DRAGONJULS Storybook
Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: See Part One
Part 18
Chapter Thirty-seven
Jason Bardley wasn't sure if his eldest daughter would be capable of taking the revelations in the newspapers, but she would need to know sooner rather than later.
Her distraught appearance when he'd finally arrived home yesterday evening was enough for him to gather that her life wasn't exactly under control, and rather than bring up the story again, he waited impatiently for his wife to give him the edited highlights when Jace had gone to bed.
Jace had refused to eat. She would sit by the phone and will it to ring. He wasn't to know until later that she had tried to contact Catherine Warriorson and been given the message that the woman had left town without a forwarding address.
Lucy unsuccessfully tried to engage her sister in a discussion on her recent college venue, Jace merely muttered a few muffled words. Eventually the family could take no more of her miserable demeanour and Jason persuaded his daughter to try and rest, that tomorrow would be a much better day all round.
Jason always had that extra soft spot for his eldest child; most people had thought he encouraged Jace in the family business because he didn't have a son to leave it to! Not so! Jace had a mind of her own even at an early age, and she had hounded her father to take her everywhere he could he had obliged willingly. Jace was so endearing and would charm the most grizzly of his contemporaries when she went into the office.
Now here he was a proud father of a child that was experiencing so much pain, and he couldn't do a damn thing to prevent it!
His glance slid over the headlines and the contents of the article and he snorted in disgust. 'Old news, it's all old news, goddamn it was over ten years ago,' his compassionate nature a sure sign as to where Jace had picked up that particular character trait. Placing the newspaper under his left arm and a coffee in his right he headed for Jace's room, no time like the present to have all the revelations in the open.
Knocking softly on the door, he heard a muffled enter. Walking in slowly he smiled gently at Jace, who looked like she hadn't slept a wink. "Good morning darling, you okay?" his eyes catching hers in a sympathetic look.
"Hi Daddy could be better." Jace gave him a weak smile her eyes rimmed red from her tears and sleepless night.
"I know Jace,' he put the coffee down by the bedside table and looked at the paper in his hands and finally offered it to her. "You'd better read this Jace."
Jace looked at her father in silent question and then asked, "You look worried?"
"I love you Jace, just remember that and when you're ready to do what you have to do, we will be there for you okay?" He didn't wait for a reply he left the room.
Jace turned the paper over and with trepidation glanced at the headlines.
'C X Devonshire, multi-millionaire owner of the Xianthos Publishing Corporation, revealed as a Drug Taking, Drug Dealing, Alcohol addicted, Ex-Con. Hiding away from her past in New Zealand!'
Jace flinched as she saw the headline and wanted nothing more than to throw the paper into the nearest garbage disposal. 'So this is what you wanted to tell me and I wouldn't let you? God what a fool I was!' Picking up her coffee she sipped it slowly wanting a caffeine injection more than anything to get her over this hurdle of lurid scandal or supposed anyway to some. Her eyes strayed to the article and she began the task of reading things about her lover that might actually be true.
C X Devonshire, the daughter of the late Stewart Devonshire the man who created one of the largest publishing empires in the world, has been revealed as heavily involved with drugs and alcohol resulting in a seedy prison term. Devonshire now reclusive in New Zealand has refused to deny any of the following.
In her early twenties she was frequently under the influence of hard-core drugs and alcohol, resulting in her dealing in drugs to ensure she never ran out. Eventually resulting in her being sentenced to a prison term in Germany for drug trafficking. Sources say that she maintained her addiction in the prison by indulging in affairs with both inmates and prison officials to pay for her addiction.
Sources also revealed that while in the prison, she was involved in a violent altercation with two inmates, one of which died as a result. Although involved in the incident it is believed her father was instrumental in influencing the prison board into leniency.
Jace was crying for the young woman, who had suffered the cruelties of drug addiction and still managed to crawl out of the sewer she had tragically fallen into. The person being depicted here wasn't the woman she knew! 'Oh god what are you feeling now Catherine? Who is there to hold your hand? Why did I have to be so naive and stupid?'
Her eyes scanned the next passage.
