date. Gee, I don’t know if I can change things –’ Her voice trailed off as she wondered how to reschedule everything; she knew she couldn’t do so, at least not very easily.
‘Your mother wants to talk to you, to say hello, Evan.’
‘Put her on, Dad.’ A moment later she was exclaiming, ‘Hi, Mom, it’s so good to hear you. How are you?’
‘I’m very well these days, Evan,’ her mother said, her voice loving and warm. ‘I gather you’re not around.’
‘No, I’m in Yorkshire. I didn’t expect you until next week.’
‘I know, I know. I told your father you’d probably be busy, but you mustn’t worry about us. We’ll see you as soon as you return. At least, I hope we will.’
‘Absolutely. The hotel’s nice and cosy, isn’t it, Mom? I know George and Arlette must’ve made you very comfortable there, haven’t they?’
‘Yes to both your questions. They miss you, of course, now that you’ve moved out. But I don’t blame you, it’s nice to have a place of your own, isn’t it, Evan?’
‘Yes, it is,’ she laughed. ‘Oh Mom, I can’t wait to get back to town now I know you and Dad are there.’ She meant this, and she was particularly pleased that her mother sounded so normal. That was the only word for it. Normal. And yes, happy. Actually happy. She who was always depressed.
They went on talking for a few more minutes, and after promising to phone them at the hotel tomorrow, Evan clicked off the cell. She hurried after Gideon and the others, whom she could just see in the distance, heading for the front gates of Pennistone Royal.
It was true, she was glad her parents had arrived in London. She hadn’t seen them since January, and it was now August. Eight months in which so much had happened. Her life had changed in many different ways. And, in a sense, she had changed. She was a different person. She couldn’t wait to see them, but at the same time she was slightly apprehensive. Although she and Robin had agreed, only a few days ago, that she would not tell her father about him, there were, nonetheless, many other things she had to discuss. Difficult things.
Tessa stood at the window of her bedroom, looking down at the driveway, her eyes on Jack Figg. He stood talking to Gideon, gesticulating, obviously explaining something to him and to Desmond who was with them.
She guessed it had to do with security. Jack had brought in a number of experts since Adele’s disappearance on Wednesday, and for the past few days scores of men had been digging, laying cables, hauling in cameras and monitors and all manner of other devices. Linnet said they had been invaded by an army, and that’s how it seemed to her, too. Parts of the estate had been mangled, but she didn’t care about the mess they had made. Things could be put right once they had completed their task and left; Wiggs had told Linnet and her not to worry about it. And so she wasn’t going to, kept reminding herself the most important thing was that Pennistone Royal was being made impenetrable.
Turning away from the window, Tessa moved through the bedroom and went into her small sitting room which adjoined. She glanced around, as always filling with pleasure when she was in this intimate room, loving the way it looked. The walls were primrose, there were yellow-and-red draperies at the windows made of a toile de Jouy cotton, and the small loveseat next to the fireplace was upholstered in a yellow-and-white flower print. It was a cheerful, sunny room, and it had been hers since she was a little girl; it was her safe haven now as it had been then.
She paused in front of the Victorian mirror hanging on the side wall, staring at herself, not liking what she saw. She felt totally drained and she realized she looked it; her face was a ghostly white and there were dark smudges under her eyes. Because she had not eaten much over the last few days her face seemed narrower, and it was taut with lingering tension. Only her silver-blonde hair was as beautiful as it always was.
Sighing under her breath, moving away from the mirror, Tessa went and sat down at her desk, the French bureau plat which had stood in the same spot for as long as she could remember. Next to the big yellow porcelain lamp was a photograph of Adele taken earlier in the summer, and she reached out, touched the child’s image with one finger. An overwhelming feeling of the most intense love for her daughter surged through her and Tessa was more deeply aware than ever that her child took precedence before anyone on this planet, and certainly before anything else in her life.
Mark’s abduction of Adele had changed her forever. Tessa had understood that within a few hours of her little girl’s disappearance. Now she realized that in the next few days she would have to start assessing her entire life, in order to decide what to do, what changes to make. And there would be changes. She wasn’t prepared to sacrifice her daughter’s well-being for her career. Suddenly, being the boss of Harte’s one day lost its lustre, at least for the moment. Perhaps her attitude would change when everything settled down, when Mark had been neutralized, although she was sure …
A few gentle taps on the door interrupted Tessa’s chain of thoughts, and she exclaimed, ‘Come in!’
The door opened and Elvira’s face appeared around it. ‘Could I have a word with you please, Mrs Longden?’
‘Yes, of course, Elvira.’ Noticing at once that the nanny was alone, she asked swiftly, ‘Where’s Adele?’
‘She’s fine, Mrs Longden, perfectly safe. She’s with Margaret in the kitchen, giving a tea party for her dolls.’
‘I’m sorry, Elvira, you did tell me that was what you’d planned.’ Tessa forced a smile. ‘I think I’m getting paranoid.’
‘No, you’re not, and anyway it would be natural, wouldn’t it?’ Elvira hovered in front of the desk, twisting her hands together and looking worried.
‘What’s wrong, Elvi?’ Tessa asked, using the diminutive, hoping to put the nervous young woman at ease.
‘Mrs Longden, there’s something I need to tell you … I saw Mr Longden on Wednesday morning, just after leaving the estate. He was sitting in a car with another man, about halfway down the road, and he … well, he flagged me down. I think he recognized my car.’
Tessa’s eyes narrowed instantly and she asked in an urgent voice, ‘Who was the other man? Did you know him, Elvi?’
The nanny shook her head. ‘No, I didn’t, Mrs Longden. I’d never seen him before. Anyway, Mr Longden just said hello, told me he was on his way to see Adele, and asked if you were about or had you gone to the Harrogate store? And I said no, you were at Pennistone Royal, working in the library and that Adele was on the terrace playing –’ She broke off. Tears sprang into her eyes, and she tried to flick them away with her fingertips. ‘I wish I hadn’t stopped, just driven on, I feel so responsible for what happened.’
‘Oh, Elvira, you mustn’t. It wasn’t your fault,’ Tessa replied, her tone kindly. ‘But why didn’t you tell me before? After all, you were back on Wednesday evening, just when Mr Longden returned Adele. Surely that was the time to say something?’
‘It was, yes, you’re right, but you were agitated, and exhausted, and I was very distressed myself, thrown if you know what I mean.’
‘Today’s Saturday, Elvi.’
‘I know, but on Thursday and Friday you were ever so preoccupied and busy with Mr Figg. I didn’t really like to disturb you. I did keep trying
