‘That’s nothing, Freya,’ Alex chipped in. ‘Remember when I cut my finger on a piece of paper that time? Everyone said that a paper cut is really painful—you’ll be OK.’
Lily never went anywhere without her modest first-aid kit—not since she’d been in charge of children—and she’d soon cleaned the wound and put antiseptic gel on it, before fixing a plaster in place. ‘There,’ she said kindly. ‘Does that feel more comfy, Freya?’
Freya sniffed, not looking up at Theo, who had already changed out of his swimming trunks and was towelling the boys dry with a huge beach towel. ‘A bit,’ she admitted, still not wanting the occasion to pass quite so lightly. ‘But it does hurt. Anyway, Daddy, I don’t think I can put my sandals back on…not until it stops.’ She paused. ‘You’ll have to carry me back to the hotel.’
Theo looked down at Lily, one eyebrow raised quizzically, and she glanced back at him. They both understood that Freya’s dramatic injury might be a way for her to get out of her tennis commitment.
‘We’ll sort you out between us, Freya,’ Lily said. ‘But first I’ve brought all sorts of snacks to keep you going before suppertime. Just let me get dressed, and then you can choose from my bag.’
With Freya limping badly, they eventually made their way back to the hotel. As they entered the building, two elderly ladies gently pulled Lily to one side.
‘We just have to tell you what a beautiful family you are,’ one said quietly. ‘We cannot take our eyes off you!’
‘Oh—but—’ Lily began, and the other woman cut in.
‘As soon as we saw you come into the dining room we were enchanted. Your little girl is exactly like you, dear, and aren’t the boys the living image of their daddy?’
‘Well, actually…’ Lily tried again. ‘I really ought to explain…’
‘Oh, it’s natural to feel a bit embarrassed when someone like me accosts you with compliments,’ one of the women said. ‘But I’m not one for saying what I don’t mean. And to see a delightful family like yours…so happy together…with such a pretty mother and handsome daddy. Well…’
By then the children were calling from the lift, and, making suitable pleasantries to the women, Lily escaped and rejoined them.
‘What did those ladies want, Lily?’ Freya asked curiously, and Lily fumbled in her handbag for a tissue to recover herself.
She’d never been good at accepting praise—not that she’d ever had much practice, and certainly not while she’d been growing up—but what had just been said to her had filled her with huge pleasure. Even if the ladies had got entirely the wrong idea. She liked it that she’d been thought of as an integral part of Theo’s family—and more importantly that she might have been his wife…and that he might have been her lover. How strange was that? she thought.
‘Oh—nothing,’ she said vaguely. ‘Something about the hairdressing facility here, that’s all.’ She wasn’t going to tell them the truth—and she certainly wasn’t going to tell Theo that they thought she was his wife! Lily knew that there was only one woman in the world who would ever have that title—and it certainly wasn’t her.
Apart from the minor injury to Freya’s toe, the day was deemed to have been another happy and successful one as Lily and Theo took their places in the dining room later. The children had been almost too tired to get ready for bed, so bathing had been completed in record time, and now, with the resident child-minder on duty upstairs while they enjoyed their evening meal, they, too, felt ready for a rest.
‘I cannot believe the summer we’re having,’ Lily said, looking down at the menu. ‘I think I probably got a bit sunburnt today.’
‘Well, I did wonder whether you were neglecting yourself,’ Theo replied, glancing across at her. ‘You’ve been plastering the kids with protective cream ever since we arrived, but I haven’t seen you putting any on your own skin.’
He studied her as he spoke, thinking how utterly ravishing she was, lightly tanned and with hardly any need for make-up—and always groomed to perfection. In spite of all she did, he’d never seen her with a broken nail or unkempt hair. He sighed inwardly and returned his attention to the menu.
After their meal they returned to their rooms, deciding to have an early night, and Theo paused outside Lily’s door for a moment. ‘Come in for a nightcap, Lily,’ he said. ‘It’s only just gone ten o’clock.’ He paused. ‘Our balcony sports a table and chairs—and it’s blissfully cool now…’
Lily hesitated. ‘Won’t we disturb the children?’
