Daniel’s anger was almost palpable. Ashen faced, he paced around Juliet’s hospital bed, exuding a sense of danger, his black eyes glinting with fury, his footsteps on the linoleum heavy and dragging, as if he was becoming paralysed.
For a moment he looked down at the small white card in his hand, almost as if he didn’t believe the words he read. But it was written clearly, four lines carried out in blue ink, penned by a man with small handwriting. Daniel would have given anything at that moment to believe he was mistaken. That this was a joke in bad taste. Only it wasn’t. It was a vengeful card, sent to make mischief, and worst of all, confirming what Esther had said about Juliet.
Juliet, lying still and watchful, knew something was terribly wrong as soon as Daniel stopped to read the card tucked into the bouquet of dark red roses.
‘What is it?’ she asked guardedly, remembering Rosie had been unable to make out the writing.
His voice was laced with venom. ‘Who is Peter Osborne?’ Juliet felt as if her body had been plunged into freezing water, and that tiny shards of ice were flowing through her veins.
‘Peter Osborne?’ she echoed hollowly. Her mind worked fast. The last time she’d seen him had been about three or four years ago when she’d refused to sleep with him, because she’d become engaged to Edward Courtney and he’d been enraged, taunting her for being a cock tease, before storming off into the night. This moment could be her worst fears coming true, she thought in panic, the moment when Daniel finds out she’d slept with other men, lots of them. The moment when all that Esther had said about her would be confirmed.
But surely Peter Osborne couldn’t be seeking revenge for having been turned down after all these years?
Juliet’s mind was spinning in ever tighter circles of terror and she knew she was expected to say something.
‘Who is this man?’ Daniel insisted harshly. ‘What was he to you?’
‘I knew Peter Osborne during the war,’ she replied vaguely, somehow managing to keep her voice steady. ‘Why? Did he send those flowers? Rosie said she didn’t know who they were from because she couldn’t make out the writing.’
His eyes widened with incredulity. ‘Couldn’t make out the writing? What are you talking about? It’s practically written in block capitals!’ He flung the card on the bed where it lay, small, white and deadly. ‘Read it for yourself!’
Taking a deep breath Juliet reached for the card. Daniel was right.
A child could have deciphered the neatly written lines, and the signature, at the bottom right hand corner.
It took her seconds to read it, seconds that shamed her, seconds that could end her happiness forever. Like a tolling bell each word shuddered through her body, pounding her to the core of her being, leaving her defenceless.
Congratulations, Juliet. Fancy you being a respectable married woman these days. And now a mother. Remember our nights together? That is when you weren’t in bed with the rest of the gang. Love, Peter (Osborne, in case you’ve forgotten!)
Agonizingly she felt her face beginning to burn and she broke out in a sticky sweat. Her hands were shaking as she tore up the card.
‘He’s joking,’ she said trying to sound amused and blase. She had to lie. It was instinctive because the rest of her life depended on how she handled this situation and she couldn’t afford to admit there was a word of truth in what Peter had said, and worse, had implied. ‘It’s all rubbish and it’s meant to be a joke, I presume. I hardly knew him at all!’
She gave Daniel a little twisted smile and her eyes looked at him brazenly. ‘You don’t believe him, do you? He always was a tease.’
The small white room was silent for a moment, except for the sweet snuffling sound of Tristan waking up.
‘Don’t lie to me, Juliet.’ Daniel spoke with icy coldness. He stood at the foot of her bed, a powerful figure in a dark suit, compelling her to speak the truth. ‘He was your lover, wasn’t he? And the others…? The Gang? Did you… did you sleep with other men, too?’
His voice broke and the hurt in his eyes was like a knife plunging into her heart. Something in her head snapped and she threw caution recklessly to the wind without thinking of the consequences, deciding attack was the best means of defence.
‘It was during the war!’ she said with emphasis. ‘No one knew if they’d be alive the next morning. Everyone was sleeping around, and drinking too much, but it meant nothing! You know that. Don’t tell me you got through the whole war without having sex with anyone? Your wife was in Wales, you’d cut me out of your life, and if you’ve forgotten it was you who didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I owed you absolutely nothing, Daniel. I was divorced from Cameron and a single woman, so don’t start accusing me of being unfaithful. How many girls did you go to bed with during the war?’
‘It’s quite different for men,’ he retorted harshly, his face flushed, his hands gripping the white frame of the bed as if he wanted to shake it and her in it.
Juliet glared at him. ‘That’s utter rubbish. What did you think I was doing when I was off duty? Knitting? Like Granny?’
He turned away as if the sight of her disgusted him. ‘I didn’t think you’d behave like a tart.’
