Tell Me No Lies

by Shirley Wine

  As Melanie stepped up to the microphone, Caine hovered protectively close.

  A picture came up on the screen of a beautiful, dark-haired young woman mounted on a dappled grey thoroughbred, its bridle festooned with rosettes.

  The hush was absolute.

  ‘Two years ago,’ Melanie glanced around the audience, her gaze touching every person there, her soft, lilting voice clear and composed, ‘I was selected to trial for the Olympic equestrian team. To me, it was a dream come true. From the time I was a little girl, my dream was to ride at the Olympics.’

  She looked up at the screen.

  ‘That’s me and Misty at the Kihikihi International horse trials. One of the conditions of taking part in the trials was a full medical check-up. I went to my medical on a high, and why wouldn’t I? After all, like most young people I thought the whole world was mine to conquer.’ She paused and looked around the room, making eye contact everywhere. ‘Two weeks later, I was undergoing chemotherapy and later, radiation after being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a common type of cancer to affect young people.’

  Victoria’s breath backed up in her throat, hands clenched in her lap. Dear God. How would she cope if something this awful happened to Connor?

  ‘Why me?’ Melanie shook her head. ‘I went through all the stages. Anger. Disbelief. Denial. And ultimately acceptance. The chemo made me feel ill. My hair fell out. The tiniest cut bled like crazy. Insect bites became running sores. But life is what it is.’

  Melanie’s soft voice never faltered as she described the nightmare of her day-to-day battle with the cancer that was ravishing her body and would one day soon claim her life.

  Tears stung Victoria’s eyes at the young woman’s courage. She glanced at Keir and saw him swipe a finger under his eyes. Beneath his hard exterior beat a soft heart. She gave Logan a sideways glance but gleaned nothing from his impassive expression.

  ‘More research is desperately needed, and this is why we’re asking for donations,’ Melanie said softly. ‘It’s too late for me, but maybe sometime in the future, research will be able to save some other young person’s life.’

  With those words, she beckoned to four young people all dressed in black, standing to one side. They bounced up onto the stage, two standing either side of her.

  The tallest one grabbed the mike. ‘We agreed to come to Darkhaven tonight for our friend Mel.’

  Melanie made a show of grabbing the mike back.

  ‘Tom always steals my thunder. He started when we were at playschool, filching cookies from my lunchbox. Ladies and gentlemen, The Tin Roof Toms.’

  There was a ripple of laughter and applause.

  Tom grabbed the mike back. ‘We’re asked so often how we came by our group’s name. What can we say? All the blame lies with our mothers. I’m Thomas Abercrombie and I play the violin.’

  He beckoned to the second man. ‘Thomas Martin who plays cello.’

  ‘Thomas Davies who plays viola.’ The third guy stepped forward and waved. ‘And last, but by no means least, our lovely vocalist, Tomasina Shaw.’

  It was only then Victoria realised that the fourth member of the group was a woman.

  ‘We started life with a very unoriginal name,’ Thomas Abercrombie said with a showman’s dramatic flair. ‘We called ourselves The Four Toms, for obvious and very prosaic reasons. In the early days we jammed at each other’s houses, and one day as we were practising in a shed down in the Shaw’s backyard, Tomasina’s mother came running out of the house with her hands clamped over her ears.’

  He mimicked a wild woman and held his hands over his ears, to titters of laughter from the audience. ‘“You kids sound worse than tomcats caterwauling on a tin roof,” she screamed at us.’

  Tom Martin ran his hands across the cello and laughter greeted this sally.

  ‘And so The Tin Roof Toms were born. Thank you, Mama Shaw.’

  There was a burst of applause.

  ‘Tonight our Mel has requested we start with her favourite song, an old 1940s Louis Armstrong hit.’ He handed Melanie the mike.

  ‘Take it away, guys,’ Melanie said softly and left the stage to thunderous applause.

  Haunting, jazzy notes and Tomasina Shaw’s throaty mezzo-soprano voice crooning about blue skies and red roses filled the room.

  Tears leaked from Victoria’s eyes.

