LAURI felt strong arms go about her as she swayed, guiding her over to a chair as she turned to stare at the man in the bed propped up by numerous pillows.
‘Hell, Laurence,’ Alex turned on him angrily, ‘you can’t go throwing accusations like that about! Look at her, you’ve shocked the life out of her!’
‘But I—Jane is the woman I love, the woman I’ve always loved,’ Laurence told them dazedly. ‘She’s the mother of my child.’
‘My mother?’ Lauri was just as dazed.
‘Yes,’ he nodded.
‘Thank God for that!’ she sighed raggedly, feeling only relief at his disclosure. It might be even more of a shock than finding out he was her father, but at least it meant the woman she had always believed to be her mother had never been unfaithful to her husband. And in truth Jane had always been more of a mother to her than anyone else had.
‘You’re all right?’ Alex asked her gently.
‘Yes,’ she nodded.
He turned to his brother-in-law. ‘Perhaps you wouldn’t mind explaining,’ he said tersely.
‘I—Just tell me one thing, Lauri,’ Laurence pleaded. ‘Jane, my Jane, is still alive?’
She gave a shaky smile. ‘She’s brought me up since I was a child.’
‘My God!’ he groaned, collapsing weakly back on to the pillows. ‘I can hardly believe it!’
‘I’m not sure I can either,’ Lauri choked.
‘Explain, Laurence,’ Alex commanded, sitting beside Lauri to take her hand in his, his thumb rhythmically caressing the delicate veins at her wrist.
She felt grateful for his hold on her, feeling somehow as if all sanity had deserted her. It now appeared that far from being the orphan she had believed herself to be the last ten years, both her mother and father were still alive. Why had Jane, her mother, never told her the truth? Was she ashamed of her, wanting to shield their true relationship? It somehow didn’t fit in with the Jane she knew.
‘Jane was only seventeen when I met her,’ Laurence began talking, ‘while I was already thirty-five.’ His look was distant, as if he were reliving it all. ‘I loved her on sight. We met quite accidentally, in the park. She was beautiful, had a startling honesty that almost frightened me, a zest for life that I craved. I began to take her out, quite innocent little outings at first, because I knew she only saw me as a friend. I suppose she considered me too old for any romantic involvement,’ he added ruefully. ‘But gradually I felt her feelings for me begin to change, knew that she was coming to care for me in the same way I cared for her.’
‘And I’m sure you omitted to tell her you were already married,’ Alex put in dryly.
Laurence flushed. ‘How did you know that?’
‘After having her as my secretary for three years I believe I know a little about Jane. She would never have had anything to do with you if she’d known about Beth.’
‘You’re right, of course,’ Laurence said dully. ‘But I loved her too much to lose her. So I kept quiet about Beth, which in the end was my downfall. Jane found out and refused to see me again. When I went round to her parents’ house they told me she’d gone away to stay with relatives, but they refused to tell me where. I—I thought I would die without her.’
‘You had no idea she’d gone away because she was expecting your child?’ Alex prompted.
‘None at all. It only happened the once, you see,’ an embarrassed hue coloured his cheeks. ‘It never occurred to me … Beth was in hospital for a week having tests, tests to see if there was anything to be done for her.’ He put up a hand to his temples. ‘I’m sorry about this, Alex, I know she was your sister, but … There’d been so many tests, so many disappointments, and each time Beth’s hatred of me got worse. I think Jane must have sensed some of my despair because when I—when we—She gave herself to me with no reservations.’
‘That would be Jane,’ Alex said coldly. ‘You took advantage of the fact that she loved you, that she knew nothing of your loveless sterile marriage, and you ruined her life for her.’
‘Yes,’ Laurence choked, ‘it seems I did all of that. But until I saw Lauri just over a week ago I had no idea of just how much damage I’d done her. And then Lauri told me her mother was dead! God, I wanted to die too. When Beth died and I decided to come back to England I had some crazy idea of finding Jane again, although how I intended doing that I have no idea. And then Alex turned up at the airport with you! I knew straight away who you were, and I thought Alex had done it deliberately to hurt me.’
