Post by hillvk on Mar 27, 2008 13:24:29 GMT 1
Inspired by the spoilers of the next few weeks ...
Let me know if you like it and I'll post more!
Scarlet was picking at her breakfast. She had been waiting to catch Matthew on his own for the past few days to talk about the present she wanted to buy for Daz, and was now trying to work out whether this was a good time to broach the subject or not. Jimmy had left for work already and Lexi had stayed out all night so they were on their own – but Scarlet always found it difficult to tell with Matthew exactly what a good time was. Sighing she decided to risk it. Matthew always seemed calmer in the mornings when he had a cup of coffee and the paper in his hand
‘Matthew …’
Matthew barely glanced up from his paper.
‘Hmmm.’
‘I need some money.’
Matthew looked up. ‘I gave you twenty quid yesterday.’
‘I need more than that.’
‘What for?’
‘Things …’
‘What things?’
‘Just things.’
Matthew put his paper down and folded his arms, giving Scarlet his full attention. He had heard similar conversations between Jimmy and Kelly when she lived at Home Farm, and usually it ended up costing his older brother a fortune.
‘You’re going to have to do better than that lady.’
‘A present.’
‘Its not my birthday.’
‘Oh, ha ha! A present for Daz - for passing his driving test.’
Matthew laughed. He took a five pound note out of his pocket. ‘Here, get him some face cream.’
‘Matthew!’
Matthew sighed.
‘How much?’
‘Well I wanted to get him something special.’
‘How much?’
‘After what happened with his birthday I wanted to make it up to him …’
‘Listen, I haven’t got all day - just tell me how much.’
Scarlet shrugged. ‘Enough to buy him a car.’
Matthew laughed loudly.
‘You are joking me. You’re asking me to give you money to buy Daz a car?’
‘What’s wrong with that. He is my boyfriend.’
‘You’ve known him five minutes.’ Matthew suddenly stopped smiling. ‘Hang on a minute, has he put you up to this?’
‘No!’
‘Because if he thinks for one minute that he’s getting his hands on this family’s money then he’s got another think coming.’
‘He doesn’t know anything about it; I just thought it would be nice surprise for him, that’s all.’
‘Well you can just forget it. You can get him a card and take him out for a meal if you like, and he can think himself lucky with that.’
He handed her a twenty.
‘But I could do that any time. What’s special about taking him out for a meal?’
‘You’ve got a lot to learn madam. You don’t just go handing round cars to any Tom, Dick or Harry that you’ve taken up with.
‘It’s my money to hand round,’ Scarlet said grudgingly.
‘Not until you’re eighteen. Until then I’m looking after it – and it’s a good job too if all you’re going to do with it is spend it on your spotty little boyfriends.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Now go on – its time you were getting to school isn’t it. I don’t want to hear anymore about this.’
‘I’ve got ages before I have to be in school.’
‘Just get moving, and lets have less of the back chat shall we?’
‘You what?’ Jimmy said. Matthew was relaying the story to him over a pint in the Woolpack.
‘You heard, she asked me for money to buy that little runt a car.’
‘Do you think he put her up to it?’
‘She says not - reckoned that it would just have been a nice surprise for him.’
‘I’m sure it would have been!’
‘I mean what planet it she on? It’s less than two years till she gets her hands on her share of the business and what’s she going to do with it, give it away to the first grease monkey that shows her a bit of attention?’
Jimmy sighed. ‘Well Scarlet can be a bit naïve. Her hearts in the right place though.’
‘Jimmy, she’s living in cloud cuckoo land! She needs taking in hand before its too late.’
‘So what do you suggest? A term in the Matthew King “school of hard knocks” and “how to do your best friend over”?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Matthew said, ‘but I do think its about time she started to realise the value of things. Why don’t we get her working in the office a couple of times a week or something? At the moment this inheritance business is probably just like an episode Footballers Wives to her, but if she actually sees some of the hard graft that goes into it then she might be less likely to take it for granted. Dad had us helping out with the company long before we were Scarlet’s age.’
‘Hmmm,’ Jimmy said, ‘actually that’s not such a bad idea. It might keep her away from Daz too.’
‘That’s settled then.’ Matthew sat back and took a drink from his pint.
‘She is supposed to be sitting her GCSEs though this year,’ Jimmy said uncertainly, ‘do you really think she should be working as well?’
‘We’re not talking about her sewing mail bags from morning till night, Jimmy, just a bit of filing and answering phones after school a couple of times a week.’
‘I suppose. Do you think she’ll go for it?’
‘We won’t give her any choice! If she’s going to be reaping the rewards of the business then she should be putting some effort into it. She needs to learn that, unlike Carrie, she won’t be getting something for nothing.’
Jimmy smiled – he was quite impressed that Matthew was even taking an interest in Scarlet, normally he left it up to Jimmy. ‘Are you going to tell her or shall I?’ he said.
‘I’ll do it. She seems to have you wrapped round her little finger.’
‘Don’t be too hard on her Matt - remember she is only a kid.’ He shook his head. ‘I still can’t believe that she asked you to give her money to buy Daz a car. I wish I could have been there to see your face. Did you have a go at her about it?’
‘It was so ridiculous that I laughed. But I reckon I should have given her a talking to – bring her back down to earth a bit. She won’t be getting any money out of me for a while that’s for certain. She can have her lunch and bus money but that’s about it. When she starts working I’ll give her an allowance, and then if she still wants to buy that boyfriend of hers a car she can save up and earn it. That’ll soon make her see sense.’
