A Pearl for Love (18 page)

But now he had his own business
...
Newclox. Elizabeth had wondered about that place, probably feeling instinctively that there was something odd about it. Catherine was even now remembering Michael
’
s absences from the shop, when he claimed to be delivering and setting up wall clocks. No doubt he was also spending some time making sure his own business was proceeding satisfactorily.

Sudden distaste for the whole affair took hold of her, and she drank her coffee quickly.

‘
I must get back, Michael,
’
she told him, quickly.
‘
I
...
I
’
m sorry everything has been so
...
sort
of
...
upset for you. No doubt Uncle James will find out about your own business and will be hurt ... if you wanted to hurt him. No doubt Elizabeth
...’

‘
Elizabeth knows!
’

‘
Oh!
’

So
that
was why she was taking it so hard. She thought that Michael had betrayed them all, not only her.

‘
I must go then,
’
she said coldly.
‘
I
...
there
’
s no need to wish you every success. I
’
m sure you
’
ll see that you get it.
’

‘
Sit down!
’
he said, rather curtly.

‘
No, I
’
m sorry. I
’
ll go now
...’

‘
Sit down. Please, Catherine. Can you tell me what happened to your pearl?
’

She stared at him, then sat down.

‘
My what?
’

‘
Your pearl
...
the one your father found.
’
This time it was his turn to stare.
‘
You don
’
t know about it? They haven
’
t told you, or asked you yet? I thought he was just biding his time, then the publicity campaign would start, and he would be exhibiting a pearl even bigger than the Abe
rn
ethy. Not that it would have done him much good without all the other pearl jewellery to back it up, but I knew he would think of something. I mean, a pearl like that ... its value would be fabulous.
’

‘
I don
’
t understand a word you say,
’
she said
‘
flatly.
‘
What on earth are you talking about?
’

‘
That does surprise me. I don
’
t know how dear James could contain himself while you went through all your personal papers. It must be still among your stuff somewhere. He made sure that your father hadn
’
t got rid of it, especially when he was so keen to buy it himself. He made your father an offer.
’

‘
Start at the beginning, please,
’
said Catherine, her heart thumping.
‘
I
’
m completely in the dark.
’

‘
Didn
’
t you know your father had found a fabulous pearl and took it with him when he went to London? Only he made the mistake of calling on his old friend James Sheridan, in Newcastle, and of showing it to John and me as well. It was a whopper. James was panting to buy it, but your
father rather put him off. He had other plans, I think. Probably he felt obliged to offer his normal firm first refusal.

‘
But a few days later he was dead, and James went to see your mother. It was obvious she knew nothing about it, or if she did, she was keeping quiet. So he very cleverly offered to give her advice about any business she found difficult to deal with, and in particular his finding of pearls. James said he would see to all that for her.

‘
However, time went on, and he was foxed. Did she know about it? Or did she know nothing? I don
’
t know how he managed to keep silent
...
some crafty purpose of his own
...
but when the accident happened and
...
and only you were left, he offered to sort out your affairs.
’

She nodded, fascinated.

‘
He brought down all personal papers, and no doubt he
’
s been trying to contain himself in patience, waiting for you to run to him one day, with the pearl in your hands, wondering if it
’
s at all valuable. Oh, he
’
ll give you
something
for it, but it will bring him far more than he gives you. He might even keep it in the family by marrying you off to John.
’

Her face went white.

‘
That
’
s enough
!’
she cried.
‘
You go too far.
’

‘
You can
’
t tell me John hasn
’
t been interested in you. It
’
s only a matter of time till he proposes. The Cravens were all right, but dear Rosalie will want more
out
of the Sheridans than she
’
ll bring with her. Poor old John designed her a pretty little ring, and you should have seen her face! She
’
d thought she would have her pick of the diamonds! I felt sorry for him then, because that was when he saw through her.
’

Catherine wasn
’
t smiling.

