Authors: Unknown
‘I don’t know what you’re going to do,’ Gerry said slowly, for once in her life feeling completely unmoved by the sight of her twin in tears. ‘But I’m going to see that money is paid back. How much have you got left?’
‘I’ll go and get it.’ Teddy seemed in full agreement with the idea and sped upstairs, while a still stunned Gerry sat and looked blankly at the wall in front of her. She couldn’t get over all the lies Teddy had told her, though able to understand how she felt about the hand-to-mouth existence they lived. But to actually take five hundred pounds from a stranger—from Crawford! Gerry blanked her mind off as Teddy came back into the room.
‘There’s three hundred and fifty pounds left.' Without saying a word Gerry took the money from her and placed it in her bag. ‘What about the other hundred and fifty pounds, Gerry?’ Teddy asked tentatively.
Gerry looked at her and read her mind accurately. She knew Teddy was breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief that she was prepared to take the debt over, and even when she wanted to remain angry with her for the position she had put her in, Teddy was her sister after all, and she had been through a very bad time.
‘Don’t worry about it, Ted,’ she said, softening, unable to be angry with her for very long. ‘What you tell Paul is your own business—but as of now you don’t owe anybody anything.’
‘Oh, Gerry. I’m a bitch, aren’t I?’
Gerry could see Teddy was trying to look penitent, but it didn’t quite come off—not with the sparkle that was beginning to creep back into her eyes. ‘You are,’ she agreed, thinking it not right that Teddy should get off too lightly. Then as the smile went from Teddy’s eyes, ‘But I’ll still babysit for you tomorrow night. Now I’m going upstairs— I have some thinking to do.’
Gerry was upstairs for over half an hour, during which time her brain had thawed from the frozen numbness Teddy’s revelations had dulled her into, to a determination that she meant every word of what she had said downstairs. Somehow Crawford Arrowsmith was going to take his money back.
It came to her that the day she had seen Crawford’s car disappearing away up the hill must have been the day he had called to hand the money over to Teddy. All that talk about him calling to tell her the A35 was being delivered the next day had been a cover. Teddy already had the money in her possession the day she’d bought the T-shirts for the twins, and bought the lipsticks. Teddy would have to hold back with her story about Mark’s great-aunt until she was back at work, she realised, because until then she would have been in the cottage when the post was delivered and would have known there was no letter.
Leaving the bedroom, Gerry went and washed her face and hands, and returned to apply a light smear of lipstick— pausing to bolster her defences when it came to her that not only had Crawford paid for the suit she was still wearing, but had almost certainly paid for the lipstick too. She saw no point in changing, and went downstairs.
‘I’m going out for a while,’ she told Teddy. ‘I’m not sure how long I’ll be.'
Teddy didn’t ask where she was going; she wouldn't need too many guesses anyway. ‘I’ll be all right now, Gerry—take as long as you need.’
Heading the A35 in the general direction of Layton, Gerry knew she had to have this matter settled tonight. She had to see Crawford and get it all over and done with—her nerves were stretched to breaking point, so that she had to exercise stiff control not to think of anyone or anything. To put Teddy and Paul, the future of Emma and Sarah out of her mind—for if Teddy and Paul were to marry, the future of the twins would be secure. But most of all she had to try not to think what Crawford’s reaction would be when she found him.
She should have rung the office, she realised; he might be around there somewhere. She smiled a humourless smile as she drove along—here she was, determined to track Crawford down, and she didn’t even know where he was! There would be no one at Arrowsmiths to tell her—even if they were ready to divulge his whereabouts. She didn’t even know where William lived, and since he was more than likely ex-directory, there was no way of contacting him. But she knew where she was heading for, and that was the Creighton House, where William had told her Crawford always stayed. That he’d be staying there tonight was a long shot—but if he wasn’t staying there, she was determined enough to invent some story to get his London address out of them. And if a journey to London proved necessary, well, so be it, she would go to London, and tonight.
