‘Please answer your phones,’ Lady Ruth said to Edith and Josh. ‘I do not think it should be necessary for me to leave messages for you to call me.’
The three of them were in Lady Ruth’s elegant sitting room at the top floor of her Mayfair house. It was a small space; it was cramped; neither Josh nor Edith would find it easy to avert the gaze of their mother.
‘Mother, I don’t have long – I’ve got to be away to the Dalys’, and it’s a long drive down to Broadway in the Cotswolds. Particularly at this time of day. And you know they don’t like people being late,’ Edith said. She sat only on the edge of a chair, as if to make her point.
Josh stared at his sister and mother in turn. It was not often that his mother left urgent messages to meet in this small room with high, heavily curtained windows. He was not sure what was to come.
‘You’ll give me the next half an hour, both of you. And I want your phones switched off; I’m not to be interrupted.’
‘This all sounds very formal. And please don’t treat us as school children,’ Edith said.
‘Josh, stop fiddling with your fingers like that, and both of you listen. Why does it take somebody outside the family to see how downright disreputable you both turn out to be? The Jackson name used to shout integrity, but it’s being dragged down by the two of you. I suppose you get it from your father. He turned out to be less than trustworthy.’
‘Mother, I’m not staying to hear you talk like this. Five minutes and I’m going,’ Edith said and looked at her watch.
‘You’re going nowhere until I’m finished with you both.’
Lady Ruth stood and walked towards the door as if she would block Edith leaving. Josh was silent; he was no match against his sister and his mother.
‘I’ve learned what both of you have been up to. Trying to pinch Marine House away from me. Brick by brick.’
‘This is too bad, Mother. I don’t have to listen to you and your fairy-tale stories. You used to start bedtime stories with “once upon a time”. I suggest you do that again now.’
‘Edith, that’s enough. I won’t have insults from you.’
‘Well, you always have had your head in the clouds most of the time.’ Edith almost spat the words at her mother.
‘£75,000 and all in £20 notes? Upfront payment on the sale of Marine House? How does that sound then? And where is that money now?’
‘That man Harry Stone would always try to get in front of the queue to buy Marine House. You’ve dealt with him; you know full well he’s that type of person not short of throwing sweeteners around. But beyond that, I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Edith looked at Josh as if she wanted his support.
‘I’ll ask again, Edith, one last time. Where is that money now? Because I want it in this room before you leave for your drink-fuelled weekend in the Cotswolds.’ Lady Ruth’s voice was raised to a high pitch, and her face reddened.
Edith let her arms flop over the edge of her chair, and she closed her eyes. She had no answer to her mother’s onslaught.
‘I’ve told you all you need to know, and I want to go,’ Edith said.
‘Don’t dare lie to me again. I am prepared to get a lawyer to write you a strong letter. And that is something I never thought I would need to do, even with you, Edith,’ Lady Ruth shouted.
She stared hard at Josh, who had looked nowhere except down at the table.
‘And what have you done with some valuable diamonds that weren’t yours to play with? And where have you been the last couple of days when I’ve tried to get hold of you?’
Josh stood and, like Edith, he tried to move towards the door. But his mother stood firm, and she looked at Josh in the eye. He tried to push his mother away, but she caught him on his shoulder, and it stopped him still with her unexpected force.
‘You both know what I’m talking about; neither of you do yourself any favours with the deplorable way you have dealt with easy cash that that man Harry Stone has let flow through your grasping hands. I expect you both to come and talk to me, with the money that you’ve grabbed and with diamonds that you’re trying to snatch. And I want to hear an apology for what you’ve done. You’ve both let the family name down.’
The room was warm, and Lady Ruth left the small, cramped room quickly. She was followed closely by Edith who said not a word to her mother. And Josh slumped back into his chair and put his head in his hands.