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Eleven
‘Cup of tea for you.’
William put the mug on Helena’s bedside table and sat down, watching her stir.
‘What time is it?’ she asked sleepily.
‘Just gone seven.’
‘You’re up early. And you didn’t come to bed until well after three.’
William sighed. ‘Sacha’s in a dreadful state. Sorry to wake you, but I thought we should talk before the others get up.’
‘What’s happened?’ Helena sat upright and reached for her tea.
‘His business is about to go under.’
‘Oh God, William,’ she breathed. ‘Well, perhaps he can start another one or go back to being an employee.’
‘I’m afraid it’s a bit more serious than that. What I’m about to tell you must go no further, for obvious reasons.’
‘Of course.’
‘Sacha’s done something understandable, but completely reckless. When the business needed some cash urgently to keep it going, he remortgaged the house, and then took out personal loans to keep it afloat.’
Helena groaned. ‘No.’
‘Oh yes,’ William confirmed. ‘I won’t go into detail, but the upshot is, the moment the company declares itself insolvent, he’ll lose the lot. Including the house. He’s sold all his shares too, so in his words – albeit drunken ones – the Chandlers are currently destitute.’
‘Surely the banks will let him keep the roof over his head? Jules must legally own half of it, at least.’
‘No. She doesn’t. Sacha told me last night that because it’s his ancestral home – the only thing his parents left him when they died, but worth a fortune – and it’s been in the family for a couple of hundred years, it was never put into Jules’ name alongside his. As well as paying off the enormous mortgages, it’s a saleable asset against his other debts, not to mention the contents. And as such, the bank will repossess it.’
‘Oh God, William.’ Helena was horrified. ‘Is there any way you can help?’
‘What he needs is an insolvency lawyer, but he’s brought his laptop so at least I can look through everything with him calmly. Although, from what he said last night, he’s already explored every loophole and thinks the result is inevitable.’
‘He was very drunk last night. Maybe it’s not as bad as he thinks.’ Helena sipped her tea.
‘I think it almost certainly is. He’s going to show me the figures this morning, but putting aside how awful it is for him for a moment, I wanted to chat through how this is going to rebound on our holiday here.’
Helena leant back against her pillows with a weary sigh. ‘Can you imagine Jules’ reaction to all this?’
‘I can, and I don’t relish the thought one iota. One would like to think she’d stand by her man in his hour of need, whatever he’s done and however it impacted on her, but somehow I can’t see that happening, can you?’
‘I’ve no idea how she’ll react. Does she know anything at all?’
‘Nothing, apparently. However difficult I find Jules sometimes, to be told you’ve lost everything overnight is going to be a terrible shock.’
‘What about the kids?’
‘Sacha says they can kiss goodbye to their private education, not that it’ll do Rupes any harm to be taken down a peg or two. There’s an outside chance he might qualify for a financial bursary, because he’s already won a scholarship. Sacha’s also convinced Jules will walk. Let’s face it, there won’t be an awful lot to stay for.’
‘For richer, for poorer and all that. They’ve been married for eighteen years, after all.’
‘Yes, but let’s be honest, these days they’re almost certainly together for the kids and lack of an alternative, rather than love.’
‘Dearie me,’ Helena said with a shudder. ‘So, what do you think the rest of us should do today? If Sacha is going to tell Jules, I want everyone safely out of harm’s way. Having removed anything breakable from Pandora first,’ she added wryly.
‘Don’t worry, he won’t tell her today. I’m going to spend some time with him checking his maths, but my bet is that he’ll have to go back to London immediately to call in the official receiver. He’s just got to face it and get on with it.’
‘We’ll just have to hope there’s a last-minute reprieve.’
‘It will take a miracle, from the sound of things. So with regards to Pandora, we’ll have to try to carry on as normal. I just thought you should know the score, and perhaps divert Jules from too many snide comments about her husband spending the first day of his holiday shut in the study with me and his laptop.’ William took her hand in his. ‘I’m sorry to inflict all this on you, darling.’
