by Lucy Gordon
He clung to her in need as well as passion, savouring the warmth of her skin against his, losing himself in her bounty. Sometimes he seemed hesitant, but she offered him all of herself with a loving tenderness that enfolded him and he felt a man again, because this woman loved him.
She’d promised him everything, and she gave him everything. It might, as she’d said, be only for this one night, but they would have this memory in the years to come. Perhaps they would be lonely years, but the moment when their hearts and souls were one again would never entirely leave them.
In the darkness, his face pressed to her sweet-smelling body, it was easy for Garth to see that she, and she only, had given the world a meaning. He’d thrown it all away but she gave it back to him out of a generous spirit. He was more than making love to her. He was seeking refuge in her. And now he understood that this was how it had always been.
As the first light came through the curtains Garth rose from Faye’s bed. He stood looking down at her, sleeping as peacefully as a child, then turned away as though the sight smote him. He was hearing Cindy’s voice the night before, knowing that her words were wise and generous yet not wanting to face it.
He bent and kissed his sleeping wife, softly, not to disturb her. His heart was heavy as he slipped quietly out of the room.
His children were up before him, standing watching the hall telephone.
‘Can we ring the vet and ask now?’ Adrian demanded.
‘It’s too early. They’ll still be checking him. But if Barker— If anything had gone wrong in the night, they’d have called us by now.’
‘Perhaps they haven’t got our number?’ Cindy suggested.
‘They’ve got it, I promise.’
They drifted out into the garden. Cindy found the ball Barker had dropped, scrubbed it with her hanky and put it back in exactly the same place on the grass. Garth wondered if it would ever be needed again. He watched
Cindy with anxious eyes, struck by her strength and self-control; surely too much for a child?
Faye came down and he greeted her with a distant smile, but didn’t go to her. The resolution he’d made in the early hours hung heavily on him and he was sorely tempted to abandon it. But he stopped himself. It had taken him too long to decide on the right thing. But he knew now what it was and there would be no weakening.
‘Why don’t you just call the vet?’ Faye asked Garth softly.
‘They’ll call us when they’re ready.’
She stared. Garth had never been afraid to barge in and demand answers. And then she understood. He was scared. Everything hung on what they would leam this morning. Tenderly she squeezed his hand.
The phone rang.
Everyone jumped. Nobody moved. Then Garth forced himself to answer. The silence seemed to last a long time, before he said, ‘Thank you for telling me.’
He laid down the receiver very carefully, as though delaying the moment when he must speak. Then he grinned at his family and said, ‘Barker’s eating a hearty breakfast.’
Barker was home in a week. He still needed care, but nobody could have done the job more thoroughly than his family. Cindy appointed herself head nurse, with Adrian to assist her. Nancy deputized while they were at school, with Faye and Garth permitted to visit the invalid with appropriate gifts, all of which were consumed in seconds.
Cindy was fast growing up, becoming more firmly in charge and more like her father. When she decided the patient was gorging himself and not getting enough exercise, she read him a stern lecture and forbade all further titbits. Barker began to look harassed.
‘Don’t worry, old fellow,’ Garth reassured him after three weeks of this. ‘I’ve got a special present for you tomorrow; one you’re going to love, and “Matron” won’t be able to lock it away.’
He was home early the next evening, looking as though he was concealing a secret.
‘Where are the kids?’ he asked Faye quietly.
‘Playing with Barker in the garden.’
‘Good. I’ve brought someone home with me and I want you to be the first to meet her.’
‘Her?’
‘Wait here,’ he said, with a touch of mischief.
When he returned a moment later, Faye’s eyes widened at the sight of his companion.
‘Her name is Peaches,’ Garth said.
Peaches was a really lovely St Bernard with liquid eyes and a melting expression.
‘She’s a year old,’ Garth explained, ‘and her owner had to rehome her because she’s a bit of a handful. But she’s—er—’ he paused, seeking for words ‘—just ready to become a bride,’ he finished delicately. ‘I thought Barker would like her.’
