Spoiled Fruit (The Girls Series Book 4)

by Sheila Horgan

  “What years were they in the same school?”

  “First when they were away.”

  Adeline looked at the girls. “Boarding school.”

  “Then at college, although my mother was diagnosed then and was out of school a lot.”

  Carolyn was instantly compassionate. “Diagnosed?”

  “My mother was terminally ill before she ever got married or had us. They didn’t think any of that would happen for her, but she was a strong woman, and the diagnosis flipped a switch for her. Things that she thought were important weren’t anymore. She decided that she would live her whole life in the time she had left. My father seemed to understand that. It wasn’t until later that he lost his mind. Found a mistress, and the rest has been in the bottom of the bin for a long time.” Elsa looked into Adeline’s eyes. “I truly believe I’ve served you well all these years.”

  “That you have, Elsa. Exemplarily.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  Anna asked. “If you knew that you were working for your mother’s old schoolmate’s family, why didn’t you just come out and mention it? Let everyone know that you were a kind of friend of the family?”

  “From what I understand, they weren’t exactly friends. The world my mother came from was very incestuous. All the kids from that kind of group, their backgrounds are all intermingled. You will find that they went to the same schools, socialized with the same group, and their kids are involved with their friends’ kids. Same with their staff. It is a world apart. Talbot lived in a whole other universe than I did. My mother left that world when she was sick. Back then, sick and privileged just didn’t go together.”

  Elsa shrugged. “I heard stories from the time I was young. I was my mother’s caregiver for a long time. I don’t think they ever saw each other after they graduated. Talbot did the circuit, and my mother dropped off the map. That’s how she always classified their relationship. Casual friends when they were young. My mother would see something about Talbot or Granville in the paper, and she would tell me a story. Things she had seen or overheard. I never gave it much thought.”

  “Can you give me an example?”

  “My mother was a bookworm, pretty much to the day she died. She was always at the library at school. She told me that she would be annoyed when Talbot and her friends would come into the library, as she knew things were about to get noisy. Talbot and her friends would never respect the tradition of quiet there. Mrs. Gendbly — I believe that was her name — would scold anyone for taking too deep a breath, but when Talbot and her friends arrived, Mrs. Gendbly would retire to her office until they left. They pretty much stayed in the same area and didn’t disturb everyone. Most people would simply move to another area, but it galled my mother, and it bothered her for years. Everyone assumed that Talbot had something on the old lady, but to my mother’s knowledge, no one in her group ever figured out what it was.”

  “Perhaps that was just rumor or jealousy talking.” Anna raised one eyebrow.

  “No. Mom heard it straight from her mouth once. Not the details, mind you. They were both standing in line one day. Mom was trying to get her room assignment changed. I’m not sure what Talbot’s problem was. They were just back from summer vacation. Talbot was catching up with a friend. Mindy Morhouser. Remember her? She later married that Greek guy and ended up in the papers with the whole horse thing.”

  Adeline nodded but didn’t interrupt.

  Anna wracked her brain, trying to think of a Greek guy and a horse scandal, but couldn’t come up with anything.

  “Anyway, Talbot said that the summer had been very fruitful. Said that she and Granville had fulfilled their obligations at home — without mention of what those obligations were, but both girls laughed — and then Talbot said that she was going to be working with Mrs. Gendbly but that it would be no effort at all as her situation hadn’t changed and Talbot still held the reins, so to speak.”

  “So to speak?”

  “Her phrasing was a bit more crude, but she made it clear that she was in charge where Mrs. Gendbly was concerned.”

  Anna couldn’t help but notice that Elsa spoke in great detail about the events that her mother had taken part in. One of the keys to telling a great lie is to use lots of detail. She became suspicious. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of a reason why this young woman would come to Adeline and lie, but she couldn’t yet rule it out. “Any idea what she could have been talking about?”

  “None. To be honest, the problems of the librarian on campus were not my mother’s first priority. She knew her parents were having problems. Her allowance was cut substantially. Papa said it was just temporary. That things were a bit tight for everyone. She later found out that he was actually using her funding for his little mistress. Her mother was the person that ruled their financial staff. Very unusual back then. It is a long story, boring for most, but that year was a rough one for my family, and they were pretty wrapped up in their own world.”

  “I’m sorry that it was so difficult for you.” Anna tried to keep the sarcastic tone in her voice to a minimum, but the thought of a young woman of means complaining about such things bordered on ridiculous. When she was that age, they had real problems. “There must be more for you to tell us.”

  “I remember a lot of things. Mainly because I knew that my mother was dying. I knew that the conversations we had would have to last me a lifetime. I memorized every moment. Every word. Every smell. She used to love irises. The flower. I can still remember the smell. Such a beautiful flower, and it made her whole room smell fruity. Like grapes or maybe plums. Different flowers had different smells. Anyway, after caring for my mom for a long time, we just kind of ran out of things to say, so she decided to share her life with me. I was old enough by that point. Still in high school, but I grew up fast. From the first days she could remember until the last day of her life. She told me all of it.”

