by Neale, Kitty
God, what a mess. What was he going to do? Part of him wanted to run to Ruth for comfort. But realistically, the relationship they’d embarked upon didn’t include comfort. Excitement, brutal passion, satisfaction, yes. But they were too competitive and driven to find much time for comfort.
What if she found out? Did Denis know, for instance, and would he be likely to say anything? No, Adam reasoned, Denis was decent to the core and had been loyal to him, even when offered lucrative work elsewhere. He’d always found time to sort out any problems, although that of course was where the whole thing had begun, when he’d offered to send his nephew Adam’s way.
He managed to avoid thinking about the next logical step: that if he hadn’t decided to sabotage Ruth’s properties, then none of this would have happened. Joe would have had no ammunition. Adam was more worried about how he was going to prevent her discovering the whole sorry mess. If anything he now needed her, and her savings, even more. And he would be bitterly disappointed if their nights together were to come to an end, as they surely would if she learnt he’d been trying to wreck her business. While he couldn’t say he loved Ruth, he found her completely addictive and couldn’t imagine going back to how they were before. He could cope with her foul temper in the office, as long as he had her where he wanted her in his bed.
Morosely, Adam stared at the bottom of the coffee mug. All that money, gone just like that. He felt like one of those cartoon characters running off the edge of a cliff, legs still powering away but with nothing but air beneath. How was he going to survive now?
He couldn’t summon the energy to move when he heard the door opening.
Ruth rushed in, gorgeous as always, briefcase in one hand and files in the other, in full professional mode. She came to an abrupt halt when she saw the look on his face.
‘What …’ she began.
‘Don’t ask,’ he said. Then he came to a decision. ‘I’ve made a really stupid mistake.’
As he walked across the park, Robert felt as if he was bunking off school – or imagined that was what it would have felt like if he’d ever tried it, which he hadn’t. But the sun was out, the immediate daily tasks were done and Ruth was due back at any moment, so he was free to take an extended late lunch break. God knows he’d covered her back enough over the past couple of weeks when she’d arrived late, left early or simply not appeared at all.
As he’d guessed, there was the woman he wanted to see, with the child, and somebody else who was impossible to miss as she was wearing very bright colours. Even in Margate, where holidaymakers loved to dress brightly, she stood out.
There was a cry of delight and the little girl broke away from the group, yelling, ‘It’s Robert, it’s Robert,’ at the top of her voice. She then barrelled straight into him, nearly knocking him flying.
‘Hello, Penny,’ he said, trying not to wince. ‘Still practising the rugby tackles?’
‘What’s them?’ asked Penny, mouth all covered in chocolate. ‘Come over here, Aunty Lorna’s got someone with her, and she said the ice creams were bloody lovely.’
‘Did she?’ said Robert, wondering who was going to get into trouble for that one. He could see the woman in the gaudy colours more clearly now. She had bright red hair and was slimmer than her cousin – too thin, he thought, like she runs off nervous energy all the time. Still, that might be no bad thing when it came to dealing with Penny. Grimly he noticed a patch of chocolate on his trousers where she’d collided with him. Oh well, it would come off. Probably.
Lorna was beaming at him. ‘What good luck you’re here,’ she said. ‘This is my cousin, Maureen. Maureen, Robert – Robert, Maureen.’
‘Pleased to meet you, I’m sure,’ said Maureen with a saucy grin. ‘Heard all about you, I have.’
‘Delighted,’ said Robert, shaking her hand, which was covered in big bright rings. ‘Lorna’s been looking forward to seeing you.’
‘I love it here!’ Maureen exclaimed. ‘And doesn’t it suit her? You should have seen her before, all down in the dumps she was, with a face like a wet weekend.’
‘Oh stop it,’ said Lorna, but he could tell it was all done with affection. ‘You do exaggerate. You always did.’
Penny had clearly had enough of grown-ups talking and grabbed Maureen’s hand. ‘This way,’ she insisted, ‘I need to show you the lake.’
‘Looks as if your cousin is a hit,’ Robert smiled, turning to Lorna, secretly pleased he had her to himself.
