Emily’s jaw dropped and she gave Paula a hard and baffled stare. ‘Doesn’t he know that you have Grandy’s power of attorney, and Winston’s, to act on their behalf in an emergency?’
‘I didn’t see any reason to say anything before he left,’ Paula murmured. ‘I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I’d have had to break the news that I’m the trustee, with Winston and Alexander, of our children’s shares in Consolidated, not him.’ When Emily said nothing, Paula insisted, ‘How could I tell him that, Emily?’
‘Well, you should have,’ Emily retorted crossly.
‘Perhaps,’ Paula admitted, ignoring her tone.
I bet she still hasn’t told him, Emily thought, but said, ‘Is Jim really going to rush to Ireland?’
‘I’m not certain. He was anxious to talk to Winston. Jim had been trying to reach him in Vancouver before he called here.’
‘You mean we were the last on his list and after all the urgent messages I left?’ Emily was flabbergasted.
Paula nodded. The two cousins exchanged long, very knowing looks, remembering their grandmother’s strictest rule, one that had been drilled into them continually. Emma had told them to always check with at least one member of the family in any emergency before acting, to resist talking to strangers, to be supportive of each other, and most importantly to close ranks to protect the family.
Paula said hesitantly, ‘I suppose he thought there was something wrong at the paper –’
‘He might not have been brought up by Grandy, but he sure as hell knows her rules!’ Emily exploded. ‘He ought to have called us first, then he would have had the facts. It might have prevented the row you two had if nothing else.’ She sat back jerkily, her annoyance with Jim apparent.
‘That’s true. Oh, never mind, Emily, it doesn’t matter. Look, I should have told you this the moment you arrived…Winston rang.’ Paula gave her a smile, determined to forget about Jim’s unreasonable behaviour.
‘When?’ Emily asked eagerly, then added pithily, ‘I bet he didn’t have long dialogues with the whole world first!’
Paula laughed for the first time in hours. ‘You’re absolutely right, darling. And he reached me just a few minutes after I’d hung up on Jim.’
‘Tell me everything Winston said, and please don’t miss out on one single word.’
Paula looked across at Emily with fond indulgence, her expression warm and caring. ‘Winston had been having lunch with the chairman of the board of the paper mill, at the latter’s home. When he finally got back to the hotel late this afternoon, afternoon in Canada that is, he found a pile of messages. Sam Fellowes had called – naturally – so had Sally, Jim and you. Since you’d left this number, and since Fellowes had said it was urgent they speak, Winston immediately suspected there was some sort of crisis at the paper. Naturally he wanted to talk to me or you before anyone else. Grandy’s golden rule is not something any of us is likely to forget. Winston was really thrown off balance when I told him Min was dead, and he was particularly concerned about Sally. “Keep that sister of mine as far away from Clonloughlin as you can,” he repeated quite a few times. I set his mind at rest, of course, and he was awfully relieved I’d been tough with her. He asked a lot of pertinent questions, which I was able to answer, and he said I’d done the right things, and that between the two of us we’d made all the right moves, too. He was also glad you’re staying here tonight.’
‘Does he plan to fly home?’ Emily asked.
‘No, not unless the situation at Clonloughlin changes – for the worse. He reminded me that we’d all been trained in the same army camp by the same general, and pointed out that he couldn’t contribute anything more than you or I could, and so therefore he intended to go about his business in a normal manner.’
‘He’s right of course.’ Emily paused for a fraction of a second, before asking, ‘Did you say anything about the row, Jim’s attitude towards you?’
‘Only in passing, Emily. I didn’t want to make a big thing about it, but I’m afraid Winston was fit to be tied. He was very down on Jim. He also said Fellowes was a fool, that his job had been in the balance for a long time. And then he sort of wondered aloud why Jim hadn’t spoken to me before calling Fellowes back.’ Paula shrugged. ‘I told him his guess was as good as mine. In any event, he’s going to talk to Jim about Fellowes, and also about going to Ireland. He thinks Jim should stay in Canada, but I got the feeling Winston wouldn’t interfere if Jim insisted on leaving for Dublin tomorrow. That’s about it, but he asked for you, of course, and he sends his love.’
