Or was it the mention of her sister that bothered him…?
‘How lovely!’ Mary said excitedly. ‘You must tell us all about her,’ she prompted warmly.
Doting grandparents themselves, to five grandchildren, Mary and John were extremely interested to hear about Jessica. Indeed, the conversation about the baby continued even after they had all gone through to the dining-room.
Nick’s expression became blacker and blacker as the conversation went on, his prolonged silence evidence of his disapproval.
But the conversation did eventually move on to other things, and the subject of the two of them having a honeymoon had thankfully been forgotten by this time.
Nevertheless, Gemini was deeply aware of the continued grimness of Nick’s mood as the evening progressed. So much so that by the time the two of them left, several hours later, Gemini wasn’t at all looking forward to the drive home alone in the car with him.
But Nick was surprisingly silent in the dark quietness of the car, driving with his usual competence—until Gemini couldn’t stand the silence any longer.
‘Just say what you have to say, Nick, and get it over with!’ she told him agitatedly. ‘I feel like a naughty little girl sitting here waiting for chastisement!’ she added disgustedly.
He glanced at her, a glimmer of amusement showing on his harsh features in the light given off by the street-lamps that lined the road they drove down. ‘The sort of chastisement I would like to administer couldn’t possibly be carried out in a moving car—especially as I’m the one driving it!’ he finally drawled wryly.
Gemini looked at him sharply; what on earth did he mean?
‘Why the hell have you never said you would have liked to have gone away on honeymoon?’ he suddenly rasped, that humour of a few moments ago quickly evaporating.
She swallowed hard, frowning. That wasn’t what she’d said earlier—was it…? She couldn’t remember exactly what she had said now. Besides, that wasn’t the part of the conversation that had upset Nick!
‘Stop changing the subject, Nick,’ she snapped impatiently. ‘We both know that isn’t why you’re so annoyed with me.’
‘Do we?’ His tone was mild—too mild.
But the last twenty-four hours had been some of the most difficult Gemini had had to deal with in their marriage, and she wasn’t in the mood for word games. ‘I only mentioned Jessica earlier as a way of distracting John and Mary’s attention away from our relationship—or lack of it!’ she defended, her blue eyes flashing her irritation.
‘Well, you certainly succeeded,’ Nick drawled sarcastically. ‘An evening talking about babies—especially other people’s!—is not my idea of relaxation!’
Her cheeks burnt hotly. ‘Why don’t you say it, Nick? An evening talking about Jemima’s baby isn’t your idea of relaxation!’ Her eyes glowed angrily across at him in the gloom.
‘As it happens—no, it damn well isn’t!’ he acknowledged harshly. ‘Your sister is one of the most irresponsible women I have ever had the misfortune to meet; the last thing I want is for people to imagine you are in the least like her!’
And yet he had loved Jemima. And he didn’t seem to love her…
‘Or to know that you were once engaged to marry her,’ Gemini reminded him, desperately trying to keep control of the hurt that was welling up inside. It would be positively the last straw if she were to burst into tears! ‘And you have no need to worry on my account, Nick,’ she assured him bleakly. ‘I’ll never let you down as your social hostess again.’
He gave her an impatient glance. ‘I never said you had let me down, damn it,’ he rasped. ‘Only that the conversation this evening left a lot to be desired.’
‘John and Mary seemed quite happy with it,’ she said dully, knowing that she was very close to letting those unwanted tears fall.
It had all just been too much since Jessica’s arrival in their life the evening before. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Nick had continued to stay away on business.
Damn it, she usually couldn’t wait for him to return home, and now she was cursing the fact that this time he had come home too soon!
Nick gave a heavy sigh. ‘I think the best thing to do about this evening is to just forget it ever happened,’ he snapped. ‘Except for one part of it, it’s been a very forgettable evening,’ he added grimly.
Gemini looked at him warily, blinking back the tears. ‘And which part would that be?’
‘Stay and have a nightcap with me when we get in, Gemini.’ Nick reached out and briefly squeezed her hand in his before returning his hand to the steering-wheel. ‘I think there are some things we need to talk about.’
