Bound by Contract

by Carole Mortimer

  His face lost all expression, but his eyes glittered keenly. ‘It’s serious, then?’ he muttered grimly.

  ‘Haven’t I just been telling you so?’ Madison’s voice rose incredulously.

  Gideon shook his head, his expression one of puzzlement now. ‘I’m not absolutely sure what you’ve been talking about! A minute ago we were talking about Claire and Edgar, and some mistaken idea that I’m in love with Claire myself, and now we seem to have moved on to Simon Cauley—’

  ‘Simon?’ she repeated dazedly. ‘I never mentioned Simon! I—’

  ‘Not by name, perhaps,’ Gideon conceded harshly. ‘But the implication was there.’

  Madison stared at him. What implication? She hadn’t even given Simon a thought over the last couple of days—why should she? He was a friend, nothing more—and she certainly couldn’t see where he came into this now!

  ‘Could we go back a few steps in the conversation?’ She frowned her bemusement. ‘You see, I don’t understand where Simon came into this at all…! I was trying to jolt you out of this emotional fortress you seem to have built around yourself, explaining to you that you were going to lose Claire if you didn’t do something about it, and all of a sudden the subject had changed to Simon—’ She broke off abruptly, stunned as she replayed their conversation in her mind. ‘Gideon…?’ She looked across at him uncertainly.

  She’d warned Gideon that he was in danger of losing the woman he loved to another man—and he had been the one to start talking about Simon Cauley! Did that mean—?

  ‘Madison.’ Gideon had moved across the room, standing only inches away from her now, looking down at her with dark grey eyes as he reached out to grasp her arms. ‘I have no idea how you got the impression I’m in love with Claire.’ He shook his head dazedly. ‘I do love her, but I’m not in love with her. And, as I’m learning only too well, there’s a vast difference between the two,’ he added self-derisively. ‘And the answer to your question of a few minutes ago is I’m not going to just sit back and let another man walk away with the woman I love because of some damned barrier I have around my emotions!’ he muttered grimly. ‘Be it Simon Cauley, or the man you were involved with before you came to London in need of TLC!’ he added with a return of some of his old arrogance.

  Gideon was in love with her! When—? How—? What—?

  His hands tightened on her arms as he shook her slightly. ‘For obvious reasons, I’ve always made it a rule never to become involved with anyone I work with, but I’m giving you fair notice; you’re contracted to work with me for at least the next eight months—and I’m going to use every minute of that time to try and persuade you into loving me in return!’

  Unbelievable!

  Incredible!

  Amazing!

  Wonderful…!

  Madison shook her head. ‘I don’t need any convincing, Gideon.’ She laughed huskily, putting her hands on his shoulders as she gazed up into his face. ‘I already love you!’ she explained happily as he looked down at her blankly. ‘And I’ve been breaking my heart the last twenty-four hours imagining you were in love with Claire!’ she admitted emotionally.

  Gideon’s arms moved about her like steel bands as he crushed her to him. ‘I think you have an over-active imagination, young lady,’ he groaned. ‘I was upset last night at the hospital because I couldn’t stand to see you in tears, not because I am, or ever have been, in love with Claire!’

  Madison’s face was buried in the warmth of his chest as she clung to him. ‘And I’m not in love with Simon, either; he’s an old schoolfriend of Jonny’s, that’s all. And as for Gerry—’

  ‘The man who gave you reason to need TLC?’ Gideon looked down at her.

  She met his gaze confidently. ‘I can’t even remember what he looks like!’ And it was true. All other men had faded into insignificance since meeting and falling in love with Gideon!

  ‘Don’t even try,’ Gideon warned possessively. ‘Now kiss me, woman—before I go quietly out of my mind!’ he groaned throatily.

  She was quite happy to comply with his request. In fact, more than happy, the two of them losing themselves in the passion that was never far away when they were together. Gideon loved her. It was more, much more than she had ever hoped for.

  ‘Madi— Oh!’

  Madison felt Gideon tense, giving him a searching look before turning slowly to face her mother as she stood uncertainly in the doorway. The fact that Madison was held closely in Gideon’s arms obviously told its own story.

  But Madison’s main worry was how Gideon, after talking to Jonny, was going to react to her mother…

  Gideon didn’t know how to react as he looked at Susan Delaney. He knew more about the past now, and as such understood things a bit better, but it was difficult to restrain his old antagonism.

  And then he looked down at Madison, the woman he loved, and who—miraculously!—loved him in return, aware of the apprehension in her gaze as she looked from one to the other of them. Susan Delaney was her mother, and Madison obviously loved her very much. Gideon certainly had no right to ever ask her to choose between her family and himself. Especially as part of that family— Jonny—was already his own!

  He squeezed Madison’s arm reassuringly before turning to walk towards Susan Delaney. ‘Mrs. McGuire,’ he greeted warmly, holding out his hand. ‘I’m sorry we weren’t formally introduced earlier. I’m Gideon Byrne.’

  The actress looked uncertain for a moment, and then she reached out and put the slenderness of her own hand into his much larger one. ‘Am I to take it, from the scene I just interrupted, that my daughter’s name is soon to be Byrne too?’ Susan Delaney prompted huskily.

  Gideon grinned, knowing that a milestone had been passed. He wasn’t naive; he knew that he and Madison’s mother weren’t going to become at ease with each other overnight, but at least they had made a start. ‘I haven’t actually had a chance to ask her yet…but I’m hoping so, yes.’ He turned to look warily at Madison.

