Finishing Touches (3 page)

Irene Jordan was one totally pissed-off lady. Prowling around her Washington condo she lit yet another Marlboro, dragging the smoke deeply into her lungs. How could Dean do
this to her? After all this time! Men! They were shits! She had been sure he would marry her.

Her lower lip trembled, tears glittering in her big blue eyes. What would she do if Dean decided he wanted a younger mistress, or even worse, now that he was finally free, a younger wife? It
just didn’t bear thinking about. After all, Irene was nearly thirty and out there in the vastness of the USA, there were plenty of gorgeous nubiles eager to take her place. She was treading
on very thin ice making her demands. But dammit, Dean just couldn’t walk all over her. Not after she had spent the past four years bending over backwards to please
him
. Being the
perfect mistress, the perfect companion! Senator Dean Madigan was having his cake and eating it.

It wasn’t easy being a mistress. True, she had this lovely condo, and a new car, and he gave her a generous allowance so that she could visit beauty salons and gyms to keep herself looking
the very best. True, he took her to places she had only ever dreamt about: cruising in the Caribbean, skiing in Aspen, surfing in Malibu. Life with the Senator had opened up a whole new world to
her. But – and it was a big but – there was no security in being a mistress. And what Irene Jordan craved more than anything else in the world was security. The thought of being alone
and fending for herself had always filled her with dread.

What Irene really wanted to do was to marry a nice rich man who would look after her and protect her from the big bad world. Her brief experience of working for a living in a nine-to-five job in
Dublin County Council was the most horrific time of her life.

It had been her mother’s idea that she visit her wealthy cousin Dorothy in Washington. But Irene had to admit that things were not looking good right now. She sighed deeply. What she
wouldn’t give to be a child again and to have Nora taking care of all her fears and worries. Her mother had been her great protector. Irene knew that compared to the rest of her family she
had been spoilt rotten. She had been Nora’s pet. But those days were gone and she had to depend on herself. Well, she had the condo, but that wasn’t home – not really. She wished
she were more like her sister Cassie, strong and independent. Imagine being thirty-six and not even married! And not worried about it either! Imagine setting up your own business, working fourteen
hours a day! If only Irene could be like her, she’d have no problems. Well, she wasn’t, and that was that. There was only one Cassie in the world.

Should she go to the official opening of
Finishing Touches
? Irene sighed, lighting up another cigarette and getting a split of champagne from the fridge. She supposed she
should. Cassie had always been kind to her and only Cassie knew her awful secret. She didn’t know what to do; she was far too upset over Dean to make a decision about going anywhere. To think
she had wasted four good years on him, when she could have been playing the field. But she’d been so sure he would marry her when he was free. Well, it wasn’t over until it was over;
she could still hope that he would pop the question. In the meantime, she could be on the look-out; after all, she was very attractive and men were always coming on to her. The Senator was forever
having to remind them that she was his lady. No more! If someone with prospects came along, Senator Dean Madigan could either marry her or go take a running jump. Defiantly, she rang up Dorothy and
told her to round up a few eligibles for the weekend. Irene Jordan was on the hunt again, Washington watch out! In the meantime, she would enquire about a seat on Concorde. Dean was so rich he
could hardly quibble about the price of a little old ticket – and if he did, tough. Irene had just about had enough. The Senator would soon find out that he couldn’t take her for
granted any longer! Cassie sure as hell wouldn’t put up with being treated like a doormat. From now on, neither would Irene!

Aileen O’Shaughnessy wiped a bead of perspiration from her brow as she waited for the director to yell cut so that she could rush on set to powder the leading man’s
face before shooting resumed. Algiers was the hottest location of the many she had worked on since taking up her career in the film world. It was a move she had never regretted.

Right now, though, she felt she wouldn’t be a bit sorry to get back to the studio in London. Filming was due to end in two days’ time, all going well and if the director didn’t
have a nervous breakdown – which was becoming more of a possibility every minute.

