‘I’ve got the day off,’ she told Heather in response to her query. ‘Goodness, you’re looking well—unlike your new lord and master, who looks positively frazzled! His temper isn’t too sweet either, fatherhood is obviously proving burdensome to him. Oh, Heather, I didn’t mean it that way,’ she apologised hurriedly when she saw her cousin’s face. ‘Oh, God, this tactless tongue of mine!’
‘It’s all right,’ Heather assured her wryly. ‘Let’s not have any pretence between us, Jen, it’s hard enough pretending to anyone else. Race married me because of the baby—that and because of the circumstances of his own childhood.’
‘But he must care something about you, Heather, and you love him.’
Heather shook her head, and showed her cousin the newspaper. ‘I do love him, Jen,’ she agreed quietly, ‘but I’m not going to fall into the trap of thinking everything’s going to be happy ever after. Now, tell me about Terry and your plans,’ she charged, deftly changing the subject.
CHAPTER TEN
‘OH, Heather, it’s gorgeous!’ Jennifer pronounced half-enviously. ‘I can’t get over the amount you’ve done since you first got the house. How have you done it?’
‘I haven’t got anything else to do,’ Heather reminded her cousin wryly as they headed back to the top of the stairs. Her cousin’s praise had been heart-warming, all the more so as Race hadn’t made any comment at all when he had come down the previous weekend. The house was by no means finished, but she had done as much as she intended for the moment. With the baby’s birth barely a month away she knew it would be foolish to overtire herself.
‘When do you actually move in?’ Jennifer asked her when they were back downstairs, drinking mugs of coffee in the attractive farmhouse-style kitchen that Heather had had completely gutted and then re-fitted by a sympathetic local craftsman who had understood and appreciated her desire to combine the best of everything that was modern in function with a design that would complement the exposed beams and brickwork of the kitchen. The effect was all that Heather had hoped for. The kitchen was supremely functional and yet had all the warmth and charm of a children’s storybook illustration, right down to the huge tabby cat snoozing on one of the chairs.
‘Straight away,’ Heather told her. ‘I’ve been living here for the past week, and now that the workmen have gone there’s nothing to stop us moving in properly.’
‘Umm, Mum’s been worried about you staying here by yourself, and I can understand why. You are a bit remote, Heather.’
‘I have a car and a telephone,’ Heather reminded her dryly, wishing it was her husband who was expressing such concern for her well-being rather than her cousin.
‘But Race will be here with you from now on?’ Jennifer queried anxiously.
‘Oh, yes,’ Heather assured her airily, not daring to look at her in case she read her own doubt in her eyes. Apart from staying the odd weekend at the house Race had continued to live in the London apartment. He had offered no explanation for this and Heather had not asked for one, not after she had seen that item in the gossip column.
Her mouth compressed slightly. When Race had talked about their marriage, she had imagined naïvely that fidelity was part of the package; at least initially, while they tried to make things work. But it seemed she was mistaken.
No wonder he had bought her this house! She swallowed on the pain tensing her throat, not wanting Jennifer to guess how miserable she felt. Now, with the work on the house completed for the moment, she had nothing to do but sit down and wait for the baby; and of course to worry about the wisdom of marrying Race.
The master bedroom had been prepared as he had instructed, for them to share, but so far she had slept alone in the huge fourposter bed which complemented the period of the house. Off the bedroom was a brand-new bathroom plus a small dressing-room lined with cupboards and wardrobes, and large enough to take the baby’s things for the first few months, until he or she was old enough to sleep in the small nursery she had taken such pains with.
‘You know that Neil’s still going out with Sue, don’t you?’ Jennifer asked when they had finished their coffee. ‘Any regrets?’
‘No.’ Surprisingly, it was true. Race might not love her, but she did love him and she could never have married Neil.
‘Rich is coming home for Christmas,’ Jen continued. ‘Mum’s thrilled to bits. She wants you and Race to come for dinner Christmas Day.’
‘I’d love to,’ Heather told her, ‘but I’m not sure what Race’s plans are.’ Christmas was still five months away, but Heather well knew her aunt’s habit of organising things early. Jennifer wrinkled her nose.
‘Umm, I know. Terry was all for us spending Christmas in Switzerland, but I’ve managed to change his mind.’
‘Have you set a date yet?’ Heather asked her cousin, listening sympathetically while Jennifer listed the difficulties of finding a suitable house close to the centre of London.
‘Once we find somewhere we’ll probably get married almost straight away. I’ll have to be going soon,’ she added, glancing at her watch. ‘Sure you’ll be okay?’
‘Race is coming down tomorrow,’ Heather reassured her. He had rung her only that morning to warn her of his visit. Heather’s mouth twisted. It hurt her to think that Race considered himself a visitor in what should have been their home.
He arrived just as Heather was hanging out some washing. She had taken advantage of the good weather to wash a pile of new nappies which had been delivered that morning. The van had trundled down the drive just as she was finishing breakfast, and when he saw that she was on her own the driver had cheerfully carried the crib and other equipment upstairs for her. Heathe
r had ordered them from the same shop where Neil had ordered the pram which now stood in stately splendour in the hall, totally impractical in many ways, and yet she hadn’t been able to resist giving it a trial push enjoying its expensively cushioned bounce. Dear Neil, she was so glad that he seemed to have found happiness with Sue.
‘Very domesticated,’ drawled Race when she had finished. ‘Workmen all gone?’
‘Yes, everything’s finished for the time being. What do you intend to do about the London apartment?’ she asked him as they walked back to the house. Her movements had slowed and Race had to adjust his pace to match hers, his glance taking in her tousled hair and smooth tanned skin. Heather flushed, suddenly self conscious. What a fright she must look, her hair all untidy, bulging all over the place, no proper make-up on! No wonder he preferred to stay in London.
‘Nothing for the time being,’
Heather’s heart sank. So she had been right. He did intend to stay in London. Was he regretting their marriage to that extent already? His next words surprised, so at variance with her thoughts that she half-stumbled against him, welcoming the sudden protective grip of his arm as he balanced her.
‘Mrs Dunn will keep an eye on it for me, and then after the baby’s birth we’ll decide what to do with it.’
‘You mean you’re going to stay down here?’ She asked the question cautiously, not daring to let herself hope too much.
Race frowned, and she wondered painfully if he was thinking about Davinia and the fact that staying with her would mean he could see less of her.
‘It is our home,’ he pointed out coolly, ‘and you’re too near to the baby’s birth to be left alone.’
Disappointment and misery fired her anger. ‘If that’s all that’s worrying you I could always go and stay with my aunt and uncle.’
They were in the hall and Race said sharply, ‘No… damn!’ He swore suddenly as he bumped into the pram. ‘What the…’
‘Neil bought it for me,’ Heather said quickly, flushing as she remembered their day in Gloucester and seeing Race. That must have been the day he went to ask the newspaper offices where he could find Neil.