‘Wait, Keira.’ He came over to her and lifted her gently into his arms, carrying her effortlessly up to the master bedroom where he laid her on the bed.
He straightened from the bed, his expression completely devoid of emotion. ‘Rest for now. I have to pick something up from my office but I should be back in an hour or so.’
She watched him leave the room, her heart aching for what she wanted but couldn’t have.
His trust.
An hour after he had left Marietta came in with a worried look on her face. ‘Keira, you have a visitor but I am not sure Signor Trelini would like you to see him,’ she said. ‘He gave me strict instructions on who was and wasn’t allowed to see you.’
‘Who is it?’
‘Garth Merrick.’
Keira sat upright and brushed back her hair. ‘It’s all right, Marietta,’ she said. ‘I would like to see him.’
‘Signor Trelini told me never to let that—’
‘Signor Trelini is not here at the moment and if I want to see a friend of mine there is nothing he can do to stop it,’ Keira said with determination. ‘Besides, I have something important to say to him.’
Marietta blew out a sigh and went out, returning a short time later with Garth a few steps behind. ‘I will wait outside in case you need me,’ she said with a pointed look.
‘Thank you, Marietta,’ Keira said, ‘but I would like to have some privacy, if you don’t mind.’
The housekeeper gave Garth a chilly up and down glance and stalked out.
‘Sorry about that,’ Keira said. ‘She’s not normally like that.’
‘It’s all right…’ Garth said, looking uncomfortable. He took in a deep breath and began, ‘I had to see you before I left, Keira.’
‘It’s not yours, Garth,’ she said without preamble. ‘I was already pregnant before that night. Two weeks pregnant, to be exact.’
‘I know,’ he said, raking an unsteady hand through his light brown hair. ‘That’s why I’m here.’
Keira remained silent.
His throat looked as if he was trying to swallow something far too big for his oesophagus. ‘I have something to tell you that is going to totally shock you,’ he said.
Still she stayed silent but she could feel her heart skipping a beat every now and again.
‘Keira…I want to tell you about my fiancée.’
‘I’m happy for you, Garth,’ she said with an attempt at a genuine smile. ‘Really. It’s great news. And movi
ng to Canada will be wonderful for you. You’ve always wanted to travel.’
He gave her a twisted look. ‘You still don’t understand, do you?’
She looked at him blankly. ‘Understand what?’
He let out a long breath. ‘Keira, for most of my teenage years I struggled with lots of issues. My father being a high profile politician like yours gave us a lot in common, but it was more than that. You were always there for me. There was hardly a thing I couldn’t discuss with you. I’ve never had a friend closer than you.’
‘Thanks…I felt like that too.’
Garth looked down at his hands for a moment. ‘I know…but there was one thing I didn’t discuss with you; in fact, I couldn’t discuss it with anyone.’
Keira unconsciously held her breath.
He raised his eyes back to hers. ‘You don’t know how many times I wanted to talk to you about…about how I felt. I’ve agonised over it for years, trying to pretend it wasn’t how I was, but I can’t live like that any more.’