23

The first time Tess came back to London, it was for work, not pleasure. Neither she nor Dom were particularly surprised; as time went on it was becoming obvious that their original vision of a jet-set transatlantic relationship, with each visiting the other once a month, was almost impossible. Tess had to attend events at weekends, and Dom was often flying out to exotic resorts to report on them for the Chronicle. Even this visit was fraught; Tess was in England to attend the Annual UK Asgill Cosmetics sales conference at a luxury hotel in Windsor – it was a flying visit, only staying overnight at the hotel, then heading back across the pond in the morning. Meredith had suggested it would be a good idea for Tess to attend the conference, firstly to get a feel for the international side of the business, but it would also be a suitable opportunity to meet Sean, who was hosting a party in London to launch the latest Asgill fragrance, Lupin. Tess had spent the day with scores of Asgill sales consultants, brand managers, and sales teams from the UK offices. Not her favourite way to pass the day, but at least it hadn’t been completely alien to her; she had been to countless focus groups when they had been trying to reposition the Globe and was fluent in marketing bullshit: the phrases ‘dynamic multi-platform dissemination’ and ‘blue-sky viral paradigms’ did not faze her. She had, however, been glad to escape for a drink with Leonard Carter, Meredith’s brother and head of Asgill’s international development.

‘I’m amazed this is your first trip back to London since you joined us,’ said Leonard when they had settled into a corner table of the hotel’s bar. He was wearing a light-grey three-piece Prince of Wales check suit, which complemented his white hair and alert blue eyes.

‘Well, I actually only left six weeks ago,’ said Tess, gazing out at the view of the formal gardens. Everything seemed so much more spacious and airy after New York that even her breathing felt deeper and fuller. ‘So much has happened, it seems so much longer.’

‘I can imagine it feels even longer given that your boyfriend is still here,’ said Leonard kindly. Tess smiled at him; he had the easygoing manner of a wealthy old man who had been around the block and seen everything that life could throw at you. She was starting to think of him as ‘Uncle Leonard’, like the rest of the Asgill children. Still, she didn’t yet know him well enough to tell him that relations with Dom had seemed strained over the last few weeks, their conversations snappy and distant. She knew Dom wanted to be in New York too, but she was upset that he seemed to take his career frustrations out on her.

‘Well, I’m back for five days at the end of this month,’ said Tess vaguely. ‘We can catch up then. Thanks for getting him an invitation to the party tonight, by the way.’

‘The least I could do. How long have you been together?’

‘Since we were twenty-one. It struck me the other day that it’s been a third of my life.’

‘And will you marry him?’

Tess smiled. ‘I’m not a big believer in marriage.’

‘Why not?’

‘My parents had a difficult relationship. They were two people who shouldn’t have got married and I think they only did because I came along. When I was twelve I found their marriage certificate stuffed in a book and I did the maths; they were married four months before I was born. It kind of made sense why they argued so much.’

Leonard took a drink of his Scotch, the ice cubes tinkling.

‘Well, with all due respect to your parents, I’ve never been convinced by the argument that having failed once in love, you shouldn’t have another stab at it. Isn’t that what love’s all about? Going into life’s adventure with hope in your heart?’

‘Would you remarry?’

‘Perhaps,’ he smiled sadly. ‘My wife Marie died three years ago now. I doubt I’ll ever meet anyone to match her, but I’m not too old to try.’

‘Tell that to Meredith. Maybe it’s time she found someone new.’

Leonard laughed at the idea. ‘Oh, she’ll never marry again. They had a wonderful marriage. She told me once that the day she married Howard was the day she committed one hundred per cent to him. I don’t think that’s changed because he’s not with us any more.’

Tess suddenly thought back to a story that Charles Devine had told her at Brooke’s engagement party. A story that had been nagging at her since her arrival, a story she had since researched, although the press cuttings she had ordered had thrown up nothing beyond what Charles had told her back in March. She’d been waiting for a convenient opportunity to quiz the family on it further, but there had barely been the chance to do so. Until now.

‘Was Howard faithful to Meredith?’ asked Tess, unable to contain her curiosity.

‘Probably not,’ said Leonard with a gentle shrug. ‘But it doesn’t mean he had a bad marriage. Why do you ask?’

‘I heard about the Olivia Martin story. People suspected Howard of murdering her, didn’t they, because he was having an affair with Olivia?’

