Barbara Taylor Bradford - Her Own Rules

“Darling, it’s lovely to see you,” he went on, staring deeply into her eyes. “I’ve missed you, but then, I told you that on the phone this morning. I was actually just coming out to ring you up in your room, to invite you to come down and join us, when I saw you heading for the lift.” He took hold of her arm firmly, and drew her toward the salon.

Meredith resisted and held her ground, shaking her head. “Reed, I can’t. It’s so nice of you to invite me, and thank you, but there are a number of things I must do before dinner.” Peeking at her watch, she added. “It’s almost five. We’re still meeting at six-thirty, aren’t we?”

“Of course. Unless you want to make it earlier. Look, do join us now,” he pressed, and once more tried to draw her into the salon.

Meredith said softly, “Please, Reed, don’t make a scene here. I just can’t have tea. I’ve some phone calls, and I must change for dinner.”

He let go of her arm abruptly and stepped away from her. “Very well,” he said, sounding suddenly grudging. “Don’t get frightfully dressed up. I’m taking you slumming tonight.”

Giving him a fraudulent smile, she murmured, “I’ll see you in a short while, Reed.” Not giving him a chance to say another word, Meredith spun around on her heel and walked rapidly to the elevator.

Once she was inside her suite, she threw off her cape and unbuttoned the jacket of her cream pantsuit, then went through into the bedroom. Pulling open the wardrobe door, she looked at her clothes hanging there, settled on a black pantsuit for dinner, wishing deep down inside herself that she had never met Reed Jamison.

At precisely six-thirty there was a knock on the door of the suite, and Meredith knew it was Reed Jamison.

Walking out of the bedroom into the sitting room, buttoning her jacket, she arranged a pleasant smile on her face before opening the door.

“Not too early, I hope,” Reed said, kissing her on the cheek.

“Exactly on time,” Meredith replied, and stood back in order to let him walk into the suite. “I’ll just get my bag and coat and we can be off.”

“Oh but it’s far too early for the restaurant, darling. Why don’t we have a drink here first.” He put his overcoat on a chair and sauntered into the middle of the sitting room. After giving it a sweeping glance, he went to the fireplace, where he draped himself against the mantel, striking an elegant pose.

“All right,” Meredith said, endeavoring to be gracious, although she couldn’t help wishing he had not come up to the suite. She had fully expected him to phone her from the lobby. Pressing the bell for the floor waiter and clearing her throat, she asked, “What would you like?”

“Scotch and soda, please, my dear.”

“Where are we going for dinner?” she asked, making small talk.

“Ah-ha, that’s a surprise!” he exclaimed.

“You said we were going slumming.”

“I’m taking you to a wonderful Chinese restaurant, rather off the beaten track. But you’ll enjoy it. The place has tremendous local color, and the food is the best Chinese in London. Genuine, too, not the bastardized stuff served in fancy West End restaurants.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” she murmured and then moved out into the foyer of the suite as the waiter knocked and then let himself in. After ordering their drinks, she returned to the fireside and sat down.

Looking at her intently, shifting his stance slightly and leaning forward, Reed said, “I’m really rather put out with you, darling.”

“Oh?” Meredith stared at him questioningly. “Because I didn’t want to come down to tea and meet your friends?”

“No, no, of course not. That didn’t matter. But I am somewhat surprised that you went to lunch with Patsy when I had invited you to come over to the house.”

Meredith was taken aback. “But, Reed, Patsy and I had a lot of business to discuss. I told you last week, when I was still in New York, that I had many things to attend to on this trip, and—”

“Oh really!” he cut in with a sardonic laugh. “You could have dealt with Patsy on the phone, surely.”

“No, I couldn’t!” she shot back, her voice rising in exasperation. She was irritated with him; she realized, yet again, that he did not really take her work seriously. Suppressing a rush of impatience, she went on more calmly. “We had business to discuss, and I was anxious to see her.”

“But not anxious to see me.”

“Reed, don’t be—”

There was a loud knock and the waiter entered with the tray of drinks. Meredith got up, thanked him, and handed him some of the coins she kept in the ashtray for tips. After giving Reed his drink, she picked up her own, and sat on the sofa.

“Cheers,” Reed said, and took a swallow of his scotch and soda.

“Cheers.” Meredith merely touched the glass to her lips, then put it on the coffee table. She had no desire to drink tonight.

Once again Reed looked at her; this time he was smiling.

She was relieved the awkward moment had passed. It struck her that he seemed less morose tonight, and certainly he was in a better mood than he had been earlier, when she had run into him in the lobby.

“Have you told Patsy you’re planning to move to London within the next few months?” he asked.

Meredith gaped at him. “What makes you say that, Reed? I’m not moving anywhere.”

“When I was in New York in November you certainly indicated that you intended to live in London.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Oh Meredith, how can you say such a thing! I practically proposed to you, and I told you it was hard for me to go on like this any longer, that we couldn’t continue our affair if we were separated by the Atlantic Ocean. I made it quite clear I wanted you here with me. Very much so. And you certainly acquiesced.”

“Reed, that’s not true, I didn’t!”

“You did!”

“You imagined it, Reed. Never in a million years would I lead you to believe such a thing.”

He stared at her incredulously, sudden anger flaring in his dark eyes. “I distinctly remember telling you that I needed you here with me in London. And you agreed to come.”

Meredith had no recollection of this at all and was about to say so when he came and sat down next to her on the sofa.

“What’s wrong with you, darling? Why are you behaving like this?” he asked, moving closer, draping his arm along the back of the sofa. “Don’t be difficult, my dear, you know how I feel about you. I need you, Meredith, and I need you here. Not in New York, but living with me in London. I told you this when I was in the States, and I assumed you would get rid of the business and move as soon as you could. Settle here permanently with me.”

“Reed, you’ve truly misunderstood. I don’t know how that happened…but it did, somehow. And I’ve no intention of giving up my business.”

“Then don’t, darling. If you want to work, you can, although it’s really not necessary. I can support us extremely well, you know that. Forget the gallery, that’s not important, merely my hobby. Just remember that I do have a very large private income from my trust. Monty might be inheriting the old man’s title when he dies, after all he is the eldest son, but I’ve got Mummy’s money.”