by Lucy Gordon
What touched her most was the generosity that made him blame himself, warning her that he was not a man fit to live with. He was right. He would always be troubled and difficult, but she would willingly take the risk.
If only they could talk about it. She tried his cellphone and waited, heart beating, for the sound of his voice.
But it didn’t come. The phone had been switched off.
To reject her? Surely that wasn’t possible. He wouldn’t go to such lengths even if he had made the deadly decision.
But, with despair, she knew that nothing was impossible. Leonid was a man of inflexible will.
But she too was strong-willed, and she refused to give up so easily. She began to dial his landline at Rostov. This time it was answered quickly, but not by Leonid. It was Nina’s voice she heard.
‘Nina,’ she said. ‘Thank goodness. Is he there?’
‘Yes, he is here.’
‘Can you fetch him, get him to talk to me?’
‘No, I…I’m sorry, I can’t. He has ordered me not to disturb him for any reason, and I dare not disobey.’
‘Why—what’s happened?’
‘Oh, it’s terrible. She is dying, and I think he will die too. He is so heartbroken.’
‘Dying? You mean Varushka?’
‘Yes, she had a heart attack. He tried to send her to hospital, but she screamed that she didn’t want to leave her home. He had to give in, lest her agitation brought on another attack. He has two nurses living here to give her all the attention she needs, but we all know how it must end.’
‘Oh Nina, how terrible.’
‘I will tell you something even more dreadful. She keeps asking for Amos, but he refuses to come. Leonid was on the phone to him many times, but Amos won’t budge. Once he lost his temper and shouted so loudly that even I could hear him from several feet away. He yelled, “What difference does it make? She’s dying. Soon she won’t care if I’m there or not”.’
‘Bastard!’ Perdita said furiously.
‘Yes. When Leonid turned I could see the tears on his face. He brushed them away but not soon enough. He doesn’t like people to know how deeply he feels things, but it’s there.’
‘I know,’ Perdita whispered.
‘He’d like to go to Monte Carlo to talk to his father face to face, but he dare not leave in case she dies while he’s away. It’s destroying him, but there’s nothing anyone can do to help him. He stays with her night and day.’
For a moment she nearly begged Nina again to tell Leonid she was on the phone, but she checked herself. One fact was cruelly, blindingly clear. She had no value to him and no power to ease his misery. She was useless.
‘Tell him I called,’ she pleaded. ‘Say my thoughts are with him.’
‘I’ll tell him,’ Nina vowed.
‘Try to call me when you get the chance.’
‘I will.’
‘And please, tell him he’s not alone.’
But it wasn’t true, she thought wretchedly as she hung up. Leonid was completely alone, with a terrible loneliness that was worse because he’d chosen it himself. He was about to lose the last person he’d allowed himself to love without reservation, and he would face the loss in soul-destroying isolation because he felt safer that way than trusting another human being. Even one who loved him as much as she did.
And so he would go on down the long tunnel that led to the death of his heart, leaving only a steel robot.
Absorbed in these thoughts, she was barely aware of another suspicion creeping up on her. By the time she was alerted to it several weeks had passed, and she was able to be certain.
She was pregnant.
In the first surge of joy she forgot everything except that she was carrying Leonid’s baby. When she told him about it everything would be different. All the doubts and troubles between them would vanish because the only thing that mattered was their child. Whatever the future held, that connection would always be there.
But then a dark thought came to her.
That’s what she must have told herself, she thought. When Varushka knew she was pregnant with Leonid she believed everything would be all right. She didn’t realise that Amos would keep her at a distance.
And Leonid was Amos’s son.
But a different kind of man, she reassured herself. He was more generous and loving, and the tragedies of the years had given him a yearning for a stable family life, which she could now fulfil.
Then she remembered his face as he’d dealt with the two men who had cheated him. Pitiless, unforgiving: the son of Amos Falcon.
Also, he’d fathered a child with Antonia, then with herself. In this way as well, he was the true son of that cruel, tyrannical man.
It seemed the curse of Amos Falcon spread its tentacles far and wide.
‘No,’ she told herself. ‘No! These are just fantasies It’s not his fault. Any day now he’ll call me. I must tell him he’s to be a father, and this time his child will know him, love him. That will bring us together and wipe out the troubles of the past.’
And if you feel, as Antonia did, that he only wants you because of the child, can you settle for that?
It was a terrible question, but the answer came at once.
Yes, if I have to settle for that, I will. As long as it makes him happy. His happiness is more important than mine.
‘There is no curse of Amos Falcon,’ she murmured. ‘And if there is, we’ll face it together—and defeat it together. Oh, if only he would call me.’
But he didn’t, and she realised that she must go to see him in Russia.
‘There’s no time to waste,’ she brooded. ‘I must go quickly. If only he doesn’t slam the door in my face before I can tell him.’
She went online, found the flights to Rostov and booked one for that evening. Then she went straight to the airport. There were still some hours to wait and she spent them in a small café, drinking tea and wondering what the future held.
‘Papers. Anyone want papers?’