Leonard smiled and shook his head. ‘Howard was a lot of things, but I don’t think anyone really believed he was a murderer. In fact, personally I don’t believe anyone murdered Olivia.’

She nodded. That appeared to be the general view throughout the media in 1964. Even the more scurrilous tabloid magazines like the National Enquirer only hinted at murder.

‘Why don’t people think she was murdered?’

‘If you’d ever been to Riverview, where Olivia was last seen, you’d believe that too. The Mississippi is a powerful beast. We had dogs, horses go missing from the estate. The river just took them. And if Olivia had gone walking down there in the dark … Guests were told to stay away from the river, but she was not the sort to listen.’

‘So you don’t even think Howard and Olivia were having an affair?’ she pressed.

‘I don’t think so, although Olivia was an outrageous flirt,’ he added disapprovingly. ‘The night of the wedding I saw her stroking a waiter’s ass! In public. And she was there as an Asgill’s ambassador, for heaven’s sake.’

At that moment Asgill’s UK marketing director appeared at the doorway and beckoned them to the lobby. ‘Our car awaits,’ Leonard smiled. ‘Let’s get you into your carriage and off to meet Prince Charming. Speaking of which, have we looked into a visa for him yet?’

‘Not as such, no.’

‘Would you like me to?’

‘It sounds an expensive process.’

Leonard smiled. ‘We have money for essential projects such as bringing two hearts together.’

‘I’ll drink to that,’ she replied slowly, still thinking about Olivia Martin.

The party was being held in a huge white house on the outskirts of Regent’s Park. As Tess and Leonard pulled up alongside the Doric pillars in their black town car, there was already a parade of people in cocktail dresses and sharp suits walking in under a banner advertising Lupin. It looked great – a pretty purple bottle against a sparkling white background.

‘This place is incredible,’ said Tess. ‘What is it?’

‘An old embassy, I can’t remember which one,’ said Leonard. ‘Sean organized it; pulled in some contacts to hire it.’

Tess was impressed. She was looking forward to meeting Sean, in fact couldn’t quite believe she hadn’t yet met him, considering he was without question the loose cannon in the family. The cuttings file on Sean was two inches thick. Working at the Globe, she had never particularly noticed his name, but once she had started looking, he was everywhere. Sean on P. Diddy’s yacht in St Tropez. Sean at the winter polo in Gstaad. Sean with his arm around Sting and Trudie at a fundraiser in Monaco. He was connected, wealthy, and decadent, the dictionary definition of ‘playboy’. How could he fail to be interesting, at the very least?

They left the car at the kerb and walked through the walnut double doors. Tess scanned the crowd anxiously for Dom. She was nervous that an unsuccessful reunion might deal a fatal blow to their transatlantic relationship.

For a split second she felt on edge – maybe he hadn’t even come? – but then she saw him, patting his invite against the palm of his hand. She had run over this moment in her head a hundred times, knowing it would be a litmus test for whether their relationship was really in trouble or whether it was just a blip caused by pressure and distance. Tess was relieved to feel her heart give a little flutter of pleasure and she was equally pleased to see him grin as he spotted her. Oh, he looks fantastic, she thought.

‘Here she is at last,’ said Dom, hugging her. He looked her up and down: the tight curves of her Hervé Léger dress, the hint of tanned cleavage courtesy of her regular visits to the Portofino Sun Center, and seemed to approve. ‘I’ve missed you, you know,’ he added in a whisper as he slipped his hand in hers. It felt comfortable and familiar, two things that fitted together perfectly.

‘Dom, meet Leonard Carter,’ said Tess. ‘You’ll be pleased to hear that Leonard has said he’ll sponsor your visa.’

‘Wow!’ said Dom, pumping Leonard’s hand. ‘Well, I can sincerely say pleased to meet you, Mr Carter.’

Leonard laughed. ‘Well, I think that’s enough of a reason to call for champagne all round,’ he said, motioning to a waiter. He handed Tess a glass of bubbly.

‘Just a few sips,’ she said happily.

Amber light glowed around the room and shone off the circular zinc-topped bar at the centre. Against one wall was a huge avant-garde sculpture formed from mirrored cubes five feet wide. Lined up along each surface and lit from above were the purple Lupin bottles in random patterns. Nice touch, thought Tess, looking around the party with professional appreciation. It was a difficult thing to do a launch well – after all, she had attended enough in her time – and this one was very good. A great balance of beautiful people and industry players teamed with a smattering of hip celebrities, mixed together with interesting food and drink – the bar was serving something that appeared to have holly sprouting from the top – in an intriguing and unusual setting. If Sean had arranged this, she was becoming more and more intrigued.

