Betrayal (44 page)

'What you want doesn't come into it, Louise. I say you're going to Holland.'

'What about Ruth?'

'Ruth can stay here with her horses.'

'And Rebekah can stay with her precious stepmother, so as usual I'm the one being singled out.'

'Not just by me!' he said icily. Louise went very quiet. She couldn't believe that her father knew how far she and Bishop had gone but there was something in his voice that told her to tread warily.

'I'll come back like a lardball . All the Dutch are gross.' 'You're a lardball now!' said Rebekah pertly.

'Shut up, brat!'

'Be quiet!' thundered Neal. 'Remember that Lisa is trying to sleep upstairs.'

It was a pity he hadn't shown concern for his wife earlier, thought Ruth but she kept quiet. Unlike her older sister, she was rapidly learning the art of survival in this household, which was to keep yourself out of the way and never offer an opinion on anything. She was also beginning to understand why her mother had turned into such a total non-person. Neal didn't encourage any other sort, which made his choice of Lisa as a wife all the more extraordinary.

Late that night Neal walked through the concealed door in his study and emerged in a book-lined room of the annexe. There were a few high-backed chairs, a telephone on a shelf and a small nest of tables but nothing else except for the huge video screen set up at one end of the room.

'Well?' he demanded.

'She didn't do very well,' said Bishop laconically. 'Not that Graves actually complained but he made it clear she wasn't very lively. Shall we have a look?'

'I suppose so. What did you give her beforehand?'

'Only some coke. I thought we'd save the hard stuff for later.'

For fifteen minutes the two men watched the flickering screen in silence until Neal called for the lights again. 'If he was as bored as I felt then he was cheated. Obviously not a natural.'

'Worth keeping?' enquired Bishop, who'd privately penciled Carol Blades off.

'I think so. She does owe me a great deal of money, and by the time she's hooked on drugs as well, she'll work for years before she's able to pay me back. There's nothing like motivation for keeping this sort on their toes.'

'So what do you suggest?'

Neal yawned. It had been a long day and all he wanted to do was sleep, preferably beside his wife. Perhaps he could offer some kind of comfort, she might even welcome his physical closeness for once he thought optimistically.

'I said, what do you suggest?'

He quickly thought back to other girls with similar problems when they started out. Some had become highly proficient but somehow he didn't think Carol was going to be one of those.

'Find her a companion, let her work as one of a pair. She's a typical English rose so probably a dark-haired girl, possibly mixed blood, would be best. And make it someone experienced. She'd better move into Carol's flat and give her a few lessons before they start work . Be sure the other girl isn't into drugs. I don't want them both stoned out of their minds when they're wanted for work.'

'How about Ayeesha?'

Neal smiled. He'd once been with Ayeesha himself. 'Excellent! She'll know precisely what to do. You're a good judge of women, Bishop. At least, when it comes to choosing them for other men!'

With that parting shot he returned to the house, leaving his deputy in no doubt at all that if he intended to marry Louise he'd have to move very quickly. Well, he did intend to marry her, and when it came to moving fast there wasn't anyone else in his league. Just the same, it was a pity he'd got to rush things.

A pity too that Louise was so incredibly boring, he thought as he packed away the tape. She was Naomi's daughter all right—an unintelligent blob. Still, a man couldn't have everything . At least, not all at once.

During the six weeks that her arm was in plaster, Lisa saw very little of Neal. There were no more dinner parties at home and no more trips to London. His visitors never came to the house and he never came to their bed, choosing instead to sleep in his dressing-room. They met occasionally for meals when he would talk politely of general matters but it was as if they were strangers.

At first she'd been afraid her injuries would interrupt Jessica's therapy but now that her daughter was quieter it usually proved possible to continue. However, on a bad day Jessica was impossible to hold with only one arm and had to be released.

Upon realising that she no longer had to sit on Lisa's lap, Jessica often chose to stay there. She began reaching out and touching her mother's face, tracing each individual feature with her fingertips like a blind child, smiling to herself as she became familiar with Lisa's expressions during her exploration.

She was still very beautiful. Her earlier chubbiness had been replaced by a more slender appearance but her eyes glowed with apparent intelligence even when she was talking nonsense. Regrettably she was increasingly obsessed with rituals. If Janice didn't always lay the table in the right order, sometimes placing Jessica's spoon on the cloth before her fork, then the child would scream and refuse to sit down until it had all been done again. Nothing could break these obsessions. Even Mrs Honeywood, normally optimistic and cheerful, admitted that they would probably stay with Jessica all her life.