‘I do wish I hadn’t missed him. I was longing to talk to him,’ Emily said a little wistfully.
‘Oh you can do that, any time after midnight – our time,’ Paula immediately volunteered. ‘Winston’s not going out this evening. He told me he would order something up to the suite, and he indicated he was going to ring Sally and Jim, and I suspect he’s going to give Sam Fellowes an earful.’
‘I’m sure he is, and I’ll give him a buzz a bit later.’ Emily rose, slipped out of her cardigan and hung it on the back of the chair. ‘What about your father…did he reach Philip?’
‘Yes, about an hour ago, only a few minutes after you’d left for Pennistone. It was breakfast time at Dunoon and Grandy was up, having her morning tea and toast with Philip. She knows. Daddy spoke to her as well.’ Paula eyed Emily carefully. ‘What do you bet we’ll hear from her before very long?’
‘Everything I have,’ Emily laughed. ‘It’s a certainty Grandy’ll ring us as soon as she’s had time to think up a few penetrating questions which are bound to catch us off guard.’
Paula could not help laughing with Emily. ‘That’s a bit naughty.’
‘Well, you know as well as I do that Emma Harte is always testing her grandchildren, to see if they’re on their toes. Why should tonight be any different?’
Throwing her a thoughtful glance, Paula said, ‘I don’t suppose it is, and let’s be thankful she brought us up the way she did…at least we’re capable of handling any emergency.’
‘Yes,’ Emily agreed. ‘And in the meantime, I’m going to revive the bubble and squeak and make us a lovely supper.’
CHAPTER 25
‘I’m beginning to think that Jim and I are always going to be at cross purposes, Daddy,’ Paula said.
David Amory, who was standing at the bar cabinet in the drawing room of his Regent’s Park flat, swung around. The remark had startled him inasmuch as he had caught a most discernible hint of irritation in his daughter’s voice. A dark brow lifted. ‘In what sense, darling?’
‘He sees things quite differently than I do. Of course, that’s all right, because everyone has their own vision of the world, of life, and each of us handles problems, people and situations in our individual way, as best we can. But Jim will never admit he’s wrong about anything, and he’s continually accusing me of over-reacting.’
David made no response. A wry smile flickered and his cool intelligent eyes held his daughter’s for a split second before he turned back to the bar and refilled their glasses. Carrying them over to the seating arrangement in front of the tall windows, he handed her the vodka and tonic, seated himself opposite her.
Settling back in the chair, David took a swallow of his scotch and soda, and asked, ‘Does he think you’ve reacted too strongly to the mess in Ireland? Is that it?’
‘Yes.’
David nodded thoughtfully. ‘Do you think you have?’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘Good girl. I’ve always rather admired your decisiveness, your unwavering attitude, and you’re one of the few women I know who isn’t forever changing her mind. So stick to your guns, and don’t let Jim upset you, especially when you’re certain you’ve made the proper moves. We can’t please everyone in life, Paula, and so the important thing is to be true to oneself. That’s your priority.’
‘I know it is.’ Paula leaned forward, said now with some intensity, ‘I have enough common sense to admi
t it when I’m wrong, but in this instance I’m convinced I was wise to take the precautions I did, to clap a lid on everything, to cover us for any eventuality. It may be a status quo in Ireland, and the national papers may have treated the story in a routine way – so far. But that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet.’
‘Naturally we’re not, and we won’t be until after the autopsy and the inquest.’ David gazed down into his drink reflectively. ‘I didn’t particularly like the wire service story that ran today in some of the papers…about the police investigating the mysterious circumstances surrounding Min’s death. On the other hand, there was no mention of Anthony. Thank God for the rather stringent libel laws in this country.’ He looked up, frowned. ‘I’m just praying that none of the more sensational dailies don’t blow the investigation out of proportion. Well –’ He gave her a kindly smile, finished, ‘We’re just going to have to sit this one out, darling. And getting back to Jim, I don’t wish to sound critical, but if you ask me he’s the one who has overreacted. It was quite unnecessary for him to fly to Ireland. Your mother is coping nicely.’