  Anna was still not convinced. If it was a cover story, it was a good one. She would have to think about it.

  Elsa continued. “Back to Talbot. Some of what my mother told me — most of it really — was just rumors of course, but I remember her telling me there were some real problems with Talbot and Granville. My mom’s brother knew Granville pretty well. Once when we pulled an all-nighter at the hospital, Mom and Uncle BoBo were talking, and he said that he thought that Granville’s actions had finally been noted their last year in college. There was one particular day the two of them were talking about, Mom and Uncle BoBo, and they said that they had been pretty sure that within the following twenty-four to forty-eight hours both Granville and Talbot would not only be thrown out of school, but they would probably be arrested.”

  Carolyn’s hand went to her throat. “What were they doing?”

  “I’m not sure, exactly. I got the impression it was of a financial nature. I know my uncle had been terrified that he would be caught up in it and that when people knew, it would be shameful for my family. After all those years he still broke out in a sweat when they were talking about it.”

  Anna got more suspicious as Elsa came up with the details. “I’m confused, Elsa. Your mother is in the hospital, your uncle comes to visit, and they have nothing better to talk about than old schoolmates that they didn’t have a great deal of contact with in school and hadn’t dealt with since leaving school? There must have been some other tie-in. He didn’t tell you what it was?”

  “I can’t explain that. I can tell you that at that time Granville was in the news. Remember when he left that financial planning company? He had one of the best golden parachutes in the business. He left of his own accord, and still he got all those benefits. He used that money as seed money to start that other company. Was it Stoddard and something? I could never figure out why he used Stoddard.”

  Adeline shook her head. “Stoddard was the name of a horse he had in grade school.”

  Elsa continued, “I don’t know why they were talking about it, but they both seemed to know what
it was, and they didn’t seem interested in telling me, and to be honest, at the time, it didn’t really even register. Talbot and Granville were just names to me. I didn’t know them personally. If your mother and uncle were reminiscing about old times and you were sitting on a chair in a hospital room for the thousandth time, waiting for the doctors to give you more bad news, would you ask in depth questions about their shared college experience?”

  Elsa was close to tears. If she was acting, she deserved an award.

  “Her school days were also the time that the whole thing with my grandfather was everywhere. Depending on who was doing the talking — but everybody was talking — people were either dreadful or just plain horrific. It was a time that my mother talked about often. The tabloids learned every detail. The most powerful people in the world, and my grandfather has to be caught up in the middle of it. It would not have been so difficult if they had not caught him in the act, so to speak. The mistress. The hidden cabins in the wilds of Virginia. They all but confirmed several conspiracy theories in one bad weekend, and then the president of the country denies it all, only to be found out, and then that senator only added fuel to the fire. The media was camped out on their doorstep. My mother was diagnosed just days after it all broke, and then all of her issues were brought to light.”

  Anna’s eyes grew wide. “Are you telling me that your grandfather is Milton…?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, honey, I am so sorry.” Anna got up and gave Elsa a hug.

  Adeline’s voice was very quiet. “Why did I not know this?”

  “I had always used my mother’s maiden name. I didn’t like being followed around when I was a child. My parents were always on TV and in the papers, but they pretty much left me alone. I didn’t want to be a public figure. I didn’t really live with my parents. I was away at school by the time I was ten. Summers were spent with nannies for the most part. No one would connect me to that situation because I wasn’t part of the situation.”

  “And you thought it wise to conceal this information from me?”

  “Your security people always knew. I wasn’t really trying to hide anything. It isn’t that I was keeping it a secret. It just never really seemed relevant. Not until now.”

  “We will discuss that part of it at a later time.”

  “Please, ma’am. I have loved every minute of working for you. I — ”

  “Elsa, bringing this to my attention is not the end of your employment with me. I simply feel that your knowledge and skills might be better utilized in another area.”

  “I appreciate that, ma’am, and would be happy to discuss any opportunities you are generous enough to consider, but I love my job. I feel the benefits you have provided are far beyond anything I’ve earned. I would be very happy to continue as if this meeting never happened.”

  “Very well.” Adeline sat a little straighter in her chair, straightened her back, and placed her hands in her lap.

  Carolyn took Adeline’s movements to mean that it was her turn to see what she could get. “Elsa, I’m not sure what it is we are looking for here, so I think the most efficient thing is for you to start at the beginning. Tell us anything you feel we need to know, and if we have questions, we will ask them at the end.”

  Elsa wiggled in her seat. She obviously felt uncomfortable, but she took a deep breath, settled herself, and began.

  An hour later, Carolyn had a pad on her lap, rapidly filling it with notes, Anna had looked up at least twenty things on her smartphone so that, at least in her own mind, she could confirm that she was being told the truth, and Adeline had shed more than one tear.

  “Ma’am, please let me say that as my mother described it, they were all full of themselves back then. They were all immature brats with too much privilege and not enough backbone. I am sorry that I have burdened you with this glimpse into the past, but I felt that you not only had a right to know, but that you needed to know.”

