"I don't know why she wants me to come." Jack said after Daisy had received a summons on behalf of all the family to dinner at Hyacinth's.
"Oh, 'appen she's changed her mind about you and wants a brother after all. How you look probably reminds her of Father. She did love him, very much." Was the suggestion Rose offered.
It was a big day for Rose, it was her first day back at work since she and Emmet had parted ways. She needed to get out the house and back to work to take her mind off things. Plus she had had enough of Violet's moaning about how she needed Rose back at the bookies. Jack had also been very encouraging of Rose to get back to work. His trips to the establishment weren't as fun with Violet in charge. She had stopped subbing him money and refused to take 'IOU's.' Rose was much easier to get around.
The siblings all agreed to meet at the bookies and go straight from there to Hyacinth's. There was another thing bothering Daisy about the forthcoming appointment, Onslow had been invited. In fact Hyacinth insisted he had to be there. Usually she would try and persuade Daisy to leave him at home. For whatever reason she couldn't put her finger on, Daisy was wary about this evening.
...
All five of them waited patiently on the doorstep before Hyacinth eagerly let all her family in. Once they were assembled in the lounge, Hyacinth crept outside and looked over towards next door. Once she saw Emmet was peering though the net curtain, she gave him a thumbs up. Part two of their plan was officially underway.
Hyacinth did her best to seem interested in Jack. Setting out her stall, over dinner Hyacinth made out she regretted how she had treated him. She even apologised and claimed to accept Jack as Daddy's son. At the same time she was trying desperately not to choke on the words. Everyone seemed to take it in, except Richard and Onslow who knew exactly what she was up to.
Once everyone had finished their main course Hyacinth cleared the plates. No sooner had she done so, the doorbell rang.
"Now I hope you don't mind, I've invited another guest to join us for afters." The hostess smiled, she was struggling to contain the big reveal.
Jack hoped it wasn't Emmet who was waiting on the doorstep.
Part of Rose secretly hoped Hyacinth had invited Emmet.
"Juliet, so glad you could make it, do go through." She could be heard saying in a very put on posh voice.
Jack's heart began beat rapidly and the sisters all looked at each other confused.
"Everyone, I would like you to meet our sister-in-law. This is Juliet, Jack's wife. I must say Juliet you look remarkably well for someone who has been so ill."
The silence rang loudly around the table. The atmosphere could have been cut with the cake slice, which was sitting on the table in anticipation of dessert.
Mrs O'Riley was moderately made up, she had short brunette hair with evidence of a home cut fringe. She was dressed smartly in a navy blue knee length dress with black court shoes.
"Nice to see you, Jack." The stranger spat. The sisters picked up the venom in her voice and the narrowing of her green eyes. Suggesting that maybe Jack hadn't been truthful after all.
Jack didn't respond he wanted to bolt out of the door and never look back but he had too much riding on his sisters. Somehow, he had to try and squirm his way out of this mess.
"Juliet, what are you doing here?" He finally stammered.
"When Mrs Bouquet rang me and told me where I could find you, I thought I would pay my soon to be ex husband a visit and try and claw some of my money back seen as I've already lost my house. That's the only reason I've been unwell. I haven't been gravely ill as someone has lead you to believe."
"What's going on?" Asked a confused Daisy.
"Beats me." Replied Rose.
Onslow wrung his hands together before leaning forward in his chair. He then placed his arms on the dining table in anticipation for the fireworks.
Richard on the other hand had slumped down in his dining chair and placed his had over his face in embarrassment.
"Let me explain," began Hyacinth. "After a little investigation, I contacted Mrs O'Riley. Once I explained my concerns regarding her husband she was most informative."
"Whatever she tells you is a blatant lie!" Cried Jack, everyone could tell by the tone of his voice the man was desperate.
Just as Juliet was about to begin with her tale Hyacinth insisted they waited for another guest. This time she left the room and then house. Returning moments later with Emmet. He didn't say anything but stayed close to the door, hanging on every word Juliet was about to say.
Seeing Emmet, it was Rose's turn to experience a rapid heart rate as well as butterflies in the pit of her stomach. She smiled pleasantly in his direction and he returned the favour.
"Having heard what Mrs Bouquet had to say I felt obliged to come up and warn you about the real Jack O'Riley. I sincerely hope I'm not too late." She began, sounding more concerned than angry. Smirking at her husband, Juliet began to shake as she made public her ordeal.
