Part 36 (1/2)

'Very. He used to hide upstairs whenever she called round. Which was frequently.' Greer laughed.

Loveday did too. 'And you've just set him up again.'

'She's turned into an attractive girl. He might thank me.'

Miri arrived with a tray bearing the drinks; as soon as she'd gone again, Greer looked at Loveday. 'I spoke to Jesse after your call and asked him about this business of giving the boys a car each. And he says he's serious. He's always treated them like they're brothers.'

'But they're not brothers,' Loveday said in a low voice. 'Mickey and I want Hal to earn his way in the world and not think that whatever Freddie gets, he'll get too. Life don't work that way.'

Greer thought for a moment. For once she agreed with Loveday. The boys weren't brothers and, fond as she was of Hal, Freddie and he were not equals in her eyes. It was all fine when they were little boys, but now they were growing up and it was time for Freddie to move on to bigger and better things. Of course, Freddie loved the relaxed rules at the Chandlers' house, but it was time that both he and his father thought more ambitiously. If he wanted to buy Hal an old banger, then fair enough, but really his own son deserved something better.

She reached across the table and put her hand on Loveday's. 'Darling, I'm sure he's only going to help Hal out a little bit. It isn't like it's a share in the business.'

'If Hal gets a car, it'll be an old banger. Remember Jesse's old Ford Capri?'

'I do. Filthy smelly thing.'

'Yeah, but he worked for it and he loved it. He had to look after it because no one was going to buy him another one for the h.e.l.l of it. You give your Freddie anything you like, but let me and Mick do what's right for our son.'

Greer pulled the corners of her mouth down and shrugged. 'Well, in a way I agree with you, but once Jesse has an idea in his head it's very difficult to shake. I have to pick my battles. But I do understand, and I'll talk to him.'

Jesse was adamant. 'I want Hal to have the best. He's a good lad. I'm his G.o.dfather and I'm going to get him a car. There's no need for him to be a second-cla.s.s citizen.'

Greer poured them each a gla.s.s of wine. 'I don't know why you feel so strongly about him. He's a lovely boy and all that, but when it comes down to it, he's just a G.o.dson. You've already done quite enough in your role as his father's best friend. More than enough. He has a good job on the fleet. You've got him on the lifeboat and in the next couple of years you'll give him his own boat to skipper.' Jesse looked up at her sharply. She raised her hand, palm facing him. 'I know you're going to give him his own boat. I do listen to what's happening in the business, you know. I'm not a fool. But where does your generosity stop?' She laughed, a light, scoffing laugh. 'I mean, what are you going to do, give him a share in the company?'

Jesse looked out of the big bay window in the drawing room of Tide House. He could see the cove and the sea beyond. He didn't answer Greer.

'Jesse! Tell me you're not seriously thinking of-'

'All I'm doing is helping a young boy get on in life.'

'As long as that's all?'

Jesse lifted his wine gla.s.s and tipped the contents down his throat. 'What's for supper?'

Later that night, when Greer had gone to bed, Jesse sat alone in his den. The window was open; on the fresh breeze he could hear the waves as they rolled onto the golden sand below the house. Recently he'd been having bad dreams about Grant. Sometimes Grant accused him of murder. Those dreams were the worst. But Jesse knew he hadn't murdered his own brother. Grant had had a death wish. The injury to his head he'd got when he fell off the cliff into the sea had been what had killed him. Some little weakness in his skull had killed him when they'd scuffled in the bus shelter. I'm not a murderer, Jesse told himself. But, after these dreams, Jesse would feel a tortured sadness. Grant, his own brother, hadn't been able to take his position in the company. It was Grant's own fault, of course. He was a destructive headcase. But Jesse still felt tortured with anguish for a brother who was always going to destroy himself. Dying in the shelter like that was inevitable, and Grant was always going to come to a bad end. It was sad. Tragic. But probably best all round. If only Grant had just kept his mouth shut and not said those terrible things. If he hadn't said anything about Loveday and Hal, he'd still be alive. But he wasn't, and Loveday and Hal needed protection. Hal deserved what was his by rights. Hal and Freddie were brothers, and if Grant couldn't share the company with Jesse, then Jesse would make sure that the next generation would. He'd play it carefully. Not let Mickey guess at anything. He didn't want to break his best mate's heart, after all. He'd talk to Loveday tomorrow. Tell her how he still felt about her. Tell her that he was going to make sure that he did right by Hal.

34.

Lauren popped her head round Loveday's office door, tying up the soft belt of her lilac mac. 'Boss wants to see you. I'm off up to Tesco to get a sandwich want anything?'

Loveday was in the middle of collating that month's wages, and wrote a number down on her pad so that she remembered where she was. She looked up. 'Now?'

'Yes.'

Loveday sighed, blowing her cheeks out. 'OK.' She put her hands on her desk and stood up, pus.h.i.+ng her chair back at the same time. 'Could you get me a duck wrap and a packet of crisps?'

She knocked on Jesse's door and looked in. Jesse was at his desk, on the phone. He motioned for her to sit down. She waited while he wound the call up.

He smiled at her. 'You look nice, Loveday.'

She gave him a small frown and pulled her chin in with suspicion. 'Uh-oh. What do you want?'

'Nothing.' He gave her an appraising look which made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

'Jesse, if I've done something wrong, just say it.'

'You ain't done nothing wrong. I thank my lucky stars every day that I got you downstairs sorting out the company. Honest as the day is long, aren't you?'

'Yeeees,' she said, c.o.c.king her head to one side questioningly. 'So Lauren said you wanted to see me?'

'It's about Hal's present.'

Loveday relaxed. 'Oh, good. Has Greer spoken to you? Only Mickey and I can't accept ...'

He held his hands up to shush her. 'I understand all your objections, but I can't accept them. I want to buy Freddie a car for his birthday and I can't do that without buying Hal one too.'

Loveday was getting fed up. 'You can and you will. Mickey and I will buy Hal a car. He won't go wanting.'

Jesse leant back in his chair with an air of one who knew he would win out in the end. 'No offence, but the car you and Mickey can afford won't be up to much, will it?'

Loveday had had enough and said so. 'When did you turn into such a pompous p.r.i.c.k? His dad and I will buy Hal a car and he'll love it because he's not a spoilt brat.'

Jesse gave a rueful smile. 'I take it from that that you're insinuating Freddie is? I don't think Greer will be too happy to hear her best friend describe her only son like that.'

Loveday stood up, hot with anger. 'I'm not saying that. You've every right to buy your son whatever you want to buy him, but-'

Jesse's face lost its humour and he looked at Loveday with deadly earnest. 'Freddie isn't my only son, is he?'

Loveday's legs gave way and she sat down again. 'Jesse, I've told you time and again. Hal is Mickey's son. Not yours.'

'I don't believe you. I never have. I went along with your little deception for all these years, but now ... well, Hal's his own person and he has a right to know.'

Loveday's heart was beating fast and her breathing was uneven. She said as clearly as she could: 'Hal is not your son. He is Mickey's.'

Jesse smiled. 'I don't want to upset the apple cart by telling everyone the truth. I just want you to let me help him. A car, a boat mebbe a house when the time is right. Just the same as I'll do for Freddie. After all, he was conceived before Fred, so Hal is actually my number one son.'

'Shut up.' Loveday stood again.

'I am trying to be reasonable and do the right thing. He deserves what's rightfully his. Just as Grant did. But it was Grant's own fault that I got what should have been his.'