Inherit the Skies (6 page)

Alicia shook her head. Far from feeling satisfied she was more anxious than ever and the anxiety was a tight knot in her stomach. She reached for yet another Black Russian and fit it. Then she lifted the telephone once more.

She knew what she was going to do. Perhaps she was mad; perhaps she would live to regret this. But she had no intention of being deliberately kept in the dark, by Guy or anyone.

The number, unchanged through all the years, was still there in her memory. She dialled it and stood smoking while she waited. When the maid answered she was ready.

‘I would like to speak to Mrs Bailey,' she said calmly. ‘You can tell her the Countess von Brecht is returning her call.'

‘Mrs Bailey. What a pleasure to see you!'

The head waiter at Rules Restaurant, just off the Strand, greeted Sarah warmly. Sarah invariably dined at Rules when she was in town. She loved its atmosphere of gentility and its aura of history, loved the impeccable service she could be sure of getting there – and loved the memories it held for her.

When Alicia had telephoned to agree to the meeting she had at once suggested Rules as the venue for she liked the feeling of being on home ground. With a meeting as difficult as this one was likely to be it could prove a distinct advantage.

‘I have reserved your usual table, Mrs Bailey,' the head waiter fluttered around her solicitously. ‘May I take your coat?'

Sarah allowed him to relieve her of her cashmere coat. Beneath it she was wearing a softly tailored Chanel suit in a light navy; the pink flounced bow at the neckline lent a little colour to her pale cheeks.

‘It was a table for two, I believe,' the head waiter murmured.

‘Yes, my guest will be joining me shortly.' Sarah cast a quick apprehensive look past the head waiter as the thought occurred to her: perhaps Alicia was already here. There was no-one at her regular table, no sign of the autocratic old lady whose very presence commanded attention. Sarah experienced a moment's relief. She wanted to be composed and ready when Alicia arrived.

‘May I ask …?' the head waiter ventured.

Sarah hesitated. He must be aware that she and Alicia had not met either privately or publicly for more than thirty years. But he would have to know sooner or later – perhaps it was better that it should be sooner.

‘My guest is the Countess von Brecht,' she said evenly.

She saw the momentary gleam of shock in his eyes before it was eclipsed by his professionalism.

‘I will tell her you are here as soon as she arrives, Mrs Bailey.'

As she was shown into the restaurant Sarah glanced back over her shoulder and saw him murmuring something to one of his staff. A tiny smile lifted the corner of her mouth. If she could discomfit the immovable head waiter at Rules by telling him who her guest was to be it was certain that Alicia's arrival would cause something of a stir amongst the other diners, many of whom would know, as he did, that the two women scarcely acknowledged one another's existence.

Already the restaurant was quite full; businessmen sipping aperitifs, a couple, no doubt on some discreet assignation, lost in one another's company, waiters hovering or gliding away with their orders. Sarah was aware of a moment's doubt. Had she made a mistake in suggesting such a public place for their discussion? She anticipated a frosty atmosphere between them – suppose instead things should become heated? But no, Alicia was too well-bred to make a scene. Far more likely she would think better of agreeing to the arrangement and not come at all.

‘Would you care for an aperitif, Madam?' the waiter enquired.

On the point of ordering her usual sherry Sarah changed her mind. Today she could use something stronger, she thought.

‘Gin and tonic,' she said. ‘And a bottle of Perrier, please.'

The waiter departed and Sarah sat, her hands folded in her lap, trying not to watch the door. The gin and tonic arrived and she sipped it sparingly, aware that she needed a clear head for the encounter to come. The minutes ticked by and anxiety began to creep in. Was it possible Alicia
had
changed her mind and decided not to come? Sarah wondered fleetingly what her next move would be if that were the case, then pushed the thought away. Concentrate on now. Worry about other possibilities later.

The outer door opened and someone came in. From where she was sitting Sarah could not see who it was, yet the small stir that ran around the restaurant gave her the answer. She straightened, setting her aperitif glass to one side and as she did so Alicia came into the restaurant.

