Laura tried to see the little boy through Liam’s eyes. Still dressed in his pyjamas, Bobby was tall for his age, with a thinness that resulted from an abundance of energy and not lack of food. His hair was dark and slightly curly, dark blue eyes fringed by lashes of the same dark colour.
Colouring that could just as well be her own, Laura decided stubbornly.
But could she also claim the facial features that already promised to look so much like Liam’s as Bobby matured? Or the mischievous grin that could be so like Liam’s?
If challenged, she would have to!
‘Your mother seems to be temporarily speechless, Bobby.’ Liam was the first one to speak, only the huskiness of his voice giving any indication of the passion they had so recently shared. ‘So I had better introduce myself. I’m Liam O’Reilly.’ He moved forward to hold his hand out formally to the little boy. ‘An old friend of your mother’s.’
‘Robert William Shipley Junior,’ Bobby told him with shy pride as he shook the proffered hand.
Laura felt an emotional catch in her throat as father and son faced each other for the first time. They were so alike. Liam must realise who Bobby was!
Or maybe it was just her, with her inner knowledge, who could see the likeness? She certainly hoped so…!
Liam released Bobby’s hand as he smiled down at him ‘Your mother tells me you prefer to be called Bobby,’ he said softly.
The little boy shrugged narrow shoulders. ‘I don’t mind Bobby or Robert. The teachers at school call me Robert.’
Laura looked down at her son in some surprise. Bobby had never told her that before. But perhaps now that his father, also Robert, was dead…
‘I think I quite like Bobby, if that’s okay with you?’ Liam spoke to the little boy, but his narrowed gaze was fixed on Laura. As if he was well aware of how perplexed she had just felt.
And maybe he was, she inwardly conceded; Liam, as an author, was a people-watcher, had always been able to intuitively read other people’s emotions.
Which was yet another reason for guarding her own emotions when around him!
She straightened her shoulders. ‘If that’s all, Liam,’ she prompted distantly, wanting him to leave. ‘I would like to go and share some breakfast with Bobby now.’
‘Breakfast sounds like a good idea,’ Liam came back smoothly. ‘I didn’t feel much like eating earlier this morning,’ he elaborated, as Laura gave him a frowning look.
Because he had been bombarded with reporters at his hotel even earlier than she had!
But, even so, her suggestion about breakfast had not included Liam. And he knew it!
‘We’re only eating cereal and toast,’ she told him flatly.
‘Sounds good,’ Liam replied. ‘As long as you have those cornflakes with the sugar already on them; they’re my favourite,’ he told Bobby conspiratorially.
‘Mine, too,’ Bobby told him with a gappy grin. He was missing his two top front teeth, being at the age when he was starting to lose his milk teeth in favour of permanent ones.
Laura looked down in puzzlement at her son; this was the first she had heard of that particular cereal being Bobby’s favourite. But, with no permanent male figure in his life, she accepted that Bobby was likely to suffer a few cases of hero-worship over the following years. It was just that Liam was the last person she wanted Bobby to see in that role!
‘It looks like it’s sugar-coated cornflakes all round, Laura,’ Liam told her with satisfaction, already following Bobby towards the kitchen.
Laura followed much more slowly. Did Liam know who Bobby really was? If he did, he was giving no indication of it. Which was even more disquieting.
Amy raised surprised brows in her direction when Laura entered the kitchen. Liam was already seated at the pine table in there as Bobby got out the cereal, bowls and milk, putting them on the table before sitting down himself.
Laura gave the housekeeper a resigned shrug. There was really nothing else she could do; she couldn’t exactly throw Liam bodily out of the house. Besides, she was still uneasy about how much Liam might or might not have guessed about Bobby’s parentage…
‘Shouldn’t a big boy like you be at school today?’ Liam asked Bobby once the two of them had their bowls of cereal.
‘I fell over two days ago and bumped my head,’ Bobby said. ‘I had to stay in hospital overnight. But Mummy stayed with me.’ He looked up at Laura for confirmation of this momentous event in his young life.
‘I certainly did.’ She ruffled the darkness of his hair with gentle affection, looking up challengingly at Liam as she sensed his gaze on her.
So that’s where you rushed off to two days ago, his eyes clearly said.
Laura gave him a withering glance before turning away. She had told him the man in her life he kept referring to was mythical; it was Liam’s own fault if he hadn’t believed her.
‘Sit down and eat some breakfast.’
Angry colour flooded her cheeks at Liam’s dictatorial tone. She would eat breakfast when she was good and ready, not when he told her to. Who did he think—?
‘Please?’ he added cajolingly, blue gaze on her flushed cheeks.
Laura sat. Until she had spoken to him alone, found out whether or not he had guessed that Bobby was his son, then she didn’t particularly want to antagonise him. Although his manner seemed rather too pleasant for that of a man who had just realised he had a son he knew nothing about…
It was impossible to tell with Liam. Able to read and gauge other people’s emotions, he also had the ability to completely hide his own behind an inscrutable mask. That mask was firmly in place at the moment!
Liam continued to talk to Bobby as Laura drank her coffee and ate a slice of toast, encouraging the little boy to talk about school, and his friends there.
Laura’s own troubled thoughts drifted as her wariness increased.
‘—think you would really like Ireland, Bobby.’ Liam’s suggestion brought Laura’s wandering attention back to their conversation.
What did he mean, Bobby would like Ireland? She had no plans ever to take her son there!
Liam turned to look at her with expressionless eyes as he sensed her renewed attention. ‘Bobby was just telling me that he likes it when you and he go out for a drive at weekends so that the two of you can go for walks in the countryside,’ he explained. ‘There’s nowhere quite like Ireland for beautiful countryside and peaceful walks,’ he opined.
That might or might not be true—Laura had no intention of visiting Ireland to find out! ‘I think after Bobby’s accident our walks will have to wait for a while,’ she replied—firmly stamping on any suggestion that Liam might join them this weekend before he even made it!
‘Your mother is probably right,’ Liam told Bobby as the little boy looked about to protest. ‘Mothers usually are,’ he added enigmatically.
Laura gave him a sharp look, surprised that he had actually agreed with her concerning the walks, but equally puzzled by his last remark, although she could see no mockery or sarcasm in his expression.
She stood up abruptly. ‘If you’ve finished breakfast, I think it’s time I took Bobby upstairs for a bath…’
‘Oh, but, Mummy—’
‘Remember what