James asked Jerry to repeat the information a couple of times, to ensure that he hadn’t misunderstood, since he was struggling to accept what he was hearing.
He questioned the American about his sources and if they were trustworthy. Jerry explained that he had obtained the same information from two independent sources, both of which, he trusted implicitly.
Both sources stated that, in their opinion, the organisation that was acquiring large chunks of Harrison stock, had dusted off the shelf company specifically for this purpose. There was no doubt that the entity was being used as a device for a possible hostile takeover of Harrison Publishing.
Jerry asked James if he knew whether or not either of the two major shareholders was considering selling their controlling shares. James replied that, as far as he knew, neither was planning on doing so, although what he had just heard, may well suggest otherwise.
Jerry sighed, stating that it didn’t make sense.
But to James it did. To him, it all made perfect sense.
He thanked his friend, told him he owed him one and hung up.
Then, he took a few minutes to consider his next move.
He had been right. His concerns well founded.
He grabbed his coat. He’d have plenty of time to think about things on his way over there.
“…Of course we’re going to talk about it, Elisabeth, it’s big news,” Rupert said, as he poured wine into Adam’s glass.
“It all feels rather macabre to me, considering it only happened yesterday,” Elisabeth replied.
“Nonsense, Elisabeth. I think it’s all rather exciting,” Julie said, excitedly.
“Julie”, Ashley complained. “My thoughts are with those poor parents.”
“Are the police any closer to finding out what happened?” Rachel asked.
“Well, according to what I heard, it is an open and shut case,” Julie said. “The nanny was the only person in that apartment. Assuming it wasn’t a ghost of course.”
“Oh, don’t say that,” Rachel said, quickly.
“How are you settling in, Rachel?” Ashley jumped in, eager to change the subject.
Rachel forced a smile, “Oh yes, good, thank you.”
“You don’t sound too sure,” Rupert said.
“Oh well, you know, what happened with that little boy and all the other weird stuff with neighbours…”
Jason groaned inwardly.
“Other weird stuff. What other weird stuff? Tell us about it,” Julie said, eagerly.
Rachel looked at Jason as if seeking his approval.
He had already heard her stories today, while they were out shopping, and sought to play down her speculation that something sinister might be afoot in the building. So, he gave her a faint smile as if to say, it’s your credibility.
“Well, you know I told you I’d heard those voices coming from the apartment above us?”
Ashley nodded.
“No, I don’t know this, tell all.” Julie leaned forward.
Ashley rolled her eyes, playfully, “Rachel said, she heard voices coming from the apartment above her.”
“So?” Julie shrugged.
“The apartment’s been empty for months now.”
“No!” Julie said, excitedly, taking a sip of wine. “You heard voices?”
“Yes, well, things got really creepy the other day when I heard footsteps on the ceiling too. It sounded like two people running after each other. So I decided to go and investigate.”
She paused here as she remembered what she saw, or what she believed she had seen, and now she was wondering whether or not sharing this with a group of strangers was a good idea.
“Well?” Julie asked, taking another sip of her wine.
“Well, I don’t know. The apartment’s definitely empty. Dust sheets everywhere.”
“Wait a minute? You went in there, how did you get in?” Ashley asked.
“The door was open.”
“Really? And…?”
Rachel allowed the room to fall silent. Even the hired help had stopped what they were doing.
“Well, I don’t know if it was my imagination, which, of course, it most likely was,” Rachel forced a laugh, “But I think I saw something or someone.”
“Like what? You mean, like a ghost?” It was Julie talking again.
“I don’t know. I just think I saw one of the sheets move.”
“As in, flap in a breeze or move across the room, move?”
“Well, neither really. It more like a feeling, like someone was in the room with me. Then my imagination took over.”
“Oh God, you’ve just given me goose pimples!” Julie said.
“Yeah, Rach. You’re freaking everybody out,” Jason said.
Ashley forced a nervous laugh, as memories of her ordeal at Jackie’s house were instantly resurrected, and it unsettled her.
“Which apartment’s this, again?” Rupert asked as he allowed one of the servers to refill his glass.
“The apartment above us. Eight, I think.”
Rupert looked up as he remembered his encounter in the stairwell. He’d seen a light in apartment eight, moments before he was found cowering, on the floor, by security.
“So, what’s the deal with apartment eight?” Julie asked.
“It’s been empty for some time,” Rupert explained, absentmindedly. “Some girl used to live there.”
“Wait, it isn’t that girl that went missing, is it?” Julie asked, once again, excited.
Rachel looked up. “What girl?”
“Didn’t Jason tell you?” Julie asked, looking at him.
Jason held up his hands in a surrendering gesture, “I didn’t want to spook her,” he said, masking his irritation.
But Julie wasn’t deterred. She was having fun, and bursting to impart gossip, “The girl who used to live there, what was her name” She looked around the table, but nobody could help, “… Paxton. Keri Paxton… she disappeared…it was all over the news. One night she just upped sticks and left never to be seen again. There were all kinds of speculation. There’s even a rumour that she was murdered by one of her punters.”
