He laughed at his own thoughts. Who said she’d want to marry him, even if he wasn’t a lying con artist who’d happily lied to her and cheated on his wife? It was hopeless and he knew it was hopeless.
He was worried sick about his situation and he was very scared. He had no idea where to go next and he didn’t expect Donna to stand by him. She’d be searching for what she could salvage for herself, that was for certain.
Her image appeared before his eyes as he lie there, like some ghost come to haunt him for his infidelity. He saw that perfectly made up face, that shining red hair with its perfect and expensive hairstyle, those diamond earrings she’d demanded for their last wedding anniversary.
And he could almost hear her last words to him as he left her to come here.
“You’d better sort this out Richard!” She’d shouted at him. “I don’t intend for people to know I’m married to a crook. If this comes out I shan’t be able to show my face anywhere and as for going bankrupt, forget that.”
He hadn’t answered her; he had nothing to say. He felt a little spark of contempt but no surprise that her first thought was for herself and she never doubted for a second that he was guilty. He’d just turned his back and gone, hadn’t given her so much as a peck on the cheek in a goodbye gesture. Come to think of it, it had been a very long time since he’d kissed her at all. Even their sex life was mundane and had become a habit; he’d even had to think about his fantasies to rouse himself and he expected she did the same. It wasn’t right.
But the night he’d spent with Tamsyn was a different thing altogether. There had been no imaginings for her; he’d needed no fantasies to help him respond to her.
When he heard the door open he kept his eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling. He knew who it was, of course; there was only one person it could be and her presence sent a little flutter through his groin, made his heart skip with excitement. But his mind was busy trying to find a way to tell her the truth, trying to imagine how she would greet that truth.
She lifted the quilt and slipped beneath it to lie beside him, her bare flesh pressing against his. He felt her fingers gently stroking his chest, felt her lips on that chest and felt himself rise and begin to harden. Oh, God! He didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to deceive her like this, but he wasn’t sure he had the willpower to refuse her.
Her tongue was on his nipple, her leg wrapped itself around him as she crept up and kissed his mouth. That kiss! He had no idea a woman could kiss like that; that kiss was filled with passion, filled with love and he was helpless to do anything other than return it.
“Tamsyn,” he murmured. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
She put her fingers on his lips.
“Quite sure. I want you; I never wanted a man as much as I want you and I know you feel the same. So what’s to be unsure of?”
She climbed over him, her breast dropped into his mouth and he sucked on it until she threw back her head and cried out. He stroked her whole body; she moved down to kiss his neck, to suck on his nipple, to take his shaft in her hand and squeeze it.
His hands slipped into her hair and he kissed her deeply, that kiss that made both feel that they were falling from a great height, and she straddled his body and lowered herself onto him, pushing herself onto him and gripping him with her muscles until both were spent.
***
The sound of squealing puppies woke Tamsyn and she took a moment before she opened her eyes to remember the events of last night. She felt good, fulfilled as she had never been. Richard knew how to make a woman feel wanted and loved; his lovemaking was all about her, unlike Kevin who was too selfish to think of how she felt, what would make her feel good.
Before this, Kevin had been the only man she’d ever been with and while she knew this was all too fast, she wasn’t afraid. Richard felt the same; she didn’t know how she knew, but she was sure of it.
She opened her eyes and rolled over, ready to lay her head on his chest, and her heart sank to find his side of the bed empty. She sat up, pulled the quilt up over her breasts and looked about. She noticed at once the absence of his clothes; he was already dressed in the old jeans and tea shirt of Kevin’s she’d found for him. She smiled; perhaps he was downstairs making breakfast, or at least a pot of tea. She had her doubts about that; how many people nowadays could make a pot of tea properly using loose tea leaves, especially one who didn’t even know how to make a bed?
That’s when she saw the note, just lying there on his pillow, a folded piece of paper with her name on it. She picked it up nervously and unfolded it to read the one word ‘sorry’.
She sat staring at it for a long time, quite sure if she stared long enough the word would change to something acceptable. Sorry? What did that mean exactly? Was he sorry he’d slept with her? Or was he sorry he had come here in the first place?
The ache in her throat was tremendous, far worse than anything she had ever felt before; it hurt so much she thought she might choke on it, but she couldn’t quite gather the tears needed to relieve that ache.
Instead she summoned as much anger as she could find and crunched the note up in her hands, ripped it to shreds as she wanted to rip Richard to shreds and finally the tears arrived, poured down her face and into the creases of her turned down mouth. She was so certain he felt the same, but she was just kidding herself. He was a trap and she’d walked straight into it.
Bastard! How dare he use her like this? But she was the one who had crept into his room last night, she was the one who had slipped naked into his bed, she was the one who had used him to satisfy a lust she hadn’t felt in years, if she ever had. He owed her nothing and that was precisely what she had got – nothing.
The puppies’ squeals finally penetrated her scattered brain and she climbed out of bed, pulled on her robe and slippers and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She filled and plugged in the kettle, went into the living room to make sure the bitch and her babies were all right, then she pushed her bare feet into her Hunter wellies and went out to tend to Mason.