‘What’s for dinner, I’m starved,’ Scarlet said as she came in from school, throwing her bag on the floor. Matthew and Jimmy were both sat eating their dinner at the kitchen table. The smell of Jimmy’s beef casserole hung in the air.
‘Where’ve you been lady?’ Matthew demanded with a glance at the clock. ‘It’s gone six.’
‘What do you care?’ Scarlet said, sitting down.
‘Just answer the question,’ Jimmy said.
‘I went to a mates house after school. And before you start, I was doing homework.’
Matthew snorted. ‘Course you were. You were probably getting felt up on the sofa at Daz’s.’
‘Matt!’ Jimmy reproached. He turned to Scarlet ‘You weren’t, were you?’
‘Of course not! Not all men are only after one thing. I was at Holly’s. We’ve got a textiles project due in at the end of the week and her mum’s got a sewing machine.’
‘Well now you are here we’ve got some news for you.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Scarlet said, plating up some of the casserole. ‘Has Mum been on the phone?’
‘No.’
‘Lexi then?’
‘No – and that wouldn’t be news would it?’
‘So what’s the big mystery?’ Her eyes widened. ‘Nothing’s happened to Carl has it?’ she turned to Matt. ‘You haven’t been having a go at him again have you?’
‘Will you just shut up and listen,’ Matthew said bristling. ‘Anyway, I told you I had nothing to do with what happened to Carl.’
‘And I told you that I didn’t believe you. Honestly, you lot must think that I walk around with my eyes closed half the time. Don’t you think its just a tiny bit suspicious that Carl screws you over with the refuse contract and then five minutes later he ends up in hospital.’
‘I’m not responsible for coincidences,’ Matthew said, with only the tiniest hint of smugness.
‘I don’t know why you’re so worked up about it anyway. You’d sell our own granny down the river, you would,’ Scarlet said. She paused, ‘If we have a granny that is – anyway you can’t really blame Carl for standing up to you can you?’
Matthew slammed his glass of wine down on the table so that the red liquid sloshed over the top and onto the woodwork. ‘Look, just keep your nose out alright - I don’t want to hear one more word about it.’
‘Temper, temper,’ Scarlet said with a grin.
‘Look that’s enough,’ Jimmy said. ‘We’re not talking about Carl anyway - though I’m glad you are at least taking an interest in what happens with the business.’
‘And you’re going to be taking a lot more interest in it from now on too,’ Matthew said.
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re going to come and work for us, that’s why.’
Scarlet laughed. ‘You’ve got to be kidding. I’m in the middle of doing my GCSEs. Not to mention that I don’t know the first thing about bin trucks or landslides or whatever.’
Matthew closed his eyes. ‘We don’t run the bin trucks anymore, and its land-fill not landslide.’
‘See? I told you I don’t know anything about it.’
‘We’re not talking about you leaving school and becoming chair of the board,’ Jimmy said, ‘we just want you to help us out a couple of nights a week after school that’s all.’
‘But why?’
‘Because you should be pulling your weight, that’s why,’ Matthew said, ‘not asking for handouts to buy your little boyfriend posh new cars.’
‘Oh so this is my punishment for daring to ask you for some of the money that’s - oh yes that’s right - mine to being with.’
Matthew pointed at her. ‘You can lose the attitude as well, lady, you’re on thin ice as it is.’
Scarlet scowled at Matthew. ‘I don’t know why you’re coming over like you’re bothered about me all of a sudden. You normally go days without even noticing we’re eating at the same table.’
‘Scarlet just stop trying to be smart and listen will you?’ Jimmy said. ‘We just want you to help out that’s all.’
‘Fine,’ she said with a sigh, ‘doing what?’
‘Filing and answering phones, that sort of thing,’ Jimmy said.
‘Thrilling,’ Scarlet said. ‘Will I be making tea and coffee too?’
‘If we ask you to,’ Matthew said.
‘I’m not being a skivvy for him!’
‘You’ll do as your told,’ Matthew said. ‘If you want your allowance that is.’
‘Allowance?’ - Scarlet was suddenly interested.
‘Yes. I’m sick of just doling out money when you ask for it, and you must be sick of having to ask all the time. If you come and work for us I’ll put it into an account for you every week and then you can please yourself.’
‘How much will I get?’
‘So you are interested?’ Jimmy said with a smile.
‘I might be. It might be kind of cool to have a job actually. Loads of my mates have them.’
‘Bully for them,’ Matthew said.
Scarlet considered for a moment. ‘If I agree then as well as filing and stuff will you show me how the business works?’
Matthew looked mildly surprised. ‘Are you interested in how the business works? I thought you were too busy worrying about music and clothes and which footballer you were going to marry …’
‘As if!’ Scarlet said. ‘I’m not that shallow; I do have a brain you know.’
‘I see,’ Matthew said with a grin, ‘but you just leave it under your pillow on a morning when you get up do you?’
‘Shut up!’ Scarlet said indignantly, ‘I’m quite good with maths and economics and stuff.’
‘Well don’t go getting ahead of yourself,’ Matthew said. ‘We’ll start you with tea making and filling, and if you do a good job I might explain some of the accounts to you.’
‘Can I get to go to posh lunches with you and Jimmy and wear a power suit and drink chardonnay with lunch?’
