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“I was surprised, but I always say nothing surprises me in soccer.”
Les Ferdinand, manager of Queens Park Rangers
“I can see the reports weren’t exaggerated,” her mother said as soon as she spotted Abby holding hands with Flynn.
The woman was perched on the edge of one of the armchairs, her back perfectly straight, her ankles crossed with her legs tucked under her. Her hands were clasped on her lap. Her makeup was perfect and understated. Her jewellery far from gauche. Her silver hair was styled into an expensively cut bob. Her dress was a grey shift, the subtle detail in the stitching giving it away as designer. Everything about the woman was elegant sophistication. Everything except the nasty look of disapproval on her face.
“Hello, Mother.” Abby was pleased her voice didn’t shake.
“Abigail, I am sorely disappointed in you.” Her mother frowned at Flynn. “I thought you’d fallen far enough with your last romantic entanglement. It seems I was wrong. You’ve managed to fall even further this time.”
“My last romantic entanglement, as you so rudely call it, involved the man I married. The same man I buried. A man I loved dearly. A good man.”
Her mother sneered before dismissing Abby entirely and turning to Victoria. “I should never have sent you to do this task. I should have known it was far too difficult for you.”
Abby watched as Victoria seemed to fold in on herself, her pale skin appearing paper-thin.
“And you?” She eyed Lawrence. “If you hadn’t resigned, you would have been fired.” Abby’s mother motioned to the stranger standing behind her chair. “My new lawyer is looking into whether or not we have cause to sue you and your firm.”
“Good luck,” Lawrence told the new guy before staring at the older woman. “You don’t scare me, Millicent. You don’t intimidate me, either.”
“We’ll see about that.” Abby’s mother waved a hand dismissively.
She turned her cold glare back on her daughters. Through all of this, Charles, the brother Abby hadn’t seen in years, sat silently staring at his shoes. Probably waiting for mother to pull his strings and make him dance. Abby’s memory of Charles were generous—she’d actually thought her brother had a backbone. She’d been wrong.
“Why are you here?” Abby said to her mother.
“I’m here to see the mess you’ve made of your life. I’m here to see the damage you’ve done to my granddaughter. And I’m here to serve notice. I intend to fight for custody of the child. You’ve made it clear through your decisions and behaviour that you are a bad influence on her. She needs to be removed from your...friends.” She scoffed at Flynn. “A Montgomery-Clark does not associate with people like this.”
“Katy isn’t a Montgomery-Clark.” Abby felt her cheeks flush with fury. “She’s a McKenzie.”
“Her blood is Montgomery-Clark.” The words froze the air. “You never did understand the importance of heritage. Blood means everything. That child is the embodiment of the Montgomery-Clark legacy. Charles is biologically impaired and unable to father a child.” Charles’ neck turned red, but he didn’t object to his private life being made public. In fact, he didn’t say anything at all. He didn’t even look up from his shoes.
“Victoria,” her mother continued, uncaring at the impact her words were having on her son. “Victoria, as this task has proven, is completely useless. She’s well past her best childbearing years, in any case. Which means I am forced to turn to you for the continuation of the Montgomery-Clark legacy. If your child is to carry on the family name, she needs to be raised properly. By people who know how to provide an appropriate environment for a child of her standing.”
There was a moment of what Abby could only assume was stunned silence. The horror on the faces around the room was a comfort to Abby. It meant she wasn’t the only one repulsed by her mother. In fact, the only two faces not showing disgust belonged to Charles and Victoria. Abby was angry to see they were both staring downwards, taking the verbal abuse as though it was normal. Which, Abby knew, it most likely was.
“You look exactly like Helen Mirren.” Flynn broke the silence. “Doesn’t she look exactly like the actress? They could be dead ringers. Except for the personality. I’ve met Helen. She’s a great laugh. Funny, smart. While your mother is pretty much Cruella de Vil.”
Shocked at Flynn’s levity, Abby turned to find him smiling at her, but there was a hard, violent look in his eye. He knew exactly what he was doing and she loved him for it. Something clicked into place within her at the thought. She loved Flynn. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the time to wonder at the revelation. Instead, Abby focused on his wicked smile and felt an answering grin break free. The mood in the room shattered under the weight of Flynn’s words. She heard Lawrence chuckle behind her. And she could have sworn she heard Victoria breathe again.
“I know she makes a wonderful case for looking after Katy.” Flynn’s sarcasm made Abby’s grin widen. “But I don’t think you should give her the kid. She’ll probably skin her and turn her into a coat.”
