Beaumont Brides Collection (94 page)

‘Isn’t it?’ Since her last meeting with Jack Wolfe it seemed a very long way beyond.

Fizz, sensing she’d strayed inadvertently into dangerous waters, backed off. ‘So, what’s the sudden interest in crèches?’ she asked.

‘My interest is purely practical. I want to know how to go about starting one.’

‘Starting one?’ Fizz nearly fell off her stool. ‘Where? For whom?’

‘Is it difficult, Fizz? Are there lots of regulations? Can we get a grant to help with the start-up costs?’

‘Whoa! Hold on there. One question at a time. And who is “we”?’

‘Does it matter?’

Fizz regarded her thoughtfully. ‘You know, maybe Luke is the best person for you to talk to about this after all. He’s had on-hands experience, knows all the snags. I’ll ask him to call in next time he’s in town, shall I?’ She picked up the envelope, made a move to leave.

‘Fizz Devlin don’t you dare move from that stool!’ Then, with a certain reserve. ‘I really would rather Luke didn’t know I’d asked about this.’

‘Oh?’ Fizz put down her coffee cup. ‘You know I’m sure I noticed a bottle of wine in your fridge. Shall we open it and you can tell me just what it is you’re up to, little sister?’

‘Up to?’ Mel flushed.

‘Mmmm. Up to. As in...’ - Fizz slid of the stool and headed for the fridge, turning as she opened the door - ‘...up to.’ She took the bottle of wine from the fridge and set about opening it. ‘No rush. In your own time. Or, of course,’ she went on, idly, ‘as I said, Luke would be happy to drop by...’

‘Fizz!’ Mel begged. ‘You wouldn’t! Please!’

‘Glasses?’ Mel opened a cupboard and took out two wine glasses. ‘Do you have any cheese? I suddenly feel quite peckish.’ And Fizz settled herself back on the kitchen stool and waited.

Mel took some cheese from the fridge, fetched the biscuit tin and then took a deep breath before turning round to face her sister. ‘I’ve got a job, Fizz.’

‘Really? I thought you’d turned down the sitcom?’

‘What sitcom?’ Melanie enquired softly and it was Fizz’s turn to colour.

‘Oh, dear. That was careless of me.’

‘Very.’

‘Well, you know Luke. He likes to keep his finger on the pulse.’

‘I know.’ And heaven help her if he found out what she was doing. But it was vital that he didn’t interfere now, not when she had come up with this marvellous plan. ‘I don’t want him to know a thing about this, Fizz. It’s important to me. It’s not anything to do with the theatre, you see. It’s just an ordinary job.’

Fizz looked doubtful. ‘Luke said you were thinking of doing something ordinary -’

‘Yes, well I’m doing it. I’m working as a cleaner if you must know.’ Fizz opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it and closed it again. ‘Oh, for goodness sake stop looking at me like that and pour out the wine. I’ll tell all.’

And she did.

At least a slightly abridged version of her job that somehow entirely omitted to mention Jack Wolfe. Just in case Fizz had heard the name, she reasoned. After all, Luke was something of a City heavy-weight himself. He would certainly know of him, have seen those awful headlines.

He would probably object to his niece working for the man in any capacity. He would certainly object to her being employed as his cleaner.

‘I don’t understand what you think you’ll get out of this,’ Fizz said, when she had finished.

‘Nothing. It’s different, that’s all. It started off as a kind of as a bet with this actor I worked with in Oz. Five hundred pounds goes to your charity if I win.’

‘Oh, well, in that case, please carry on. You have my full support.’

‘It’s just for a month. To prove something. Then I began to get a close-up of reality and I have to do something to help. ‘

‘Tell me about it.’

Fizz listened sympathetically to Mel’s story about Paddy’s problems, about the way Janet Graham treated the women who worked for her, but finally she stirred.

‘It’s a rotten situation, Mel, but I really don’t see what you can do. And frankly I don’t think Mrs Graham sounds like the sort of woman to start a crèche for her staff.’

