Married By Christmas

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Did he?’ her father returned with studied indifference.

  ‘Daddy!’ She glared at her father’s back as he stood looking out of the window now—very much as Patrick had done earlier. He was trying to give the impression that the subject of the other man bored him, and yet, somehow, she knew that it didn’t...

  He sighed. ‘I’m sorry. I just didn’t realise the two of you had spent part of your night together discussing me—’

  ‘We didn’t,’ Lilli cut in. ‘He was here earlier.’

  Her father froze, slowly turning to face her. ‘Devlin came here?’

  She wasn’t wrong; she was sure she wasn’t; she had never seen this emotion in her father before, but he actually looked slightly fearful. And it had something to do with Patrick Devlin...

  ‘Yes, he was here,’ she confirmed steadily. ‘And he said some things—’

  ‘He had no right, damn him!’ her father told her fiercely, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

  ‘I’m your daughter—’

  ‘And this is a business matter,’ he barked tensely. ‘If I had wanted to tell you about it then I would have done so.’

  ‘Tell me now?’ Lilli encouraged softly. Her father had mentioned this morning that Patrick Devlin was the chairman of Paradise Bank—could that have something to do with this ‘business matter’? Although, as far as she was aware, her family had always banked with Cleveley...

  ‘I told you, Patrick Devlin is Paradise Bank,’ her father grated.

  And she was none the wiser for his repeating the fact! ‘Yes?’

  ‘Don’t you ever read the newspapers, Lilli?’ her father said tersely. ‘Or are you more like your mother than I realised, and only interested in what Bennett International Hotels can give you in terms of money and lifestyle?’

  The accusation hung between them, everything suddenly seeming very quiet; even the air was still.

  Lilli stared at her father, barely breathing, a tight pain in her chest.

  Her father stared back at her, obviously mortified at what he had just said, his face very pale.

  They never talked about her mother, or baby Robbie; they had, by tacit agreement, never talked about the loss of either.

  Lilli drew in a deep breath. ‘I know Mummy had her faults—’

  ‘I’m sorry, Lilli—’

  They had both begun talking at the same time, both coming to an abrupt halt, once again staring at each other, awkwardly this time. The last three months had been difficult; Lilli’s grief at her mother’s death was something she hadn’t been able to share with anyone. Not even her father.

  She had known that her father had his own pain to deal with. The years during which her mother’s illness had deteriorated had been even more difficult for him than they had for Lilli, her mother’s moods fluctuating between self-pity and anger. It had been hard to cope with, Lilli freely acknowledged. But she had had no idea how bitter her father had become...

  ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’ Her father ran a weary hand through dark hair liberally peppered with grey. ‘I’m sorry, Lilli.’

  She wasn’t sure whether he was apologising for the remarks about her mother, or for the fact that he felt the way he did...

  ‘No, you shouldn’t,’ she agreed quietly. ‘But a lot of things have been said and done in the last twenty-four hours that shouldn’t have been.’ She included her own behaviour with Patrick Devlin in that! ‘Perhaps it would be better if we just forgot about them?’ She certainly wanted to forget last night!

  ‘I wish we could, Lilli.’ Her father sat down heavily in one of the armchairs, shaking his head. ‘But I don’t think Devlin will let either of us do that.’ He leant his head back against the chair, his eyes closed. ‘What did he have to say when he came here earlier?’ He opened his eyes to look at her frowningly.

  Besides marking her as a ten...?

  ‘Not a lot, Daddy.’ She crossed the room to kneel on the carpet at his feet. ‘Although he did say to tell you the two of you would be meeting again. Soon. Tell me what’s going on, Daddy?’ She looked up at him appealingly.

  He reached out to smooth gently the loose tendrils of dark hair away from her cheeks. ‘You’re so young, Lilli.’ He sounded pained. ‘So very young,’ he groaned. ‘You give the outward impression of being so cool and self-possessed, and yet...’

  ‘It’s just an impression,’ she acknowledged ruefully. ‘How well you know me, Daddy.’ She gave a wistful smile.

  ‘I should do,’ he said with gentle affection. ‘I love you very much, Lilli. No matter what happens, I hope you never forget that.’ He gave a heavy sigh.

