Unexpected Blessings

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

  Evan concentrated on her salad for a few minutes, staring down at her plate, but looking at it more than eating. Suddenly she didn’t feel very hungry, and she put her fork down and straightened in the chair.

  A silence fell between Evan and her mother, but it was an easy silence, and there was affection flowing between the two of them. And Evan began to wonder about something…wonder if she had been unfair to her mother all these years, always blaming her, applauding her father. Perhaps her mother had needed a bit of praise, too, and applause at times. And love from her. Guilt settled on her.

  The waitress arrived, removed their plates, said she’d be back in a moment with their crab cakes, and hurried off once more.

  Evan said quietly, her eyes on her mother’s face, ‘I want to tell you something, Mother. You really looked lovely last night, just as you do today. Dad must be pleased that you’re so much better, in every way. And looking so beautiful.’

  ‘I don’t know…I hope so, honey. But he doesn’t really pay much attention.’

  Evan shook her head. ‘I can’t figure him out, Mom,’ she muttered, feeling suddenly annoyed by him and his behaviour.

  Oh, I can, Marietta thought, but murmured, ‘The money’s not that important to me, as I said. I’m not going to rush out and buy lots of things. But I do like the feeling of independence it gives me, I like knowing that if I had to, I could support myself.’

  For a moment Evan was at a loss for words. She understood what her mother was saying. What she couldn’t understand was her father’s attitude, one which was apparently grudging to say the least, by the sound of it. Was he jealous? Threatened? Did he really think her mother would leave him? But why would she do that? Suddenly, and with a small shock, Evan realized that she didn’t know much about their marriage. After all, she had left home nine years ago and gone to live with her grandparents Glynnis and Richard in Manhattan. Did they have a bad marriage? Had her mother been too ill for too long? Did he resent the lost years?

  On the other hand, her father had become a success as an antiques dealer in recent years. He enjoyed his home, enjoyed living in a lovely old farmhouse in Connecticut. How out of touch I am, she thought. Do I know either of my parents anymore?

  ‘Please don’t judge your father too harshly,’ Marietta was saying.

  Rousing herself from her racing thoughts, Evan replied, ‘I don’t judge him at all. However, I do want to ask you something. Last night you had a strange look on your face, when Dad said he hadn’t known that his mother had worked for Emma Harte.’ She took a deep breath and plunged. ‘It was contempt I saw, Mother, wasn’t it? Contempt on your face.’

  ‘Not contempt, Evan honey. Merely dismay.’

  ‘He lied to me, didn’t he?’

  Marietta couldn’t bring herself to confirm this verbally, and so she simply nodded.

  ‘But why, Mom? Why does it matter that she worked for Emma? And why does Dad hate the Hartes?’

  ‘You’ve asked me three questions all at once, and I will answer them in three words…I don’t know.’

  ‘Let me ask you another question. If Dad knew Glynnis had worked for Emma Harte at the store, and he disliked the Hartes so much, why did he encourage me to go to London in January?’

  ‘Because he didn’t know about Glynnis and Emma then. Oh yes, he did remember that his mother had met Emma in the war years, and that they’d stayed in touch for a bit after the war. But he had no idea she’d been Emma’s secretary.’

  ‘He found that out after Grandma Glynnis died last November, didn’t he?’

  Her mother nodded.

  ‘Did he discover some of his mother’s papers?’

  ‘A reference Emma had given Glynnis all those years ago, singing her praises as a secretary.’

  ‘And that’s all he found?’

  ‘Oh, yes.’

  ‘It still doesn’t explain why he’s taken this attitude with me.’

  ‘No. Unless–’

  ‘Unless what?’ Evan interrupted.

  ‘Unless he’s just terribly upset. From the moment you walked into this store you’ve been madly in love–with the store, with Linnet O’Neill, with Paula O’Neill and India Standish. And Gideon Harte, as well. Maybe your father feels abandoned by you, Evan. Threatened by them all, fearful of losing you. Perhaps he thinks you’ll never come home.’

  ‘Oh Mom,’ she said softly.

