does she have in mind for me?’ John Norfell blurted out anxiously.
‘She hasn’t discussed it.’
‘That’s hard to believe, Cecil. Come on, she tells you everything.’
Cecil ignored this remark, and explained swiftly, ‘What I do know is that you will be getting a promotion.’
‘Oh, well, thank you for informing me of this, old chap. It’s nice to know I’m not going to be pushed out,’ Norfell replied with a harsh laugh.
To Cecil’s relief, Sidney Payne joined them, and after only a moment’s casual chat, John Norfell walked across the room to speak to Charles Broakes.
Sidney said, ‘I hope I did the right thing, coming over to join you, Cecil. I noticed the pained look in your eyes and decided you needed – rescuing.’
‘Thanks, Sidney, I did,’ Cecil replied with a chuckle. ‘Norfell was never my cup of tea, nor Elizabeth’s, but he’s a powerhouse here, and he has to be catered to, you know.’
Sidney grinned at his old friend. ‘Well, just a little bit, surely?’
Cecil Williams laughed, nodded, and drawing Sidney across the boardroom, aiming for the door, he confided, ‘I’m glad you accepted this job. You told Elizabeth you were thrilled … she was happy about that, because you’re not getting the easiest job, you know.’
‘Removing the dead wood? Is that what you’re referring to?’ Sidney asked.
Cecil merely nodded.
‘I’ll manage,’ Sidney reassured him.
EIGHT
‘I’ve got good news and bad news,’ Robert announced, looking across at Elizabeth from the doorway which linked their adjoining offices. ‘Which do you want first?’
Straightening in her chair, glancing at him swiftly, Elizabeth said, ‘Why do you ask? You know I like the bad news first.’
Robert strolled into the room, handed her the manila folder he was carrying, and sat down in the chair opposite her.
‘What is this?’ she asked almost warily, and did not open it. Instead, she placed it on the desk. She looked at him intently, his eyes on her, her own filled with sudden concern.
‘It’s a copy of the note your half-sister wrote to her … about-to-be husband Philip Alvarez, just after she had transferred all that money to him. When I say copy, I do mean the copy Mary made for herself. In other words, it’s the same as the original, which undoubtedly he still has. Why wouldn’t he have it?’
Elizabeth opened the folder, read the note quickly, recognizing Mary’s handwriting at once. Her face settled into grim lines. The note was short, but its style was saccharine. And sickening. She closed the folder. Fool! Fool! Mary had been the biggest fool. And she had been duped by Philip.
Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself. ‘So she did give him the money as a wedding present,’ she finally murmured, and shook her head. ‘I won’t get it back, Robin, will I?’ she asked in a miserable voice.
‘No, you won’t, I’m afraid. I suppose in his mind it’s a … well, like a … dowry.’
‘She gave him practically everything she had, you know. Cecil told me her personal bank account is virtually empty.’
‘So he explained to me, too. And you’ll just have to write the money off, you’ve no alternative,’ Robert felt bound to point out. ‘But look here, since we’ve found the contracts for the Marbella Project there’s no question in my mind, or Cecil’s either, that we can sue Alvarez and his company.’
‘In my opinion we won’t get that money back either! Mary created nothing but havoc, and her ventures with Alvarez were fraught with danger. He might be called the great tycoon, but it’s an empty title.’
‘That’s true. But I feel certain there’s less of a mess than we originally thought. There are many problems, but the auditors are making good progress and Cecil’s sorted out a lot. And so have I. We’re stopping the downward slide. There’s only one way to go, and that’s up.’
She nodded, agreeing with him silently, but her face was glum.
Robert leaned over the desk and, gazing at her with his sparkling dark eyes, he said, ‘Don’t you want to know the good news?’
Her face instantly brightened; he could always manage to cheer her up. ‘I do, yes. Tell me, Robin.’
‘I’ve arranged for us to go away for the weekend.’
‘But I can’t go away! Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve too much work, and so do you, Robin!’
‘You can go away, and so can I. And we’re going. We both need a break. The last two weeks have been hellish, and we’ve worked non-stop. It’s been bloody relentless, actually. I’m tired and so are you. I know you are.’
‘I’ve never seen you look better, Robin Dunley!’ she cried, her voice rising, sounding indignant. ‘Very handsome, dashing and debonair, this morning. You don’t look tired one bit.’
‘But you do, Elizabeth. Your face is whiter than ever, you have a pinched look, and there are dark circles under your eyes. For the past two weeks we’ve been cooped up here in these offices until all hours. It’s not healthy. We should get back to exercising and riding.’
She knew Robert spoke the truth. He never spoke anything else, and he had her welfare at heart. She was tired, bone-tired, if the truth be known. Glancing at the calendar on her desk she saw that it was Thursday, December fifth. Sunday the eighth was circled in red … that was the day she had promised to have tea with Aunt Grace Rose. Monday the ninth was also circled … that was the day of the board meeting. The thought of this, and the board members who were coming, prompted her to ask, ‘Where were you thinking of going, Robin?’
‘Waverley Court.’
‘Waverley Court! But it’s closed!’
‘No, it’s not. I spoke to Toby Watson last night, and he told me you had instructed him to keep the central heating on low all through winter because of the pipes. He gushed about how warm and cosy it was, said all he had to do was put a match to the fires, which were already laid, take off the dust covers and send Myrtle shopping for groceries –’
‘You called the caretaker!’ Elizabeth spluttered, astonished.
‘– and I told him to go ahead,’ Robert finished.
‘Go ahead? What do you mean?’
‘I said he should send Myrtle shopping for groceries. We’ll need food, Elizabeth, whilst we’re staying there.’
For a moment she was utterly bemused, then recovered herself, and exclaimed, ‘Cecil has arranged some meetings tomorrow, and I have to be present, must be, actually.’
‘He’s changed the meetings. They’ll be held next week. He
