by Lulu Taylor
Now they knew a lot more: about the tragic court case, the custody battle. But the fact that their mother was out there somewhere … that was the most extraordinary thing of all.
‘You could have rescued us!’ whispered Flora to herself, staring out at the trees that were leafless and bare against the sky. ‘You could have found us. Why didn’t you? Why didn’t you love us?’
Just then there was a knock on the door. It opened. ‘Flora?’ It was Vicky. ‘Flora – you’ve got a visitor …’
‘I don’t want to see anybody!’
‘But you might want to see this one.’ Vicky came further into the room. ‘It’s Otto.’
Flora lifted her head, amazed. ‘Otto?’
Vicky nodded. ‘He’s just arrived out of the blue. Were you expecting him?’
‘No!’ Her misery vanished. She rushed to the mirror to examine her face. She picked up a brush and pulled it through her long fair hair. ‘I was waiting for him to call. I can’t believe it! How wonderful. Give me a moment to change and fix my face. Tell him I’ll be right down.’
Vicky disappeared to look after Otto as Flora rushed to her dressing room and looked for something to change into. Her spirits soared. He must have sensed that I needed him! Oh, God, I’m so lucky to have him … I can tell him about my mother, discuss it all with him. He’ll know what to do. But first she would tell him that she’d decided to accept his proposal. They would be engaged.
Ten minutes later she was ready, refreshed and feeling pretty in a floral silk tea dress and teal-coloured peep-toe slingbacks. She went quickly down the stairs, wondering if Octavia was back from her run. Flora went to the drawing-room door and opened it, smiling brightly. Otto was standing with his back to her, looking out of the window.
‘Hello, my darling,’ she said happily. ‘What a wonderful surprise!’
Otto turned. His face was sad. He didn’t make any move to approach her or even to smile. ‘Flora,’ he said, and his voice sounded mournful.
‘W-w-w-what is it?’ She felt horribly frightened all of a sudden. What was wrong with Otto – her Otto who was always so kind, so supportive, so loving, so adoring … She approached him, but instead of holding out his arms to her he stiffened. She stopped. ‘Otto – what’s wrong?’
‘My dear Flora,’ he said sadly, ‘I’ve come to tell you that, with great regret, I must end our relationship.’
She gasped. Horror filled her with a cold, sick feeling and the ends of her fingers prickled. ‘What? Wh-wh-why?’
‘Why?’ Otto drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders. ‘Because I am a proud man, Flora. I thought we had told each other everything, that we had no secrets.’
Flora opened her mouth but no sound came out. Of course there were secrets. There were things she’d never told anyone.
‘I do not think we can continue. I love you but I fear that no true love story can begin with deceit.’
She felt as though she might faint. What was he talking about? ‘But, Otto, what do you mean? How I have deceived you?’ she pleaded.
‘You never said a word.’ He walked over to the carved marble fireplace and turned his back to it, so that he faced her. ‘You never explained yourself – that you are a great heiress. A woman of enormous wealth.’ He threw out his arms, gesturing at their surroundings. ‘This – this is all yours! Not a father’s, not a mother’s – yours and your sister’s alone. Do you realise what people will say? That I am a fortune-hunter! A gigolo! That I wish to marry you for your money!’ He shook his head, his brown eyes sad. ‘I say again, I am a proud man, Flora. I am the last of the noble Barons von Schwetten. I cannot allow my family name to be besmirched by accusations of this sort. You should have told me who you are, that you have inherited the fortune of your family. Then I would have understood the situation … we could have made the world understand that we were in love and nothing more.’
‘It could still be like that, Otto! No one knows we’re together yet.’
His mouth turned down at the corners and he looked grim. ‘But that is only part of it. You did not tell me everything, you were not open with me …’
‘I didn’t think it mattered!’ she said, grasping the back of the sofa for support. She felt her heart racing and her breath coming quickly. ‘P-p-please, Otto, please understand … I never m-m-meant to lie to you …’
I’m sorry, Flora. I love you, but I fear this has destroyed us. If our relationship begins this way, what does that say for us?’ He shook his head again. ‘No. We must part.’ He walked towards her, took her hand and stared at her, looking deep into her eyes. ‘Goodbye, my love.’