  Loving him was one thing, but hoping Madison would marry him was something else…!

  It hadn’t taken him long after Jonny’s return to the house to know exactly what he wanted ‘to do about Madison’, and he knew that nothing less than marriage, the promise of for ever, would do!

  It was a complete about-face from his previous attitude towards love and marriage, he knew that, but the truth of the matter was, the thought of Madison as his wife made him shake with longing…!

  Madison moved gracefully to his side, slipping her hand confidently into his. ‘I think Madison Byrne sounds just right,’ she assured him huskily, her love for him shining in emerald-bright eyes as she smiled up at him.

  ‘Can I take that as a yes?’ Gideon murmured breathlessly.

  ‘I’ll leave you two alone to talk.’ Susan Delaney squeezed his arm before turning to go back upstairs.

  Gideon turned Madison easily back into his arms. ‘I love you very much, Madison McGuire, and you would make me the happiest man in the world if you would become my wife.’ There. He had said the words he had thought he would never say to any woman.

  But the thought of being without Madison ever again was totally unacceptable to him. He loved her as he had never thought he would love any woman. And he desperately wanted her to be his wife, to share his life, for always.

  ‘Gladly, Gideon,’ she accepted emotionally. ‘Because I love you very much too.’

  ‘Let’s make it soon, Madison,’ he groaned as he held her closely to him once again.

  ‘As soon as you like,’ she agreed huskily.

  ‘In that case,’ he laughed down at her, ‘I suggest your mother and Jonny stay right here, and we get your father to come over too; that way we can be married in a matter of days!’

  ‘Yes, please, Gideon,’ Madison said breathlessly.

  He’d never realised how loving someone could change your life, giving a different perspective on everything. And having that someone love you in return was the most marvellous feelin
g in the world.

  He was determined that with Madison and himself it would always be that way…

  EPILOGUE

  EDGAR knew he hadn’t felt this nervous since the day he and Claire had married six months ago. Although that had turned out to be the best thing he’d ever done in his life, so hopefully the Oscars award ceremony would turn out just as successfully for Rosemary!

  There was no doubting the fact that the film had taken the box offices of the world by storm. The last four months had been full of newspaper and magazine articles about Madison and Gideon, the fact that the two of them turned out to have been married to each other for the last ten months only adding to the public interest Rosemary had generated.

  They were all seated together as they waited for the results to be read out throughout the evening: Madison and Gideon, Susan and Malcolm, Jonny, and Claire and himself. It was amazing how much of a family they had all become over the last year, the painful memories of the past having been superseded by the much happier ones of the present.

  ‘We just have to find Jonny a wife, and we can all be happy,’ he murmured to Claire during a lull in the proceedings.

  His wife turned to give him a teasing smile, linking her arm in his. ‘You old romantic, you.’ She hugged his arm affectionately. ‘But I should leave Jonny to find his own wife.’

  ‘But our last effort turned out so well.’ He nodded in the direction of Madison and Gideon, the happiness they shared together shining out of them.

  ‘All the more reason to quit while you’re ahead,’ Claire advised practically.

  She was probably right, although it seemed a shame that Jonathan was still on his own. Having at last tried the marital state, Edgar could only recommend it.

  Although all thought of that went out of his head as the results of the Oscars began to be announced. Three hours later they all had ample reason for the celebratory dinner Edgar had already arranged for them; Rosemary had won Best film, Gideon had won Best Director and Best Screenplay, and Madison had won Best Actress!

  ‘Tonight couldn’t possibly be improved upon!’ Edgar toasted as they sat in the restaurant an hour later, raising his champagne glass.

  ‘Oh, we think it could,’ Gideon murmured emotionally, his arm about Madison’s shoulders as he smiled down at her with open love and pride. ‘Madison and I are expecting a baby in five months!’

  The next few minutes were taken up with ecstatic reactions to the news, Madison and Gideon obviously euphoric over the pregnancy.

  ‘Well, that makes you two grandparents.’ Edgar nodded at Susan and Malcolm. ‘But, as Madison’s godfather, what does it make me?’ He arched questioning brows.

  ‘Er—actually…’ Claire spoke slowly. ‘It makes you a father too!’

  Edgar turned to look at her, uncomprehending, the sound of the laughter of the others at the table going completely over his head as Claire’s meaning became clear to him.

  A father? He was going to be a father!

  ‘I’m sixty-three years old, for goodness’ sake,’ he finally gasped.

  ‘But obviously not past it, Edgar,’ Gideon drawled mockingly.

  ‘Don’t get smart, Gideon.’ Edgar glared at him. ‘I don’t know anything about babies,’ he told Claire worriedly.

  ‘Don’t worry about it, darling.’ Claire patted his hand soothingly. ‘It won’t be here for another seven months, and by that time Madison and Gideon will be old hands at parenthood, and can give us some tips.’

  Tips? He was going to need more than tips! A baby…!

  A son. A little boy of his own. Or maybe a daughter. As beautiful as her mother. Hell, he didn’t care what it was; it would be their child. Emotion such as he had never known before swept over him as he began to grin happily.

  Who ever would have thought a year go that they would all be sitting here happily together like this? He certainly hadn’t.

  But he had no complaints, no complaints at all. And as he looked around the table at all the other smiling faces he didn’t think any of them had any, either…

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-0677-9

  BOUND BY CONTRACT

  First North American Publication 2000.

  Copyright © 2000 by Carole Mortimer.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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