"You see Jack here is a gambling addict. And I don't just mean he's someone who is at the bookies religiously for the odd flutter. I mean he's gambled so much he got us into serious trouble. He gambled away the business his father worked so hard to build up and become a success. He even sold it to an unsuspecting buyer, unaware he had mortgaged it to pay off his crippling debts. Obviously the poor buyer didn't legally own it as the bank had a repossession order in place. My darling husband who had insisted on a large deposit for the business quickly ran away when he received the cold, hard cash. Leaving me to deal with the chaos, I got arrested for fraud. All at the same time my beautiful home was repossessed. He was no where to be found that's when the loan sharks came knocking. He'd taken out load after loan in my name without my knowledge." The woman was very clearly distressed and had to sit down.
"I'm sorry but how do we know you're telling the truth?" Daisy asked.
"That's where I'll come in." Hyacinth sighed. Whilst she needed to inform her sisters about Jack's selfish, evil deeds, she didn't relish in upsetting the three women she loved the most.
"This all unfolded during the death of Glynis O'Riley, I'm assuming Jack was hoping for a fortune to be left in his name after her death. However there was nothing, that's when he started thinking about the rumours about his parentage. Whilst he knew dear Daddy died a pauper, he had learnt from you all that you weren't doing too badly for yourselves. Violet you had become independently wealthy since your divorce from Bruce, with a modest property portfolio and thriving businesses. Daisy you had bought your house off the council and Rose you were doing alright for yourself as a manageress."
"You are barking up the wrong tree!" Tried Jack.
"Shut up!" Hyacinth, Juliet and Emmet all shouted in reply.
"So what are you saying our Hyacinth? He isn't really our brother?" Violet asked, stunned.
Hyacinth turned to Emmet, inviting him to interject.
"Oh he's you brother alright. I rang the clinic to confirm if the test was all above board. It was indeed was conducted legitimately. He paid with a credit card. One he's probably maxed put and never paid off."
"That's slander!" Interjected a red faced, sweating Jack.
"I was so worried about my sisters I had to do something. So I spoke with Emmet and Onslow."
"Onslow?!" Daisy shouted shocked as she turned to her husband.
"There was summut fishy about 'im. I didn't like how he treated you like a skivvy while he sat around our house all day doing naff all. And then there was the gambling." The large man explained.
"So Bruce was right," Violet muttered to herself.
"Oh Onslow!" Daisy said slapping her husband's arm before hugging him.
"What the hell was that for, Dais?"
"That was for going behind my back and the hug was for caring."
"Mrs Bouquet, I suggest you tell your sisters what was found in his room." Prompted Juliet.
"You've been through my things?" Jack said angrily. By now he had truly broken character and every single person around the table was starting to see Jack O'Riley for who he really was.
"How did you get into me house?" Daisy asked.
"I left your Hyacinth and Emmet me key so they could look around while we were at t'quiz last night."
"What did you find?" Rose asked worriedly. She was beginning to feel like a fool. Jack had played her perfectly and she'd been daft enough to let him.
"Before I tell you, Daisy dear I suggest you ask for your keys back first. We left everything we found there so he wouldn't be suspicious and you could see it for yourself."
Being closer to Jack, Onslow held out his palm and Jack reluctantly placed the key in Onslow's hand."
Hyacinth then went on to explain not only had they found Daisy and Emmet's missing items and Daddy's medals. They also found several of Violet's collectable porcelain figurines and jewellery belonging to her and Rose. Including the custom made necklace Emmet had made for Rose when she had moved in with him.
She then let Emmet explain he had also filled out forms in the sister's names applying for loans of a substantial amount. Daisy and Violet's were completed with forged signatures and stolen documents that could be used for identification. The loans also promised their homes as collateral if they were not paid back. Rose's form wasn't complete owing to the fact Emmet refused to let him into the flat to collect her things.
The sisters, all shocked sat in silence for a few minutes. For Daisy, who was shaking shouted, "If you had sent those forms off you would never have intended to pay those loans back. Would you? We would have lost everything and had nowhere to live." Tears began to cloud her eyes. Onslow put a reassuring arm around her.
"I promise I would have. Daisy believe me! I was so desperate! I would have never made any of you homeless!"
"Like you did me?" His wife screamed bitterly.
"Get him outta here!" Cried a very worked up Rose.
"He will be going shortly. On my way here I informed the police of his whereabouts. You see I reported my loving husband for his fraudulent crimes, I wasn't going to carry the can for him."
