’m pleased we bumped into each other the way we did,’ Marietta Hughes said, smiling across at Evan. Mother and daughter were having lunch together in The Birdcage, one of the restaurants in the store. Chatting away easily, sipping their water as they waited for their food, they were completely relaxed with each other.

‘So am I, Mom,’ Evan responded, ‘and Saturday is always a good day for me. I’m usually working on my computer, catching up on paperwork. It gets really hectic during the week.’

‘I was going to call you after I’d strolled around the store, but I’m afraid I got caught up admiring the beautiful nightgowns,’ Marietta explained with a girlish laugh. ‘Imagine that, at my age.’

Evan merely nodded, sat gazing at her mother, thinking that Linnet’s words of an hour ago had been so true; Marietta didn’t look old enough to be her mother. She was forty-nine, soon to be fifty, yet she appeared much younger. Did she look suddenly youthful because she was obviously not suffering from depression? Was she happier and less burdened down with the problems of her illness? Or was it something else as well as better health? A face job maybe? No, her father didn’t have that kind of disposable income to pay for plastic surgery. Well, yes, he did actually, since his mother’s death; Glynnis Hughes had left both her and her father small legacies.

‘You’re staring at me, Evan. Have I got dirt on my face? Or don’t you like the way I’m dressed?’

Evan blinked, swiftly exclaimed, ‘Don’t be silly, Mom, of course you don’t have dirt on your face! And to be honest, I think you look great. Just as you did last night. If you want to know the truth that’s why I’m staring at you like this. You’ve undergone such a change it’s fantastic. You’re such a different woman I can hardly believe it.’

‘Sure you can, you’re seeing it and seeing is believing, isn’t it, Evan Hughes? Remember when I used to say that to you when you were little…’ Her mother’s voice trailed off when she saw the sudden puzzlement on Evan’s face.

Then Evan cried, ‘Of course, I remember! When I doubted there was a Santa Claus you said, “Seeing is believing,” and you and Grandma took me to the local department store to meet him one Christmas.’

Pleased that she had remembered Marietta broke into smiles, took a sip of her water, and remarked, ‘You were such a lovely child.’

Evan leaned across the table and said in a conspiratorial whisper, ‘Come on, Mommy, ’fess up, tell me what’s happened?’ When Marietta remained silent, Evan volunteered, ‘You’re on a new medication, aren’t you? And it’s changed your life, hasn’t it?’

Marietta still didn’t say anything and after a moment Evan sat back in the chair and waited. As the silence dragged on she wondered if her mother was upset, resented her probing, and she reached out, took hold of her hand, squeezed it. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t pry this way. It’s just that I’m thrilled you look so great, that you seem a bit better in health.’

‘I’m a lot better, and you’re not prying. And I do want to talk to you, Evan, but I don’t know where to begin.’

‘Begin at the beginning,’ Evan suggested, ‘and take as long as you want. I’m pretty much finished for the day, so I’ve plenty of time. And naturally I’m all ears.’

‘The beginning, yes…it started last February, just after you left. I don’t know whether you remember Auntie Dottie. She was my mother’s sister and she lived in LA, not far from my mother. They were very close until Mom died.’

‘I remember her vaguely; you used to talk about her sometimes. She’d worked as an actress in films when she was young, in the forties.’

‘That’s correct,’ Marietta said, looking surprised. ‘I can’t believe you even remember that, you only met her a couple of times when she came East with her husband on business. You were very small at the time. I was her only niece and she usually made a big effort to see me. Auntie Dottie was married to Howard Kempson. He was head of publicity at Ardent Pictures until his death about ten years ago.’

‘Do you know, I recall his death. You were upset, and that must have made an impression on me. Or you did, telling me stories about her working in pictures, and how she and Howard met.’

Marietta laughed. ‘She was only ever a bit-actress, but the family loved to boast about her movie career.’

The waitress arrived with their tomato salads, refilled their glasses with iced tea, and hurried away.

After a forkful of tomato salad, Evan urged, ‘So continue the story.’

‘In February, Auntie Dottie came to New York, to attend the fiftieth wedding anniversary of an old girlfriend from her Hollywood days. And we got together. She was pleased I was doing relatively well, but thought I should really be doing much better. She told me about her friend, Dr Anna Marcello, and insisted I make an appointment to see her.’ Marietta put down her fork, and leaned towards Evan. ‘I’ll never forget Auntie Dottie’s parting shot. She said, “Get up, get going and get a life. Before it’s too late, Mari.” I guess her words…just galvanized me.’