‘Absolutely,’ agreed Lorna. ‘Penny loves her. It’s partly the clothes. Pity about the swearing but I’ll deal with that later.’ They wandered slowly in the direction of the lake, in no hurry to catch the others up.
‘Can’t see Ruth being happy about the bad language,’ Robert replied, ‘even if she uses far worse herself.’
‘Well, that’s Ruth for you,’ said Lorna. She turned her face up to the sun, and he noticed that she had a new smattering of freckles across her nose. They suited her, he thought. Come to think of it, there was a glow about her. Must be the change in the weather. Then she looked serious, and turned back to him.
‘Actually, Robert,’ she said, all trace of fun gone from her voice, ‘I’m glad you’re here, for a different reason.’
Oh no, he thought, what was it now? Was her mother worse, or was it something closer to home? Lorna seemed to be steeling herself to speak again.
‘Well, you know you can tell me anything,’ he said lightly, hoping he’d misunderstood.
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I really feel I can. And that’s just as well. You see, I’ve got a confession to make. You might think I’m crazy and jumping the gun but I don’t want us to get off on the wrong foot. So … I have something to say to you.’
Ruth sat back in her chair, trying to make sense of what she’d just heard. She didn’t know whether to believe it or not. She realised that she had made a huge assumption about Adam: that he knew what he was doing. Well, she’d been wrong on that count, for a start.
He’d told her how he had been blackmailed – and by Denis’s nephew, of all people. Ruth hadn’t met the lad but Denis had gone on and on about him, what a good workman he was, even if he’d got into a bit of trouble when he was younger, which was why he’d wanted to give him a leg up. God, Ruth had thought, what I would have given for someone like Denis to help me when I was that age. That boy doesn’t know how lucky he is. Then she’d shaken herself. It wasn’t the time to revisit her horrible childhood – there were decisions to be made, and quickly.
Apparently Adam had been unwise enough to get Joe to tamper with a few properties on the edge of town that were for sale through a rival estate agency. Nothing too obvious but enough to put off any prospective buyers, and that in turn would annoy the sellers, who’d then look for another agent to sell through. It wasn’t as if anyone had got hurt – but it had certainly threatened Adam’s bank balance, and his confidence.
So, he’d overreached himself and now didn’t know how to deal with the consequences. Part of Ruth wanted to let him sort it out, serve him right for thinking he’d get away with being so stupid. Yet she couldn’t pretend she felt nothing for him now that they’d shared such passionate nights together. Besides, the lad had been clever, threatening to undermine the agency’s reputation. There was no way that could be pinned on him. Even though they ran two separate businesses, mud would stick and she risked being damaged too. That would not do. She’d have to act, to save both of them.
She cast her mind back to anything Denis had said about his nephew. He’d worked in Croydon – but also across South London. Alarm bells had rung even when he’d said it, but she’d told herself not to be stupid. Vincent Chase was dead, and there would be none of his henchmen left who could threaten her. Still, it would be best to be cautious. She pushed herself up and stalked back around the cabinets to where Adam was still slumped.
‘Listen,’ she said. ‘Did you ever mention my name to Joe? Or do you think he’s ever seen me?’
‘What
?’ said Adam, confused. ‘Not that I know of. He only came here when I was alone.’ He had the grace to look ashamed. ‘Obviously I wouldn’t want you or Robert to hear what we talked about. But he’ll know your name – it’s on the sign outside, for a start.’
Hmm, thought Ruth, that should be okay. Nobody from her past life knew her as Mrs Hamilton-Smyth, and hardly anyone even knew she was called Ruth. She’d just have to assume it would be fine.
‘Right,’ she said. ‘What do we know about Joe Young?’
‘Well, he’s a very good plumber …’
‘No, no,’ Ruth said impatiently, ‘what are his weak spots? You’ve got to think like him, Adam. He saw your weak spot at once.’ Or one of them, she growled to herself. Really, she should have watched him more closely and not been blinded by his good looks. But she’d have to put that to one side for the moment. ‘What does he do in his spare time? What did he say about his past? What has Denis ever said about him?’
