Master of His Fate

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

  “I did. And I’m going to let it hang alone, Sebastian. I think it needs space, nothing competing with it.”

  “I know what you mean,” Claudia said. “People make their rooms far too cluttered these days, in my opinion. They hang too many paintings on one wall, then they add a palm tree in a brass pot, and soon you can’t move in the room, or know which painting to look at.”

  They both laughed and agreed, and Thea said, “I haven’t offered you any refreshments. Won’t you partake of something before you leave?”

  Sebastian shook his head. “Thank you. Reviewing the bank papers took longer than I expected. I have a guest arriving at the house very shortly, and we must leave now, I’m afraid.”

  Claudia hid her surprise, wondering who he was expecting, and merely smiled. She moved closer to her aunt, kissed her cheek. “My congratulations, too, and I’d like to talk to you next week, if I may? About a charity I’ve become involved with.”

  “Then you must come for lunch. Any day you prefer?”

  * * *

  Once they were in their carriage and driving to Sebastian’s house in Grosvenor Square, Claudia spoke out.

  “Who are we expecting, Papa?”

  “My friend, Uncle Reginald,” Sebastian answered, settling back against the seat, crossing his long legs. At five feet nine, he was tall for Victorians, who were mostly short, even the men.

  “Did you invite him for supper, Papa?”

  “Yes, I did. However, I have a feeling he may wish to go to the club, although I would prefer to remain at home. I must dine alone with him if we stay. It was my understanding he needs to discuss something private with me.”

  Claudia nodded. “Whatever you wish, Papa, there is no problem.”

  Sebastian looked across at his eldest daughter, responded in a warm voice, “You always say that, and have ever since your mother died. I don’t know what I would have done without you by my side, Claudia, over the past ten years.” He shook his head almost wonderingly. “I’ve leaned on you a great deal; perhaps made you grow up far too quickly by sharing some of my problems with you.”

  “I wanted to be by your side, to help you if I could, Papa. And so did the others, but they weren’t old enough then.” She began to laugh. “And I don’t mind if I’ve become more grown-up. And I am twenty now, Papa. Don’t forget that.”

  His quirky smile played around his mouth for a moment, but he remained silent, looked out of the window for a while. Then, quite unexpectedly, he brought his gaze back to her, stared intently. “How old is she?”

  Claudia had known he would discuss Alexis with her, and she was prepared for his questions. “Delia told me she is twenty-five.”

  “Oh, I thought she was older.”

  “She doesn’t look it, not to me.” Claudia frowned as she spoke.

  “Nor to me. But I’ve realized exactly who she is whilst we’ve been at Thea’s. She is extremely well known. A businesswoman with a reputation for astuteness and acumen. So twenty-five, not much older than you.” He turned his face to the window, looking out, remained silent, tautness in his shoulders.

  When the silence had dragged on far too long, Claudia decided to open up the conversation again. “Papa, I need to speak to you.”

  He swung his head to face her. “What is it?”

  “It’s about Alexis. I’ve never seen you behave like that, ever in my life. You were … startled by her … caught up in her. Actually, I think the best word I can use is mesmerized.” Claudia sat back, watching him, hoping he wouldn’t close himself off, like he so easily could when he did not want to discuss something.

  He sighed. “Mesmerized, eh? Is that how I seemed to you, Claudia?”

  She merely nodded.

  He was reflective for a moment. Finally he spoke. “I was stunned by the vividness of her coloring and her beauty. And then something strange happened. I felt … I don’t quite know how to describe how I felt…” His voice faltered.

  “Attracted to her? Happy? Joyful?” Claudia suggested, aware he couldn’t find the right way to describe his reaction.

  “No, none of those. What I experienced was a sense of excitement. Yes, that is the best word to use. Excitement. And a rush of … need. No, not need. Desire. Those are the emotions she evoked in me.” He shrugged. “And naturally you are correct; I did have a strong reaction to her. You said I was mesmerized. Perhaps. I do know I was blinded for a moment or two and conscious only of her.”

  “Has that ever happened to you before, Papa?”

  “No, never. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.” His smile flickered momentarily.

