Brought to Book (16 page)

Ignoring Gus's nose in her ear, she dialled Meriel's number. ‘In a minute, honey,' she told him over her shoulder.

The phone was answered on the first ring. ‘Yes?'

‘It's Rona, Meriel.'

‘Oh, thank God you're back! I was afraid you might be out all day.'

‘Actually I'm on my mobile. I'm still in Stokely.'

‘
Stokely
?'

‘I've just seen Isobel.'

‘Oh yes; you did tell me.'

There was no point in being secretive; doubtless he'd mention it if she didn't: ‘And I'm about to have lunch with Justin.'

‘I envy you, he'll give you a first-class meal.'

Her voice had steadied a little, and Rona, glancing at her watch again and aware she must exercise Gus before lunch, brought her back to the subject of the call. ‘Have you something to tell me?'

Meriel gave a shaky laugh. ‘I'm not sure now; things seem more in perspective, talking to you. I'm probably being paranoid, but I – I was convinced someone was following me this morning.'

Rona frowned. ‘Why should you think that?'

‘There was a car parked just beyond the gate – you know, that country bit where there are no houses. I noticed it when I walked down to the village and it was still there when I got home, but there was no one in it. And several times – you know how you get a feeling you're being watched? I turned sharply once or twice, and had the impression someone was dodging out of sight.'

‘I'm sure you imagined it,' Rona said, firmly pushing down memories of the note in Gus's collar.

‘Probably.' Meriel was sounding progressively calmer. ‘Have you had a chance to look at the diaries?'

‘No, and this week's turning out to be fairly busy. I phoned my husband last night, and we decided to go up to the cottage on Saturday.'

‘You phoned him? Is he away?'

‘It's a bit complicated. Look, Meriel, I must go and walk the dog before lunch. I'll be in touch, but don't worry; I'm sure the car wasn't significant.'

‘No doubt you're right. You know how to find the cottage?'

‘Roughly.' Spindlebury was a pretty small place.

‘It's off the beaten track, a couple of miles from the village. I'll put directions in the post.'

‘Thanks, that'll be helpful.'

‘Love to Justin,' Meriel said, and hung up.

There was a notice on the park gate to the effect that all dogs must be kept on leads. Gus wasn't best pleased, but he trotted meekly enough at her heels as they strolled down the gravel paths and admired the already colourful flower beds. They had the park to themselves – hardly surprising since this was the lunch-hour – but the children's play area looked well used.

Rona's thoughts still circled round Meriel and her worries, but she shook herself free of them. She'd little enough time to plan her meeting with Justin, where she'd have to rely on memory not only for his comments, but for shades of inflection and the possible interpretation that could be placed on them.

When, twenty minutes later, she located the Grill Room, Justin was waiting for her at the entrance. He came forward, his smile as charming as she remembered, and took her hand. ‘My dear young lady! What an unexpected pleasure! I was intending to contact you myself in the near future.'

About what? she wondered, smilingly detaching her hand from his over-long clasp. He took her elbow and guided her into the restaurant, where the maître d' came hurriedly forward.

‘Your usual table, Mr Grant?'

‘If you please, Frederick.'

They were escorted to a corner table, their chairs pulled out, and napkins laid tenderly on their laps. Large, glossy menus were produced.

‘I recommend the beignets de crevettes,' Justin said. ‘If you're not allergic to shellfish, that is?'

‘They sound lovely.'

‘Or the pâté is excellent.' They progressed through the dozen or so remaining delicacies listed as hors d'oeuvres, while Justin described the merits of each in turn.

‘You sound as though you've sampled them all,' Rona said with amusement.

‘I have,' he admitted. ‘I lunch here most days.'

She raised an eyebrow. ‘But you told Meriel you don't eat at midday.'

He smiled. ‘That was diplomacy. I was so ravenous by the time I reached the hospital that I scoffed a plate of cod and chips before seeing my first patient. Don't you dare tell her.' He glanced back at the menu. ‘As to the next course, although this is technically the Connaught Grill, the selection is almost as wide as in their main restaurant.'