“Julie!” Ashley complained again. “You seem to know more than me and you don’t even live here.”
“Yes, more’s the pity. Although with all of these goings on, I’m not sure I’d want to now,” she said, taking another drink from her glass.
“You are bad, Julie. You’re probably scaring poor Rachel half to death,” Ashley said. “Take no notice of her. You can tell she works in fiction and enjoys her wine,” she added, making eyes at her friend.
Julie stuck her tongue out. “I just say it as I know it. Besides, why else would the girl just up and leave?”
“Holiday perhaps?”
“Perhaps. Only one problem. She left all of her clothes behind. And she didn’t tell anyone. Not her family, not one of her friends.”
Rachel looked at Jason, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“Because it didn’t seem that important. I was hardly going to say welcome and, by the way, did you know some girl’s gone missing. It’s London, people go missing all the time.”
“Jason’s right. She’s probably run off with one of her clients,” Rupert said.
“Clients?” Rachel echoed. “Why do you keep saying clients?”
Ashley glared at Rupert, playfully.
“Uh-oh, now you’ve done it,” Julie said, ominously. “But now that you mention it… apparently, the naughty little thing ran a business from her pad, if you know what I mean,” Julie added, winking at Rachel.
“An escort service?”
“Something like that, yes.” Rupert replied.
“Allegedly,” Ashley interjected.
“High class, of course,” Julie said with a scoff. “I think she’d even given her business a name. Now, what was that?” Julie mused.
“Is Elisabeth alright?” Ashley asked Adam, in an effort to change the subject. She had noticed that her num
ber one nemesis still hadn’t joined them at the table, after detouring to the bathroom.
“I think so. She hasn’t been feeling too well, lately,” Adam explained.
“I thought she seemed off,” Ashley said.
“Should we check on her?” Rupert asked.
“No,” Adam said, “best to leave her. You know how she gets when anyone fusses around her.”
“Has she seen a doctor?”
“Well, I’ve suggested it to her a few times, but you know Elisabeth, she’ll do what she wants to…”
“…Night and Day!” Julie exclaimed. “That’s what the business was called. Police found her card there.”
Rachel said nothing. Instead, she drank from her glass; suddenly, her mouth had gone dry.
46 The Announcement
Adam smiled warmly as Elisabeth retook her seat next to him.
“Are you ok?” he asked, looking at her bloodshot eyes that betrayed the fresh coat of makeup on her face.
“Yes, I told you, I’m fine.”
“Elisabeth?” Rupert asked with concern.
“I’m okay, honestly.” She said, smiling at him, and then gingerly picking up some food with her fork and popping it in her mouth.
But Elisabeth was far from fine.
The overwhelming feeling of nausea had rapidly deteriorated the moment she set foot in Heron Heights. She had barely made it to the penthouse before rushing to the bathroom, where she dropped to the floor and embraced the cold ceramic of the toilet vase, as if it were a long lost love.
Her body told her she needed to vomit, so she would heave, her stomach would spasm, her throat would thicken, her eyes would bulge and water, but nothing.
And it was an awful sensation.
Disgustingly familiar as it was painful, not physically, but mentally, as it regurgitated memories and vulnerabilities, she spent the majority of her waking time suppressing.
Memories of the man she had loved, the chosen one, her would-be husband, the father of her child.
And this is how the cycle went; what she had, how she lost it, the pain numbing binge drinking, and the aftermath. What she had, how she lost it, the pain numbing binge drinking, the aftermath, and the guilt, so much guilt.
It smothered the will to live out of her, like a pillow on her face.
I drove him away. I killed my baby.
Baron. Bereft.
She had nothing left now but her cousin. The only other man she had ever loved.
The forbidden.
And Adam.
Yet despite the two years they’d been together, she was still struggling to come to terms with the idea of becoming his bride.
Struggling with the idea, but getting used to it. As one does an odious family member, or the person that you’re supposed to love?
She was tired. So tired. Sometimes, she just wanted somebody to take care of her. Someone to tell her that everything was going to be okay.
“I’ll always be here for you, Elisabeth. If and when you decide to see it. Love Adam x.”
The words on Adam’s card.
“Elisabeth?”
Adam was calling to her again.
“What’s going on? You keep disappearing.”
She put a hand on his arm.
“I’m fine, she said,” and smiled. Then calmly dabbed the beads of perspiration from her forehead with her napkin.
Adam cocked his head, unsure how to react to that spontaneous act of affection. He watched, as she finished mopping her brow, and then proceeded to play with her food.
She was interrupted by the sound of a fork chinking on a wine glass.
It was Rupert, and he was now standing at the head of the table.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I have a very special announcement to make.”
Elisabeth slapped away the waitress who was fussing around her, and looked up.
“I was hoping that James would be here, because I know he’d want to hear this.” Rupert looked at his watch. “Sadly, it looks like the old workaholic isn’t going to make it. So…”
He took Ashley’s hand and looked down the table.
“The past few days, well week, hasn’t been the easiest for us. There’s been a whole raft of things that, quite frankly, I don’t even want to think about right now. Yet, these very things have made me realise something important.”
