A Marriage In The Making

by Natalie Fox

  She cleared her throat ‘Yes, softly, softly. You should see him every day, at our cottage, not the house, and…and…and then when…well…when things are…Well, really what I think would be a…a good idea…’

  Karis had stopped walking. She’d floundered to a stop as her words had dried and died. Daniel stopped too and turned to look at her oddly. He stepped closer and took her shoulders lightly.

  ‘What are you trying to say, Karis?’

  And she knew what she was struggling with. The idea she had for Josh’s rehabilitation with his father was the only sensible course, but would Daniel Kennedy see it the way she did? He might take it all the wrong way, think she was being pushy and taking on too many decisions. But it was only for Josh’s sake, and he would see that because he wanted the same as she did—Josh’s happiness.

  She took a deep breath and met his concerned gaze. ‘I think that after a few days, when you have familiarised yourself with Josh’s routine, it would be a…a good idea to move into the cottage with us.’ There, it was out and it was the only way. ‘You want your son’s love and you want to give yours too and it’s the only way you’re going to get it together with him. Daily visits aren’t going to be enough. Josh needs the whole commitment, everything. He wants to feel that in future you are always going to be there for him. Day and night and night and day,’ she finished breathlessly.

  Karis stood nervously waiting for his reaction, fiddling with the seam of her sarong at her side because another thought had suddenly struck her. Suppose he thought her suggestion was personal? After all that business with the pulse point of her wrist he might think he had turned her on!

  Daniel stood studying the ripples in the sand at his feet, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Eventually, after what seemed like an age to Karis, he looked up and nodded. But no smile accompanied the acknowledgement, just the nod.

  ‘You agree, then,’ Karis managed, adding deliberately, ‘For Josh’s sake.’

  His eyes locked with hers and held them unremittingly. ‘Yes, I agree,’ he conceded at last. ‘With reservations,’ he added mysteriously. Then, with a very small frown of concern, he turned away. Thoughtfully, broodily, head bowed, he walked back towards the plantation house.

  ‘What reservations?’ Karis called out before he got very far.

  He stopped and turned slowly and the look he gave her was darkly meaningful. ‘If you don’t know that, Karis, I shall wonder at your level of intelligence.’

  He left her standing blushing to her roots, thinking she must be pretty dim-witted to have expected him to take her suggestion the way she’d meant it—for the good of Josh. He had taken it the way she’d feared. Oh, what an idiot she was. Reservations, eh? She could top his a thousandfold.

  She marched off then, in the opposite direction, feet slipping in the hot sand and thrusting puffs of it behind her, symbolically kicking sand in his face because she was too distanced from him to do it for real.

  ‘Josh!’ she called out as she reached the gardens and saw him ahead of her. He stopped and turned and looked so pleased and relieved to see her, her heart tore for leaving him for so long.

  ‘I didn’t know where you were,’ he cried, running to her and slipping his hand in hers. ‘I came out of my bedroom and no one was there. I was all alone.’

  ‘Oh, you poor darling,’ Karis teased lightly, and reached across to ruffle his dark hair. He’d been in no danger. Nevertheless she felt a swish of guilt for spending time with Daniel when she should have been with Josh.

  ‘I was talking to your father down on the beach. He’s going to be around a lot, Josh, so I think we’d better be nice to him, don’t you?’

  Josh clutched ever tighter to her hand. ‘Do…do you like him?’ he asked hesitantly once they’d climbed the steps and flopped down to the wooden deck of the verandah. Josh didn’t look her in the eye but traced a small brown finger through a dusting of sand on the floor.

  Karis sat clutching her knees. Perhaps this was a time when she had to stretch honesty a bit ‘I like him very much, Josh. I like him because he’s your daddy and because he has a lovely smile and is very good-looking—almost as good-looking as you,’ she teased, and Josh looked up and grinned at her. ‘He has been very sad living away from you and is still a bit sad because he worries about you. I want you all to be happy and a family again.’

  The grin evaporated and tension bands tightened across the boy’s forehead. Five years old and yet at times he had the wisdom of an adult. He doubted her reasoning. Oh, it was going to be a long haul.

