A Winter Affair (28 page)

‘Certainly not Aurelia,' Eloise burst out.

‘So stay here and fight,' Saskia said, finishing her mulled wine and saying they better be off before it got dark.

Following her to the door, Eloise thought over her words. She was about to question her further when Saskia was greeted by a couple of friends who were also leaving to ski down and they suggested they all go down together. Did Saskia mean that she must stay here and fight for Lawrence and Jacaranda? It was madness and impossible, and yet was she going to just go home and leave them both to be ruined?

When Eloise got back to the chalet after her day's skiing with Saskia she was surprised to find Gaby racing round the garden with Bert, with the exuberance of youth. She seemed to have thrown off her feelings of despondency and was actually back here at the chalet.

‘There you are at last. I didn't want to miss you,' Gaby said as Eloise got out of the jeep. Gaby ran over to her with the eagerness of a child and hugged her. Her face was flushed and shining from her scrap with Bert and Bert barked encouragingly, his tail wagging, limbs alert, poised for her to continue with their game.

‘It's good to see you but why are you here? I thought' – Eloise threw a furtive glance towards the chalet, bracing herself for one of the party to appear to banish Gaby like in Victorian times, throwing fallen women to their fate – ‘you were lying low.'

‘We were but Debra insisted that Jerry come here and see her and he begged me to come with him, though I stayed out here with Bert in case she thrusts my return ticket at me and orders me home.' She frowned. ‘It's all getting a bit hairy.'

‘Does she know you're here?' Surely Bert's excited barking would alert everyone to her presence. ‘What's happening with you and Jerry?'

‘Debra hasn't seen me yet, but I expect Jerry will tell her I'm here.' She linked her arm through Eloise's. ‘I tried to explain to Jerry that I don't want to be tied down yet and it would be best to break up, but he won't hear of it. I'm worried…' she sighed, ‘that having already paid so much towards my tuition he thinks he owns me and I owe it to him to marry him and have his children.'

She had a point, Eloise thought. Being used to buying what he wanted, there was a possibility – even if he didn't realize it – that he
was
buying Gaby.

‘It's usually kinder to leave a relationship that's going nowhere sooner rather than later,' Eloise said, knowing she had not obeyed this piece of advice herself, hanging on, turning a blind eye to Harvey's cheating for so long – too long – though it was a bit different, as she had been fighting to keep the family together.

‘I know and I despise myself for staying on,' Gaby said. ‘I should have gone straight home on Debra's ticket and broken it off there and then.'

‘Maybe, but you can't just disappear, I don't know how Jerry would take it,' Eloise said, fetching her skis from the jeep and lugging them over to put away in the ski shed. She was cold and she had to get back to her cooking. Perhaps Gaby could come inside, lurk in the kitchen, though it would be impossible to continue their conversation in case they were overheard.

‘I've tried to talk to him but he won't listen,' Gaby went on. ‘I've thought of a way out that might work. One of my teachers at school told me I might get a scholarship to the US, but I didn't want to leave Mum, be so far away, so I didn't follow it up, but now she's got Roger, perhaps I can. What do you think?' She stood before her, her young face creased with anxiety, and yet there was a light in her eyes, a surge of excitement at taking on something new.

Eloise hugged her. ‘You must do what you think is right, Gaby, but don't be afraid to leave home and go and study somewhere else. It will look good on your CV.' Eloise smiled at her. ‘I'll get in touch with your mother. I'd love to catch up with her again, I'm sure she'll understand. Now is probably the only time in your life you are free to travel wherever you want.'

She thought of how much she missed Kit and Lizzie, the huge void in her life now they had gone. Hard though it was, she was glad they had not stayed behind to support her. She said this to Gaby, adding, ‘What I remember of your mother is she'd be the last person to stop you taking these chances. Don't worry; we mothers can cope without you, though of course we miss you terribly. Do whatever you think is right,' she repeated firmly.

‘Thanks Eloise, I will.' Gaby shone with enthusiasm. ‘I did think of doing part of the course there but then I thought Mum… but no, you're right she'll be fine and perhaps she and the boys could visit, there are sometimes cheap deals around.'

The door to the chalet opened and Jerry came out; he looked slightly awkward when he saw her. ‘Oh, hello, Eloise, all well with you?' He held out his hand to Gaby who, bending over and patting Bert, didn't seem to notice.

