‘And Brooke,’ Harriet said. ‘Her help with Freddie in the bar was amazing. You might want to be a bit warmer towards her. I thought you and she got on well now, but it didn’t feel like it the last couple of days.’
‘Yes, I did notice you were a bit frosty, Pip,’ Gemma added.
Pippa scowled. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell her exactly what was going on with their precious Brooke, but she bit it back. Now wasn’t the time. She still had a lot to process in her head. She knew that Hector was due back in a bit and she was going to text him, as soon as she was alone, asking him to meet her.
The hotel was empty tonight, thankfully, and the staff would be back to turn it around the following day, so Pippa could now focus on the matter at hand. She glared at Harriet and Gemma, but then decided they could enjoy a little extra time in their current ignorance.
‘Sure, I’ll make an effort,’ she said, with no idea how she was going to get through between now and when she could speak to Hector and figure out what on earth she should do.
She almost jumped on Hector the minute he walked through the door with his weekend holdall. He looked tired, she noticed. He’d probably had several late nights and been out to London’s hottest bars. Might even have made the gossip pages. She wondered how many women had been involved, then she pushed such silly thoughts aside.
‘Had fun?’ she asked, hugging him.
‘Goodness, Pippa, that’s some welcome. Anyone would think you’re pleased to see me.’ He flashed her a cheeky grin.
‘You have no idea! I’ve made up your room, personally, and put your stuff back in. But, Hector, I need to ask you a favour. Once you’re settled, can you come for a walk with me? It’s sort of urgent.’
‘A walk?’ He sounded puzzled. ‘Sure, let me just dump my bag.’
‘Thank you.’ Pippa felt relieved. Finally, she could unburden herself. ‘Meet me by the back door.’
Hector was so easy to talk to as they walked around the Meadowbrook estate, and Pippa talked and talked. She went round and round in circles, cried and got angry, and Hector listened patiently to her, hugging her when she was upset, staying quiet while she railed. Finally, when she’d finished, she turned to him.
‘What do you think?’ she asked, although the question felt inadequate.
‘Pippa, I can’t believe it. I mean… She was part of all of this, and we were becoming such good friends. I even liked exercising with her, but I didn’t have a clue. God, I can’t believe she was keeping this secret all this time. I mean, Brooke…’ Hector flitted nervously from thought to thought as he walked.
‘I know, I mean, she was so good with everyone. I really liked her, I did. I know I worried at first, but that was because I’m insecure and I felt that we were the only ones with nothing in common. But after the Lucky business, I felt as if we were starting to bond.’
‘That kind of makes sense a bit now.’
‘Why?’
‘You know, how angry she got about Lucky. How determined she was to get to the truth, for you guys.’
‘I’ve kept it to myself until now. The running of the hotel was in such a mess and the guests were so demanding. It was bad enough keeping it together myself! I couldn’t risk sending everyone else off kilter, but now I need to tell them.’
‘Including Brooke?’
‘No, I need to talk to my family without Brooke first. They need to know first and then we can decide together what to do. But believe me, it’ll take a while to sink in. It still hasn’t done with me. I still can’t believe it.’
‘No, I’m in shock, too. It’s huge… I mean, I don’t…’ Hector seemed as lost as she was. ‘She’s such a great woman.’
‘Hector, she lied.’
‘Yes, she did. Sorry, but now so much makes sense – Pip, Lucky, William—’
‘I don’t want to hear it. Not now, Hector. I’ll call a family meeting. Will you be there? I mean, you are family. And you keep me calm.’ As she said this she realised it was true.
‘Of course, if you want me there, I’ll be there. But Gwen’s the one who normally keeps you calm.’
‘With you and Gwen we’ll be safe, then.’
Pippa felt anything but safe, but as Hector put his arm around her, she felt that bit safer.
They were all squashed into the office. Toby was squirming on Gwen’s lap and Harriet was next to her with Gus on the other side. Pippa was behind her father’s desk, while Freddie and Gemma were on the other sofa with Hector. Gerry, who Pippa had also included in the meeting, was perched on the other office chair. Connor was at the vet surgery and Amanda was working, so they couldn’t make it.
