False Wall

by Veronica Heley

  ‘When it first happened, I did want to replicate what I’d lost, but now I realize that the tree restricted my view. I can see so much more of the sky and the church now. So if I do get another tree, it will have to be smaller. A different species. Perhaps something with flowers and berries that the birds would like? I’m arguing with a landscape gardener about it at the moment. She wants me to have something exotic, but I’m not sure that would be in keeping with the house.’

  They were talking as acquaintances, not friends. She shivered. Was the evening turning colder? She wanted to ask if he’d heard the latest about the Paynes, but he was not making eye contact.

  He put his arm around her shoulders, and drew her to him. ‘I’ve missed you, Bea.’

  ‘I missed you, too. It’s been a tough time. I wish you could have stayed.’

  His smile disappeared. He didn’t like being reminded that he’d run away. ‘Well, we both had our priorities. But the deal has gone through and now I’m a free man. I can put the past behind me, and look forward to relaxing and enjoying life.’

  She sighed. She wanted to talk to him about the Paynes. Yes, the police now knew what had happened, and were taking steps to extradite the Admiral and his wife from wherever it was in the Caribbean that they had taken refuge. And yes, the threat to derail the sale of Holland Holdings in the Far East had been countered, but the threat to Leon’s reputation was still hanging over them, even if he didn’t realize it.

  Come to think of it, he really didn’t know about it, did he? Or had she tried to explain and he hadn’t been listening?

  Rollo had said he’d destroyed the envelope containing the evidence Venetia had collected, but Bea wasn’t at all sure that he hadn’t kept it for use on a rainy day. There had been something about the way he’d told them what he’d done …

  Mona hadn’t seemed too happy about it, either. If that envelope ever resurfaced …? Or if Venetia decided to accuse Leon of abusing her, even if she now had no evidence to back up her accusation …?

  Well, if the envelope did surface, Leon would have to deal with it. She’d lost any appetite she’d ever had for a fight. Let him buy them off. He could afford it.

  She grimaced. Was she becoming like the Paynes, reliant on money to get her out of a fix?

  Leon pulled a jeweller’s box out of his pocket and opened it. A flash of red. A ruby ring. He lifted her left hand to his lips and kissed it. He was about to slide the ruby on to her ring finger, but stopped when he saw she was still wearing her diamond.

  He said, ‘Isn’t it about time you let me replace that?’ A caressing tone. A here’s-the-conquering-hero smile.

  She held the ruby up to the light. A magnificent stone, worth a king’s ransom, no doubt. But, she had never liked rubies. Diamonds, yes. Pearls, if it came to it. Rubies, no. She’d told him so, too.

  He hadn’t listened.

  She held back a sigh. It was no good being angry with him. He hadn’t listened in the past because he was a self-centred, self-made man. He wasn’t going to listen now, and he wasn’t going to change his ways, either. He was what he was and there was an end of it. If she liked what she saw, she could have it. Yes, she was pretty sure of that.

  It was no good thinking you could change a man, because you couldn’t. He’d had a hard upbringing. He’d told Bea once that he’d wanted to marry the woman who’d been his partner for many years, and that she’d refused. At that time Bea hadn’t understood why. Perhaps she was beginning to understand now.

  He had money. He wanted a companion and friend to whom he could talk freely. He’d found this in Bea, and wanted to make it permanent … on his terms.

  ‘A ruby,’ she said. ‘Now, why did you choose a ruby?’

  EIGHTEEN

  ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake. Take off your long-dead husband’s diamond!’

  ‘Don’t you remember my telling you that I exchanged this diamond for an ambulance to get you to hospital? I redeemed it later, for five hundred pounds. It’s worth a lot more than that, of course, but it’s priceless to me because of what it represents and for what it bought … which was your life.’

  ‘What!’

  ‘I told you, in the hospital. Don’t you remember?’

  He frowned, uneasy. ‘Yes, I … No, not really. I wasn’t really myself for some days after. Zoe kept having to remind me that … I really can’t recall in any detail what happened, and so much has happened since … Is it important?’

