Knight's Possession

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Frank Shepherd used to—touch me,’ she announced harshly.

  Her mother paled, her eyes very dark. ‘Oh no,’ she gave a strangulated cry. ‘Oh God, no,’ she choked, the tears starting to fall.

  Laurel watched her with detachment, still unable to release all the pent-up hatred she had for her mother. ‘Reece told me to ask you why you divorced him?’ she stated flatly.

  Amanda bit her bottom lip. ‘He—he was brutal with me,’ she finally revealed raggedly. ‘He was rich, and—and I wanted you to have the best again. He gave me money to buy you pretty clothes, to send you to a private school, and because I learnt of his cruelty as early as our honeymoon I decided a boarding-school would be best.’ She looked at Laurel with beseeching eyes. ‘He didn’t—didn’t—’

  ‘No, he didn’t do that. He talked mainly, but sometimes—sometimes he touched me, too.’ And for years he made her believe she wanted only a coldly dispassionate, physical relationship with a man.

  ‘No wonder you hate me,’ Amanda said brokenly. ‘I tried so hard to do what was best, but it just didn’t seem to work out that way.’ She shook her head. ‘I took you away from the brother and father you loved above everything else, introduced you to the perverted gropings of another man. I think I would hate me, too, if I had done all that!’

  It had to be like a sudden thaw after a severe snowfall, this sudden rush of emotion, the tears that fell and couldn’t be checked, the wonderful warmth of being held in her mother’s arms, of feeling cherished and loved by the soothing murmur of her voice.

  She couldn’t remember the last time she had allowed her mother to hold her like this, the two of them sobbing at the understanding they had unexpectedly found.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ‘IF we don’t stop now,’ her mother attempted lightly, ‘we’re both going to look a soggy mess by the time Robert comes back.’

  Laurel sat back, wiping the tears away with her fingertips, a little shy about looking at her mother again after their show of emotion.

  ‘Look at me, Laurel,’ her mother invited, smiling shyly when Laurel reluctantly did so. ‘Maybe we should have done this years ago,’ she said ruefully, dabbing at her cheeks with a tissue from the box on the table. ‘Maybe I should have insisted that your father take you, even though it would have been like cutting off a limb, and maybe I should have tried harder to persuade Dan to stay with us—’

  ‘No,’ Laurel cut in firmly. ‘I agree we should have talked earlier, but the fact that we didn’t is probably more my fault than yours. I’ve been pretty unapproachable all these years, and I probably would have resented you just as much if you had let me go to Daddy. You were in a no-win situation.’

  ‘Don’t resent Dan for what he did either,’ her mother encouraged. ‘It broke his heart to be separated from you, but he didn’t know how to explain.’

  ‘I don’t resent him. I—I just wish I’d known why he did what he did. We were like strangers when we met again,’ she recalled brokenly.

  Her mother nodded. ‘He told me all about it, said that he didn’t feel he could relax with you, that he could see how he had hurt you and he didn’t know how to reach you any more. I think he’s coming over in February to try again. And remember, Laurel, it’s much harder for a person to let you go when they love you than it is to hang on.’

  That was what Reece had been telling her when they parted. He wanted her but he knew he couldn’t keep her when she wasn’t willing to meet him halfway.

  ‘How about you and Reece?’ Her mother seemed to guess where her thoughts had gone. ‘Is that an unsolvable situation?’

  She stiffened, and then forced herself to relax. This was her mother, and after the years of conflict maybe they would never be really close, but she knew she could talk to her.

  ‘Not if I love him,’ she replied tautly.

  ‘And do you?’

  ‘I don’t know!’ Laurel shook her head. ‘I didn’t think I was capable of loving anyone, but—but I love you.’ She made the admission huskily, so long since she had used the words to anyone.

  ‘Thank you, darling.’ Her mother squeezed her hand. ‘I know how difficult that was for you to say. And feel,’ she added ruefully.

  ‘I’ve always loved you.’ She frowned at the realisation. ‘I just didn’t understand, why you did the things you did.’

  ‘I’m not sure explaining would have helped the situation at the time,’ her mother grimaced. ‘But I think we understand each other a little better now, and—and maybe we can build on that.’

