‘Minx, we want you to keep this to yourself for a bit until we make an official announcement, okay?’ Sarah had been adamant that they keep their engagement under wraps until Nick’s investigators had cleared her name.
‘Katie,’ Sarah ventured, ‘there have been some reports in the newspaper about me that aren’t true.’
‘You mean about that Russian diamond jewellery thingy?’
News travelled fast, especially scandalous news.
‘Yes.’ Sarah’s voice was calm.
Katie stunned Nick by waving it all away. ‘I read about that but I know it was a load of garbage. I know you’d never steal anything. Someone’s telling lies about you. Do you know who’d want to do that?’
Nick stepped closer. ‘We don’t, minx, but I’m planning to find out.’
‘That’s good.’ Katie nodded. ‘It’s not nice to have people say stuff about you that’s not true. Jasmin told me Aunty Jocelyn’s pretty upset about it.’
Nick cleared his throat. ‘We’ll discover the truth soon.’
‘Er …’ Katie hesitated. ‘Do I still call you Sarah or do I need to call you Mum?’
Nick experienced a stab of pain to the chest and his throat closed over. He wasn’t sure he was entirely comfortable with Katie calling Sarah ‘Mum’. It didn’t seem right that any other woman took Mandy’s title as Katie’s mum.
‘You know,’ Sarah ventured slowly, ‘I think it might be nice for you to keep calling me Sarah. I’ll be your stepmother and I already think the world of you, but I think it might be nice if you always think of me as Sarah and your real mum as “mum”.’
Nick let out a breath he didn’t even realise he’d been holding and had to look away from Sarah and his daughter as he was hit with emotion. It struck him again how incredibly sad it was that Katie had grown up not having Mandy around and he had to blink hard to drain his eyes of the tears that threatened to dam up there.
Mandy’s problems had caused tension in their marriage, and she’d been hard on Katie in her quest for perfection, but she had loved them both.
Nick was grateful at Sarah’s unspoken message—she’d never try to take Mandy’s place in Katie’s heart.
The sound of Ryan’s electric wheelchair got louder, until he was at the doorway announcing, ‘The doctor’s on his way up.’
‘How about you go out with Ryan and Helen and grab a snack, Katie?’ Sarah suggested. ‘We won’t be long with the doctor.’
‘And then we can watch that new movie together if you’re not feeling up to going out for a walk?’
‘Sure,’ Nick said. As his daughter left, he rolled his eyes. ‘At least she’s outgrown Barbie movies.’
* * *
‘There’s absolutely no question,’ the doctor told them some ten minutes later. ‘You’re definitely pregnant. In fact your high levels of pregnancy hormone levels suggest you’re further along than we were originally thinking.’
‘How far along?’ Sarah asked with alarm.
‘I’ll organise an ultrasound in the next couple of weeks and we’ll find out for certain.’
Nick squeezed Sarah’s hand. ‘That’s fabulous news, Tom. Thanks so much for coming to tell us.’
‘I’m glad you’re both so happy but I’m worried about how sick you’re feeling, Sarah,’ Tom told her. ‘I haven’t got all the results back from your blood tests and it may be that there’s some other bug in your system that you’ve picked up on your travels, but this early nausea has to be monitored. It may be that you have a condition associated with pregnancy that can lead to weight loss and dehydration.’
‘How can you help her?’ Nick asked.
‘I’d like to admit you to hospital for a few days to have some IV fluids and to monitor your weight closely.’
Sarah didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardise the health of the baby but she baulked at going to hospital. ‘Would it be possible to employ a private nurse to come here instead?’
‘Absolutely. I can call an agency and set things in motion immediately.’ Tom got to his feet. ‘Meanwhile, complete bed rest until you’re eating again and able to keep your food down.’
‘Thank you, Tom.’
‘Congratulations to both of you! I’ll make my own way out but I’ll call again tomorrow.’ Tom gave them a friendly smile as he left.
Nick sat on the bed and drew Sarah into his arms. ‘We’re going to have a baby.’
‘You’re really excited?’
‘Totally.’
