When James gently joined his body with hers, Aura knew she was at last whole, that she had found the other half of herself, and she met his driving need with a fire of her own, both of them consumed in the flames as the pleasure devoured them.
James held her against him, caressing her hair with soothing motions as the quakes still shook her body. ‘How could a virgin have had an affair with any man?’ he lightly chided her.
She buried her face against his damp chest, her fingers entwined with the curling tendrils of hair there. ‘I love you the way my parents loved each other. But—’
‘No buts,’ he cut in firmly, his arms tightening about her. ‘We’re going to be married as soon as I can arrange it. And then I’m going to take care of you and your mother for the rest of our lives.’
‘You love her too,’ Aura realised softly.
‘As a son,’ he nodded. ‘There’s something about your mother that cries out for a man to protect her. I can understand why your father didn’t want her hurt by the cruelty of what the world would make of their love and the child it had created. You have that same vulnerability, although caring for your mother has made you put up a veneer to protect yourself. From now on I’m going to take care of both of you,’ he told her determinedly.
‘I don’t want you hurt.’
‘I don’t think I could survive the pain if I lost you,’ he told her gruffly.
She gave a shaky smile. ‘Even if we did manage to avoid meeting anyone who might recognise me, even if you did manage to persuade me to marry you, Selina isn’t going to give up.’
‘We aren’t going to hide from anyone—although to give you peace of mind we won’t flaunt our marriage either,’ he conceded at her panicked look. ‘We are getting married. And you can leave Selina to me,’ he finished grimly.
The idea of letting James take control, of relinquishing the worry and fear of the past to him, was a good one. But was it fair?
He looked down at her with love-filled eyes. ‘Do you love me?’ he prompted.
‘Oh yes. But—’
‘I told you, no buts. We love each other, that’s enough.’
She wasn’t so sure of that when they returned home to tell her mother the good news and found Penelope Dalby sitting in the lounge with her!
Aura could feel herself pale, looking anxiously at her mother, her tranquil expression reassuring her before she turned accusingly to Penelope Dalby.
James took one look at her face and turned to her mother. ‘Shall we go and make some coffee, Meg?’ he prompted lightly.
Her mother stood up. ‘Mrs Dalby said it was urgent she talk to you, Aura,’ she told her lightly. ‘I didn’t think you would mind if she waited.’
‘No—it’s fine.’ She gave a shaky smile. ‘Mrs Dalby and I have some—unfinished business to discuss.’ She waited only long enough for James to escort her mother into the kitchen before turning on the other woman. ‘How dare you come here?’ she glared.
Penelope Dalby’s head went back proudly, only the pulse at her throat telling of her own nervousness. ‘I wanted to meet the woman my father loved,’ she said challengingly.
Aura stiffened. ‘Surely my refusal to take your calls today must have told you that I don’t share your curiosity!’
‘I also wanted to meet my sister.’
Aura blinked, feeling herself sway, regaining control with effort. ‘What did you say?’ she finally gasped.
‘Oh, Aura.’ The other woman sat forward, her advanced pregnancy making her clumsy. ‘I know you’re my sister, that it was your mother our father loved.’
She swallowed hard, moistening dry lips. ‘How?’
Penelope sighed. ‘My mother was very bitter after Daddy died; don’t ask me why, she hadn’t loved him for years,’ she grimaced. ‘She actually seemed glad that he had died the way he did, enjoyed the way you were blackened in the newspapers. Giles was very upset about it too—’
‘I know that,’ she snapped.
The other woman gave a rueful smile. ‘Giles has always had a temper. But once he calms down he can be quite astute. And you bear a striking resemblance to Grandmother Sutcliffe.’
‘I do?’ she said uncertainly, never having known a grandparent’s love, her mother’s parents already dead by the time Aura was born. It was a little strange to find out you looked like someone you had never met—and were never likely to meet, she reminded herself firmly!
‘Mm,’ Penelope noded. ‘Giles did some checking up. Was he angry when he found out the truth!’ she sighed. ‘I’ve never seen my brother—our brother, that furious before.’