‘No—they won’t surface until morning. Not after the amount of sun and sea air they’ve had today,’ he replied. He was looking down at her as he spoke, suddenly longing to have her to himself just for a while. Without any interruptions. Without anyone there to see them, to notice them.
‘All right,’ Lily said. ‘As long as my nightcap can be a cup of tea.’
They let themselves into the room quietly, and Lily immediately went over to the three single beds to see the sleeping children. She half turned to Theo. ‘Aren’t they just…delicious, Theo?’ she whispered, and he came alongside her to look down as well.
‘Yes, when they’re asleep,’ he joked, adding, ‘And most other times, too.’ He paused. ‘I’m so lucky to have them,’ he said quietly. ‘I never forget that—ever.’
Out on the balcony it was still warm. The gentle air from the sea fanned their faces, the subdued lighting in the hotel grounds adding its own magic as the water in the swimming pool shifted and glinted in the reflections.
‘I shall never forget this holiday,’ Lily said slowly, picking up the teapot which Theo had earlier brought to the table and filling her cup. ‘It’s the sort that you just wish would never end.’
Theo added a chunk of ice to his glass of whisky, swirling it around for a moment. He wanted to say that he wished so many things would never end, but now was not the time. He knew that the time would never come when he could ask Lily to forget her own ambitions and come and stay permanently. For the children she would be the perfect solution—a solution made in heaven, he thought wryly. They adored her, they trusted her, they never wanted her out of their sight…And he knew that he was beginning to feel that way, too.
He took a gulp from his glass, not looking at her, and suddenly her closeness became too much. Without thinking, he put his glass down and leaned over to her, covering her hand with his own.
‘Lily…’ he began, and she looked up at him, her eyes wide, moist. ‘I…I want to tell you how much…how grateful I am to you for entering our lives,’ he began, not quite knowing how to go on. ‘When I asked you—you know, when we were in Rome—if you would fill a temporary gap for me, just for a few months, I had no idea how indispensable you would become.’
His hand tightened on hers, and she turned her palm so that her fingers coiled into his. That simple gesture aroused him as much as if he could see her naked in front of him. But she didn’t say anything. Her lips just parted, inviting…
He went on quickly. ‘So…if the opportunity doesn’t occur again…I just want you to know how much we’ve…all…loved having you in the family.’ He let his hand slip away from hers and sat back, a mild exhaustion seeping through his limbs. He wanted to say so much more…but there wasn’t anything else to say. In a few short weeks the curtain would finally come down on this part of his life. She would be gone, and they would never meet again.
She had not uttered a single word after he’d spoken, and now he looked across at her—to see that her cup was rattling in its saucer as her hands shook. He frowned and half-stood.
‘Lily…are you OK? What is it? Are you ill?’
She must have caught the sun, he thought instinctively, because she was suddenly acting strangely. He took the cup and saucer from her and set it down on the table, then came around to stand beside her. Lily looked up at him, an expression on her face that he’d never seen before.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered through dry lips. ‘I feel rather faint…I must lie
down…I must go to my room…’ She got up quickly, knocking against the table, and Theo put out his arm to steady her.
‘Let me help you, Lily—I’ll fetch a glass of water. Just a minute…’
‘No! It’s all right. I’ll be all right in a minute,’ she repeated. ‘I just need to lie down.’ She didn’t stop to give even a passing glance at the sleeping children, but pulled herself away from him and made for the door. Before he could say another word she’d gone into her own room, without a backward glance.
Lily stood there, her back against the door, for maybe five, six minutes, waiting for the shaking to stop, before she slipped down to the floor and crouched, her head in her hands. She was in utter torment—worse than she’d ever experienced in her life…The touch of Theo’s hand on hers had sent such a fierce passion racing through her that she had almost completely lost her senses. And it had terrified her. All the secret evils locked up in her past were coming back to taunt her.
For a few moments she allowed herself to weep silently, then she dragged herself up from the floor and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. It had been such a perfect day, she thought, staring at her reflection in the mirror for a second, recognising the frightened, confused person looking back at her. Life should not be like this for anyone, she thought. Not for anyone. But she was trapped—always would be—in the fears and anxieties that pervaded her life. There was no escape. Not for her.