‘Me too.’ She looked down at her engagement ring and smiled. ‘I’m really pleased to know you’d already intended to marry me before we found out. I wouldn’t have liked to have thought you felt pressured into marrying me because of the baby.’
‘You have to get better quickly, my darling, because I can’t wait to marry you surrounded by our family and friends.’
‘How’s Jocelyn?’
‘She’s still not happy about the press reports and has delayed the release of the new catalogue with your shots from Palm Cove.’
‘I’m so terribly sorry.’
He pulled her close. ‘I’m confident the people I’ve got working on this will uncover the truth very soon.’
Sarah hoped so too. Being engaged and expecting a baby was wonderful but she wanted to banish this cloud that still hung over her head.
Chapter 21
Two days later, Nick walked into Sarah’s room as she emerged from her adjoining bathroom. ‘You’re out of bed!’
Every time she saw him, his handsome looks played havoc with her heartbeat. ‘Yes, thank goodness.’ She walked towards him, eager to be in his embrace. ‘I felt a little queasy this morning, but I took Tom’s suggestion and had a dry cracker and some water before I got out of bed and so far it’s stayed down.’
Nick enfolded her into his embrace and brushed his lips over hers in a quick kiss. ‘Tom’s given the okay to remove the IV drip?’
‘For the moment. He’s still going to call in daily and I’m not allowed to cancel the nurse’s services yet but I am allowed to get up, get dressed and potter around for a bit. Although I’m still feeling more tired than usual, overall I’m starting to feel better. Tom warned it could be short lived and has said I’m not to work in this first trimester.’
‘Definitely no work. You need to look after yourself and our little one.’ This time his kiss was searingly hot.
Sarah longed for the day when she’d wake up every morning in his arms but last night he’d declared he had a late meeting and wouldn’t stay over.
When he finally raised his head so they could both refill their oxygen depleted lungs he asked, ‘Are you up to having a visitor?’
‘When?’
‘Now.’
‘Now?’
‘Mm-hmm.’
She tilted her head to one side. ‘It’s only 8 am! Who visits at this hour?’
‘Maeve Simpson is here to see you.’
‘Maeve?’ She drew her head back sharply. ‘How can she be here? I’ve never given anyone my address.’
‘I brought her with me.’
Sarah frowned as a dozen questions formed in her mind. But as she regarded Nick, she knew it was a matter of trust. If Nick had brought Maeve to see her at this hour it must be important. ‘Okay. Let me get dressed and I’ll come out.’
Ten minutes later, Sarah walked out into her living room and shock sliced through her. Maeve looked as she’d never seen her before. Dark circles rimmed puffy red eyes and Maeve’s nose and cheeks were reddened as though she’d cried rivers of tears.
‘Maeve?’
‘Hello, Sarah.’ She sniffed loudly.
Sarah glanced at Nick who stood near the breakfast bar, arms folded across his chest.
‘What’s wrong, Maeve?’
‘Everything.’
Sarah sat down next to the other model. ‘Tell me. What’s happened?’
Maeve burst into fresh tears and Sarah went to give her a hug but was pushed away as the other wom
an jumped to her feet. ‘I’m sorry, Sarah. It was me.’
‘What?’ But as the question emerged, realisation dawned. Surely there was only one possible explanation for Maeve’s apology. Again, Sarah looked at Nick and this time he nodded at the question in her eyes. ‘You framed me for the theft of the Kolevski brooch?’
Maeve slumped into another seat and buried her face in her hands, crying hard.
‘She did,’ Nick confirmed.
‘But why? Why did you do that?’
Time dragged before Maeve pulled herself together enough to respond. ‘I’m so sorry, Sarah. I never meant to frame you. I didn’t want you to get into trouble. I just wanted you to carry the brooch out of the building. Ivan was going to take you to a cafe instead of going straight back to the hotel. He was going to find an opportunity to get it out of your handbag and you’d never have been any the wiser.’
The confession left Sarah winded and she struggled to voice the single question that burned through her brain. ‘Why?’
