“Explain! Explain what for goodness sake?” shouted Charles. “How you like to get so inebriated that you don’t care how your family are hurt by your actions. Explain how you can’t keep your hands off any male that happens to be available. Explain how you like to perform in public for the titillation of the masses of men who will drool over you at the breakfast table. No, my dear. I’m not giving you the chance to explain anything to anyone. You’ve dishonoured this family, your conduct is unforgivable and you’re not fit to hold the title of Duchess of Canleigh and believe me, you are going to be stripped of it as soon as is humanly possible. I’m also going to proclaim you an unfit mother. You’re not having anything to do with the children. I can’t risk them being contaminated by your appalling vulgar tendencies.”
Tears poured down Delia’s face. Her body was shaking uncontrollably. She wanted to rush into the room and do something to her father to make him stop saying such destructive things but she couldn’t move. Her body felt heavy and drained and there was a terrible pain in her chest as if her heart was breaking in two.
“Look, Charles,” said her mother, her voice sounding slightly shaky. “This was all such a dreadful mistake. You know how I have tried so hard to be as discreet as you wanted me to be for a long time now. It was that bloody man, Green. He has been after me for ages and I just didn’t know he followed me last night. It was so unfortunate. And you can’t just fling me aside for this one mistake. I’m so sorry, Charles. It will all blow over and then we can sort it out, come to some sort of amicable arrangement.”
“You really are a stupid woman, Margaret,” thundered Charles again. “If you think we can go back to how things were, you are very much mistaken. Now get out!”
But Margaret stood her ground. “You do realise this is all your fault, Charles. If you hadn’t neglected me so badly this would never have happened. You’ve known how much I detested this place and everyone in it. There is nothing for me to do and you won’t socialise with anyone who is any fun … and you know I need excitement in my life … not all this dreary solitude. If you had let me entertain, taken me away somewhere lively and hot, rather than dragging me around all those stuffy old museums and art galleries, when you did deign to take me abroad, things could have been somewhat different. And as for bloody Blairness … having to endure weeks of gloomy old Scotland is enough to send the sanest person crazy. Yes, Charles. You have to take some blame for what has happened.”
Delia jumped, as there was a resounding crash. Daring to take a quick peek through the curtains, she saw the portrait of her mother from over the fireplace had been ripped off the wall, flung on the floor and there was a gaping hole in it. Horrified that her father could be so violent, she darted back quickly as Charles moved away from the offending painting and turned back to his wife.
“Don’t you dare,” he shouted. “Don’t you dare blame me for your misdemeanours! God, I was so stupid! I married you believing we were in love. I knew it was hard for you here but right from the start you showed your true colours, flirting sickeningly on our honeymoon for God’s sake and every man who stepped over this threshold was treated the same. You embarrassed yourself, you embarrassed me, and you certainly embarrassed many of our guests in the first few weeks of our marriage. I had to put a stop to it.”
“For goodness sake,” sniffed Margaret disdainfully. “It was only banter.”
“I’m afraid not, Margaret. It went far too far. It was totally humiliating for everyone. I can’t understand you. Most women would have been more than content with everything you had. A stately home to live in, money, leisure, three great children but no, not you. It wasn’t enough, was it? You are a totally selfish and self-absorbed woman, Margaret. You care for no-one’s happiness bar your own … oh, and the men, of course. I was forgetting them.”
His voice quietened. “Now that’s it. The subject is closed. Take what you need for now and I will have the rest sent on later to wherever you end up but there’s no point in returning to Canleigh House. I’m instructing Rathbones to have the locks changed today and the Savoy will be advised immediately that I am no longer responsible for any of your bills. You can pay your own way now … or live off one of your paramours.”
“You absolute bastard! You pompous bloody autocrat! How dare you treat me like this! I’ve given you my youth and three healthy children for your precious dynasty in return for the wealth and comfort you so kindly bestowed on me. It was a fair bargain, Charles.”
Outside Delia slid down the wall and crouched on the ground, utterly appalled by what she was hearing. She put her hands over her ears, not wanting to hear anymore but it didn’t work. She could still hear her mother clearly.
Margaret’s voice lowered threateningly. “However, you needn’t worry, Charles, I made up my mind on the way here that whatever happened I don’t want to live here or with you for one minute longer than absolutely necessary. I just hoped we could sort it all out amicably but obviously not … so I’m stating here and now that I don’t care two figs about a divorce but I’ll make sure you don’t leave me penniless. I’ll fight tooth and nail to get all I possibly can out of you and if you
