Читать книгу Tall, Dark... Collection - Кэрол Мортимер, Carole Mortimer - Страница 44

‘FINISHED?’ She looked questioningly at her son as he left half the pizza that she had ordered for him on his plate.

Since their talk on Monday evening Bobby had been very quiet. He had seemed to accept what she’d said about Robert, and why he had died, but at the same time had not quite believed what she’d said about Liam’s intention of coming back today.

Maybe because she still wasn’t sure she believed that herself…!

Liam had telephoned her from the airport on Tuesday morning before his plane took off, wanting to know how her talk with Bobby had gone. Not that she’d been able to reassure Liam too much on that point; Bobby just wasn’t giving away his feelings at the moment.

Other than that brief telephone call from Liam she had heard nothing from him the last three days, had no idea whether or not he still intended coming to the house this evening. It was a point Bobby was well aware of; the first question he had asked when he’d woken up this morning was had she heard from Liam? Which she hadn’t. And still hadn’t, as the day progressed.

Which was one of the reasons she had decided to take Bobby out for a pizza after school, hoping to take his mind off Liam’s proposed visit. Although, from Bobby’s lack of appetite, she might as well not have bothered!

‘Finished. Can we go home now?’ he asked eagerly.

She gave a weak smile. ‘Of course.’ She stood up to pay the bill, feeling an ache in her chest at Bobby’s obviously suppressed excitement; he was just too afraid to dare to outwardly anticipate that Liam would keep his promise.

Laura knew the feeling.

Only too well!

But this bewildered pain was exactly what she hadn’t wanted for Bobby, was the reason she would have preferred Liam and Bobby never to meet. Of course, she couldn’t have anticipated the invisible bond that had come into existence between the two of them from the moment they had met, but she had known enough not to want even to take the risk of the two of them forming an attachment. Because it was a risk. To Bobby’s fragile emotions…

But, after doing everything in her power to prevent the two of them ever meeting, she had bowed to the fact that they had, that there was nothing she could do about the fact they actually liked each other. What she would do was personally strangle Liam if he let Bobby down this evening!

Bobby could barely contain his excitement on the drive back to the house. Laura was relieved at having the concentration of driving herself, for a change, to keep her own mind from dwelling on the possibility of Liam’s arrival. In fact, she had chosen to drive herself for that very reason.

Bobby waited barely long enough for her to bring the car to a halt in front of the house before jumping out and running in, leaving the front door wide open as he did so. Laura followed at a more leisurely pace, reluctant to feel the sting of her own disappointment as well as Bobby’s.

‘What kept you, Mrs Shipley?’ drawled an achingly familiar voice as she entered the hallway.

She couldn’t help it; her pulse rate quickened at the sound of Liam’s voice, her eyes glowing with pleasure as she looked up at him standing only feet away with a grinning Bobby held up in his arms.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realised how right they looked together. But it wasn’t with that wariness she had felt from the moment she met Liam again over a week ago, this was something completely different…

She was still in love with Liam!

Had she ever stopped…?

She had thought she had, had believed, when she’d finally accepted Liam had left her eight years ago, that her love for him had died too. But looking at him now, so achingly familiar, his eyes smiling into hers, their son held in his arms, Laura knew that she had never stopped being in love with Liam, that she had only buried that emotion deep in her heart, never to be looked at again.

Except Liam was back…

‘He came back, Mummy.’ Bobby’s words echoed her chaotic thoughts.

She swallowed hard, inwardly struggling to behave naturally, even if she did feel like screaming at the painful discovery she had just made. ‘So he did,’ she acknowledged lightly, concentrating on putting her bag down on the hall table so that she no longer had to look at Liam.

How could she have continued to love him all this time?

How could she not? came the next instant thought; every time she looked at Bobby, the son she loved above everyone and everything else in life, her love for Liam, the man he resembled so strongly, became more deeply entrenched in her heart.

‘Okay, Laura?’

She looked up to find Liam looking at her concernedly. But how could everything be okay when she had just realised her love for this man?

She swallowed hard, avoiding that searching blue gaze. ‘If you don’t mind, I’ll leave you two to chat while I go up and change.’

Liam continued to look at her frowningly for several long seconds before giving a barely perceptible shrug. ‘Don’t be long; I’ve brought you back a piece of my mother’s birthday cake.’

Wonderful—it would probably choke her!

She fled up the stairs, throwing herself dazedly down on her bed once she reached her room. She was still in love with Liam! Unbelievable. Incredible. Impossible!

