“Have you heard of Glen Fern Private hospital?” he asked.
“Hasn’t everyone in Melbourne? It’s one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country.”
He nodded in agreement. “My company owns it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ll give your name to their recruitment department. If you want a job, they’ll find you something.”
A warm feeling swept over her, a heart felt gratitude because he cared. He genuinely wanted to help. “Thank you. I won’t let you down. I promise.” Should she tell him that she once worked for one of his subsidiary companies?
“Ah, here’s our food.”
The chance was lost, but she could mention it later.
The omelet looked delicious, soft, fluffy and a deep golden yellow. She ate with enjoyment, feeding Lilly a few pieces off her fork. “Mm, this is good.”
“Not bad,” he agreed.
If the omelets tasted good, the crepes were to die for. They were so light they almost floated off her spoon. The strawberry sauce quite the nicest she had ever tasted.
“You’re spoiling me,” she enthused, and he laughed.
Dear God, she was so refreshing, so lovely and naïve, he had trouble believing it. She belonged to a long dead era when woman were decent and trustworthy.
Holly Kirwan spelt danger with a capital ‘D’. She represented something he wanted no part of. He didn’t want a woman in his life that needed to be nurtured and looked after, especially one with a baby. He didn’t have the time or inclination to be bothered. He only wanted hot, commitment-free sex when he felt in the mood. Better for both of them if he stuck to selfish, brittle sophisticates who knew the score.
“I really enjoyed this. Thank you.” Holly wondered why he suddenly looked morose and brooding. Whatever his thoughts, they were unpleasant.
Did he regret asking them to dine with him? Perhaps embarrassed because Lilly squashed tidbits of omelet in her hand before eating them?
“Have you finished?” he asked abruptly, picking up the bill.
“Look.” She twisted a strand of hair anxiously around her finger. “I’m sorry about Lilly’s eating habits. They are rather disgusting, but she’s only a baby.”
“What!” He gave her puzzled scowl.
“The baby’s eating habits‑‑”
“Let’s get out of here.” He strode over to the counter, leaving her to follow in his wake, struggling to maneuver the stroller between the tables and chairs. With barely concealed impatience, he waited outside for them. What had they done to aggravate him? If it wasn’t Lilly’s messy eating, then what?
“Do you want me to pay my share of the meal?”
“No,” he barked.
She jumped nervously “Why have you gone cold on us?”
“Sorry.” He thrust his fingers through his hair and took a couple of deep steadying breaths. “I can be a moody bastard sometimes.”
He didn’t speak as they made their way past the duty free shops crammed with colorful, expensive merchandise. The scent of French perfume wafted on the air, heady as wine.
They caught the elevator up to the second floor. With an economy of movement, he opened the door with the magnetic key card. He stepped back so she could enter first, studiously avoiding any physical contact with her whatsoever. She didn’t know how to heal the rift opening up like a chasm between them.
“Do what you have to for the baby. I’ve got a couple of calls to make then I want to try and get some sleep.” He pulled out his mobile phone, and she knew she had been dismissed.
She lugged the pink bag and Lilly into the bathroom. Why Justin’s anger should upset her was a mystery. But why he was angry was an even greater mystery.
Laying a towel on the floor, she undressed Lilly. Good thing she was going to give her a bath as she had dirtied her nappy.
“You’re a little stinky bum,” she crooned, cleaning up the mess.
She washed the hand basin out to make sure it was clean then wiped it over with the antiseptic impregnated cloth she always carried as double insurance against germs. Filling up the basin with warm water, she sat Lilly in it.
The baby loved her bath. She shrieked and kicked, splashing water everywhere. It was a good fifteen minutes before they were ready to venture out to the bedroom once more. Hopefully he would be asleep, although with Lilly’s racket it would be hard for him.
He lay on his back under the sheet, his head resting on one arm, the other arm hanging over the side of the bed. In repose, he looked peaceful. The harsh lines previously so clearly evident around his mouth were gone. She hadn’t noticed it before, but he had thick dark eyelashes. She shouldn’t be noticing it now, either.
Stripping off her jeans, she climbed into bed and gave Lilly her breast. Hopefully, she would fall asleep sucking as she often did. A few hours rest in a nice air-conditioned room would be a lifesaver for both of them.
***
Something woke Holly up. Her first thought was for Lilly, but the baby slept soundly. It was Justin moving around.
Her bra was still undone, her T-shirt rolled up exposing her breasts. She tidied herself before sitting up.
“Sorry if I woke you,” he apologized.
“Is it time to go?” She swung her legs out of bed.
“Your flight isn’t leaving for another ten hours. There’s been a delay.”
“Oh?”
His laptop was in its carry bag, his briefcase and coat rested on the dressing table, and he was fully clothed. He wasn’t wearing the cashmere jumper now but a beige short- sleeved polo shirt.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes, I’m needed in Sydney urgently, so I changed flights.”
Holly jumped up, forgetting that she wore only a bra, T-shirt and lacy V-string briefs.
“Don’t worry. I’ve paid for the room and asked them to give you a wake-up call.”
“You were going to sneak away without saying goodbye?” She couldn’t understand why she felt so hurt.