‘Good to see you, Jerry.' Eloise felt sorry for him. Relationships were so complicated, tying you in and letting you go, ebb and flow like the sea. And when it was over, you had to accept it and move on.

‘Oh, Jerry.' Gaby straightened up. ‘Did things get sorted?'

Jerry threw Eloise an embarrassed glance. ‘I'm not sure,' he said, ‘but why did you stay out here in the cold? You could have come inside.' He sounded grumpy, as if she were an annoying child, leaving Eloise to wonder if he needed someone to boss around as he felt so insecure himself. Gaby was much younger than he was, but she was too strong to let him take her over or use her to bolster his own ego. Eloise, realizing that it would be better to leave them to sort it out themselves, told Jerry she needed to go inside to get the dinner started. Jerry gave her an awkward wave before scurrying to the car he'd rented, opening the door and getting in. Gaby hugged her.

‘I know what I'm going to do,' she said, ‘and thanks for giving me the courage to do it.'

‘You did it yourself, but keep in touch when you leave here, I'd love to know how you get on, and when Kit and Lizzie are back it would be good to all meet up again.' She watched her get into the car with Jerry and silently wished her well.

She went into the hall and before she'd even taken her boots off, she heard raised voices. The door to the living room was very slightly ajar – it needed a firm pull for the tongue of the door handle to catch – and she heard Ken say, ‘Let it go, Debra, no one was hurt and these things happen in the mountains.'

Debra's voice was louder, ‘If Jerry had been killed or badly injured and couldn't work in the company any more what would you have done then?'

‘But he wasn't, Debra, so let's leave it, just be thankful everyone came out unscathed.'

‘But we don't know that, Ken.' Debra's voice was hard and insistent as if she were losing patience with him. ‘He could suffer a severe mental breakdown. He seems very nervy and anxious since it happened and mental health problems can take a long time to be resolved. He's in charge of a vital part of our business after all and we can't take chances. I've left a message for Gordon Maynard to call me to see where we stand legally, and that is that.'

Eloise was stunned at Debra's ruthless decision – she assumed this Gordon person was their lawyer. She sat there, her boots half off, Debra's words ringing in her ears. Glancing up, she saw Lawrence standing in the dusk at the top of the stairs that led to his office. His face was tense and tortured, knowing that if Debra took them to court Jacaranda could be finished.

Eloise was still struggling with her boots when the door to the living room was jerked open and Ken came out. His head was down as if studying the floor and he didn't see her. She froze; in a moment he would spot her and he'd surely guess that she had heard their conversation. Would he also see Lawrence lurking and listening at the top of the stairs?

‘Hi Ken, good day?' She hoped she sounded upbeat and ignorant of the damning conversation she had just overheard.

‘Oh, Eloise, it's you.' He shuffled in embarrassment as if he'd caught her naked instead of just bootless. She kept smiling.

‘Yes, just back from a good time skiing. Did you go out today?' She sneaked a look at the stairs and to her relief saw that Lawrence was now out of sight.

‘No, we didn't have time. It gets dark quite quickly at this time of the year, but I would have liked to go. I hope to get the chance tomorrow, only a couple more days left of our holiday now. Do you know the weather forecast for tomorrow?'

He was standing close to her and she could see how tense he was, though he was doing his best not to show it. He was quite a flirty man, he'd tried it on with her a few times, but she suspected that had she encouraged him he'd have run a mile. She felt sorry for him, had a sudden image of Debra cracking a whip, forcing him to submit to her will. It did not make a pretty picture.

‘I don't,' she said, ‘but I'll find out for you if you like.' She pushed her boots into the shelf under her seat and got up. ‘Must get ready to cook the dinner.'

‘I enjoy your cooking,' he said suddenly, perhaps relieved to be able to talk of a safe subject. ‘What is the menu tonight?'

She had to pass him to go up the stairs to her room. Unless he moved she'd have to brush past him, but it seemed as if his feet were glued to the spot.

‘Poussins stuffed with herbs and wild rice,' she said, making much of hanging up her ski jacket, hoping he'd get the message and let her pass without having to touch him to get by.

‘Sounds delicious.'

