His Bid for a Bride

by Carole Mortimer

  Skye sank back in her seat like a deflated balloon. She had noticed they hadn’t left earlier by the front entrance, of course, but had just assumed this was an easier way to get into town. It certainly hadn’t occurred to her that there could be a much more sinister reason for them doing so.

  ‘How did you stand it, Falkner?’ she choked, burying her face in her hands. ‘How much more of it can I stand?’ she groaned emotionally, the loss of her father once again pressing down on her.

  The first that she knew about Falkner stopping the vehicle was when he took her into his arms. ‘As much as it takes, Skye,’ he murmured gently into the silky softness of her hair. ‘You’re doing very well, you know,’ he added huskily as she made no response except to burrow comfortingly into those reassuring arms.

  She raised her tear-wet face at this. ‘I’m doing very well?’ she repeated brokenly. ‘Oh, Falkner!’ She shook her head. ‘How can you possibly say that when all I really want to do is find a quiet place and hide myself there until this is all over?’

  He grasped her arms lightly. ‘Because you’re still here and not there,’ he told her firmly. ‘Skye, do you think I don’t know how you feel? Of course I do! But the truth of the matter is that you won’t run away and hide, that you will stay right here—because you know that’s what Connor would have wanted you to do!’

  He was right, of course. Despite the problems at O’Hara Whiskey, the rumours that had followed, the speculation in the newspapers, the shareholders’ outrage, all the bad publicity that had gone along with that, her father had continued to live his life as openly as he had always done, had refused to be cowed by any of it. Exactly as she was now doing in his stead.

  Falkner looked at her intently, the steeliness of that blue gaze willing her to go on, not to give in to those feelings of panic that made her just want to cut and run.

  And, in truth, she couldn’t really just cut and run. If for no other reason than that she had her father’s funeral to attend in three days’ time…

  She straightened, Falkner’s hands dropping away from her arms as she did so. Although she could still feel the warmth of his touch against her sensitized flesh…‘I’m sorry.’ She sighed. ‘About the outburst. I—I’ll try not to do it again.’ She swallowed hard, her chin raised determinedly now.

  Falkner straightened in his own car seat before nodding abruptly. ‘I know you will,’ he murmured huskily. ‘But I—I’m here, if you need me, Skye. Try to remember that, will you?’ Once again his gaze was intense on the paleness of her face.

  She gave the ghost of a smile. ‘I’ll remember.’

  ‘Good enough,’ Falkner acknowledged briskly before once again starting the engine and continuing the drive to the back of the house.

  ‘Falkner…?’ Skye voiced slowly a few seconds later, her emotions once again under control.

  ‘Hmm?’ he prompted distractedly.

  ‘Yesterday you said—you said you had seen me during the last six months?’ She looked at him expectantly.

  He glanced at her frowningly before his mouth twisted into the semblance of a smile. ‘Why is it that women seem to have perfect recall for every remark a man ever made to them?’ He gave a derisive shake of his head.

  ‘Whereas men never remember a single thing a woman says to them?’ she came back tauntingly.

  His smile deepened. ‘We remember the important things.’

  ‘Such as?’ she teased.

  ‘Such as—such as—’

  ‘Hah!’ she pounced pointedly. ‘And you still haven’t answered my question,’ she reminded lightly.

  ‘I’ve forgotten what it was now!’ Falkner returned teasingly. ‘You—look at that; we’ve been so long getting back that Belinda and the children are already here,’ he pointed out wryly.

  Skye turned to see a green station wagon was parked on the driveway in front of the house, realizing this must belong to Falkner’s sister.

  ‘How convenient,’ Skye murmured dryly.

  Falkner parked the Range Rover beside the station wagon before turning to give a mocking inclination of his head. ‘Sisters do have their uses after all,’ he drawled mockingly.

  Skye determined as she climbed out of the Range Rover that she would return to the subject of Falkner having seen her at some time during the last six months at a more convenient time. If Falkner thought he had got away with not answering her at all then he was in for a surprise!

  But there was no time to tell him that as the equivalent of two small tornadoes came hurtling out of the house, both determined to be the first to launch themselves into Falkner’s arms.

