My Sister’s Secret (23 page)

His jaw tightened. ‘It was childish of me. I’d just found out about him and Lana.’

Charity looked up, noticing how pained Dan looked. ‘I didn’t take you as the type who’d do something like that, Dan, even considering the circumstances.’

Dan sighed. ‘I’m not. I wasn’t thinking straight. I regretted it after.’ Dan looked into her eyes. ‘We can’t all be as good as you, Charity.’

Charity thought of the night Faith died, the bump felt on the side of Niall’s car. She’d had her own secrets too, hadn’t she? She hadn’t told Dan about that yet…or that Niall’s work was being exhibited in Southampton. Maybe he knew already? But still, why
hadn’t s
he mentioned it? ‘I’m not that good, Dan.’

‘Yes, you are. You make me want to be good too.’ He laced his fingers through hers. ‘I promise I won’t do anything like that again.’

She looked into his green eyes and felt herself melting. ‘You better not.’

Over the next couple of hours, they ate and drank. Then Dan pulled her close, his lips brushing against hers, sending waves of sensation through her. She pressed her fingers against the nape of his neck, pulling him even closer, their kiss growing deeper.

In the background, the sun dipped beneath the sea, darkness crawling over the hill towards them as Dan’s hand slipped under the neckline of her jumper. She heard the distant crash of a wave and Niall flashed through her mind. She pushed the thought away, guilt squirming in her stomach.

Things returned to normal after that, with romantic dinners and long beach walks, even a weekend away in Paris. While shopping in Southampton one Saturday when Dan was at work, she found herself walking towards the gallery where Niall’s work was being exhibited. When she entered the space, she froze, unable to believe what she was seeing. Each wall was dominated by large exquisite canvasses featuring Niall’s photographs of submerged trees, and in each one was an engraving: the C and N intertwined.

It was haunting, eerie, utterly beautiful.

Charity put her hand to her chest, emotion building inside.

‘Charity?’ She knew before she turned that it was him.

Her heart thumped as she turned around. He was wearing a pair of smart dark jeans and a white shirt. His dark hair was longer now and he wasn’t as tanned. But he looked healthy, blue eyes as vivid as ever.

‘You’re here,’ she said.

He smiled. ‘Well, they are exhibiting my work. You here to do some shopping?’ he asked, looking at her bags.

‘I live here now. I got a job as a student counsellor.’

‘That’s great news!’ He looked around him. ‘Do you like it?’

‘It’s beautiful.’ She walked to the photo closest to her. It was one of the photographs he’d sent her of the forest in India, the branches feathering above in the misty lake, ethereal, astounding. ‘I heard you won an award?’

Niall shrugged. ‘No big deal.’

He smiled and her tummy tilted. It always had that effect on her, his smile. ‘It’s all working out for us, isn’t it, Charity?’

She smiled back at him. ‘Yes, I suppose it is.’

He searched her face with his eyes. ‘I’ve missed you, Charity.’

She sighed. They couldn’t get into this. ‘Niall…’

He stepped towards her, taking her hand. ‘I never really got the chance to—’ He frowned as he looked over her shoulder. She followed his gaze to see Dan standing at the entrance to the exhibition, eyes wide as he looked at the photos. Then his gaze landed on Charity, focusing on her and Niall’s conjoined hands.

Charity pulled her hand away from Niall’s but it was too late, Dan was striding out. She ran after him but he’d disappeared into a crowd coming out of the cinema. She called out his name, tried to search for his blond hair among the sea of people. But he was nowhere.

‘What’s Dan doing here?’ She turned and saw Niall standing behind her, a confused expression on his face.

She took a few moments to compose herself. How was she going to tell him? ‘We live together here,’ she said.

She watched as his expression changed from confusion to incredulity. ‘You and Dan?
Together
?’

‘Yes.’

He shook his head, still incredulous. ‘I always knew he liked you. But
you
liking him? How long have you been together?’

‘Just three months.’

‘Is it serious?’

She paused. ‘We have a place together.’

‘Already? Jesus, he moves fast.’

She looked back out at the crowds. ‘I need to find him. Sorry, Niall.’ Then she jogged away.

When Charity got home, the house was empty. She sank down on to the sofa, trying to process her feelings. She stayed like that for a very long time, darkness falling on the house, a chill seeping in. Finally there was the roar of an engine outside. She slowly stood up and looked out of the window just as Dan stepped out of his car. He looked exhausted under the moonlight, his eyes pained.

