To Marry McKenzie

did he think that, as his mother, Margaret Fraser should be? It wasn't a very

realistic view if he did believe that. Even Darcy, who absolutely worshipped

her father, didn't expect him to be infallible.

Logan gave an impatient shake of his head. 'I can't believe you let her fool

you,' he said almost angrily.

Darcy leaned forward over the table. 'Logan, what I did or didn't think of

your mother is not important,' she told him softly. 'It isn't my opinion that

counts,' she reasoned, having come to that conclusion all too painfully

herself over the last few days.

He didn't look convinced. 'Don't tell me, your father, even though she's

broken their engagement, still thinks she's wonderful!'

'My father,' she began slowly, 'is far from the stupid man you take him to

be.' And far from the besotted widower she had believed him to be, too!

She and her father had talked long into the night after Darcy had

accompanied Margaret Fraser back to her apartment, and Darcy was utterly

sure now that he knew exactly what he was doing, that he loved the other

woman in spite of her faults. As the actress obviously loved him in return.

She moistened dry lips, swallowing hard before she began speaking, aware

even now that, at almost twelve o'clock, her father should really have

returned to the kitchen by now, that he was deliberately allowing her this

time alone with Logan. 'Logan, the engagement is very much back on,' she

informed him gently. 'In fact, the two of them are going to be married—'

'You can't be serious!' he cut in incredulously.

'Perfectly,' Darcy affirmed.

He gave a disgusted snort. 'That is not a word I ever associate with my

mother!'

Darcy sighed, wishing there were some way she could help alleviate the

pain he had known in the past that had caused him to feel this way about his

mother. But at the same time knowing, as Margaret Fraser did herself, that

until Logan was receptive to what she wanted to say to him concerning the

past, that she, and Darcy, would be wasting their breath.

'Nevertheless, the two of them are going to be married,' she continued

determinedly.

His gaze was glacial now. 'I hope you aren't expecting me to offer them my

congratulations?'

She shook her head sadly. 'I think that might be expecting a bit much,' she

conceded.

'But no doubt you've given them yours',' he guessed. 'And—don't tell

me—you're going to be a bridesmaid!' he scorned.

Darcy drew in a quick breath. 'Logan, has no one ever told you that

bitterness is simply a form of self- destruction? That—'

'I believe I have already made my views on your amateur psychology more

than plain,' he cut in coldly.

'Oh, yes, Logan, you can be assured you've made your views on several

subjects more than plain!' She was becoming angry herself now. 'But it just

so happens you aren't a primary player in this particular situation. As I'm

not.' Something she had learnt all too painfully over the last couple of days!

'So, like mine, your opinion is not of particular importance to either your

mother or my father.'

'In other words, our parents are going to marry each other, with or without

our blessing,' Logan acknowledged hardly.

Darcy nodded. 'But they would obviously rather it was with.' She looked at

Logan expectantly.

He remained impassive. 'You might feel prepared to play happy families,

Darcy,' he told her. 'But I am not.'

She looked across at him with narrowed eyes, her frustration with this

situation rapidly rising. 'Meaning?'

'Meaning they will have to get married without my blessing. In fact, as I

have no intention of attending the wedding, they will have to get married

without my being present at all!'

He was so obstinate, so stubborn, so uncompromising! What was it really

going to cost him to be present at his own mother's wedding? Nothing as far

as she could see. Unless he considered his own personal pride more

important than wishing the older couple well?

Nevertheless, she tried one last time to reach him. 'Logan, you're being

unreasonable—'

The loud slamming down of his empty mug interrupted her, Logan's own

expression one of fury now. 'I don't see what's in the least unreasonable

about it. I certainly wasn't present at my mother's first wedding—'

'You weren't even born!' At least, she presumed he wasn't...?

'Correct,' he confirmed icily. 'But I was very much alive when her second

marriage took place, and, as she and Malcolm sneaked off to be married and

told the family about it afterwards, I didn't attend that one either. I see

absolutely no reason to break the habit of a lifetime!'

Darcy stood up, two spots of angry colour in her otherwise pale cheeks.

'You're not twelve years old now, Logan.'

He remained in his seat. 'No matter how old I was, my answer would still be