‘One step at a time, eh?’ Jimmy laughed.
‘You can come and give it a try tomorrow,’ Matthew said.
‘Okay then, I will.’
‘That’s settled then,’ Jimmy said.
As Carl was driving towards the village from Hotton where he had been meeting some of de Souza’s more important clients, he saw Scarlet up ahead, half-running, half-walking at the side of the road. He beeped his horn and then pulled over, winding his window down.
‘Now then, trouble, where are you off to in such a hurry?’
‘I’m late!’ Scarlet said, relieved that Carl has stopped for her. She had been working at King and Son’s for the past few days, and one thing she had learned was that Matthew was a stickler for punctuality.
‘Well that’s obvious.’ He cast his eyes dubiously over her school uniform. Her blazer and skirt were splashed with mud and her black tights and shoes were soaked to the knee. ‘What did you do, go for a paddle on the way home from school?’
‘No silly!’ She paused for breath and then ticked what she said next off on her fingers, racing to tell Carl about the disasters that had befallen her - ‘First I missed the bus, then I got a lift with one of my friend’s Mums but her car broke down, and then I was climbing over the fence near Butler’s farm and it must have been raining or something because it was all flooded at the other side, and then I got stuck in the mud and fell over and oh well anyway, Matthew is going to kill me!’
‘You’re going to meet Matthew?’ Carl asked, feeling a sudden annoyance.
‘Well not exactly – I’m going to work. I’ve been working at King and Son’s after school with him and Jimmy.’
‘I see. When was this decided?’
Scarlet suddenly remembered who she was talking to. ‘Oh I’m not trying to replace you,’ she raced. ‘I mean, not that I could replace you, because obviously you’re a lot better than me, and know loads about the business, when Matthew said that all I’m going to be doing is filing and answering the phones and stuff – well, unless I’m good at that of course and then he might teach me some things, but I’m still at school so I won’t be working there full time like you do, I mean used to.’
‘Whoa,’ Carl said, grinning. ‘I don’t think you’re trying to replace me. I left of my own free will.’
‘Of course you did,’ Scarlet said. ‘Sorry.’
‘They’ll have to change the name mind, now they’ve got you on the payroll.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘They could call it ‘King and Son’s and Daughters’.’
Scarlet giggled. ‘I might suggest that to Matt.’
‘What did you do to deserve such an honour, anyway?’ Carl said.
‘Well I think its because I asked for some money to buy Daz a car.’
Carl laughed. ‘I wish I’d been there to see that!’ he said. ‘I bet Matt’s face was a picture.’
‘I suppose it was a bit daft,’ Scarlet said. ‘I just wanted to get him something nice to say well done - you know, for passing his driving test.’
‘Have you ever heard of chocolates?’
Scarlet rolled her eyes. ‘Well now Matthew wants me to learn the value of money or something. It’s quite weird really, he’s been acting big brotherly with me all of a sudden.’
Carl bristled. ‘That’s Matt all over – he always has to have someone to order around and pass his wisdom onto.’
‘Like he did to you, you mean?’ Scarlet said, genuinely interested. She immediately covered her mouth. ‘Oh sorry, I didn’t mean that like it sounded …’
‘No, you’re right, he did order me about - not anymore though.’
‘Do you miss him and Jimmy though?’ Scarlet said. ‘Now that you don’t see them?’
‘I’m still part of the business,’ Carl said, ‘and Home Farm is still a quarter mine. I’m never going to not see them for very long – mores the pity in Matt’s case.’
‘Was it really him who beat you up?’ Scarlet said, unable to help herself. ‘He said it didn’t have anything to do with him. I don’t think Jimmy believes him though.’
‘Do you really think I’d let Matt get the better of me?’ Carl said with a forced smile. ‘Anyway, enough about that. Hop in, I’ll give you a lift. It’s about time I showed my face before they start tipexing my name off the stationary or something.’
‘Oh they’ve already done that,’ Scarlet said. ‘I heard Matthew say that they got all new letter heads printed up …’ She covered her mouth again.
‘You just can’t help yourself can you?’ Carl said, but he smiled. ‘Not to worry. It will take more than that for them to get rid of me.’
Scarlet entered the office tentatively, aware that Carl was following her in.
‘Where the hell have you been?’ Matthew demanded, looking up from his desk. ‘You were meant to be here an hour ago, and look at the state of you!’
‘Sorry,’ Scarlet said. ‘I missed the bus.’
‘I would have come and picked you up,’ Jimmy said.
‘I didn’t want to bother you. I thought I was getting a lift, but then Sheila’s Mum’s car broke down.’
‘So you decided to go for a paddle?’ Matthew demanded incredulously.
Scarlet smiled. ‘That’s what Carl thought.
‘Carl …?’
At that, Carl followed Scarlet into the office.
‘That’s right,’ he said. ‘I gave her a lift in.’ He grinned at the dour expression on Matthew’s face.
‘Get out,’ Matthew said. ‘Before I …’
‘Before you what?’ Carl said, his eyebrow raised mockingly, ‘flatten me?’
‘Don’t tempt me,’ Matthew said.
‘Easy Matt,’ Jimmy said.
Jimmy was secretly relieved to see Carl. Since visiting him in hospital the day after he’d been mysteriously attacked he hadn’t heard anything from him and he had been worried. Jimmy knew that Matt was probably behind the attack on Carl because it had been simmering for a while between the pair of them, but he hadn’t been able to get either to admit it. Jimmy couldn’t help feeling that Carl had deserved some of what he had got and so, against his better judgement, he hadn’t pushed Matt on the subject.
