by Helen Brooks
‘So who was the father?’
‘Someone else’s husband.’ Jack shrugged. ‘So in a panic Dawn told me the baby was mine, hoping to pass it off on me as premature. When it all went horribly wrong she agreed to a quickie divorce and used my one-off settlement to visit her sister in Australia. I haven’t seen her since.’
Kate digested this in silence for a while. ‘She was a very pretty girl—spectacular figure,’ she said at last, and looked at him very directly. ‘It broke my heart when you married her so soon after we split up.’
His eyes hardened. ‘You broke mine when you took off for London.’
‘Oh, come on, Jack,’ she retorted. ‘London wasn’t the moon. I could have come home to you every weekend right from the start, or you could have come to me, but not a chance. It had to be your way or nothing.’
‘I changed my mind pretty quickly,’ he said, startling her. ‘I missed you like hell. I soon wanted you back on any terms. I was about to get in touch to tell you that, but Dawn got in first with her news.’
‘You mean you expected me to rush back to you even though you slept with her the minute I left?’ Kate eyed him coldly. ‘I would have found out sooner or later. News travels fast in a small town like this.’
He shrugged. ‘Not so very fast, apparently. You didn’t know about the divorce.’
‘I was living in London then, remember. And if they knew about it, Liz and Robert never told me.’
‘Obviously not. But I’m surprised that the news hasn’t filtered through to you since.’ He smiled wryly. ‘Talking of surprises, Anna Maitland looked thunderstruck last night when I gatecrashed her party.’
Kate nodded. ‘Because you never go to parties, it didn’t occur to her to invite you.’
‘Does she know about our relationship?’
‘As from last night she does. Anna knew I’d been engaged before I met her, but not the name of the lucky man. I couldn’t believe my eyes when you strolled up at the party.’ Kate smiled politely. ‘But I’m glad you called in tonight, Jack. It gives me a chance to congratulate you on your success.’
‘Thank you. We both achieved our aims, career-wise.’ He eyed her quizzically. ‘But I’m curious, Kate. I’m told you were on the point of marriage twice over the years. What made you back off?’
She hesitated for a moment, then decided it was fair return for Jack’s explanation. ‘The first fiancé—’
‘Second,’ he corrected.
She ground her teeth. ‘All right, the second fiancé started talking about babies and a place in the country.’
‘Ah!’ Jack leaned back, eyes gleaming. ‘The idea didn’t appeal?’
‘Not in the slightest. So we agreed—amicably—to call it a day, and I bought a flat in Notting Hill. I’d never lived alone up to that point, and enjoyed it so much that years later when I met the second—sorry, third fianceé, I insisted on keeping to my own place instead of moving in with him.’ Kate looked away. ‘A good decision, as it turned out—less complications when we splitup.’
‘Amicably again?’
‘No. More coffee?’
‘Thank you.’
Kate got up and filled the kettle again. ‘Would you like something to eat? Anna gave me some leftovers.’
Jack shook his head. ‘No, thanks, I had dinner with my father earlier. Tell me what happened to fiancé mark three.’
Her eyes shuttered. ‘I’d rather not talk about that.’
‘Then let’s talk about your new job, instead. Will you be working in the town?’
She shook her head, smiling. ‘Right here in my study upstairs.’
His eyebrows rose. ‘You’re writing a novel?’
‘I wish! I’ma VA.’ She chuckled at his blank look.‘ A Virtual Assistant,Jack. Keep up! My computer skills are good,and I was a personal assistant for a while earlier on in my career. But this time I’ll be working part-time at home for a handful of clients instead of full-time in an office for just one boss. I choose which people I take on and no coffee-making required for any of them.’
Jack looked sceptical. ‘A pretty drastic career change! Are you sure you’re cut out for it?’
‘Absolutely. I started it up before I left London.’ She described her enrolment on a VA Mastery Course the moment she gave in her notice. While she was selling her flat and organising the move, Kate completed the course, set up her personal website, named it KD Virtual Assistance, and asked Anna to advertise it in the local papers back home. Within weeks Kate had three clients, and by the time she’d moved into Park Crescent she had two more.
