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‘Don’t play games Lara. You ran off and told Alex Ford that Charlie is having an affair with his girlfriend.’
‘Alex is my friend and if his girlfriend has been cheating on him, I think he deserves to know.’
Olivia exhaled loudly.
‘All very noble and selfless,’ she said bitterly. ‘And as usual with zero thought for the consequences.’
‘I’m sorry?’ said Lara frowning. ‘Consequences for whom? For Charlie?’
‘For the newspaper,’ said Olivia impatiently. ‘And for your friend Alex.’
‘Olivia, I was trying to do the right thing.’
‘Right for who? You?’
Olivia shook her head, then looked away across the garden.
‘Lara, I am not your mother. I have never tried to replace her, but I do care about your well-being. When you make unwise choices, I feel it’s my duty to step in and say something. I’ve seen how you look at Alex. Lord knows, I don’t blame you. He is a smart, good-looking man, but he chose someone else. Don’t let your regret ruin other people’s lives.’
Lara’s anger boiled up.
‘Don’t make this about me, Olivia,’ she snapped. ‘So yes, perhaps I should have considered Alex’s position a little more, but this all comes down to one thing: Alicia was shagging Charlie behind Alex’s back. If Nicholas was having an affair I assume you’d want to know?’
‘Don’t be so naïve, Lara,’ she replied, with a haughty expression. ‘You say you’re trying to help Alex? He’s an ambitious man, highly capable and he’s going places. A fu
ture editor. Your ill-judged piety may have ruined all that.’
‘So you’re telling me the Avery board would actually pass over the best man for the job because your son can’t keep it in his pants?’ Lara barked out a laugh. ‘That’s a fine way to run a business.’
‘Alex is an employee,’ said Olivia, steel in her voice. ‘Charlie is family. It doesn’t matter how good Alex is, he will lose that fight.’
Lara knew that Olivia was only pointing out the obvious, but Lara wasn’t going to take it lying down. She owed Alex that much.
‘What are you suggesting Oliva? That morals don’t matter in this business?’
‘I didn’t say that…’
‘Well let me assure you that morals do matter. They matter more than anything else in a newspaper company. We can’t hold people to account if our own ethics are questionable and as a shareholder in Avery Media Group, I will do everything in my power to make sure our company adheres to the very highest standards.’
She expected her aunt to fire one of her disapproving looks, but instead Olivia put an elegant hand on Lara’s.
‘You’re just like your father,’ she said, with a gentle laugh.
Lara was too stunned to reply.
‘Oh, David was just the same. Impulsive, bull-headed, unshakably principled, irritating though that could be. The truth was all that mattered to him, it was as if he believed “the truth” was an absolute thing and he’d do anything to get it, he was utterly fearless that way.’ She looked away sadly. ‘Perhaps too fearless.’
Lara was completely thrown. She had never heard Olivia talk about her father before – and she certainly hadn’t expected to hear her speak so warmly about him. Before she could ask any more questions, Olivia stood and began walking back through the garden. It seemed Olivia’s ‘talk’ was over.
‘Come,’ she said over her shoulder. ‘Shall we see if we can find some butterflies?’
Lara was too exhausted to quarrel. Instead, she followed in her wake, snaking through the shrubs, sending colourful insects fluttering though the air. Lara wasn’t an expert but she recognised cabbage whites, red admirals and a painted lady.
‘So did you enjoy the Chronicle party?’ asked Olivia, trailing her fingers along a long-stemmed white flower.
‘It was something of a success, wasn’t it?’
‘Everyone came,’ agreed Lara.
