold pane of glass.
Although she’d wanted to close the door on the past, the spider’s web made her think of the other web. The one that came to her in her dreams. The one that wrapped itself around the knives and forks and spoons in the cutlery tray. The one that she had to clean off so that she could stretch it in front of her to protect her. So that nobody could reach her. Nobody could touch her. So that she was safe
She shivered as the images flashed through her mind. Then she felt the hand on her shoulder and the lights went out.
She whirled around, ready to lash out, but even as she raised her arm, she realised that it was her father’s hand, and that it was Philip, not her abductor, who was standing in front of her, a troubled expression in his eyes.
‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere,’ he said. ‘I was afraid you’d left. I’m really sorry about Adele’s attitude. She’s wrong, Bey. Very wrong. I’ve told her so. Quite forcefully. Are you all right?’ he added, seeing the anxiety in her face. ‘Has she really upset you?’
‘No,’ Bey croaked. ‘I’m fine. Honestly.’
‘I have to go on stage and get ready for my speech,’ said Philip. ‘I should’ve been practising but I had to find you first. I hope—’
His words were lost as a spotlight pierced the darkness and music filled the air. At the entrance to the room a colourful Chinese dragon appeared. It danced and gyrated its way through the crowd, followed by a dozen glistening dragon-shaped ice sculptures each carried by two waiters. It was an amazing sight and Bey had to admit that – crazy as she’d thought it was going to be – it was enthralling. The guests gasped and applauded as the dragon and the ice sculptures made their way towards the dining room.
‘We’ll talk afterwards,’ Philip said. ‘But I want you to know that I’m eternally grateful to you for everything you’ve done.’
‘It was my job,’ she said.
‘You didn’t have to do it,’ said Philip. ‘I’m honoured that you did. And I couldn’t be prouder that you’re my daughter. I wish I’d known to be proud long before now. I wish I hadn’t let my anger with Lola stop me.’
He dropped the briefest of kisses on her cheek and walked towards the stage. As the spotlights illuminated him standing at a small lectern, the guests began to applaud again and he held up his hand for silence.
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Thank you, friends of Warren’s, for coming along tonight for the launch of our new and truly exceptional collection of jewellery.’
Bey listened to him talk about the Ice Dragon collection, and then held her breath as a dozen stunning models strode onto the stage wearing the collection, which sparkled and dazzled beneath the lights.
‘The Ice Dragon range!’ cried Philip. ‘New heirlooms for a new age. Bespoke necklaces with the highest-quality gems. A collection of earrings, pendants, bracelets and rings that you’ll want to own. We’re extremely proud of these pieces and we hope you’ll love them as much as we do. Now I want to introduce someone very special to you. My mother, Adele Warren.’
Adele, who had taken off her Snowdrop jewellery and replaced it with Ice Dragon, stepped onto the stage and stood beside Philip, who whispered quietly in her ear. She looked at him silently for a moment, then nodded and stood behind the microphone.
‘I also want to thank you,’ she said when the applause had died down. ‘Many of you have been customers of Warren’s for a long, long time. As my son said, we consider you our friends. And this is a night for friends, old and new.’
She was a good speaker, thought Bey. Everyone was listening to her, nodding at her words and smiling at each other as she talked about some of the more iconic Adele pieces and what they meant to her.
‘But now I’m in my eighties and it’s time for me and the Adeles to be put out to pasture,’ she said.
‘Never!’ cried a voice from the crowd.
Adele smiled. ‘Well, we’d all like to think we can go on and on, but the truth is that only diamonds are forever.’
This time people laughed, and even Bey allowed herself the faintest of smiles.
‘My husband used to say that we were only passing through, and that the legacy of beautiful gemstones would stay long after we’d gone. I like to think he was right about that.’
I wish I’d known him better, thought Bey. Even though Richard had been manipulative and wrong, he’d looked after her and Lola. Her fingers touched the Bluebells in her ears. They would always be a tangible connection with her grandfather, and she was glad about that.
‘I hope very much that Warren’s has left some beautiful jewellery as our legacy,’ continued Adele. ‘And I hope that you’ll think the Ice Dragon range continues our commitment to quality and style. Our stunning models will be walking among you shortly so you’ll have the opportunity to see the pieces at close quarters for yourselves. And of course if you want to try any of them, please ask one of our people for help. We’re the ones with the badges, although I hope that many of you know us already. I’m not wearing a badge because as the oldest person here I’m hoping I don’t need one.’
There was more good-natured laughter.
‘There’s someone else not wearing a badge either, and I’d like you to give her a warm welcome. She’s the creator of the Ice Dragon range and, in the Warren spirit of being a family company, she’s also my very, very talented granddaughter. Bey Fitzpatrick.’ Adele looked towards where Bey was standing and, even though she couldn’t see her, held out her arm.
