For The Sake Of His Child

‘And Gina?’

‘She had a couple of winners, too.’

‘I meant, did she enjoy herself?’

‘Oh, yes. That’s the great thing about Gina. Easy to please. Never makes trouble.’

‘Yes, that would be a great advantage in a woman,’ Carson said, eyeing him oddly. He had no fear that Dan would notice the tension in his voice, and he was right.

‘That’s what I say. Gina and I make a good team. In fact, I said so to her tonight, and she agreed. Well, it’s time we were settling things.’

Carson paused, his hand halfway to the coffee pot. ‘You mean-?’

‘Bound to get hitched, one day. Been on the cards for years. Never wanted anyone else. She’s a dear little thing.’

‘Yes,’ Carson murmured.

He placed two cups on the table. It gave him something to do with his hands. Then the sugar, the milk. Pour the coffee. Do something. Keep busy. Anything to hide the fact that he’d just been badly shaken up.

‘Thought I’d take her out to buy a ring. Not that I go much for that sort of fiddle-faddle, but girls seem to like it. Tomorrow evening is all right with you, is it?’

‘Perfectly all right,’ Carson said coolly.

When Gina came down she found the two men discussing business in the kitchen. Carson was at his most urbane, flattering Dan with attention.

‘I’m grateful to you for being understanding about Gina’s presence here. My son’s needs are so great-’

‘Poor little tyke,’ Dan said with automatic sympathy. ‘If he needs Gina, of course she must stay.’

‘Exactly,’ Carson agreed. ‘She’s trying to give Joey the kind of perfect care and understanding her own mother gave her.’

Dan gave a yelp of laughter. ‘Perfect care and understanding? Whatever gave you that idea?’

‘Well, I know she died when Gina was very young, but-’

‘And before she died she was useless. Lost interest in the poor kid after it happened. Isn’t that right, darling?’

‘I-don’t remember,’ she said unsteadily.

‘Well, I do. My mum got really mad on your behalf. Said she couldn’t understand how any mother-’

‘Excuse me,’ Gina said hurriedly, and fled the room.

She hardly knew where she was going. Tears blurred her eyes, and she felt as though she’d been slashed with knives. How could Dan have said something so insensitive, when he must realise how painful those memories were for her?

But of course, he didn’t realise. Dan never understood how anybody felt about anything.

With a huge effort she pulled herself together. Dan had followed her, puzzled and hearty.

‘What’s up, darling? Not like you to throw a wobbly.’

‘No, I’m so reliable, aren’t I?’ she said with a touch of bitterness.

‘Pardon?’

‘Nothing. I’m just tired. Thank you for a lovely evening, Dan.’

‘Wasn’t bad, was it? Better than all that fancy stuff.’

‘A plain man,’ Carson said from behind him. ‘A man after my own heart. You and I must get together some time soon and discuss that new plug you were telling me about-’

As he spoke he was guiding Dan remorselessly to the door. Dan never knew quite how he found himself outside without claiming a goodnight kiss from Gina. But before he could protest the front door was closed.

Carson returned to the kitchen, where Gina was now washing up the coffee cups.

‘Leave that,’ he told her.

‘No trouble. I like things to be tidy before I go to bed,’ she said brightly.

‘I said leave it. Let’s talk.’

‘Nothing to talk about.’

‘After that, there’s nothing to talk about?’ he demanded in outrage.

‘If you mean that I deceived you-I’m sorry.’

‘Deceived me?’

‘I suppose I rather gave the impression that my mother was perfect-and that’s how I knew what Joey needed-’

‘The hell with that! Gina, will you put those things away?’

‘Yes, I’ve finished now. I’m going to bed.’

‘Not yet. Let me pour you a brandy. You look as if you’ve had a nasty shock.’

‘I’m fine, honestly.’

He took hold of her arms. ‘Then why are you trembling?’

‘I’m not-I’m just tired-’

She would have run away but he was still holding her firmly. The feel of his hands on her bare skin was unnerving, but not as unnerving as the gentleness with which he said, ‘Tell me about it, Gina.’

‘There’s nothing to tell,’ she said desperately. ‘She’s dead. It was all a long time ago-’

He let his hands fall. ‘I see,’ he said in a hard voice.

Something in it alerted her. ‘What do you see?’

‘It’s all right for you to listen to my problems, but when I ask about yours it’s stand-off time.’

‘No, it isn’t like that-’

‘You’ve seen things about my life that I’ve shown to nobody else. It’s not nice to be kept at a distance after that. In fact, it’s pretty patronising.’

‘I’m not-’

‘I’m supposed to trust you, but you don’t trust me. I thought we were friends. If I didn’t think that I wouldn’t have confided in you as much as I have. Apparently it’s all one-way.’ He spoke sharply to conceal the hurt that had taken him by surprise.

Her voice shook. ‘There’s really nothing to tell. Nothing at all. Now I’m going to bed.’

She wrenched herself free and almost ran up the stairs to get away from him. Carson watched her go, bitterly, wondering what had come over him in the last few minutes.

Be damned to her! What right did she have to insinuate herself into Joey’s heart, then go off and marry that oaf? If that was all the taste she had…!

He poured himself a large whisky. He needed it.

The house had been transformed since she’d filled it with her laughter and warmth. And now she planned to vanish, leaving an emptiness behind that he-that Joey-would find painful. It had been bearable before she came, but it wouldn’t be bearable now. Better never to have known her than suffer like this.

He had a pile of work to do. For an hour he tried to settle to it, but she’d destroyed his concentration. Another black mark against her! The sooner she left the better. Then they would all know where they stood.

At last Carson gave up the pretence of working. His head was aching again from an evening that had been an unexpected strain. He didn’t bother to turn on the hall light, but climbed the stairs in the darkness. On the top step he nearly stumbled over something.

‘Gina, what are you doing sitting on the stairs?’

‘I don’t know.’ She gave a sniff and blew her nose. ‘I was going to come down for a drink, then I changed my mind. At least, I nearly did. Then I wasn’t sure. So I sat down while I decided. That was ten minutes ago-I think.’

‘You’re babbling,’ he said kindly.

‘Yes, I suppose I am.’

He sat down beside her. In the poor light from the landing window he could just see that she’d taken off the lovely dress and put on a cheap cotton dressing gown. It was lucky she was used to counting her blessings, he thought, in a kind of rage, because when she’d married Dan she’d be wearing cheap dressing gowns for the rest of her life.

Then she sniffed again and his rage died. ‘Have you been crying?’