‘It’s hardly your fault, is it?’ She smiled weakly at him. ‘It’s life, and reality, that’s all.’
‘Mummy! There you are! Come and watch me jump in, pleeease!’
‘I’m here, darling, I’m here.’ Helena had been about to sit down for a couple of minutes to drink her coffee, but she wandered down to the pool instead. Immy, in a fluorescent pink bathing suit, was standing impatiently on the side.
‘Are you watching?’
‘Intently,’ replied Helena.
‘Here I go.’ Immy held her nose and jumped. Helena clapped enthusiastically.
‘Well done, darling.’
‘Can we go to those rocks and I can jump in like Alex and Daddy? I’m good enough, aren’t I?’
‘Of course you are, but it’s a bit dangerous for a little girl.’ Helena sat down on the edge of the pool, dangling her feet in the cool water. Chloë, ostensibly on lifeguard duty, was with Fred, who was giggling as he tried to push her off the lilo.
‘Hello, Auntie Helena.’ Viola appeared and sat next to her.
‘Hello, darling. You okay?’
Viola shrugged. ‘Sort of.’
Her freckled face was pale and wore a tense expression. Helena reached for her hand. ‘Want to tell me about it?’
‘Yes.’ Viola sat down next to her. ‘You know Daddy’s arrived?’
‘Yes.’
‘I found him on the sofa in the drawing room when I got up to watch a DVD this morning.’
‘That was probably because he arrived so late, he didn’t want to wake Mummy up,’ Helena explained.
‘No, that wasn’t it. He sleeps in the spare room at home all the time. He looked terrible when he woke up. His eyes were all red and he, he looks sort of . . . saggy. And he shouted at me when I kissed him good morning and told me to go away,’ Viola sighed. ‘Do you think I’ve done something wrong?’
‘Darling, of course you haven’t.’ Helena wrapped an arm round Viola’s thin frame and hugged her. ‘Sometimes, we grown-ups have problems which are nothing to do with our children. Just like when a teacher tells you off at school, or one of your friends says something to upset you. That’s nothing to do with Mum and Dad, is it?’
‘No. But I don’t get cross with them just because I’m upset.’
‘True,’ Helena agreed. ‘But, I promise neither of them are cross with you. Daddy’s just got a few problems at work, that’s all.’
‘Well, if he told me, maybe I could help, just like he helps me with being teased about my hair.’
‘I think that all Daddy needs from you is to know that you love him.’
‘Well, of course I do. I love him best of all.’
‘Tell you what, how would you like to come with me to a beautiful beach I know? I’ll ask the others and we could have a swim and some lunch there. What do you think?’
‘Yes, Auntie Helena, that would be nice,’ Viola said wanly.
‘I’m up for it,’ shouted Chloë from the pool. ‘I’d love a swim in the sea.’
‘Me too!’ said Immy.
An hour later, Helena had managed to corral the kids into the car. Even Alex had decided to come, having realised that Rupes was out with his mother – apparently helping her shop for new pillows, after she’d decreed Helena’s were too thin.
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‘Why can’t we wait for them to come back, Helena?’ Chloë asked. ‘I’m sure Rupes would love to come with us.’
‘If we don’t go now, it’ll be too late,’ lied Helena, wanting to leave before they returned.
‘Wait for me!’ Sadie came running towards them just as Helena was reversing the people carrier out of the drive. ‘I’m coming too.’
‘Hop in.’ Helena smiled as her friend climbed in next to her.
‘I’m taking cover with the rest of you. The atmosphere in that house is heavy with the pall of a storm about to break.’
‘A wise decision,’ agreed Helena.
‘What on earth is going on, sweetie?’ Sadie lowered her voice to prevent Viola hearing, even though the giggles and screams from the back of the car would drown out any conversation. ‘Sacha’s been locked in the study all morning with William, and Jules has been patently ignoring him for misdemeanours unknown, then stalked out dragging a sulky Rupes with her.’
‘I’ll tell you later, but it’s not good news.’
