Emma’s Secret (46 page)

Robin inclined his head. ‘No, you don’t. I think perhaps they threw away the mould. Glynnis was quite the most extraordinary looking woman I’ve ever known…’ His sentence remained unfinished.

Paula said, ‘Uncle Robin, do you mind if I pop out into the garden for a moment? I want to look at those plants I sent you the other day, to be sure they’re in the beds correctly.’

He was about to tell her his gardener knew what he was doing when he realized she was being discreet, leaving them alone together for a few moments. He nodded. ‘Of course, do go out to the garden, Paula, my dear.’

He smiled at Evan a few seconds later. ‘She’s a bit too obvious at times.’

Evan smiled back at him. ‘But she’s thoughtful’

‘Oh yes.’ He seemed to ruminate on something for a short while, as if having a tussle with himself, and then he said, ‘And do you hate me, Evan, for not marrying Glynnis Jenkins?’

‘No. It’s so long ago…something like sixty years.’

‘Yes, indeed. It wasn’t that I didn’t love her, because I did. I just loved her far too much. And she loved me in the same way…too much. We would—’

‘Oh my God!’

Robin stared at Evan. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

‘My grandmother said something…
I loved him too much,
that’s what she whispered on her deathbed. I thought she was referring to Owen, her son, my father. But perhaps she was referring to you…do you think?’

‘Maybe she was. That was our problem. Too much passion and too much possessiveness. Our love would have burnt out, or we would have killed each other. Do you understand what I’m saying?’

‘Yes, of course.’ Evan gave him a long, hard stare. ‘Were you happy in your marriage?’

‘In many ways I was. However, to be truthful, I missed
her
always, missed the passion, the sensuality, the charm of her, and her beauty. Glynnis Jenkins was the most enchanting woman I ever knew. Yes, I missed her…’

‘Glynnis was happy, you know,’ Evan told him. ‘Very happy with Richard Hughes, and they had a good marriage. But she was always drilling something into me…the importance of compatibility, as well as love. You two weren’t very compatible, were you?’

‘No. But that didn’t stop me loving her.’

There was such a strange note in his voice, a gruff undertone, that Evan glanced at him swiftly, and she saw that there were tears in his eyes. On an impulse, without thinking, she jumped up, and went to him, put her hand on his shoulder. ‘Oh Robin,’ she murmured. ‘I do understand…and I don’t blame you.’

He gazed into her face and for a split second he saw not Evan, nor his sister Elizabeth, but Glynnis. And without thinking he pulled Evan into his arms and held her very close. Within a few seconds he released her, and said in that same gruff voice, ‘Forgive a very old man.’

‘There’s nothing to forgive,’ she said and returned to the sofa.

Pulling himself together, Robin reached for the glass of sherry and tossed it back. Sitting up straighter, he asked, ‘So, my dear, do you think you and I can be friends?’

‘Oh yes, I hope so.’

‘And your father?’

‘That I don’t know.’

‘Mmmm. I understand. Do you plan to stay in England?’

‘I want to, yes.’

‘So I’m likely to see you again?’ Robin raised an eyebrow.

‘Absolutely.’

There was a little silence.

Evan broke it. ‘Robin, why do you think Emma kept the Glynnis letters, yet hid them in that strange way?’

He let out a deep sigh. ‘I just don’t know. It’s a mystery to me.’ A smile broke through and he exclaimed, ‘But I’m damned glad she did.’

‘Who did what to whom?’ Paula asked, coming back into the library.

‘Emma. She kept the letters, and you found them, and I’ve found my only grandchild. You are the
only
one, aren’t you?’ He shot a glance at Evan.

She smiled. ‘I am. I do have two sisters but they’re adopted.’

Paula said, ‘You two are looking very pleased with each other, Uncle Robin, Evan. But I want to caution you both…there’s Jonathan to contend with.’

‘Ah yes.’ Robin sat back in the chair, steepled his fingers, brought them to his mouth. ‘I shall talk to him next week, explain everything. As long as he knows that I am not going to change my will, everything will be all right.’

‘I don’t want anything!’ Evan exclaimed, and then blushed when he gave her a stern look.

Paula said, ‘You know that, Uncle, and I know it, but will Jonathan believe you? Will he accept your word?’

