Queen of Harte's

by Brooke Harris

  ‘I told you. The Da Lucas don’t lose,’ Samantha reiterated.

  ‘Did they take the money back? That’s theft,’ Eva said.

  ‘God, Eva. If only theft was all they were guilty of.’

  Eva looked at Melissa, understanding exactly what her mother meant.

  ‘But your father had a plan,’ Samantha said.

  ‘Dun Laoghaire?’ Eva smiled despite her aching heart.

  ‘Mr. and Mrs. Harte were looking to expand their guesthouse business. They had their eye on a small, rundown hotel on the seafront. It was a fixer upper, but with the right investor, it could have been a little gold mine.’

  ‘Oh, my God.’ Eva’s hand instinctively flew to cover her mouth. ‘Dad was the investor. He was going into business with the Hartes. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.’

  Eva glanced at Shelly and Nathan. They were both wide-eyed and very still. They were reeling from the revelation, too.

  ‘That was the plan. Yes. But the Da Lucas…’ Samantha coughed hard before reaching for some more water.

  Eva pushed away from the table and stood up; the whiskey swirled around inside her belly like an acid whirlpool. She slapped her palm against the table shaking the empty glasses. Everything suddenly added up in her head and it was more than her mind could handle.

  ‘The fire. It wasn’t my dad, was it?’ Eva looked at Nathan. ‘It was them. It was the fucking Da Lucas.’ Their name stung her lips as it passed. ‘If they couldn’t have their money, then no one could.’

  ‘They took everything from us. The money went up in flames with house.’ Samantha exhaled. She looked lighter now.

  Eva noticed colour in her cheeks for the first time, like the confession had lifted a metaphorical weight off her shoulders.

  ‘We lost money, Mom. Julian lost everything. He lost EVERYTHING,’ Eva said.

  She had to see him. She had to see him right now.

  Samantha’s face soured and her lips pressed together like a paper fan.

  ‘There’s more?’ Eva said, reading the signs, praying she was wrong.

  ‘I couldn’t keep the boy, Eva. You have to understand,’ Samantha cried. ‘We were left with nothing. We could barely afford to feed you girls; I couldn’t bring another mouth into the family. Please forgive me. I did what I thought was best.’

  Eva’s back teeth chattered uncontrollably, but she wasn’t cold. If anything, she was burning up. Julian? No. Samantha couldn’t mean Julian.

  ‘When your father came back from Dublin, I expected to hear the investment was final. Our bags were packed and we were ready to go. I was so excited. But instead, I heard the money was gone, a family was dead, and he was standing on our doorstep with an eight-year-old boy clinging to his leg.’

  ‘Oh, sweet Jesus. This can’t be true. You turned Julian away? A child with nowhere to go and you turned him away?’ Eva couldn’t bear to look at her mother.

  ‘Eva, sit back down,’ Shelly said standing up beside Eva, catching her.

  Eva could feel the blood drain into her feet, but she didn’t do as Shelly asked.

  ‘He wasn’t an American citizen, Eva. I don’t think we could have even kept him if we wanted to.’ Samantha tried to defend herself.

  ‘But you didn’t want to, did you, Mom?’

  ‘No. No, I didn’t, Eva. Hate causes monsters to grow. Julian is full of hate. He can’t help it. Knowing that’s in him, I think I did the right thing.’

  ‘Am I a monster, Mom?’ Eva asked trembling.

  ‘No, Eva. God, no.’

  ‘But I am filled with hate…’ Eva shook her head. ‘Does Julian know about this? Does he know you’re responsible for putting him in that orphanage he hated so much?’

  ‘He was young, Eva. I doubt he remembers,’ Samantha said.

  Eva closed her eyes and all she could see was an image of her father’s grave. God, how she wished her mother had told her sooner. It was too late now. She’d never get to tell her father that she understood. She even forgave him. But it was too late.

  ‘Monsters hide in the darkness, Mom. You’ve been hiding for twenty years. I’m starting to understand why Dad drank.’

  ‘Eva, take that back,’ Melissa snorted. ‘Too far, Eva. That was too far.’

  Eva tossed her shoulders and pulled a face. ‘I have to get out of here. I think I’m going to be sick.’