Bey stared at her in shock. Nobody had said anything about her going on stage. Nobody had said anything about her standing side by side with the Ice Dragon herself.
Her grandmother’s arm remained outstretched. Bey didn’t move. She didn’t have to do this. She didn’t have to make nice. Especially to Adele. She could simply walk away and leave her there. She could humiliate her grandmother the way her grandmother seemed to like humiliating her.
But I’m a professional person, she reminded herself. This is my job. And I’m not running away.
She walked up the steps and stood beside her grandmother on the stage.
‘I have to admit,’ said Adele when the applause died down. ‘I wasn’t su
re about the direction the collection would take when Bey came to us. But she was very clear in her ideas and very clear about how the pieces would fit together. Old fogey that I am, I made some suggestions. Thankfully she ignored every one of them.’
The crowd laughed again.
‘I’m truly delighted that another generation of the Warren family has taken on the mantle of our heritage,’ she continued. ‘And I want to thank Bey for working so hard for us and with us. We didn’t ask her to prepare a speech, but it would be nice if she could say a few words.’
I could say that you didn’t want to know me, thought Bey. That you were mean to my mother. That you called me a thief and an ungrateful wretch. I could say that you thought – maybe even still think – I was your husband’s daughter and because of that you couldn’t hide your resentment of me. I could say that I’ve never been a member of this family and that I have nothing to do with its heritage. I could say that it means nothing to me. That you mean nothing to me. And that your legacy means nothing to me either. Although that wouldn’t be strictly true, she thought, because Ice Dragon meant everything to her and she wanted it to be part of Warren’s heritage as much as the Adele Rose or the Snowdrop or even the Bluebells.
She took a deep breath and smiled out at the people watching her. Rich and happy. Waiting for her to speak. Waiting for her to be the Bey they wanted her to be. The Bey she knew she was.
‘Thank you, Adele,’ she said. ‘I’m delighted to be here tonight. I’m thrilled at the opportunity to have created what I too hope will be part of Warren’s for a long time to come. The collection was a joy to work on and I’m honoured to have been part of its creation. I know I’m biased but I hope everyone here will love the pieces as much as I do.’
She stepped back and Adele hugged her. She couldn’t remember ever having been hugged by her grandmother before, and she was surprised at how thin and fragile the older woman was.
‘Thank you,’ murmured Adele. ‘I meant what I said. I was wrong: you knew exactly what you were doing, and I know your grandfather would be very, very proud.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Bey was more touched than she’d expected by Adele’s words. ‘It was a pleasure to work on the collection.’
‘And it’s a great name.’ There was the merest hint of a smile on Adele’s lips. ‘Richard would have loved it.’
Philip returned to his position behind the mic.
‘I just wanted to add that Bey is my daughter, and I couldn’t be prouder of what she’s achieved tonight.’
Bey smiled. I don’t think we’ll ever be close, she thought as Philip put his arm around her, but maybe things will be better in the future. Not perfect. Not wonderful. But better.
The guests continued to applaud as the models began to leave the stage and mingle among them. Philip and Adele were also applauding. And so were the other Warrens, standing close by, smiling broadly.
Bey wished Lola was here. She wished there was someone close to her who could share the triumph of the moment, no matter how bizarre it felt. Someone who really knew her.
And then she saw him, standing in the crowd, looking up at her. She stared in absolute bewilderment, quite unable to believe her eyes and completely astonished as to why he should be here at all. She turned to her father, but Philip was already leading them off the stage to where the rest of the family were waiting.
‘When we didn’t see you earlier, I thought you’d run out on us, Bey,’ said Adele as they walked. ‘I’m very glad you didn’t.’
‘I wouldn’t walk out on the biggest night of my professional career.’ Bey tried to forget that she almost had.
‘It’s a big night for us as a family too,’ said Adele. ‘I don’t know if closeness will ever be possible between us. But I hope we can be friendly. And I hope you and your father have a better relationship than I had with mine. I’m afraid that might have clouded my judgement about you a little, and for that I apologise.’
‘That’s OK.’ For the first time in her life, Bey smiled at her grandmother.
There was no time to say anything else, because Peter was patting her on the back and telling her that all he’d been able to hear while the models were on stage were the gasps of appreciation and desire from the guests.
‘One woman told her husband she wanted every single piece,’ he said. ‘I really do think we’ve got a success on our hands. And you’re the reason for it, Bey. Whoever would’ve believed it?’
‘Yeah.’ It was Anthony who spoke next. ‘We’re totally geared up for big sales in retail. Fingers crossed.’
Astrid looked at Bey without speaking for a moment and then sighed.
