Power of a Woman (26 page)

She listened again, and then murmured, “Well, I could come over for a light lunch, but Miles is with me.” She looked at her son questioningly.

Miles nodded, mouthed, “Okay.”

“Bruce, Miles says yes. So we’ll both come over to Wilton Crescent. See you at twelve-thirty.”

284 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

After she had hung up she said to Miles, “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, you know.”

“I do, Ma. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I would like to say good-bye to Grandfather.”

PART THREE

Easter

C
HLOE HAD BEEN VISITING THE BOND STREET SHOP

since she was a small girl, and she loved the marvelous old building which was a famous landmark in London. It was the epitome of elegance, its huge plate-glass windows filled with magnificent jewels and the finest of merchandise. “The best that money can buy,” Bruce Jardine always said, and he was correct.

For as long as she could remember, everyone who worked at the store had made her feel special, from the uniformed doormen who smiled and touched their caps when they saw her, to the sales staff who never failed to have pleasant words for her.

She thought the interiors of the shop were the most impressive she had ever seen; these were a series of showrooms with soaring ceilings, crystal chandeliers, white marble staircases, and plush, dark blue carpeting stretching everywhere.

288 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

To her, the store was grand and stately, and perhaps this was what she loved the most about it.

Jardine and Company had always been there, and always would be, and it was a symbol of prestige, dependability, and continuity.

She had been raised on family lore; she knew that Jardine’s had held the royal warrant to be Crown Jewellers since 1843, and that it was Queen Victoria who had given them the warrant. Years ago Bruce had explained to her that Jardine’s had served six monarchs; he had also told her that the staff at Jardine’s had one purpose, one aim—to do the best that could be done anywhere in the world.

It was her mother who had enumerated more about the royal warrants, explaining that they were granted to individuals, not companies. Gideon was the present holder and had the title of Crown Jeweller. This meant, among other things, that he had to take care of the Crown Jewels, which reposed most of the time in the Tower of London, in the new Jewel House which had been built.

As the Crown Jeweller, Gideon was the only person allowed to touch the jewels, and he was personally responsible to the queen for the upkeep of the great Crown of England, the Orbs, and the Sceptre, which Elizabeth II used on state occasions. As her mother put it, “Gideon is responsible for the symbols of the nation.”

The size of Jardine’s was surprising. It was much larger than most people realized, with many Power of a Woman / 289

different workshops on the higher floors above the showrooms. It was there that some of the world’s great master craftsmen labored on their extraordinary creations, producing objects of stunning beauty in silver and precious metals like gold and platinum.

Lapidaries cut and polished diamonds and colored gemstones such as emeralds, sapphires, and rubies; designers created jewelry, the designs fulfilled by other craftsmen.

Last week, when she had come to work at the store, she had walked around the entire building with Gideon. “So that you can familiarize yourself with it, get the feel of it,” he had said.

She had been impressed all over again as he led her through workshops filled with these items, as well as antique clocks and watches, modern clocks and watches, and all manner of decorative objects.

Jardine’s was an elegant store and it had an enormous variety of merchandise of the finest quality. Her mother took great pride in everything that was sold, as did her grandfather.

Chloe liked the store her mother had opened on Fifth Avenue in New York, but it was Jardine’s in London that she really loved. She had grown up with the London shop from the time she was born until she was ten. It was to this store she had gravitated when she had decided she wanted to work in the family business.

A week ago, when Gideon had asked her what she actually wanted to do, she had been honest 290 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

with him and told him she wasn’t sure. For this reason, he had put her in the jewelry showroom, where some of the store’s most magnificent pieces were sold. “Let’s try selling first, see how you like that, see how you like dealing with people.”

Today it was the Monday of Easter week. On Thursday she and Gideon were going to spend the long weekend in Yorkshire with Nigel and Tamara at Aysgarth End. For the next three days, she would work beside Gideon at his bench; he was going to show her in much more detail what he did as a lapidary.

