Lifelong Affair. Carole Mortimer

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СКАЧАТЬ least surprise her when he fell asleep shortly after take-off, and she remained quietly at his side, guessing that he needed the rest. And if the truth were known she needed a little time to herself, to think quietly, to realise that she and the man at her side had sole responsibility for a tiny baby who would never know his real parents, who would be denied a mother’s love. Morgan vowed on that long flight that she would be the mother to Courtney that Glenna had intended her to be—no matter what the Hammonds said or did!

      Alex had left his Mercedes parked at the airport, and with the ease with which she was coming to expect from him he saw them through Customs and into the car, driving them to the Hammond house in Surrey himself.

      ‘Courtney—–’

      ‘I’ll drive you to see him tomorrow,’ Alex interrupted abruptly. ‘I believe we may be able to bring him home then.’

      Morgan couldn’t help the sudden rush of colour in her cheeks. It sounded curiously intimate for the two of them to be bringing home a baby. Obviously Alex thought so too.

      ‘A nanny will be engaged for him,’ he added harshly.

      ‘No!’

      ‘It’s the best way—–’

      ‘It may be your best way, Alex,’ she scorned, ignoring the tiredness still about his eyes, the fact that he must be feeling exhausted, knowing only that if she gave in to him over this then she would be continually doing so, ‘but I happen to believe Courtney needs a mother’s love, not the impersonality of a transient nanny.’

      ‘A mother’s love is something we can’t give him!’ Alex rasped.

      ‘I can,’ Morgan told him heatedly, her eyes flashing deeply green. ‘I intend adopting him as my own son.’

      Grey eyes snapped with anger. ‘That might be a little difficult,’ he ground out.

      She eyed him warily. ‘Why?’

      ‘Both guardians have to agree to any plans involving Courtney,’ he pointed out grimly.

      She stiffened, turning in the leather seat to look at him, aware that he looked very weary, lines of strain beside his eyes and mouth, the latter a taut line of aggression. ‘And you won’t agree to my adopting Courtney?’ she asked softly.

      ‘No.’

      ‘Why?’

      ‘I don’t believe it would be in his best interests.’

      ‘Don’t talk down to me, Alex Hammond!’ she snapped. ‘just say what you mean. You don’t think a “fun-loving young actress with no morals” a suitable mother for him, that’s it, isn’t it?’

      He sighed heavily. ‘I wish I’d never made that remark. I suppose I’m to have it thrown up at me periodically during our association?’

      ‘That won’t be for long! I’m returning to Los Angeles as soon as possible.’

      ‘Without Courtney.’

      ‘With him.’

      ‘No,’ he shook his head. ‘Not unless I agree. And I don’t. Don’t you think this is a little soon to start arguing about Courtney’s future?’

      ‘With you I have a feeling it’s never too soon to start arguing!’

      To her surprise the austere features broke into a smile, and Alex instantly looked younger, incredibly handsome, the grooves in his cheeks ones of humour this time, unfamiliar grooves, as if he smiled little. Morgan had a feeling that he didn’t, and she wondered at the reason for his harshness. A woman in the past, perhaps? That was usually the reason a man with Alex’s intelligence retreated into himself. Perhaps he hadn’t been able to take rejection. Whatever the reason, his humour now was totally unexpected. She gave him a questioning look.

      His mouth quirked. ‘You’re the only one who does argue with me,’ he drawled.

      ‘Really?’ She smiled too now.

      ‘Really,’ he nodded.

      ‘That’s incredible.’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘And that’s arrogant!’

      ‘No,’ he smiled again. ‘It’s quite exhilarating, actually.’

      Now why on earth should she blush like a schoolgirl at the thought of Alex Hammond finding something about her exhilarating? Maybe it was because he was a challenge, the original ice man.

      But she wasn’t here to find him a challenge, she was here to get Courtney and return home. And she would do it.

      It needed all her self-confidence to enter the Hammond house with him a short time later; she was wary about meeting Rita Hammond again. They hadn’t exactly taken to each other when they met two years ago, and she had no reason to think the other woman would be any more kindly disposed towards her. The opposite if she also believed in the part of Mary-Beth being Morgan’s own nature!

      If Rita Hammond had been sedated the day before there was no sign of it today. The woman was tall, almost as tall as her son, her iron-grey hair perfectly coiffured, her make-up impeccable despite her sixty years, her taste in clothes sophisticated and flattering to her slender figure.

      She looked at Morgan with flinty blue eyes, not surprised to see her, but not welcoming her either. Well, that suited Morgan, she wasn’t glad to be here either!

      ‘Miss McKay,’ the other woman greeted regally.

      ‘Mrs Hammond,’ Morgan returned as frostily.

      ‘You parents are well?’

      Morgan’s eyes widened. What was wrong with this family? This woman’s son and daughter-in-law had been tragically killed and she was asking innocuous questions about Morgan’s family! These people were emotionless. She need look no farther than Rita Hammond for her son’s lack of emotion; these people obviously didn’t know the meaning of the word love.

      ‘Could I please go to my room?’ she asked jerkily. ‘I’m feeling—tired, after the journey.’

      Rita Hammond instantly rang for Symonds, instructing him to take Morgan up to the ‘lemon’ room.

      ‘We’ll talk later,’ Alex told her softly as she walked past him to follow Symonds upstairs.

      She turned to smile at him, beginning to feel as if he was the only stability in a suddenly shaky world. ‘You look tired,’ she told him huskily. ‘Why don’t you rest too?’

      Grey eyes widened—and then narrowed, almost as if he suspected her motives. ‘Not yet,’ he answered abruptly. ‘I have things to do.’

      ‘But soon, hmm?’ she prompted.

      ‘Perhaps,’ he nodded distantly. ‘Go with Symonds.’

      She felt suitably dismissed, regretting the politeness of her concern. This man obviously didn’t СКАЧАТЬ