'Which rather rules out dining at the Ritz!' joked Lisa one particularly trying day. 'The waiters might not understand!'

'If she ends up beautiful and rich enough they won't turn a hair. You're expected to be eccentric then.'

'She'll be beautiful enough but not very rich. I can't see my husband leaving her any of his fortune and a good marriage is out of the question. Any marriage is out of the. question.'

'Some people might think that a blessing.'

'You've got a point!' concurred Lisa. Nevertheless, she regretted the limitations imposed on her child. When she'd first married Neal she'd genuinely believed that through hard work and will power she'd find a way to break through to Jessica so that within a few years her daughter could lead a relatively normal life. Experience and exhaustion combined had changed her mind. Now she was only aiming for slight improvements, sufficient to allow her to take her child out and about more. Sometimes she regretted her loss of faith but nowadays she couldn't ignore the severity of Jessica's handicap. Not since she'd given birth to Alexi.

At one year he was taking a keen interest in everything. A sturdy, big-boned boy, he looked older than his age and was both placid and affectionate. It would have been easy to underestimate his intelligence but for the fact that his nanny said he was passing all his milestones ahead of his age.

Milestones meant nothing to Lisa. She remembered looking up what was normal for small children when Jessica had first given real cause for concern but she couldn't recall anything she'd read. Most experts had told her there was no such thing as an average baby and that reading books was futile. Even so, she believed the nanny, who was not a woman given to over-enthusing about any of her charges. 'I thought Daddy would play with Alexi a lot,' remarked Rebekah one morning as she held her half-brother on her knee. 'I'd expected to feel pea-green with jealousy but he doesn't take any more notice of him than if he were a girl. He never comes to kiss him goodnight or play with him. He wanted a boy for years but he still ignores him.' 'He's very busy,' said Lisa without much conviction. She suspected that Neal was the same about everything he wanted, ranging from a painting to a wife or son. It was the search and initial possession that gave him the greatest thrill. Once he had them they were far less interesting. Naturally Alexi would always be important because he would inherit most of his father's wealth, but as a person he counted for very little. As did she, thought Lisa ruefully. That was undeniably partly her fault, but she sensed that he would have tired of her quite quickly anyway. The thrill of possession soon dies when no deeper emotions are involved.

'He's so busy that he doesn't see what's under his nose!' retorted Rebekah, putting Alexi on the floor.

'What do you mean by that?'

'Haven't you noticed how fat Louise is getting?'

'She's always been plump. I think I'd like a swim today, it's quite warm enough. What do you think?'

'We're not allowed to use the pool when Daddy's got visitors in the annexe. Louise isn't just plump, Lisa. She's fat. F.A.T., fat!'

'No one told me I couldn't use it.' 'I just did!'

'I'll pretend you didn't.'

Rebekah pulled a face. 'I'm not coming with you. Daddy will be livid.'

'All right, I'll take Jessica and stay in the shallow end. She loves water and that way I'm not really swimming, am I?'

'I'm glad Daddy married you but he made a big mistake because he likes what he calls docile women . You're not docile, are you?'

'No!' She gave Rebekah a quick hug. 'You're too mature for your age. If you're not coming swimming, how about doing some of that homework your new school's so keen on?'

'I think Saturdays ought to be free days.'

'Once you've finished your maths it will be. Run along quickly, otherwise you'll see me going to the pool and then I can't plead ignorance of the law!'

Half an hour later, Lisa and Jessica were in the shallow end of the outdoor pool, Jessica splashing the top of the water with her hands and shrieking with laughter while her mother floated lazily on her back.

Inside the annexe, Neal reminded himself to tell Lisa the pool was out of bounds when he was working and then returned with renewed concentration to the large plan spread out before him. This was their final chance to go over the details and he didn't want to make any mistakes. Nothing must be missed or the Italian would retaliate. Aware of the growing power of the P2 Lodge in general if not the Bellini family itself, he realised this couldn't be allowed.

When the plan was finally rolled up, the man with the scar on his cheek took his leave and hurried away from the building. A worried man, he turned right instead of left and nearly fell into the pool. Jessica's scream of fright alerted Lisa to his presence but when she recognised him she gave a quick smile. 'Here again? What a keen lot you commodity brokers are, beavering away on weekends!'

