Leonie had thought, once she was old enough to know of her adoption, that her mother’s lack of emotion towards her was because she wasn’t really her child, but with maturity Leonie had realised that her mother simply didn’t have any emotion to give. To anyone. Which, as Luke seemed to have also guessed, was one of the reasons Leonie had turned to her grandfather for love and approval.
How on earth her father, a warmly loving man, coped with such coldness was beyond her. But, for all that, the marriage had endured for twenty-nine years, so Leonie could only assume her father was happy with things the way they were.
‘We should go and talk to Trudie and Eric, Richard,’ her mother prompted evenly. ‘And Tom, of course,’ she added belatedly, a certain coolness back in her voice.
Leonie watched as her father, after kissing her lightly on the cheek, obediently accompanied her mother over to the group where Luke still stood talking to her elderly relatives.
He might be Leonie’s favourite relative, but Uncle Tom had certainly never been so with Leonie’s mother. Widowed five years ago, his wife having been confined to a wheelchair for most of their married life, Tom had enjoyed a certain freedom these last couple of years after all those years of devotion to Aunt Sally. It was a freedom that Leonie’s mother most certainly did not approve of.
‘Leonie—’
‘Grandfather—’
‘You first,’ her grandfather invited wryly as they both began talking at the same time.
She grimaced, not absolutely certain what she wanted to say. Or if she really wanted to say anything. Throughout her childhood her grandfather had always been her champion, always there for her. It was silly really, she was no longer a child to need such assurance, but, disturbed as she had been by Luke’s earlier conversation, she had once again turned to her grandfather for the emotional support he had always given her.
She glanced across at Luke now as he stood chatting so easily with her parents and assorted elderly relatives. Tall, self-assured, he appeared to be at his charming best this evening—and totally oblivious to how his earlier conversation had unnerved her. In reality, there was absolutely no reason why he should—
Leonie became absolutely still as she now stared across the room, all the colour draining from her cheeks as she did so.
It couldn’t be!
She must be imagining it!
But, no…the shape of the head was the same, the way the dark hair fell in soft waves, even the smile, so cynical in Luke at times, was the same…!
Leonie looked about her desperately, sure that everyone must be able to see what she could see, but no one else, including her grandfather, seemed to be staring in the way she was.
Was she the only one who could see the likeness between the two men as they stood so close together? Could no one else see that the two men were so alike they must be related in some way?
But if that were the case—if that were so—
No, it couldn’t be, she inwardly protested again, it simply couldn’t be!
CHAPTER 11
‘LEONIE, if you don’t tell me what’s wrong with you I’m going to pull the car over to the side of the road and park there until you do!’ Luke’s frustrated anger was more than evident in his voice.
Leonie sat huddled on her side of the car, miserably uncommunicative—as she had been in the hours since they’d left her grandfather’s house to drive back to London.
It had been the most miserable weekend she had ever spent in her entire life, made more so by having had to keep up a happy front for the sake of her family, the hours having seemed to drag by until she’d been able to make her excuses on Sunday afternoon and leave.
There were so many things she needed to know, so many things she wanted to ask, but the only person she felt able to ask those questions wasn’t there to answer them.
Rachel…
Only Rachel, Leonie felt, could tell her what she needed to know. What she half dreaded knowing…!
Did Luke know? Had Rachel talked to him, told him the truth? If she had then Luke must be almost as good an actor as his mother—because not by one single word or gesture during the entire weekend had he revealed that he knew he’d been in the presence of his own father!
Leonie had no idea how it could possibly be, how the two had ever met thirty-eight years ago, but as Saturday evening had progressed she had become more and more convinced that her suspicion was true. The fact that no one else in the room seemed to have noticed the similarity between the two men seemed absolutely incredible to her, and Leonie desperately needed to talk to Rachel before she did or said anything else. Even to Luke.
Especially to Luke!
‘My ankle is a little painful, that’s all,’ she muttered dismissively.
He gave her a scathing glance. ‘All weekend?’