Charity walked to the front door, heart thumping painfully against her chest.

‘Where have you been?’ she asked Dan when he walked in, the cool night air sweeping in through the open door and encircling her bare legs.

‘Just driving.’

‘Nothing’s going on between Niall and me, you know. I didn’t even know he was exhibiting here until a few weeks ago.’

He walked into the hallway and shut the door behind him. ‘But you did know a few weeks ago, and yet you didn’t say a word about it?’

‘I didn’t see the point.’

‘You were holding his hand, Charity.’ He flinched as he said that.

‘He was upset. It was nothing. Dan. I love
you.
’

He looked at Charity, his green eyes intense. ‘I love you too, so much. Let’s just forget about Niall, shall we?’

As Dan pulled her into his arms, Niall’s face popped into Charity’s mind again. Again she squeezed the image away.

‘Oh go on, tell us the juicy stuff about your patients,’ the woman sitting next to Charity said. She and Dan were in a beautiful Italian restaurant in the heart of Southampton having dinner with one of his business associates – a large man with red cheeks and a mop of black hair who owned a cruise line. Dan was trying to court him with a view to possibly selling him the ship. Charity had only been on two such dinners since she’d been with Dan, and had been surprised how much she’d enjoyed them. She’d always had this impression the wives would be vacant, the men chauvinists. Maybe it was a stereotype she had caught from TV programmes and films. But the truth was they were usually rather fascinating: one wife she met the month before was an A&E doctor and Caroline, the woman sitting next to Charity now, was a TV producer.

‘Certainly not,’ Charity said, taking a sip of her wine. ‘Otherwise Dan and I will be settling down to watch one of the wonderful dramas you’ve produced and I’ll see one of my patient’s stories on there.’

Everyone laughed and Dan squeezed her leg under the table, smiling at her.

‘So Caroline, how—’ Charity paused. Niall had just walked in on the other side of the restaurant. He was wearing a smart pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt, and was with two women and an older man.

Dan followed her gaze, his face tensing.

‘Charity?’ Caroline asked.

She dragged her eyes away and looked at Caroline. ‘I was just wondering how long you’ve worked at the BBC?’

‘Ten years, feels more like fifty.’ As she talked about how she got her job, Charity couldn’t help but look back at Niall again. A waiter was leading him and his companions over to the table next to them.

‘Well well well,’ Caroline’s husband Miles said quietly as the group sat down. ‘There’s our local politician. You really have brought us to the best restaurant in Southampton, Dan.’

‘Oh, that’s the photographer Niall Lane with him too,’ Caroline said. ‘I saw his exhibition the other week, such a talented man. Real rising star.’

Dan watched Niall with narrowed eyes.

‘So, Dan,’ Miles said. ‘When will work start on the building of your wonderful ship?’

‘Next spring, I hope,’ Dan replied. ‘I have a brilliant naval architect on board. Now
he’s
a rising star. You should see the plans he’s drawn up, they’re astounding.’

Niall looked up at the sound of Dan’s voice. He noticed Charity, his eyes widening.

‘So when will I see the plans?’ the man asked, leaning back in his chair as he nursed his brandy.

Dan shot him a big smile. ‘Well, never of course.’

Niall frowned, clearly hearing the conversation thanks to Dan’s raised voice.

The man frowned as well. ‘But I’ll need to see them if I want to get the ball rolling on our purchase.’

Dan shrugged. ‘You won’t be purchasing it.’

Charity and Caroline exchanged confused looks. Wasn’t that what this meal was all about?

The man examined Dan’s handsome face. ‘You’re joking with me, aren’t you?’

‘Not at all,’ Dan said, casually flecking some fluff off his pink tie. ‘North Cruises will own the ship.’

Miles’s cheeks went even redder as his wife raised her eyebrow. ‘
You’re
launching a cruise line?’ Miles asked.

Dan nodded his head, clearly enjoying the man’s confusion. ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing.’

Charity looked at Dan, surprised. He hadn’t mentioned anything to her. It had always been about building the best cruise ship he could and then selling it to the highest bidder…not running a whole cruise line himself.

‘Then what was this dinner all about?’ the man said, his voice raised. Other diners turned to look, including Niall.

