Beth was still too shocked to do more than nod.
‘I thought you might need me early.’
She forced a smile. ‘I don’t know what I need yet. I’ve only just this minute read the article.’
‘It’s going to upset your poor mother.’
‘It’s going to upset a lot of people.’
Herself included.
And what would it do to her relationship with Edward?
Linda smiled at Nat as he put his folded newspaper on the table and sat down. She was cooking him one of the fluffy omelettes he loved for breakfast. She watched him tenderly as he opened out the newspaper but didn’t try to start a conversation. He hated to be disturbed when he was reading the main morning news. He took three newspapers, saying you needed several views of the world to get a fair picture.
Just as she was about to turn back to her cooking, she saw his expression change and his mouth drop open.
‘What’s wrong?’
He made an involuntary movement with one hand, as if to cover the newspaper, then removed his hand and gestured to it. ‘You’d better come and look at this, love. Turn the gas off.’
He made room beside him on the bench seat and tapped the front page.
The headlines were enough to make her gasp and grab his arm. ‘How did they find out?’
‘Who knows?’
She kept hold of Nat’s hand as she read the article, with its snide remarks about Pete rejecting her. She hated the way they portrayed her as such a pitiful creature. Maybe she had been pitiful when it first happened, but she wasn’t now. ‘They’re disgusting. All that without even a word to me, and yet they’re pretending to quote me.’
‘I’ll get on the phone to my lawyer. We’re not letting them get away with it.’
‘Pete might think I’ve done this in revenge because of him not wanting to see me.’
‘No one who knows you would ever believe such a thing.’
‘That’s the whole point, Nat: he doesn’t know me.’
His phone rang and he picked it up. ‘Oh, hell! Thanks for letting me know, John. Yeah, I’ll work from home today.’ He slammed the phone down.
‘What’s the matter at the yard?’ she prompted.
‘John was ringing to tell me there are some reporters waiting at the gate. They know you work there and want to see you. He refused to let them inside. Smart fellow, John. Said if we came in together they might guess you’re living with me and trace you that way. He deserves a bonus. Don’t know what I’d do without him.’
She started studying the article again. ‘What’s this going to do to Pete’s career?’
‘Frankly, I don’t give two hoots. He’s a spoiled, selfish brat, even if he is forty-one years old, and he hurt you badly. It’s you I care about.’
‘There’s Beth to consider as well, not to mention Jo and little Mikey. When the gutter press start making up tales, who knows where it will all end?’
He pulled her to him and planted a smacking great kiss on her cheek. ‘I love you.’
She blinked in surprise. ‘What was that for?’
‘Always thinking about others. You’re a wonderful, caring woman.’
She didn’t think she was all that different from other women, especially when it came to her children, but his compliment cheered her. ‘Let me finish cooking your omelette, though it’ll have lost all its fluffiness now.’
‘It’ll still taste good. Afterwards we’ll decide what to do.’
‘Is there anything we can do to stop it?’
‘There must be. But I confess I don’t know what.’
‘I’m not doing anything without consulting Beth.’
Beth rang Edward on his private mobile. ‘Have you seen it?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’ve not phoned Mum yet. I wanted to discuss tactics with you first.’
‘I’ve not got any tactics worked out. I’m still too angry to think clearly. Who do you think leaked the news?’
‘It won’t be anyone from my family.’
‘I knew that already. It won’t be my aunt and it certainly won’t be Pete, because this threatens his career big time.’
‘Does it?’
‘Take my word for it, yes. He’s built a reputation for being Mr Nice Guy, and most of the time he is. But this paints him as Mr Nasty.’
‘It’ll pass.’
‘Maybe, but his programme will suffer, viewer numbers will decline and maybe there won’t be another series. He was just building it up big and was ready to lease out the
Who Am I?
segment round the world. Our two computer gurus won’t be so pleased, either. They were set to receive good royalties.’
It was a moment or two before he spoke again. ‘I’d better go and see Pete. It’s one thing to wash my hands of him when he’s riding high. I can’t leave him in the lurch.’
She smiled. ‘No, I’m sure you can’t.’
‘I’ll come and see you later.’
