Lizzie’s Daughters Page 26

  ‘Look, Betty is special to both of us. You know I will…’

  ‘Yes, I thought so,’ Frank said and smiled his relief. ‘Be careful you’re not followed – and don’t tell anyone else, even her parents. The less people who know where she is the better – but I know you will take care of her if I can’t…’

  ‘You have my word on that – and if it helps, I’d have done the same if I’d had the chance. He was slime, Frank. You did us all a favour…’

  Frank nodded and seemed to relax. ‘I know you care about her,’ he said. ‘And I think she cares for you…perhaps more than either of you realise…’

  Matt nodded. He’d stayed away from Betty deliberately, leaving the field clear for his friend, but if Frank was walking away…it was time Matt made his presence felt. Someone had to look after her…

  *

  Lizzie took a copy of the fashion magazine from the stall and paid for it. She’d been to see Beth that morning. Beth was busy helping Jenny move into her new home and also knitting baby clothes for her whenever she got the chance. Lizzie made a note to buy some pretty bits and pieces and give them to Beth for her daughter. Perhaps something nice in glass or china for Jenny’s home and some clothes for her baby – white would be best, because no one yet knew which sex the child would be.

  She’d called in at some of her favourite shops on her way home, browsing the gorgeous baby things now available. She hadn’t been able to buy as much as she would have liked for Betty and Francie when they were first born, because of the war and there had been nowhere near the choice there was these days. All sorts of lovely things caught her eyes and she ended up buying several things for her own baby too, though she hadn’t intended to, as she was a little afraid it was tempting fate, but she just couldn’t resist some of the beautiful clothes on offer. She had her purchases sent to her so that she could wrap the things for Jenny in gift paper and take them to Beth when she was ready. The gorgeous glass vase she could give at once, but the baby things would wait for a while, just in case. It was too easy to lose a child, as Lizzie knew only too well. She smiled as she acknowledged that she felt really well, and her latest visit to the maternity clinic had resulted in smiles all round and a nod of approval.

  Sebastian insisted that she rest for an hour in the afternoons, and since he was taking things easily himself, getting up later and spending only an hour or so a day on work she was happy to oblige his whims. They were actually enjoying having more time together, drinking coffee, sharing the papers and just talking – something they hadn’t had a great deal of time for in years, and she thought he seemed more relaxed than he had for a long time.

  ‘Once the baby’s here and you’re feeling well again, I think we should go away for a while – perhaps somewhere a little warmer…’ he’d said at breakfast that morning.

  ‘That would be lovely,’ Lizzie had replied. ‘Do you think Betty will come with us…?’ She looked at him anxiously. ‘I hate not knowing where she is and whether she’s all right…’

  ‘She’s fine, Lizzie, really she is. You can talk to her when she rings next time, but she will be coming with us. This fuss will all be over soon, I promise you,’ Sebastian said with an indulgent smile. ‘It must be years since we had a holiday all together…’

  ‘I can’t remember when,’ Lizzie admitted. ‘You were usually too busy to spend more than a day or two with us when Beth and I took the children to Cornwall…’

  ‘That’s why I proposed a holiday for us all,’ he said and smiled, ‘I want to see you being happy, Lizzie… and the girls…and I’ve finished with all that rushing around, believe me.’

  Letting herself into the kitchen now, Lizzie placed the magazine on the kitchen table and unpacked her basket. Sebastian entered just as she was putting away some food in the refrigerator. He smiled at her and Lizzie’s heart caught, because that smile still had the power to make her feel weak at the knees and long for his arms about her.

  ‘I’ve had some good news while you were out,’ he told her. ‘Jack rang me. He believes that the man Pierre Saint-Jacquez was in harness with has been arrested in America for procuring underage girls for sexual purposes. It is possible that he will go to prison for a long time – and if he should wangle his way out of it, he won’t be allowed back into this country. Besides, he will have forgotten Betty by then… it means she’s free of the threat he posed.’ He hesitated, then, ‘Saint-Jacquez is dead, Lizzie. So I’m going to tell Betty to come home as soon as she’s ready…’

  ‘Thank God! That is wonderful,’ Lizzie cried and went to put her arms about him. Her eyes were wet with tears, because she’d been holding her emotions in check, trying to accept that Betty was safer in her hideout when she desperately wanted her home where she could hold her and touch her. ‘The best news we could possibly have…

  Lizzie stared at him. ‘You know where she is – don’t you?’