They discussed the dishes in some detail before, bemused by all his recommendations, Rona finally made her choice and the waiter, with a bow, moved away, to be immediately replaced by the wine waiter, who conversed with Justin in low, confidential tones. As he, too, left them, Justin clasped his hands on the table and regarded her with mock solemnity.

‘So, now that I've provided you with a Grill Room for my grilling, fire away.'

‘I've no intention of grilling you,' Rona protested. ‘You said you were going to contact me; why?'

He smiled. ‘Ladies first.'

‘Very well; as you'll have guessed, I want to talk about Theo. You told me you were friendly, played golf together and so on, so I'd be very interested to hear your impressions of him. Had you known him a long time?'

It occurred to Rona that although she'd asked Isobel about her meeting with Theo, she'd not posed the same question to Meriel – an oversight she must put right.

‘Since the evening he met Meriel,' Justin replied, unknowingly rectifying the omission. ‘He'd been invited to give a talk at her local library, and Russell – her husband – wasn't interested. She knew I enjoyed his books, so she asked my wife and me to go with her. We were sitting in the front row, and throughout the whole of his undeniably interesting and informative talk, he hardly took his eyes off Meriel. I could feel her tenseness, and to be frank I was distinctly uncomfortable. He was an attractive man, and a famous one – a lethal combination where women are concerned, and his reputation was well known.'

The wine waiter appeared, poured a small amount in Justin's glass, and waited deferentially while he swirled it around, sniffed it, tasted, and nodded. Their glasses were filled, and he raised his in a silent toast.

‘Wine and canapés were laid on afterwards,' he continued, ‘and Theo was surrounded by people asking him questions and handing over copies of his books to sign. Meriel, to her chagrin, hadn't one with her, and, since it was a library, there were none for sale. I suggested we leave – Vivian had one of her headaches – but I couldn't budge her. Every time the crowd round Theo parted, he looked over in our direction, as though expecting her to approach him. Eventually, when it was clear she wasn't going to, he gently moved the last few people aside and came over himself, holding out his hand, and that was pretty well it. By the time we finally got away, he had her phone number and had already arranged to see her the following week.

‘I was considerably worried, I can tell you, and in the car going home I tried to reason with her, emphasizing that he was a womanizer, that she should think of Russ and the baby. But I knew even then that nothing I said would make any difference.'

So it was Theo who had made the first move, Rona reflected, sipping the excellent wine. Which was not how either Reginald or Isobel had portrayed it.

‘What were your own first impressions?'

‘Hostility, I suppose. I'm fond of Meriel – platonically, though no doubt you'll hear rumours to the contrary – and I didn't want her hurt. Also, Russell's a decent chap and didn't deserve this. I expected it to be a flash in the pan that would cause far more hurt than it warranted, and that Theo would soon move on to pastures new. I was considerably surprised when he left his wife and moved in with her, still more when they eventually married.'

‘Were they happy, do you think?'

He considered, leaning to one side as his Parma ham was set in front of him. ‘His lifestyle didn't change, if that's what you're asking. At least, not for more than a few months. I'd guess that Meriel decided very early on to close her eyes and ears to gossip and cling to the fact that he always came back to her.'

‘Came back? He actually left her?'

‘I was speaking metaphorically. No, he didn't physically go off with anyone, but there was always some woman in the background.' He gazed reflectively into his wine glass. ‘You might find it hard to believe after what I've said, but I liked the bastard. He was totally different, you know, when there were no women around: excellent company, witty, generous, concerned, helpful.' He looked up at her almost pleadingly. ‘Could you concentrate on that, do you think, and play down the other side?'

Regretfully she shook her head. ‘Without wanting to sound pompous, the main duty of a biographer is to tell the truth. However much I might want to, I can't distort the facts to make him seem either better or worse than he was. Basically, I'll be writing his life story, but in the process I hope to uncover the influences that formed his character and made him what he was; why he wrote the kind of books he did, and how he dealt with the fame and success they brought him.'

