Unexpected Blessings (23 page)

‘That’s right,’ Gideon replied. ‘She booked a table at Rules. Apparently her grandparents used to take her there when she came to London with them years ago.’

‘And where are we going?’ India asked.

‘I booked a table at The Ivy,’ Gideon told her. ‘Because I know how much you like it.’

‘Thanks, Gid,’ India said, and sighed as she, too, got to her feet. ‘It’s lovely to be with all of you. The last few days have been awful, worrying about Dusty, and when I think about last Saturday I go cold all over.’

‘I can certainly understand why. It was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard of!’ Linnet exclaimed, shaking her head. ‘Incredible really.’

‘It was surreal,’ India announced. ‘I still can’t believe such a terrible thing happened.’

‘It did, but let’s forget it for tonight at least.’ Gideon took hold of India’s arm, and walked with her to the door. ‘I know the police now have the full picture, the right picture, and they won’t be bothering you again, thank God.’

Things were better in the cab going through the park, The Mall and down The Strand to Rules Restaurant. For a few minutes, just before they had left the flat, Evan had decided her father was going to be grouchy and argumentative all evening. His expression was grim and discontented when they left; but suddenly he had grown lighter once the cab was on its way, and even made a bit of small talk.

And her father’s mood improved once they were being welcomed at the restaurant by the head waiter and shown to a table. Rules was still one of Evan’s favourite restaurants in London; she frequented it often and the staff knew her well, so the greetings were warm and friendly, the table the best in the house.

Evan ordered a bottle of Pouilly Fuissé, and they all had a glass of the dry white wine whilst they studied the menu. After much discussions about various dishes, those they had enjoyed most in the past, they ended up choosing the same–dressed crab to start, followed by grilled Dover sole and a mélange of summer vegetables.

As the three of them waited for their food, they chatted briefly about the restaurant and the fond memories it evoked in them of Glynnis and Richard. Her father had been close to his parents, on excellent terms with them, so there was much affection in his voice when he recalled the evenings they had enjoyed here with them at Rules.

Then both of her parents asked her probing questions about her job at Harte’s Emporium in Knightsbridge, and she regaled them with details about her daily routine, and amusing stories, was doing so with such enthusiasm and joy in her voice there was no mistaking how much she loved her job. If there had been any doubt in her parents’ minds about her sojourn in London being a happy experience so far, these doubts were now truly dispelled.

It was over the crab salad that Evan suddenly remarked, ‘Dad, do you remember that you said you thought your mother had known Emma Harte during the Second World War, here in London?’

‘Yes, I do, Evan. I mentioned that to you just before you left for London in January.’

‘Is that all you know? That Grandma had been acquainted with Emma at that time?’

‘Why yes, it is,’ he answered swiftly, staring at her in puzzlement. ‘Why?’

‘Because the beautiful Glynnis Jenkins, as she was called then, the girl from the Rhondda Valley in Wales, was actually an employee at Harte’s, just as I am today. Glynnis, your mother, was Emma Harte’s private secretary, Dad, and very close to her lady boss.’

‘Heavens to Betsy!’ her father exclaimed, looking surprised. ‘I never realized that.’

‘Well, it’s true,’ Evan went on, ‘and your mother was quite a favourite with the whole family.’ When her father remained silent Evan turned and glanced at her mother, and saw to her astonishment that there was the strangest expression on her mother’s face. It was one she could not quite comprehend for a split second, and then she realized it was contempt in her mother’s eyes she was seeing. And she knew, intuitively, that her father had just deliberately lied to her, and her mother knew that he had.

Clearing her throat, Evan changed the subject at once. ‘I hope you’ll come and have lunch with me at the store one day this week, the early part of the week if you can, Mom. And I’ll give you a full tour as well.’

‘Why, Evan honey, I’d love that. Of course I’ll come.’

‘Let’s do it on Tuesday, Mom, because I have to go to Leeds on Wednesday. We’re revamping some of the stores, and I’m in charge of the Leeds overhaul with India.’

‘Who’s India?’ Marietta asked.

‘She’s Linnet O’Neill’s other assistant, and her cousin. Lady India Standish is her full name, and she’s a great girl.’