‘Hell, it’s really hard to say,’ Adam groaned. ‘I can’t seem to think straight.’
‘It’s just as well I’m here then,’ Ruth snapped. Now was not the time for sympathy. ‘We know he was in trouble before. That’s why he’s in Margate. What sort of thing might it have been? Women? Gambling? Anything worse?’
‘He must have been involved with a heavy crowd,’ Adam sighed. ‘I think he’s no stranger to violence.’
‘Unlikely to hit me, though,’ said Ruth confidently. She’d had more than enough experience of judging who was going to beat her and who wasn’t, though she didn’t intend to explain that right now. ‘One thing comes back to me. Denis always mentioned meeting him in a pub. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a drinker.’
Adam’s eyes lit up. ‘Although he never smelt of it when he came here, he would say he was off to the pub afterwards … actually he said that quite a lot.’
‘So, drinkers need money,’ she said, piecing it together, ‘but not that much. Denis is helping him out – do we think he’s got debts?’
‘Now you say it, I did get that impression,’ said Adam, more alert now. ‘Debts, from someone in this heavy South London crowd. That was one reason he was so keen to work odd hours – he wanted the extra cash.’
‘And as Denis is putting him up and he’s working all hours, he’s got nothing left to spend it on but booze,’ guessed Ruth. ‘Let’s start from there. I’ll try the nearest pubs.’
Adam made to rise from his desk.
‘Oh no you don’t,’ she said at once. Then she relented a little, giving him a slow smile. ‘Leave this to me. A little feminine persuasion is called for here.’
‘So you see,’ said Lorna, hanging back so that she was in the shade of the park fence, ‘that’s why I’ll understand if you don’t want to know me any more.’ She swallowed hard, bracing herself for Robert’s reaction, hoping against desperate hope that he wouldn’t simply back off and run. She turned away from him, dully noticing that the clematis was about to bloom.
Robert seemed to be at a loss for words. Finally, he cleared his throat.
‘Oh my dear girl,’ he said. ‘Oh you poor thing. What a cruel thing to happen. I can’t begin to imagine … to want the one thing so badly and to know you can never have it. That’s just dreadful. How brave of you to tell me.’
Lorna had been so prepared for his disgust that it took her a moment to understand what he was saying. Gradually it dawned on her that he was still there. Somewhere deep inside of her, there was the tiniest burst of hope.
‘Really?’ she asked, her eyes searching his face now.
‘Really,’ he said.
‘You don’t think I’m a freak?’ she went on. ‘Or that … that I’m not a proper woman?’
‘Not a proper woman?’ he repeated. ‘Oh Lorna, you are every bit a woman. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful a woman you are. Everything about you … there’s nobody like you, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.’
She was stunned. ‘Me? No, that can’t be right!’ She couldn’t stop the pleasure from showing on her face. ‘I wouldn’t call me beautiful. That’s Ruth, that’s Maureen. But thank you, thank you.’ She realised she must be blushing as pink as the flowers budding on the fence.
‘I’m not interested in Ruth or Maureen,’ said Robert seriously. ‘They can’t hold a candle to you. And I’m, well, I’m flattered you told me. I hope that means you trust me, because you can, Lorna. You can trust me with anything. I would never let you down.’ He reached out and held her hand. ‘You do believe me, don’t you?’
She didn’t hesitate. ‘Yes, I do,’ she said. ‘I can’t think of anyone I’d trust more. And I know this must be a strange thing to be discussing, but I didn’t want … didn’t want … to deceive you. I wanted to be honest, right from the beginning.’
‘The beginning?’ he repeated, smiling now. ‘Are we beginning something? Is that what you’d like?’
‘Yes, I think so,’ she said, suddenly filled with confidence. ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I would like.’
‘That’s good,’ Robert said, ‘because it’s exactly what I’d like too.’
Sounds of voices approaching made her jump but before Penny and Maureen could reach them, Lorna plucked up her courage, leaned towards him and very quickly kissed his cheek.