‘Yes she is, and I’m proud of her.’
Reaching for a cigarette and lighting it, David remarked, ‘For what it’s worth, you did exactly what Grandy would have done had she been here. Throughout the twenty-seven years I’ve known her, Emma has constantly told me she doesn’t like unpleasant surprises, and that in her lexicon prevention is infinitely better than any kind of cure. Jim may not concur with your decisions, your actions, but Grandy, Henry and I do, and we’ve all told you so in the last twenty-four hours.’
‘You’ve been very supportive, and when Gran called me again this afternoon, just before I left Leeds, she reiterated her confidence in me and in all of us, actually.’
‘So you said – and that’s the reason she’s decided not to come back. Look Paula, this may sound silly, when we’re under such a great deal of tension, but please do try to relax. I certainly shall. And don’t worry about Jim’s attitude. Whilst I’m fully aware you want his approval, you’d be wise to recognize you’re not going to get it, because he doesn’t understand –’ David stopped short, regretting this slip, not wishing to criticize his son-in-law. He had long been disappointed in Jim, but he had managed to keep his feelings to himself thus far. He had not even voiced them to Daisy.
Paula, quick as ever, said, ‘Were you going to say he doesn’t understand my reasoning, or that he doesn’t understand me?’
There was an awkward silence.
Paula stared at her father. David met her questioning gaze unblinkingly. He was convinced Jim Fairley did not have the slightest conception of his daughter’s character nor her business ethos, but electing to go with the lesser of two evils, he said, ‘Your reasoning.’
She nodded. ‘I’ve known that for some time now. Jim can be very naïve, which is especially surprising to me, since he’s a newspaperman accustomed to seeing so many of the worst aspects of people, of life. Yet his judgement is way off more often than not, and it seems to me that he looks at the world through rose-coloured glasses.’ She let out a tiny sigh. ‘And to be honest, I’m also starting to think he doesn’t understand the first thing about me, or the way my mind works, or why I do the things I do.’
David was conscious of the misery in her tone and he looked across at her, filling with concern at the sight of her forlorn expression and her confirmation of his own suspicions about Jim. ‘You can tell me to mind my own business if you want – but look here, Paula, is your marriage in trouble?’
‘No, I don’t think so, even though we do have our differences. I love Jim very much, Daddy.’
‘I’m sure you do and that he feels the same way, but love isn’t always enough, Paula. You’ve got to be able to live with someone twenty-four hours a day, year in and year out, and comfortably so on that continuing basis. And you can only do that if there is true understanding between the two of you.’
‘Yes,’ she agreed with a faint, hesitant smile, wondering whether to pour out her troubles to her father. She decided against it. Tonight was not the right moment. Adopting a more confident tone, she assured him, ‘We’ll work it out, I’m certain of that, because we really do care for each other. Please don’t worry, and don’t say anything to Mummy, will you? Promise?’
‘I promise, and I’m not going to pry, but I do want you to remember that you can confide in me any time you wish, darling. I love you very much and naturally your happiness is important to me.’ David drained his glass, continued, ‘As it is to your mother too. However, you’re right, she’d be disturbed if she thought your relationship with Jim was anything less than perfect.’
‘You’ve been so happy with Mummy, haven’t you, Daddy?’
‘Yes. Very. Mind you, we’ve had our ups and downs.’ David chuckled, noticing the look of genuine astonishment registering in Paula’s eyes. ‘It’s nice to know you were never aware of our rough patches, and we did have a few. But then any marriage worth its salt is never all sweetness and light. There’s a marvellous line in David Copperfield which I’ve always been partial to, and it’s very apt when I think of my marriage to Daisy …the strongest steel goes through the hottest fire. Yes, my dear, we had our troubles just like most people do. Nevertheless, we overcame them.’
