Free Power of a Woman by Barbara Taylor Bradford Page B

said,
    “You should be so lucky.”
    Once they were alone, Miles rose, took a chair closer to Derek, and began. “I want to ask you something before Ma comes back from the kitchen.”
    Derek looked at him with alertness, wondering what this was all about. “Go ahead, Miles old chap.
    I’m all ears. What’s troubling you? And I guess you are troubled, if the look on your face is anything to go by.”
    “Yes, I am troubled. I’m worried about Gideon.”
    “Oh.” Derek sat up straighter, giving Miles his full attention.
    “I know you saw Gideon when he came to Los Angeles on business three weeks ago, and I just wondered what you thought. I mean—” Miles paused, cleared his throat, and went on. “What I mean is…well, what did you think about Gideon?
    His demeanor? His behavior?”
    Without even having to think about this, Derek answered immediately. “He seemed relatively normal to me. But what are you driving at?”
    “I saw him last week, when I was in London for a few days, and…well…frankly, I thought he seemed a bit under the weather, not himself at all.”
    Power of a Woman / 89
    “I see. However, Miles, I can honestly say I didn’t notice anything different about him. No, not quite true, actually. He was a bit vague the second night we saw him for dinner. I’d even go so far as to say he was remote, and now that I think about it more carefully, he was somewhat distracted.”
    “He was depressed when I was with him, and morose,” Miles said.
    “He’s always been a bit gloomy, Miles, even as a child,” Derek pointed out. “You might look alike, but your personalities are very different.”
    “I know. But listen, his moroseness has been more pronounced than usual. And you didn’t notice it then?” Miles stared at his grandfather.
    Derek shook his head. “No, and neither did your grandmother, or she would have mentioned it to me. As I just said, he appeared to be distracted, as if he were preoccupied about something, and he was a bit distant. Looking back now, I remember I thought his mind must be on business. But that’s all.” Derek’s eyebrows furrowed. “Tell me something, why didn’t you want your mother to hear this conversation?”
    “You know how she worries. And about everything.”
    “Yes, but she’s always coped, no matter what’s been flung at her. And brilliantly so, I might add.”
    “That’s true. But I didn’t want to bring Gideon up today, not on Thanksgiving. You know, it’s her most favorite holiday of all. I didn’t 90 / Barbara Taylor Bradford
    want to spoil it for her, voicing my concern about my twin.”
    Derek was chuckling. “Oh, I know it’s her favorite holiday, and none of us has escaped it. Ever. I’ve eaten more of your mother’s turkey over the years than I care to remember, and it’s not even my favorite bird. I prefer duck, pheasant, or partridge any day. But she hasn’t ever listened to me, at least not about turkeys anyway.”
    Miles half smiled, and wondered whether to bring up his elder brother. After a moment’s thought he decided he would do so, since Derek had always been his confidant, and like a father to him all his life. He said slowly, “Has Ma mentioned Nigel to you?”
    “No, she hasn’t, but then, Blair and I haven’t seen her in New York. We’ve been back from Los Angeles only a few days, and she seems to have been awfully busy at Jardine’s. Is there something wrong with Nigel too, in your considered opinion, Miles?”
    “No, not that I know of. However, Ma’s indicated to me a few times that she thinks he’s…sort of—”
    Cutting himself off, Miles hesitated, and then, dropping his voice an octave, he finished in a stage whisper, “Plotting against her.”
    “Ah, I see.” There was a dramatic pause. Then, holding Miles with his eyes, Derek intoned, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
    “I suppose there’s truth in that. Shakespeare Power of a Woman / 91
    always got it right, didn’t he? And you