Oh, Liam had made it more than obvious that he still found her attractive, that he would be happy for the two of them to have some sort of relationship. But too much had happened in the last eight years, to both of them, for them ever to be able to start all over again.

Besides, there was still Bobby…

Bobby was Liam’s son, as well as her own. When Liam had left her life so suddenly eight years ago…had married another woman within weeks of leaving…Laura had known, once she found out, that she couldn’t contact him to tell him she was pregnant; she simply hadn’t wanted him in her life, in any guise, under those terms.

But what of Bobby’s life? Her decision had meant that neither Bobby or Liam knew of the other’s existence.

There was no doubting that Robert had been a wonderful father to Bobby, but, given a choice, would Bobby rather have had his own father, even on a part-time basis? More to the point, how would Liam see, in the light of his unknowing absence in America, what she had chosen to do eight years ago?

He should never have left her in the way he had!

This wasn’t solving anything, she acknowledged heavily. She might still be angry with Liam for deserting her in the way that he had, but Liam might be just as angry with her at not being told of her pregnancy. Hadn’t he made a comment last week along the lines of not having made the mistakes in his own life over the last eight years if she had been his wife when he went to America…?

Laura sighed heavily, having no idea what she was going to do now. She was in love with the father of her son. Under other circumstances it would be the most natural way in the world for her to feel. Under these particular circumstances, it might be just as disastrous for her as loving Liam eight years ago had been.

What was she going to do?

Liam had told her that they needed to talk this evening, once Bobby had gone to bed. She was starting to dread what that conversation might be about!

‘Come and have some cake, Mummy,’ Bobby invited as soon as she entered the kitchen. A pot of coffee, and a plate of cake, were laid out on the wooden table. ‘It’s delicious!’

‘One of my sisters made it,’ Liam supplied, his expression indulgent as he watched Bobby enjoying his slice of cake. The little boy’s appetite had obviously returned.

‘Domesticity has never been my forte,’ Laura heard herself snap in reply, instantly cringing inwardly. It wasn’t Liam’s sister’s fault Laura had just discovered she was still in love with him!

Liam raised dark brows at her sharpness. ‘Tough day?’ he sympathised.

Laura felt the sting of tears in her eyes at the gentleness of his tone. The last thing she could cope with right now was Liam being kind to her! Especially when she had just so obviously been a bitch.

She gave an uninterested shrug, having changed into denims and a loose blue jumper. ‘No tougher than usual. Where’s Amy?’ She frowned at the absence of her housekeeper.

‘She said to tell you she had to pop out for a couple of things,’ Liam explained, still frowning slightly.

Probably because Laura had forgotten to mention to Amy there was a possibility of Liam being here for dinner this evening! Because she hadn’t wanted to end up looking a fool when he didn’t arrive.

‘You’re looking tired, Laura.’ Liam looked at her concernedly. ‘Do you have to work so hard?’

Her eyes flashed her resentment as she glared across the room at him. ‘I have a business to run!’

He nodded slowly. ‘And a child to look after and a home,’ he elaborated.

None of those things were the reason she looked so tired; the truth of the matter was she hadn’t slept well since Liam had left on Monday evening. And she hadn’t even realised she was still in love with him then!

‘Liam, in this day and age lots of women have a bigger workload to cope with than I do,’ she replied.

‘But probably not as much lone responsibility,’ he persisted. ‘From what I’ve observed you’re a working single mother, and Shipley’s is a big company to run—’

‘The art department have started work on the cover of your book, by the way,’ she interrupted brightly. ‘I think you’ll be pleased with it.’

‘I’m sure I will,’ he dismissed uninterestedly. ‘Come and sit down, Laura, and I’ll pour you a cup of coffee.’

Laura sat. Not because Liam had told her to, but because she was still deeply shaken by the realisation she was in love with him.

Bobby, she could see at a glance, looked happier than he had in days. Obviously because of Liam’s presence. What was she going to do?

‘Stop worrying so much,’ Liam murmured at her side, reaching out to briefly squeeze her hand with his. ‘Things will work out.’

Would they? Would they really? Somehow she didn’t feel that Liam would still feel that way once he learnt the truth. And a part of her said she now owed him and Bobby that, at least…

It was at times like this that she wished she had an older sister she could talk to, or a close friend she could confide in. But, as Liam had already pointed out, her life was kept busy enough being Bobby’s mother and running Shipley Publishing. The closest she came to having a female friend was Amy, and because Amy had worked for over twenty years for Robert Laura knew she would feel slightly disloyal talking to the other woman about her feelings for Liam.

