Again, he interrupts her. “Of course, he knows. But his hands are tied. What I’ll never understand is why you didn’t tell us before the scandal hit the papers? We could have dealt with it then. For a start, we wouldn’t have issued a statement denying the affair. Now you both look like liars.”
“I didn’t know then.” She answers firmly. “And it wasn’t my idea to lie. Anyway, I need to speak to Clive, this is betwee–”
“I’m not blaming you,” Sir Alan continues. “It’s just awkward as hell. We’re going to have to play this very carefully. And that includes Vivienne. My daughter thinks she can bow out in a few weeks.” Sir Alan frowns into the camera. “But she can’t. Not yet. And I hope you didn’t think you could just come back to London. First of all, we’re going to have to lie about the date of this baby’s conception. We have to say that you slept with Clive AFTER the scandal.” He raises his voice on the “after” as if to force her to comply.
“No.” Lessa says matching him steel for steel. “Lies only lead to more complications.”
I want to kiss her for being so strong in the face of this bully.
Sir Alan talks as if he didn’t even hear. “We play it that the marriage was failing and when you resigned, Clive came to apologise and make sure you were all right and you had a one-night thing. There was nothing between you before, it all happened after. It’s not ideal but better than saying he lied in his statement to the public.”
“But the baby will be born–” She tries to get a word in.
“We will say it was premature.”
“It’s not a game–”
“Can you stop interrupting me, for God’s sake. I am trying to help you. I have found you a clinic in Switzerland under a different name. You will go there in time for the birth. Then after you’ve had the baby, we’ll move you to a small resort maybe in the mountains or in Austria where no one will know you. A house and a nanny. You’ll stay there for a year. Then you come back, and no one will know the exact age of your baby.”
I hate the way he keeps saying ‘your’baby as if it’s an infection Lessa picked up. My fists are clenched against the door frame. Lessa must have heard me move because she suddenly turns around.
In her face I see the same anger I feel, but she’s tightly controlled.
“Who’s there?” Sir Alan asks suddenly alarmed.
“Nothing.” She turns back.
“You had better tell me where you are.”
She pauses then says in a clear voice, “La Canette.”
His brows knit and he looks down, probably googling on his phone because a moment later his eyes widen and a slow smirk breaks on his face. “Well done. It’s the perfect hideaway. Stay there. We’ll come and get you. When is your baby due?”
“End of May, week of the 28th.”
“Good. We’ll come and collect you in April.”
“I’d still like to speak to Clive.”
“You can’t, now is the worst possible time. But he’s sent you something to your sister’s address, she’ll no doubt forward it to you.”
And the screen goes blank. No goodbye, no best wishes, he’s just gone.
“Are you okay?” I ask coming into the room.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Is that a hint of wobble in her voice?
She pushes her chair back a bit, and I move into the space and perch on the edge of the desk so I’m facing her. “Why does he hate you?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “It’s not personal, don’t worry. He’s always like that. Lord M used to know him from long ago, he said, Sir Alan had the charm of a slug and the diplomacy of a drunken street brawl.”
“I’ve never felt like punching someone so much. I’m sure my fist in his face can only improve it. His head looks like a balloon crammed full of spanners.”
Her lips twitch then she gives in and starts laughing. And after a minute, my own anger gives way to laughter, too.
“Are you sure, you’re okay?” I ask again when we stop.
“Yes,” she lays a gentle hand on my knee. “Actually, if you look past his manner, the solution does make sense. And he’ll get it to work. Sir Alan believes in the adage, ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste.’ He’ll wait until there’s something big, a war, a royal death, something big, then he’ll bring me back into Clive’s life while the nation is distracted.” She sounds very logical, but also disappointed. She must have been hoping Clive would have come for her as soon as the elections were out of the way.
