Free As if by Magic by Dolores Gordon-Smith Page A

resented what happened but he was very close to Charles. It all seems so long ago, now. You must remember how different things were before the war,’ he added reflectively. ‘We hushed things up a great deal more but that wouldn’t do for Charles. He was determined to get a divorce. I was horrified. I don’t approve of divorce now but then it was unthinkable. Charles and I quarrelled and I said a great many things which I now regret. After the divorce was granted, Charles went to South Africa. You were here anyway, so he left you with us. When your grandmother died I wrote to him but all I got in reply was a brief note.’ He looked at his grandson with an oddly hungry expression. ‘Did he tell you much about us?’
    George met his eyes, then looked away. ‘He never mentioned you. I honestly believed I had no relations at all.’ He spoke as gently as he could but his grandfather sagged and looked suddenly much older.
    â€˜He was always stubborn,’ he said quietly. ‘So terribly stubborn.’
    George moved uneasily. ‘Where did my mother – I suppose I should call her my stepmother, really – come into it?’
    â€˜Charles met her in the Cape. I got a short letter from him to say that he’d married again. Now that he had a home to offer you he wanted you back, so we sent you out to him in the care of your nurse. I believe she stayed with you in South Africa.’
    â€˜I certainly had an English nurse,’ agreed George. ‘I liked her a lot.’
    â€˜Your grandmother picked her. She was heartbroken when you left. She missed you terribly.’
    George sat back in his chair and let his breath out in a long sigh. ‘I’m stunned,’ he said eventually. ‘Everything I believed about myself has been turned upside down. My mother wasn’t my mother and I’ve got a family I never knew about.’ He shook himself. ‘I can’t tell you how strongly I felt drawn to this house. I wish I’d known why.’ He looked apologetically at Jack. ‘It would have saved you a lot of trouble, old man.’ He glanced at Anne. ‘After I’d found the house again we looked you up in a street directory. I saw there was a David and a Nigel Lassiter. You said David was my father’s brother. Are you married to Nigel?’
    Anne looked surprised. ‘No, Nigel’s a lot older than I am. He’s my uncle-in-law, I suppose, if I can call him that.’
    George looked puzzled. ‘Well . . . Excuse my asking, but who’s in the family?’
    â€˜I had three sons,’ said Mr Lassiter. ‘The eldest was Charles, your father. He never took any interest in the family firm.’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘We argued about that, too.’ Anne laid a hand on his shoulder and he looked at her gratefully. ‘My other two sons,’ he continued in a stronger voice, ‘are still very much with us. There’s David. You’ll like David. He’s your uncle, of course.’ He said the name with infectious warmth. ‘He looked up to your father. They used to argue all the time, but it never stopped them being friends. David could never understand why your father wanted to strike out on his own. He’s as committed to the firm as I am. I should have retired years ago but I could never bring myself to take the plunge.’ He smiled. ‘It’s lucky I’m here. I’m usually at the works but I’m recovering from a nasty cold. David’s taking over the reins. I rely on him tremendously.’
    â€˜And your other son, sir?’ asked George. ‘Is that Nigel? He’ll be my uncle, too, I suppose.’
    Mr Lassiter raised an eyebrow. ‘So he will. It’s hard to think of him in that role. Nigel.’ Jack heard the chill in the old man’s voice as he said the name. ‘Don’t expect any great show of affection from Nigel, George. It’s not that