Married By Christmas

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Then don’t act like one,’ he came back swiftly. ‘I certainly don’t want a temperamental child for a wife! Think, Lilli,’ he continued hardly. ‘Your father—does he know you’ve come to accept my proposal...?’

  She swallowed. ‘Yes.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘And what?’ She frowned her tension.

  Patrick’s mouth twisted mockingly. ‘And he’s ecstatic at your choice of husband?’ he taunted.

  She gave a snort. ‘Don’t be ridiculous—’

  ‘Exactly,’ Patrick acknowledged dryly. ‘As Gerry is going to be overjoyed at my choice of wife!’

  Lilli stiffened. ‘I’m really not interested in how your sister feels about me.’

  ‘And your father’s approval is of little importance to me, either,’ he returned. ‘But, if I’m correct in my assumption concerning your reasons for accepting my proposal, after all, then it’s primarily to help your father, but also because once your father prosecutes Brewster the man’s private life is bound to become public knowledge. But you will obviously have caught a much bigger fish on your marital hook, and so have no fear of becoming the object of the scorn or gossip that could ensue. Stop me if I’m wrong—’

  ‘You know you aren’t!’ she snapped resentfully; did this man know everything? ‘But exactly where is all this leading to?’ she prompted impatiently.

  ‘This is leading to the fact...’ he deliberately held another morsel of avocado temptingly in front of her, leaning intimately forward as he did so ‘...that our engagement, and subsequent marriage, will be more believable to everyone, including your father and my sister, if it seems that we are genuinely in love with each other.’

  Lilli stared at him as if he had gone insane—because at that moment it seemed he actually might be! No one could possibly believe the two of them really loved each other, least of all her father.

  ‘Without that belief, Lilli,’ Patrick continued, ‘everyone will know the whole thing is a sham—and you will end up looking more foolish than if this whole thing had become public months ago!’

  He was right... Once again he was right! Why hadn’t she thought of that? Because she hadn’t been thinking at all, only feeling, and this marriage to Patrick had seemed to solve everything.

  She swallowed hard. ‘What do you suggest?’

  His mouth quirked. ‘That you eat this avocado; it’s in danger of falling off my fork!’

  She was in danger of being at the centre of the biggest social farce to become public in years!

  She ate the avocado, knowing as she did so exactly what she was committing herself to. The avocado, for all Patrick was making light of it, represented something so much more than a morsel of food. It took all of her will-power to chew it and actually swallow it down.

  Patrick touched her cheek gently. ‘I’m willing to give this a try if you are, Lilli.’

  What choice did she have? She wanted her father to do something about the money that had been taken from his company, and for that to happen the whole thing had to become public. And it would only work if she and Patrick had a believable relationship.

  She drew in a ragged breath. ‘I’m not sure I can,’ she told him honestly.

  ‘I’ll try and make it easy for you.’ He leant forward and brushed his lips against hers. ‘There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?’

  He was so close, his breath was lightly ruffling the hair at her temples. So close she could see the dark flecks of colour in his grey eyes. So close she could smell the elusiveness of his aftershave. So close she couldn’t stop the slight trembling of her knees, the tight feeling in her chest, the disruption of her breathing.

  ‘Not so difficult,’ she admitted gruffly.

  ‘And do you agree it will be better than people thinking we hardly know each other?’ he teased.

  That was the last thing she wanted! ‘I agree.’

  ‘The wedding will be next week—I thought a three out of three in the agreeing department was expecting a bit much!’ He grinned as she looked panicked at the suggestion. ‘It will fit in with the idea of a whirlwind romance,’ he explained. ‘Everyone loves a romance, Lilli—especially if it appears a love-match!’

  Her stomach had given a sickening lurch at the very thought of being married to this man in only a matter of days. She swallowed hard. ‘That sounds—reasonable.’ What difference did it make? Patrick intended them to be married, had no intention of her dragging out their engagement in the hope she might never need to tie the knot. So she might as well get on with it!