‘I’ll go upstairs to my room and get my kite,’ Bobby said excitedly, having devoured two slices of birthday cake.

Laura watched her son leave the room, all the time wishing that he hadn’t. She had no idea what she was going to say to Liam now that they were alone.

She sipped her coffee, warming her hands around the cup; for some reason she felt incredibly cold. ‘Did you have a nice time with your family in Ireland?’ She tried to pick an innocuous subject to talk about; they had hours to get through before Bobby went to bed and the two of them could have that talk.

‘I missed you and Bobby,’ Liam came back—instantly turning the conversation back into intimacy.

Laura looked down at the table-top, wondering how she was going to get through this without breaking down.

‘I’m sure your family were pleased to see you,’ she said. ‘Was your mother suitably surprised with her party?’

‘She appeared to be.’ Liam smiled indulgently. ‘Although I’m sure she knew exactly what was going on. My mother is a woman who sees a great deal that isn’t actually said,’ he replied appreciatively. ‘She saw the photographs of the two of us in the newspapers,’ he added gruffly.

Laura winced. Oh, no, she hadn’t given a thought to the fact Liam’s family might see them too. And wonder…‘Did your family give you a hard time over them?’ she attempted to tease.

He shrugged broad shoulders, having discarded his outer coat, wearing a black shirt and blue denims. ‘Not particularly. I think my mother took one look at me and warned them off the subject. She would like to meet you,’ he added gently.

Laura took in a hard breath. ‘Didn’t you explain to her that those stories in the newspapers were just publicity nonsense dreamed up by the reporters?’

Liam’s mouth quirked into a smile. ‘There would have been no point; my mother has always been able to tell when I’m lying!’

Laura raised startled lids, those different coloured eyes, one blue and one green, shining brightly with confusion.

Liam shrugged. ‘Of course, she doesn’t realise you’re the same Laura from eight years ago yet, but—’

‘Your mother knew about me then?’ Laura gasped, her eyes wide.

‘Oh, yes, she knew.’ He nodded slowly.

‘But—’

‘Here we are.’ A happy Bobby bounced back into the room with his kite. ‘Can Liam and I go outside for a while Mummy?’

Almost as if Liam were Bobby’s own age, and the two of them were going out to play in the garden!

‘If Liam wants to,’ she answered non-committally.

Liam stood up, grinning. ‘I’ve thought of doing nothing else the last three days!’

Somehow Laura found that hard to believe, but if it made Bobby happy—which it most assuredly did, as his face lit with excitement when he and Liam went outside—then who was she to question the statement?

Besides, she was glad of this brief respite. Too much seemed to be happening too soon. And once Liam learnt how she had deceived him about Robert and Bobby it might just be going nowhere!

Liam had told his mother about her eight years ago…

Laura found that incredible. Admittedly their relationship had lasted over six months, but for most of that time Liam had treated her like another one of his sisters—someone to be patted on the head when she did something right, or shouted at when she did something wrong.

Why on earth would Liam have told his mother about her?

Yet another fact from the past that needed explaining. By the time the two of them had finished explaining themselves, there would be nothing left!

‘That was absolutely delicious, Amy,’ Liam told the housekeeper warmly as she took away their used plates before putting cheese and a pot of coffee on the table.

‘Thank you, Mr O’Reilly,’ Amy accepted before turning to Laura. ‘I’ll clear away in the kitchen, check on Bobby, and then call it a night, if that’s okay with you, Mrs Shipley?’

It wasn’t okay with her, it meant she would be left on her own with Liam, but, like her, Amy had had a long and tiring day and deserved some time to herself.

Bobby had been bathed and in bed for over an hour now, having insisted Liam join them for his story. Just as if they were a real family, Laura had realised. This situation was definitely getting out of hand!

And maybe the sooner it was settled—in whatever way!—the better it would be for all of them.

Nevertheless, Laura felt her stomach give a nervous lurch as Amy closed the dining room door softly behind her as she left.

‘You should know me well enough by now, Laura, to know that I don’t bite!’

She looked up at Liam, instantly looking away again as she saw from his teasing expression that he had meant the remark in a double-edged way; he wasn’t about to verbally attack her just because they were now alone, but at the same time he was reminding her of the fact that he had been a passionate but gentle lover eight years ago…!