She sighed heavily. ‘You seemed to be enjoying yourself well enough on Saturday evening.’ After the shock she had received Leonie had spent most of the evening in a daze, but every time she’d glanced at Luke he had been talking and laughing with one member of her family or another.
His mouth was set in a grim line. ‘I thought I should make the effort as you were looking so miserable!’
‘That isn’t fair!’ she protested frowningly. ‘My parents told me they had a great time.’
‘Your grandfather, on the other hand, was very concerned about you,’ Luke rasped.
Now that she could perhaps understand. She had been totally dazed after looking across the room and seeing that similarity between the two men, having had to make her excuses to her grandfather and escape into the kitchen for a short time so that she could gather her scattered wits together.
It had taken every ounce of will-power she had to go back and join the party, to keep up the pretence of enjoying herself. And now Luke told her she might as well have saved herself the trouble, because neither he nor her grandfather had been convinced by her act.
’I’m sorry,’ she mumbled.
‘That’s it?’ Luke rasped disgustedly. ‘You’re sorry?’
She turned to glare at him. ‘That’s it,’ she confirmed tightly. ‘When does your mother return to Hampshire?’
‘When does…? Leonie, we weren’t talking about my mother,’ he snapped impatiently.
‘I was,’ she said pointedly.
He drew in an angry breath. ‘Some time tomorrow, I believe. But I don’t see—’
‘Luke, I’m very tired,’ she said truthfully, hardly having slept at all the night before, going over and over in her mind the repercussions of what the future would hold for all of them if her suspicion turned out to be correct. ‘Would you mind very much if I had a little doze until we get back to London?’
‘When you put it like that—no, I wouldn’t mind,’ he bit out irritably. ‘But I think you and I need to talk—’
‘Not now, Luke, hmm?’ she murmured distantly even as she settled down further into her seat.
‘No, not now,’ he conceded impatiently, turning his attention frustratedly back to the road.
Leonie watched him for several minutes beneath lowered lashes. Did he know the truth? There was no way of knowing that without revealing what she had guessed herself this weekend. But as it was only a guess—something that seemed more and more fantastic the further they drove away from Devon!—Leonie had no intention of talking to Luke about it until she had at least broached the subject with Rachel.
Although how on earth she was supposed to do that Leonie had no idea! It wasn’t something one usually just blurted out over a cup of tea or coffee—oh, by the way, were you and so-and-so lovers thirty-eight years ago?
There was always the diaries, of course. Perhaps, as Jeremy had suggested yesterday, Leonie should read the diary of thirty-eight years ago. Although, in the circumstances, that now seemed like even more of an intrusion than before…
Sleep, Leonie, she instructed herself firmly. There was nothing to be done until after she had spoken to Rachel, and at least if she were a
sleep she wouldn’t have to answer any more of Luke’s questions.
* * *
The telephone was ringing in her apartment as Leonie unlocked the door, hobbling over to answer it while Luke came in behind with her over-night bag.
‘May I speak to Mr Richmond, please?’ came the brisk female voice on the other end of the line.
Leonie frowned. Who on earth could be telephoning Luke at her apartment? More to the point, who could possibly know he could be reached here?
‘Just a moment.’ She put her hand over the mouthpiece before turning to Luke. ‘It appears to be for you,’ she informed him waspishly.
‘Me?’ He looked as stunned as she felt.
‘You,’ Leonie echoed shortly, handing over the receiver. ‘I’ll go and put my bag in the bedroom while you take the call.’ She turned and abruptly left the room.
What a cheek. How dare Luke give her telephone number to some—some woman? Of all the—
‘Leonie?’ Luke appeared at the bedroom door, his face ashen, his expression bleak. ‘I have to go. My mother has collapsed and I have to go to her—’
‘I’ll come with you.’ Leonie was instantly regretful of her angry thoughts of a few seconds ago. ‘Yes, Luke,’ she added firmly as he would have spoken.