Then he left, pulling the drawing-room door to behind him.
Flora fell to the floor in a dead faint.
36
Octavia dropped a kiss on her sister’s forehead. Flora seemed to be calm now. She was almost asleep, Octavia could see that. The sleeping pill that Vicky had supplied, the hot drink and the fact that she had cried herself out, had all combined to help her relax and slip into a doze. Soon, no doubt, she would be asleep.
Octavia turned and tiptoed out. Vicky was waiting for her in the corridor, looking anxious.
‘Is Flora okay?’ she whispered as Octavia shut the door quietly behind her.
Octavia nodded. ‘But let’s go and talk.’
They went to Vicky’s sitting room on the next floor. Octavia sat down on the green sofa, pulling her grey wool cardigan tightly about her. She was wearing leggings with long, pink cashmere socks over the top.
‘I just find it so hard to believe,’ she began as Vicky went over to an armchair and flopped into it. ‘Why on earth would Otto break up with Flora? He seemed absolutely mad about her.’
‘Well, he certainly chose his moment,’ Vicky muttered. ‘It’s the last thing she needs right now. You didn’t see her coming back from Homerton. She was heartbroken. She told me everything last night about …’ She looked uncomfortable. ‘About your mother.’
‘Then you probably know how I feel about that.’ Octavia couldn’t help sounding curt. ‘I think she’s wrong. I want her to leave it be.’
‘Flora thinks she needs to know,’ Vicky said softly.
‘I don’t see that anything good can come of it. What we learn can only hurt us.’ Octavia was adamant. She sighed. ‘But who knows what she’ll want to do now? It’s so cruel. Every time Flora builds up her confidence, something happens to knock her down.’ She frowned. ‘I thought Otto was a nice guy. I still can’t understand why he did it.’
Vicky shook her head, her chestnut hair glinting as the light caught it. ‘Flora wouldn’t tell me. Did she tell you?’
‘Nope. I couldn’t get anything out of her. Poor Flora.’ Octavia stood up. ‘Vicky, have you ever checked this guy out?’
‘Well, no … I can’t say I have.’ She looked worried. ‘We’ve got no reason to doubt him, have we?’
‘Of course not. But …’ Octavia glanced around her. ‘Where’s your computer?’
‘It’s next door, in my office.’
‘Let’s go and have a look.’
They went to the office. Vicky sat down and booted up the computer, pulling up an internet search engine. She typed in Otto’s name and instantly a large number of results were listed. She began to scroll through them. ‘Looks like it’s mostly business stuff. He’s mentioned in business journals, quoted in trade papers. This is his company website.’
‘Let’s take a look,’ said Octavia, leaning on the desk and peering at the screen.
Vicky clicked on it and pulled it up. It was only a few pages, stylishly and tastefully presented, explaining the concept of networks and creativity, and what he could offer his clients.
Vicky put on her glasses and read the content quickly. ‘The usual corporate guff. Nothing mysterious there. He’s a bit like a dating service but for businesses, as far as I can make out.’
‘Anything about him personally?’
Vicky pulled up the page about Ott
o. There was a photograph of him, smiling, above a short biographical piece. ‘Baron von Schwetten has extensive experience in his field. He studied Business at Heidelberg University …’ and it went to give Otto’s credentials.
‘Just as he said,’ Vicky said, with a shrug.
‘Go back to the search results,’ Octavia directed, and once they were back, saw that Otto had a Wikipedia entry. ‘Try that.’
The page was short, giving his date of birth and a few facts about him. He was the only son of the previous Baron von Schwetten. He lived at Schloss Meckensberg. He ran his own business. A link directed anyone interested back to the company website.
‘Shall we keep looking?’ Vicky said.
Octavia sighed and stood back. ‘No. We’re probably wasting our time. Besides, if he and Flora are finished, then it doesn’t make any difference anyway.’
‘I always liked him,’ Vicky offered. She clicked her computer into hibernation. ‘I’m a little bit less enamoured right now, though.’
