by Sharon Booth
'I have no idea what he's talking about,' James whined, wondering if he could get past his mother and escape.
'Jed, please, what's this about?' Beth said, and James frowned. What the hell was going on here? It was like Beth really knew this brute. She must have met him when she visited the farm, but there was no excuse for this easy familiarity.
'Okay, I'll tell you. That snake there, he's been using my kid sister. He's spent weeks flattering her, smarming his way around her, getting her to do his dirty work for her, all so he could get custody of George from the Harlands.'
Beth and Deborah stared at James, who felt his face burn with humiliation.
'Is this true?' Deborah demanded.
'Of course not. His sister is clearly delusional,' James snapped.
'You're a liar,' Jed yelled. 'You took her for dinner. You tried to persuade her to stay overnight in a hotel room with you. You'd already booked the room, but she said no. She got a taxi all the way back from Leeds because she didn't want to sleep with you. Then, when you knew she had nowhere else to go, when you realised how vulnerable she was, you offered to set her up in an apartment, rent-free in exchange for sex!'
'What?' The gasp came from his mother. Beth simply stared at him, her expression showing nothing but disgust.
'You got her to sabotage the Harlands' business,' Jed continued. 'She damaged the freezer because you said the more stress they were under, the more chance they'd break up, and if they failed financially there was a better chance they'd lose custody.'
Beth shook her head. 'You did that?'
'Not only that,' Jed added, 'but he and Emmy were the ones who wrote those reviews. Oh, my, I bet you had fun with that, didn't you? And then, when Eliot got drunk at the pub the other night, Emmy phoned you, and you tried to persuade her to convince the Harlands something had happened between them. You wanted everyone to think he was cheating, no doubt so the judge would look more favourably on you.'
'James!' Deborah's voice was loaded with shame. 'I always knew you were your father's son, but this is despicable, even by his standards.'
Beth had gone very pale. 'I should have known. It all seemed so unlikely. You put all that strain on Eliot and Eden. You're a disgrace.'
James could see the tide had turned, and not in his favour. 'It wasn't all my fault,' he pleaded. 'Father wanted George. He insisted we go for custody because of Owen and his three brats. He didn't want them to inherit Thwaite Park. What could I do? I didn't want George any more than Harland wanted to give him up, but we have to have an heir.'
'Seriously?' Deborah reached for the back of the armchair, seeming to need support. 'You're honestly telling me that all this was about this house? You never cared for that boy at all?'
'I knew it.' Beth seemed to slump, and James watched, annoyed, as Jed put his arm around her and held her to him. They were terribly familiar, weren't they?
A suspicion took hold in him that he tried to dismiss. Not Beth. She wouldn't have the nerve, surely?
'You never showed the slightest sign of wanting George, all these years. How could you lie to me? Pretend that you'd missed him, wanted him all this time?' She let out a sob. 'You told me it was my fault. That you'd sacrificed a life with your son for my sake. You made me feel like dirt.'
'It's not what you think,' James pleaded. 'I wasn't interested, honestly, Beth. I didn't care about the house, or any of the properties. Owen's brats could have the lot for all I cared. But Father said —'
Deborah turned a furious gaze on her husband. 'Oh, I might have guessed you'd be behind all this,' she said. 'I should have known. I thought it was strange that you kept out of the whole custody thing. Well, you both played me for a fool, didn't you? You wound me up like a clockwork mouse, then watched me scuttle off to my solicitors, making all those threats, making life for the Harlands miserable, and for what? So your precious Thwaite Park would be safe, just because you hate Kathryn and her family so much! Well, congratulations. I hope you're very proud of yourselves.'
'You make me sick,' Beth told James.
'But it wasn't my idea,' James pleaded. 'It was all Father.'
David had turned puce. 'Oh, really? Well, it may have been my idea, but why don't you tell your precious wife the reason you went along with it? Go on, boy, don't be shy.'
James felt the colour drain from his face as Beth stared at him, a challenge in her eyes.
'What's he on about?' she demanded.
'I'd rather like to know that myself,' Deborah said.
