This Other Eden (Skimmerdale Book 1)

by Sharon Booth

  'So, that is what it was all about?' Eliot's voice sounded strange, almost choked. 'She's been having an affair with this married man, and you sent her to me to get her away from him?'

  'Well, obviously. Ain't I just said that?'

  'Look, whatever the rights and wrongs of this, the fact is the affair has continued, and now Lavinia's found out about it, we must try for some sort of damage limitation.' Freya reached into her bag and took out her mobile phone.

  Cain frowned. 'Who are you ringing?'

  'Diana Ross and the Supremes. Who the hell do you think I'm ringing? Your wretched daughter, of course. She needs to get back here now, and we need to sort this mess out.'

  'I don't want her back here.' Eliot's voice was hard. Angrily, he pushed back his chair and stood. 'Meet her somewhere else. Take her things and get out of here. I never want to see her again.'

  Cain and Freya gaped at him.

  'For heaven's sake, don't be so dramatic, Eliot,' said Freya. 'All right, she pulled the wool over your eyes.' She gave a girlish giggle. 'How appropriate for a sheep farmer! Anyway, just because she fooled you, doesn't mean you have to be so stroppy. We'll get her here, and we can all tell her what we think of her and make some sort of plan to salvage this appalling situation. Oh, damn, no signal. How ridiculous. May I use your telephone?'

  Eliot suddenly lunged forward and slammed his hands on the table, glaring at her. 'Did you not hear me? I said, I don't want her back here. Take her home. Do what you like with her, but keep her out of my way, or God help me, I'll —'

  Cain never knew what Eliot would do, because at that moment, the back door flew open, and there was Eden, red-faced and breathing hard, as if she'd been running. Water dripped from her soaking hair onto the floor as they all stared at her in astonishment.

  'What the —?' Cain stood up, baffled. What the hell was she doing in Skimmerdale? And why was Eliot looking at her with that peculiar expression in his eyes? It was — what was it? A mixture of fury and heartbreak. What the hell had been going on? And where, in the name of Ozzy Osbourne, was Honey?

  'Eliot.' Her voice was juddering, her eyes pleaded with him for understanding.

  Cain had no doubt there was something going on between them. He recognised passion when he saw it, even if it had been a long time since he'd felt it — except for his Rolls Royce, of course.

  Eliot turned his back on her, leaning heavily on the sink and facing the window.

  'Eden, what the hell's going on here?' Cain felt like he'd crossed over into The Twilight Zone. 'Why are you in Yorkshire? And where the bleeding hell is Honey?'

  Eliot swung round, and Eden looked at him with terrified eyes. 'What are you talking about? This is Honey.'

  Freya dropped her mobile on the table. 'This most certainly is not Honey. I presume you're the babysitter?'

  'The — the what?' Eliot looked stunned.

  Not surprising, really, thought Cain. Poor bugger must have been thoroughly confused. It was bad enough for Cain, and he knew who everyone was. 'This is Eden. She works for me and Honey. Are you telling me this is the girl who's been staying with you the whole time?'

  Eliot couldn't seem to speak. He stared at Eden as if he'd never seen her before, but eventually, he managed a nod.

  'Jesus! Right, Eden. Seems you and me have got to have a little talk.'

  'Sit down,' snapped Freya. 'I want to know exactly what's been going on.'

  Eden swallowed and reached out a hand to Eliot, but he pulled away, still staring at her. 'Who are you?' he murmured.

  'We've told you. She's staff,' said Freya, but Cain had a feeling there was more to Eliot's question than that.

  'Come on, Eden. Take a seat and tell us what's been going on,' he said, his voice a great deal kinder than it had been a moment ago.

  Dragging her gaze away from Eliot, she sat down and slowly, hesitantly, told them the story from the beginning. Cain could barely take it in.

  'So, you're telling me, it was your fella who smashed me Roller?' he said eventually.

  Freya tutted. 'Is that all you can say? A whole web of lies and deception, and you only care about your pathetic car. Typical. Do you realise how stupid she's made us look?'

  'Who?' he said. 'Eden or Honey?'

  'Both. They're as bad as each other.'

  'Fair's fair, Freya. Seems to me Honey had Eden over a barrel. Little bleeder. She's one devious little git.' Cain leaned forward, touching Eden's hand. 'You should have told me. Are you really that scared of me? Did you really think I'd sack you over a car?'

