The Decision Read online

  About the Author

  Penny Vincenzi is one of the UK’s best-loved and most popular authors. Since her first novel, Old Sins, was published in 1989, she has written fifteen bestselling novels, most recently The Decision and the number one bestseller The Best of Times.

  Her first ‘proper’ job was at the Harrods Library, aged sixteen, after which she went to secretarial college. She joined the Mirror and later became a journalist, writing for The Times, the Daily Mail and Cosmopolitan amongst many others, before turning to fiction. Several years later, over seven millions copies of Penny’s books have been sold worldwide and she is universally held to be the ‘doyenne of the modern blockbuster’ (Glamour).

  Penny Vincenzi is married, with four daughters, and divides her time between London and Gower, South Wales.

  For more information visit www.pennyvincenzi.com

  By Penny Vincenzi

  Old Sins

  Wicked Pleasures

  An Outrageous Affair

  Another Woman

  Forbidden Places

  The Dilemma

  The Glimpses (short stories)

  Windfall

  Almost a Crime

  No Angel

  Something Dangerous

  Into Temptation

  Sheer Abandon

  An Absolute Scandal

  The Best of Times

  The Decision

  Copyright © 2011 Penny Vincenzi

  The right of Penny Vincenzi to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

  First published as an Ebook by Headline Publishing Group in 2011

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

  eISBN : 9780755383849

  HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  An Hachette UK Company

  338 Euston Road

  London NW1 3BH

  www.headline.co.uk

  www.hachette.co.uk

  Contents

  About the Author

  Also by Penny Vincenzi

  Copyright Page

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Character List

  Prologue

  Part One: The Engagement

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Part Two: The Marriage

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Part Three: The Divorce

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Epilogue

  For Paul, who was always there. And for Polly, Sophie,

  Emily and Claudia, for getting me through.

  Acknowledgements

  As always, the list of couldn’t-have-done-without-the-help-of is long, possibly longer even than usual, and huge thanks to so many people.

  Michael Drake, legal superbrain, took me painstakingly, patiently and above all inventively through all the complexities of divorce and custody in the 1960s and ’70s, escorted me round and indeed into the Royal Courts of Justice and Lincolns Inn Fields, responded to my interminable and often crass emails always within hours and usually minutes, suggested sub-plots, improved upon scenarios and never for an instant even implied that his hugely valuable time might be better sent. A complete star, you are, Michael, and thank you.

  James Marshall not only arranged access to some of the great names in advertising in sixties London, he was just the best fun and the most informative guide on a whistle-stop tour of Milan, which took in an evening at La Scala, a trawl of the very best restaurants and shops and an introduction to some truly wonderful characters. Including the lovely Phyllis Achilli, who created for me a whole world in which to set that part of my story, Tai and Rosita Missoni, who hosted us in their box at La Scala and Peter and Mariella Van Shalwick, who cast a further bright light on the lifestyle of the city then.

  I would also like to thank Jackie Hollows for so tirelessly and generously sifting through her past as a very glamorous air hostess in the sixties for wonderful funny, intriguing and colourful stories and detail; the book would have been the poorer without her.

  The fashion element in the book is crucial; I spent my own early professional life in fashion but I still drew heavily on the recollections and stories of many of the leading stars in journalism. Felicity Green, Fleet Street legend herself, and my mentor indeed, opened up her wonderful memory store for me, especially relating to the Paris collections; Shirley Lowe, starry journlist, who inspired a whole strand of the story by reliving her own fashion editor past; John Bates, one of the leading fashion designers of the day (I was lucky enough to own not just one, but two, of his dresses) and John Siggins, his director and partner; and Liz Smith iconic fashion editor and also, like my heroine Eliza, fashion consultant to a famous advertising agency.

  David Smith, husband to Liz, a dear friend, and a star of both journalism and advertising, provided wonderful anecdotes about both those worlds, but also some brilliantly funny recollections of his own National Service days. Very sadly he died just as this book went to press; his stylish, slightly old-fashioned sense of humour and turn of phrase were truly life enhancing for everyone lucky enough to know him.