  ‘I know you’re not coming home, at least not coming home to live. I know you’re going to stay in England. You see, women are intuitive and also so much more practical than men, and we see things differently. We see them as they really are, and not as we’d like them to be, the way men do.’ Marietta sighed. ‘I know you’re very much in love with Gideon, and I’m happy for you, honey. You certainly have my blessing.’

  ‘And not Dad’s, is that what you’re saying?’

  ‘No, not at all. It’s as I said, he doesn’t want to lose you completely. You were always–the favourite, let’s face it.’

  Changing the subject for a moment, Evan asked, ‘Why did you and Dad adopt Elayne and Angharad?’

  ‘I couldn’t have more children.’

  ‘But you were a manic depressive, you found it hard to look after me, never mind two more.’

  ‘Your father wanted a bigger family, Evan.’

  Evan reached out, took hold of her mother’s hand and held it very tightly. Intently, searchingly, she looked into her face, saw its loveliness, its calmness, the curved contours, the wide brow; her face was unlined; it had always been unlined and calm, full of repose. She had unique eyes, not blue, not green, but a subtle turquoise. Her mother’s hair was a shining, blonde halo around her face, and Evan suddenly realized that Marietta had always looked like this, untroubled, calm, and perfectly beautiful in a quiet, very soft way.

  Evan said, carefully, slowly, ‘It was you, Mommy…you who wanted another child…because he took me away from you. He made me his, didn’t he? He pushed you out, took me for himself.’

  Marietta blinked and turned her head, swallowed the tears, made no response.

  ‘I love you, Mom. I really do love you. I always have,’ Evan whispered in a gentle voice.

  ‘And I love you, Evan,’ her mother answered, choked, and Evan saw the tears glistening in those extraordinary eyes.

  The sudden arrival of the waitress with their crab cakes interrupted this conversation, and once they were alone again, had recovered their composure to a degree, Evan said, ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’

  ‘I know that. And after lunch I’d like us to go to your office for a moment or two. There’s something I need to tell you, explain to you.’

  Wisely Evan didn’t ask what it was; she just nodded her acquiescence.

  ‘I want to tell you something about your grandmother,’ Marietta said to Evan an hour later, after they had settled themselves in her office.

  ‘Tell me then. Will it make me understand things better?’

  ‘I hope so, honey. Last summer, before she got really sick, Glynnis asked me to come into New York to have lunch with her. I was happy to go because I knew she cared about me, and I loved her. Actually, I thought she wanted to discuss my health or hers, I wasn’t sure which.’ Marietta stopped, wondering for a moment if she should continue. Was she not opening Pandora’s box, releasing terrible secrets?

  Evan, sitting waiting, her eyes on her mother, cleared her throat several times, and pressed, ‘And why did Grandma want to talk to you?’ When Marietta remained totally silent, Evan exclaimed, ‘I bet it was about your health. She was always concerned about you. Glynnis loved you, you know.’

  ‘Yes, she did. However, that day she didn’t want to talk about me. Or even about herself. It was you she was fretting about.’

  ‘She was?’ Evan seemed taken aback by this revelation, and looked at her mother intently.

  ‘Yes, your grandma thought you were in a rut, going nowhere. Therefore, she told me, you must go to London. She was going to give you money and sh
ip you off there. When I argued against this, asked her what you’d do there all on your own, she said you could work at Harte’s. She explained that she’d been close to Emma Harte once, knew the store because she herself had worked there during the Second World War. She told me that Harte’s in Knightsbridge was the perfect place for you.’

  ‘My God, Mom, she was planning it then! Didn’t she know Emma Harte was dead?’

  ‘I’m fairly certain she did, Evan, but she didn’t mention it to me that day. Glynnis said she wanted to put you amongst the Harte family, in their orbit, because that’s where you belonged. When I asked her what she meant, she became rather quiet, almost withdrawn. After a moment, she did start to talk about them once again, told me that she had a long history with the Hartes and that I should trust her. When I still opposed the idea of you leaving New York, she said that children were only ever lent to us for a short time, and then they must leave, have a life of their own. “Let her go,” she said, “send her to London. She’s irresistible.” Those were her exact words.’

  ‘She meant I was irresistible to the Hartes?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘What did Dad say?’

  ‘I never told him about the conversation. Your grandmother made me promise not to tell him. She put me on my honour.’

