FORGOTTEN LOVER, Carole Mortimer [chrysanthemum read aloud TXT] 📗

‘Fine,’ she answered breathlessly.

‘Nervous?’

‘A little,’ she admitted, swallowing hard.

His hand came out to entwine with hers while he drove. ‘You needn’t be. I’m not going to suddenly turn into a sex maniac when we get home.’

‘I know that,’ she smiled at his teasing. ‘It’s just that—well, I—’

‘I know, darling,’ he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

And she knew that he did know, that he realised her nervousness was due to her inexperience—and she loved him all the more for it. It would be all right, everything would be all right, Jerard would see to that.

‘We’re going to have a nice quiet dinner for two,’ he continued. ‘Which we will prepare for ourselves. I’ve given my—our housekeeper the week off, so I hope you don’t mind helping with the cooking and cleaning?’

‘I’ll love it!’ Her eyes glowed.

‘So will I,’ he said gruffly. ‘After dinner we’re going to listen to a few romantic records, dance a little, and then I’m going to seduce you on the carpet.’

‘Jerard!’ she blushed.

He gave a husky laugh of enjoyment. ‘Don’t you like my programme for the evening?’

‘Too much!’

‘You’re too much,’ he told her throatily. ‘I hope I can wait until after dinner,’ he groaned.

He did, just. He was a considerate lover, raised her to the heights time and time again before taking them both over the edge of sensual excitement into ecstatic pleasure. It seemed to Velvet that she must have fainted for a moment, only to come awake in Jerard’s arms, her body still joined to his, lethargic with pleasure, a drowsy pleasure that made it difficult for her to open her eyes.

‘Velvet?’ Jerard moved to look down at her, leaning on his elbow, his eyes half-closed with newly aroused passion.

‘Mm?’ she reached up for him, their lips meeting in a clinging kiss.

‘You see how it is with us?’ he murmured against her throat. ‘And it will get better and better, you’ll see.’

‘Better than that?’ At last her eyes opened.

‘You’ll see,’ he promised. ‘In the meantime we’re going to take a shower together.’

Her hands clung about his neck as he swung her up against him. ‘Have we showered together before?’

‘Lots of times,’ he nodded.

She smiled happily. ‘It sounds fun.’

He gave a contented laugh. ‘I love you, Velvet.’

‘And I love you,’ she told him seriously.

She lay beside Jerard, numb, unable to feel the cramp in the leg he had trapped beneath his.

He was going to hate her when he knew the truth. If it were the truth! But it had to be, it had to be!

She had to get out of here, leave before Jerard woke up and saw the state she was in and demanded an explanation. And she couldn’t possibly tell him, not yet.

She moved slowly about the bedroom pulling on her clothes. Jerard was in a very deep sleep after their lovemaking. She didn’t even know where she was going, just away from here, before Jerard learnt to hate her.

She walked for hours, slowly making her way to Simon’s as it started to become light. He wouldn’t thank her for waking him at this early hour, although once he saw her he might be forgiving.

To her surprise he was already up and dressed, but unshaven, a haggard look to his features. He didn’t say a word as he led her into the house, and neither did Janice as she put the cup of hot coffee in front of her.

‘Jerard was here,’ she guessed dully.

‘Yes,’ Simon nodded. ‘He’s out of his mind with worry, Velvet.’ Her brother stood up. ‘I’d better call him, tell him—’

‘No!’ The cup landed on its saucer with a clatter. ‘I don’t want you to call him. I—I can’t see him just yet.’

‘But what’s he done, Velvet?’ Simon frowned worriedly.

‘It isn’t what Jerard’s done, it’s what I’ve done. At least, what I think I’ve done.’

Simon shook his head. ‘You aren’t making much sense, love,’ he told her gently.

‘I—It was the shock,’ she said dazedly. ‘The shock of—of—’

‘Yes?’ he prompted.

She licked her lips, giving a choked sob. ‘Just tell me one thing, Simon. Was I pregnant when I married Anthony?’

CHAPTER TEN

SIMON seemed to pale, turning away. ‘I—What makes you think that?’ he asked at last.

‘Nothing makes me think it,’ Velvet said shrilly. ‘It’s the truth, isn’t it?’

He sighed. ‘How did you find out?’

‘My God,’ she shook with reaction, ‘it is true! And the baby was Jerard’s!’ The world about her suddenly seemed to fade and go black.

She woke up to find herself lying on Simon’s sofa, struggling to sit up as it all came back to her, the realisation that Jerard was Tony’s father! She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Simon’s arm came about her shoulders as he sat down next to her, pulling her against him as he tried to comfort her. ‘It’s all right,’ he soothed. ‘It’s all right, Velvet.’

‘Of course it isn’t!’ She moved back, her cheeks tear-wet. ‘Jerard’s going to hate me when he knows.’

‘He may not find out—’

‘I’m going to tell him,’ she said firmly. ‘As soon as I feel strong enough I’m going back to the house and tell him. But first I need you to tell me exactly what happened. Why did Anthony marry me?’ she choked.

Simon shrugged. ‘Beccause he loved you.’

‘Even though I was pregnant by another man!’

‘Yes,’ her brother nodded. ‘How did you find out, Velvet?’ he asked again.

‘Tony—Tony has a birthmark on his left thigh.’

‘Yes, I’ve seen it.’

She blushed. ‘Jerard has one exactly like it.’

‘Oh.’

‘It was too much of a coincidence, considering our past relationship,’ she cried her distress. ‘It’s exactly the same—same place, same shape. And it had been puzzling me why I would marry Anthony when I was apparently so much in love with Jerard. I thought I loved Anthony, but I must have been completely in love with Jerard to have acted the way I did with him.’

‘Yes,’ Simon sighed. ‘You broke off your engagement to Anthony as soon as you got back from Florida that first time. You were completely honest about the whole thing, and