  ‘I’m happy with you and baby Tara,’ the boy murmured, and Karis drew him into her arms. If she could have one wish now it would be that she could be in Simone’s dainty little shoes, engaged to be married to the little boy’s father.

  ‘What are you laughing at?’ Josh asked, turning his pinched little face to look at her.

  How could she tell him that she was laughing because she thought she was going mad? Marriage to Daniel Kennedy wasn’t an amusing thought at all.

  ‘I was giggling to myself, trying to imagine your daddy diving into the creek. I don’t think he’ll be very good at it Let’s get him to try it soon. Now, this afternoon we’d better get on with some lessons.’ She stood up and hauled him giggling to his feet and he tore off down the verandah to get his books.

  Karis smiled after him. No arguments. Progress, but tomorrow was another day. Tomorrow could be a whole new ball game with this new life of bonding they were about to embark on with Daniel. And if all went well in another few days he would be moving in with them, as if they were a family.

  Daniel Kennedy in residence. For her own sake Karis was already regretting the suggestion. Amongst other things it would be a painful reminder that even though she had a baby daughter of her own she had never experienced a real family life. Aiden, her husband, had cruelly snatched that dream from her. And Daniel doing the family business with Josh was just a practice run for the real thing. Marriage to Simone.

  It didn’t bear thinking about, Karis mused as she went along the verandah to join Josh, so she didn’t give it another thought. Not for at least an hour.

  CHAPTER THREE

  ‘IS THIS the best you can do?’ Daniel breathed, disappointed as he gazed around the small spare room.

  Karis might have known he’d find fault with the accommodation and she understood. The past few days hadn’t gone well at all. All the more disappointing because of Daniel’s high expectations from the start. Karis had watched him rally time and time again after Josh’s rejections and she marvelled at his patience and courage to go on. Daniel’s daily visits had gone down like a lead brick with Josh and Karis had reasoned with Daniel that Josh wasn’t stupid, he knew the visits would end with his father leaving him again, so was it any wonder the visits were so stressful?

  The suggestion that Daniel move into the cottage sooner rather than later had come from Daniel himself and had been met with full approval from Karis—relief too. Rather he said it than her. She didn’t want him harbouring reservations any more.

  ‘I did consider giving you my room but decided against it,’ she told him anxiously as he tested the mattress with the flat of his hand. ‘I’m sure a double bed would suit you more than it suits me but Josh can’t take too much of an upheaval yet. My room is next to his and—’

  ‘OK, OK.’ Daniel sighed, flinging a soft overnight bag on the bed that finally got his grudging approval. ‘If this is all there is it will have to do.’ Suddenly he turned to her and grinned sheepishly and his eyes indicated the pottery jug of hibiscus flowers she had put by his bedside to make him feel welcome. ‘Nice touch, Karis, thank you.’

  She smiled at him, happy that he had softened up lately. She fully understood the strain he was under.

  ‘There’s something else for you,’ she said, ‘pinned on the inside of the wardrobe door.’ She nodded towards it.

  Daniel opened the door and his grin widened as he saw the crude drawing stuck on the rosewood
panelling with Sellotape. ‘You’re a better flower arranger than you are an artist,’ he joked.

  ‘I didn’t do that!’ she protested, laughing. ‘Josh did. It was his contribution when he saw me gathering the flowers for you,’ she added. ‘He was too shy to display it on the wall, though, so that’s why it’s in the wardrobe.’

  ‘What is it anyway?’ Daniel asked, peering at it closely.

  ‘Caves, abysses, ten-legged monsters. The lost world, I’d say.’

  ‘All doom and gloom,’ Daniel responded wearily.

  Karis grinned and pointed to the picture, the tip of her finger stabbing at the only relief in the dark drawing—a round bright yellow sun in the mouth of the cave.

  ‘The light at the end of the tunnel,’ she told him.

  ‘That must be me,’ Daniel said proudly, grinning now.

  ‘That’s you!’ Karis laughed, stabbing at the monster.