Dear God, she hasn't changed one scrap! was Sarah's first startled thought. Tall, dark, elegant in stark black and emerald green, Alicia stood for a moment as if she knew that every eye was on her. Her full length mink she had left with the head waiter yet the aura of it still clung to her like the misting of Givenchy perfume, her face was expressionless except for the slight curve of her mouth, a set smile which did not reach her eyes. Without doubt Alicia still knew how to make an entrance!

Leaning slightly on the table to facilitate her arthritic knee Sarah rose and Alicia moved slowly towards her. It seemed to her the whole restaurant had fallen silent – or was it just a silence imposed on her by the pounding of blood behind her own eardrums?

‘Alicia. I'm very glad you could come,' she said levelly.

The cool hazel eyes, so bright and hard they could have been chips of topaz, met hers, but she could read nothing in them.

‘Sarah.' Nothing else – no word of greeting. She is not going to make it easy for me, Sarah thought.

‘Won't you sit down, Alicia? Can I order you something to drink?'

‘No thank you.' No hint of a smile. No grasping of the olive branch. But when she had seated herself on the opposite side of the table Alicia took out an embossed leather cigarette case and placed one of her favourite Black Russians between her scarlet painted lips. A waiter hurried forward with a light and Sarah thought: so she still smokes in moments of stress. She is as apprehensive as I am. The thought gave her heart.

A waiter approached the table to present them with menus.

‘Shall we order?' Sarah suggested.

Alicia glanced briefly at the menu then lowered it to the table placing her hand upon it with a decisive gesture.

‘No, I'd like to talk first if you don't mind. When I know why you wanted to see me I'll be ready to order.'

Sarah looked at the waiter but he had already taken his cue and merged into the background.

‘As you like.' She fingered the stem of her glass but did not drink. ‘As I told you on the telephone something has happened which I think you should know about.'

‘You mean the proposed expansion?' Her eyes were laser sharp and watchful.

‘Is that what you choose to call it?'

Alicia raised one eyebrow a fraction.

‘What would
you
call it?'

‘The Board call it a merger. Personally I would think the term ‘‘take-over'' might be more apt.'

She saw the slightly veiled look come into those sharp amber eyes.

‘Take-over? My dear Sarah, who on earth would attempt to take over Morse Bailey?'

Sarah lifted her head. Light from the overhead lamps gleamed on her soft silver hair.

‘The one person who has always wanted just that, Alicia,' she said steadily. ‘Leo de Vere.'

The moment the words were out she knew they had had just the impact she had intended. Alicia's immobile face appeared frozen, only the amber eyes widened slightly to give her an expression of incredulity.

‘Leo de Vere?' All the old emnity was there in her tone as she repeated the hated name. If anything, Alicia loathed Leo de Vere even more than Sarah did. She had known him longer, resented him and his intrusion into her life before she and Sarah had even met.

‘The same,' Sarah said levelly. ‘He has come up with proposals for a merger, Alicia – but you and I both know that he would never be satisfied with that. Leo has never wanted anything but to gain control of Morse Bailey. It was his downfall once and he has had to wait a lifetime for his opportunity. Oh no, Leo will not be satisfied with anything less than total control and I thought you should know about it.'

‘My God,' Alicia said. ‘Guy …'

‘Guy is backing him,' Sarah explained. ‘ You know what that means.'

There was silence for a moment as Alicia digested what Sarah had said.

‘I can't believe that,' she said at last, taking out another Black Russian and lighting it from the stub of the first. ‘Guy knows my feelings on the subject of Leo de Vere. He would never play into his hands.'

Involuntarily Sarah felt a stab of pity for Alicia. It was not pleasant to be betrayed by one's own children, especially when one doted on them as Alicia did on Guy. She had trusted him totally. I am destroying her, Sarah thought, but it has to be done. Morse Bailey and all it stands for is more important than any of us.

‘I'm sorry, Alicia, but it is true,' she said simply. ‘I don't know what Leo has offered him but I assure you Guy is backing the merger all the way – and backing it with your votes as well as his own. This is why I telephoned you. I was fairly confident you did not know what was going on and I believed you had a right to know.' Alicia said nothing, and gaining confidence Sarah went on: ‘The only way for me to stop this going through was to appeal to you direct. Use your own votes, Alicia, in concert with mine. Together we can prevent Morse Bailey from falling into Leo de Vere's hands.'