‘What do you want, Carl?’ Jimmy said.
Carl smiled. ‘I just came for a look round the old place. I see that you’ve got a new member of staff.’
‘Well it wasn’t hard to find a replacement for you,’ Matthew said. ‘Scarlet is more than well qualified for the position. She doesn’t need to consult the spell check every time she wants to use a big word, and when we want a cup of coffee she can figure the machine out all by herself. ‘Now if you don’t mind some of us have got work to do - so ta-ta.’ He waved Carl away dismissively.
Annoyed, Carl walked further into the office. Matthew smiled and got to his feet; as he took a step forward his younger brother flinched visibly.
‘Oh what’s the matter, Carl,’ Matthew said, ‘I’m not going to hurt you. I was just going to escort you off the premises. We can’t have de Souza’s little lap dog telling him all our secrets now, can we?’
‘I came for a look at the accounts,’ Carl said, annoyed to feel his face flush.
‘You’ve got no chance,’ Matthew said. ‘I’m more likely to give them to Sam Dingle for the once over than you. I’d probably get more sense out of him an’ all.’
‘Maybe you should just go,’ Jimmy said.
‘Do you lot all have to be so nasty to one another?’ Scarlet said.
The three brothers turned to look at her, as though only just realising that she was still there.
‘Stay out of this,’ Matthew snapped.
‘But its ridiculous. You sound like a bunch of five year olds fighting over a toy truck or something.’
‘I said that’s enough,’ Matthew said.
‘Well it certainly didn’t take you long, did it Matt – to find someone else to bully,’ Carl said. ‘If I was you sweetheart,’ he added, turning to Scarlet, ‘I’d find yourself a job waiting tables – if you stick around here too long you might find yourself crushed firmly under his size tens. Haven’t you ever wondered why its Matt in charge of the company and not Jimmy? Because he steps on anyone who get in his way, and because he did everything in his power to make Jimmy look incompetent so that Dad would pass him over and give the majority of the shares to him.’
Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, but Matthew simply grinned.
‘Aww what’s the matter little brother, you upset because you’ve realised that your share in the business is too small to give you any say?’ He glanced at Jimmy. ‘Don’t listen to him Jimbo.’
Scarlet looked thoughtful. ‘How come Matthew is the boss anyway?’ she said. ‘Jimmy’s older, shouldn’t it have been him in charge?’
‘It’s the way Dad wanted it,’ Matthew said.
‘No it’s the way Matt made him want it,’ Carl said. He looked at Scarlet. ‘Has he told you about how he was sleeping with Jimmy’s wife for years, and how the two of them did everything to ruin him and then, later, the company?’
‘You better shut your mouth,’ Matthew said, taking a step towards Carl.
This time Carl didn’t flinch. ‘Come on then, why don’t you show our little sister what you’re really like. I’d rather she saw you in your true colours before you get her under your spell.’
Matthew hesitated. Every inch of his body seemed to want to reach out and grab Carl and teach him a lesson, but he could feel Scarlet’s eyes on him. He realised that Carl was just baiting him.
‘You’re fine one to talk about true colours, Carlos,’ Matthew said. ‘Now why don’t you get out of here before Scarlet learns something that you really don’t want her to know.’
‘Matt!’ Jimmy warned.
Carl felt himself pale.
‘What’s he on about?’ Scarlet said. ‘What don’t I really want to know?’
‘Nothing sweetheart,’ Jimmy said firmly, ‘just more old dirty linen.’
Matthew stepped directly in front of Carl and folded his arms. ‘You see I could play games with you, and I could dredge things up from the past, and I could quite easily ruin you. But I’m not going to. Do you know why?’
Matthew paused but Carl didn’t respond, choosing instead to just glare at his brother.
‘I’ll tell you. Because to me you’re just a jumped up kid playing at a man’s game. In my eyes, you’ll never be more than my idiot little brother - always getting yourself into scrapes that we had to bale you out of, always getting it in the neck from Dad about one thing or another, and, more often than not, wrapped right around some tart’s little finger. So, sunshine, I won’t be playing the hard game with you because, to be quite honest, you’re just not up to it.’
Matthew took a step back and gestured towards the door.
‘Now you can run along and prance around in your fancy Armani suit with your lovely leather briefcase, but I guarantee you that one day you’ll be crawling back to us, begging me and Jimmy to bale you out of yet another scrape – which we, mores the pity, probably will.’
Carl had felt the anger bubbling in him more and more as Matthew was speaking until he was red in the face with pure rage. He had never wanted to hit anyone so much. But in the end he fought down the urge – Matthew was more than capable of taking him on and he didn’t think he could stand the humiliation of taking a hiding by his brother for a second time in as many weeks.
Matthew seemed to know exactly what he was thinking because he leant forward and whispered,
‘Whenever you think you’re man enough.’
‘You think you’re so clever don’t you Matt?’ Carl snapped, pushing him away. ‘Well you underestimated me with the refuse contract and you’ve just done it again. I am going to make a success of this company, and one day, when I’ve taken everything you own, it will be you who comes crawling. Only I, as the irresponsible little brother, won’t lift a finger to help you.’