“I would have left a note. Goodbye, Holly. Good luck.” He turned away to pick up his things.
“Wait.” She hurtled across the room. “Thank you for being so kind.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek. Somehow, she miscalculated and caught him on the mouth.
He exhaled a noisy breath. He stiffened momentarily before clamping his arms around her, slamming her against his hard, gym toned body.
“I’ve wanted to do this for hours.” He took her lips and they were just as soft and sweet as he dreamed they would be. He deepened the kiss. Instead of pushing him away as he thought she might, she opened her mouth to give his tongue deeper access, letting him taste at will. And taste her he did. Thoroughly. Deeply.
His impatient tongue explored her mouth now, savoring it, drawing out all its purity but still wanting more. His head told him this was madness, his libido said otherwise. He smelled her special woman’s scent. He was intoxicated with it, intoxicated with her.
Sliding his hand up under her T-shirt, he worked on her front opening bra with frantic, desperate fingers. If he couldn’t suckle the tight rosy bud like Lilly did, he feared he might die.
“Mumma.”
“Hell.” Dumping her on the bed, he turned away and muttered. “A man must have bloody rocks in his head.”
Holly wanted to say something but didn’t know what. She felt too shaken up by her heated response to him. What would have happened if Lilly hadn’t woken up? Robbie was barely cold in his grave, and she was betraying him with another man. Maybe she was a trollop like April Kirwan said.
He snatched up his things. “Goodbye. I hope everything works out for you.”
The door opened, then shut with a loud click and she was left alone with Lilly. What must he think of her behavior? She was promiscuous? Trying to trap him into something? He couldn’t know Robbie had spent most of his time away from them before he died. In all the weeks they lived in England they had never spent longer than a few hours together at a time b
ecause of the specialist training he undertook.
It wasn’t an excuse. She picked up Lilly and cuddled her close. She should be ashamed of herself, betraying Robbie’s memory and forgetting what they had shared by falling into the arms of the first man who came along and showed her a little kindness.
After she made the first move did he decide that he wanted to be repaid with sex? She couldn’t believe he would be so despicable. The most logical explanation was that, like her, he lost his head. They had been sharing a room together. Both were jet lagged. Who was she trying to kid? It was lust, pure and simple. The age-old urge to mate.
His girlfriend had dumped him. Her husband had been tragically killed, but that didn’t make it right for them to kiss so passionately. She felt ashamed of her wanton behavior. She could have stopped it. Justin wasn’t the kind of man who forced himself on a woman. His wealth and rugged good looks had proven to be a powerful magnet, and like all the other women who flocked around him, she hadn’t been strong enough to defy its pull.
Chapter Four
Melbourne at last. As Holly made her way through Customs at Tullamarine Airport she breathed a sigh of relief. They didn’t have any baggage to collect. Lilly’s pink bag held everything they possessed.
Lilly had been fractious a good deal of the way until she finally fell into an exhausted sleep. This respite gave her a chance to make some decisions. She would ring Mrs. Harris from the airport to see if the bungalow where they used to live was vacant.
After she had changed her English pounds into Australian dollars she found a public telephone and dialed Mrs. Harris’ number. The old lady answered it immediately.
“Hello, it’s Holly Kirwan.”
“Holly, my dear, how are you?” I read about poor Robbie in the English papers my sister-in-law sends me. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
“Thank you. It was awful. I’m back in Melbourne now with Lilly. I don’t suppose the bungalow would still be vacant?”
“It is, dear, but the house has been sold. I’m moving to Queensland to be closer to my daughter.”
“Oh, no,” Holly cried. “I’m looking for somewhere to stay until I sort myself out.”
“You’re welcome to stay until I go. I’ll be glad of the company. How’s the baby?”
“She’s good, almost walking. I’ll get a taxi and come straight away.”
***
Mrs. Harris waited on the verandah for them, a concerned smile on her motherly face.
“How are you, dear?” She hurried forward and gave Holly a hug.
“I’m okay, How are you?”
“Not too bad. So, this is Lilly? My, she has grown into a sweet little cherub.”
Inside the house, which always smelt of lavender and bees wax polish, Mrs. Harris insisted on making a pot of tea.
“Where’s your luggage?”
“This is all I have.” She found herself telling the kindly woman the whole miserable saga.
“What a disgrace those people are. You’re much better off without them.”
“I know, but it’s so hard on my own. I’m not very brave.” Holly blinked back hot tears, despising herself for being so weak and pathetic but feeling better for having confided in someone.
“Look, dear, after you’ve finished your tea, you can make the bed up in the bungalow. I’ve got plenty of spare blankets and linen you can borrow. In fact you can keep them. I have to get rid of a lot of stuff before I move.”
“Thanks, you’re a life saver.” The same as Justin she thought with a sad little twinge because they would never meet again.
If you don’t mind my asking, are you getting some kind of War Widow’s benefit from the British government?”
“Not yet. I filled out some papers in England after Robbie died and his father promised to forward them to the pension people. He took over my affairs because I was too upset to stop him. He said my application could take a long time to be processed because we had been married in Australia.”
