Unexpected Blessings

BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

Unexpected Blessings

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

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London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First Published in Great Britian by HarpercollinsPublishers 2004

Copyright © Barbara Taylor Bradford 2004

Barbara Taylor Bradford asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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Source ISBN: 9780006514428

Ebook Edition © OCTOBER 2014 ISBN: 9780007330669

Version: 2017-10-25

Dedication

For my husband, Robert Bradford,

to whom I owe so much,

with all my love

THE THREE CLANS

The Hartes shown in line of descent

Emma Harte: Matriarch: Founder of the dynasty and business empire

HER CHILDREN

Edwina, Dowager Countess of Dunvale. Emma’s daughter by Edwin Fairley. (Illegitimate). First born

Christopher ‘Kit’ Lowther. Emma’s son by her first husband Joe Lowther. Second born

Robin Ainsley. Emma’s son by her second husband Arthur Ainsley. Third born

Elizabeth Ainsley Deboyne. Emma’s daughter by her second husband Arthur Ainsley. Robin’s twin. Third born

Daisy Ainsley. Emma’s daughter by Paul McGill (illegitimate). Fourth born

HER GRANDCHILDREN

Shown in line of descent

Anthony Standish, Earl of Dunvale. Son of Edwina and Jeremy Standish, Earl and Countess of Dunvale

Sarah Lowther Pascal. Daughter of Kit and June Lowther

Jonathan Ainsley. Son of Robin and Valerie Ainsley

Paula McGill Harte Amory Fairley O’Neill. Daughter of Daisy and David Amory

Philip McGill Harte Amory. Son of Daisy and David Amory. Brother of Paula

Emily Barkstone Harte. Daughter of Elizabeth Ainsley and Tony Barkstone. Half-sister of Amanda and Francesca

Amanda Linde. Daughter of Elizabeth and her second husband Derek Linde. Twin of Francesca, half-sister of Emily

Francesca Linde Weston. Daughter of Elizabeth and her second husband, Derek Linde. Twin of Amanda, half-sister of Emily

EMMA’S GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN

Tessa Fairley Longden. Daughter of Paula and Jim Fairley (Paula’s first husband)

Lorne Fairley. Son of Paula and Jim Fairley. Twin of Tessa

Lord Jeremy Standish. Son of Anthony and Sally Standish, Earl and Countess of Dunvale. Brother of Giles and India

Toby Harte. Son of Emily and Winston Harte II. Brother of Gideon and Natalie

Gideon Harte. Son of Emily and Winston Harte II. Brother of Toby and Natalie

Natalie Harte. Daughter of Emily and Winston Harte II. Sister of Toby and Gideon

Hon. Giles Standish. Son of Anthony and Sally Standish, Earl and Countess of Dunvale. Brother of Jeremy and India

Lady India Standish. Daughter of Anthony Standish and Sally Harte, Earl and Countess of Dunvale. Sister of Jeremy and Giles

Patrick O’Neill. Son of Paula and Shane O’Neill. Brother of Linnet, Emsie and Desmond. (Deceased)

Linnet O’Neill. Daughter of Paula and Shane O’Neill (Paula’s second husband). Half-sister of Tessa and Lorne. Sister of Emsie and Desmond

Chloe Pascal. Daughter of Sarah Lowther Pascal and Yves Pascal

Fiona McGill Amory. Daughter of Philip McGill Amory and Madelana O’Shea Amory. (Deceased)

Emsie O’Neill. Daughter of Paula and Shane O’Neill. Sister of Linnet and Desmond.

Desmond O’Neill. Son of Paula and Shane O’Neill. Brother of Linnet and Emsie.

THE HARTES CONTINUED:

Winston Harte. Emma’s older brother and business partner

Randolph Harte. Son of Winston and Charlotte Harte

Winston Harte II. Son of Randolph and Georgina Harte

Sally Harte Standish, Countess of Dunvale. Daughter of Randolph and Georgina Harte. Sister of Winston Harte II and Vivienne

Vivienne Harte Leslie. Daughter of Randolph and Georgina. Sister of Winston Harte II and Sally Harte Standish

Toby Harte. Son of Winston Harte II and Emily Harte. Brother of Gideon and Natalie

Gideon Harte. Son of Winston Harte II and Emily Harte. Brother of Toby and Natalie

Natalie Harte. Daughter of Winston Harte II and Emily Harte. Sister of Toby and Gideon

