Turning the sausages, she wondered what happened to love, money and revenge. All there was was debt, fatigue and responsibility.
She handed Madame Katarina her loaded plate.
‘Melanie’s sister’s on her way,’ the clairvoyant said confidently.
‘What? The sister they can’t find?’
Madame Katarina nodded.
‘Good,’ Annie said politely, too busy to discuss Madame Katarina’s premonition.
She checked the sandwich list for that day, fairly certain Melanie had forgotten to do what she’d asked and confirm with their clients how many of their staff were on holiday. If the food was returned there’d be arguments about the bill. A van driver pulled up on the pavement and began to carry in fish for the Arcadia’s freezer. Stallholders protested. The phone rang. Annie wondered how she was going to get through the morning until Vanessa arrived.
20
Trouble at Durham House
‘Don’t be a bloody fool.’ Harry Paine, Samco’s new deputy chairman, was discussing the company’s future with Nigel by the lake at Durham House. His attention was distracted. ‘Jesus Christ. That swan looks sick.’
‘They’ve got a disease,’ muttered Nigel. ‘One died last week.’
‘Perhaps you should call the vet,’ suggested Paine. ‘Look, what I’m telling you is that it doesn’t matter if you can’t go on with this Savernake business for the time being, anyway. It’s small beer and, God knows, you’ve got plenty of other things to sort out. Why are you so worried about Ikeda’s withdrawing? Don’t invest any more money. Put it all on ice. Abandon the idea, for Christ’s sake. If you try to push through a vote to spend another ten million of Samco’s money on what’s essentially a small building project, I’ve already warned you, I’ll oppose you.’
Nigel looked at the tall thin man, with his lean, composed face, and disliked him. He said, ‘You might not see the point but others on the board do. Here’s the Savernake Village. We put in ten million now. In a year’s time we get that back, and ten to twenty million in profit. I call that a good deal for Samco. But it has to be financed now. We’ve already put a lot of money into developing the idea. If there’s a delay – well, we may never get Kenton Council, the Department of the Environment and all the other interested odds and sods on our side all at one and the same time. It’s now or never. And you haven’t produced one argument why Samco shouldn’t invest. The money’s standing idle—’
‘Temporarily,’ interrupted Paine. ‘It can be made to work. It will be. But not, as far as I’m concerned, on the Savernake Village project.’
There was a silence. Peaceful dusk was descending over the cornfields, over the far-off rolling hills where sheep clustered in little white groups, over hedges and clumps of trees. The sun was low behind Pennyfeather Hill, three miles away. Paine felt bad about arguing with Nigel so soon after Sir Bernard’s death. Nigel seemed to need the tranquillity his home and land should be offering him. But Nigel had forced the argument on him. Paine believed that Samco’s participation in the Savernake project was large enough. While the project was being backed by Kataro Ikeda’s bank and Samco in more or less equal proportions, he had been content. But after Sir Bernard’s death, the Japanese bank had withdrawn. Now Nigel wanted Samco to back the Savernake Village project alone, something Paine thought too risky. If it went wrong Samco would be solely liable and Paine was a man who would not, on principle, have made himself solely liable for his own arrival home at night. He knew the project was Nigel’s pet, but that, in his opinion, did not justify his obtaining backing from the parent company up to any sum he cared to name. What troubled him was that some of the board, enticed by the potential profits, would go for it. What angered him was being forced to refuse support to a man who had just buried his father, who couldn’t find out what had happened to his brother and was even being persecuted by claims from his sister, whose challenge, Paine considered, was thoroughly selfish and inconsiderate at such a time. He was far from certain that Nigel Fellows should be making decisions so soon after a bereavement.
Now he laid his hand on Nigel’s arm, drew it away and said in as kindly a tone as he could manage, ‘I seriously advise you not to press this. I must be quite frank. I think you’re still shaky after your father’s death, understandably enough. Ikeda’s coming here, cool as a cucumber, smiling and being polite, and then dropping his bombshell over the port, certainly did nothing for anyone’s peace of mind. I understand your feelings, Nigel. Ikeda’s backed out when things look difficult – your father’s death, all this legal business – and we both know that’s exactly when people do back out. But, and I have to stress this, we mustn’t let anger with him cloud our judgement and over-invest in Savernake to compensate. We mustn’t push forward when sound judgement dictates otherwise. I wonder, Nigel, if you’re not being a little over-emotional here. God knows, you’ve reason to be—’
‘I am not over-emotional,’ Nigel told him in a cold, furious voice. ‘Frankly, Harry, I think you’re being an old woman about this – “Oh dear, what about my savings?” This is business. Business is about risks.’