Hyacinth made sure Richard had locked and bolted all the doors while they waited for the police to arrive in silence.
Not long after the police took Jack away and Juliet left, she thanked the family for believing her and said goodbye.
...
No one was quite sure what to do next. Every emotion possible was felt at Waney Elm.
Eventually Rose turned to Emmet. Her heart thumping, she sighed. She had a feeling she wouldn't like what she was about to hear.
"Emmet, I'm so very sorry, I let Jack come between us. I treated you awfully. I know it doesn't excuse my behaviour but he reminded me so much of Father and I miss him very much.."
"Don't we all." Daisy said solemnly.
"I never should have believed him over you. I don't know what I was doing letting a virtual stranger come between us and I'll never forgive meself for as long as I live. I know you never want to see me again but please know how deeply sorry I am. I've never stopped loving you Emmet." She sniffed.
Emmet shuffled a little closer towards the table and Rose who had stood up to make her declaration.
"Who said I never wanted to see you again?" Emmet asked. Both he and Rose knew who had fed her that nugget of false information.
"Quite the opposite applies, Rose." He smiled and Rose let out a relived sigh. He held out his arms and the blonde ran around the table towards the door and took his hands.
"I'd written you a letter saying how much I loved you and how I wasn't prepared to let you go, unless that's what you really wanted. That cretin never gave you the letter. We found it with everything else, hidden in his room."
"Oh Emmet!" Rose sobbed. "Where do we go from here?"
"Home. Our home together? I love you Rose.
So much and I want no one to come between us ever again." Emmet said looking deep into her cloudy eyes as he stroked her cheek.
Rose gulped before replying. "Of course I'll come 'ome. Oh Emmet I've missed you so much."
Ever the romantic, Daisy 'ahhed' loudly.
"Emmet do you remember what you asked me at our Violet's birthday party?"
Smiling at Rose, Emmet nodded, "Of course."
"Does your offer still stand?"
"It always did." He smiled.
"Then let's do it, let's get married!" Rose squealed excitedly.
Their audience all applauded before Hyacinth snuck out of the dining room. Rose then noticed Emmet checking his jacket pocket, his face went ashen and his complexion looked panicked.
"Emmet whatever's the matter?" Rose asked nervously.
"The ring. I'd bought you a ring but with all the upset I must have misplaced it somewhere. I can't have cared what happened to it because I thought I'd lost you."
Seconds later, Hyacinth re-emerged beaming and holding a small, velvet, blue box.
"You left it here when we were putting our plan in action." Rose's eldest sister said. Handing Mr Hawksworth his ring box.
He thanked Hyacinth, before getting down on one knee and proposing properly. The agreement was sealed with a kiss. A very passionate kiss at that. One too passionate for Hyacinth's liking.
...
The family decided to spend the rest of the evening celebrating, Hyacinth sent Richard to fetch Elizabeth and her family before declaring she was to telephone the vicar to discuss a date for the wedding.
"But Hyacinth who says we want to get wed in church?" Her little sister said. "I don't even know if we can. What with us both being divorced and its not as if either of us is all that religious."
"But Emmet attends church most Sundays." Hyacinth said clutching her pearls.
"Only to keep in with the vicar so he let's me use the church hall for free for my productions."
Hyacinth was appalled at his admission.
"No, the town hall and then a knees up at the Legion will do me." Rose said, appalling her sister further.
"I think we can afford a bit better than the Legion, love." Emmet said putting his arm around his wife to be.
"I'll ask Major Wilton-Smythe if he can do me a good price at the golf club. Since he became Chairman he's very keen to do more outside functions. The club needs the money." Matty Warden kindly suggested.
"Are, are you a member of the golf club, Mathew?" Hyacinth stuttered.
"He's better than that," Elizabeth beamed with pride. "He's just been made vice-chairman.'
Hyacinth looked disapprovingly at her husband. She hated the fact Richard detested the sport of golf. If he had been a member Richard would have bound to have been vice-chair.
Sensing things could turn ugly with Hyacinth wanting to take over the wedding arrangements, Violet offered a toast to the happy couple.
Situation defused, the two families came together to enjoy an impromptu celebratory tea and light refreshments.
Hyacinth was delighted have her family back, Rose and Emmet were over the moon to have been reunited but the evening was tinged with a slight sadness that their beloved father's son hadn't been everything they had expected.