  “Elsa, why did you not come to me sooner with all of this information?”

  “When I first started working here, I assumed you knew.”

  Adeline’s eyebrows moved toward her hairline. It was a small reaction, but Anna and Carolyn knew its importance. Elsa had confirmed that people had seen Adeline very differently than she had seen herself.

  No one knowing Adeline now would assume that she would have the slightest notion of her children being involved in illegal and morally bankrupt activity and simply look the other way. Or worse, that she might be involved.

  “By the time I was here long enough to figure out that you would never allow such enterprise, I was well aware that your children were not a part of your life. I argued with myself about it once or twice. I was unsure if their endeavors were perhaps the reason for the distance between you. I decided that it was better to let it go. I hate it when my family’s past is brought to my attention again and again. I was never in the circles your family enjoys. My grandfather saw to that. But I do understand the need for privacy — perhaps better than most — and I felt it was your right to live your life privately.”

  Adeline showed no emotion at all. “I see.”

  “I’m not sure I have anything further to add. Will that be all, ma’am?”

  “Not quite. Elsa, please have Cook bring us some tea. Allow us a few moments, and then please rejoin us.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  When Elsa stood, it was like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Confession might be good for the soul, but it isn’t always good for your career path. She was very concerned that she had just lost her job. With her job came her accommodation. Living in the city was expensive, and although she had been paid very generously all these years, she had an alcoholic brother who was less than useless, and she had been helping to support his children. Two from an ex-wife and two from different girlfriends. All of them lovely children who deserved far better parenting than they had gotten in the lottery of life. If her job went away, so did their support. What would she do?

  Before she got to the door, Adeline lifted the weight. “Elsa, I know that this was difficult for you. Please be assured that it has no bearing on your professional duties. The other staff will know nothing of it, and if you prefer to stay in the position you now hold, no changes will be made.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “I appreciate your honesty and your loyalty, Elsa. A great deal.”

  One tear escaped Elsa’s right eye. “Thank you, ma’am.”

  When Elsa left the room, she shut the door behind her.

  “Well, that was strange. People that say there is no such thing as a coincidence certainly live in a different world than I do.” Anna shook her head.

  “I don’t know that I would call it coincidence, since Elsa was well aware of the situation when she applied for the position. Be that as it may, based on the information that she provided, I believe we need to inform the others of our findings. Both my security people and my financial team need to know about all of this. I do not believe it changes the approach we had defined for ourselves.”

  Anna and Carolyn nodded in agreement.

  EIGHT

  THERE WAS A knock on the door.

  “Ma’am, the stylist and her team have arrived. Would you like to see them now, or would you prefer to reschedule?”

  Adeline gave Elsa a warm smile. “Please, allow them to set up as they did previously. We will join them momentarily.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Are you girls ready?”

  “I need to tell you, Adeline, this is completely outside of my world. This whole thing just makes me nervous.”

  “Relax and enjoy. I can’t wait to see what they have designed for each of you.”

  “Didn’t you have anything made?” The thought of Adeline’s generosity was upsetting enough, but if she didn’t even participate in all of it, Anna was going to be beside herself.

  “Why, of course I did. There was a time I indulged twice a year for
a consultation and a reworking of my wardrobe. Once I relocated to Florida, I flew the girls in. I found a lovely girl down in Miami who would come up and join them. The local girls would do the actual sewing. I love everything about the process. Shall we?”

  Anna and Carolyn took a deep breath and followed Adeline to the other end of the building where the team had set up.

  A little over three hours later, the girls were back in the library, tired but smiling.

  “I can’t believe some of those clothes. Please, Adeline, allow me to pay something toward them.” Anna was well aware that the price Adeline paid for the services of the team were probably well beyond her circumstance, but she would feel better if she were to accept a token at the very least.

  “I’ll not hear of it. As we agreed before leaving Florida, this is my project, and I’ll not have the two of you pay for the inconvenience. This is more fun than I have had in decades. Please, relax and enjoy it.”

  “I’ll try. I have to say that I love this outfit. I had no idea this type of thing was back in style. This is something Lucille Ball would have worn in the old days. I surely hope we are headed back in that direction.”

  “I love that you can wear it so many different ways. Just the sleeveless dress is lovely. I like the way it is tailored so close to your body, and then such a full skirt. If you unbutton the skirt, you can wear cigarette pants underneath, and it is a completely different look. If you add the little jacket they made, another look, and then button up the dress and remove the pants and you have yet another outfit.”

  “I did think that was clever. I also like that I can dress it up or down. Did you hear the gal who was doing my hair? She suggested that I use the star necklace in my hair with the related earrings. I didn’t even know there was such a thing. I had no idea that people no longer wear matching sets of jewelry. She said I could even use the earrings on the black ballet flats that she brought. So many options.

  Adeline looked at her friend with approval. “It is a lovely outfit, but you must know, Carolyn, that it is you who makes all the difference. It is stunning on you.”