She swallowed hard. Things they needed to talk about…? Such as what?
Thirty-six hours ago Gemini had known exactly who she was, and hopefully where she was going. She was Gemini Stone, founder of GemStone, a fashion label that was fast making a name for itself. She was also the wife of Nick Drummond. Maybe in name only, but she had felt secure and cared for, if not loved, as Nick’s wife.
But now Jessica, and necessarily her mother, Jemima, had entered that well-ordered existence, rocking the very foundations of Gemini’s life and, most especially, her marriage to Nick.
Was that why Nick wanted to talk to her? Had Jessica’s arrival in their lives, such a tangible reminder of Jemima, made him realise that their emotionless marriage wasn’t what he wanted after all?
Was this going to be it? The time when Nick told her that their marriage wasn’t what he wanted? Oh, God, she couldn’t bear it if it was!
But she wouldn’t have any choice… Theirs was a business marriage, and, like all business contracts, it could be terminated if one side wasn’t happy with the terms and conditions.
Gemini sank back in the leather car seat. ‘If that’s what you want, Nick,’ she agreed wearily.
He sighed. ‘I’m not sure I can have what I want, Gemini—I think that’s one of the things we have to talk about.’
He did want to end their marriage!
And, loving him as she did, how was she going to be able to bear it?
CHAPTER FOUR
MRS JAMES was in the kitchen preparing a feed for Jessica when they got in. The baby was wide awake as she sat in her bouncy chair, gurgling merrily to herself as she waited patiently for her food to appear.
A vast improvement on the desperation with which she had demanded her bottle the previous evening, Gemini acknowledged wryly. But they were all more familiar with each other now, and the baby obviously felt much more secure in her new environment.
Something Gemini no longer felt at all!
‘Let me do that,’ she offered to the housekeeper, putting her evening bag down on the kitchen table. ‘You’ve had a long day, and I’m sure you’d like to get to bed.’ Anything to delay the moment when she and Nick had their ‘talk’!
‘Yes, you get to bed, Mrs James,’ Nick encouraged, having quietly entered the kitchen behind Gemini. ‘I’m sure Gemini and I can manage now.’
Which told Gemini very clearly that Nick wasn’t going to be put off from having their talk by her delaying tactic in offering to feed the baby!
‘Well…if you’re sure?’ Rachel James accepted lightly, wiping her hands on a towel after preparing the bottle. ‘Jessica has been a little darling all evening,’ she added with an indulgent smile at her young charge. ‘Did the two of you have a nice time?’ she asked with polite interest.
‘It was—pleasant.’ Nick was the one to answer her dryly. ‘Perhaps you would like to go and change before feeding the baby, Gemini?’ He turned to her. ‘You wouldn’t want to ruin that beautiful gown by getting milk all down it.’
No, she wouldn’t—but she didn’t intend talking to Nick in her nightclothes again, either; she’d feel at a distinct disadvantage before the conversation even began!
‘I’ll be fine,’ she dismissed coolly, picking up the baby—only to nearly drop her at Mrs James’s next remark!
‘Oh, I alm
ost forgot—there was a telephone call for you earlier, Mrs Drummond.’ The housekeeper stopped on her way out of the kitchen.
Jemima! So her irresponsible sister had finally got round to checking up on her baby daughter. And not before time, either! Although, from the grimness of his expression, Nick had also guessed who the call had been from—and he wasn’t at all pleased about Jemima telephoning here! Or at least at not being here to take the call himself…
Well, Gemini couldn’t say she was too happy with the idea of her sister telephoning here whenever she felt like it, but at the moment they really didn’t have any choice in the matter. ‘Yes?’ she prompted anxiously.
The housekeeper looked a little uncomfortable herself now, as if she weren’t quite sure what to say next.
Of course, Rachel James had worked for Nick for ten years now, would know that Nick had once been engaged to marry her sister, Jemima!
That fact had never really occurred to Gemini before, but she could see now that the older woman must find this situation more than a little strange. Was it any wonder!