  ‘I’ve known for a while…’ He smiled oddly. ‘It was easy enough for Jack to trace Frank Hadley’s family – but I left her there, because it seemed the best place until things were settled…’

  ‘And you didn’t tell me!’ Lizzie frowned at him. ‘I thought we agreed no more secrets. You knew how desperate I was to see her…’

  ‘Don’t you see, my darling?’ Sebastian raised his eyebrows. ‘If you’d known, you would have begged me to take you down to see her – and if there was someone watching us it would’ve led them straight to Betty. Don’t you think I wanted to tell you – to fetch her home? It’s been just as hard for me, perhaps harder, because I feel to blame for the whole damn thing…’

  ‘Yes, I would have asked…’ she admitted it grudgingly, still a little upset with him. ‘But you should have told me, Sebastian. I’ve had enough of secrets in this family…’

  The coffee was percolating and the smell was delicious. Lizzie went to the dresser to fetch cups and a cream jug. Sebastian sat down at the table and did something he never did, flicking idly through the pages of Styled magazine.

  He suddenly gave a snort of disgust and threw it down on the table in front of Lizzie. ‘When were you going to tell me about these then?’

  Her eye fell on a two-page spread of a young girl wearing some sophisticated evening dresses and she sat down abruptly from the shock. ‘Oh no, that’s this month’s magazine. When did she do that?’

  ‘You mean you didn’t know about it?’

  ‘No, I just picked the magazine up as a change from Vogue. I hadn’t even looked beyond the cover.’

  ‘How could she?’ Sebastian said in a voice of disgust. ‘She gave me her word that she wouldn’t do any more of this sort of stuff…’

  Lizzie looked intently at the pictures. ‘There’s nothing outrageous or suggestive in these, Sebastian. They are just normal fashion photography – perfectly respectable, and the ones at the zoo are rather lovely.’

  ‘She is still my daughter and far too young to be doing this work,’ Sebastian said, his mouth was tight with anger. ‘She gave me her word – and she has broken it. There is nothing indecent about these but that doesn’t alter the fact that she has deceived us – unless you knew about this?’

  ‘I promise you I knew nothing. Had she told me I should have forbidden it…’ Lizzie frowned. ‘These aren’t like the other stuff… ’

  ‘Well, she’s still underage and I’m going to speak to my lawyers…’

  ‘Sebastian, please don’t get angry and do something you may regret,’ Lizzie begged. ‘If Francie really wants to do this – and it seems to me that she does – I think we should talk to her. I know she deceived us and that is very wrong, but she may have been worried about upsetting us when we were already under enough stress…’

  ‘Francie is too young, Lizzie…’

  ‘I know she’s still a little girl to you, darling – but girls grow up much sooner these days…’

  ‘Francie is still too young…’ Sebastian said but she could see he was thoughtful. He drew the magazine towards him and
looked at the pictures again. They were good and Francie looked wonderful, a beautiful girl doing a professional job, and the ones with the animals at the zoo had a charming innocence even he could see and appreciate – but the others were too sophisticated, not as her father saw her, not as his little girl, and Lizzie could see that bothered him. ‘I suppose this is a quality magazine…’

  ‘It’s one of the best,’ Lizzie said. ‘A lot of young girls would kill for the chance to be in a magazine like this, Sebastian. I know you’re so proud of her art – and so am I, but if she wants this chance… surely she can always go back to it in time? She’s a modern girl, Sebastian, and this is what young girls want these days.’

