by Anne Mather
‘Are you all right, Jack?’
Almost immediately Rachel was leaning over him, concern in her troubled blue eyes, her breasts tantalisingly close to his mouth. He knew he had to do something before lust got the better of him, and, pushing himself up onto his elbows, he said softly, ‘I just wish we didn’t have to go back.’
‘It won’t be so bad.’ Rachel was optimistic. ‘And I can stay until Monday. That means we’ve got the whole weekend to ourselves—and your bed will be much more comfortable than here.’
Jack stifled a groan, wanting to tell her, to warn her of what awaited them, but he couldn’t spoil her delight in the moment. ‘I love you’ he said. ‘Never forget that.’
‘And I love you, too,’ she whispered in return. ‘Oh, Jack, I’ve been such a fool.’
It was after one o’clock when they got back to the cottage. Jack had spent the journey trying to find a way to tell her about Karen, but the words just wouldn’t come. How could he tell his wife that the woman who claimed to be his mistress had turned up without an invitation? If Rachel hadn’t believed him before, why should he think she’d believe him now?
He parked the car in the same spot as before, but when Rachel made to get out he caught her hand. ‘Wait,’ he said. ‘There’s something I have to tell you.’
Rachel frowned, torn between the desire to get the meeting with her mother-in-law over with and the troubled look on Jack’s face. She had little doubt that Maggie Riordan would have her own opinion of Rachel’s behaviour, and no one could deny she hadn’t been afraid to voice it in the past.
But before either of them could say anything Maggie herself appeared, coming to meet them with an unexpected smile of welcome on her face. ‘Well, and there you are, Rachel,’ she exclaimed. ‘And didn’t I see you going off with himself a couple of hours ago?’ She turned to her son. ‘What’s going on, Jack? Sure, are you trying to keep her all to yourself?’
Jack was stunned, and, obviously understanding his confusion, his mother gave Rachel a quick hug before tucking a hand in each of their arms. ‘Come along now,’ she said. ‘Your father and I have been waiting lunch for you. And Rachel, of course.’ She gave her daughter-in-law a huge smile. ‘It’s so good to see you, lassie. It’s about time you came and took this man of yours in hand.’
CHAPTER TEN
RACHEL FLEW BACK to London on Monday morning. Jack had driven her up to Dublin on Sunday evening, and they’d spent the night in the suite she’d expected to use during her stay. It had been a magical night, made all the more poignant by her impending departure. Rachel hadn’t wanted to go, and Jack had most definitely wanted her to stay.
But she had commitments. A deadline on the book she was illustrating that couldn’t be extended. And, short of terrifying her with exaggerated claims about his heart condition, Jack had had no choice than to accept her decision.
Nevertheless, he bade her goodbye in the departure lounge at the airport with a troubling feeling of apprehension. There was so much he’d wanted to tell her; so much he’d left unsaid. Although he’d been forced to admit that Dr Moore had practically ordered him to rest, he’d said nothing about the complicated tests he’d had at the clinic in Plymouth. She was still labouring under the impression that he’d be home himself in a week or so, and, despite not actually saying it, Jack had known she’d hoped he’d pack his bags and leave with her.
And he’d been tempted. Being with Rachel again was the most important thing in his life. Only the fact that his mother had been horrified when he’d confided as much to her had persuaded him that he’d be foolish to ignore the warnings he’d been given.
Besides, after the way his mother had dealt with Karen, he felt obliged to take her advice. Instead of believing her story, Maggie had apparently told Karen in no uncertain terms that her son didn’t lie, and that if he said the baby she was carrying wasn’t his, it wasn’t. End of story.
Naturally he hadn’t heard every detail of their exchange yet. Only that after delivering her verdict his mother had arranged for McGinty’s taxi to pick Karen up and take her to the station in Wexford. ‘I’ve given her her fare back to Dublin, and that’s more than she deserves,’ Maggie had gone on staunchly, when her son had cornered her in the kitchen after lunch that day. ‘Sure, we can’t talk about this now, but rest assured I wouldn’t have a besom like that in my house!’