  He sat back so that their plates could be taken away—and allowed Lilli to breathe again!

  This man was going to be her husband. They would live together. Patrick would come to know her body more intimately than she knew it herself. He—

  She was panicking again! Take each step as it comes! she told herself. If she looked at the whole thing she would become hysterical. Yes, that was it; she just had to take each day, each step, as it arrived. She would be fine. After all—

  ‘Make sure you have a white dress for the wedding, Lilli.’ Patrick interrupted her thoughts. ‘I’m aware you’ve been desperately trying to forget the night we spent together, but—’

  ‘Please,’ she hastily cut in. ‘That night was completely out of character. I have never done anything like that before, and—’

  ‘And you haven’t done anything like that now, either, Lilli,’ Patrick dismissed mockingly.

  ‘How can you possibly say that?’ She shook her head in self-disgust. ‘I—’

  ‘You were very beautiful that night, Lilli, very alluring, and I have to admit that, for the first time in years, I was physically interested. And I would probably have been only too happy to enjoy all the pleasure you were so obviously promising. Unfortunately—’ he shook his head dramatically ‘—the champagne and wine took their toll on you, and you fell asleep on the bed in the hotel while I was in the bathroom.’

  Lilli stared at him, not sure she was hearing him correctly.

  He laughed softly at her stunned expression. ‘I can see you’re having trouble believing me. But I can assure you it’s the truth.’

  ‘But I—I was undressed,’ she protested disbelievingly. She could clearly remember her embarrassment the next morning when she’d woken up to find she was only wearing her lace panties!

  He nodded. ‘You most certainly were. And you have a very beautiful body. But the only reason I know that, the reason you were undressed, is because I couldn’t let you spoil that beautiful gown you were wearing. You looked lovely in it, and I’d like to see you in it again one day. You were asleep, so I simply took the dress off you and settled you more comfortably beneath the bedclothes.’

  ‘And you—where did you sleep?’ She was still reeling from the shock of realising she hadn’t made love with this man at all.

  But that memory flashback she had had...? She couldn’t have dreamt being in his arms, being kissed by him, caressed by him—could she?

  Patrick smiled. ‘There was only the one double bed in the bedroom, Lilli, and I have to admit I’m not that much of a gentleman; I slept beside you, of course. And very cuddly you were too. In fact, you became quite charmingly friendly at about four o’clock in the morning,’ he added wistfully. ‘But there was no way I could make love to a woman who was too much asleep still to know where she was, let alone who she was with—’

  ‘Stop it!’ she cut in sharply. ‘What you’re saying is incredible.’ She shook her head dazedly. ‘How do I know you’re telling the truth?’ She frowned her uncertainty.

  He gestured carelessly. ‘What reason do I have to lie? It wouldn’t do my reputation any good at all if it became public knowledge that I’d spent the whole night in bed with you and didn’t even attempt to make love to you! Although, in retrospect, I can’t say I’m disappointed by the fact. Unless I’m very much mistaken,’ he continued at her questioning look, ‘you have more right than most to wear white on your wedding day. And our wedding nig
ht will be the first time you’ve ever made love with any man. I feel very privileged that I’m going to be that man,’ he added huskily.

  This was incredible. Unbelievable...! But, as Patrick had so rightly pointed out, what reason could he possibly have for lying about it?

  But until just now he had let her continue to think—Knew what she had believed had happened between them, and he hadn’t disabused her of that belief.

  She really had thought she had made love with this man two nights ago, had had no reason to think otherwise. And Patrick had perpetuated that belief with his remarks after that night, had known how she hated the idea of having gone to bed with him in that reckless way. He had continued to let her believe it...

  Because it suited him to. Because he had enjoyed watching her discomfort over an incident she would rather forget had happened.

  And she had just agreed to marry this man, to live with him, to bear his children. All four of them!

  She had, she now realised, made a pact with the devil himself!