  ‘I hope so,’ she said—and meant it.

  ‘What will you do about Reece?’

  ‘Nothing,’ she swallowed. ‘For the moment. I have to think, find out if I’m worthy of giving him what he deserves.’

  Her mother smiled. ‘I’m sure you are.’

  ‘But I’m not,’ Laurel grimaced. ‘And until I am…’

  ‘I understand,’ her mother nodded. ‘And now that we have all that out of the way I insist that you stay for Christmas—’

  ‘I couldn’t—’

  ‘Maybe I didn’t say it firmly enough, Laurel,’ her mother cut in firmly. ‘I insist that you stay with us for Christmas.’

  Blue eyes warred with blue until finally Laurel was the one to give a rueful shrug. ‘If you had been as strict with me fifteen years ago I probably wouldn’t have dared behave in the way I did!’

  Her mother gave a bright smile. ‘Does that mean you’ll stay?’

  ‘If you’re sure…’

  ‘I’m sure,’ her mother said briskly. ‘I’ll just go and make sure your room is prepared.’

  Laurel knew that her mother was also giving her a few minutes to herself, sure that the efficient staff here would always have the guest rooms made up. But they were both aware that she had found their conversation more traumatic than anything she had expected before coming here tonight.

  As a child it had been so easy to blame her mother for all that had happened, but as an adult she should have seen that there were always two sides to any story. If her father had really wanted to be with her then no inducement on earth would have got him to make the move to America, certainly her mother would never have been able to make him go, as she had always accused her of doing.

  And Dan. Poor Dan. No wonder they had been strangers when they last met, she had always secretly blamed him for leaving her, too. His holiday here in February promised to be a very emotional one!

  But what of Reece? He must have known quite a lot of what had really happened in the past, of the wrong way she had interpreted it, and yet he had still been able to love her in spite of her bitterness and coldness.

  But accepting that her mother loved her was one thing, allowing Reece into her life, her heart, was something else entirely. Having just had her heart and soul restored to one piece she wasn’t sure she was ready to give them away again; her body had always been his for the taking! And she knew, no matter what he said to the contrary, that Reece would want them all or nothing at all.

  ‘Can I offer you a brandy?’

  She looked up into Robert’s kind, concerned face, knowing he had been told what had just occurred between Amanda and herself. Amanda. Even that had been a form of defence over the years, a way of forcing Amanda out of the mother role. Considering the bitch she had been she was lucky her mother and Robert still wanted anything to do with her! What had her mother said, it’s harder to give up than hang on? The whole of her cried out in agreement.

  ‘I think he’s at home if you want to go over…’

  She blushed as she looked shyly at Robert. ‘Am I that obvious?’ she grimaced, wondering just how long she had been in love with Reece Harrington; probably from the moment he had pulled her out of her wrecked car! But she had been denying love in her life for so long that it had been easy to deny her love for him, too.

  ‘Only to the people that love you.’ Robert handed her the glass of brandy.

  ‘Robert,’ she chewed on her inner lip,
‘Robert, how is it possible to love a person when you—when you get no positive feedback, when that person is totally cold and logical?’ She looked at him intently.

  ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself, Laurel,’ he said gently, understanding her completely. ‘You aren’t cold and logical, you’re just wary. You’re also very much in love with my son.’

  ‘Yes,’ she acknowledged dazedly.

  ‘And he’s always been in love with you.’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘I knew it from the moment he came home from the hospital after your accident. I’ve even managed to get some work out of him the last year,’ he derided. ‘He’s been at the bank all hours, and his social life has been nonexistent—except for those family dinners he was always pressing me to arrange.’

  Half of which she had avoided coming to! Reece was right, he wasn’t too proud to show her his love, and he deserved more than the crumbs she had been giving him. ‘No women?’ she frowned, knowing what a sensual man he was.

  ‘No,’ Robert confirmed. ‘My son is a one-woman-man. I’ve been worried for him, but I’m relieved to see that is no longer necessary.’

  The last was added enquiringly, and she put her glass down with firm determination. ‘Would you tell—tell Mummy that I won’t be staying the night after all.’ It felt strange to call her mother by that intimacy again, but she had a feeling a lot of things were going to seem strange in her life from now on, not least of them being having Reece Harrington as a husband.

