Lynda Plante - The Talisman

After his bath Edward sat eating hungrily as Dewint kept up a steady refill of piping hot coffee. Edward ploughed his way through a stack of old newspapers, flicking over the articles that referred to himself. There was no hint of the man who had sat weeping, but Dewint knew, more than anyone else, that Edward was cursed with a consuming despair. A despair that he seemed to try to reach out to, as if he craved to be punished, for what Dewint couldn’t even contemplate. What impressed him was the way Edward fought back... He loved this man, admired him, and yet was always, would always, be a little frightened of him. Edward caught Dewint watching him as he checked over his appearance in the hall mirror. He gave his extraordinary wolfish and yet boyish smile as he said softly, ‘He’s mine, and I am going to get him. Clear the place up will you? I shouldn’t be too long...’

Edward drove straight to Mayfair. Checking his watch, it was four o’clock. His son would be home from school. He had decided he would walk in and take him. It was as simple as that. Evelyn was his son. He parked opposite the gates of Alex’s house, and was just about to get out of the car when he saw Evelyn pedalling round and round the garden on a small tricycle. He fell off twice, but picked himself up and sped around the garden again. His thick black hair had been cut short, and he wore strange, burgundy-coloured knickerbockers and long, wrinkled socks, part of the uniform of the small, private Hill House School. Edward shook his head and muttered to himself — what a terrible get-up for his son to be wearing. Again he was about to cross to him, when he saw Alex coming out of the house... the little boy turned, leaped from the bike and hurtled towards Alex, flinging himself into his arms. Alex twirled him round, to the boy’s delight...

‘Do it again, Daddy. Do it again.’

Edward watched as Alex threw Evelyn up into the air and caught him, putting him up on to his shoulders. They went back into the house. Edward sat for another ten minutes before he drove to Hill House School and enrolled his daughter for the next term. It made him feel better. The time had not been right, but with the two children at the same school he would be able to keep an eye on Evelyn, get to know him... then he would take what he had always wanted, a son, his son. Edward lit a cigar. He flicked a look into the driving mirror and ran his hand through his black hair, hair identical to his son’s.

Edward breezed into the office, gave Miss Henderson a bunch of roses, kissed her frazzled head and waltzed along to his office. He unlocked the door, whistling as Alex came to his own office door. He was always taken aback at the way his brother could switch from mood to mood, but he had been sure his recovery this time would have taken considerably longer.

‘Well, you recovered fast. Binge over, is it, or was it something I said?’

Edward gave him a strange smile. ‘Maybe something you’ve got is worth sobering up for, brother, be with you in a minute.’

Half an hour later Edward again took Alex by surprise by laying on his desk the contracts for his companies in Mexico, not only details of the projects but also very well kept accounts.

‘I hear you went on a trip to see for yourself? What do you think of the project?’

‘Now that I actually know it exists, it’ll take time to assimilate, just as this load of extra deals you’ve made will take time to assimilate...’

‘But on the surface, brother, things don’t look quite as bad as you thought, and there’s your name, sweetheart, in black and white. You’re not cut out of anything... Right? Am I right? So I’ll leave this with you. I’m going to collect Harry and Jinks, won’t be more than a few days...’

Edward was already on his way out when Alex rose from his chair.

‘Hang on, I’m going to need your signature on some documents.’

‘Can’t they wait? I’ll only be a couple of days. How was Ming?’

Alex caught the nasty sideways look, and pursed his lips. ‘The Japs won’t consider a third party involvement, there’s no deal unless we sell our shares.’

‘Well, that’s that then, no deal... I can wait. They’ll come round eventually, it’s too good a proposition, unless you have other ideas. You got any other ideas, Alex?’

Alex flushed slightly and shook his head. Right now his share of the Mexican companies was too big a prospect for him to jeopardize because of Ming. ‘No, but I would like to know what is going on in South Africa.’

It was Edward’s turn to flush, and he swung the door backwards and forwards. ‘Okay, I’ll come clean, I’m looking at some possible land, mining land, but as yet there’s nothing concrete... haw, haw... that’s a joke. There are possible perlite mining facilities, but I’ll keep you informed if and when it looks like I can pull it off.’

‘Who’ve you got over there? Anyone I know?’

‘No one, it’s just me. Don’t push me, Alex, start adding up the figures of what I’ve just handed to you from Mexico. I’ll never rip you off, you should know that by now. You can trust me, Alex, just like I trust you... Pity we sold out on the club, looks like a gold mine. I would still like to have a hand in it but, well, that was down to you... Right, I’m off. Take care, give my love to Barbara.’

Alex could say nothing. He knew that Edward had discovered he still owned shares in the club.

‘Yes, say hello to Harry and Jinks for me.’

‘Okay, and you say a big hello to your son, to Evelyn.’

Alex looked up, but the door had already closed behind Edward. Almost in an involuntary move he ran his finger round his collar and pulled at the gold chain, as if it was cutting into his neck. He reached for the files on Mexico. His hand rested a moment on the covers, then he rang through to Miss Henderson.

‘Get me anything you can find on perlite mining, would you, in South Africa.’

He flipped off the intercom button. Opening the files he tried to concentrate, but could not get rid of the strange feeling, as if Edward remained in the room. He looked to the closed door.

‘What are you up to now, Eddie? What?’

Harriet had not read any of the newspaper reports about Edward. She was enjoying life at Haverley Hall, relaxing and growing vegetables in the garden. At seven and a half, Jinks was an unusually quiet child, and still wore her glasses. She was getting taller, but was painfully thin and nervous. Mavis was still with them, but Harriet knew it would soon be time for her to leave — Jinks was already at primary school. Harriet had kept Mavis on as she had become a good friend, but she had a boyfriend now and her own life to lead.

Jinks seemed unconsciously aware of how to deal with her mother, often behaving as if she were the child. Harriet continued to have her schemes, her hobbies, but had settled down much more as she approached middle age. She looked a little eccentric, with her hair in a messy bun at the nape of her neck. She wore loose, flowing garments to disguise the fact that she had put on considerable weight, due partly to lack of exercise and partly to her medication.

Harriet was weeding the garden, unaware that Edward had been standing watching her for nearly fifteen minutes. He had always been aware that she looked like his mother, but now the resemblance was uncanny. When she looked up and flashed him that wonderful smile he couldn’t help but feel good. It was always the same — away from her he could forget her, but as soon as he set eyes on her again he felt that rush of emotion. He opened his arms for her as she ran to him, and swung her around. ‘My God, you’ve put on weight, nearly put my back out.’

Calling for Jinks, Harriet led Edward around her vegetable patch, pointing out the lettuces and showing off her tomato plants with pride. Jinks came shyly to the door. She was a timid child, and had always been slightly afraid of her father.