  Evan leaned back in her chair, stared at her mother sitting on the other side of the desk, wondering just how much Marietta really knew. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask her mother if she knew that Glynnis and Robin had had an affair during the war, and then changed her mind immediately. It would be much wiser to probe a little more, rather than reveal the secret of her father’s parentage. She was still ambivalent, uncertain about telling him the truth. And so she said quietly, with a little smile, ‘Well, Grandma got her way in the end, didn’t she?’

  ‘That’s right, on her deathbed,’ Marietta murmured. ‘When she told you to go to London to find Emma Harte, because she held the key to your future, Glynnis surely knew exactly what she was doing.’

  ‘That’s true. Because she was absolutely certain I would do what she said, that I wouldn’t be able to resist going to London.’

  ‘I know you don’t have any regrets,’ her mother said, her eyes not leaving Evan’s face.

  ‘That’s true, Mom, I don’t. Did Grandma tell you anything else about her connection to the Hartes? Whether she knew all the family?’

  ‘No, she didn’t,’ Marietta answered, asking herself if she was doing the right thing by lying to her daughter. Well, she had no choice, at least for the moment. Perhaps later she would tell Evan everything, come clean with her, confide the truth.

  Evan, scrutinizing her mother intently, exclaimed, ‘Mom, you look worried. Is there something you’re not telling me?’

  ‘No, of course not,’ Marietta lied.

  ‘If there is something on your mind, you could tell me, you know. I wouldn’t tell Dad.’

  ‘Good God, you mustn’t tell him what I’ve just revealed to you, Evan! I never said anything to him, not even after Glynnis died and you came to London. I promised his mother on my honour, and you must promise me now…promise the same thing.’

  ‘I do. I won’t tell Dad about your conversation with Grandma, I promise. On my honour.’

  Marietta relaxed her body, let the tension ease out of it. She smiled at her daughter, and said in a low voice, ‘Thank you for today, honey, I’ve so enjoyed being with you…sharing…and I’m sorry.’

  ‘Sorry for what?’

  ‘Being absent in your life when you were growing up. We missed so much, you and I…’

  ‘You were sick such a lot. But there were times when you were there for me…I remember them all, Mom.’

  ‘I’m glad. About lunch tomorrow with Gideon, your father and I are both coming after all. I think he’s now quite looking forward to meeting Gideon.’

  ‘And George wasn’t upset that you can’t keep the date with him and Arlette?’

  ‘Of course not. That was just something floating around in your father’s head. Now, where shall we meet, and at what time?’

  ‘At the Dorchester at one o’clock. I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby,’ Evan replied, filled with happiness and relief that her parents were finally going to meet the man she loved and whom she had promised to marry.

  It was two-thirty when India hurried into Tessa’s office at the store, exclaiming, ‘I’m sorry you couldn’t reach me. I got your message about my grandmother. Is she all right?’

  ‘She’s fine, India, in fact she sounds like a British general at the head of an army about to quell the natives, as she usually does. Great-Aunt Edwina must be made of cast iron.’

  India burst out laughing. ‘I agree with you. Did she tell you what she wanted?’

  ‘Yes, you’re to phone her. But she also wants us to go to supper with her next week at Niddersley House. I said we would. But it will have to be Monday or Tuesday, because I have to come back to London on Wednesday afternoon. I’m going to Paris the next day with Lorne.’

  ‘That should cheer you up a bit,’ India said. ‘I wonder why Grandmother wants us to go to dinner with her? Did she give you a clue?’

  ‘None, but she sounded determined, feisty and, in a funny way, rather nice. I’ve often thought she was kind of–cool. Especially for a very old lady.’

  ‘I know what you mean,’ India concurred. ‘She doesn’t seem old, nor does she act it. Bustling around hither and yon like a youngster.’

  Tessa smiled. ‘I’m to let her know tomorrow which evening we’re free.’

  ‘I’d like to make it Monday, if you don’t mind, Tessa, mainly because I’m hoping to take Dusty back to Willows Hall on Tuesday afternoon, and I’d be spending the evening there. Thankfully he’s very much on the mend, and the hospital’s going to discharge him at long last.’

  ‘I’m happy to hear he’s better, and Monday’s fine with me. When are you going to Yorkshire? Tomorrow afternoon?’

