His Heiress Wife

by Margaret Way

  “Miss her, do you?” Olivia asked pleasantly.

  “I’m not a complete bitch,” Megan replied.

  “Oh, yes, you are,” Olivia assured her in a composed voice. “I’m amazed you can’t see it. For one thing you’re a pathological liar. Do you know what that means?”

  “I don’t have to put up with this.” Megan tried a sneer that didn’t quite come off.

  “You do, Megan. You really do. You made the mistake of coming onto my land. This is a very serious matter, the consequences of which you’ll be lucky to escape. Tali isn’t Jason’s child.”

  Immediately Megan lost what colour she had. “She bloody well is!” she protested, holding her flat stomach as though she’d been stabbed.

  “She bloody well isn’t,” Olivia corrected gently. “Tali is Carlo De Luca’s child as you very well know.”

  Megan visibly recoiled. “Prove it.”

  “Very easily, Megan.” Olivia continued along the path shaded by the interlocking branches of the poincianas. “You’re not getting this, are you? Nearly everyone I would have thought has heard of DNA. It’s the carrier of genetic information, it will tell us exactly who Tali’s father is. That’s if we want conclusive proof. Actually she’s the very image of Carlo’s younger sister, Gina, at the same age. Extraordinary how blood will out! I pity you, Megan, I really do. Wait until Mrs. De Luca comes after you. Good grief, you’ll probably need hospitalising. You lied and lied didn’t you, Megan? I only hope everyone is going to understand. I mean I have every right to pull your hair out but I’m not going to do it. So distasteful. I bet Jason didn’t have sex with you at all?”

  “He bloody did.” Megan’s voice was filled with real shock.

  “No, Megan.” Olivia shook her head. “I think not. Your lying days are over. You blinded me with your quiet demeanour—I didn’t see you for what you really are. You wanted to spite me and you wanted Jason full stop. You saw an opportunity so you moved in. Far from being drunk, Jason was probably drugged. It could have been you who spiked his drink with your dirty little hands.”

  “Shut up. Shut up. All right.” Megan stared back defiantly. “I didn’t do it.”

  “So it was Sean or one of his deplorable friends?” Olivia continued conversationally. “But you saw your chance, Megan. Here was Jason about to stumble into your waiting arms. Another woman’s fiancé, but what the hell! All’s fair in love and war. It was handy your aunt was out of town. You managed to get Jason to her place, didn’t you? I daresay you snuggled up to him naked in bed. That would have been a real turn-on. Everything about you is odious. The one thing I’m sure of—God forgive me for ever doubting him—Jason didn’t make love to you. He would have been incapable. Not because he was drunk or drugged but because he was faithful to me. We were to be married.

  “When you found out you were pregnant you knew what to do. Trick that knight in shining armour, Jason Corey, into marrying you. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. It would never come again and there had to be a child otherwise you’d have had an abortion. Never mind about poor silly Olivia—she’d fly into a rage, women do. She wouldn’t stop and say, Hang on! We need proof. She decided the man she loved was guilty right off. I blame myself for that, Megan.”

  “And so you should!” Megan gave a bitter, narrow smile. “If you wanted to be a high-minded fool who was I to stand in your way? I didn’t care about you. You’ve never had to put up with the things I’ve had to. I reckon Jason is the only person I’ve ever loved—he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. So I didn’t sleep with him before we got married? I slept with him plenty after. He was my husband, you know, Olivia dear, not yours. What we didn’t get up to on our honeymoon!” She rolled expressive eyes. “I’ve never had a better lover.”

  Olivia stood completely still, though she wanted to smack the smirk off Megan’s face. “You must have felt such triumph? For how long? The whole five minutes it took for the wedding ceremony? I bet Jason couldn’t get through a day without thinking of me. It must have been really, really awful finding out he could never care for you.”

  Megan flushed darkly and stepped back. “Yeah, well, you didn’t have him, either. At least I made sure of that.” Megan threw a nervous glance ahead. Olivia had led her under a pergola of stone pillars festooned with a dazzling gold trumpet vine that had been allowed to overgrow to such an extent it formed a dense tunnel. Megan had the dismal notion there mightn’t be light at the other end. Olivia wasn’t the tender hearted push-over she’d once been—she looked steely. “So how far are we going to walk?”

