A Vengeful Reunion

by Catherine George

  ‘For a little while,’ warned Frances.

  ‘And only if you stop crying right away,’ said Tom Dysart indulgently. ‘Come on, sweetheart, let’s wash that knee and see the damage.’

  But the invalid had finally noticed the visitor, and shot across the room in delight.

  ‘Jonah, you came early!’ shrieked Fenny rapturously. ‘Will you dance with me tonight?’

  ‘Of course I will,’ he promised, smiling at her.

  Leonie stared, narrow-eyed, then gave her family a look which threatened questions later. ‘Come on, darling,’ she coaxed, detaching Fenny from Jonah. ‘Let Dad see to your knee.’

  When the knee had been washed, anointed, and a plaster applied, the six-year-old charmer promptly settled herself beside Jonah at the table to eat cake and drink milk, going into great detail as she described her party dress. Leonie shot a resentful glare at Jonah as he listened to the little girl, then turned away to talk to Kate, who was watching her apprehensively, plainly on edge about the entire situation.

  ‘So when’s Jess arriving, Kate?’

  ‘She’s driving down—should be here any time. You’re sharing Fenny’s room with Jess and me tonight. Leo, shall I unpack for you?’ said Kate, in sudden inspiration. ‘Mother, is there anything else you want me to do?’

  ‘Not at the moment.’ Frances smiled. ‘Afterwards, why don’t you have your bath, darling?’

  Kate agreed with alacrity, and shot off at such speed Leonie exchanged a wry glance with her mother. ‘Desperate to escape.’

  ‘You know Kate can’t bear scenes of any kind.’

  Leonie frowned. ‘And she was worried I might make one?’

  ‘From the look on your face it seemed a distinct possibility, darling!’ Frances cast a look towards the little girl sitting among the men like a queen bee. ‘I’d better break that up, or she’ll get over-excited. Fenny’s been looking forward to the party for weeks.’

  ‘She’s obviously a great fan of Jonah’s—and vice versa.’

  ‘Since he’s been involved with Brockhill he’s been here a few times lately.’ Frances gave her daughter a searching look. ‘Do you mind?’

  ‘I’m not entitled to mind.’ Leonie smiled a little. ‘Fenny’s obviously expecting to see Jonah at the party, but don’t worry. I promise to behave.’

  ‘When we asked him we thought you wouldn’t be here, Leo. As it is we can hardly withdraw the invitation. Besides, it’s a long, long time since you broke up with Jonah,’ her mother added gently.

  ‘True.’ But not long enough to accept his presence in her home with the ease the rest of her family felt, particularly Adam, who was laughing his head off at something Jonah had just told him. Leonie felt oddly left out. And as though he sensed it Jonah caught her eye and got to his feet.

  ‘Time I was off,’ he said quickly. ‘Thank you for the tea, Mrs Dysart.’

  ‘Thank you for bringing Leonie home,’ said Tom. ‘We’ll expect you back later. Might be a good idea to come on foot if the weather holds, Jonah, to avoid parking problems.’

  Adam looked at his watch and whistled. ‘I’d better get off down to Chepstow to meet some people off the train.’

  ‘I’ve put containers of sandwiches in your fridge for a snack,’ said his mother, ‘so you can all congregate there to start with while Leo helps me set out the food in the dining room. The boys can get ready in your place, too, but the girls come in here to dress once you’ve fed them.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ said her son, saluting smartly. ‘See you later, Jonah.’

  ‘Come on, Fenny,’ said Frances, ‘bathtime. You can have supper in front of the TV in the study.’

  ‘I might spoil my party frock,’ protested Fenny.

  ‘Dressing gown until the guests arrive, and change into your frock at the last minute,’ said Frances firmly.

  Fenny blew a kiss to Jonah, gave Leonie a big hug, patted the dog, then skipped from the room with her mother, chattering excitedly.

  ‘See Jonah to the door, Leonie,’ said her father briskly. ‘I’m going to walk the dog down to the farm. He’s staying there overnight, out of the way.’

  ‘You don’t have to see me out, Leo,’ said Jonah when they were alone. ‘Though I’m glad of a moment in private. I was told you wouldn’t be here today. Otherwise I would have refused the invitation.’

  She eyed him challengingly. ‘To avoid meeting up with me again?’