“You are a poor excuse for a man, Mr Boyle,” her mother snapped.
“Aye, I get that a lot.” Flynn grinned widely. But his eyes were dark, flaring with barely contained rage. He tugged on Abby’s hand. “You got something to say to your mother, sugar, because I’d like this over so I can go watch football with the kid.”
Abby squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry, baby, this will be over soon.”
His eyes flashed at the endearment. Abby turned back to her mother.
“If you’ve said everything you came here to say, you can leave.”
“Not without seeing the child.”
“Not going to happen.” Abby shook her head. “You’re poison. I won’t let my daughter anywhere near you.”
“How dare you?” Her mother stood. “I will ruin you. I will tie you up in court for years. I will have child psychologists testify you’re ruining the child. I’ll have investigators dig up every tiny detail of your past, and Mr Boyle’s past. By the time I’m finished with you, you won’t have a penny to your name.” She waved an elegant hand. “You won’t have a house. You won’t have a business. You will have nothing. You will be nothing. Are you entirely certain you want to challenge me, Abigail?”
“Yes. I’m certain,” Abby said calmly. “If you take this further, I will fight. I’ll start by demanding you testify in open court. Five minutes listening to the poison spewing from your mouth and no judge would hand any child over to you.”
“You have no idea who you are dealing with, child.” Her mother’s face spoke of pure cruelty. “You think I unleashed hell on you before now, it will be nothing compared to what I will do to ensure this matter ends the way it should.”
“You mean the way you want it to end?” Abby shook her head.
“That’s what you’ve never understood, Abigail. In this family, the only way that matters is my way. Do you really think any of you children have the backbone or intelligence to deal efficiently with family matters? You’d best learn now that I will get what I want here, and I want the child.”
Abby took a step backwards at the ferocity of the venom in her mother’s voice. She felt Flynn tense beside her and knew he was about to jump to her defence. Before he could get there, Victoria spoke.
“No, Mother, you won’t get her.” Victoria’s voice was small, the words trembling.
Her mother sneered. “Stay out of this, Victoria. You’ve proven your lack of usefulness in this situation. It is time for you to be quiet. I’ll deal with you when we get home.”
“I’m not coming back.” Victoria didn’t sound so sure, but Abby willed her to stay strong.
Lawrence took a step towards her sister and placed a hand on her lower back. A subtle mark of support.
“Of course you are. Don’t be ridiculous,” her mother snapped.
“No. I’m staying here. I plan to work for Lawrence and get to know Abby and Katy.”
Her mother’s eyes went hard. “You do and you cut all ties with me. No money. No home. Nothing. I own everything you hold dear and I will take it all away, Victoria. You won’t have any security at all. And don’t think you can come crawling back to me. I won’t change my mind and take you in. Your name will be wiped from the family and you won’t be welcome in polite society. How do you think you will cope, exactly, without your shopping trips to Harrods and your afternoon teas at the Savoy? Work for Lawrence? Doing what? You have no skills. You are barely of any use to me.”
Victoria faltered. The shock on her pale face was horrifying to watch. Abby reacted to her pain without thinking, and reached out, wrapping her fingers with her sister’s. Giving her strength. Victoria’s eyes snapped to hers and the agony in them was unbearable. Victoria squeezed Abby’s hand with trembling fingers as she faced their mother.
“No, you won’t, because if you do, I will go public. A Montgomery-Clark shouldn’t be in the newspapers. Isn’t that what you taught us? Not unless it’s the business section, a story on philanthropy or an obituary. You’ve drummed that into me my whole life. If you do this, if you fight for Katy, if you try to take her away from Abby, I will speak to any newspaper I can get to listen to me. I will tell my story.”
“You will not stand between me and my granddaughter.” Anger flashed in her mother’s eyes.
“Katy isn’t your granddaughter,” Victoria said, her voice devoid of emotion. “She’s mine.”
Abby dropped her hold on her sister. She staggered back, hitting Flynn’s wide chest. She stared at Victoria. Saw the look of shock on Lawrence’s face. Felt Flynn tense behind her.
“Your granddaughter?” Abby whispered. It didn’t make sense. None of it did.
Victoria had tears in her eyes, but she held her chin high. She stood as though expecting a blow. But she didn’t look away from Abby. Abby’s eyes stuck on Victoria as her world crumbled and everything she knew to be true fell away.
“I’m not your sister,” Victoria said. “I’m your mother.”