They ate the rest of their first course in silence, mulling over what had been said and left unsaid. The beignets were as excellent as he'd promised, crisp and golden, succulent with shrimp, and deserved more than the attention she was giving them. When her plate was empty, Rona said bluntly, ‘You don't want me to write this book, do you?'

He looked startled. ‘Why should you think that?'

She shrugged. ‘I'm right, aren't I?'

He said slowly, ‘I don't want Meriel hurt. She's extremely vulnerable, you know. She was able to turn a blind eye while Theo was alive, and could reassure her by lying his way out of things. Now he's not here to defend himself, learning something detrimental would crucify her.'

‘And there's something detrimental to learn?'

‘We all have things to hide,' he said evasively.

There was a pause. Then she said again, ‘Why did you want to see me?'

He crumbled the roll on his side plate, not meeting her eyes. ‘To ask you to do what you've just said you can't.'

‘For Meriel's sake?'

He sat back in his chair. ‘Not wholly, I admit. I'm worried about what might be in those damned diaries. I'm pretty sure I feature in them myself. I spent a fair bit of time with him over the years, and we went on several – sprees – together.'

Which, Rona surmised, would do the reputation of an eminent consultant no good at all. She said, ‘I'm writing about Theo, Justin. Your secrets are quite safe with me.'

‘But not
from
you, unfortunately.'

‘You said before that he was a chameleon. Did you just mean he showed different sides of his character to men and women?'

‘Not only that; he varied from woman to woman and man to man. Of all the people he met, I doubt if any two saw exactly the same side of him.'

A waiter materialized and silently removed their plates.

‘Did you remain close to the end of his life?' she asked.

‘After he went reclusive, you mean? No, he cut everyone off at that point, retreated into himself.'

‘Have you any idea why?'

He didn't answer immediately, and she felt a flicker of excitement. Was this what she'd been waiting for? She leaned forward.

‘Justin?'

‘I've an idea, that's all. Something he said one night, when he was very drunk.'

To her impatience a bevy of waiters now descended on them, bearing their entrées and a selection of vegetables. They seemed to take an interminable time about it, and as they were moving off, the wine waiter reappeared to top up their glasses.

‘Justin?' she prompted when at last they were alone. ‘You were about to tell me what he said.'

But he was shaking his head. ‘No, Rona, I wasn't. I'm sorry, I'm not being deliberately provoking; I hadn't intended to mention it.'

‘But it was something that might explain his block?'

‘I think so, yes.' He picked up his knife and fork, not looking at her.

Impatiently she thought back over everything he'd said. ‘Was a woman involved?'

He met her eyes briefly, then looked away. ‘Yes, but that's all I'm prepared to say.'

‘But it'll be in the diaries,' she argued.

‘Then at least it'll be Theo himself telling you. Please don't press this, Rona. I'll help you on other things if I can, but not that.'

Because it would hurt Meriel, she thought. But she recognized that for him the subject was closed, and, though brimful of frustration, she had to respect that. Reluctantly, she changed the subject.

‘You mentioned Meriel's first husband; how did he react to her leaving him?'

‘He was pole-axed, as you'd suppose; it came so entirely out of the blue. One minute they'd been happily married with a small son, the next she ups and leaves him, taking the boy with her.'

‘Did he try to get her back?'

‘Oh yes, it was some time before he accepted it. I believe there was a face-to-face confrontation with Theo, that was rather unpleasant.'

‘What's he doing now?'

‘He eventually remarried, but he still sees Seb regularly.'

‘And he and Meriel are amicable?'

‘As much as one can be in the circumstances.'

‘Did he come to terms with Theo?'

Justin shook his head. ‘After the row, I don't think they met again. They took care not to.'

As she continued with her meal, Rona processed this latest information. Russell would obviously have no love for Theo, but that had all happened fifteen years ago; surely it could have no bearing either on Theo's block or his death.