but how did he even begin to apologise to a mother he had repeatedly
rejected over the years?
She was looking at him concernedly now. 'Logan...?'
His mother had never seen him like this before, was obviously unsure of his
mood, shooting worried glances at Daniel as the two of them looked at
Logan uncertainly.
They were probably expecting him to say or do something that would spoil
their happiness, of the evening, if nothing else. And who could blame them?
He had been an idiot, a selfish idiot. He had no more right, than Darcy had
quickly realised she had, to dictate what these two people should or
shouldn't do with their fives.
His breath left him in a ragged sigh before he placed his brandy glass down
on the table, walking over to hold out his hand to Daniel. 'I would like to
offer you both my belated, warmest congratulations,' he said quietly.
To the older man's credit he only hesitated for a fraction of a second before
accepting that warm handshake.
Logan turned to his mother. 'I truly hope you'll be very happy together,' he
told her gruffly. 'Mamma,' he added softly.
His mother's throat moved convulsively as he used the name he'd had for her
when he was a little boy. In the last twenty-one years he had only ever called
her Meg, or the more condescending, Mother.
Logan reached out and hugged his mother, feeling the trembling of her body
as she cried softly. Time and time again, he now acknowledged, his mother
had reached out to him over the last twenty-one years, and time and time
again he had repulsed her. But loving Darcy as he now did, allowing love
back into the hardness of his heart, he knew he had never stopped loving his
mother, that he never could or would.
'You've made me so happy, Logan,' his mother choked, cradling his face in
both her hands as she reached up and gently kissed him on the cheek.
'Just be happy together, hmm?' he encouraged huskily.
'And you?' His mother looked up at him searchingly. 'Are you happy,
Logan?'
'If I'm not, I have only myself to blame,' he replied ruefully.
He had chosen to live the way that he did, had hardened his heart to love;
there was no one else to blame if he now found himself alone.
'Darcy—'
'Is a beautiful and charming young lady,' Logan cut in on Daniel's tentative
remark, steadily meeting the older man's gaze.
Did Daniel know? Had Logan given himself away somehow? Had his
feelings for Darcy been so obvious to everyone but himself...? Did Darcy
know?
'She's a credit to you, Daniel,' he added flatly, dismayed at the thought of
Darcy guessing how he felt about her. Was that the reason she had run away
from him...?
Daniel's arm was about Meg's shoulders now. 'I'm not so sure about the time
she threw egg-white over you,' he mused affectionately.
Logan shrugged. 'I probably deserved it. At least she's honest in her
feelings.'
Something he hadn't been in a long time. And wasn't it about time that he
was? Completely honest. No matter what the cost to his personal pride?
He straightened. 'If you don't mind, I think I'll leave the two of you alone
now. What a stupid thing to say; of course you don't mind being left alone.'
He shook his head at his own ridiculousness. 'Just take care of my mother,
Daniel,' he asked.
Daniel's arm tightened about Meg's shoulders. 'Depend on it.'
Strange, but Logan had a feeling as he left the older couple alone together
that he could do exactly that. None of them knew what was round the corner
for them, as his mother hadn't when his father had died so suddenly, leaving
her bereft and vulnerable. As he hadn't when he'd fallen in love with
Darcy...
It took him only a few minutes to find out what he wanted to know, before
making his way upstairs.
But there was no answer when he knocked on Darcy's bedroom door. She
must already be asleep.
What he wanted to say would have to wait until morning. Why not? It had
waited thirty-five years, another night wasn't going to kill him! Or, at least,
he hoped it wasn't! A sleepless night was probably the least he could expect.
He only hoped he didn't lose his nerve overnight!
It was the shock of his life when he rounded the corner at the top of the
South Tower stairs and found Darcy walking along the corridor towards
him. Not tucked up in bed asleep at all, but still dressed in that clinging grey
dress.
And she looked stricken as she looked up and saw him!
If he dared—if he made one rude remark about her being here—
'Darcy,' he greeted lightly. 'Did you get lost, after all?'
He didn't sound rude, or sarcastic...
But that was no guarantee that he wasn't going to be. He—
'Would you like me to show you back to your bedroom?' he offered gently.
Darcy continued to eye him warily. 'Er—actually, I— my father and Meg
invited me to join them for a brandy in the library, I couldn't sleep, so I