Into Temptation (Spoils of Time 03) by Penny Vincenzi Read Free Book Online

at the picture of Laurence in its silver frame on her desk. Laurence: who Jenna resembled so absolutely, in every way; whose tantrums had been as powerful and exhausting, whose love had been as suffocating, whose emotional blackmail had been as threatening. Who she had loved so very, very much. Who she still missed quite dreadfully . . . She flipped through her post: the usual letters from bookshops and agents, invitations to functions, circulars from various professional bodies – and one from England. Addressed in Geordie MacColl’s unmistakable scrawl. Geordie, who she still felt a most proprietary affection for, having discovered him – what was it, God, almost twenty years earlier – Geordie, whose books still sold and sold, Geordie, who everyone loved, even Celia.
Dearest Barty,
Just to let you know Wild Horses is at No. 5 in the Sunday Times , Bumpus has given it an entire window and it is going to be the Evening Standard Book of the Month for May. Everyone is very delighted with it.
Everyone is not in the least delighted with Celia however. The family is shocked, Sebastian is not speaking to her, Kit refuses to go to the house (which she has said she will continue to live in from time to time, and what does that say for Lord Ardent – the family’s name for him – and his ardour I wonder). I do so hope you will come to the wedding. She would be heartbroken if you did not (if, indeed, she has a heart to break which I know is something constantly under debate), and if you could bring Jenna then that would be quite wonderful.
Adele sends her best love, and so does your beautiful and brilliant goddaughter. And mine to you. Geordie
    Well, thought Barty, it would perhaps make up for the non-sailing party. Going to London, a month before the Coronation. Staying on for it perhaps. And she really did not want to break Celia’s heart. On the other hand, it did rather feel like disloyalty to her beloved Wol.
     
    ‘I have some lovely news,’ said Izzie. ‘Barty is coming over for the wedding. And bringing Jenna with her.’
    Sebastian scowled at her. ‘I’m not sure I like that, I would have expected more loyalty from Barty.’
    ‘Father really! Barty is the loyallest person in the world. And her loyalty obviously takes in Celia. She always says she owes her everything.’
    ‘Through gritted teeth. Of course she doesn’t. What Celia did to Barty was of very questionable virtue. It did more for her own ego than it did for Barty—’
    ‘Oh, Father.’ Izzie sighed, put down her orange juice. ‘You really can’t go on like this. Celia is going to marry Lord Arden, and I know it’s terrible for you—’
    ‘Absolute nonsense. It is nothing to me who she does or doesn’t marry.’
    Izzie ignored this. ‘Well anyway, do you really think Barty would be head of Lyttons if she’d been left where she was all those years ago with her eight brothers and sisters in the slums of London?’
    ‘Quite possibly yes,’ said Sebastian, ‘she is hugely talented.’ Then he met Izzie’s eyes and smiled reluctantly. ‘Oh all right. Possibly not. But the fact is that Celia may have given Barty everything she thought she needed, but she deprived her of the one thing that really mattered. Her family.’
    ‘Yes Father.’ Izzie had heard this many times before.
    ‘Anyway, I’m very pleased that she’s coming to London. Although I’m not sure if I look forward to meeting that dreadful child again. Typical American, free-ranging, undisciplined—’
    ‘I think Jenna’s lovely. Not undisciplined at all.’
    ‘Rubbish,’ said Sebastian. He smiled at her, his fierce old face suddenly tender. ‘What would I do without you, my darling? I don’t know. Now, you write back to Barty and say she can stay here if she wants to. That’ll annoy Celia.’
    ‘Yes, Father, all right. I must go.’
    She went over to him and gave him a kiss. He had visibly cheered up at the thought of seeing Barty. He felt such a very strong bond with