‘Sometimes we all need that kind of push from someone we trust.’

‘I went to see Dr Marcello, who did take me in hand,’ Marietta said. ‘She gave me new medication and superior health care. But it wasn’t only that which helped me to change for the better. Something else occurred.’

‘Tell me,’ Evan urged, her attention riveted on her mother.

‘Not long after Auntie Dottie’s visit to New York she died. She was in her eighties but seemed very fit to me, and she wasn’t a bit senile. She’d only been back on the West Coast a week or so when she had a fatal heart attack. To cut to the chase, as she would’ve said, she left me everything. Her apartment in Brentwood, some stocks, and her jewellery. It’s mostly costume but some of it is vintage and it’s very nice. Anyway, as it said in her will, I received all her worldly possessions.’

‘Just imagine you becoming an heiress, and all of a sudden, Mom. So unexpectedly.’

‘I didn’t inherit a fortune,’ Marietta laughed, ‘far from it.’

‘What did Dad say?’

‘Not much.’

‘Wasn’t he pleased?’ Evan asked, looking nonplussed for a moment.

‘Not really.’

‘But why not, Mom?’

‘Because by dying and leaving me her money and all, Auntie Dottie had changed the circumstances of my life. She’d made me independent.’

Evan gaped at her mother, flabbergasted. ‘Dad didn’t like it? Because you didn’t need him anymore? Financially, that is. You’re saying that, aren’t you?’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘How awful. But you’ve been married to each other all of your lives. Since you were twenty-one, Mommy! He couldn’t possibly think you were going to walk out on him now, because your aunt left you money. Or could he?’

‘I don’t know what he thought then, or thinks now, Evan. Your father never discusses it with me,’ Marietta answered, and drank some of her iced tea. ‘You know, I did take Auntie Dottie’s advice last February and went to Dr Marcello. And I was glad I had listened to her. So after her death and receiving the inheritance, I decided I must absolutely take charge of my life. And my inheritance as well.’

‘Because you know that’s what your aunt wanted you to do, right?’

‘Exactly. I contacted a real-estate broker on the Coast and put Auntie Dottie’s apartment up for rent. Furnished, of course. The broker had a deal for me within the week, and I now have a regular income from that. I didn’t sell the stocks, I kept them, and what money my aunt had in her bank account when she died I transferred to a bank in Manhattan. Where I had opened an account.’

‘Mom, I’m so proud of you! Congratulations!’

‘Thanks, that’s praise indeed, Evan, coming from you.’

‘I mean every word.’

‘I just want to say this, I haven’t gone mad with the money, you know. I’ve just bought a couple of new things. It’s nice to have some pretty clothes to wear. For a change.’

Marietta sounded so wistful when she said this, Evan looked up and stared at her mother. Hadn’t her mother ever had any nice things in the past? Not really, not that she could remember. Was that her father’s fault? Hadn’t he given her mother money to buy pretty things? Maybe he hadn’t been able to afford it then, in those days. Don’t blame him, Evan cautioned herself. Mom was very sick, always so sad, down in the dumps, depressed. Yes, Dad did his best, I’m sure of it, but he was awfully discouraged at times.

Evan concentrated on her salad for a few minutes, staring down at her plate, but looking at it more than eating. Suddenly she didn’t feel very hungry, and she put her fork down and straightened in the chair.

A silence fell between Evan and her mother, but it was an easy silence, and there was affection flowing between the two of them. And Evan began to wonder about something…wonder if she had been unfair to her mother all these years, always blaming her, applauding her father. Perhaps her mother had needed a bit of praise, too, and applause at times. And love from her. Guilt settled on her.

The waitress arrived, removed their plates, said she’d be back in a moment with their crab cakes, and hurried off once more.

Evan said quietly, her eyes on her mother’s face, ‘I want to tell you something, Mother. You really looked lovely last night, just as you do today. Dad must be pleased that you’re so much better, in every way. And looking so beautiful.’

‘I don’t know…I hope so, honey. But he doesn’t really pay much attention.’

Evan shook her head. ‘I can’t figure him out, Mom,’ she muttered, feeling suddenly annoyed by him and his behaviour.