‘It’s all right, Rachel,’ she encouraged understandingly. ‘I’ve been expecting the call.’
The housekeeper looked relieved. ‘That’s all right, then.’ She brightened. ‘Of course, I explained to Mr Daniel that the two of you were out for the evening, but—’
‘Mr Daniel?’ Nick cut in harshly. ‘Are you saying that it was my brother who rang here this evening?’ He watched the housekeeper with narrowed, glittering green eyes.
Danny…!
What on earth…?
‘And he wanted to speak to Gemini?’ Nick added coldly, giving Gemini an accusing look.
Gemini was shaken herself by the fact that Danny had been the caller and not Jemima, after all. But Nick’s reaction to it was even more disturbing than the call itself! Exactly what thoughts were going through his coldly decisive mind…?
She knew what her own were: why on earth was Danny telephoning here at all, let alone asking to speak to her?
Not only had she not spoken to Jemima in over a year, but she hadn’t seen or spoken to Danny, either. After she’d found him and Jemima together, and the two of them had admitted they were in a relationship, there had been nothing left for Gemini and Danny to say to each other.
She chanced another glance at Nick. She could tell by his coldly harsh expression that he was absolutely furious. And not just at Danny…
She turned to smile reassuringly at the housekeeper. ‘Did—Mr Daniel say why he was calling?’ she prompted casually—because she couldn’t think of a single reason why Danny would want to speak to her!
‘No.’ Rachel James grimaced. ‘He did say he would call back, though,’ she added reluctantly, obviously sensing some of the tense atmosphere that now existed in the kitchen.
Most of it was coming from Nick! He stood broodingly across the kitchen from Gemini, his eyes still glittering brightly green, the grimness of his expression enough to make a lesser woman turn tail and run. Except Gemini wasn’t a lesser woman!
Admittedly, her relationship with Nick seemed to have become very rocky the last twenty-four hours, to such an extent that she feared for its future. But she wasn’t about to give up her marriage without a fight—in spite of Jemima’s, and now Danny’s, sudden intrusion!
Over a year without hearing a single word from either of them, and then within twenty-four hours she had been contacted by both of them!
‘Thank you, Mrs James.’ She smiled dismissively at the housekeeper. ‘I’m sure we can manage now.’
Much as she would have preferred the other woman to stay, and so stall her talk with Nick, she knew she couldn’t do that to the other woman. Besides, there was no guarantee that the presence of a third party would prevent Nick saying exactly what he wanted to say!
Gemini busied herself with the baby for the next couple of minutes after the housekeeper had gone to her rooms at the back of the house. She made herself comfortable in a kitchen chair, with Jessica on her knee, and began to give her the bottle of milk. It wasn’t that she was completely unaware of Nick in the room with her, because it would be impossible not to feel that brooding anger eminating from him. She just chose, for the moment, to ignore him.
Why was Danny telephoning her? She didn’t have any idea. And she knew that was exactly what Nick was going to demand to know!
Nick finally spoke softly. ‘So my brother telephoned you this evening.’
Too softly, Gemini decided with a frown. Nick was furious, and probably with good cause, but she didn’t see why that anger should be directed at her; she wasn’t answerable for who Danny chose to call…
She nodded coolly. ‘So it would appear.’
‘A call you were “expecting”,’ Nick added gratingly.
Gemini frowned. Of course she hadn’t been expecting a call from Danny! ‘I thought it was Jemima who’d called,’ she defended as she remembered telling Mrs James she’d been expecting the call.
‘Did you?’ Nick scorned, beginning to pace up and down the kitchen, his hands in his trouser pockets. Although his narrowed gazed remained steadily fixed on Gemini.
She frowned across at him. ‘Of course I— Exactly what are you trying to imply, Nick?’ she prompted, and she suddenly thought she knew what he was implying—and couldn’t believe it!
