скачать книгу бесплатно
Shay also frowned at the mention of the latter; she was definitely not in the mood to meet a complete stranger. It was bad enough that she had the family to contend with without that. And Marilyn Falconer. It was years since she had seen the other woman, but as Lyon’s wife Marilyn had been destined to take an instant dislike to Shay, and the feeling was mutual. Marilyn was everything that Shay wasn’t, at thirty-five more Lyon’s own age, sophisticated, petite, with glorious red hair and an incredibly beautiful face. And when they first met she had been Lyon’s wife for over five years, a fact she had taken great pleasure in relating to Shay.
She had known she would have to see the other woman again while she was here, but it hadn’t been something she welcomed for today. Or having to be with a man she had never met before. If she didn’t know the man then Ricky probably hadn’t either, and if the two men hadn’t known each other he had no right to be at Ricky’s funeral.
She could see the cars lining the driveway as she and Grandy walked down the stairs, feeling her heart lurch at the sight of them, her hand clutching tightly to her grandfather’s arm as they entered the lounge together.
It wasn’t so much a funeral as a social gathering, the ‘assorted uncles, aunts and cousins’ talking about the room in small groups, with the beautiful Marilyn playing the hostess as she flitted from group to group. Lyon, Matthew and Neil were together in front of the unlit fireplace, a tall dark-haired man whom she didn’t recognise standing at Neil’s side; obviously the man her grandfather had spoken of. Shay didn’t know him she was sure of it, although he looked pleasant enough, and she dismissed him of being any threat to her peace of mind as she felt tawny eyes on her, Lyon much more of a threat than the innocuous stranger could ever be.
She turned coolly to meet Lyon’s gaze, tensing as he spoke briefly to the other men before coming over to where she stood with her grandfather, the rest of the Falconer family too polite to stare openly, although she sensed quite a few of them giving her sideways glances.
‘I hope it wasn’t too much of a shock seeing your grandfather so suddenly,’ Lyon spoke smoothly.
‘It was a pleasant surprise,’ she corrected. ‘Although he really shouldn’t have been encouraged to face the strain of travelling,’ she added critically, Lyon as aware of her grandfather’s condition as she was.
His mouth tightened at the rebuke. ‘If you’re ready to leave now …?’
Shay nodded coldly, keeping her gaze averted from the rest of the people gathered in the room, although she knew several of them were openly watching her now. ‘My grandfather will travel with me,’ she announced curtly.
‘Of course,’ Lyon nodded, as if he had expected it to be no other way.
‘Just my grandfather,’ she added pointedly.
‘Shay—’
‘I trust you have no objections?’ Shay met Lyon’s gaze challengingly.
He looked as if he had plenty. ‘Not if it’s what you want,’ he rasped.
‘Oh, it is.’ She ignored her grandfather’s dismayed expression; not even for him could she be polite to this man she so despised. And the idea of revealing, in front of Lyon, the grief she felt whenever she thought of burying Ricky, was totally unacceptable to her. She wanted her grandfather at her side, no one else.
The drive to the church was made in silence, the ceremony brief and poignant, the small ceremony outside the greatest test of Shay’s strength. And as the vicar’s words began to rush blackly at her with alarming speed, she knew she wasn’t going to make it.
And then strong hands grasped her shoulders, tilting her world back on its axis, and Shay turned to Lyon with blazing violet eyes. ‘Take your hands off me!’ she flared vehemently.
He seemed to pale, his hands slowly dropping back to his sides. ‘I thought you were going to fall,’ he muttered huskily.
She gave him a look that clearly told him she would have preferred that to having him touch her in any way, turning sharply to go to the graveside and make her silent goodbyes to Ricky, her walk back to the car made alone, her head back proudly as the tears fell.
‘You’ve changed, Shay,’ remarked a mocking voice.
She turned before reaching the door of the car that Jeffrey held open for her, her gaze cool on Marilyn Falconer, the other woman as beautiful as ever. ‘Sorry?’ She arched dark brows.
Marilyn looked beautiful in the clinging black gown designed to emphasise her voluptuous figure; the fullness of her breasts, her slender waist, and femininely curving hips. At her side was the man Shay didn’t know. He smiled at her in an awkward way, seeming uncomfortable with the situation, and Shay wondered at the emotion from a complete stranger.
‘As I remember it,’ Marilyn drawled in her throaty voice, ‘you never used to be averse to my husband’s touch in that way!’ Blue eyes glittered challengingly.
That the other woman had enjoyed witnessing the encounter between Shay and Lyon was obvious, that she took great pleasure in drawing attention to Shay’s past relationship with Lyon, even at the funeral of Shay’s own husband, showed that Marilyn hadn’t changed at all in the last few years, that she was still a vindictive bitch.
