Caroline was upset. Hadn’t he read somewhere how easily pregnant women got upset, hormonal changes or some such rubbish? He’d leave it for a day or two before coming to see her again. He would buy her a house, something with a garden. Yes, she’d like that. He’d make her a generous allowance, and one for the child, also, he mused as he drove along.
The thought popped into his head that he’d like it to be a boy. He cursed under his breath. What in the name of hell was he thinking of? Why should he care? He wouldn’t be having anything to do with either of them. Everything would be arranged through his lawyer. It was the only sensible course of action. He couldn’t explain the vague feeling of disquiet he felt at this thought. His nerves were shot to pieces. It had been one hell of a shock.
He drew savagely on his cigarette, wondering whether he should call in and see his father, who had taken another slight heart turn the other day. This would have to be the most traumatic day of his life. Maybe he should stop and see the old boy. He was fond of his father. His mother he wasn’t so sure of, though.
He should have some affection for her; she was his mother, after all. Not that he could remember her ever being maternal. A nanny brought him up until he went to school, and servants minded him once he started school.
He could remember not seeing his mother for two or three days on end sometimes, if she got caught up with her committees or social gatherings. His father had been busy expanding the business. The old man always made the effort to spend part of each day with him, even if it was only a quick bedtime story when he was working to a deadline.
He recalled one particular birthday when he turned seven. His mother bought him a new bicycle. She hadn’t even bothered to find out if he could ride it or not. The old man taught him how to ride, watched and applauded as he gained expertise. He couldn’t remember his mother ever even seeing him on it.
He slowed down at the gates, and they opened automatically for him. As usual, he admired his parents’ house. Ridiculous having such a large place for just the two of them. Of course, it would be his in due course, but for a bachelor pad it was laughable.
Pulling up outside the house, he made his way to the verandah and banged the brass knocker rather than use his own keys. The housekeeper opened the door, all smiles.
“Good evening, Mr. Harrington.”
“Good evening. Nice to see you again, Mrs. Ferguson. How’s my father?” He followed her inside.
“He’s not too bad. He’s taking coffee in the drawing room.”
“Good.” He strode into the drawing room, where his father reclined in his favorite Louis XV armchair.
“How are you?” He smiled at his father, untypically dressed in pajamas and matching brown dressing gown. “Where’s mother?” He glanced around.
“She’s on the phone, but she’ll be back in a minute.”
“You’re looking pale. Why don’t you and mother take a holiday? Get away from it all. Brampton Island would be nice, if you don’t feel up to traveling overseas.”
“Oh, Bryce, darling.” His mother swept in. “I hope you haven’t been upsetting your father with business problems. No stress, complete rest, that’s what the doctor ordered. Of course, he’s worried about you.”
“Me! Why?”
“Your father is anxious about what’s going to happen to the company, this house, everything. If only you’d be reasonable and get married, produce the grandchild he’s been longing for, I’m sure everything would be all right.”
“For God’s sake, don’t start harping on that again, I couldn’t stand it. That’s not worrying you, is it, Dad? I’ve told you before I’ll marry eventually and present you with an heir.”
God, it struck him like a bolt of lightning. He wasn’t married, but the heir was already on its way. Why hadn’t he thought of that before? Shock must have caused a mental block.
“It would ease my mind. I don’t like to push you,” his father’s voice trailed off wistfully.
“Yes, darling, you must do something. Ashley is such an adorable girl, or even Amanda is suitable. Her parents hoped for a match. Very embarrassing for me when I found out you’d broken off with her.”
Bryce ground his teeth. They would be worn down to the gums if he went through much more today. “She’s a selfish, demanding bimbo,” he said savagely, “and Ashley’s an empty-headed one.”
He clamped his teeth together as he watched his father’s face pale. Scenes were no good for him. “I don’t wish to discuss it, do you understand? I’ll choose my own wife when I’m ready and the time is right.” What an idiotic thing to say. He wasn’t ready, but the time was more than right.
