He looked down at the hand still clasped in his. It was her left, and a band encircled her wedding finger. 'That's not my ring. Did he give it to you?'
'No. I bought it from a market stall.'
'You don't really belong to either of us, huh?'
'Just myself, for a while. I think I should go to bed now. Thank you for a lovely evening, Garth.'
With an almost inaudible sigh her released her. 'Goodnight, Faye.'
She slipped away hurriedly and didn't stop until she'd closed the door of her bedroom behind her. In a few short moments Garth had approached the very heart that she'd shielded against him. She hadn't meant to let it happen, but his gentle, almost wistful, tenderness had taken her by surprise.
The feelings coursing through her were devastating: an irrational sense of happiness, hope, expectancy. Like a giddy teenager, she thought, when the idol first glanced her way. Like herself, ten years ago. Was that why she had the shocking feeling that she'd betrayed Kendall?
But the children needed their parents to be friendly, she reminded herself. When the divorce finally came, they would be happier, knowing that they didn't have to divide their loyalties.
So that was all right, she thought, with relief. She was only doing what was best for Cindy and Adrian and there was no need to feel guilty.
The end of the school term was in sight. The children had started marking off the days and chanting, 'Twelve more days to the holidays. Eleven more days to the holidays. Ten more days…'
'Mummy, have you signed our forms?' Adrian asked one morning as they were leaving the breakfast table. Garth had already departed.
'Forms?' Faye asked blankly.
'The forms about the end of term party,' Adrian explained. 'You're supposed to sign them to say it's all right for us to be home late that day. We have to take them back this morning.'
'Oh, yes, let me find them.'
'I've just put them in front of you,' Adrian said patiently.
'Sorry. Yes. Fine.' Faye hastily signed, aware that her c hildren were giving her puzzled looks.
'Are you all right, Mummy?' Adrian asked.
'Of course I am, darling.'
'It's just that you've been funny lately,' Cindy said. 'You keep going all vague.'
'Nonsense,' Faye said, shaken by her daughter's perception.
'You do, Mummy,' Adrian insisted. 'We say things, and you don't answer.'
'I've got a lot on my mind. Now come on, you kids. I'm going out to warm the engine. You have ten seconds to explain to Barker that you aren't abandoning him for ever. And Cindy, please try to get it through to him this time, because I don't want any more scratch marks on my car.'
She escaped with relief, but she couldn't relax until she'd delivered them to school and could be alone. It was true that she'd been in a strange mood recently. Since the night of her birthday her mind had been troubled, and so had her heart.
Garth had argued and fought her for weeks and she'd held him off. But that night he'd spoken to her quietly and with a touch of wistfulness. For a few minutes she could almost have believed that the man she'd loved still lived somewhere deep in his shell. When he'd brushed her hand against his cheek in unconscious echo of their first date, her confusion had been so great she'd almost snatched her hand away.
She was in more danger now than she'd been since she confronted him two months ago. Suddenly her heart was dreaming impossible dreams, the kind she'd thought she'd put away for ever. Her head was protesting, telling her to see reason, but the voice of common sense was alarmingly faint.
She ought to visit Kendall and let him reassure her. But suddenly she felt unable to look Kendall in the face.
When she reached home she went, as if by instinct, into the room where she and Garth had sat together that night. There was the sofa on which he'd taken her hand…
Her eyes fell on a folder of papers. She'd seen Garth bring it out of his study that very morning, ready to take to work. And he'd left it behind.
Faye snatched up the phone and dialled his office. She was put through to Mary, Garth's secretary, a pleasant, middle-aged woman whom Faye had met several times and liked.
'Mr Clayton is in a meeting and said he wasn't to be disturbed,' she said. 'Can I help?'
Faye was about to tell her about the papers when she was stopped by the memory of a similar incident, years ago. Garth had been annoyed that she'd innocently revealed to one of his staff that he'd made a mistake. It was part of his creed never to show weakness to employees.
'I really do need to speak to him,' she persisted. 'It's very important.'
'Just one moment.'
Mary's voice became fainter, as though she'd turned away. 'It's Mrs Clayton. What shall I do? He said no interruptions.'
From far back in the room Faye could hear another voice that she recognized as Lysandra Bates. 'Go carefully. She's got to be kept sweet. The anniversary range is really important to Garth. I'd better talk to her myself.'
There was a scuffling sound as the phone changed hands, then the woman spoke again in a tone of professional amiability.
'Good afternoon, Mrs Clayton. I'm Lysandra Bates.'
'Yes, we've talked before,' Faye said pleasantly.
'Oh, that hardly counts, does it?' Lysandra said with a small laugh. 'I've been looking forward to meeting you properly, so that we can talk about the arrangements.'
'Arrangements?' Faye asked.
'The publicity arrangements for the anniversary range. It's so delightful that your tenth wedding anniversary coincides with our new range of family houses. I expect Garth has told you that they're going to be marketed with an emphasis on the stability of family life, and a couple who've been married for ten years just epitomizes stability, don't you think?'
Nobody could have guessed from her tone that only recently she'd been shocked to discover that Faye had returned to her husband's home.
'I'm not quite sure,' Faye said very slowly. She was controlling her words, because the thought that was forming in her head was surely too monstrous to be true.
'Well, I expect you find it hard to visualize,' Lysandra Bates conceded in her sweet, icy voice. 'It'll be easier for you when you see everything laid out. The gist of it is that these are houses where couples will want to raise their families, and no one knows that better than the man who built them, and who's celebrating his own tenth wedding anniversary. And, of course, the children. I am right about that, aren't I? You have two adorable children.'
'I do have two children, but I don't want them made a part of any publicity campaign.'
'Well, we can discuss that later,' Lysandra said dis- missively. 'I thought you and I might have lunch one day, to discuss how your anniversary should be presented. My diary's a bit full, but what would you say to the week after next?'
'I'm afraid not.'
'Well, I suppose it's a little far ahead. Perhaps I could squeeze you in-'
'Please don't trouble yourself,' Faye said firmly. 'I'm sure you're much too busy. Good day.'
She hung up and sat there, stunned, thinking how easily she'd been taken in! What a blind fool, to imagine that Garth had changed! She'd known what he was like, yet still she'd let him delude her with a few clever words and a show of attention to Cindy and Adrian.
But underneath he was as bad as ever. No, worse! To exploit his neglected children and his mockery of a marriage, showing the world a false picture of harmony, so that he could make money; even she had never thought he could do anything so monstrous. She could have wept to think of the feelings that had lit up the world for her recently. And it had all been a wicked mockery.
Garth was late home that night and Faye waited until he'd said goodnight to the children before she spoke to him.
'You're very quiet,' he observed.
'That's because I've been doing a lot of thinking.'