‘And instead I was as shocked as you were,’ Alex told him harshly. ‘More so, probably,’ he added bitterly.
‘Not really, Alex’ Lauri spoke for the first time, challenge in her voice. ‘Through me you thought you would get your revenge on Laurence that you’ve always wanted. You decided to make love to me, get me to admit to loving you in the heat of your experienced caresses, and then taunt him with the knowledge that you had his daughter exactly where you wanted her, in your arms and in your bed.’
‘Lauri!’ Laurence was shocked. ‘You’re wrong about that.’
‘Am I?’ she asked Alex shrilly. ‘Well, am I?’ she demanded.
His eyes were like an icy blue ocean, cold and forbidding. He shrugged. ‘Maybe not so far wrong.’
‘You see?’ she said bitterly, whatever hope she had had left crumbling at her feet. ‘But it didn’t work.’
‘We were interrupted during my seduction of her,’ Alex informed the older man carelessly.
Laurence’s eyes widened. ‘Alex, it isn’t true! You told me—’
‘The first part of it is true,’ Alex admitted cruelly. ‘I’m not sure I would have cared a damn about revenge on you if I’d managed to get Lauren into bed.’
‘I hate you!’ she told him vehemently.
He shrugged at Laurence. ‘As you can see, my plan failed.’
Laurence frowned. ‘Alex? I thought you said—’
‘Forget what I said,’ he dismissed. ‘Lauren’s version is so much better than mine, don’t you think, so much neater.’
‘No, I don’t,’ Laurence snapped.
‘Well, it’s the one we’ll all have to settle for right now,’ Alex told him abruptly. ‘There’s something else of more importance to deal with at the moment. Are you aware of the fact that your beloved Jane is even now on the point of becoming engaged to another man?’
‘Because she was once hurt so badly that the only thing she requires from a husband is that he be safe and reliable and will never let her down,’ Lauri told them coldly.
Laurence’s eyes darkened with pain. ‘Is that what she said?’
‘Yes,’ she answered cruelly.
He drew a ragged breath. ‘God, I must have almost destroyed her!’
‘We have to concern ourselves with the present,’ Alex told him firmly. ‘If nothing else the two of you owe it to each other to meet—and preferably before the engagement takes place.’
Lauri gave him a hard stare. ‘You don’t expect Jane—my mother,’ she amended shakily, ‘you don’t expect her to still love him?’
‘None of us can know how she feels,’ he snapped. ‘That’s why we have to get her here. Laurence is hardly in any condition to go to her. I’ll go and get her.’
Lauri gave a scornful smile. ‘You may have got me here on a pretext, but I doubt Jane will be so easily persuaded to leave her own engagement party.’
‘We’ll see, shall we?’ he taunted.
‘We certainly will,’ she said smugly.
‘I shouldn’t be long, Laurence,’ he assured the other man, standing up and in consequence letting Lauri’s hand drop to her side. ‘Don’t worry, she’ll be here.’
‘Huh!’ Lauri scoffed.
His narrowed blue eyes levelled on her. ‘As for you, young lady, while I’m prepared to overlook—certain things you do and say, when all this is over you and I have a few things to discuss.’
‘I can’t think of a single thing we have to talk about!’
He smiled. ‘Maybe not, but I can. So be warned.’
She turned away. ‘You can’t force me to even acknowledge your existence.’
‘Oh, I can force you to acknowledge a damn sight more than that—any time I choose to. I just don’t choose to just yet. I shouldn’t be long, Laurence,’ he added determinedly.
‘She won’t come with him,’ Lauri said obstinately, once she was alone with Laurence Daniels. ‘Why should she?’
‘You don’t know her!’ her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘You haven’t seen her for almost eighteen years. You don’t know the woman she’s become.’
‘I can see how well she’s brought you up, what a beautiful young woman she’s made of you. You’re everything she was at that age, loyal, trusting, and independent.’
‘But she’s never told me she’s my mother! Doesn’t that tell you anything? She’s ashamed of my birth, of having once loved you. She’s had years to tell me the truth, and yet she chose not to. I think the reason for that is obvious.’
‘I hope you’re wrong,’ he said fervently. ‘I really hope you’re wrong.’
