Blue eyes glazed over with an icy chill. ‘You won’t allow?’ he repeated softly. ‘Since when have I asked your permission to do anything?’
He had never spoken to her in quite this contemptuous way before, and Charly could only stare at him, waiting for the next blow to fall. As she knew it must.
‘I married you for one reason and one reason only,’ he told her in a coldly cruel voice. ‘To have complete control over Hartall Industries—’
‘James…?’ she gasped her disbelief.
‘Which you so kindly gave me,’ he taunted, drinking some of his whisky. ‘I’ve allowed you to stay my wife the last five years, don’t force me to choose between you and Jocelyn; you would lose,’ he scorned.
Charly dropped down dazedly into one of the armchairs. ‘You—You’ve never loved me?’
‘I’ve never been interested in small, childish blondes,’ he dismissed harshly. ‘You’re satisfying enough in bed but out of it you have the intelligence of a schoolgirl!’
She wanted to point out to him that when they had married she had only recently stopped being a schoolgirl, that instead of growing and maturing in her marriage she had remained youthfully insecure, unsure of her husband and their life together. But once again she remained silent.
‘I want Jocelyn in my life,’ he told her softly. ‘And I’ll have her for as long as I want her.’
This time Charly did speak. ‘In that case I want a divorce,’ she stated flatly.
‘No,’ he derided.
‘You can’t stop me—’
‘Stephanie…?’
Charly paled, looked at him sharply. ‘What about her?’
‘If you divorce me you will take your half of the company with you,’ he bit out hardly. ‘And I can’t allow that. If you insist on divorce, Charly, I’ll fight you for custody of Stephanie.’
‘You would lose,’ she gasped.
‘Would I?’ he mocked. ‘Whatever else I’ve been I’ve also been a good father to Stephanie, not even you can dispute that. I love her. And the courts are more inclined to listen to the wishes of a father nowadays when it comes to giving custody of children.’
‘If you love her as you say you do then you won’t put her through that.’ Charly shook her head.
‘Oh, I love her,’ he confirmed grimly. ‘But I want Hartall Industries more!’
‘And Jocelyn,’ she said dully.
‘And Jocelyn,’ he nodded challengingly.
Charly had stood up with all the dignity she possessed. ‘Even though there will be no divorce our marriage is still at an end,’ she announced coldly, taking the first painful step towards emotional independence, knowing James had never loved her killing what little affection had remained for him from that first heady love. ‘I will never again share the bedroom with you that you were in earlier with Jocelyn; I shall be sleeping in the spare room from now on.’
‘Please yourself,’ he shrugged dismissively. ‘It won’t be any great loss.’
She was past feeling pain at that moment, but once the numbness of the situation wore off she became sensitive to every cutting and derogatory remark James made. The next year was unbearable, James not even trying to hide his affair with Jocelyn now, often escorting the other woman to parties that would normally be attended by his wife. For Stephanie’s sake Charly had borne the humiliation, feeling only relief when James himself had told her he now wanted the divorce, and in return for giving her custody of Stephanie he wanted complete control of Hartall Industries. She had had to refuse, Hartall Industries was Stephanie’s inheritance. James had driven off with Stephanie in his car after telling her she would never see her daughter again.
It had been James she had never seen again, Stephanie’s injuries in the accident so severe that she lay in a coma for the next two months before finally dying.
That had completed Charly’s maturity, and she had promised herself that no man would ever hurt her like that again. She had thrown all her energies into making Hartall Industries more successful than it had ever been, and she had succeeded more than her wildest dreams. She certainly wasn’t going to let another arrogantly assured man beat her in what she considered a very important property deal.
She picked up the telephone on her desk. ‘Sarah? Get me Ian Anderson,’ she instructed curtly.
CHAPTER THREE
SHE enjoyed the lengthy drive to Berkshire, rarely found the time or occasion to get out of London nowadays. She envied Matt his beautiful country home, appreciating why he found it nicer to live here even though it meant, with his duties at the hospital, he occasionally had to stay the night at his apartment in town. Surely knowing he had the secluded house and lovely family to come home to more than made up for that.
