‘Of course, I told you about him. Well, it seems I did meet him before, only it was during that time I can’t remember.’
Simon frowned. ‘Then how do you know it’s the truth?’
‘I just know it, I know him. He—I—Did I ever mention anyone called Jerard Daniels to you?’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘Damn,’ she sighed. ‘I was hoping you might be able to tell me more about it.’
‘Maybe I can,’ he said slowly, guardedly. ‘You didn’t mention any names, but I know there was a man. Maybe it’s the same one.’
‘It has to be. What did I tell you about him?’
‘Nothing. But we guessed he meant something to you.’
‘We?’ she looked stricken. ‘Did Anthony know about Jerard too?’
‘Oh yes,’ Simon nodded.
And yet he still married me!’
‘He loved you.’
‘And I let him down!’
‘It didn’t matter,’ her brother shrugged. ‘Not to Anthony. He loved you, anyway.’
Velvet drew in a ragged breath. ‘But you’re quite sure I didn’t actually tell you it was Jerard Daniels?’
‘Quite sure. I never forget names, you know that.’
‘Yes,’ she sighed heavily. She wasn’t really any further forward, except to know that there definitely had been another man in her life besides Anthony, but then she had already known that, the reaction of her body to Jerard told her that much at least.
Simon was still watching her closely. ‘I got the impression this other man was married,’ he probed gently.
‘He was,’ Velvet nodded. ‘His wife is dead now.’
Her brother pursed his lips. ‘So he’s a widower now?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you’re a widow.’
Her mouth quirked with bitter humour. ‘And we didn’t instantly fall in love with each other again, if that’s what you’re thinking.’ It had taken her about three days to fall in love with Jerard, and about the same amount of time for him to fall out of love with her.
‘I didn’t think you had,’ Simon scorned. ‘But you obviously felt enough for him for it to have upset you—meeting him again, I mean.’
‘I—It—it disturbed me,’ she admitted. ‘Although I probably wouldn’t have seen him again after the first couple of times if it hadn’t been for his daughter.’ She explained about Vicki’s extreme sensitivity.
‘I can see you liked her,’ Simon smiled.
‘Very much,’ she confirmed.
Tony woke up at that moment, gabbling away at the top of his voice from the bedroom.
Simon laughed. ‘I’ve never known a child who talks so much and makes absolutely no sense!’
‘He says “Mum” quite clearly,’ Velvet defended indignantly.
‘Big deal!’ her brother teased.
Velvet stood up, ‘Don’t mock until you have children of your own,’ she said haughtily, head held high.
He grinned. ‘Janice and I are still working on it.’
‘After six years you should be about perfect by now.’
Simon laughed. ‘We’re getting there.’
The weekend passed with lighthearted enjoyment. Janice was possibly the best friend Velvet had ever had as well as being her sister-in-law. They had become firm friends from the moment Simon had brought Janice home to meet the family, and that friendship had been cemented during the time Velvet had lived with Simon and Janice.
Nevertheless, she was glad to leave late on Sunday afternoon, anxious to get back to the normality of the life she led with Tony.
He talked non-stop all the way home, strapped into his baby-seat in the back of the car while she drove. She answered him as if he were making sense, although what he was saying was anyone’s guess. One day he would make perfect sense, and until he did he was still a lot of company.
‘Choc-choc,’ he chortled as they stepped out of the lift, insisting on walking, a newly acquired ability that he insisted on practising every opportunity he could.
‘All right,’ she laughed. ‘I know it’s choc-choc time. We’ll just—’
‘Where the hell have you been all weekend?’ rasped a deeply familiar voice.
She looked up with a start, to see Jerard push himself forcefully away from his lounging position against the wall. Tony was obviously in awe of the dark man towering over them, and buried his face in Velvet’s skirt.
‘It’s all right, Tony,’ she soothed, bending down to swing him up into her arms. ‘This man is a friend of Mummy’s. See?’ she gave a bright smile.’
‘Don’t go overboard, Velvet,’ Jerard drawled. ‘I might think you mean it.’
She flashed him a resentful glance. ‘I’m trying to comfort my child—can’t you see he’s shy!’
He looked at the little boy in her arms, his eyes narrowed and enigmatic. ‘Hello, Tony,’ he said softly.
Tony eyed him warily, burying his face in Velvet’s neck. ‘Choc-choc,’ he mumbled.
Jerard smiled. ‘His shyness doesn’t seem to have diminished his appetite!’
Velvet silently unlocked her flat door, taking Tony inside and sitting him on his booster chair before turning back to collect their cases. Jerard had already entered with them, putting them down in the passageway before closing the door behind him.
‘Come in, won’t you?’ she said sarcastically, taking some chocolate out of her handbag and handing it to Tony as he sat at the kitchen table, his smile of glee softening her mood.
‘I asked where you’d been.’ Jerard stood in the kitchen doorway, dark and attractive in black fitted shirt and trousers.
She shot him another resentful glance. ‘I’ve been away,’ she snapped.
‘I know that,’ he said fiercely, shooting Tony a searching glance, but the little boy was intent on his chocolate, not at all interested in the heated conversation of the two adults. ‘I want to know where,’ Jerard rasped.
Velvet’s eyes widened. ‘I don’t see what that has to do with you. You—’
‘Don’t you?’ he interrupted dangerously soft. ‘Don’t you really? Well, let me tell you what it has to do with me, shall I? I called you when you got back from Miami because I had one hysterical little girl on my hands—I would have thought that much was obvious by the fact that you spoke to Vicki. The only way I could calm her down was by promising to bring her back to England immediately, and by letting her talk to you on the telephone straight away. For some reason you
