Emma’s Secret

Evan regarded the apartment as an escape hatch for her father, much to be desired, and she was relieved when he said he planned to use it instead of unloading the place. It pleased her that he now had somewhere to stay overnight when he went into Manhattan; also, it was his own private space, a safe haven away from her mother, and to Evan that was of immense importance. Marietta had become a depressed and lethargic woman, listless and without any interests, and she had turned into a recluse. But why?

Evan bit her lip, shook her head sadly. So many mysteries in her life … so many questions … and no answers. She pushed these thoughts away from her. Mysteries were for another day.

The cup of coffee had warmed her, given her a boost, and she felt much better, more relaxed. And slowly she began to formulate a plan.

She had given up her job in New York, so why go back? There was no reason. Why not stay in London for a few months? The weather would get better soon, and she’d always wanted to come back here … after all, this was the city where she was born.

But what to do, how to occupy herself? Her kind of sightseeing would be finished in a couple of weeks, then what? Get a job, of course. And why not a job here at Harte’s? She liked the look of this grand store. No, it was more like an emporium, she decided, and somehow it had a connection to her gran, however tenuous that was.

So why not go up to the management offices and apply for a position here? There was nothing to stop her, was there? No, nothing at all, a voice whispered in her head; go for it, girl. Evan smiled to herself. Glynnis would have said exactly that, and she would have added, ‘You’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain.’ Another smile flitted across her face as she thought of her grandmother.

If she was absolutely truthful with herself, Evan knew she had seized on her grandmother’s dying words, had taken them to heart – in order to leave New York and her family. She loved them all, most especially her father, but she needed to be on her own. She needed to be free.

London had beckoned her, suddenly beguiling, and she was here. And here she would stay, at least for a while. And you never knew what was going to happen. As her gran had always said, ‘Life is full of surprises, Evan, make the most of the good ones.’ Perhaps her future was here after all, she thought, her face brightening.

Evan stepped out of the elevator on the ninth floor and found herself in a small lobby. To her left was a blank wall, to her right a pair of wooden swinging doors with glass windows set in the upper panels.

Only way to go, she thought, as she turned to her right and pushed through the doors into the vast corridor. Slowly she walked along, looking from side to side at the various doors, reading the different names on each of them.

Halfway down the corridor, arched alcoves on each side broke up the flow of doors, and Evan paused, stood staring at a large oil painting hanging above a narrow side table in one of the alcoves. She stepped closer, marvelling at the beauty of the woman in the portrait, who had red hair shot through with gold that came to a widow’s peak on her forehead. She had expressive eyes, very green, and small hands clasped in her lap.

The woman wore a pale-blue silk dress, with an emerald bow pinned on one shoulder and large, square-cut emerald earrings on her ears. The ring on her left hand was a large emerald which matched the others. There was a lovely warm smile on her face and her eyes were alive and sparkling with intelligence. She looked to be about fifty years old in the painting.

Evan knew exactly who it was before she leaned forward and read the small engraved plaque attached to the elaborate gold picture frame. Emma Harte: 1889–1970.

Momentarily dumbfounded, she read the plaque again. And finally it sank in … Emma Harte had been dead for thirty-one years. Surely her grandmother had known this, if they had once been friends? Someone would have informed her. So what had made Gran utter those words on her deathbed? What had possessed her? Evan shook her head, more baffled than ever, not understanding what her gran had been trying to accomplish.

After several seconds staring at the painting, Evan turned away. It was then she noticed the second painting hanging in the alcove on the opposite wall. As she stepped up to it she thought the woman in the portrait seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite place her. The plaque on this simply gave the name of the subject: Paula McGill Harte O’Neill. Emma’s granddaughter, Evan murmured under her breath, looking at it more closely.

She studied the portrait for a few minutes, very taken with it, and struck by the dominant widow’s peak obviously inherited from Emma. But here the resemblance stopped. Paula O’Neill’s hair was jet black, brushed back and worn in a pageboy style that ended at her strong and determined jawline. Her complexion was pale as ivory, and she had a broad brow, high cheekbones, dimples, and large expressive eyes the colour of pansies. Truly beautiful eyes, Evan thought – unusual – and she then decided Paula looked about forty-five in the portrait. She was striking in a dark, exotic way. In the painting she was wearing a silver-grey silk dress and Emma Harte’s emeralds were very much in evidence.