‘I can understand him being upset about my mother and your father—’
‘Oh he wasn’t upset about that,’ the other woman said. ‘He was angry with our mother for holding on to her marriage by threatening Daddy with never seeing his two children again if he divorced her!’
‘She—did—that—too?’ Aura trembled at the bitterness of the woman.
Penelope nodded. ‘As far as we can make out, Mummy threatened everyone involved so that she could hang on to a marriage that had been dead for years. Giles was all for finding you and exposing the pack of lies the press had been given, but Grandmother—the one you look like,’ she added gently, ‘seemed to think that we had hurt you and your mother enough already.’ She turned in the direction of the kitchen. ‘Has she been that way since Daddy died?’ There was a catch in her voice.
‘Yes.’ Aura didn’t pretend not to understand. ‘She’s blocked out his death because it’s too painful for her to comprehend. And yet he died in our arms.’
‘I’m glad he was with people who loved him.’ Her half-sister gave a tremulous smile. ‘My mother is very ill, in fact I don’t expect her to live to see her first grandchild—’
‘I’m sorry.’ The impulsive exclamation was instinctive.
Penelope shook her head. ‘She hasn’t lived a happy life—by her own choosing,’ she added sadly. ‘I want—’ she began again. ‘I want my baby to know its aunt.’ She looked beseechingly at Aura. ‘You have a brother and a grandmother who want to know you to. I couldn’t believe it when I saw you at the Mayhews’ party the other evening.’ Her eyes glowed. ‘But before I could say anything you had left.’
‘With the man I intend to marry.’ Aura said.
Again Penelope glanced towards the kitchen. ‘He seems very nice.’
‘He is,’ she confirmed. ‘He also knows about my mother and your father.’
‘Our father,’ the other woman reminded pointedly.
She drew in a ragged breath. ‘You’ve seen my mother; she isn’t even aware that he’s dead, let alone up to my suddenly being acknowledged as a Sutcliffe!’
Hazel eyes filled with tears. ‘Giles and I want to know our sister. My grandmother is anxious to meet you too—’
‘You’ve told her you’ve seen me again?’ Aura gasped.
‘Yes,’ Penelope nodded. ‘Haven’t enough people already suffered because two people fell in love?’
‘One of them was a married man!’
‘He didn’t want to be,’ her sister reminded her gently.
‘I can’t become involved with you,’ Aura denied brokenly. ‘Not if it means endangering the little stability my mother has found.’
‘She’s very beautiful.’ Penelope sighed. ‘Can you ever forgive us?’
Aura drew in a harsh breath. ‘You were as innocent as I was!’
The other woman shook her head. ‘We made things worse for you after Daddy died.’
‘It doesn’t matter now,’ said Aura, realising that James couldn’t delay her mother in the kitchen for ever. ‘I’m glad you came to see me tonight—I couldn’t imagine what you wanted to talk to me about—’
‘I’m sure you imagined I wanted to hurt you again,’ Penelope said ruefully, standing up with an effort. ‘I’ll let you know if you have a nephew or niece,’ she added gently.
A sister and a brother who wanted to know her, plus a grandmother who
would like to meet her; but it couldn’t be! After years of being denied by the Sutcliffes it was difficult to give up the family she had never been allowed to know.
But she did it.
CHAPTER TWELVE
WERE all brides this nervous, she wondered? She had been awake since six o’clock, unable to get back to sleep, even though the wedding wasn’t until three o’clock in the afternoon.
The last month had been a rush, James insisting they had a church wedding, even if they were having only half a dozen guests present.
Two weeks ago Aura had seen the announcement of the death of Elizabeth Sutcliffe, and although it had been this woman’s vindictiveness that caused so much unhappiness her heart had gone out to Penelope and Giles; no matter what else Elizabeth Sutcliffe had been, she was still their mother.
James hadn’t altogether approved of her decision not to see her brother or sister, but he couldn’t see any way around hurting her mother either, and so Aura had sent only a note of condolence on the death of Penelope’s and Giles’s mother. She had received a small note back from Penelope thanking her for her kindness. It had been the only contact between the two sisters.