With that Carl turned on his heel and left – Matthew’s laughter ringing in his eyes till he reached the safety of his car.
Let me know if you like it and I'll post more!
Scarlet was picking at her breakfast. She had been waiting to catch Matthew on his own for the past few days to talk about the present she wanted to buy for Daz, and was now trying to work out whether this was a good time to broach the subject or not. Jimmy had left for work already and Lexi had stayed out all night so they were on their own – but Scarlet always found it difficult to tell with Matthew exactly what a good time was. Sighing she decided to risk it. Matthew always seemed calmer in the mornings when he had a cup of coffee and the paper in his hand
‘Matthew …’
Matthew barely glanced up from his paper.
‘Hmmm.’
‘I need some money.’
Matthew looked up. ‘I gave you twenty quid yesterday.’
‘I need more than that.’
‘What for?’
‘Things …’
‘What things?’
‘Just things.’
Matthew put his paper down and folded his arms, giving Scarlet his full attention. He had heard similar conversations between Jimmy and Kelly when she lived at Home Farm, and usually it ended up costing his older brother a fortune.
‘You’re going to have to do better than that lady.’
‘A present.’
‘Its not my birthday.’
‘Oh, ha ha! A present for Daz - for passing his driving test.’
Matthew laughed. He took a five pound note out of his pocket. ‘Here, get him some face cream.’
‘Matthew!’
Matthew sighed.
‘How much?’
‘Well I wanted to get him something special.’
‘How much?’
‘After what happened with his birthday I wanted to make it up to him …’
‘Listen, I haven’t got all day - just tell me how much.’
Scarlet shrugged. ‘Enough to buy him a car.’
Matthew laughed loudly.
‘You are joking me. You’re asking me to give you money to buy Daz a car?’
‘What’s wrong with that. He is my boyfriend.’
‘You’ve known him five minutes.’ Matthew suddenly stopped smiling. ‘Hang on a minute, has he put you up to this?’
‘No!’
‘Because if he thinks for one minute that he’s getting his hands on this family’s money then he’s got another think coming.’
‘He doesn’t know anything about it; I just thought it would be nice surprise for him, that’s all.’
‘Well you can just forget it. You can get him a card and take him out for a meal if you like, and he can think himself lucky with that.’
He handed her a twenty.
‘But I could do that any time. What’s special about taking him out for a meal?’
‘You’ve got a lot to learn madam. You don’t just go handing round cars to any Tom, Dick or Harry that you’ve taken up with.
‘It’s my money to hand round,’ Scarlet said grudgingly.
‘Not until you’re eighteen. Until then I’m looking after it – and it’s a good job too if all you’re going to do with it is spend it on your spotty little boyfriends.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Now go on – its time you were getting to school isn’t it. I don’t want to hear anymore about this.’
‘I’ve got ages before I have to be in school.’
‘Just get moving, and lets have less of the back chat shall we?’
‘You what?’ Jimmy said. Matthew was relaying the story to him over a pint in the Woolpack.
‘You heard, she asked me for money to buy that little runt a car.’
‘Do you think he put her up to it?’
‘She says not - reckoned that it would just have been a nice surprise for him.’
‘I’m sure it would have been!’
‘I mean what planet it she on? It’s less than two years till she gets her hands on her share of the business and what’s she going to do with it, give it away to the first grease monkey that shows her a bit of attention?’
Jimmy sighed. ‘Well Scarlet can be a bit naïve. Her hearts in the right place though.’
‘Jimmy, she’s living in cloud cuckoo land! She needs taking in hand before its too late.’
‘So what do you suggest? A term in the Matthew King “school of hard knocks” and “how to do your best friend over”?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Matthew said, ‘but I do think its about time she started to realise the value of things. Why don’t we get her working in the office a couple of times a week or something? At the moment this inheritance business is probably just like an episode Footballers Wives to her, but if she actually sees some of the hard graft that goes into it then she might be less likely to take it for granted. Dad had us helping out with the company long before we were Scarlet’s age.’
‘Hmmm,’ Jimmy said, ‘actually that’s not such a bad idea. It might keep her away from Daz too.’
‘That’s settled then.’ Matthew sat back and took a drink from his pint.
‘She is supposed to be sitting her GCSEs though this year,’ Jimmy said uncertainly, ‘do you really think she should be working as well?’
‘We’re not talking about her sewing mail bags from morning till night, Jimmy, just a bit of filing and answering phones after school a couple of times a week.’
‘I suppose. Do you think she’ll go for it?’
‘We won’t give her any choice! If she’s going to be reaping the rewards of the business then she should be putting some effort into it. She needs to learn that, unlike Carrie, she won’t be getting something for nothing.’
Jimmy smiled – he was quite impressed that Matthew was even taking an interest in Scarlet, normally he left it up to Jimmy. ‘Are you going to tell her or shall I?’ he said.
‘I’ll do it. She seems to have you wrapped round her little finger.’
‘Don’t be too hard on her Matt - remember she is only a kid.’ He shook his head. ‘I still can’t believe that she asked you to give her money to buy Daz a car. I wish I could have been there to see your face. Did you have a go at her about it?’
‘It was so ridiculous that I laughed. But I reckon I should have given her a talking to – bring her back down to earth a bit. She won’t be getting any money out of me for a while that’s for certain. She can have her lunch and bus money but that’s about it. When she starts working I’ll give her an allowance, and then if she still wants to buy that boyfriend of hers a car she can save up and earn it. That’ll soon make her see sense.’