  ‘Steady!’ he murmured as the two small children almost knocked him off his feet. ‘I’ve only been away for three days, not three years!’ he teased as he held up a child in each arm.

  Something that Skye was sure couldn’t be all that good for his damaged leg…

  Lissa and Jemmy, both dark-haired and blue-eyed, were obviously twins, probably aged about six. They were also robust and solidly made for six-year-olds!

  ‘Get down, you two.’ Their long-suffering mother had followed them out of the house, pausing at the top of the steps to raise dark brows until Lissa and Jemmy were returned to the gravel driveway to stand on their own sturdy feet. ‘Better,’ Belinda told them briskly. ‘Now say hello politely to Uncle Fork’s guest,’ she added pointedly.

  The two children looked up sheepishly at Skye, Lissa obviously the leader of the two as she suddenly grinned boldly, Jemmy having moved so that he stood slightly behind his uncle Fork’s long legs looking out at her.

  ‘Hello, you two.’ Skye smiled as she took the initiative. ‘Lissa and Jemmy, isn’t it? And I’m Skye.’

  Jemmy raised his gaze uncertainly skywards, and then back at Skye, obviously a little unsure of this introduction.

  ‘Because you have blue eyes like the sky!’ Lissa felt no such inhibitions.

  Skye gave Falkner a pointed look, as much as to say, You see, even a child knows how I came by my name!

  ‘Yes, I do,’ Skye confirmed smilingly.

  ‘We’ve come to tea,’ Lissa informed her brightly. ‘Haven’t we, Uncle Fork?’ She looked up at him trustingly as she neatly tucked her hand inside his much larger one.

  ‘So it would appear,’ he accepted ruefully. ‘In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mrs Graham isn’t getting it ready right now.’

  ‘Are you sure you want to be bothered with them today?’ Belinda frowned her concern.

  Because she was here, Skye realised. But she had already decided that she liked Falkner’s sister, and the twins were absolutely enchanting as they stood either side of Falkner now, each with a hand resting trustingly in his.

  ‘Do you think there will be jam sandwiches for tea?’ Skye prompted the twins excitedly. ‘I love jam sandwiches!’

  ‘So do I,’ Jemmy was the one to answer her shyly. ‘Strawberry ones.’

  ‘Oh, definitely strawberry,’ Skye agreed as she preceded them up the stone steps to where Belinda stood watching them.

  ‘And chocolate cake,’ Lissa put in happily, not to be outdone by her twin.

  ‘My favourite.’ Skye nodded, turning to smile at Belinda. ‘Your children are adorable!’ she told the other woman softly.

  Belinda grimaced. ‘You should try looking after them for a week!’ But the look of maternal affection she bestowed on her offspring totally belied her words.

  ‘I already have,’ Falkner drawled. ‘I still have the scars to prove it!’ he added dryly.

  ‘I think Uncle Fork is teasing you,’ Skye told the twins laughingly. ‘Aren’t you, Uncle Fork?’ She raised mocking brows.

  Somehow, hearing Falkner addressed in this totally affectionate way by his family, in the company of two such adorable children as Lissa and Jemmy, Skye thought the world didn’t seem such a dark, dismal place after all…

  ‘I think,’ Falkner murmured softly in her ear as they all entered the house, ‘that you and Uncle Fork had better have a quie
t chat together later.’

  ‘Really?’ Skye returned as softly, aware that the others couldn’t hear their conversation, although the more astute Belinda was looking at the two of them curiously.

  ‘Really,’ Falkner echoed pointedly.

  She gave him a teasing smile. ‘I’ll look forward to it!’

  ‘Uncle Fork, did you bring us a present back from Ireland?’ Lissa prompted expectantly.

  ‘Melissa Chapman!’ Her mother looked down at her reprovingly. ‘What have I told you about asking for presents?’

  ‘“Wait until people offer them, and then say thank you nicely”,’ Lissa obviously quoted perfectly. ‘I was only asking in case Uncle Fork forgot,’ she explained reasonably.