  ‘Yes. And you?’

  ‘The same. I’m taking Adele and Elvira with me. I want to get them settled before I leave on Wednesday. Linnet’s arriving at Pennistone Royal on Wednesday evening, to take charge, keep an eye on everything.’

  ‘I understand,’ India murmured, finally flopping down in a chair. She was convinced there was nothing to worry about now, since Jack Figg had turned the house and grounds into something akin to Fort Knox. India said, ‘They’ll be perfectly safe, to be sure they will. Any news of the dreaded Mark?’

  ‘Ugh, no,’ Tessa responded with an involuntary shudder. ‘Thank God. His solicitors are talking to mine, but it seems to be slow going. Mummy says it won’t be for much longer since once she gets back to London she’s going to light a fuse under them all.’

  ‘Knowing Aunt Paula, that’s exactly what she’ll do.’ India stood up again, moved over to Tessa’s desk and said, ‘Do you mind if I call my grandmother from here? And you can tell her a day early that we’ll see her on Monday.’

  ‘Be my guest,’ Tessa answered, indicating the phone.

  India dialled, waited for the number to ring through, and when it was answered she said, ‘May I speak to the Dowager Countess, please.’

  ‘You’re speaking to her, India, dear. It’s me.’

  ‘Hello, Grandma. I’m with Tessa, she tells me you’ve been trying to reach me.’

  ‘Correct. I wanted to talk to you about your boyfriend. How’s he doing? Is he out of the hospital yet?’

  India stared at Tessa, rolling her eyes and looking very surprised. ‘He’s better, Grandmother, and coming out of the hospital on Tuesday.’

  ‘Glad to hear it. You’d better bring him over to Niddersley House to meet me when he’s up to it. All right?’

  ‘Yes, that’s fine.’

  ‘He has a giant-sized talent. Correction, it’s more than great talent. The man’s a genius.’

  ‘Oh yes, he is,’ India exclaimed, relieved that her grandmother was sounding positive about Dusty, obviously had no o
bjections to him. ‘Tessa wants to talk to you, today instead of tomorrow.’

  ‘You’ve settled on a date for supper, have you?’

  ‘Yes, Grandmother.’

  ‘When?’ Edwina barked.

  ‘Monday evening, if that’s all right with you?’

  ‘Naturally it is. I’m hardly leading the social life of a debutante in demand, India. Oh, and by the way, what’s all this nonsense about you and Tessa giving a dinner for me?’

  ‘She mentioned it then? We just thought it would be nice to…honour you, as the oldest living member of the Harte family.’

  ‘Don’t remind me of that!’ Edwina exclaimed, and then she chuckled. ‘Since you’re both part Fairley, as indeed I am, I’ll consider the idea. Do you think you can drag your father out of the bogs of Ireland? Will he come?’

  ‘I’m certain of it, Grandma.’

  ‘Let us discuss it on Monday. Seven o’clock sharp, India. Goodbye.’

  ‘’Bye,’ India said but Edwina had already slammed the phone down. India stared at Tessa and said in a puzzled tone, ‘She knew about Dusty? Who could have told her?’

  ‘You didn’t?’ Tessa asked.

  ‘No. I hadn’t told anyone except Linnet, and even then she didn’t know his name, only that I was involved with someone. It was after the stabbing that it all came out in the open.’

  ‘Then there’s your answer. The whole family suddenly knew,’ Tessa pointed out.

  ‘She probably got it from Uncle Robin, because Evan chats to him every day, well, practically,’ India remarked, making a good guess.

  ‘Do you care she knows? Anyway, what was her reaction?’

  ‘She says he’s a genius…she wants to meet him.’ India returned to the chair, leaned back against the cushions and muttered, ‘The problem is, he won’t want to meet her.’

  ‘Why ever not?’

  ‘Because he thinks the family’s stuck up, snobbish, all that silly stuff, just because Daddy has a title.’

  ‘I bet he will meet her if you paint the right picture, oh, do excuse the pun. You must make her sound like a real eccentric, which she is.’ As she was speaking Tessa turned off her computer, reached for her handbag and said, ‘I’ll meet you at Niddersley House on Monday evening, and now I’m going home to be with my child.’