‘What’s for dinner, I’m starved,’ Scarlet said as she came in from school, throwing her bag on the floor. Matthew and Jimmy were both sat eating their dinner at the kitchen table. The smell of Jimmy’s beef casserole hung in the air.
‘Where’ve you been lady?’ Matthew demanded with a glance at the clock. ‘It’s gone six.’
‘What do you care?’ Scarlet said, sitting down.
‘Just answer the question,’ Jimmy said.
‘I went to a mates house after school. And before you start, I was doing homework.’
Matthew snorted. ‘Course you were. You were probably getting felt up on the sofa at Daz’s.’
‘Matt!’ Jimmy reproached. He turned to Scarlet ‘You weren’t, were you?’
‘Of course not! Not all men are only after one thing. I was at Holly’s. We’ve got a textiles project due in at the end of the week and her mum’s got a sewing machine.’
‘Well now you are here we’ve got some news for you.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Scarlet said, plating up some of the casserole. ‘Has Mum been on the phone?’
‘No.’
‘Lexi then?’
‘No – and that wouldn’t be news would it?’
‘So what’s the big mystery?’ Her eyes widened. ‘Nothing’s happened to Carl has it?’ she turned to Matt. ‘You haven’t been having a go at him again have you?’
‘Will you just shut up and listen,’ Matthew said bristling. ‘Anyway, I told you I had nothing to do with what happened to Carl.’
‘And I told you that I didn’t believe you. Honestly, you lot must think that I walk around with my eyes closed half the time. Don’t you think its just a tiny bit suspicious that Carl screws you over with the refuse contract and then five minutes later he ends up in hospital.’
‘I’m not responsible for coincidences,’ Matthew said, with only the tiniest hint of smugness.
‘I don’t know why you’re so worked up about it anyway. You’d sell our own granny down the river, you would,’ Scarlet said. She paused, ‘If we have a granny that is – anyway you can’t really blame Carl for standing up to you can you?’
Matthew slammed his glass of wine down on the table so that the red liquid sloshed over the top and onto the woodwork. ‘Look, just keep your nose out alright - I don’t want to hear one more word about it.’
‘Temper, temper,’ Scarlet said with a grin.
‘Look that’s enough,’ Jimmy said. ‘We’re not talking about Carl anyway - though I’m glad you are at least taking an interest in what happens with the business.’
‘And you’re going to be taking a lot more interest in it from now on too,’ Matthew said.
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re going to come and work for us, that’s why.’
Scarlet laughed. ‘You’ve got to be kidding. I’m in the middle of doing my GCSEs. Not to mention that I don’t know the first thing about bin trucks or landslides or whatever.’
Matthew closed his eyes. ‘We don’t run the bin trucks anymore, and its land-fill not landslide.’
‘See? I told you I don’t know anything about it.’
‘We’re not talking about you leaving school and becoming chair of the board,’ Jimmy said, ‘we just want you to help us out a couple of nights a week after school that’s all.’
‘But why?’
‘Because you should be pulling your weight, that’s why,’ Matthew said, ‘not asking for handouts to buy your little boyfriend posh new cars.’
‘Oh so this is my punishment for daring to ask you for some of the money that’s - oh yes that’s right - mine to being with.’
Matthew pointed at her. ‘You can lose the attitude as well, lady, you’re on thin ice as it is.’
Scarlet scowled at Matthew. ‘I don’t know why you’re coming over like you’re bothered about me all of a sudden. You normally go days without even noticing we’re eating at the same table.’
‘Scarlet just stop trying to be smart and listen will you?’ Jimmy said. ‘We just want you to help out that’s all.’
‘Fine,’ she said with a sigh, ‘doing what?’
‘Filing and answering phones, that sort of thing,’ Jimmy said.
‘Thrilling,’ Scarlet said. ‘Will I be making tea and coffee too?’
‘If we ask you to,’ Matthew said.
‘I’m not being a skivvy for him!’
‘You’ll do as your told,’ Matthew said. ‘If you want your allowance that is.’
‘Allowance?’ - Scarlet was suddenly interested.
‘Yes. I’m sick of just doling out money when you ask for it, and you must be sick of having to ask all the time. If you come and work for us I’ll put it into an account for you every week and then you can please yourself.’
‘How much will I get?’
‘So you are interested?’ Jimmy said with a smile.
‘I might be. It might be kind of cool to have a job actually. Loads of my mates have them.’
‘Bully for them,’ Matthew said.
Scarlet considered for a moment. ‘If I agree then as well as filing and stuff will you show me how the business works?’
Matthew looked mildly surprised. ‘Are you interested in how the business works? I thought you were too busy worrying about music and clothes and which footballer you were going to marry …’
‘As if!’ Scarlet said. ‘I’m not that shallow; I do have a brain you know.’
‘I see,’ Matthew said with a grin, ‘but you just leave it under your pillow on a morning when you get up do you?’
‘Shut up!’ Scarlet said indignantly, ‘I’m quite good with maths and economics and stuff.’
‘Well don’t go getting ahead of yourself,’ Matthew said. ‘We’ll start you with tea making and filling, and if you do a good job I might explain some of the accounts to you.’
‘Can I get to go to posh lunches with you and Jimmy and wear a power suit and drink chardonnay with lunch?’
‘One step at a time, eh?’ Jimmy laughed.