From outside came a squeal and the sound of thundering paws. Barker appeared, followed by the children, and stopped dead in the doorway, his gaze riveted by the vision of beauty before him. Peaches gazed back. Their eyes met across a crowded room. Cindy and Adrian regarded the scene with awe.
‘He just suddenly dropped the ball and dashed inside,’ Cindy said. ‘It was like he knew…’
‘I think he did,’ Garth agreed. ‘Meet Peaches. She’s come to keep Barker company while you’re at school.’
The children made a fuss of Peaches, who responded amiably, but her languishing gaze constantly travelled towards Barker, whose virile form had clearly made a deep impression.
‘All they needed was a swelling orchestra,’ Garth said with a grin when he was alone with Faye later.
‘What made you do it?’ she asked.
‘Barker’s still an old dog and he’s getting older. We can’t put the sad day off for ever. But this way, we’ll never really lose him. Why are you surprised? I told you I’d do something.’
‘But I thought you were simply going to get another dog.’
‘And I have. But just any dog wouldn’t do. It’s Barker who matters. With Peaches’s help, he’ll leave something of himself behind.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
To the amusement of the whole family, Barker’s passion for Peaches developed into slavish infatuation. She was a domestic tyrant, blowing hot and cold; one day allowing him to smooch her lovingly, the next, growling him away. But nothing could cool Barker’s chivalrous devotion and in the presence of his beloved he was reduced to a state of doting idiocy.
‘Poor Barker,’ Cindy consoled him. ‘You’re a henpecked husband.’
‘And when his pups are born he’ll be a henpecked father,’ Garth had observed, tweaking her hair. ‘Like me.’
Four weeks after their first meeting, Miss McGeorge had confirmed that Peaches was pregnant. Barker strutted about, every inch the proud father, and Cindy and Adrian began to squabble about names for the pups.
The tenth anniversary was growing closer. Faye had relented about letting the children take part, because she was grateful to Garth for putting them before business, even at the cost of the Newcastle contract. He never complained, nor even mentioned the matter, and Faye only knew for sure that he’d lost it when Mary told her. It was like the old days, when he hadn’t confided in her.
There was something else he’d kept to himself, which hurt far more. Kendall had telephoned to ask how she was and she’d told him about Barker’s crisis. That was how she learned that Garth had sought his help in getting James Wakeham. At first she was delighted. This was exactly the kind of generous act she’d dreamed of seeing him make. But joy was succeeded by sadness at the way he’d excluded her. He’d done it for Cindy and although he could have won his wife’s approval, it seemed that he hadn’t bothered.
Then Kendall said something else that astonished her.
‘It’s nice that you’re still speaking to me.’
‘Why shouldn’t I be?’
‘I imagine Garth told you all about Jane.’
‘She’s your new secretary, isn’t she? Why should Garth have mentioned her?’
‘You mean he didn’t? That’s amazing. I thought he’d have made the most of it.’
‘Kendall, I do
n’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Jane works late for me sometimes, and we have a meal together, and—and so on. She was here the night Garth came. Look, I was just a bit lonely for you. It doesn’t have to mean anything if we don’t let it.’
As Faye understood what he was really saying she waited for the surge of pain it should have brought her. But there was nothing. Kendall had found someone else to flatter his vanity. He was a kindly enough man in his way, but he liked being the centre of attention. What had followed was inevitable and perhaps she had always secretly guessed it.
‘Tell me, Kendall,’ she said, ‘does Jane ever forget to watch you on television?’
‘Well—no,’ he admitted sheepishly.
‘Then you should marry her without delay. And I’ll dance at your wedding. Goodbye, my dear.’
She hung up, her thoughts in turmoil. It was ironic to remember now how she’d once said about Garth, ‘I wouldn’t put it past him to have my replacement lined up to massage his ego, just in case.’ But it was Kendall who’d done exactly that and Garth who had remained true.