After an hour of tossing and turning, Lily finally lapsed into a deep sleep where dreams filtered in and out at random. There was Theo…They were swimming together, their bodies embracing, writhing in the deep warm water. His strong legs entwined around hers, wrapping themselves around her, shielding her, holding her. It was so strange, so blissful…They were in ever deeper water, yet she could breathe without difficulty, and there was no danger, no threat of drowning or suffocation.
They floated together effortlessly, swirling, drifting, and as she reached up to put her arms around his neck she could feel the tensing of his glistening muscular shoulders beneath her touch. With one swift movement he lifted her high above him, and she gazed down into those black enticing eyes that were smiling at her, beckoning to her. Then he came into her bed and drew her towards him, and their still-drenched bodies became locked together. He was whispering to her softly…and those gentle, sensitive hands began to slide over her, to caress her naked limbs. His fingers were touching her, exciting her, his mouth was on hers, their parted lips were united in mutual seduction. His hardened body became tense against her, and then, in slow motion, he moved across and over her, and entered her with such exquisite tenderness that Lily felt herself soaring with excitement and pleasure—and relief. Relief at the impossible made possible. And in total wonderment she heard every bird that had ever been caged singing in exultation at the ecstasy of freedom.
CHAPTER TEN
AT BREAKFAST the following morning the usual childish chatter dominated the meal around the table, but for once Lily found it hard to join in. When she had woken up she’d felt at peace with the world, but it hadn’t taken her long to remember the hopeless fantasies which had filled her dreams. It had unsettled her, made her wish that her contract with the Montague family could end sooner than after the few weeks that still lay ahead.
She didn’t want to look at Theo, but was even more acutely aware of his overpowering presence. Every movement he made seemed to have special significance today, she thought as she observed him, saw his strong hands reach for the jug to pour more milk into Tom’s glass, lift the percolator to fill her cup with coffee.
And was it her imagination that he, too, seemed somehow different this morning? she wondered. She had seen him glance at her oddly once or twice, then look away quickly—but was that a surprise? She had left his room so suddenly last night, clearly in some sort of distress, yet had offered no explanation or excuse for it. He must be wondering what on earth was going on, but he hadn’t mentioned it this morning.
And what about everything he’d said to her as they’d sat out there on the balcony…about how much he appreciated her and how perfectly she had fitted in? Praise indeed, she thought—praise for someone who received a handsome cheque each week for her trouble.
But she knew that his perceptive gaze had taken in her appearance as they’d left their rooms this morning—had felt his eyes boring into her, forming his own conclusions. And she was glad that she’d gone out of her way to look as good as usual, had showered and shampooed and perfumed, chosen a simple denim dress to wear and brushed her hair into a ponytail.
Freya touched Lily’s arm briefly. ‘My boiled egg wasn’t as nice as the ones you do for us at home, Lily,’ she said. ‘The yolky bit was quite hard—yours are always dippy.’
‘Well, that’s because I usually only have your three to do,’ Lily replied, smiling. ‘The poor chef in this kitchen probably has dozens to think about—as well as all the fried ones and the poached ones…and the sausages and the bacon.’
‘And they’ve got to cook Daddy’s fish as well,’ Alex chipped in. ‘Daddy likes fish—don’t you, Daddy?’
‘I certainly do,’ Theo replied. ‘But I agree with Freya—Lily always manages to get it exactly right when we’re at home.’ He raised his eyes and held Lily’s gaze for a fraction of a second. ‘I would rate my breakfast today at ninety-nine per cent—while Lily’s is always well past that.’ He put down his knife and fork, and Lily, feeling slightly embarrassed at his words, took a slice of toast from the rack and started to butter it.
‘All these compliments,’ she said lightly. ‘I hope I can maintain the standard when we get home…’ That last word had barely left her lips when she caught her breath. She had meant to say when we get back. She had made the remark sound so personal, so over-familiar…It was their home, not hers. She must not allow herself such possessive thoughts and instincts. It was silly. She twisted the cap from a tiny pot of marmalade and began to spread some on her toast.