‘To beginnings,’ she said.
Ruth scanned the public bar for anyone of the right age in a donkey jacket, which Adam had assured her Joe always wore. Several older men had them on, despite the sun, and they all looked up to observe the newcomer. God, she thought, men were so predictable. At least she didn’t have to try to please any of this lot.
Over in the corner, almost facing away from the door, was a likely contender. Ruth sized him up. Young, messy hair, the hideous donkey jacket. And now that she could see a little more of his face, he looked rather like Denis. Time for action.
She swept across the room and sat on the red velvet stool opposite him. ‘Joe Young?’ she said, eyebrow raised, as she took in the half-finished pint and the chaser – whisky, if she wasn’t mistaken.
‘Who wants to know?’ asked the young man, taken completely by surprise.
‘Right,’ she said, not answering his question – he’d figure it out soon enough. ‘This needn’t take long.’
‘What do you mean?’ he spluttered.
‘Look,’ said Ruth, summoning all the haughtiness she’d used when on stage to intimidate her audience. ‘We both know what you did this afternoon and I’m here to point out a few things to you. One, when you cross Mr Mortimer, you cross me, and, believe me, you really, really don’t want to do that. Two, I am more connected than you could begin to imagine and whatever sad excuses for tough guys you think you’re involved with will seem like puppy dogs compared to the people I know. Three, you are drunk.’ She paused to judge the effect her words had had. Good, they seemed to have hit home.
‘What do you want?’ the man asked, slightly slurring his words.
‘Let’s see,’ said Ruth, sizing him up. No, he wasn’t in any state to cause trouble, but seemed just about sober enough to remember what she was going to tell him. ‘Obviously, the money. Looks as if you’ve spent some of it already, but I’ll have the rest back now, thank you. And,’ she forced herself to bring her face closer to his, despite the smell of sour beer, ‘if I ever hear any rumour doubting Mr Mortimer’s reliability, I’ll know where it came from. And I will find you. Don’t even think I won’t. And when I do you will be very, very sorry.’ She paused. ‘Do I make myself clear?’
The young man seemed completely gobsmacked. ‘How did you know I was here?’ he gasped.
‘Because I always know where to find you, of course,’ she snapped. Good, he hadn’t even questioned who she was. She held out her hand. ‘The money. Now.’
He slumped over his pint, apparently defeated. Then he fumbled for his jacket, searching the pockets until he found an envelope. ‘Here,’ he mumbled. ‘Take it. Then leave me alone.’
&nb
sp; ‘Many thanks,’ said Ruth imperiously, snatching the envelope and thrusting it into her bag. ‘I won’t say it was nice doing business with you because that would be a lie. Goodbye. You’d better hope our paths don’t cross again.’
With that, she rose once more and pushed her way out of the bar, noticing with distaste its grubby carpets and yellowed paintwork. Stepping out into daylight, she took a deep breath. She hadn’t enjoyed that – but at least she hadn’t forgotten Vincent Chase’s old methods. It was quite satisfying to use them against someone, rather than having them used against her.
‘Who’s yer lady friend?’ came the catcalls back in the bar. Joe Young glared at the wall, ignoring them all. He was just glad he’d had the forethought to divide the money he owed his creditor from the extra he’d got out of Mortimer and planned to spend on himself. At least he’d kept what he needed to. Sadly, Joe realised that his time in sunny Margate was well and truly over.
Chapter Sixteen
May 1979
‘This is a day that will go down in history!’ Ruth dashed into the living room and switched on the television for the evening news. She turned to her daughter. ‘Come and look at this, Penny. It’s important.’
‘Who’s that?’ asked Penny, chewing the last of her eggy soldiers.
‘Her name is Margaret Thatcher and she’s our new Prime Minister,’ Ruth told her. Then, seeing the child’s look, she explained. ‘She’s going to run the country. It’s the first time a woman will do it.’
‘That’s good!’ Penny exclaimed. ‘Women are better than men anyway.’
‘My, my, you have been picking up some ideas.’ Ruth looked at the girl with approval. ‘Why do you say that?’