Frank Harte. Emma’s younger brother

Rosamunde Harte. Daughter of Frank and Natalie Harte

Simon Harte. Son of Frank and Natalie Harte. Brother of Rosamunde

THE O’NEILLS

Shane Patrick Desmond ‘Blackie’ O’Neill. Founding father of the dynasty and business empire

Bryan O’Neill. Son of Blackie and Laura Spencer O’Neill

Shane O’Neill. Son of Bryan and Geraldine O’Neill

Miranda O’Neill James. Daughter of Bryan and Geraldine O’Neill. Sister of Shane and Laura

Laura O’Neill Nettleton. Daughter of Bryan and Geraldine O’Neill. Sister of Shane and Miranda

Patrick O’Neill. Son of Shane and Paula O’Neill. (Deceased)

Linnet O’Neill. Daughter of Shane and Paula O’Neill. Sister of Emsie and Desmond

Emsie O’Neill. Daughter of Shane and Paula O’Neill. Sister of Desmond and Linnet

Desmond O’Neill. Son of Shane and Paula O’Neill. Brother of Linnet and Emsie

THE KALLINSKIS

David Kallinski. Founding father of the dynasty and business empire

Sir Ronald Kallinski. Son of David and Rebecca Kallinski

Michael Kallinski. Son of Ronald and Helen ‘Posy’ Kallinski

Mark Kallinski. Son of Ronald and Helen ‘Posy’ Kallinski. Brother of Michael

Julian Kallinski. Son of Michael Kallinski and his former wife, Valentine Kallinski

Arielle Kallinski. Daughter of Michael Kallinski and his former wife, Valentine Kallinski. Sister of Julian

Jessica Kallinski. Daughter of Michael Kallinski and his former wife, Valentine Kallinski. Sister of Julian and Arielle

CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

The Three Clans

PART ONE

The Stormy Petrels: Summer 2001

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

PART TWO

Emma and Glynnis: Summer 1950

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

PART THREE

Angels Singing: Winter 2001

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Keep Reading

About the Author

Other Books By

About the Publisher

PART ONE

The Stormy Petrels Summer 2001

The name ‘petrel’ is said to be a diminutive of Peter: when feeding the bird flits and hovers just above the water, often with feet pattering on the surface, appearing to ‘walk on water’ as St Peter did in the Bible story.

Field Guide to the BIRDS OF BRITAIN

CHAPTER ONE

Evan Hughes stood in the middle of the fashion floor of Harte’s department store in London’s Knightsbridge. It was seven o’clock in the morning and nothing stirred. All was silent at this hour. By eight the cleaners would be moving around this vast space, and by nine a few of the dedicated sales staff would be arriving to prepare for the store doors opening at ten. Now, though, she was totally alone.

She loved this store and this floor in particular. It was her domain. And hers alone. Last week she had been made head of fashion, a very big promotion which had thrilled her.

As Evan moved slowly across the floor, making for the new haute couture fashion displays, she couldn’t help thinking about the first day she had walked into Harte’s. January 2001. Eight months ago now. She had been very lucky that day. Quite by chance she had met the man of her dreams and had found the job of her dreams. She had never thought her dreams would come true that day. But they had.

Pausing for a moment, Evan glanced around, her light grey-blue eyes devouring everything: the fashion displays under bright lights, the elegance of the whole floor – such an important one in this prestigious department store, considered the greatest in the world.

Harte’s of Knightsbridge had been founded by one of the most famous merchant princes ever known: Emma Harte. She had been dead now for thirty years and the store was run by Emma’s granddaughter, Paula O’Neill. Paula, an elegant woman in her mid-fifties, had inherited her grandmother’s great skills and brilliance as a retailer, and her two daughters Tessa and Linnet were following in her footsteps. Both of them worked at the store; Tessa was in charge of the first three floors which sold cosmetics, perfumes, leisurewear, lingerie and active sports clothes. Linnet, Tessa’s half-sister, was in charge of the fashion floors and also worked with Paula on public relations.

It was Linnet O’Neill who had hired Evan to be one of her assistants, and for the first few months she had helped Linnet to put together a retrospective of fashion which had been a huge success and pulled many new customers into the store.

As a reward for all of her hard work and dedication, Linnet had given her this promotion … and Evan was in her element.

Evan stood in front of the couture fashion displays which had been finished late last night, looking at them for a few minutes. They were great, she decided. The display staff had done a good job with the clothes she had selected.