  His mouth tightened. ‘To save you the misfortune of meeting up with me again.’

  ‘Since we’ve already done that it doesn’t really matter, does it?’ Leonie walked along the hall with him and opened the front door. ‘So for pity’s sake turn up tonight, Jonah, otherwise Mother—still a great fan of yours, by the way—will think I was so rude I put you off.’

  ‘Put like that, how can I refuse?’ he said dryly.

  Leonie gazed out over the descending tiers of the garden, barely visible now in the twilight. ‘Besides,’ she said casually, ‘if you stayed away it would very obviously spoil Fenny’s evening. Which comes as rather a surprise. I know about the presents at Christmas and birthdays, and so on, but I had no idea she knew you so well in person.’

  Jonah leaned against the arch of the porch, his eyes on her face. ‘When your parents heard I was developing Brockhill for the company they asked me to drop in whenever I’m in Stavely.’

  ‘So you’re a regular visitor?’

  ‘Only when I’m invited,’ he assured her.

  She shrugged. ‘I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. The entire family was upset when we broke up.’

  ‘You mean when you jilted me.’

  ‘Can you blame me?’ she said bitterly.

  ‘Damn right I do,’ he snapped. ‘You condemned me without trial.’

  ‘I had good reason!’

  ‘If this reason of yours was so good, why did you refuse to share it with me?’ he demanded with sudden savagery. ‘Or even with your parents?’

  Leonie looked up into eyes that were no longer icy, but glowing with a look of such molten anger she backed away, her retreat cut off by the door he pulled closed behind her.

  ‘Now you’re out in the cold, just like me.’ He seized her wrists. ‘How does it feel, Leo?’

  ‘Let me go, Jonah,’ she ordered, teeth gritted.

  ‘Not until I get something straight. God knows if I’ll ever get the opportunity again.’ His eyes bored into hers. ‘You owe me an explanation, Leo.’

  ‘You mean it still matters to you, after all these years?’ she said scornfully. ‘I don’t believe it.’

  The grip on her wrists tightened. ‘Whether you believe it or not, Leo, I want the truth at last.’

  Leonie glared at him impotently, trying to free herself, but salvation appeared in the form of cars which came roaring up the drive with blaring horns and flashing headlights. Two of the cars turned off to the stable block, the other streaked along the terrace past Jonah’s car, and came to a showy stop in a spurt of gravel under the bare branches of the chestnut tree by the summerhouse.

  ‘The cavalry,’ drawled Jonah, and released her.

  Jessamy Dysart leapt from her car and gave a screech of pleasure as she saw her sister. Leonie ran down to throw her arms round her and Jess hugged her in return, exclaiming over the surprise.

  ‘I thought you couldn’t make it, Leo—fantastic!’ She peered up at the man coming down the steps towards them in the half-light. ‘Is this the famous Roberto I’ve been hearing about—?’ She stopped short, her dark eyes like saucers. ‘Jonah?’

  ‘He’s just going,’ said Leonie swiftly.

  ‘Hello, Jess.’ Jonah stretched out a hand and Jess took it, looking from him to Leonie in frank speculation. ‘And goodbye,’ he added dryly. ‘I’ll see you later.’

  ‘You’re coming to the party?’ said Jess incredulously.

  ‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ he assured her. ‘I’ve promised to dance with a certain lady—wouldn’t do to disappoint her.’
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  Leonie shook her head in response to Jess’s look of wild enquiry. ‘He means Fenny.’

  Jonah gave them a mocking bow, got in his car and backed along the terrace, pausing to allow another vehicle to turn off to the stable block before he drove out of sight down the winding drive.

  ‘I’ve obviously missed a bit somewhere,’ said Jess, looking stunned as they went up to the house. ‘Since when were you and Jonah Savage on speaking terms again?’

  ‘We’re not,’ said Leonie tersely, and explained the encounter on the train. ‘Did you know he’s been coming to Friars Wood lately?’

  ‘No, I didn’t. I haven’t been home for a while.’ Jess grinned sheepishly. ‘Busy social life.’

  ‘You don’t say!’ said Leonie dryly. ‘Come on, get the hugs and kisses over, then Mother requires help. Afterwards we’ll grab Kate and put in an appearance at the Stables as official welcome party.’

