Claiming His Scandalous Love-Child

Emotion filled her, overflowed as she watched him get back into the car, lower the window to crook his elbow across it as he turned on the ignition. His eyes were on her—warm, soft, filled with emotion.

‘My Eloise,’ he said, and in his voice was all the emotion that was in his eyes.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he engaged the engine and the car moved away, crunching down the drive to disappear through the open gates on to the road beyond.

She went on watching until she could hear it no more.

But inside her head she heard still the echo of his last words to her.

‘My Eloise.’

* * *

To her relief, Laura Carldon did not grill her about Vito. Eloise needed mental privacy to let the turmoil inside her find its resolution, and though she went through the motions of looking after her charge she knew her mind was not really on Johnny.

With the Carldons in their Manhattan apartment midweek, there was only Maria, her beaming manner indicating that she was taking it for granted that Vito had flown the Atlantic to claim Eloise as his own.

Yet Eloise knew it could not be that simple. She must not rush, nor make assumptions—must not, above all, be carried away with all the emotion swelling in her breast, hearing only that yearning echo of his words to her.

‘My Eloise.’

Because it was not just about her—not just about the two of them. It could not be. It was about much, much more. Into her head came the image of her mother—falling so head over heels in love with her father. A love that had proved so disastrous in the end. And not just for her mother.

I can’t make the mistake she did.

Far too much was at stake for that.

I have to be sure.

Restlessly, unable to sleep for all the thoughts and emotions circling endlessly in her head, she paced her bedroom, feeling the import of the decision she had to make. Not just the one she wanted to make...

Over the baby monitor she heard Johnny stir in his sleep. She smiled faintly as she thought she heard a murmured ‘Vroom, vroom...’ as he dreamt, doubtless of fast cars. She heard, too, in her head, Laura Carldon’s voice, praising Vito’s manner with her beloved son.

She pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling emotion surging up inside her.

Surely I can be sure of him? Surely I can?

When he was back from the Caribbean—when he came to see her again—she must delay no longer. She would put her future in his hands. Tell him everything. Everything that was in her heart and more—oh, so much more...

And with all my heart I hope he’ll feel the joy that I do.

* * *

Her employer, having returned to Long Island on Thursday, made it very plain that she had no doubt that Eloise was making the right decision. The only decision, to her mind.

‘You and Vito can have the run of the place till Sunday,’ she said meaningfully.

Eloise’s gaze veered away, her colour heightening.

‘John and I are away Saturday night with friends, and Maria and Giuseppe will be at their daughter’s that evening too. So you can have fun here, you and Vito, with young Johnny.’

Her expression changed. Took on that pointed look it had had when Vito had dropped her off.

‘Ellie, you can see from the way he is with Johnny that Vito’s going to be a great family guy—he is definitely marriage material, not just good for a tempestuous romance. He’s a keeper, honey. So keep him!’

She swept off, not giving Eloise a chance to reply, leaving her words to echo in her head. A little knot formed in her stomach. Tomorrow—whatever came of it—she would know how her life would be. Her whole life.

She felt the knot tighten.