‘I gathered that, at least. Oh dear, it’s such a shame that whatever it is has happened here at Pandora. We can’t let it spoil the holiday.’
‘No, it’s not ideal, but it won’t be for long. It looks like Sacha will have to go straight back home to England,’ Helena said under her breath.
‘Will Jules go with him?’
‘That, Sadie, is the million-dollar question.’
Lara Beach was in the National Park, designated an area of outstanding natural beauty: rugged, rocky and still as nature had originally made it, due to the ban on any form of development. After another bumpy drive over an unmade road, Helena steered the car onto the low headland above a horseshoe-shaped beach, the clear water sparkling in the midday sun.
Everyone poured out, carrying buckets and spades, towels and rugs, and made their way down the steps to the golden sand.
Having covered all the children in factor 50, put hats on heads and water-wings on arms, Sadie and Helena finally sat at the water’s edge watching them splash and scream in the shallows.
‘Isn’t it just great the way Immy and Fred have taken to Chloë? And vice versa. She’s very sweet with them and they adore her. Just look at them all . . . even Alex looks happy today,’ said Sadie. ‘They’ve managed to bond like a proper family.’
‘Our disparate set of kids, you mean?’ said Helena with an ironic smile. ‘Yes, that part of things couldn’t have gone better. William and I were both worried about how Chloë would be. But maybe who we are and how we react to situations is simply destined from birth. Chloë was obviously born with a sweet, relaxed nature. She really doesn’t seem to harbour any resentment towards William. Or me, for that matter.’
‘Not that she should, given the circumstances, but I know what you mean. Better watch out, Helena, she might like being part of the family so much, she’ll decide she wants to stay for good. And how would that make you feel?’ Sadie grinned at Helena as she stood up. ‘Right, I’m going in for a dip with the kids. You joining me?’
‘In a second. You test the temperature and I’ll follow.’
Sadie ran in, squealing at the coldness of the water. Helena tipped her face up to the sun, thinking about the Chandler family. And wondered whether, if one made a pact with the Devil – when there was deception from the start – life would always find a way of making one pay the debt. If that was true, then hers was yet to be settled . . .
‘Hi, Mum. The water’s fantastic. You coming in?’ Alex shook himself like a dog, then plonked himself down on the rug next to her.
‘Yes, in a moment.’
‘By the way,’ Alex said as he made patterns in the sand with his feet, ‘I haven’t had a chance to tell you ’cos you’ve been so busy, but I found some old letters in one of those boxes. I don’t know for sure, but I’m pretty sure they were written by Angus, to a mystery woman.’
‘Really? How exciting. You must show them to me. Any clues as to who she was?’
‘No, I’ve read most of them and he never mentions her by name. Do you know if Angus had a . . . girlfriend?’
‘Certainly not when I came to stay with him. I presumed he was a confirmed bachelor, but who knows what he might have got up to? I’ll look forward to reading those, darling, when I have more than a minute to myself.’
‘Not much of a holiday for you, is it, Mum? All you’ve done is slave since you got here.’
‘That’s my role, and I enjoy it.’ She shrugged equably. ‘Are you enjoying it?’
‘Yes and no. I prefer it when it’s just us family and I know you don’t like me saying so, but Rupes really is an arseh—’
‘You don’t need to say it again, Alex. What do you think of Chloë? You two seemed to be getting on really well yesterday.’
Alex paused, cleared his throat and dropped his head to prevent his mother from seeing him blush. ‘I think she’s great.’
‘Good. So do I.’
‘I like Viola too. What a sweet kid she’s turned into, though I feel very sorry for her. Jules seems to ignore her all the time. By the way, Mum, did Angelina go into my room this morning to make my bed?’ he asked her.
‘Probably, why?’
‘I couldn’t find Bee when I went to get my beach stuff. I’ll have another look when I get back, but I wondered if she might have thought Bee belonged to Immy or Fred and put him upstairs in their room?’
‘Maybe. Anyway, he can’t have gone very far, and knowing your propensity for losing things that are right under your nose, you’ll probably find him staring up at you from the pillow when you get back. Okay. I’m going into the sea. Coming?’