  Lilli once again felt that chill of foreboding down her spine. What was going to happen? And what did Patrick Devlin have to do with it? Because she didn’t doubt that he was at the root of her father’s problem.

  Her father straightened determinedly in his chair, that air of defeat instantly dispelled. ‘Devlin and I are involved in some business that isn’t going quite the way he wishes it would,’ he explained briskly.

  Lilli frowned, realising that, with this blunt statement, her father had decided not to tell her anything. ‘He called me a sacrificial lamb,’ she persisted.

  ‘Did he, indeed?’ her father rapped out harshly. ‘What the hell does he think I am?’ he cried angrily, rising forcefully to his feet. ‘Devlin is right, Lilli—it’s past time the two of us met again. Damn Gerry and her diplomatic approach—’

  ‘About Geraldine Simms—’

  ‘She’s not for discussion, Lilli,’ her father cut in defensively, those few minutes of father-daughter closeness definitely over.

  Obviously Geraldine Simms was too important in his life to be discussed with her! It made Lilli question exactly how long this relationship with the other woman had been going on. Since her mother’s death—or before that? The thought of her father having an affair with a woman like Geraldine Simms while her mother was still alive made Lilli feel ill. He couldn’t have—could he...?

  Lilli stood up too, eyes flashing deeply emerald. ‘In that case,’ she rebutted angrily, ‘neither is the night I spent with her brother!’

  ‘Lilli!’ Her father stopped her as she was about to storm out of the room.

  She turned slowly. ‘Yes?’ she said curtly.

  ‘Stay away from Devlin,’ he advised heavily. ‘He’s trouble.’

  He might be, and until a short time ago she had been only too happy with the idea of never setting eyes on him again. But not any more. Patrick Devlin was the other half of this puzzle, and if her father wouldn’t tell her what was going on perhaps Patrick would!

  She met her father’s gaze unblinkingly. ‘Stay away from Geraldine Simms,’ she mocked. ‘She’s trouble.’

  Her father steadily met her rebellious gaze for several long seconds, and then he wearily shook his head. ‘This is so much deeper than you can possibly realise. You’re playing with fire where Devlin is concerned. He’s a barracuda in a city suit,’ he added bitterly.

  ‘Sounds like a fascinating combination,’ Lilli replied.

  ‘More like deadly,’ her father rasped, scowling darkly. ‘Lilli, I’m ordering you to stay away from him!’

  Her eyes widened in shock. This was much more serious than she had even imagined; she couldn’t remember the last time her father bad ordered her to do anything. If he ever had. But the fact that he did it now only made her all the more determined.

  The real problem with that was she had no idea—yet!—how to even make contact with Patrick Devlin again, without it seeming as if she was doing exactly that. Because she had a feeling he would react exactly as her father was doing if she went to him and asked for answers to her questions: refuse to give any!

  Well, she might be young, as both men had already stated quite clearly today, but she was the daughter of one man, and had spent the previous night in the arms of the other—she certainly wasn’t a child, and she wasn’t about to be treated like one. By either of them!

&nb
sp; ‘Save that tone of voice for your employees, Father,’ she told him coldly. ‘Of which I—thankfully!—am not one!’ She closed the door decisively behind her as she left the room.

  It was only once she was safely outside in the hallway that she allowed some of her defiance to leave her. But she had meant every word she’d said in there, she would get to the bottom of this mystery. And she knew the very person to help her do that...

  ‘Sally!’ she said warmly a few minutes later when the other woman answered her call after the tenth ring. She had begun to think Sally must be out. And that didn’t fit in with her plans at all. ‘It’s Lilli.’

  ‘Wow, that was quick,’ Sally returned lightly. ‘I didn’t expect to hear from you again for weeks.’

  Lilli forced a bright laugh. ‘I said I would call you,’ she reminded her.

  ‘It’s a little late in the day for lunch,’ Sally said dryly. ‘Although to be honest,’ she added confidingly, ‘I’ve only just got out of bed. That was some party last night!’

  Lilli wouldn’t know. ‘Any luck with that gorgeous man?’ she said playfully—knowing full well there hadn’t been; her father had spent the night with Geraldine Simms.