James’s partnership with Adrian was well on the way to being dissolved, and by the time they returned from their honeymoon the final papers should be ready for signing.
Cocooned by James, she had no idea what he had said to Selina Mayhew, but the woman hadn’t bothered her again.
‘Are you sure you want Jonathan for your pageboy?’ Helen was struggling to get the tiny bowtie on the wriggling child.
‘I’m sure,’ she smiled. ‘And Annie looks adorable in her dress.’ She smiled at her little bridesmaid.
Helen shook her head, looking decidedly harassed. ‘They’ll probably start fighting half-way down the aisle!’
Aura smiled again; nothing could daunt her today. It was the happiest day of her life; the day of her marriage to James.
They fitted into each other’s lives perfectly, James introducing her to several of his close friends, people whom she liked and who liked her, all of them accepting her without question. And James’s liking for Helen and Simon had increased, knowing they had been her staunchest supporters throughout the trauma of the last two years, that, as a childhood friend, Helen knew the whole story.
The Collisters, her mother, a friend of James’s who was standing as best man, two other couples he had felt close enough to invite, Jeanne and her family, were the only guests. Aura didn’t care if they had no guests at all, as long as she was James’s wife at the end of the ceremony.
He was the most marvellous man she had ever known, cared for her with tenderness and love, and because she loved him in the same way, she cared for him too. They were going to be happy together, she was sure of it.
Her starry gaze was fixed firmly on James as she walked down the aisle on Simon’s arm, clasping his hand as she reached his side, barely aware of the words the vicar was speaking over them. She only came to a jolting awareness as the man on the other side of her moved to give her away in response to the vicar’s question. It wasn’t Simon!
She turned to find herself looking into warm hazel eyes, the hair that was brightly red on Penelope Sutcliffe a deep auburn on her brother, Giles.
He clasped her hand, squeezing it reassuringly, warmly, and moved to the back of the church to sit beside Penelope Dalby, the dark-haired man sitting beside her that Aura didn’t recognise, probably her husband. Seated with them was a silver-haired woman, as frail-looking woman probably in her seventies. Grandmother Sutcliffe…?
Aura turned sharply back to James, receiving an encouraging smile from him. He was right, they were her family, they had a right to be here!
It was a beautiful ceremony, their vows spoken clearly and with love, gazing into each other’s eyes, Aura vaguely aware of the fact that her mother was softly crying as she sat beside Helen.
She walked out of the church at James’s side filled with pride, paling as they were met with a barrage of clicking cameras and reporters hurling questions at them!
‘You’re clearly over the death of your lover now, Miss Jones.’
‘How long have you known each other?’
‘Did you know your wife was once the mistress of Nigel Sutcliffe?’
Aura shut her ears to them after that last question, although she could feel James’s tension beside her, knowing he wished for nothing more than to punch the foul-mouthed reporters in the face. And that he would do no such thing, for her sake. Selina had done this, she knew it!
‘Did you know that your wife was regularly visited at her home by Mr Sutcliffe?’ the pushy female reporter who had first questioned her persisted.
‘And why shouldn’t a father visit his daughter?’
Aura turned disbelievingly, to find not the Sutcliffes, or Helen, or Simon had come to her defence, but her mother!
‘Meg—’
‘I’m all right, James,’ she assured him in a voice that, if it wasn’t completely in control, was at least commanding. She turned to the dumb-struck reporters. ‘Yes, you heard me correctly,’ she told them contemptuously. ‘Now if you don’t mind, my daughter would like to get on with her wedding!’
‘But who—?’
‘What—?’
‘Where—?’
‘You heard the lady.’ Giles Sutcliffe stepped forward to take Aura’s mother’s arm in a firm grip. ‘Now get the hell out of here!’
‘But aren’t you—’
‘You’re Giles Sutcliffe!’ the female reporter announced triumphantly over her colleague.
‘And you’re intruding on a private family occasion,’ he bit out frostily.
Aura watched in fascination as the Sutcliffes closed ranks about her mother, ushering them to their car, finding herself in James’s car a few seconds later.