‘
I know nothing about a pearl,
’
she said quietly,
‘
and if there had been one, I
’
m afraid I
w
ould
have known about it by now. Father would have told us.
’

‘
Did he have time? I thought he was taken ill as soon as he got home. I remember thinking the excitement had gone for him, poor chap.
’

She was silent. There
had
been no time. She remembered the fear and anguish of getting him to bed, and the doctor, and how quickly he seemed to go-

After that she and her mother had managed as best they could. Alison had never discussed business with her, but sometimes she had said it would be all right, and she would have a lovely surprise on her wedding day
...

Remembering, Catherine could only manage a twisted smile. How dreadful that sounded now! But could Alison have been going to give her the pearl as a wedding gift? It would be just like her to make that sort of gesture.

Only, if so, where was it? She had been through everything, and Uncle James had questioned her casually about that. If there
had
been a pearl, wouldn
’
t he have encouraged her to search more thoroughly? Wouldn
’
t he have
told
her?

She put her head in her hands.

‘
I must go, Michael. All this ... I must think about it. You
’
ve ... it doesn
’
t seem real. I don
’
t know what to believe now.
’

His face softened.

‘
Sorry, my dear, but I had to tell you. They aren
’
t going to exploit you, too, as they did me. You watch out for yourself, now that you know about it. And if you find that pearl, and want advice, then you can come to me.
’

‘
Thank you,
’
she said shakily,
‘
but my father had an excellent outlet for his pearls. I can
’
t imagine him taking it anywhere else for valuation. There must be some other explanation.
’

‘
Well, maybe so. But either he has it somewhere, or the money for it. Either way, you
’
re quite well off, Catherine. Just remember that.
’

She listened, but she couldn
’
t believe. Almost in a dream she walked out of the hotel, and Michael drove her home, not caring if the Sheridans saw him or not.

‘
I shan
’
t come in,
’
he said, with a rather twisted smile.

‘
Goodnight,
’
she said mechanically, and hurried up the drive, letting herself in with her own key.

John met her in the hall.

‘
Catherine
!
I
’
ve been wondering
...’

‘
I
’
ve got a headache, John,
’
she interrupted, rather wildly.
‘
I
’
ll go straight up to bed. Say goodnight to everyone for me, will you?
’

She ran on upstairs, aware of his eyes following her till she dosed the bedroom door, then she prepared mechanically for bed, and lay between the sheets, her eyes hot and sandy when she tried to dose them.

It was hours before she fell asleep.

CHAPTER IX

Catherine woke unrefreshed next morning, and decided that she would speak to Uncle James without delay, and clear up the suspicions which Michael had put into her mind. She came down to breakfast feeling composed and purposeful, but everyone was in rather a hurry, and Elizabeth only appeared at the last moment.

Catherine paused as she looked at the other girl, her eyes suddenly full of concern. Elizabeth looked very pale as she quickly drank a cup of black coffee, then picked up her bag.

‘
Elizabeth!
’
she called. .

‘
Yes?
’

‘
Are you sure you
’
re quite well?
’

‘
Quite well,
’
said Elizabeth crisply, then as she turned to go out of the door, Catherine saw her fumble with the doorknob, then she ran to hold the other girl as her body slumped against the door. Un
cl
e James was there almost before her, shouting to John, and it was John who carried his sister back upstairs to bed.

It was a disrupted, difficult morning. After making sure that Aunt Lucille and
Mrs.
Bannon could cope, and ringing for the doctor, they had to leave for business, knowing that Miss P
r
yce and
Mrs.
Neal would be waiting for the keys.

Uncle James rang home shortly after they were organised, and Catherine wasn
’
t surprised to hear that Elizabeth had nervous exhaustion, and would have to be quiet for several days. She had not been eating well, and the lack of food had weakened her physically.

‘
Can
you cope, do you think?
’
Uncle James asked Catherine anxiously.
‘
I
’
ll get someone new straight away ... a young man, I think, who could train for Michael
’
s job, when
...
when Elizabeth is better.
’

‘
I
’
m sure Miss Pryce and I can cope,
’
Catherine assured him, feeling sorry for James Sheridan. All of a sudden he seemed older, and she saw John viewing him with concern.