She was waiting for him now, sitting on a stool next to his, wearing a white cotton coat, just the way he did. After a moment’s absence, he returned, carrying a small packet. Putting it on the bench, opening the paper, he said, “This is a diamond I’m going to cut and polish.” He glanced at her, adding,

“You can cut a diamond only with another diamond.”

She nodded. “But you don’t use an
actual
diamond. You told me that a long time ago. You use diamond dust.”

“Good girl, you remembered. And that’s true, we use industrial diamonds crushed to a fine powder.”

As Gideon spoke, he reached for a glass jar and showed it to her. “This is it. Gray powder, but it
is
ground-down diamonds despite the way it looks.

I’m going to mix some of it with linseed oil to make a black paste. You see, the diamond dust cuts the diamond, but it’s the linseed oil that makes the dust adhere to the wheel.”

Power of a Woman / 291

Gideon focused his attention on the flat cast-iron wheel on his bench. “This wheel spins 3,200 rpm once it’s turned on. If I simply put diamond dust on it, the dust would fly all over. That’s why we need linseed oil—to make the dust stick to the wheel.”

“I understand.”

“I’m going to put the diamond in this tong, Chloe.

Watch me now. As you can see, the tong itself is held in position by the arm, which is screwed onto the bench. That keeps it very steady. There, the diamond is now held in place by the tong, which I can move any way I want as I’m cutting the diamond.”

After placing a ten-power loupe in his eye, Gideon moved the tong gently, held it over the wheel, and began to cut and facet the diamond.

She watched him, fascinated, not daring to say a word because he was so concentrated.

“So you’re going to Yorkshire for Easter,” Bruce said, looking across the luncheon table at Chloe. “Gideon tells me you’re driving up on Thursday morning and coming back on Monday.”

“That’s right, Grandfather, but Mom knows all about it,” she answered swiftly. “She said it was all right; she said that I could go.”

A faint smile touched his mouth. “Of course it is.

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t go to Yorkshire. Nigel behaved very badly, and he could 292 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

have created quite serious problems in the business.

But he’s still a member of the family…still your brother.”

Chloe nodded, her face suddenly very solemn.

“Mom told me all about it. She was really upset, and angry, at first, but she’s calmed down a bit now.

Miles said Nigel’s behavior was suicidal, and Gideon says he has a tendency to self-destruct.”

“Quite,” Bruce murmured, picked up his glass of water, and took a sip. “I must say, the twins have a rather dramatic way of describing events.”

Leaning forward slightly, Chloe lowered her voice and said in a confiding tone, “Tamara’s been very upset, you know, Grandfather. I mean about Nigel’s foolishness. She loves Mom, and she told me she was ashamed of Nigel and the way he’s behaved.

She thinks he ought to apologize to my mother and ask to come back to work. I bet if he did so, Mom would have him back, don’t you?”

“Perhaps,” Bruce said cautiously, wondering if Stevie
would
let Nigel return to Jardine’s. Would
he
if he were still running the company? He was not sure. Nigel’s behavior had been extremely willful, and, as far as he was concerned, rashness was not a laudable trait to have, especially in business. Suddenly realizing that Chloe was staring at him, he cleared his throat and added, “Aside from being brilliant at what she does, your mother’s a very compassionate woman, Chloe, and she still Power of a Woman / 293

loves Nigel, despite the fact that he’s behaved very badly toward her. So perhaps she will rehabilitate him. One day. Very much in the future, of course.

But that’s enough of that unpleasantness for the moment, my dear. Let’s talk about
your
future at Jardine’s. Do you really want to work in the family business one day?”

“Oh, yes, I do, Grandfather!” she responded en-thusiastically. “And I’ve been fascinated by everything I’ve seen so far.”

“And do you know what area of the business you would like to work in, Chloe?”

Chloe exhaled, then smiled at him, holding her head to one side. “I know I don’t have the talent to design jewelry, and I don’t want to be a lapidary like Gideon. But I love stones, Grandfather. Especially diamonds. I’d like to be involved in buying diamonds, and other precious stones, too. That’s what appeals to me.”