Standing totally still, Evan discovered she was completely mesmerized by this painting; it was extraordinary, an accomplished portrait of—

‘Can I help you?’

Evan almost jumped out of her skin, startled by a male voice, which had broken the silence in the corridor. She swung around, came face to face with a tall, good-looking young man.

A surprised look was flashing across his face as he stared at her and then he said again, ‘Do you need some assistance?’

‘Yes. Yes, I do. I’m looking for the management offices.’

He nodded. ‘They’re at the end of the corridor. I’m heading in that direction, I’ll show you where they are.’ Stepping closer to her, he held out his hand.

Evan took it, smiled up at him.

‘Gideon Harte,’ he announced, shaking her hand.

‘Oh!’ she exclaimed and automatically her eyes swung to Emma’s portrait. ‘And that’s your grandmother!’

‘No, it isn’t, actually,’ he answered. ‘That’s my great-grandmother.’

‘I see.’

‘And you are?’

‘Oh excuse me, I’m forgetting my manners. I’m Evan Hughes.’

‘A Welsh name. A boy’s Welsh name, to be precise,’ he responded.

‘My grandmother was Welsh, and she told her son, my father, that she expected him to name his first child Evan. She was sure I was going to be a boy. I turned out to be a girl.’

‘So I can see,’ he said, giving her a swift appraising look.

‘But now I think the name Evan is used for a boy or a girl,’ she went on, ignoring his gaze, and then very gently extricated her hand from his.

He said, ‘Let’s go along to the management offices,’ and began to walk slowly down the corridor.

Evan fell into step with him.

After a moment’s silence, Gideon said, ‘You’re an American, aren’t you?’

‘Yes, I am. From New York.’

‘Great city.’ He glanced at her. ‘And are you in London on business?’

‘Well, no, not exactly. I decided to come to London for a year or so,’ she quickly invented. ‘And that’s why I’m here at Harte’s today. I’m looking for a job.’

‘Are you now? In what area?’

‘Fashion. I studied design in New York, and worked in the fashion departments of several stores. I also did a year’s apprenticeship with Arnold Scaasi, the American couturier.’

He nodded, seemed about to say something, then merely cleared his throat. ‘Here’s where you want to be … Human Resources,’ he explained, indicating the door. ‘But Miss Hughes …’ He stopped, cleared his throat again, and then said, ‘Do you have a work permit?’

‘No, I don’t, but I don’t need one. I was born in London. I have an English passport and dual nationality.’

‘Well then, that’s fine,’ he answered, giving her a broad smile.

Opening the door for her, he ushered her into a large office. A young woman seated at a desk looked up as they entered.

‘Oh hello, Mr Harte,’ she said.

‘Hello, Jennifer. This is Miss Evan Hughes. She’s come to apply for a job at Harte’s. In fashion.’ Looking at Evan, he added, ‘I wish you lots of luck, Miss Hughes.’

‘Thank you, Mr Harte,’ she answered, smiling up at him again. ‘Thanks for everything.’

CHAPTER SEVEN

Gideon Harte walked down the corridor, thinking of the young woman whom he had just ushered inside.

Evan Hughes. Unusual name. Unusual woman.

From the moment he had set eyes on her he had been intrigued, instantly struck by her amazingly fine looks, and not the least by her curious likeness to Paula O’Neill. For a second he had thought this uncanny. Their facial characteristics were very similar, as was their colouring, and he had recoiled in surprise when she had swung around to face him.

But then he had realized the likeness between them meant nothing. A lot of people resembled each other without being in any way related. In any case, how could this young American woman be related to Paula, of all people? There was no way.

Moving away from the door, Gideon walked on, heading for Linnet’s office, where he had been going when he had come across Evan Hughes looking lost in the middle of the corridor. But, in fact, she had been studying the portrait of Paula, he realized that now. Maybe she herself had noticed her likeness to the boss of the store.

Opening the door to the executive offices from which this venerable old store was run, he crossed the small central foyer and turned right.

Linnet’s outer office was usually occupied by Cassie Littleton, her secretary, but this morning Cassie was nowhere in sight. His cousin’s office door was wide open and he strode toward it, but paused in the doorway when he saw she was busy.

