The Vow (22 page)

‘
Yes, long enough to know,’ agreed Amelia as she thought back to how, within days of meeting him, she had known she wanted to spend the rest of her life with James. ‘Well, if you’re sure then I’m very pleased for you.’

There was real warmth in her mother’s voice and Lucy was grateful she hadn’t felt the need to bring up another occasion when she had been sure she’d found the man for her.

‘It’s going to be awfully short notice for Dad. He doesn’t get back until Thursday’.

‘
Oh, I shouldn’t worry about that. I can’t imagine he’s likely to let anything stand between him and your engagement party. Funny that we should all be together again so soon.’

Lucy hung up knowing the two difficult ones left were Catherine, and Amy who was spending a few days with a friend in
Cambridge. She didn’t want to tell her friend over the phone so she would wait until she came back the next day.

Her phone rang and it was Catherine’s husky voice on the line
, straight to the point as ever. ‘Lucy, I’m seeing Marcus this afternoon. His people called last Friday, very keen to tie up the interview for this week’s edition. They want it to coincide with something else, but wouldn’t say what. Have you any idea what it might be?’

Taking a deep breath, Lucy told her,
‘Yes, I was just about to call you, actually. Marcus and I are getting engaged on Friday. There’s a party in the evening, I hope you and Rex will come.’

She had the satisfaction of leaving Catherine bereft of speech, but not for long.

‘Well, well. Are you sure about this, Lucy?’

‘
Yes, completely sure,’ lied Lucy.

‘
Then congratulations and, yes, of course we’ll be there.’

It had been much easier than Lucy had expected but she was sure Catherine would have more to say on the subject at a later date. She was annoyed, but not surprised, that Marcus had mentioned nothing about meeting with Catherine. She did wish he would stop leaving her in the dark about things.

Elizabeth received her granddaughter’s news with great satisfaction; those great grandchildren were getting close. Such a gentleman to send his car for her; she did so love a party. Finished with her calls Lucy went off to find Zoë and Spyder who seemed genuinely thrilled at her news, and delighted to be invited to the party.

Suddenly looking worried, Zoë asked,
‘I don’t have to wear an evening dress, do I?’

‘
Of course not, wear whatever you like, although I think it will probably be quite formal.’

‘
We can do formal, can’t we, Zoë?’ chimed in Spyder.

‘
Yeah, course we can. Don’t worry, Luce, we won’t let you down,’

Goodness knows what Marcus will make of these two, thought Lucy with a smile.

~

The interview was going well. Catherine knew just how to elicit information from her subject, and on the topics of his company and the business world Marcus was enthusiastic and forthcoming. They talked of how he had developed his late wife’s ailing company, his management style, current global trends and why he supported the government so vocally. Catherine knew this was going to make great copy.

Towards the end of the time allotted for the interview, she said with an air of innocence, ‘And I hear you are soon to marry again.’

He locked his green eyes onto hers and replied smoothly,
‘Yes, in the autumn I hope.’

Holding his gaze she told him, with a voice full of meaning,
‘I’m very attached to Lucy.’

‘
And so am I.’

‘
Marcus, I’m a great admirer of your business acumen, but not of some of your methods. You have a reputation for being a very hard man and Lucy isn’t up to your weight.’

Already admiring her journalistic and editorial skills, he was starting to like this forthright woman. There were few who would dare confront him in this way and he had always liked audacity. He smiled and told her,
‘I can assure you, Catherine, I will never do anything to hurt Lucy. And will never allow anyone else to do so either.’

She considered this, and him, for several moments and then smiling too, she said,
‘In that case, congratulations. Rex and I will see you on Friday evening.’

~

The two women gardeners, who called themselves “Petals” and had a very flourishing little business, had taken to starting work at six in an attempt to be finished by lunchtime thus avoiding the extreme heat of the afternoon.

Marcus, who had risen at five to spend his customary hour in the gym, was now standing with them, in his shirtsleeves and holding his second cup of coffee of the day, discussing what needed doing. It was decided that with no rain forecast it was unwise to mow the lawns, as they were likely to go brown.

Silk was in a skittish mood, jumping with all four feet in the air after butterflies and then rushing up and down the lawn at high speed for no apparent reason. They were all laughing at his antics when Saule pulled up in the drive. Marcus picked up his jacket and briefcase from the garden table, wished the women a good day whilst warning them to watch out for ankle attacks from Silk, and prepared to start his day.

As he settled into the cool of the air-con
ditioned car, Saule greeted him. ‘Morning, Marcus.’ And then passing him a newspaper he added, ‘You’re not going to like this.’

~

Lucy was dreaming of Laurent. She could see the smile that had always melted her heart, hear his voice as he spoke her name and smell the scent of him. It was so real. The ringing of a telephone started to seep across the images and she tried to ignore it, but it got louder and louder. Laurent was slipping away from her and try as she might she couldn’t bring him back. He was gone, and now all that was left was the telephone. Deeply resentful, she forced her eyes open and dragging herself out of bed she glanced at her alarm clock; ten to seven. She found her phone, at the bottom of her bag as usual. It was Ellen.

‘
Sweetie, I only have a minute. They’ve just called my flight. I don’t suppose you’ve seen the paper yet, but I just wanted you to know it absolutely didn’t come from me. I’ll be back Thursday morning and…’

The line crackled and they were cut off. Lucy sat on the bed trying to get her thoughts into some kind of order and then she heard the thud of the newspaper as it hit the doormat. She was filled with a deep sense of foreboding.