Were it not for all these helpless creatures who depended on her, she would have stayed in bed all day, perhaps all week, and now she kissed the tip of Mason’s nose and murmured a ‘thank you’ to him for saving her.
She had made a fool of herself but she didn’t really regret it. He had said he had no money, that he needed somewhere to stay until the divorce was finalised. If he had left like this with nothing, could that mean he had a guilty conscience? Or had he come here hoping Tilly had left the farm to her and he might be able to worm his way into her affections, get his paws on some of the money? All he’d managed to get his paws on was her willing body; he must be so disappointed!
She was just sipping her tea when the phone rang. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone and it was still very early, but perhaps it was the vet. He said he’d be back to check on Daisy and the pups and this time he was going to bring his scanner. He wanted to see if she was microchipped, see if the bastards who had dumped her had anything to say for themselves.
Tamsyn hoped she wasn’t chipped; she didn’t want an argument over who she belonged to and after all the work they’d put in, as far as she was concerned, she belonged to her and so did her pups. Besides, she was already in love with them all.
She took her tea with her to answer the phone, then took both to the sofa to curl up and watch the baby dogs and their mother, who was almost smiling.
“Hello?”
The voice was female, posh and completely unrecognised.
“Hi,” she said. “Is my husband there by any chance? I’ve been trying his mobile and it seems to be switched off. I suppose he’s had a meeting with his lawyer or the police and forgotten to switch it back on.”
Police? Lawyer?
Tamsyn sat up, all set to tell the caller she had the wrong number, but some sixth sense made her question her.
“Who is that?” She asked.
“Sorry. Silly me. It’s Donna h
ere, Richard’s wife. He said he was going to see you, if you’re his cousin. Said he was going to see if you could help him.”
Why did the words ‘Richard’s wife’ hurt so much?
“I’m sorry,” she said slowly. “He’s not here any more. He left this morning.”
“Oh. You didn’t want to help him, then? I can’t say as I blame you; after all he got himself into this mess. If he has to spend a couple of years inside he won’t find me waiting when he gets out.”
Tamsyn’s blood ran cold.
“Inside? You mean Prison?”
“Yes, I mean prison. Don’t tell me he couldn’t find the nerve to tell you. I bet he didn’t even ask you for the money, did he?”
Money?
“I don’t have any money,” Tamsyn told her, silently cursing the tears which clouded her vision.
There was silence for a long moment, then Donna spoke again, her voice harsh and angry.
“Well, that’s it then. I’ve finished with him.”
Finished with him?
Now she felt so stupid she wanted to hurl the telephone receiver at the nearest window or mirror, anything that would cause a loud, crash.
“Are you saying you are not about to be divorced?”
“Divorce? Of course not!” Donna paused and Tamsyn could hear music playing in the background. “Is that what he told you? Well, I can think of only one reason he’d do that, can’t you? Was he any good? Was it worth it?”
Tears spilled over.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on. If he told you we were separated it can only have been to get you into bed, can’t it? He can be very persuasive when he wants to be. Well, you’re welcome to him. He’s not worth divorcing now, is he? But I don’t want to be married to a convict either.”
Then the continual buzz of the empty phone line. Tamsyn sank down onto the floor and sobbed.
CHAPTER SIX
Richard had to leave. He woke that morning to smell her fragrant shampoo against his face and he knew he had no right to this woman, no right at all. All he had done since he arrived here was lie to her and now it was too late.
He had to go back to London, had to face up to the trial and do his best to prove his innocence or spend a couple of years in prison. Whatever the outcome, he could never be with Tamsyn and that seemed to him a worse penalty than the one which might actually await him.
He slid quietly out of bed and pulled on the old clothes she gave him to wear. He went to the downstairs shower room to wash and shave; he didn’t want to wake her. He intended to be gone by the time she woke, for her own good, but also because he couldn’t bear to see the contempt in her eyes when he told her the truth. He didn’t want to get her mixed up in the mess he was in; far better she should think him more of a scumbag than her ex husband.
She would think he screwed her just to get her money; she would think he ran away as soon as he discovered she had no money. For some strange reason those thoughts stabbed at him, actually made his heart ache; she would never believe they were not true, no matter what happened.
It was Donna’s idea to come here. He hadn’t realised that until now, that she’d put the idea into his head when she saw the announcement in the paper about Tilly’s death.
“Wasn’t she a relative of yours?” She asked, waving the paper in front of him.
He glanced over the article and nodded as he recalled the old lady and her obsession with animals.
“She was. She was my grandfather’s sister.”
Donna waited for a few minutes, her arms folded, waiting for him to realise the possibilities for himself.
“Well, don’t you see?” She demanded. “She must be worth a fortune and who did she have to leave it to?”
“My cousin I expect. Tamsyn, her name is; she’s the granddaughter of Tilly’s sister.”
“Why should she leave it to her?”
“Because she’s lived with her for the past couple of years, ever since her divorce. At least that’s what I heard.”