Helena stood up and held out her hand to her son, and the two of them ran into the waves.
Later, they ate a glorious lunch of barbecued fresh fish at the rustic taverna overlooking the bay.
‘I tired, Mummy.’ A sandy Fred snuggled up onto her knee after he’d finished eating, and stuck his thumb in his mouth.
‘It’s all that falling over in the waves.’ Helena stroked his poker-straight brown hair, so like his father’s.
‘We’re going back in,’ said Alex, as he and Chloë stood up. ‘Wanna come, Viola?’
‘Yes, please.’
Alex reached out his hand and Viola took it, followed immediately by Immy, who took Chloë’s hand.
‘Viola seems to have taken quite a shine to Alex,’ commented Sadie as she watched them.
‘He’s always been caring with the younger ones,’ said Helena, draining her wine glass. ‘Sometimes a little too much. He’ll find me in the kitchen at home and demand to know exactly where both Immy and Fred are, in case they’re lost or in trouble. It’s part of his overblown adult sense of responsibility, so the child psychiatrist told me when he was assessed.’
‘Helena’ – Sadie paused and eyed her – ‘has he ever asked you about his father?’
‘No. Well, not directly, anyway.’
‘Well, I’m amazed, given his mental maturity. Put it this way, he must have thought about it,’ Sadie reasoned. ‘So, beware; sooner rather than later would be my guess.’
‘Perhaps he doesn’t want to know,’ Helena replied, looking down at Fred, dozing contentedly in her arms.
‘Does William know who he was?’
‘No.’
‘Has he asked?’
‘Yes, when we first met. I told him it was someone I’d met in Vienna and who I’d prefer to forget, that the chapter was closed. He respected that, and he still does,’ she answered abruptly. ‘It’s nobody’s business but mine.’
‘And Alex’s.’
‘I know that, Sadie. And I’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.’
‘Sweetie, I love you dearly, but I’ve never understood why his father’s identity is such a closely guarded secret that you haven’t even told me. Surely, whoever he was, it can’t be that bad?’
‘I promise you, it can. Sorry, Sadie, I’m really not up for talking about t
his. Believe me, I have my reasons.’
‘Okay.’ Sadie shrugged. ‘I know how private you are, but as your best friend, all I’m doing is warning you that the day of reckoning isn’t far away. And you will have to face it, for the sake of your son. Now, I’m going in for a last dip.’
Unable to move, as Fred was fast asleep on her knee, Helena watched as Sadie joined the others in the sea. Even though she hated Sadie’s probing, she understood her motives – and knew she was right.
ALEX’S DIARY
July 19th (continued)
I knew it was too good to last.
A lovely day out with my love and I arrive home to the worst, the absolute worst.
My mother said Bee might be staring up at me from my pillow, that I might have missed him earlier. Well, she was partly right. He was staring up at me from my pillow.
Except it wasn’t him in the flesh – or in scrappy bits of old material, to be more precise – it was his celluloid image, a printed-out black-and-white photo of him. Blindfolded (with a sock, from the looks of things) and hung by his ears from an olive tree. Fred’s toy water pistol is pressing into his tummy.
On the bottom of the photo is a message.
‘Do as I asked, or the bunny gets it. PTO.’
I turn it over and see more words.
‘Tell anyone, and you will never see him again.’
Part of me wants to slap Rupes on the back for coming up with such an imaginative form of blackmail. I didn’t know he had it in him. And part of me wants to scratch his eyes out, scream and howl and bite like a banshee until he returns my most precious possession.
So, I have a hostage situation on my hands. I must remain calm and think rationally, weigh up the various options I have at my disposal.
Option 1:
I can go straight to my mother and show her the photograph. She will be furious with Rupes and demand the bunny back.
Result: The note has told me I will never see Bee again if I tell anyone. Rupes is a hardy adversary, and will almost certainly carry out his threat. He may well dispose of Bee before he is placed safely back in my hands.
The Olive Tree Page 15
