"Indeed." Then Hubert looked thoughtful. He cleared his throat. "I'll be saying a few words to all the staff tomorrow, but I'd like to thank you both for all your help and support in the past. I know we've had our ups and downs from time to time, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. You've been wonderful."
"Just stop it, Hubert!" Diana said. "You'll make my mascara run." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It won't be the same without you, you know."
Pippa sensed that in the whole of her life nothing was ever going to be quite the same again. Just after six o'clock, Fabian called her and arranged to pick her up at seven-thirty the following evening.
"Now you promise you won't cancel?" he repeated.
"I promise."
"No backing out, now."
"I never break a promise."
"Excellent!"
She woke up in the morning bright and early and, wearing her smartest navy blue suit, arrived at the showroom positively radiant. Even Hubert commented on her bounciness.
"The consortium will adore you!" Hubert told her.
"All I ask is that they don't fire me!" Pippa joked.
"I don't think you need worry about that. By the way, they've arranged a buffet lunch at The Al Fresco for one o'clock. We'll all walk round there together."
When they arrived at the restaurant, there was already quite a gathering. Hubert's entire workforce from the chain of shops were assembled, including cleaning staff and van drivers. The members of the consortium were far fewer than she had expected and looked more like city types than antique dealers. The chairman of the consortium, with his handlebar moustache, looked somehow familiar, but it was only when Pippa was introduced to him that she remembered where they had met.
"Charles, this is Philippa Gibson from the Knightsbridge showroom," said Hubert.
"Joint Charities do. Never forget a face!" said Sir Charles. "You were escorted by Fabian Naughton, our Managing Director, if I remember correctly."
"Er, you mean—" Pippa began, feeling quite idiotic. "B—but I had no idea."
"One of life's many surprises," Hubert interjected, and both he and Sir Charles laughed.
"Oh," Pippa murmured, but she was not amused. What on earth had been going on? And why hadn't Fabian told her that this was in the air? They were meant to be friends. They were meant to trust each other. Had he no respect for her whatsoever? Or had it simply been his intention to make a complete fool of her? It was not only hurtful, it also seemed incomprehensible that Hubert should have sold to any consortium of which Fabian was a member. And yet Hubert seemed perfectly sanguine about it—even light-hearted.
"I thought you'd approve," Hubert said, sensing her disapproval. "After all, you were the first to try to persuade me that Fabian wasn't such a bad sort. I didn't think both you and Charles could be so wrong about him!"
"Where is Fabian, anyway?" Sir Charles asked, looking round the room.
"I've no idea," Pippa said curtly. And, from her tone, it sounded as if she didn't care. "Would you excuse me?" And before Sir Charles or Hubert could say anything, she had left.
They could all laugh as much as they liked, she thought as she collected her coat. She was just putting it on when Diana came running over to her. "Why are you leaving?" Diana asked. "Do you know who the new managing director is?" Pippa enquired bitterly. But from Diana's guilty expression it was patently clear that she did. "You might have told me!"
"I didn't tell you because I was given strict instructions not to," Diana explained helplessly.
"Who gave the instructions?"
"Fabian Naughton. He is the boss."
"He may be your boss but he's not mine. You can tell him and his blasted consortium that I resign. And I mean that most sincerely," she added.
"Oh, no." Diana groaned.
"Oh, yes!" said Pippa tersely, and walked out of the restaurant.
It was good to be in the fresh air but, although she had nowhere to go, she was too annoyed and hurt to feel lost. Angrily, she strode down the street, lost in thought and staring at the pavement. Suddenly the violent sound of a car screeching to a halt, followed by the strident honking of a horn, brought her to her senses.
"Pippa!" Fabian jumped out of his car and ran towards her.
"Go away!" she hissed.
"It was meant to be a surprise. I thought you'd be pleased. You're meant to be happy!"
"Well, I'm not! Why on earth didn't you tell me? Don't you trust me? You've made me look a right fool."
"For heaven's sake!" But before he could say anything else a queue of cars that couldn't pass his stationary Porsche were hooting impatiently. "Don't go!" he begged her. "Hang on a sec!" He hopped into his car and parked it hastily on a double yellow line a few yards up the road. He ran back to Pippa.
"Darling!" said Fabian.
"Don't 'darling' me," she snapped angrily. "All that business about lunch today. You knew all along."
"Of course I did. I wanted you to agree to dinner."
"Well, you can forget dinner. And you can forget your job. I resign!" Pippa said with a gleam of satisfaction and felt better immediately.
But he took no notice of her resignation at all. "You know, Pippa, my dearest, I'm beginning to think you don't have a sense of humour."
"I wouldn't bet on it," Pippa said triumphantly. "I think your parking ticket's hysterical!"
He looked round as a traffic warden placed the ticket under his windscreen wiper. "Very funny," he said sarcastically. "You obviously don't have a sense of humour either," Pippa observed, trying not to laugh.
Fabian looked at her with amusement. "Then perhaps we're very well matched." And he laughed.
Suddenly the anger and tension between them vanished and they both stood there laughing.
"This is the time, but not the place," Fabian said mysteriously. "Let's go," he took her by the hand and they ran to the car. Seconds later, they were roaring through Knightsbridge in the best tradition of Hollywood get-aways. Minutes later, he stopped the car on the gravel by the Serpentine in Hyde Park.
Fabian turned to her. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too."
"Oh, Pippa…"
They were so hungry for each other they didn't notice the handbrake and the gearstick which prodded them both like guardians of morality. The force of his body against hers was all she wanted. The hot passion of his lips on hers was like life itself, and they kissed for longer than she'd ever believed was humanly possible.
"I want you so badly. I need you so much."
"Kiss me again," she murmured.
More and more she knew he was all that mattered. She would need him always.
"Shall we take a walk?" he asked when finally they were forced to come up for air.
They walked hand in hand by the Serpentine, saying little, for they had said it all.
"Darling," Fabian said as they watched the ducks. "I take it you won't be resigning after all."
"No," she said softly.
"That's good, because I forgot to tell you, you'll be getting a company car as soon as I take over."
"Fabian!"
"Well, I can't have you breaking down. You never know who might rescue you!" They smiled at each other. "There are a few other perks that might interest you, too. How does the idea of a company house appeal? Of course, it would come with a company husband and there might be company children later."
She didn't hesitate for a moment. "I think it sounds absolutely fantastic."
"I thought you might, so I've brought the company ring." He pulled a small blue jewellery box out of his pocket and deftly flipped the lid open. Inside was a most gorgeous platinum and diamond solitaire.
"May I?" he said, removing the ring.
"You may!"
"Perfect," he said, as he placed it on her finger. "But then, so are we," he added, shrugging his shoulders.
And, for once, Pippa couldn't argue with him!
herrard, A Bid for Love
A Bid for Love Page 12