Lauri didn’t know what she wanted any more. To find that Jane was the woman Laurence Daniels loved. And Jane must have still loved him after her baby had been born, why else would she have called her daughter Lauren, a female name as much like Laurence as she could make it.
She wasn’t surprised when Alex came back into the hospital room alone, although his first words soon disillusioned her.
‘Jane’s outside,’ he told them almost triumphantly. ‘She wants to see you, Lauren.’
She stood up, swallowing nervously. This would be the first time she had ever faced Jane as her daughter. She stepped outside the room, conscious of Alex standing behind her. As she looked at Jane her whole world suddenly zoomed back into focus. Jane loved her, had always loved her, and their relationship had always been much closer than just aunt and niece, she knew that now.
Jane rushed towards her, her anxiety evident. ‘Are you all right?’ she demanded to know. ‘Mr Blair would only tell me that you were at the hospital.’ She searched Lauri’s face for sign of injury. ‘What happened?’
‘I’m not hurt,’ Lauri assured her with a smile, tears shining in her eyes. ‘I’m not hurt at all—Mum.’
Jane’s face went very white. ‘M-Mum?’ she gasped, her face now a sickly grey colour.
‘Yes,’ Lauri squeezed her hand reassuringly. ‘And there’s someone in that room over there who would like very much to talk to you.’
‘Wh-who is it?’ Jane gasped.
‘Can’t you guess?’ Lauri teased.
‘L-Laurence?’ Jane asked dazedly.
Lauri nodded. ‘My father. He’s Alex’s brother-in-law.’
Jane looked at her employer. ‘Then Beth—’
‘Was my sister,’ he acknowledged gently. ‘But that’s all in the past. Laurence is all alone in the world now.’
‘He loves us both very much,’ Lauri continued, ‘and he wants the chance to prove it. I’d like you to give him that chance,’ she added softly.
Jane’s big brown eyes flooded with tears, her usual calm assurance completely deserting her. ‘You—you like him?’
‘Very much. Much more than I do Robin,’ Lauri added mischievously.
‘Oh, my God—Robin!’ Jane turned to Alex. ‘I completely forgot about him when you said Lauri was at the hospital. Whatever must he think of me?’
‘It’s all right,’ Alex soothed her. ‘I had a word with Steve while you were getting your coat. He was going to take Robin aside and explain the situation to him.’ He looked at his wrist-watch. ‘The party should be breaking up about now.’
‘Oh, this is terrible!’ Jane put her hands up to her face. ‘He’s going to hate me when he knows the truth.’
‘Does that really matter?’ Lauri asked gently. ‘If I’d known before that I was your daughter, with Robin as my prospective future stepfather, I would have told you exactly what I think of him. I hate him. He’s stuffy and disapproving, and he would never have made you truly happy.’
‘So you don’t want me to marry him?’
‘I’d rather have my real father. I’ll even be bridesmaid at the wedding,’ Lauri smiled shakily.
Jane put up a hand to her tousled hair. ‘Laurence really wants to see me, after all this time?’
‘He’s never stopped loving you.’ Lauri pushed her in the direction of Laurence’s room. ‘Now go on—Mum. That might take a bit of time to get used to,’ she laughed, ‘but I’ll get the hang of it.’
Jane looked at her anxiously. ‘You don’t have to, you know. I don’t deserve—’
‘I want to,’ Lauri told her firmly. ‘Unless you would rather I didn’t?’
‘I’d like it,’ Jane admitted shyly. ‘All this time and I’ve had to pretend the casual relationship of an aunt, to actually have you as my daughter will be—breathtaking.’
‘Why did you—No,’ Lauri shook her head, ‘it doesn’t matter. We can talk later, when you’ve spoken to Lau—my father.’ She couldn’t quite bring herself to call him ‘Dad’, although she thought that too might come in time.
‘I know what you were going to ask,’ Jane said dully. ‘And I’d like to answer you now, before I speak to Laurence. I want you to try and understand, both of you, that I was very young, and—and pregnant by a man I felt had betrayed me in the worst way possible. My parents were wonderful, they stood by me all during my pregnancy, and when you were born they loved you as much as I did. But I’m jumping ahead slightly, missing out the most important part. When we realised Laurence wasn’t going to leave me alone I went to stay with my brother and his wife. Robert and Adele had been married for years, but they couldn’t have a family of their own.’