‘I really don’t care to discuss it, Marilyn,’ Shay dismissed, looking pointedly at Marilyn’s companion.
‘Oh, don’t mind Derrick,’ Marilyn said airily. ‘He’s well aware of your past relationship with Lyon. I take it it is still in the past?’ she added tauntingly.
Shay felt the colour drain from her face. ‘Very much so,’ she bit out, ignoring the listening Derrick as the other woman seemed inclined to do so. ‘You’re more than welcome to him!’
Marilyn’s eyes widened. ‘But, my dear Shay, I no longer want him. Didn’t you know that?’
‘I—’
‘Time to go, Shay,’ her grandfather spoke sternly at her side. ‘If you’ll excuse us?’ He looked coldly at Marilyn and Derrick. ‘What was that bitch saying to you?’ he asked harshly once they were in the car as it moved smoothly down the narrow driveway to the road.
‘Grandy!’ she gasped.
He looked unperturbed at his uncharacteristic display of antagonism for the woman he barely knew. ‘You went as white as a sheet as soon as she spoke to you,’ he said grimly. ‘I couldn’t let that continue.’
Shay was still inwardly ricocheting from the shock of what Marilyn had just said. Oh, not the other woman’s insensitivity in questioning the relationship between her and Lyon now; Marilyn had never been known for her diplomacy, especially where Lyon was concerned. What shocked her so much was the last claim Marilyn made, about no longer wanting Lyon. Surely the other couple couldn’t finally be going to divorce each other? Six years ago she had believed that would never be possible, Lyon had convinced her that it wouldn’t.
The Falconer office grapevine had usually been correct, if sometimes slightly exaggerated in its information, but about the relationship between Lyon and his wife they had been completely wrong; the couple still lived together, were still married, and intended staying that way.
Shay hadn’t been able to understand the sort of marriage they had. A ‘modern arrangement’, they called it, each having their own ‘friends’, bringing those friends to meet the rest of the family at Falconer House, even sleeping with those partners there, but neither having the intention or inclination to end their own marriage. Unfortunately, Shay hadn’t discovered that until her love for Lyon had been such a fundamental part of her life that to rip him out of her heart had been to destroy herself.
And if the couple were finally to divorce, whose decision had it been to end their ‘modern arrangement’? Lyon had made it plain six years ago that he would never make that choice.
‘It was nothing, Grandy,’ she dismissed as she realised her grandfather still looked concerned. ‘Marilyn and I have never pretended to be friends.’ Shay’s tone was scornful, her composure back in place. ‘We never could be.’
‘Nevertheless—’
‘Don’t give it another thought, Grandy.’ She squeezed his arm reassuringly. ‘I’m not going to.’
He didn’t look convinced by her dismissal of the other woman, but he wisely didn’t pursue it any further. But he did stay close by her side once they arrived back at the house, glowering fiercely at any member of the Falconer family that dared to talk to her. Shay was amused by his protectiveness, grateful to have him there, knowing he had helped her get through a very difficult time.
Finally the guests began to leave, only the close family left; Shay and her grandfather, the three Falconer men, Marilyn, and finally the man Derrick. Shay had stopped feeling curious about him, the man was quite innocuous, in fact he barely spoke to anyone.
‘Thank God that’s over,’ Marilyn said in a bored voice once the final relative had left. ‘Perhaps now we can have something a little stronger to drink than sherry!’ She moved to the extensive array of drinks on the side table.
‘Isn’t it a little early in the day for that, even for you?’ Matthew drawled caustically.
She flashed him an angry look before turning to her husband. ‘Lyon?’ She snapped.
He gave a disinterested shrug. ‘Help yourself,’ he invited wearily.
She gave Matthew a triumphant smile. ‘Anyone else?’ she offered.
No one answered, and Marilyn helped herself to a liberal amount of whisky before making herself comfortable in one of the armchairs, crossing one silky leg over the other. ‘Now isn’t this cosy?’ she said to no one in particular.
‘I would hardly call it that.’ Once again Matthew was the one to answer her.
‘Civilised, then.’ Marilyn sipped her whisky with enjoyment. ‘Very civilised,’ she repeated thoughtfully.
‘Marilyn—’
‘I mean,’ she continued talking as if Lyon hadn’t spoken, ‘where else would you find a husband and wife, a wife’s lover, and the husband’s ex-lover all gathered in the same room?’ She looked guilelessly about the room at the stunned people standing there.
The silence was deafening; Shay had always thought that a contradiction in terms, but at that moment she understood what it meant perfectly. The silence was deafening, everyone speechless after Marilyn’s casually vindictive statement.
To Shay’s surprise it was Neil who answered Marilyn this time. ‘Your idea of civilisation would disgust even the animal kingdom!’ he spat out contemptuously, striding from the room.