  The moment of melancholy was soon dispelled as the room rocked to the sound of The Tin Roof Toms. Their music and humour brought Darkhaven alive. This was chamber music as Victoria had never heard it. And some considerable time passed before Victoria realised that Logan and Piper had slipped away.

  After the concert finished, the influx of guests left as they’d arrived in groups of twos and threes, and the evening wound down. The house party sat in intimate groups enjoying a champagne nightcap. Keir and a few of the other men opted for a whisky.

  A waitress in crisp black and white moved through the room offering canapés and drinks. Victoria sipped champagne while listening to the spirited debate Piper was having with one of the younger male guests. Keir swirled amber whisky in his glass, listening but not joining the conversation.

  ‘Well I intend to finish my Master’s.’ Piper glared at the heckler. ‘There’s no way I’m going to let my brothers beat me in the education stakes.’

  ‘What are you studying?’ Victoria asked, intrigued and too aware of a stirring of envy.

  ‘Business management.’ Piper pulled a wry face. ‘Josh may be the brainy one in our family, but I don’t intend being left behind. My brother’s doing his intern year at the University of Auckland and wants to specialise in family medicine.’

  ‘And your twin?’ Logan asked in a jeering tone.

  Victoria blinked and wondered who or what had put a burr under his saddle.

  Piper lifted her chin and met Logan’s antagonism full on, her eyes alight with a dangerous fire. ‘Matt’s in England as you’re well aware.’

  ‘Doing what? Living off his trust fund?’

  ‘He’s studying sustainable agriculture and ecotourism,’ Piper said, a decided bite in her voice.

  Baffled, Victoria glanced from one to the other, unsure what to make of the undercurrent of tension arcing between them. What had occurred while they were absent from the concert?

  ‘It’s nice to be some people, and you, are you prepared to give up your life of pampered luxury and actually work for a living? For sure I thought your ambition was to be a kept woman?’

  Guests averted their eyes and shifted in their seats, visibly discomforted.

  Piper flushed but held her ground. ‘And when that cosy relationship turns to custard, how will I manage then? Look around for the next available man to support me? No thank you. I will never be reliant on any man’s goodwill.’

  ‘You sock it to him, Piper.’ Victoria turned to Logan. ‘So you’re a closet Neanderthal. I would never have guessed. It’s time you joined the modern world where women are actually encouraged to have successful careers.’

  Logan flushed and looked away.

  What had sparked this barbed exchange? It was so unlike the man she knew, or perhaps she didn’t know Logan as well as she thought she did. She glanced at Muriel, puzzled to catch the other woman’s smile and the gleam in her eye.

  Is she pleased Logan and Piper are at odds?

  Victoria glanced at Caine and saw his frown and his lips crimped tight.

  This family is certifiably weird.

  ‘So how do you earn your living, Victoria?’ Davina asked as she selected a canapé from the plate a waitress presented to her.

  The unmistakable edge in the other woman’s tone made Victoria wary, but she was determined not to be provoked into a display of bad manners. It was bad enough that Logan had embarrassed Piper and the Donovan’s other guests without adding yet another layer of awkwardness.

  ‘I have my own floral boutique and like Piper I value my independence.’ Victoria smiled, refusing to allow the other woman to ruffle he
r composure.

  ‘You have your own business? You’re very young to have accomplished something that would daunt many, much older and more experienced people.’

  ‘They say ignorance is bliss, and I have to confess I really didn’t know what I was getting into at first.’ Victoria couldn’t help laughing. ‘It was an uphill struggle in the beginning, but now Victorian Grace is doing well.’

  ‘How did you come up with such a cute name?’ Davina asked with soft malice. ‘Dreams of grandeur?’

  All the old sadness tugged at Victoria. ‘It’s a combination of my name and my late mother’s. It was my way of honouring a very special lady.’

  ‘What happened to university?’ Keir asked. ‘I seem to remember you being very excited over winning a coveted and very lucrative scholarship to attend Otago University.’

  Victoria was aware of several things simultaneously.

  Keir had been following the conversation closely. Davina was furious that he’d brought up his earlier acquaintance with Victoria. And without exception, the other house guests were looking from Victoria to Keir with intent and speculative interest.