Gerry was not conscious of feeling any emotion as she pulled up outside the discreet opulence of the Creighton House. All she felt inside was an ice-coldness. Up in the bedroom she shared with Teddy, she had got rid of all her remaining anger while she had reasoned that if Teddy married Paul, and she couldn’t yet face thinking of not seeing Emma and Sarah every day, it naturally followed that Teddy would be moving out of the cottage. That being so, her own expenses would be halved and any money saved could be sent to Crawford each month until the hundred and fifty pounds was paid off. After that she would see about her own debt—the cost of the repairs to the A35, not to mention Mrs Chapman.
Leaving her car parked in the semi-circular drive, Gerry went into the thickly carpeted vestibule of Creighton House, her feet unerringly taking her to the reception area.
'I've come to see Mr Crawford Arrowsmith,' she said, forcing herself to sound confident while waiting for the girl to reply that he wasn’t registered.
'I'm afraid he isn't in yet,' the girl said, her eyes checking over the rack holding several keys.
So he
was
coming back here tonight. Gerry masked her feelings of relief—she hadn’t been looking forward to a journey to London. ‘I’ll call back,' she said, and went outside to sit in her car and decide what to do. Glancing at her watch, she saw the time was half past six, and felt she’d lived a month this past couple of hours. The receptionist had said Crawford wasn’t in yet, which could only mean he hadn’t left Arrowsmiths—that he was still working, unless he had gone to have dinner with William and his family.
Gerry contemplated what to do for the best, finally deciding she would have to sit it out and wait for him. For if he hadn’t gone home with William, he might arrive at his hotel any minute, and it was on the cards he would have some evening engagement and would be going straight out again. No, safer to stay where she was rather than chance missing him.
She had less than ten minutes to wait before she saw the sleek saloon car she recognised swing round into the drive. She’d give him five minutes to settle in, she thought as his car swept past her with no sign of his having seen her, then she’d go in and get it all over with. She saw him get out of his car, and quelled the rising emotion within her that she would soon have to go in and pull no punches with the tall, aloof-looking man. Then, while she waited expecting him to go in the direction of the entrance, he turned, and without seeming to look at the A35 he began walking towards her, not stopping until he reached the window she had wound down.
‘I’d like to see you if I may,' she said quietly, without giving him a chance to say anything. She knew her face was set—she didn’t feel like smiling.
Crawford looked at her for a long moment, his own features unsmiling. Then like a second at some duelling match offering her a choice of weapons, he said coolly, ‘Your car—my car—or my room?’
Since the idea of handing over the three hundred and fifty pounds in broad daylight where anyone passing might see did not appeal, Gerry said, ‘Your room, please.’
If Crawford thought it must be serious for her to voluntarily offer to go with him to his room after the passion he knew could flare up between them, his face gave nothing of his thoughts away. He stood back, closing the door of her car when she was standing beside him. And without another word being said, he moved back the way he had come.
Gerry walked beside him, willing herself to stay calm. As Crawford collected his key, she managed a smile for the receptionist who remembered her from a short while ago. Then with Crawford’s hand beneath her elbow, she went with him to the lift and stood silently beside him as they went up to his floor before going on to his room.
His room housed a bed and the usual bedroom furniture, plus a couple of easy chairs and a small table. The ceilings were high, she noted, and the room large and airy.
‘Will you excuse me while I get some of the grime off,’ Crawford asked, and shrugged off his jacket, which was followed by his tie, before he disappeared into the adjoining bathroom leaving the door open.
Gerry could hear the water running as he washed his hands. Nervous now—though she had no reason to be, she told herself stoutly—she clutched on to her bag that held the money that would shortly be in Crawford’s possession. There was nothing at all to be nervous about—Crawford had been in error in the first place in giving Teddy the money; he would see that, surely?
A movement from the bathroom indicated that he was about to join her, and Gerry straightened her spine as she swallowed collected saliva in her mouth as the interview she wished was over was about to begin.
‘Would you like a drink?' Crawford offered, coming into the room, and she noticed, quite irrationally she thought, since it had nothing to do with why she was here, how broad his shoulders were in the fine silk of his shirt.
‘No, thank you.' She wished she’d put her hair up in a bun—that way she might have been able to collect some of the calm
that was leaving her tenuous hold. Crawford was dominating this large room, and she had to be the one in charge of this interview. ‘My business won’t take long ...' she began.
‘Business?’ Crawford looked at her sharply, his eyes narrowing slightly, as though to say he preferred to conduct business at his place of work.