  ‘You think she is old enough to make up her own mind – that we should let her do what she thinks best?’ He shook his head, his eyes still on the glamorous photographs. ‘To me she should still be at college for years yet… but I suppose if it’s what she really wants.’ He frowned. ‘Yet how can we condone this deceit? She mustn’t be allowed to think it is all right to lie to get her own way…’

  ‘No, and I doubt she does. If I know Francie she feels guilty. Talk to her when she comes home, Sebastian, but don’t lose your temper…’

  ‘I learned my lesson with Betty,’ he said and a nerve flicked at the corner of his eye. ‘I shan’t lose my temper – but Francie has disappointed me, Lizzie. If she fails her exams because of this she will lose the chance of that scholarship in Paris…’

  ‘Then that will be punishment enough,’ Lizzie said. She poured his coffee and passed him the cream jug. ‘When will you tell Betty that it’s safe for her to come home?’

  ‘Next time she rings, which should be tomorrow morning,’ Sebastian said and put two lumps of brown sugar in his cup. ‘The people she’s staying with don’t have their own phone – too far from civilisation…’ He smiled wryly. ‘I should imagine she’s heartily sick of it and longing to come home…’

  *

  ‘It’s perfectly safe now, love,’ Sebastian said as Betty asked again if he was sure. ‘I’ve been told the man who paid Saint-Jacquez for you is locked securely in an American prison, and I doubt he’ll come out of there for a few years – if ever… and Pierre will never bother you again, believe me.’

  ‘Oh, Dad…’ Betty breathed a sigh of relief. ‘You don’t know how good it is to hear that…’

  ‘Your mother and I feel just as relieved as you do, Betty.’

  ‘Yes, I know. I’ve caused you a lot of worry… I’m so sorry, Dad.’

  ‘Don’t be sorry. Just be happy it’s all over, my darling girl. What happened to you – it was as much my fault as yours and I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you…’

  ‘No, it wasn’t your fault,’ Betty denied, tears trickling down her cheeks. She dashed them away impatiently. ‘I’m helping out here with a few jobs and I can’t let them down – but I’ll come back at the weekend. I’ll ring you when I know the times of the trains…’

  ‘I could come and fetch you if Frank is too busy…’

  ‘He will be down tomorrow, but Gran has a bit of a cold and I don’t want to leave her with all the work. She’s been so good to me, Dad. I’m fine here, really, but I miss you and Mum. Give my love to Mum – and Francie. When I rang the college she was out with some friends… and her headmistress sounded annoyed so I didn’t try to ring again…’

  ‘I’m sure she would’ve rung you if you were on the phone there.’

  ‘It’s a bit of a nuisance but Frank’s family don’t have much use for a phone, and I don’t like to ask Tom to bring me in too often…’

  ‘Well, you’ll be home soon.’

  ‘Yes…’

  Betty put the receiver down just as the pips went. She had more money in her purse but didn’t want to talk any more for the moment. Her father’s apology had made her feel awful, though it wasn’t the first time. He’d told her over and over again that he loved her and it made Betty feel so guilty, because she knew it was partly stress over her that had brought on his heart problems. And of course she did love him, she always had despite their arguments – it was of course her love that had made her so needy towards him. She’d never been sure how important she was to him, but just now his love had seemed to reach out to her as they spoke and she knew she’d been a fool to doubt him.

  Mum had explained about Gretchen and the work he’d been doing when she’d telephoned her previously.

  ‘I can’t tell you much,’ she’d said. ‘It’s not for discussion, but he brought Gretchen here to have tea with me and we talked. She’s had the most terrible time… her mother too. I feel so grateful that we’ve been safe all these years. If things had gone badly in the war… who knows what would have happened to any of us…’

  Walking through the village to where Tom was waiting to take her back to the farm, Betty tried to dismiss her thoughts of the past. It was over now. She could put all that had happened in Paris behind her and get on with her life. She wasn’t sure that she would still have a job, but that wasn’t the end of the world. Making use of her spare time, Betty had filled a book with ideas for new clothes; many of them had come from redesigning Gran’s old-fashioned clothes to something she could happily wear.