  ‘None at all.’ Sally sounded disappointed. ‘But then, with Gerry on the hunt, I never expected it. She monopolised the man all night, and then—’

  ‘Are you free for dinner this evening?’ Lilli cut in sharply—she knew what came ‘then’!

  ‘Well...I was due to go to the Jameses’ party this evening, but it will just be like every other party I’ve been to this month. Christmas-time is a bitch, isn’t it? Everyone and his cousin throws a party—and invites exactly the same people to every one! In all honesty, I’m all partied out. And there’s another ten days to go yet!’ Sally groaned with feeling.

  ‘Does that mean you’re free for dinner?’ Lilli prompted.

  ‘Name the place!’ The grin could be heard in Sally’s voice.

  Lilli did, choosing one of her own favourite restaurants, knowing the other woman would like it too. She also promised that it was her treat; Sally knew ‘everyone and his cousin’, and anything there was to know about them. Lilli didn’t doubt she would know about Patrick Devlin too...

  She wasn’t disappointed in her choice of informant!

  ‘Patrick!’ Even the way Sally said his name spoke volumes. ‘Now there is a gorgeous man. Tall, dark, handsome—He’s Gerry’s brother, you know—’

  ‘I do know,’ Lilli confirmed—she knew now!

  ‘He’s also intelligent, rich—oh yes, very rich.’ Sally laughed softly.

  ‘And single.’ It was almost a question—because Lilli wasn’t absolutely sure of his marital status. She had beea to bed with the man, and she didn’t even know whether he was married!

  ‘He is now,’ Sally nodded, nibbling on one of the prawns she had chosen to start her meal. ‘Sanchia wasn’t the faithful kind, and so he went through rather a messy divorce about five years ago. Sanchia took him for millions. Personally, I would rather have kept the man, but Sanchia settled for the cash and moved back to France, where she originally came from.’

  Sanchia... Patrick had been married to a woman called Sanchia. A woman who had been unfaithful to him. She couldn’t have known him very well if she had thought he would put up with that; Lilli had only known him twenty-four hours, but, even so, she knew he was a man who kept what he had. Exclusively.

  But at least he wasn’t married now, which was a relief to hear after last night. Although there was still so much Lilli wanted to know about him...

  ‘What does he do?’ Lilli frowned; chairman of a bank didn’t tell her anything.

  ‘I just told you.’ Sally laughed. ‘He makes millions.’

  ‘And then gives them away to ex-wives,’ Lilli scorned; that didn’t sound very intelligent to her!

  ‘One ex-wife,’ Sally corrected her. ‘And he didn’t give it away. It was probably worth it to him to get that embarrassment out of his life. Sanchia liked men, and made no secret of the fact...’

  ‘She sounds a lot like his sister,’ Lilli said bitterly. How could her father have been so stupid as to have got mixed up with such a family?

  ‘Gerry’s okay,’ Sally said grudgingly. ‘Although Patrick is even better,’ she added suggestively.

  Lilli gave her a guarded look. ‘Sally, you haven’t—You and he haven‘t—’

  ‘I should be so lucky!’ Sally laughed again ruefully. ‘But Patrick doesn’t. Not any more. Not since Sanchia,’ she amended wistfully.

  Lilli hoped she succeeded in hiding the shock she felt at this last statement. Because Patrick most certainly did! At least, he had last night. With her...

  Sally gave her a considering look. ‘You do realise I’m going to have a few questions of my own at the end of this conversation?’ she teased. ‘And the first one is going to be, just when and where did you get to meet Patrick? As far as I’m aware, he’s lived in New York for the last five years, and he’s very rarely seen over here.’

  Lilli kept her expression deliberately bland. ‘Hey, I’m the one buying you dinner, remember,’ she reminded her. She liked Sally very much, found her great fun to go out with, but she was also aware that her friend was the biggest gossip in London—that was the reason she had been the perfect choice for this conversation in the first place! ‘Besides, just what makes you think I have met him?’ She opened widely innocent eyes.

  Sally gave a throaty chuckle, attracting the attention of several of the men at adjoining tables. Not that she seemed in the least concerned by this male interest; she was still looking thoughtfully at Lilli. ‘Only a woman who had actually met Patrick would show this much interest in him; he’s a presence to be reckoned with!’