Caroline claimed to love him once, maybe she still did. He’d ask her to marry him. All his problems would be solved at once. He laughed, and his mother jumped on him straight away.
“What’s so funny? You’ve a weird sense of humor. Your father is worrying himself into an early grave because you’re too selfish to give him the one thing he craves.” Her voice rose until it became shrill.
“All right, I’ll get married. I’ll produce an heir. Will that satisfy you?”
“Yes, yes.” His mother sounded ecstatic. “Amanda or Ashley?”
“Neither.”
“Who?”
“I know who I’m going to ask. I just have to get her to accept, that’s all.”
“Who is it?” his mother demanded. “Why wouldn’t she accept you? You’ve been nominated for Bachelor of the Year several times. You’re an excellent catch. How dare any woman think she’s too superior to marry a Harrington?”
“You’ll stop worrying, Dad, if I get married and produce an heir, right?”
“Yes, it would be a load off my mind.”
“I’ll be married and give you a grandchild before the end of the year. Satisfied?”
“Don’t be so flippant. This is a serious matter,” his mother put in.
“Don’t you think I know that? Damn it all, I’ve agreed to do what you want, so let the matter drop. Have you got a whiskey?” he asked his father. “I need it. You should have a small one, too. I’ve got something I want to tell you. We’d better discuss it in the study.”
“Now, look here. Your father isn’t to be upset. I don’t want you burdening him with business problems.”
“I know what I’m doing. Please don’t interfere.”
His father awkwardly levered himself out of the chair. Should he offer to give him a hand? The old boy was fiercely independent and wouldn’t thank him for treating him like an invalid.
“You all right, Dad?”
“Yes, I’ve just got to take it easy.”
They made their way to the study. Bryce saw his father into his favorite armchair before going to the drinks cupboard and pouring out their whiskey. He handed his father a glass. “Are you allowed to drink?”
“No, but a small one won’t hurt.”
“Look.” Bryce cleared his throat. “I don’t know whether I should be telling you this or not. Part of it will come as a shock, and some of it will be one of your dreams come true.” He grinned ruefully. “You remember Caroline Dennison?”
“The girl who was your secretary? Up and left you in the lurch, didn’t she? Jolly shame, I liked her.”
“Remember when you said the surname rang a bell, but you couldn’t think from where?”
“Yes, yes.”
His father was intrigued now. “How about from school?” Did you go to school with a Dennison?”
“Dennison! Yes.” He slapped the arm of his chair. “Drew Dennison joined the army. We all did. Second World War, you know, but he got killed a couple of days before the armistice. Tragic because his older brother Eddie was shot down over Germany in 1941.”
“Well, Caroline’s got a brother Andy, short for Andrew, I presume.” Bryce’s lips curled in remembrance. “Hot-headed young fool.”
“Drew’s name was Andrew.”
“Well, this Andy has recently graduated from the army officers’ s
chool. He went to Melbourne Grammar, years behind me, though. Caroline attended the girl’s college.”
“Ah, so that’s it. I thought there seemed something familiar about her. She’s got her father’s eyes. I remember those big blue eyes now. He could get away with murder. Stared at the teachers all innocent like and got off, while the rest of us copped a caning.”
“This is the part I don’t know whether I should be telling you. I’m going to ask Caroline to marry me.”
“What’s wrong with that?” His father sounded amazed he should even ask.
“You don’t mind? Mother will be furious she doesn’t belong to the right social set.”
“Rubbish, you’re marrying the girl, not your mother. So, you’ve fallen in love at last, son.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t? But you said you’re going to marry her.”
“I am. That is, I’m going to ask her. Whether she accepts or not is a different matter. When she resigned from work she gave me some flimsy excuse about wanting a change, or some such rubbish. I spoke to her last night.”
“You missed her and realized you wanted to marry her.” His father beamed.
