The Lie (9 page)

‘They might attack the aerodrome perhaps,' Margaret said. ‘I know they had a couple of scares at the beginning, but it's been quiet since then.'

‘The Germans have had Dunkirk to think about,' Daniel said. ‘Give them time and you'll see what happens  . . .'

‘I'll think about what you've said,' Margaret agreed. ‘What about my share of the land?'

‘The same principle applies,' Daniel told her. ‘We can't afford what you're asking, Margaret.'

‘You could take a loan from the bank.'

‘Henry says we already have. I'll know more after the meeting with the lawyers this week. I'll let you know then what our terms are.'

‘Supposing I'm not satisfied?'

‘You're only one shareholder,' Daniel reminded her. ‘We must buy from you if you insist on selling but the value is low at the moment I'm afraid. If you want to sell you must understand that things are difficult just now.'

Margaret looked into his face and saw Robert's uncompromising stare. Daniel was very much like his father – and she
had
made a mistake that day in the bathroom.

‘Excuse me,' Daniel said. ‘I have to see someone.'

He turned his back on her, making his way to the kitchen. If he was lucky he would be in time to catch Alice before she left. He wanted to apologize to her. Emily had been right; he should have asked her to sit with him in church.

He'd been brooding on Margaret for a few days, but he was over it now. She might be the most sensual woman he'd ever met, but she was a scheming bitch and he was determined not to get caught by her as his fool of a brother so obviously was  . . .

Four

E
mily gasped as she saw the house for the first time. It was huge, a manor house of some kind, probably centuries old, she thought, and completely different from what she had been expecting. The grounds surrounding it were extensive and very beautiful, as was the house itself. The stone used in the building was a gorgeous Cotswold yellow and had faded to soft beige in parts over time. One wing of it overlooked a courtyard; another looked towards a lake; and the main section faced a landscaped park that seemed to stretch on into the distance for ever.

She turned to look at Simon in stunned disbelief. ‘Is this really your home?'

‘Yes. It's rather a shock, isn't it?' he said, and grinned. ‘I suppose I ought to have warned you, but some people are put off if I tell them it's a stately home.'

‘It's the kind of thing you pay money to go and look at,' Emily said. ‘I had no idea  . . .'

‘We don't do tours at the moment,' Simon replied with a wry smile. ‘If Father goes mad and loses all the money we might have to one day. I know quite a few of his friends are thinking along that line for after the war.'

‘Oh, I hope he won't,' Emily said. ‘It's such a lovely place, Simon. I'm sure you would hate to have people gawping all the time.'

‘I don't think I'd mind so much, but Father would hate it – and Amelia wouldn't like it either.' He smiled at her. ‘Come in and meet them, Emily – and don't worry, they don't bite.'

‘No, I'm sure they don't,' she said, but she was feeling a bit nervous as she got out of the car and walked with him to the door.

Inside, the hall was vast and echoing, but Simon hurried her through it to a small parlour at the back of the house. This was furnished in shades of green with pretty satinwood furniture and had French windows, and was much more welcoming than the echoing hall. The windows were open and she could see a lawn where chairs and tables had been set out, and a maid in a black dress and white apron and cap was serving Sunday afternoon tea.

As they approached, a woman got up and came to meet with them with a cry of delight. ‘So here you are at last,' she said. ‘We were beginning to wonder where you had got to, Simon.'

‘Remember I told you it was Emily's sister's wedding yesterday? We came down by easy stages, having lunch at Winchester. Emily hasn't been down this way before and she wanted to stop and look at the view a couple of times.'

‘And this is Emily?' The woman smiled and then leaned forward to kiss her cheek. ‘How lovely you are. We were so pleased when Simon said he was bringing a friend, because he doesn't – if you see what I mean? I'm Amelia, of course, and my husband is just over here – Lord Vane, but just call him Vane, Emily. Everyone does.'

Another thing Simon had neglected to tell her. But it didn't matter what a person was called, of course, even if they were members of the aristocracy. It was the way they behaved, that's what her father had always said, and she crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping it was true. Her nerves had been calmed somewhat by Amelia's welcome, and by her appearance. She was certainly not beautiful, and she looked horsey, dressed as she was in jodhpurs and a worn tweed jacket, which smelled slightly of horses and leather.