He looked at Ashley, and then back at the table.
“Life really is too short. There’s no way of knowing what tomorrow has in store. I was reminded of this the other day, and that’s why I asked Ashley Marshall to marry me, and her answer was…” he broke off deliberately here and looked at Ashley, expectantly.
Ashley, choked with emotion, took several dramatic seconds to articulate, and when she did, it came out as a croak.
“Y-es.”
The others laughed.
She cleared her throat, and stood up.
“Sorry about that,” she said with a big smile. “I nearly choked on my food!” She turned to Rupert, “Yes, I would love to marry you.”
The would-be groom grinned, reached into his pocket and pulled out Ashley’s ring. It winked under the overhead lights as he removed it from its box and placed it on his fiancé’s finger.
Then, he held up Ashley’s hand so they could all see the ring, and then, they kissed, as the table exploded into rapturous applause.
All with the exception of Elisabeth, of course. Her mind was clouding over as incredulous rage boiled, like a witch’s cauldron, deep in the pit of her stomach.
How could you, Rupert? How could you of all people do this to me?
Her vision blurred as the applauding diners slipped in and out of focus and that familiar knot formed in her throat. She was going to vomit. Here and now. There was no time to get to the bathroom.
No time.
She closed her eyes as her face drained of the little colour she had regained since her last attack. She felt very ill, as if she was going to die right there, at that every moment. Not that anybody would notice. Nobody was interested in her, they were all too interested in hearing Rupert’s words, the same words that were now echoing in her head, hollow, distant, unspeakable words.
No! Rupert! Rupert, wait!
But he wasn’t, he was too busy telling everybody about his plans, about his engagement to her.
HER!
The guests rose from their seats to hug, kiss and congratulate the happy duo, while Elisabeth sat, blankly staring ahead.
Finally, as the others retook their seats and chatted excitedly, Rupert’s gaze fell on his cousin. She had not said a word, nor reacted in any way. He also noticed that her normally immaculately made up face looked gaunt and sallow.
“Elisabeth?”
No answer.
“Elisabeth?”
Almost in slow motion, she looked up, revealing dark circles around bulging, bloodshot eyes.
He knew she would be disappointed, but he had so desperately hoped that once he had made the announcement, and she had seen how happy he was, that she might have a change of heart.
But that clearly wasn’t the case, and he could slowly feel his excitement ebb.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
“Is this what you brought me here for?” she uttered in a rasping voice.
“Elisabeth…”
“…You brought me here to humiliate me, is that it?”
The table went quiet.
“We could have been happy together, Rupert,” she whined, “What’s wrong with you?” She added, incredulously.
Rupert frowned. “I love Ashley, Elisabeth.”
“What about me? What about us?”
“Nothing will ever change that,” he said, quickly. “We’ll always be close.”
“This will. This changes everything! Can’t you see? This will change us all,” her voice was loud.
“Only for the better.”
“Says who? You? This is an abomination. This is a slur on the Harrison name!”
&nbs
p; Elisabeth’s voice was shrill, as if she were giving an enraptured sermon.
“That’s enough!” Rupert said, severely. “Look, you’re clearly feeling unwell. Let’s get you home, we can discuss this when you’re feeling better.”
Elisabeth bowed her head, which could have been construed as her retreat, but instead was a direct response to the throbbing in her temples. A migraine had gripped her skull, and was crushing it.
Her heart was pounding, her veins were throbbing, and the merry-go-round of the room would not stop, no matter how much she put her head down.
Meanwhile, the table remained silent; Ashley wanted to go over and slap the bitch, Jason felt awkward, Rachel felt sorry for Ashley, Julie was appalled and Adam embarrassed.
“Well, at least we now know to send out one less invitation,” Ashley said, in an effort to diffuse the atmosphere that was as thick as gelatine.
But that was precisely the wrong thing to say.
Elisabeth slowly raised her head and fixed Ashley with a glare so full of menace, it stung. “Rot in hell,” Elisabeth seethed…
There was an audible gasp.
… “Rot in hell, you whore!”
“Right, that’s it, Elisabeth. You’ve had your say,” it was Adam talking and he touched her arm, “time to get you home...”
“…Get your filthy hands off me!” she screeched, swinging a back-handed slap at his face with such force, it sent him toppling backwards in his chair.
There were more gasps from the others as Elisabeth jumped to her feet, “Don’t touch me, you disgust me!” She shrilled down at him, and then turned on the others, some of which had moved to help the stricken man, but were stopped in their tracks by her icy glare.
“Each and every one of you, you all disgust me!” she said with a hiss as she swayed on her feet.
Rupert was about to say something, but stopped, when he noticed her face crease into a whole new expression. It wasn’t rage, nor menace…it was fear.
“Elisabeth?”
But she couldn’t respond. Instead, her eyes rolled back in their sockets, until only the whites could be seen.
Then, she began to heave.
The deep muscular spasms travelled, like shockwaves, up from her diaphragm to her throat, as incredulous beseeching terror returned to her veiny eyes.
Unspeakable Page 32