  Yikes, how can I defuse this situation?

  She met his gaze with what she hoped was limpid innocence. ‘Life and goals do change, Keir.’

  ‘Isn’t that the truth,’ Caine said with a chuckle.

  ‘Oh yeah, when life gives Victoria lemons she makes lemonade.’ The sarcasm in Logan’s attempt at humour made his words fall flat.

  Victoria gave him a repressive glance.

  It was Davina who broke the short, embarrassed silence. ‘I assume you never took up that scholarship?’

  ‘No,’ Victoria said with a shrug.

  ‘University studies are so expensive.’ Davina sipped her champagne, looking at Victoria over the rim of the glass. ‘And yet here you are, at a very young age, set up in your business and wearing designer gowns. Tell me, did Logan fund your business and designer gowns or do you have another sugar daddy?’

  The malicious implication was unmistakable.

  Victoria sucked in a quivering breath as her anger flared and embarrassment enveloped her, but the angry retort on her lips died when Caine lifted a hand.

  ‘That’s enough, Davina,’ he said in a voice sharp enough to cut glass. ‘Victoria is my son’s guest in my home. That’s all the character reference she requires.’

  ‘Thank you, Caine.’ Victoria looked directly at the blonde, not prepared to let the slanderous accusations go unchallenged. ‘But to answer your question, Ms Strathmore, I used the small life insurance payout my mother bequeathed me as seed money to start my business, and my father helped me out financially until my business was established.’

  Victoria saw Keir clench a fist, but she refused to meet his eyes. You could have heard a pin drop on the expensive Aubusson carpet.

  When Victoria paused, Davina, cheeks scarlet with embarrassment, rushed in. ‘I never meant to offend you, Ms Scanlan.’

  ‘Didn’t you?’ Victoria looked her in the eye before opting for humour to defuse the tension. ‘As for a sugar daddy, are you sure you’re not muddling me with someone else?’

  A titter of laugher greeted this comment and Davina flushed.

  ‘I could sure use some tips on how to acquire one. Would you be willing to share your expertise?’

  Keir gave a snort of laughter and Logan guffawed.

  Davina muttered under her breath, slammed the crystal goblet on a side table and with an infuriated huff stalked from the room. Muriel glared at Victoria and hurriedly followed Davina.

  Victoria stood, smoothing an agitated hand across her hip where the fabric had wrinkled. ‘I’ll say goodnight.’

  Logan rose and offered his arm, his mouth compressed to a grim line and his pale eyes glittering.

  She ignored the gesture and, her head held high, swept out of the room. Logan followed her out and in the hallway, she turned to him. ‘Go back to your guests.’

  ‘They’ll survive. We need to talk.’

  ‘Your concern is a little late. First thing tomorrow, I expect you to take me home.’

  I’ll call a taxi if necessary.

  ‘I will, if that’s what you want.’

  ‘It’s what I should have insisted on as soon as I realised just who your stepbrother was.’

  ‘But you didn’t. Why?’

  The bland words brought fresh heat to her cheeks.

  No, she hadn’t insisted. Now that it was too late, she bitterly regretted not cutting her visit short the moment she realised Logan’s stepbrother was none other than the man who was her long-ago lover, and her son’s father.

  Logan opened the door into a small reception room, shut it behind them and turned the key in the lock. He strode across to the windows and drew the curtains.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she asked, shaken by a quiver of alarm.

  ‘Just ensuring we have privacy. So you’re not prepared to fight for Keir. You disappoint me; I thought you had more gumption, more concern for your son and his long-term welfare.’

  ‘Leave Connor out of this,’ she said in a low, vehement voice.

  ‘How can I? His welfare is central to this situation.’ Logan gripped her shoulders, giving her a little shake. ‘Keir needs to know about his son.’

  ‘Not while we’re both guests here. What we shared was over long ago.’

  Logan shook his head and grinned. ‘It didn’t look that way to me when I saw you this morning. You were all but ripping each other’s clothes off. And later he was set to tear my throat out.’