‘So, what’s going on? No offence, Pip, but I’ve had enough of this place for a couple of days,’ Harriet pointed out.
‘I’m sorry. I know it’s been a tough few days, but it’s going to get worse and I didn’t know what to do.’
Pippa bit back tears. She couldn’t just cry – she had to get through this and be strong for her siblings.
‘What is it, Pip, you sound really upset?’ Freddie’s brows were etched with concern.
‘It’s about Brooke.’
All hell let loose.
‘Oh, for God’s sake, I thought you and her were fine now?’ Harriet said, sounding exasperated.
‘She’s been great,’ Freddie added.
‘She practically saved the sanctuary,’ Gus said.
‘Pippa, really, what is your problem with her?’ Gemma asked.
They were all staring at her as if she were being unreasonable.
‘You need to hear her out,’ Hector said. ‘You know I’m Brooke’s biggest fan, but some information has come to light and, well, you need to listen to Pippa. I mean, you need to know about this.’
‘Well, what is it, then?’ Harriet sighed.
‘I was cleaning her room the other day, as you know, when I came across some papers—’
‘Oh God, you were prying, how could you?’ Freddie said. ‘I’d believe it of Harriet but not of you.’
‘Oi, Freddie, shut up. Pippa, that’s not good. I mean, we’re a hotel, a five-star hotel at that! We don’t snoop on our guests! You of all people should know that,’ Harriet snapped.
‘If she finds out, she’ll be furious,’ Gus added.
‘I wasn’t, I promise, I really wasn’t,’ Pippa shouted. ‘I was tidying up and there were these papers poking out, so I just thought I’d put them back under the bed, but then there was something that caught my eye – our name – and of course once I saw that I had to look! I couldn’t not, could I?’
‘I suppose when you put it like that,’ Gwen said. ‘Carry on, love, let’s hear Pippa out,’ she finished.
‘The papers I found … I couldn’t believe them, I still can’t believe them! It’s terrible! It’s all so terrible, and I hope to God it isn’t true.’
‘What is it?’ Harriet pushed. ‘For God’s sake, Pip, can you just tell us?’
‘OK, fine, I am trying.’ Pippa wiped the tears off her cheeks as Hector leant over to take her hand.
‘Brooke’s claiming that she’s found her father’s family, because her father is our father!’ The words sounded like poison on her tongue. ‘And not only is she claiming that she’s our half-sister, but she’s also taken legal advice on how to get her share of Daddy’s estate!’
The silence was palpable.
‘What the hell?!’ All the colour drained from Harriet’s face when she eventually broke the silence.
Freddie opened and closed his mouth. Gus kept blinking and Gwen sat very still, holding onto Toby, but shock was clear on her face. Gerry shuffled uncomfortably. Gemma grabbed Freddie’s hand while Hector stood up and came over to put his arm around Pippa.
‘Hold on,’ Gerry said as Gwen’s eyes darted between them all. ‘Are we sure that she’s related to you?’
‘No,’ Pippa said. After all, she’d had the most time to think about this. ‘Daddy wouldn’t have cheated on Mum.’
‘Pip, my maths might be bad, but Brooke’s age … so Mum would have passed away before she was born,’ Freddie pointed out.
‘Oh, right!’ Pippa fumed.
That had been Pippa’s only conclusion, that there was no way she was their sister. No way. She was an American con artist and she was playing the long game to get the most money. She’d been there, getting information, getting close to them all so she could con them out of money.
‘I think she’s involved in a very big con, it’s the only possible explanation,’ Pippa said.
‘That does make sense,’ Harriet concurred. ‘There may be others involved – that Chris, I mean, do we know he’s a personal trainer? He could be the brains behind it.’
‘Doubtful … have you seen how tight his jeans are?’ Freddie said.
‘He could just be playing dumb, though. I mean yes, he was happy to dress up as a chicken, but if he thought he and Brooke could con us out of this place then maybe that explains it,’ Gus added.
