He didn’t look convinced by her dismissal of the other woman, but he wisely didn’t pursue it any further. But he did stay close by her side once they arrived back at the house, glowering fiercely at any member of the Falconer family that dared to talk to her. Shay was amused by his protectiveness, grateful to have him there, knowing he had helped her get through a very difficult time.
Finally the guests began to leave, only the close family left; Shay and her grandfather, the three Falconer men, Marilyn, and finally the man Derrick. Shay had stopped feeling curious about him, the man was quite innocuous, in fact he barely spoke to anyone.
‘Thank God that’s over,’ Marilyn said in a bored voice once the final relative had left. ‘Perhaps now we can have something a little stronger to drink than sherry!’ She moved to the extensive array of drinks on the side table.
‘Isn’t it a little early in the day for that, even for you?’ Matthew drawled caustically.
She flashed him an angry look before turning to her husband. ‘Lyon?’ She snapped.
He gave a disinterested shrug. ‘Help yourself,’ he invited wearily.
She gave Matthew a triumphant smile. ‘Anyone else?’ she offered.
No one answered, and Marilyn helped herself to a liberal amount of whisky before making herself comfortable in one of the armchairs, crossing one silky leg over the other. ‘Now isn’t this cosy?’ she said to no one in particular.
‘I would hardly call it that.’ Once again Matthew was the one to answer her.
‘Civilised, then.’ Marilyn sipped her whisky with enjoyment. ‘Very civilised,’ she repeated thoughtfully.
‘Marilyn—’
‘I mean,’ she continued talking as if Lyon hadn’t spoken, ‘where else would you find a husband and wife, a wife’s lover, and the husband’s ex-lover all gathered in the same room?’ She looked guilelessly about the room at the stunned people standing there.
The silence was deafening; Shay had always thought that a contradiction in terms, but at that moment she understood what it meant perfectly. The silence was deafening, everyone speechless after Marilyn’s casually vindictive statement.
To Shay’s surprise it was Neil who answered Marilyn this time. ‘Your idea of civilisation would disgust even the animal kingdom!’ he spat out contemptuously, striding from the room.
‘One down, five to go,’ Marilyn taunted unconcernedly.
Shay felt her grandfather stiffen at her side. ‘Your behaviour, madam, at a time like this,’ he spoke coldly to Marilyn, ‘is enough to make a saint leave any room you occupy.’
‘Marilyn—’
‘Don’t look so worried, darling,’ she laughed lightly as the man called Derrick spoke warningly. ‘Patrick won’t really leave, will you?’ She turned to Shay’s grandfather. ‘I don’t believe you’ve been properly introduced to my fiancé,’ she continued brightly without waiting for him to answer. ‘Have you?’ she challenged.
‘No,’ he replied tersely.
Shay finally had her answer as to exactly who the man Derrick was, although she had guessed a few minutes ago that he had to be the lover Marilyn had spoken about; it certainly wasn’t Matthew or Neil! But she had had no idea of Derrick’s existence, or that Marilyn and Lyon were at last to divorce; Ricky had never mentioned it to her. Although in the circumstances perhaps that was understandable, she had shown little interest in any member of his family over the last few years.
Marilyn introduced her fiancé as Derrick Stewartby, a fellow lawyer.
‘We’ll be married as soon as my divorce from Lyon is complete, some time in the new year,’ she added with satisfaction. ‘Although, of course, you won’t still be here then, will you, Shay?’
‘Won’t I?’ Shay returned stiffly, irritated at the other woman’s almost triumphant tone.
Marilyn gave her a sharp look. ‘Surely you’ll be returning to America soon to resume your career?’
Shay wasn’t fooled for a moment by the other woman’s attempt at lightness; the thought that she might be here when Lyon was finally a free man bothered Marilyn very much. She needn’t have worried, Lyon could have been free years ago and it wouldn’t have mattered to Shay.
‘I can write anywhere,’ she said softly, sensing that Marilyn was far from the only person in the room that was tense as they waited for her answer. But she looked at no one else but Marilyn.
‘You intend staying on here?’ The other woman frowned her displeasure at that idea.
‘Not at the house, no,’ Shay dismissed the idea with a mental shudder. ‘But in England, yes. You see,’ she added softly, ‘I want my child to be born here.’
OH GOD, had she really told them there was to be a child! She hadn’t meant to break the news of her pregnancy quite so bluntly, had wanted her grandfather to the be first to know, had intended telling him when they were alone later. But it was done now, an act of defensive retaliation because of Marilyn’s condescending attitude, an emotion she was incapable of preventing even after all this time.
The reactions of the people in the room varied dramatically, and it would have been amusing if it weren’t the child she and Ricky had created before his death that caused these mercurial reactions.
Her grandfather, she could tell, was ecstatic, Matthew looked pleased too, Derrick Stewartby seemed dazed by the whole conversation, although he was concerned at the pale fury in his fiancée’s face. And lastly Lyon. Shay looked at him challengingly, stunned at how grey he had become, his eyes appearing a pure molten gold. And she knew the reason for his anger, her baby meaning she would remain an integral part of the Falconer family. But if Lyon believed she was any more enamoured of that idea than he was he was very much mistaken; she hated it. But at the same time she didn’t intend to deny her child its birthright just because she detested its uncle.
‘That’s wonderful, darlin’.’ Her grandfather was the first to recover from the shock of her announcement, hugging her tightly. ‘I can’t begin to tell you how pleased I am for you.’
She could see and feel his pleasure, returning his hug. ‘Thank you,’ she said tearfully.
‘I’m happy for you too.’ Matthew moved forward to squeeze her hand. ‘Did Ricky know?’ he asked gruffly.
Shay’s smile gentled. ‘We found out a few days before he disappeared. He was very excited at the prospect of becoming a father,’ she assured his brother softly.
‘Just when can we expect this—the baby to make an appearance?’ Marilyn demanded sharply.
Shay sobered as she turned to the other woman. ‘I expect the baby to be born in just over five months.’ Her mouth twisted as Marilyn’s gaze moved sceptically to the flatness of her stomach beneath the soft material of her black dress. ‘I can assure you I am almost four months’ pregnant,’ she drawled derisively at the lack of subtlety.
The other woman flushed angrily. ‘I wasn’t questioning the validity of your pregnancy,’ Marilyn snapped. ‘Only the timing of it. After all, it’s over two months since Ricky died—’
‘Marilyn!’ Lyon cut in harshly, speaking for the first time since Shay had made her announcement, his voice gruff. ‘For God’s sake—’
‘Don’t be naïve, Lyon,’ she scorned. ‘By presenting us with Ricky’s baby, Shay has effectively established a reason to hang on to Ricky’s share in the company; no woman would deny