Oh, I can, Marietta thought, but murmured, ‘The money’s not that important to me, as I said. I’m not going to rush out and buy lots of things. But I do like the feeling of independence it gives me, I like knowing that if I had to, I could support myself.’

For a moment Evan was at a loss for words. She understood what her mother was saying. What she couldn’t understand was her father’s attitude, one which was apparently grudging to say the least, by the sound of it. Was he jealous? Threatened? Did he really think her mother would leave him? But why would she do that? Suddenly, and with a small shock, Evan realized that she didn’t know much about their marriage. After all, she had left home nine years ago and gone to live with her grandparents Glynnis and Richard in Manhattan. Did they have a bad marriage? Had her mother been too ill for too long? Did he resent the lost years?

On the other hand, her father had become a success as an antiques dealer in recent years. He enjoyed his home, enjoyed living in a lovely old farmhouse in Connecticut. How out of touch I am, she thought. Do I know either of my parents anymore?

‘Please don’t judge your father too harshly,’ Marietta was saying.

Rousing herself from her racing thoughts, Evan replied, ‘I don’t judge him at all. However, I do want to ask you something. Last night you had a strange look on your face, when Dad said he hadn’t known that his mother had worked for Emma Harte.’ She took a deep breath and plunged. ‘It was contempt I saw, Mother, wasn’t it? Contempt on your face.’

‘Not contempt, Evan honey. Merely dismay.’

‘He lied to me, didn’t he?’

Marietta couldn’t bring herself to confirm this verbally, and so she simply nodded.

‘But why, Mom? Why does it matter that she worked for Emma? And why does Dad hate the Hartes?’

‘You’ve asked me three questions all at once, and I will answer them in three words…I don’t know.’

‘Let me ask you another question. If Dad knew Glynnis had worked for Emma Harte at the store, and he disliked the Hartes so much, why did he encourage me to go to London in January?’

‘Because he didn’t know about Glynnis and Emma then. Oh yes, he did remember that his mother had met Emma in the war years, and that they’d stayed in touch for a bit after the war. But he had no idea she’d been Emma’s secretary.’

‘He found that out after Grandma Glynnis died last November, didn’t he?’

Her mother nodded.

‘Did he discover some of his mother’s papers?’

‘A reference Emma had given Glynnis all those years ago, singing her praises as a secretary.’

‘And that’s all he found?’

‘Oh, yes.’

‘It still doesn’t explain why he’s taken this attitude with me.’

‘No. Unless–’

‘Unless what?’ Evan interrupted.

‘Unless he’s just terribly upset. From the moment you walked into this store you’ve been madly in love–with the store, with Linnet O’Neill, with Paula O’Neill and India Standish. And Gideon Harte, as well. Maybe your father feels abandoned by you, Evan. Threatened by them all, fearful of losing you. Perhaps he thinks you’ll never come home.’

‘Oh Mom,’ she said softly.

‘I know you’re not coming home, at least not coming home to live. I know you’re going to stay in England. You see, women are intuitive and also so much more practical than men, and we see things differently. We see them as they really are, and not as we’d like them to be, the way men do.’ Marietta sighed. ‘I know you’re very much in love with Gideon, and I’m happy for you, honey. You certainly have my blessing.’

‘And not Dad’s, is that what you’re saying?’

‘No, not at all. It’s as I said, he doesn’t want to lose you completely. You were always–the favourite, let’s face it.’

Changing the subject for a moment, Evan asked, ‘Why did you and Dad adopt Elayne and Angharad?’

‘I couldn’t have more children.’

‘But you were a manic depressive, you found it hard to look after me, never mind two more.’

‘Your father wanted a bigger family, Evan.’

Evan reached out, took hold of her mother’s hand and held it very tightly. Intently, searchingly, she looked into her face, saw its loveliness, its calmness, the curved contours, the wide brow; her face was unlined; it had always been unlined and calm, full of repose. She had unique eyes, not blue, not green, but a subtle turquoise. Her mother’s hair was a shining, blonde halo around her face, and Evan suddenly realized that Marietta had always looked like this, untroubled, calm, and perfectly beautiful in a quiet, very soft way.

Evan said, carefully, slowly, ‘It was you, Mommy…you who wanted another child…because he took me away from you. He made me his, didn’t he? He pushed you out, took me for himself.’

Marietta blinked and turned her head, swallowed the tears, made no response.

