Crimson (59 page)

“Clare, we both should be deciding what’s best for Josh.”

“You forgot that Josh was your son when it came to paying the bills for him!” Clare cried.

“You didn’t seem to care then what was best for Josh. Don’t talk to me of reconciliation. Our marriage clearly wasn’t important to you!”

Sam looked into her eyes.

“I promise you, Clare, that our marriage is important to me. Would I have dropped everything and flown halfway around the world to rescue your grandmother if that weren’t the ca seT “I’m grateful. But not that grateful,” Clare said. Briefly she remembered.

“You had your squalid little adventures, Sam. You thought that what I didn’t know wouldn’t hurt me. Well, it didn’t hurt me, but I told you before it hurt our marriage. Instead of protecting the ship we were building, you deliberately Screwed holes in it and then looked surprised when it leaked.”

“But it hasn’t sunk.”

“You’ve been trying to get me into bed ever since we got back here. I remember your tactics. But if you and I made love, it would legally wipe out the last three and a half years. In ten minutes, we would be legally reconciled, so if it didn’t work, I’d have to start all over again and, incidentally, the lawyer’s bills would start again. So I can’t risk it, even if I wanted to, which I don’t. I’m in love with another man!” Clare thought she might as well let him have it between the eyes.

“I now have a very happy, steady relationship with a thoughtful, gentle, concerned lover.” Sam said, “And would this thoughtful, gentle, concerned of yours have had the guts to smash jaws for your other?” kt seven the next morning, when it was still dark, Josh rcpt into bed beside Clare and said, “I fink she’s woken Clare leapt out of bed and listened outside the spare door She heard weak sobbing, She entered and ‘4wtched on the fight. Elinor turned towards the door, her thin fingers clutching .-the sheet.

“Clare,” she whispered in surprise.

“Where am I? HOW wonderful to see you, dear child.” .. Clare knelt by the bedside, took the frail blue-veined hands in hers, and kissed them.

“You’re safe now, darling.

“MIS is where I live. You’re never going back to that dreadful place again. Buzz iscoming to help me look after you.”

“Clare, I’ve missed you so much.”

“And I’ve missed you. I’ve been stupid and stubborn.”

“So have I’m so sorry, darling Gran. Will you forgive me?” “If you forgive me.”

“Let’s not waste any more time, not one more day.”

“Not one more day,” whispered Elinor as Clare bent to hug her.

Almost weeping, Clare felt she had to explain.

“Darling, if you’d answered any of my letters, I would have come rushing to you. I wrote you sad letters, angry letters, and self-pitying letters. But Adam made it clear that you would only see me after I had made a formal apology. I felt more hurt each time he told me.” Elinor whispered, “I wish I’d known. I missed you so. And I missed Josh.” Clare felt remorseful. Elinor had missed three and a half years of the life of her only great-grandchild, who looked so like Daddy Billy’s boyhood photos.

Elinor stroked Clare’s hair.

“But none of it matters now, All that matters is that we’re together again.”

At ten o’clock, the doctor left Elinor, after prescribing a low dosage of Valium during the next few days while she was weaned from her medication and detoxified.

Just after his departure, Clare answered insistent rings at the front door. Miranda stood on the doorstep, her head still bandaged. Behind her was Buzz.

Speechless, Clare held out her arms to her sister: they hugged in silence.

“How’s Nell?” Buzz asked urgently.

“She’s going to be fine, especially now that you’re both here,” Clare said.

After a happy, tearful reunion at Elinor’s bedside, they left her to rest.

As the three women drank coffee in the kitchen, Miranda looked puzzled.

“Clare darling, I never understood why you were broke. Adam told us you were getting an income from the trust, but that you wouldn’t see Gran, and wanted nothing to do with Annabel or me because we sided with Gran.”

“Adam told me that you and Annabel didn’t want to see me,” Clare said.

“And I didn’t get a penny from the trust my allowance stopped as soon as I left Saracen.” Briefly Miranda wondered how she could ever have allowed herself to care for Adam. She said, “We’ve got to nail him, fast.”

“Sam’s on the phone discussing it with some London lawyers.”

“I wish I could be more help,” Miranda said.

“But I’m still getting bad headaches and it’s hard for me to concentrate. I’m also having trouble with my memory I can’t remember a thing about my crash.” Hearing a car draw up outside, Clare glanced casually #e: pots of geraniums on the window ledge.