Catherine Devonshire 'used' people to help in boardroom take-overs; sources say she would take anyone to her bed if it helped improve her acquisition potential of any business. Many believe that she used drugs in making people think her way was the only way.
Her abandoning of her late husband the critically acclaimed author Adam Warriorson and her young son to become the power hungry, sexually aggressive owner of Xianthos after her father's death was instrumental in both their deaths three years later.
After the deaths of her family, she deceived the authorities in New Zealand into giving her permission to reside in the country eventually taking on the guardianship of two orphans.
The fact that Devonshire refused to deny any of the accusations must concern the New Zealand authorities and the shareholders of Xianthos. Have they got a decent citizen in control of their money and their children or some drug taking, volatile, enigma, and a timebomb just waiting to explode?
Jace screwed up the paper and threw it at her bedroom wall, hitting a picture and sending it crashing to the floor; the coffee mug following shortly after, making a brown stain on the paintwork of the wall and dripping incriminatingly onto the beige carpet.
The door to her room opened and her father walked in, taking a quick look around the room he immediately sat on the bed and engulfed his daughter in a comforting hug.
"She's not like that Daddy! Catherine maybe many things, but she's not the woman they are portraying, I know that! I'm going to find her and tell her so." Jace whispered fiercely into her father's shoulder.
"Well, with you in her corner Jace, something tells me she might just come out of this intact." He knew what determination Jace had and now she was resolved to help her friend that's exactly what she would do!
If she only got the chance!
**********
Grace had often wondered about the past of her employer and friend! Hell, she was a walking time bomb, which was about the only thing that the newspaper had right!
When Catherine had called and said the chat she had planned for her return was going to have to take place there and then. It was a surprise and when she'd finished, it had been difficult to think straight.
Catherine's admission of taking drugs at fourteen, anything from cannabis to finally heroine in her early twenties, was a little hard to believe, but the quiet insistence in her friend's voice had made the information both poignant and starkly factual.
Catherine gave no reasons for her fall into disgrace and had little remorse either, it was for her a long time ago and one she both regretted but had to live with; her mistakes, her problems!
The drug trafficking had been a little hard for Grace to take, having her roots firmly entrenched in the law abiding ways of her once chosen profession and her parents staunch up-bringing.
"I never sold to minors Grace, only people in the same position as me, more money than sense. It was a transaction, a way of making money after my father cut me off from my allowance." Her need to make Grace understand this point had taken the other woman by surprise.
The prison term had been difficult! She had a drug's problem, it was duly exploited in the prison, Catherine did what others did, no big deal. Her body the only asset she had to continue her craving for the drugs that would probably one day kill her. The violent episode was entirely a problem of a different nature.
Catherine had quietly explained the situation.
"I was a target for some of the more, shall we say forceful breed that frequent prisons. Having a body although abused by drugs holding some form of beauty became distinctly appealing to some of these women and that included the guards too! Let's just say I have marks on my body that need explaining away from time to time, especially if I take a lover.' Catherine had laughed hollowly at the remark, her mind straying to a gentle voice, intrigued at a scar six inches long on her back and several others on each of her breasts, although faded, at close range they were visible and Jace Bardley at been at close range. Catherine had managed to kiss away the question and used her hands to demonstrate that the time was for touching not talking. "I met someone who would eventually teach me to at least stay alive, only problem was she died instead of me!" Grace had gasped at the last comment.
"Hey, Catherine do you really need me to know this? I know situations occurred, if it's too much please my friend don't push it." Grace didn't need her friend to explain her life, she was happy to have her alive and not dead as the situation in her early life could quite possibly have dealt to her.
Catherine smiled at the phone in her hand and could almost see the concern on her friend's face; it was something to reach for. She wasn't finished with this life yet! Not in a big way! Maybe love would never figure in it again but too many other people still needed her to be around. Catherine would do it for them, it no longer mattered what she wanted anymore her dreams were over.
"I said I was going to tell you it all, you get it all," Catherine mock warned her friend.
"Fine, well carry on then those kids of ours will want a story soon." Grace tried to ease the tension a little.