A newspaper seller had entered and was making his way around the tables. One of them had a picture of Amos on the front page. She bought it and glanced at the story, which was a fairly meaningless piece of guff about some argument he’d become involved in.
Varushka was dying and all he could think about was arguments with other rich men, she thought grimly.
‘Is anyone sitting here?’ came a voice from overhead.
‘No.’ She moved up to make room for a middle-aged man who dumped himself into the seat beside her and scowled at her newspaper.
‘Damned Falcons,’ he growled. ‘Curse the lot.’
‘Have they ever harmed you?’ she asked.
‘Amos Falcon has. Never did an honest day’s work in his life.’
‘He must have worked hard to build the empire he did,’ she observed.
‘I never said he didn’t work. I said he wasn’t honest, any more than any of them big shots are. Why do you think he lives as a tax exile? Because everywhere else he’s cheated the taxman and had to get out. Let me tell you…’
He talked for half an hour, and she soon realised that he knew his subject well. He worked in banking, not a powerful man, but someone who understood enough to be a danger to others, if they were only shrewd enough to realise it.
Perdita heard him with a bored look, but she was far from bored. Part of her brain was taking mental notes, but she knew any sign of interest would silence her companion, and nothing on earth was going to make her let this chance slip. It would never come again.
She was standing at a crossroads when her life could be transformed. And not just her own life. But she must play the game carefully if she was to win.
And I’m going to win, she thought. If it’s the last thing that ever happens to me, I’m going to win.
At last she yawned.
‘You must be wrong about Amos Falcon,’ she said. ‘He couldn’t have got away with it all this time—’
‘He’s good at c
overing his tracks. Of course, if anyone had known the stuff I’ve been telling you—but they don’t.’ He became suddenly remorseful. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone on about this. It must bore you silly.’
‘Not at all,’ she said. ‘You’ve no idea how interesting it’s been. Well, I must be going now. Bye.’
The airport had free Wi-Fi, so she found a comfortable seat and got straight to work, feeding in scraps of information she’d learned that night, making notes, comparing files, testing ideas. A stranger witnessing her face would have been intrigued. A scientist making an earth-changing discovery might have looked as she did.
At last she strode out, went to a ticket desk and said, ‘I need to change my flight. I’ve booked for Rostov but I need to go to Monte Carlo instead.’
‘There’s a plane in two hours.’
‘I’ll take it.’
As she headed for CheckIn she paused, looked up high and murmured, ‘My time has come. I’m going to win!’
CHAPTER TWELVE
AMOS FALCON LIKED few things better than to indulge himself in the Casino de Monte Carlo. Here he could test his skill and his luck, both of which were usually kind to him. There were other advantages too, notably young women whose company he could enjoy without answering awkward questions. Janine was an excellent wife, and her greatest virtue was that she left him free to enjoy these evenings alone.
On this particular evening his glance around the luxurious surroundings revealed several females whose company he would enjoy, but also one whose presence confused him.
‘I believe we’ve met before,’ he said. ‘Miss Hanson?’
‘That’s right.’ Perdita gave him her most engaging smile. There would be time for revelations later. At this moment she wanted to get him off guard.
For the next few minutes she played naïve innocence so well that even Amos was fooled. He bought her champagne and they sat and drank together.
‘Ah, this is lovely,’ she sighed. ‘Just what I needed.’
‘I’m surprised to see you here.’
She gave him a conspiratorial look through narrowed eyelids. ‘There might be a lot of things that would surprise you,’ she murmured.
So she was flirting with him, he thought. Good. That would be a useful weapon to separate her from Leonid. If such a weapon was needed. Rumours of a quarrel between them had reached him, but it was safer to be sure.
‘So you’re here for a purpose?’ he said.
‘Oh yes, I’m here for a purpose.’
He gave a knowing smile. ‘I begin to feel sorry for your next victim.’
‘So you should. Oh yes, when I’ve finished he’s going to wonder what hit him.’
Amos chuckled. ‘So tell me. Who’s the poor fellow who’s going to end up wishing he hadn’t been born?’
She gave him a long, slow, spell-binding look.
‘You,’ she said.
*
Darkness had fallen and nobody noticed the young woman who walked quietly up to the back door of the house and slipped inside. Only Nina, who let her in, knew she was there.
‘I was afraid for you,’ she murmured.
‘It went well,’ Perdita said. ‘The driver dropped me at the turning, as we agreed, and there was nobody else on the road.’
Nina seized her in a warm hug. ‘Thank you with all my heart for what you’re doing. If only it can succeed!’
‘Is Amos here yet?’
‘No.’
‘He should be here soon. He promised. If he breaks his word—well, he’d better not. I can be scary when I’m angry.’
Nina nodded. ‘I believe you. And I’m so glad you’re on her side. You’re the only hope she has.’
‘Let’s pray it works out. How is Leonid?’
‘In a terrible state. He won’t leave his mother for a moment. He knows she’s coming to the end, and he’s desperate to find some way to bring her comfort and happiness, so that she can die in peace. But he can’t do it.’
‘Surely it must give her happiness to have such a devoted son?’ Perdita protested.