  Edward Harris provided further legal background, and some particularly brilliant ingenuity over the creation and workings of the Summercourt Trust and I would like to thank Ros Harris too, who provided a most valuable overview, steeped as she is in such matters. Sue Stapely was a fount of knowledge on all manner of things and as always provided me with pa
thways to all kinds of helpful people; the wedding in the book would not have been the same without the sparkly musical input of John Young of Country Church Wedding Music; Steve Gunnis provided a marvelously expert overview of the cars of the decade, and Lisa Lindsay Gale was a wonderful and witty consultant on gymkhanas and pony etiquette generally. And I am truly indebted to Nicholas Coleridge for generously giving me the run of the Tatler archives. Two dizzy afternoons indeed!

  At Headline, I have been particularly well cared for by Jane Morpeth and Leah Woodburn, my editors, who between them have worked an incredible magic with an even-later-than-usual manuscript, remaining calm, patient and appreciative against every odd. It meant so much to me. Susan Opie is the most wonderfully thoughtful and perceptive copyeditor; and as always immense thanks to Kati Nicholl who works some kind of magic on a manuscript and cuts it so brilliantly that even I can’t spot what has gone! Jo Liddiard has not only put together the usual gorgeous marketing campaign, she was kind enough to sit with me through a long morning in my study and guide me through the technological intricacies (as I saw them!) of returning to my neglected blog. Louise Page has returned to handling my publicity with all the imaginative determination I remember so fondly; and the sales team, under Aslan Byrne, has been quite simply magnificent. And a special thank to Justinia Baird-Murray for designing the most gorgeous cover I have seen for a very long time.

  Finally I would like to once again thank my family; the sons-in-law as well as the daughters, have been completely wonderful. And to welcome two new members, Grace and Niamh to the ever-growing clan.

  In retrospect, as always, it looks like just the best fun.

  Penny Vincenzi

  August 2011

  Character List

  Eliza Fullerton-Clark, a debutante and subsequently a fashion editor

  Sarah Fullerton-Clark, her mother

  Adrian Fullerton-Clark, her father

  Charles Fullerton-Clark, her brother, a stockbroker

  Anna Marchant, her godmother

  Piers Marchant, Anna’s husband

  Sir Charles and Lady Cunninghame, Eliza’s grandparents

  Matt Shaw, a property developer

  Sandra Shaw, his mother

  Pete Shaw, his father

  Scarlett Shaw, his sister, an airhostess

  Diana Forbes, Scarlett’s air hostess friend

  Mr Barlow and Mr Stein, Matt’s first employers

  Emmeline, Eliza and Matt’s daughter

  Margaret Grant, her nanny

  Jeremy Northcott, Eliza’s millionaire boyfriend and advertising supremo

  Emma Northcott, his sister

  Louise Mullan, secretary to Matt and subsequently a property tycoon in her own right