‘Yeah. What an arsehole, treating Flora like that.’ Octavia remembered the awful sight of her sister lying dead white and unconscious on the floor of the drawing room. She had come round only a few minutes later, but seeing her twin like that had terrified Octavia.
‘She loves him, though,’ Vicky said almost sadly. ‘She really does.’
‘I know.’ Octavia shook her head. ‘That’s what breaks my heart.’
Octavia stood under the stream of hot water, letting the force of the shower pound her skin. The tension seemed to leave her body as she bent her neck to the water. She felt better as she climbed out, ready to face the world again and to support Flora.
So long as she understands that we need to leave the past where it is.
She got out, dried herself and wrapped her soft white bathrobe around her body. Back in her bedroom, she found that a text message had arrived.
Hi. I understand you’re interested in a business venture. Why don’t we meet to talk about it? Tomorrow night, 8p.m., Paramount Club okay for you? E. Brody
He’s a cool customer, she thought. Not even a call first. But something about the message intrigued her. Ethan Brody. An Aussie hotshot. I’d like to meet him.
She texted quickly back.
Yes. See you there. Octavia.
* * *
Flora lay in the darkness. She’d slept a few hours and then woken in the night. She’d alternated between waking and dozing, and whenever she was awake, tears had spilled from her eyes even though she sometimes wasn’t even aware that she was crying. All she could wonder was why, why on earth, Otto had left her. The sense of abandonment was overwhelming.
Molly brought in a breakfast tray for her, to see if she could be tempted to eat. Octavia came tiptoeing in during the morning to ask if Flora was all right and if she could do anything. Flora muttered that there was nothing, she only wanted to be left alone. When Octavia ventured in a small voice that perhaps it was for the best that the relationship was over, Flora had snarled at her twin to go away – and, shocked, Octavia had scuttled out. Later, Flora had heard the internal phone sound and was sure that Steve had been summoned to take her sister somewhere.
Lucky Octavia, Flora thought bleakly. She never suffers the way I do.
It was early afternoon when the door opened again and there were soft footsteps over the carpet. Someone sat down in the armchair by the fireplace and stayed there quietly, watching and waiting. Eventually, Flora looked up. It was Vicky, gazing at her with clear, sympathetic eyes.
‘I feel like my life is over,’ Flora said despairingly, putting her head back on her pillow.
‘Well, you can’t stay here for the rest of it. There’s an awful lot of it to go, you know,’ Vicky said with a half laugh.
‘I just don’t know what the point is, that’s all.’
Vicky leant forward, looking serious. ‘You’ve got to stop this, Flora. I mean it. You have to take control of your life and what happens to you. Do you want Otto back? If you do, then go and get him.’
Flora gaped at her, then said, ‘But how?’
‘You conquer your fears, you go and tell him the truth, and you see what happens. Maybe it’s not meant to be – but if it is, then you shouldn’t let it slip away.’
‘I don’t understand.’ Flora sat up, interested despite herself.
‘It’s not too late to grasp what you want. You have to be prepared to take risks, that’s all. It takes courage to put yourself on the line – but sometimes it’s the only way to get results.’
‘But … but …’ Flora frowned. ‘What should I do?’
Vicky smiled. ‘Well, why don’t we make some plans? I have an idea that just might work.’
37
The lift doors opened to reveal the interior of a glamorous bar. While it was lushly impressive, it was nothing compared to the view of London that spread out below for miles in every direction: the whole city glittered beneath them, pinpoints of light moving everywhere as traffic flowed through it.
A woman in a smart dark suit came up to Octavia as she waited at the entrance. In one swift glance she took in her Prada dress, Pringle cashmere wrap, Louboutins and the Hermès Kelly bag slung over one arm, and gave her a welcoming smile. ‘May I help you?’
‘Yes, I’m meeting Ethan Brody …’ Octavia peered past her into the bar area, trying to see if she could spot the man she was meeting.
There was the faintest lift of one eyebrow. ‘Of course. This way, please.’
