This Is My Child by Lucy Gordon

Author:Lucy Gordon [Gordon, Lucy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarlequinUKLtd
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Seven

Melanie parked the car that Giles now kept for her use, and went around the house to enter through the French doors. Her arms were laden with parcels, for in the week they’d been home she’d already started equipping David for his next term at school. He was a happier child now, more at ease with his father, but still with a caution that made him cling to Melanie, as though fearful that everything might be snatched away again.

There’d been a strange car parked outside the house, so she guessed he had a visitor and probably wouldn’t want to be disturbed. As she went into the hall she was arrested by the sound of Giles’s angry voice coming from his office. “I wish you’d try to realize the effect this has on David,” he was saying. “I’ve told you before how upset it’s all made him.”

A woman answered, sounding weary and petulant. “And I’ve told you why I felt a clean break would be best for everyone.”

Melanie froze. Even after eight years, she remembered that voice, with its chilly self-satisfaction. Shivers of horror went through her as she realized that she was only a few feet away from Zena, the one person who could identify her and bring her whole world tumbling down.

“The best for you, you mean,” Giles said bitterly. “Let’s be honest. ‘Loverboy’ didn’t want the inconvenience of a child, did he? I’ll bet he made you promise to ditch David before he married you.”

“By ‘loverboy’ I suppose you mean Antony. No, he didn’t want David. Why should he? Why should I? You were the one who wanted a child, not me.”

“You were David’s mother for eight years. It broke his heart when you left. You could at least have the decency to see him sometimes, to make it easier on him. I want you to wait and meet Melanie—”

“Is that really necessary?”

“You’re a hard-hearted woman Zena, but even you’ll be touched at what Melanie can tell you—how he’s been recently—how he misses you.”

“All right, if Imust.”

Holding her breath, Melanie began to creep backward, her eyes still fixed on the open door of Giles’s office. As she moved she prayed that nobody would come out and see her. Her prayers were answered. She reached the French doors, then turned and ran back to the garage. She managed to get the car out quietly, then drove away as fast as she dared.

But she knew that she’d obtained only a temporary reprieve. She didn’t dare go back to the house while there was a chance that Zena was there. And that meant a long time.

Someday soon she would tell Giles the truth. But not yet, and not like this. Heaven knows what the revelation would do to the fragile web of love and trust that was growing between them, though if he learned in the right way, she might survive it. But nothing could be worse than to have Zena recognize her and spew out the truth, filtered through her own spiteful mind.

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