A minute later Margaret, their bossy but beloved housekeeper, came rushing in pushing a large tea trolley, exclaiming, ‘I don’t know, Paula, there’s so many here for tea we should have had it in the dining room.’
‘No, we shouldn’t!’ Paula shot back swiftly and a little sharply, but giving her a warm smile. ‘Tea at four in the upstairs parlour is a Harte tradition.’
‘And one that must never be broken,’ M announced firmly, and went and sat next to her mother. She took hold of Paula’s hand and squeezed it. ‘It’s lovely to be home,’ she said, looking into her mother’s extraordinary violet eyes. ‘I’ve missed you and Daddy and Pennistone Royal. And my lovely Gypo.’
‘I’m overjoyed you’re home at last, Emsie. And I want you to know yet again how proud I am of you, the way you went off and did your own thing and made a success all by yourself. It’s the fulfilment of your dream.’
Tessa came in and sat next to M, and said warmly, ‘I’m proud of you, too. And of you, Linnet, darling. You’ve both outdone yourselves in every way. And I thank you for the love you’ve given me, and for caring about me, for coming to see me in Paris so often. You’re the best sisters in the world.’
Linnet’s green eyes swept over M and Tessa and her mother as well. Then she looked up at the portrait of Emma Harte, the woman she so resembled in every way, and she addressed the portrait. ‘What do you think of us, Grandy? Aren’t you happy we’re all just like you, albeit in different ways?’
It was Paula who answered Linnet. ‘She couldn’t have done it better, that I know. Grandy used to tell me that the secret of life was to endure. And this you all have surely done…you have endured and triumphed like the true Harte women you are.’
EPILOGUE
September 2007
M sat at the small dressing table in their bedroom at the Beekman Place apartment in Manhattan, putting the finishing touches to her makeup. There, that’s it, she thought staring at her face. Half an Audrey, that was her look for tonight.
She smiled to herself, sat back in the chair, her gaze shifting to the view from the window: the East River and Long Island City beyond. She was happy to be back here for a few months with Larry, before returning to Paris in December to prepare for the new spring collections, to be shown next January.
Her thoughts suddenly shifted to the meeting she’d had yesterday with Dr Melissa Glendenning, a psychiatrist who specialized in treating rape victims. M had liked her immediately, and made an appointment for another session next week. She had promised Larry to seek counselling once they were in New York, and she was now glad she had finally taken that step. And so was he.
‘Are you ready, darling?’ he asked from the doorway, startling her, and she sat up with a jerk, swung her head to look up at him. ‘Yes, give me five minutes.’ As she spoke she stood up and went to the wardrobe, took out her favourite black dress. Showing it to him, she said with a smile, ‘I thought I’d wear this, Larry. I was wearing it the night I met you, when Geo ran into James again. A lucky dress, wouldn’t you say?’
‘It is, but come on, love, hurry up, we’re running late.’
‘Zip me up, please,’ she murmured, swiftly took off her cotton robe, stepped into the dress and turned her back to him. Once he had zipped it, she put on large pearl earrings, picked up a small black purse and a cashmere stole and ran out of the bedroom after him.
He was waiting in the front hall, looking more handsome than ever, she decided, the blue shirt he was wearing emphasizing the blueness of his eyes. Smiling at her, he nodded his approval.
Outside on Beekman Place, the car and bodyguards were waiting. Larry bundled her in and told Craig the address of the art gallery in Chelsea, then exclaimed, ‘We are going to be late. What a nuisance, and we’ve been waiting for this event for months.’
M moved closer to him on the seat, and slipped her arm through his. ‘Don’t worry so much, it’s all right. It is an art show, after all, so we don’t have to be there on the dot.’
Turning to look at her, he gave her a small smile. ‘Why is it you always manage to make me feel better?’
‘I don’t know actually, but I’m glad I do.’ She drew even closer to him, and said quietly, ‘Are you sure you’re not upset we finally had to cancel the yacht and our cruise on the Bosphorus?’
‘Not at all.’
‘But we haven’t had our honeymoon,’ M protested.
‘Being married to you is a permanent honeymoon, M, my darling girl,’ Larry answered, grinning at her. ‘And we can always take a cruise next year, you know.’
She smiled at him, and squeezed his hand, leaned back against the seat. They didn’t speak much after that, lost as they were in their own thoughts.
The moment they arrived at the Gresham Art Gallery in Chelsea, the flashbulbs began to pop, as the photographers swarmed around them when they stepped out of the car. Stuart escorted them through the crowds and into the gallery, and stayed with them as he always did. They were the ‘in’ couple, adored by the world and the press, and there was always a potential risk to their safety. Larry called it the price of extreme fame.