‘Hold on,’ Gwen said. ‘It could be possible. You might not want to hear this but although Andrew was loyal to your mum even after her death, I’m quite sure he was no monk. He travelled a bit on business … I mean, he was only human. I’m not saying that Brooke is his daughter, but I’m just saying that it could be possible. You guys are jumping to conclusions, but we need to consider the option that she might be telling the truth.’
‘What if Pippa was right all along? What if she’s a really good con artist trying to get Meadowbrook? I mean, that’s terrible,’ Harriet said.
Harriet was again echoing Pippa’s thoughts and sounding more like her old self, which Pippa found reassuring. Brooke may have pulled the wool over their eyes before, but no more.
‘And it would explain why she was keen to get the Lucky situation sorted out – you know, to gain our trust,’ Freddie added.
‘What proof do you have?’ Gemma asked quietly. ‘I just can’t believe she’s a con artist. She’s lovely, and lost, and she so wanted to be part of Meadowbrook, which if she was, you know, related to you also makes perfect sense.’ Gemma’s voice was gentle but Pippa didn’t want to consider her words.
‘I found letters going back and forth to a solicitor in America, stating that her mum told her that Andrew Singer was her real father after her own father’s death. Then there were papers about how she was entitled to inherit posthumously, or something like that. There was a photo of our dad with who I presume is Brooke’s mum, or someone else she was going to pretend was her mum. There was no hard evidence as far as I could see, but I could have missed something, I guess. It was such a shock,’ Pippa sobbed.
Hector perched on the desk, grabbing her hand.
‘I don’t believe it!’ Harriet stormed. ‘I agree with Pippa, there’s some kind of huge con going on. Maybe her mum met Dad once and now they need money, so they targeted us. She made us feel sorry for her by saying her mum and her were estranged. What if that was a story designed to get money out of us? What if her mum’s behind this?’
They were all getting carried away with this theory now.
‘That makes sense.’ Pippa began to calm herself. ‘It’s got to be. Also, I found a load of credit card bills. It seems she’s up to her ears in debt, which is how she’s been staying here, putting it all on cards.’
‘She was very good with the gardening club,’ Gus pointed out.
‘And the dogs,’ Harriet added. ‘She practically saved the sanctuary, whatever her motive. And Toby loves her.’
‘And we had some lovely runs together,’ Gemma pointed out.
‘I so enjoyed baking with her,’ Gwen said.
‘And her cocktails were bloody good,’ Freddie finished.
‘But she’s a fraud,’ Pippa said, then stopped.
Staring at her through the open door was the very person they’d been talking about.
‘You went through my things,’ she said quietly.
Her face was ashen as she stood in her customary gym clothes.
‘And thank goodness I did!’
Pippa felt angry on her behalf, on behalf of her family and her father. Pippa was normally the most gentle of the Singers, but not when she was riled. She had a temper, they all knew that.
‘I’m not lying,’ Brooke said. ‘And I’m not a con artist, either. I’m your sister. I didn’t know how to tell you, but that’s why I came here in the first place.’
‘What proof do you have?’ Harriet asked, but she didn’t sound angry anymore.
Brooke was shaking, Pippa noticed, and she felt guilty for shouting. Unless she was a con artist. After all, she was from LA, she could just be a very good actress. She squeezed Hector’s hand. It was all so confusing.
‘My mum told me after Dad, the man I thought was my dad, died. It was awful! I had no idea that he wasn’t my real father and when I found out, it was a huge shock. I contacted a lawyer but then I decided to come here and see for myself. I thought I’d know, and I did. And, by the way, I knew you wouldn’t believe me, so I did a DNA test.’
‘How did you do that? Dad’s no longer alive,’ Harriet asked.
Pippa was glad that Harry was back in control.
‘I stole Pippa’s hairbrush and a discarded piece of chewing gum of Freddie’s. It came back positive! I’ve got the results.’
‘Hold on, hold on! You think we’ll take your word for this?’ Pippa said. ‘You come in here – and yes, Brooke, you did a very good job worming your way in with us all – then you have a dodgy DNA test and you’re going to threaten us with legal action, try to take Meadowbrook? You think you can do that?’