  Chapter 22

  Eva burst through the doors, gulping in the fresh air like she had just spent too long underwater. Shelly was behind her in an instant but Eva took a step back and distanced herself, cutting across Shelly before she spoke. ‘I need to be on my own, Shell. Okay…I just…’

  ‘Are you okay? You don’t look it.’

  ‘Everything finally makes sense, you know. I have to go.’

  ‘Go where?’

  ‘To Julian.’

  Shelly shook her head. ‘Do you know where he is?’

  Eva nodded. ‘Yeah. I actually do. I’ve known all along. I just didn’t realise. I was so busy waiting for him to come to me. But I should have gone to him. Go back inside, Shelly. Go back to Nathan. Tell him to finish the interview.’

  Shelly shook her head. ‘I’ll come with you. You’re in bits. You probably shouldn’t be on your own.’

  ‘No.’ Eva raised her hand, wanting Shelly to stop. She didn’t want her to come any closer. If Shelly tried to hug her or comfort her, she’d break down completely. She couldn’t afford to fall apart now because she just needed to get the hell out of there.

  Eva watched Shelly reluctantly walk away. She waited until Shelly was back inside before she pulled her phone out of her bag and dialled a number she knew by heart.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘Anthony, hi. It’s Eva.’

  ‘Miss Andrews. Is everything all right? I’m not due to pick you up for another hour and forty minutes.’

  ‘I know. But I’d like if you could come get me now instead.’

  ‘Will Mr. Harte be expecting you early?’

  ‘No, Anthony. He won’t. And I’d really appreciate if you didn’t tell him.’

  ‘Oh, Miss Andr-…’

  ‘C’mon Anthony, it’s the least you owe me after ignoring my calls all week.’

  ‘Eva, I was under strict instructions.’

  ‘I know, I know. But please, Anthony? Just do this.’

  Eva heard Anthony swallow hard.

  ‘Okay. I’ll be there in ten minutes,’ he promised.

  Eva imagined the employee in Anthony was warning him not to dare defy his boss. But the friend inside him was telling him to hurry and pick Eva up.

  Less than half an hour later, Anthony announced they were there. Eva looked out the back window of the limo. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but this wasn’t it. She didn’t know Dun Laoghaire well. She’d only been there once before with Julian and she’d spent most of that time miles out on the Irish Sea. Where they were now was beautiful. A narrow road wound back behind them. They were at the top of a steep hill. Eva remembered Julian pointing up the hill from the pier when they were here last. But she never imagined it would actually take her breath away once she was on top. Eva stepped out of the car and stood looking out to sea. Even on a dull, cloudy day, the views were spectacular. The heaviest of last week’s snow had melted and there was just a gathering of slush in the corners of the road.

  ‘This is it,’ Anthony said, stepping out of the car to stand beside Eva.

  Eva nodded as she turned around to take in the wrought iron gate behind her that was falling off its hinges.

  ‘I better wait out here,’ Anthony said.

  ‘Thank you, Anthony.’

  Anthony smiled and tossed his head toward the gates. ‘Go on.’

  Eva cursed the gates as they squeaked loudly as if to announce her arrival. She only opened one side enough to squeeze through the gap, and as soon as she let go, it snapped back closed behind her. She jumped, like a character out of a low budget horror movie.

  The grass was overgrown
but certainly not twenty years long. Someone was maintaining the grounds. Albeit not as often as it needed, but it wasn’t gone to complete rack and ruin like she’d expected. The windows were all boarded up, completely free from glass. Any broken glass due to the fire damage had been cleared away. Black, soot-like stains ran around each window frame, like someone had coloured around the windows in a giant, black permanent marker.

  Eva studied every inch of the old building. From the slates on the roof to the red brick stonework of the walls. Her heart pinched when she thought about Julian growing up here. About how this was the last place Julian saw his family alive.

  Grass grew up through the tarmac driveway and Eva followed it to the front door. She knocked on the blue timber door. The sunlight and lack of care had caused the blue paint to fade and chip. But Eva could still see how quaint and inviting this guesthouse once was.

