Uncertain Destiny

by Carole Mortimer

  His expression softened as he saw her self-reproach. ‘How would you know?’ he teased softly. ‘You’ve only ever had one lover!’

  She needed no other assurance that he believed her about that now.

  But that wasn’t going to make having dinner with Sonia and Tony any easier; she wasn’t looking forward to it at all.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  TO ALL intents and purposes they were just two couples about to spend the evening together, but beneath the surface politeness of their initial greetings Tony’s mood was slightly morose, and Justin watched them all with a speculative gaze.

  Sonia had lost no time in making the arrangements for that very evening once Caroline had telephoned her and told her she and Justin accepted her invitation. Maybe she had thought they might try to get out of it if she allowed any time to elapse. Whatever the reason for her haste, they were all together now, and it was left to Caroline and Sonia to keep the conversation going, chatting about general things while the two men eyed each other in male challenge.

  Sonia was looking her usual beautiful self, and the apartment they had bought and that she had decorated reflected her sunny personality, the bright oranges and lemons in the lounge only slightly subdued by small touches of brown. Tony seemed very well, as if married life suited him, too, although his dark frown ruined his charming good looks slightly; he obviously still hadn’t quite forgiven Caroline for marrying Justin, despite the fact that he had found happiness with her sister!

  ‘Having you back certainly seems to suit Caroline,’ Sonia told Justin mischievously. ‘She looked quite wan while you were away on business.’

  ‘I seem to remember your telling me I looked beautiful that day,’ Caroline reminded drily.

  ‘Well, you did, darling,’ her sister nodded. ‘You always do. But you looked a little lost, too.’

  She cast Justin an uncomfortable look, knowing by the teasing glitter in his gaze that he found her sister’s chatter amusing.

  ‘I wasn’t lost at all,’ she told Sonia impatiently, avoiding Tony’s somewhat scornful gaze. ‘I had plenty to keep me busy. And you came to call. And so did—Oh!’ She gave a stricken groan as she realised she had forgotten to tell Justin about the visit from his friend, Don Lindford. ‘Oh dear! Justin, I’m so sorry.’ She gave a rueful grimace. ‘With all that was happening I just forgot, and—’

  ‘Darling, what are you talking about?’ he prompted with indulgent humour.

  ‘You had a visitor while you were away, and I completely forgot to tell you.’ She shook her head in self-disgust. ‘And Mr Lindford seemed so nice, too—’

  ‘Mr who?’ Justin prompted quietly, sitting forward in his chair.

  ‘Don Lindford,’ she explained awkwardly. ‘I really am sorry I forgot to tell you. But he did say he would be in touch again soon, and that—that he was sorry to have missed you,’ she ended lamely.

  She knew very well why she had forgotten to tell Justin that the other man had called: Sonia’s visit coming shortly afterwards, and then Justin’s own traumatic return. Under the circumstances it wasn’t really surprising she had forgotten Don Lindford’s visit, but even so it was a little shameful when he was the first and only friend of Justin’s she had ever met!

  ‘I am sorry,’ she said again, grimacing.

  Justin seemed lost in thought, his expression harsh. She knew it had been thoughtless of her to omit telling him about the other man, but he really didn’t need to look so angry about it; Don had said he would come back!

  ‘Did he stay long?’ Justin finally bit out into the uncomfortable silence, Sonia looking puzzled by the exchange, Tony regarding them with narrow-eyed speculation.

  Caroline’s cheeks burnt as she hurriedly looked away from Tony’s mocking expression. He seemed to be saying, ‘Are you still sure you married the right man?’

  ‘Only a few minutes,’ she answered Justin. ‘He didn’t seem to have a lot of time. I offered him a cup of tea, but he refused, and—’

  ‘What did he talk about?’ Justin prompted harshly.

  ‘Nothing, really.’ She shook her head dismissively. ‘I told you, he didn’t have a lot of time. Was his visit important?’ She looked at him frowningly.

  For a moment it didn’t seem that he would answer, and then he drew in a ragged breath, shaking off his stormy mood with effort. ‘No, I don’t suppose so,’ he grated. ‘I’ll try and get in touch with him myself, although he can be a little elusive. But if he calls around again perhaps you could let me know immediately?’ He arched dark brows.