‘I work for people who’ve set up their own businesses, but lack the time, or inclination, to spare for the administrative side. I meet each of them in person occasionally,of course,so it’s not all virtual,’ she told Jack. ‘I do their invoicing, maintain databases, book appointments, make travel arrangements, or even just deal with household accounts. I won’t earn anything like the salary I had before, obviously, but my services don’t come cheap. Even working only twenty hours or so a week will give me enough income to live on and, most important of all,I’ll be here all the time for Joanna when she gets home for the school holidays. She’s boarding at the moment.’
‘Twenty hours isn’t much to someone of your calibre. What will you do with your spare time?’
‘All the things I’ve never had time to do before—my own interior decorating, for one. Something new for me.’ She smiled as she poured more coffee. ‘I’m enjoying it. But if time begins to hang really heavy I’ll take on more clients.’
The slate-grey eyes gleamed over the rim of the mug. ‘So if I contacted your website I could ask you to work for me?’
She looked at him steadily. ‘You could ask, but I’d refuse.’
‘Why?’
‘Oh,come on, Jack! You and I come with two much past history to make even a virtual partnership feasible.’
‘You can’t forgive my trespasses?’
‘Surely we can forgive each other after all this time?’ she countered. ‘We’re different people now.’
He eyed her in slow appraisal. ‘You don’t look different, Kate. With your hair down you look no older than the last time we met.’
‘Flatterer!’
‘Not at all.’ He downed the last of his coffee and got up. ‘Time I was off.’
‘Thank you for coming, Jack.’
‘My pleasure.’ He shrugged on his windbreaker, sniffing the air as they went into the hall. ‘Fresh paint?’
‘In here.’ Kate opened the door to the sitting room. ‘Joanna’s choice of colour and my handiwork. What do you think?’
Jack nodded in approval. ‘It looks good. How about furniture?’
‘Aunt Edith left me a houseful, but I auctioned some of it. I bought the rest locally, and asked for a delay in delivery until I finish painting. I sold my London furniture with the flat. It seemed the right time to make a fresh start.’
‘Off with the old and on with the new?’
‘Exactly.’ She smiled coolly. ‘We’re both old hands at that, Jack.’
He shook his head, his eyes narrowed to an unsettling gleam. ‘You’re the one who gets through fiancé, Kate. I’ve only had one.’
‘That doesn’t count—you had a wife.’
He shook his head. ‘Dawn doesn’t count, either. I married her out of obligation, not love. Did you love the men in your life?’
‘Not enough to marry them, obviously.’ She brushed past him to the door and opened it. ‘But I’m glad I know the truth at last. Thank you for making the effort to put me straight, Jack.’
‘No effort involved, Kate,’ he assured her and strolled across the pavement to his car. ‘Thanks for the coffee. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight.’ She waited politely until the car moved off, then went back to the kitchen to scowl at the assortment of party leftovers in the fridge. She put a selection on her plate, cut some bread and slumped down at the table, irritated because Jack had left without asking to
see her again. Yet she’d been utterly convinced, right up to the last minute, that this had been the real purpose of his visit. She had wanted—craved—the glorious satisfaction of turning him down. More fool you, Kate, she thought scornfully, and doggedly munched through her supper without tasting a mouthful of it.
CHAPTER THREE
JACKLOGAN’Srevelations gave Kate such a restless night she lingered longer than usual with the morning paper over breakfast next morning. She wrote a letter to Joanna afterwards, then finally got to work on reports for two of her clients and chased up late payments for another. She smiled in satisfaction as she shut down her computer. The great advantage of her new job was working at her own speed instead of to the hectic timetable of her former life. Like Jack, colleagues had asked what on earth she was going to do with herself. Work for half the day and then do as she liked, had been Kate’s answer. She would take up tennis again, swim,go to a gym regularly instead of once in a blue moon, visit the local cinema and repertory theatre, enjoy Sunday lunch with the Mait lands, look up old friends, and gradually become part of the local scene again.
Anna rang before Kate started painting after lunch. ‘Are you busy?’
‘Why?’