‘James, did you—did you hear—’
‘Yes,’ he confirmed gently. ‘I heard.’
‘But—’
‘Darling,’ his hand rested on hers. ‘I think your mother has finally accepted your father’s death.’
She couldn’t believe it. Oh, her mother had eagerly helped her with the wedding arrangements the last month, but she had done it all from the flat, had never once attempted to leave the confines of that world again. And now this!
The Jaguar and limousine arrived at the flat at the same time, Aura’s mother still looking a little dazed at being taken over by the Sutcliffe family.
‘Meg?’ James went to her concernedly.
‘I’m all right,’ she assured him with a shaky smile, turning to Aura. ‘Oh, darling, I’m so sorry for the pain your father and I caused you!’ Tears flooded her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. ‘I’ve been the worst of all, retreating from the world and letting you take all the painful accusations.’
‘Neither of you should have had to suffer the way that you did,’ Giles Sutcliffe cut in grimly. ‘No one should have to suffer that way just because they love someone.’
‘Could we leave Aura and her mother alone for a while?’ James requested gruffly, feeling her tremble at his side.
‘We’ll go upstairs,’ Aura’s mother told them. ‘Please stay and join in the celebration of my daughter’s wedding,’ she invited the Sutcliffes. ‘If you would like to,’ she added uncertainly.
‘Thank you,’ the elderly silver-haired lady spoke for the first time. ‘We would be honoured.’
Aura watched as her mother blinked back the tears, feeling like crying herself. The Sutcliffes had every reason to hate her and her mother, and yet they didn’t.
‘I guessed who “Mrs Dalby” was the night she came here,’ her mother revealed once they were upstairs in her bedroom. ‘Nigel was always very proud of his children,’ she said with a catch in her voice. ‘He carried photographs of all of you in his wallet.’
‘Mummy, are you—are you really all right?’ Aura looked at her closely.
She gave a shaky smile. ‘I’d been fighting today’s jolt into reali
ty for a long time,’ she revealed huskily. ‘It started the night Marmaduke was almost killed, and although I tried to hold on to my fantasy world it was slowly receding. Today, when Giles stood by your side, as your father should have done, I knew I couldn’t fight reality any more.’ She clasped Aura’s hands. ‘Darling, I’m so sorry I let you face all that unpleasantness alone. Your father and I never meant to cause you pain because we loved each other.’
Aura hugged her. ‘As long as I have you back again, none of it matters!’
Her mother gave a sad smile. ‘Today I realised that Nigel is gone, that I have to go on without him, that I’m your mother and it’s time I started acting like it.’
‘And the Sutcliffes?’
‘They’re your family, darling,’ she said quietly. ‘They very much want to acknowledge that. Giles told me his mother is dead now, that there’s no one else to be hurt. They—they were very kind to me just now, but the final choice must lie with you.’
‘I’d like to get to know them, but you and James are my family now.’ Aura looked uncertain.
This time her mother’s smile was encouraging. ‘We humans have a great capacity for love; I’m sure you’ll find room to love the Sutcliffes too!’
* * *
‘Didn’t she behave beautifully?’ Aura smiled up at James.
‘Of course,’ he drawled. ‘She’s just like her mother.’
The two of them gazed down in rapt enjoyment of the tiny little girl who lay sleeping peacefully in her crib, completely unconcerned with the fact that as this was her christening day she was the centre of attention, all of her guests down in the lounge.
The last year had been the happiest Aura had ever known, she and James so much in love that it seemed their daughter’s arrival couldn’t possibly deepen that love, and yet it had. Neither of them could stop looking at the blonde-haired angel who had entered their life three months ago, completely captivating everyone she came into contact with. Her grandmother believed she was the most beautiful baby in the world, her Aunt Penelope and Uncle David often brought her cousin Rebecca over so that the two babies could coo at each other, and Uncle Giles spoilt his two nieces dreadfully. Grandmother Sutcliffe smiled down on all of them with perfect acceptance of the fact that her two great-granddaughters were stunning beauties.
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