  He was displeased with her omission, that was completely obvious, and the last thing she had wanted was to show any sign of dissension between the two of them in front of Sonia and Tony. She took the only way she could to cover up the strain she now felt under.

  ‘Justin and I have some wonderful news,’ she smiled brightly, ignoring his frowning look. ‘I’m going to have a baby!’ she announced at their questioning looks.

  ‘How lovely!’ Sonia cried enthusiastically, missing her husband’s sudden loss of humour as she threw her arms about Caroline and hugged her.

  ‘When’s it due?’

  Caroline turned sharply to Tony as he addressed her directly for the first time this evening, aware of Sonia’s sudden tension as she still stood with her arms about her. Things were obviously still far from perfect between her sister and Tony!

  Her head went back challengingly as she met Tony’s mocking gaze. ‘In just over seven months’ time.’ Her expression dared him to dispute that.

  ‘A honeymoon baby; how wonderful!’ Sonia recovered quickly, smiling at Caroline with genuine pleasure.

  ‘Not exactly,’ Justin drawled. ‘Caroline and I never actually had a honeymoon.’ He looked at her. ‘Maybe now would be a good time for it,’ he murmured softly.

  She blushed at the warm desire in his gaze, feeling hot all over at the thought of several weeks alone with Justin, with nothing to do but please each other. It sounded like heaven!

  ‘Champagne!’ Sonia announced excitedly. ‘We have to have champagne to celebrate. Tony, pop down to the off-licence and—’

  ‘It really isn’t necessary,’ Caroline put in hastily before he could come back with some cutting retort, knowing that, in the mood he was in tonight, he was more than capable of it. ‘I probably shouldn’t be drinking alcohol in my condition, anyway,’ she dismissed lightly.

  ‘One glass of champagne isn’t going to hurt you—or the baby,’ Sonia insisted. ‘Tony?’ she prompted again, her voice firm.

  Caroline held her breath, knowing that Justin wouldn’t stand for it if the other man said anything insulting.

  ‘Why not?’ Tony drawled, getting slowly to his feet, very handsome in black fitted trousers and an open-necked green shirt. ‘Why don’t you come with me, Justin?’ he suggested as he pulled on his jacket. ‘I’m sure the women would welcome the chance for one of those girl-to-girl chats they seem so fond of!’ He looked questioningly at the other man. ‘Especially as they have something so interesting to chat about,’ he added tauntingly.

  Justin stood up, coldly meeting the other man’s gaze. ‘A short walk while the women finish preparing dinner sounds like a good idea,’ he nodded.

  Tony gave him a scornful look as the two of them walked to the door. ‘We’ll be lucky if we get any dinner at all tonight after Caroline’s announcement! After you.’ He held the door open with a flourish.

  ‘Don’t wives, especially pregnant ones, get a kiss goodbye any more?’ Sonia teased them both.

  Tony walked towards her. ‘There isn’t anything you’re not telling me, is there?’ He kissed her briefly on the lips.

  ‘Believe me, the day I find out I’m carrying your child I’ll be shouting it from the rooftops,’ Sonia assured him huskily.

  Caroline turned away from the intimacy of the moment, grimacing a little as Justin frowned down at her, obviously unhappy with being put in this position, a man who could only show his affection in private. And she k
new he was still a little angry with her about Don Lindford.

  She moved up to kiss him lightly on the mouth, frozen for an instant as he deepened the caress before moving abruptly away again, as if he regretted the impulse.

  She stared after him a little dazedly as he left with Tony.

  Sonia giggled at her side. ‘It hasn’t been half as bad as I’d imagined,’ she admitted at Caroline’s questioning look. ‘I thought the two of them might resort to pistols at dawn, fisticuffs at least,’ she reported happily. ‘I think I’m a little disappointed that they’ve gone off together to buy champagne instead.’ She wrinkled her nose prettily.

  ‘Sonia!’ Caroline reproved in a shocked voice; the last thing she needed was any more turbulence because of her marriage to Justin.

  Her sister sat down, patting the sofa at her side for Caroline to do the same thing. ‘Not that I would have wanted them to hurt each other or anything like that—’ her eyes gleamed with mischief—‘but I’d simply love to see your Justin without his usual control!’

