Love's Only Deception

‘Oh, we are!’

‘At least I’m glad about Marilyn’s father.’

‘We all are,’ he said seriously. ‘I’ll speak to you again next week. You never know, I should have that report ready as a Christmas present.’

‘Thanks,’ she laughed.

‘Seriously, Callie, would you like someone else to do it?’

‘Seriously, Bill, no. Christmas is only three weeks away, and as the meeting isn’t until New Year I don’t need it yet. About Christmas—’

‘I doubt we’ll be back, Callie,’ he said regretfully. ‘Maybe-your boy-friend will keep you company.’

She hadn’t dared to think as far away as Christmas, although the thought of spending the time with Logan filled her with warm anticipation. Just thinking about Logan at all filled her with warmth. ‘Maybe,’ she agreed non-committally. ‘But I’ll still miss little Paul.’

‘I see,’ Bill mocked.

She was instantly contrite. ‘I didn’t mean it like that!’

‘I know you didn’t,’ he laughed. ‘Look, I have to go now, love, but Marilyn will probably call you for a chat in the week—if you can be reached!’

‘I don’t usually go out until eight o’clock, and I’m home by six. That gives you two hours to—’

‘I’m only joking, Callie,’ he teased. ‘Only joking. But tell him he’s a lucky man.’

‘But I already knew it,’ Logan said later that evening when she passed on Bill’s message.

‘Flatterer,’ she blushed.

‘Not at all. And I would like us to spend Christmas together,’ he added deeply.

Happiness lit her face, only to fade seconds later. ‘But won’t you be spending it with your mother?’

‘If she’s back by then,’ he said dryly, ‘we can both spend it with her.’

‘Back?’ Callie sipped her wine.

He nodded, very dark and distinguished in his black evening suit. ‘I had a call from her this afternoon, she told me she had to get away from the family pressure.’

Callie’s brows rose. ‘You?’

‘No,’ his mouth quirked with amusement, ‘not me. My mother is in business with my uncle, and just lately he’s been more pushy than usual. I don’t have a lot of time for my uncle’s machinations myself. Anyway, the outcome of it is that my mother has gone to Switzerland to stay with a couple of her cronies. She could be back before Christmas, but then again she may not be.’

‘Then that means the ballet is off.’ Callie hid her disappointment well. Meeting Logan’s mother had been like a talisman to her. The passion they had shared on their second evening together had never been repeated, in fact Logan hadn’t been in her flat since, and the thought of meeting his mother had given her hope that he might feel as seriously about their relationship as she did. Now that stability had been taken away from her.

‘No, I’ll still take you.’ He clasped her hand as it lay on the table. ‘After all, I already have the tickets.’

She didn’t care about seeing the ballet, it was not seeing his mother that upset her. ‘That will be nice,’ she sighed.

He frowned. ‘You don’t sound very enthusiastic.’

She gave a bright, meaningless smile. ‘Sorry.’

‘If you don’t want to go—’

‘Of course I want to go,’ she contradicted, shaking off her feelings of disappointment with effort. After all, Logan had invited her to spend Christmas with himself and his mother. That was even better than the ballet.

But Mrs Carrington seemed in no hurry to come back to England, and two days before Christmas Logan had still had no word of her return.