Bryce lit a cigarette. “Not exactly. Today, right in the middle of our department heads’ conference, the door flies open and an enraged young army captain confronts me. He called me a bastard. I’ve never seen anything like it. I half expected him to challenge me to a duel, pistols at fifty paces.”
“Why? Did he go berserk? Some army lads suffer mental problems. They can’t take the discipline. Of course, if he’s been to Vietnam, he might be suffering battle fatigue.”
“It’s nothing like that. He was spitting fury because he said I dishonored his sister.”
“You what?” Alexander went to stand up.
“Don’t get up. He told me, well, he said I got her pregnant.”
“You what? Did you deny it? Threaten to sue?” Alexander thumped his fist on the arm of his chair.
“How could I sue him? It was the truth. I did get her pregnant.”
“You shouldn’t joke about things like that. It isn’t decent.”
“I’m telling you.” Bryce thrust his fingers through his hair. “I got Caroline pregnant. Remember the night of the staff Christmas party, when I took her home? Well, we went to my apartment and she stayed the night.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. Young women these days are in and out of bed at the drop of a hat. Free love they call it, I think. She didn’t look the hippie type.”
Blue tinged his father’s lips and Bryce wondered whether he was doing the right thing. Too late now, he was in so deep he couldn’t do anything except press on.
“She’s not the type. I’m not a complete fool. I’d had a fair bit to drink, but I wasn’t too drunk to know she hadn’t been with a man before.”
“You seduced her, when you knew?” His father looked mortified.
“No, of course I didn’t. I wouldn’t have taken her to my apartment if I’d known. God, what do you take me for? By the time I realized, well, it was too late.”
“My boy, I don’t know what to say.”
“She was in love with me, and I got her a bit tipsy. That’s why she left work. Didn’t want me to know. Didn’t even tell her brother. Her crazy shrew of a friend told him, and he came charging in ready to fight me to the death. She never even bloody told me,” he said savagely. “I had a right to know. It’s my child too, isn’t it?” He completely disregarded the fact he hadn’t wanted anything to do with it earlier in the day. “I saw her before coming here, as a matter of fact.”
“You offered to marry her?”
“No. I didn’t want to get married, you know that. I told her I’d be responsible for her expenses and give her an allowance, that type of thing. She called it conscience money. Said she didn’t need my charity. As for that freaky friend of hers, she hates my guts and doesn’t bother to hide it.” He clenched his fist. Each time he thought of the shrewish Kerry his blood boiled.
“Well, I don’t blame the girl. You can see her side of it.”
“Why? What about my side of it? I did the right thing. I offered to take care of everything,” he answered self-righteously. God, what was wrong with him?
“Now you’ve suddenly decided you want to marry her,” his father put in astutely.
“No, well, yes. You’ve got your heart set on an heir, and there’s one on the way. It would be the best solution all round.”
“You said you didn’t love the girl,” Alexander put in. Bryce started to think his father was enjoying his discomfort.
“So what? I don’t think I’m in love.” He threw his hands in the air. “How do I know? I’ve never been in love before. Let’s face it. I’d rather have her for a wife than some of those scheming bimbos mother keeps lining up for me. There’s no guarantee they would or could give me a child, but this way it’s a certainty.” The more he thought about the idea, the more he liked it.
“What will you tell your mother?”
“The truth, I suppose. I thought I might let you break the news to her.” Bryce grinned for the first time in hours. “She won’t carry on so much if you tell her. I’ll go and see Caroline tomorrow. If she’s agreeable, I’ll contact Russ. Remember Russell Stevenson? I went to school with him. He’s the school chaplain now. He’d marry us without any fuss or bother. That’s another thing. I don’t want mother interfering. I want to get married as quickly and painlessly as possible. All I’ve got to do is persuade Caroline.”
“Well, you did treat her rather shabbily. It will serve you right if she turns you down flat. The fact that she’s pregnant ought to help you, though, I guess. Then again, pregnant women can be quite unpredictable.”
