Blood Stones (42 page)

‘Yes, I have.' Stella stood up. She felt quite different from what she had imagined. She didn't feel vindictive or exultant. She felt rather sick, as if she had stepped in a mess of worms. But she had no hesitation. ‘You send your evidence to the police. Fill in a few more details if you like. The expenses will be all right as far as I'm concerned. My father is coming over on business and Reece will be leaving England at the same time as we do, so if they fool about, the police will miss them. You might impress that on them.'

‘I will,' he said. He thought she worked things out very quickly; there wasn't any fumbling in her mental processes. ‘You want the police to charge Reece and stop him leaving the country,' he said. ‘That's what you want, isn't it?'

‘Yes,' she looked at him. ‘He has friends in the police at home. He won't buy his way out over here. Let me have your account, Mr Miller. And thank you very much. You've done a wonderful job for me. If I know anyone who wants a good detective, I'll send them along to you.'

‘Goodbye, Miss Heyderman; thanks very much. I'm glad you're satisfied.'

‘Oh, I am,' she said. ‘I'm the most satisfied customer you'll ever have.'

‘I thought we'd have more privacy here,' Philip Fairfax said. ‘And the food and wine are excellent.'

James had never been to Boodles before; he had seen it through the famous bow window and glimpsed a coal fire and men sitting in leather chairs, but nobody stopped and looked in; it was unthinkable. He liked the interior; it was very comfortable, and there was a club smell of leather and cigars and men, the atmosphere of an old house where women weren't allowed. He followed Elizabeth's father into the dining-room, and they were given a corner table. He had been surprised to be invited, although he had requested a meeting with Liz's father. The lunch must have significance. His father-in-law must want something. Probably an uncontested divorce for Elizabeth. That, James decided, was the reason behind the friendliness. They had never liked him, or wanted Elizabeth to marry him. Realizing it was inevitable, the family had put a good face on it, but James hadn't been fooled. Now they had their daughter back, and no doubt they felt he could be got rid of, and she would end up with someone they felt was more suitable.

Philip Fairfax said, ‘Let's look at the menu, shall we? And what would you like to drink? I'm sure they'll have the steak-and-kidney pie, it's the best in London, and I can order a decent claret.'

He looked enquiringly at James. Such good manners, such an impenetrable barrier between them. James could never get through to him.

‘I don't drink at lunchtimes, thanks. I don't mind what we eat, you order whatever. What I would like to know is why I'm here.'

Elizabeth's father frowned. This was awkward, this head-on approach. Not the way he liked doing things at all.

‘To talk about Lizzie,' he said. ‘And see what we can do to help you patch it up. You sure you want the steak and kidney?'

James said, ‘Yes, yes, anything. You mean you're not against me?' He couldn't believe it. ‘After what Liz's told you?'

‘Liz told us what that bloody Frenchman told her,' was the answer. ‘I don't happen to believe him, and neither does Jill. All I can say is, James, you must have been stone blind not to realize he was in love with her. Stone blind,' he accused.

James said slowly, ‘Yes. I must have been. He was so much older, it never occurred to me. Before we say anything else, I promise you I didn't get a message that Liz was in hospital, or losing the baby. I flew straight to Paris after speaking to the doctor, but Liz had left the clinic and gone to the country with that bastard. That's what happened and that's the truth.'

There was a pause. Then Philip Fairfax said, ‘I'm sure it is. What we have to do is get Elizabeth to believe it, too. She still loves you, as you obviously love her. But she won't listen to either of us. And that bugger's coming over to see her. He writes and telephones; it's like water dripping, drip, drip, and it's very worrying. I think you should come back with me and talk to her. She'll be furious with me, but that can't be helped. It's going on too long, James. These things can reach a point of no return when it's too late. What do you say? Ah,' he turned to the club servant. ‘Morning, Tom. Two steak-and-kidney pies and a half-bottle of the house red. You're sure you won't join me, James? No point ordering a decent bottle just for me.'

