‘I can’t believe you planned all of this without my knowledge,’ she said, jumping nervously into speech.
‘It is tradition for a newly married couple to spend this time alone.’
‘This isn’t a traditional marriage.’ That short ceremony they had just performed mocked the very word. ‘We did this for Robbie, so why shouldn’t he be here with us now?’
‘Robbie is perfectly happy doing what he is doing.’
Well, I’m not, Melanie thought, and with a pressing together of her lips she turned her face away. Beyond the darkened glass she could see London moving past at speed. They were crossing one of the bridges that spanned the river, she realised, and she felt those frissons chase through her again, because they didn’t need to cross the river to get to her house or even his apartment.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked sharply.
‘To a place where my sacrificial lamb can perform in complete privacy,’ he murmured silkily.
CHAPTER TEN
HIS reply tugged her face around to him again. He was smiling, but it wasn’t a nice smile. Obviously he had overheard Sophia and, despite appearances to the contrary, he was actually as angry as hell.
‘I am nobody’s sacrifice,’ she objected.
‘Shame,’ he drawled. ‘I was looking forward to watching you lay yourself out on some softly sprung, silk-covered altar, then offer yourself to me.’
His description conjured up exactly the image it had aimed to. Heat stole into her cheeks; she bristled in annoyance with it. ‘Back to sex again,’ she derided.
‘Would you prefer it if we discussed other things?’
‘Like what?’ she asked warily.
‘Jamie,’ he inserted with velvet precision. ‘Our son tells me he spoke to his uncle Jamie on the telephone this morning, but he rang off before he could invite him to come to our wedding.’
At last she understood where the anger was coming from. ‘I never said that—’
‘Our son has a very generous nature,’ he cut in. ‘He seems to hold a great affection for his uncle Jamie. Do you think this affection has anything to do with how close he came to having Jamie as his father instead of me?’
Melanie released a sharp gasp. ‘That is a terrible thing to say!’
‘But the truth.’
‘You don’t know the truth!’
‘He is still in your life. That is a clear truth.’
‘I don’t—’ 155
‘Do not begin this marriage by lying to me,’ he gritted warningly.
Melanie took a deep breath to stop herself from exploding. ‘I was about to say that I don’t think that is any of your business,’ she said coldly.
‘From now on everything that you do is my business.’
‘Does that mean everything that you do is my business too?’ she tossed back. ‘In this country we believe in equality. So why don’t you tell me all about Serena Cordero.’
‘You are trying to divert me from the main issue here.’
‘That is because I have nothing to say on the subject,’ she declared stubbornly.
‘Then let me assist,’ he offered. ‘I took a call from your step-cousin Jamie last week in William’s study. This morning my son took another call from him. To me your step-cousin mentioned a—proposition. With Robert, he simply rang off when he discovered that you were marrying me today. Maybe if you are wise you will explain the proposition, and why this man is still so much a part of your life that my son calls him uncle!’
The sleeping cat had