She takes a few steps towards him, folding her arms and lifting her chin with satisfaction. 'Emma's been waiting for a chance to get her revenge on you, and now she's found it! That was a journalist, if you want to know. And he's on your case. And when you find your little Scottish secret plastered all over the papers, then maybe you'll know what it feel like to be betrayed! And maybe you'll be sorry. Tell him, Emma! Tell him!'
But I'm paralysed.
The minute she said the word Scottish I saw Jack's face change. It kind of snapped. He almost seemed winded with shock. He looked straight at me and I could see the growing disbelief in his eyes.
'You might think you know Emma, but you don't,' Jemima is continuing delightedly, like a cat tearing apart its prey. 'You underestimated her, Jack Harper. You underestimated what she's capable of.'
Shut up! I'm screaming internally. It's not true! Jack, I would never, I would never …
But nothing in my body will move. I can't even swallow. I'm pinioned, staring helplessly at him with a face I know is covered with guilt.
Jack opens his mouth, then closes it again. Then he turns on his heel, pushes the door open and walks out.
For a moment there's silence in the tiny room.
'Well!' says Jemima, smacking her hands triumphantly, 'That showed him!'
It's as though she breaks the spell. Suddenly I can move again. I can draw breath.
'You …' I'm almost shaking too much to speak. 'You stupid … stupid … thoughtless … bitch!'
The door bursts open and Lissy appears, wide-eyed.
'What the hell happened here?' she demands. 'I just saw Jack storming out. He looked absolutely like thunder!'
'She brought a journalist here!' I say in anguish, gesturing at Jemima. 'A bloody tabloid journalist. And Jack found us all closeted here, and he thinks … God know what he thinks …'
'You stupid cow!' Lissy slaps Jemima across the face. 'What were you thinking.'
'Ow! I was helping Emma get vengeance on her enemy.'
'He's not my enemy, you stupid …' I'm on the verge of tears. 'Lissy … what am I going to do? What?'
'Go,' she says, and looks at me with anxious eyes. 'You can still catch him. Go.'
I pelt out of the door and through the courtyard, my chest rising and falling rapidly, my lungs burning. When I reach the road I look frantically left and right. Then I spot him, down the road.
'Jack, wait.'
He's striding along with his mobile phone to his ear, and at my voice he turns round with a taut face.
'So that's why you were so interested in Scotland.'
'No!' I say, aghast. 'No! Listen, Jack, they don't know. They don't know anything, I promise. I didn't tell them about—' I stop myself. 'All Jemima knows is that you were there. Nothing more. She was bluffing. I haven't said anything.'
Jack doesn't answer. He gives me a long look, then starts striding again.
'It was Jemima who called that guy, not me!' I cry desperately, running after him. 'I was trying to stop her … Jack, you know me! You know I would never do this to you. Yes, I told Jemima about you being in Scotland. I was hurt, and I was angry, and it … came out. And that was a mistake. But … but you made a mistake too, and I forgave you.'
He's not even looking at me. He's not even giving me a chance. His silver car pulls up at the pavement, and he opens the passenger door.
I feel a stab of panic.
'Jack, this wasn't me,' I say frantically. 'It wasn't. You have to believe me. That's not why I asked about Scotland! I didn't want to … to sell your secret!' Tears are streaming down my face, and I brush them away roughly. 'I didn't even want to know such a big secret. I just wanted to know your little secrets! Your little stupid secrets! I just wanted to know you … like you know me.'
But he doesn't look round. The car door closes with a heavy clunk, and the car moves away down the road. And I'm left on the pavement, all alone.
TWENTY-SIX
For a while I can't move. I stand there, dazed, with the breeze blowing on my face, staring at the point at the end of the road where Jack's car disappeared. I can still hear his voice in my mind. I can still see his face. The way he looked at me as though he didn't know me, after all.
A spasm of pain runs through my body and I close my eyes, almost unable to bear it. If I could just turn back time … if I'd been more forceful … if I'd marched Jemima and her friend off the premises … if I'd spoken up more quickly when Jack appeared …
But I didn't. And it's too late.
A group of party guests comes out of the courtyard onto the pavement, laughing and discussing taxis.
'Are you all right?' says one curiously to me, and I give a start.
'Yes,' I say. 'Thanks.' I look one more time at where Jack's car disappeared, then force myself to turn around and make my way slowly back up to the party.
I find Lissy and Jemima still in the little office, Jemima cowering in terror as Lissy lays into her.
'… selfish immature little bitch! You make me sick, you know that?'
I once heard someone say Lissy was a Rottweiler in court, and I could never understand it. But now, as I watch her striding up and down, her eyes blazing in fury, I'm actually pretty scared myself.
'Emma, make her stop!' pleads Jemima. 'Make her stop shouting at me.'
'So … what happened?' Lissy looks at me, her face alight with hope. Mutely, I shake my head.
'Is he—'
'He's gone.' I swallow. 'I don't really want to talk about it.'
'Oh, Emma.' She bites her lip.
'Don't,' I say in a wobbly voice. 'I'll cry.' I lean against the wall and take a couple of deep breaths, trying to get back to normal. 'Where's her friend?' I say at last, and jerk my thumb at Jemima.
'He got thrown out,' says Lissy with satisfaction. 'He was trying to take a picture of Justice Hugh Morris in his tights, and a bunch of lawyers surrounded him and bundled him out.'