Platinum Coast

Platinum Coast
Lynne Pemberton

A powerful story of glamorous lives and ruthless ambition.In 1974 Stephen Reece-Carlton and Christina Carlton are honeymooning in Barbados. When they discover, and fall in love with, Crystal Springs House – an old colonial mansion – they decide there and then to buy it and convert it into a luxury hotel. From this beginning rises Platinum Hotels, one of the world’s largest hotel groups.Platinum Coast is the story of three members of the Carlton family: Stephen, whose ambition breeds ever greater ruthlessness as his empire expands; Christina, increasingly rejected by her husband but finding solace in the arms of a young Englishman, Martin Ward; and Victoria, Stephen’s daughter by an earlier marriage, consumed with hatred for Christina and possessing a devastating secret which can shatter Stephen’s relationship with his American business partner.

LYNNE PEMBERTON

Platinum Coast

Dedication (#ulink_0dab0cfd-2432-5f78-8b0e-a60bc1f78f6e)

To my father.

The past is past,

lost forever,

only the memories survive.

I miss you.

Contents

Cover (#u729dd10a-097e-5c94-bea7-4e82c7bdbb8d)

Title Page (#ud5961a31-1189-523d-9368-ba888e9c48b4)

Dedication (#u201c5910-83aa-574b-9d96-8340941e7b9b)

Prologue: Barbados, 10 September 1993 (#ua72409e4-80e4-592e-8247-117222f79057)

Chapter One: 1982 (#u4b0bbc11-5c0c-5aef-aa6b-b004a6d71fcc)

Chapter Two (#u623ef8d9-315c-5b32-946f-84adc39f990f)

Chapter Three (#u7fb0d09c-b7cb-5e13-9682-45343dea8be8)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen: Five Years Later (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty: 22 September 1993 (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue: December 1994 (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue BARBADOS, 10 SEPTEMBER 1993 (#ulink_c39a928c-029c-53e6-b0b4-aa0baad2cca6)

It was dark when the small fishing boat slipped unnoticed out of the shallow-draught harbour. There was a strong sea breeze and spray flayed the skin of Christina’s cheeks. She turned her face away from the wind and caught the smell of diesel fuel and dead fish. Bile stung her throat like acid and she fought hard to hold down the rising nausea.

A strong gust caught the Island Spirit full on its starboard side. She stumbled amongst the coiled ropes. A pair of strong hands steadied her.

‘Are you okay, Mrs Reece-Carlton?’

She stared up into the concerned face and friendly dark eyes of Father Edward Collymore.

‘I’ll be okay,’ she mumbled. She clutched the priest’s arm as the boat rolled alarmingly in the opposite direction, and smiled faintly to herself.

Ever the perfectionist, Stephen had left precise instructions in his will.

The burial at sea must be at dawn and approximately ten miles out from the north point of the island, where the Caribbean meets the southern Atlantic.

Christina looked across to the eastern horizon as the skipper cut the engines. She gripped the gaudily painted side of the boat as it bobbed in sickening motion to and fro. Slowly the sea before her lit up as though floodlit, the top of the sun’s glowing golden orb just visible above the rolling waves.

Dawn comes quickly in the Caribbean. Thick fingers of brilliant light punctured the darkness and suddenly the entire sky was filled with a bright-blue dazzling glow.

‘Now,’ Christina said to Father Collymore, who nodded and squeezed her hand.