  Before they went inside Jess gave her sister a searching look. ‘Do you mind, Leo? That Jonah’s coming tonight?’

  ‘Not in the least.’

  ‘Liar!’

  Leonie grinned. ‘All right, I do mind. But no one will know, I promise. Especially Jonah Savage.’

  CHAPTER TWO

  FRIARS WOOD had been built a century earlier on the site of a mediaeval chantry chapel where masses had once been sung for the souls of the departed. Of no particular architectural category, it was a house of great charm, with groups of chimneys with barley-sugar twists, and a great many small-paned windows. At the front a verandah formed a balcony for the upper floor, with a wrought-iron pillar giving support to the ancient wistaria which wreathed verandah and balcony in clusters of purple blossom twice a year.

  When Tom and Frances Dysart had taken over Friars Wood, after they’d married, Tom’s parents had moved into the converted stable block, which they’d shared with his young sister Rachel. It was an arrangement which had worked well as the head count of young Dysarts mounted in the main house. Years later, when both senior Dysarts had died within a short time of each other, and Rachel had long been established in a career and home of her own in London, the Stables had been used as a guest house for visitors, until Adam’s eighteenth birthday, when it had been handed over to him for his own personal retreat.

  In the still cold of this particular night the Stables were a very animated place, blazing with light in every room and with Adam’s guests crammed into every corner as they tucked into the snacks provided to tide them over until the buffet supper later at the main house.

  ‘Come on, Kate,’ said Leonie affectionately, as her younger sister hung back as usual as they approached the stable block.

  ‘That’s right, love,’ said Jess, ‘chin up, chest out and smile!’ She tickled her small sister in the ribs, prodding her forward just as the door flew open and several young men fell back in mock-awe.

  ‘Get yourself out here, Dysart,’ yelled one of them, ‘I’ve just seen a vision—in triplicate!’

  ‘It’s the three graces,’ sighed another reverently.

  ‘Show some respect,’ ordered Adam, amiably cuffing them out of the way. ‘These are my sisters, Leonie, Jessamy and Katharine, whom you may address, if they grant permission, as Leo, Jess and Kate.’

  While Adam rattled off introductions, the exuberant young guests, male and female, crowded round his sisters, pressing them to drinks.

  ‘No alcohol until after supper,’ Adam explained, handing orange juice to Leonie.

  ‘Did they go along with that?’ she asked in an undertone.

  ‘Absolutely. We had a pretty wild night on my birthday in Edinburgh. But here on my own patch I’ve laid down the law—no drinking until after supper, and no sneaking back here for illicit snogging and so on. I took them along the cliff path as far as the Eyrie earlier, to warn that it’s a good six hundred feet down from the path to the River Wye, and I’ll repeat the process when the rest of the gang arrive.’ Adam grinned. ‘And don’t worry about Kate. I’ll make sure she has a good time.’ He shouted for silence. ‘Listen up, you lot, my sisters are taking the women over to the house to change, and allocate bedrooms. I’ll introduce the men to my parents later.’

  Back at the house time flew by in a flurry of preparation.

  Young female guests were shown into the three bedrooms normally occupied by the daughters of the house, and the stream of traffic was constant along the long upper landing as jeans and sweaters were exchanged for scanty little dresses. Everyone jostled for places at full-length mirrors, and latecomers arrived to join in the melee.

  ‘Thank goodness you had a bath earlier on, Kate,’ said Leonie in the haven of Fenny’s little room. ‘Bags first shower, Jess—I feel travel-stained.’

  Later the three of them went downstairs to join their parents for a glass of wine in the lull before more guests arrived. Fenny, in pink taffeta and lacy tights, her dark hair caught up with a velvet bow, was incandescent with excitement as she saw her sisters.

  ‘You all look gorgeous,’ she cried, rushing from one to the other in admiration.

  ‘Fenny’s right,’ agreed Tom Dysart, smiling proudly on his daughters.

  ‘It’s amazing how genetics work,’ said Frances with satisfaction. ‘You’ve all got something of your father and me, in various permutations.’

  ‘Only I drew the short straw,’ sighed Kate, pulling a face. ‘And I do mean short.’

  ‘You look stunning,’ said Leonie firmly. ‘And be thankful. Only someone as small as you could wear a dress like that.’