‘I need to see you. Could you possibly down whatever tools you’re using and come over for tea?’
‘Of course.’
When Anna let her in later Kate studied her friend closely.
‘What’s up?’
‘I’ll tell you in a minute. Thanks for coming, love.’
‘Any time.’ Kate followed her friend into the kitchen. ‘It’s the big plus of my new occupation. I can drop everything and run if necessary. Though Jack doesn’t think much of my change of career,’ she added casually.
‘Jack?’ said Anna instantly. ‘You’ve seen him since the party?’
‘He called in last night.’
‘Surprise, surprise!’ Anna nodded sagely as she made tea. ‘Was the visit for old times’ sake—or new ones?’
‘Old. He came to tell me exactly why he married someone else in such a rush. Usual reason—Dawn was pregnant.’
‘By him?’
‘No, as it turned out, but it could have been. Jack was merely top of Dawn’s sperm-donor list.’
Anna’s eyes widened. ‘She conned him!’
Kate explained about the miscarriage too far along into the pregnancy for Jack to be the father.
‘So that explains the instant divorce. And,’ added Anna thoughtfully, ‘the lack of significant others in his life since, maybe.’
‘There must have been some along the way. I can’t see Jack leading the life of a monk!’
‘You mean he’s terrific in bed? Those dark, smouldering types usually are. Not,’ Anna added hastily, ‘that I speak from experience. At least not since I met Ben.’ She shook her head in wonder as she filled teacups. ‘Amazing! All those times I met Jack Logan at the functions Ben drags me to I never knew he was your mystery lover.’
‘You adore going to functions with Ben!’
Anna nodded sheepishly. ‘Of course I do. I love standing round with a drink making small talk—the sign of a trivial mind, I suppose.’
Kate laughed. ‘The man you worked for didn’t agree with that. He married you!’
‘True. Ben said he was attracted to my razor-sharp mind before he noticed the packaging. Liar!’ Anna giggled, then sobered abruptly, her eyes anxious. ‘Are you really all right?’
‘I’m fine.’ Kate reached out a hand to touch Anna’s. ‘Jack just came round to set the record straight.’
‘Did he ask to see you again?’
‘No.’ Kate grinned ruefully. ‘Which really ticked me off. I was so looking forward to turning him down.’
‘You still have feelings for him?’
Kate shrugged. ‘If I do, I don’t know what they are. But when I moved back here I knew I risked running into Jack some time. Though I didn’t expect to in this house,’ she added tartly.
‘Tell me about it!’ Anna made a face. ‘Lucy Beresford thought it was such a coup for me, bringing him here, because normally he only graces the official functions I told you about, and corporate stuff. But Ben says he turns up at the occasional golf club dinner.’
‘To please his father,’ said Kate, nodding.
‘I suppose that was his reason all those years ago when he wouldn’t try for a job in London.’
‘Not a bit of it. Jack was pleasing himself.’
‘Do I detect an acid note?’
Kate’s mouth turned down. ‘I was so sure he loved me enough to come to London with me. Anyway,’ she added briskly, ‘that’s all in the past. Now then, you asked me here for a reason. Spill the beans!’
‘OK,’ said Anna, with an odd little smile. ‘I saw my doctor this morning.’
‘Why? What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing, unless you count morning sickness—I’m officially pregnant!’
‘Anna, how marvellous!’ Kate gave a crow of triumph and hugged her friend affectionately. ‘After all these years! How does Ben feel about it?’
‘Thrilled to bits—so am I!’
‘Me, too.’ Kate patted her friend’s cheek. ‘I’m very happy for you. And so is Ben, by the display of flowers in the hall.’
‘Actually,’ said Anna, fluttering her eyelashes, ‘those are not from my husband.’
‘Don’t tell me they’re from someone else’s!’
‘Certainly not.’ Anna grinned like the Cheshire cat. ‘Mr Jack Logan sent them with his apologies and thanks.’
On the way back into town Kate felt oddly restless and wished she’d given in to Anna’s coaxing to stay to dinner. There was no work to catch up on that couldn’t be dealt with tomorrow.
