Arian (54 page)

It was about a week later that she woke in the early hours of the morning to hear pitiful sobs coming from Geoffrey’s room. She left her bed and moved towards the door, pausing for a moment, her hand on the knob, her heart beating swiftly. Dare she intrude on his grief? Would she be doing more harm than good?

She went silently into his room and climbed into bed beside him, and winding her arms around him began to rock him as though he was a child. He clung to her, his face buried in the warmth of her neck, his tears hot against her skin.

‘There, there, my love, it’s all right. Everything is going to be all right, believe me. I’ll look after you.’

Her hand slid along his belly and he seemed, at first, to cringe from her touch. She persisted, whispering softly to him, coaxing, encouraging him, her experienced fingers arousing him in spite of himself.

He moaned softly and she could feel his heart beating against hers. ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of, lovely,’ she whispered. ‘I’m here. I’ll see that no one harms you. I’ll always care for you, don’t you worry now. I’ll give you ease, you’ll see.’

In his ecstasy of release, he was blind and deaf, his long abstinence from physical love clouding his judgement. He didn’t seem to realize that he was giving himself to her, so deft was Sarah in manipulating him.

At last he fell away from her, turning from her over onto his back, his breathing ragged. She smoothed his brow, her triumph overwhelming. That was the first time, and if she could make it happen again, it wouldn’t be the last. True it was not a satisfactory coupling, not where she was concerned, for she’d needed to make him mad with the need for release before she’d taken him to her. It had been over in seconds but at least, this way, she would have what she wanted, power over her husband.

That night she slept in his bed and this, she determined, was how it would be from now on. He didn’t have anyone but her. He needed her strength now and like a good wife, Sarah would be there to care for him.

Arian opened the thick envelope and took out the document from inside. The paper crackled as she unfolded it and it was some moments before Arian realized that the document was summoning her to appear in court to answer the charge of libel. Wordlessly, she handed it to Mac who stared down at it with his mouth pursed.

‘I suppose I’d better print a retraction.’ He spoke without meeting Arian’s eyes, he was still angry with her. ‘It’s my problem, leave it with me.’

‘No, it’s my problem. I’m the proprietor of the newspaper. I’ll go and see Sarah Frogmore myself.’

‘I don’t see why—’ Mac began but Arian cut into his speech abruptly.

‘I’ll deal with it. Sarah needs another woman to handle her. You’d be outclassed my dear Mac, devious though you may be you don’t understand what sort of person Sarah Frogmore is.’

‘What if Gerald Simples is there, what will you do then?’ Mac frowned.

‘For once your gossips seem to have let you down. Gerald has left Sarah and is staying in an hotel with a young, very young, lady.’

‘I see, very well.’ He wasn’t pleased but he sank back in his chair accepting her right to take charge.

‘I’ll be clearing out my desk at the end of the week.’ He leaned back and dropped his pencil on the pad in front of him. ‘I can see you don’t need me, not even to clear up this business of the Frogmores.’

‘No,’ Arian said carefully, ‘I don’t need you for that, I don’t even need you to make decisions for me. I can stand or fall by my own mistakes. But what I do need you for is to write my leader articles for the main paper. I need your talent for gossip – no-one can ferret out scandal like you.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘Just consult me occasionally when there’s a story that’s doubtful, like this one.’ She tapped the summons.

He didn’t reply and Arian went up to Mac and hugged him. ‘I want you and I need you, Mac,’ she said earnestly. ‘You take care of me, you make me feel safe.’ She kissed his cheek and felt the bristles hard against her mouth.

‘I’m sorry if I was angry, Mac. Please stay, please?’

For a moment it seemed he would refuse then his craggy face broke into a smile and he nodded slowly.

‘Right, I’ll stay. I don’t see why I should miss the “do” the city fathers are putting on for us, do you?’

‘Mac,’ Arian hugged him and tutting, he unwound her arms from around his neck. ‘Mac, I love you.’

‘Stuff and nonsense!’ he said gruffly. ‘Now get on and sort out that Frogmore person. There’s real work waiting for you instead of placating silly women – waste of time, I call that.’

With lightened spirits, Arian let herself out of the offices of the
Times
and hailed a cab. The sooner she spoke to Sarah Frogmore, the better. Arian had no doubt she’d convince Sarah to drop her foolish notion of taking the matter to court. Once the disadvantages were pointed out to her, she’d see reason.

