Barbara Taylor Bradford - In the Lion’s Den

Once they were alone, Lord Reggie stared at Jane and raised a brow. ‘Bit abrupt, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Yes, indeed.’ Turning to James, she went on, ‘Let’s not stand here waiting.’ She motioned to James. ‘Please, sit down, Mr Falconer, and you, too, darling,’ she finished, smiling at her husband.

Both men did as she suggested, and after a moment, pushing down his annoyance with Alexis, Reggie said, ‘It’s almost tea-time, Jane. Ring for Mrs Bellamy or Broadbent, would you please? Falconer must be hungry, and he’s got a long trip ahead of him this afternoon.’

James shook his head vehemently. ‘That is a very kind thought, Lord Carpenter, but I must leave when Miss Malvern comes back with her reply. Her father is very anxious to have her thoughts on a certain matter.’

‘I understand!’ Jane exclaimed. ‘Only too well.’ Rising, she continued, ‘Please excuse me for a few minutes. I am going to ask Mrs Bellamy to make sandwiches for you and the driver, and bottles of hot tea. She’ll pack everything in a small hamper and you can enjoy it on the return trip.’

‘Oh really, Lady Carpenter, that’s not necessary. You don’t have to go to all that trouble,’ James said, looking suddenly worried.

‘Yes, I do ,’ Jane responded as she left the library, closing the door quietly behind her.

Lord Reginald moved to sit in a chair closer to James, and confided, ‘For eight hundred years the Carpenters have been known for their generosity and kindness to others, and especially for their hospitality. You don’t think I’m going to let someone else who’s not a Carpenter besmirch our reputation, do you?’

When James merely nodded his understanding, Lord Reginald added, with a wry smile, ‘I’m afraid some people, when they’re upset, are not quite themselves, do odd things, even behave badly. Just put Miss Malvern’s rudeness down to that, Falconer.’

‘I certainly will, Lord Carpenter. I haven’t taken offence.’

‘Is Mr Malvern in good health?’ Lord Reginald now asked, giving James a penetrating look. The urgency of the letter was troubling him.

‘He is. Though he has been a long time recovering from his fatigue. But we’re doing various new things in his business, and he urgently needs some signatures and approval from Miss Alexis. That’s all I can tell you, sir.’

‘I understand.’

Reginald Carpenter was a good judge of character, and he had been impressed with James’s demeanour, his quiet steadiness when confronted with Alexis and her curtness. After a moment, he said, ‘Do you like your job at the Malvern Company, Falconer?’

‘I do, yes, sir.’

‘If ever you want a change, come and see me on my paper.’

James smiled, obviously quite flattered. ‘I’m afraid I can’t write, Lord Carpenter. I’m not gifted like my Uncle George. But I do appreciate your very kind offer.’

‘I know you’re not a journalist,’ Lord Reggie said. ‘But we have a division called Management and I know you would fit in very well there. I think you are most probably a good businessman and could tackle any number of problems.’

‘Thank you for this extraordinary gesture, Lord Carpenter. But I think it’s best for me to stick with retailing.’

Lord Reginald inclined his head. ‘Consider the offer always there, Falconer. You see, I like the cut of your jib.’

At this moment, Lady Jane came into the library, her face calmer and her eyes smiling again. ‘Mrs Bellamy is doing her best to pack the hamper quickly—’

Jane broke off as Alexis followed her into the room, holding an envelope.

James was already on his feet, as was Lord Reggie.

‘Here is the response to my father’s letter, Falconer,’ Alexis said, her voice not quite as strident as earlier, but her tone still cool.

James took it from her, and inclined his head. ‘Thank you, Miss Malvern. I shall be going now.’

Alexis simply nodded, and walked to the other side of the library, where she stood looking out of the window.

Lady Jane glanced at her husband then said, ‘Come along, Mr Falconer. I will take you to the stables round the back of the house, where your carriage is waiting.’

‘Thank you, Lady Carpenter,’ James replied with a smile. ‘And thank you also for your kind hospitality earlier.’

As the two of them walked towards the door, Lord Reginald said, ‘Wait for me, I’m coming with you.’

The three of them walked to the stable block in silence. It was only when they entered the cobbled yard that Lady Jane spoke. ‘I’m so sorry that Miss Malvern seems out of sorts …’ She let her voice trail off, not wishing to make apologies for her hostess, who had behaved badly.

Lord Reginald shook James’s hand before he stepped up into the waiting carriage. ‘Good to see you again, Falconer. Remember what I said.’

‘Thank you, sir. I won’t forget.’

Jane and Reginald, watching the carriage roll out of the yard, then finally turned and looked at each other as it went out of the gates.

It was Jane who spoke first. ‘You like Falconer. You offered him a job, didn’t you?’

‘As good as. Told him to come and talk to me if he tires of Malvern’s. I think he’s first rate, Jane. His self-control, his confidence, his impeccable manners are everything I need in my executives, wonderful qualities. Don’t you agree?’

‘I do indeed. He’s a very nice young man. Rather exceptional, in my opinion.’

‘Damned right he is, and I can’t believe how rude Alexis was to him. She was awful. I hope she doesn’t behave like that at the Malvern Company.’

‘You seem to have forgotten she doesn’t go to work there any more,’ said Jane with a laugh. ‘I fully believe James Falconer runs the company, and that he’s Henry’s right-hand man.’

‘Then she’s a fool, not going to attend to her business … the one she’ll inherit one day. However, would any woman truly be able to run such a company, with several different divisions?’

Jane shook her head. ‘I don’t know. She was very involved in it before she became engaged to Sebastian. And I do think she’s getting worse, more introspective … she seems to be hiding down here, and she’s still focused on Sebastian. Sadly.’

‘As I said, we must find a way to shock her into thinking of her future, get her to move on, unless you believe she should return to Vienna to see Dr Freud.’

‘I don’t think that would help. We must come up with something … important to her … something that might be at risk,’ Jane said.

Lord Reggie came to a stop and turned to his wife to face her. ‘I don’t know what that could be, but I’ll do some hard thinking. Right now, I’d like to go back to the house and up to the nursery. I haven’t seen my heirs since breakfast.’

Jane smiled at him, her face suddenly radiant. ‘This is the perfect time. They’ll have had their afternoon nap, and be ready to smile and gurgle at you, and happily kick their legs in the air.’

Laughing, suddenly feeling much more cheerful, Reggie took hold of Jane’s hand. Together they walked back inside, happily silent, and went up to the nursery to see their twin sons, Sebastian and Keir, whom Reggie often referred to as his ‘little miracles’.

It was during supper, later that night, that Lord Reginald had a brainwave.

Claudia and her husband, Cornelius Glendenning, known as Connie to his friends, had arrived just in time for supper. Halfway through the main course, Claudia made a reference to a fact Reggie had forgotten.

She was explaining to her husband that her father had loved this house, and had built part of it himself. Like everyone else who heard this, Connie was taken by surprise.