Octavia followed the woman as she led her over to a table. As they approached the people in the bar, she tried to guess which one of them was Ethan Brody. As soon as she saw him, she knew that this was the man she was meeting. He was staring at his iPhone, messaging someone from the looks of it, but charisma almost shimmered off him. Even though he was sitting down, he looked to be tall, well over six foot probably, and his broad shoulders were encased in a sharply cut Gieves & Hawkes suit in navy blue with a faint pinstripe. He was frowning as he typed, a furrow in his otherwise unlined brow that brought together bold dark eyebrows above blue eyes speckled with hazel. His hair was short and dark blond, and he had almost cartoonishly handsome jutting features – a prominent nose and a square chin – but the effect was strong and masculine.
The moment she saw him, Octavia felt the power of his attractiveness. It made her a little dizzy and weak, then a small tornado of excitement began to whirl inside her.
I’ve always been a pushover for blonds, she thought, but this is ridiculous. She felt as though she wanted to walk right up to him, climb on the table, put her hand on the back of his head and pull his mouth to hers.
He looked up as they reached the table.
‘Your guest, sir,’ said the woman.
He smiled, one corner of his mouth raised higher than the other in a charmingly lopsided effect. ‘Hi.’ His Australian accent coloured a warm, attractive drawl.
‘Hello. I’m Octavia Beaufort,’ she said, sounding like a nervous child.
‘I guessed.’ He got to his feet, and she felt breathless as he towered over her. His masculine presence was quite overwhelming, almost frightening. Ferdy was a boy, rangy and slender, while this man was … well, most definitely a man. He held out an enormous hand. She took it and they shook hands. ‘Good to meet you. I’m Ethan. Can I get you a drink?’
Octavia nodded, her mouth dry. ‘I’ll have a vodka and tonic, please.’
‘Two of those, please,’ he said to the greeter, who nodded and left. Ethan stepped from behind the table and pulled out a chair for his guest. ‘Would you like to sit down?’
Octavia slipped into the chair.
‘So,’ he said, with another of those lopsided smiles she was already finding fascinating, ‘let’s talk business.’
Flora knocked on the door of the hotel room, her heart racing at double speed. She had an almost overwhelming urge to run away as fast as she could, but it was too late to go back now. She’d done it. She pushed her hands deeper into the p
ockets of her trench coat.
‘Ja?’ said a man from behind the door. She knew that voice.
‘Room service,’ she said in a low tone, hoping that it disguised her identity effectively.
There was a pause and then the voice said curtly, ‘One moment.’
She waited. Don’t be frightened, remember what Vicky said. Sometimes you have to reach out and grab your destiny. It’s the only way.
Now she was here and it was actually happening, Flora could feel her courage mounting. She was going to see Otto and it was important that everything about her was positive, strong, attractive. She breathed in deeply and shook out her hair.
A second later the door opened and Otto stood there. For a moment he stared at her, his expression blank. Then he blinked, his soft brown eyes looking astonished. ‘Flora?’ he said.
She swallowed, then dropped her chin so that she was gazing up at him through her lashes. ‘Otto,’ she purred. ‘How wonderful to see you.’
‘But … what are you doing here?’ He frowned.
Flora put a hand on his chest and pushed him gently backwards, advancing on him as she went. ‘I had to see you. I couldn’t let it end the way you wanted it to. I couldn’t stand the idea that the last memory you would have of me would a miserable one … not after all the happy times we’ve had. Don’t you agree?’
He looked bemused. ‘Flora?’ he said again, as though he suspected she was actually someone else.
‘That’s right. Flora.’ She reached for his tie and pulled his face close to hers. ‘Just one night. That’s all I’m asking for.’ She pressed her lips to his in a kiss. At first he resisted and she felt a gentle pull away from her. Then, as if he couldn’t help himself, he made a noise like a low growl deep in his throat and surrendered to her. His lips met hers and he began to kiss her, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Yes … this is what I want … just relax. She opened her mouth wide and touched his tongue tentatively with her own. The feel of it made her stomach twist with excitement and she felt a twitch of arousal between her legs. She had never been touched there by anyone but herself; perhaps now, for the first time, she would know what it was like.