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘I BELIEVE we have guests coming to dinner this evening?’ Lilli’s father addressed her stiffly when he came in from his office a little after six; Lilli was in the day-room pretending to be interested in a magazine.

  Pretending, because she couldn’t really concentrate on anything at the moment!

  How she had got through the rest of the lunch with Patrick, she had no idea. She vaguely remembered him talking about trivial things through the rest of their meal, seeming unconcerned with her monosyllabic answers, putting her in a taxi at two forty-five, so that he could go to his meeting with her father. His parting comment, she now remembered, had been something about them dining together this evening, so that her father could get used to the idea of him as a son-in-law.

  But, however long his meeting with her father had taken, Patrick had somehow also found the time to call a prestigious newspaper and have notice of their forthcoming marriage put in the classifieds!

  Lilli knew all about this because a reporter from the newspaper had telephoned her here just over an hour ago wanting further information on their whirlwind romance. Lilli’s answer to this had been, ‘No comment.’ But not ten minutes later Sally had also telephoned to find out if it was true; it seemed a friend of a friend also worked on the newspaper, and, knowing Sally was a friend of Lilli’s, had telephoned her for information. Which Sally couldn’t give, thank goodness—because she didn’t know any of the details of Lilli’s relationship with Patrick!

  There was no doubt that Patrick was going to give her no chance for second thoughts, was making this marriage a foregone conclusion by publicly announcing it.

  Not that Lilli could have had second thoughts even if she had wanted to. But, Patrick being Patrick, he had made sure that she couldn’t, not without causing even more publicity for herself.

  She looked up at her father with dull green eyes, noting how strained he looked, matching her own dark mood of despair. ‘Guest,’ she corrected flatly.

  ‘Guests,’ her father insisted as he came further into the room, moving to the tray of drinks on the side table, pouring himself a liberal amount of whisky, swallowing half of the liquid down in one needy gulp. ‘Patrick is bringing Gerry with him,’ he told Lilli abruptly before swallowing the remaining contents of the glass he held.

  This information brought Lilli out of her mood of despondency, her eyes now sparkling angrily. ‘He is not bringing that woman to this house,’ she stated furiously. ‘I told him earlier exactly how I felt about his sister. He knows that I—’

  ‘Lilli, Gerry isn’t only Patrick’s sister, she’s the woman in my life,’ her father cut in carefully. ‘And while you might have strong feelings about that—in fact, I’m sure you do!—I would rather not hear them.’

  ‘But—’.

  ‘I mean it, Lilli,’ he told her in a voice that brooked no further argument. ‘Now, as my banker, Patrick has advised that I go ahead with bringing a case against Andy for embezzlement,’ he continued without a pause. ‘He also told me the two of you are to be married before Christmas!’

  Lilli’s anger against Geraldine Simms left her so suddenly she felt like a deflated balloon. ‘If that’s what Patrick says, then it must be true,’ she told him dryly.

  ‘Lilli—’

  ‘It’s what I want, Daddy.’ She stood up forcefully, moving restlessly about the room, tidying objects that didn’t really need tidying.

  ‘Do you also want to go and live in New York?’ he asked.

  ‘New York... ?’ Lilli stopped her restless movements, staring at her father. ‘Did you say New York?’

  Her father nodded. ‘It’s where Patrick is based. His business in England is almost concluded,’ he added bitterly. ‘He’ll be returning to New York in the New Year. And, as his wife, you will go with him.’

  She had to admit, she hadn’t given much thought to where they would live after their wedding; she was still having trouble coming to terms with the idea of marrying Patrick at all! But New York...! She had completely forgotten he was based in America...

  ‘Lilli, you haven’t really thought this thing through at all,’ her father sighed as he saw her confused expression. ‘You don’t even know anyone in New York.’

  Except Patrick...

  ‘You’ll be all alone over there,’ her father continued quietly.

  Except for Patrick...

  ‘There will be no one there to love and take care of you,’ her father added in a wavering voice.

  Except Patrick...!