“It’s been seven months. I doubt if he ever lodged them, dear, given what you’ve told me.”
Of course he wouldn’t have sent them in. She should have realized sooner instead of blaming the government for being slow to pay up. The Kirwans wanted her to be starved of funds so they could say she wasn’t fit to look after Lilly.
“You’re right. How could I have been so gullible?”
“Stop beating yourself up about it. You were vulnerable and they took advantage of it. Write to the Veteran Affairs Department here. I can give you their address. I’m sure they would have reciprocal arrangements with the British pension people.”
“Thanks, I will.” Why hadn’t she thought of that?
Mrs. Harris disappeared and returned within minutes carrying an armful of blankets, sheets and towels. Holly picked up the faithful pink bag, rested it on the hood of the stroller, and followed the old lady out of the house.
The garden was the same as she remembered, full of roses, lavender and other sweetly perfumed shrubs. The lawns and garden beds were a little overgrown. Holly shut her eyes and momentarily saw Robbie, stripped to the waist, his blond hair gleaming in the sun, as he pushed Mrs. Harris’ lawn mower for one last time. How young and strong he had looked that morning, a mere five hours before they left for the airport. Invincible, they both thought. Fools that they were. Unbeknownst to them, the angel of death already hovered over Robbie’s head.
“It looks the same,” Holly exclaimed, feeling a sudden surge of optimism. A couple of weeks here until she sorted herself out, and things would get better.
She had known the love of a brave young man, with Lilly the product of their union. How many women lost their husbands and were left with nothing except grief and heartache? She had also met a kind man named Justin. A transient meeting maybe, but he had left an impression on her.
“I’ll leave you to get settled in, dear. If you need milk or anything just come and help yourself even if I’m not there. I’ll give you a house key. Harry still runs his convenience store around the corner.”
“Thanks, I’ll be fine. I’ll never forget how kind you’ve been to us.”
“I’m an old woman, so I couldn’t offer to mind Lilly while you go out to work, but I could manage to see to her for a couple of hours while you go for a job interview. She would be safe with me.”
Emotion surged through Holly. What a kindly soul she was.
As soon as the old lady left, Holly lifted Lilly out of the stroller and sat her on the floor. “You spent your first few weeks of life here, darling, with Daddy and me.”
Lilly flopped down on her hands and knees and started crawling around to explore. She shut the door so the baby couldn’t escape and quickly made up the bed. The linen and blankets smelt of mothballs. Lilly could sleep with her in the comfortable double bed where she had been conceived in what seemed another lifetime. It felt surreal.
***
Holly dubiously entered the charity shop run by the Salvation Army. If she could pick up a few clothes for them here, it would save a fortune.
How demeaning having to buy second hand clothes. She flicked through the racks. She couldn’t fine much in size six, but finally chose a black skirt, a navy pair of slacks and four blouses in an assortment of colors and material. They were in good condition. She would have to mix and match, in an endeavor to make her wardrobe appear more extensive.
Now for Lilly’s wardrobe. The smell of old books and a musty damp fur kind of smell permeated the air. Thankfully, the baby clothes were in excellent near new condition. Their total bill came to sixty dollars. A bargain for the amount of stuff they bought ‑‑ two quite large bags filled to the brim.
Harry, the elderly owner of the convenience store, smiled when Holly entered the shop. “Hello. Are you back with Mrs. Harris?”
“Yes, I’m staying in the bungalow until she moves.”
“She told me about your husband being killed. I’m sorry, love.”
“Thank you.” She
bit her trembling lip, not knowing what else to say. “Could you keep an eye on the stroller if I leave it here?”
“Yeah, take one of the trolleys. You can sit the little one in it.”
A quick glance around confirmed her worst fears; things were expensive. She could only afford to buy the basics.
After paying for her groceries, she had a hundred dollars left to last for goodness only knew how long. It was the last of the money she had drawn out of her bank account a couple of days before leaving England. That’s when she discovered the true extent of Bob Kirwan’s treachery. Robbie’s army pay and the special allowance she received because of his death had been tied up in a special trust account for Lilly.
Why had she signed all those papers without reading them first? She didn’t begrudge Lilly having the money, but they needed some of it now. She had nothing to show from nearly two years of marriage, except for Lilly, poignant memories and a few photographs.
***
Holly’s fingers trembled as she dialed Glen Fern’s number. Their future depended on this call.
“Glen Fern Private Hospital,” said a husky female voice.
“Hi, I’m Holly Kirwan. Justin Devereux suggested I ring Glen Fern. I’m looking for a job and he said you might have a vacancy.”
“I’ll put you through to our recruitment department.”
Holly heard a click, followed by a male voice.
“Owen Hamilton speaking. Mr. Devereux told me to expect a call from you. How about coming in for an interview tomorrow, say ten o’clock?”
“Thank you, I’ll be there.”
Relief flooded over her. Justin had proved to be an honorable man who kept his word. A job interview. She gave a little excited skip.
“There you are, dear,” Mrs. Harris said. “I told you everything would work out fine. I’ll mind Lilly for you.”
“Are you sure? I mean, she can be quite a handful.”
The Millionaire's Redemption Page 4