  No one answered. She knocked again. And again and again and again. Nothing. She stared back at the road where Anthony stood leaning up against the car door. She twisted her arm behind her and signalled that she’s going around the back of the house. She thought Anthony nodded, but it was hard to see in the distance as daylight changed to dusk.

  Eva stopped abruptly as she rounded the corner of the house. There was an old metal swing set in the backyard, and Julian was sitting on the swing rocking back and forth. As soon as he saw her, he lowered his chin against his chest and closed his eyes.

  Ah shit, he’s angry, Eva thought. But she didn’t regret her decision to go there.

  ‘You found me,’ Julian said, looking back up.

  Eva made her way to him. He let the swing come to a stop. Eva stood in the gap between his legs and draped her arms over his shoulders.

  ‘This should have been the first place I looked,’ she said, regretting the wasted time when she didn’t think of there sooner.

  ‘Well, you’re here now.’

  ‘Are you angry?’

  Julian wrapped his arms around Eva’s waist and dropped his head against her chest. ‘No.’

  ‘You’re freezing,’ Eva said feeling Julian shiver slightly.

  ‘I’ve been out here a while.’

  ‘Since last night?’ Eva asked worriedly.

  Julian didn’t reply.

  ‘You’ll get sick sitting out here in the freezing cold like this.’ Eva bit her lip immediately regretting her choice of words. Sick, sick. God, that was a stupid thing to say. ‘I thought you had work stuff you needed to do?’ Eva added, quickly trying to change the subject.

  Julian took his phone out of his jacket pocket like a prop and held it up. ‘I close most of my deals from up here. It’s got great reception,’ he joked. ‘And it’s quiet. I like quiet.’

  Eva lowered her hands from around his neck and rubbed them together . ‘Can we go inside? I’m so cold.’

  Julian shook his head.

  ‘Please, Julian. I’m just absolutely freezing. My feet actually hurt they’re so cold.’

  ‘Did Anthony drive you up here?’ Julian asked walking towards the front of the house.

  ‘Yeah, but don’t be pissed off with him. I literally forced him to.’

  ‘I’m not mad, Eva. I’d be more upset if he’d denied your request.’

  ‘But you told him not to take my calls.’

  ‘But he still ignored me.’ Julian smiled. ‘And I knew he would.’

  ‘Did you want me to find you up here?’ Eva squinted.

  ‘Maybe.’

  Eva relaxed. She would take that a yes. When Julian meant no it was resounding and there was no questioning. A maybe was as near to a yes as she’d get out of him.

  ‘C’mon,’ she said catching up with him and taking him by the hand. ‘Let’s go inside.’

  ‘No, Eva,’ Julian growled, pulling his hand away from her.

  Eva jumped. ‘I’m sorry…I just...,’ Julian had startled her. Their poignant surroundings had her on edge more than she realised. But she quickly pulled herself together. ‘I’m sorry. Do you not want me to see inside?’

  ‘No,’ Julian said, ‘I don’t want to see inside.’

  ‘Oh God, Julian. You haven’t been inside in all these years, have you?’

  Julian closed his eyes and shook his head.

  ‘Do you just come and sit here?’ Eva looked back at the swing set.

  ‘Yeah. It helps me think.’

  Eva reached for his hand again, and he grabbed hold with an intense tightness. She trod tread delicately with her next question. She was conscious of freaking him out. She imagined this must be insanely difficult for him. If she ever had to revisit her childhood home, she’d probably lose her mind. But it was the opposite for Julian. He wasn’t hiding from horrible memories inside. He was hiding from great ones. So great that seeing everything again, missing his family so much, was more than his head could handle. It was more than anyone could.

  ‘Do you want to go inside?’ Eva asked softly.

  Julian shrugged.

  ‘I could go in with you, if you like.’ Julian turned towards the house and dropped his head. Eva guessed he was searching for some old memories of what the inside used to be like. She stood beside him, sharing the silence. The cold didn’t bother her anymore. She couldn’t take away his pain, but maybe she could let him know she understood it.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Julian suddenly began marching towards the car.

  ‘Dinner,’ she said with slight dread. The thoughts of eating again made her want to vomit.

  ‘We have reservations,’ Julian said as if they weren’t just standing looking into the window of his past.