And then she saw him. He had a square dimpled chin just like his sister Liz, and eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischievousness. Sean Asgill was walking across the room, shaking hands and exchanging whispered jokes, pressing the flesh like a pro. As he got closer, Tess could see his bespoke suit, his craggy smile and tanned skin, which surprised Tess considering he was supposed to have spent the last month in a rehab facility. Confidence oozed from every pore. No, not confidence, she corrected herself, cockiness. It was amazing how a few million dollars could made a guy think he was God’s gift. Excusing herself from Leonard and Dom, she walked over to him, extending her hand.

‘Sean Asgill?’ she asked.

‘That’s me,’ he said, switching his glass to his left hand. As they shook hands, Tess could see him checking her out.

‘I’m Tess Garrett,’ she said.

He started laughing, slowly at first, working up to a deep, throaty chuckle. ‘You have my deepest sympathies,’ he said.

‘Sorry?’ she asked, feeling her cheeks flush with annoyance.

‘I wouldn’t wish the job of taking my family in hand on anyone.’

‘Well, they’ve got you to blame,’ she smiled quietly.

‘Yes,’ he smirked, his pale-green eyes flashing. ‘I guess I should thank you for that.’

‘Well, you’re welcome.’

‘Although you weren’t being entirely altruistic, were you? I mean, it did all work out for you too, didn’t it?’

She took a deep breath. Working in newspapers for a decade had taught Tess not to suffer fools gladly, but Sean Asgill was the boss’s son.

‘Sean, I really don’t think … Ugh!’

Suddenly Tess jerked backwards, coughing. A girl in a long lilac sequined dress had appeared, spraying her with the bottle of scent she was carrying on a silver platter.

‘Tess, Tess,’ said Sean, slapping her on the back, ‘it’s not acid, it’s Lupin.’

She coughed a little more, then took a long drink of her champagne.

‘Well, perhaps it’s aimed at a younger market than you,’ said Sean, with more than a hint of amusement in his voice.

‘Or perhaps if she hadn’t aimed it straight into my mouth,’ snapped Tess.

‘So you don’t like it. Millions will,’ he chided.

Tess tossed her hair back and cleared her throat in a vain attempt to regain a little composure.

‘So, I thought you’d be at the sales conference today,’ she said, trying to change the subject.

‘Hey, parties like this don’t magically happen,’ he protested. ‘I’ve been up since seven talking to the events planners.’

‘Seven? I hope it wasn’t a late night then,’ she said with a hint of sarcasm.

‘No later than usual,’ he replied, his attention beginning to wander towards a group of giggling blondes.

‘By the way, did you get my email about the charity dinners? Are you going to any of them?’

‘Are we talking about the one in honour of the UN Secretary-General?’ he asked, rolling his eyes.

‘Okay, so it won’t be very rock ’n’ roll, but I still think you should go. Obama will be there. The French President, too. In fact, give me a few days’ notice and I can fly over to accompany you.’

He looked back at her. ‘You actually want to come to a party and hold my hand?’

‘Simply to make sure we get the right photo opportunities.’

He was shaking his head and smiling. ‘Come on, Tess. This is bullshit,’ he said, lowering his voice.

‘Bullshit?’ she replied coldly.

‘This ridiculous attempt at rehabilitation.’

He lowered his voice. ‘Look. I had an overdose, yes. And thanks to you and your fearsome ambition, no one knows about it. So well done, Tess Garrett, and I’m sure my mother is very pleased.’

‘What are you saying?’ asked Tess, bristling.

‘I’m saying, what if people did know that I’m not perfect? Would anyone really care? I know my mother is trying to protect Brooke and her precious fiancé, but let’s be real here – who really cares what I get up to? I know the Billington family are conservative, but is David really going to dump my sister just because I’m not best friends with the President? Because I’ve taken drugs and inhaled.’

‘Snorted and collapsed more like it.’

‘Tess, it’s all bullshit. Whatever I do isn’t going to harm the wedding and you know it.’