But no longer, it seemed. He’d known that Kendall had found someone else, yet he hadn’t tried to make any use of it.
If he’d truly wanted me, she thought despondently, he’d have told me about this, hoping to turn me against Kendall.
But he’d preferred to leave Kendall’s image untarnished. There was surely only one explanation. When the anniversary gala was over, he would be finished with her.
Cindy was looking forward to the banquet, and was thrilled with her new party frock. Adrian eyed his formal clothes askance and muttered, ‘Do I have to, Mum?’
She’d bought the kind of glamorous dress Garth wanted, a black, figure-hugging creation that would be a good background for diamonds. The children were loud in their admiration, and Faye was agreeably surprised by her own appearance.
Garth, too, approved. At least, he nodded and said, ‘Good. You’ll look just right.’
She’d smiled to cover her disappointment that he showed so little warmth. But what had she expected? Since the night of their loving she’d hoped for so much and been granted so little. She’d had a glimpse of Garth as he’d once been, as she longed for him to be again. But he’d retired behind a barrier from which he emerged only for his children.
Since Kendall’s revelation, she knew that Garth was simply biding his time until their final break-up. And, with terrible irony, this happened just as she faced the fact that she’d never really stopped loving her husband.
But he’d reclaimed her only out of pride, and lost interest when she was his for the asking. Sometimes she would surprise him with a strange look in his eyes, as though he was planning the next move. Perhaps he would offer her money to move out and let him keep the children?
She flinched at the thought of leaving them, but wouldn’t it be kinder to let them stay here, with the father they adored?
Only a little while ago she’d seemed to have almost everything. Now she was on the verge of losing everything. And worst of all was the thought that Garth might have planned this from the start.
On the evening of the banquet Faye let Cindy help her on with the black velvet evening cloak, with its white satin lining.
‘You look gorgeous, Mummy,’ the little girl breathed.
‘Thank you, darling.’
‘Doesn’t she?’ Cindy demanded of her brother.
But he was covered in nine-year-old male confusion and could only mumble, ‘Yeah.’
Cindy ran off to inform her father that Mummy looked simply gorgeous. Adrian regarded his mother awkwardly for a moment, before pecking her cheek and offering her his arm.
“Thank you, kind sir,’ she teased.
Garth’s eyes never left her as she made her entrance down the staircase. He looked satisfied. There was something else in his expression, too, but she couldn’t read him any more.
‘You look gorgeous,’ he said as she reached the bottom. ‘I’ve been instructed that that’s the right word,’ he added with a teasing glance at Cindy, who was watching him severely. The little girl smiled and relaxed, evidently feeling that he was doing the proper thing. Faye couldn’t help smiling too, at the perfect understanding between father and child. She put her head up and assumed a dazzling smile as she offered Garth her hand and let him lead her to the waiting car.
The reception was being held at the Ritz. They travelled there in a stretch limo, with the children sitting up ahead, which gave the two adults the illusion of privacy. Faye had a curious feeling that Garth was nervous, yet his words sounded confident.
‘The place will be packed tonight. We didn’t get a single refusal.’
‘I shouldn’t think they dared,’ she quipped. ‘Not once you’d made your wishes known. Another huge success for Garth Clayton. Isn’t that how it goes?’
‘Some successes matter more than others,’ he observed in a strange voice. But he was looking out of the window, not at her.
As he’d predicted, every seat was taken. When the family walked in, the crowd rose in applause. The lights were too brilliant for her to discern much but she’d been through a rehearsal and knew that models of the houses were placed around the great ballroom, and everywhere there was silver glitter the colour of diamonds.
Afterwards she couldn’t remember details. There was a perfectly prepared and served meal, with excellent wines. Speeches followed. Faye heard none of them, until Garth rose to his feet.