  ‘I’m not dressed for dinner.’ Eva pointed at her jeans and coat. She’d stormed out of the bar in such a hurry; she’d left the bag with her new dress inside behind her.

  ‘Anthony, would you let someone in Brown Thomas know to have something classy and simple ready for us in twenty minutes. An entire outfit, including shoes, please,’ Julian said as soon as they reached the limo. ‘The same size as the stuff I ordered before. We’ll make a pit stop at the store on the way to the restaurant.’

  Anthony nodded. ‘No problem, Mr. Harte.’

  ‘Will you be okay changing in the car?’ Julian turned to Eva.

  ‘The same size as the stuff you bought before,’ Eva repeated.

  Julian’s wicked grin set her heart racing. ‘The stuff I bought you, Eva. I don’t usually go around purchasing ladies clothes, you know.’

  Eva blushed remembering she’d left Julian’s credit card in her hotel room. She needed to give it back to him. ‘I have a dress. I went shopping today. I just left it back at the hotel.’

  ‘Okay, fine. We’ll pick it up on the way. We have time.’

  Eva sat into the backseat, deflated. She’d been so looking forward to dinner earlier, but now she just wanted to stay here, at the house from Julian’s childhood, and talk. She desperately wanted to bring up what her mother had told her, but over dinner just didn’t seem appropriate. Here was the perfect place. Eva’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach as she glanced out the back window as they drove away.

  Julian’s phone rang and Eva was glad the call consumed his attention. She needed some time to get her head together without him watching her.

  ‘That was quicker than I anticipated,’ he said into the phone.

  He turned his wrist and checked his watch. ‘Less than twenty-four hours. I told you, you were a damn good businesswoman. Scan the paperwork and send it straight to me.’

  Eva could hear a woman’s voice on the other end, but she didn’t know what she was saying and she tried not to eavesdrop, which was surprisingly difficult to avoid in the confined space of the backseat.

  ‘Call into the HTK office. I’ll let them know you’re coming and make hard copies there. Leave some on file there and bring at least two copies of everything back with you,’ Julian continued.

  Eva’s eyes widened hearing her office initials mentioned. If Julian called Pam, she’d almost certainly mention E
va’s resignation email. Julian would be furious that she had quit and it would definitely spark an argument. She couldn’t talk to him about his childhood then. She’d have to bring it up now. Dammit. Awkward and rushed was the last way she wanted to approach it.

  ‘Thank you, I really appreciate all your help with this,’ Julian said into the phone, drawing Eva’s attention back to his voice. ‘Book your return flight for whenever you’re ready and I’ll have Anthony pick you up. I told you I’d still be in one piece when you got home.’

  What paperwork? Eva thought, her mind racing. Did he mean a will? Maybe things were happening faster than she’d anticipated. She’d have to up her game. No more treading lightly in case she irritated him. She was going in all guns blazing and to hell with whether or not he lost his temper. Some things were more important than being fucking polite.

  Chapter 23

  ‘Anthony, can we pull over please?’ Eva said loudly as Julian slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket.

  ‘Mr. Harte?’ Anthony called back, obviously double-checking with his boss before he did anything.

  ‘Pull over if Eva needs to. Thank you, Anthony,’ Julian replied. ‘What’s wrong, Eva? Are you okay?’

  ‘No. Not really.’

  Eva reached into her pocket and pulled out the envelope Julian had given her, the letter stuffed back inside. So was the medical pamphlet. She also had Nathan’s voice recorder in her pocket, but she left that where it was. She had unashamedly taken it out of his jacket pocket while the commotion of her dramatic exit at the pub had distracted him. She slid over in the seat to create some space between herself and Julian and placed the envelope in the space between them.

  The business card peeking out of the top of the open envelope immediately drew Julian’s attention. ‘How long have you had this?’ he growled. Picking up the glossy paper, he ran his fingers over Doctor Simmons’ name embossed on the paper.

  ‘Does it matter?’

  ‘Answer the question, Eva.’

  ‘No,’ Eva barked. ‘How about you answer some of mine for a change.’

  ‘Mia gave this to you, didn’t she?’ Julian said staring out the window.