‘I did not behave like a tart! One man, whom I haven’t seen for years, sends me a jokey card and you go off the deep end. Why should I have been faithful to you, anyway?’ By now she’d worked herself up into a rage and she spoke with deep anger. ‘You were out of my life at that time, Daniel. You were still a married man, and I was a free woman. I could do as I liked, for God’s sake.’
‘And you chose to act like a gutter-snipe!’ he taunted, beside himself with anger and hurt. He started wandering around her small hospital room, dazed, as if he were drunk. ‘So my sister was right!’ he said suddenly, swinging round to glare at her.
‘Was she?’ Juliet lashed out, rashly. ‘So you did marry me for my money then?’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘Oh, surely it is? If she’s right about my past, then she must be right about your intentions when you married me, too,’ she said sarcastically.
Tristan woke up as if he’d been startled by their quarrelling and started crying. Juliet could feel her breasts tingling with milk. She turned to her baby swiftly, with the same love with which she’d turned to Daniel until everything had changed a moment ago.
‘I must feed him,’ she said, picking the baby out of his cot, and holding him tenderly in her arms. When she looked up, Daniel had gone.
Juliet’s sense of betrayal was so deep she could not bring herself to speak to Rosie. When Louise came to visit her the next day she found Juliet distraught and unable to stop crying.
‘Baby blues?’ Louise asked gently, as she hugged her sister.
‘Much worse. Much, much worse.’ She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. ‘I don’t know how Rosie could have done this to me.’ Then she told Louise what had happened.
‘You mean she read what was on the card, but pretended the writing was so bad she couldn’t make it out? Surely she couldn’t have left it there on purpose? For Daniel to see as soon as he walked in the door?’ Louise asked incredulously.
Juliet nodded. She glanced at the dark-red roses. They reminded her of large blobs of blood, like evil-bearing clots impaled on long straight stems. Not for a moment did she doubt Peter Osborne’s motive in sending them; his male pride had been wounded by her refusal to have sex with him on that last occasion. But why wait until now to get his revenge? Worst of all, how could Rosie have lied about the writing on the card? Only to leave it where Daniel was bound to see it?
Juliet’s beautiful face was awash with tears and her eyes red and swollen. ‘I was so tired when Rosie was here I could hardly keep awake, and so I wasn’t paying attention,’ she explained. ‘I’ve had so many flowers in the past three days and this was just one more bunch as far as I was concerned. And then Daniel found it…’ She choked and she started sobbing. ‘He was so angry. And it’s not as if we’d been together when I knew Peter. And now his sister…’ She stopped, unable to continue. ‘Get them out of here, Louise. I can’t bear the sight of them.’
Louise jumped to her feet and hurried over to the table. Once in the corridor, she carried the offending flowers to the general ward and plonked them on a central table. Then she went back to Juliet’s room, and resumed her seat by the bedside. ‘What were you saying about Daniel’s sister?’
Pulling herself together with an effort, Juliet described what had happened. ‘She’s an evil woman who hasn’t only got it in for me, but Daniel, too. He’s driven mad by her accusation that he married me for my money, as if he were a gigolo. She’s accused me too, of being a tart. I wanted to sue her, but Dads advised against it. And now this.’ She looked at Louise in anguish. ‘Daniel said last night that he thought Esther had been right about me all along.’
‘Oh, darling.’ Louise grabbed her hand and held it fast. ‘You mustn’t let yourself get so upset. You’ll make yourself ill and you’ve got to think about Tristan.’
‘I know.’ Juliet nodded dejectedly. ‘I had hardly any milk this morning. The nurse had to give him a bottle as a supplement.’ She heaved herself into a sitting position. ‘I’ve got to get out of here. Daniel hasn’t been to see me today and I’ve got to talk to him.’
‘I expect he’s busy. He’ll probably be along this evening.’
Juliet fiddled with her thin platinum wedding ring, turning it round and round on her finger. ‘He usually pops in on the way to his office in the morning, but he hasn’t even phoned me today. I must try to make him understand that Peter never meant anything to me. Nor did any of the others,’ she admitted dropping her voice.
‘Others?’ Louise raised her eyebrows.
‘Yes, others.’ She looked at her sister directly. ‘You don’t know what it was like. I was burning up and demented with longing for Daniel. He was the only man I loved and wanted, and because I couldn’t have him… I just went with anyone else who did want me. It sounds dreadful and I’m terribly ashamed at the way I behaved then, but it was the only way I knew how to ease the pain I felt. I became grateful that someone, anyone, wanted me, even if Daniel didn’t.’
Louise spoke softly. ‘Poor you. I never suspected a thing.’
