‘We have no call to fear the Charity Commissioners,’ she told Hugo firmly. ‘Far from it.’
‘I wasn’t suggesting that you might,’ Hugo responded coolly. ‘However, this might be a good point at which to remind you that all your father’s charities are overseen by that committee, and that whilst you may be the Chairperson of it, or them, you do not have the right to steamroller through whatever changes you wish to make.’
‘To steamroller through...’ Dee gasped in fresh indignation. ‘How dare you? What exactly are you trying to suggest?’ she demanded. ‘My father’s wishes are and always have been paramount to me when it comes to my role as—’
‘Are they?’ Hugo interrupted her. ‘Peter doesn’t think so.’
Dee sighed and took a deep breath, swinging round. ‘My father wanted his own charity to benefit his fellow citizens. When he initially established it there was a need in the town to help the elderly, and that is exactly what we have done, but now... Things change...and I believe that our help is needed now far more by our young people.
‘But none of this has any relevance to you, nor can it be of any interest to you,’ she told Hugo firmly. ‘I realise that to someone like you, who is used to dealing with the needs of people and situations a world away from what we are experiencing in Rye—people to whom the meagrest ration of food makes the difference between living and dying...’
She stopped, and then told him fiercely, ‘The elderly in Rye are more than adequately provided for, but our teenagers...there’s nothing for them to do, nothing to occupy or interest them. Ward says...’
‘Ward?’ Hugo interrupted her sharply.
‘Yes, Ward Hunter,’ Dee replied briefly. ‘Ward has already put into operation—and very successfully—the kind of scheme I want to help establish in Rye.’
‘Peter said that he felt that you were being influenced to break away from your father’s ideas,’ Hugo told her critically. ‘And that’s why—’
‘Hugo, Peter means well, but he’s old-fashioned. He can’t see.’ Dee paused and frowned. ‘I really do need to talk with him to make him understand...’
‘You mean to put pressure on him to go against his own beliefs,’ Hugo told her caustically. ‘Well, I’m afraid that just isn’t going to be possible, Dee.’
‘What? Why? What’s happened?’ Dee demanded, her heart immediately filled with fear for her father’s old friend. Was there something about his health that Hugo was concealing from her?
‘Why? Because this morning Peter asked me to act for him as his representative on the committee, and—’
‘No...’ Dee denied, grabbing hold of the edge of the table as she tried to control the shock that was making her body tremble. ‘No, he can’t possibly have done that.’
‘If you wish to see the formal papers then I’m sure his solicitor will be happy to send you copies.’
‘His solicitor?’ Dee’s voice faltered. ‘But...’
‘How does it make you feel, Dee, to realise that Peter felt concerned enough, distressed enough, to tell me that he wanted to sign a Power of Attorney in my favour so that I could deal with all his affairs because he was afraid that you might pressure him into doing something he d
idn’t feel was right?’
Dee’s face drained of blood.
It wasn’t just the shock of hearing that Hugo would be taking Peter’s place on her committee that was making her feel so sick with despair, it was also the heart-aching knowledge that Peter had felt that he couldn’t trust her. Fiercely she blinked back the shocked, shamed tears she could feel burning the back of her eyes.
‘Peter has given you Power of Attorney?’ Dee asked weakly. She felt very much as though she would like to sit down, but her pride wouldn’t allow her to betray that kind of weakness in front of Hugo of all people. She turned away from him and faced the window whilst she fought for self-control.
It seemed doubly ironic now, in view of what Hugo had just said, that she had actually entertained the thought of asking for his help in persuading Peter to give to her the very authority he had actually given to Hugo.
‘Yes, he has,’ Hugo confirmed. ‘And you may be very sure, Dee,’ he continued sternly, ‘that I shall ensure his wishes are respected and that you do not ride roughshod over them. I dare say that you and this...this Ward Hunter believe that you have the power to bring the other members of the committee round to your way of thinking, but I can promise you—’
‘The decisions of the committee have nothing to do with Ward,’ Dee protested defensively. ‘And in fact...’
‘Exactly.’ Hugo pounced triumphantly, overruling her. ‘I’m pleased to see that you recognise that fact, even if that recognition is somewhat belated. From what Peter has been telling me it seems to me that you’ve been managing your father’s charity very much as though it’s your own personal bank account and that you—’
‘That’s not true,’ Dee gasped angrily. ‘Even if I wanted to do that—’ She stopped and swallowed hard. ‘What you’re suggesting is... All I’m trying to do is to help those who need it most.’
‘In your judgement,’ Hugo pointed out.
‘Hugo, Peter means well, but he’s...’
‘He’s what? Not capable of making his own informed decisions any more?’