Linnet was on the phone, staring out of the window as she talked, and he hovered on the threshold, not wanting to intrude on her privacy. Suddenly she swung around, saw him and beamed, then beckoned. Immediately, she hung up the phone, exclaimed, ‘Gid, come in and sit down!’

He hesitated.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, frowning, seating herself behind her desk.

‘I’m not sure where I could sit, nor how I could possibly navigate myself through this—’

‘Don’t you dare say mess,’ she cut in peremptorily.

‘I wasn’t going to,’ Gideon answered, strolling into the room, being careful not to knock over any of the precariously balanced boxes. ‘I was going to call it a minefield, because I know if I did accidentally tangle with something you’d explode.’

‘Ha! Ha! Very funny, Gid. But seriously, just manoeuvre your way through and come and sit here.’ As she spoke, Linnet leapt to her feet, ran around the desk and lifted a pile of manila folders off the chair on the other side. ‘You’ll be comfortable here,’ she remarked as she stacked the folders on the floor near the window.

‘Thanks,’ Gideon said as he stepped warily around the many boxes, sat down, crossed his legs and continued, ‘What did you think about the pictures I had them dig up in the photo morgue at The Gazette?’

‘They’re great. Grandy Emma gave some party in the fifties, by the look of the pictures anyway, and they’ll be helpful to us. So, we’re in charge it seems.’ She threw him a quizzical look.

‘We are indeed, but I don’t mind, do you? Stupid question!’ he exclaimed, answering himself. ‘I can see very well what’s going on here, and your Fashion Retrospective has become somewhat demanding, according to Julian.’

Linnet nodded. ‘Too true. I just haven’t had a chance to see him, and before you start chastising or criticizing me, I will have dinner with him, as I promised I would. But I’ve got to get some of this work under my belt first.’

‘I know that. By the way, where’s Cassie? She’s usually keeping guard out there.’ He half glanced towards the door as he spoke.

‘She has the flu. And so does India. Actually, poor old India sounds awful. Very chesty, and she has a nasty cough. I hope she doesn’t get bronchitis again. She’s prone to that, as you know. It’s a Fairley characteristic, at least that’s what Mummy says. Tessa’s got a weak chest, too. Anyway, not to digress … I’m trying to cope on my own while they’re both off nursing their ailments.’

‘So I can see.’

‘It’s going to be a super show, I can promise you that, and I know my mother’s going to be pleased. It’ll be a great boost for the store.’

‘I know it will, I’ve always said that to you. But listen, Linnet, getting back to the birthday party for our respective fathers for a moment, have you come up with any ideas yet? Ideas about a theme, that kind of thing?’

‘No, not really. But I haven’t had much time to focus on it. Are you going to Yorkshire this weekend?’

‘Yes, I am. Why?’

‘I’m staying in London for once, to work through this lot, and I was thinking we might have supper on Saturday or Sunday, and brainstorm the party. But if you’re going to Middleham …’ Her voice trailed off and she gave a small, dismissive shrug.

‘I’m sorry, but I promised Dad. We have to work on some business papers. I really do have to go, especially since I wasn’t up there last weekend.’ He gave her a rueful smile. ‘But I promise I’ll put my thinking cap on and brainstorm by myself. We can get together next week, if you can manage it.’

‘That’ll be okay. Is Julian going with you?’

‘No, as a matter of fact he isn’t. But if he were, and he knew you were staying in town, I can assure you he would cancel me out immediately.’

She laughed, then said swiftly, ‘Well, I’m going to have to dig into this pile, no matter what, however long it takes. What I need, actually, is two assistants, and right now.’

Gideon sat up straighter in the chair, a knowing look crossing his face, and he exclaimed, ‘How about one assistant right now? Would that help?’

‘Are you joking, of course it would!’

‘Then I think I might have just the right person for you.’

‘Who?’

‘Evan Hughes.’

‘A man. Oh, I’m not sure—’

‘No, a woman,’ he cut in. ‘And yes, before you say it, I am fully aware that Evan is a Welsh boy’s name. But apparently in America it’s often used as a girl’s name as well.’

‘Oh, she’s an American?’

