A No Risk Affair

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Did you have a good time?’ she tried to draw them into conversation as they merely picked at their food rather than eating it, an unusual occurrence when they both had such healthy appetites.

  ‘Yes.’ As usual it was Andy that answered for both of them, not looking up from his plate.

  ‘How is your cold, Kim?’ she tried another approach.

  ‘Better,’ her daughter answered flatly.

  ‘So what did you and Daddy do over the weekend?’ she asked brightly.

  ‘We went shopping.’ Once again it was Andy that answered her. ‘And then last night Daddy took us out to a proper restaurant. Today we just spent at his flat.’

  ‘Well you couldn’t go out all the time.’ She stood up to clear away, most of the food left untouched. ‘Daddy has been working all week, I suppose he was tired.’

  ‘Oh we didn’t mind staying in,’ her son shook his head. ‘He has a video and lots of films we could look at.’

  ‘And what was Daddy doing while you looked at the video?’ her question was made casually enough, although the twins’ subdued behaviour disturbed her a little; they had become used to only seeing Brad occasionally over the years.

  ‘He was—Ouch!’ Kim grimaced, glaring at Andy, who looked suspiciously innocent all of a sudden. ‘He was busy,’ she finished awkwardly.

  ‘What—’

  ‘Would you mind if we went to bed now, Mummy?’ Andy cut in firmly.

  ‘Bed?’ she repeated frowningly. ‘But it’s only a quarter past six.’ And at least an hour earlier than the usual time she had to persuade them to go to bed.

  ‘We’re tired,’ Andy insisted stubbornly.

  ‘Well if that’s what you both want …’ She shrugged resignedly.

  Although nothing was said as she bathed them and put them to bed Robyn couldn’t help the concern she felt. It couldn’t just be the prospect of Brad’s absence for a few weeks that was making the children behave like this, something must have gone gravely wrong this weekend for them to be so subdued. Her own worry about this unusual occurrence of a weekend with their father returned with a vengeance, and she wished she had someone she could talk to about that worry; she wished she and Sin were still friends!

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE cry and then the loud sobbing woke her instantly, and she hastily scrambled out of bed to run to the twins’ bedroom. Kim sat up in the bed crying brokenly, Andy beside her as he tried to comfort her.

  ‘Be quiet,’ he hissed. ‘You’ll wake Mummy.’

  ‘But I want her!’ Kim howled, crying louder than ever.

  ‘You’ll only worry her,’ Andy told her forcefully. ‘Now be quiet, you little—’

  ‘I’m already here, Andy,’ she interrupted him slowly. ‘And I’m already worried.’ She took Kim in her arms, tightening her hold as her daughter buried her face against her neck. The brief conversation she had overheard as she came into the room gave her a feeling of unease; never before had either of her children shied away from telling her if they were troubled or upset about something. ‘What’s wrong, darling?’ she smoothed Kim’s silky hair.

  ‘I—’

  ‘She just had a bad dream, Mummy,’ Andy interrupted his sister with a fierce look at Kim.

  ‘Andy!’ Robyn quietly reprimanded before looking down at Kim’s tear-stained face. ‘Is that what happened, baby, did you have a bad dream?’

  Kim glanced at her brother before answering. ‘Yes,’ she nodded.

  Robyn wasn’t at all fooled by that answer, and she was determined to get to the bottom of their strange behaviour since they got home, was sure Kim’s crying had something to do with that. ‘Is that the truth?’ she prompted softly. ‘Or did something happen while you were away this weekend to upset you?’

  Once again Kim looked at her twin for guidance. ‘It was just a bad dream, Mummy,’ she muttered.

  She frowned, knowing she was being lied to. And it wasn’t something either of her children usually did, making her worry all the more.

  ‘Has Sin gone away?’

  She was taken aback by the unexpectedness of the question. ‘No …’ she answered Kim dazedly.

  ‘I want to see him.’

  ‘He’s asleep, darling,’ she chided softly. ‘It’s one o’clock in the morning.’

  Kim’s bottom lip trembled precariously before she began to cry once again. ‘He’s gone away,’ she sobbed. ‘I know he has.’