Lord Vane was white-haired, and looked older than his wife by a good many years, his face lined and his eyes a rather tired blue, but when he smiled he looked younger.

‘So here we are then,' he said, and held his hand out to her, grasping hers firmly in a strong grip. ‘We are very pleased to meet you, Emily. I had begun to think you had changed your mind, both of you – but never mind, you are here now.'

‘We couldn't drive all the way last night, Father,' Simon said. ‘We stayed at the hotel you always use when you break your journey to town. Separate rooms of course so you need not be shocked. Besides, everything is different these days. Women are doing men's jobs and they need to be more independent, don't they, darling?' He smiled at her. ‘Emily was a bit anxious about what people might think at first but it was all very proper. They had a dinner dance at the hotel and we enjoyed it – didn't we, Emily? This is a holiday for Emily. We don't want to spend it all with you in this mouldering old ruin, do we, Emily?'

‘Oh, you mustn't say that,' she cried, shocked until she saw that his father was amused. ‘I see, you're only teasing. I think it's a beautiful house, sir. I'm very flattered to have been asked to stay. And it was all very respectable at the hotel  . . .' She blushed, because perhaps she had been reckless; she hardly knew Simon but he had treated her almost like a sister, calming any fears she might have had.

‘I am sure it was – and it's Vane to you, girl – and we're the ones who are honoured to have Simon's friend to stay. He doesn't bring many girls home, you know – says the sight of this place scares them all to death. They don't want to be forced into running it one day. Amelia says it's a job and a half, don't you, old girl?'

‘It would be if I let it take me over,' Amelia said. ‘But my horses keep me sane. What about you, Emily – do you ride?'

‘I have done, just ponies and some of the farm horses,' Emily said, ‘but nothing since I grew out of my pony. I was away at school for a while and then the war started. Father talked about getting me a horse but it didn't happen.'

‘I'm sure I can mount you while you're here – if you would like that?'

‘Yes, though I'm not sure how good I'll be.'

‘Oh, I'll soon get you back into it,' Amelia told her with a satisfied look. ‘Vane will try to monopolize you, of course, get you interested in his project – but don't let him.'

‘For goodness' sake, we shall only be here a couple of days!' Simon told them. ‘I want a little time with Emily myself. She has to get back to work by Friday afternoon, and my leave finishes on Saturday.'

‘Well, we'll be glad to have you for as long as you can spare us,' Amelia said. ‘The whole family is coming to dinner tonight, Simon. We thought we'd do things in style for once, as it's a special occasion.'

‘It will be a wonder if Emily doesn't decide to cut and run,' Simon said, and looked at her apologetically. ‘Sorry. I thought this was just an informal visit. I'm afraid you are going to get the royal treatment.'

Emily had bent down to pat one of the three spaniel dogs who had come nosing around her to see what was going on. She smiled, feeling very much at home, and not in the least put off at the thought of meeting his whole family. If they were all as pleasant as his father and stepmother she wouldn't mind staying here for much longer than a few days.

‘I don't mind,' she said. ‘You are lucky to have a family who go to so much trouble for your sake, Simon. I think it's all rather sweet.'

‘Oh, well.' Simon flopped down in one of the basket chairs, making a fuss of the nearest dog. ‘As long as you don't mind, bring on the troops. I dare say my aunts will bore you to death, and Vanessa will lecture us all, but we're used to it. You are the one who has to put up with it all.'

Emily laughed. She wondered why she had been nervous about coming here. It was exactly what she needed to soothe her bruised feelings. For the first time since her father's death, she was conscious of being at peace with herself and her surroundings.