She was on edge in case he spoke about their marriage, twisting the facts into a publicity presentation. But to her relief he began talking about the start of his business.
‘It was a builder’s yard with a door that didn’t lock properly. Not that it mattered much, because there was nothing in there worth stealing,’ he announced, to laughter. ‘You never saw a shabbier place, but I called it Clayton Properties.
‘My wife and I had two tin plates to eat off, and we were so poor that I used to take one to work for lunch, to save buying a third. Once I forgot to take it home at night, so we shared hers.’
Yes, it had happened like that, she thought. They’d squabbled over that plate, each wanting the other to have it first. In the end, they’d eaten together and Garth had marked the occasion by scratching two entwined hearts in the centre. She’d wanted to keep the plate, but Garth had taken it to the yard, and lost it.
‘Since then, Clayton Properties has grown and grown again,’ he said. ‘But I still fondly remember that first little yard, how proud I was of it—and how proud my wife was of me. She never saw it as a dump. She thought that now I’d entered the market the rest of them might as well give up.’ There was friendly laughter and a smattering of applause, then he went on. ‘And because she believed that, I began to believe it. I went on because I had to justify her faith in me. And I found I could take giant strides I’d never dreamed of.
‘I did things I was scared to do, because I couldn’t risk Faye finding out that I had feet of clay. Of course, she knew that all the time, but she didn’t let on because she didn’t want me to find out.’
This time the laughter was loud, with a warm, friendly tone. Everyone knew that this was an excellent speech, striking just the right note for the occasion.
But Faye never thought of it like that. She was listening intently to the man she loved, breathless with hope.
‘Clayton Properties has been as much her creation as mine. And that’s why it’s right that I should honour her tonight, on our tenth wedding anniversary.’
He took her hand to raise her up, and opened the black box in front of him. A riviere of diamonds glittered inside. The crowd rose in thunderous applause as he fitted the lavish jewels about her neck. Faye hardly heard them. She was looking into Garth’s smiling eyes, feeling the warm touch of his hands on her neck. Everything was coming right at last. He’d only been waiting for tonight.
In her joy she was able to pose for the photographs with a truly radiant smile. It was going
to be all right. Tonight, when the children had gone to bed, he would tell her what was in his heart and they would find each other again. She could have sung with happiness.
It seemed an eternity until the party broke up, but at last they were all moving towards the door. Her hand was tucked in Garth’s arm. She could see the car waiting for them through the great entrance. In a few minutes they would be inside it, perhaps in each other’s arms. Cindy and Adrian would giggle, but they were welcome.
Suddenly Garth tensed and stopped. He seemed awkward. ‘Faye, I should have told you this before. Something came up this afternoon.’
She stared at him in disbelief. Oh, this couldn’t be happening again!
‘I was going to France in a few days, but I’ve had a call to say they need me earlier. I’ve got to leave for the airport straight away.’
‘You’re not even coming home with us?’ she gasped.
‘When you get there you’ll understand. Please believe me— This is best.’
Cindy and Adrian came beside them, looking up with silent questions as they sensed the changed atmosphere.
‘Daddy has to go to France on urgent business,’ Faye said, hardly knowing what she was saying.
‘You mean you’re not coming home with us?’ Adrian asked.
‘Not just for the— Cindy, what have you got there? It’s not a doggy bag, is it?’
Cindy guiltily produced not one bag but two.
‘There’s Peaches as well,’ she explained, ‘and she’s eating for three or four or five or—’
Something strange seemed to happen to Garth. He closed his eyes and for a moment Faye could have sworn that his lips were shaking, as though he was on the verge of tears. But that didn’t make sense.
‘I just hope you’ve got enough for her,’ he said at last. He dropped to one knee and put an arm around each child, hugging them tightly. “Bye kids,’ he said huskily. ‘Be good.’
There was a mysterious undercurrent in his voice. Faye stared at him, trying desperately to understand.