  ‘Can I also tell her that you and Reece will be over for lunch tomorrow?’

  She turned at the door. ‘Keep your fingers crossed for me.’

  He smiled. ‘I won’t need to,’ he replied confidently.

  Laurel wished she had the same confidence, but her palms were damp, her legs feeling weak by the time she had passed through the doorway that linked Reece’s wing to the main house as she went in search of him. Robert was wrong, Reece wasn’t at home!

  She turned to rejoin her mother and Robert, stopping, before determinedly going into Reece’s bedroom and closing the door.

  * * *

  She was sitting up in bed when he opened the door, coming to an abrupt halt as soon as he saw her. Laurel was well aware of the picture she made, her bared breasts pert and inviting, the rest of her body smooth and creamy. Reece looked as if someone had just punched him!

  ‘You know,’ she put her book down to remark conversationally, ‘I’ve been giving some thought to your predicament, and I’ve come up with the ideal person to run your shop for you.’

  Reece stiffened, a resigned look coming over his face, the golden blaze of his eyes dulling to brown. ‘Oh yes?’ he prompted uninterestedly, turning to close the door behind him.

  God, he looked tired, so very weary, still wearing the business suit from earlier, pulling off the tie now, a defeated droop to his shoulders as he turned away to begin undressing. How she loved this man!

  She resisted the impulse to run to him. ‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘She’s very capable, has a lot of experience, I think she would be ideal.’

  He looked sad as he turned to face her. ‘You don’t have to do this, Laurel.’ He made a gesture towards her nakedness. ‘The lease and the shop are yours, I don’t want them.’

  ‘Oh, I wasn’t talking about me.’ She shook her head at his stunned look. ‘Polly would love the opportunity to be in charge, and I think she would be perfect.’

  Reece looked as if someone had taken another punch at him! ‘Polly? But I thought—’

  ‘Oh, I couldn’t do it, Reece,’ she dismissed lightly, as if the very idea were ridiculous.

  ‘Why the hell not?’ he rasped. ‘If you—’

  ‘My husband wouldn’t like it,’ she cut in.

  ‘Husband?’ he frowned darkly. ‘What husband? Laurel—’

  ‘And then there’s the children,’ she continued. ‘Half a dozen of them at least. We could even have started on the first one already,’ she added softly. ‘I know it’s supposed to be modern but I’m afraid I don’t approve of working mothers, not when it isn’t necessary financially. I intend to spend a lot of time with our children, showing them they’re loved, and telling them how wonderful you are.’ Tears glistened in her eyes.

  ‘Laurel, I don’t have any idea what’s going on—’

  ‘I know.’ She moved up on to her knees, the bedclothes falling off her completely. ‘Isn’t it wonderful?’ she smiled.

  His hungry gaze feasted on her. ‘Beautiful. But—’

  ‘Not me, Reece,’ she chided indulgently. ‘I’m talking about the fact that it’s finally you that has no idea what’s happening. For so long it’s been me,’ she told him huskily, all teasing gone.

  Hope began to shine in his eyes. ‘But now it—it isn’t?’

  She shook her head. ‘I spoke to my mother, made my peace with her, and now I’d like to do the same with you.’

  He swallowed. ‘So—do it,’ he invited gruffly.

  She laughed nervously. ‘I’m not sure I know how now the time has come,’ she admitted ruefully. ‘I never wanted to love anyone the way I love you.’ She stopped him as he would have taken her in his arms. ‘But from the night of that awful engagement party you’ve managed to repel all my dragons one by one.’ She looked at him with her love shining out of her eyes. ‘I always believed that the legends about knights and dragons were a myth, but you are my White Knight, Reece. And I need you so much.’ She gave a wan smile of uncertainty. ‘If I promise never to say “Bah” or “Humbug” do you think you could bring yourself to marry me?’

  He sat down on the bed beside her. ‘I don’t know how I could ever have likened you to Scrooge,’ he groaned, cupping her breast.

  ‘Because I was as repressed as he was.’ She held his hand against her. ‘I doubt if I’ll be able to change overnight—’

  ‘Depends what sort of night it is,’ Reece put in wickedly.