‘I shall make him believe me.’ Robin rose, went and sat next to Evan on the sofa, took her hand in his. ‘You and I don’t actually know each other, we’ve only just met, but you are my grandchild, and I am going to create a Trust for you. Immediately. I shall attend to it on Monday. But remember, this is between the three of us.’

Evan nodded, not daring to say a word.

‘What a good idea, Uncle Robin. And you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not going to tell anyone, not even Shane,’ Paula promised.

Later that day Evan read a lot more of her grandmother’s letters to Emma, and was instantly engrossed in them. Glynnis had written in great detail, giving Emma colourful descriptions of her life in New York with her son and her husband Richard. Evan found them fascinating. She also understood that the two women had grown closer over the years, sharing a special bond because of Owen.

Putting the last one she had just read back in the bundle and tying the blue ribbon carefully, Evan placed the letters under her sweaters in a drawer, knowing she wanted to peruse them again, perhaps tonight after dinner.

As she showered and washed her hair, Evan thought of Glynnis. Her admiration of her gran had grown and grown in the last twenty-four hours, because of her dignity, kindness and the way she had led her life. She had even brought Owen to London on several occasions when he was a little boy, and Emma had met him. Didn’t her father remember these occasions? Perhaps he did, but had preferred not to tell her. Or maybe he had simply not understood who Emma was, or forgotten or blocked them out.

Stepping out of the shower, Evan dried herself, put on a terrycloth robe, and stood in front of the mirror drying her hair with a blower, thinking now about Robin. She had liked him almost instantly, had found him warm, kind and very courteous, and she was quite certain he liked her. Of course, they had to get to know each other properly, and that would take time, but instinctively she felt they would have a worthwhile relationship eventually.

Naturally Robin had been concerned about her father, and she was too, truly unsure of the way he would react to the news. She had made up her mind not to telephone him in Connecticut; at least if she did she would not tell him about the sudden startling development in their lives. She knew him well, and she believed his reaction would be very mixed. He had been devoted to Richard Hughes, who had brought him up, and whom he regarded as his father. Well, of course Richard had been his father. Her grandmother had once said something to her…that any man could get a woman pregnant but it was what a man did with a child later that made him a true father. She had often thought about her gran’s words, and now they made perfect sense. Glynnis had been thinking about Richard when she had uttered them.

After brushing her hair and putting on a little makeup, Evan moved into the bedroom where she quickly dressed, choosing a silk dress of pale aquamarine, a colour which suited her perfectly. She fastened Glynnis’s string of small pearls around her neck, and put on the matching earrings, then slipped her feet into low-heeled silk shoes that matched the colour of the dress.

She was the first one to arrive in the upstairs parlour, and she went and stood at the leaded window, looking out towards the hillside opposite, and then she turned to go back into the room. She saw the photograph at once, recognized Robin immediately, Robin as a much younger man, perhaps in his thirties. Picking it up, she saw that the broken glass Paula had referred to had been replaced. She held it for a moment, staring at the face, seeing her father and herself reflected there. Odd, though, that Robin Ainsley had a look of Richard Hughes…She smiled to herself as she put the photograph back in its place amongst the other framed photographs of Emma Harte’s family.

Even though it was early June, these old country houses were cool, she had noticed, and she made for the other side of the room where a fire blazed in the hearth. A moment later Gideon came in, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw her.

Hurrying over, he brought her into his arms, kissed her cheek and then stood away from her, exclaiming, ‘You should always wear that colour. You look wonderful in it!’

‘Thank you, kind sir,’ she said, smiling up at him.

‘My parents will be here in a moment, but what’s going on? My mother said Paula wanted to talk to the three of us privately, with just you and Shane also present. Why not Linnet and Julian?’

‘We must wait for Paula, Gid, she will explain everything.’

He frowned, said in a low voice, ‘Don’t tell me the mystery of your ancestry has been finally solved?’

Evan threw him a cool inscrutable look, but made no comment.

When Emily and Winston came in, Emily hurried over to her, kissed her on the cheek, and said, ‘It’s lovely to see you, Evan. And I must congratulate you again: the retrospective was so well mounted.’

‘Thank you.’

Winston joined them, also kissed her on the cheek. ‘It goes without saying that I agree with Emily. My wife is always right. Now, what’s all this about, Evan, do you know?’