  ‘Yes, it is. You need to know what happened. You do remember that we went to a party at the Admiral’s house? You were taken downstairs by the youngsters, were given a drugged drink and set up in a compromising situation. Fortunately, the lights in the house failed and you had just enough sense left to struggle out of the house, and through a gap in the side of the marquee into your own garden, where you passed out. Do you remember any of that?’

  Still a frown. ‘Bits of it, maybe. I’m not sure what was real, and what was a nightmare.’

  ‘I found you in your own garden. You were in a bad way. My one thought was to get you to hospital so I bribed some of the waiting staff, whom I happened to know, with my ring to get us out of there. They summoned an ambulance and covered for us. To this day the Paynes have no idea how we escaped, but I’m sure Sophy and Co. would be delighted to confirm their part in what happened. And, may I say, that the generous tips you’ve given them when they’ve done events for you contributed largely to their willingness to help us get away. Once at the hospital, you were pumped out. I was so anxious … I honestly thought you might die on me.’

  He watched her, with painful attention, a frown line between his eyebrows.

  Men don’t like being rescued by their women-folk. They prefer it the other way around.

  She managed a smile. ‘I wish it had been you doing the rescuing. It was all most unpleasant! I’ll never forget those hours at the hospital, and …’ playing for a laugh, ‘… my outfit was completely ruined.’

  He relaxed. ‘I’ll buy you another in Paris.’

  ‘No need. What I’m trying to say is that we were so fortunate that night, because Sophy recognized me and decided to help. Afterwards, she might easily have decided to keep my ring, or to charge me more for returning it. But she didn’t. She’s a nice girl.’

  ‘I’ll send her a cheque.’

  Bea was silent. She didn’t think Sophy expected anything from him. Would she appreciate getting a cheque from him? Perhaps. But she wouldn’t expect it.

  Bea scolded herself. Why shouldn’t he reward Sophy if he wished to do so? Was she, Bea, becoming resentful of his generosity to others? And if so, why?

  He produced his chequebook from his pocket. ‘It seems I’m beholden to you, again. You always seem to be rescuing me.’ And yes, he did resent that. ‘Tell me how much you are out of pocket for saving my life, and I’ll write you a nice big cheque, too.’

  She pushed his chequebook away. ‘I didn’t do it for money, and neither did Sophy. The insurances have covered almost everything, and there’s been an expansion of business since which will offset any additional expenses, updating of new equipment, and so on. Yes, I’m going to have to redecorate the basement, and this room, too, when the office finally moves back downstairs—’

  ‘Well, you can let me pay for that.’

  ‘No need. Maggie’s got it all in hand. The inconvenience has been considerable, but what I’ve gained from my friends, from the loyalty and, yes, the love of my staff, is beyond rubies, or diamonds. Throwing money at a problem is easy, but doesn’t always solve it.’

  He reddened. ‘Is that what you think I’m doing?’ Defensive. Ruffled.

  She said, ‘I worry about you.’

  ‘Money opens doors.’

  She felt frustration coming on. She smoothed back her hair, trying to think what words she could use to make him see the situation through her eyes.

  ‘Yes, money helps. But, getting involved in someone else’s life is something else. For instance, earlier this
week I took time off work to visit your niece Dilys and her husband Keith, who’d dropped everything to help me when I was in trouble. You can’t believe how hard Keith worked to get us back on line, and Dilys kept everyone fed and watered right up to the very moment that she went into labour. You, Leon, sent Dilys some flowers, didn’t you? Or asked your PA to arrange for some to be sent? But you haven’t been to see them yet, have you?’

  ‘Well, I’ve been busy.’

  ‘So have I. But I made time. They’re living in a pink cloud of bliss. The baby’s the spitting image of Keith. He’s gone all fumble-fingered with delight, and she’s worn out by a hungry baby who demands to be fed on the hour every hour. The house was a mess. I took them a fluffy toy and washed up everything in sight and vacuumed. I took pictures of the baby and sent them to Dilys’s aunt and her daughter because Keith hadn’t got round to doing so. And they rang back, screaming with joy, wanting to know why you hadn’t let them know. They’re coming over on the next plane. I held the boy’s fingers, and did a pile of ironing and sewed a button on Keith’s shirt and restocked their fridge. I arranged for her to have a cleaner to keep them straight for a while. I was away from the office all morning, and everyone managed perfectly. Dilys said thank you for the flowers, and when were you going to see them. So when are you?’