‘I love you, Mom. I really do love you. I always have,’ Evan whispered in a gentle voice.

‘And I love you, Evan,’ her mother answered, choked, and Evan saw the tears glistening in those extraordinary eyes.

The sudden arrival of the waitress with their crab cakes interrupted this conversation, and once they were alone again, had recovered their composure to a degree, Evan said, ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’

‘I know that. And after lunch I’d like us to go to your office for a moment or two. There’s something I need to tell you, explain to you.’

Wisely Evan didn’t ask what it was; she just nodded her acquiescence.

‘I want to tell you something about your grandmother,’ Marietta said to Evan an hour later, after they had settled themselves in her office.

‘Tell me then. Will it make me understand things better?’

‘I hope so, honey. Last summer, before she got really sick, Glynnis asked me to come into New York to have lunch with her. I was happy to go because I knew she cared about me, and I loved her. Actually, I thought she wanted to discuss my health or hers, I wasn’t sure which.’ Marietta stopped, wondering for a moment if she should continue. Was she not opening Pandora’s box, releasing terrible secrets?

Evan, sitting waiting, her eyes on her mother, cleared her throat several times, and pressed, ‘And why did Grandma want to talk to you?’ When Marietta remained totally silent, Evan exclaimed, ‘I bet it was about your health. She was always concerned about you. Glynnis loved you, you know.’

‘Yes, she did. However, that day she didn’t want to talk about me. Or even about herself. It was you she was fretting about.’

‘She was?’ Evan seemed taken aback by this revelation, and looked at her mother intently.

‘Yes, your grandma thought you were in a rut, going nowhere. Therefore, she told me, you must go to London. She was going to give you money and ship you off there. When I argued against this, asked her what you’d do there all on your own, she said you could work at Harte’s. She explained that she’d been close to Emma Harte once, knew the store because she herself had worked there during the Second World War. She told me that Harte’s in Knightsbridge was the perfect place for you.’

‘My God, Mom, she was planning it then! Didn’t she know Emma Harte was dead?’

‘I’m fairly certain she did, Evan, but she didn’t mention it to me that day. Glynnis said she wanted to put you amongst the Harte family, in their orbit, because that’s where you belonged. When I asked her what she meant, she became rather quiet, almost withdrawn. After a moment, she did start to talk about them once again, told me that she had a long history with the Hartes and that I should trust her. When I still opposed the idea of you leaving New York, she said that children were only ever lent to us for a short time, and then they must leave, have a life of their own. “Let her go,” she said, “send her to London. She’s irresistible.” Those were her exact words.’

‘She meant I was irresistible to the Hartes?’

‘Yes.’

‘What did Dad say?’

‘I never told him about the conversation. Your grandmother made me promise not to tell him. She put me on my honour.’

Evan leaned back in her chair, stared at her mother sitting on the other side of the desk, wondering just how much Marietta really knew. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask her mother if she knew that Glynnis and Robin had had an affair during the war, and then changed her mind immediately. It would be much wiser to probe a little more, rather than reveal the secret of her father’s parentage. She was still ambivalent, uncertain about telling him the truth. And so she said quietly, with a little smile, ‘Well, Grandma got her way in the end, didn’t she?’

‘That’s right, on her deathbed,’ Marietta murmured. ‘When she told you to go to London to find Emma Harte, because she held the key to your future, Glynnis surely knew exactly what she was doing.’

‘That’s true. Because she was absolutely certain I would do what she said, that I wouldn’t be able to resist going to London.’

‘I know you don’t have any regrets,’ her mother said, her eyes not leaving Evan’s face.

‘That’s true, Mom, I don’t. Did Grandma tell you anything else about her connection to the Hartes? Whether she knew all the family?’

‘No, she didn’t,’ Marietta answered, asking herself if she was doing the right thing by lying to her daughter. Well, she had no choice, at least for the moment. Perhaps later she would tell Evan everything, come clean with her, confide the truth.

Evan, scrutinizing her mother intently, exclaimed, ‘Mom, you look worried. Is there something you’re not telling me?’

‘No, of course not,’ Marietta lied.

‘If there is something on your mind, you could tell me, you know. I wouldn’t tell Dad.’

‘Good God, you mustn’t tell him what I’ve just revealed to you, Evan! I never said anything to him, not even after Glynnis died and you came to London. I promised his mother on my honour, and you must promise me now…promise the same thing.’