Jack had been amazed. And grateful. ‘So she went?
‘She didn’t have any choice,’ his mother had declared proudly. Then she’d smirked. ‘Sure, I don’t think you’ll have any more truck with her.’
Jack wished he could believe her, but when he would have said more a sharp shake of his mother’s head had warned him they were no longer alone. Rachel was behind him, standing in the doorway, her eyebrows raised enquiringly. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘Now, what could be wrong?’ exclaimed Jack’s mother, drying her hands on a tea towel. ‘Jack was just telling me you’re staying.’
‘If that’s all right.’
Maggie smiled. ‘You’re welcome here at any time, Rachel. You should know that.’ Then, giving her son a warning look, she added, ‘I gather you had a good time together this morning? Jack’s a lucky man. It’s to be hoped he appreciates it.’
Rachel went to tuck her hand through Jack’s arm. ‘I’m sure he does,’ she said huskily, and no one could be in any doubt that she meant what she said.
Maggie had given her son another meaningful look, but all she’d said was, ‘Well, I’m glad the two of you have finally come to your senses. Don’t let anything—or anyone—come between you.’
That had been on Friday afternoon, but now, with his wife several thousand feet above the Irish Sea, Jack couldn’t help wishing he’d been honest with her about Karen’s visit. It was all very well his mother telling him to play it safe, but she didn’t know Karen as he did. The woman was unscrupulous, totally without conscience. She seemed determined to break up his marriage, and if he had any sense he’d get back to England as soon as he could.
But when he broached that subject with his mother later that day she told him he was mad to consider it. ‘Until that woman’s arrival I couldn’t understand why you and Rachel were still having marital problems,’ she said. ‘Oh, I suppose I had some notion of what the lassie must have gone through, losing three babies and all. I dare say she was afraid of getting pregnant again, even if your pa and I didn’t approve of her barring you from her bed. But that was almost two years ago, and I’d have expected you to have settled your differences by now. Then, when that woman appeared on my doorstep, I realised why Rachel was still in England and you were here, on your own.’
‘It’s not that simple, Ma—’
‘I accept that. But hear me out, Jack.’ She paused. ‘First of all, did you have an affair with her?’
‘With Karen?’ Jack snorted. ‘Hell, no!’
‘But Rachel thinks you did?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Okay.’ Maggie frowned. ‘So why does this woman think you are the father of her child?’
Jack shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’
‘She says you had an affair with her,’ went on his mother, more calmly that he would have expected. ‘She says it started one evening when you’d had too much to drink and stayed the night.’
Jack groaned. ‘I did not have too much to drink.’
‘She says you said you did.’
Jack sighed. ‘Okay, I did say that—yeah.’ He scowled. ‘But you know what was going on. I’d been feeling pretty lousy all evening, but I didn’t want to admit as much to her. I don’t remember exactly what happened. We were standing at her door, saying good night, and I felt really dizzy. I tried to take my pulse. You know—a surreptitious hand around the wrist. But it wasn’t there. The next thing I knew, I was lying on her sofa.’
‘With your clothes on?’
Jack’s mouth compressed. ‘Most of them.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘How about your trousers?’
‘I was still wearing my pants,’ protested Jack indignantly. ‘My God, Ma, what are you getting at? That I had sex with her and didn’t know it?’
Maggie arched her dark brows. ‘Is it possible?’
‘No.’ Jack scowled. ‘For pity’s sake, I thought you believed me.’
‘I do believe you,’ she said placidly. ‘But there’s no point in denying that I’d like to know all the facts.’
‘Okay.’
‘So why did you go out with her?’ His mother looked disapproving now. ‘Jack, you’re a married man. What were you thinking, going out with a woman like that?’
‘It was only one time,’ said Jack defensively. ‘You have to remember, I was feeling pretty low. Rachel and I—well, we seemed to have lost touch with one another. That was part of the problem, I guess. I was working every hour God sent, and I needed someone to talk to.’
‘But why her?’