‘Yes. And well trained, I think. Studied fashion, worked for a well-known American couturier. She comes from New York, and she’s about twenty-six, or around that. And she’s very personable.’

‘And she’s a friend of yours, Gid?’

‘Not exactly.’ He cleared his throat, gave Linnet a faint smile. ‘Actually I just met her in the corridor on her way to the personnel office.’

‘You mean you picked her up in the corridor, you Don Juan, you!’

‘Don’t be so ridiculous, Linnet. She was looking rather lost, and I asked her if I could help her,’ he shot back in a slightly injured tone, wondering how he had managed to acquire the reputation of being a womanizer in the family. He wasn’t that at all.

‘I bet you did.’ Linnet leered at him, and added, ‘Well, one thing’s for sure, if she grabbed your attention—’

‘What’s that?’ he interrupted.

‘She must be good looking.’

Gideon began to laugh. ‘Well, yes, she is. I must admit that.’

‘And where is she now?’

‘I think she must be in Human Resources.’ He glanced at his watch, nodded his head. ‘Definitely. She has to be still there.’

Linnet, always decisive, picked up the phone and dialled. ‘Jennifer, it’s Linnet,’ she said when the phone was answered. ‘Do you still have a Miss Evan Hughes with you?’

‘We do, Linnet. She’s in with Maggie right now, who wanted to talk to her. Her application read very well, and so did her résumé,’ Jennifer explained.

‘Very good. Transfer me to Maggie, would you, please, Jennifer.’

‘Right away.’

A second later Maggie Hemmings answered her phone with a crisp, ‘Human Resources here.’

‘It’s Linnet, Maggie. I understand Evan Hughes is with you.’

‘Correct.’

‘Jennifer says her papers are good.’

‘That’s right.’

‘I’m looking for an assistant. Would she fit the bill? Is she worth seeing?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Oh, well, once you’ve finished your interview, I’d appreciate it if you would bring her along to my office. I’d like to talk to her myself.’

‘No problem,’ Maggie said. ‘See you shortly.’

‘I’ll be waiting,’ Linnet replied and hung up. Looking across at Gideon, she remarked, ‘Apparently your Miss Hughes has made a reasonable impression.’

‘She’s not my Miss Hughes. She’s not even an acquaintance.’

Linnet nodded. ‘Don’t be so snarly, Gid. I’m teasing.’

‘I’m not being snarly. Merely factual.’ He smiled at her; his expression was loving.

She stared back at him, also smiling, thinking how well he looked today in his impeccably-tailored Savile Row suit, dark grey with a white pinstripe, pale blue shirt, and a silk tie. There were moments, like now when he was looking serious and intent, that he reminded her of his father, Winston. The Harte looks were predominant in them both, except that Uncle Winston’s vivid colouring had begun to fade. Gideon’s hair was a rich russet colour, his eyes light green, and he had clean, sharply defined features.

She and Gideon looked a lot like each other, and strangers often thought they were brother and sister. Certainly their relationship was very close, and had been since they were small. But then their parents were cousins and best friends, in each other’s company constantly, and in consequence as children they had been thrown together a lot, along with his brother Toby, and Tessa and Lorne. Her other siblings were not yet born at that time.

At the thought of Toby, Linnet winced. He was not one of her favourites in the family, and she had always believed he was her enemy. He had been forever allied with Tessa, one of her half-sister’s sycophants, constantly paying court and drooling all over her, which Tessa blatantly encouraged. Perhaps now that he was a married man things had changed somewhat, although she doubted it.

‘Penny for your thoughts,’ Gideon said, breaking the silence.

‘I was thinking how smart you looked today. Very dashing, actually.’

‘Thanks for those kind words, my pet.’

‘And then Toby jumped into my head … What’s he up to at the moment? He’s been awfully quiet of late, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Yes, he has. But he’s very busy with work; he’s got a hugely demanding job, as a matter of fact. I know he’s not your favourite, Linny, and sometimes I have problems with him myself – always did, as you know only too well. Still, I’ve got to say he’s good at what he does. Brilliant. He loves working in television, and Dad’s pleased with the way he’s been managing the television company. None of us can possibly fault him there, you know.’ Gideon shifted in the chair slightly, and continued, ‘And of course, he’s a newly wed … I suppose he’s rather preoccupied with his bride.’

