He looked at her with pained grey eyes. ‘And now it’s too late?’
‘Much too late. Maybe one day—’
‘Don’t make promises you can’t keep,’ he rasped harshly. ‘Our marriage is finally at an end.’
‘Don’t say that,’ she choked. ‘Just give me time.’ Seven months!
‘After five years I think you know whether or not you can live with me. It’s all right, Kelly, I understand. I couldn’t live with this possessiveness either, it would make me claustrophobic. You know the truth about your father now, so I’ll leave as soon as I’ve drunk a toast to his future happiness,’ he said bitterly.
Kelly frowned. ‘Why was the truth kept from me? Why not tell me my father had regained his memory?’ He still hadn’t answered that question—although he had answered a lot of others!
‘Because I wanted another chance with you.’ He shrugged. ‘It couldn’t work, not living with you like this. I only have to look at you to shake with wanting you. Sharing a bedroom with you was purgatory. I couldn’t be with you and not make love with you.’
‘But my father—’
‘Believed you had always loved me, even when we were apart. He thought I should have this chance too. He wanted you to be happy, and he thought I could achieve that. He was wrong, and so was I. You can stay here, I’ll be moving out.’
‘That won’t be necessary,’ she assured him hastily. ‘I—I intend going away for a while. I thought I might go on a cruise or something, travel.’
Jordan frowned. ‘Your father won’t like that.’
‘I’m not asking anyone if I can go, Jordan,’ she told him in a controlled voice, making herself sound cool and assured.
His mouth twisted. ‘Certainly not me.’
‘No,’ she agreed huskily.
‘Okay.’ He braced his shoulders, as if recovering from a blow. ‘Let’s go and put on a show for your father and Anne.’
‘Jordan…’ her voice broke, ‘I’m really sorry.’
‘So am I,’ he said heavily.
Please, let this time go quickly, she prayed silently.
* * *
It didn’t, it dragged. And yet in the end it was all worth it. Nothing went wrong this time, and when the time came for the birth it all went off quite normally.
During Kelly’s months in the nursing home her only visitor had been Laura, sworn to secrecy, even from Ian this time. And she had telephoned her father constantly, reassuring all his anxieties as to her whereabouts. His own newly married status had taken the pressure off her somewhat, although he never ceased asking when she was coming home from her travels.
Jordan had remained at the house this time, and according to her father he was working harder than ever, suicidally so. Well, his suffering was now at an end; she could leave hospital. She took a taxi straight to the house, the carrycot on the backseat beside her.
Mrs McLeod looked taken aback when she opened the door. ‘Mrs Lord…’ she took in the suitcase standing at Kelly’s feet at a glance. ‘Are you back to stay?’ she asked excitedly, her pleasure evident.
‘I am,’ Kelly grinned. ‘But I’m not alone.’
Mrs McLeod looked behind Kelly at the apparently empty taxi. She frowned her puzzlement.
Kelly laughed. ‘Come and help me,’ she invited.
The housekeeper followed her in a daze. ‘I don’t understand…’
‘You will,’ Kelly promised.
‘Let me do that, love,’ the driver insisted as he saw her intention of getting the carrycot out of the back. ‘You shouldn’t be lifting yet.’
‘Thank you,’ she accepted gratefully. ‘Although I’m quite well.’