‘One down, five to go,’ Marilyn taunted unconcernedly.
Shay felt her grandfather stiffen at her side. ‘Your behaviour, madam, at a time like this,’ he spoke coldly to Marilyn, ‘is enough to make a saint leave any room you occupy.’
‘Marilyn—’
‘Don’t look so worried, darling,’ she laughed lightly as the man called Derrick spoke warningly. ‘Patrick won’t really leave, will you?’ She turned to Shay’s grandfather. ‘I don’t believe you’ve been properly introduced to my fiancé,’ she continued brightly without waiting for him to answer. ‘Have you?’ she challenged.
‘No,’ he replied tersely.
Shay finally had her answer as to exactly who the man Derrick was, although she had guessed a few minutes ago that he had to be the lover Marilyn had spoken about; it certainly wasn’t Matthew or Neil! But she had had no idea of Derrick’s existence, or that Marilyn and Lyon were at last to divorce; Ricky had never mentioned it to her. Although in the circumstances perhaps that was understandable, she had shown little interest in any member of his family over the last few years.
Marilyn introduced her fiancé as Derrick Stewartby, a fellow lawyer.
‘We’ll be married as soon as my divorce from Lyon is complete, some time in the new year,’ she added with satisfaction. ‘Although, of course, you won’t still be here then, will you, Shay?’
‘Won’t I?’ Shay returned stiffly, irritated at the other woman’s almost triumphant tone.
Marilyn gave her a sharp look. ‘Surely you’ll be returning to America soon to resume your career?’
Shay wasn’t fooled for a moment by the other woman’s attempt at lightness; the thought that she might be here when Lyon was finally a free man bothered Marilyn very much. She needn’t have worried, Lyon could have been free years ago and it wouldn’t have mattered to Shay.
‘I can write anywhere,’ she said softly, sensing that Marilyn was far from the only person in the room that was tense as they waited for her answer. But she looked at no one else but Marilyn.
‘You intend staying on here?’ The other woman frowned her displeasure at that idea.
‘Not at the house, no,’ Shay dismissed the idea with a mental shudder. ‘But in England, yes. You see,’ she added softly, ‘I want my child to be born here.’
CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_61d5573f-265a-5a27-9c8f-9170eb01c79d)
OH GOD, had she really told them there was to be a child! She hadn’t meant to break the news of her pregnancy quite so bluntly, had wanted her grandfather to the be first to know, had intended telling him when they were alone later. But it was done now, an act of defensive retaliation because of Marilyn’s condescending attitude, an emotion she was incapable of preventing even after all this time.
The reactions of the people in the room varied dramatically, and it would have been amusing if it weren’t the child she and Ricky had created before his death that caused these mercurial reactions.
Her grandfather, she could tell, was ecstatic, Matthew looked pleased too, Derrick Stewartby seemed dazed by the whole conversation, although he was concerned at the pale fury in his fiancée’s face. And lastly Lyon. Shay looked at him challengingly, stunned at how grey he had become, his eyes appearing a pure molten gold. And she knew the reason for his anger, her baby meaning she would remain an integral part of the Falconer family. But if Lyon believed she was any more enamoured of that idea than he was he was very much mistaken; she hated it. But at the same time she didn’t intend to deny her child its birthright just because she detested its uncle.
‘That’s wonderful, darlin’.’ Her grandfather was the first to recover from the shock of her announcement, hugging her tightly. ‘I can’t begin to tell you how pleased I am for you.’
She could see and feel his pleasure, returning his hug. ‘Thank you,’ she said tearfully.
‘I’m happy for you too.’ Matthew moved forward to squeeze her hand. ‘Did Ricky know?’ he asked gruffly.
Shay’s smile gentled. ‘We found out a few days before he disappeared. He was very excited at the prospect of becoming a father,’ she assured his brother softly.
‘Just when can we expect this—the baby to make an appearance?’ Marilyn demanded sharply.
Shay sobered as she turned to the other woman. ‘I expect the baby to be born in just over five months.’ Her mouth twisted as Marilyn’s gaze moved sceptically to the flatness of her stomach beneath the soft material of her black dress. ‘I can assure you I am almost four months’ pregnant,’ she drawled derisively at the lack of subtlety.
The other woman flushed angrily. ‘I wasn’t questioning the validity of your pregnancy,’ Marilyn snapped. ‘Only the timing of it. After all, it’s over two months since Ricky died—’
‘Marilyn!’ Lyon cut in harshly, speaking for the first time since Shay had made her announcement, his voice gruff. ‘For God’s sake—’
‘Don’t be naïve, Lyon,’ she scorned. ‘By presenting us with Ricky’s baby, Shay has effectively established a reason to hang on to Ricky’s share in the company; no woman would deny her child that birthright!’ She looked at Shay with dislike. ‘I’d put a sure bet on it’s being a late baby!’ she sneered.