‘I’m about to tell you,’ Paula announced from the doorway, gliding into the upstairs parlour, followed by Shane. ‘Let’s sit down,’ she said, and lowered herself onto one of the sofas near the fire. Once they were all seated she proceeded to explain how she had knocked Robin’s photograph off the long library table, taken it apart to remove the broken glass, found the key for the silver-scrolled casket, and the photograph of Glynnis and Owen with Emma.

‘The casket was full of letters from Glynnis Hughes to Emma, and it became instantly clear to me that Robin Ainsley was the father of Glynnis’s son, Owen, who is Evan’s father.’

‘Oh my God!’ Emily cried. ‘Then you
are
one of us, Evan! Oh,
of course.
Now I know who it is you look like! My mother when she was young, about your age. Goodness me, you’re a
Harte.’

Winston said, ‘Well, my dear, welcome to the family. You’re going to make a wonderful addition.’

Gideon simply sat there, staring at her, his face quite unreadable.

Shane said, ‘Paula went to see Robin the other day, told him everything, and he confirmed that he had been involved with Glynnis during the war. That in itself is another story for later, however. Paula also informed Evan when she arrived yesterday, and this morning she drove Evan over to the Priory to meet Robin. Seemingly it went very well’

Emily asked, ‘Did you like him, Evan? And how did he react to you?’

‘I liked him, yes, he was very courteous,’ Evan answered. ‘So very nice, and I’m sure he reciprocated my feelings.’ She looked across at Paula questioningly.

Paula nodded and told them, ‘I do believe Robin is truly thrilled. He didn’t say that exactly, but he was very keen to know Evan better and to meet her father eventually. And we all know what Jonathan is…yes, I think Robin is over the moon that he suddenly has a grandchild.’

Gideon, recovering from his initial surprise, gave Evan a long, loving look, and said, ‘I second my father, Evan. Welcome to the family, yes, welcome, welcome!’

There was a little amused laughter amongst the others, and Paula continued, ‘For the moment, this must remain confidential. It’s between the six of us only. No one else in the family can know. Not until Uncle Robin has told Jonathan, and reassured him that Evan’s advent in his life is not going to affect Jonathan’s inheritance.’

‘I hope he believes it!’ Emily exclaimed.

Shane said, ‘I know what you mean.’

Winston looked thoughtful, pondering for a moment, and then he nodded to himself. ‘Uncle Robin is not Emma Harte’s son for nothing. He’s as shrewd as she ever was. And let’s not forget he’s a barrister, well schooled in the law, and that he was a Member of Parliament and a member of the government for years. He’s not going to fumble this one, rest assured. He’s going to use the right words, come up with all the right answers when he sees Jonathan.’

‘And when is that going to be, do you know, Paula?’ Emily asked.

‘Uncle Robin said he was going up to London on Monday. To see his solicitor. Perhaps he wants his advice about handling Jonathan.’

‘Possibly,’ Winston said. ‘But it’s more than likely he wants to draw up some sort of legal papers that give Jonathan the guarantees he’ll probably want.’

‘I agree with you, Winston,’ Shane said, standing up, pulling Paula to her feet. ‘Now, let’s go downstairs and have a drink. The others are going to wonder what’s going on up here.’

Paula said, ‘Remember everyone, not a word to anyone, not even Linnet. We know what Jonathan is, we don’t want him going wild before Uncle Robin has placated him. And it’s funny how gossip spreads in this family.’

Winston and Emily nodded, and followed Shane and Paula out of the upstairs parlour.

Gideon said, ‘We’ll be down in a few minutes.’

When the others had left, Gideon went and sat next to Evan on the sofa. Taking her hand in his, he looked into her large soulful eyes and said softly, ‘So how does it feel to know that we’re related?’

Evan sighed, her face serious. ‘It startled me at first, of course, but when I got used to the idea it didn’t bother me. Does it bother you, Gid?’

‘No, why should it? I was taken aback, I must admit that, because there had been talk about you being a long-lost McGill. As it happens, you’re a long-lost Harte actually.’ He laughed, then leaned into her, and kissed her on the mouth. Her arms went around him and they kissed for a long moment, intimately and with passion.

Finally Evan pulled away. ‘I think we’d best go downstairs, don’t you?’

Leering at her a little theatrically, Gideon shook his head. ‘I’d much prefer to stay up here with you, doing this. But I suppose we have to display a little decorum and join the others for drinks. Later, after dinner, I’ll take you for a drive, so that we can be alone. All right?’