  ‘I can’t this week because I have meetings up to—’

  ‘Cancel them. You’re the boss. You said you were retired now. Why can’t you rearrange your—?’

  His mobile rang. He fished it out of his pocket, and listened to a message. He said to Bea, ‘My chauffeur’s outside. I suggest we go straight away. It was hard to get a reservation at this new restaurant and I’m looking forward to the meal.’

  Bea shook her head. ‘Cancel the reservation. This is important. If you’re hungry, we can either get something locally, or have something brought in later.’

  He didn’t like that. ‘Come on, Bea! This isn’t like you.’

  ‘That’s just the trouble, Leon. I don’t think you know what I am like.’

  ‘You want to rule the roost. You want everything done your way.’

  Ah, do I detect the fell hand of your new PA? She’s been working against me, hasn’t she? Got her eye on him for herself?

  Bea caught back the hasty words that were on the tip of her tongue. ‘No, I don’t want to rule any roost. I want to be treated as a good friend, as an equal, as a partner.’

  ‘Well, you are. That is what we are, good friends, helping one another out.’

  ‘Define “good friend”. Someone you can rely on to help you when you’re in trouble?’

  He narrowed his eyes at her. ‘That goes without saying.’

  ‘I was in trouble, but you left me to it. My friends were …’ her voice broke. ‘I can’t tell you how much they did for me.’

  He flushed. ‘You’re twisting everything.’

  ‘All right. Let’s look at friendship, and how I define it. You know that there was another baby born last week? Maggie’s. She was here, yelling at the electrical contractor when her waters broke. She was so furious with him for not having finished when he’d said he would, that she told him it was all his fault that her baby was coming early. Betty and I had to carry her off and put her in my car to get her to hospital, with her on the phone all the way. Boy, can Maggie yell when she gets going! Her husband met us at the hospital and removed the phone from her grasp as she was taken off to the delivery room. A couple of hours later she was sitting up in bed, cradling little Abigail, and telling us all that childbirth is a piece of cake.

  ‘Maggie’s fine, the baby’s fine, but the only way we can get her to slow down is to have her come over here every morning to act as project manager while little Abigail has a nap in her Karricot. After Maggie’s breast-fed the baby and had some lunch, I force her to lie down on my settee for an hour while someone takes the baby out for a walk round the block in her buggy – my staff are fighting for the privilege – and then I take them both home. She adores the baby, who luckily takes after her placid father, but she’s determined not to stop work. It’s entirely due to Maggie’s efforts that the house and garden will be back to normal soon.’

  ‘Good for her.’ An uneasy laugh. ‘Well, Maggie’s always been a one-off.’

  ‘So she has. The child is being called Abigail because “Abby” is the nearest they could get to “Abbott”, and I objected to their calling her “Bea”. It’s a bit dated as a name for a baby nowadays, don’t you think?’

  He was not enjoying this. ‘You think that’s friendship? There’s surely more to it than that.’ His phone rang again. He answered it, frowning. He said to Bea, ‘Mind if I take this call?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Bea, ‘I do mind. We’re at crisis point here, and if our relationship matters to you, then you will give it priority.’

  He sighed, shook his head, then spoke into the phone. ‘Cancel the dinner reservation. And, you can go home now.’ He ended the call and turned back to Bea. ‘I’ve told my chauffeur to go home.’ He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Look, we’re two different sorts of people. Business: that’s fine. I know where I am. But I don’t find it as easy to interact with people as you do. I’ve learned that money can smooth paths in life, so when I see a need I do something about it. I’ll send—’

  Bea said, ‘If you say that you’re going to send Maggie a cheque, I’ll … I’ll clock you one!’ She swiped at her eyes, right and left. ‘Sorry, sorry. It’s been a terrible couple of weeks and I’m overtired and I haven’t eaten since breakfast and you have every right to conduct your life as you think best, and I shouldn’t have sounded off at you like that. What I’m trying to say, rather badly, is that I’m worried for you.’