For the rest of the week Kate’s feeling of anticipation dwindled gradually as each day wore on with no word from Jack. By Thursday her sitting room was finished, along with her hopes of hearing from him again. Get over it, she ordered herself.
The chaise longue arrived next morning with perfect timing, just as Kate finished her daily stint at the computer, and tempted by the sunshine she decided to fit in a quick walk in the park before lunch. When she reached the lake path Kate’s heart leapt as she spotted a tall figure with a black dog in the distance, but as she drew nearer saw that the man’s hair was grey. As if Jack would be taking a stroll on a Friday morning, she told herself scornfully, then smiled in sudden delight as the man straightened from unfastening the dog’s leash.
‘Katherine!’ said Tom Logan, with such obvious pleasure as he caught sight of her she felt her throat thicken.
‘Mr Logan—how lovely to see you,’ she said huskily, and ran into the arms thrown wide to embrace her.
‘Jack told me you were back in town,’ he informed her and held her at arms’ length to look at her. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m very well.’ She smiled at him affectionately. ‘No need to ask how you are. You look marvellous.’
‘Semi-retirement suits me,’ he agreed. He whistled, and the dog raced back to sit obediently to have his leash attached. ‘Good boy.’ Tom Logan patted the gleaming black head. ‘Are you in a hurry, Kate, or will you walk a little way with us?’
‘I’d love to.’ Kate bent to pat the dog. ‘What a handsome lad.’
‘Apple of Jack’s eye.’ Tom shot a look at her as they began walking. ‘And good company for him. Other than Bran and me, Jack’s cleaner is the only one to set foot in that house of his.’
‘I thought someone in his position would need to entertain a lot.’
‘He keeps to restaurants for that. But he’s been in London all this week.’ The keen eyes, so like his son’s, surveyed Kate with interest.
‘Has he?’ she said casually.
‘Didn’t he say? Jack told me he called to see you the other night.’
‘The conversation centred on past history.’ She kept her eyes on the path. ‘He told me about Dawn Taylor.’
‘God, what a disaster that was,’ said Tom
grimly. ‘But try not to blame Jack too much. After you left he was desperately unhappy, Kate. He missed you so much he worked himself into the ground all day and every day, with a couple of drinks in the Rose and Crown on the way home to help him sleep. Dawn was lying in wait for him every time of course, only too willing to console him, so the result was inevitable. I told him he was a fool to accept the child as his but, as you know better than anyone, Kate, my son can be as obstinate as a mule. So he married her.’
She gave him a questioning look. ‘Do you blame me for that, Mr Logan?’
He stared at her, surprised. ‘Good God, no, child. You were young, and it was only natural you wanted to see a bit of the world before you settled down. The two of you could have gone on meeting easily enough now and again.’
‘It’s all water under the bridge now.’ Kate glanced at her watch. ‘I must dash—pressing appointment in town after lunch with some curtains.’ She smiled at him. ‘After your next walk come to my place for coffee. Bring Bran with you. I live in Park Crescent, number thirty-four.’
‘So Jack told me.’ Tom Logan smiled reminiscently. ‘Oddly enough, I know the house well. I did a lot of work for Miss Durant when I first started out on my own. She was one of the old school, a real tartar. But she knew her stuff when it came to maintaining her property. She approved of my work, so we got on well. You inherited a sound house, Kate.’ He smiled and patted her cheek affectionately. ‘It’s so good to see you again, my dear.’
‘Likewise, Mr L.’
‘I think it’s time you called me Tom!’
‘Then I will. See you soon, Tom.’ She hurried off to the park gate and turned to wave as she passed through to make for home.
Jack Logan felt so tired during the drive from London through heavy Friday evening traffic he rang his father from his hands free moible as he turned off the motorway and asked him to keep Bran for another night. But, after hearing about the encounter with Kate, Jack drove straight past the entrance to Mill House and headed into town, cursing himself for a fool as he parked near Kate’s house. The lights were on. But that could mean time switches. The car he’d seen before was parked right outside her house again too, but even if it were hers it meant nothing. She could have taken a taxi into town, or someone—some man—could have picked her up to take her out.