‘Yes, and he tries to believe that. But he knows there’s something missing, something it isn’t in his power to give. And that knowledge is breaking his heart. If the miracle doesn’t happen I think it will be broken for ever.’
‘The miracle will happen,’ Perdita vowed. ‘It must. Wait. Isn’t that his voice? He mustn’t know I’m here. Where can I hide?’
‘In the cupboard behind you.’
Perdita just managed to slip out of sight a split second before Leonid opened the kitchen door, calling, ‘She’s thirsty, Nina.’
‘All right, I’ll bring her—’
She stopped as the front doorbell sounded. Hidden in the cupboard, Perdita closed her eyes, hoping for this to be the miracle she’d longed for and which she’d done so much to bring about. She heard footsteps, the front door opening and Leonid’s cry of incredulous relief.
‘Father!’
There followed a mumble that she could just discern as Amos’s voice. She clutched the wall, almost faint with relief, straining to hear as much as possible as they moved across the hall towards Varushka’s room.
Nina opened the cupboard door. ‘They’ve gone in,’ she said. ‘Do you want to see?’
‘Can I really?’
‘Come with me.’
She led the way out of the house, into the garden, to the place where the trees grew close to the window of Varushka’s room. The curtains were drawn back and Perdita could see Varushka lying, propped up by pillows. Leonid was sitting on the bed, holding both her hands in his, smiling and talking to her gently. There was no sign of Amos, and she guessed Leonid was preparing her.
She knew she was right when Varushka’s face was suddenly illuminated with joy. Leonid went to the door and ushered Amos inside. At the sight of him Varushka’s joy increased wildly. She struggled up from the pillows, reaching forward, crying out, ‘Amos, my love, my love. You came to me.’
He sat on the bed, taking her into his arms, almost engulfed by her embrace. She was thin and frail, yet for a moment the violence of her emotion made her the stronger.
At last he laid her back on the pillows, but still she kept hold of him, gazing fervently into his face. Through the half open window Perdita could just hear her.
‘I’ve dreamed of this moment—I knew you would come to me—’
‘Well, I am here,’ Amos said.
To Perdita he sounded uncomfortable, but she doubted if Varushka would notice. She knew only that he was with her, and her world was full of happiness as she ran her fingertips over his face.
‘Dearest love,’ she whispered, ‘I could never go without saying a last goodbye to you.’
Amos muttered some reply which Perdita couldn’t hear, but Varushka still smiled. Then her eyes closed and her hands fell away from Amos. For a moment Perdita feared that she had died, but the rise and fall of her chest confirmed that she had only fallen asleep. Leonid checked and nodded with relief.
Amos was already moving to the door. Leonid followed, calling Nina to take their place and call them if there was any change. Perdita backed quietly away around the side of the house to where she knew Nina had left a door open for her.
Once inside, she saw Leonid take Amos into his office. As expected, he shut the door firmly, but she wasn’t going to let herself be excluded. She slipped into the next room and went as close as she dared to the connecting door. She would pick her own moment to tell them she was here, but there were things she needed to know first.
‘That happens often,’ she heard Leonid say. ‘She has so little strength. It deserts her suddenly and the next moment she’s asleep. She wakes again soon, but the doctor says she can’t have very long, and that’s why I’m so grateful to you for coming.’
‘Are you saying you’re surprised?’ came Amos’s sharp voice. He sounded angry.
‘Well, yes. When we spoke on the phone you said…well, never mind, but you didn’t seem in
clined to come. I should have realised that you were too generous to deny her last wish. Now she can die peaceful and happy. I can’t tell you what it means to me.’
‘Don’t talk to me like that, you hypocrite,’ came Amos’s sneering voice. ‘You know damned well why I’m here, and it’s none of that sentimental stuff.’
‘I don’t understand you, Father. I asked you to visit her while there was still time. You were kind enough to do so—’
‘Yes, because you twisted my arm with threats you should have been ashamed of.’
‘Father, I don’t know what the hell you’re on about.’
‘Don’t pretend. It was your girlfriend who did the talking, but you were behind it.’
‘Girlfriend?’ Leonid echoed, sounding bewildered. ‘What do you mean?’
‘That writer you were stupid enough to get involved with. Erica—Perdita, whoever she really is. She went muck-raking about me, and she found things that could cause me a lot of trouble. Next thing she turns up in Monte Carlo, telling me to get out here or else she’ll expose me.’
‘I think you must have gone mad,’ Leonid exclaimed. ‘You’re saying that Perdita came to see you?’
‘She was there in the Casino, watching me across the Black Jack table. I couldn’t believe it at first, but she came on to me, all smiles. Oh, she was completely at home, set on her nasty little deception.’
‘I don’t believe it.’
‘Don’t deny it!’ Amos raged. ‘Why else would she come, except to please you? She gave me a long list of things that could cause me trouble and made it plain that either I got out here or I’d end up wishing I had. Not only that, but she forbade me—forbade me—to contact you about it. She said if I did I’d be sorry. You sent her, and you weren’t even man enough to talk to me about it.’
‘But I didn’t send her. I’ve had no contact with her for weeks. I don’t know what she’s doing or where she is.’
