‘Whew!’ the driver chuckled as he moved the taxi out into the flow of traffic, glancing at Logan in his mirror. ‘Bit of a fiery one, isn’t he?’
‘Yes,’ she replied woodenly, not in the mood for conversation.
‘Your husband?’
‘No,’ she shivered.
‘Then he’ll be back.’ He winked at her in his driving mirror. ‘He wouldn’t want to lose a looker like you!’
An unwilling smile curved her lips. ‘Thank you.’
But she knew Logan wouldn’t be back, that in the circumstances she didn’t want him back. Knowing Jeff was her stepfather might have changed things as far as Logan was concerned, but nothing had changed for her. Logan had used her; nothing could ever change that.
Marilyn invited her in for a cup of tea once she got back. ‘I left poor Bill to cope with Sir Charles,’ Callie explained ruefully.
‘Don’t worry,’ her friend smiled. ‘After the put-down he got from Sir Charles the first time around he’s quite up to coping with him.’
‘I hope so.’ Callie sipped her tea, her hand trembling slightly—something Marilyn was quick to see.
‘Was it rough?’ she asked gently.
She grimaced. ‘Not too bad.’ Except that last scene with Logan. And strangely that had given her no satisfaction. She had thought she would feel elated when she told him her true relationship to Jeff, but in reality it had changed nothing between them.
‘Was Sir Charles—Hey, was that your doorbell?’ Marilyn frowned.
‘I didn’t hear anything…’ she slowly replaced the cup in the saucer.
‘When you have a baby as active as Paul you become aware of every noise,’ Marilyn laughed. ‘There it was again. No, don’t move, I’ll go.’
Callie had a terrible feeling, like Marilyn, that it was Logan. ‘If it’s him—’
‘I’ll tell him you aren’t back yet.’ Marilyn squeezed her arm reassuringly.
‘Thanks.’ She gave a grateful smile.
She should have known Marilyn wasn’t strong enough to keep Logan out!
He marched into the room a couple of seconds later, a harassed-looking Marilyn following behind him. ‘I want to talk to you, Callie,’ he rasped without preliminary. ‘Can we go to your flat, or would you rather talk here?’
Marilyn looked totally bemused. ‘Oh, but—’
‘Your flat?’ Logan repeated harshly, with eyes only for Callie.
‘If you insist,’ she said stiffly, standing up. ‘I’m sorry about this, Marilyn.’
Her friend shrugged acceptance of the situation. ‘Just call if you need me.’
Logan’s mouth tightened. ‘I don’t intend harming Callie, just talking to her.’
Marilyn returned his cold look in full measure. ‘In the past you haven’t seemed to know the difference.’
He drew in an angry breath. ‘It’s been mutual,’ he ground out. ‘Callie?’ he prompted.
She led the way
through to her flat, turning to face him as he closed the door behind them. ‘What do you have to say?’
He sighed, shaking his head. ‘You must have realised the shock you gave me this afternoon about my uncle. We none of us had any idea he’d married, that he had a stepdaughter.’