Chapter 11

It was Jean who drew Samantha's attention to the new twist.

"Your ex has been tweeting," she told her.

"Oh? Anything I need to know about it?"

"I think so. He accuses you of having an adulterous affair with your step-brother while you were married to him."

"What? Oh my God! Have you printed it?"

Jean silently handed her a sheet of paper. "I'm so sorry, Samantha," she said.

'The incestuous engagement of Henry and Samantha Cavendish looks about right, ' she read. 'The bitch was committing adultery with him while we were still married and then had the nerve to sue me for divorce on the grounds of my adultery. I hope that British law will prevent their marriage.' It was signed with a pseudonym.

She went white as a sheet and Jean thought she was going to faint but the colour returned to her face just as quickly. She was furious.

"The swine!" she thought. "The lying swine. This is going to start the whole wretched business off again. It's slander. I'm going to have his guts for garters."

She rang Henry and read him the message. "I'm going to go after him," she fumed. "He is not going to get away with these lies."

"Right, my Sams. I'm going to get in touch with Dad's solicitor. Don't do anything for the moment least of all speak to a newspaper."

"OK, sweets, but don't keep me waiting too long or I may do something we'll regret. I've never been so angry in my life."

"I'll bet. I'll be back to you as soon as I can."

Henry arranged an appointment for them both in an hour's time. He then rang home. Henrietta answered the telephone.

"Mum, it's me. I think we're going to have to go into hiding for a bit."

"Why? What's happened now?"

"It's gone onto the internet and bloody Marty's joined in accusing Sams of adultery with me while they were married."

"What?"

"I know. Sams is livid. We're going to see Ian Frobisher in an hour's time and then we need to get away. The trouble is they'll follow us down to you. We have to go somewhere else. Any ideas?"

"I'll give Ginny a ring and ring you back on your mobile. Good luck, darling."

"Thanks, Mum."

He rang Samantha back.

"Hi, my sweet one. We've got an appointment with Ian Frobisher at ten thirty. Do you know where he is?"

"Gutteridge Mews?"

"That's right. Would you prefer me to pick you up?"

"No, I'll be OK."

"Are you sure?"

"If I have any trouble I'll handbag them. I'm in the mood for a fight at the moment."

Henry could not help but chuckle. It was largely relief and pleasure at her courage.

"Don't be too rough," he said.

"No promises."

"Another thing, my Sams. The flat is going to be untenable while this goes on. Mum's ringing Ginny to see if we can hide there. Can you get yourself a week's leave? It may have to be longer if the Sunday papers are full of it next weekend."

"I'm sure I can. Good thinking, sweets. See you shortly."

Both their divisional directors were sympathetic and told them to stay away as long as was necessary. There was much of their work that could be done on the internet and in both cases their firms paid their mobile phone bills.

They arrived at the solicitor's office almost simultaneously and were quickly shown in. Neither had met Ian Frobisher before but he took one look at Henry and said,

"I'd have known whose son you were anywhere and you, Miss Cavendish, did well to inherit your mother's good looks."

She smiled at him. "Please call me Samantha," she said.

"Thank you on condition you both call me Ian and congratulations on your engagement. Your parents must be tickled pink."

They both smiled their thanks.

"They are," said Samantha.

"Right, Henry, you've given me the bare bones. Perhaps now you, Samantha, could tell me the full story."

Samantha glanced at Henry. He smiled his agreement.

"I'll try to be brief," she said. "I divorced my husband for adultery. The reason behind that was that we were unable to have children and two independent tests showed him to be infertile. He was unable to accept that. First of all he tried even harder with me and then resorted to at least two other women. My solicitor in the States has the evidence of that. He did not contest the divorce or counter sue. I assume because he didn't want news of his infertility to come out. Almost inevitably the newspaper articles about our allegedly incestuous engagement got the twitterers or tweeters or whatever on the go and he picked it up. He then submitted this."

She handed Ian the printout.

"Phew!" he exclaimed. "That's pretty uncompromising and, I imagine, totally untrue."

"Dead right! It was only last Friday week that we both realised that there was more to our love than just brother and sister."

"OK, so what do you want?"

"A complete withdrawal and apology. Public too."

"And if he refuses?"

"Then I shall sue him for slander and anything else you can dream up. Furthermore, I shall seek compensation not that I need it but I want it to hurt."

"Ouch! Remind me not to cross you," grinned Ian.

Samantha looked down at her hands and then smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry for sounding vicious," she said, "but I am spitting with rage."

"Samantha, I entirely understand and sympathise. There is one problem though that I can see, establishing that he really is 'Starback'."

"Well that's what he considered himself. Surely though that name would be registered with Twitter and they would have to say so if required by law."

"Yes, they would but Starback might be someone else who he persuaded to let him use his name."

"In that case he's an accessory, isn't he?"

"Probably but he would then claim that your ex knew his pseudonym and used it without permission."

"So then it's back to Marty and the real Starback might sue him too."

Ian smiled at her. "You're wasted in the financial world. I was really only sounding a word of warning that things may not be that simple."

"Fair enough," chipped in Henry, "but from all I've heard Marty is pretty simple."

Samantha wagged a finger at him. "Now! Now!" she said. All three laughed.

"Have you got his address?" Ian asked.

"No but I have his parents' and he may still be working for our company in Washington DC. I'll find out. Do you mind if I phone?" She took her mobile out of her bag.

"No. Please go ahead."

She rang Leonard direct rather than the London office.

"Leonard, it's Samantha."

"Samantha, honey! It's good to hear you. You're not over here are you?"

"No, Leonard, I'm afraid not. Look, I can't chat at the moment. Is Marty still working with you?"

"No, Sam. We had to let him go."

"I thought you might. Did he leave a forwarding address?"