‘
We
’
re well organised, Dad,
’
John told him,
‘
and Catherine is no passenger nowadays. She learns fast.
’

He gave her his warm smile, and she found herself responding, then she turned away and went to talk to Miss Pryce. If everything Michael had told her was the truth, then she would have to put John Sheridan out of her mind and heart.

In fact, she wouldn
’
t be staying here, she thought rather wretchedly, looking round the lovely showroom which had become so familiar to her, and which she had begun to love. She now knew practically every piece of jewellery in the place, and she was sometimes consulted over stock when a representative called from the dealers in fine diamonds in Hatton Garden.

Catherine no
w
had quite a shrewd idea as to the demand for pearl and diamond earrings and brooches, and could select the ones most suited to her customers. She enjoyed this, and often felt a flow of pleasure when her own choice was sold soon after selection.

Now she and Miss Pryce quickly organised their day so that they could work together without treading on one another
’
s toes. Miss Pryce was most
‘
Concerned about Elizabeth, and Catherine realised how fond the older woman was of the girl.

‘
She takes things too hard,
’
she said, her bright dark eyes anxious.
‘
That
’
s always been Elizabeth
’
s trouble. She tries to pretend she doesn
’
t care. I used to think she was jealous of you
...’

‘
There was no need. There
is
no need,
‘
Catherine amended.

‘
I know that now, but for a time I wondered.
’

Catherine said nothing more, and Miss Pryce took
the hint and dropped the subject.

Nevertheless the days were busy, even though a new young man was employed to start on Monday. He
w
ould be working under John, and he seemed a cheerful boy when he called to have his interview.

‘
I expect I
’
ll be tea boy,
’
he confided to Catherine, as he waited for James Sheridan to see him in the office.
‘
I
’
m an expert at that.
‘

‘
I hope you
’
ll also be an expert at behaving yourself,
’
Miss Pryce told him sternly.
‘
We
’
ve had expert tea boys before who forgot to wash their hands properly, and left sticky fingermarks on the best watches.
’

Ian Adams held out clean hands.

‘
I don
’
t bite my fingernails either,
’
he said, as he rose suddenly, being quickly summoned into the office.

‘
I don
’
t know what lads are coming to these days,
’
said Miss P
r
yce, though her eyes were twinkling.
‘
The last one imitated a customer in a funny hat by putting the wash leather on his head, just out of range at the back of the shop. Only she saw him reflected in the mirror!
’

‘
Oh dear,
’
said Catherine.

‘
Yes
...
Oh, dear!
’

On Saturday Elizabeth was looking a little stronger, and John came to find Catherine. He had been speaking on the telephone, no doubt to Rosalie.

‘
I think we have a date,
’
he informed her.
‘
We could go out for a meal, then on to a symphony concert. It
’
s mainly Beethoven, and I can just about manage that.
’

‘
You mean we
’
re going with someone
...
with a party?
’

‘
No, just you and me,
’
he said firmly,
‘
on our own.
’

‘
Oh
...
well
...’

‘
I
’
m flattered that you leap at the chance of going with me,
’
he told her ruefully, and she couldn
’
t help smiling.

‘
Oh, all right, John. I
’
ll be ready in a moment. I
’
ll just see if Elizabeth is O.K.
’

‘
She can have Rosalie Craven to talk to. She
’
s coming round in a short while. Hurry up, Kate, do.
’

Catherine hurried, her mind busy. John was running away again, and at one time she had felt annoyed that he just did not stand up and put Rosalie in her place.

But there was no doubt that the other girl was very difficult to shake off, as she had been when she got to know her better. John wasn
’
t soft, and sooner or later he could turn into a mass of iron when driven too far.

But he hated hurting people. Catherine had seen that, too, when he had been thoughtless in the house, and had suddenly been made to realise it.