  Jenny Cox, receptionist and secretary at Simmonds and Shaw

  Jimbo Simmonds, Matt’s partner

  Valerie Hill, a hugely successful businesswoman

  Georgina Barker, Matt’s girlfriend

  Barry Floyd, a successful builder

  Roderick Brownlow, a property developer

  Juliet Judd, Charles’s girlfriend

  Geoffrey Judd, her father

  Carol Judd, her mother

  Lily Berenson, a rich widow from Charleston

  David Berenson, her son

  Gaby Berenson, her daughter-in-law

  Lindy Freeman, Eliza’s boss at Woolfe’s department store

  Maddy Brown, a knitwear designer and friend of Eliza’s

  Esmond, her boyfriend and a hatter

  Jerome Blake, a photographer

  Rex Ingham, another photographer

  Rob Brigstocke, Creative Director of KPD, advertising agency

  Hugh Wallace, account director at KPD

  Jack Beckham, editor of Charisma and later of the Daily News

  Fiona Marks, the fashion editor

  Annunciata Woburn, the features editor

  Johnny Barrett, Louise’s journalist friend on the Daily News

  Giovanni Crespi, wealthy businessman

  Mariella Crespi, his wife and socialite

  Anna-Maria, a maid

  Bruno, Giovanni’s valet

  Sebastiano, the Crespi’s butler

  Timothy Fordyce, a friend of Mariella’s in Milan

  Janey, his wife

  Mark Frost, a distinguished travel writer

  Persephone Frost, his mother

  Heather Connell, a young mother and friend to Eliza

  Coral, her daughter

  Alan Connell, her husband

  Mrs Munroe, Eliza’s gynaecologist

  Mary Miller, her psychotherapist

  Philip Gordon, Eliza’s solicitor

  Toby Gilmour, Eliza’s barrister

  Ivor Lewis, Matt’s solicitor

  Sir Bruce Hayward QC, Matt’s barrister

  Sir Tristram Selbourne, another QC

  Mr Justice Rogers, a judge

  Demetrios and Larissa, taverna owners on the Greek island of Trisos

  Prologue

  1971

  It was nearly over then. By this time tomorrow it would be settled. By this time tomorrow she would know. Whether she would still be a mother, a proper mother, the sort that did the ordinary things, got her child up every morning and tucked her up in bed every night, took her to school and picked her up again, knew when she’d had a tummy ache or a bad dream, got cross with her, argued with her, decided when to get her hair cut, or that she needed new shoes, told her off for skimping on her homework or her ballet practice, insisted she made her bed and tidied her room and wrote thank-you letters and cleaned out the hamster’s cage … Or the other sort, the once-a-week sort, the provider of a perfect room and whatever-you-fancy food, who waited impatiently outside school, aware of the mild curiosity of the other mothers, the purveyor of treats and outings, and ultra-generosity to friends, surprised by a new dress, a fringe, a fad, always with time to give, over-indulgent, never cross, never critical, desperate to know about a school concert, a friend’s party, plans for a holiday, watchful for new loyalties, jealous of new traditions …

  Which would she be?

  The mother with custody? Or the mother without?

  Part One

  The Engagement

  Chapter 1

  1958

  Eliza was in the middle of curtseying to the Queen when she decided it was time she lost her virginity.

  She was rather shocked at herself; not for the nature of the decision, but for managing to make it at such a moment. She had had a lot of trouble getting her curtsey absolutely right (one foot lined up perfectly behind the other, both knees bent, head erect, arms at side), it was hardly comfortable and she was inclined to wobble. Concentration was essential. And it was a terribly important moment in her life; both her mother and her godmother (who was actually presenting her) had instilled into her endlessly how lucky she was, that had she been one year younger it would not have been possible, because this was positively the last year of court presentation, it had been declared an anachronism, not in keeping with the new Elizabethan age. And here she was, in her blue silk Belinda Belville cocktail dress, in the presence of the Queen – so much younger and prettier in the flesh than her photographs, and the Duke – so amazingly handsome, and she was thinking not about being part of a deeply important tradition that had lasted for generations, but about who of all the young men she was dancing and flirting with that wonderful summer she might achieve this new ambition with. It really was rather bad of her.

  Concentrate, Eliza! What would her mother and godmother say if they knew that after all their organising and lunching and juggling with dates and guest lists and budgets for her Season, that her mind was fixed not on what to them was the almost sacred part of the whole thing, but on something very unsuitable indeed.

  She straightened slowly (without a hint of wobble), and moved towards the side of the throne room, making way for the next wave of girls.

  Eliza was attracting a lot of attention that summer. Indeed she had become a bi
t of a favourite with the popular press, had so far appeared in the Express three times and the Mirror four. Her mother had felt it rather lowered the tone of Eliza’s Season, but Eliza thought it was wonderful and a lot of the other girls had been really jealous. She wasn’t pretty; she could see it for herself: her features were too large, and her colouring too strong, with slightly olive skin, very dark hair combined with very dark blue eyes, and she had more than once heard her mother saying worriedly to her grandmother that she did hope no one would think there was foreign blood in the family. But she also knew that she was extremely attractive.

  Boys had made passes at her from when she had been only fifteen, and she had always had an endless queue of would-be partners at pony-club dances. Indeed, she had first made the pages of Tatler the year before her Season, watching her brother Charles play cricket for the Old Etonians on Founders’ Day.

  But this year was truly hers, and she was proving a star; she had already been granted the Big One, a full-page solo spot at the front of Tatler, taken by Tom Hustler, himself once a Debs’ Delight and now a society photographer.