NIK PARTED from her the instant they entered the lon-don house. He had a lot of work to catch up on, he said. He would be leaving again as soon as he had changed.
'Don't hurry back on my account.' Leah urged with an acidity that was in direct proportion to the pain she was ramming down inside her.
He swung hack, shooting her a grim glance. 'We'll talk when I get back.'
Why was she receiving the impression that she was the one at fault? She had done nothing. But since last night she had felt like Nik's gaoler. How would he react when she told him about her conversation with Stavros? Would she be telling him anything he didn't already know? How would he react when he realized that she now knew that secret'? He had not trusted her enough to tell her himself. That fact bit deepest of all.
She walked into the drawing-room and her mouth twisted as she looked at her mothers writing bureau. 'Take an axe to it if you like!' Nik had derided. When she pulled down the flap that functioned as a writing surface she saw nothing new. The drawers and pigeon-holes were empty. She didn't use the bureau because it didn't lock. The key decoratively attached by a too short golden chain to the flap would not reach the keyhole. Such a foolish oversight on the part of the craftsman who had restored the piece.
It was only when she looked at that key now that she realized it bore a very close resemblance to the same key she had held in her hand inside that Paris bank. She broke the chain, hurting her hand in the process. The key had been lightly gilded to match the chain but the numbers engraved on it could still be read. It didn't even fit the lock on the flap. It was the key to another safely-deposit box. For five long years Nik had had his passport to freedom right under his own roof. Max would have enjoyed that irony.
She went to Nik's wing of the house. Her feet carried her up there, made that left turn on the landing of their own accord. He was pulling on a fresh shirt in the bedroom, so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he didn't even notice her entrance.
'Nik...' Her voice emerged hoarsely.
He spun fluidly round to face her, a winged ebony brow quirking as he saw her standing there, sapphire eyes glittering like jewels, the only flash of life in the still beauty of her face.
For a split-second she wanted to curl her fingers around the key and hide it. It had never occurred to her that it might take courage to hand it over, an even greater courage to face the likely consequences. But that awareness hit her now and shamed by that momentary hesitation, she lifted her hand and dropped the key down on to the bed.
'Not a life sentence after all.' she heard herself say flatly.
There was not a flicker of comprehension in Nik's questioning scrutiny. He had never been so slow on the uptake. He stared at her and then hack at the key blankly.
'It's the key to another safety-deposit box. Presumably it contains what you're after.' And she explained about the bureau.
'Cristo!' Nik whispered, coming back to life and sweeping up the key. 'All this time. I cannot believe it!'
Leah wandered over to the window. The key to the promised land of freedom. Either the end or the beginning of their marriage. Only lime would tell her which for if Nik didn't want to let her go he wouldn't. On that level he was basic.
"There's something else we have to discuss.'
'Can it not wait?' he demanded with impatience. 'I won't be able to rest until I fly back to Paris and try out this key.'
'No, I'm afraid this can't. You sec. I happen to know what is in that box. Your birth certificate.' Leah turned her head.
His starkly handsome features were fiercely clenched. 'And where did you come by that information?'