  ‘His car is parked outside, Kim—’

  ‘Then why didn’t he come to see us when we got home?’ she sniffed.

  Robyn felt guilty as she realised she was probably to blame for that; after the way she and Sin had parted earlier he probably thought he wasn’t welcome here, not even to see the twins. ‘He’s been busy, darling—’

  ‘Not that busy,’ Kim pouted mutinously.

  ‘Darling—’

  ‘I want to see him,’ her daughter repeated with a choked sob.

  She chewed worriedly on her bottom lip as she recognised all the classic signs of Kim bringing on one of her now rare asthmatic attacks. They had terrified Robyn when Kim was younger, but they seemed to be happening less as she got older, although when they did occur they were stronger and more frightening, hence her worry over Kim’s slight cold the previous day.

  ‘I’ll go and see if he’s still up,’ she told Kim. ‘But if he isn’t you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see him,’ she warned sternly, her daughter receiving no concessions on her behaviour just because she had these attacks; that wouldn’t have been fair on Andy.

  She didn’t particularly relish the thought of going over to get Sin, but as she pulled on a robe over her nightgown to ward off the chill of the evening she could see a light on in his lounge; maybe he had finally decided to start work on his book. And she didn’t think he would mind her interrupting him when he knew it was for Kim, having a genuine affection for both children.

  She felt ridiculously conspicuous as she waited for him to answer her knock on the door, although they had no near neighbours to talk of, the nearest houses already in darkness.

  Sin looked harassed when he opened the door to her, his trousers and shirt rumpled, the latter unbuttoned down his chest, his hair looking as if he had run his hands through it several times in either frustration or anger. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. ‘Yes?’

  His tone wasn’t very encouraging, but the memory of Kim’s swollen and blotchy face urged her on. ‘I know it’s late—’

  ‘It is,’ he agreed coldly. ‘Very late.’

  Her eyes widened at the aggression in his voice. ‘Yes. Well I came over to—’

  ‘Aren’t you a little nervous about leaving Kim and Andy on their own?’ he cut in icily.

  She frowned at his censorious tone. ‘I’ll only be a minute, and they—’

  ‘Surely longer than a minute, Robyn,’ he taunted challengingly. ‘I may find you irresistible, but I think that tonight I may need more than a little encouragement.’

  ‘Encouragement?’ she repeated dazedly. ‘What are you talking about?’ she demanded impatiently, moving awkwardly from one slippered foot to the other.

  ‘Don’t deny that you came over here with the intention of going to bed with me—’

  ‘You arrogant bastard!’ A white-hot tide of anger washed over her, her hand coming up to strike him forcefully across the cheek. ‘Do you seriously think I crept over here in the dead of night for a quick romp in bed while my children are asleep?’ she asked contemptuously.

  His hand had moved instinctively to his cheek, flexing his jaw slightly. ‘Obviously not,’ he drawled in a pained voice.

  ‘Of course not! I came because Kim woke up in hysterics and asked for you,’ she bit out furiously. ‘But it’s obvious you can’t get your mind—or anything else—out of the bedroom!’ She turned away disgustedly, only to be stopped from walking away by Sin’s powerful grip on her arm. ‘Let go of me,’ she ordered between gritted teeth, her head thrown back as she looked at him, no re
morse in her face for the livid fingermarks he had now revealed on his rigidly taut cheek.

  ‘Is Kim ill?’ he wanted to know, all mockery gone from his voice now.

  ‘You aren’t really interested—’

  ‘Is she ill, damn you!’ His fingers dug painfully into her flesh.

  Robyn shook her head. ‘She had a bad dream—’

  ‘And she asked for me?’

  ‘Yes.’ Her head went back in challenge; it wasn’t easy admitting that one of her children had asked for someone other than her when they were upset, especially as this man had been a complete stranger to them all until a week ago.

  Sin released her abruptly. ‘I’ll come with you,’ he moved out of the cottage.

  ‘If you’re sure you can spare the time,’ she nodded stiffly.

  His mouth tightened. ‘Look, I know I was rough on you a few minutes ago, but—’

  ‘I don’t care to discuss your mistaken assumption, Mr Thornton,’ she told him coldly. ‘But needless to say I would never have come to your cottage tonight if Kim wasn’t so upset.’