She had little difficulty finding the house, parking her Porsche next to the bottle green sports model Jaguar already in the driveway, guessing who that belonged to. The man seemed to have a thing about the colour green. She had to admit that the green of his eyes was—Was what? She wasn’t going to fall for a good-looking charmer a second time. She wasn’t going to fall for any man!
‘Charly!’ Matt met her at the door, a tall distinguished looking man, his blond hair showing signs of greying, his eyes a warm brown. ‘Oh, love, I can’t tell you how sorry I am about this mess.’ He helped her off with her coat, handing it to the butler before dismissing him. ‘I never dreamt when I offered you the use of the apartment that it would come to this,’ he frowned.
‘It’s all right.’ She put her hand comfortingly on his arm. ‘I should have realised at the time that it was a bad idea. Once I realised the conclusion Molly had come to I was glad to help. Although maybe I just complicated things even more,’ she grimaced.
‘I thought so,’ he agreed consideringly. ‘But not since talking to Molly. She’s a little emotional at the moment, this third pregnancy is—’
‘You’re having another child? How wonderful!’ She was genuinely excited for them.
‘I think so,’ he sighed. ‘But Molly feels it’s too soon after Tommy; he’s only just a year old, you know. In the circumstances I think you and Aaron did the right thing; Molly has enough to cope with at the moment without doubt between us.’
Charly frowned her concern. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
He put his hand over hers. ‘You’ve already done enough,’ he said gratefully. ‘Without you—’
‘I think your wife is feeling neglected, Matt.’ Aaron Grantley told him with forced cheerfulness as he joined them, turning narrowed eyes on Charly. ‘Ah, my charming fiancée,’ he drawled mockingly.
‘Aaron—’
‘Charly and I understand each other,’ the other man assured him harshly. ‘Molly,’ he prompted.
To say this man looked devastatingly attractive in an evening suit was an understatement; he looked magnificent, wide shoulders, tapered waist and thighs. His skin looked very tanned against the whiteness of his shirt, his eyes glittering like twin emeralds. It was the anger in his eyes that brought Charly to her senses, challenge in her gaze.
‘That was a touching scene I just interrupted,’ he drawled insultingly.
‘Wasn’t it?’ she returned sweetly, not prepared to justify her liking for Matt to this man.
‘I thought I told you to stay away from him,’ Aaron grated.
She shook her head. ‘You told Charly Allenby, not Rocharlle Hart.’
‘Don’t play games with me,’ he warned softly.
‘Games?’ She raised her brows. ‘I don’t know what you mean, Mr Grantley.’
‘You know,’ he rasped.
Charly sighed. ‘As usual you’re mistaken about the situation,’ she snapped. ‘Molly’s pregnant, did you know?’
His gaze became wary. ‘They just told me.’
‘That’s the emotional state Matt told you about; he’s frightened she might lose the baby.’
‘Which is why he’s got himself involved with you, I suppose,’ Aaron scorned. ‘Try again, Mrs Hart.’
>
‘I don’t have to,’ she shrugged. ‘My conscience is clear, and that’s all I care about. You can take your opinion of me and—’ She broke off as Aaron roughly pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her. He didn’t even try to make it pleasant for her, kissing her contemptuously, his mouth savaging hers.
‘Whoops! Sorry,’ Molly told them teasingly.
Charly was released as soon as the other woman returned to the lounge, breathing hard. ‘You didn’t have to be so rough!’ She touched her bruised lips, her lipgloss completely gone, her eyes a dark stormy grey.
Aaron shrugged non-committally. ‘You were being indiscreet.’
‘I was telling you exactly what I think of you,’ she corrected, marching over to the hall mirror to check her appearance; she looked a mess. Her hair had escaped in loose tendrils from the neat pleat at the back of her head, her cheeks were flushed, and her mouth was pink and moist from his rough handling. The silky sheath of her black dress still looked as good, but she definitely needed tidying. She opened her bag to find her brush.
‘Don’t bother.’ Aaron took hold of her arm to drag her towards the lounge. ‘You look as if you’ve just been kissed.’
‘I feel as if I’ve been savaged!’ she glared at him.
