The Garnett Marriage Pact

As might have been expected William was very subdued on the drive back to Andrea’s house, blurting out worriedly as Jessica stopped the car in the drive.

‘Is Mummy going to die, Aunt Jess?’

Jessica hugged him reassuringly. ‘Of course not,’ she told him stoutly, ‘she just needs to rest. It’s hard work looking after Daddy and you. Come on, let’s go inside and have some lunch, shall we?’

She suspected that William felt as little like eating as she did herself, but to give way to her own fears in front of her small nephew would not do either of them any good. She longed for Lyle’s calming presence at her side, and not just because he was a doctor.

David arrived just as they were finishing lunch, and watching him frown and push William away as he ran to him Jessica could not help contrasting her brother-in-law’s attitude to Lyle’s.

‘What’s going on?’ he demanded angrily of Jessica. ‘I’ve had to come out of a meeting and come home. Where’s Andrea?’

‘In hospital,’ Jessica told him, not even trying to hide her dislike of him. Andrea, his wife, was lying in hospital quite dangerously ill, and all David seemed concerned about was the fact that he had been called out of his meeting.

She heard him swear and said icily, ‘No matter how important your meeting was, David, I’m quite sure it can’t be more important than Andrea’s life.’

He looked more angry than shocked and Jessica heard him mutter bitterly, ‘She’s the one who wanted this damned baby, not me.’

Jessica was only thankful that she had had the wit to send William upstairs to clean his teeth, and now she rounded on her brother-in-law, telling him exactly what she thought about him.

‘You’re a fine one to talk,’ he sneered at her. ‘The cold-hearted bitch, who married purely to check on her research. Does he know about that yet?’

‘No, he doesn’t.’ She was too angry to pretend any longer and added curtly, ‘And besides, you’re wrong. I love him.’

She had the satisfaction of seeing David’s eyes widen and then narrow. ‘Damn you, Jess,’ he swore bitterly, ‘damn you for telling me that.’ He broke off as they heard a car outside. Jessica recognised the engine note of Lyle’s estate car, immediately rushing to the door. Before she got there David stopped her, grabbing hold of her and pulling her into his arms, kissing her brutally before she could push him away.

The front door was open and Lyle walked in just in time to see David releasing her.

Jessica knew quite well how damning the circumstances looked, but she was far too wrought up and angry for excuses and explanations, instead rushing upstairs on the pretext of wanting to check on William.

Instead she went into the spare bedroom, and sat down on the bed taking deep breaths until she was sure she was in control of herself. How could David have kissed her like that when his wife, her sister…? But then she had always suspected that at heart David resented and disliked her, and he had kissed her because he knew how Lyle would interpret their embrace and for no other reason.

More drained than she could ever remember being in her life, Jessica went and found William, taking him downstairs with her.

Lyle was standing in the hall and there was no sign of David. ‘We’re leaving,’ he told Jessica curtly.

She glanced from his set face to William’s nervous one, and correctly interpreting her thoughts, Lyle told her icily, ‘Chalmers is staying here to look after his son. I’ve rung the hospital and checked on Andrea. She should be home in a couple of days.’

He waited until they were outside before saying anything more to her, his face a bitter mask of disgust as he ground out, ‘My God, the pair of you are despicable. You…’

His contempt Jessica could understand, but his anger frightened her. She could not really see any reason for it, but she was glad that she would not be forced to travel back with him nonetheless.

It was on the journey back that Jessica came to a momentous decision. It was pointless pretending any longer. She was going to have to tell Lyle how she felt and let him make what decision he wished on the continuance or otherwise of their marriage from there. It was simply too much of a strain to continue as they were, and at least he would know then that she had not been using him as a substitute for David as he had once accused her of doing; and that indeed the only feeling she had for her brother-in-law was one of dislike.

She would much rather that Lyle despised her for being stupid enough to fall in love with him than for attempting to break up her sister’s marriage, and besides, she was weary of all the pretence, of the growing effort it took to force herself to appear indifferent to him.

He reached the house before her, leaving his car parked untidily across the drive. He got out and strode into the house without waiting for her, and slowly Jessica followed him inside.

He had gone into his office and she followed him there, willing him to look at her.

He did so, his eyes cold with dislike, his forehead pleated in a frown.

‘Lyle, I must talk to you.’

‘Not now Jessica,’ he told her harshly. ‘I’ve got to go out, for which you ought to be thankful. If I had to speak to you now, God knows I don’t believe I would be able to control myself. To walk into that house and find you in his arms, your own sister’s husband.’ His mouth tightened in disgust and a dark rage that totally unnerved her.

‘When will you be back?’

‘I don’t know.’ His eyes grew even harder. ‘Why do you want to know? Thinking of entertaining your lover here in my absence, are you?’