Expectant Bride

'Ellie—'

'Please, give me some space,' she urged with charged em¬phasis. 'Don't phone, don't come near me. Maybe when the dust has settled on all this we can talk about the baby...just not now.'

For the next week Ellie functioned on automatic pilot. Locked into the need to conquer her desperate craving for Dio, even when she hated him like poison for hurting her so much, she felt totally detached from the rest of the world.

In spite of her request that he leave her alone, Dio phoned every day. On each occasion she put the phone straight back down again, refusing to speak to him. The truth was that she didn't trust herself yet, even on the phone. She was far too , vulnerable.

Finding out about Helena Teriakos had devastated Ellie with guilt, jealousy and mortification. Discovering that Dio trusted Helena infinitely more than he trusted her had literally torn Ellie apart at the seams. How much in touch with his own emotions was Dio? Did he even appreciate how much he already cared about Helena Teriakos? Once he had resented the pressure put on him to marry her. Wouldn't it be ironic if Dio was only now truly valuing Helena because he had had to face the prospect of giving her up?

All she herself could ever be to Dio was a very poor second best. If she hadn't conceived, Dio would never have offered her more than a casual affair. 'A little amusement,' as Helena had so succinctly put it. That had made Ellie feel about an inch tall. It hurt even more to frankly acknowledge herself outclassed by the competition. Helena belonged in Dio's elite world. Dio could marry the woman his father had selected and feel very good about doing so. A gorgeous, accomplished, intelligent, rich and classy ice cube, who was fond of him and didn't even care if he kept a mistress. Maybe a lot of guys would be happy to marry a woman as understanding as that, Ellie reflected with helpless bitterness.

That weekend, Horace Barry's nephew, Joe Barry, phoned tell her that his uncle had flu and wouldn't be in. Ellie was run off her feet. On the Sunday afternoon she went to see Meg Bucknall, to explain that she wouldn't be returning to her job at the Alexiakis building again.

Meg ushered her into her small cosy front room with a smile of pleasure. 'You really do know how to get the gossip going into orbit, Ellie. I think you're making a wise decision, though. I'll miss you, but you'd have to put up with some stick if you did come back. Some of the younger girls are just eaten with envy.'

'If they knew how I was fixed right now, I don't think they would be,' Ellie fielded wryly. 'It's all off, Meg...was never really on, to tell you the truth.'

'He's turning night into day at the office right now. Half   the top floor staff are having to work the same hours. They  look worn out, and I heard them muttering that he's in a really foul black mood—'

'I don't really want to hear about Dio, Meg,' Ellie shared, having paled at those edifying titbits.

'Just one little question,' Mega almost pleaded. 'Did you dump him?’

Not having expected so personal a question from the older woman, Ellie stared.

Meg flushed guiltily. 'It's just that's what we're all hoping. The word is he's never been dumped before, but he could do with being taken down a peg or two.'

'Meg...it would take an attack with an axe to dent Dio's ego,' Ellie retorted.

A surprise awaited her when she arrived home again. Her employer's nephew, a portly pompous man in his early fifties, was seated in the tiny rear office behind the shop, going through the accounts. Standing up, Joe Barry smoothed his sparse hair back from his brow. Ignoring her enquiry as to his uncle's state of health, he disconcerted her by admitting that he had come over in the hope of finding her at home.

But it was what he had to say next which really shook Ellie up. He informed her that his uncle had retired and that he was now taking charge of the bookshop.

The bottom fell out of what remained of Ellie's world. Struggling to come to terms with the shock of that blithe announcement, she frowned. 'But you already have a job.'

'I'm taking early retirement. I intend to plough a good deal of money into remodelling this place. However...' He paused, pursing his lips. 'I'm sorry to say that your services will no longer be required.'

'I beg your pardon?' Ellie practically whispered.

'I have no need for a full-time assistant.'

The silence hung there.

'Are you aware that your uncle had already agreed to sell me the business?" Ellie asked starkly. Joe Barry dealt her a rather smug appraisal. 'My solicitor assures me that without a witness or anything written you would find it virtually impossible to prove that such a ludicrous agreement ever existed.'

'But that's not—'

'My uncle should've told you weeks ago. You can't blame me for the fact that he couldn't face telling you that he had changed his mind,' the older man told her impatiently. 'Naturally he would prefer to see the shop stay in the family.'