From the outside, Frogmore Hall was imposing and within the huge arched doorway, the real splendour of the old house was evident. Domed ceilings were deeply corniced and the frieze above the picture rail was decorated with Greek urns and swags of olive leaves.

Arian became aware that the door of the sitting room had opened and Sarah appeared in the hallway. It was clear from the mutinous look on her face that Arian’s presence was not welcome.

‘You’ve got the cheek of the devil himself coming here to my house,’ she said, her face flushed. ‘Go away, I don’t want to talk to you. If you’re going to beg for mercy, forget it.’

‘No, I was going to ask you to reconsider, though.’ Arian moved closer. ‘I think it better if we talk privately, don’t you?’

Sarah led the way into the sumptuous drawing room where Geoffrey Frogmore was seated in a chair. He was a sad-looking man, Arian thought afresh, his sallow complexion not flattered by the dun-coloured smoking jacket, and the knotted cravat around his neck of a green and gold pattern gave him a definitely foppish appearance. Still, his personal tastes were no business of hers.

‘What’s this about, Sarah?’ The question could have been aggressive but the mildness of his voice belied the words. Sarah shrugged and took a deep breath.

‘There was a silly story about you and … and Chas, in this woman’s rag of a newspaper.’

‘I thought you said it would be all right.’ His pale skin took on a pink flush and Arian bit her lip.

‘Mr Frogmore,’ she began but Sarah interrupted her.

‘It was slanderous, Geoffrey. That woman shouldn’t have written about you like that.’

‘Libellous, I think you mean, Mrs Frogmore,’ Arian corrected absently. She turned to Geoffrey. ‘The article, I’m afraid, hinted at your preference for your gentleman friend. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s absurd and untrue.’ Sarah put her arm around her husband’s shoulder as he seemed to diminish in his chair. ‘Indeed, it might interest your readers to know that I am with child by my husband for the second time. Does that sound like the sort of man you make him out to be?’

Geoffrey Frogmore’s look of surprise was not lost on Arian, she realized Sarah’s story was an attempt to cover up but it didn’t really matter one way or another.

‘I’ve come to ask you not to take any action of this sort.’ She took the summons out of her bag. ‘I think it would cause more problems than it would solve.’

‘For you, yes, and for your newspaper,’ Sarah said venomously. ‘You might find you have to pay us some money for the hurt you’ve caused.’

‘If our story was proved to be the truth then Mr Frogmore could face a prison sentence, have you thought of that?’

Sarah was silent and, after a moment, Geoffrey rose to his feet. His dignity was impressive.

‘We will leave well alone.’ He looked at Sarah. ‘It was foolishness to take this course of action and if I’d been consulted about the matter, I’d have forbidden you to do it.’

‘But Geoffrey …’

‘No buts, Sarah. Leave it.’ He moved to the door. ‘I think that brings our discussion to a close, Miss Smale.’ Arian inclined her head.

‘I can only apologise, Mr Frogmore,’ she hesitated for a moment, ‘I take full responsibility for what appears in my press and I assure you, nothing like this will ever be used again.’

Geoffrey Frogmore didn’t reply. He appeared white and strained and Arian realized how much grief he was suffering over the loss of his friend.

It was a relief to be out in the air once more. Her cheeks were hot and yet a sense of having averted disaster washed over her as she set out along the drive. She had learned a lesson today, that vulnerable people were to be protected. Mac might be a hard-headed reporter, a brilliant reporter but from now on, he would be careful not to aim his barbs at people who could not strike back.

He was bent over his desk when she entered the office and he looked up, his eyebrows raised in question.

‘It’s all right,’ Arian took off her hat and hung it on the stand, running her hands through her hair wearily. ‘Geoffrey Frogmore doesn’t want to proceed.’ She sank down into a chair and leaned on the ink-stained desk. ‘He’s a pitiful sight, Mac. He’s so cut up about the loss of his friend.’

‘Shouldn’t go about doing unnatural things then, should he?’ Mac spoke in a surly voice, clearly he was on the defensive.

‘If we all were saints there wouldn’t be much to write about, would there?’

Mac smiled and his craggy face was transformed. ‘Point taken, boss.’ He rose to his feet and thrust his hands into his pockets.

‘Glad you solved one problem because we have another one. The typesetter’s had an accident.’

‘Oh, God, not on the premises?’