Still, her tan was coming along very nicely, she observed with satisfaction. Barbara would be envious. She wondered if Babs would come to Cassie’s bash. Cassie had written to tell her that
she had invited Barbara and the rest of the family. Frankly, Aileen thought she was mad! Aileen didn’t believe in forgive and forget, well, not with someone like Barbara. If Judy, her sister,
had behaved to Aileen as Barbara had behaved to Cassie, she would never have anything to do with her again. In fact she’d be lucky to be alive! Aileen was a redhead and had a temper to match.
It came in handy on occasions! Cassie could do with having more of a temper; her trouble was she was far too soft.

Aileen fanned herself in the intense heat. She was dying to get home for a few days. Not dying to see her
mother
, exactly. Angela O’Shaughnessy would whine and moan but Aileen had
learnt not to take any notice. No, Aileen was dying to see Cassie and Laura. She had a little surprise for them. Aileen grinned, imagining their reaction to her news.

The three of them had been friends since their schooldays and had no secrets from one another. How enriched her life had been by such friendships. There was Barbara alienated from her sister by
pettiness and envy. She didn’t know what she was missing by shutting someone like Cassie out of her life.

Mind, she’d make a great film character! She and Kristi Killeen, gossip columnists
extraordinaire
. Hedda Hopper and the other one – Aileen couldn’t think of her name;
oh yes, it came to her – Parsons, Louella Parsons, had nothing on them! She wondered how
The Fire and the Fury
was progressing. What a film that would make. No doubt Barbara would
want to play herself!

They’d had such a laugh when Judy told Cassie and Laura and her about Barbara’s bodice-ripper which was masquerading as literature. That had been a lovely lunch, full of gossip and
chat and gales of laughter. Although Aileen loved her job and really enjoyed travelling to exotic locations, even if they were a bit hot, she missed the girls.

She was so looking forward to Cassie’s party. Now
that
would be a night to remember! She could feel it in her bones.

‘Aileen, get your ass on set!’ the director yelled.

‘Keep your toupee on, dear!’ Aileen smiled sweetly, strolling over to the leading actor, powder-puff at the ready.

Laura Quinn sighed in exasperation as she scanned the notes on the Brickman file. Already she had discovered two errors in the draft deed that she was reading. Typing errors.
It just wasn’t good enough! Her secretary was becoming far too casual and she would have to speak to her about it. Accuracy in legal documents was of the utmost importance. She didn’t
want any of her department’s deals held up because of typing errors. William Bennett Solicitors had a good reputation to maintain and Laura was damned if the side were going to be let down by
her division.

A partner in one of the biggest legal firms in the city, Laura was in charge of the conveyancing department. It was a position she had achieved through grit and determination and she was
especially proud because she was one of only three female partners in the huge firm.

She closed the file, put it in her Gucci briefcase, a present from her husband, Doug, and yawned mightily. She was terribly tired. All she wanted was to crawl into her kingsize bed and sleep her
brains out. Unfortunately, she and Doug were throwing a dinner party for some clients of hers the next evening and she had a lot of preparations to do. The more she got done tonight the better. She
set to work preparing a marinade, with swift economical movements, poured the marinade over the duck and put it in the fridge, with a sigh of relief. One chore done. Now to prepare some choux
pastry. She had meant to buy some when she was in Marks and Spencers and completely forgot. This pregnancy was affecting her memory as well as everything else! In that respect Cassie was lucky. At
least she didn’t have children to worry about while she was getting
Finishing Touches
off the ground.

There were times Laura found it tough going combining motherhood and a career, and with this new baby coming along it was going to be even harder. Maybe she’d resign and get Cassie to
employ her the way she had employed Judy. Laura grinned. Now, that would be fun, working with Cassie. She was such a pet. After all these years, they were still great mates. The way Cassie had
taken charge of her life again after all the hardships and hassle she had endured impressed Laura so much. She was certain she’d never have coped with what Cassie had coped with. And then,
despite her family, to set up
Finishing Touches
. The girl deserved a medal. Well, Laura would be there, cheering, on her big night. What time was it? Twelve o’clock, and she
was finding it awfully hard to keep her eyes open. She was too tired to wait up any longer for Doug, so she went upstairs and got into bed. She must remind Doug to keep the night of Cassie’s
launch free. Between them, her husband and she would soon need a social secretary to manage their business entertaining. It got a bit wearing at times, but that was the price of success. Right now,
Laura wasn’t sure if it were worth it. She was just dropping off to sleep when her husband slid noiselessly into the room without switching on the light. He undressed and got into bed and put
his arms around her.