‘No harm assessing the competition, is there?’ Dan said. ‘I’ve learnt a few trade secrets in the past three hours that will help me.’

Niall watched Dan, eyes hard.

Miles pushed his chair away and stood up as his wife looked on, bemused. ‘You won’t get anywhere in this business playing dirty. We’re going.’

Caroline placed her napkin on the table and turned to Charity. ‘Well, despite this nonsense, it’s been a real pleasure meeting you, Charity.’

‘You too, Caroline.’

‘Watch this one, though,’ Caroline said as she stood up, tipping her chin at Dan. She smiled. ‘Good luck, Dan.’ Then they both walked from the restaurant.

Niall looked at Charity, frowning. Did he feel sorry for her?

She turned to Dan. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about your plans? I looked like a clueless bimbo just now.’

‘I hadn’t quite made my mind up until now.’

‘But it’s a massive decision. You can’t just make it over dinner.’

‘Darling,’ Dan said, placing his hand over hers. ‘It’s been in the pipeline for months. I just needed a few more details in order to make my decision, Miles provided them. Amazing what a bottle of champagne can do to a man like him.’

‘I thought it was rather cruel.’

Dan tensed. ‘Really? You do know how much this meal will cost, don’t you? The champagne alone was over a hundred pounds a bottle. I think I paid rather handsomely for his time.’

Charity shook her head.

‘Oh, Charity,’ Dan said. ‘This is the way business works. We’re all pieces on a chessboard.’

‘What does that make me then? The pawn, brought here to look pretty and lull him into a false sense of security?’

Dan’s face grew serious. ‘You’re more than just pretty, Charity, and you know it.’

‘We should get the bill,’ she said, feeling people’s eyes on them, including Niall’s.

‘But we said we’d stay on after, get a few more drinks. ’

‘No, Dan. I want to go home.’

Dan grabbed her arm, leaning towards her. ‘It’s because of Niall, isn’t it? You can’t handle being in the same room as him.’

Niall stood up and walked over to the table, his eyes on Dan’s hand. ‘Everything okay, Charity?’

Dan released his grip and stood up, shaking Niall’s hand. ‘Niall, how are you?’

Niall ignored him, still looking down at Charity. ‘Charity?’

‘I’m fine,’ Charity said. ‘We were about to leave. Shall we get the bill?’

‘You don’t look fine.’

Dan glared at Niall. ‘She said she’s fine.’

Niall’s blue eyes slid over to Dan. ‘I heard what just happened now with that cruise line owner. That’s the problem with people like you, you’ll do anything to anyone to get to the top.’

Dan laughed. ‘Says the man having dinner with the politician.’

‘He’s a good man, done more for this community than you ever will.’

‘Really? He’s paid towards the opening of a new community centre, has he? I think I’ve achieved more here in the past three months than that man has. Action, Niall, not talk talk talk.’

Charity stood up. ‘Oh God, you two, will you both just shut up?’ She walked out from behind the table. ‘Sort the bill out, Dan, I’ll get us a taxi.’

Dan reached for her. ‘Charity, don’t—’

‘Dan North?’ a man said, walking up to the table. ‘Gareth Jones, we met two months ago. I was meaning to talk to you actually, I might just be able to help you with that problem you were having with steel supplies.’

‘Ah, Gareth,’ Dan said, fixing a smile on to his face, half an eye on Charity as she walked out of the restaurant, Niall following.

‘Don’t follow me, Niall,’ Charity said as she shrugged her coat on and opened the door, stepping outside.

‘I don’t like the idea of you being with someone like him.’ He strode alongside her as she walked down the road towards the taxi rank. ‘Are you sure you trust him?’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Lana told me Dan manipulated her into making a pass at me in India.’

Charity raised an eyebrow. ‘And you believe her?’

He sighed, running his hand over his stubbled face as though exhausted. ‘I think I do, actually. After the exhibition in Norfolk, we talked. She thinks Dan wanted something to happen between me and her. On the way to India, he kept talking to her about how needy she was; how he wished she could appear more unavailable to him.’

Charity shook her head. ‘I can’t see Dan saying something like that to someone as vulnerable as Lana.’

‘She seemed sincere. She told me he actually said to her that if she showed him other men could find her attractive, he might find her appealing too. He mentioned me specifically. She said he pretty much bet her she couldn’t seduce me, that I probably found her too needy too. That’s a form of psychological manipulation, right?’