There was about Velvet a deep air of depression, and she was almost afraid to delve into the reason behind it. But she couldn’t help it, unable to sleep even though she was exhausted by the flight, and the bed looked very inviting.
But Jerard Daniels wouldn’t be banished from her mind, tall and handsome as she had seen him last, his commanding appearance demanding and receiving respect. He had been nothing like the man she had met that first day, the half demented man who had claimed to be in love with her.
And yet now she loved him! She acknowledged it even as she wondered how it could have happened, when it had happened. But this yearning ache inside her to be back at his side told her that it was a fact. She was in love with a man she didn’t even know, a man she might never see again.
But maybe she would, maybe Vicki would make him keep his promise to let her come and meet Tony, and maybe he would be the one to bring her. That was an awful lot of maybes—but at the moment that was all she had.
She almost fainted with shock when the telephone began ringing. Who on earth could be telephoning this time of morning? Unless it was Simon checking to see if she had arrived home all right—it would be just like him, he had always been a protective brother.
‘Simon—’
‘Velvet,’ interrupted a deeply impatient voice—Jerard’s voice!
‘Velvet!’ Vicki’s childish tones cut in excitedly. ‘Velvet, is that you?’
‘Why, yes. But—’
‘We’re coming home, Velvet,’ the little girl cut in. ‘Can I still come and see you?’
‘Well, yes. But—’
‘That’s enough, Vicki,’ Jerard could be heard saying firmly. ‘Off to bed, I’ll handle it from here. Bed, Vicki,’ he repeated as he obviously received further argument. ‘Velvet?’ he came back on the line, so disturbing when she had been thinking about him so intently.
‘Jerard …’ she breathed huskily.
For long timeless seconds there was silence on the other end of the line. ‘Are you feeling well?’ he asked finally.
‘Yes, fine.’ Just a bit overawed, especially after so recently discovering she loved him. ‘Don’t I sound fine?’ she asked brightly.
‘No. Did I wake you, is that it?’
‘I said I was all right,’ she insisted sharply.
‘You sound—strange.’
‘Maybe I am,’ she flared angrily, feeling frustrated with the stupidity of this conversation. ‘Or maybe I’m just tired,’ she snapped. ‘Goodnight, Mr Daniels!’ She slammed the telephone receiver back on its cradle.
How could Jerard call her just to insult her! Tears were streaming down her face when the telephone began ringing again. She let it ring and ring, shutting herself in her bedroom to shut out its noise. It finally stopped, only to start up again a few seconds later. This time when it stopped she quickly removed it from its cradle, making sure Jerard couldn’t reach her again.
It sounded as if Vicki were being difficult about her departure. But if Jerard had somehow obtained her telephone number then it also followed that he had her address. If Vicki wanted to see her then Jerard would arrange that she did.
Her own behaviour was harder to analyse. She had wanted to talk to Jerard, but not to that cold, mocking stranger, to the warm vibrant man he could be on occasion. How much nicer it would be if all differences could be forgotten between them and they could start again.
But that couldn’t happen; Jerard’s distrust of her and her own fear of her love for him, both in the past and now, precluded that happening.
She finally put the receiver back about seven o’clock, just in case her brother should want to call her. His call came through about ten minutes later.
‘I’ve been calling for the last half an hour,’ he complained. ‘It’s been engaged the whole time.’
‘Welcome home, Velvet,’ she taunted sarcastically. ‘Did you have a good trip? Yes, it was quite good,’ she answered herself. ‘But it’s nice to be back.’
‘Okay,’ Simon sighed. ‘It is nice to have you back, and did you have a good trip?’
‘Not bad.’ Then her mood softened, lack of sleep making her brittle when she didn’t mean to be. ‘How’s Tony?’
‘Still asleep. But not for long, if I know him.’
‘No,’ she laughed ‘He likes to get up bright and early.’
‘So I noticed,’ he gave an exaggerated yawn. ‘Are you coming over for breakfast?’
‘I’d love to,’ she accepted eagerly.
‘Then hurry up, or your son will have eaten it all.’
‘His appetite is still good, hmm?’
‘He eats more than I do,’ Simon groaned.
Her reunion with her son was a tearful one, on her part. Tony was all beaming smiles, jumping up and down with the excitement of having her back.
She knew she had to talk to Simon about meeting Jerard, and yet she put it off for as long as possible, waiting until Tony went up for his mid-morning nap before broaching the subject.
As it was a Saturday Simon wasn’t working, but Janice went out to get the weekend shopping, inviting Velvet to stay over. She accepted, knowing it would give Tony time to adjust before she took him home. Not that he had forgotten her at all, but it wasn’t fair to tear him away from the people who had been his family for the last week.
‘Okay,’ Simon studied her hard, ‘let’s have it.’
This direct approach instantly disconcerted her. ‘Let’s have what?’ she hedged.
‘After a week in Florida, albeit a week of working, you should be glowing with health and vitality, instead of which you look like the “before” part of the health drink advert.’
‘Thanks!’
‘No, I mean it, Velvet.’ He sat forward, his expression serious. ‘Did something happen in Florida?’
She bit her lip. ‘Not something, someone.’
His expression brightened. ‘You fell in love?’
‘Yes. No! It isn’t as simple as that.’
‘It never is,’ he said dryly.
‘There was this man—’
‘I already gathered that!’
‘I’m serious, Simon,’ she said impatiently. ‘This man claimed we’d met before—’
‘Oh, that one,’ he