  When she’d first opened Gran’s trunk, she’d thought there was nothing remotely suitable but then she’d begun to realise that a lot of the material was good quality and she started cutting up ankle-length dresses, making them into skirts and shaping offcuts into bodices or separate jackets. She’d mixed pieces from one garment with another, achieving a startling and stylish outfit with a long red dress with a voluminous skirt that had made her a smart suit.

  Gran had admired it, hardly believing that her old dance frock had become a modern outfit. ‘You ought to do this for a living, girl,’ she’d said and Betty laughed, telling her it was her ambition.

  ‘You’ll not be wanting to get married yet then,’ Gran said and shook her head. ‘And there’s Frank mooning after you, lass…’

  Betty had turned away, feeling embarrassed by the old lady’s bright stare. Frank had made his feelings clear, and Betty was fond of him – he had rescued her and brought her here, and of course she was grateful…

  As she approached the car, Betty saw that Tom was talking to another man. He turned as if sensing her approach and she gave a cry of pleasure and ran towards him.

  ‘Matt…’ she said in wonder. ‘What are you doing here – how did you know where to find me?’

  ‘Frank told me. I stayed here with him a couple of years back in the summer and I saw Tom as I was on my way to the farm…’ He grinned at her. ‘Frank came to see me. He had to fly out to visit Amsterdam on business unexpectedly and he asked me to look after you…’

  ‘Dad has just told me I can go home,’ Betty said with a sob in her throat as Matt opened his arms and she went into them, feeling safe and suddenly at home with the man she’d always known and trusted. ‘Oh, Matt – can you stay for a couple of days…just until Gran is feeling better?’

  ‘Of course I can,’ he said and hugged her. He smiled and Betty’s heart flipped as she caught the familiar aftershave. He was so handsome and strong. She’d never noticed before how good looking he was, because he was her brother, but of course he wasn’t and there was something in the way he looked at her that told her Matt wasn’t seeing her as a sister now. Suddenly, a little shy, she moved back. ‘I came down to fetch you – but Tom asked if I could give him a hand for a few days…we’ll stay until the weekend, Betty. It will be good to have a little time with you…’

  Chapter 28

  ‘Is that Sebastian Winters’ residence?’ the voice asked when Lizzie answered the phone that afternoon. It was a man’s voice and cultured but with a slight intonation that made her wonder if he were truly English. ‘May I speak to him please?’

  ‘Yes, certainly,’ Lizzie said. ‘Who may I say is calling please?’

  ‘Just a friend…’

  ‘I’m sorry, my husband hasn’t been
well. I need to know who is calling…’

  ‘Tell him Eric would like a few moments of his time – and I’m sorry your husband has been ill, Mrs Winters. I shan’t keep him long…’

  Lizzie frowned as she went through to the sitting room, where Sebastian was relaxing with the papers.

  ‘Someone wants to speak to you,’ Lizzie said as he looked up inquiringly. ‘He said his name is Eric…’

  An odd look passed across Sebastian’s face. He got up and went past her into the hall, throwing her a smile of reassurance that did nothing to dampen the fear trickling down her spine. Sebastian had promised no secrets, but Lizzie suspected that this phone call wasn’t something he would share with her. . She was certain that it was something to do with that secret work he’d kept from her so many years.

  Sebastian closed the door of the sitting room after him and that confirmed her fears. He didn’t want Lizzie to hear anything she ought not. Her hands curled at her sides but she didn’t strain to listen, because if Sebastian wanted to keep it from her he had a good reason.

  She sat down and tried to concentrate on her designs but she couldn’t think of a single thing, except the sound of that man’s voice and the feeling that had come over her. Sebastian was gone for several minutes and when he returned he looked serious.

  ‘I have to go out this evening to meet someone,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to lie to you, Lizzie – it’s to do with the past and I promised you that was all over, but I have to do this one thing.’

  ‘Why – isn’t there anyone else?’

  ‘No one he trusts,’ Sebastian said. ‘The man on the phone is risking his own life to give me something, Lizzie. It’s something we need and want – at least I know Jack wants it, but Eric won’t meet with anyone but me, and I had to give him my word I would go alone…’