by Anne Mather
Joanna shifted awkwardly. ‘If they were lies,’ she murmured unhappily, not wanting to start an argument. The baby was restless and talking about her father again was setting her nerves on edge.
But Oliver had evidently decided to speak his mind.
‘Matt did everything he could to save Carlyle’s reputation,’ he said tersely. ‘But the markings on the steel they’d used to build the platform spoke for themselves.’
Joanna bent her head. ‘I suppose you would say that. Matt’s your son.’
‘Matt is an honest man, which is more than I can say for Angus Carlyle.’ Joanna noticed Oliver was breathing quickly now, and she tried to change the subject by offering him more tea.
But Oliver wasn’t finished. ‘You didn’t know about his gambling, did you, Jo?’ He was evidently finding it difficult to speak now. ‘My God, that man had a lot to answer for.’
* * *
Matt wasn’t in the best of moods.
His mother and father had arrived a couple of days ago. And, although he’d been delighted to see that his father had made considerable progress with his mobility, his mother’s attitude was beginning to get on his nerves.
She lost no opportunity to deplore Matt’s decision to bring his ex-wife to the island, which was another reason for his sour disposition. Thankfully, his father didn’t share her opinion, and this morning he’d had Henry take him to the cottage to see Joanna herself.
Matt had to wonder what his father would say to her.
When Oliver had heard that Joanna’s father was blaming NovCo for the accident in the Alaskan oil field, he’d been furious. They all knew—including Angus—that the equipment they’d been using had been built in the Carlyle yard. But by the time Matt had got back from New York, Joanna had heard her father’s version of the story. His claim, that NovCo was using his name to protect their own interests, had apparently seemed believable to her.
It had all been lies, of course. Matt had been stunned by Angus’s betrayal. He’d spent those last weeks in New York trying to protect the old man’s reputation. Angus had been dying, and the last thing Matt had wanted on his obituary was the revelation that he’d been cheating his own company.
Of course, Joanna hadn’t believed him. Angus had never lied, she’d said, and she had no reason to think he was lying now. But the bitterest thing of all was when Angus had told Joanna that Matt had been keeping secrets from her, daring Matt to reveal Angus’s addiction to his wife.
And, of course, he hadn’t. What could he have said? Matt wondered now. Angus had wagered that Matt wouldn’t chance deepening the rift between them by revealing her father’s weaknesses, and when Joanna had demanded to know what her father was talking about, he’d had to deny any knowledge of it.
Angus had been a gambler to the last.
Matt scowled. It was all right to think that Joanna should have had more faith in him, but it was easy to be wise after the event. He feared he was wasting his time, hoping she would stay with him, despite what she’d said. If she hadn’t believed him before, why should she believe him now?
He was in his office at present, trying desperately to complete an article, and when his mother burst into the room, he didn’t know how he kept his temper.
‘What?’ he asked flatly. ‘Ma, if this is—’
‘You’d better come,’ she interrupted him. ‘Powell says that your father’s not feeling well. I believe he’s had an argument with Joanna and he’s resting in one of the bedrooms at the cottage.’
Adrienne sniffed. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ she said coldly, as Matt pushed past her onto the veranda. ‘That woman has been nothing but trouble ever since you met her.’
In the event, Matt found his father sleeping, and, judging from his appearance, he had probably just over-tired himself. Joanna was hovering over him, looking anxious, but Oliver looked well enough.
‘It was my fault,’ she said unhappily. ‘He was talking about my father.’ She licked her lips and looked up at her ex-husband. ‘He—he told me Daddy was a gambler. Is that true?’
‘Of course, it’s true,’ said Adrienne disparagingly, who had come into the room behind her son, but Matt hustled her and Joanna out of the bedroom so that they didn’t disturb his father.
‘Not now,’ he said, dark eyes boring warningly into his mother’s. He might regret this chance to redeem himself, but right now he was more concerned about Joanna. ‘I’ve sent for Dr Rodrigues. He should be here soon.’