  In brief, mint-green organza, with her hair coaxed up into a loose knot of curls, Kate looked very different from her everyday schoolgirl self, but it had taken naked envy from some of Adam’s girlfriends to convince her of the fact.

  Leonie had released her own hair from its severe braided coil to cascade in bronze glory to her shoulders, and wore a scarlet silk sheath of such superb cut Jess eyed it reverently.

  ‘I admire your style, chancing that colour with your hair. Must have cost a lira or two,’ she muttered.

  ‘You didn’t pick that little number up in a charity shop, either,’ retorted Leonie. ‘Looks as though you were shrink-wrapped into it.’

  Jess grinned. ‘I knew Adam’s girlies would all be wearing floaty little numbers so I opted for black and sexy.’

  ‘Very different from Leonie’s twenty-first,’ said their mother reminiscently. ‘That was all satin ballgowns.’

  ‘Except for Leo,’ said Jess bitterly. ‘She conned you into buying her that clinging gold job with the plunging back. It made the rest of us look like lampshades.’

  ‘I wasn’t even allowed to stay up,’ said Kate, smiling at Fenny. ‘You’re a lucky girl.’

  ‘I know,’ said Fenny, pink with excitement. ‘And I’m going to sleep on the folding bed in Mummy’s room.’

  There was sudden commotion as the male contingent arrived from the stables; the girls stampeded down the stairs to join them, and Adam’s voice, loud above the rest, shouted that some of the neighbours had arrived, along with the DJ and the music equipment.

  Tom Dysart hurried off to supervise installation in the conservatory off the dining room, and Frances followed him with Kate and Fenny to welcome the newcomers, but her elder daughters remained behind for a moment of quiet together before the party began in earnest.

  ‘How long are you home for, Leo?’ asked Jess.

  ‘Two weeks, at least.’ Leonie explained about the flu epidemic.

  Jess whistled. ‘Won’t this Roberto of yours object?’

  ‘He wasn’t happy.’

  ‘He’d be even less so if he knew Jonah Savage was on the scene. Or doesn’t he know about Jonah?’

  ‘No. Though it wouldn’t matter if he did.’ Leonie shrugged. ‘I’m nearly thirty, Jess. It would be pretty strange if I hadn’t had a boyfriend or two in the past.’

  Jess gave her a scathing look. ‘Come off it, Leo. You and Jonah were crazy about each other.’

  ‘But not a
ny more. Come on. Time we joined the fray.’

  ‘In a minute.’ Jess put a hand on her arm. ‘Look, I wouldn’t bring this up if Jonah hadn’t reappeared on the scene, but come on, Leo, after all this time surely you can tell me what happened. Please. I promise I’ll never mention it again.’

  ‘The usual thing. I found out he was involved with someone else.’ Leonie’s mouth curved in a wry, bitter smile. ‘And so, dear reader, I bolted back to Italy, and instead of coming home at the end of the academic year to get married, I stayed on at the school to become Miss Jean Brodie, Italian-style.’

  Jess whistled softly. ‘I knew it had to be something like that, but I just couldn’t believe it. And don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.’

  ‘You’d better not. Everyone else—including Mother and Dad—thinks I just changed my mind,’ warned Leonie.

  ‘Except Jonah, of course.’

  ‘Including Jonah. He never knew I found out.’

  ‘What?’ Jess frowned. ‘Who was the woman, Leo?’

  ‘Not my secret to tell.’

  ‘Whoever it was, the affair died a quick death—what’s the matter?’

  ‘Indigestion.’

  ‘You know my boss is a friend of his,’ Jess went on. ‘Plenty of female company in Jonah’s life, I hear, but nothing permanent. Is Roberto permanent?’ she added.

  ‘I think he wants to be.’

  ‘And what do you want—or need?’

  Leonie smiled brightly. ‘At this moment in time, entertainment. Let’s party.’

  The drawing room was soon thronged with friends and neighbours, but the younger set crammed into the vast dining room, where the ancient Persian carpet had been taken up to leave the gleaming wood floor bare for dancing. The chairs had been removed, and the dining table pushed against one wall and laden with the supper Frances Dysart had decreed should be eaten the moment all the guests had arrived, before there was any dancing or too much consumption of the wine and beer provided.

  ‘I want your friends to line their stomachs first,’ Frances told her son very firmly.