But what if, last night, she had conceived his child? Her heart skipped a beat, thudding rapidly and unevenly as she dwelt on the prospect with a mingling of dread and desire. What had happened to her, that she should actually be half hoping that she would have his child? To even contemplate the possibility was sheer self-indulgent fantasy.
Incredibly, she fell asleep again, waking only when her alarm went off some hours later.
She told herself that she should be either disappointed or surprised to find that Kyle had left the house. He had left a note for her and she read it slowly.
‘Had to go into the office on urgent business. Back in time to take your parents to the airport.’
Had he really had to go out, or was that just a manufactured excuse to spare them both any embarrassment? In all honesty, could she have faced him across the breakfast table this morning without betraying how she felt?
She didn’t know, but she did know that she felt bereft and abandoned by his absence.
It was half-way through the morning before she spared David a thought. No doubt he would have found some way of getting himself home. It was odd to think that, if it hadn’t been for him, last night might never have happened.
Kyle’s cleaner had returned from her sister’s and arrived just after eleven. She was a small, thin woman who moved and spoke very quickly. Heather had half expected her to exhibit at least some curiosity concerning her own presence, but she was very quickly made aware of Mrs Evans’ dislike of ‘prying into other folks’ business, and them into mine’.
Taking the hint, Heather left the woman to her work. Kyle had promised that after they had seen her parents off he would take her to show her the new shopping complex. She couldn’t work for him now, of course, he wouldn’t want her to, anyway.
The phone rang, and she answered it automatically, tensing when she heard Kyle’s voice.
‘I was just ringing to let you know that I’m leaving the office soon. Has Mrs Evans arrived?’
‘Yes, she’s here.’
How odd that she was able to speak so normally when her heart was pumping like a steam engine, and her pulse was racing frantically at the mere sound of his voice.
‘Good. She’ll organise something for lunch, so don’t worry about that.’
He hesitated, as though wanting to say something else, but for the life of her Heather couldn’t dredge up the self-confidence to fill the small betraying silence. She heard another telephone ring, and wondered which of them it was who gave that faint, relieved sigh as Kyle said quickly, ‘I’m sorry, I have to go, the other phone’s ringing. I should be back for half-past one, tell Mrs Evans.’
It was funny, but for a second or so Heather felt as though Kyle was searching for some way to reassure and comfort her. And yet, why should he bother to do that? Why should he concern himself with her feelings at all? And, most of all, why was it that where she had previously been so blind to all his good points, she was now so acutely aware of his concern and compassion, his caring love for her parents, and his desire to protect them from hurt and pain? She was jealous of Kyle’s love for her parents. How ridiculous and how pointless. Restlessly she went to find Mrs Evans, so that she could relay Kyle’s message to her.
* * *
Heather heard the Jaguar the moment it turned into the drive, and only just managed to restrain herself from leaping to her feet and rushing to meet Kyle.
Instead she stayed decorously where she was, not even getting up out of her chair as he walked into the room. He still looked tired, and somehow defeated as well. As he looked at her, just for a moment she sensed an aura of depression and disappointment about him, but, since she evaded looking directly at him for fear of what she might betray, she decided that she must be imagining things.
‘Mrs Evans has just left. Lunch is all ready.’
She knew that she was babbling, but she was desperate to fill the constrained silence.
‘Heather…about last night…’
Immediately she panicked, dreading what he might be going to say and forestalling him. ‘I don’t want to talk about it, please, Kyle. Not before we’ve seen my parents off. Can’t we leave it…for now?’
His mouth tightened grimly.
‘If that’s what you want.’ He walked over to her, and stood in front of her so that she was forced to look up at him. ‘You can’t push it out of sight for ever, though, Heather. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to face the fact that…’
‘That we went to bed together? Kyle, you’re making a fuss about nothing…I…I can’t talk about it now. Please, let’s leave it until after.’
‘Very well.’ He wasn’t pleased, she could tell that. What was he frightened of? That she would try to cling to him? Never!
Neither of them did justice to Mrs Evans’ delicious lunch. Heather could only endure sitting there with him by completely putting from her mind the events of the previous night.
They set off for the hospital shortly after two. Kyle drove, and as she sat in silence at his side Heather was ac
utely aware of him.