CHAPTER TWELVE
To the amusement of the whole family, Barker's passion for Peaches developed into slavish infatuation. She was a domestic tyrant, blowing hot and cold; one day allowing him to smooch her lovingly, the next, growling him away. But nothing could cool Barker's chivalrous devotion and in the presence of his beloved he was reduced to a state of doting idiocy.
'Poor Barker,' Cindy consoled him. 'You're a henpecked husband.'
'And when his pups are born he'll be a henpecked father,' Garth had observed, tweaking her hair. 'Like me.'
Four weeks after their first meeting, Miss McGeorge had confirmed that Peaches was pregnant. Barker strutted about, every inch the proud father, and Cindy and Adrian began to squabble about names for the pups.
The tenth anniversary was growing closer. Faye had relented about letting the children take part, because she was grateful to Garth for putting them before business, even at the cost of the Newcastle contract. He never complained, nor even mentioned the matter, and Faye only knew for sure that he'd lost it when Mary told her. It was like the old days, when he hadn't confided in her.
There was something else he'd kept to himself, which hurt far more. Kendall had telephoned to ask how she was and she'd told him about Barker's crisis. That was how she learned that Garth had sought his help in getting James Wakeham. At first she was delighted. This was exactly the kind of generous act she'd dreamed of seeing him make. But joy was succeeded by sadness at the way he'd excluded her. He'd done it for Cindy and although he could have won his wife's approval, it seemed that he hadn't bothered.
Then Kendall said something else that astonished her.
'It's nice that you're still speaking to me.'
'Why shouldn't I be?'
'I imagine Garth told you all about Jane.'
'She's your new secretary, isn't she? Why should Garth have mentioned her?'
'You mean he didn't? That's amazing. I thought he'd have made the most of it.'
'Kendall, I don't know what you're talking about.'
'Jane works late for me sometimes, and we have a meal together, and-and so on. She was here the night Garth came. Look, I was just a bit lonely for you. It doesn't have to mean anything if we don't let it.'
As Faye understood what he was really saying she waited for the surge of pain it should have brought her. But there was nothing. Kendall had found someone else to flatter his vanity. He was a kindly enough man in his way, but he liked being the centre of attention. What had followed was inevitable and perhaps she had always secretly guessed it.
'Tell me, Kendall,' she said, 'does Jane ever forget to watch you on television?'
'Well-no,' he admitted sheepishly.
'Then you should marry her without delay. And I'll dance at your wedding. Goodbye, my dear.'
She hung up, her thoughts in turmoil. It was ironic to remember now how she'd once said about Garth, 'I wouldn't put it past him to have my replacement lined up to massage his ego, just in case.' But it was Kendall who'd done exactly that and Garth who had remained true.
But no longer, it seemed. He'd known that Kendall had found someone else, yet he hadn't tried to make any use of it.
If he'd truly wanted me, she thought despondently, he'd have told me about this, hoping to turn me against Kendall.
But he'd preferred to leave Kendall's image untarnished. There was surely only one explanation. When the anniversary gala was over, he would be finished with her.
Cindy was looking forward to the banquet, and was thrilled with her new party frock. Adrian eyed his formal clothes askance and muttered, 'Do I have to, Mum?'
She'd bought the kind of glamorous dress Garth wanted, a black, figure-hugging creation that would be a good background for diamonds. The children were loud in their admiration, and Faye was agreeably surprised by her own appearance.
Garth, too, approved. At least, he nodded and said, 'Good. You'll look just right.'
She'd smiled to cover her disappointment that he showed so little warmth. But what had she expected? Since the night of their loving she'd hoped for so much and been granted so little. She'd had a glimpse of Garth as he'd once been, as she longed for him to be again. But he'd retired behind a barrier from which he emerged only for his children.
Since Kendall's revelation, she knew that Garth was simply biding his time until their final break-up. And, with terrible irony, this happened just as she faced the fact that she'd never really stopped loving her husband.
But he'd reclaimed her only out of pride, and lost interest when she was his for the asking. Sometimes she would surprise him with a strange look in his eyes, as though he was planning the next move. Perhaps he would offer her money to move out and let him keep the children?
She flinched at the thought of leaving them, but wouldn't it be kinder to let them stay here, with the father they adored?
Only a little while ago she'd seemed to have almost everything. Now she was on the verge of losing everything. And worst of all was the thought that Garth might have planned this from the start.
On the evening of the banquet Faye let Cindy help her on with the black velvet evening cloak, with its white satin lining.
'You look gorgeous, Mummy,' the little girl breathed.
'Thank you, darling.'
'Doesn't she?' Cindy demanded of her brother.
But he was covered in nine-year-old male confusion and could only mumble, 'Yeah.'
Cindy ran off to inform her father that Mummy looked simply gorgeous. Adrian regarded his mother awkwardly for a moment, before pecking her cheek and offering her his arm.
'Thank you, kind sir,' she teased.
Garth's eyes never left her as she made her entrance down the staircase. He looked satisfied. There was something else in his expression, too, but she couldn't read him any more.
'You look gorgeous,' he said as she reached the bottom. 'I've been instructed that that's the right word,' he added with a teasing glance at Cindy, who was watching him severely. The little girl smiled and relaxed, evidently feeling that he was doing the proper thing. Faye couldn't help smiling too, at the perfect understanding between father and child. She put her head up and assumed a dazzling smile as she offered Garth her hand and let him lead her to the waiting car.
The reception was being held at the Ritz. They travelled there in a stretch limo, with the children sitting up ahead, which gave the two adults the illusion of privacy. Faye had a curious feeling that Garth was nervous, yet his words sounded confident.
'The place will be packed tonight. We didn't get a single refusal.'
'I shouldn't think they dared,' she quipped. 'Not once you'd made your wishes known. Another huge success for Garth Clayton. Isn't that how it goes?'
'Some successes matter more than others,' he observed in a strange voice. But he was looking out of the window, not at her.
As he'd predicted, every seat was taken. When the family walked in, the crowd rose in applause. The lights were too brilliant for her to discern much but she'd been through a rehearsal and knew that models of the houses were placed around the great ballroom, and everywhere there was silver glitter the colour of diamonds.
Afterwards she couldn't remember details. There was a perfectly prepared and served meal, with excellent wines. Speeches followed. Faye heard none of them, until Garth rose to his feet.
She was on edge in case he spoke about their marriage, twisting the facts into a publicity presentation. But to her relief he began talking about the start of his business.
'It was a builder's yard with a door that didn't lock properly. Not that it mattered much, because there was