‘I do. I won’t tell Dad about your conversation with Grandma, I promise. On my honour.’

Marietta relaxed her body, let the tension ease out of it. She smiled at her daughter, and said in a low voice, ‘Thank you for today, honey, I’ve so enjoyed being with you…sharing…and I’m sorry.’

‘Sorry for what?’

‘Being absent in your life when you were growing up. We missed so much, you and I…’

‘You were sick such a lot. But there were times when you were there for me…I remember them all, Mom.’

‘I’m glad. About lunch tomorrow with Gideon, your father and I are both coming after all. I think he’s now quite looking forward to meeting Gideon.’

‘And George wasn’t upset that you can’t keep the date with him and Arlette?’

‘Of course not. That was just something floating around in your father’s head. Now, where shall we meet, and at what time?’

‘At the Dorchester at one o’clock. I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby,’ Evan replied, filled with happiness and relief that her parents were finally going to meet the man she loved and whom she had promised to marry.

It was two-thirty when India hurried into Tessa’s office at the store, exclaiming, ‘I’m sorry you couldn’t reach me. I got your message about my grandmother. Is she all right?’

‘She’s fine, India, in fact she sounds like a British general at the head of an army about to quell the natives, as she usually does. Great-Aunt Edwina must be made of cast iron.’

India burst out laughing. ‘I agree with you. Did she tell you what she wanted?’

‘Yes, you’re to phone her. But she also wants us to go to supper with her next week at Niddersley House. I said we would. But it will have to be Monday or Tuesday, because I have to come back to London on Wednesday afternoon. I’m going to Paris the next day with Lorne.’

‘That should cheer you up a bit,’ India said. ‘I wonder why Grandmother wants us to go to dinner with her? Did she give you a clue?’

‘None, but she sounded determined, feisty and, in a funny way, rather nice. I’ve often thought she was kind of–cool. Especially for a very old lady.’

‘I know what you mean,’ India concurred. ‘She doesn’t seem old, nor does she act it. Bustling around hither and yon like a youngster.’

Tessa smiled. ‘I’m to let her know tomorrow which evening we’re free.’

‘I’d like to make it Monday, if you don’t mind, Tessa, mainly because I’m hoping to take Dusty back to Willows Hall on Tuesday afternoon, and I’d be spending the evening there. Thankfully he’s very much on the mend, and the hospital’s going to discharge him at long last.’

‘I’m happy to hear he’s better, and Monday’s fine with me. When are you going to Yorkshire? Tomorrow afternoon?’

‘Yes. And you?’

‘The same. I’m taking Adele and Elvira with me. I want to get them settled before I leave on Wednesday. Linnet’s arriving at Pennistone Royal on Wednesday evening, to take charge, keep an eye on everything.’

‘I understand,’ India murmured, finally flopping down in a chair. She was convinced there was nothing to worry about now, since Jack Figg had turned the house and grounds into something akin to Fort Knox. India said, ‘They’ll be perfectly safe, to be sure they will. Any news of the dreaded Mark?’

‘Ugh, no,’ Tessa responded with an involuntary shudder. ‘Thank God. His solicitors are talking to mine, but it seems to be slow going. Mummy says it won’t be for much longer since once she gets back to London she’s going to light a fuse under them all.’

‘Knowing Aunt Paula, that’s exactly what she’ll do.’ India stood up again, moved over to Tessa’s desk and said, ‘Do you mind if I call my grandmother from here? And you can tell her a day early that we’ll see her on Monday.’

‘Be my guest,’ Tessa answered, indicating the phone.

India dialled, waited for the number to ring through, and when it was answered she said, ‘May I speak to the Dowager Countess, please.’

‘You’re speaking to her, India, dear. It’s me.’

‘Hello, Grandma. I’m with Tessa, she tells me you’ve been trying to reach me.’

‘Correct. I wanted to talk to you about your boyfriend. How’s he doing? Is he out of the hospital yet?’

India stared at Tessa, rolling her eyes and looking very surprised. ‘He’s better, Grandmother, and coming out of the hospital on Tuesday.’

‘Glad to hear it. You’d better bring him over to Niddersley House to meet me when he’s up to it. All right?’

‘Yes, that’s fine.’

‘He has a giant-sized talent. Correction, it’s more than great talent. The man’s a genius.’