He gave a rueful grimace. ‘I was about to say I would like that, thank you,’ he murmured huskily.
‘Sorry.’ Leonie blushed at her unwarranted sharpness, picking up her handbag in readiness of leaving. ‘Did the hospital say what happened?’ she prompted concernedly as they walked out to the car.
‘It wasn’t anyone from a hospital on the telephone,’ he told her grimly as he unlocked the car doors for them to get in. ‘She said she was Michael Harris’s assistant, and that my mother is at his private clinic in Mayfair.’
Michael Harris, the man Leonie had met at dinner the previous weekend at Rachel’s house, was a doctor…?
It would explain several things if that were the case: the fact that an emergency had delayed him, his refusal of alcohol with his meal—probably in case he was called back to that same emergency?
But a doctor of what? Obviously one specialised enough to have his own clinic…
It was obvious from Luke’s grim expression that until today he hadn’t been aware the other man was a doctor, either, so it was no good asking him for information. Besides, he looked too upset at the moment to want to talk about anything, concentrating on his driving to the exclusion of everything else.
Leonie reached over and gently touched his arm. ‘It will be all right,’ she reassured him warmly, at the same time wondering why she had said that; she had no idea whether this was going to be all right or not! But if wishing made it so, then it would be all right…
Luke gave her a brief, grateful smile. ‘I hope that you didn’t mind them calling your apartment? It seems they managed to track me down through your grandfather.’
Who was now probably wondering what on earth was going on too!
‘As long as they did find you, nothing else matters,’ she assured him. ‘What happened, Luke?’ she prompted again softly.
Luke swallowed hard. ‘I only know that my mother collapsed and was admitted to the clinic two hours ago.’ He scowled. ‘That damned woman refused to tell me any other details over the telephone, insisted that Michael will be there to meet me when I arrive, and explain everything. But that doesn’t help me right now,’ he added harshly.
No, it didn’t. And Luke was naturally deeply upset, a nerve pulsing in his jaw, only the concentration necessary on the driving, it seemed, keeping him in the least calm.
Which wasn’t surprising; he and Rachel were obviously very close, closer even than most mothers and sons, and Rachel was all the family Luke had in the world—
No, that wasn’t quite true, Leonie realised slowly, not if what she had guessed over the weekend happened to be true…
Although that did nothing to change the situation now, Leonie told herself firmly. Now they just had to concentrate on Rachel, and hope that whatever was wrong, it wasn’t too serious. Although it was obvious from Michael’s presence at dinner last weekend that he and Rachel had known each other for some time…
‘I’m glad you’re with me, Leonie,’ Luke told her gruffly as he turned the car into the driveway of the clinic.
She gave his arm another squeeze as the two of them got out of the car and walked over to the entrance of the clinic. ‘I’ve grown very fond of your mother over the last few weeks.’ Even to her own ears the words sounded inadequate, but some of the alternatives were just too over-emotional. Something Luke certainly didn’t need from her at the moment.
Although it did magnify in her own mind the realisation that had hit her like a lightning bolt yesterday evening—she was in love with Luke!
She wasn’t sure when it had happened, or even how, she simply knew that she was in love with him. Loved him so much, that the lukewarm emotion she had felt towards Jeremy now seemed slightly ridiculous!
Although, much good loving Luke was going to do her…
Falling in love, she had always thought, the realisation of all her hopes and dreams for the future, was going to be the happiest experience of her life. But unrequited love had to be the most painful!
Realising the previous evening that she was in love with Luke had only added to her misery, until today she felt so sunk within it there seemed no way out…
‘Luke!’ Michael Harris, as promised, was in the reception area to meet them, wearing a formal dark suit, his tie knotted precisely at the throat of his pristine white shirt. He came forward to shake the younger man by the hand, before turning to Leonie. ‘Leonie, isn’t it…?’
‘Michael.’ She nodded, shaking his proffered hand. ‘How is Rachel?’ she prompted quickly, able to sense Luke’s rising tension at this delay in what he obviously considered an exchange of banal pleasantries.