‘It isn’t time to go home yet, is it?’ Alex asked. ‘How many more sleeps have we got, Daddy?’
‘Oh—about eight,’ Theo replied vaguely.
He remembered Lily’s words last night, when she’d said that she wished their holiday would never end, and he found himself wishing the same thing. He leaned back in his chair, folding his napkin carefully. What a situation they were in, he thought—and how on earth would the children ever accept Lily’s departure? They would be heartbroken; he knew that. And there was nothing he could do about it.
One morning in the middle of the following week Lily was woken up by urgent knocking on her door, and Alex calling her name. Rubbing her eyes, she jumped out of bed and went quickly over to see what was wrong.
‘It’s Freya’s toe!’ the child exclaimed. ‘It’s been bleeding all over the sheets. Daddy says can you come…?’
Frowning, Lily turned to grab her white cotton housecoat from the back of the door and, shrugging it on, stopped just long enough to fetch her first-aid box before following Alex into the family suite.
Freya was sitting on the bathroom stool, holding her leg in the air as fresh blood coursed down…and crying hysterically. Theo was wringing out a flannel at the sink, and he looked up quickly as Lily came in.
‘She won’t let me near her. She wants you to look at it,’ he said over the noise. He was bare-footed and wearing a dark green dressing gown—and was obviously still unshaven because Lily could see the dark stubble on his jaw.
She crouched down and looked up into the child’s reddened face. ‘Stop crying for a minute, Freya,’ she said firmly. ‘And let me see what’s going on here.’
Almost immediately Freya’s yells became more of a whimper, and with the aid of the flannel which Theo had handed her, Lily wiped firmly over the foot and examined it closely. ‘I can see what’s happened,’ she said. She smiled reassuringly at Freya. ‘While you count up to ten—you two can count as well—’ she addressed the boys, who were there in the doorway like fascinated bysta
nders ‘—I shall perform one of my magic tricks.’
Bending, she took something from the first-aid kit. ‘Right—start counting!’ she commanded.
The three children began chanting slowly, and Lily bent her head so that Freya couldn’t see what she was doing. Then carefully, deftly, with one gentle movement using a small pair of tweezers, she extracted a tiny shard of glass. She held it up triumphantly.
‘Ta-da!’ she said. ‘You’ve been hiding this in your toe ever since you cut it on the beach last week, Freya—and today it was determined to escape! See?’
Theo had been standing a little way apart, and now came over to look. ‘D’you think there’s any more in there?’ he said.
‘I doubt it,’ Lily said. ‘This’ll be a one-off. I saw the same thing happen to someone else once, and eventually these little foreign bodies do work themselves out.’ She paused. ‘But we’ll give this a good clean and put on a plaster.’
Now that the panic was over, Freya cheered up at once as Lily washed and dried her foot. ‘It hardly hurts at all now,’ she said with studied bravery. ‘Not like it did before…when it really, really did.’
‘Yes, you were a poor wounded soldier,’ Lily said, ‘but never mind. You’re OK now, Freya.’
‘I’ll have to explain to Barry,’ Theo said, ‘about the sheets…’
‘I’ll do that,’ Lily said. ‘This sort of thing is hardly unknown in hotels.’
Theo looked down at Freya, who was leaning into Lily’s side. ‘If your foot is too uncomfortable to play tennis this morning, Freya,’ he said, ‘we can tell them when we go downstairs to breakfast.’
‘Oh—no, that’s OK,’ Freya said airily. ‘There are only two more sessions in any case. I might as well carry on.’
He smiled. ‘Good for you,’ he said, ruffling her hair.
Much later in the afternoon, when the children had been whisked off to watch a puppet show which had been laid on for all the youngsters in the hotel, Theo and Lily found themselves alone together by the pool. They were lying, side by side, on two sunloungers, and Theo turned his head to look at her as she relaxed, her eyes shut against the sun.
The British Billionaire's Innocent Bride Page 12