  Falkner’s mouth twitched as he obviously had trouble holding back a smile. ‘You’re quite right, Lissa, I had forgotten.’ He nodded. ‘I believe there’s a present for each of you on the desk in my study—’ Before he could even finish speaking the two children had set off at a run down the hallway that obviously led to his study.

  Falkner burst out laughing, and a few seconds later his sister reluctantly joined in.

  ‘They really are incorrigible.’ Belinda shook her head ruefully. ‘I’m so sorry about this, Skye.’

  Skye hadn’t particularly been aware of the conversation taking place the last few minutes, had become caught up in her own thoughts at Lissa’s mention of Falkner’s trip to Ireland. Obviously his family were aware of where he had been for three days, but did they also know that it had been on her behalf? The twins, probably not. But what of Belinda?

  She forced herself to abandon those thoughts long enough to reassure the older woman. ‘You have nothing to apologize for. I told you, I think your children are wonderful.’ Besides, she was the interloper here; it was obvious from their familiarity that the twins came here to tea on a regular basis when Falkner was at home.

  It was the twins’ exuberance that made the next hour pass in easy relaxation, Lissa chattering away about her new doll, Jemmy fascinated by his new transforming toy, the two of them rapidly devouring the tea Mrs Graham had set out for them in the kitchen.

  In fact, Skye felt so comfortable in their presence that she wasn’t in the least put out when Falkner had to go to his study to take a telephone call.

  ‘I’m terribly sorry about—about your recent loss, Skye,’ Belinda told her softly, her words such that she didn’t incur the children’s curiosity as they tucked into their chocolate cake.

  Skye swallowed hard. ‘Thank you.’ Her voice was husky as she inwardly acknowledged that the other woman knew exactly who she was. Who her father was. ‘I don’t know what I would have done without Falkner’s help this last few days.’ Her gaze remained unwaveringly on the older woman.

  Belinda nodded. ‘He and your father were good friends.’

  So it would appear. Which made it all the stranger that Skye hadn’t been aware of their continued friendship once Falkner had retired from showjumping three years ago…

  ‘Yes,’ she returned noncommittally.

  ‘Not that I’m saying the two of you aren’t,’ Belinda rushed into embarrassed speech. ‘It’s just that I knew about your father because I met him here several times myself—’

  ‘Belinda, do you think I could have a quiet word with you before you have to leave?’ A poker-faced Falkner stood in the kitchen doorway.

  His face might be expressionless, but nevertheless Skye could feel the waves of displeasure emanating from him. As could Belinda, if the haste with which she left the kitchen to join her brother was anything to go by.

  Not exactly subtle on Falkner’s part, Skye acknowledged with a grimace; his conversation with his sister would obviously be about her.

  Or was she just being oversensitive? After all, this was the first time brother and sister had seen each other for almost a week; they probably had things they wished to discuss away from curious little ears. Besides, wasn’t she being a little conceited to assume Falkner might have anything to say to his sister about her?

  Maybe so, but when Belinda hadn’t returned ten minutes later Skye excused herself to the twins of the pretext of needing the bathroom, sure that the children would be perfectly happy left in the indulgent Mrs Graham’s company for a few minutes.

  She wasn’t really meaning to eavesdrop, had actually gone in search of Falkner and Belinda without alarming the children because she wondered, in view of their long absence, if there was anything wrong. But as Skye approached Falkner’s study, the door standing slightly ajar, she heard Belinda speaking inside the room, those words making Skye freeze outside in the hallway.

  ‘—must know that Skye will have to be told what’s happening, Falkner,’ Belinda said reprovingly.

  ‘And you think now is the right time for that, do you?’ he came back hardly.

  ‘Is there ever going to be a good time?’ his sister returned ruefully.

  ‘The funeral is in three days time, Belinda; let’s leave it until after then, hmm?’ Falkner rasped determinedly.

  ‘I can’t see how leaving it is going to change things—’

  ‘I don’t remember asking for your advice, Belinda,’ Falkner bit out harshly. ‘Only your cooperation!’

  Skye knew that if Falkner spoke to her in that coldly determined way she would just want to shrivel up and die; and from Belinda’s silence after this outburst, she was more than a little shocked by her brother’s steeliness too!