  “You never felt that about Mama?”

  “It was different. Your mother and I grew up together, Claudia, as you well know. Our families were very close. From the age of fourteen, our parents were quite certain we would marry. And we did. We loved and adored each other. Margot was the perfect woman for me, and we knew each other so well. Just imagine, we were both only twenty when you were born.” A sigh trickled out and he blinked.

  Acutely attuned to her father after their unique closeness of the last few years, she spotted the sadness in his eyes, which had grown moist. He coughed behind his hand, and sat up straighter on the carriage seat.

  Taking a deep breath, wanting to change his mood, Claudia plunged into the deep end. “You want to see her again, don’t you?”

  He didn’t answer.

  His daughter knew he was debating how to respond, always the discreet and careful man, sometimes overcautious.

  “Yes.”

  “Then you must do so.”

  Sebastian gave her a swift look. “I did tell her I wanted her to come to supper and that I would ask you to arrange something. I said soon.”

  “How did she reply?”

  “She said she would like that.”

  Claudia gave him a huge smile. “I think Miss Malvern might well have had the same reaction to you as you had to her.”

  “Perhaps,” he said, that caution now entering his voice. Yet he had noticed Alexis had been unable to tear her gaze away from his. And desire was written all over her face, as it undoubtedly was etched on his.

  Claudia said, “We are home, Papa.”

  He glanced out of the window and saw that his carriage had already entered the square and was pulling up outside his grand townhouse.

  Did this woman Alexis Malvern preoccupy him so much he hadn’t noticed where they were?

  Ten

  When Sebastian and Claudia went into the house they were immediately greeted by Lavinia, who was seventeen, and Marietta, fifteen. Both girls were excited to see their father and Claudia.

  They rushed over to them, only slowing down when they reached Sebastian. Smiling with pleasure, he pulled them both into his arms and hugged them. Once he had released them, answered a few questions about Aunt Thea and how she was, he explained, “I’m afraid I’ve got to hurry. I must change my clothes. Uncle Reginald will be arriving imminently.”

  “Can we say hello to him?” asked Marietta, who loved company and was rather socially inclined for a young girl. She was filled with charm, whilst Lavinia was more reserved, a bit aloof.

  “He’ll be delighted to see you, Marietta, and you too, Lavinia,” Sebastian answered, edging away, conscious of the time.

  “And I think he will like to say hello to me, too,” Claudia murmured, smiling at her sisters indulgently.

  Leaving his daughters standing in the middle of the elegant entrance hall, Sebastian ran up the staircase, and headed down the corridor to his bedroom.

  As he entered, Maxwell, his valet, emerged from the dressing room. “Good evening, sir,” he said, and went to help Sebastian out of his black frock coat.

  “I’ll take the waistcoat off as well, Maxwell,” Sebastian said, and did so. “I’ve no reason to change my tie, or my black trousers. However, I will put on one of my smoking jackets. I will be dining at home this evening.”

  “Much more comfortable, sir. Which one do you pre
fer? The burgundy, the blue, or the dark green?”

  “The blue. Thank you. Please excuse me for a moment.” Sebastian hurried into the adjoining bathroom, where he washed his hands, patted his face with a clean cotton towel, then picked up a silver-topped brush and smoothed his hair back. He glanced at himself, and couldn’t help thinking he looked tired, but he simply shrugged away the thought and returned to his bedroom.

  Maxwell helped him on with his deep blue velvet smoking jacket, which had a tie belt with fringe at each end. “Thank you,” he said with a nod, and left the room.

  Claudia was waiting for him in the library, standing near the blazing fire. “So you will be having supper at home, Papa.”

  “Yes. I believe Reginald will prefer it, and frankly, so do I.” He joined her at the fireplace, and stood with his back to it, warming himself. “It’s turned chilly, don’t you think?” he said, glancing at Claudia.

  “It has. But perhaps you’re also hungry, Papa. I know we had a nice lunch together with the girls, but it’s now six o’clock. I can ask Mr. Bloom to bring in caviar and toast. You always enjoy that, and I know Uncle Reginald does.”