‘No need.’
‘I think there will be every need. If there’s one thing everyone involved needs to do it’s present a united front to these sods. Tell your mother Pete and I are both sorry this has happened.’
‘You might be sorry. I doubt he is – except for it hurting his career.’
‘You’ve seen the worst of him. He’s not a bad guy, honest.’
‘I’ll have to reserve judgement on that.’
When Beth rang her mother’s office, the foreman answered.
‘Nat and Linda are staying home today. We’ve got reporters just about camping out on our doorstep here, but luckily they’ve not found out that Nat and Linda are together.’
‘Vultures!’ She rang her mother’s new phone number and Nat picked it up.
‘Beth here. Can I speak to Mum?’
‘Yes, of course. Where are you?’
‘Still at work. I came in early today, before the news broke. I’ve only just found out.’ There was a commotion in the outer office. ‘What on earth—? Just a minute, Nat.’ She ran out, to be greeted by flashing cameras and a barrage of questions.
‘Get back inside!’ Sandy yelled. ‘I’ve rung security.’
Beth put up one arm to shield her face and found she had to push past one man to get back into her own office.
‘We can pay you well for an exclusive story,’ he yelled, trying to thrust a business card into her hand.
She let it fall and slammed the door on him, leaning against it, sickened by the avid expression on his face. She picked up the phone again. ‘I’ll be with you in a minute, Nat. We’ve just had a media invasion here.’
A man’s deep voice yelled something in the outer office and the noise subsided. There were mutters and protests, but the sound of voices gradually faded.
Sandy poked her head round the door. ‘They’ve gone back to the corridor now. You all right?’
‘Yes. I’m just talking to Mum and Nat. I’ll be with you in a minute.’
‘Sounds bad,’ Nat said. ‘Do you want me to send an escort to get you safely home?’
‘I’ll see how I go.’
‘Here’s your mum, then.’
Linda’s voice was firm and sounded almost normal, to Beth’s relief. ‘Are you all right, Mum?’
‘Yes, dear. They don’t seem to realize where I am, thank goodness.’
‘Then you should stay there and be thankful for it.’
‘I can’t do that, Beth. We have to help Pete.’
‘What?’
‘You heard perfectly well what I said.’
‘Why should you help that rat?’
‘Because he’s my son and your brother, and this is at least partly my fault.’
‘How can it be your fault?’
‘I shouldn’t have confronted him with other people nearby. Someone must have overheard us. Perhaps it was that receptionist. I don’t know. If I’d let sleeping dogs lie, just been thankful he was alive, then it’d not have got out.’
‘Mum, as far as I’m concerned, he deserves everything he gets.’
‘I don’t like to hear you being so harsh, darling.’
‘I can’t forgive him for hurting you.’
‘I can.’
Silence, then Beth said, ‘I can’t see any way we can help him except by staying out of his way, which suits me just fine.’
‘There must be something we can do. I’ve not worked it out yet, but I don’t intend to let him be pilloried. I’ll ring you back later.’
Beth put the phone down and watched as a tear plopped on to the desk beside it. She didn’t know why she was crying. Her brother wasn’t worth the tears.
But perhaps the situation was. Everything was in such a mess and she was sure it was going to get worse before it got better. She’d been through this media circus once before, when she was much younger. She should be able to face it better now. She was a strong modern woman.
Wasn’t she?
Another tear dropped on to her desk and she fumbled for a tissue. She didn’t feel at all strong today.
Her brother wasn’t worth crying over, that was certain.
How could her mother be so
forgiving
?
It was ten o’clock by the time Edward pushed his way past the journalists into Pete’s besieged office. Cameras were flashing and he was sure once they found out who he was they’d be after him as well.
A man in a security uniform barred his way, yelling over his shoulder at someone inside. ‘What about this one?’
Ilsa looked up. ‘You can let Edward in any time, Des. He’s Pete’s cousin.’
The man nodded and stepped back for a moment, before immediately taking up his position in front of the door.
‘Thank goodness you’re here!’ Ilsa pushed her hair back from her face. ‘It’s been mayhem, people trying to shove their way in. I had to bring Des in to keep them out.’