Lauri gasped. ‘Was that why—?’
‘No, I didn’t give you away to them,’ her mother told her firmly. ‘When I brought you home, to their home, I could see Adele was more interested in you than she should have been, but at the time I saw no harm in it. Then my parents were killed. It was as if my prop had been taken out from under me. I fell apart, completely. I had a nervous breakdown. The authorities agreed that Robert and Adele should look after you until I was well enough to. It was almost eighteen months later before I felt able to cope with being a mother without a supportive husband. By that time it was too late, you had already accepted Robert and Adele as your parents, you even called them Mummy and Daddy. They were wrong to let that happen, but I think they longed for a child of their own so much that they didn’t think they were doing any harm. I had no choice but to become your aunt, although I always intended you to know the truth one day.’
‘Why not when they died?’ Lauri asked huskily.
‘You’d idolised Robert as your father,’ Jane sighed. ‘I just couldn’t do that to you when you’d just lost him. After that there just never seemed to be a right time. Maybe I was being a coward again, I don’t know, but I kept to my role of loving aunt, longing to tell you the truth but knowing I’d left it much too late.’
‘You haven’t,’ Lauri squeezed her hand. ‘Not for Laurence or me. You do still love him, don’t you?’
‘I never stopped. But he was married, with no chance of a divorce, and I knew I had to give him up or feel guilty for the rest of my life. I never meant to hurt your sister, Alex.’ She looked at him pleadingly.
‘I know that,’ he said gently. ‘Now don’t you think you should go in and see Laurence? Unless you want him to suffer another heart attack …’
Jane frowned worriedly. ‘Is that why he’s here?’
‘Yes.’ Alex smiled. ‘So would I be if suddenly faced with a daughter of seventeen!’
‘Anything’s possible,’ Lauri put in bitterly.
He gave her an angry look. ‘Laurence is very eager to see you,’ he spoke to Jane. ‘Lauri and I will be in the visitors’ room when you’re ready to leave.’
‘Thank you,’ she gave a nervous smile before going into Laurence’s room.
‘I thought you handled that very well,’ Alex sat opposite Lauri, shielding her from the other people in the room.
‘Am I supposed to thank you for your praise?’ she asked sarcastically.
‘No,’ he sighed, ‘I don’t expect you to do anything.’
‘Good,’ her sparkling eyes glared her hatred of him. ‘Because accepting Laurence as my father, and Jane as my mother, doesn’t mean I go one step further and accept you as my lover.’
‘I didn’t ask,’ he said harshly. ‘Your attitude towards your parents may have been totally adult, but you’re still the child I don’t want in my life. So before refusing to share my bed, wait until you’re asked. Get it?’ he asked vehemently.
‘Yes,’ she acknowledged huskily.
The wedding took place three months later, a very quiet affair because of Laurence’s recent ill-health. Lauri had got to know her father well during the last few months, had come to like and respect him, although she still had a little trouble calling him ‘Dad’. That he and Jane adored each other there could be no doubt. It was as if their years apart had never been, and Lauri had never seen Jane so animated.
Steve still seemed to be rather dazed by the sudden turn of events, although being the one to tell Robin to get lost had more than made up for that. Not that he had been that blunt, but Robin and his parents had made a hasty retreat when informed of his fiancée’s other ‘family’.
Much to Lauri’s annoyance Alex Blair had been chosen as best man, and etiquette decreed that as the bridesmaid she be accompanied by him. Steve brought along his girl-friend of two months, and the six of them had dinner at one of the exclusive restaurants in town before splitting up into pairs and going their separate ways.
Not that Lauri wanted to be with Alex Blair, but in the circumstances she had little choice. Jane and Laurence had gone to a hotel for the night, Steve and Joanna had gone on to an all-night party, so she was left with no choice but to accept Alex’s offer of a lift home.