  ‘What a terrible pun!’ she winced.

  He laughed softly. ‘A man in love is allowed a few little foibles, such as bad puns. Better get used to them,’ he advised.

  ‘Does that mean you accept my proposal?’ She looked at him intensely.

  ‘No.’ He lay her down on the bed beside him. ‘It means you accept mine! Let’s start the way we mean to go on.’

  ‘Does that mean you’re going to totally dominate me?’ she teased, her arms up about his neck.

  His leg moved sensually over both of hers. ‘Whenever I get the chance,’ he growled.

  ‘We’re expected for lunch with our parents tomorrow,’ she warned at the glitter of intent in his eyes.

  ‘We might make it—but then again we might not,’ he grinned.

  She didn’t care if she never left this room again, if she just stayed in Reece’s arms for ever. ‘Have your wicked way with me then, sir,’ she invited in the coyly apprehensive voice of a historical heroine.

  ‘Does the hero then proceed to ravage the fair maiden?’ Reece prompted with relish.

  ‘Unless she ravages him first!’ Laurel laughed at his surprised expression. ‘Historical novels have changed over the years. Could I ravage you?’

  ‘Every time,’ he admitted gruffly. ‘Does this mean the romantic books are going to come out of the cupboard?’

  She nodded. ‘I might even have a go at writing one myself. After all, I’m living with a real live knight.’

  ‘Are you really serious about giving up the shop?’ he frowned. ‘I thought it was your life?’

  ‘Maybe Polly wouldn’t mind a part-time assistant for a while,’ she shrugged. ‘But other than that I have other plans for my life.’

  ‘Half-a-dozen children,’ he recalled in mock horror.

  ‘Not until you’re ready for them.’ She lightly caressed the hair at his temple. ‘I meant I shall be too busy loving my husband to want to go out to work. Will you mind having an old-fashioned stay-at-home wife? Maybe I’m a throwback but I can imagine nothing more fulfilling than being your wife and the mother of your childre
n.’

  His eyes glowed like pure gold. ‘You can be whatever you want to be, my darling, as long as I can always be sure of your love.’

  ‘There will never be any doubt about that,’ she assured him, and meant it, intending showing him for the rest of their lives how much she loved him, knew that one day there would be another little boy with dark hair and golden-brown eyes to love and cuddle a tattered teddy bear called Fred, that that little boy would love the man at her side almost as much as she did. Almost. Because no one could love him as much, or more, wanting it all with him, knowing he would never hurt her or let her down, that their children would never know the trauma that she had.

  She thankfully gave him her heart, her body, and her soul.

  * * * * *

  Now, read on for a tantalizing excerpt of Sharon Kendrick’s next book,

  THE ITALIAN’S CHRISTMAS HOUSEKEEPER

  When shy Molly is found sobbing by Salvio, he comforts her…with the most amazing experience of her life. But when it costs Molly her job, she must become Salvio’s temporary housekeeper—just in time for Christmas!

  Read on for a glimpse of

  THE ITALIAN’S CHRISTMAS HOUSEKEEPER

  CHAPTER ONE

  Salvio De Gennaruo stared at the lights as he rounded the headland. Flickering lights from the tall candles which gleamed in the window of the big, old house. They made him think of Christmas and he didn’t want to think about it—not with still six weeks left to go. Yet here in England the shops were already full with trees and tinsel and the kind of gifts surely no sane person would want for themselves.

  His mouth hardened, as the dark waters of the Atlantic crashed dangerously on the rocks beneath him.

  Christmas. The least wonderful time of the year in his opinion. No contest.

  He slowed his pace to a steady jog as dusk fell around him like a misty grey curtain. The rain was heavier now and large drops of water had started to lash against his body but he was oblivious to them, even though his bare legs were spattered with mud and his muscles were hot with the strain of exertion. He ran because he had to. Because he’d been taught to. Tough, physical exercise woven into the fabric of his day, no matter where in the world he was. A discipline which was as much a part of him as breathing and which made him hard and strong. He barely noticed that his wet singlet was now clinging to his torso or that his shorts were plastered to his rocky thighs.