~

As she boarded the train back to London Amy was feeling rather cheerful. She and Fiona had trained together and always got on well and when, after qualifying, Fiona had returned to her hometown to take up a position in a private clinic they had kept in touch. The long weekend had passed pleasantly as they enjoyed the good weather and the unique atmosphere of the university town. They had wandered amongst the fine old buildings, walked along the river, taken out a punt and eaten in the pavement cafes. But best of all, Alex had called. He had told her that he missed her, she had taken care to sound truly remorseful, and they had arranged to meet as soon as she was back in
London.

These last two weeks, the longest time they had spent apart since meeting, had been very hard for Amy. She had been so afraid that she had lost him forever and knew she had only herself to blame. Unlike Lucy, she had never imagined herself in love until Alex came along, and he had changed her life. He valued her like no one before him and through him she had learned to value herself. She didn’t want to have to contemplate a future without him. But everything would be alright now. They would meet and make up, perhaps even set a definite date for the wedding they had been planning for a while now. Lucy was a dear friend, and Amy still thought she was making a huge mistake with Delacroix, but she would have to fend for herself in the future. Alex was the most important thing in her life and she would do nothing further to jeopardise their future together.

She settled back in her seat and flicked through the newspaper she had bought at the station. When she came to Culver’s page she scanned it with little interest until she saw something which made her gasp out loud, attracting the curious attention of the middle-aged woman in the seat opposite. Tuesday was the day the reporter used snippets of gossip that had come to him anonymously or from unreliable sources. They took the form of one-liners phrased to titillate his readers without bringing libel suits down upon his head.

Between the suggestion that an unnamed Premier League footballer was playing away from home more than once a fortnight and a circuit judge was wearing ladies’ underwear beneath his court robe, was the line that would cost Amy very dear.

Who is the middle-aged company chairman planning a late family of test tube babies?

By the time she walked through her front door Amy had stopped panicking and had a plan of campaign. She would call Alex immediately and explain she was not responsible this time for Culver’s words. He knew her so well surely he would believe her? She would convince him she was telling the truth; she knew she had to. As for Lucy, it was awkward as Amy was sure she was the only person to have been told about the IVF treatment, but she was confident she could persuade her friend that the information had been leaked from the clinic. She knew she would sound convincing because it had to be true; she had not spoken to Culver since Kit’s wedding.

The hallway was full of suitcases, and as she saw the expression on Lucy’s face as she came down the stairs Amy knew it was not going to be that straightforward. Closing the front door behind her she began, ‘Lucy, I…’

‘
Just don’t say a word, Amy,’ Lucy’s voice was stricken. ‘I’ve spoken to Alex and he told me everything’.

~

Angela tapped on the half-open office door before entering.

‘
I’m sorry to interrupt you, Mr Delacroix, but Miss Weston is in reception asking for you.’

Sitting at the head of the small conference table, Marcus frowned.

‘Lucy? In reception?’

Turning to the three young executives sitting around the table he told them,
‘I think we’re done for now gentlemen. Get onto the things we have discussed and we will meet again at the end of the day.’

The men gathered up their files and set off back to their desks in Public Relations. One of the more alarmist newspapers had, that morning, published the findings of the latest research into the connection between brain tumours and the use of mobile phones, along with the expected upsurge in repetitive strain injuries to the thumbs of children and teenagers addicted to using
smart phones. In the course of the morning there had already been a fall in the share price of mobile phone companies, including Marcus’s own TalkTime. Since his arrival in the office he had been discussing damage limitation measures and the publicising of the company’s own, more positive, research on the subjects.

To his secretary he now said,
‘Bring Lucy straight up please, Angela.’

When she was ushered into his office Marcus had difficulty keeping a straight face. Laden with all her possessions in various cases and bags, her usually perfect hair in disarray and her tear stained face, she did rather resemble Little Orphan Annie. She took one look at Marcus and wailed,
‘Oh Marcus, it was Amy all along. She told Culver all those things!’

Setting down her share of the baggage Angela tactfully withdrew, shutting the door behind her. Marcus attempted to look sympathetic.

‘Disappointing for you.’

‘
Disappointing?’ she uttered tragically. ‘She’s been my best friend since I was seven and now she’s betrayed me! And Mum, Dad, Catherine and Ellen. They’ve been like family to her over the years. How could she do it?’

A fresh wave of tears came up and had it not been for Marcus handing her his snowy-white linen handkerchief she would have wiped her face on her sleeve, a gesture so childlike he did have to smile.

‘Come and sit down, Lucy. Let me get you a glass of water.’

He went to a door which when he opened it revealed a walk-in bar of such opulence Lucy, on another day, would have been fascinated. She took the glass of iced water he had poured for her and told him,
‘So, I’ve lost my best friend and the roof over my head.’ Looking embarrassed, she added, ‘And I’m sorry, Marcus.’

‘
Sorry for what?’

‘
About what’s in the paper this morning. You have seen it?’ He nodded and she went on, ‘It’s very personal. I’ve been indiscreet and you’re paying the price.’

He smiled at her troubled face.
‘I shouldn’t worry too much about that. I’m not the only middle-aged company chairman in the world, and now the leak has been plugged it shouldn’t go any further. Culver knows he’s on dangerous ground or he would have named names.’

‘
I hope you’re right. I’m sorry about turning up like this as well. Both Dad and Ellen are away and I didn’t know where else to go.’