Paine sighed. ‘What more can I say? I’ll have to oppose you, Nigel. Come on, we’ve been here long enough. We’d better get back.’
‘Oh, yes. I’ve got to chuck some more hospitality at Mr and Mrs Ikeda, ask them if they’d like another drink, hope all’s well in their room – I’d like to poison the little rat.’
Paine was impatient. ‘Don’t let it show, Nigel. Take it and smile. You know the rules.’
Nigel did not answer but set off across the lawn towards the lighted windows of the house, too fast for Paine to keep up. He decided not to try, and strolled back taking his time, planning, without too much hope, ways of preventing Nigel from using his influence with the board to get them to invest Samco’s money in the Savernake Village project. He might also ring Max Craig – in fact, he decided, he certainly would.
Paine reached the drawing room to find Jasmine urging Lady Mary to go to bed now that Nigel had returned. The two women had been left to entertain the Ikedas alone when Nigel and Harry Paine went out.
Lady Mary, unusually enough for her, had tried to stand firm, refusing to accept the business meeting which seemed to have been forced on them. ‘It’s too soon, Nigel,’ she’d said. ‘And he and his wife won’t expect to stay here, in the circumstances. I’m sure Mr Ikeda would happily meet you in London.’ But Nigel had refused to withdraw his invitation, now he’d offered it. This had angered Lady Mary’s sister, who went off suddenly to visit her daughter forty miles away.
Claudia and her American boyfriend were also staying. Al had tackled Jasmine that morning as she tried to sort out the placings for dinner. ‘I hope you won’t be angry if I tell you something. Nigel’s very distressed. He needs to slow down. He needs to grieve.’
‘Ah. I know that,’ Jasmine replied. ‘His mother knows it. But how to persuade him, that’s the question?’
‘Claudia asked me to speak to you.’
‘Claudia could help by not being on the phone to her solicitor all the time. It’s agitating for Nigel. She doesn’t have to do it here, does she?’
‘I don’t think that’s the real problem.’
‘But it does exacerbate things.’
‘I tried,’ he said, leaving the room.
Claudia came next and sat down at the long dining-room table. She read the scribbled label in front of her. ‘Mrs Kataro Ikeda.’
‘I’m trying to imagine where everyone should sit,’ Jasmine said. ‘I can’t ask too much help from Mary.’
Claudia was annoyed. ‘I suppose you realise Al Dominick is a doctor, medically qualified and a psychotherapist. You were rude to him. About me,’ she added.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Jasmine. ‘I’m upset. I’ll apologise. But if he’s a psychotherapist he ought to know I’m upset. About Bernard’s death, and Sim being nowhere, and Nigel making all these efforts to keep going. What’s the point of someone co
ming and telling me he’s mad? He’s doing what he thinks is right. It’s all right for you. You didn’t even like Bernard.’
‘No one’s saying Nigel’s mad,’ Claudia told her.
‘He’s trying to cope when he’s barely able to do it. It’s all very well to say slow down, grieve, try to understand what’s happened. Bernard died in the middle of everything …’
‘OK. I understand, Jasmine.’
‘All I can do is try to make things all right. I’m trying,’ Jasmine said despondently.
‘Tell the cook cold soup, salmon and raspberries,’ Claudia said. ‘Mother hasn’t always been the hostess with the mostest. When she got desperate in the summer in the old days she always used to say, cold soup, salmon and raspberries. I forget what it was in the winter. Come on, let’s go and pick the raspberries. Al can help.’
‘He’s dodging me,’ Al Dominick said neutrally, as the three picked along the raspberry canes in the sunshine. ‘I don’t believe he knows I’m a doctor, but he smells the threat.’