‘I …’ Maeve reached into her pocket for a tissue and blew her nose before she continued. ‘I don’t want you to think I was trying to hurt you. I wasn’t. But, I was desperate. I was being blackmailed.’
Oh God.
Sarah shook her head in disbelief.
‘Tell her everything, Maeve,’ Nick prompted.
‘I … I’m a cocaine user.’
That didn’t come as a complete shock. Sarah had heard rumours that Maeve took the drug at parties and even supplied it to her guests.
‘There were photos taken of me at a party,’ Maeve continued. ‘A Russian mobster got hold of them and he was going to release the photos to the press unless I stole the brooch.’
Dear Lord.
Maeve must’ve been terrified.
Sarah’s initial rush of empathy turned to outrage. ‘But you didn’t steal the brooch! You used me. You let me take the risk of being caught.’
‘We thought Ivan would be able to get you out of the building faster. If you hadn’t hung around to thank the make-up artists he would’ve got you out before Eduardo discovered the brooch was missing.’
‘Wait!’ Anger pumped through her veins. ‘You’re blaming me here?’
‘You wouldn’t have been caught if you’d just gone with Ivan when he told you to hurry. Eduardo wouldn’t have been able to search your bag. He wouldn’t have found the brooch.’
Ivan had been hurrying her out of the building. With the benefit of hindsight she replayed the day in her mind and realised the photographer had been unduly anxious to leave the building.
‘But Sarah’s reputation would still have been destroyed, wouldn’t it, Maeve?’ Nick’s voice was pure steel. ‘You paid the guard to say that she hadn’t returned the brooch. So, even if she hadn’t been caught with it, she still would’ve been the number one suspect. And, if Eduardo hadn’t caught up with her, the police would’ve been called in and she could’ve ended up in a Russian prison.’
‘If you intended to steal the brooch, you should’ve smuggled it out of the building yourself!’ Sarah vented.
‘I …’ Maeve cast her head down. ‘I couldn’t take the risk.’
‘You say you didn’t want to hurt Sarah, but you knew she’d be likely to lose her contracts leaving an opening for you to step into,’ Nick insisted as he unfolded his arms and moved next to Sarah.
Maeve looked up and the teary remorse that’d been on display earlier became a flash of malevolence. ‘I needed the money. I was in debt and I needed that top contract with Eduardo.’
‘But you earn millions!’ Sarah couldn’t believe it.
‘And I spend more than I earn.’
All those extravagant parties Maeve hosted …
Rose had been right, Sarah realised as she hugged a cushion to her chest. As much as she’d denied it, Maeve had been more than happy to topple her from the number one position. ‘What happens now?’ Sarah looked up at Nick.
‘After the security guard confessed to my investigators that he’d been paid to say you hadn’t returned the brooch, and that Maeve had taken it into your dressing room, Maeve and Ivan were both interviewed last night by detectives at Scotland Yard.’
‘Was that where you were?’
‘Yes.’ He sat on the armrest of her chair. ‘You may also choose to prosecute them both for their maliciousness in framing you for the theft.’
Sarah was still struggling to take it all in. Her diaphragm was so cramped it was difficult to breathe normally.
‘Their release this morning was dependent upon several things,’ Nick continued. ‘They both had to surrender their passports, sign a statement of confession for release to the press and Maeve was required to make her confession to you in person. As I said, you may still choose to have them arrested for what they’ve done.’
‘Please don’t, Sarah.’ Maeve stood up from the couch and took a couple of steps towards her. ‘My career is finished. My reputation is in tatters. Please—’
‘Which is exactly what your actions could’ve done to Sarah!’ Nick said savagely.
Sarah put her hands up to quieten them both. ‘How often do you use cocaine, Maeve?’
‘I use every day.’
‘You’re addicted?’
Maeve nodded.
An invisible clamp tightened around Sarah’s heart. ‘You need to go to a rehabilitation centre, not to a prison.’ Sarah looked at Nick. ‘Can we do that? Can we demand that Maeve admits herself to a rehab clinic and stays there until she’s clean?’
‘You’re in a position to be able to demand whatever you like, Sarah.’ He pointed his finger at the other model. ‘As for you, Maeve, you’re damned lucky if that’s the only action Sarah decides to take.’