“What’s a a taxi doing he re?” Jm peered out of the window.

“Cor, I do believe that’s Annabel.

-No, it can’t be,” Clare said.

“Goodness … what a wondedW coincidence!”

Miranda darted to the kitchen window and, as Clare ran JW the passage to the front door, called angrily to her, Wpu can’t expect me to believe this is a coincidence! How AWe you arrange this!” -Bewildered, Clare turned and said, “What’s the matter? I haven’t seen Frog for almost four years! I haven’t arranged 4ny thing

“Oh, no? Do you expect me to believe that on the first time I see you in over three years, Annabel just happens to 6ow up? How dare you try to fix up this clumsy reconciliation behind my back.”

“Oh do shut up, Miranda. I haven’t a clue what you’re ng about. What is your probleinT Clare asked crossly. arc you still feeling the effects of your accident?” “Not at all,” Miranda said angrily.

“And if you open that or to her, I swear I’m leaving!”

“Stop that! You’ve always had a flair for dramatics, but s is not the time,” Clare said.

“Look, I don’t know what’s ppened between the two of you, but you’ll just have to sort it out fast. This is too important.” She moved forward and opened the front door.

Standing on the doorstep, Annabel burst into tears.

“Oh Clare, you are here! I was afraid I nidght have been given an old address. It’s so good to see you again! I’ve missed you so!”

“Come inside quickly, darling!” Clare shivered against the cold as she tugged Annabel, babbling happily, along the passage and into the warm kitchen.

Annabel abruptly stopped chattering when she saw Miranda.

Miranda glared.

“I don’t know how you have the gall to show your face here!”

Annabel sobbed, “Oh, Miranda, you don’t know what’s happened … Adam didn’t love me…”

“Oh, I knew that,” Miranda said stonily.

“He didn’t love either of us…”

“What are you talking about?” Clare asked.

Miranda said, “Adam’s been having a love affair with me for several years, and with both me and Annabel for several months.”

“Both of you?” Clare looked astonished.

“Adam! I can’t believe it!”

“It’s worse than that,” Annabel sobbed.

“Adam likes boys, too!”

The other three women were stunned into silence. Buzz raised her arms in a perplexed gesture.

Then Miranda said contemptuously, “Annabel, you must be out of your mind!”

“No, believe me. I didn’t want to accept it either, so I went to a pub where homosexuals hang out. I was told Adam would be there, and he was. I wish’.. . I’ve tried … to pretend to myself that I imagined it. But I know I didn “

“t. Roger told me Adam’s always been like that so if you don’t believe me, ask him.”

“Roger who?” Miranda snapped.

“Sonia’s nephew. The Roger who taught us all the twist,” Annabel said.

Miranda was scornful.

“Everyone in London knows that Roger’s that way. Plenty of men are. I know some of my friends are but not Adam.”

“Yes he is!” Annabel insisted, and again started to cry.

“I know how you feel because I know how I felt. And there was nobody I could talk to about it nobody I could really trust, who could explain what was going on. I felt so lonely.” 5o6 r,” Clare decided.

“Do you Ogoing to phone Roge num berT nodded. Buzz hurried over and hugged her. my poor lamb.”

“Clare returned to a silent kitchen. A tearful Annabel sat kitchen table, staring. From the other side, Miranda jeowled suspiciously at Annabel. ““Roger says it’s true.” Clare spoke quietly.

“And I believe n. He and Adam had … well … a fling some time tjck. He said he wasn’t Adam’s first either.” Miranda burst into tears. Clare said gently.

“Annabel, why don’t you telephone Scott?”

All the misery she felt was in Annabel’s expressive eyes.

3 can’t … I feel … too much of a fool.” She started to weep again.

“I said terrible things to Scott … I’ve made iuch a fool of myself.” Miranda lifted her head and painfully admitted, “I think ve both made fools of ourselves. But don’t be too proud admit to Scott that you lost your head over a man who esn’t give a damn about you. I know Scott still loves u. Phone him.” Annabel hesitated, then nodded.

“All right, I will. But it’s five in the morning in New York.”

“I should wait a bit, until you’re feeling calmer,” Clare suggested.