"Maria, taught me basic self defence she also helped me to start the treatment to kick the drugs, it wasn't pleasant and when the tension got too much she taught me to use music to ease it. The workouts I do at home are a product of Maria's influence; she was a great athlete. I loved her in a way that brought me a measure of peace after the first six months of my prison term.
Then a bitch called Katria, decided that I was the new game in town and Maria shouldn't have all the spoils. It was quite a normal situation in prison, but this time it turned out the bitch was going to go all the way. She cornered us in the gym area and punched me around a little until she almost knocked me senseless and slashed at me in the back with her knife when I wouldn't co-operate. Then Maria attacked her. I was watching but it was like living in a slow motion movie the knife came out of nowhere and Katria ripped her throat open. I moved then in a haze and started to choke the living daylights out of the bitch, the strength coming from some place deep down that I didn't realise I had. The guards stopped the fight before I killed her, because sure as hell Grace, I would have relished that at that point. I was in the prison hospital for a short period and spent the rest of my stay in solitary I'm not sure how but I was released shortly afterwards. I know they're saying it was my father who influenced that decision, I will probably never know for sure." A silence descended as the two women each mulled over their own feelings to the story.
"Adam Warriorson came to my rescue when my only brother died a month after my release from prison. He saved my life, by offering me security and his love. I took it! Then I broke his heart and my son's by going off to be my father's daughter! Ironic when I hadn't even set eyes on my father in over ten years. I was the power hungry executive that always won. I did things to get results, like slept with the odd chairman of the board, but I think it was more enjoyable for them than me! I stopped the drugs back in the prison and Adam made sure I completed the treatment, I've been clean ever since I was twenty-three. Alcohol took a little longer as you know, but I was never dependant on it anyway just another way of getting over life's troubles in general. I will never forgive myself for the deaths of Adam or my son, but I have to live with it in the only way I know how." Catherine sounded relieved to have spoken out over her life's disasters. Her heart ached with the image that Jace would read all the so called facts from a news sheet rather than Catherine giving her the personal details as she had narrated to Grace.
"Are you coming home Catherine?" It was the only question Grace wanted an answer too!
"Would you want me to come home?" A tentative question.
"Yes! Never doubt that Catherine Warriorson, never ever doubt it!" Grace passionately insisted.
"I have to attend to a business education problem in South America, and if the authorities don't cancel my residential status; yes, I'm coming home!" it was a heartfelt comment.
"You think they might cancel it?" Grace was shocked at the thought.
"Maybe, depends on how the public take Hudson's little titbits on my life." Catherine answered her mater-of-factly.
"Have you discussed this with Jace?" Grace heard a sharp in-drawn breath.
"No," Catherine replied shortly.
"Why?" Grace whispered in surprise.
"Ms Bardley kind of didn't like my alter ego Devonshire, we had an argument of sorts. Guess she will see all the gory details in the paper tomorrow." Catherine sighed at the thought and her sadness was palpable over the phone line.
"You need her Catherine, never more so than now!" Grace pointed out.
"I know, I know I do Grace but try telling Jace that!" Catherine sighed heavily at her end of the line
"Perhaps I will." Grace answered slowly her mind going over the possibilities.
"No! You will not tell Jace anything! Her decision was made and she chose where she wanted to be! Unfortunately for me it wasn't at my side. I saw the hate in her face when she spoke about my company and me in particular, this might just put the final nail in the coffin. I need to trust you on this Grace, withhold all the information regarding my whereabouts and any other detail that could possibly interest Jace, okay?"
Grace bit her lip as she tried to think of a way to let Jace know without letting down Catherine. There was no way; her choice had already been made. "Fine, Jace Bardley is dead to you."
Catherine digested that last sentence. "Not dead Grace, she will never be dead to me, she holds my heart and soul."
Grace had talked to Colin, she had hoped that he would understand if not approve. It was conceivable that some of the men, Colin included might want to quit the ranch, well so be it!
He had taken the revelations of Catherine's past in his stride and told her not to worry. Her main criterion was making sure the scandal mongering didn't harm the children and the bigoted people that she was sure to come across. That had been Catherine's final comment as she ended the call and said she would phone again in a week or so.
