Empire of Gold

A doctor entered and went to Nan’s bedside. She had recovered enough to be discharged, he said; she would need to continue oxygen therapy for several days, but the severe breathing difficulty that had caused her hospitalisation had been eased and her blood pressure lowered. Eddie offered to help, but Elizabeth insisted that she and Holly could handle it, and that he and Nina should check into their hotel before meeting them at Elizabeth’s house. ‘That way,’ Elizabeth added, ‘you’ll have plenty of time to get ready before going to Dad’s tonight.’

‘I can’t wait,’ Eddie growled.

A few minutes later, he was less restrained. ‘For fuck’s sake, Nina!’ he barked as they cleared the hospital doors. ‘Why did you say yes to dinner? Lizzie sticking her bloody nose in I expect, but you? You’re my wife, you’re supposed to be on my side!’

‘Yes, I’m your wife,’ Nina shot back, ‘and hey, guess what that means? Larry’s my father-in-law! When he invites me to dinner, I can hardly flip the bird in his face. You’re the one who’s got problems with him, not me – I just met the man. I’m not going to be rude to him for no reason, especially not in front of Nan and Holly.’

‘Told you plenty of bloody reasons.’

‘You’re hardly an unbiased source. And it all happened a long time ago—’

‘It still fucking happened, though.’

‘Then maybe it’s time you put it behind you!’ she cried. ‘What happened with Girilal and Shankarpa in India certainly made you think about contacting him, so why didn’t you?’

‘Changed my mind.’

‘Why?’

‘’Cause my mind changed.’

‘That’s not an answer!’

‘I don’t fucking care! I don’t like it when people think they know what’s best for me, that’s all. I decided I didn’t want to see him; that should have been enough. But no, Lizzie had to stick her oar in, and then you backed her up!’

‘He’s still your father, Eddie. What would you have done if it had been Larry in that bed instead of Nan?’

They reached the car. ‘I wouldn’t have come.’

She was shocked by his coldness. ‘What?’

‘Look, he had an affair while my mum was dying of cancer!’ Eddie snarled. ‘Some things you just don’t forgive. I don’t, anyway. To be honest, I couldn’t give a shit if I never see him again as long as I live.’ He got into the Mondeo and slammed the door.

Nina entered on the other side. She sat in silence for a moment, then turned to him. ‘There’s something I never told you,’ she said quietly. ‘I once got into a huge fight with my parents – they were going on their expedition to Tibet right in the middle of my exams, and they absolutely refused to let me go with them, said my exams were more important. And I was so mad at them. I was a teenage girl being denied something she really wanted, so I said all kinds of things I wish I hadn’t. But they went without me anyway, and . . . that’s when they died.’

She lowered her head. ‘It was just a one-off thing, a stupid argument. I loved them. But . . . ’ She looked up at him, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. ‘I can’t change the past, I can’t bring them back. But I would give anything to have been able to apologise to them before they left. I’m not saying you’ve got anything to apologise for, but if you’ve got a chance to settle your differences you should take it. If this is the last time you ever see him, do you really want it to be like this?’

After a long pause, Eddie blew out a frustrated breath. ‘All right. We’ll go for dinner,’ he said, reluctance clear in every word. ‘But I’m only doing it for you, okay? Not for Lizzie, and definitely not for him.’

She wiped her eyes and smiled. ‘Thanks. But you’re not only doing it for me – you’re doing it for yourself too.’

He squeezed her hand, then started the car. ‘Well, whoever I’m doing it for, let’s hope it’s not a huge fucking mistake.’

3

Larry Chase’s home was not in Bournemouth, but further east along the coast, about nine miles from the busy port of Southampton. ‘Wow,’ said Nina as the Mondeo pulled up. ‘Your dad’s place is huge.’ It was an old red-brick farmhouse, but one that had been extensively renovated, surrounded by a couple of acres of lush grounds. A brand new silver Jaguar XKR sports coupe was parked outside, an open double garage revealing a black Range Rover and a lipstickred Mazda MX-5 roadster within. ‘He must be doing well for himself.’

‘Making a few quid was never one of his problems,’ Eddie said. ‘How he makes it . . . that’s another story.’ He got out of the car before she could ask him to elaborate.

Nina had made an effort to dress up, wearing a skirt and a pair of high heels. Eddie, however, was in his usual jeans, T-shirt and black leather jacket, not even having bothered to shave. He trudged to the front door and rang the bell as Nina joined him.

Larry opened the door. ‘Hello, welcome!’ he proclaimed. ‘Come inside. Here, let me.’ He took Nina’s jacket as she entered and hung it in a small cloakroom before turning to his son, but Eddie had already removed his own jacket and pointedly placed it on top of Nina’s. ‘I’m glad you’re both here. Elizabeth’s been on at me for ages to get in touch with you.’ He became more sombre. ‘I just wish it hadn’t taken your grandmother giving us all such a scare for it to happen.’

‘Yeah, me too,’ Eddie said flatly.

‘But,’ Larry went on, brightening again, ‘it’s still an opportunity for us to bury the hatchet, I hope. Twenty-two years – it’s a long time. Too long, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Yes, I would,’ said Nina, when Eddie showed no sign of answering.