  ‘For me?’ Uneasy, frowning.

  She let herself down on to the settee and patted the seat beside her in an invitation for him to join her while she tried to sort out her thoughts. ‘When you have as much money as you do, it can build a wall between you and the rest of the world. The people who work for you will insulate you from the slightest draught. But it’s not the real world of mortgages and dirty nappies and struggles with transport and broken toys and over-the-fence quarrels with neighbours. It’s nothing to do with the weekly shop, or somebody’s pet dog fouling your front lawn, or the heartache of your son stealing from your purse and lying about it. Your brother’s housekeeper and staff separated him from the real world by featherbedding him until he ended up dying in a gilded cage. I’m worried that this is happening to you, too. Now, tell me I’m an interfering old whatsit, and I’ll agree with you.’

  He pinched in his lips. ‘Now you’re on about my PA. You’ve never liked Zoe, but she has my best interests at heart. She knows that you don’t care for her. She said so, right from the start.’

  Bea felt remarkably tired. It would be good to cry … but not yet. ‘Friends are not afraid to help one another out, even if it means getting their hands dirty. Friends try to be honest with one another. It seems to me that you are gradually withdrawing away from your old friends and yes, that hurts.’

  He reared his head back. ‘Why should you care? You’ve got your portrait painter husband back, haven’t you?’

  Bea tried to work out what Leon meant. ‘What! But … I told you all about that, didn’t I? In one of my voicemail messages? When you weren’t able to take my call? Piers saw I was in trouble and took action. He moved in with his oils and canvas and he was a tremendous help and, what’s more, he actually managed to paint my portrait. Now! Of all times! After promising he’d do it for years, he had to start on it there and then! Once he’d started, we couldn’t dislodge him, so he and Oliver and Hari … Oh, what’s the use! Yes, Piers did help, too, in his own way. He moved all my sitting-room furniture up here and created a place for me to sit and rest. I am grateful to him. It was thoughtful.’

  ‘Shall I buy your portrait off him?’

  ‘No.’ Crossly. ‘It’s not for sale. But you can see it in the Summer Exhibition at the Roya
l Academy if you like. It’s a triple: me as a young girl in the distance, as an older woman coming through a door and then as a crone, reflected in a mirror. Very odd. Not at all flattering, but good. Even I can see that.’

  His phone trilled again. He turned away from Bea, frowning. ‘Yes? What …? No, I sent him home because … No, I’m not expecting any more calls this evening. I’ll see you in the morning.’ He shut off his phone. But continued to stare at it. Slight annoyance?

  Bea wanted to say something like, ‘Doesn’t Zoe allow you to go out at night without checking up on you?’ She refrained. If your opponent makes a misstep, don’t crow.

  He said, ‘I was hurt, too. I expected you to ring me every day, to tell me how you were getting on. I asked Zoe to give you my new number, but all I got was messages through Zoe that you were coping just fine and had refused to join me.

  Bea breathed out, gently. Careful, now! Don’t fly off the handle. She made her voice soft, and reasonable. ‘Oh dear! What a misunderstanding. I kept ringing the number she gave me, only to get voicemail. You only rang me once, but you were in such a hurry, about to go into another meeting, you said you couldn’t stop to chat.’

  ‘But you gave Zoe a message to say you were out most nights and …’ He took a deep breath. ‘What number did she give you?’

  ‘You know how bad I am at remembering numbers. I wrote it in my diary.’ She found her handbag, extricated her diary, and showed him the page.

  He said, ‘She gave you the wrong number.’ A frown. ‘By mistake, of course.’

  Bea kept her mouth shut. With an effort. Had Zoe been trying to ensure that Bea didn’t speak direct to Leon, and that Leon didn’t speak direct to Bea? A neat way of coming between them. Of separating them.

  His move.

  He took a turn around the room, ending up at the window overlooking the gardens – and his empty house. ‘Those bones … they know whose they were now?’