He muttered something non-committal before turning away and hastily climbing into his battered Ford Escort. Providing everything went well the following Wednesday, he wouldn't be driving it much longer. He could have almost any car he chose, but not immediately. Preferably not even in this country according to Mr Gueras, but he didn't see how he could get Mary to go abroad when she spent all her free time with her mother who lived three houses away from them. Of course, he could always go without Mary. That realisation brought a smile to his face, especially when he remembered the slender limbs of Neal Gueras's young wife.

By eight that night all the cars that had been parked in the block of double garages concealed behind the stables had gone. Only Bishop's silver Mercedes and Mike's red Triumph Stag remained, and Neal—tired but satisfied that nothing had been left to chance—went into his wife's bedroom to see if she wanted to go out for dinner.

'When did the plaster come off?' he asked in surprise. She was blow-drying her hair in front of the full-length mirror that gave him a tantalising glimpse of her full breasts, all the more erotic for being on such a slight frame.

'Two days ago. You weren't around at the time.'

'I've been busy with work but I'm free tonight. How about going out to dinner? I hear the new Chinese place, the Lotus House, is excellent. Wear your exotic green silk wit h the mandarin collar—highly appropriate!'

Things were returning to normal, she thought. He was once again interested in what she wore, how she looked and sex. She'd recognised the look in his eyes when he'd stood behind her. Well, it was part of the bargain. She only wished it didn't always end in arguments.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The restaurant was crowded but Neal and Lisa were found a table in a secluded corner of the room. They were served swiftly and efficiently, which was more than could be said for most of the diners. As usual, Neal seemed able to command the best from everyone, and again Lisa wondered why.

Looking at her sitting opposite him, Neal felt his body stir in anticipation of taking her to bed that night. He almost wished that she no longer had that power over him. However much he wanted her, and however patient and careful he was, he never elicited the right response and the intensely sensual anticipation he was experiencing tonight would again disappear in a confused outburst of frustrated irritation, leaving him with a feeling of anticlimax that might linger for days. He knew now that she wouldn't ever be his in the way he wanted, but as yet the knowledge didn't mean he was willing to discard her. Just as she was persevering with Jessica so he was persevering with her, but in both cases the expectations were rapidly decreasing.

'Am I wearing odd earrings?' asked Lisa, feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

'I was just thinking how lovely you looked. I'm beginning to wish we'd eaten at home!'

'Alexi's very forward for his age,' she said brightly, hoping to steer him off the subject of tonight.

'I wouldn't expect our child to be anything other than intelligent.' 'Intelligent enough to recognise a father he never sees?'

'This is meant to be a pleasant evening for two, remember?' 'I thought you might like to catch up on some family news.' 'Not particularly.'

'Rebekah says Louise is positively fat. Perhaps you ought to have a word with Cook. She will feed the girls up while they're home, as though they're half-starved at school or something.'

'The reason Louise is fat,' he said as the waiter served them their spare ribs in barbecue sauce, 'is because she's pregnant.'

'Pregnant?'

'I'm afraid so. It appears I'm not the only one who hasn't been watching the family as closely as I should.'

'Is it Bishop?'

'Unfortunately, yes. They'll marry by special licence within the next four weeks. That's why Louise hasn't returned to school. At least I'm spared the expense of a lavish wedding.'

'Doesn't she realise how foul he is?'

'Apparently not. It isn't his nature that worries me, it's the waste of Louise as a negotiable asset. I had two prospective husbands lined up for her. Now I'll have to wait for Ruth, and she isn't exactly Helen of Troy.'

'Simon wanted to decide who I married. I felt that was a betrayal of our relationship, using me for his own ends. Surely you don't intend doing the same with your children?'

He had a job to stop himself from smiling. 'It was me your father wanted you to marry!'

She stared blankly across the table at him, suddenly noticing how the shadows from the candle flickering in its glass bowl made him appear sinister and unapproachable. 'It can't have been you!'

'I assure you it was.'

'But he said I'd ruined everything for him when I went off to live with Toby. Even Stephanie said that his death was my fault.'

'She always over-dramatized things.'

'Was Simon telling the truth? Were you annoyed?' 'Yes, at the time.'