  He laughed. “What a grand idea. Tell Bloom not to mess it up with additions I don’t like, such as chopped onions and chopped boiled egg. Correctly, caviar must be eaten as it is, with just a squeeze of lemon and the toast.”

  “I know. You taught me that when I was about twelve. Shall I ask Mr. Bloom to open a bottle of champagne? Dom Pérignon?”

  “I believe I taught you well, my Claudia,” he answered with a nod.

  She offered him a glowing smile. “Do you want me to plan a supper for next week? So you can invite Alexis?” Before he could answer, she rushed on, “I was thinking of Thursday.”

  “That would be ideal. Who shall we invite?”

  “Not Aunt Thea, as much as I love her, and not Delia and Richard. I think Alexis has to be with people she doesn’t know, and certainly not any family.”

  “You must be there!” he exclaimed. “I absolutely insist.”

  “I intend to be, Papa. I thought we could invite Uncle Reginald and Aunt Jane, and Mark Brewster and his nice sister Evangilina.”

  “Good thinking on your part,” Sebastian responded, suddenly feeling rather proud of his intelligent and clever daughter. “With the two of us we will be six, and with Alexis we’ll be seven. Should we make it eight by inviting someone else?”

  “No. We don’t need too many guests, Papa. You want to talk to Alexis, get to know her, don’t you?”

  He began to chuckle, and before he could answer her, the butler tapped on the door and entered. “Lord Reginald has arrived, sir.”

  “Thank you, Bloom.”

  The butler stepped aside, and Sebastian’s best friend walked in, smiling broadly when he saw Claudia with Sebastian. “My favorite girl!” he exclaimed, walking over to the fireplace. After kissing her on each cheek, he turned to Sebastian and took his outstretched hand.

  “Glad you’re here, Reggie.”

  “Glad to see from your smoking jacket that we’re dining at home. Not only is it much more private than our clubs, the food is better. You have the best chef in London.”

  “If you’ll excuse me, Papa, I will go and speak to Bloom. And by the way, you will be having roast leg of lamb for supper.”

  Sebastian’s eyes followed her as she glided across the room, thinking how well she had turned out. What a lovely young woman she had become!

  At the doorway, she said, “Oh, Uncle Reginald, Marietta and Lavinia wish to greet you later on.”

  Lord Reginald smiled at her. “It will be my pleasure, my dear.”

  Once they were alone, Sebastian sat down and Reginald followed suit. He reached into his pocket, took out a gold cigarette case, and opened it.

  “Oh, do you want to smoke, Sebastian?” He offered the case.

  “No, thank you anyway. What I do want is for you to open up to me. What is troubling you?”

  After lighting a cigarette, taking a puff, Reginald said, “My daughter Jasmine. She has not been feeling well, and has developed a nasty cough. Jane took her to see Dr. Stoppard, who says she has to stop wearing very tight corsets.”

  Frowning, focusing on his friend, Sebastian asked, “Wearing corsets is making her ill? But every woman wears corsets. And seemingly, the tighter they can make them with the lacing up, the better. Or so I’m given to understand.”

  “That tight lacing is the root of the problem!” Reginald exclaimed. “It is compressing her rib cage, which has become smaller and smaller, and apparently that’s not healthy.”

  “What treatment does the doctor suggest?”

  “Jasmine has to stop wearing corsets, or rather, tightly laced corsets. And that’s where the problem is. Jasmine wants to have a tiny waist like the other girls, the tinier the better apparently.”

  “I’m sorry about Jasmine’s health issue, Reggie, but surely her mother can make her see sense?”

  “She’s trying to, but these girls—” Reginald broke off, shaking his head. “They are so competitive with each other, it’s unbelievable.”

  “Can I help in any way? Actually, I don’t see how I could.”

  “I believe Claudia may be the one person Jasmine will pay attention to, and I was hoping you would ask her to come and call on us. Sometime next week. Perhaps she could help our daughter.”

  “I shall do that. You might wish to speak to Claudia later this evening, before you leave. I must also talk to Claudia myself about this tight-lacing problem. I don’t think Claudia approves of it, now that I’m discussing the matter with you. I vaguely remember her chastising Lavinia and Marietta about it a few weeks ago.”