Edward grinned. ‘I bet they didn’t get past you, even before he arrived.’
She allowed herself a near smile. ‘Definitely not.’
He went to perch on the edge of her desk. ‘You see a lot of what’s going on, Ilsa. Have you any idea how they got hold of this information?’
She avoided his gaze and began to fiddle with the computer keyboard.
This was the last reaction he’d expected. ‘Ilsa? Do you know something?’
‘I don’t. Well, not exactly.’ She heaved a sigh. ‘Gerry and I both heard you and Pete arguing about his birth mother. We couldn’t help it. You were making no attempt to keep your voices down. But I swear I didn’t say a word to anyone.’
‘Do you think Gerry might have?’
She was still frowning. ‘He doesn’t seem the sort, but who else could it be?’
‘Give him a ring and ask him to come here ASAP, will you? Don’t say why.’
He went into Pete’s office and found his cousin sitting behind the desk, staring glumly down at the newspaper.
He looked up, surprise and relief on his face as he saw Edward.
‘I came to help.’
‘Thanks. I can’t seem to think what to do. I’m a bit upset by all this.’
‘I’m not surprised. The other papers will be carrying the story tomorrow and will no doubt add their own flourishes unless we do something to stop them.’
‘We?’
‘I’ll come back to work with you temporarily, then I’ll train my replacement.’
‘Maybe we could come to some arrangement. I could pay you more and—’
Edward thumped the desk. ‘When will you bloody well learn that this isn’t about money?’
Pete’s voice was sulky. ‘It’s what makes the world go round.’
‘Were you able to buy off your sister?’
Pete hitched his shoulders and began to fiddle with his pencil.
‘Or your birth mother?’
Pete shook his head.
‘And you can’t buy me, either. I’m coming back because I’m as near to a brother as you’ve got. If you spin me any lies or don’t do
exactly
as I tell you, I’ll leave instantly.’
Pete swallowed hard. ‘Thanks. I’ve – been a bit of a shit, haven’t I?’ Silence, then, ‘But what the hell
can
we do?’
‘With your agreement, I’m going to visit your birth mother to see if she’ll appear with you at a press conference. I’ll need Beth’s help as well. I don’t think she’ll refuse. They’re both decent sorts. Maybe when this is all over you can get to know them properly.’
Pete looked sad. ‘They won’t want to know me now.’
‘They will. They do. But first we have to stop the wild rumours. Your job is to go and see Aunt Sue, make sure she knows what’s happening. Break the news gently if she hasn’t heard.’
‘That mob out there will follow me if I go outside.’
‘Let them follow you. They’re bound to be camping out at the hospital already, trying to see your mother, but I doubt they’ll have been allowed inside her wing. Don’t say anything to them except “No comment”, but tell them we’ll be making a press statement later.’
Pete nodded.
His docility was starting to worry Edward. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’
Pete shrugged. ‘I don’t feel – as if I know myself any more.’
‘It’s not going to be easy but we’ll get through it. And Pete—’
‘Yeah?’
‘Be kind to your birth mother. She doesn’t deserve this.’
A nod was the only answer.
‘Afterwards, let them follow you back to your flat. The concierge will keep them at bay and if you need to get out without being seen, he’ll help you do that, I’m sure.’
‘How are you going to escape pursuit when you leave here?’
‘I’ll use the fire stairs but we need to create a diversion. Ilsa will hold the fort at the office and contact us if anything important turns up.’ When his cousin didn’t move, he said more sharply, ‘For heaven’s sake, Pete, get up off your backside and start moving.’
‘You’d break it to Mum better than me.’
How many times did he need to tell him? ‘This time you’re going to do your share of the dirty work. I’ve protected you for too long. From now on, you either learn to stand on your own feet or you sink. After you’ve seen Aunt Sue, go and wait at your flat. Do nothing else.’
‘You mean I’ve just got to sit around while those sods destroy my reputation?’
‘We have to get our act together before we do anything. Your job is to draw their attention. On second thoughts, don’t say “No comment”. Pull out all your charm. Tell them the article was wrong, but refuse to explain how. You’ve had enough practice at charming the press.’