The doctor arrived soon after, by which point Matt had ensured that Joanna had had a drink and was comfortably installed in a chair on the veranda. He’d sent his mother back to the villa with Henry and couldn’t help a sigh of relief when she’d gone.
He spoke to Dr Rodrigues privately, before the other man could get out of his car. Matt was actually more concerned about Joanna. He’d noticed how agitated she’d become.
The doctor looked in on Oliver first and, according to him, Matt’s father was probably only exhausted, as Matt had thought. When Joanna had had her blood pressure taken, however, the medic looked anxious. He was of the opinion that she should rest completely for the next twenty-four hours.
Joanna stared at him. ‘What do you mean? Rest completely? Are you saying I should stay in bed?’
‘That would be best,’ said Rodrigues, looking a little rueful. ‘You were so well when I saw you a few weeks ago. What have you been doing to raise your blood pressure? This isn’t the time to be indulging in marathons, you know?’
‘I haven’t.’ Joanna glanced guiltily at Matt. ‘I walk every day, but that’s all.’
Matt’s lips tightened. ‘Is she ill?’
‘No.’ The doctor shook his head. ‘But her blood pressure is higher than it ought to be at this stage of her pregnancy. We don’t want to have to consider a condition called pre-eclampsia.’
Matt shook his head, his stomach muscles tightening apprehensively. ‘I gather from your expression that it isn’t a good condition.’
‘No, it can be serious, but I’m not suggesting Mrs Novak is in danger. But she needs to rest and avoid any undue stimulation.’
Matt swallowed a little convulsively. ‘But she will be okay?’
‘She and the baby,’ agreed Dr Rodrigues reassuringly. ‘My wife is a midwife, as you possibly know. I’d like her to examine Mrs Novak, and perhaps she could stay here at Long Point for the next couple of days?’
‘With pleasure,’ said Matt eagerly. ‘I suggest moving Joanna to the villa. We have more room there and I can keep an eye on her myself.’
Joanna caught her lower lip between her teeth. ‘Is that necessary?’ The last thing she wanted was to have to spend time with Adrienne.
‘I think it is necessary,’ declared Rodrigues. ‘Don’t worry, Mrs Novak. I have the suspicion that this baby won’t be long in being born.’
‘But I still have three weeks to go!’ she protested.
‘Dates can be wrong,’ said Rodrigues solemnly. ‘So, if that’s all right with you, Mr Novak?’
‘Of course.’ Matt nodded, and, ignoring Joanna’s silent protest, he took her hand. ‘Relax, Jo. You can leave it with me.’
* * *
Joanna was installed in the bedroom she’d occupied on her first night at Long Point, after she’d been frightened by the hutia in the cottage. Matt knew she hadn’t wanted to come here, particularly as his mother was still in residence, and, after her conversation with Oliver Novak, she would rather have avoided him, too.
The trouble was, she couldn’t forget the things he’d told her. Somehow, hearing Matt’s father tell her that Angus Carlyle had been a gambler rang true. Oliver had no axe to grind; particularly not now. The court case was over and the compensation had been paid long ago.
All right, perhaps he was just defending his son. But, afte
r reading that email on her father’s laptop, Joanna couldn’t help thinking that it all made sense.
Her father had never mentioned his previous relationship with Adrienne either. If she hadn’t found that letter, she would never have suspected they’d had an affair. But it was a relief to know that Oliver knew about it. That was one secret she didn’t have to keep.
Looking back now, she guessed that when she’d turned up in Miami, Matt must have thought she’d come to realise there were two sides to every argument. Instead of which, she’d still believed what her father had told her, instead of taking the word of the man she loved.
The man she loved!
Joanna caught her breath. Was that true? Had she ever stopped loving Matt? If only he would give her another chance, she thought despairingly. Dared she tell him she wished she’d never got the divorce?
Matt came to see her after supper. To her relief, no one else appeared. Except Elsa Rodrigues, the doctor’s wife who was a midwife, and who had examined her thoroughly before pronouncing that she agreed with her husband: Joanna might have the baby a little earlier than she’d expected.