‘You can come and give it a try tomorrow,’ Matthew said.
‘Okay then, I will.’
‘That’s settled then,’ Jimmy said.
As Carl was driving towards the village from Hotton where he had been meeting some of de Souza’s more important clients, he saw Scarlet up ahead, half-running, half-walking at the side of the road. He beeped his horn and then pulled over, winding his window down.
‘Now then, trouble, where are you off to in such a hurry?’
‘I’m late!’ Scarlet said, relieved that Carl has stopped for her. She had been working at King and Son’s for the past few days, and one thing she had learned was that Matthew was a stickler for punctuality.
‘Well that’s obvious.’ He cast his eyes dubiously over her school uniform. Her blazer and skirt were splashed with mud and her black tights and shoes were soaked to the knee. ‘What did you do, go for a paddle on the way home from school?’
‘No silly!’ She paused for breath and then ticked what she said next off on her fingers, racing to tell Carl about the disasters that had befallen her - ‘First I missed the bus, then I got a lift with one of my friend’s Mums but her car broke down, and then I was climbing over the fence near Butler’s farm and it must have been raining or something because it was all flooded at the other side, and then I got stuck in the mud and fell over and oh well anyway, Matthew is going to kill me!’
‘You’re going to meet Matthew?’ Carl asked, feeling a sudden annoyance.
‘Well not exactly – I’m going to work. I’ve been working at King and Son’s after school with him and Jimmy.’
‘I see. When was this decided?’
Scarlet suddenly remembered who she was talking to. ‘Oh I’m not trying to replace you,’ she raced. ‘I mean, not that I could replace you, because obviously you’re a lot better than me, and know loads about the business, when Matthew said that all I’m going to be doing is filing and answering the phones and stuff – well, unless I’m good at that of course and then he might teach me some things, but I’m still at school so I won’t be working there full time like you do, I mean used to.’
‘Whoa,’ Carl said, grinning. ‘I don’t think you’re trying to replace me. I left of my own free will.’
‘Of course you did,’ Scarlet said. ‘Sorry.’
‘They’ll have to change the name mind, now they’ve got you on the payroll.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘They could call it ‘King and Son’s and Daughters’.’
Scarlet giggled. ‘I might suggest that to Matt.’
‘What did you do to deserve such an honour, anyway?’ Carl said.
‘Well I think its because I asked for some money to buy Daz a car.’
Carl laughed. ‘I wish I’d been there to see that!’ he said. ‘I bet Matt’s face was a picture.’
‘I suppose it was a bit daft,’ Scarlet said. ‘I just wanted to get him something nice to say well done - you know, for passing his driving test.’
‘Have you ever heard of chocolates?’
Scarlet rolled her eyes. ‘Well now Matthew wants me to learn the value of money or something. It’s quite weird really, he’s been acting big brotherly with me all of a sudden.’
Carl bristled. ‘That’s Matt all over – he always has to have someone to order around and pass his wisdom onto.’
‘Like he did to you, you mean?’ Scarlet said, genuinely interested. She immediately covered her mouth. ‘Oh sorry, I didn’t mean that like it sounded …’
‘No, you’re right, he did order me about - not anymore though.’
‘Do you miss him and Jimmy though?’ Scarlet said. ‘Now that you don’t see them?’
‘I’m still part of the business,’ Carl said, ‘and Home Farm is still a quarter mine. I’m never going to not see them for very long – mores the pity in Matt’s case.’
‘Was it really him who beat you up?’ Scarlet said, unable to help herself. ‘He said it didn’t have anything to do with him. I don’t think Jimmy believes him though.’
‘Do you really think I’d let Matt get the better of me?’ Carl said with a forced smile. ‘Anyway, enough about that. Hop in, I’ll give you a lift. It’s about time I showed my face before they start tipexing my name off the stationary or something.’
‘Oh they’ve already done that,’ Scarlet said. ‘I heard Matthew say that they got all new letter heads printed up …’ She covered her mouth again.
‘You just can’t help yourself can you?’ Carl said, but he smiled. ‘Not to worry. It will take more than that for them to get rid of me.’
Scarlet entered the office tentatively, aware that Carl was following her in.
‘Where the hell have you been?’ Matthew demanded, looking up from his desk. ‘You were meant to be here an hour ago, and look at the state of you!’
‘Sorry,’ Scarlet said. ‘I missed the bus.’
‘I would have come and picked you up,’ Jimmy said.
‘I didn’t want to bother you. I thought I was getting a lift, but then Sheila’s Mum’s car broke down.’
‘So you decided to go for a paddle?’ Matthew demanded incredulously.
Scarlet smiled. ‘That’s what Carl thought.
‘Carl …?’
At that, Carl followed Scarlet into the office.
‘That’s right,’ he said. ‘I gave her a lift in.’ He grinned at the dour expression on Matthew’s face.
‘Get out,’ Matthew said. ‘Before I …’
‘Before you what?’ Carl said, his eyebrow raised mockingly, ‘flatten me?’
‘Don’t tempt me,’ Matthew said.
‘Easy Matt,’ Jimmy said.
Jimmy was secretly relieved to see Carl. Since visiting him in hospital the day after he’d been mysteriously attacked he hadn’t heard anything from him and he had been worried. Jimmy knew that Matt was probably behind the attack on Carl because it had been simmering for a while between the pair of them, but he hadn’t been able to get either to admit it. Jimmy couldn’t help feeling that Carl had deserved some of what he had got and so, against his better judgement, he hadn’t pushed Matt on the subject.