Humbly Annabel said, “Thank you for saying that, Miranda.” But she knew she had to say more than that, to start to repair the wound she had slashed in her relationship with Miranda. She knew what she ought to say but she hesitated. Then Annabel forced herself to say the two words that have, in their time, undoubtedly altered history and the destiny of the human race two simple words that those who wish to hear them find so easy to expect yet those who wish to say them find so

difficult to deliver. Slowly and painfully Annabel said, “I’m sorry, Miranda.” Miranda hesitated, then said, “Thank you. I’m sorry too. Now let’s forget it. We’ve all been hurt by Adam.”

“I think we all need a strong cup of tea,” Buzz suggested, “before we start repairing the damage Adam’s caused. That man had you three exactly where he wanted youP

As Buzz put the kettle on, Clare said, puzzled, “What I don’t understand is why Adam should want to cut me off from my family.”

“I think I know,” Miranda said.

“I also know why he put Gran in that vile place. Adam has been siphoning money away from the trust, using some method that’s legal; this has probably taken longer than a straightforward theft. If so, it would explain why Adam separated us and encouraged us to quarrel. He did it to distract us while he quietly embezzled our money.”

“What? But I don’t understand if he’s stealing the money, why were we sent those huge cheque sT Annabel asked.

“What we had was a drop in the ocean, compared to the total,” Miranda said.

“And while Adam was so kindly arranging for us to have as much money as we wanted, it never occurred to us that he was stealing the rest.”

The three sisters looked sadly at each other in silence: all felt cheated, humiliated, and angry.

“I feel such a fool,” Annabel said quietly.

Clare nodded.

“Me too.”

“You aren’t alone,” Miranda said wryly.

“I could kick myself when I remember the acres of print I’ve read about my hotshot business brain. How could I have been so gullible for so long?” She did not complicate the situation by adding that Adam was fighting her for control of her business. I’d better telephone the Bath Arms,” Clare said.

“We one spare room and Gran’s sleeping in it. Sam’s the sitting-room sofa.”

“s Josh?” Miranda asked, suddenly rememberwhere”At school,” Clare said. She hoped that her son had not rotruen his aunts..“imnda said, “Does Josh like being in the country? You a lot less anxious, more relaxed.” .-Yes, Josh loves it. And I’m happy with my life.”

“Ve can see you are,” Annabel said wistfully. 0,you look much better, Annabel,” Clare said quickly. When y our face was thinner, it looked elegant, but … pu look far prettier now.” Wranda nodded.

“Clare’s right. Sickening to see you look so ravishing without one spot of make-up!”

Annabel wrinkled her tiny nose and said in a pleased Voice, “Do you really think soT When her sisters had taken their baggage to the local inn, .-i Clare told Sam what they had discussed.

“Don’t kick yourself too hard,” Sam said.

“It sounds as if Adam is an experienced con man, and like all of them, he knows how to flatter women and gain their confidence. i’The bastard’s good-looking, charming, sophisticated, and self-assured. He zeroed in on each of your vulnerable areas; he pressed the buttons of your insecurities; he had you all running around in circles, doing exactly what he wanted. Now you must stop reacting and start acting. Now we have to strike back.” Clare said, “Adam doesn’t know he’s been rumbled. We’d better let him think that we’re still quarrelling with each other.”

“Our weak point there is Annabel. Where does Adam think she’s been for the last few days?”

“I’ve no idea. Ask her.” 5o8 Later, Annabel explained. 11 couldn’t face Adam.or speak to him … after I saw him with that boy. So I wrote a note, said I was coming down with flu and didn’t want him to catch it, and was going to a health farm for a week of course, no health farm would have let me in with flu, but it was the first lie that jumped into my mind. In fact, I stayed at the Park Lane and sat in my bedroom shaking and crying, until I thought to phone Sam’s secretary to get Clare’s address.”

At six o’clock that evening, Clare went to deliver a fresh loaf of bread to a woman in bed with arthritis. She refused Sam’s offer to drive her, saying that it was only a short trip and she wanted some fresh air. While she was away, Sam could put Josh to bed.

Josh, who at six considered himself too old to be bathed by his mother, was thrilled to let Sam bathe him.

When the cork floor of the bathroom was awash with water, Sam, in his shirtsleeves, went down to the kitchen for a mop. As a key turned in the front door, he called out, “Clare? I’ve managed to get Josh into, the bath, but it’s not so easy to get him out.” Hearing an unexpectedly heavy tread, Sam looked up just as the best-looking man he had ever seen stooped to avoid the lintel over the kitchen door.

“Where’s ClareT David asked casually.