Now Catherine
’
s mind was turning again to Michael Rodgers. It had been on her mind such a lot, and she had not been able to talk it over with anyone. Perhaps she could find an opportunity to talk it over with John.

It was obvious to John that Catherine
’
s mind was not wholly on the concert. She had talked and laughed during the evening, but always her eyes had become grave and questioning as they looked at him, and he felt it was time to speak about their future once again. Perhaps, by now, Catherine would have had time to think about his proposal, and
nerves gripped him when he thought that her answer might now be very different.

As he led her back to the car, the warmth of the evening and the beauty of the music he had just heard still with him, John was very silent, but he quickly drove to a quiet place he knew quite near home, and stopped the car, then turned to Catherine.

‘
I
...
I
’
ve got to ask you, Catherine
...’
he
began.

‘
And I
’
ve got to ask you,
’
she interrupted,
‘
something very important.
’

‘
What
?’
he asked, his heart racing.

‘
Is it true that my father found a rather wonderful pearl just before he died?
’

John felt his heart sink with disappointment, and Catherine could almost feel the life go out of him. So it
was
true!

‘
Yes,
’
he told her quietly.
‘
Have you found it, dear? I
...
I
’
m very glad for you. We were afraid
...’

‘
So
that
was
it!
’
she cried. Somehow it had not seemed quite real until now, but if Michael had been right about that, then he was probably right about everything else.

‘
That was it,
’
she repeated. You all wanted me because you knew I
’
ve got something of value. And I was stupid enough to think you
...
you wanted me for myself.
’

‘
But, Catherine, I
do
...’

‘
Don
’
t try to make it better by lying to me, John,
’
she said.
‘
Is it also true that your father bought out
Mr.
Rodgers just when the firm was getting on its feet?
’

‘
Who told you that? Who
’
s been speaking to you?
’

‘
Who else could have told me but Michael himself. I ... I didn
’
t believe what he told me, but now I do. Now I believe that you use people for your own ends, you and Uncle James. What will you do now that I
’
ve gone over all Dad
’
s things, and I can
’
t find the pearl? Throw me out, as you
’
ve thrown Michael out?
’

‘
No,
’
said John icily.
‘
I
’
m going to take you home. Obviously I can
’
t talk to you while you throw all these wild accusations at me
...
and my father. You
’
ve listened to Mike Rodgers, and accepted all he said for gospel. Yet one thing we do ask of our employees is loyalty, and we
’
ve been having precious little from him.
’

‘
Only because you forced it on him. He had learned to protect his interests.
’

‘
Is that what you believe? Is that why my sister has worried herself sick
...
really sick
!
She
’
s pretty straight-dealing herself, and it was his treachery which threw Elizabeth.
That
’
s
what she can
’
t get over. I don
’
t think even Father realises that, though I do. I know her pretty well, and it
’
s no good asking me to have sympathy for Mike Rodgers.
’

John had gone cold and hard again in his anger, and Catherine sat beside him, miserably, as he started up the car engine again. His anger was mixed with keen disappointment that his hopes had disappeared in a hurl of accusations.

‘
I
’
ll see Uncle James tomorrow,
’
said Catherine.
‘
I expect he
’
ll want me to go. I don
’
t know what Dad can have done with the pearl, so if you and he wanted it for your own ends, I
’
m sorry to disappoint you.
’

‘
You may not have the pearl, but you
’
ve certainly got imagination. I suppose it
’
s no use telling you that we thought we were protecting your interests, that we took you to live with us because we wanted you, and that I consider it fine reward if you walk out now, just when you
’
re beginning to be responsible enough to be of use to the firm. We no longer have Michael, which is no doubt an asset rather than anything else, though he did work sometimes.

‘
Elizabeth is ill, and my father beginning to feel his age, as I
’
ve no doubt Prycey is too, though she would murder me for saying so. The boy is so new that he hardly knows one gem stone from another. So if you want to walk out, do so. No doubt Mike
’
s got a nice job all lined up for you, and can afford to offer you a higher salary than we can.
’