‘She isn’t. The thing is, Fizz, this plan of mine is a whole lot more than that. ‘ She went on, outlining her ideas, her sister’s eyes widening as she listened. ‘You do understand, don’t you?’ she pressed, when she’d finished. ‘I’m just playing at this for a bet. For women like Paddy and Sharon it’s a battle everyday of their lives just to survive. I can’t simply do nothing - it isn’t right, is it?’

‘No.’ Fizz hesitated. ‘No, it isn’t right. These women are getting a very raw deal, but do be careful you don’t make things worse than they already are. If Mrs Graham finds out that you’re stirring things up you might find that you’re all out of a job. This might be a game to you, Mel but for the women you work with-’

A game? No. It was more than that. Far more. ‘You don’t have to spell it out, Fizz. I’ll be careful.’

Fizz nodded. ‘Well, I hope the information I’ve brought is a help and I’ll see what else I can find out. I’ll get one of those eager young reporters at the radio station researching the need for crèches in the workplace.’ She gathered her things. ‘And you don’t have to worry, I won’t tell Luke. Not because he’ll fuss. Not because he’ll descend on you and insist you give up this job of yours. But because he’ll want to take it over and do it all for you.’

‘Probably a lot better than I could.’

‘Not necessarily. This is your idea, your plan and it’s coming from your heart. To be honest, darling, I’ve never seen you quite so animated about anything.’ She reached out and cradled her cheek in one hand. ‘If it is just this?’ she asked, searchingly.

‘What else could it be?’ Mel said quickly. ‘This is real, Fizz. Not make-believe.’

Fizz tilted her head sideways slightly. ‘Ummm. Well, if you need any help just whistle...’

‘Thanks. You’ve been a brick.’

‘...on one condition. You’ll let Luke go ahead and organise this party for you.’

‘Do I have a choice?’

‘There’s always a choice, Mel.’

Melanie grinned. ‘What kind of party?’

‘Anything you like,’ Fizz said. ‘All the works with a marquee on the lawn? A quiet family dinner? A picnic on the beach?’ She paused, for a moment. ‘A combination of all three, perhaps? Think about it for a day or two and let me know what you want and when and then I’ll let think Luke think he’s organising a surprise.’

‘I don’t have to think about it. Let’s go with a picnic on the beach.’

‘Whatever you say. Now, I’d better let you get on with your shopping.’

‘Good grief, yes. I used to wonder why supermarkets stayed open so late. Now I know. I’ll come down with you.’ She grabbed her jacket. ‘Have you seen Heather since the wedding?’ she asked, as they made their way down in the lift.

‘Mac bailed her out last week after a demonstration in Trafalgar Square and took her down to the cottage to stay with him and Claudia. Thankfully no one realized who she was so it didn’t make the papers.’

‘Poor kid.’ Fizz glanced at her in surprise. ‘I imagine getting into the papers was what she wanted. She’ll make sure someone knows who she is next time.’

‘You think it was a scream for attention?’

‘Not a personal one. I imagine she just wants someone to remember that she’s the daughter of a Gulf-war hero, not some actor her widowed mother upped and married.’

‘Melanie!’

‘I’m sorry. But everyone seems to be forgetting how young Heather is. Diana and Edward are happy so that’s all that matters. And I don’t suppose she’s got over that crush she had on Mac.’

‘Dear God, Melanie, Mac’s must be nearly twenty years older than her. She’s just a child.’ Then, ‘Oh.’

‘Exactly. A child who’s lost a much loved father, Fizz. Seeing her mother and Beau married is like her father dying all over again, don’t you see? More than a funeral, more than a gravestone, it proves that he’s gone. That he’s never coming back. Mac was to some extent a substitute I suppose, but he fell in love with Claudia. You can’t blame her for loathing us all.’

She didn’t wait for her sister to reply, but stepped forward and hailed a passing cab for Fizz, so that her sister shouldn’t see the tears that threatened. That would be too ridiculous. And when she turned back to kiss her goodbye her smile was brilliant.

‘She won’t stay with Claudia and Mac for long, Fizz. She won’t be able to bear it. Especially once she realizes that Claudia is pregnant.’ Fizz stared at her. ‘I could be wrong, but didn’t you think, at the wedding, that she had a special bloom? That Mac looked like a man walking a foot above the ground?’

