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you embezzled money
    from the Craft Company to take Fiona on an expensive holiday.'
    'I did not embezzle it!' Simon's face was flushed now with anger. 'I
    borrowed it.'
    'With Philip's knowledge and permission?'
    'I didn't think it was necessary to mention it to him. After all, it was
    only a couple of thousand or so on temporary loan. I fully intended to
    pay it back. One damned good win at blackjack was all I needed.'
    'But you didn't win.'
    'No, I started losing really badly. I kept telling myself my luck would
    change, but it didn't. It just kept getting worse.'
    'Then why on earth didn't you stop?'
    'I couldn't,' he said simply. 'I had to go on trying to win.'
    Joanna ran the tip of her tongue round her dry lips. 'Did you borrow
    any more money?' she asked carefully.
    'Some,' he muttered. 'I'd have been all right—I know I would—if
    bloody Blackstone hadn't barred me from the casino. How the hell
    was I supposed to recoup my losses if I wasn't allowed to play?' He
    gave her a petulant look. 'I still don't see why he found it necessary to
    drag you into all this. I thought we had a gentlemen's agreement about
    it.'
    'Cal Blackstone,' she said quietly, 'is no gentleman. Tell me, Si, and I
    want the truth—is there any hope that you'll be able to repay at least
    the—loan from the firm?'
    There was a pause, then he shook his head. 'I can't. Philip and I are
    both drawing minimum salaries at the moment. And I've had so much
    extra expense with the baby coming. The nursing home fees cost a
    fortune for a start.' His expression became alarmed. 'Blackstone won't
    really insist on this audit, will he? I mean—I can explain to old Phil,
    and I'm sure he'd understand, but I'd rather not.'
    Joanna murmured something non-committal, but in her heart she
    wasn't at all convinced that old Phil would be quite so amenable to the
    news that some of their slender profits had been illegally squandered
    on gambling, and vacations in the West Indies.
    'So what does Blackstone want?' Simon demanded apprehensively.
    Joanna hesitated. 'I'm not altogether sure,' she prevaricated. 'Now that
    I know his—allegations are true, I have to get back to him—work
    something out.'
    'Oh, goody.' Simon's voice was heavily sarcastic. 'I didn't realise that
    you two were so much in each other's confidence. Yesterday you
    couldn't stand the sound of his name. Today you've got your heads
    together, deciding what to do for the best about poor misguided
    Simon. Does he get his knuckles rapped, or just stand in the corner?'
    Joanna bit her lip. 'That kind of attitude doesn't help.'
    'And having my private affairs chewed over behind my back isn't
    totally acceptable either,' Simon retorted furiously. 'You should have
    refused to listen— referred him straight to me, instead of meddling in
    what doesn't concern you.'
    Joanna held on to her temper with an effort. 'If you're charged with
    embezzlement, it will concern me very closely,' she said evenly. 'It
    will concern us all. And imagine the effect it could have on Daddy.'
    'Oh, yes, let's.' Simon's face was stony. 'Look, everyone, Simon's
    been a naughty boy. And Joanna's the blue-eyed girl who's going to
    put everything right. Well, bloody good luck to you!' He glared at her.
    'What a pity you didn't stay here and pitch in after Martin died,
    instead of swanning off to the States. Things might have been
    different then.' He scraped his chair back and rose. 'I'm going back to
    the nursing home to stay with Fiona. Have your high-level conference
    with Blackstone, sister dear, and get everything sorted. Feel free to let
    me know some time what's been decided for me.'
    He went out, banging the door behind him, and seconds later she
    heard the front door slam too, and his car start up and drive away.
    Joanna leaned back in her chair, trembling a little. She knew Simon of
    old. Once offended, he would sulk unreasonably for days, and she
    wouldn't be able to get a sensible word out of him.
    He would come round