‘Daniel and I are in agreement on this,' Henry said, and stared at Clay angrily. ‘She's asking far too much, and we just can't afford to pay it at the moment. Six thousand for her half of the house and another fourteen for her share of the land—'

‘I'll buy the land in Chatteris Fen,' Clay said, surprising him. ‘If we get it valued it should almost cover what Margaret is asking for her share of the land. I'll take my share out and pay you the rest. You can borrow a bit if you have to, surely? If you don't want to buy her out of the house sell it to someone else. Sam Danby will probably buy it for Marcus. He told me he was looking for something for him – and it's the best house around. Danby has always had his eye on it.'

‘Where will you get the money to buy that land?' Henry was staring at him in disbelief. ‘It's a big chunk of cash, Clay.'

‘So what?' Clay stared him down. ‘I've got a bit put by and I'll mortgage the rest. You can buy whatever else I've got shares in off me if you like, take it off the money for the land I want and make it up to her yourselves.'

‘Are you saying you want out all together?' Daniel looked at him hard. ‘How long has this been coming on?'

‘A long time,' Henry muttered, clearly annoyed by Clay's manner as much as his words. ‘He argued with Dad for months over every little thing – didn't agree with anything I wanted to do on the land. Maybe it's best if he does cut and run. We don't need him.'

‘I thought you said that land in Chatteris Fen was the best we own?'

‘It is,' Henry said, ‘but if he wants out, good riddance to him!'

‘I'll stick with you in the rest if you want,' Clay said. ‘But I want a farm and business of my own. If I don't buy the land you'll have to sell anyway. You can't pay her without – can you?'

‘Not the way things are,' Henry said. ‘But if we all stick together we can force her to wait for a year or two.'

‘No,' Daniel said. ‘She's trouble for the family. Pay her and let her go back where she came from, Henry. We're better off without her.'

‘But  . . .' Henry sighed. Without Daniel's support he couldn't hold out against Clay and he knew it. ‘Clay is agreeing with her so that he can get the Chatteris land. We can't pay her unless we sell, and he wants it.'

‘Of course,' Clay said, and grinned. ‘She thinks I'm going along with her just to get into her knickers – the tart. I wouldn't mind having a bit of that if it's going, but it's the land I want. Well, what is your verdict? I spoke to the lawyer and he says she's entitled to her money if she wants it.'

Daniel looked at his brother with disgust. He could see that Henry was against the idea, but there was no point in trying to hang on to Clay if he wanted out. He would buy land on his own anyway, and there was no doubt that his money would see them out of a hole.

‘I think we should let Clay have the land he wants,' he said. ‘We'll pay Margaret nine thousand for the land and three for the house – that's twelve altogether. That way we keep the house in the family.'

‘I'll want my share allowed against the land I'm buying,' Clay said. ‘I won't push you for more at the moment. I can wait for anything I've got coming out of the other land.'

‘If you're out, you're out,' Henry said. ‘We'll get it all valued and borrow what we have to, settle it now and be done with it – are you in agreement, Dan?'

‘If it's what you want,' Daniel said. ‘Connor knows something is up. He said he'll go along with anything I say – and the girls will do the same. They both have small trust funds. They will have to wait until we're making money again for anything else. Besides, Frances doesn't need it now she's married, and Emily won't complain.'

‘I think we should sell the house to Samuel Danby,' Henry said. ‘But if you want to keep it we'll hang on for as long as we can.'

‘It's Connor's home and Emily's until she marries, and mine. I might buy the rest of you out when I come out of the Army – and I'll give Clay his share of the house now. So that needn't come into the land deal at all.'

‘Well, if
you
want it that's different,' Henry said, looking relieved. ‘I suppose we can manage to borrow a bit  . . .'

‘I'm sure we can,' Daniel said, and gave Clay a straight look. ‘Be careful of her. You may think you're in control but she's trouble.'

Clay laughed and looked superior. ‘You may find her too much to handle, but she's no bother to me, little brother. I intend to have my money's worth there before I'm done, don't you worry.'

‘Don't forget who she is,' Henry said, and looked angry.

‘She never cared a damn for the old man,' Clay said, and glared at his elder brother. ‘I intend to make her pay for that – and a few other things. She thinks she's got me on a string, but she'll discover her mistake when I'm ready. If she'd behaved like a proper wife and looked after him, he might still be here.'