‘It never occurred to me to think you might,’ she lied—having no idea how the rest of this evening was going to go!

‘No?’ he mocked lightly. ‘I don’t know about you, but I don’t care for any cheese…Shall we take the coffee through to the sitting room, then?’ he suggested after she confirmed she wanted nothing else to eat either.

Why not? It might only delay the dreaded moment for a couple of minutes, but it would delay it…

Liam didn’t sit down once they were ensconced in the sitting room, but prowled around the room, as if he were reluctant to begin this conversation too.

He came to a halt beside the dresser at the back of the room, lifting one of the many photographs from its surface, looking down to study the picture intently.

Laura squeezed her eyes shut, knowing exactly which photograph he was looking at; it had been taken shortly after Bobby was born. Laura was sitting on the arm of one of the chairs in this room, Robert was seated in the chair and Bobby nestled contentedly in his arms.

‘You look a happy family.’ Liam spoke gruffly.

Laura opened her eyes to look across at him, but found herself unable to read anything from Liam’s closed expression. ‘We were,’ she confirmed quietly.

Liam gave an abrupt inclination of his head. ‘Robert was a good father?’

She swallowed hard. ‘He was,’ she confirmed, aware they were both talking around the real point at issue. But at least they were talking.

‘And a good husband?’

Her head rose challengingly. ‘I’ve already told you that he was,’ she answered.

Liam nodded slowly, replacing the photograph. ‘I’m glad.’

Her eyes widened. ‘You are?’

His gaze was shuttered as he gave her a considering look. ‘Didn’t you think I would be?’

Laura shook her head. ‘I don’t know,’ she told him truthfully.

He gave a rueful smile. ‘I’ve never wished you anything but happiness, Laura. Never. Do you believe me?’

How could she? He had become the sole reason for her happiness eight years ago, and six months later he had cruelly walked out of her life!

‘Obviously not,’ Liam acknowledged at her silence. ‘Laura, eight years ago you were still a child—’

‘I was over twenty-one,’ she protested.

‘Sixteen going on twenty-one,’ Liam corrected softly. ‘When your parents died they left you in an emotional time-warp of the age you were when they died—’

‘That’s utter nonsense, Liam, and you know it,’ Laura declared.

‘No, I don’t?’ He gave a firm shake of his head. ‘Sixteen is a terrible age to lose both your parents. Admittedly you had a guardian who could take over the financial side of your life, but emotionally you had been left in wilderness.’ He gave another shake of his head. ‘I had no idea of any of this when I first met you; how could I? But it rapidly became obvious to me that you were badly in need of someone to love. And for someone to love you.’

‘And that wasn’t part of your immediate plans, was it?’

‘Laura,’ he began patiently, ‘you have no idea how I felt eight years ago. You weren’t mature enough—’

‘Oh, please!’ She stood up impatiently. ‘Don’t try and blame any of what happened then on my so-called immaturity. I didn’t see that stopping you when you made love to me!’

Liam drew in a harsh breath. ‘Nothing could have stopped me the night—that one and only night!—I made love to you,’ he admitted ‘You had been in my life, every part of it, for almost six months. There, with your sensual allure, your undoubted beauty, your complete acceptance of who and what I was. Once I began to touch you that night, kiss you, I could no more have stopped either of those things than I could have stopped breathing!’

‘You said it had been a mistake.’ Laura shakily recalled his words of rejection the following morning. ‘That it must never happen again.’

And it hadn’t. It hadn’t needed to. Bobby had been conceived from that single night of physical love between Liam and herself.

And Liam had left her life before she had even had a chance to share that knowledge with him…

‘Obviously you’d had what you wanted, found it unsatisfactory, and simply moved on,’ she bit out caustically, the words cutting into her like knives.

Liam’s expression was dark with anger. ‘Obviously you don’t know a thing about how I felt after that night!’ he shot back.

She eyed him scathingly. ‘Triumphant, I expect.’

Liam stepped forward, grasping the tops of her arms. ‘You were a virgin until that night, Laura. And I—I had taken that precious gift from you. Triumph didn’t even enter into how I felt the next morning when I woke to find you beside me in my bed!’

Laura closed her eyes against the fury of Liam’s face.

They had been out to celebrate that evening, Liam having signed the contract that day to go to Los Angeles and write the screenplay of his book. They had drunk too much champagne, already high enough on Liam’s success. It had seemed the most natural thing in the world that the two of them should make love with each other when they returned to Liam’s apartment. At least, it had seemed natural to Laura…

‘I should never have drunk as much champagne as I did.’ He scowled.