For his part, Matt thought he’d never seen Joanna look lovelier, the bloom of her pregnancy adding a becoming softness to her face. During the last week, every time he’d visited the cottage, he’d fought the desire to ask her what she really wanted from him. What he wanted from her was getting easier to explain.
He knew his mother would think he was crazy if he admitted he wanted Joanna back. But could he really believe that the rapport they’d found in recent weeks was just because of the baby?
Seating himself on the side of the bed, he regarded her closely. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked. ‘I noticed you didn’t eat much for your supper.’
‘I wasn’t hungry,’ Joanna admitted, allowing him to take her hand. ‘I’m sorry if I’ve created a problem. I had no idea the doctor would send me to bed.’
‘It’s no problem,’ said Matt gently. ‘And my father and mother are going home tomorrow anyway. I’m just sorry if my father said anything to upset you. I should have suspected he had an ulterior motive when he asked Henry to take him to see you.’
‘Well, I’m glad he came,’ said Joanna staunchly. ‘I had no idea—’
She broke off abruptly, pressing a hand to her stomach. A pain had just knifed through her abdomen, and although she’d had some backache since Matt had ferried her to the cottage in the SUV, this was something else.
‘What’s wrong?’
Matt was immediately aware of her discomfort. His eyes had darkened in alarm, and she was desperate to reassure him.
This was definitely not the time to give him a master class in Braxton Hicks.
‘It was nothing,’ she denied, arching her back a little to relieve the constriction. ‘I’m always having little aches and pains. It’s just that you’re not usually around when they occur.’
‘I’d like to be,’ muttered Matt, his voice raw with emotion. ‘I know you might not agree, but I wish you’d stay here until the baby is born.’
‘I’d like that—’ Joanna was beginning, when another pain attacked her abdomen. She struggled to breathe the way she’d been told, and then whispered faintly, ‘I think that might be sooner than we think.’
Matt didn’t hesitate. Opening the bedroom door, he yelled for Rowena to fetch Mrs Rodrigues from her room, and then pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket. ‘I hope to hell Jacob isn’t taking the evening off. If he is, I’ll fly the bloody helicopter myself.’
‘I don’t think we have time to summon the helicopter,’ declared Elsa Rodrigues, coming into the room before he could make the call. ‘I have a feeling this baby is likely to arrive within the next couple of hours. If you have no objections, Matt, I think we should make preparations for the birth right here.’
Matt looked down at Joanna. ‘Jo,’ he said thickly, feeling guilty. ‘I never meant for this to happen.’
‘Nor me,’ murmured Joanna faintly, and then broke off when another spasm gripped her. She looked up at him through tear-filled eyes. ‘But stay with me, Matt? Please. Stay with me and hold my hand?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MATT WAS SITTING on the veranda when Dr Rodrigues came to find him. He’d been trying to doze, but the events of the past ten hours had left him too full of adrenalin to rest. Now, sunlight was sparkling on the leaves of the palm trees and gilding the edge of the water with a pale translucent light.
‘Joanna is awake,’ the doctor said softly. His wife had sent for him as soon as she was confident that the baby’s head had been engaged. Then with more assurance, he added, ‘Your mother is with her.’
‘My mother!’
Matt groaned, getting to his feet at once. What the hell was Adrienne doing there? He guessed she would be the last person Joanna wanted to see. His ex-wife had been exhausted when he’d left her four hours ago, and Matt had been grateful that Elsa had taken the baby away so that Joanna could sleep.
For his part, Matt was still digesting the news that he was a father. The baby’s birth had happened so quickly. He’d always thought that first babies could take days and not hours to arrive, but he’d been wrong.
Joanna had been lucky. Her labour had been fairly arduous without any pain relief, but when they’d both gazed in wonder at the tiny baby boy who had come so precipitately into the world, everything else was forgotten.