She had left Danny in no doubt as to her disgust with him fifteen months ago, or the fact that she never wanted to speak to him again. Nick couldn’t now be saying that he believed she’d done a lot more than speak to his brother during the last fifteen months—could he…? In the circumstances—namely his own phone call with Jemima the day before yesterday—she found that assumption more than a little unfair. Or could it be Nick’s own guilty conscience where Jemima was concerned that had prompted the accusation…?
Nick’s mouth twisted scornfully. ‘It would appear my returning early from this business trip was a little inconvenient for you—and Danny!’ he bit out harshly.
Gemini gasped. He did believe she had become involved with Danny again! ‘You’re being ridiculous, Nick—’
‘Am I?’ He cut coldly across her indignation, shaking his head. ‘You said it yourself last night; you weren’t expecting me back home just yet. And now, this evening, my little brother telephones you. How long has Danny been telephoning you when I’m not around, Gemini?’ he demanded, his jaw clenched, his lips barely moving.
Gemini felt nauseous, her face very white beneath her make-up. Nick was right; it did look more than a little odd that Danny should have telephoned her when Nick wasn’t supposed to be at home. But that didn’t mean anything!
‘Danny has never telephoned me here before,’ she gasped emotionally. ‘Whether you are or aren’t at home!’ This whole thing was turning into a nightmare; her calm existence of two days ago seemed like a dream—or a mirage!
Perhaps she’d just been living in a fool’s paradise for the last year; especially over the last few months, when she’d begun to hope that one day Nick might begin to care for her in the same way she cared for him… And Nick believing she had become involved with Danny again was not going to help the situation!
‘He usually telephones you at the salon, is that it?’ Nick scorned accusingly.
‘He doesn’t “usually” telephone me anywhere!’ she refuted indignantly. She went to her salon in town during the week to work, not to receive illicit telephone calls from other men! ‘Nick.’ She drew in several calming breaths; it wasn’t going to help anyone if she lost her temper too! ‘Whatever you may think to the contrary, I’m as surprised as you are that Danny telephoned me this evening.’ She returned his gaze with unblinking blue eyes.
He came to an abrupt halt in front of her, looking down at her broodingly for several long, seemingly timeless minutes. ‘I wish I could believe you,’ he finally sighed. ‘But—’
‘But what?’ she snapped, feeling as if she had a lead weight in her chest where her heart should be. ‘What have I ever done to
give you reason to make these accusations to me?’ She cursed herself as her voice broke emotionally. ‘Haven’t I fulfilled my part of our marriage bargain?’ she added heavily.
‘To the letter,’ he acknowledged grimly.
‘Then—’
‘I don’t have reason for complaint?’ he finished dryly.
And erroneously.
Gemini had been going to say something quite different. But perhaps, in the circumstances, it would be better if she kept those feelings to herself!
‘I wasn’t going to complain, Gemini,’ Nick continued hardily. ‘I just don’t consider my brother a suitable lover for you!—it was his betrayal that provoked you into marrying me in the first place!’
Much better kept to herself, she decided numbly as she looked up at him dazedly. Just who would he consider a suitable lover for her? More to the point, who did he consider a suitable lover for himself…?
Gemini was glad at that moment of the diversion of the baby moving restlessly in her arms. She turned her attention to Jessica, her lashes lowered, hiding the sudden tears that had sprung up into her eyes.
What could she say to Nick that would convince him she wasn’t involved with Danny or any other man, that he was the only man she wanted to be involved with? There was only one way she would be able to do that, after this recent conversation, and she couldn’t do it. To tell Nick how she felt about him, after the things he had just said to her, would just leave her wide open to further pain. And humiliation…
She stood up abruptly, Jessica cradled in her arms. ‘I’ll bear your advice in mind,’ she told Nick scathingly. ‘Now I think it’s time I changed the baby and got her back into bed,’ she added pointedly.
There had been enough said for one night—more than enough, in Gemini’s opinion—and the sooner she put an end to it the better. Whatever else Nick had wanted to say to her this evening would just have to wait; she certainly couldn’t take any more of his insults and accusations at the moment!
Nick nodded tersely. ‘We can continue this discussion in the morning.’
To Mend a Marriage Page 5