‘I managed to keep it from you when you came to live with me by going to hotels. My life then was a mess. Somehow Esther has found out, and of course she’s told Daniel. That’s why I’ve got to explain it all and make him understand it was only him I wanted.’
‘Wouldn’t it be better to let him cool down first?’ Louise suggested. ‘You’ve both got fiery tempers. You might end up saying things you’ll regret.’
‘I can’t leave things as they are!’ Juliet ran her hands through her hair in a gesture of desperation. ‘I’d die if I lost Daniel now.’
When Louise left St George’s Hospital, she decided to walk back to her home in Fulham, glad of the fresh air and a chance to think. She’d always known Juliet had lots of boyfriends before she married Daniel, but she’d assumed they were mere flirtations. Not that she felt judgemental of her sister’s behaviour now. In a way she could even understand how Juliet had felt. She’d been under enormous strain throughout the war, facing death every night she was on duty; and she believed then she’d lost the one man she loved.
The real tragedy seemed to be that Rosie had purposely left Peter Osborne’s card where Daniel would see it.
Louise started to feel deeply angry as her feet pounded down Grosvenor Crescent. Jealousy between sisters was one thing, but Rosie had gone too far. Of all her sisters, it was Juliet who had supported her, through thick and thin, in practical and emotional ways.
Now was the time to stand by her.
Louise turned left along Grosvenor Square and left again into Chapel Street. Rosie and Salton’s house was the fourth one along on the left.
Its white stucco frontage gleamed like icing sugar and the window boxes, overflowing with red geraniums, looked prosperous and cheerful. Louise pressed the brass front door bell and after a moment an elderly charwoman opened the dark green door.
‘I’ve come to see Mrs Webb,’ Louise announced. ‘Is she in?’
‘Yes, but I don’t think she’s expecting visitors,’ the woman said reluctantly.
‘I’m not a visitor, I’m her sister,’ Louise said politely, and then walked past her into the prettily decorated hall and up the red carpeted stairs which led to the first-floor drawing room.
She found Rosie sitting at her desk, writing letters. She looked thin and there were hollows in her cheeks. Her lipstick made a straight strong scarlet line on her pale face.
‘Louise?’ she said surprised. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I’ve come to see you,’ Louise replied bluntly, sitting down on a chair that faced Rosie.
‘Oh! Would you like some tea?’
‘No thanks. I’ve just come from seeing Juliet. You were there yesterday afternoon, weren’t you?’
Rosie suddenly looked wary. ‘Sophia and I dropped in for a few minutes to see her, yes.’
‘And she asked you to open the note that came with some flowers?’
‘Umm…’ Rosie glanced around her elegantly furnished room as if seeking inspiration. ‘I can’t remember,’ she said vaguely. ‘I know some flowers arrived while we were there.’
Louise spoke sharply. ‘Come on, Rosie. You opened a card, and then you told her it was so badly written you couldn’t make it out.’
Her sister smiled, as if remembering. ‘Oh, yes. It was a scrawl. Something about “congratulations” but the rest was indecipherable.’
‘So why did you put the card back in among the flowers? Why didn’t you give it to her? She would have been able to read it.’
‘What is this?’ Rosie asked imperiously. ‘You come barging in here, and start cross examining me about some wretched flowers and who sent them? I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Louise rose and stood over Rosie. ‘You know damn well they were from an old friend of Juliet’s, and that the card was written in clear block capitals. Juliet got to read it herself… after Daniel had found it.’
Rosie remained silent, her cheeks flushed, her mouth sulky. ‘Well, so what?’ she said at last. ‘Everyone thinks Juliet is God’s gift to the world. Everyone praises her and says she is so wonderful. And she’s got everything she ever wanted, hasn’t she?’ Her voice was bitter and angry. ‘Juliet has spent her entire life scheming to get what she wanted; money, a man she loved, and now a baby. It won’t do her any harm for people to realize she has feet of clay.’
‘And if it breaks up her marriage to Daniel… do you want that on your conscience?’ Louise asked harshly.
‘Daniel already knew what she was like when she was seventeen and he seduced her just like that, in Paris.’
Louise stared at Rosie, shocked. ‘Do you really hate her that much?’
Rosie shrugged. ‘When you think of all the things she’s done to me over the years… why should I care? Anyway, she’s got a baby to occupy herself with now, so why should a note from an old lover upset her? God knows, she’s had a lot of those. If they all sent her bouquets her room would look like Constance Spry’s flower shop.’
