snorted. 'That was Cal Blackstone, that was.'
Now, nearly fifteen years on, Cal Blackstone said frowningly, 'If
you're going to remember things like that, remember them right. They
weren't throwing stones, you little idiot, just clods of earth, and the
odd empty can.'
'But you were encouraging that pack of hooligans in their disgusting
behaviour. Getting them to throw things at us just because our name
was Chalfont.'
'Is that what your father told you?' His mouth tautened
contemptuously. 'Well, it figures. Let me make one thing plain,
Joanna—any mud-slinging going on wasn't my idea. Although I will
admit I did nothing to stop it until I saw how scared you were,' he
added.
'You were directing operations—laughing at us!'
'My God,' he said slowly, staring at her, 'it did make an impression on
you. Yes, I laughed. I enjoyed seeing the lordly Mr Chalfont on the
receiving end of some dirt for once. Do you know who those lads
were, by any chance? Did Daddy tell you they were the sons of some
of the men he'd just laid off from his mill without warning? I bet he
didn't.' His voice hardened. 'They'd all lived with unemployment
before, and they were—reacting accordingly. You wouldn't
understand anything about that, would you, Joanna? Your family may
not be lords of the Northwaite valley any more, but you've never had
to stand in the queue for free school meals, or wear jumble sale
clothes. Or pray that the giro comes on time.'
Her face flamed. 'Don't you dare criticise my father! He did his best to
keep the mill going—to provide work. Men were laid off in other
places as well.'
He shrugged. 'But he couldn't understand that times were changing,
or change with them. In the woollen industry, only the strong and
adaptable survive. But I don't blame him entirely. Your grandfather's
interpretation of strength was pig-headedness and bullying, so by the
time your father took over it was too late.'
'You don't need to make excuses for him or any member of my
family,' she said bitingly.
'I'd find it hard in Simon's case, certainly.'
'You have the arrogance—the unmitigated gall to say that? Simon
wouldn't be in all this financial mess if it weren't for you. You led him
into it deliberately!'
He stared at her incredulously for a moment, then burst out laughing.
'Now I've heard everything! Let me tell you something, beauty.
Where temptation's concerned, your brother needs no leading. I first
barred him from using the casino several years ago because I could
see he was going to be trouble, and I had the feeling I would be
blamed for it somehow. Nor did I take him by the hand and introduce
him to his bookmaker either. He managed that all by himself.'
He shook his head. 'No, Joanna, if you think Simon's problems are
down to some deep Machiavellian plotting by me in order to get my
hands on your delectable body, then you flatter yourself. The
circumstances were there, and I decided to turn them to my
advantage, that's all.'
'All?' she said chokingly. 'My God—all!'
'What was I supposed to do? Ring you and ask for a date? You'd have
hung up on me. Send you flowers? They'd have gone straight in the
bin. Come calling on you to the house? You'd have told whatever
servants you have left to throw me out.'
'You had another choice. You could have left me alone.'
'I tried that, beauty, while you were married, and when you ran away
to America. It didn't work.' He poured out some more coffee and
handed her cup to her. 'Now drink this. Can I offer you a brandy?'
Joanna shook her head silently, numbly, staring down at the swirl of
brown liquid. Cal finished his own cup, then sat back in the corner of
the sofa, watching her, his fingers laced behind his head. He'd
discarded his jacket and unbuttoned the waistcoat he wore beneath it.
He looked relaxed, but Joanna, herself taut as a coiled spring, could
sense the tension emanating from him.
She made the coffee last, drinking it down to the last
Now, nearly fifteen years on, Cal Blackstone said frowningly, 'If
you're going to remember things like that, remember them right. They
weren't throwing stones, you little idiot, just clods of earth, and the
odd empty can.'
'But you were encouraging that pack of hooligans in their disgusting
behaviour. Getting them to throw things at us just because our name
was Chalfont.'
'Is that what your father told you?' His mouth tautened
contemptuously. 'Well, it figures. Let me make one thing plain,
Joanna—any mud-slinging going on wasn't my idea. Although I will
admit I did nothing to stop it until I saw how scared you were,' he
added.
'You were directing operations—laughing at us!'
'My God,' he said slowly, staring at her, 'it did make an impression on
you. Yes, I laughed. I enjoyed seeing the lordly Mr Chalfont on the
receiving end of some dirt for once. Do you know who those lads
were, by any chance? Did Daddy tell you they were the sons of some
of the men he'd just laid off from his mill without warning? I bet he
didn't.' His voice hardened. 'They'd all lived with unemployment
before, and they were—reacting accordingly. You wouldn't
understand anything about that, would you, Joanna? Your family may
not be lords of the Northwaite valley any more, but you've never had
to stand in the queue for free school meals, or wear jumble sale
clothes. Or pray that the giro comes on time.'
Her face flamed. 'Don't you dare criticise my father! He did his best to
keep the mill going—to provide work. Men were laid off in other
places as well.'
He shrugged. 'But he couldn't understand that times were changing,
or change with them. In the woollen industry, only the strong and
adaptable survive. But I don't blame him entirely. Your grandfather's
interpretation of strength was pig-headedness and bullying, so by the
time your father took over it was too late.'
'You don't need to make excuses for him or any member of my
family,' she said bitingly.
'I'd find it hard in Simon's case, certainly.'
'You have the arrogance—the unmitigated gall to say that? Simon
wouldn't be in all this financial mess if it weren't for you. You led him
into it deliberately!'
He stared at her incredulously for a moment, then burst out laughing.
'Now I've heard everything! Let me tell you something, beauty.
Where temptation's concerned, your brother needs no leading. I first
barred him from using the casino several years ago because I could
see he was going to be trouble, and I had the feeling I would be
blamed for it somehow. Nor did I take him by the hand and introduce
him to his bookmaker either. He managed that all by himself.'
He shook his head. 'No, Joanna, if you think Simon's problems are
down to some deep Machiavellian plotting by me in order to get my
hands on your delectable body, then you flatter yourself. The
circumstances were there, and I decided to turn them to my
advantage, that's all.'
'All?' she said chokingly. 'My God—all!'
'What was I supposed to do? Ring you and ask for a date? You'd have
hung up on me. Send you flowers? They'd have gone straight in the
bin. Come calling on you to the house? You'd have told whatever
servants you have left to throw me out.'
'You had another choice. You could have left me alone.'
'I tried that, beauty, while you were married, and when you ran away
to America. It didn't work.' He poured out some more coffee and
handed her cup to her. 'Now drink this. Can I offer you a brandy?'
Joanna shook her head silently, numbly, staring down at the swirl of
brown liquid. Cal finished his own cup, then sat back in the corner of
the sofa, watching her, his fingers laced behind his head. He'd
discarded his jacket and unbuttoned the waistcoat he wore beneath it.
He looked relaxed, but Joanna, herself taut as a coiled spring, could
sense the tension emanating from him.
She made the coffee last, drinking it down to the last
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