The children wouldn't suffer and that would be her task in all of this, Catherine's peace of mind.
**********
Chapter Thirty-eight
Jace finally arrived back at her apartment; it hadn't been easy! When she entered her mind went back to a week ago and the woman who had shared her bed that night. Since that time her life had crashed to pieces before her and it had all been her fault.
It had been impossible to track down Catherine after she'd left the hotel; numerous calls to Xianthos in New York had been either viewed as crank calls or further invasion of Ms Devonshire's privacy. The company had closed ranks and no one was talking!
Jace had even tried to contact Paul Strong but his PA had thwarted that, eventually breaking down in tears, which the PA although sympathetic still refused to disclose any pertinent details about Ms Devonshire to her.
Her father had used some of his old contacts in the publishing world to retrieve any possible information about Catherine. The steel barricades had come down heavily on the media and anyone else for that matter who wanted information, it was as if Devonshire had unbelievably gained more respect from her character deficiencies. Not many in the industry believed the garbage of her using drugs to tempt people, she hadn't needed to do that her intelligence, and charisma had proved adequate enough not to mention her beauty.
Jace had to see Hudson the next day; going back to her apartment had been the only solution. Now scanning the room she had called home it was now nothing but an empty shell. She went over to her computer and switched it on at least clearing up her inbox would keep her mind occupied for a little while.
Waiting for the machine to boot up, she made coffee and regarded the wilting flowers all over the apartment, which had once been fresh and alive like her love for Catherine, now dead and dying, the flowers visibly represented her destruction of that love.
Sitting in front of the screen, Jace saw numerous messages, many from selected site digests and several from Peter, then she saw an unusual addy and almost deleted it, but was intrigued by the title.
'A lyric tells it all!'
Opening the mail she gasped at the author!
Jace,
I'm not actually sure if this message will be welcome. You may not even bother to read it, I will understand!
Apologising was never a strong skill of mine, but I guess I owe you one for not explaining sooner that I was also the 'notorious Catherine Devonshire', I'm sure by now my name will be somewhat scandalised.
As I said to you in the office of UCP, I can't change the past and if I'm honest, I wouldn't want too! I might never have met you if my life had changed in any way, which isn't an option that I want to contemplate. You brought love into my life that can never be measured, and I now know what it feels like to put that love ahead of anything else in my life, even my own selfish desires. So, you actually did us both a favour Jace by hating my other life, because now you can't be tarnished by the dark clouds of my past.
Well, I guess by now you know I use lyrics to speak for me and this one is exactly how I feel about you.
Alone.'
There are words written which speak of love, tokens given that carry the flame.
But never will I look upon a face that illustrates it quite like your face does for me.
Lost and alone, the bleakness blending into your soul, I know I make you cry, I know you hate me!
Friendship is the key, love is the lock, and please let me unlock your love with my key.
It was written in the stars, etched into my heart, I have only silent words for what I feel for you, the truth being I love you!
Lost and Alone, the bleakness blending into your soul, I know I made you cry, I know you hate me!
I thought that I was over you, but your scent invades me, your body haunts me, your words evoke me, but can you still love me?
Do I beg you to stay, I will, I will just say.
Give me a chance, I'll make it right, nothing can prevent the light of your love has shown me.
Lost and alone, the bleakness blending into your soul, I know I made you cry, I know you hate me!
If you ever hear the song by Infinity, I hope you can think of me a little more favourably.
Goodbye Jace Bardley, and thank you.
Catherine Devonshire-Warriorson
Anyone passing Jace Bardley's apartment that evening would have been struck by the racking sobs of the young woman.
**********
Clarissa Hudson paced her office like a caged animal.
What the hell was wrong with people today? Now she was being sued by Xianthos Holdings for her disparaging comments about their chairwoman's tactics on the acquisition trail.