  Caroline couldn’t help returning her smile as she settled down next to her on the sofa. ‘Believe me, it doesn’t happen very often.’

  ‘Really?’ Blonde brows rose over laughing blue eyes. ‘And I would have said, just from looking at him, that he’s a very sensual man!’

  Caroline gave her a reproving look. ‘That’s for me to know—and no other woman ever to find out!’ she added teasingly.

  Sonia laughed softly. ‘We don’t need to; anyone looking at you can see you’re very—satisfied, with your marriage.’

  ‘Liberated as Mum and Dad are, I think they might be a little shocked at the way their “baby” is talking right now,’ Caroline drawled.

  Sonia sobered. ‘I can’t believe my big sister is going to have a baby of her own very soon.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘It doesn’t seem that long since we were playing with our dolls!’

  ‘No.’ Caroline became lost in those happy memories, too.

  ‘Is Justin pleased?’

  She focused frowningly on her sister. ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Is Justin pleased about the baby?’ Sonia repeated lightly. ‘He didn’t say a lot, so I wondered…’ She looked at Caroline questioningly.

  ‘Oh, you know,’ she shrugged. ‘Men are always a bit flattened by pregnancy,’ she evaded.

  ‘Hm,’ Sonia nodded, her attention already wandering from Justin and his reaction to becoming a father. ‘I wonder if that’s what Tony and I need?’

  Caroline’s hand covered Sonia’s restless one; she saw the bewilderment in her sister’s eyes as she allowed her cheerful guard to slip for a brief moment. ‘Don’t have a child expecting it to hold the marriage together,’ she advised gently. ‘Often it does the opposite.’

  Sonia shrugged off her despondency, her dazzling smile back in place. ‘I don’t need anything to keep Tony happy but little old me,’ she grinned. ‘Let’s surprise them and have dinner ready when they get back.’ She stood up to pull Caroline to her feet. ‘Another few months and you’ll need a crane to do that,’ she announced cheerfully on her way to the kitchen she had decorated in blue and white; she had told Caroline when she showed her around on their arrival that, as it was the room she intended spending the least amount of time in, it could have more conservative colours.

  ‘Thanks,’ she said drily as they set about draining the vegetables and carving the meat.

  They had barely placed the food on the table when the men arrived back, the two of them arguing good-naturedly about their taste in literature.

  It was the fact that it was good-natured banter that surprised Caroline, who gave the two men puzzled glances as there no longer seemed that tension between them that had been all too evident earlier in the evening.

  ‘A toast.’ Tony stood up once the champagne had been poured. ‘To Caroline and Justin—and the cub they’re expecting,’ he added teasingly.

  Caroline barely had time to register his mocking humour before she became aware that Justin was standing up, his champagne quickly dampening his trousers, his glass on the floor.

  Her first thought was had he done it on purpose, so that he didn’t have to drink a toast to a child he didn’t want and couldn’t love? And then she knew he wouldn’t be so petty, that it had to have been a genuine accident.

  Only seconds had passed by the time she reached that conclusion, but it had been long enough for Sonia to have brought him a towel from the bathroom so that he could mop up the surface dampness.

  ‘Never mind, old chap,’ Tony mocked. ‘I’d be a nervous wreck, too, if I were about to be a father.’

  Justin handed the damp towel back to Sonia. ‘I think we’ll have to go, Caroline,’ he announced regretfully, grimacing as he pulled the damp material away from his thighs.

  ‘Borrow a pair of my trousers,’ Tony offered as he saw how disappointed Sonia looked. ‘We’re about the same size, and I won’t mind if you won’t.’ He looked challengingly at the other man. ‘It was probably my fault anyway,’ he pulled a face. ‘Alluding to the fact that everyone calls you The Wolf. Behind your back, of course,’ he added drily.

  Justin turned to an ashen-faced Caroline. ‘Not always behind my back,’ he murmured softly, rewarded with the delicate blush that tinged Caroline’s cheeks. Since that first night, when she had learnt that he knew of the nickname after all, she had always cried out that name when they made love!