The Ikedas went to bed shortly after Lady Mary. Suddenly, in the hall, Jasmine heard Nigel shouting at Paine, ‘If you think ringing that charlatan is going to help, then go ahead, but don’t do it from my house.’
She felt too tired to go to him. She was now sure she was expecting a baby. She hadn’t told Nigel and the child might not even be his. She felt completely bewildered.
In bed that night, Nigel told Jasmine about Ikeda’s withdrawal of his bank’s money from the Savernake Village project and his row with Harry Paine, who was going to oppose him at the board meeting. He’d said he’d caught Paine ringing Max Craig, though he didn’t tell her he’d been given advice by Craig weeks earlier and ignored his warnings. Jasmine, tired, feeling queasy, decided now was not the moment to reveal her pregnancy. She said, ‘But wouldn’t it be better to put the plan on ice for a little while? There’s so much else for you to attend to.’
‘It’s a perfectly simple proposition,’ Nigel said sharply. ‘And, as it happens, Samco will back the project. I’m just upset about Paine’s opposition. I’m wondering if he isn’t making some kind of bid.’
‘Bid for what?’
‘Power,’ Nigel said simply. ‘That’s what it’s all about. With Dad gone, he may have an eye to the chairmanship.’
Nigel turned away from her. Jasmine sat up, poured herself some water and said to his back, ‘You’re over-working, Nigel. I wish we could take just a short time off. Even a long weekend.’
‘I’m doing this for all of you,’ Nigel said shortly. ‘The family.’
Hearing this, Jasmine felt even more reluctant to mention her pregnancy. Since the thought of his duties as head of the family was unbalancing him, how much worse would he get if he thought about an heir? She fell asleep, worried.
But if Nigel or Jasmine had known what had taken place at George’s Café in Foxwell that afternoon there would have been no sleep for either of them.
21
The Arrival of Twins
Annie stood behind the counter, her mind partly on the chip fryer, the rest on Tom Pointon standing in front of her. It was very hot. Arnold sat in his corner, over a cup of tea, looking discontented. Two workmen were eating an early lunch.
‘OK, Tom,’ said Annie. ‘Let’s go to the Duke of Westminster for lunch when Vanessa turns up to relieve me. But I’ll have to be quick because I’ve got to go straight to the Arcadia afterwards. There’s eleven bookings for tonight. That means we’ll probably be full all evening.’
Melanie came in with a message. ‘Vanessa rang from the doctor’s. She said I can take over for half an hour. Joanne was sick this morning and there was a big queue in the surgery. She’s been waiting for over two hours.’
Annie went into the kitchen and turned down the fryer. Melanie put on an overall and went behind the counter. Tom waited. A delivery man came in and ordered sausage and chips.
‘Sausage and chips,’ called Melanie.
A young black woman in a pink tracksuit eased a double buggy containing two pale brown one-year-old children through the door. The babies wore shorts, little trainers and T-shirts each inscribed with a name. One of them had gold earrings. The woman bumped the buggy and a large plastic zipper bag through the tables. ‘Is Annie Vane here?’ she asked Melanie.
‘In the back,’ Melanie replied. Annie came out. She had taken off her overall and was wiping her hands. The woman scrutinised her quickly. ‘I’m Arlette Jones,’ she said. ‘I’m leaving these children with you.’ She took her hands off the handles of the buggy.
‘What – why?’ Annie asked in amazement.
‘Your sister’s Jasmine Fellows – right?’
‘Yes,’ Annie agreed.
The young woman was firm, ready to get angry. ‘Well, this is her niece and nephew,’ she stated, ‘Joseph and Miranda. Me and my mum have been looking after them for nine long weary months and now we’re going to Portugal. Somebody’s got to look after these kids and it should be you.’
‘This is ridiculous,’ Tom said.
‘Who are you to talk?’ Arlette said challengingly. She looked at Annie and went on, ‘I’m sorry, but we’ve had enough – what with the nursery closing and having to go two miles, and then they get the measles and my mum has to take time off to look after them—’
‘This is a mistake—’ Annie said.
‘I’ll gladly collect them in two weeks’ time. But my mum needs a break. So do I.’