James shook his head. Go down to Freemantle and see Elizabeth. Take her by surprise. Try to make her believe him. Hurry, because another man was taking advantage of the situation and was in pursuit. Letters, telephone calls, drip, drip, drip … planning a visit to see her. The food arrived; they ate in silence. He hadn't answered Fairfax's invitation. Fairfax didn't press him. He watched his son-in-law in his quiet way, and was pained by what he saw. A bitter man, consumed with hurt. When the coffee came, he repeated the offer.

‘Will you come down with me? I'm leaving around five o'clock.'

‘No,' James said. ‘No, I don't think so. I couldn't take it if Liz sent me packing again. That'd be the end as far as I'm concerned. Funny thing, Philip, you and Jill never really liked me, but you don't believe I could behave like an utter shit. My wife does. That's hurt a lot.
Nothing
in the world meant more to me than her and the baby. She's got to reach that conclusion without any more begging from me. But, thanks anyway. Thanks for being a friend. I didn't expect it.' He got up.

Philip Fairfax said, ‘I'm so sorry, James. We're on your side and we'll do what we can. If that bloody fellow comes over, he'll have to see her in London. I'm not having him in the house.'

He shook his head slightly as he watched his son-in-law leave. These things can reach a point of no return … it might well be that James was there already.

12

‘If you've come to see Mr Hastings, he's out of the office till three this afternoon.'

Ruth Fraser spoke as if Kruger was a stranger. Quite calmly, with that impersonal expression that tore at him with rage and hurt.

‘I've come to see you,' he said.

‘I've asked you not to do this,' Ruth answered, lowering her voice. ‘The office is not the place.'

Kruger came close to her desk. He stared down at her. ‘Fuck the office. How could you do this to me, Ruth?'

She smelt sour whisky on his breath. There were rumours that he kept a bottle in his drawer and drank through the day. She decided not to provoke him. She softened her attitude.

‘Dick,' she said, ‘be reasonable. I didn't want to hurt you, we had wonderful times together. I said all that … but while we were apart, I realized I didn't want to marry you. I didn't want that kind of commitment. It was better to end it when I did. Can't you just accept that?'

‘No,' he glared at her. ‘Because it's not the reason. You left me because you were fucking Hastings behind my back, and now his wife's left him, you think you'll make it up the ladder with him. That's why you left me. Tell the truth for once. That's why!'

Ruth glanced at the door, his voice was raised. People in the outer office could hear.

‘Will you shut up and stop yelling at me.' Her control snapped suddenly. She had been sorry for him at first. Now she was beginning to hate and despise him for being so weak. Pleas and self-abasement had been followed by abuse. Now it was spilling over into her professional life. She couldn't allow that. She got up and came round the desk and faced him.

‘Get this straight,' she hissed at him. ‘I don't want you any more. I'm not fucking Hastings or any other man. I never was. You just made that up because you can't admit I got bored with you and wanted out. That's the truth. You're too old, and you bored me – in bed and out of it!'

He hit her; the slap caught her on the side of the face and she staggered back. Her hand came up to her cheek.

‘Get out,' she said. ‘Get out of here before I call security!'

He swayed slightly. ‘I'm going,' he said. ‘But don't think you and your boyfriend are going to get away with it! There's a fight coming up … one bloody fight to the death in this company, and he's going to lose. Goodbye, bitch!' The door slammed shut behind him.

She went through to the private washroom and bathed her face with cold water. She could see signs of swelling. A bruise would follow; it was throbbing painfully. She was shaking with shock and anger. The blow reminded her of other blows; the cuff across the face when she didn't finish her schoolwork, or was slow to wash up after meals. Or, sometimes, for nothing, just because she was at hand and her father was in a bad mood. If any man got rough or hit her, Ruth wanted to kill them, just as she had secretly wanted to kill him.

A fight to the death in the company
. He was drunk and boasting, but the undercurrents were all round her. Tension and rumour about what would happen at the Board meeting. An open row between Arthur Harris and Ray Andrews. They had been heard shouting at each other after Andrews came back from Moscow. Julius Heyderman would be on his way over soon, to chair that Board meeting. With James Hastings poised to strike and take the prize.