‘I’m awake,’ she murmured.

‘We clinched the deal, Laura. It was a great night’s work but I’m bushed.’ Doug yawned.

‘Me too!’ said his wife. ‘Where did you go?’

‘The Trocadero, and guess who was there?’

‘Barbara!’

Doug smiled in the dark. ‘I asked her if she were coming to Cassie’s launch party.’

‘Oh you brat!’ laughed Laura, cuddling closer to her husband.

‘What did she say?’

‘Oh she was very snooty, as only Barbara can snoot. She informed me that she wasn’t sure but she thought she had a prior engagement and she’d have to check her
Filofax!’

‘She would! I wonder will she come, though. Would she have the unmitigated gall? I think Cassie was crazy to invite her. She’s
much
more forgiving than I could ever
be.’

‘It would make for a very interesting evening all round if she
did
come, I’ll tell you that for nothing!’ grinned her husband. ‘If David doesn’t throttle
her, Aileen will.’

‘It would serve her right, the bitch!’ murmured Laura and promptly fell asleep, much to her husband’s disappointment.

‘Judy Lawson, you’re a selfish, uncaring daughter. The least you could do is call in and see your poor mother. You know I’m not a well woman. But now
you’ve gone up in the world, what do you care? You don’t want to lower yourself by visiting me in my poor little semi.’ Angela O’Shaughnessy, Judy’s mother, was in
full flow at the other end of the phone.

Judy raised her eyes to heaven as the whining voice droned on and on. Just because she hadn’t had a chance to call home this week Angela was on the phone moaning. Was her mother never
satisfied? Judy popped in several times a week. Usually, if
Coronation Street
or
Emmerdale
or
Knot’s Landing
were on, she was told to be quiet until it was over.
There were times she might as well not visit, for all the conversation she got out of Angela. And what was this bull about being too grand to visit her mother’s semi-detached house? Angela
was always giving her little digs just because Judy lived in a luxurious apartment in Sutton. Was she supposed to feel guilty because she had married a man with money? If only she had the nerve to
turn around and tell her mother to shut up, and then hang up. After all, she was thirty-five, too old to be taking this crap.

‘I’m sure you don’t treat Andrew’s mother in such an offhand manner.’ Angela was really getting into her stride now, her voice getting shriller as the façade
of frailty slipped.

Well, she could moan, Judy decided, because once she started working with Cassie, she wouldn’t be able to drop in quite as often and Angela had better get used to the idea. Judy had run
around after everybody else for long enough. Now she was going to do something
she
wanted to do, despite Andrew’s disapproval. And why would he approve? she thought. She had always
been there to take care of him and the kids, to find his car keys and his briefcase when they went missing, to look glamorous and entertain his clients and friends.

‘But what about the kids?’ Andrew had demanded angrily after he had tried to buy her off with a trip to Paris for a shopping spree. It suited him, of course; it was a rugby
weekend.

‘They’ll be fine,’ Judy retorted. ‘Ross is in school and Alice will be starting playschool. And Mrs Moore will be here.’ Mrs Moore came in every day to help out.
Tomorrow, Judy was going to drive over to Diffusion, the fabulous boutique in Clontarf, and treat herself to a few smart business suits.

She wanted to be a real asset to Cassie, to prove to her friend that she could do the job. Cassie needed all the help she could get. They had been friends for so long now. It was funny the way
things went. Judy had been friends with Barbara before she had got to know Cassie. It wasn’t until they all shared a flat together that she had really become friends with Cassie, much to
Barbara’s chagrin. There had been some mighty arguments in that flat. Judy grinned at the memory. Of course Barbara had never forgiven Judy for the final row which had caused Judy to end up
sharing a bedroom with Cassie rather than Barbara. To think they were sisters! Cassie and Barbara were like chalk and cheese. You could always depend on Cassie, whereas Barbara thought nothing of
doing the hot-potato act if it suited her. She’d hardly come to Cassie’s launch. Well, in the long run, she’d be the loser.