Paul Strong had spoken to the lawyers immediately after the newspapers had released the story. Hudson thought she was immune from any repercussions, leaving her name out of the article. 'Her father would be turning in his grave, if he knew what Catherine had done, by bringing an action against me! It was the truth anyway!' Hudson continued to pace the floor, Jace Bardley was due back in the office anytime and that would be an interesting conversation. 'The bitch hadn't been back in the office for a week and had called in sick! Sick what a pathetic excuse, couldn't she stomach the truth either?'
Paul Strong had been adamant that Xianthos would not back down from this case, he would personally see it through, after all Ms Devonshire had no ties to the company except to get her profit revenues when due.
Hearing the door to the other office open, Hudson stopped her pacing and heard the scrape of Jace's chair on the tiled floor. Waiting for all of two minutes, she rushed through her door. "THOUGHT I SAID I WANTED TO SEE YOU!" Clarissa shouted at the pale face of Jace Bardley.
"You did, I was just opening up my desk and then going to let you know I was here." Jace replied calmly, there was nothing this woman could do to her that she hadn't done to herself already.
"Get in here then!" Clarissa barked back at her.
"Okay." Jace stood up and followed the angry producer into her office, closing the door behind her.
"The bitch is suing me, did you know that?" Hudson bitterly stated.
"No." Jace stood in front of the desk and looked at her dispassionately.
"I thought you might know what the bitch was doing, weren't you sharing her bed?" Hudson sneered at her.
"Catherine didn't discuss business with me," Jace refused to be baited.
"So, you did share her bed was she any good?" Hudson looked at Jace with frank interest.
"My personal life is my affair, not yours and whatever she's good at that's surely for you to find out." Jace wasn't going to let this woman have the upper hand.
"Once you found out who she was you abandoned her, am I right?' noticing the pale cheeks of the woman before her at the comment. "I was right about you Jace you can't hack it. Life isn't all rosy you know; you must have known she had a history?" Hudson uncharacteristically sounded apologetic.
"Perhaps." Jace replied quietly.
"So, what are you doing here anyway? Thought you would have left now that you're aware that Xianthos owns more of the studio than I do?" Hudson eyed her with interest; she was really quite a presentable looking woman, if you liked the small ones.
"Good point. Actually I am giving you notice Hudson, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! Good luck with your lawsuit." Jace turned her back on Hudson and heard a sharp gasp.
"You can't do that! You owe me!" Hudson's mind turned off her speculation of Jace's body and spat venomously at her instead with words.
Turning back to face the woman, she noticed the spots of red in Hudson's cheeks, spots of anger. "I can! I will! I have! I owe you nothing."
This time she had her hand on the handle of the door before Hudson responded. "I'll see that you never work in this town again Jace!"
Jace wanted to ignore the comment but something inside her tempted out the devil inside. "Go ahead. It must be the only thing you're good at, maligning people's character! Give it your best shot because you will only get one chance."
Jace slammed the door in Hudson's face.
Hudson didn't like that one bit. She stormed out of her office as Jace collected her belongings and stood directly in her path to the exit.
"Not so fast little girl. I'm going to enjoy taking you down just like I've taken your 'friend' down. Only you will be begging me to take you back here when I've finished with you."
Jace realised that Hudson was mad. She was so convinced about her power over people that she lost sight of the reality of life. "You didn't break Catherine, so no way are you going to break me."
"If I tell the world about your affair with the wonderful Catherine, wouldn't that be peachy." Clarissa smiled seductively at Jace.
"You wouldn't?" Jace sent her a pleading look, immediately realising she had made a big mistake allowing her feelings to show.
"Well....... you could always let me take her place in your bed, until I tire of you that is. Then maybe you could convince me to keep quiet, what do you say?" Hudson saw the fear in Jace's expression.
Jace's expression took on a look of absolute shock and horror at the thought. "NO!" she finally managed to shout at Hudson.
Clarissa Hudson put a hand out and stroked a well-manicured finger down one of Jace's cheeks and noticed the flush appear a mirror of what Catherine had done to her the week before; paybacks are such a bitch. "Pity, we could have had a good time. Catherine won't come back to you, you left her remember?"
Laughing she moved to let Jace go, her body making contact as Jace tried unsuccessfully to manoeuvre around her to prevent further contact with her ex-boss. Cringing Jace made it to her car, immediately her body reacted to the threat and sleazy comments from Hudson, she couldn't keep her breakfast down and was sick in the car park area.