She opened her eyes to look up at him frowningly. ‘What happened between us had nothing to do with the champagne.’ She shook her head protestingly. ‘It was always going to happen. I’m just surprised it took as long as it did,’ she added, knowing she had fallen in love with Liam, had wanted him physically, from their second time of meeting. Liam had always been the one who held back.

Was this way? Had he really believed her too young and vulnerable to know what she was doing?

Liam’s expression was grim as he thrust her away from him. ‘It wasn’t supposed to happen. I had told myself it wasn’t going to. I was too old for you—’

‘You’re only ten years older than me, Liam, not Methuselah,’ she said, her arms tingling where he had held her so tightly.

‘In terms of experience I was totally out of line continuing my friendship with you at all!’ he told her grimly. ‘And I don’t just mean physical experience,’ he added at her derisive expression. ‘I left Ireland when I was nineteen, came to live in London, found success with my writing. Those years before I met you I lived my life to the full. In every way.’

‘And then stupidly naı¨ve me came into your life,’ Laura realised. ‘Following you everywhere. Worming my way into every part of your life.’

‘It wasn’t like that at all, and you know it.’ His eyes glittered dangerously. ‘I liked having you there, came to look forward to the time we spent together. Too much! Because I was aware that you already had a blinkered adoration for your guardian, the man who had come to your rescue when you were left alone in the world. I also knew that I was rapidly taking on that same untouchable role in your eyes, of someone you thought could do no wrong—’

‘Liam, that is utter nonsense,’ Laura cut in incredulously.

‘I was far from perfect,’ he said.

Laura frowned. ‘How I felt about you bore no relation to how I felt about—my guardian,’ she said awkwardly. ‘Yes, I adored him. How could I not? I had known him all my life; he was a friend of my parents. I told you he had always been an honorary uncle,’ she added exasperatedly as Liam continued to look unconvinced.

‘I know I learnt to be jealous of the man; you talked about him incessantly,’ Liam said. ‘Uncle Rob this and Uncle Rob that.’

‘I loved him!’ she cried exasperately. ‘He was the kindest, most wonderful man I’ve…’ Her voice trailed off as she saw Liam look at her sharply, a dawning recognition appearing in those intelligent blue eyes.

Liam swallowed hard. ‘I seem to have heard that description somewhere before…’ he said slowly.

Laura was flustered now, remembering all too well where he had heard it before! The question was, was Liam remembering it too…?

He was breathing shallowly, his searching gaze never leaving the paleness of her face as he obviously tried to come to grips with a realisation that just seemed too incredible to take in.

‘I’ve been a fool, haven’t I?’ He finally spoke slowly. ‘A complete and utter damned fool.’ His voice hardened angrily.

She hadn’t meant him to find out like this, had wanted to explain the situation to him quietly and calmly. Unfortunately, those two things had never been too near the surface in her dealings with Liam!

‘I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been,’ he continued self-disgustedly. ‘I was just so bowled over when I met you again. I didn’t connect—Guardian Uncle Rob. Husband Robert. They’re one and the same person, aren’t they?’ he breathed incredulously.

Laura stared at him wordlessly, feeling the colour slowly drain from her face.

‘Aren’t they?’ He moved swiftly, grasping her arms again. ‘Answer me!’

His face was only inches away from her own, bombarding her with the full force of his anger.

She shook her head. ‘You don’t understand, Liam—’

‘Robert Shipley was your guardian, wasn’t he?’ he ground out fiercely. ‘The adored Uncle Rob you talked about all the time?’

‘Yes!’ she burst out forcefully, the tears beginning to fall hotly down her cheeks now.

Liam thrust her away from him, staring at her disbelievingly. ‘I thought—believed—I’ve been making an idiot of myself, haven’t I?’ he exclaimed impatiently as he moved away.

‘Where are you going?’ she choked as he strode over to the door.

He looked back at her with glacial eyes. ‘As far away from here as possible!’

‘But—’

‘Don’t say another word, Laura,’ Liam bit out in a dangerously controlled voice. ‘Not another word. I won’t be held responsible for the consequences if you do!’

She watched mutely as he swung the sitting room door back with a bang. The slam of the front door seconds later told her that he had gone. Never to return, probably.

And with that realisation came the knowledge that she still hadn’t told him about Bobby, his son…!