  “For as long as it takes,” Olivia answered calmly, breaking off a spray of blossoms. “You’re going to go away, Megan. You’re never going to come back. You’re going to get yourself a nice respectable job some place. Try Tasmania, that should be far enough.”

  Megan’s laugh was hollow. “You think that’s going to happen do you? Never mind you finally figured it out. Jason to this very day, hasn’t. It’s really pathetic, but he loves that kid. He thinks she’s his. You haven’t told him your little secret, have you, Olivia? You love him. You don’t want him to suffer. You can live with the fact Tali isn’t his every single minute of the day, but you won’t tell Jason. He thinks the world of that kid. It would kill him to know she isn’t his. All I’m asking is a little nest egg to set me up. I’m not a rich bitch like you. I didn’t have any doting old fool of an uncle to leave me a fortune. We can work this out, Olivia. You’re smart. You’ll do it for Jason.”

  “And for Tali,” Olivia said. “Oh, I forgot, you’re not interested in your little daughter.”

  “What a ridiculous nickname,” Megan snorted, feeling strangely disoriented within this dense tunnel of pungent flowers and the shifting light as the tumbling branches of the climber moved. “She’s Natalie,” she insisted. “After a movie star I kinda liked. Okay, so you’re fond of Natalie, all the better.”

  Olivia continued her unhurried stroll although she was aware of Megan’s strange discomfort. “What about Carlo De Luca?” she asked. “You don’t think he has the right to know he fathered a child?”

  Megan’s fair skin blotched red. “Forget about Carlo. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. He’s in Sydney anyway.”

  “Brisbane. He transferred to Brisbane.”

  They emerged from the gold and green grotto at long last. Now Megan literally dug in her toes. “That was like swimming underwater,” she complained. “Few gardens are as big as this. There are too many areas.” She was averse to walking through the arched entrance to the walled garden. It looked like it had come from the ruins of some temple. “Brisbane is still a thousand miles away,” she pointed out, shrugging her thin shoulders. “Big country!”

  “Small world. What about his parents, his sister? What happens when they lay eyes on Tali. They’ll see the blood tie straight away.”

  “So you say.” Megan cut her short. “I used to wonder when the penny would drop with Jason but it never did. Listen I don’t want to go any further, it’s too bloody spooky. I don’t like all these arches and statues and things, those old stone urns on stands. I like everything new, modern. I like to be able to see where I’m going, too. I don’t like your ponds and all those white lilies—you could drown in them ponds.”

  “Nonsense,” Olivia said bracingly. “Havilah’s gardens are famous in this part of the world, Megan. Obviously you’re not a nature lover. As for the lakes! Water views and pavilions are essential in a hot humid climate. I think you’re nervous because you have such a guilty conscience. All this beauty defeats you. No need to be nervous of me, though. I won’t drown you.”

  “I bet you’d like to.” Megan shuddered, far more comfortable out in the full sun.

  “Believe me, Megan, I don’t want to lay a hand on you,” Olivia told her in complete honesty. “I can’t speak for the De Luca’s of course. They’re very volatile and they will see the resemblance.”

  “Oh, all this perfume! It’s enough to make you drunk!” Megan
burst out, for the first time sounding nervous and overwrought. Her nostrils were assailed by a thousand languorous fragrances which for some reason made her feel almost hysterical. “People only see what they want to see. There’s Jason, a really smart guy in so many other ways, who thinks Tali has his eyes.” Megan hit her fingers against her forehead. “They’re Carlo’s eyes.”

  “Of course they are!” Olivia agreed. “They’re Gina De Luca’s eyes as well and now I think about it Salvatore’s, Carlo’s father. Blue eyes are so striking in a Mediterranean face.”

  “No reason why they should see her.” Megan lost all her bravado. “Change her appearance a bit. You could do it.”

  “Plastic surgery, contact lenses?” Olivia enquired with quiet sarcasm, stopping beside an elegant garden seat. “The truth will out, Megan.”

  Megan nibbled hard on her lip while she considered. “Make it a hundred thousand,” she said. “That should take care of it. I promise you I won’t bother you again.”