'I know I left her that's the hardest thing to live with,' her mind constantly reminded her, Hudson's words reflecting her own.
**********
Grace watched Colin from the porch as he gently coaxed Lisa into a run around the paddock on the pony. The child wasn't the best horsewoman, but she wanted to go on the rides with Catherine and Jake, when Catherine came back from her travels. Grace sighed and noticed that Jake was walking over to her, he was turning out to be a very interesting and caring boy. He had taken over reading to Lisa now that Catherine wasn't around and Grace had been busy. "Hi Jake, finished your lesson already?"
"Yes, Colin wants to spend a little longer with Lisa. So, I thought I would come and see if you needed any help?"
"That was thoughtful Jake, but everything is done for the moment here, how about we go inside and have a drink and a cookie?" Knowing the child enjoyed her baking skills.
He beamed at her and nodded his head.
Taking his normal seat at the kitchen table, he looked over at the space opposite him. "When will Catherine come back?"
"Oh, well she has business to attend to and then she's coming home."
"They say she's not coming back," he said quietly.
Looking at him she saw him frown and bite his lower lip. "Now who would 'they' be Jake?" taking a pointer from Jace's book on dealing with the child.
"The kids at school and some of the teachers have asked me if she's home yet," he endeavoured to explain.
"I see. Well, I talked to Catherine recently and she's coming home Jake trust me." Grace smiled warmly at the boy.
"We won't have to go back to the orphanage will we Grace?" He watched her put down the cups she held and turned to face him.
"No! Jake, Catherine wants you to answer her question when she gets home and if you don't want to go back to the orphanage then you won't, we will both see to that!' Grace got closer to the boy and suddenly pulled him into a hug. "Jake, she loves you and Lisa, and right now the both of you are the most important people in her life."
"Is she in trouble Grace?" He suffered the hug.
"Yes. I won't lie to you Jake, various people are saying nasty things about her and some are true, others aren't. What you have to tell yourself is do you like her enough to still be here for her when she comes home regardless of what other people think of her?"
Jake looked into the serious face of the woman who shared the duties of looking after them and he smiled ruefully. "I don't just like her Grace, Lisa and I will still be here for her when she comes home."
"You know what kid, I don't know what she ever did to get you in her life, but it must have been pretty awesome." Smiling she captured some cookies and set them in front of him, collecting a coffee for herself and handing him a milkshake.
"That goes for you too Grace." He picked up a cookie and settled down to devour as many as Grace would allow him.
Grace actually blushed at the comment and put more cookies in front of him. 'Wonder when this kid had taken charm lessons?'
**********
Catherine sat in her one room apartment in the centre of Rio de Janeiro and contemplated her future.
'Well, I've got Grace, Jake, Lisa and Colin to go home too for starters. Then there's Paul who will take care of the company for me and probably do a better job than I ever have. Maybe I can get the Reverend to put in a good word for me with the authorities, now that they want to discuss my visa?' mulling over the only people who cared about her now, she smiled at the gathering darkness.
'Perhaps coming here was the answer to most of my problems, except I miss my home and my family.' The consistent ache in her gut when she thought of the ranch and the coming season change; winter would be getting a hold now and she had wanted to see the kids in the snow and take them to see some of the spectacular scenery around when the snow covered everything, particularly the glaciers.
Moving out of the small room she entered the bedroom and sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. Her dreams or should she say nightmares had flared to unbelievable proportions and now they had Jace in them to, her angry face as Catherine had last seen her the final element of the dreamscape.
'Funny if you were here with me now Jace, my nightmares would disappear like magic. You could always soothe whatever beast resides inside me and I would be happy to let you do that! Would you consider being my friend again I wonder? I can't let you into my heart again Jace Bardley it hurt too much when you walked away; but I would give everything I possess to see your smile and have it turned on me again.' Her shoulders shrugging, she went into the small bathroom, realising the futility of her thoughts, they had no conceivable expectation of reality.
None at all!
Continued in Part 19
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