‘You’re right …’ Linnet paused, threw him a direct look, her head on one side. ‘Do you like Adrianna Massingham, Gid?’

‘She’s all right. Not my type, but that doesn’t mean anything really. Even though her appearance is very contrived – it’s all that make-up, I guess – she’s still a beautiful young woman, and pleasant enough, I suppose—’ He cut his sentence off abruptly, and sat back in the chair, looking thoughtful, his face growing more serious than usual.

‘But what? There’s definitely a but here,’ Linnet asserted.

‘True. Look, to be honest, I’m not sure that the marriage will weather the storms that are bound to erupt. Toby’s not easy, we know that, and he wants kids, wants to start a family, whilst Adrianna doesn’t, is very intent on pursuing her acting career. Everyone’s aware of that at home, especially my mother. No children for Adrianna, at least not right now. Maybe her attitude will change in time. What does Tessa think? Whoops, that’s a stupid question!’ he exclaimed. ‘Of course you don’t know what she thinks, because she never confides in you.’

‘No, she doesn’t, she never did. However, I suspect her nose is out of joint because he got married.’

‘But she’s married herself!’

‘Tessa’s a bit odd, Gid. She’s always thought of Toby as her property, from when we were kids growing up together. Have you forgotten that?’

‘Not really, but I was certain she’d outgrown her possessiveness.’

Shaking his head, merriment filling his eyes all of a sudden, he began to chuckle.

‘Why are you laughing?’

‘Don’t you remember, when we were kids I always told you that Tessa had what I used to call ETS.’

Her auburn eyebrows drawing together in puzzlement, Linnet said, ‘I must’ve forgotten. What does it mean, ETS?’

‘ETS means Elizabeth Tudor Syndrome, something I dreamt up. Our famous greatest monarch forever clung to her favourite men, even when she replaced them with new favourite men.’

‘Except for Lord Robert Dudley. She never ever replaced him in her affections,’ Linnet responded, staring at her cousin pointedly. ‘And you were the one who told me that.’

‘Of course I did, come to think of it. Yes indeed, her Robin Two Eyes, as she called him, was always special. She promoted him to be her Master of the Horse, elevated him to the peerage by making him the Earl of Leicester, and he was her only true love. Actually, he was her one true favourite for her entire lifetime, even after he was dead.’

‘And Elizabeth was his one true love, don’t you think?’ Linnet murmured.

‘I do. Even though he did carry on a bit with some of her court ladies – had sexual liaisons, because men will be men you know – it was only Elizabeth he ever truly loved. He may have married Lettice Knollys, but it was his queen he loved and most devotedly.’

‘Funny, isn’t it, when you consider that it was Lettice Knollys’ son, Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, who became a favourite of the queen’s many years later; then he betrayed her most horribly and lost his head on the block for treason.’

‘Very ironic, I’d say,’ Gideon agreed. ‘And even stranger that it all played out within the one family so to speak. Sort of incestuous.’

‘Just like us, all muddled up together and the other two clans thrown into the mix for good measure,’ Linnet pointed out. ‘Anyway, I’d forgotten about ETS. Preoccupation with work.’ A sudden thought occurred to her, and leaning forward, she exclaimed, ‘Gideon, you said your Miss Hughes was an American. So how could I employ her immediately? A work permit has suddenly loomed large in my mind. Oh God, all that red tape to go through!’ she groaned.

‘Not necessary, my pet. I should have mentioned that she was born in London, has a British passport and dual nationality. No work permit required.’

‘That’s good to know, and I must say, you certainly found out a lot about her in only a few minutes.’

He grinned. ‘You are now in possession of the sum total of every blessed thing I know about Miss Evan Hughes.’

CHAPTER EIGHT

Two things were instantly apparent to Linnet, after Maggie Hemmings had introduced Evan Hughes and then left her office.

Firstly, the young woman was the same type as her mother – slender, willowy, dark-haired, pale of skin and exotic looking, just as Paula was. And, by an odd coincidence, Linnet thought, there was a curious likeness between the two of them.

Secondly, Gideon and Evan were transfixed in the middle of the room, staring at each other as if mesmerized, completely oblivious to her presence. They were very taken with each other, that was patently obvious. But hadn’t she known that because of the way he had spoken about Evan earlier?