‘You might think it’s acceptable behaviour to go to an orgy and almost flat-line on a ketamine and heroin cocktail, but I doubt Wendell Billington does. Or the American public,’ Tess hissed, incensed at his lack of gratitude to both her and his own mother.

‘That party was a one-off,’ he said gruffly. ‘I didn’t know it was going to be so hardcore.’

‘Well, I doubt that you just bowled up. I heard there was a ten-thousand pound-membership fee.’

Sean looked at her with a cruel smile. ‘Not for people like me, honey.’

‘Of course not,’ she said. Tess knew that her first impression of Sean Asgill had been exactly right. He was a spoilt, condescending prick who thought that the world revolved around him and that, given the cushion of money around him, he could behave any way he chose.

‘Listen, Sean, lightning can strike twice, believe me,’ said Tess, the contempt in her voice barely concealed. ‘There are only so many times I can bail you out. In fact, I think you’ve had your quota.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Sweetheart, I don’t need a lecture, I don’t need a baby sitter, and I certainly don’t need a half-assed publicist telling me how to live my life. Do we understand one another?’

‘Perfectly,’ said Tess, turning on her heel and stalking towards the bar.

Arrogant, self-centred pig! she thought furiously. The nerve of the man! ‘I don’t need a publicist’! Well, that’s exactly what Liz had said and that’s exactly what Brooke had said. Well, she was quickly learning that everyone in this damned family had a secret. Just you wait until someone digs up yours, Sean Asgill, she thought. I won’t be there to break your fall.

She pushed her way to the vodka bar, snatched up a shot, and downed it in one.

‘He gets under your skin, doesn’t he?’

Tess looked up to see Leonard standing behind her. She shook her head, trying desperately to think of something diplomatic to say. Then she caught the smile on Leonard’s face and she burst out laughing.

‘He’s … well, he’s …’

‘He’s an asshole.’

‘Well, I wouldn’t go that far …’

‘Perhaps you should, my dear,’ said Leonard. ‘He’s part of your job, after all, and you need to know exactly who you’re dealing with. Of course I love my nephew, he’s my family and there’s nothing I won’t do for him, but he can be a bit of a scoundrel.’

Tess laughed out loud.

‘The trouble is, I can see myself in Sean,’ said Leonard, his wise eyes watching Sean across the room. ‘When I was his age, I was just as irresponsible, just as vain.’

He chuckled as Tess looked at him.

‘I had too much money, not enough focus, and I was surrounded by people who indulged me. That, I’m afraid, is Sean’s problem, although I doubt he’s aware of it. Underneath all that flash, Tess, is actually a very caring, sensitive man.’

Tess raised her eyebrows sceptically.

‘Hard to believe, but he is.’ He smiled. ‘He just needs someone to knock a little sense into him. I’d love to do it myself – give him a more responsible job in the company, perhaps, because I actually think he’d thrive. But Meredith won’t hear of it and, well, you can see her point,’ he added, nodding towards Sean, who now had his arm around the most attractive woman in the room. Annabel, she assumed: glossy, expensively dressed, not especially beautiful up close, but the overall impression was striking. Tess was not surprised he was so shallow. ‘On the other hand, he seems more of a catch …’

‘Who?’ asked Tess, her mind still on Sean.

Leonard pointed across the room. ‘Him.’ She followed his gaze. He was looking at Dom, who was deep in conversation with a man in a three-piece suit. Tess instantly felt a pang of affection. Compared to Sean Asgill, Russ Ford, and most of the men she had encountered in the past few weeks, Dom certainly was a catch. After nine years together, their relationship was not perfect, but whose was? She had met Dom just three years after her father’s death and her mother’s new marriage. Before Dom came along, Tess had simply thrown herself into her career, but now she supposed he provided a safe harbour for her, someone to lean and depend on. And he was cute. He looked up and she walked over.

‘Ah, there you are,’ he said. ‘I thought you might have run off with Sean Asgill.’

‘Ha! Not likely,’ she replied, still fuming. ‘He is an absolute prick.’

He laughed and pulled her into a hug. ‘Come on, that’s our meal ticket you’re talking about there,’ he smiled. ‘You know your problem? You get too angry with people. Sean Asgill’s only some pampered rich bloke, he’s not Hitler.’

‘It’s just people like that make my blood boil.’

‘Hey, I thought your plan was to become fabulously rich some day?’ he teased.

‘Yeah, so?’ she asked.