‘It seems strange to think I once said Jane had no hidden depths,’ he remarked with amusement, the windscreen wipers on as the rain pelted down on the car. ‘She certainly kept you hidden.’
‘I would probably have done the same in her position,’ Lauri bristled angrily.
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ Alex shook his head firmly. ‘For all her confidence and air of self-assurance, you have more strength of character than Jane. You wouldn’t have collapsed, either mentally or physically, as she did. You’re a fighter. You’ve done nothing but fight me since the moment we met.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘A question of self-preservation.’
‘Explain that remark,’ he ordered curtly.
‘You’ve made no secret of your physical attraction towards me, although why it should exist I have no idea—’
‘I have,’ his gaze ran over her appraisingly. ‘Oh yes, I have.’
Lauri gave him a surprised glance. ‘I thought you said you were no longer interested.’
‘Until you grew up. I happen to think you have. But we’re diverting. Carry on with your explanation.’
Her mouth tightened. ‘You’re so bossy. I have no idea why I still—’
‘Yes?’ he prompted as she bit her lip.
‘Nothing,’ she blushed. ‘As you said, we’re diverting.’
‘But such interesting diversions,’ he grinned. ‘I believe you were about to say you were still attracted to me too.’
No such thing! She had been about to admit her love for him. She remembered how Jane—her mother, had told her that Laurence was her first love, and how he had remained the only love of her life, that he was now her last love too. Alex meant the same thing to Lauri, her first love, and her last love. ‘We were talking about my self-preservation,’ she reminded him firmly.
‘Okay,’ he sighed.
‘Right. Well, you told me at the beginning that to you familiarity always leads to boredom.’
‘I believe the word I used was contempt. And I feel far from contempt for you.’
She looked away from the warmth in his eyes. ‘Yes, well, you made no attempt to pretend your going out with me at all was anything but a way of becoming unattracted to me. You even made me admit to being attracted to you.’
‘And how did I do that?’ They had come to a stop outside her house, the car engine off, only the sound of the heavy rain to disturb them.
Lauri blushed. ‘You know how.’
‘Like this?’ He bent forward to claim her softly parted lips, tasting their sweetness with slow enjoyment. ‘And this?’ He invaded her inner warmth with the sensuous tip of his tongue, his hand moving caressingly down her throat to cup her breast.
The air was electric between them, Lauri’s body trembling with the desire she had been denied for so long. And she was melting, melting, becoming part of Alex through sheer force of will on his part.
‘This car wasn’t designed for making love,’ he murmured throatily, his lips travelling over the creamy skin his exploring hands had revealed, working a slow erotic pattern to the rosy peak of her breast, holding her tightly against him at her cry of pleasure.
She swallowed hard. ‘Making love?’ she questioned his description, as she had done once before.
‘Yes, damn you!’ He looked up at her with deep blue eyes. ‘Making love!’
‘Alex …?’
‘I love you, you stupid child,’ he rasped angrily.
Shock warred with anger. ‘Alex, you can’t tell a girl you love her in that fashion,’ she admonished, laughter finally winning.
‘I just did. But if it makes you any happier …’ His hands came up to cup each side of her face, and he took his time kissing each delicious feature, finally moving back to look at her as if he wanted never to see anything but her face. ‘I know I’ve been a brute to you at times, darling Lauren, but I took one look at those flashing green eyes, freckled snub nose, and adorable—kissable—mouth,’ his actions suited his words. ‘And I knew I’d met the girl I was going to marry.’
‘You certainly didn’t act like it,’ she complained, still not able to believe what he was saying to her.
‘I know that, because “girl” was the appropriate word. I’m used to sophisticates, women of my own age who wanted what I wanted.’
‘And I didn’t?’ she asked shyly.
‘Not at first. It took all of my persuasion to get you to even go out with me.’ He frowned. ‘Lauren, do you love me?’
‘You haven’t finished telling me everything yet,’ she stubbornly refused to answer him.
‘You little—! Okay,’ he sighed, touching her lips with the tip of his thumb. ‘God, I want to kiss you!’
‘Later,’ she dismissed impatiently.
‘You really mean that?’