  “Why don’t you tell that to Carlo De Luca?” Olivia suggested.

  “What do you mean?” Megan lifted her narrow head, fear in her eyes.

  “I mean, Megan, Carlo De Luca knows. He’s staying with his parents over Christmas and last night he came here for dinner. As it happened Tali was fast asleep upstairs. Incredibly she woke just as Carlo was leaving—a bad dream—she rushed downstairs to find Jason, found her real father instead. Carlo recognised her at once. It was quite extraordinary. A revelation.”

  “No!” A shudder tore through Megan’s slight frame. She clutched at the garden seat for support. “What did he say?”

  “He said—” Olivia looked back at Megan ever so pityingly “—wait until Mama finds out.” She’s a very formidable woman, Bella De Luca. I wouldn’t want to be the person to upset her. She’ll be very upset with you, Megan. She might be tempted to take a kitchen knife to you.”

  Megan choked. “Are you crazy! I won’t see her.”

  “Or Carlo?”

  “No way! I don’t want any trouble. I’ve had a rotten life. You don’t know the half of it.”

  “I suppose not,” Olivia said, unable despite everything to put pity aside. “You’ve been the cause of a lot of suffering, Megan. Are you fully aware of that?”

  “Ah, get out! You’re as happy as a pig in a poke,” Megan rallied, straightening up. “You’ve got Jason back haven’t you?” she asked cheekily. “You’ve got this bloody great place. It’s like your own private kingdom.” She waved her arms about. “What have I got?”

  “Probably what you deserve, Megan.” Olivia started to move on. “Let me ask you. Do you really want to see Tali? I certainly won’t prevent you, I’m no heartless monster.”

  “No, you’re a bloody saint!” Megan jeered. “Remember saints are really the worst at spotting sinners. I played you and Jason for mugs. Never mind with your kind little gestures, Olivia, I don’t want to see Natalie. I wouldn’t know what to say to her. I’ve got no feeling for her anyway.”

  “That’s very difficult to accept!” Olivia sighed deeply. “I suppose one might be able to trace your inability to love your child back to things that went on in your own childhood. Either way, you’re the loser, Megan. Tali’s a delightful little girl. She’s really intelligent. Pretty. Funny. I’ll tell you something else. Carlo wants her!”

  Megan’s delicate jaw dropped. Clearly she hadn’t expected to hear that. “He doesn’t. He couldn’t.” She shook her head.

  “Not everyone’s like you, Megan. The bond between parent and child is the most powerful bond there is. Carlo wants his daughter.”

  Megan looked like her whole world was about to implode on her. “So what about Jason?” she croaked, her small features looking more pinched than ever.

  “Ah, yes, Jason your trump card! The reality is you have no bargaining power, Megan. Jason doesn’t know yet but sadly he will. Now, I tell you what I’m going to do. It will be my very last kindness to you, one I’m sure you won’t refuse. I’m going to write you a cheque for $10,000 which is something you truly don’t deserve. But you are Tali’s mother and I still feel some pity for you. Perhaps if you’d had a different life you wouldn’t be what you are now.

  “What you have to do to get it, is take a train or a plane or a bus out of here. Today, not tomorrow, today. I might change my mind otherwise. Ten thousand dollars should set you up until you get a job. You can look the part when you want to. The waif hairdo will suit you if you forget the hot spikes and go back to your natural colour. In return, you won’t breathe a word to Jason about Carlo being Tali’s true father. Certainly not when he drives you to the train or the airport. I’ll give you cash to cover your ticket to Brisbane. You can work out your final destination from there. If you say anything I’ll know from Jason’s reactions and cancel the cheque. I don’t know why I’m saying this, Megan, but I wish you well. Just don’t ever come back.”

  Olivia left Megan standing beside the car while she walked back across the lawn to the homestead.

  Jason was sitting in a white wicker armchair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, seemingly staring into space.

  “Where’s Tali?” Olivia asked in surprise, looking around for the little girl.

  “She’s hiding upstairs,” Jason said laconically, rising slowly to his impressive height. “It’s a truly appalling state of affairs, but Tali doesn’t want to see her mother. I’m not going to be the one to force her.”