She pushed her untouched food to one side. 'That doesn't make any sense.'

'Why?'

'Because you married me anyway.'

'Which just shows how right Simon's original choice was! And I'm just as capable of choosing well for my daughters.'

'I'm not interested in your daughters. I want to know if you were responsible for Simon's death.'

'My dear Lisa, he killed himself!'

'Because someone had called in a loan and he didn't have the money to repay it. Who called it in?'

'I really couldn't say.' 'You mean it wasn't you?'

'I'm not a moneylender, Lisa.'

'You lent money to Carol Blades.'

His eyes narrowed. 'Who told you that?'

'She did. She was terribly upset because Bishop was threatening her. She only went out with him so that he'd put in a good word for her. I wanted to talk to you but she stopped me.'

'Very wise.'

'You'd have given her more time if I'd asked, wouldn't you?' 'Possibly not; she wasn't a very good businesswoman. However,this isn't really connected with Simon, is it?'

'Yes! You said you weren't a moneylender, but you are.'

'I invested in her business, which is an entirely different matter.' 'So you weren't responsible for Simon's death?'

'No more than you,' he said quietly.

And then she knew. Knew that indirectly he had been responsible for Simon's death. Knew too that Neal had obviously stalked her all through her time with Toby, possibly even using his influence to ensure the relationship didn't last. Bishop's arrival when she'd been injured hadn't been coincidental. Neither had Neal's interest ever been in the least paternal or connected to his relationship with Simon. It had all been done for one reason only: possession of Lisa herself. She lowered her eyes to her plate and knew that she had to hide her knowledge from him.

With a trembling hand she attempted to spoon some fried rice and prawns on to her plate. 'It looks as though father did know best then!' she laughed.

He lightly curled his fingers round her wrist so that she was unable to move. 'You missed your vocation,' he said pleasantly. 'You should have been an actress.'

'Not in sex scenes,' she said flatly. They ate the rest of the meal in silence.

Once in the car, Neal turned to look at her and his face was shuttered. 'You're mine,' he reminded her. 'You chose me of your own free will, and if that decision was made for the wrong reason s that's not my fault. You agreed to be my wife and as your husband I intend to take full advantage of what courts so quaintly term my conjugal rights.

'I'm tired of making efforts to get you to respond to me. I've had enough of your lackluster performances. Starting from tonight we'll try playing by other rules, then at least one of us will be satisfied.'

'I don't know what you're talking about,' she lied.

'Don't think I'm not fully aware of the way you feel about Renato Bellini,' he continued. 'It's obvious that you're attracted to him, but you're wasting your time. Even he knows better than to try and take my wife away from me. You wouldn't get any encouragement from him if you threw yourself naked at his feet.'

'You're totally mad,' she said curtly. 'He's pleasant company and likes children, that's all. As for throwing myself naked at his feet, I can promise you the thought never crossed my mind.'

He chuckled. 'That I can believe. Mind you, after a few slightly more experimental nights you might be increasingly adventurous even in your daydreams!'

Once home Neal took hold of her still painful left wrist and pulled her up the stairs with him, almost pushing her into the bedroom before locking the door carefully behind him.

It seemed like hours before it was all over and as Lisa stood beneath the scalding spray of the shower, tears running down her face, she knew that Neal had nothing to worry about. No matter what happened to him she'd never want another man. Not after tonight. She realised that she could never be what men seemed to expect and that the resulting frustration always ended in violence.

The Italian wouldn't be any different, she thought fatalistically. No doubt he had images of her doing incredible things to him, performing sexual tricks she'd never even imagined, and he too would end up disappointed. Only the children made life bearable now.

She'd hoped that by the time she finished Neal would have gone to his own room but he was still lying on top of the bed. He watched her closely and saw the expression that crossed her face. He knew that tonight had been a shock. She'd learnt that he'd been the man her adoptive father had been saving her for, and she'd learnt that her body wasn't her own. He also knew that Naomi and Kay could have told her there were worse things, like learning that he'd tired of her, in which case she would have had every reason to feel afraid. But he hadn't. He'd expected tears and hysterics tonight, not the screaming, white-hot rage that she'd demonstrated and he admired her for that. His admiration led to a continuing desire to have her accept him as her husband, responding to his touch as other women did. He was totally unaware that he'd now lost all the genuine affection and gratitude she'd once felt, leaving next morning under the misapprehension that from now on she would gradually come round. That since he'd demonstrated his darker side, she might appreciate a little more the way he usually treated her.