  ‘Robyn—’

  She ignored the pleading in his face and voice, pushing open the door to the twins’ bedroom, her heart contracting painfully as both children launched themselves into his arms as she stood in the doorway feeling superfluous.

  Sin looked at her over the top of identical red heads, holding a child in each arm, his expression compassionate as he saw the pain in her eyes. ‘How about some hot milk?’ he suggested to her gruffly.

  ‘They don’t—’

  ‘Hot milk sounds lovely,’ Andy instantly agreed.

  Robyn blinked at him blankly; neither Andy or Kim had ever liked hot milk.

  ‘Robyn?’ Sin prompted hardly.

  ‘I—Yes,’ she agreed dazedly, halfway down the stairs before she realised what she had done. She was sure that they were all aware of the fact that the twins didn’t like hot milk, and yet here she was meekly on her way downstairs to prepare two glasses! What made it worse was that both she and Sin knew the request had only been made to get her out of the room.

  To keep herself busy, if not her mind active, she actually prepared the milk, although she knew it wasn’t going to be needed, delaying her return upstairs as she could hear the steady murmur of Sin’s voice. Although she was a little surprised when he came down alone a few minutes later.

  ‘They’re both asleep,’ he explained at her questioning look as he entered the kitchen.

  Her puzzled frown turned to one of disbelief. ‘But a few minutes ago they were both almost in tears.’

  He shrugged. ‘I told you I have the sort of voice that can talk children to sleep.’

  ‘Yes, but—’ She shook her head. ‘It seems incredible.’

  ‘Go and see for yourself,’ he invited. ‘I turned off the main light and just left on the night-light, I hope that was all right.’

  ‘Fine,’ she answered in a preoccupied voice.

  ‘We might as well drink the hot milk now,’ he suggested softly.

  Robyn looked up at him sharply. ‘I’m sure you must have some work to get back to,’ her voice was hard as she once again recalled his reaction to her interruption a few minutes ago, the slap she had given him having faded to a dull red now.

  His mouth tightened at the dismissal. ‘Nothing that can’t wait. And we have to talk—’

  ’I don’t think so,’ she shook her head.

  ‘About Kim,’ he finished pointedly. ‘I take it you do want to know what has disturbed her?’

  She flushed at the rebuke. ‘Of course I do,’ she snapped.

  ‘Then I suggest we sit down in comfort and drink the milk while we talk about it.’

  ‘She told you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘All right,’ she agreed ungraciously, puzzled at her children being able to talk to this man and not her; hurt too. ‘But I will just go up and check on them first.’ She didn’t wait for his reaction to this, verbal or otherwise, going up the stairs without sparing him a glance.

  As he had already told her, Kim and Andy were fast asleep, an untroubled sleep by the look of their angelic faces above the neatly tucked in bedclothes, Kim not even having bothered with the doll she usually cuddled up to, Robyn picking it up from where it lay unwanted on the floor, holding it to her protectively as she realised she had Sin to thank for their apparent calm after the storm.

  ‘And they’re both still breathing too.’

  She turned sharply at the sound of that softly mocking voice, Sin standing in the open doorway, his expression taunting.

  ‘Just in case you think I’m a mass murderer of children,’ he drawled.

  She gave him a scathing look as she brushed past him out of the room. ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she snapped irritably once they were far enough away not to disturb the children.

  Sin stood across the lounge from her. ‘Was I being? A few minutes ago I had the distinct impression that you hated the sight of me.’

  ’I don’t hate you, but I hate what you’re trying to do to me.’

  ‘And what’s that?’ His eyes were narrowed.

  ‘Make me feel guilty about a night that was mutually enjoyed, making it seem cheap and nasty.’

  ‘Robyn—’

  ‘Could we please just talk about Kim,’ she dismissed agitatedly, sitting down to broodingly sip at the warmly comforting milk, not having the same aversion to it that Kim and Andy did. ‘You said you know what’s disturbing her?’ she prompted worriedly.