‘I’m so happy you made some nice friends here,’ Marietta murmured, smiling at Evan. There was a moment’s hesitation and then she said slowly, ‘It’s an unusual name…
India.
I must admit, I’ve never heard it used as a first name before.’

‘It’s a Victorian name,’ Owen announced, before Evan could answer, and explained, ‘It came into popularity because of England’s involvement in India, and its influence over the country for hundreds of years. During those years, the years of the Raj, the English loved so many things which were of Indian origin, and of course there were a lot of British troops stationed there, cavalry regiments and such, all part of the Indian army. Anyway, I suppose one day someone had the bright idea of calling a child after the country, and India became a favourite name for girls in the eighteen hundreds when Queen Victoria was on the throne and Empress of India as well. And it’s still used today.’

‘Gee, Dad, I didn’t know you were so well versed in British history!’ Evan exclaimed, glad they were now off the subject of Emma Harte and his mother. If he was reluctant to admit that he’d always known his mother actually worked for Emma Harte, then he would surely not like to hear that his
real
father was Robin Ainsley, Emma’s favourite son. No way, José, she thought to herself, and looked up and nodded to the waiter to clear the plates away.

The conversation progressed normally from then on; they talked about her sisters, Elayne and Angharad, and her mother spoke rather proudly about their adopted daughters, who were having successes with their work and in their personal lives. Both of them had new boyfriends, and Marietta explained that she was quite certain Angharad would settle down with her current beau, that the relationship looked very serious indeed.

Evan listened, nodded and smiled, held herself very still and said very little, not wanting to become embroiled in a discussion about
her
love life and her future with Gideon Harte. And it seemed to her that her mother felt the same way, because within seconds Marietta had moved on, was talking about some of the day trips they planned to take whilst they were in London. And then her father launched himself on a long story about going to France to look for country antiques, and finally finished up asking her to join them on this jaunt.

‘I just can’t at the moment, Dad,’ Evan told him, once he had finished, and then she filled him in about her work schedule. Mostly she talked about getting the Leeds store up to par; he appeared to accept this explanation with good grace, and, in fact, she decided he was in a wholly different mood by the time they were selecting desserts. He was certainly in a much better frame of mind than when they had set out from her flat.

He’s calmed down, she thought, eyeing him over the top of her menu, thinking suddenly how handsome he looked tonight in his grey linen jacket, pale blue shirt and darker blue tie. God, he’s the spitting image of Robin, at least the way Robin must have looked when he was the same age…fifty-seven. He’s got Robin’s elegance, his refinement. I wish I could tell him the truth. But she did not dare. At least not tonight.
And maybe never.

‘Do you think she’s swimming in dangerous waters?’

Linnet looked up at Julian; a small sigh escaped before she settled back in his arms, leaning her head against his bare chest. ‘I don’t think so,’ she answered at last, after thinking about his question for a moment. ‘In any case, even if she were there’s not much any of us could do about it. India’s got a mind of her own, as you well know.’

‘Yes, that’s true, she does. But I’ve got to admit I’m a bit worried about her, darling. Russell Rhodes has quite a reputation.’

Pulling away from him, struggling up in the bed, Linnet looked into his face intently. ‘Don’t worry so much,’ she murmured. ‘India told me weeks ago that the reputation is somewhat phoney and self-manufactured. You know, all for the benefit of the press, for the publicity it gets him. She told me that the rabble-rousing is merely a great deal of noise about nothing, just boisterousness. And he hardly drinks at all. Nurses a vodka all night, she explained to me.’

Julian frowned. ‘Gideon seems to think he’s a bit of a womanizer, though.’

‘But India says there are no other women around, and haven’t been since she’s known him, which is some months now. Also, she told me he had confided that he’d been on his own for quite a while before he took up with her.’ When Julian was silent, Linnet continued, ‘Listen, an artist who paints with the precision he does has to have a steady hand every morning, and his paintings are glorious, you know that.’

‘They’re
magnificent.
But I was talking about his
womanizing,
not his drinking.’

‘I know. Gideon didn’t seem to have much information about that though, about women in his life. He only knew about this Melinda Caldwell,’ she reminded him.