Lisa heard him drive away, and thought that if it weren't for the children she would probably kill herself, because the horror of that night was something she knew would never leave her. She felt totally betrayed.

The following Wednesday she was sitting in the small drawing-room, once Naomi's retreat and rapidly becoming hers. Gone was the previously insipid style of decoration. In its place were pale-apricot walls, warm peach-coloured damask curtains, a beige and white wool carpet and light beige chairs with deep cushions and high backs. It was a calm, restful room. She never invited Neal into it, and he never suggested joining her. It was as though, even for him, Naomi's ghost still lingered.

However, the children were often there. On this particular evening, since Neal was in town until late, Lisa had laid Alexi on the floor and Rebekah was watching Dallas while Jessica sat on her mother's lap with her thumb in her mouth, seemingly content. For a brief time, Lisa was happy.

'Do you want the news?' asked Rebekah, as the American soap ended.

'I suppose so. These days I don't read the papers and I ought to keep more up-to-date with the news. If your father ever does hold dinner parties again, I shan't have an opinion to offer on any subject except domesticity!'

'Can I watch it?'

'Only if you sit quietly. I don't want Jessica disturbed. Once it's finished I'll take you all up to bed. Your father won't want his house full of children when he gets back.'

'Two of us are his!' Rebekah was resentful of Neal's casual dismissal.

'Mind, Jessica! You nearly poked my eye out then!'

Jessica, busy exploring her mother's face, giggled. Alexi pulled off a sock with a shout of pleasure and rolled on to his stomach while Rebekah continued droning on about her father. As a result, Lisa missed the headlines and only began concentrating when Nicholas Witchell started giving the main story in depth.

'In what appears to be a carbon copy of a bullion robbery ten months ago, six masked men held up the unmarked van in the quiet solitude of the Surrey lanes. Tonight both driver and guard are in hospital with severe head and facial injuries but despite their courageous fight, the men escaped with over five million pounds' worth of gold bullion.

'The head of the bullion section of the firm, Express Delivery Co. Ltd., talked of his pride in his employees and explained his company's policy of not alerting the police when moving large amounts of gold round the country to our reporter…'

'Boring!' declared Rebekah, standing up and moving in front of the screen. 'I think I'll go up now.'

'Sit down!' shouted Lisa. Jessica jumped and began to whimper but Lisa was unaware of anything but the grey-haired man in the dark suit talking earnestly to the reporter. A man with a small white scar on his left cheek. All at once the room seemed cramped and stuffy. She listened to the words coming from the man's mouth but her brain didn't register the sense of them. Her stomach was churning and she had a dull throbbing in her temples that presaged a bad headache.

The cameras returned to the newscaster. 'Most of the gold that was taken came from the London branch of the Italian bank owned by the Bellini family,' he said gravely. 'This is their second heavy loss and the London director, Giovanni Muti, said tonight that there would have to be an investigation into all aspects of their security. Renato Bellini, who is at present staying in England, was not available for comment.

'In America today, President Reagan said… ' 'Turn it off,' ordered Lisa.

Rebekah laughed. 'President Reagan said turn it off!'

'Very funny. Come on, it's late and you'll be too tired to get up in the morning.' Surprised by her sharpness, Rebekah hastily obeyed. 'Shall I send Janice down for Jessica?'

'Yes please, and tell Nanny I'll bring Alexi up in a moment.' Aware that something was wrong but unable to decide quite what, Rebekah wrapped her arms round Lisa's neck. 'I love you!' she whispered as she kissed her goodnight, then with a quick smile she was gone. Lisa helped Jessica down to the floor and blinked back tears. She'd waited a long time to hear the words from Rebekah but they couldn't have come at a worse moment. She wished that she'd listened to her and never gone to the swimming pool, because then she wouldn't have known for sure. Now that she did she had to decide what to do.

'Jessica's been down here a long time,' said Janice as she came in. 'You must be pleased with her.'

'I am.'

'Say goodnight to Mummy,' said Jessica, standing on tiptoe to kiss Lisa. Would she ever understand the true meaning of words? thought Lisa as she returned the kiss. For the first time she wondered deep down if it even mattered.