'Yeah, and me.' Jed tightened his grip on Beth, and James thought he would like to punch the bloody yob, if only he didn't have more pressing concerns.
'Father, I think we've all said quite enough for one day,' he said, hoping against hope that there was one scrap of decency left in David, but knowing in his heart that it had long gone.
'Oh, but James, your poor wife. Hasn't she suffered enough? Shouldn't you put her out of her misery?'
'Father. Please.'
'The reason James went along with my plan was because I told him that if he didn't, I would tell you the truth about him. The truth he's kept hidden for five years.'
'If this is about all the affairs he's had, save your breath,' Deborah snarled. 'He's your son, and we all know it. I doubt Beth cares any more how many women he's slept with.'
'There's been more than Jemima?' Beth whispered.
'Never mind the women,' David snapped. 'All those hospital tests, two rounds of IVF treatment, years of disappointment and heartbreak. James must've known how much having a baby meant to you. And yet, do you want to know something extraordinary about your precious husband, Beth?'
James watched in anguish, as Beth reared back from David's gloating face.
'When Jemima announced she was pregnant, James was so appalled, he went off and had a vasectomy.'
As everyone in the room gaped at him, David let out a shout of laughter. 'That's right! Five years he's been telling you to be patient, to wait a while longer, and in all that time he failed to reveal he was firing blanks. And the best part of it is, because of George, you assumed it was your fault. And he let you! And you never wondered why he avoided any more treatment or tests during all that time. Oh, Beth, you have been a fool.'
There was a sudden movement, and David was pinned against the wall, as James had been moments before. 'If you weren't an old man, I would teach you to gloat at Beth,' Jed snarled. 'You pathetic, spiteful, evil old bastard.' He cast a sideways glance at James. 'As for you, words fail me. You don't deserve a wife like Beth. You never did. But you're gonna get what's coming to you, and I don't need to hit you to wipe the smile off your face.'
'What do you mean by that?'
James's words died in his throat as Beth walked over to him. 'All those years,' she said, sounding hoarse. 'All those months and months of despair. All your promises and reassurances and excuses. All that pain and heartbreak, and all the time, you knew. You knew!'
'Beth please.' James could see his world crashing down around his ears, but he had to try. 'I'm sorry. We can talk about it. Maybe we could adopt after all? You wanted to adopt, didn't you? I'd be up for that.'
'You must be joking.' Beth shook her head, and James watched incredulously as she took hold of one of Jed's hands, forcing him to release David, who slid down the wall and then struggled to look composed and in control. 'I'm leaving you, James. Thanks for making this easy for me.'
'Leaving me?' James looked from her to the Viking. 'For him?'
'Yes, for Jed,' she confirmed. 'I love him. And, for your information, we're having a baby together.' She looked at Jed and smiled suddenly. 'Our baby.'
Jed's face lit up as if the truth had only just dawned on him. 'Our baby,' he murmured, and hugged her tightly.
'I'm going to make your life hell,' David growled. 'You won't —'
'Shut up, David.'
James gasped as his mother stepped in front of his father, her lip curled in disdain. 'You'll do nothing to Beth or to Jed. No
r,' she added, 'will you do anything to try to take George away from the Harlands.'
David laughed. 'Oh, will I not? You watch me!'
'If you do,' Deborah said coldly, 'I shall make your life hell. And you know I can. I won't just ruin you financially, I'll hit you where it really hurts. I'll make sure everyone who has ever met you knows the real reason we left Barnes behind.'
James watched, fascinated, as David seemed to shrink before his eyes.
'You wouldn't.'
'Oh, but I would. And I'm quite sure the lady in question would be more than happy to back me up. You do remember how freely she liked to gossip?' She turned to Beth. 'Go and get your things, Beth. We're leaving.'
'What do you mean, we're leaving. You're not going anywhere!' David spluttered.
'Wrong again. I'm leaving you, David, and not a moment too soon. I should have left you years ago — probably from the moment you started having affairs, which would have meant our marriage survived less than a year. Certainly, I should have walked away from you the minute you stopped being a real husband to me in any physical sense.' She shrugged. 'I think I've been far too lenient with you. Impotency is one thing. Refusing to do anything about it for a whole decade is quite another.'