  Well, from all accounts—his account!—Lilli had met that challenge all too capably. ‘I’m more interested in the business side of his life than his personal one.’ Now that she had assured herself he wasn’t married or seriously involved with anyone!

  Sally shrugged. ‘I’ve just told you he’s based in New York. Chairman of Paradise Bank. Rich as Croesus. What else is there to know?’

  His business connection to her father! ‘English business interests?’ she prompted skilfully.

  ‘Oh, that one’s easy,’ the other woman returned. ‘It was all in the newspapers a couple of months ago.’ She smiled warmly at the waiter as he brought their main course.

  Lilli barely stopped herself grinding her teeth together in frustration. What had been in the newspapers months ago? ‘I was a little out of touch with things at the time,’ she reminded Sally once they were alone again.

  ‘I’m sorry, of course you were.’ Sally at once looked contrite. ‘Paradise Bank took over Cleveley Bank.’

  Cleveley Bank... Her father’s bank. But that still didn’t make a lot of sense to Lilli. Bennett International Hotels had shown a profit since before she was born, so it couldn’t possibly have anything to do with them.

  ‘Personally, I thought it was wonderful news.’ Sally grinned across at Lilli as she gave her a puzzled glance. ‘It means Patrick will probably start spending more time in England. More chance for us eager women to make a play at being the second Mrs Patrick Devlin,’ she explained. ‘I could quite easily give up this round of parties and the bachelor-girl life if I had Patrick coming home to me every evening!’

  ‘It wasn’t enough for the first Mrs Devlin,’ Lilli said sharply as she realised she was actually jealous of Sally’s undoubted interest in Patrick. Ridiculous! The man was arrogant, insulting, dangerous. And she had spent last night in his arms...

  ‘Sanchia was stupid,’ Sally rejoined unhesitatingly. ‘She thought Patrick was so besotted with her that he would forgive her little indiscretions with other men.’ Sally shook her head disgustedly. ‘What Patrick owns, he owns exclusively.’

  Exactly what Lilli had thought earlier! ‘Not even Patrick Devlin can own people,’ she said quickly.

  ‘You have met him!’ Sally said speculatively.


  She could feel the guilty colour in her cheeks. ‘Perhaps,’ she acknowledged grudgingly. Obviously Patrick hadn’t spent any time at the party last night, otherwise Sally would have seen him there too...

  ‘But you’re not telling, hmm?’ Sally said knowingly. ‘Oh, don’t worry, Lilli.’ She lightly touched Lilli’s arm. ‘I wouldn’t be telling anyone about it either if I had Patrick tucked away in my pocket. But you will invite me to the wedding, won’t you?’

  Lilli drew back in shocked revulsion at the very suggestion. ‘I think you’ve misunderstood my interest, Sally—’

  ‘Not in the least.’ The other woman gave her a conspiratorial wink. ‘And if you have him, Lilli, hang onto him. There are dozens of women out there—including me!—who would snap him up given the chance!’

  ‘But—’

  ‘I won’t tell a soul, Lilli,’ Sally assured her softly. ‘It will be our little secret.’

  Perhaps her choice of informant hadn’t been such a wise one, after all. Lilli had forgotten, in her need to know more about Patrick Devlin, just how much Sally loved what she considered a tasty piece of gossip—and how she loved sharing it with other people, despite what she might have just said to the contrary! The news of Lilli’s interest in Patrick Devlin would be all over London by tomorrow if she didn’t think of some way to avert it!

  Her only hope seemed to be to give the other woman such a good time she wouldn’t remember where they had spent the evening, let alone what they had talked about at the beginning of it—least of all Patrick Devlin.

  A bottle of champagne later and Lilli wasn’t sure what they had talked about either! Sally’s suggestion that they go on to a club seemed an excellent idea. The restaurant staff seemed quite happy to see their last customers leave too, ordering a taxi to take them on to the club.

  ‘I know I’m going to regret this some time tomorrow when I finally wake up,’ Sally giggled as they got out of the taxi outside the club. ‘But what the hell!’