‘What do you want, Carl?’ Jimmy said.
Carl smiled. ‘I just came for a look round the old place. I see that you’ve got a new member of staff.’
‘Well it wasn’t hard to find a replacement for you,’ Matthew said. ‘Scarlet is more than well qualified for the position. She doesn’t need to consult the spell check every time she wants to use a big word, and when we want a cup of coffee she can figure the machine out all by herself. ‘Now if you don’t mind some of us have got work to do - so ta-ta.’ He waved Carl away dismissively.
Annoyed, Carl walked further into the office. Matthew smiled and got to his feet; as he took a step forward his younger brother flinched visibly.
‘Oh what’s the matter, Carl,’ Matthew said, ‘I’m not going to hurt you. I was just going to escort you off the premises. We can’t have de Souza’s little lap dog telling him all our secrets now, can we?’
‘I came for a look at the accounts,’ Carl said, annoyed to feel his face flush.
‘You’ve got no chance,’ Matthew said. ‘I’m more likely to give them to Sam Dingle for the once over than you. I’d probably get more sense out of him an’ all.’
‘Maybe you should just go,’ Jimmy said.
‘Do you lot all have to be so nasty to one another?’ Scarlet said.
The three brothers turned to look at her, as though only just realising that she was still there.
‘Stay out of this,’ Matthew snapped.
‘But its ridiculous. You sound like a bunch of five year olds fighting over a toy truck or something.’
‘I said that’s enough,’ Matthew said.
‘Well it certainly didn’t take you long, did it Matt – to find someone else to bully,’ Carl said. ‘If I was you sweetheart,’ he added, turning to Scarlet, ‘I’d find yourself a job waiting tables – if you stick around here too long you might find yourself crushed firmly under his size tens. Haven’t you ever wondered why its Matt in charge of the company and not Jimmy? Because he steps on anyone who get in his way, and because he did everything in his power to make Jimmy look incompetent so that Dad would pass him over and give the majority of the shares to him.’
Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, but Matthew simply grinned.
‘Aww what’s the matter little brother, you upset because you’ve realised that your share in the business is too small to give you any say?’ He glanced at Jimmy. ‘Don’t listen to him Jimbo.’
Scarlet looked thoughtful. ‘How come Matthew is the boss anyway?’ she said. ‘Jimmy’s older, shouldn’t it have been him in charge?’
‘It’s the way Dad wanted it,’ Matthew said.
‘No it’s the way Matt made him want it,’ Carl said. He looked at Scarlet. ‘Has he told you about how he was sleeping with Jimmy’s wife for years, and how the two of them did everything to ruin him and then, later, the company?’
‘You better shut your mouth,’ Matthew said, taking a step towards Carl.
This time Carl didn’t flinch. ‘Come on then, why don’t you show our little sister what you’re really like. I’d rather she saw you in your true colours before you get her under your spell.’
Matthew hesitated. Every inch of his body seemed to want to reach out and grab Carl and teach him a lesson, but he could feel Scarlet’s eyes on him. He realised that Carl was just baiting him.
‘You’re fine one to talk about true colours, Carlos,’ Matthew said. ‘Now why don’t you get out of here before Scarlet learns something that you really don’t want her to know.’
‘Matt!’ Jimmy warned.
Carl felt himself pale.
‘What’s he on about?’ Scarlet said. ‘What don’t I really want to know?’
‘Nothing sweetheart,’ Jimmy said firmly, ‘just more old dirty linen.’
Matthew stepped directly in front of Carl and folded his arms. ‘You see I could play games with you, and I could dredge things up from the past, and I could quite easily ruin you. But I’m not going to. Do you know why?’
Matthew paused but Carl didn’t respond, choosing instead to just glare at his brother.
‘I’ll tell you. Because to me you’re just a jumped up kid playing at a man’s game. In my eyes, you’ll never be more than my idiot little brother - always getting yourself into scrapes that we had to bale you out of, always getting it in the neck from Dad about one thing or another, and, more often than not, wrapped right around some tart’s little finger. So, sunshine, I won’t be playing the hard game with you because, to be quite honest, you’re just not up to it.’
Matthew took a step back and gestured towards the door.
‘Now you can run along and prance around in your fancy Armani suit with your lovely leather briefcase, but I guarantee you that one day you’ll be crawling back to us, begging me and Jimmy to bale you out of yet another scrape – which we, mores the pity, probably will.’
Carl had felt the anger bubbling in him more and more as Matthew was speaking until he was red in the face with pure rage. He had never wanted to hit anyone so much. But in the end he fought down the urge – Matthew was more than capable of taking him on and he didn’t think he could stand the humiliation of taking a hiding by his brother for a second time in as many weeks.
Matthew seemed to know exactly what he was thinking because he leant forward and whispered,
‘Whenever you think you’re man enough.’
‘You think you’re so clever don’t you Matt?’ Carl snapped, pushing him away. ‘Well you underestimated me with the refuse contract and you’ve just done it again. I am going to make a success of this company, and one day, when I’ve taken everything you own, it will be you who comes crawling. Only I, as the irresponsible little brother, won’t lift a finger to help you.’
With that Carl turned on his heel and left – Matthew’s laughter ringing in his eyes till he reached the safety of his car.
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