‘He probably wouldn’t want to talk about other women in front of India anyway.’

‘Did Gideon confide something in you?’ Linnet probed, searching her fiancé’s face.

Julian shook his head. ‘He didn’t. All he did say, when you and India went to the ladies’ room, was that the Harrogate police had seemingly buried the incident.’

‘Oh.’
She gaped at him, total surprise flickering on her face. ‘That’s strange. Why on earth would they do that?’

‘Local-boy-made-good syndrome, that’s what Gideon calls it. From what I understand, the police have wiped the slate clean and the hospital has done the same thing. Therefore the incident never happened. Also, Gideon’s quite certain that Dusty’s not bringing charges against the woman.’

‘India does say it
was
an accident.’

‘I suppose it was. And in a way, Linny, that’s what I was getting at a moment ago. Is India swimming in dangerous waters because of Melinda Caldwell? This woman is apparently totally obsessed with Dusty, which probably means she’s slightly bonkers. How do we know she won’t pester him on a continuous basis, stalk him, make life hell for him, and for India as well? And there’s another thing: how serious is their relationship?’

‘It’s serious as far as India’s concerned, that I do know. She’s very much in love with him. Actually, she’d like to make it permanent. But he’s not so keen about marriage.’

‘What chap in his right mind would turn his nose up at India?’ he exclaimed, sounding slightly irate.

‘Dusty Rhodes, the poor boy from the back streets of Leeds.’

‘But why?’ Julian shook his head, his expression a mixture of puzzlement and disbelief.

‘Why?’
Linnet repeated, and she couldn’t prevent a small smirk from settling on her mouth. ‘Because she
is
India, because of
who
she is. He doesn’t like her family, which is all of us as well as her parents, whom he’s never met. And not any of us, either. He’s against the Hartes because we’re too posh and well-to-do, apparently, and even more against her parents Anthony and Sally because Anthony has a title. It’s a kind of reverse snobbery, I suppose. For instance, he won’t call his butler
the butler,
but instead insists on referring to him as
the house-manager,
if you can believe that one.’

‘Oh, I can all right, I’ve met chaps like Dusty. But I suppose he’ll come round when he’s met us. We’re not so bad.’

‘I think
you’re
wonderful, Julian Kallinski, husband-to-be, light of my life. Since we finally decided to get married on December the first I put the invitations into work earlier this week, by the way.’

Julian beamed. ‘That’s great.’ He touched her face lightly with one hand. ‘That’ll please my grandfather.’

‘It’ll please mine, too.’ She cocked her head on one side and said, ‘The last ten days have been sort of…hellish, wouldn’t you say? What with one thing and another, I sometimes think this family’s cursed.’

‘That’s a silly thing to say!’ Julian exclaimed, quickly looking at her. ‘The Hartes are a big family and more things happen in a big family than they do in a small family…so it just seems overwhelming at times. But the Hartes are not cursed, neither are the O’Neills or the Kallinskis…’ He shook his head. ‘Very simply, life can be catastrophic at times–’

‘For some families more than others, though,’ she cut in. ‘Currently there are two divorces pending, and one is going to be supremely unpleasant. There’s been an abduction, failed, of course. But nonetheless it’s put the fear of God in Tessa, changed her life to a certain extent. India’s been involved in a stabbing, and let’s face it, she could have been hurt–’

‘That’s what I was getting at when I mentioned
dangerous waters,’
he interrupted.

‘I know that. And this Melinda Caldwell is a problem for Dusty. He’s going to have to solve that one, Jules, because India won’t put up with any nonsense. Which means her future with him is even more dubious than I thought.’

‘I agree with you. Back to Tessa for a moment…do you think she means it when she says she wants to spend more time with Adele? And that her career must come second?’

‘I’m not sure, but, well, yes, I suppose I do believe she means it…at the moment. It’s hard to really know with Tessa, because she can change her mind so easily. But I believe she
is
afraid of Mark Longden, or rather, what he might pull next. Her solicitors met with his during the week, and there’s now some sort of financial negotiation going on. But it doesn’t make her feel any easier, from what she said to Mummy on the phone the other day.’