  “Thank you, Sebastian, I really appreciate your help, and if anyone can talk sense into Jasmine, I believe it will be Claudia.”

  “We are like brothers, you and I, Reggie,” Sebastian suddenly said. “Just imagine, we were boys at Eton together, then at King’s College, Cambridge. We’ve spent our lives in each other’s pockets, and we’ve never had a cross word.”

  “An extraordinary friendship, yes, indeed we’ve had that.” He puffed on the cigarette, and changing the subject, he went on. “I had a meeting today with George Havermill. He wants to buy my newspapers. Offered a very good price. What do you think?”

  “Consider it, if you really do want to sell. Or retire, or start something new. Maybe I should take a look at the deal he’s offered you.”

  “I’d like your advice.”

  “And I would like yours.”

  “What about?”

  “A woman.”

  It was obvious from his expression that Reginald was taken aback. “What kind of woman?”

  “I’m not sure I know how to answer that, Reggie.”

  “Well, what I mean is, are you interested in a woman with whom to have a friendship, one of those lovely ladies who accompany you to events? Or are you speaking about a woman with whom you wish to be … well … intimate?”

  “Neither.”

  “Oh, I see,” Reginald began, and stopped abruptly when Bloom came in carrying a silver tray, followed by a footman with a silver bucket containing a bottle of Dom Pérignon.

  * * *

  Once the champagne had been poured into crystal flutes, and the caviar passed to the two men, the butler and the footman took their leave.

  After clinking glasses, Reginald said, “Do you realize you’ve never discussed women with me since we were very young men, fifteen or thereabouts? So naturally I’m somewhat surprised. Who is she?”

  “A woman I met today. This afternoon, and very briefly.”

  “And you knew at once that you must see her again?” Reginald asked, his surprise obvious in his tone of voice.

  “I did. It was a most extraordinary thing. I was instantly struck by her looks, bowled over really. So much so, even Claudia noticed and was taken aback.”

  “She was with you at the time?”

  “Yes. She had been at a ladies�
� tea with some other women, at Delia’s. A meeting to do with a charity they are involved with. I went to fetch her, so she could accompany me to my sister’s house, and the woman was with Claudia when they left.”

  “And what did Claudia say to you?”

  “She didn’t say anything until much later, after we had left my sister’s, when she then mentioned that I’d had a strong reaction to her companion. She asked me why.”

  “And you told her what?”

  “That I wasn’t sure. But I’d had a rush of feelings … excitement, a sense of need, perhaps desire. Claudia told me I had appeared to be mesmerized.”

  “Mesmerized. That’s a strong word, old chap.”

  “I said I’d felt blinded, conscious only of her. Anyway, she’s in my head, Reggie, and I can’t wait to see her again. Only then will I understand myself, my reaction to her.”

  “She must be quite a stunner to affect you in this way. I know it’s not happened to you before. You would have told me, wouldn’t you?” Reginald raised a brow quizzically.

  “Of course.” Sebastian took a sip of champagne. “I’ve never had any secrets from you.”

  “So who is this woman who has you so rattled? What’s her name?”

  “Alexis. Alexis Malvern.”

  Reginald gaped at him, stunned into silence. After a split second, he exclaimed, “There can’t be two women with that name. You must be referring to the daughter of Henry Malvern, aren’t you?”

  “I am indeed. Do you know him?”

  “He’s a member of one of our clubs, Savile’s. And we chat occasionally, but I can’t say I know him well. He’s a powerful man, very wealthy, and all of his businesses are extremely successful.” Reginald chuckled. “It is well known that his daughter is his only child and heir. She works in his business, but then I’m sure you know that.”

  “I had heard of her, and her business acumen. However, she is also extremely beautiful. And she is a mere twenty-five.” Sebastian grimaced. “Too young for me, I think.”

  “No, not at all. You’re only forty. I would certainly like to meet her.”

  “Glad to hear that, Reggie. Claudia is planning to give a small supper here next week. We hoped you and Jane would accept our invitation.”