‘I’m sorry about that,’ he sighed. ‘But I heard Molly coming, and you didn’t exactly sound loverlike,’ he derided.
‘I sounded angry—which I am,’ she snapped. ‘I wouldn’t do to Molly what you’re accusing me of doing; I like her.’
‘She likes you too,’ he nodded grimly. ‘But that’s only because she doesn’t really know you.’
Charly stiffened. ‘Other women’s husbands hold no attraction for me.’
He shrugged. ‘Maybe Matt forgot to mention he was married until it was too late.’
Her fingers curled about her handbag, only just resisting the impulse to swing her arm and smack him around the face with it. ‘Your erroneous opinion of Matt is only superceded by your opinion of me!’
Aaron’s mouth twisted. ‘Let’s just say I’m beginning to realise what your attraction could be,’ he drawled, his gaze lingering appreciatively on the creamy softness of her breasts exposed by the low neckline of her dress.
She gave him a look of intense dislike. ‘Remarks like that only emphasize your lack of attraction!’
His mouth quirked, the green eyes warm with enjoyment of this encounter. ‘I bet you’re a hellcat in bed.’
She gasped her outrage at this casually made statement. ‘You’ll never know that!’ she bit out angrily.
‘I wouldn’t be too sure of that,’ he mocked. ‘You’re beginning to interest me.’
Her eyes flashed, her body stiff with indignation. ‘And I couldn’t be less interested in you!’
‘I have been known to change a woman’s mind,’ he taunted.
‘Not mine.’ Charly shook her head. ‘Now shall we join Matt and Molly?’
She was aware of him behind her as they entered the lounge, a little startled when his arm came possessively about her waist, although the smile remained on her lips. ‘I hope we haven’t kept you waiting,’ she greeted smoothly.
‘Not at all.’ The other woman looked very attractive in a midnight blue dress, although Charly doubted the slender style would fit her for much longer. ‘Dinner is only just ready.’
‘Congratulations,’ Charly told her warmly. ‘Matt told me your good news.’
Molly gave a rueful smile. ‘I only found out for certain myself today. In fact, that was why I needed that old address book from the apartment,’ she explained awkwardly. ‘I needed the number of my gynaecologist.’
‘If I’d realised we were celebrating tonight I would have brought champagne,’ Aaron said regretfully.
‘I’m not allowed to drink alcohol now anyway,’ Molly grimaced. ‘Even the small glass I am allowed when I’m pregnant makes me sick.’
The pregnancy had obviously come as something of a shock to Molly, it was there in her voice, and Charly was more relieved than ever that she had helped put this woman’s mind at rest about Matt and herself. Her own pregnancy seven years ago had been a surprise too, and at nineteen she had found it difficult to cope with the changes in her body. Molly had obviously been through those changes twice before, but as she had probably only just regained her figure after giving birth to one-year-old Tommy she must feel a little anger mixed in with her excitement about the thought of being pregnant again. In the circumstances it was understandable.
‘Never mind, love,’ Aaron sympathised. ‘You only have seven months to go.’
Charly could see it had been the wrong thing to say even as Molly’s eyes took on a hunted look.
‘I can’t cope with it,’ Molly suddenly cried. ‘It’s too much!’ She turned and ran from the room.
Charly turned on Aaron. ‘You have the sensitivity of a moron!’ she snapped, throwing her handbag down in a chair at go after Molly.
‘What did I say?’ He looked dazed by the scene such a casual remark seemed to have made.
Matt shrugged. ‘Pregnancy tends to make a woman act a bit strange,’ he grimaced. ‘It’s all those hormones going haywire!’
Charly whirled back to face them. ‘While the two of you are standing here musing over the quaint little ways of women when they’re pregnant perhaps you would like to consider the fact that although seven months may not sound very long to you it is in fact over half a year!’ She glared at them as she now held their attention. ‘You both have your pleasure for half an hour or so, but it’s the woman who for the next nine months feels sick, tired, blows up like a balloon, is kicked under the ribcage whenever she tries to get any rest, and on top of all that she has to cope with teasing idiots like you two!’ She was breathing hard in her agitation. ‘If men were the ones who had to go through all that the birthrate would go down to a dangerous low!’