‘You didn’t suppose I came here on a—social call, did you?’ That’s right, get some aggression going, she thought. She felt better able to handle him when she wasn’t feeling weak-kneed about him. Though that was a laugh; she doubted there was a woman breathing who could handle Crawford.
Crawford noted the aggression in her voice, she could tell from the way his nostrils flared briefly. She knew he didn’t like it, but he didn’t rise to it.
'I’m past
supposing
about anything you do, Geraldine,' he stated coolly, going on to tell her, ‘I’ve known one or two women in my time,’ and that, she thought, was an understatement, ‘but never have I come across one who’s so hellbent on self-destruction.'
‘Oh?’ She hadn’t meant to voice that as a query. She wasn’t here to debate what Crawford thought about her personally—why didn’t she just hand over the money and go? Her hand moved to the clasp of her handbag, but that was as far as she got, for he was laying into her with no holds barred.
‘You take the first prize any time for misguided feminine thinking! What you hope to achieve the way you go on I fail to see.’ She had no need to ask if he was referring to the way of life she and Teddy led, it was crystal clear, as was the fact he thought she was making a very bad job of it. ‘You take over your sister and her family without thinking twice about it, don’t even stop to think about the demands made on you, take without hesitation on your own shoulders every crisis that turns up, and are too damned proud to think of asking anyone else for help.’
‘Who would I ask for help?’ Gerry found her voice, only to wish she could have delivered her question with less heat, for the whole time he had been slating her, his voice had been icy cold. ‘You know it all,’ she challenged, ‘you tell me where I should turn to for help—even the man I was thinking of marrying didn’t want to know! ’
Crawford stilled for a moment as her words hit him, then tight-lipped he asked the question, ‘Does that mean you’re no longer thinking of marrying him?’
Gerry chose to ignore his question; it was none of his business anyway. Crawford turned away from her and helped himself from a bottle of Scotch on the side table, downing the contents of his glass in one swallow before turning back to her.
‘Apart from our own welfare department—who I know would have been pleased to assist you—there are numerous organisations only too willing to give help and advice.' His voice became hard. ‘When I think of you two …'
'We don’t need anybody’s charity,' Gerry broke in proudly, rising to her feet, her hand going inside her bag ‘And I didn’t come here for a lecture,’ she drew out the bundle of notes, ‘I came to return some of the money you gave Teddy.’ Her own lips were tight as Crawford ignored her outstretched hand. Since he made no attempt to take it from her, she dropped the bundle down on the table before her. ‘There’s three hundred and fifty pounds there— I’m afraid we’d spent some of the money before I knew where it had come from.’
Suddenly Crawford moved, and in a flash he was close up to her, his hands tight bands on her arms as he hauled her nearer, forcing her to look into fierce slate grey eyes that caused her to want to shrink back at the unchecked fury she saw there.
‘You can’t bear to take my money, can you?’ he gritted harshly. ‘It really sickens you that you’ve inadvertently spent some of my money. That you’ve actually lowered your pride, however unknowingly, to be standing up now in something I paid for.’
‘Yes—yes, it does!' she fired back, stamping hard on the fear inside her that made her want to run from his anger. It didn’t surprise her that he knew he had paid for her suit. ‘Unfortunately, I’ve worn this now, so it can’t be taken back to the shop—but the other dress I bought will be taken back the first chance I get.’
‘You bitch!'
Gerry paled as he bit the word at her. If her slinging back his charity in his face had mortally wounded him, he couldn’t have put more feeling into his utterance. His hands dropped away from her and he turned so she couldn’t see his face, and she had a feeling he was as disgusted with himself as he was with her.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said quietly. ‘But you must see that I cannot allow you to ... to finance Teddy and me.’
‘Why not?’ He had himself under control now, and his look when he turned was faintly mocking. ‘Are you afraid I might ask you to repay the debt in kind?’ Gerry’s eyes widened at his words, and widened further as he came a step closer. ‘Come to think of it, that’s not such a bad idea.’ Gerry retreated a step as he went on coolly, 'Let me see,’ he paused as if calculating the outstanding amount. ‘By my reckoning you still owe me a hundred and fifty. Seems a bit pricey, I must admit—but you’re quite attractive in your way.’