Hall.
After taking only one step into the Stone Hall, Tessa stopped dead in her tracks and stared at Jack. ‘The rag doll! The first thing she’ll ask for is her Reggi. Hang on a minute, Jack, whilst I go and get it. I left it in the library.’
He nodded, his eyes following her as she retraced their steps. She had hugged that doll to her for half the day, saying time and again to them all that Adele was undoubtedly heartbroken because she’d lost it. He sighed to himself. This was one hell of a mess, a bitter separation that would only become more and more acrimonious as time passed.
When Paula had brought him in a few weeks ago to investigate Mark Longden, he had realized at once how troubled she was about her daughter’s husband. Paula was not the type of person to pry into people’s lives, have them checked out, rather she had great respect for everyone’s privacy. Once he had begun to dig, Jack was glad she had taken the steps she had; he hadn’t liked what he had discovered about Mark Longden and he had lost no time in bringing the information to Paula.
Longden was very entangled with Paula’s cousin, Jonathan Ainsley, her great enemy and the enemy of the entire Harte family. Ainsley had hired Longden as the architect of his new mansion in Thirsk, and Longden had soon fallen under Jonathan’s bad influence. Booze and drugs and other women were the perks Mark was being offered. He had indulged and become addicted. Paula had been as appalled as he was, and worried for Tessa because of Mark’s violence towards her in the past. Even though they had already separated there was no telling what Mark Longden might do to her. Witness today. Snatching Adele was both cruel and dangerous, and yet Mark hadn’t hesitated. It’s blackmail, Jack thought, he set out to blackmail her and he succeeded. He’s after money, big money, as well as joint custody. He won’t get that, not with the evidence I have about his private life. But Paula will give him the money just to get rid of him. And good riddance to bad rubbish.
‘Here I am!’ Tessa exclaimed, hurrying into the Stone Hall, the rag doll in her hand. ‘You don’t know how she loves this bit of nothing. To her it’s the most precious thing in the world…’ Tessa paused, looked at Jack and said softly, ‘As she is the most precious thing to me. Thank you again, Jack, for getting her back. She’s the most important part of my life.’
‘I know that, Tess. And you ought to know by now that I’ll always help you any way I can. Why, I’ve known you since you were Adele’s age, and you looked just like she looks now.’
‘Mummy always says she’s the spitting image of me.’
They crossed the small entrance hall and Jack unlocked the front door and opened it; they both stepped out onto the top step. The sky was pale blue and bright, the light crystalline on this August evening, and it was warm. Yet despite the mugginess he noticed that Tessa shivered slightly as she stared towards the drive, and he saw the strain settling on her face once more, picked up on her sudden tension. She had relaxed for only a brief moment and he knew she could barely contain herself as she waited for Adele.
They glanced at each other as they suddenly heard wheels on the gravel drive, and within seconds a black Mercedes was turning the bend. Tessa started to move but Jack restrained her.
‘I know you long to hold her in your arms, but let us wait for a moment, Tessa. I need to see how Adele behaves when he takes her out of the car. I need to know if she’s frightened or upset, and, most importantly, if she’s afraid of her father. Those things are important for the divorce, you see.’
‘I understand,’ Tessa mumbled, but her agitation was growing and she was trembling excessively, could not keep a limb still.
The car finally came to a standstill in the area near the privet hedge which was always used for parking. She wished he’d driven up to the front door, so anxious
After taking only one step into the Stone Hall, Tessa stopped dead in her tracks and stared at Jack. ‘The rag doll! The first thing she’ll ask for is her Reggi. Hang on a minute, Jack, whilst I go and get it. I left it in the library.’
He nodded, his eyes following her as she retraced their steps. She had hugged that doll to her for half the day, saying time and again to them all that Adele was undoubtedly heartbroken because she’d lost it. He sighed to himself. This was one hell of a mess, a bitter separation that would only become more and more acrimonious as time passed.
When Paula had brought him in a few weeks ago to investigate Mark Longden, he had realized at once how troubled she was about her daughter’s husband. Paula was not the type of person to pry into people’s lives, have them checked out, rather she had great respect for everyone’s privacy. Once he had begun to dig, Jack was glad she had taken the steps she had; he hadn’t liked what he had discovered about Mark Longden and he had lost no time in bringing the information to Paula.
Longden was very entangled with Paula’s cousin, Jonathan Ainsley, her great enemy and the enemy of the entire Harte family. Ainsley had hired Longden as the architect of his new mansion in Thirsk, and Longden had soon fallen under Jonathan’s bad influence. Booze and drugs and other women were the perks Mark was being offered. He had indulged and become addicted. Paula had been as appalled as he was, and worried for Tessa because of Mark’s violence towards her in the past. Even though they had already separated there was no telling what Mark Longden might do to her. Witness today. Snatching Adele was both cruel and dangerous, and yet Mark hadn’t hesitated. It’s blackmail, Jack thought, he set out to blackmail her and he succeeded. He’s after money, big money, as well as joint custody. He won’t get that, not with the evidence I have about his private life. But Paula will give him the money just to get rid of him. And good riddance to bad rubbish.
‘Here I am!’ Tessa exclaimed, hurrying into the Stone Hall, the rag doll in her hand. ‘You don’t know how she loves this bit of nothing. To her it’s the most precious thing in the world…’ Tessa paused, looked at Jack and said softly, ‘As she is the most precious thing to me. Thank you again, Jack, for getting her back. She’s the most important part of my life.’
‘I know that, Tess. And you ought to know by now that I’ll always help you any way I can. Why, I’ve known you since you were Adele’s age, and you looked just like she looks now.’
‘Mummy always says she’s the spitting image of me.’
They crossed the small entrance hall and Jack unlocked the front door and opened it; they both stepped out onto the top step. The sky was pale blue and bright, the light crystalline on this August evening, and it was warm. Yet despite the mugginess he noticed that Tessa shivered slightly as she stared towards the drive, and he saw the strain settling on her face once more, picked up on her sudden tension. She had relaxed for only a brief moment and he knew she could barely contain herself as she waited for Adele.
They glanced at each other as they suddenly heard wheels on the gravel drive, and within seconds a black Mercedes was turning the bend. Tessa started to move but Jack restrained her.
‘I know you long to hold her in your arms, but let us wait for a moment, Tessa. I need to see how Adele behaves when he takes her out of the car. I need to know if she’s frightened or upset, and, most importantly, if she’s afraid of her father. Those things are important for the divorce, you see.’
‘I understand,’ Tessa mumbled, but her agitation was growing and she was trembling excessively, could not keep a limb still.
The car finally came to a standstill in the area near the privet hedge which was always used for parking. She wished he’d driven up to the front door, so anxious
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