  “Who’s suggesting you do?” Olivia had the notion his brilliant blue eyes were a shade hostile.

  “You never know with you, Liv.” Jason shook his head. “Megan could have dumped a sob story on you. It took me a heck of a time to get over the fact you asked her to be a bridesmaid but I went along with it—brides privilege and all that. I truly don’t like to say this, but Megan is poison.”

  Olivia gave way to a flare of temper. “You brought her here, I didn’t issue any invitation. Please don’t take it out on me, Jason. I know you’re upset.”

  “Who the hell else have I got to take it out on?” he responded, his mouth wry.” Tali has been the only good thing in life since you left me. Now Megan, complete with a punk hairdo and skinny little legs, is back to blackmail me. I can’t let Tali go—I have to look after her. I know Megan. She’d do anything to spite us. Hell, she’d sell Tali if she could get away with it.”

  “Megan’s not going to do anything,” Olivia said, looking back across at him. “I left her standing beside the car. She doesn’t want to see Tali, by the way. Are you sure she actually gave birth or was it a phantom pregnancy?”

  “You know it’s not mandatory for mothers to love their babies, Liv,” Jason said. “Mothers have done unspeakable things to their children. Probably it has something to do with their own past experiences. Megan wasn’t fitted for the role of mother—she has no capacity. She saw Tali almost as the enemy from day one. They just didn’t click, hard as that is to comprehend. Thankfully it’s not the general picture. I bet she tried to blackmail you as well?”

  Olivia replied with a groan. “Not that I was seriously considering a quarter of a million. I’m not completely insane.”

  “No, but you’re pretty damned softhearted,” Jason retorted. “Except with me.”

  “You don’t mean that?” Olivia was trying to recall only hours before they were making perfect love.

  “You never wanted to see me again, remember?” Jason spun about. “Oh, hell, I’m sorry I said that, forget it. Megan has upset me good and proper.”

  And there was plenty more upset to come. “Well I’ve sorted her out,” Olivia told him in a more gentle tone of voice. “I’ve managed to beat her back from $250,000 to $10,000 providing she leaves right away.”

  “And she went for it?” Jason turned to stare at her.

  “I didn’t get a peep out of her!” Olivia raised her brows. “I suppose at some point in life we all start to get smart.”

  Jason threw back his head and laughed. “How do we kn
ow she won’t come at this again when the $10,000 runs out?”

  “I might have told her I’d employ a hit-man,” Olivia said with black humour.

  “Liv, darling, she’s probably trying to milk this for all it’s worth.”

  “I don’t think so.” Olivia shook her head. “Now I’m going into the house to write the cheque. I’ll also give her some cash so she can take a bus, a train, a plane or the pillion seat of a motor bike out, as far as Brisbane, that is. If you wouldn’t mind, Jason—as she is your ex-wife—I’d like you to drive her off Havilah to whatever terminal she wants to go.”

  He let his eyes rest on her for the longest time. “No need to overplay the grand lady, Liv, your appearance says it all. Naturally I’ll reimburse you for whatever it is you give her. I don’t run around with a cheque book in my pocket.”

  “Thank you, Jason,” Olivia said. “Being so damned decent is one of the things I like most about you. However, permit this over-the-top lady to say the payout I effected is a damned sight less than what she was first talking about.”

  “Good work!” Jason sketched a brief salute.

  Olivia moved swiftly towards the entrance hall. At the door she paused. “By the way, while I’m inside I’ll find Tali and tell her she’s free to do exactly as she pleases.”

  “Take all the time you like,” Jason said.

  The picnic lunch didn’t happen. Jason drove Megan away. Tali came to stand beside Olivia as she watched from behind the drawing room’s curtains.

  “Has she gone?” Tali shuddered, clutching Olivia’s hand tightly.

  “Why couldn’t you see your mummy, sweetheart?” Olivia asked, thinking she would have given anything to have had her mother live. “Is it because she hit you?”

  “I thought she was going to kill me, you mean,” Tali said with astonishing emphasis.

  “No, no.” Olivia shook her dark head emphatically. “Your mother is an especially vulnerable—” she hesitated “—no, you don’t know that word.”