For long moments Alicia remained motionless, so still she might have been carved in stone. Then, abruptly, she leaned forward, stubbing out her cigarette with a quick angry movement.

‘What are you trying to do, Sarah? Drive a wedge between me and my son? My God, haven't you taken enough from me already? Do you want to take him from me too? Is that what is behind asking me here?'

‘Of course not,' Sarah said quickly. ‘I know how painful this is for you, Alicia, but …'

‘Guy would never do such a thing – never!' Alicia stated with conviction.

‘I'm sorry, Alicia, but he is doing it.'

‘Then he must have some very good reason.'

‘If there is then why hasn't he explained the position to you – asked your blessing on the merger?'

Alicia's fine nostrils flared. ‘ Quite likely he prefers not to have me worried by all this.'

‘He knew such a move would upset you, you mean,'

‘Exactly. But I am certain he would never give merger with Leo De Vere a second thought unless it was absolutely necessary.'

‘Or unless it would advance his own career,' Sarah said – and regretted the rash words the moment they were out.

There was fury in Alicia's eyes. She pushed back her chair.

‘I think, Sarah, that this meeting is at an end. I came here today against my better judgement because I thought it was possible that we might, after all these years, have something to say to one another. I never, for one moment, expected to hear you make wild accusations against my son. Surely even you should have known better than that?'

‘Alicia, please!'

‘As far as I am concerned, Guy makes the business decisions now and you should have known I would never align myself with you against him. If he believes merger with Leo de Vere is in the interests of the company then I am prepared to back his judgement. Perhaps he is less blinkered than we are. Perhaps it is time to forget what Leo did. It's the future that matters now – the future as Guy sees it. The past is dead and gone.'

Is it? Sarah thought, seeing the flame of hatred in Alicia's eyes and knowing it was for her. The past may be gone but it is certainly not dead – not as far as you and I are concerned. I must have been a fool to think even for a moment that it might be. But I can't give up Morse Bailey and all that it stands for. I must fight it to the bitter end.

‘Alicia, please, will you at least think about what I've said?' she pleaded. ‘ Talk to Guy by all means. Ask him for his version of what he plans to do. But don't just hand Morse Bailey to Leo de Vere on a plate. It's not just the family heritage that is at stake, though heaven knows, when you think what it cost in blood and sweat to those who were very dear to us, that should be enough. But there's more – much more. You speak of the future. Have you thought what Leo would do? He could decimate Morse Bailey. Hundreds of jobs might be at stake as he creamed off our profits for the benefit of his own companies. He may want to move the head offices out of Bristol – hundreds more jobs, the daily bread of local people, as well as the whole history of Morse Bailey. I beg you, don't let this happen simply because it is me who is asking you – and you hate me. Try for once to forget our differences. Let us work, just this once, in harmony – the way Gilbert intended us to.'

For a brief moment she thought she saw a gleam of indecision in Alicia's eyes. Then the older woman rose.

‘You'll excuse me if I don't stay to lunch with you, Sarah,' she said, her tone cold and level. ‘I will talk to Guy but I make you no promises. I believe this is just your latest attempt at mischief making. If it is, you should know that I look upon it with the utmost contempt. If it is not – well, you know, I believe, that I stand shoulder to shoulder with my son.'

‘Even if what he is doing is detrimental to Morse Bailey?' Sarah asked desperately.

Again she saw that flicker that might have been uncertainty in Alicia's eyes. Then they hooded once more.

‘I don't think that remark requires an answer,' Alicia said coldly. ‘Goodbye, Sarah. I wish I could say it has been pleasant to see you again. Unfortunately I cannot – and even if I did I doubt you would believe me.'

Sarah smiled sadly. She felt very tired suddenly.

‘That's true. Thank you, anyway, for coming, Alicia. I still hope I may hear from you when you have had time to think about this.'