‘I don’t know. Because she was available, I suppose. Looking back on it now, I realise that she was always hanging about Myrna’s office. I used to think she and Myrna were friends, but it was obviously me she was hoping to see.’
‘So you what? Took her out to dinner?’
‘Yeah. And all this harassment—the stalking, the phone calls—they all stem from that one evening.’
‘She says you fired her because you were tired of her.’
Jack groaned. ‘Just for the record, I didn’t fire her. That was George. She worked in George’s office, not mine. And he said she was useless at her job.’
‘And after she was fired she started pestering you.’
Jack gave a short mirthless laugh. ‘Pestering?’ he echoed. ‘It was a bit more than that. Until I got Harry to move her on, she used to stake out the car park. She knew what time I usually left in the evenings, and she’d be waiting for me.’
‘But why you? Why not George Thomas?’
‘Because he hadn’t been foolish enough to take her out, I suppose. She used to tell me how much she missed the office, that she was miserable because she couldn’t get another job. I felt sorry for her, but I didn’t do or say anything to encourage her to think that I wanted to see her again. Then, when cajoling didn’t work, she started threatening me. She said if I didn’t agree to see her, she’d tell Rachel we’d been having an affair.’
‘Oh, Jack!’
‘She didn’t. Not then, anyway. And I thought she was bluffing. But when I stopped taking her phone calls, she did go out to the house.’
‘Your house?’ His mother was appalled. And, when Jack nodded, she asked, ‘She spoke to Rachel?’
‘Yeah. She told her I wanted a divorce because we were having a baby.’
‘Holy Mother of God!’ Maggie crossed herself before she spoke again. ‘So Rachel knows about her? About what she’s saying?’
‘Yes, she knows.’ Jack’s tone was flat.
‘But she didn’t believe her?’
‘I’m not sure what Rachel believes,’ admitted Jack honestly, knowing he could never tell his mother how she’d reacted that night.
‘But she came here. Surely that proves she believes you?’
‘I thought so,’ Jack conceded. ‘Now I’m not so sure.’
‘But this woman must be mad!’
‘Close.’
Maggie shook her head. ‘It’s incredible.’ Then she frowned. ‘I wonder why she chose you? Karen, I mean. Did she know you and Rachel were having problems?’
‘Maybe.’ Jack wished he didn’t have to talk about it. It was too depressing. ‘I’m sure she knew about Rachel losing the babies. After I’d told everyone I was going to be a father, I don’t see how she could have avoided it. God, if only I’d never invited her out. I must have been mad!’
‘Hmm.’ His mother was considering what he’d said. ‘I’m beginning to see a pattern here. There’s no woman more vulnerable to emotional blackmail than a woman who’s lost a baby. For Karen to claim she was having your child was a clever idea.’
‘Whatever.’ Jack felt exhausted suddenly. He grimaced. ‘It’s good to know you don’t think she could have fancied me.’
‘Well, of course she did,’ exclaimed his mother impatiently. ‘That goes without saying. Aren’t you the image of your father, and himself still a fine-looking man even after all these years?’ She paused for a moment. ‘Whose idea was it that you should take her out?’
Jack scowled. ‘Mine, I guess.’
‘Are you sure about that?’
He made a dismissive gesture. ‘Like I say, she was always hanging around my suite of offices. I don’t remember how I came to ask her. Maybe George suggested it. He knew I was feeling low. I don’t know.’
‘So come on,’ his mother persisted, ‘who do you think the real father of the baby might be?’
Jack was taken aback. ‘How the hell would I know that?’
‘But you must have thought about it?’
‘Not really.’ Jack was honest. ‘I’ve been too busy trying to extricate myself from Karen’s lies to worry about who else might be involved.’
‘Then you should have.’ Maggie tutted. ‘For heaven’s sake, Jack, it could be someone you know.’
Jack was skeptical. ‘It could be anyone.’
‘I don’t think so. Haven’t you heard the expression about the world being a small place? In my opinion, scandal usually sticks close to home.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Jack saw no point in hashing over the possible suspects now. Whoever it was, they were unlikely to own up.