Thanks to him, she had been given a bonus and a salary rise. Nothing had changed in their relationship, except that he was even more distant, if that was possible. He had shut himself away and nobody was allowed to get near. Ruth didn't even try. She knew his wife and he were separated; office rumours said she'd gone funny after a miscarriage and walked out. Ruth didn't think about it; she'd seen the Lady Liz once or twice and instinctively disliked the type. Privileged, nose in the air, spoiled rotten … And a fool, to let a man like Hastings go just because she'd dropped a baby. Ruth could have given her a few pointers about men …

There was a noise behind her and she heard James say, ‘Ruth? Sorry – the door was open …' Then, as she turned to face him, ‘Christ, what's happened to your face?'

‘Dick Kruger happened,' she said. ‘Excuse me, Mr Hastings.' She passed by him and back into her own office.

He followed her, ‘You mean he hit you?'

‘He was drunk,' she said. ‘He's barged in here once or twice, abusing me, but this time it got out of hand. It's all right, it was only a slap. But he's a big man.'

‘He's a bastard,' James exclaimed. ‘I'll see he doesn't come in here again! I'll go and have a word—'

‘No,' she stopped him. ‘Please, it doesn't matter. He won't come back. I don't want any fuss.' She surprised herself by saying, ‘My Dad used to belt me … it's no big deal.'

James said, ‘Ruth sit down. Look, I'll get a car to take you home. Maybe you should see a doctor. That's going to be very painful.'

‘How was your lunch?' She was making conversation to get the situation back to normal. She didn't want him making a scene with Kruger, and have Kruger repeat his accusations. Hastings might feel he couldn't keep her on as his assistant.

James sat down on the edge of the desk. She was in a chair, a hand pressed to her throbbing cheek.

‘My lunch?' He paused for a moment. Then he said, ‘I met my father-in-law. I thought he was going to ask me to give my wife a divorce. I was all ready to fight, all squared up,' he raised both fists in mockery. ‘I've come to the conclusion I'm a hopeless judge of people. He never liked me, my mother-in-law didn't either. I thought they'd be on my wife's side. I was wrong. Absolutely dead wrong.'

Ruth stared at him. He wasn't really talking to her, more to himself aloud. ‘They want to get us back together. So it shows how wrong I was.'

Ruth waited for a moment, and then said, ‘Is there any chance? I mean I've known things were not right, but I don't really know why you separated. Was it losing the baby? Was she depressed or something like that? I never liked to mention it.'

‘No,' he answered. ‘Not so simple. There's another man involved.' He got off the desk and stretched as if he were stiff and aching. ‘He told her a lie and she believes it. She thinks I stayed down at Cap d'Antibes while she was having a miscarriage, and pretended not to know because the business was more important than what was happening to her. This bastard was with her in the clinic, and he pretended to call my office. He never did. So she thinks I'm the kind of shit who'd do a thing like that.'

Ruth felt the other side of her face flame red. There
had
been a message and she'd taken it. And never passed it on. Because she hadn't trusted him to make the right choice and put the business first. She got up and said, ‘I am sorry, Mr Hastings. I hope it'll work out. I will go home, if you don't mind. I'm getting a nasty headache. I can drive myself home.'

‘Don't come in tomorrow if you don't feel like it,' James said. He was sickened by the incident. Kruger, all of six foot two and two hundred odd pounds lashing out at a woman like that. He hadn't meant to talk to her or anyone, but he was glad he had. Some kind of burden had been lifted from him. ‘Look after yourself,' he said.

‘Thanks,' Ruth managed to smile at him. ‘You're a very kind man. I appreciate it.'

She didn't bother going to the doctor. She took painkillers and put an ice pack on her cheek. She had never had a conscience; it was kill or be killed in this life, as far as she was concerned. Nothing in her experience from childhood onwards had convinced her otherwise. Hastings had come back from Paris as the hero figure, all the more remarkable because of Andrews' failure with the Russians. Hastings would get to the top and he owed it to her sense of priorities. She hadn't given him the message about his wife. If she had, he would have made the wrong decision. She hadn't even remembered the incident, or connected it with Elizabeth Hastings leaving him. Mentally she shrugged it away, out of her mind. There was a price to pay for everything. Nothing is for nothing, as her mother used to say. He'd get over it. He'd find someone else. She settled down to watch TV and have a quiet night. If her face didn't look too obvious, she'd go into the office tomorrow.