  Sin nodded, sitting opposite her, also sipping the milk. ‘Did you know that Brad introduced them both to his current girlfriend while they were staying with him this weekend? I can see that you didn’t,’ he frowned as she blanched.

  ‘No,’ she acknowledged faintly.

  ‘Well he did,’ Sin sighed. ‘It seems they all went out to dinner together last night, and that Tina, that’s the woman’s name, spent the day with them today, too.’

  Why would Brad do such a thing, unless he were actually serious about the woman! The repercussions that could occur from that made her pale even more. The only possible reason Brad could have for introducing his children to this woman were if he were serious about her, in fact hadn’t he made a veiled reference about entering the state of ‘domestic bliss’ again before he left yesterday? Could that really be a possibility? And if it were, why had he taken the twins to London to meet the other woman, he certainly didn’t need their approval.

  ‘You didn’t know anything about this?’ Sin frowned at her continued silence.

  ’No,’ she shook her head.

  ‘Brad hadn’t told you about this woman?’

  ‘Oh, he may have made a few oblique references to the woman in his life,’ she shrugged, her thoughts still racing. ‘But he’s never implied—never given the impression—’

  ‘That this time he might be serious,’ Sin finished grimly. ‘Well apparently he is.’

  Her gaze was sharp. ‘How do you know that?’

  ‘Tina asked the children how they would like living with their father in London all the time if the opportunity arose,’ he revealed flatly.

  Robyn paled to a sickly white. ‘Brad couldn’t do that …’

  ‘Couldn’t he?’

  She shook her head in stunned denial of the idea. ‘When we divorced he agreed I could have the children.’

  ‘It looks as if he may have changed his mind,’ Sin told her grimly.

  ‘No,’ she said shakily. ‘I don’t believe it. I’ve never stopped him seeing the children any time he wanted to.’

  ‘Maybe it’s no longer enough for him.’

  ‘But he doesn’t even like children.’

  ‘Not even his own?’

  ‘Not for too long, no,’ she admitted awkwardly.

  Sin shrugged. ‘Love does strange things to people. How would it look to this woman if he said he didn’t want his own children?’

  Her face was haunted. ‘You think that’s what may have happened?�
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  ‘I think it’s a possibility,’ he sighed. ‘And so do the twins. They don’t want to go and live with their father.’

  ‘But they love Brad!’

  ’Not as much as they love you—and certainly not enough to go and live with him.’

  ‘They told you that?’ she frowned.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘But why didn’t they tell me what was worrying them?’ she cried out her pain. ‘I could have told them it would never happen.’

  ‘I’m not so sure you could have, not with any degree of certainty,’ Sin said slowly. ‘And they told me because they seem to think I can do something to stop it.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I think I’m supposed to come up with a solution all on my own,’ he drawled.

  ‘I had no idea it would be anything like this,’ she murmured softly. ‘And what do you mean, I couldn’t be certain?’ she demanded. ‘There’s no way Brad can take Kim and Andy away from me without my consent, and I’ll never give it.’

  ‘Robyn,’ Sin’s voice was gentle. ‘If Brad can prove you’re an unfit mother—’

  ‘How dare you even suggest such a thing!’ she flared, standing up indignantly, unaware of how young and beautiful she looked in the chocolate brown robe and pale green nightgown. ‘I’ve dedicated my entire life to them, I—’

  ‘I know,’ he interrupted softly. ‘But try looking at this from an outsider’s point of view. You live in a cottage courtesy of Brad’s uncle—’

  ‘I pay rent!’

  ‘I’m sure you do,’ he nodded. ‘But I doubt it’s that much, certainly lower than if you were renting off anyone else.’ Her blush gave truth to that. ‘And you also work for Brad’s uncle, hours that you fit in with your own schedule with the twins. Without those concessions I doubt you would be able to manage the way you do.’

  ‘The Colonel would never ask us to leave,’ she said with certainty.

  ‘I’m sure he wouldn’t. I’ve learnt this last week that he’s a very straightforward and honest man. But if Brad should try to make a case against you based on the fact that you still rely very heavily on him and his family for your support then you could find yourself in difficulties. I’m not saying you would,’ he added hastily. ‘Only that maybe, just maybe, you could.’