‘What does this mean?’ her mother asked suspiciously, immediately alert to the nuances.
It was David’s turn to look surprised. ‘Caitlin and I are lovers, Mrs Ross. Hasn’t she told you yet?’
The top of Caitlin’s head blew off. At least, that was how it felt. Her brain was an empty scramble of horror, a void so deep it was bottomless.
‘Oh, my God!’ her mother gasped, clasping her heart.
David riveted his attention on Caitlin, apparently unaware he had just exposed her to a continuing nightmare of censure from her mother for years to come. ‘If your parents want to have a spat, Caitlin, that’s their business. Nothing to do with us. You wanted to spend the day making love. At least we can have the night. Let’s get back to Sydney.’
‘Caitlin, tell me this isn’t true!’ her mother cried. ‘It can’t be true!’
‘Well, no, of course it’s not true,’ Caitlin agreed in agitated appeasement. ‘Not really.’
‘I brought you up to be a good girl.’
‘Oh, she is good,’ David said, warming to his subject and bringing it to the boil. ‘Very, very, very good. I have no complaints whatsoever. You’ve done a great job, Mrs Ross.’
‘Caitlin!’ Her mother fought for breath. ‘The scandal! How could you do this to us?’
‘I’ve put a stop to it, Mum.’ It was a plea for extenuating circumstances. She snatched her hands from David’s in a wild effort to establish a proper distance between them.
‘Too late,’ David chimed in with wicked unconcern. ‘Far too late.’
Her mother rose to her feet, quite majestic in delivering her judgement. ‘Caitlin, this is serious!’
‘Yes, Mum,’ Caitlin said weakly. The world had suddenly changed and it appeared she was to be the victim.
‘Get your father home. Immediately. You are not to take no for an answer. It’s his place to deal with this matter. After all, you are his daughter.’
She glared at David. ‘When my husband hears about this, you’ll be in deep trouble.’
‘I’m sure I will be.’
‘You have abused your position as my daughter’s employer. You’ll have a lot to answer for, young man.’
Caitlin’s mind whirled again. She felt weak. Very weak.
‘Don’t stand there gawking, Caitlin,’ her mother commanded. ‘You know where your father is. Get him home straight away. I want answers.’
‘Yes, Caitlin,’ David blithely urged. ‘You go and get your father. I’ll stay and tell your mother what’s really been going on. I wish to make a clean breast of it and confess everything.’
That shocked Caitlin’s brain back into action. ‘No, you won’t.’ Inspiration struck. She snatched her car keys from the table where she’d dropped them earlier and slapped them into David’s hand. ‘You go and get Dad. Confess to him what you’ve done to me.’
‘This is dangerous. Do you really want me to drive your car?’
‘The car won’t kill you! Dad might.’
‘You’d better give me some instructions,’ he advised.
‘I’ll certainly do that!’ Caitlin said with feeling.
She followed him out, shutting the front door behind them before giving vent to pent-up passion. ‘How dare you? You were the one who insisted that any intimacy we had be kept absolutely secret because of your employer/employee relationship rule. Now, here you are, telling the world!’
‘Only your parents,’ he corrected.
‘That’s worse than telling the world!’
‘Your father’s coming home. Your mother wants him here. You’ve got what you wanted.’