‘No. Silly fool fell over after a session down at the Mexico Fountain and broke his arm. Can’t operate the damn machine.’

He paused and Arian knew there was worse to come. She wasn’t wrong.

‘He tried, mind, when he came into work this morning. Daniel pied two lines and all hell’s been let loose down in the print room.’

Arian groaned, one line pied – the printers’ term for dropped type – caused a great deal of confusion but two lines to reassemble with the separate letters, not to mention spaces and punctuation marks meant hours of work.

‘Why didn’t I stay in the leather business?’ She put her hand to her forehead. ‘It was not such hard work as a newspaper, believe me.’

‘But you were no good at it,’ Mac pointed out reasonably. He was nothing if not blunt but then Mac saw no merit in dissembling.

‘Right, let’s go and see if we can help sort the mess out, then.’ Arian rose to her feet and stood looking at Mac who remained at his desk.

‘Not me, boss. I got a leader article to write, remember?’

‘I remember.’ Arian moved towards the door of the office. ‘But thank you, Mac, for reminding me.’

It was later that Arian left the office and made her way towards the hospital. She’d had a note from Eddie Carpenter asking her to call to see him and she wondered what was wrong. She had a nasty suspicion it was something to do with Gerald Simples.

It was a long walk from the centre of town up the hill towards the yellow-stoned institute. The hospital was set well out of the way of other buildings, along a seemingly endless drive and then, the imposing structure came into sight, sprawling and somehow intimidating.

Within the walls, there were many doors, all of them locked. It needed the company of an orderly to lead the way to the hospital wing where Eddie was working. Eddie himself met her at the door to his office. He looked sombre as he invited her inside and offered her a chair.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘That bastard! Do you know what he’s done?’ Eddie sat on the edge of the desk, his arms folded, his shoulders tense.

‘He’s seduced my daughter!’ He gestured helplessly. ‘She’s visiting him at some hotel, she won’t tell me which one. Whatever I say, I’m wrong, I’m trying to thwart the course of true love. True love – the man doesn’t know the meaning of the word.’ He didn’t wait for Arian to comment.

‘It’s against my express wishes. I’ve told Candida the man’s dangerous but she won’t listen. Simples has somehow managed to fool everyone about his condition. His acquaintances have even spoken up for him and my daughter is the one protesting his sanity most loudly.

‘He’s been examined by our top man here. He came in voluntarily and to all intents and purposes he’s as sane as I am.’ He stood up and ran his hand through his hair. ‘But he’s cunning. It’s an act. I’m not quite sure how he’s getting away with it but that’s what the man’s doing.’

Arian clasped her hands in her lap and tried to think rationally. ‘Is your daughter in danger, then?’

‘Everyone he comes in contact with is in danger; one wrong word and the whole thing could blow up into a disaster.’

‘Is that a possibility or is it a likelihood?’

Eddie shook his head. ‘I just don’t know, Arian. I don’t know anything any more. Perhaps I’m wrong, God I hope I am for all our sakes.’

‘Perhaps he’s cured.’

‘Perhaps hell will freeze over.’

‘I’ll go to see him,’ Arian said decisively. ‘Tell him to give your daughter up. He might just listen to me.’

‘I hoped you’d say that. Normally I wouldn’t advise it,’ Eddie shook his head, ‘but Candida is so young, so headstrong. I’m frightened for her, Arian.’

Arian patted Eddie’s cheek. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll speak to him, try to make him see reason and I’ll take Mac with me, he’s a tower of strength.’

It wasn’t difficult for Arian to find out where Gerald was staying. In the event, she didn’t involve Mac but decided to see Gerald alone.

He was sitting in a chair close to the window. He was clean-shaven and fully dressed and he appeared well, if a little tired. His eyes were heavy, almost as though he’d been sedated.

‘Gerald?’ she hesitated at the door of the room and he smiled slowly when he saw her.

‘Arian. I presume you’ve come to ask me to come back to you.’ Gerald moved from the bed and leaned a little heavily on the cabinet at his side.

She sifted her words carefully, aware he might still be dangerous. She trusted Eddie’s judgement above that of the other doctors.

‘I’m not sure about that. I didn’t think you’d want to give up the full life you seem to be leading without me.’

‘I’ve always wanted to be with you, Mrs Simples, you know that.’ He spoke quietly, as if his throat was a little sore.