‘Stable, I’m happy to say,’ Michael reported evenly.
‘Just what does that mean?’ Luke scorned. ‘What the hell happened to her?’ he demanded harshly.
The older man grimaced. ‘I think it would be better if I left it to your mother to explain—’
‘I don’t,’ Luke rasped, his gaze narrowed grimly on the other man.
Michael sighed regretfully. ‘I really can’t break patient-doctor confidentiality—’
‘That’s my mother you have in there,’ Luke bit out forcefully, hands clenched at his sides, that nerve pulsing erratically in the rigid line of his jaw.
‘I’m aware of that, Luke,’ Michael Harris began soothingly.
‘Then you must also be aware that I want to know exactly what is wrong with her!’ Luke rasped.
Michael turned to Leonie with brows raised, obviously asking for her help.
Although what on earth he expected her to do with Luke in this mood she had no idea! Besides, if the circumstances had been reversed, she would have been asking exactly the same questions as Luke was!
‘Luke, perhaps it would be better if we went in to see Rachel first?’ she suggested persuasively. ‘You can always talk to Michael again afterwards.’
‘Yes, that’s probably the best thing to do,’ Michael quickly agreed, turning to take them through the double doors that led into the clinic, pausing outside one of the doors. ‘I should warn you that I’ve given Rachel something for the pain, and as a consequence she may be a little sleepy,’ he said in a hushed whisper. ‘I would appreciate it if you don’t stay too long.’
’I don’t give a damn what you would appreciate!’ Luke snapped. ‘And what pain are you talking about?’ he demanded sharply. ‘Michael—’ He broke off abruptly as the other man opened the door to his mother’s room.
‘Rachel, I have two visitors for you.’ Michael spoke softly as he entered the room. ‘Very welcome visitors, I’m sure.’ He smiled confidently as he stepped back to let Leonie and Luke enter the room.
Quite what she had been expecting, Leonie wasn’t sure, but Rachel look
ed as beautiful as ever as she lay back against the pillows in the bed. Slightly pale perhaps, her eyes deeply green against that pallor, but beautiful nonetheless…
‘Luke.’ She smiled her pleasure at seeing her son walk into the comfortably furnished room. ‘And Leonie,’ she added with equal warmth, holding out a hand to each of them.
Leonie felt the prick of tears against her lids at Rachel’s obvious pleasure in seeing her here too. She realised at that moment that over the last few weeks this woman, still so much a stranger to her in many ways, had come to mean almost as much to Leonie as she now realised Luke did.
‘What’s going on, Rachel?’ Luke was the first to reach his mother’s side, tightly gripping the slender hand she held out to him.
‘I’ll leave you to talk,’ Michael put in lightly. ‘But don’t stay too long, hmm?’ he encouraged softly before leaving them alone together.
‘Perhaps I should wait outside too—’
‘No!’ Rachel sharply overrode Leonie’s hesitant suggestion. ‘Please stay,’ she added with an apologetic smile for her abruptness. She held her free hand out to Leonie. ‘It’s so good to see you both,’ she added emotionally.
On closer inspection, Leonie could see Rachel looked extremely tired, as if all her usual enthusiasm for life had been sucked out of her, and her hand, within Leonie’s light grip, felt ethereal, the skin almost appearing translucent.
Leonie glanced across the bed at Luke, could see by the shimmering silver-green of his eyes, the paleness of his cheeks, that he had also noted his mother’s sudden frailty.
‘Why don’t we both sit down, Luke?’ Leonie suggested huskily. ‘We’ll give Rachel a crick in her neck towering over her like this!’ she added with forced lightness.
‘Yes, do sit down, darlings,’ Rachel encouraged with a little of her usual spirit.
‘Mother—’
‘Luke, I said sit down,’ his mother repeated firmly.
To Leonie’s surprise he did exactly that, bending his tall frame into the chair beside the bed. Although, in the circumstances, he was hardly likely to argue, was he?
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