  'I wouldn't put it past you,' said Freya.

  'You were in a real temper that day,' Eden pointed out. 'Honey and Freya had really wound you up. I didn't think you'd be in any mood to listen.'

  He sighed. 'You're probably right. Sorry, darl. So, you found yourself shunted off up here to play Mary Poppins to three kids who had nothing to do with you. Blimey.' He shook his head. 'That must have been some acting you did there.' He glanced up at Eliot, who stood, frozen, as he listened to the conversation. 'You said she was a proper madam, throwing her weight around and making some outrageous demands.'

  Eliot seemed to come out of his trance. 'She was. She did.'

  'Well, that's not Eden. Not at all. Honey, now, that's her to a tee.' He winked at Eden. 'Put on a proper show, didn't you?'

  She gave him a weak smile, then looked round at Eliot. 'I'm so sorry,' she said.

  'So, where is Honey now? You said she's in some holiday cottage?' Freya said.

  'Yes. Just outside the village. But you needn't worry about her and Crispin any longer. Lavinia turned up and took him home. He and Honey are finished.'

  'You're sure?' said Cain.

  'Definitely. Apparently, Lavinia and Crispin have realised they love each other, after all. Honey was disgusted with him.'

  'I'm more disgusted with Lavinia,' said Freya. 'Fancy taking him back, after all that. What a fool. Well, see how she feels the next time. It's Lucinda Farquhar all over again.'

  'Let it go, Freya, for Christ's sake. That was donkey's years ago.' Cain turned back to Eden. 'So, is Honey still at the cottage?'

  'Yes, but she's with some man. Apparently, she's been seeing him behind Crispin's back. But the odd thing is, he's the journalist who was at The Red Lion three years ago. Remember?'

  Cain looked grim. 'Is he really? And our Honey's been seeing him? I don't know how much more of this I can take.'

  'But there's something strange about him. Three years on, and he's still completely unprofessional. And why would he get the story, but tip off everyone involved instead of publishing? I don't think he's a journalist, at all.'

  'And you left him there, alone with our Honey?'

  'I'm sorry, but they seemed terribly fond of each other, and when Lavinia said she'd been here, I had to come back. I had to explain —' Her voice trailed off and she looked at Eliot beseechingly.

  Freya and Cain followed her gaze. The farmer stood silently for a moment, then he shook his head. 'Get your things packed and go,' he said.

  'Eliot!' Eden moved towards him, but the look on his face seemed to stop her in her tracks.

  'There's nowt else to say. Just go, Honey, or Eden, or whatever the hell your name is. I don't know what kind of weird game you're all involved in, but this isn't me. This isn't what I want. I should have known. Been here before. Seems I never learn. Just, please, go back to wherever it is you came from and leave me be.'

  Cain's voice was gentle, as he said, 'Do as he says, darl. Get your things, and we'll go and get Honey. See what the hell she's been up to now.'

  He watched as Eden left the room, listening as she made her way slowly up the stairs, then turned to Eliot. 'Don't be too hard on her, mate. She's a good girl. I've gotta be honest, she's no match for Honey. I don't reckon she felt she had a choice.'

  'She had the choice when she got here. She could have been honest with me, instead of pretending to be someone she wasn't. It seems to me that's all you lot are good for.
' He glared at Freya as he said that, and she reared up, indignant, like some half-broken thoroughbred.

  'Our lot? What do you mean by that?'

  'Your family. Think you're something better than people like me, don't you?'

  'He's got a point,' said Cain.

  'Shut up. I don't know what your problem is. Whatever this Eden did is nothing to do with me. Or Honey, for that matter. She has a mind of her own, doesn't she? It's hardly our fault if she chose the easy option, rather than face up to her crimes.'

  'What bleeding crimes?' demanded Cain.

  'Your Rolls Royce. Don't tell me you'd forgotten. Will wonders never cease? And I don't know why you're so keen to blame your own daughter for this mess. She had a more than willing accomplice, after all.'

  'Oh, come off it, Freya,' said Cain. 'Who can stand up to Honey, once she makes up her mind?'

  'She didn't have to lie to me,' said Eliot quietly. 'Eden, I mean. She could have told me the truth. All this play-acting and lying. She got my children to care about her, to love her. She means the world to — them.'