Turning away, she walked down the floor, making for her office. Tall, slender and dark-haired, she was good-looking, elegant. Back at her desk she glanced at the photograph of Gideon Harte … the man of her dreams. She had fallen in love with him, and he with her, that first day when he had bumped into her in the corridor. She had been looking for the management offices, and he had led her there, all the while firing questions at her. And it was Gideon who had told his cousin Linnet about her; Linnet had subsequently interviewed her and given her a job.

Sitting back in her chair, Evan thought about the past eight months, and all that had happened.

She had never expected to find a second family in England. Only a year ago the only family she knew were her mother and father, and her two adopted sisters who lived in Connecticut. But all that had changed because of her grandmother, Glynnis Hughes. On her deathbed her grandmother had told her to go to England to find Emma Harte, saying that Emma was the key to her future. And Evan had done exactly that, only to discover Emma was dead. But she had fallen in love with the store, and decided to get a job there.

And now here she was, working at Harte’s, involved with Gideon, planning a future with him, and struggling to adapt herself to a whole new family. Because she herself was actually a Harte. It was Paula who had discovered that Evan was another great-granddaughter of Emma Harte’s, because Evan’s grandmother Glynnis had given birth to a son fathered by one of Emma’s sons. And that child was Evan’s father.

They had welcomed her, treated her kindly, with enormous understanding, but at times things had been difficult for Evan. So many things to unravel, so much to accept, so many people to get to know. Sometimes it seemed endless to her, and problematical. She worried a lot, dwelled on all this for hours.

Most troubling of all was the knowledge she had about her father’s biological father … facts she had been afraid to relay to him. Would her father Owen Hughes welcome the information? Would he really want to know that the man who had brought him up was not his father after all? She didn’t know, and she continued to wrestle with these questions.

Evan knew she had to come to a decision. Her mother and father were coming to London in a week or so, to see her, spend time with her, and have a vacation.

Could she look her father in the eye and not tell him the truth? Could she keep it a secret? And should she? Nobody could advise her really. Gideon had told her to do what she thought best, and everyone else had been noncommital.

The ball was back in her court.

And then there was Robin Ainsley, her new grandfather, the man who had been her grandmother’s lover during the Second World War. He had been a pilot in the Royal Air Force, a Battle of Britain pilot, and her grandmother, Glynnis Jenkins then, had been a young woman from Wales who worked as Emma Harte’s secretary, here in this very store.

She liked Robin; her feelings were even stronger than that. And she knew only too well that he longed to meet his son, Owen Hughes. But would her father want to meet this stranger – a stranger who was his real father? His mother’s lover. Oh God.

Evan turned on her computer, and after a few moments started to work on it, but within an hour the troubling thoughts about Robin, Glynnis, and her father’s imminent arrival began to intrude. Turning the computer off, she made a snap decision. She would take Linnet’s advice and go to Yorkshire after all for a week’s rest. And she would go to see Robin Ainsley, still needing to know about his relationship with her grandmother, and most of all to understand why Robin and Glynnis had never married.

‘She was beautiful and glamorous: the most sexually potent woman I’ve ever known. But I realized we would be disastrous together in the long run. We would’ve ended up killing each other,’ Robin Ainsley finished with a small sigh, and sat back in the wingchair, his eyes on Evan Hughes.

Evan was silent for a moment, digesting his words, and then she said slowly, ‘Because you were so volatile together, is that what you mean?’

‘Exactly. We never had a peaceful moment.’

‘You weren’t compatible?’

‘Not in any way, except in bed. But one cannot build a lasting, lifetime relationship on sex alone.’

Evan nodded, and eyed him carefully, then confided, ‘Gran was always pounding it into me that compatibility between a man and a woman was the most important thing of all. And I know for a fact that she was compatible with my grandfather, I mean Richard Hughes.’

‘Please don’t correct yourself, Evan,’ Robin said in a quiet voice, shaking his head. ‘Richard Hughes was your grandfather, just as he was your father’s father. Glynnis was a wonderful young woman when I knew her, but put very simply, she wasn’t suitable for me, nor I for her, not on a normal, everyday level. We were far too explosive. It was my fault as much as hers.’

‘Is that why you finally broke up with her?’

‘It is. At that time our dreadful quarrels were increasing, alarmingly so. Life with her was hell.’

‘But she was pregnant, Robin, and you did nothing …’ Evan’s voice trailed off as she realized she might have sounded accusatory. She had not meant to place blame.