Despite weighing more than eight pounds, he’d seemed so absurdly fragile. And for a few minutes, sitting beside Joanna on the bed, Matt had felt they were a real family at last.
Then Elsa had insisted on ushering him out of the room to allow Joanna to rest. He’d promised to return as soon as she was awake, but now it seemed his mother had beaten him to it. He couldn’t help the suspicion that her visit was not a friendly one.
Walking across the marble-tiled foyer, Matt was shocked to hear raised voices coming from the bedroom where Joanna was resting. The loudest was his mother’s, if he didn’t miss his guess. Joanna’s contribution much less aggressive. What the hell was going on?
Reaching the door, Matt was about to burst into the room, when he was halted by Adrienne’s next words.
‘It’s not your call,’ Adrienne was saying angrily. ‘Nothing you do is going to change Matt’s mind.’
Joanna’s response was spoken in a much quieter tone. ‘I just think this is Matt’s and my decision, not yours.’
‘We’ll see about that—’ Adrienne was beginning threateningly, but Matt had heard enough.
Thrusting open the door, he halted on the threshold, the scene that met his eyes filling him with a mixture of pleasure and dread. There was no sign of Elsa, but she had evidently brought the baby because Joanna was holding him close to her chest. Adrienne, meanwhile, was leaning over her, as if she was about to snatch the baby out of her arms.
‘In God’s name, what’s going on here?’ Matt demanded, glaring at his mother. The atmosphere in the room was decidedly hostile and he couldn’t understand why. ‘Don’t you think Joanna’s had enough to cope with in the last twelve hours without you causing a scene?’
Adrienne immediately stepped back from the bed. With a forced smile, she said, ‘Oh, Matt, I didn’t see you there.’ She paused to lick her lips. ‘And you couldn’t be more wrong. I don’t want to cause a scene.’ She gave the girl a tight-lipped glance. ‘Joanna simply won’t listen to reason.’
Joanna said nothing. She knew better than to try and argue with Matt’s mother in this mood. Instead, she looked down at her baby son and wondered why she’d ever thought that Adrienne had come here to heal their differences.
Matt turned to Joanna, and when she still didn’t try to defend herself, he looked again at his mother. ‘I don’t know what this is all about,’ he said, ‘but now is not the time to be upsetting anyone.’
Matt scowled. ‘And this affects you how, exactly?’
‘Well, I am the child’s grandmother,’ declared his mother shortly. ‘If you allow Joanna to take your son back to England, you may never see him again.’
Matt sucked in a frustrated breath. ‘The child’s less than five hours old, Ma. We’ve got plenty of time to think about his future.’
Adrienne’s lips tightened. ‘Now you’re being ridiculously naïve, Matt. I’m not suggesting you ask for custody of the infant straight away. All I’m saying is—’
‘Dammit, you were casting doubts on the child’s parentage a couple days ago,’ Matt reminded her harshly. ‘I suggest you go back to Dad, Mother. I’ll let you know what’s happening when Joanna and I have had time to talk.’
Joanna sighed, shifting the baby to a more comfortable position. Although she’d had a short nap, she was still absurdly tired. And weepy, too. Hearing Matt and his mother talk about her son as if she weren’t even present made her feel invisible.
But one thing was certain: No one was going to take him away from her.
‘Anyway, we’ll talk later,’ Matt was saying now, and Joanna saw the way Adrienne cast an angry look in her direction.
Does she think I might tell Matt about her affair with my father? Joanna wondered incredulously. Just because Oliver was aware of her affair, didn’t mean he’d told her.
Joanna almost felt sorry for her. For all her bluster, Adrienne was as vulnerable as anybody else. But she seemed determined that Matt should have custody of the baby, and Joanna knew the Novaks had the money to employ lawyers to override any argument she might make.
Now Adrienne headed with evident reluctance for the door. ‘You’ll let me know what you decide, won’t you, darling?’ she said, with another hostile look in Joanna’s direction. ‘Your father and I just want to do what’s best for you, you know?’