Donna sighed impatiently.
“Well, she was the clever one wasn’t she?”
He gave her a puzzled frown.
“Sorry?”
“Don’t be so slow,” Donna answered angrily. “She got herself settled, knowing full well your great aunt had no one else to leave her money to. Why should she have it all? You’ve as much right to it as she has.”
Looking back, Richard thought that was the moment when he finished with Donna. Right then, with those words, he saw through her at last.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Donna,” he said. “What difference does it make? I’ve been charged with insider trading; do you know what that means? If I’m found guilty, I’ll be going to prison and all you can think about is whether my cousin has more than her fair share of Tilly’s money.”
“You’re a fool!” She bent over him where he sat at the table and peered into his eyes, her face a mask of contempt. “If you offer to pay back the money, they’ll probably drop the charges. They won’t want the publicity; it’ll be bad for their reputation.”
“But I didn’t do it! I’m not guilty! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“I would rather part with the money than have the scandal of a trial.”
“Of course you would and then what? I won’t be allowed to work in the field any more; my name’ll be mud in the city. Paying them off is as good as a confession.”
Donna made no reply, but he could almost see her scheming thoughts as she stared at him.
“If the late Matilda Scott was worth as much as I think she was, you won’t have to work again. We will have millions.”
“But she hasn’t left it to me, has she?”
“I don’t know, but it’s up to you to get yourself down to Devon and persuade this cousin of yours that she owes you, that getting in first and nursing the old girl is not going to get her anywhere. You can contest the Will, give the firm something to persuade them to adjourn the case.”
Why had he listened? Because he was feeling lower than he had ever felt in his entire life and because he needed to get away from Donna, as far away as possible.
During the train journey, he had thought about her scheme and could see its merits. As long as Tamsyn didn’t suspect his real motives for being there, as long as she didn’t find out he was out on bail and desperate, it might just work. He might not have to contest the Will; she might be persuaded in all fairness to share.
But that was all before he had met her, all before he had known the wonder of her body, all before he had fallen in love with her sweet smile, her joyous laughter, her compassion and her beauty.+
***
The puppies were four weeks old, old enough for Tamsyn to see they were cross breeds, just as the vet had suspected. Daisy’s owner had never been found, thank God; not that she had tried very hard to find him or her. She wondered if perhaps they didn’t know about the craze for designer dogs, didn’t know how much money the puppies could be worth, but she was glad of that. It was time to think about finding them new homes, but she couldn’t bear to part with them. It wasn’t as though she was short of space and she’d spoken to the trustees, got them to agree that all the dogs could stay. She would have kept them herself if they had refused, but she needed to think about possible vet bills, insurance and other unexpected expenses.
She’d named them after the four Marx Brothers, Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo. She couldn’t have explained why, just that those names seemed to suit them. The brothers had always made her laugh and these little creatures also made her laugh, with their attempts to run, their sharp little teeth hanging onto her jeans, the endearing way they licked her face.
The trustees’ agreement at least made her feel a little better. The help they paid for around the place didn’t cost much; they were mostly horse mad youngsters or work experience people, and Tilly left millions. Tamsyn knew her aunt would have welcomed these dogs the same way she d
id.
Now all she needed was to be able to look at the dogs without remembering the night they were born, the love in Richard’s eyes and the care with which he helped bring them into the world. She still couldn’t believe the obvious; she had been used. It may have been her who had used him, but she’d wanted him, even fallen for him, while all he was interested in was the possibility of getting his greasy paws on Tilly’s money.
And he was a criminal. After the phone call from his wife, Tamsyn had looked him up on the internet and found he’d been charged with insider trading. He’d been out on bail when he came here, awaiting trial. She hoped they locked him up for a very long time.
Even as she thought it, her eyes filled with tears at the image of him in some horrid prison, probably being abused by hardened criminals. He was too good looking to escape their attention. He, who would sit up all night with a dog in labour and tenderly clean the new-born puppies and put them to their mother’s teats. He would never survive.
Mason’s leg was fully healed now and he was able to go out into the main paddock with some of the other horses. Daisy was finding her way about, exploring all the outbuildings and learning that the horse paddock was not a safe place for a dog. Her puppies were wobbling about, following her wherever she went if Tamsyn wasn’t careful. She didn’t want them catching anything before they had been vaccinated.
Everything was gradually getting back to some sort of normality and she had just finished mucking out Mason’s stable – she liked him to be inside at night, even in the summer – when she looked up from the wheelbarrow to see a big, blue Jaguar pull up in front of the house. She recognised the driver at once; Kevin! What the hell did he want?
She pretended she hadn’t seen him, just carried on emptying the wheelbarrow onto the muck heap. Then she turned to see him striding towards her, a mocking grin on his face. He hadn’t changed much; he was a little heavier, so perhaps the slag could cook after all, but she couldn’t help noticing his clothes weren’t top of the range as per usual. He wore jeans and a tea shirt, just a plain one with no fancy designer name attached.
Fallen Stars: Lies: Book One of Fallen Stars Romance Series Page 4