  ‘I’m sorry, Lindy.’ Falkner sighed heavily. ‘I shouldn’t take any of this out on you. But if you had any idea of the strain I’m under at the moment…!’

  ‘Having met Skye, I can take a pretty accurate guess,’ his sister came back dryly.

  ‘Belinda, don’t add two and two together and come up with five, hmm?’ he derided.

  ‘Oh, I think just making the four will do it,’ Belinda assured him wryly. ‘Falkner, why—what was that?’ she said sharply. ‘I thought I heard a noise outside?’ she added worriedly.

  In fact, the noise Belinda had heard was the twins as they came hurtling down the hallway in search of their mother and uncle, obviously having demolished the tea to their satisfaction and now ready for home.

  Caught in the middle, as Skye obviously was, she knew she couldn’t just continue to stand out here in the hallway, guessed that, if Lissa and Jemmy didn’t reach her first, at any moment either Belinda or Falkner were going to come out of the study in search of the noise Belinda had heard and realize that she had been standing out here listening to their conversation.

  ‘Careful.’ She turned smilingly to the twins as they looked in danger of crashing into her in their exuberance. Only just in time, Skye realized with an inward groan as Falkner wrenched the study door open, a frown marring his brow as he saw the three of them standing there. ‘The twins were wondering where the two of you had got to,’ she told Falkner lightly.

  He continued to frown, eyes narrowed on her questioningly, obviously not absolutely convinced by this explanation.

  ‘I was just telling Falkner that we would have to leave now,’ Belinda spoke up brightly as she came to the doorway to join her brother. ‘Otherwise Daddy will be wondering why he doesn’t have any dinner waiting for him when he gets home,’ she told the twins teasingly.

  Skye frowned at the other woman, knowing that Belinda hadn’t just been telling Falkner anything of the kind. What had that conversation between brother and sister meant? What was Falkner keeping from her? And why?

  ‘Actually, Skye,’ Belinda continued lightly, ‘I was just reminding Falkner about the barbecue we’re having on Sunday for the twins’ sixth birthday. Which, of course, you’re invited to. Falkner didn’t seem to think it was a good idea to mention it at the moment…’

  Skye looked frowningly at the other woman. This explanation certainly fitted in with the little of the conversation she had overheard between brother and sister.

  And yet…

  CHAPTER SIX

  ‘ONLY a couple of h
ours, Skye, and then all this will be over,’ Falkner reassured her gently as he sat beside her.

  ‘All this’ being her father’s very private funeral!

  Skye had been waiting in the sitting-room with Falkner when the car had arrived outside the house promptly at two-thirty, the two of them even now sitting in the family car as they drove to the church, Belinda and her husband Charles, as the only other mourners, following behind in the second car.

  ‘I’ll be with you the whole time,’ Falkner assured her as he reached out and took her hand in the warmth of his. ‘You’re freezing!’ he realized concernedly.

  Frozen probably best described the way Skye felt right now. Numbed. Emotionally as well as physically. It was the only way she could possibly deal with the next couple of hours.

  Her tension had been steadily increasing over the last three days, so much so that in the end Falkner had given up even trying to make conversation with her. But at the same time he had never left her alone, always making sure either Mrs Graham or Belinda were with her if he had to go out anywhere.

  Quite what he thought she was going to do if left to her own devices, Skye had no idea, but she was nevertheless grateful for the sympathetic company, silent though it often was.

  Although today was turning out just as horrific as she had thought it would be, reporters surrounding the car as they came out of the driveway, several of them seeming to have jumped into cars so that they could follow them.

  ‘Skye—’

  ‘I’m fine, Falkner,’ she told him harshly, teeth gritted to stop their chattering. ‘Just fine,’ she repeated, her gaze fixed determinedly ahead.

  It was the only part of her that was looking ahead; inwardly Skye couldn’t see past the service. Although Falkner had said that her father’s lawyer would be coming to the house on their return, for the reading of the will. Something else she had little interest in; by the time her father died, his love had been the only thing of value he could leave her.