‘And what about when I...when I am pregnant? If I am? What will happen then?’
‘Then I’ll leave you alone.’
‘For...for good?’ She looked startled. ‘You’re sure you don’t want more children?’
For a second he imagined it, pictured a houseful of them—babies, toddlers, teens. Crowded around the table. Laughing in the garden. A fantasy. ‘As I said before, one will suffice. After you have become pregnant and given birth, there won’t be any need for us to continue the...arrangement, although of course we will still stay married.’
She nodded slowly, seeming to absorb that statement—and not to mind it. ‘And I’ll raise the child...our child...on Naxos?’
‘Yes, until he or she is of an age to need more appropriate schooling. But those things can be negotiated at a later date. The important thing is to have the initial terms set down so we can move forward.’
‘I can hardly believe we’re doing this so quickly...’ She shook her head, and Alex cut across her, determined not to give her the opportunity for second thoughts.
‘It’s how people have been doing it for centuries. There is no reason to think we won’t both be happy.’
He’d meant to sound dismissive, but she cocked her head, her gaze moving over him slowly, taking him in, scars and all. ‘Happy?’ she repeated softly. ‘Are you happy, Alex? Will you be happy?’
There was far too much sorrowful knowledge in her question and in her eyes, too much damned pity. ‘I will be happy with the arrangement,’ he told her shortly. ‘That is enough.’
It wasn’t until after he’d said it that he realised how revealing his answer was. A knock sounded on the door, and Alex called out in Greek for the member of staff to leave their meal in the hall, as they did not wish to be disturbed.
‘Dinner is here,’ he announced once the staff member had left, the door clicking shut behind him. He rose and strode towards the entrance hall of the suite. ‘I hope you’re hungry.’
‘I am, even though I had an enormous lunch. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning, because I was in such a rush to get the ferry.’
‘I didn’t expect you to come to Athens,’ Alex remarked as he wheeled in a trolley full of silver-domed dishes.
‘I didn’t know when you would be back in Naxos, and I wanted to see you as quickly as possible. Because of Anna.’
He glanced at her sharply. ‘What is the urgency with your sister?’
‘She’s found a place at a prestigious music school in Rome. She was on the waitlist, and a place has come up at the last moment. She’s desperate to go—it will make a big difference to her, to attend.’
Alex frowned. ‘Will her stepfather forbid it?’
‘He won’t even know. At least, that’s how Anna is hoping it will all play out. But I needed to secure the deposit by the end of the week.’
‘The end of the week...’
‘Oh, don’t worry,’ Milly said quickly. ‘I’ve paid it out of my savings. I’m not asking you to pay for anything...’ She bit her lip. ‘I mean, I’ll pay for her school fees out of, you know, the settlement.’
‘I see.’ She’d had even more reason to want that money—the only reason she would ever go through with something like this, clearly. She needed to provide for her sister, who, in a few days’ time, would be as good as his sister-in-law. Family. He didn’t want Milly to be scraping and saving in order to provide for what would be his family.
‘I called her this afternoon,’ Milly said quietly. ‘To tell her I’d sorted the fees. She was so pleased.’
‘And did you tell her you were to be married?’
‘No.’ Her lashes swept her cheeks as she lowered her gaze. ‘I didn’t want her to feel...’
A pause, and Alex filled it in grimly. ‘Guilty? Because you’ve had to sell yourself in order to provide for your sister?’ Milly stared at him uncertainly, clearly not knowing what to make of his comment, or why he’d made it in such a grim voice. And why had he? Everything was happening exactly as he’d intended it should. There was nothing to feel dissatisfied or unsettled about. Nothing at all.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?’
Milly stared at the lawyer’s bland face, her mind spinning. Did she have any questions? She glanced back down at the sheaf of papers spread on the desk in front of her, the typewritten text swimming before her eyes. She didn’t even know where to begin.
‘Miss James?’ The slightest hint of impatience touched the lawyer’s urbane voice.