Melanie said loudly, ‘This lady is not these children’s auntie. She can’t look after them. It’s got nothing to do with her.’
‘I don’t believe this,’ said Arlette. ‘How can you do this?’
The delivery man said loudly, ‘I’m sorry, but I’m parked on a yellow line. Can I please have my meal that I ordered?’
Perhaps because he was black Arlette turned to him. ‘Can you believe it? Two weeks and they won’t do it. What is it? The colour they are? What do you think?’
‘Look here,’ said Tom.
‘I’m not looking here at all. I’m leaving these children here and that’s it…’
The delivery man waiting for his order said steadily, ‘Girl – I don’t think these people know who these children are. Do you think you made a mistake?’
‘Sim Fellows,’ said the young woman, putting her face right up to Annie’s, ‘is the father of these children. Their mother’s my sister Josie. Now, you take care of these children. I’m leaving.’ And she did. There was a profound silence. Annie came round from behind the counter. ‘My God,’ she said. ‘Supposing it’s true?’
But Melanie had disappeared and was running after the young woman. She caught sight of her as she crossed the hot crowded street. Melanie dodged through hooting traffic, caught up with Arlette and grabbed her arm. ‘Who’re you? What do you want?’ the young woman demanded furiously.
‘Where’s their father?’ Melanie cried urgently. ‘They’re all looking for him.’
‘So am I,’ the young woman said. ‘Two postcards in nine months. I’d like to catch him.’
‘Where’s your sister?’
‘Same story,’ the woman said. ‘You let go of my arm now or I’ll make you.’
‘Did they get married?’ Melanie asked.
The girl looked at her with rage and contempt. ‘Church of the Angels, Bridgetown, Barbados. We didn’t get invited. We saw the photos. And the christening. Does that help you? Now let me go.’
A big hand took hold of Melanie’s shoulder. ‘Oh,’ Melanie cried in pain. Turning, she shouted in alarm, ‘Dad!’
‘I need a word with you, my girl,’ said Pickering grimly.
‘Dad,’ wailed Melanie. She had let go of Arlette, who slipped away.
‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you,’ he said.
‘I’m always in the same place,’ responded Melanie.
‘Don’t get cheeky with me.’
‘I’m not cheeky.’ She looked round for Arlette, but it was too late. She was gone.
Pickering spoke into Melanie’s ear, ‘Your mother’s going to ring you – she wants you home. I don’t want any arguments. I want you to get back home and help her. Colum and John are getting out of hand in the long holiday. Someone’s got to keep an eye on them.’
‘Did she say so?’
He paused. ‘That’s what she wants. Now if you don’t get there I’m going to report you’ve run away. Go of your own free will, or get taken back by the police, that’s your choice. I’ll be round tomorrow to take you to the station. Twelve o’clock. You be there.’
In the café Vanessa, unaware of what had just occurred, asked, ‘Who left these behind?’ while Annie bent over the buggy trying to console the howling twins.
Customers were waiting. The phone was ringing.
In desperation Annie and Vanessa picked up the twins and marched them round the café, talking to them, trying to calm them down. Customers were now leaving, all except Arnold, who sat and studied the confusion.
Melanie decided to ring home. It was a relief to hear her mother’s familiar voice. ‘Melanie, love,’ she said, ‘I know you don’t want to come, but your dad’s blackmailing me. He’s offering me £100 a week if you come, and a divorce if you don’t. It’s unfair, I know that, and I’m sorry, but I think you’ve got to come.’
Melanie felt very sad. Her life in London over the last eight months had been too good to be true. At the back of her mind she had always known that her father would put a stop to it. She gazed blindly at Annie and Vanessa, walking about with the bawling twins. Tom took the girl from Annie.
‘Don’t blame me, Vanessa,’ Annie was shouting over the twins’ heads. ‘They came out of the blue. If you want to ring Kenton Social Services, ring them. But don’t you think I should ring Jasmine first? In case they’re really Sim’s children?’
Tom sat the little girl on his non-existent hip and said loudly, ‘Would you like a sweetie?’ whereupon she stopped crying and looked at him.
In Search of Love, Money & Revenge Page 27