Shay didn’t have the strength to hold back her furious grandfather, watching in horror as his hand made painful contact with Marilyn’s face. Her grandfather wasn’t normally a violent man, abhorred violence on any level, but the provocation had been extreme; Shay could have hit the other woman herself at that moment and felt no regret for the action.
‘You, madam, have the filthiest mouth I’ve ever encountered,’ Grandy bit out in disgust to accompany the blow. ‘And if there weren’t a lady present, my granddaughter, I would tell you in your own disgusting language exactly what I think of you!’
‘Don’t worry, Patrick,’ Matthew spoke grimly, ‘I’ll do that for you—as I escort Marilyn to the door!’ he added pointedly.
‘Well I don’t know why everyone is so angry with me,’ Marilyn looked petulant. ‘You have to admit, this baby is a little—convenient.’
Shay drew herself up to her full height. ‘My baby isn’t a convenience at all, Marilyn,’ she bit out clearly. ‘Ricky and I desperately wanted this child, had been trying to conceive one for several months, and I don’t aim to see it harmed, not even by your caustic tongue, so I would advise you not to make your slanderous assumptions outside of this house. This baby will be mine, will be born in my home, the home I make for us in England, and I don’t aim to let it be contaminated by the oppressive atmosphere of this so-called family,’ she dismissed disgustedly. ‘Now if you would all excuse me, I should like to go to my suite.’
LYON WATCHED HER go, deaf to the heated conversation taking place between Matthew, Patrick and Marilyn. It hadn’t occurred to him that Shay could be pregnant with Ricky’s baby, he had put the fainting down to grief, although he realised now it was probably a combination of both things.
Shay was carrying Ricky’s child. He tried to analyse how that made him feel, and couldn’t. One thing he did know, she couldn’t leave here now. Without paying attention to the heated argument going on in the room, he strode off after Shay.
ONLY LYON and Derrick had refrained from making any comment about the baby, and as the latter was probably still totally bewildered by the significance of it he didn’t really count. What had Lyon been thinking behind those golden eyes; she never had been able to tell. She had expected the angry outburst to come from him, knew from the lawyer in Los Angeles that Lyon had already had the papers drawn up to buy Ricky’s share in the Falconer empire from her. As one of the family lawyers in England, Marilyn had been sure to know of that contract, had probably helped draw it up! As the other woman had guessed, the existence of her baby prevented Shay from accepting the more than generous offer; she owed it to Ricky to let his child claim, and know, its natural inheritance from him.
She was ecstatic about the baby, Ricky had been too, but she would be the first to admit that it also placed her in an awkward position, that of having to see Lyon when she would rather never set eyes on him again. Her only consolation was that he knew it too.
Without benefit of clothes, a soothing bath being run in the adjoining bathroom, she knew her pregnancy was much more noticeable, her reflection in the full-length mirror showing full breasts, the nipples turning a darker brown, the tips highly sensitised as they prepared for the baby, her stomach slightly rounded, a faint fluttering sensation there when she least expected it telling her that her pregnancy definitely wasn’t a fantasy.
She secured her hair back loosely with a ribbon, relaxing back in the sunken bath, closing her eyes wearily as the scented water began to soothe her. It was all over, she could leave here now, find a reliable lawyer who, for the most part, could deal with Lyon. It was as if a weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders, and she could breathe again, could leave the stifling atmosphere of Falconer House and look forward to her life with her baby.
She was smiling gently to herself as she reentered the bedroom from taking her bath, her hands halting in their task of tying the belt around her robe as she saw Lyon slowly rising from his sitting position on her bed, quickly finishing the task as she straightened her shoulders challengingly. She was unaware of the forward thrust of her hard-tipped breasts beneath the clinging silk of the black robe with its purple flowered pattern that Ricky had brought back for her from a trip he had made to Japan the previous year.
‘What are you doing in here?’ Shay demanded hardly, furious that he had dared to invade her privacy in this way, no matter what he considered the provocation to be.
He shook his head. ‘When I came in here I had no idea you were taking a bath.’
She gave him a scornful look. ‘You don’t seem to have left even when you did realise.’
Lyon shrugged, his mouth twisting. ‘I wanted to talk to you.’
Her eyes flashed her anger. ‘Do you also doubt the length of my pregnancy?’ Her hands clenched about the tie-belt of her robe.
‘Marilyn has the suspicious mind of a lawyer—’
‘Marilyn has the mind and mouth of a sewer!’ Shay spat out contemptuously.
‘Those too,’ he sighed ruefully. ‘I just—Why didn’t you tell us about the baby, Shay?’ Lyon’s eyes had darkened to a deep tawny colour.