The minute they entered the gallery the noise abruptly stopped, and everyone stared at them. Suddenly there was Geo, smiling and waving, hurrying forward to greet them, followed by James, with Dax in tow. They all hugged each other, and M took hold of Geo’s arm, and said, ‘Sorry we’re late. So much traffic. And I hope my favourite painting hasn’t been sold.’
‘No, it hasn’t,’ Geo replied. ‘Come and see it. It looks much better now that it’s framed.’
‘It was fantastic without a frame,’ M shot back, happy for Geo, who she knew was about to become very famous.
They all trooped to the area of the gallery where M’s favourite painting was hanging, followed by some of the other guests. Larry stopped a waiter, and they all took glasses of champagne. After they had clinked their glasses, Larry said, ‘Congratulations, Geo. The show’s going to be a huge success!’
Geo simply smiled, linked her arm through M’s, and murmured, ‘I hope Larry’s right.’
‘Of course he is,’ M reassured her. She turned to Dax, and continued, ‘You’ve got one movie under your belt, so what’s next for you, Dax?’
‘Another movie.’ He grinned at the two women he cared so much about, and exclaimed, ‘We made it, M, didn’t we? And now it’s Geo’s turn. She’s about to become the new star in the art world.’
‘She certainly is,’ M answered, and then shifted the direction of her gaze.
Larry was staring at her. Their eyes met and held, and they began to walk towards each other. And suddenly, M knew that he was all she wanted. Nothing else mattered. Not really. He was her life, just as she was his, and they would always be together. Forever.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many people are involved in the writing of a long and complex book and I would like to thank some of them here.
Good editors are the most important people in an author’s life during the writing of a book, and I am lucky that I have exceptional editors on both sides of the Atlantic.
I would like to give special thanks to my wonderful team at HarperCollins in London who work with such enthusiasm on my novels. Publishing Director Lynne Drew is a marvellous sounding board and offers her thoughts and ideas without reservation, and is thoughtful, enthusiastic and positive in every way. My gratitude to Lynne, Claire Bord and Victoria Hughes-Williams for their unstinting support, and to Susan Opie, my new editor, for her excellent work. Thanks also to the rest of the team at HarperCollins, London, those editors and designers behind the scene who help to create and design my books and give them that very special BTB look.
I must also thank Jennifer Enderlin of St Martin’s Press in New York, my American editor. She is devoted, dedicated and full of ideas, as well as unstinting in her help. She has great enthusiasm and is another good sounding board. My thanks to her and everyone at St Martin’s Press, the editors and designers who are invaluable, and hel
p to create the ‘look’ of the books.
Thanks are due to Lonnie Ostrow of Bradford Enterprises, a whiz on the computer, who helped with research, and provided invaluable information about the illegal use of computers, computer hackers and identity theft, as well as other areas of research. My thanks also to Liz Ferris of Liz Ferris Word Processing, who has typed many of my books, always working under pressure yet producing a perfectly typed manuscript.
A writer is, in a sense, isolated for long periods of time, but I am lucky in that I have a wonderful circle of girlfriends who are always there for me. They cheer me on, want to help in any way they can, and cosset and protect me when I’m writing. They know who they are and my thanks and love to them.
Finally, last but not least, I must add that I could not write any of my books without the constant loving care, affection, devotion and ‘cheering on’ of my husband, Robert Bradford. He has always believed in me, encouraged me and given me the space to write. My gratitude and love to my extremely patient Bob, truly a man for all seasons.
Books by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Series
THE EMMA HARTE SAGA
A Woman of Substance
Hold the Dream
To Be the Best
Emma’s Secret
Unexpected Blessings
Just Rewards
Others
Voice of the Heart
Act of Will
The Women in His Life Remember
Angel
Everything to Gain
Dangerous to Know
Love in Another Town
Her Own Rules
A Secret Affair
Power of a Woman
A Sudden Change of Heart
Where You Belong
The Triumph of Katie Byrne
Three Weeks in Paris
Series
THE RAVENSCAR TRILOGY
The Ravenscar Dynasty
Heirs of Ravenscar
Being Elizabeth
Copyright
HarperCollinsPublishers
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Published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2009
FIRST EDITION
Copyright © Barbara Taylor Bradford 2009
Barbara Taylor Bradford asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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EPub Edition © AUGUST 2009 ISBN: 978-0-007-30420-2
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Breaking the Rules (2009) Page 44