‘Oh yes, he is,’ India exclaimed, relieved that her grandmother was sounding positive about Dusty, obviously had no objections to him. ‘Tessa wants to talk to you, today instead of tomorrow.’

‘You’ve settled on a date for supper, have you?’

‘Yes, Grandmother.’

‘When?’ Edwina barked.

‘Monday evening, if that’s all right with you?’

‘Naturally it is. I’m hardly leading the social life of a debutante in demand, India. Oh, and by the way, what’s all this nonsense about you and Tessa giving a dinner for me?’

‘She mentioned it then? We just thought it would be nice to…honour you, as the oldest living member of the Harte family.’

‘Don’t remind me of that!’ Edwina exclaimed, and then she chuckled. ‘Since you’re both part Fairley, as indeed I am, I’ll consider the idea. Do you think you can drag your father out of the bogs of Ireland? Will he come?’

‘I’m certain of it, Grandma.’

‘Let us discuss it on Monday. Seven o’clock sharp, India. Goodbye.’

‘’Bye,’ India said but Edwina had already slammed the phone down. India stared at Tessa and said in a puzzled tone, ‘She knew about Dusty? Who could have told her?’

‘You didn’t?’ Tessa asked.

‘No. I hadn’t told anyone except Linnet, and even then she didn’t know his name, only that I was involved with someone. It was after the stabbing that it all came out in the open.’

‘Then there’s your answer. The whole family suddenly knew,’ Tessa pointed out.

‘She probably got it from Uncle Robin, because Evan chats to him every day, well, practically,’ India remarked, making a good guess.

‘Do you care she knows? Anyway, what was her reaction?’

‘She says he’s a genius…she wants to meet him.’ India returned to the chair, leaned back against the cushions and muttered, ‘The problem is, he won’t want to meet her.’

‘Why ever not?’

‘Because he thinks the family’s stuck up, snobbish, all that silly stuff, just because Daddy has a title.’

‘I bet he will meet her if you paint the right picture, oh, do excuse the pun. You must make her sound like a real eccentric, which she is.’ As she was speaking Tessa turned off her computer, reached for her handbag and said, ‘I’ll meet you at Niddersley House on Monday evening, and now I’m going home to be with my child.’

India jumped up, saying, ‘I’m going to call it a day, too. Do you have your car, or can I give you a lift to your mother’s house?’

‘I was going to walk, but that’d be great, India, thanks.’

Within minutes the cousins were strolling to the carpark not far from the store. As they turned into the small parking lot, Tessa said, ‘I’m surprised you still use this place, after what happened to Evan, the way she was mugged around here in June.’

‘It’s all right in the summer months,’ India explained, ‘when it’s still light. I’ll have to make other arrangements in winter, probably use a car service, or a driver, like you do.’

‘I think that would be extremely wise on your part,’ Tessa remarked as they came to a stop next to India’s Aston Martin. ‘It’s so dangerous in London lately…even in daylight.’

On the way to Paula’s house in Belgrave Square, India spoke for a few minutes about Dusty and the portrait he was painting of her, and then she suddenly asked, ‘How long are you going to live with your mother and father, Tessa?’

Glancing at her swiftly, Tessa replied, ‘Until the divorce is final and everything’s settled with Mark.

Then I’ll find a flat. I don’t want to live at the Hampstead house, even though it’s actually mine. I can’t bear the place, Mark turned it into something so ugly, cold and grim. He can have it and he’s welcome.’

‘I know he wants a lot.’

‘He does. My mother seems to have some sort of plan, but I won’t know about it until she gets back at the beginning of September. In the meantime, the Belgrave house is rather large, and there’s the downstairs flat, Paul McGill’s old quarters. I have a bit of privacy down there, if I need it.’

As they turned into Belgrave Square, India said, ‘Can I pop in for a minute? I’d love to see Adele, give her a hug.’

‘Of course. Oh, my God, India! That’s Mark on the doorstep, ringing the bell. Oh God, what does he want?’

India said firmly, ‘Don’t panic. We can deal with him,’ and a moment later she brought the car to a standstill outside the house, pulled on the brake. ‘Keep calm,’ she murmured as Tessa made to get out of the Aston Martin.

‘I will.’ Alighting, Tessa hurried across the pavement, exclaiming, ‘Mark, what do you want?’

He swung around on hearing her voice. ‘I want to see my daughter, that’s what. You’re keeping her from me and that’s not fair,’ he said in a belligerent voice, his face turning red, filled with anger.