Bruce gave her the benefit of a huge smile. “That was always my area of expertise, and your mother’s, Chloe. So, you’re following in
our
footsteps. When you come back after Brearley’s graduation, I shall ask Gilbert Drexel to take you under his wing. You can spend the summer in his department. You’ll enjoy it and learn a lot.”

“Oh, thank you, that’s wonderful! Oh, here’s lunch, Grandfather.” She sat back in her chair and took a sip of water as the waiter placed the first course in front of them. They had both ordered the same lunch: Morecombe Bay potted shrimps 294 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

first, to be followed by chicken pot pie, one of the specialties at Claridge’s.

As she slowly ate the potted shrimps and the thin slices of buttered brown bread, Chloe did not say much, and neither did Bruce. When she had finished, she leaned across the table once more and said in a conspiratorial voice, “Nigel
resents
Mom working at Jardine’s. He’s not only a male chauvinist pig but totally out of date.”

Looking at her alertly, Bruce agreed. “Yes, I think he is, too. Women are involved in every type of business all over the world these days.” A tiny amused smile flickered as he continued, “Why, even
I
have been properly educated to accept women as businessmen. You see, your mother always chided me about being old-fashioned, and years ago she decided to really straighten me out. However, it strikes me that she didn’t do so well with her son, now, did she?”

“Nigel just slipped through the cracks,” Chloe murmured, then added as an afterthought, “Or maybe it’s yet another attitude he has developed for himself.”

“What do you mean?” Bruce asked, frowning slightly, pinning her with his eyes.

“Well, he would always take a particular stance, when we were growing up, adopt a certain attitude.

That’s just the way he is…
attitudinal
. And his attitudes change very quickly. Personally, I think he’s mad at Mom.”

Again Bruce looked at her with enormous Power of a Woman / 295

interest, his eyes narrowing a fraction. “Why on earth would he be angry with your mother?” he probed, curious to hear what she had to say.

Chloe shrugged. “I don’t know, Grandfather, maybe something from the past. He can be so touchy about things,
that
I’m really aware of.”

Bruce merely nodded, thinking that she had turned out to be a very bright young woman. He himself had often thought Nigel was harboring a grudge as far as Stevie was concerned. As for Chloe, he felt a sudden rush of pride in her. She was such a beautiful girl with her glossy hair, shining dark eyes, and her faultless complexion. And she had a lovely, warm, outgoing personality that was very beguiling.
Sparkling
was the word that best described her, and her appearance as well. He suddenly wished he weren’t so old, eighty-three next birthday, because he wanted to be around to watch her become a grown woman. She was so very special to him, and he loved her dearly. That was the trouble with dying; you missed so much of the future.

“What’s the matter, Grandfather?” Chloe reached out, put her hand over his.

“Nothing, my dear. Why do you ask?”

“You looked so sad just then,” she replied, sounding worried.

He smiled again and placed his hand over hers.

“I was wishing I were younger, so that I’d be here to watch you growing up a little bit more, see you getting married, having children. Not to mention succeeding at Jardine’s.”

296 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

“But you
will
be here, Grandfather!” she exclaimed.

“I’m an old man now, Chloe.”

“You’re not to me.”

“But you call me
Old
Bruce behind my back,” he teased.

Her eyes opened wider and she flushed, then explained quickly, “But it’s an affectionate nickname; it’s not meant to be unkind.”

He nodded and smiled, looking into her earnest young face, and his heart clenched. She was so very dear to him, this lovely young woman who had come into his life far too late. She touched the deepest part of him, brought out a tenderness in him no one else ever had. And it had been like that since the day she was born, since she had been a baby in her mother’s arms.

I
T WAS A BLUSTERY DAY.

There was a high wind that blew the trees, bending them backward and shaking free many of the new green leaves that were sprouting on the branches. These swirled around her feet as she walked along the narrow path across the moors, heading back toward the farmhouse.

It was a chilly morning, but the sky was a clear cerulean blue, filled with bright sunlight and puffy white clouds that raced across the great arc of the sky.

Chloe loved it up on these wild untenanted moors that rolled away toward the distant horizon. The awesome vastness had always appealed to her, held her in its thrall, and she loved coming back to this place where she had spent so much time as a child.