‘Yes! Now, please …’
He drew a ragged breath. ‘When you say yes like that—! All right, I’ll finish what I was saying. But later—!’ His eyes were eloquent with meaning. ‘I loved you on sight. But I knew I was in for trouble because the next time I saw you were kissing that boy in the lift,’ he said with remembered anger.
‘He was kissing me,’ she corrected. ‘And I soon forgot about that when you kissed me immediately afterwards.’
‘You did?’
‘Mm,’ she nodded.
‘I wish I’d known. I was furious—’
‘I gathered that.’
‘So would you have been if you’d been me. After that I used any way I could of seeing you—blackmail, seduction, you name it and I tried it. But I never saw you as a means to revenge on Laurence. Never! But I was going about winning you in completely the wrong way. Like I said, you’re a fighter, and by forcing you into seeing me I was ruining my chances.’
‘I was very attracted to you.’
‘Was?’ His fingers bit into her arm.
‘Still am,’ she corrected.
‘Have you heard enough now?’ he groaned, his gaze locked hungrily on her mouth.
‘No.’
‘God, you’re a little tease! It would be difficult to rape you in the front seat of this car, but I think I might manage it,’ he warned. ‘Through sheer desperation.’
‘You should have brought the Rolls,’ she said practically. ‘There would have been more room in that. Actually, the simplest thing to do would be to go into the house, we have it all to ourselves.’
‘Lauren?’ he looked hopeful.
‘Mm?’ she asked innocently.
‘I’m warning you—’
‘Ooh, I love it when you come on all strong and domineering!’ She gave him a mischievous glance from beneath lowered lashes.
‘Will you be serious for five minutes,’ Alex snapped tautly. ‘I never thought that when I proposed my intended bride would laugh at me!’
‘I’m not laughing, Alex. And you haven’t proposed.’
‘I haven’t?’ he frowned. ‘No, I haven’t, have I? And I don’t intend to,’ he said with the old forcefulness. ‘You’re going to marry me—and no arguments. I have your parents’ permission, and that’s all that matters.’
‘You’ve spoken to my mother and father?’ Her eyes widened.
‘Yes, I’ve spoken to them, but Laurence knew how I felt the day we met him at the airport. That’s why he knew it wasn’t true when you accused me of wanting you only for revenge on him.’
‘Then he’s known more than I have,’ Lauri said with remembered pain. ‘That day at the airport you were horrible to me. You even said you were going to see Connie Mears.’
‘Pure fabrication, as was the woman I told you I’d found. I don’t want anyone but you, I haven’t since the moment we met. A little self-preservation on my part, I’m afraid. God, you can’t imagine the shock I had when I realised you were Laurence’s daughter! I think I must have gone mad for a few days. I just wanted to hurt you.’
‘That night you took me to your apartment,’ she said huskily.
‘Yes,’ Alex agreed heavily. ‘I also realised that night that I had to marry you. When I hurt you so badly I realised just how much I loved you, that by hurting you I was just hurting myself. I followed you back to your home with the intention of asking you to marry me. But Steve interrupted, and after that there never seemed to be a right time. Laurence collapsed, and I was worried that he was going to die before you even knew he was your father.’
She smoothed his brow. ‘We’ve done nothing but hurt each other.’
‘But no more. I love you, Lauren. You’re the most important thing in the world to me. I just can’t live without you. Now tell me you love me, or must I use force?’
Knowing what direction his force would take, she willingly opted for the latter.
‘Do you love me?’ Alex demanded before he would even kiss her.
‘Very much,’ she nodded.
‘Then tell me!’
‘You said you didn’t want a ring through your nose,’ she reminded him teasingly, ‘or a collar and lead around your throat.’
‘And you told me you didn’t want to get married.’
She smiled. ‘I lied.’
‘Tell me!’ he groaned.
‘I love you very, very much,’ she said huskily. ‘And if you don’t soon kiss me I think I’ll die.’
‘You’re going to make me a shameless wife,’ he chuckled. ‘Thank God!’
Lauri raised her eyebrows. ‘I haven’t said I’ll marry you.’
‘No,’ he claimed her mouth in a savagely arousing kiss. ‘But you will.’
And she did.
* * * * *