‘I never really liked you,’ she said. ‘I don’t know why. You were always sort of exotic, you know? The mystery sister. I think I might have resented that. And then there was the ring, of course. I was a bit of a bitch about that, wasn’t I? Especially after Grandad died and you brought it back. Gran found it and your locket and she gave them to me. The locket is still yours, you know.’
‘If your baby’s a girl perhaps she’d like it,’ said Bey. ‘It can be my way of apologising to you for taking the ring in the first place.’
Astrid smiled. ‘We’re very different people for all that you’re my half-sister,’ she said. ‘But I can tell you here and now that if I don’t get at least one piece of that Ice Dragon set for Christmas, I’ll be very, very disappointed. They’re the most gorgeous pieces of jewellery I’ve ever seen.’
‘Thank you.’ Bey was overwhelmed by the Warren love-bombing, but she was desperate to get away. ‘There’s someone I wanted to see. Would you mind if I leave you for a moment?’
And she broke away from them even as a woman came over to Anthony and asked to try on an entire Ice Dragon set.
Bey had no idea what she was going to say to Will Murdoch. But she knew that she needed to say goodbye at least. Because she hadn’t before.
Her heart was pounding when she eventually found him at one of the display cases, where he was studying the tourmaline and diamond pendant.
‘It’s not my favourite,’ she said as she stood beside him. ‘The sapphires will always be my favourites. But it’s very pretty and I bet it’s the best seller.’
‘I bet it is too.’ He turned to her. ‘Hello, Bey. Congratulations on yet another stunning collection.’
‘Thank you.’
The memories suddenly flooded into her head. Will at the office, emptying beautiful diamonds onto her desk. Smiling at her as she showed him her ideas. Laughing at the impossible demands of some of their most demanding clients. And Will in Cádiz, warm and caring when her bag had been snatched. Handing her a glass of wine. Letting her lean on his shoulder. Letting her kiss him. Kissing her in return.
She could never forget the kiss.
‘I believe one of the bespoke necklaces has been sold already.’ He was smiling at her as though they were still working together. As though she hadn’t made a fool of herself with him.
‘It has?’
‘Not only sold but being worn by the owner,’ he told her. ‘Apparently she’s the wife of a movie producer. Or director. Or something.’
‘Warren’s have a better client list than they admitted,’ she said. ‘I had to persuade them that it was worth making those pieces. That they were an investment.’
‘Of course they were an investment,’ said Will. ‘And you were right to persuade them. You were right to design for them too,’ he added. ‘You couldn’t have done work like this at Van Aelten and Schaap. It’s not their style.’
‘I know,’ said Bey. ‘Although to be honest, I didn’t leave to work for Warren’s. I was making silver jewellery myself when my father asked me to design for them.’
‘You left without saying goodbye.’ Will’s eyes darkened. ‘While I was away on a buying trip. You simply disappeared. I couldn’t believe it. I tried to get in touch, but you’d changed your phone and everything.’
‘I had to get a new one when I came here,’
she said.
‘It would have been nice to talk before you went.’
‘I was busy. And there was nothing to say.’
‘Oh, Bey . . .’
‘I should’ve spoken to you.’ She kept her voice calm and measured even though she seemed to have a positive swarm of butterflies in her stomach. ‘It was very unprofessional of me.’
‘I’m not talking about professional,’ said Will.
‘Oh, look, all of that is in the past,’ said Bey. ‘I’ve forgotten about it completely. I’m sure you have too. Anyway . . .’ she smiled brightly at him, ‘I really wanted to ask how come you were invited tonight. You work for a rival firm.’
‘Not any more,’ he said. His tone was as suddenly bright as hers, but his expression was still serious. ‘I’ve moved on too.’
‘Oh?’ She looked at him in surprise. ‘I didn’t know that. I thought you loved Van Aelten.’
‘I’ve gone back to dealing in gemstones,’ said Will. ‘It was always more of my thing really. I’m in partnership with a guy called Harvey Kramer. I’ve known him for years. We sourced some of the stones for your collection. That’s why I’m here.’
‘You did?’ She was astonished.
‘I could’ve contacted you when Warren’s came to us, but I didn’t want to . . . to upset you when you were in the middle of a new collection.’
‘I asked Dad about the stones,’ said Bey. ‘He said he went to his usual guy in Germany. He’s always liked to pick them up himself rather than have a supplier come to the store. He didn’t mention your name.’
‘He dealt with Harvey but I sourced most of the diamonds,’ said Will. ‘We work out of Hamburg. I asked Philip for the invite. I wanted to see how the collection turned out. And I have to say that it’s the best thing you’ve ever done.’
What Happened That Night: The page-turning holiday read by the No. 1 bestselling author Page 39