‘What about Ivan?’ Maeve pleaded. ‘He didn’t want to be involved. I was the one who talked him into it and he only did it because he loves me.’
Sarah loved Nick. Would she agree to commit theft and set someone else up to save him from his own sins? No. She’d stand by him, but she’d find a way to get him help without committing a crime—without incriminating someone else and destroying someone else’s reputation.
‘Ivan needs to go onto probation of some description,’ she decided. ‘I don’t want to see either of you in prison but you should both have to face some consequences for your actions.’ She shifted uncomfortably, incredibly conflicted. She wasn’t sure what a fair punishment would be or whether she should even be playing the role of judge and jury here. ‘Maybe he could do some community service work?’
‘You can think on it,’ Nick told her.
‘So you won’t bring formal charges?’ Maeve pressed.
‘No.’ As far as Sarah was concerned there was no point. The confession would clear her name and she doubted Maeve and Ivan would ever try something like this again. ‘What about the Russian authorities?’ she asked Nick. ‘Are they likely to want to take the matter up once the confessions are made public?’
‘If either of them set foot back in Russia, I’d say it’s a safe bet they’ll be arrested for conspiracy to commit robbery,’ Nick warned. ‘But, Russia has no extradition treaty with the UK so even if they did demand that Maeve and Ivan be handed over to face trial, the request would be denied.’
‘Wild horses wouldn’t drag me back there,’ Maeve declared with a shiver.
‘Ivan’s waiting downstairs with a detective friend of mine from Scotland Yard,’ Nick said. ‘I didn’t want to overwhelm you with both of them at once, but would you like to speak with him?’
‘No.’ Enough was enough and she’d heard all she needed to hear.
‘Time for you to leave, Maeve,’ Nick told her.
‘I … I am sorry, Sarah.’
‘I hope you sort yourself out, Maeve.’ Now, all Sarah wanted was a hot, comforting cup of tea and a reassuring hug from Nick.
‘I fell in love with an amazingly generous woman,’ Nick told her when Maeve had left.
‘Thank you for believing in me, Nick.
Thank you for making this nightmare go away.’
He sat down next to her and drew her into his embrace.
‘I can’t believe it. I’ve been so naive about Maeve. I thought we got along well enough together. And Ivan …’ The betrayal was devastating. ‘I didn’t have any reason not to trust them. I’m sure there were no signals I missed.’
His arms tightened around her.
‘Does Eduardo know the truth now?’
‘No.’ She watched as his jaw tensed. ‘I’m going to tell him and give him an earful for his complete lack of faith in you. He terminated your contract unfairly and needs to reinstate you straight away.’
God, but it was good to have a champion!
‘But before I do,’ he continued, ‘I’ll call Jocelyn and give her the green light to proceed with the release of her new catalogue. You should update Ryan, Helen and Rose. Maeve’s and Ivan’s statements will hit the press—’ he looked at his watch, ‘—in under an hour and they should all hear it from us first.’
‘Sounds great, all except one thing.’
He tilted his head. ‘What’s that?’
‘I don’t want to work for Eduardo anymore. I think it’s far more appropriate for me to represent Henderson Haute Couture seeing as I’m going to become a Henderson myself. Do you think Jocelyn will still have me to model some designer maternity wear?’
‘I think she’d love to and will be falling over herself to apologise for not believing in you.’ He brushed his lips across hers.
‘Will you let me tell the world now that we’re engaged?’
‘You won’t get a chance to. I’ve taken out a notice in the London Times!’ He went to lower his head again to kiss her more thoroughly but she placed a finger over his lips. ‘The press are going to really dig into my life now. They may find out that Ryan and I are siblings.’
‘He and I have already spoken about it. He was a teenager when you started to model and he didn’t want to be in the spotlight as “your brother with the disability”. He’s not an insecure teenager anymore and he’s agreed that it’s past time to let the world know you’re brother and sister.’ Nick shrugged one broad shoulder. ‘He’s as proud of you as you are of him.’
Seduced by the Billionaire Page 25