Into Temptation (Spoils of Time 03) Read Online Free PDF Page B

sharing his life fully. That is what he wants, that is why he asked me to marry him.’
    God, thought Giles, she sounds like some foolish girl, not a matriarch of nearly seventy. Does she really think we’re all going to believe in this claptrap? He felt almost sick with it, and wondered if he was the only one.
    ‘And besides, I feel it is time for me to go. Oliver and I created Lyttons, in the same way we created this family. Together.’
    A bit too far, Mummy, thought Adele. This borders on nauseating. She’d be weeping in a minute.
    ‘I find doing it alone, running Lyttons without him, rather – unsatisfactory.’
    And that’s how she sees it, Jay thought, as ‘doing it’ still. Running Lyttons. After – what? He’d been there fourteen years. The implication being that they all, still, did what she said. Even if it wasn’t quite the way things really were, it was strangely emasculating. He felt Tory’s hand slide into his under the table; he squeezed it and smiled at her quickly. She always understood.
    ‘Anyway, you can take it on now. You – three. I won’t interfere, I assure you.’ She looked round the table again, looking for dissent, her eyes amused. ‘I dare say you will find that a little hard to believe. Time will convince you, I hope. And I won’t be here much of the time. I intend to spend a lot of time in Scotland, and Lord Arden and I plan to travel a fair amount.’
    So odd, the way she refers to him as ‘Lord Arden’, thought Venetia. As if we were children. She was reminded sharply and sadly of Celia’s own mother, who had always addressed and referred to her own husband as ‘Beckenham’ throughout their entire married life.
    ‘Obviously you will be wondering,’ said Celia, ‘about my share of Lyttons. Which Oliver and I held jointly until his death and which he left to me. I have thought long and hard about this. Whether I should relinquish that share. It would clearly make things easier for you. Otherwise you would always know that I could exercise my voting rights whenever I wanted to. Continue to interfere. Of course I do realise – ’ she paused, an expression of strong distaste on her still-fine features, ‘ – that they only represent a tiny fraction of their old value. In purely financial terms. But from the point of view of the day-to-day running of the company, they are important.’
    So for the love of God, let them go, thought Giles. And give them to me, let me at last, finally, at the age of forty-nine, as your oldest son, take my rightful place at the head of this publishing house. Running it, as my father did. She was looking at him now, yes, that must mean, mustn’t it, it was to be his. God, it had been a long wait, but worth it—
    ‘Now I’m not at all sure that is what your father would have wished. Lyttons was always his first concern; he would have wanted it, I know, to remain mine.’
    Well, we know what that means, thought Venetia, it means that you’re not retiring at all. You’ll still be there. Day after day. This retirement is a farce. And she wondered why she felt a perverse and very slight stab of relief. Celia reached for a cigarette, lit it, inhaled deeply, and then smiled; an odd, self-satisfied little smile. ‘On the other hand, Oliver always found it more difficult to move forward than I did. To recognise the need for change. I recognise that need now. I can see it would be hard for you to accept my decision to leave Lyttons while I still hold my shares. And I do want you to accept it – very much. So – I propose a compromise. What might be called a short-term solution. For just one year, I shall keep my shares. During which time I will play no part in the conduct of Lyttons. Either from an editorial or a commercial point of view.’ She half smiled again; an ironic, self-mocking smile. ‘I realise you may find this hard to believe; you will simply have to trust me.’
    Very, very hard: impossible in fact, thought Giles.
    ‘And after