‘You can only lead a horse to water, Scarlet. Whether it drinks or not is up to the horse. And your mother was not my friend. She was, is, my family. My sister. I love your mum, which is why, as sad as I am, I know she is happy. She’s with your father now. Look. She’s wearing the bangle he bought her for their anniversary the night he died. He always said he would come back for her and she hung on to that for all of these years. Let her go, love.’
Everyone moved aside as the paramedics lifted Francesca onto a stretcher to put her into the back of the ambulance. Of course they knew Julie was right. Each in turn dried their eyes and they exchanged glances with each other. The mood was sombre. There was nothing more to say. Francesca was dead.
***
‘The cars are here, Julie.’ Looking out of the window, Katie saw the funeral cars pulling into the driveway. ‘It’s a nice thought, you putting her in Dad’s plot. Now they are together again. That was a good idea. None of us were thinking straight. Thank you for being here, Julie.’ Falling into Julie’s arms, Katie sobbed. Everyone had tried to be so strong lately, but Julie had held them all together, as usual.
‘Not my idea, Katie.’ Julie held back her tears and inhaled on her cigarette. ‘We talked one night, your mum and me, a while ago. I’m only carrying through the things your mother asked me to do.’
The funeral was a small affair. Family only, even though many people who had been touched by Francesca’s kindness sent flowers. The blazing hot sun shone, as they all stood there in their black funeral clothes.
‘Your mum wrote this poem,’ Julie said. ‘She wanted me or someone to read this, so here goes.’ Taking out a piece of paper, Julie stood there and read Francesca’s poem.
‘There is a thinly veiled curtain between life and death and only love has the power to reach up and part it, reuniting us with the ones we love. Love is like the eighth day of the week. It is not recognised scientifically, but it hovers over everyone, deep in our hearts. It’s the one thing we all yearn for. To love and be loved in return. Like I love you, Antonias Lambrianu.’
Wiping away a tear from her eye after reading the poem, Julie felt a cool wind blow across her arm, blowing her veil and hair slightly. She felt goosebumps on her face and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Looking around at everyone, she could see there was no breeze. In fact, there was no air. No one else had felt it.
Smiling to herself, she stroked her cheek. She could swear that she had felt Francesca’s lips kiss her cheek and her fingers stroke her arm, letting her know that all was well.
Everyone made their way back to the cars that were waiting for them. Julie still stood there and she threw a yellow rose into the plot.
‘Come on, Julie,’ Scarlet shouted. ‘Are you okay?’
Walking slowly back to her car, Julie was just about to get in when she looked back at the graveside. The sun was playing tricks with her eyes, because for one fleeting moment she thought she saw Tony standing beside Francesca with his arm around her waist.
Blowing a kiss before she got into the car, she said, ‘Bye, my beautiful Francesca.’ Then suddenly something popped into her mind, as though prompted, and made her smile. She remembered how Tony always complained when she never said goodbye to him. She laughed to herself.
‘Bye, Tony. Goodbye, Tony Lambrianu. You take good care of her, now.’
EPILOGUE
Scarlet sat behind her desk in her father’s leather chair. It had seen better days, but she got comfort from it. It seemed to give her strength. ‘Knuckles, go and get Adam for me. Tell him I want to see him. Oh, and after that, go to the salons and pick up the takings for me and take them to the bank.’ Over the years Scarlet had opened a couple of salons and still did her VIP customers herself. It was good for business. She also found it was the place to be when the wives of influential men gossiped. She had found out a lot of useful information that way and made some very influential friends.
‘Scat. What do you want? I haven’t done anything wrong.’ Adam stood in the doorway. He usually came under fire for his reckless behaviour with the ladies. But then again, Julie had reminded Scarlet of her father’s behaviour before he had married. It seemed they were like two peas in a pod.
‘Here. It’s time. These are for you.’ She handed over a bunch of keys.
Adam was unsure what they were for.
‘It’s the keys to Papa’s apartment, upstairs. It’s all yours now. You need a bachelor apartment and I know you use it. So, it’s yours. You’re twenty-one, now. You know how to do the accounts. You know how to fire a gun. You know how to run the casinos and, if I may say so myself, Knuckles has taught you how to fight and defend yourself very well. Your training is over.’
‘Really, Scarlet? You’re giving me the apartment?’ A wide grin spread across his face. With their father’s blue eyes and the cleft in his chin, combined with their mother’s wavy auburn hair, Scarlet had realised that Adam could talk the knickers off a nun! He had become quite the confident club manager now and asserted his authority well.
‘It’s time for you to take your seat beside me. You are Adam Antonias Lambrianu. The only male in the family with Papa’s blood. It’s time you took your seat in the office and ran the clubs alongside me. Sit down.’
‘Thanks, Scarlet. I will make you proud of me, I promise you that.’
Scarlet smiled at Adam, satisfied that Tony Lambrianu’s legacy was in safe hands. Katie and Christopher had the vineyard. Scarlet and Adam ruled the streets and the clubs. This was their own family firm, built up by their father and Jake.
Scarlet was nearly forty now. She presented a very striking figure in her designer clothes and full-length mink coats, with Knuckles by her side in his tuxedo as she posed for photographs at some premiere with the celebrities. She had worked hard, possibly harder than her father had. Everyone seemed to accept a man as the boss. But a woman had to go that one step further to prove herself.
‘I am proud of you, Adam. Now, close the door and take your seat beside me. This is going to be your empire now and we have work to do. You are the next generation of Lambrianu men.’ Scarlet’s voice was soft but demanding. She wasn’t a woman to cross.
‘Are you thinking of leaving, Scarlet? Surely not. You run these places with a rod of iron. Everyone fears that temper of yours. Some even say you’re worse than Dad.’ Adam tried to make a joke of it, but it was true. When people spoke about Scarlet now, it was with respect. The newspapers had someone else to talk about, with her celebrity status and Knuckles always by her side. But they were quickly favouring Adam and his female entourage.
‘Not in a million years, Adam. This is my turf and I will continue running it, but with you beside me.’
‘Hey, Scarlet. I have just had a thought. You know how people call you and Katie Scat Katz? Well, if they mix our names together they will call us Sc Am! Sounds about right to me.’ They both burst out laughing.
‘You’re right, Adam. Who would have thought it? A Lambrianu running one big scam. Close the door, Mr Lambrianu, and sit beside me. We have work to do.’
###
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Books by Gillian Godden
Dangerous Games
Nasty Business
Francesca
Dirty Dealings
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gillian Godden is a Northern-born medical secretary for NHS England. She spent thirty years of her life in the East End of London, hearing stories about the local striptease pubs. Now in Yorkshire, she is an avid reader who lives with her dog, Susie.
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Dirty Dealings Page 39