  ‘I see,’ Tony drawled suggestively. ‘Well, let’s not break up the evening just because of a little spilt champagne,’ he dismissed.

  Caroline stared down at her hands after the two men had gone into the bedroom. It had to have been an accident—didn’t it?

  ‘Don’t look so upset,’ Sonia cajoled gently. ‘Personally I’m glad of a good excuse for the food being awful,’ she confided with a grimace.

  She couldn’t help chuckling at her sister’s self-derisive humour, and was still smiling when Tony rejoined them.

  It was several minutes before Justin came out of the bedroom, too, and Caroline’s eyes widened as she took in the grey pair of trousers that Tony had leant him. Much more modern than anything she had seen Justin in before, with their fitted waist and baggy style, they nonetheless made him look more rakishly attractive than ever.

  ‘I should watch it, old man,’ Tony drawled as he looked at Caroline knowingly. ‘I know that look from living with her sister; it means your wardrobe is about to undergo a complete change!’

  Justin returned the smile, resuming his seat at the table. ‘I don’t think they would be very suitable for the courtroom,’ he mocked.

  ‘Oh, Caroline won’t be sending you to work in them,’ Tony informed him confidently. ‘Some other woman might appreciate that more than she would like. No, she’ll be more interested in getting you out of them when you’re at home.’

  ‘Tony!’ his wife scolded as Caroline could only blush. ‘Propose the toast again and keep your thoughts to yourself.’

  ‘See what I mean,’ he told the other man resignedly. ‘It’s wicked when you’re just a sex-symbol.’

  Caroline shared her laughter with Justin; when Tony was in this mood he was irresistible!

  ‘Let me propose the toast,’ Justin spoke softly, holding up his glass that Tony had refilled. ‘To my beautiful wife.’

  Her blush deepened at the obvious pride in his voice.

  ‘Don’t forget the baby,’ Sonia reminded him impatiently.

  He only hesitated for a fraction of a second, not enough for Sonia and Tony to see his reluctance, but too long for Caroline to be unaware of it. ‘And the baby,’ he added abruptly, sipping the bubbly wine.

  Caroline needed more than a sip, but the bubbles tickled her nose and made her eyes water.

  ‘I’m afraid the dinner is going to be ruined now,’ Sonia announced with an innocently regretful voice.

  Caroline took one look at her sister, Sonia glanced back, and the two of them burst into laughter.

  ‘It’s all right, Justi
n,’ Tony said drily when he saw him looking at them in surprise. ‘If you had eaten your dinner while it was still hot you would have found that my wife had ruined the meal long ago. I usually advise people to bring along something for indigestion!’

  ‘Tony Shepherd! How dare you!’

  ‘Don’t worry, she isn’t really mad,’ Tony assured them confidently. ‘If she were really angry she would have called me “Anthony Graham Shepherd”,’ he said knowingly. ‘She can’t really be angry with me when she knows I’m telling the truth, you see.’ He shrugged.

  ‘Tony!’ Sonia groaned in acute embarrassment. ‘What’s Justin going to think?’

  ‘Before or after I’ve tried the food?’ Justin drily joined in the teasing.

  ‘Caroline, you never told me Justin can be cruel.’ Sonia pretended to be hurt by their humour at her expense, although the laughter in her eyes belied the impression a little.

  What she had expected to be a disaster of an evening, Caroline had found pleasantly enjoyable. The food wasn’t half as bad as Sonia had claimed it would be; in fact it was rather nice, despite being a little cold. And the company was certainly scintillating. There had been a few awkward moments, but in the circumstances that was only to be expected; all in all it had been a successful evening.

  Justin was very quiet on the drive home, and Caroline glanced at him searchingly several times.

  ‘It went well, I thought.’ Finally she couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

  He frowned. ‘What? Oh—yes,’ he nodded vaguely.

  She grimaced, putting her hand on his thigh, instantly feeling him tense beneath her touch. ‘Are you still angry with me?’ she coaxed. ‘Because I forgot to mention your friend’s visit,’ she explained at his puzzled expression.

  Justin gave a heavy sigh. ‘I’m not angry with you at all. I wish you had remembered to tell me sooner, but I’m certainly not angry with you.’