The Diamond Dad

'But I told you this was with his blessing.'

'That's right, you did,' he said in a voice of deep gloom.

'You just stick to it that you believed me. I'll take the flak.'

As he'd promised, the car was there and in a few moments she was delivered at the headquarters of Garth's clients. A man on the front desk politely enquired her business.

'I have to see Mr Clayton. I'm his wife, and it's extremely urgent.'

The confident way she spoke had its effect. The man showed her the lift and said, 'Top floor, madam.'

One hurdle over.

On the top floor there was a young woman at a reception desk who rose and tried to block her way.

'I'm sorry, but my instructions are to let nobody through,' she said, smiling but implacable.

Faye also smiled. 'If you don't let me through I shall scream the place down,' she said.

'Then I should have to call Security,' the receptionist said.

'Do so,' Faye said almost amiably. She felt cool and in control. To call anyone, the receptionist would have to move out of her way.

Too late the young woman realized this and for a split second she hesitated between the desk and Faye. That instant was enough. Faye moved her aside and swept on. Over her shoulder she could hear the receptionist telephoning someone and hurried lest security guards should appear.

But it was Lysandra who came out and stood in her path. She was holding a file across her chest, as though in defence, and she looked very much in command. But then Faye's heightened senses made her acutely aware of the other woman's pallor and unease. Suddenly Lysandra wasn't confident any more. Her knuckles were white where they grasped the file and she was angry and afraid.

'Let me pass,' Faye told her quietly.

'Absolutely not! Garth says he doesn't want to be bothered by disturbances now-'

'Well he's going to be whether he wants to or not. Now, I'll tell you for the last time, get out of my way.'

Lysandra seemed to take root in the ground and for a moment Faye's new-found courage almost failed. Then she remembered Cindy's frantic sobs and Adrian's white-faced tension and knew that nothing was going to stop her.

Moving so fast that she almost couldn't follow it herself, she seized the file Lysandra was holding and sent it whirling across the floor. Lysandra gasped with outrage, made a small lunge then thought better of it. But it was too late. Faye took hold of her shoulders, swung her around and marched on.

A set of double doors loomed before her. Faye took a deep breath and was through them before she had time to think. She found herself in a large room, dominated by a long table, around which sat a dozen men. At the far end, deep in paperwork, sat Garth, so engrossed that he knew nothing until a silence fell. The other men stared, nonplussed, as the pale, distraught-looking woman strode into the room and walked to the head of the table.

At last Garth looked up, astonishment on his face as he saw his wife. 'Faye? What are you doing here?'

'Are you really surprised to see me, after the message you sent?'

'What message?'

'Don't pretend not to know what I mean,' she said angrily. 'I came to talk to you, and that's what I'm going to do.'

'Then we'll go next door,' he said calmly. 'Excuse me a moment, gentlemen.'

He took her arm and drew her through a side door into a little room. When they were alone his urbane manner fell away and she could see that he was coldly angry.

'Now, perhaps you'll tell me what you mean by bursting in and speaking to me like that in front of my colleagues,' he said in a tight voice.

'I wouldn't have needed to if you'd deigned to speak to me on the phone,' Faye said fiercely. 'Why don't you tell me what you mean by sending your daughter a message by Lysandra Bates that you were too busy to talk to her.'

'What the devil are you talking about?'

'Oh, please, Garth! Don't pretend ignorance. It's all been an act, hasn't it? Letting Cindy think she meant something to you, then brushing her aside when she needs you most. You've broken her heart, but why should you care as long as business isn't disturbed?'

'What do you mean?' he interrupted. 'Why does she need me? What's happened?'

'Barker's had a massive heart attack. He's dying!'

He closed his eyes. 'Oh, dear God! No!'

'I told you he was very ill when I called.'

'When did you call? This is the first I've heard of it. Who did you speak to?'

'Lysandra. She said you were out and I left a message for you, saying Barker was ill and please call me back urgently, but you never did. So Cindy called, and that woman said she was sure Cindy'd understand why you couldn't talk to her. But she doesn't. She was sure you could cure him. She thought you could do anything in the world-always assuming she can get in touch to ask you.'

'Faye, I'm telling you I knew nothing of this. Lysandra never passed any message on to me and I'm damned well going to find out why.'

He wrenched open the door. Lysandra was just outside, a nervous smile on her face. Now Faye understood why the other woman had been so alarmed at her appearance.

'What's this about a message from my wife that never reached me?' Garth demanded.

'I knew you didn't want to be interrupted,' Lysandra said smoothly.

'I never gave you authority to block out my wife,' he snapped.

'I'm sorry if I misunderstood your instructions, Mr Clayton. I thought I was acting for the best.'

'Were you acting for the best when you told Cindy that her father wouldn't speak to her?' Faye demanded. 'That wasn't a misunderstanding. It was a lie.'

'I agree,' Garth said, regarding Lysandra coldly. 'I gather that my eight-year-old daughter telephoned, herself, and you actually refused to put her on to me. How dared you do such a thing?'

Under the black look he was giving her, even the super-cool Lysandra quailed.

'I'm-I'm sorry,' she stammered. 'I assure you such a thing will never happen again.'

'It certainly won't, because you don't work for me any more,' Garth said flatly. 'Don't even set foot in the office again. I'll have your things sent on to you.'

Lysandra gasped. 'Garth-you can't mean that.'

'I can and I do. Get out of my sight.'

She placed a hand on his arm. 'Please, can we discuss this-alone?' She glanced significantly at Faye.

He shook her off. 'We have nothing to discuss alone. We never did, but I couldn't make you realize that. You were efficient at your job. That was my sole interest in you.'

Lysandra's face became distorted. 'You'll regret this,' she spat. 'How are you going to manage that meeting in there without my support?'

Garth eyed her narrowly. 'Don't ever fool yourself that I can't do without you, Lysandra. Nobody is indispensable to me. Anyway, that meeting is closing down because I'm leaving.'

'You can't,' Lysandra gasped. 'They'll never give you the contract-'

'Then they can give it to someone else. Now get out of my sight. I don't want to see you again.'

The look Lysandra gave Faye might have struck her down if she hadn't had more important things to think of. As it was, she barely noticed.

'I'll send for the car,' Garth said when Lysandra had gone, 'and we'll drive back together.'

'No need. I came in your plane.'

'You-?' He stared at her for a moment, then seemed to pull himself together. 'Wait here.'

He marched back into the conference room and she could hear him explaining that a family tragedy had unfortunately made it necessary for him to leave.

A male voice expressed polite sympathy, but then said, 'You know we're behind schedule already. I hope we can continue this discussion tomorrow.'

'My time will be taken up for a week at the very least,' Garth replied. 'It might even be longer.'

There was a murmur. When the voice spoke again it had a slight edge. 'It must be a very close relative.'

'My daughter's dog is ill,' Garth said flatly and the murmur became a hum of disapproval.