Paula, still surprised at his revelation said, ‘Troubles. Were they really serious?’
Shaking his head and chuckling again, David told her, ‘Now, when I look back, they were very piddling, but when we were suffering through them they seemed quite monumental. Which is why I’m inclined to agree with you when you say you’ll work things out with Jim. I’m sure you will, and the marriage will be all that much better. But if it isn’t –’ He gave her a long hard stare. ‘Then don’t be afraid to let go, to end it whilst you’re still young and can find someone else. And don’t fall into the trap of staying together for the children’s sake if the marriage is seriously damaged. That kind of reasoning is cockeyed in my opinion. In the long run, everyone’s miserably unhappy, including the children. Self-sacrifice of that nature is for martyrs, and they usually end up being a pain in the rear end,’ he finished, deciding he had said enough, if not far too much perhaps. Still, Paula was strong, sound of judgement, and determined to lead her own life. He knew she would brook no interference. And neither he nor anyone else would have much, if any, influence on her decisions. Not now or in the future.
‘Thanks, Daddy, for being such a good friend,’ Paula said, ‘and for not pontificating as some fathers would. I see you’ve finished your drink, and I don’t really want mine, so let’s go to dinner, shall we?’
‘Splendid idea.’ He glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. ‘Why yes, we ought to get a move on. I have a table for eight-thirty at Ziegi’s.’
They went out into the hall together and as David helped her on with her coat he bent and kissed the top of her head, making a sudden gesture of affection. She pivoted to face him, stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek in return. ‘You’re a truly special man, Daddy.’
His eyes, usually so cool and appraising, filled with great warmth. ‘So are you, Daughter.’
Out on the street, David found a taxi at once, and after whizzing across town to Charles Street in Mayfair, they were being seated in the upstairs dining room of the famous club fifteen minutes after leaving the flat.
David brushed aside Paula’s announcement that she was not very hungry, as he had so often done when she was a child. He took matters into his own hands, ordered Colchester oysters, steak Diane and puréed vegetables for them both, perused the impressive wine list with a knowledgeable eye, finally selected a vintage Mouton Rothschild, then insisted Paula share half a bottle of champagne with him whilst they waited for the meal.
By unspoken agreement neither mentioned the difficult situation at Clonloughlin, wanting a respite from their worry. For a while Paula did most of the talking, discussing matters pertaining to the stores, of which her father was now chairman of the board since
Emma’s retirement. Paula had stepped into his shoes automatically, held the title of managing director, and in consequence it was she who bore the brunt of running the chain on a day-to-day basis.
He was content to sit back and listen, enjoying her company, her wit and her charm, not to mention her indisputably brilliant mind. But then his daughter had always intrigued him. When she had been growing up she had seemed, at times, more like Emma’s child than Daisy’s and his, in that Emma had made Paula her very own. He had vaguely resented this, but had never been able to combat Emma’s influence over her. Then when she was ten or thereabouts he began to understand that the child loved the three of them equally, played no one as a favourite, for with a wisdom that was remarkable, almost frightening, in one so young, she had made this perfectly clear to him, her mother and Emma. David was amused when some members of the family implied that Emma had brainwashed Paula to such an extent she had turned her into a clone. He knew his daughter had far too strong and stubborn a mind to follow the leader blindly, to permit herself to become something she was not, to accept indoctrination without question. The truth was much simpler. Emma had indeed trained Paula in her ways, but his daughter was already so much like Emma this had hardly been necessary. The similarities of their characters aside, they had always been on the same wave length and over the years this had become so finely tuned they appeared to read each other’s thoughts, and frequently finished sentences for each other, much to everyone’s amazement, including his own. But of all the qualities they shared, the one which truly impressed David was their ability to bring the most intense concentration and single-mindedness to the matter at hand. He was aware of the amount of mental and physical energy this took, and he considered it a great virtue in both women, a mark of their extraordinary genius. For genius it was.
Hold the Dream Page 38
