Bittersweet Passion

Instead of denying the charge he angled back his silvery head, ice-blue eyes striking off hers. ‘And why not? Who else is responsible for you?’

The tiny hope she had had died, blurring the remainder of his speech. His code of honour, his very conviction that she was somehow helpless, was compelling him into something that was all wrong.

‘Since you’re in such an unreasonable mood I’ll skip the coffee,’ he dropped. ‘You can think over what I’ve said, and pack. I’ll pick you up in the morning when you’ve calmed down and decided to stop playing Little Orphan Annie.’

Her lips parted. ‘I …’

‘No choices,’ he ruled. ‘You made your choice on Dominica. It was the last chance you’ll ever get from my corner to decide your own future. I’m making this decision for you.’

That was so horrendously arrogant even for Dane, she was close to speechless. ‘You don’t have any rights over me!’

His eloquent mouth twitched. ‘Why don’t you look in a mirror? You’ve got a husband.’

‘Ha!’ she slotted in with contempt and won herself a coldly inscrutable stare.

‘And a baby on the way.’ There it was again. He was throwing it in her teeth. If her stomach had been flat Dane would have been gone by now with an airy wave. ‘I’ll see you at ten tomorrow,’ he completed impatiently.

‘I won’t answer the door,’ she replied.

As he unlatched it he looked back at her, his expression predatory. ‘Course you will, Claire. You’d be too scared I’d kick it down and get the neighbours talking.’

And with that he departed. Shooting the bolt home gave her small satisfaction, although she had to unlock it again after she had tidied the kitchen. Randy could hardly be locked out of her own home.

A clean, civilised break. On Dominica she had believed that was possible. Now it seemed unlikely. His anger was encouraging him to act impetuously, she told herself. Perhaps overnight he would begin to see the worth of what she had advocated. Only unhappiness could result from Dane doing something he didn’t want to do. It would take a remarkable degree of saintlike unselfishness for such an unequal marriage to work. Love Dane or not, Claire didn’t see him managing such a feat of endurance over a long haul. He would grow to resent her. But dear heaven, she reflected tearfully when she ended up pacing the floor in the early hours, if she had thought differently, she would have snatched at the offer with both hands.

CHAPTER NINE

‘HE was away by seven?’ Randy breathed in dismay.

Claire managed to raise an amused brow as she passed her friend a fresh cup of tea and coiled back into her corner of the settee. ‘Nothing’s changed.’

Randy groaned disagreement. ‘Everything’s changed. He obviously wants you back.’

Darn Randy and her taste for happy endings! She had drifted home around dawn, still semi-hypnotised with her ring. In the radius of such delight, Claire felt a wet blanket. ‘Because of the baby. Would you want that to be the sole basis of your marriage?’ she asked bluntly.

‘No.’ Randy had gone pink, her aura of pushy persuasion somewhat dimmed. ‘Then what are you going to do?’

‘I’ll let him support me.’ Her soft mouth twisted. ‘That ought to satisfy his sense of obligation.’

‘How to damn with faint praise,’ Randy sighed. ‘He mightn’t be as anti-kids and commitment as you think. Take Gil as an example. He married Dane’s mother for her money.’ Her eyes shadowed. ‘He hasn’t told me any lies about what he was like when he was younger. Like Dane, he was pretty wild. But he’s changed.’

Claire could only guess what that reference to Eleanor had cost her friend in terms of pride. ‘Believe me, if Dane changes it won’t be on my account,’ she murmured. ‘And he certainly doesn’t need a wife for the reasons men usually need wives. He’s got staff who take very efficient care of him and women, well … they come and go and that’s how Dane likes it.’

In the interim of awkward silence the bell went twice in quick succession. ‘It must be for you,’ Claire said. ‘Dane won’t be here until ten.’

Inordinately relieved to be released from the honesty session, Claire went to her room, since she was still clad in her cotton nightdress.

‘Guess I’m early.’ Dane’s low-pitched drawl sent her spinning round from the window in visible confusion. He shut the door. ‘Are you packed yet?’

Her fingers pressed against the tiny flickering pulse at the base of her throat. ‘I’m not going anywhere, so I don’t need to pack.’

His jaw clenched, his earlier half-smile evaporating. ‘I thought we had all this out last night.’

She lowered her unhappy eyes. ‘I’ll accept that allowance Lew offered if it makes you feel better, and I’ll be able to find a small house somewhere. That would be the most sensible solution.’

‘Whoever told you I was sensible? And where’s your ring?’ Moving forward he trapped and turned up her bare left hand. ‘Don’t you feel embarrassed to run round like this with no wedding r

ing on?’