  He broke off, and Cain narrowed his eyes. It seemed to him that Eden had come to mean the world to more than just the bloke's children. He wasn't wrong, he was certain. He'd seen it the moment Eden walked in—that mixture of rage and pain in his eyes. Eliot Harland loved Eden. Well, well.

  They heard a bumping sound on the stairs as Eden struggled with her suitcases. Eliot glanced up for a moment then turned back to the window, as if forcing himself not to go to her aid. Cain went to help her, instead, and soon there was a whole collection of Honey's expensive luggage in the hallway, and two wide-eyed little girls standing at the top of the stairs, looking down with tears in their eyes.

  'Do you have to go?' he heard one of them say. Something in her voice gave him a lump in his throat. Bleeding hell, he was getting soft in his old age.

  'I'm sorry,' Eden replied, her voice thick with emotion and her eyes bright with tears.

  The eldest child disappeared for a moment, then suddenly she rushed down the stairs, carrying a bag in her hand. 'You haven't opened Dad's present,' she said. 'He left it lying around, so I hid it in our room. You'd better have it now.'

  'Present?'

  'Dad went to Ravensbridge today,' the younger girl said. 'He got you those.'

  Eden took the bag and opened it. As he watched, she lifted out a pair of black wellington boots with pink love hearts dotted all over them and trendy wedge heels. She gave a strangled moan and then salt water was spilling down her cheeks.

  Cain couldn't bear it. He left them saying their goodbyes and returned to the kitchen.

  'You sure about this?' he murmured to Eliot. 'Seems to me those kiddies' hearts will break when she leaves. And, if you ask me, she's breaking her heart right now. There's nothing for her to go home for, you know. Think about this.'

  Eliot's jaw clenched. 'Close the door on your way out,' he managed eventually.

  Cain sighed and motioned to Freya to follow him. At the front door, he saw Eden turn and glance down the hallway, but Eliot hadn't followed her.

  Rubbing the tears from her cheeks, she picked up her holdall, tucked what looked suspiciously like a Shaun the Sheep soft toy under her arm, and left the farm — wellington boots included.

  ****

  Teddy sipped his tea. 'It's really kind of you to make me a drink, Honey,' he said.

  'Shut up,' said Honey.

  Teddy sighed and waited a moment before speaking again. 'I'm really sorry.'

  'For what?' Honey snapped. 'Tipping my father off that I was seeing Crispin? Telling Lavinia where to find us? Taking those photos of me and Troy Troughton at The Red Lion, or —' She gulped. '— pretending to care about me, and having sex with me, just to get some wretched story?'

  'Honey, I didn't! I didn't pretend!'

  'Shut up.'

  'But you have to believe me, I meant every word.'

  'I said, shut up.'

  'And it wasn't having sex. I made love to you, because I love you, Honey.'

  Honey stood up and tipped her mug of tea over his knees.

  He leapt up, squealing in pain. 'Fuck me, that's hot!'

  'There'd have been no point, otherwise,' she said.

  He put his mug down on the floor and frantically unbuckled his belt, pulling down his trousers and revealing an angry red patch on his upper legs.

  Honey, in spite of herself, felt a twinge of guilt. 'You'd better do something about that,' she muttered.

  He ran into the kitchen and grabbed a sponge, running it under the cold water tap and squeezing the water onto his legs. Soon, the kitchen floor was a mass of puddles. Teddy sank onto the floor. 'I think that should stop it blistering,' he said faintly.

  Honey sat beside him, realising too late that she was sitting in a puddle. 'I'm sorry I scalded you,' she muttered eventually.

  'I'm sorry I lied to you,' he said.

  'So, you did lie!'

  'Only about not knowing who you were. I meant all the other things I said. That day we spent together was the most perfect day of my life. I do love you, Honey. I always have.'

  'What do you mean, you always have? We only met a couple of weeks ago.'

  At a sudden commotion, Honey leapt to her feet. 'What now?' She held out her hand and helped Teddy stand, then jumped in fright when her mother's voice cut through the air like a scythe.

  'Good grief, Honey. So, there were two of them on the go at once. Talk about greedy.'

  'What the bleeding hell's going on here?' Cain entered the kitchen behind his ex-wife, and Honey found herself stifling a sob.

  'Oh, Daddy!'