Melanie was just putting the finishing touches to Jack Wolfe’s kitchen when the front door bell rang. It was Richard and he didn’t wait to be invited in, but walked right by her into the apartment.

‘Richard!’ she exclaimed. ‘You can’t come in here.’

‘Relax, Mel,’ he said, with an easy grin. ‘Jack Wolfe is in his office, I saw him arrive twenty minutes ago with his lawyer. He’ll be hours.’

‘That’s not the point. You shouldn’t be here.’

‘Well, you haven’t been by lately, so I thought I’d drop in on you and see how you are.’

‘Check up on me, you mean. To make sure I’m really working.’

‘There’s no fooling you, darling.’ Richard was wandering around the apartment, his eyes everywhere. ‘You’re right about this place. It’s everything I would have expected.’ He picked up a small bronze figure of a dancing girl, examined the signature before replacing it. ‘Nice.’

He paused briefly before a large abstract work of art before turning to take in the simple, uncluttered interior. Melanie didn’t know why he had come, but she was uneasy. He seemed hyped up.

‘Richard, please. You really must go.’

He had come to a halt in the kitchen and now he turned to her. ‘Aren’t you even going to offer me a cup of coffee?’

‘There isn’t time. I’ve got five minutes and then I’m out of here.’

‘Plenty of time for coffee. I’ll make it.’

‘No, Richard,’ she said, desperately. ‘Just go. Please.’

Her words finally seemed to sink in and he said, ‘Oh, look, I’m sorry, Mel, you’re right, this was stupid. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just had this feeling that you might...’

‘What?’ He didn’t answer and she blushed. ‘You thought I might be here with Jack Wolfe. Well, thank you, Richard. As you can see I’m quite alone so you can go now.’

‘I’m just worried about you, Mel. I feel sort of responsible.’

‘Well, you aren’t. No one is responsible for me. Only me.’

He pushed his hand through his hair, obviously embarrassed. ‘I’m sorry. Really. Look let me do something to help.’

‘Just go, Richard.’

He glanced at the black sack of rubbish already tied up, ready to be carried down on her way out.

‘Well the least I can do is carry this down for you. To make up for being such an idiot.’ He picked up the sack before she could object and Mel shrugged. As he said, it was the least he could do. He paused in the doorway, ‘When will I see you again?’

‘I’ll come down to the wine bar one evening,’ she said, vaguely.

‘Tonight?’ he pressed.

‘No. Not tonight. I’m having a drink with some of the girls after work.’

‘You’re joking?’

She was affronted. ‘Why should I be joking?’

‘Well. This isn’t really your scene is it? In fact I don’t really understand what you think you’re doing.’

‘You know what I’m doing. Relieving you of five hundred pounds in a good cause.’

‘I was just winding you up, you know.’ He seemed exasperated with her. ‘God, you’re just so gullible. Get out, Mel, before you get hurt.’

‘I can’t.’

He frowned. ‘Of course you can. Just walk away. Or was I right? This is all about Jack Wolfe. That’s why you’re so desperate to get rid of me. You’re hoping he’ll come back.’

‘No! No, Richard, it’s nothing to do with him. Really.’ She hesitated. If word was to get back to Janet Graham - but Richard was like her, an outsider. He wouldn’t tell. He might even help. ‘It’s this,’ she said, taking a leaflet from her pocket. ‘What do you think of this?’

He took the crumpled leaflet and looked at it. ‘“How to Start a Workers Co-op”? What is this?’

‘The first shot in a revolution, Richard. Why don’t you come along? I’m going to need all the support I can get.’

He stared at her for a moment. ‘You’re crazy, do you know that? You’ll get them all sacked.’

‘Keep the booklet,’ she said, as he thrust it back to her. ‘Read it. Think about it. You might change your mind.’

‘I didn’t join this party to start a war, Mel.’

‘Then why did you join, Richard? You’ve plenty of talent so why didn’t you just sign on with Trudy or someone and look for some real work?’

‘This isn’t real?’ He hefted the sack in his hand. ‘You could have fooled me.’

‘Well?’ Greg Tamblin demanded, impatiently.

‘No need to panic. Carstairs is still the target. This trip to The Ark is simply to distract anyone who might be taking an interest.’