‘I'm glad. I hope you've enjoyed it here,' she heard herself saying as she turned to face him. ‘I love Jacaranda; I used to stay here when I was a child and a couple of times with my own children when they were little. It holds many happy memories.'

‘I quite believe it.' He hovered a moment and she waited for him to ask her what Jacaranda had been like all those years ago, but he did not elaborate just smiled awkwardly and moved away. ‘I'll go and have my shower.' He made for the stairs.

She waited a moment for him to be out of the way before she went upstairs herself to change.

Lawrence appeared again. ‘Eloise,' he whispered, ‘come down a minute.'

She followed him into his office, he gestured to the chair by the window and closed the door. She saw the tension in his face and the anxious way he clawed back the lock of hair that fell over his forehead. She had a ridiculous urge to stroke his tension away; she pushed her hands between her knees in case they inadvertently moved to do so.

‘Things don't look good.' He sat down opposite her. ‘Travis informed me a few minutes ago… that Debra wishes to take legal advice over whether there's a case against Theo for taking you all skiing in a dangerous place. Ken, as we both heard through the half-open door, disagrees with her… he has skied quite a lot, whilst she knows nothing of the mountains, but it seems to me that once she gets an idea into her head she holds on to it like a dog with a bone.'

‘I know, but what about Travis, might he dissuade her, side with Ken?' Eloise asked, a cold, frightened feeling settling in her stomach.

Lawrence sighed. ‘I don't think so. He's a rather weak man, as I'm afraid is Ken when it comes to standing up to Debra. She has instructed Travis to act on it and so he will if he wants to keep his job.' He gave a slight laugh, ‘I'd also say Travis is rather in awe of her, even has a sort of love for her.'

‘Do you really think that?' Eloise was intrigued. She'd hardly seen Travis and not thought much about him. He was one of those people who were like shadows, rather sad, longing to be part of the scene, but for whatever reason unable to join in and so stayed lurking in the background.

‘I do, I suppose you've hardly seen them all together, but he reminds me of a faithful rather needy dog, utterly devoted to her.'

‘And you don't think Ken can make her see sense, or even Radley?' She must take more interest in these people, though it was difficult being stuck in the kitchen.

‘Oh, Radley is completely under his mother's thumb and Ken doesn't seem to feel threatened by Travis's devotion to his wife. In fact I suspect he sometimes uses him to his advantage.' Lawrence shrugged. ‘You know, like asking him to do research and the like so he can get on with his own thing without Debra's interference.'

‘How complicated people are,' Eloise said. ‘I suppose you see a lot of odd goings-on here.' It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him about Celia and Neil's bed-hopping before she decided she better not, they might be friends of his, and anyway it was not her business to make trouble, Debra was making a good job of doing that herself. ‘But what about Jerry?' She went on. ‘He was there, involved in the avalanche, could even have been responsible for it. He laughed at Theo's concerns, showing off, I suppose he was trying to be macho in front of Gaby, but if he refuses to take it further, then what can Debra do?'

Lawrence stayed silent, staring out of the window. Eloise wondered what Jerry had said to Debra when he'd been here a short while ago, or what she had said to him. Had she somehow persuaded him to make a claim?

Lawrence leant back in his chair. ‘The person Jerry really cares about is Gaby, he's hopelessly in love with her, and although I wasn't in the room with him and Debra – who it's been blatantly obvious thoroughly disapproves of her – I heard her say he should cooperate for Gaby's sake. She even inferred that she'd been mistaken about Gaby being just a dumb blonde after his money and she might welcome her into the family as she was obviously bright and going places.'

‘You mean bribe him?' Eloise was horrified.

‘Yes… I suppose so.'

‘She doesn't want to marry him. She only agreed to wear his ring and say they're engaged so as not to shock the family. I've just spoken to her; she's going to try and get a scholarship, do some of her course in the US to get away from him,' Eloise said, anxiety grabbing her. She'd encouraged Gaby to leave the country, get away from Jerry, but Jerry wanted Debra's blessing on their relationship and if she gave it, her price might be for him to take her side in getting legal advice about the avalanche. If Gaby escaped him by going to study in America would that make Jerry angry and hurt enough to side with his aunt especially if he found out that she, Eloise, encouraged Gaby to leave him?