‘Could it be someone from the office?’ His mother was like a dog with a bone she wouldn’t let go.
Jack heaved a sigh. ‘Like I say, it could be anyone, Ma. Fox Construction employs over a hundred people in the Plymouth office.’
‘And you say Karen used to work in George Thomas’s office. Is there anyone there she might have been involved with?’
‘Ma!’
‘What about George? He’s not much older than you, is he?’
‘George!’ Jack was incredulous. ‘Ma, George is married with three teenage daughters. In all the time I’ve known him I’ve never known him look at another woman.’
His mother shrugged. ‘Well, Karen is persistent, you’ll have to give her that. And she’s one of those women who attracts a certain type of man.’
‘Give it up, Ma.’
‘You know the sort I mean. Men who like women to have plenty of flesh on their bones. Overweight redheads with big breasts.’
Jack couldn’t prevent a rueful smile from touching his lips. ‘You really liked her, didn’t you?’ he said sardonically.
‘No. I didn’t like her at all,’ declared Maggie Riordan fiercely. ‘She’s got gold-digger written all over her. If you ask me, she expects you to buy her off. She knows you can’t prove a thing until she has that baby.’
Jack stared at her. ‘Are you saying that you think I should pay her off?’
‘No, I’m not.’ His mother sounded cross. ‘But I do think you should give some thought to that other matter. If George Thomas isn’t involved, who is?’
Rachel spent the next week working on the drawings for the current Benjie book. She was behind schedule, and even now it was difficult to concentrate with so much on her mind.
Going to Ireland hadn’t been planned, but she was so glad she had. She just wished she hadn’t had to come home alone. That had definitely not been part of her plan.
She probably wouldn’t have made the trip at all if George Thomas hadn’t suggested it. When she’d had no word from Jack, she’d phoned the acting managing director and asked him if he knew when her husband intended to come back. He’d been a little vague, and she’d had the impressions that Jack hadn’t confided in him either. But he had maintained that, in his opinion, Jack was depressed as well as burned out physically. He was sure Jack would be pleased to see her.
And in the event he’d been right.
But now she was back in England again all Rachel’s old fears were surfacing. Okay, she accepted that Jack was rundown, but he hadn’t seemed depressed to her. Was it just seeing her again that had lifted his spirits? Or was he really feeling much better? And, if so, why hadn’t he come home with her?
Someone tapped at the studio door and Rachel turned eagerly, half hoping her thoughts had conjured him up. But it was Mrs Grady who had interrupted her, a look of apology on her weathered face.
‘I’m just letting you know I’m off to the village, Mrs Riordan,’ she said diffidently. ‘I’m going to the Post Office, but I shouldn’t be long. Is there anything I can get you?’
Just a husband, thought Rachel gloomily, but she managed a smile for the housekeeper. ‘I’m fine, Mrs Grady. I’m hoping to get this chapter finished in about an hour. Then I’m going to have a nice relaxing soak in the bath.’
‘Good for you.’ The housekeeper smiled in return. ‘So—I’ll see you later.’
‘I hope so.’
The housekeeper nodded and headed back towards the house. Rachel heaved a sigh, but returned to her easel. She had quite a bit of work to do before she could take the promised break.
It must have been about ten minutes after Mrs Grady’s departure that Rachel again got the feeling she was no longer alone. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling this time, and she hoped Mrs Grady had locked the gates behind her. She was probably paranoid, she knew, but since Karen’s unwelcome invasion, and Jack’s departure for Ireland, Rachel had become intensely security conscious.
The feeling wouldn’t go away, and after mixing the wrong colours and spilling water over one of her finished drawings Rachel threw her paintbrush down in disgust. To hell with it, she thought. She’d finish the chapter tomorrow. Jack wasn’t the only one who was feeling stressed.
But she had respect for the tools of her trade and, picking the paintbrush up again, she washed it and the others before closing up the studio. The ruined drawing couldn’t be rescued, but it would dry out overnight. She’d feel more positive in the morning, after she’d had a good night’s sleep.