Juliet had installed herself back in her silver four poster Maharaja’s bed by the time Daniel returned from his office. Tristan was up in the new nursery with the monthly nurse she’d taken on, and a worried looking Dudley was trying to eke out what food he could from the ever tight rationing, in order to make her tempting little dishes.
Earlier, when she’d arrived she’d asked him nonchalantly, ‘Is there any post for me, Dudley? Or for Mr Lawrence?’
‘Here are your letters, madam.’ He indicated the silver salver on the hall table. ‘Shall I bring them up to you?’
‘Yes, please. Are there none for Mr Lawrence? Or has he already collected his post?’
Dudley looked straight at her. The silence between them was heavy with unspoken understanding. Then he cleared his throat.
‘Mr Lawrence doesn’t seem to get as much post as he used to.’
Juliet paused for a moment. ‘Really?’ she said lightly.
‘Hardly any, madam,’ he said formally.
At half past six she heard the front-door slam shut. She lay listening to Daniel’s footsteps. Would he go to his study? Or come up to the drawing room? Dinner wouldn’t be served until eight o’clock, so maybe he’d get himself a drink.
Anger had replaced heartache in the past few hours and she was determined to stand up for herself. She would not let him make her feel guilty about something that had happened years ago, when she’d believed they’d never see each other again; more than that, when she’d thought he’d been killed in an air raid.
Sitting up in her grand bed, she surveyed the exotic room with its rich furnishings and soft lighting. Flowers stood on every surface and Dudley had lit a fire of apple wood, the aroma mixed in a heady fashion with the perfume of lilies and roses. She took a deep breath, wishing she was in a position to seduce him once she’d had her say, but then thought that maybe that was just as well; to have him wanting her and unable to have her, would surely make him desire her even more.
Suddenly the bedroom door was flung open, taking her unaware.
Daniel stood in the doorway staring at her. His expression was defiant. As always the powerful sexuality he exuded took her breath away and left her with a pounding heart. Then he spoke, and his deep vibrant voice almost crumbled her resolve to be strong and resolute.
‘Where’s the baby?’
‘How did you know I was home?’ she asked.
‘I could smell your perfume. Anyway, I’m only here to pack a few things and then when I’ve seen Tristan I’ll be out of your way,’ he said brusquely, turning towards his dressing room.
Alarm shot through her veins like icy particles. ‘What do you mean?’
Her carefully made-up face was ashen and she could hear the fear in her own voice.
‘I’m surprised you find it necessary to ask.’
‘Daniel, for God’s sake! Sit down and talk to me. I’ve come home against doctors’ orders so we can talk and sort out this nonsense.’
He spoke dismissively over his shoulder as he disappeared into his dressing room. ‘There’s nothing to talk about. You’ve made it perfectly clear that you believe Esther when she says I married you for your money. You’re just going to have to make do in future with the rest of the staff you employ.’
‘What the hell…?’ She could hear cupboard doors being opened and drawers being slammed shut. ‘Daniel, you’re deliberately twisting what I said. You told me that your sister was right after all about my being a tart. What I said was; if you believe that, then she must also be right about you being a gold-digger! You know Esther’s letters are poison.’
‘We both know now that you slept with Tom, Dick and Harry during the war,’ he shouted back. There was a thud as he pulled a heavy leather suitcase down from the top of the wardrobe and it crashed to the floor.
‘Don’t worry, I’m not going off with the silver,’ he added harshly.
Juliet struggled to sit upright, and then carefully swung her feet to the floor. Every move hurt, but she had to stop this craziness. Gripping one of the silver bed posts she pulled herself up until she was standing, swaying weakly but determined to walk the short distance to the dressing room.
‘Get back to bed,’ he said when he saw her leaning against the door lintel. ‘It’s finished, Juliet. I can no longer stand being pointed at, and have people at the club sniggering at me for having married money. Admit it, I’m a kept man. We live in this bloody great mansion, funded by your fortune. You pay for everything; the servants, the food and drink, the car, our entertaining… you should have married a man of equal means if you intended to maintain your previous life style.’ He closed the case with a snap of the locks and then picked it up. As he stalked out of the room he turned to give her a final look. ‘Go back to your ways of having men dancing attention on you, while you pick up the bills,’ he growled. Then he was gone, slamming the bedroom door after him.
She could hear his footsteps hurrying down the stairs, and then the final crash of the front door closing.
Unable to speak, Juliet sank to her knees, sobs wracking her body as the full magnitude of Daniel’s last words hammered through her head. She stayed like that, curled up on the floor for several minutes, unable to move. Then slowly and painfully she started to crawl towards her bed, too weak to stand up again, and too anguished to think straight.
All she knew was that she seemed to have lost Daniel again, and this time it really hadn’t been her fault.