Just Rewards - Barbara Taylor Bradford

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laughed. ‘Well, I am free this evening, and—’

      ‘I could invite Robin, Great-Aunt, and we could kill two birds with one stone,’ Linnet cut in swiftly. ‘Please say you’ll come. It’s very important.’

      ‘What actually is it about?’

      ‘It’s too complicated to explain on the phone, but let’s just say this … I need you to talk some sense into him. About having the Hughes family stay with him. They can’t.’

      ‘Why not?’

      ‘Because Jonathan Ainsley’s unexpectedly in Yorkshire, and he might cause trouble for everyone. And especially Owen Hughes.’

      ‘Ah yes, of course, Linnet, you are absolutely right.’ There was a little pause. Edwina took a deep breath and announced in her familiar, commanding voice, ‘I shall come tonight. And you must make sure Robin is there as well. You are correct, as usual. As your great-grandmother always was. Only I can talk some sense into my brother.’

      ‘Thanks for agreeing,’ Linnet exclaimed, her voice suddenly cheerful and breezy. ‘Shall I send somebody over to fetch you?’

      ‘No, no, that’s not necessary. I have my driver. Just tell me what time I should arrive, and I shall be there promptly.’

      ‘You’d better come before drinks. About six-thirty, if that’s all right with you? Then we can have a chat before Uncle Robin arrives. Just the two of us. Oh, and it’s a casual evening, Great-Aunt Edwina.’

      ‘I am never casual, my dear. I shall dress for dinner as usual.’

      ‘Could I have a word with you in private, Gladys?’ Dusty said, walking across the kitchen to the small eating area where Gladys was finishing lunch with Atlanta.

      ‘Of course you can, Mr Rhodes,’ Gladys Roebotham responded, standing up, moving away from the small table. ‘I’ll be back in three shakes of a lamb’s tail,’ she said to the child, who laughed and clapped her hands with glee on hearing these words.

      Dusty smiled lovingly at his daughter, and then turning to Gladys he said, ‘I haven’t heard that expression in donkey’s years. My mother used to say that.’ As he finished he laughed when he saw Atlanta’s face. It was a picture.

      Gladys laughed with him and said, ‘It’s funny the way these old-fashioned sayings always have a reference to animals in them. They certainly amuse Atlanta, she loves hearing them.’

      ‘Indeed she does.’ He guided the young woman across the kitchen and into a small hallway that led out to the back garden.

      Gladys said, ‘What did you want to speak to me about, Mr Rhodes?’ She sounded curious.

      ‘I was wondering if you would be able to do a bit of baby-sitting for me, Gladys? You know, come over and look after Atlanta, if it’s at all necessary? She seems very attached to you, and you’re so good with her.’

      Immediately, a troubled look settled on Gladys’s face and she said slowly, worriedly, ‘I’d love to do that, I really would, but it’s a bit of a problem right now. I have a relative staying with me, who’s not been well, and I can’t be away for too long during the day. I’m ever so sorry, Mr Rhodes, I am that.’

      ‘I am too,’ Dusty responded, forcing a smile, filled with sudden disappointment. Over lunch he had convinced himself that Gladys would be available and that she would solve a lot of problems for him.

      Observing him carefully, Gladys saw the crushed look slide onto his face, and swiftly she said, ‘But perhaps I’ll be able to do something to help later on. I mean, if Molly’s still in the hospital and Atlanta’s out here with you.’

      ‘I’d appreciate it, if that becomes the case, Gladys, I would indeed. I want to thank you again for looking after Atlanta, for being so responsible. Now let me take you back to the kitchen to finish lunch. And whenever you’re ready, Paddy will call for the car to come. It only takes the driver five minutes to get here and he’ll take you anywhere you want to go.’

      ‘Thanks ever so much, Mr Rhodes, you’ve been ever so nice. Any message for Mrs Caldwell if I do get to visit her for a while?’

      ‘Yes, of course. Tell her I’m wishing her better very quickly, and that she should have the hospital call if she needs anything. You can also tell her I’ll be in to see her on Monday.’

      ‘That’ll please her, it really will,’ Gladys Roebotham replied, smiling up at him, thinking what a nice man he was, not at all the villain Melinda Caldwell had made him out to be. In fact he was a real gentleman.

      Paula sat at her grandmother’s old desk in the upstairs parlour making a list of things still to be done for the wedding, when a light tapping on the door brought her head up with a start.

      ‘Come in,’ she called glancing at the door.

      It flew open and Margaret sailed in, carrying a laden tray and exclaiming, ‘Did you think I’d forgotten about your tea, Mrs O’Neill?’

      ‘No, Margaret, I didn’t, you never forget anything,’ Paula answered, and putting down her pen she rose and went to the fireplace.

      The housekeeper bustled over, put the tray on the coffee table, and then straightened. Looking across at Paula, who was now seated on the sofa, she murmured, ‘I made your favourite ginger biscuits, Miss Paula.’ As she spoke she dropped a piece of lemon in the china cup, and asked, ‘Shall I pour the tea, or do you want to wait for Mr O’Neill?’

      ‘Oh, that’s all right, Margaret, you can pour it,’ Paula answered, smiling at her. The housekeeper had grown up at Pennistone Royal and the two women had known each other all of their lives. Paula thought of Margaret as part of the family, and never paid much attention to her odd moods and moments of familiarity. She said now, ‘I’m so glad Tessa wanted to cook dinner, you can have a night off.’

      Margaret shook her head, said a little vehemently, ‘I’ve been pressed into service, so to speak, Mrs O’Neill. Tessa needs a bit of help, that she does.’

      Frowning, Paula exclaimed, ‘What do you mean? She makes her lamb stew very quickly … Why does she need help?’

      ‘I think you ought to know you’re having a dinner party tonight, Miss Paula.’

      ‘I am?’ Paula sounded baffled and stared at the housekeeper in disbelief.

      Margaret nodded emphatically. ‘Eighteen pounds of lamb stew! That’s what Tessa ordered from the butcher. It seems a lot of meat to me but when I questioned her about it, she said there’re loads of bones in neck and shoulder. Which is true, a’course.’

      ‘I know that,’ Paula answered a bit impatiently, and asked, ‘But who’s coming for dinner? Who are those I don’t know about already?’

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