'You're a lying bitch,' snarled David.
James couldn't take it in. 'Impotent? But — but he came back here because he'd had another affair!'
His mouth fell open as his mother let out a peal of laughter. 'Is that what he told you? Oh no, James. Bless him, he tried his best. He couldn't resist trying it on with a so-called friend of mine, and she was up for it, make no mistake. But it just wasn't happening, was it, David? And, unlike his previous failed conquests, she didn't keep her mouth shut. She wasn't married. She had nothing to lose. She entertained our entire social circle with all the sordid details. That's why we came back here. It was far too humiliating for either of us to stay. You know,' she said, shaking her head, 'I thought having to leave Barnes was the worst thing that could happen to me. Who'd have thought it would be the best?'
Stunned, James turned to his father. David's burning face was all the proof he needed that his mother was telling the truth. All that bluster and innuendo and showing off! And it was all lies! James sneered. So much for the big man. Well, he was never going to order him around again, that was for sure.
'You two deserve each other,' his mother finished. 'You're so alike it's painful to see. How did I ever think a sweet little boy like George could thrive in this environment? This family is poison, and I won't allow him to be contaminated. He stays with the Harlands. Do I make myself clear?'
David's eyes were full of hatred. 'Guess I have no choice.'
'No, you don't. Not if you want to see out the rest of your days in relative comfort.' She turned to James. 'You'll leave Beth and George alone, got it?'
He nodded sullenly. 'Bit much when your own mother takes sides with your cheating wife.'
'Yes, it is,' she agreed. 'And it breaks my heart, because it just shows how low you've sunk. Well, I hope you'll be very happy, living here with your father in this luxury prison. I can only hope — and I do hope, James — that in time, you'll come to realise that there's no credit in being a chip off the old block. Not when this particular rock is a lump of cold, unfeeling granite. You're still young, perhaps it's not too late for you to start again, be a better man.' She glanced back at David. 'You, on the other hand, will never change. You'll be hearing from my solicitor in due course,' she said, then walked out of the room, followed by Beth and Jed.
There was a moment of shocked silence as James fought to take in the enormity of everything that had just happened.
'Well, congratulations, boy,' David growled, finally. 'You've really gone and done it now, haven't you? You always were a stupid waste of space.'
'Oh, fuck off, Father,' said James.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Emerald hovered nervously by the farmyard gatepost as she waited for the sound of a taxi. She daren't step out into the lane in case she was spotted through the window of the bunk barn. Somehow, she didn't think Eden would appreciate another glimpse of her.
She sighed and looked down at her suitcase, wondering how it had come to this. What was she going to do?
Jed had called her around half an hour previously and told her he had booked a room for her at The Paradise Hotel, and that he would pick her up and take her there and she wasn't to worry. Easier said than done. The fact that she had been thrown out of Fleetsthorpe would not escape her father's notice, and he was going to be furious.
She hitched up the large carrier bag she had tucked under her arm. It contained her Filofax and a folder with information and plans and receipts, all for Eden's and Eliot's wedding. The wedding which would leave them uncomfortable and unhappy. She'd been so wrapped up in revenge and playing games that she'd not given a thought to how they would feel at their own wedding. Eden was right. She was a selfish cow.
She glanced across the fields, spread out before her like a glorious watercolour painting. A great wash in various shades of green, with daubs of red, white, yellow and purple paint adding to the beauty of the scene. The masterpiece of wild flowers in Eliot's hay meadows.
Soon, they would be gone, and harvesting would begin. She realised how much she would miss these views, this farm. The Yorkshire Dales were the last place she'd wanted to be when she arrived in Skimmerdale all those months ago, but they had won her over. It was a shame that she had taken so long to realise it.
Hearing a car's approach, she quickly picked up her suitcase and stepped forward. It wasn't a taxi. It was Beth's car, and as Jed waved out of the window she saw that it was Beth who was driving. Like this wasn't humiliating enough!