  This was turning out to be worse than she had realised. Her father was right; she hadn’t really thought it through at all, had just been looking for a solution to their immediate problems. The long term was something she hadn’t really considered.

  ‘Did Patrick tell you we would be going to New York?’ she enquired.

  ‘No, it was Gerry who thought of it—I called in to see her on my way home from the office,’ he explained defensively as Lilli looked troubled.

  Which explained why he was home later than usual. Geraldine had really got her claws into him, hadn’t she?

  ‘She’s as worried as I am about your marriage to Patrick,’ her father told her harshly.

  Lilli stiffened. ‘Well, thank her for her concern, but I’m quite capable of making my own decisions—and living with the consequences of them, even a move to New York.’ She walked angrily to the door, wrenching it open. ‘I think you underestimate my ability to adapt to living in New York. I’m sure I’ll have a wonderful time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and change for dinner.’ She closed the door firmly behind her.

  How dared her father discuss her with that woman? How dared he?

  ‘You look very beautiful,’ Patrick told her huskily.

  He had arrived at the house with his sister only minutes ago, the four of them in the sitting-room, Lilli’s father busy with the dispensing of drinks, the beautiful Gerry already at his side. There was no doubt the other woman was beautiful, or that Lilli’s father obviously thought so too—he seemed to have come quite boyishly alive in her company. Lilli hated even seeing the two of them together!

  ‘Thank you.’ She distantly accepted the compliment, very aware of the other couple in the room.

  ‘As usual,’ Patrick added softly.

  Lilli turned to look at him, a contemptuous movement to her lips. ‘You don’t have to keep this up when it’s just the two of us, Patrick!’

  ‘But it isn’t just the two of us.’ He looked pointedly across the room at her father and his sister.

  She drew in a ragged breath. ‘My father would see straight through any effort on my part to pretend I’m in love with you.’

  ‘Then I would advise you to try a little harder,’ Patrick told her hardly. ‘Unless you want to cause him even more grief! Andy Brewster was your fiancé, Lilli,’ he callously reminded her.

  As if to confirm Patrick’s words, her father glanced worriedly across at the two of
them, Lilli forcing a reassuring smile before turning back to Patrick. ‘You don’t play fair,’ she told him in a muted voice.

  ‘I don’t “play” at all, Lilli,’ he corrected her harshly. ‘You should have realised that by now!’

  Her eyes flashed her resentment ‘Is that the reason you’ve already sent the announcement of our marriage to that newspaper?’

  Patrick didn’t seem at all surprised at her accusation. ‘I’m not even going to ask how you know about that; the London gossip grapevine must be one of the busiest in the world! But talking of our marriage...I have a present for you,’ he tacked on gently.

  She didn’t want presents from him; she wished she didn’t want anything at all from him!

  ‘Don’t look so alarmed, Lilli.’ He pretended to chide her. ‘This is perfectly in keeping with our new relationship. Ah, Richard, perfectly on cue with the champagne,’ he greeted the other man as he held out the two glasses of bubbly pink liquid. ‘I was just about to give Lilli her engagement ring.’

  An engagement ring! There had been no mention of an engagement, only the wedding. She couldn’t—

  ‘We can change it if you don’t like it, Lilli,’ Patrick assured her as he took the small blue ring-box from his jacket pocket, flicking open the lid to show her the contents.

  If she didn’t like it! How could any woman not like such a ring? It was beautiful, the hugest emerald Lilli had ever seen surrounded by twelve flawless small diamonds.

  Lilli had never seen a ring like it before, let alone been offered such a beautiful piece of jewellery; the ring Andy had given her on their engagement, a ring she had discarded to the back of a drawer when their engagement had ended, had been a diamond solitaire, delicate, unobtrusive. Patrick was intent on making a statement with this magnificent emerald and diamond ring. Of ownership. ‘Oh, Patrick,’ Gerry breathed in an awestruck voice. ‘It’s absolutely beautiful!’