‘You know you’re supposed to make an appointment, you can’t just show up like this,’ Tessa cried, drawing to a stop at the bottom of the steps, staring up at him, trying to hold her emotions in check.

‘Well, here I am, Mrs Longden. It’s my right to see Adele, she’s my child. I love her and she loves me.’

‘You forfeited the right to see her the day you abducted her,’ Tessa told him.

‘I didn’t abduct her, I just took her out for a drive and lunch. I brought her back unharmed, I would never harm her, whatever you might think, and I have said so to your solicitors. You’re unconscionable, the way you’ve badmouthed me.’

‘You cannot see her until we have an iron-clad agreement,’ Tessa announced coldly, glaring at him. ‘You’re the one slowing it down.’

‘You’re such a bitch, and–’

At this moment the door flew open and Harriet, the housekeeper, stood on the threshold, having just responded to the ringing doorbell.

‘Oh, it’s you, Miss Tessa,’ she said, and waited for instructions, since, like the rest of the staff, she knew the situation.

India hurried to join Tessa and took hold of her arm. ‘I think it might be better if we let him come in for tea. You can’t stand here, having a shouting match, it’ll be much easier in the end.’

Tessa walked up the steps with India at her side, and said to him in a lowered voice, ‘Come in then, Mark. We’ll have tea with Adele.’

Harriet was hesitant for a split second, and then opened the door wider for Tessa. ‘It’s all right,’ Tessa murmured. ‘There’s no problem, Harriet. Is Ben here?’

‘Yes, thank God,’ Harriet muttered, relieved that her husband was in the house watching TV.

Once they were inside the hall, Tessa turned to Mark and said in a voice dripping ice, ‘Just this once I’ll overlook the rules you agreed to last week. But this is it until we have the settlement worked out. Do you understand?’

He nodded, and quietly followed her up the stairs to the playroom which had been used by the rest of the family when they were young. Now it was Adele’s favourite place, her haven.

When they walked inside and Adele saw her father she smiled and waved, but it was Tessa to whom she ran, crying, ‘Mumma, Mumma, I’m glad you’re home.’

Tessa bent down, caught the running child, hugged her to her, kissed her cheek, and hugged her again. Then straightening, she said, ‘Here’s Daddy and Aunt India. We’re going to have a tea party. With you, Elvira and your dolls.’

‘Oh, that’s lovely, Mumma. And Reggi has just put the kettle on,’ she said inventively, in her usual imaginative way, pointing to the favoured rag doll.

‘Well then, let’s all sit down and wait for Harriet to make the tea,’ Tessa murmured lovingly.

An hour and a half later Tessa escorted Mark down the stairs to the marble entrance foyer. ‘Thanks,’ he said softly, and before she could stop him he had pulled her into his arms, began to kiss her face, stroke her silver-blonde hair. She struggled with him, finally managed to push him away, and exclaimed, ‘Don’t ever do that again! Ever, do you hear me?’

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to grab you so hard.’

‘Just don’t ever touch me. Not ever,’ she cried, her voice shrill.

‘Tessa, I’m sorry. I know I surprised you, I surprised myself. Look, I love you. Let’s try again, let’s start over, forget this divorce. Let’s be a family again. The three of us.’

Tessa stood in the middle of the hall gaping at him in fury, finding it hard to believe what she was hearing. The gall of him. He was preposterous. Suddenly, something in her snapped, and she cried, ‘Start again! You’ve got to be out of your mind. After all you’ve done to me–humiliated me, abused me, mentally and physically, stolen Adele. You’re insane to think I’d even consider it!’

‘Tessa, please, you’re exaggerating as usual.’

‘Please leave,’ she said, her tone icier than ever; she walked over to the front door and opened it. ‘Leave, Mark. Now.’

He threw her a sour look and left without uttering another word, the set of his mouth mean and ugly, his eyes filled with anger.

She slammed the door behind him and slid the bolt, then turned and ran upstairs. She was shaking inside, and still furious, but she managed to push the bland expression onto her face before she went back into the playroom.

India rose when she saw her, and hurried across the floor. ‘Is something wrong?’ she asked, knowing there was. Her eyes gave her away.

‘He just suggested we get back together. Can you believe that bastard? He tried to pretend he didn’t do anything to ruin our marriage.’