  ‘That was a mistake.’

  ‘Some mistake.’

  ‘You can’t talk. What about you and Piper?’

  His expression went flinty hard. ‘There is no Piper and me.’

  ‘You broke up?’

  ‘Yeah,’ he drawled cynically. ‘Not that it seems we had much to break up anyway.’

  ‘Oh Logan, that’s just not true.’

  He shrugged but refused to be drawn. ‘How do you think Keir will react when he learns about Connor?’

  Confusion twisted the brick that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in Victoria’s belly. She covered her hot cheeks with trembling hands. ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘I do.’ Logan forced her to meet his eyes. ‘Unless you tell him before he finds out some other way, he’ll think you’re yet one more woman prepared to lie through her teeth.’

  A shiver danced across her skin as Logan voiced her own fears.

  ‘In the fury of your betrayal he’ll marry Davina and try his best to wrest custody of Connor from you.’ He accompanied each threat with a small shake. ‘Is this what you want?’

  ‘He couldn’t do that.’

  ‘Do you want to bet?’ Logan gave her a grim look. ‘Judges are far more open to fathers having day-to-day custody now, especially when the father may have been denied parental rights.’

  Victoria jerked from his hold and paced across to the windows, her belly twisting in knots. Would Keir do this to her?

  Are you like every other woman and deal in lies, half-truths and deception?

  Cold sweat popped out on her brow. Keir’s low opinion of women may be justified, but it would certainly not work in her favour.

  ‘If you won’t do it for yourself, Victoria, do it for Connor. Imagine his life with Davina as his stepmother.’

  That thought was enough to bring her out in hives.

  ‘And—’

  ‘And what?’

  ‘I doubt Davina has your scruples, and unless I miss my guess, she’ll already have some sleuth digging into your past.’

  Ohmigod! That never occurred to me.

  ‘Think about it, Tori,’ he said as he walked towards the door. ‘Time is running out.’

  He left the room and the click of the door closing echoed like a death knell.

  She inhaled a shaky breath, but this did nothing to dispel her icy fear. Was Logan right? Would Keir try to wrest custody of her son from her? A shi
ver goosestepped across her skin. It was entirely possible. An embittered man, prepared to enter the loveless alliance that he was contemplating, would think nothing of separating a little boy from his mother.

  Victoria opened the door.

  The way was clear and she hurried towards the stairs, but as she walked past the library she heard the murmur of voices and her name.

  She stopped.

  The door was ajar and, curious, she peered through the opening. Muriel and Davina were huddled together near Caine’s desk; the younger woman’s shoulders were shaking.

  Is she crying? Victoria shrugged. It’s not my business.

  As she watched, Muriel smoothed a hand across Davina’s shoulder. The younger woman glanced up, murmuring something Victoria couldn’t catch, but their intimacy was obvious.

  Afraid of being caught snooping, Victoria swiftly retreated to her room, baffled. The Donovan family may be wealthy, but Darkhaven lived up to its name: it was a dark place and a haven for secrets. Victoria didn’t need to be clairvoyant to know that this wasn’t a happy home. Two days ago she’d had a perfectly normal if somewhat staid and boring life, and now her life had become so complicated she felt trapped, as if she was in a maze with no clear way out. As she was about to undress, a soft tap on her door made her start. Exceedingly wary, she opened the door a crack.

  It was Piper.

  Victoria opened the door fully and allowed her to enter.

  ‘I overheard Davina and Muriel,’ Piper said in an urgent whisper. ‘Muriel suggested Davina sleep with Keir before you could seduce him away from her.’

  Victoria stared at Piper, unable to think or even breathe. Was this what the two women were discussing in the library? ‘So? What do you expect me do?’

  ‘Go to Keir. If Davina finds you there, surely she’ll end it with him.’

  ‘No.’ Victoria covered her cheeks with her hands, every instinct revolted at the thought of Davina and Keir sleeping together.

  ‘Okay, your choice.’ Piper shrugged. ‘But if I loved Keir as much as you do, I know I’d fight a she-devil herself for him. Sorry if I got it wrong.’