  'Eh?' For a moment, he seemed rigid with shock, as Honey hurled herself against him and his soaking wet jacket, then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, patting her back and murmuring, 'There, there, darls. It's all right. It's all right.'

  'What the hell have you done to her?' Freya demanded. 'She never behaves like this. Never! You monster!'

  'It's not his fault,' sniffed Honey. 'Well, not all of it.' She pulled away from her father, who seemed very reluctant to let her go, and dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her very expensive top from Jigsaw. Looking up, she caught sight of Eden. 'Good grief, what's up with you?'

  Eden shrugged. 'Nothing.'

  Honey peered at her. 'You've been crying. What's happened?'

  Her father looked at her, anxiety in his eyes. 'What's happened to you, Honey? Why are you being all caring and nice? It's all wrong. You're freaking me out.'

  'It's this journalist,' said Freya, slapping Teddy on the arm. 'What are you doing with your trousers down? Have you been manhandling my daughter?'

  'Oh, Mother, for God's sake!' Honey sounded much more like her old self, to her father's apparent relief. 'I poured boiling tea over him, and he had to sponge his legs with cold water, if you must know.'

  'Serves him right,' said Freya coldly. 'How dare you spy on my daughter? You — you pervert.'

  Teddy looked mortified, but Cain was staring hard at him. 'I know you, don't I?'

  'Of course you don't know him,' said Honey. 'You didn't see him that night at The Red Lion, any more than I did.'

  Cain rubbed his forehead. 'No, I do know him. He's very familiar. He's — well, fuck me!'

  Freya shuddered. 'Not for a million pounds.'

  'Theodore! Theodore Scotman!'

  'What?' Freya and Honey gaped at Teddy.

  'Who?' said Eden.

  'The son of Cain's nemesis, Rex Scotman,' said Freya, apparently so astonished she forgot to ignore the staff. 'I don't get it. I thought you were working for Rex's charitable institution? When did you train as a journalist?'

  'The charity work!' Honey clutched the edge of the worktop for support. 'You weren't lying.'

  'No,' said Teddy. 'I wasn't.'

  'I'm buggered if I know what's going on,' Cain said. 'Can we all sit down and start again?'

  'And do pull your trousers up,' added Freya.

 
; Teddy obeyed, and the five of them moved into the tiny sitting room and sat on the sofas facing each other.

  'I thought you were in Africa,' said Freya. 'Don't you run your father's musical academy?'

  'I did,' said Teddy. 'He sent me over there for three years. I didn't want to go, but he insisted.'

  'Wanted to make a man of you,' said Freya.

  'Wanted to get me away from Honey,' Teddy confessed.

  Honey looked up, startled. 'Me? What have I got to do with anything?'

  'Everything. Oh, Honey, where do I start?'

  'How about you tell me why you were taking photos of my daughter at The Red Lion?' suggested Cain.

  Teddy sighed. 'I wanted evidence to show you, Mr Carmichael. I knew she was seeing Troy Troughton, and I wanted her to stop. I thought, perhaps, if you knew about it, you'd put an end to it.'

  'How did you know?' demanded Honey. 'No one knew.'

  'I — oh, dear.' Teddy's face turned scarlet. 'I'd been following you for months, ever since we first met.'

  'We met before?' Honey shook her head. 'I don't remember that.'

  'No, well, I don't think I made that much of an impression on you. We were at that charity auction at Hoverton Hall. My father made sure we avoided your father —' He gave Cain an apologetic look, '— but I soon realised who you were. I was taking our glasses back to the bar, and you came over and asked me to get you a mineral water.'

  'Oh, gosh.' Honey bit her lip. 'I must have assumed you were a waiter.'

  'Obviously.' Teddy gave her a rueful smile. 'It didn't matter. I brought you the drink, and you gave me the most beautiful smile and thanked me.'

  'Did I?'

  'Did she?'

  All four of them sounded amazed at that revelation, but Teddy nodded. 'Yes, and that was that. I was in love and have been ever since. Of course, knowing how our fathers feel about each other, I knew it was going to be difficult, but that didn't stop me dreaming and hoping. So, I started to find out all I could about you, and I — well, I started to follow you. Not to hurt you, or do anything creepy, just to see you. That was all. But then I realised you were seeing Troy Troughton, and I knew he'd break your heart, so I thought I'd better stop it before that could happen.'