His eyes were bleak and empty, and he went on in that terrible, stranger’s voice, “The thought of you dying was crucifying me, Lizzie, but I would never have left you to it. You should have known that. I would have stayed until the end; you were all that was precious to me. I wanted to treasure every moment left to us. I loved you that much. Which is why, when you wanted to go, I let you go. Until now.”
“Until now,” she whispered.
Jason, behind him, had straightened, and lifting the chair was coming up behind him. Lizzie with a screech flung herself at Jason, tearing at his face with her nails. He swore, struggling to throw her off, and then Zek pushed her aside and with a well-aimed blow sent him crashing to the ground.
There was a silence while Zek stood over the prone body, panting slightly, eager to continue if Jason had the strength to get up. When he didn’t, he turned again to Lizzie, perhaps preparing himself for an onslaught from her.
But Lizzie, glaring down at Jason’s face, said, “Good! He was hateful. I thought he was my friend, but he was a hateful liar. He was eaten up with hatred for you, Zek. I can see that now. He only gave me work so that he could hold it over you, and...” But it hadn’t come to the final victory, and she could only thank God.
Zek was gazing at her with suspicious, puzzled eyes.
“Lizzie?”
A maid clattered to the top of the staircase, her hands wringing, her eyes bulging at the scene below. “Oh, Mrs. Banister! The baby. All the noise has frightened him and... can you come. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Oh no.”
Lizzie rushed up the stairs, hardly pausing to catch breath before heading into the bedroom. Little Zek was bawling his healthy lungs out. She lifted him up carefully, cradling him against her, and it was only when, crooning, she turned, and she realized Zek had followed her up. He looked like a man struck to stone, and she flushed under his incredulous, wondering gaze.
“And don’t dare say he’s anyone else’s,” she snapped, “because only your son would be such a... such a noisy, disruptive, bullying...”
“My God woman, you’ve got a lot to answer to!” he shouted, and when the child wailed at the unfamiliar sound, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know myself, until Jane told me. I overheard you talking to Edna Tucker and I thought I was dying. Jane laughed her head off.”
His eyes were black and angry.
Little Zek sobbed, but softly now, and Lizzie cuddled him to her, her own voice softening. “Oh Zek, I thought you loved Angelica. I thought I was a burden to you, when you wanted so to be with her. I kept remembering Thomas Bailey, and how he was... you know, clutching on to Angelica’s skirts when she plainly wanted him dead and gone. I couldn’t have borne that, Zek.”
“You thought what!” he ground out. “After what I’d told you about it being over between her and me?”
“She was so beautiful, and clever, and... what man could resist her? And you seemed so unhappy... so troubled. I thought I was doing that to you. And then, when I saw you kissing her the night of the party... Zek, it was the bitter end for me!”
He spun away, to the window, and stood there against the light, hands resting on the sill, knuckles clenched white as though he struggled with some great pressure within himself. Whatever it was he overcame it, for when Lizzie turned back from placing the now docile baby into its cot, he was watching her.
“I was Angelica’s lover once,” he said at last. “But I haven’t been for a long time. She was too greedy and too selfish, Lizzie. After I met you, Angelica was not even in the running.”
It had been a dream until then. But now, looking into his face, the black eyes gleaming, she believed it. Handsome, cynical Zek Gray loved her. Loved Lizzie Banister; uncompromising, plain Lizzie Banister, who was so afraid of scandal she had lost her head and let him back into her life...
Or rather, he had loved her. Once. Her heart plummeted. His love had worn out; he was weary of her. It was all her own fault, too, so there was no use crying. But the tears had already started down her cheeks.
“Zek,” she whispered, and took a shaky step forward, “I’m so sorry. I never knew. Oh Zek, I do love you so. Do you think you could forgive me?”
He caught her, pulling her against him and holding her so fast she could feel every muscle of his big body. “Forgive you?” he muttered. “When I was ready to tear Sydney Town apart to find you? I’ll never forgive you.”
Crying and laughing, she said, “Oh Zek, I’ve been so miserable. Every time I looked at little Zek I could only think of you.”
“Lizzie, Lizzie,” he breathed, kissing her face, as though he meant to mark every square inch of it before he found her lips. He pushed back her cloud of dark hair, his hand shaking. His eyes gleamed down at her. “And you even intended to keep the knowledge of my son from me? Surely that was carrying self-sacrifice too far, my love?”
“I was afraid your honor would bring you back to me, even though your heart was Angelica’s.”
“I was a fool ever to let you go; as big a fool as you were staying away from me, Lizzie. We have a lot to make up for, haven’t we, Lizzie-mine?”
“Yes, Zek.”
“Tell me you love me.”
She met his black eyes, leaning back trustingly in his strong arms. He was altogether too sure of himself, was her handsome, wonderful husband. And it seemed a shame to spoil him further, by leaning closer and telling him in a whisper just how much she loved him.
***
To learn more about the novels of Sara Bennett, please visit Sara Bennett.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lizzie, My Love Page 19