‘We’ve already discussed this,’ Robin responded patiently. ‘But I shall explain one more time … we broke up, I started seeing Valerie Ludden. She and I were compatible, and became seriously involved. When Glynnis told me she was expecting my child, I had already made a commitment to Valerie. However, let me say this, so you truly understand. I would not have married your grandmother even if there had been no other woman in my life. We could not have led a worthwhile life and she knew that too.’

‘I’m sorry, Robin, I am being a bit of a pest, aren’t I?’

‘That’s all right,’ he responded, a faint shadow touching his mouth. ‘I understand your need to know everything.’

‘I wonder why Glynnis wouldn’t allow you to help her financially?’

‘Pride, for the most part, so I believe.’

‘She let Emma Harte come to her rescue, though.’

‘She did. My mother loved Glynnis like a daughter and she knew this, and she knew how much my mother sympathized with her. When my mother was a young girl she had been in a similar predicament, pregnant by a man who wouldn’t marry her, and obviously there was a great deal of empathy there.’

‘Thanks for talking about this, Robin. I really needed to know exactly what went on between you and my grandmother all those years ago.’

‘Sexual passion. I was also in love with her; it just wasn’t enough for a steady, stable life.’ He smiled at her then, his face softening with sudden tenderness, his faded blue eyes benign, loving.

Evan smiled back at him, reached out and took hold of his long, slender hand, squeezed it in hers. The two of them were seated on the large sofa in the library at Lackland Priory, Robin’s house in Yorkshire, meeting for the first time in several weeks. They were glad to be together again, to have this chance to get to know each other better.

The old man and the young woman. Related by blood, but unknown to each other, total strangers, until recently. The grandfather. The granddaughter. Two people who had only just discovered the other’s existence, who wanted to be friends, to understand each other, to find a certain kind of closeness, even the intimacy of family, if that was possible. The younger striving to comprehend the past and a disastrous long-ago relationship; the elder hoping that the past and his actions then would not damage him too badly in her eyes today, in the present.

The silence in this harmonious and peaceful room was broken by the sudden shrilling of the telephone, startling them both. Almost instantly the ringing stopped; the phone had been answered elsewhere in the house by a staff member.

A moment later the butler appeared in the doorway. ‘Excuse me, sir, Dr Harvey’s on the phone. He would like a word with you.’

‘Thank you, Bolton,’ Robin answered, and, excusing himself to Evan, he rose, striding over to the desk. Sitting down, he picked up the receiver. ‘Good morning, James.’

Evan also rose and walked across to the French windows which opened onto the terrace of the ancient manor house. She stepped outside, closing the doors behind her, and took several deep breaths. The air was always clean and fresh up here in the Dales. It was a glorious morning in early August, the sky azure blue and without cloud: a sunny, golden day filled with pristine light, just as it had been yesterday and the day before. She had grown to love this crystalline light which she had discovered was so prevalent and unique to the north of England.

Now she sat down on the stone bench and stared out across the wide green lawns that splayed out from the house and were bordered by flower beds filled with colourful perennials. Her eyes finally came to rest on the copse of trees which stood slightly away from the house, to the right of the lawns. Beyond their opulent, leafy bowers she could see the rim of the moors, a dark smudge against the pale, blue-tinted horizon. It was such a beautiful spot, this long valley in the middle of the Dales where Lackland Priory had stood for centuries. Pennistone Royal was not far away and in the past few months she had spent a lot of time in this particular area of Yorkshire which was softer and much more lush than the surrounding higher land. Up there, on the high-flung moors, it was grim and bleak for most of the year, neither pretty nor welcoming. She knew Linnet would not agree; she thought the soaring fells were glorious in their stark and solitary splendour.

‘I love those moors the same way Emma Harte loved them,’ Linnet had once explained to her. ‘My great-grandmother was a child of the moors, and she could never stay away from them for very long. I’m just like her. I yearn for them, as she did.’

Emma Harte.

Evan turned the name over in her mind. Dead though she had been for thirty years, Emma still lived on, her spirit and her presence almost as potent as it had been when she was alive. Emma Harte was her great-grandmother, too, although she had not known this when she had come to England in January. Just eight months ago now; how her life had changed since then. She was a Harte. And had been accepted by this unique family, made to feel one of them. She was still trying to come to grips with recent developments.

Almost immediately her thoughts swung to Robin Ainsley, favourite son of the legendary Emma: her father’s biological father, her biological grandfather; a man she had met only a few weeks ago, but whom she had quickly grown to like and knew she could easily come to love. There was something endearing about Robin, even vulnerable, and she wanted to nurture and protect him. At eighty he seemed so alone and lonely in old age.