  They were still laughing together when they heard a footstep on the verandah outside.

  Simone stepped into the confined space of the room, forcing Karis to edge round a chair and nearly flatten herself against the wall. Daniel had given no indication that she was coming over to the cottage so her appearance was a surprise to Karis, not a pleasant one either. Simone didn’t give off good vibes. Karis said a silent prayer of thanks that Saffron had taken the two children over to see her sister at the staff cottages. Simone would have to be drip-fed to Josh over a period of time. Moving Daniel in today was more than enough for the boy to take in.

  ‘Daniel, darling, you can’t possibly sleep here; it’s far too poky. You’ll suffocate. I’ve been looking around,’ Simone went on in crisp disapproval, ‘and this place is ridiculous. It’s nothing more than a vacation cottage.’

  Her dark blue eyes skimmed Karis from head to toe coldly and Karis realised this must be the first time Simone had seen her properly. She’d been far too fussed on her day of arrival to notice who had held Daniel’s disapproval as they had come ashore.

  Her frostly eyes turned back to Daniel, obviously satisfied with all she needed to know about Karis and coming up with the same opinion as Fiesta: she was the hired help, nothing more and nothing less.

  ‘You can’t possibly stay here,’ Simone repeated quickly. ‘Bring the boy over to the main house and get him used to the style he’ll be living in in future.’

  ‘Karis and I have already decided the environment at the house isn’t good for him at the moment. By the way, Simone, this is Karis. Karis, Simone,’ Daniel clipped, not looking at either of them as he unzipped his holdall and proceeded to unpack a few possessions onto the bed.

  ‘Hello, Karis,’ Simone offered briefly with a thin smile. She gave her full attention to her fiancé. ‘Daniel, darling, did you hear me? You can’t possibly stay here. This room is an insult…’

  ‘Cue my exit,’ Karis murmured to herself, and went to shuffle round the chair. Simone obviously didn’t trade gushing introductions with lowly staff and Karis didn’t want to hear any more put-downs on the living accommodation which was her home. And besides, it felt as if these two were about to have a domestic and she wasn’t a part of it.

  ‘Karis, could you arrange another pillow and—’

  ‘Daniel!’ wailed Simone in protest ‘You can’t stay here.’

  ‘Darling,’ Daniel stated gently but firmly, ‘I’m staying so you had better get used to the idea. We talked about it and you agreed it was for the best so don’t try and backtrack now. Why don’t you run along and join the bridge party? You’ll miss the first rubber if you don’t hurry.’

  Karis fled. She busied herself brewing coffee in the kitchen, the hum of the air-conditioning making it hard to concentrate on the thoughts that were swimming in her head. How could he be thinking of marrying that woman? How could Josh ever love her—how could he ever like her? How could Daniel love her?

  ‘It’s a bit small but it will do and with the door open onto the verandah it might not be too stuffy. Did you find a spare pillow?’ he asked from the doorway. He was alone.

  ‘I’ll get you one from my bed in a minute.’ She sighed. ‘Look, I’m sorry about the room but it’s all there is. My room is between Josh and Tara’s bedrooms and they both need me if they wake in the night. The one I’ve given you at the end of the verandah is really only a store room; I cleared it out myself and…I suppose…well, I could move in with Tara and then you—’

  ‘It’s all right,’ he interrupted in a conciliatory tone. ‘It will be fine. I just didn’t realise how small the cottage was at first and—’

  ‘Perhaps you would all be better off at the plantation house,’ Karis suggested quickly. Gosh, had she really said that? Forgetting all the partying that went on over there, the accommodation was certainly superior. It was air-conditioned throughout, with spacious, high-ceilinged rooms furnished with antiques, lavish en suite dressing and bathrooms, every luxury imaginable.

  ‘I thought we’d agreed that wasn’t a good idea.’

  ‘We did,’ Karis said quickly, ‘but I’m not sure now.’ She sighed. ‘Simone opened my eyes. It’s a very small vacation house and I’m sure she’s right—it’s not for you. She was obviously thinking of the superior accommodation over there and her objections to this place were well founded.’