‘When you put it like that…’ Aaron mocked.
‘I do,’ she snapped. ‘Now I am going to try and calm Molly, I would advise the two of you to try and straighten up your act while I’m gone. You are some sort of comedy team, aren’t you?’ she derided hardly.
‘Vicious,’ Aaron murmured admiringly.
‘I never knew you had a temper, Charly,’ Matt said in awe.
Green eyes mocked Charly. ‘I have a feeling there’s quite a lot you don’t know about her, Matt,’ he drawled.
Grey clashed with green. ‘There’s quite a lot you both don’t know about me,’ she bit out before leaving the room.
She found the other woman upstairs in her bedroom, deep sobs wracking her body as she lay across her bed.
‘I’m sorry,’ she choked as she saw Charly, trying to mop up the tears with a tissue. ‘You must think I’m awful reacting this way.’
‘Not at all,’ she assured her softly, sitting on the side of the bed to hand Molly another tissue. ‘It isn’t easy being pregnant.’
Molly sniffed, the tears ceasing. ‘Do you have children? Matt told me you’ve been married before.’
‘No,’ she answered regretfully. ‘My daughter died—’
‘Oh I’m so sorry,’ Molly was instantly contrite. ‘You must think from the way I’ve been acting, that I don’t want this baby. It isn’t that—’
‘You just haven’t had time to get over your son’s birth yet,’ she acknowledged ruefully. ‘It’s supposed to get easier, but I’m not sure it does,’ she smiled.
‘Tommy wasn’t a good baby,’ Molly grimaced, sitting up. ‘He used to cry a lot, and he didn’t really have much of an interest in food. And he’s only just started going through the night. Matt’s been marvellous—’
‘But?’ Charly prompted indulgently.
‘But he’s a doctor,’ Molly sighed. ‘He’s used to going into a ward, seeing his patient, issuing instructions, and then expecting them to be carried out while he goes on to see another patient.’
‘And he did the same with you and Tommy,’ she said knowingly.
‘So
metimes,’ Molly nodded. ‘It isn’t that I don’t want the baby, I just—I’m not sure I can cope with another one just now.’
‘Are you sure it isn’t just that you’re tired?’ Charly suggested gently. ‘It’s hard work bringing up children.’
‘Lucy should almost be at school by the time this one is born,’ the other woman said heavily. ‘But she’s so independent anyway, two children both under two is a different matter altogether.’
‘It could be fun,’ Charly smiled. ‘I’m not saying it will be easy, but they should amuse each other to a certain extent, and once the new baby gets over the very young stage it can go on the floor and play with Tommy. I’m sure that at the moment you seem to be constantly telling Lucy she isn’t big enough to pick Tommy up?’
‘Why…yes,’ Molly nodded slowly.
‘Tommy and the new baby would soon be more or less the same size so you wouldn’t have that problem with them. I’m sure it will be hard work, but it could also have its compensations,’ she encouraged.
Molly gave a shaky smile. ‘You could be right,’ she gave a wan smile. ‘Matt and Aaron are going to think I’m so stupid,’ she grimaced, standing up to repair her make-up. ‘Especially for a doctor’s wife!’
‘I don’t think so.’ She smiled as she remembered the two men’s faces as she left the lounge. ‘Not after what I said to them.’
Molly gave her a questioning look. ‘What did you say to them?’
‘Enough to make them think a little harder next time before speaking,’ she mocked.
Molly tidied her hair. ‘I’m so happy for you and Aaron; you seem so happy together.’
Her mouth tightened. ‘Yes.’
‘I—I have a confession to make.’ The other woman turned to her. ‘Last night, when I came to the apartment, it wasn’t just for the address book, I—I thought you were Matt’s girlfriend,’ she admitted in a self-conscious rush.
Charly kept her expression bland with effort. ‘But Matt’s married,’ she frowned.
‘Yes, but I—I knew you were staying at the apartment, and I—I thought—’
‘That Matt and I were lovers,’ she laughed dismissively, the other woman’s admission totally unexpected and taking her slightly off-guard. ‘I can’t see Aaron liking that, can you?’ she teased.
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