'Sorry I took so long,' Jed said, climbing out of the car and taking her suitcase from her. 'Packing took longer than expected.' He smiled at Beth and Emerald turned to him in surprise.
'Packing? She's left James?'
'I have,' Beth said calmly.
'Not because of me!' Emerald was horrified. 'Nothing happened, Beth, I swear it.'
'Not because of you, Emerald. It wasn't your fault. Please don't feel bad. This has been coming for a long time, and I'm just glad I finally had the courage to leave for good. It's the best thing that could have happened.'
'Come on, Emmy. Get in,' Jed said softly, as she stood taking a last look back at the farmhouse. She'd spent a good ten minutes saying goodbye to Bella and had shed a great many tears into the cat's fur.
There was no sign of Eliot, and she knew he wasn't likely to come over to say goodbye. Eden had made it very clear that they were in total agreement that she had to leave, and that was before they found out about the freezer and the reviews. She shivered, dreading the moment when that little revelation reached their ears.
The drive to Kirkby Skimmer was a quiet one. Now and then, Jed and Beth had a murmured conversation, but Emerald couldn't hear what they were saying, and she didn't much care. She could only think how she hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to Libby, Ophelia and George. They were at school, enjoying the last couple of weeks of term before the long summer holidays. She hadn't realised how fond of them she had grown. She would miss them, she thought with some surprise.
Jed, it turned out, had booked a room for himself and Beth, too. 'Just 'til we figure out what we're doing and where we're going,' he reassured her, as he helped Beth out of the car. 'It's a real family affair. Deborah Fuller's checked in, too.'
'Deborah Fuller?' Emerald's voice rose. 'What's she doing here?'
'Long story,' Jed said grimly. 'I'm gonna get Beth settled in our room, then I'll come over to your room and tell you all about it, okay?'
The receptionist gave them a welcoming smile. 'Mr Carmichael. Lovely to see you again. And I can see you're staying with us for longer this time,' she added, staring meaningfully at the luggage. 'I'll get someone to take your bags up to your room.'
Beth put her hand on Jed's arm. 'I can unpack. You go with your sis
ter.'
Jed raised an eyebrow. 'You sure, honey?'
She nodded. 'I think Emerald needs you right now.'
Emerald flushed as Jed nodded and planted a light kiss on Beth's cheek. 'I'll be with you soon,' he promised, then grabbed Emerald's case. 'I can carry this,' he told the receptionist. 'If you can take my partner's cases upstairs I'd be very grateful.'
'Straight away, sir,' she assured him.
Jed led Emerald to the lift and then along the second-floor corridor until they found her room.
'Back to where it all started,' Emerald said, trying to sound cheerful as Jed put her case on the carpet and bounced onto the bed.
'It could be worse,' he said cheerfully. 'At least the beds are nice and springy, and it's clean here. Food's not bad, either. Chin up, Emmy. You've got your big bro and your future sister-in-law living here with you, too. What's not to love?'
'Future sister-in-law?' Emerald smiled, in spite of herself. 'Wow. That's really serious.'
His eyes softened. 'Couldn't be more serious, Em. We're having a baby.'
Emerald gasped. 'Really?'
'Yeah. And before you ask, it's mine. No question.'
'I wasn't going to ask,' she said. 'It's just, Fuller said Beth couldn't have children. I don't understand. Was that another lie?'
'Not exactly. She'd never have children while she was with him. It's a long story.'
'Well, whatever, I'm so happy for you, Jed. You're going to be a great father.'
'Thanks, Emmy. That means a lot. So,' he continued, holding out his hand to her, 'now we have to sort your life out.'
Emerald pulled a face. 'I'm beyond redemption.'
As she plonked down on the bed beside him, Jed put his arm around her shoulders. 'No one's beyond redemption, sweetie. Well,' he added as an afterthought, 'almost no one. I might have to make an exception for James Fuller and his father.'
'What's his father got to do with it?'
'Everything. Turns out, he was the one pulling the strings.' Gently, Jed told her about the conversation that had taken place at Thwaite Park. 'So, you see,' he finished, 'they were manipulating everyone. It wasn't just you who got taken in. They fooled Beth and Deborah, too.'
