Meanwhile, Tati’s pregnancy had provided a further family drama. Sitting down to work out her dates, it seemed likely that Leon di Clemente, the guy she’d had a fling with on her last trip to New York, was the father. But there was a technical chance the baby was Jason’s.
As Logan had been there when they found out, they’d had no choice but to tell her everything. To Jason’s relief, his sister had been eerily calm about it all, hugging and kissing both him and Tati and assuring them that it would all be all right, somehow. They’d agreed that Logan could tell Tom, but that no one else must know for now. Not until Jason had spoken to their mother face to face, and Tati had informed Leon.
Logan’s only question had been to ask Tati whether she was going to keep the baby. Jason found himself waiting for the answer with baited breath. The child probably wasn’t even his, and God knew it complicated everything at the worst possible time. Yet he found himself willing Tatiana to say yes.
‘I am going to keep it,’ she said, more firmly than Jason had expected. ‘It’s the one good thing to come out of this mess. And you know, it’s odd. I’ve dreaded being pregnant for so long, but when I saw those two lines today … I was happy.’
Two days later she flew to New York to see Leon. Jason had promised to break the news to his mother while she was away. He’d half hoped, half dreaded that Brett would have told her so he wouldn’t have to. But no such luck. Perhaps his father hadn’t believed Tati when she’d blurted out about his being gay? Knowing the two of them, he might have thought it was a lie Tati had thrown out in anger. Either way, her revelation had been followed by complete radio silence from Brett. Jason would have to tell his mother himself.
‘Here we are, darling.’ Angela walked back in bearing a tray of tea and biscuits. ‘What a treat to have the afternoon to ourselves like this. I can’t remember the last time it was just the two of us.’
Jason took a deep breath. ‘Listen, Mum. There’s something important I have to tell you. A few things actually.’
‘Oh?’ Angela looked curious rather than worried.
‘I think you’d better sit down.’
Less than ten minutes later, Angela found herself staring into the fire, hypnotized by the glowing embers as she tried to take in everything that Jason had told her. Three facts leaped out at her from the series of bombshells he had just dropped.
My son is gay.
I may be about to become a grandmother.
My husband has been lying to me. Again.
She was aware that the first two ought to be the most important. And yet she found it was the third fact that ate away at her, and left her needing to know more.
‘So, your father has known about this for how long?’
‘About me being gay, you mean?’ said Jason. ‘Two weeks.’
‘And it was Tatiana who told him?’
‘Yes.’ Jason looked confused. This wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. Perhaps she was still in shock?
‘But why? I mean, why would Tatiana do that? I didn’t know they were even in contact.’
‘They aren’t, usually,’ said Jason. ‘You know that we were bought out of Hamilton Hall, against Tati’s will?’
‘Yes. Her board accepted a takeover bid. Brett told me it was a good offer. That the two of you have made a lot of money.’
‘We have. But then again Dad would say that. It turns out he was the one who bought the schools.’
Angela went white. ‘What?’
‘Tati found out about it and went over to Cranley Estates’ offices to have it out with him. They had an argument and that’s when she told him about me. To be honest, I don’t know if he even believed her. You know what those two are like when they start going at it. They fight like cats and dogs.’
Yes, thought Angela. I know.
Brett had promised her that his obsession with Tatiana was over, a thing of the past. Yet here he was, making a hostile takeover of Hamilton Hall without so much as breathing a word to her. Never mind the fact that he’d known about Jason and said nothing. Nothing! This was the old Brett in spades. Lying, conniving, concealing. And always, somehow, Tatiana Flint-Hamilton was at the centre of it all.
He’s in love with her, thought Angela. Deep down, under all the rivalry, all the hatred, all the stupid games.
Why should I leave the home I love for a man who lies to me? And not just to me. To himself.
‘Mum, are you OK?’ Jason looked concerned. ‘It’s all right to be upset, you know. To be disappointed. Shocked, even. It’s normal.’
‘Oh, darling.’ Angela looked at him suddenly, as if waking from a dream. ‘I’m not disappointed. Not in you, anyway. You’re my son and I love you. More than anything.’
Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. To his embarrassment, Jason found himself starting to cry. The three people he’d dreaded hurting the most – Tati, Logan and his mother – had accepted him unquestioningly. It was more than he’d dared hope for.
‘So,’ Angela said brightly, kissing him on the cheek. ‘When am I going to meet this George?’