‘No,’ Brooke replied quietly. ‘But at first I was angry. Surely you can understand that? The man who I thought was my father wasn’t and the family I did belong to were living in a manor house in England like something from TV. And I was angry with my mum for lying to me all those years. Of course, there’s a lot more to it. But yes, I came here with the idea that I’d get what I thought I deserved. And I was angry and resentful, but I grew to know you, and I liked you, and that’s why I didn’t say anything.
‘I thought I’d be so full of hate for you that I’d come, stay for a while and then reveal who I was, but I grew to like you all and Meadowbrook, and the community. I felt like I belonged somewhere for the first time in my life almost and no, of course I don’t want to sue you, but I do want to be part of your family. My family.’ Brooke was crying. ‘I didn’t know what to do, I really didn’t, but I was too scared to tell you, in case you reacted like this. You remember, Pippa and Hector, when I said I was scared to find my family in case they rejected me, well I was talking about you.’ She started sobbing.
‘We’ll need proof,’ Freddie said. ‘Sorry, Brooke, I really like you and I actually don’t think you seem like a typical con artist – although, of course, you can’t be too careful – but this is all a shock and we can’t just take your word for it.’
‘Of course.’ Brooke looked at the floor.
‘I’m not buying it,’ Pippa said. ‘I don’t believe a word you’re saying, because if this were true, you’d have spoken to us before now, like any sane person would.’
Pippa was shouting now. Even Harriet flinched. Brooke turned on her heels and fled. Pippa burst into tears then.
‘God, Pip, you didn’t need to shout like that,’ Harriet said, pulling her fingers through her hair.
Thankfully, Toby didn’t seem fazed by the whole debacle, but Pippa felt guilty.
‘That may have been a bit harsh,’ Gwen said. ‘Listen to me. You are Singers and you need to think about this. If, and I am saying if, she is your half-sister, you can’t turn your back on her. After all, she might not be lying, she might not be a con artist, she might just be a very lost young woman who’s just found out her father wasn’t her father, after all. She might be telling the truth. Feeling betrayed by her mum and with no other family, she came to find where she might belong and this is how you react?’
‘She’s right,’ He
ctor added. ‘You guys are the most wonderful family I know. If she is—’
‘She’s not,’ Pippa stormed.
There was no way she was accepting this. Brooke was a con artist, pure and simple.
‘But if there is any possibility, love…’ Gwen kissed Toby’s head as he started to cry.
‘He needs feeding,’ said Harriet, who seemed to be in shock.
‘You believe her, don’t you?’ Gus asked Harriet.
Harriet nodded.
‘If you look at her, she looks a bit like a blonde version of me,’ she said. ‘I always thought there was something familiar about her, you know.’
‘I agree,’ Freddie said. ‘There were characteristics that puzzled me, but now I realise they remind me of other members of the family. And she has the personality. I mean, with the Lucky thing, she was even behaving like a Singer.’
‘No, just no!’ Pippa cried.
‘Pippa.’ Gwen wrapped her in a hug. ‘You’ve always been the baby of the family, so I know you might be feeling threatened, but you’re also one of the most generous, loving people I know, so if Brooke is your sister, don’t you think you ought to give her a chance?’
Pippa buried her face in Gwen’s shoulder and wept.
‘How do we find out for sure?’ Gus asked. ‘I mean, we do need to be one hundred percent.’
‘Let’s see this DNA test, for starters,’ Harriet said. ‘Although we might want to do another one, with a doctor rather than a weird Internet company who accepts used chewing gum.’ She stroked Toby’s hair. ’And we’ll speak to her, calmly, about her mum. We’ll ask her to explain, also calmly, and we’ll promise to listen now, that’s what we’ll do.’
‘OK, let’s go and find her,’ Freddie said.
‘You go, we’ll stay here,’ Gwen said, taking Toby back. ‘I’ll give him his bottle.’
They argued for a few more minutes about whether they should go together or just one of them, and in the end Gwen, having had enough, sent them all out together.
‘Good luck,’ Hector said quietly as they left.
Gemma stood up to kiss Freddie. It felt as if they were leaving for something bad and perhaps they were. Whatever it was, Pippa knew that after this, life would never be the same for them again.
The Ticket to Happiness Page 27