‘So why do you want to be rich if you can’t stand rich people?’

Grabbing two glasses of champagne, Dom steered her towards the side door, which led out onto a terrace and the walled gardens beyond. Tess felt happy and relaxed for once – tonight she was officially off duty. ‘This is a great party. That was Sir Martin Sorrell I was talking to back there. We’ve swapped cards. Thought I might be able to swing an interview for the business section. That should earn me a few brownie points.’

Tess was only half listening. ‘It smells good out here,’ she said, breathing in the wet floral, dewy fragrance. It smelt of England.

Dom turned and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. ‘It looks a bit like that place in Maryland we stayed at once,’ he said.

‘Oh yeah, that place George Washington stayed in. It seemed as if George had stayed in every house in the state.’

She remembered that hotel very fondly. They had barely left their room all weekend. In fact, the only time they had left the bed was to open the windows to let a little lazy light into the room or to collect the room service they’d asked to be left outside the door.

‘Here, you’ve got some lipstick on your teeth,’ said Dom. He took his finger and rubbed it under her lips, the gesture familiar yet intimate. She took his hand and bit his finger softly.

‘Ooh,’ he laughed. ‘Saucy.’

‘You know I’ve really missed you,’ said Tess, meaning it this time.

He bent and brushed his lips against her neck. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

‘I can’t go,’ she laughed slowly. ‘I have to get back to Windsor tonight.’

‘We won’t be long,’ he whispered, taking her hand and leading her away from the glowing lights, tinkle of glasses and laughter at the party. They disappeared out of the embassy’s gates and hailed a black cab that was dropping guests off at the party.

Leaning into the driver’s window, he said with a grin, ‘Take us to the nearest hotel.’

Three minutes later, the nonplussed driver dropped the giggling couple at the Park House Hotel on the outer ring road. The room was shoebox-sized, with a small double bed, trouser press, and sink in the corner. Dom didn’t even bother to switch on the lights as he peeled off Tess’s dress and let it slide to the floor. They were both breathing heavily in their excitement as they kissed, both pulling at the buttons on Dom’s shirt. Just then, Tess pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, spreading her knees and pulling him between them. He remained standing as she unbuckled his trousers. His cock reared out in front of him and she took it in both hands. It was long and thick and she kept eye contact with him as she licked along his length, her saliva glistening in the streetlights. Still looking into his eyes, she took him into her mouth and unhooked her bra. He reached down and stroked her full breast, squeezing and rolling her nipples between his finger and thumb.

Both gasping with desire now, he pushed her back onto the bed. Taking off her high heels he started kissing her toes, the curve of her ankle, working his way up her leg with feathery kisses. His warm hands spread her legs as he flicked his tongue up the inside of her thigh, then nuzzled into her closed, secret lips with his nose and his tongue.

‘Oh God, yes, yes,’ she moaned, rubbing her own breasts now.

Dom inched aside her thong and pushed his tongue into her, taking long languid laps of her juices, circling her hard clitoris and up and down her slit.

‘Now, now,’ she panted. ‘I want you, I want you.’

Grinning, he guided his cock into her slowly, slowly, feeding it inch by inch until he was buried deep inside. Impatiently, she thrust her hips up towards him and they fell back, their bodies together in rhythm and motion. His nose and chin were damp and musky from her juices as she took his face in both hands and kissed him, sucking on his tongue.

His lips moved down over her swollen nipples, biting and sucking, her arms splayed out behind her, grabbing at the pillows. The pleasure was intense now, her passion heightened by weeks of suppressed emotions: the anger from her confrontation with Sean, the longing and frustration of her separation from Dom, all building to a crescendo.

‘Oh Jesus, oh Christ!’ she cried out as she came in wave after wave. She clenched herself as tight as she could around his cock, her hips bucking upwards, her nails digging into Dom’s taut buttocks. He fell down on top of her, spent and exhausted. They had not had sex like that in a long time. Ever. She felt a rush of excitement, as if she was falling in love all over again. She rolled over and folded herself into the curve of his body, wondering if it took being apart to bring some people back together. Lying there, she felt that their relationship wasn’t just fixed, but infinitely better. He turned to her and smiled.

‘I hope these walls aren’t paper-thin.’

‘Who cares?’ she grinned, nestling into him.

‘I can’t wait to come to New York.’

‘In which case, let’s get back to the party and talk about that visa.’