  ‘I don’t think for a minute Simone’s objections were fired by concern over the size of the accommodation. I’d be more inclined to think she was worried about us sleeping under the same roof in the heat of the tropical nights,’ he said smoothly. He picked up the coffee-pot and poured two cups.

  Stunned, Karis gaped at the back of his neck where his dark hair coiled into his nape. She studied the point intently rather than rake over what he had just implied.

  With a very thin smile Daniel turned and held the cup and saucer out to her. Karis took it, shakily.

  ‘Don’t look so surprised, Karis. I did say I would move in here with reservations.’

  ‘I…I thought they were your reservations, not Simone’s. I mean, if this is going to cause trouble between you—’

  ‘Josh is more important,’ he cut in. ‘If Simone sees you as a threat she’ll have to work it out for herself.’

  ‘That’s a bit harsh,’ Karis commented, though she woefully admitted he was right. Daniel had enough on his plate with his son without worrying about Simone’s unfounded concerns. ‘You think she does see me as a threat?’ Karis added worriedly.

  Daniel shrugged. ‘You have what means more to me than anyone or anything. You have my son’s love,’ he reasoned.

  ‘She…she doesn’t know that,’ Karis protested faintly. ‘She’s only just met me and hasn’t seen me and Josh together and…and she knows nothing about me.’

  ‘I’ve told her how well you have cared for him and how deeply he feels for you. And of course she has eyes in her head.’

  ‘But she hasn’t seen Josh and me together!’

  He lowered one dark brow at her. ‘That isn’t what I meant She has now seen you in person and…’ He sighed and shook his head in mild disbelief. ‘Don’t look at me with such wide-eyed innocence, Karis. You know what I’m talking about. When did you last look in the mirror?’

  ‘Gosh, I haven’t got Josh’s paints on the tip of my nose, have I?’ She was about to fly to the mirror to see but the look in Daniel’s eyes stopped her. Colour rushed to her throat and she lowered her lashes. She knew what he meant.

  ‘Exactly,’ Daniel said. ‘You might have gone native while living here but you are nonetheless very beautiful and Simone has a pair of eyes in her head.’

  Karis tentatively put her coffee-cup down on the work surface. She couldn’t begin to accept that him thinking her beautiful was a compliment. A jealous fiancée on two counts—Josh and her looks—she didn’t need.

  ‘She has no reason to be jealous for either or both,’ Karis told him firmly.

  He eyed her curiously. ‘I didn’t say she was jealous, just feeling threatened.’

  ‘Isn’t it the sa
me thing?’

  He laughed. ‘Oh, dear me, no, not yet. If Simone was jealous now your feet wouldn’t touch the ground. But…’ He paused and there was definite mischief in his eyes as he went on. ‘She might get that way in time. But…’ He paused yet again and Karis held her breath ‘…it’s really up to you.’

  Karis couldn’t see the reasoning behind that. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  He looked at her curiously again. ‘You know, I do believe you don’t. In spite of the fact you’ve been married you don’t seem to have much grasp of what goes on between men and women.’

  Karis’s insides went very hot. Had she missed something here? Some tricky little innuendo he’d slipped in somewhere without her noticing it?

  Suddenly he was very close to her—smiling too, which seemed more of a threat than his temper.

  ‘It’s really up to you how far Simone’s feelings for you, or rather against you, develop,’ he said quietly. ‘And I’m not talking about how Josh feels about you.’

  Oh, yes, now it was becoming clearer.

  ‘Another little morality test for me?’ she queried in a sweet voice but not feeling at all sweet inside. ‘Like the little caress of my pulse point?’

  ‘Morality test? Is that how it appears to you?’ he teased.

  ‘Well, yes. You said it is up to me, which puts the onus on me, and it sounds like a warning too: keep off or else suffer the wrath of Simone.’

  ‘Hmm.’ He smiled. ‘It must have sounded like a bit of a warning.’

  ‘Well, is it or not?’ she pressed.

  He looked maddeningly evasive, as if she had pushed him into a corner and the only way out was to disarm her with a touch of mystery.