Bryce grimaced. “I’ll have another whiskey.” He went over and filled his glass. “You’re not too upset?”
“Upset? No, I’m pleased. My only worry is that she might turn you down. I think she’ll make an ideal wife. When did you say the baby was due?” He rubbed his hands together in what looked a gleeful manner.
At least someone’s happy, Bryce thought bitterly. The old man would probably be the only one. The whole situation was a mess.
“How would I know when it’s due? I didn’t even try to work it out. I’ve had a hell of a day. I’ve got too much on my mind to worry about crap like that.” He could feel the anger welling up inside him again. It was a miracle he hadn’t had a nervous breakdown.
“Well, everyone else will, you can be sure of it. Nothing they’d like better.” Alexander chuckled.
“It’s not a laughing matter. Not that it worries me, but mother won’t like it.” If things weren’t so drastic it would be almost funny. He could just picture his mother trying to invent some excuse to her friends over their morning cocktails.
His father must have thought along similar lines because he burst out laughing. “She’ll have to tell everyone it’s premature. Too bad if it’s a ten-pound baby.” Alexander laughed again. He suddenly looked twenty years younger.
Bryce stared at his father, hoping his mouth wasn’t hanging open.
“I’m off. I’ll see mother on the way out.”
“I’ll come with you, son. Pity you can’t be here when I break the news.” He laughed again. Surely his father wasn’t drunk. He’d only had half a glass of whiskey.
They walked back to the sitting room, where his mother waited. It wasn’t a laughing matter. Marriage didn’t appeal to him one little bit. He’d probably be a lousy husband, and as for what kind of father he would make, it just didn’t bear thinking about. How the old man could be so cheerful was a mystery. The whole situation was a bloody nightmare.
“Well, you’re certainly cheerful, Alexander. Has Bryce made you another million or two?”
“No, no, better than another million, I’m going to be a grandfather.” He positively beamed.
Bryce, watching his mother, saw her lips compress, and he wished his father had waited until he’d gone
before saying anything.
“What are you raving about? You weren’t in that study drinking, were you?”
“No, dear.” Alexander laughed again. “Bryce is going to become a father in, um, about September. See, I worked it out.”
His mother was struck speechless for a moment. “You are joking, naturally.” Her voice became frigid.
“I’m quite serious, Iris. This is the best news I’ve heard in years.”
“I’m off. I’ll leave you to explain everything. Good night.” And with that, Bryce scurried out of the room like a rat leaving the proverbial sinking ship.
“Come back! What is going on? I demand to know.”
He ignored his mother and fled the house. I won’t forget this day in a hurry. He climbed into his car and slammed the door.
Chapter Thirteen
After Bryce left the apartment, Kerry came into the bedroom with a cup of tea for Caroline. “You shouldn’t have told Andy. You promised.”
“I had to tell him. I’ve been worried sick about you. I couldn’t have it on my conscience. Boy, I wish I’d been a fly on the wall when Andy burst into Harrington’s office. Bet he gave Mr. High-and-Mighty the shock of his life. I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping while he was here, but I couldn’t help it.”
“He offered me money. Did you hear that?”
“No, I didn’t listen all the time, but why shouldn’t he support you? It’s his fault you’re in this mess.”
“I turned him down. No way am I going to accept his grudging charity,” Caroline said bitterly. “He thought he could pay me off.”
“You’re mad.”
“I can’t blame him entirely. It takes two to tango. I love him. I should hate him for what he’s done, but I can’t. I’m not taking money from him. I’d rather starve. He said he would come back and discuss things again when I became more reasonable. He expects me to be reasonable.” She snapped a biscuit between her teeth.
“You’re priceless, you know that? We’ll have to ring Andy. I’ll bet he’s dying to know what happened,” Kerry went on. “Gee, was he mad.”
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