Marriage of Convenience

Chapter Twenty-Seven

'So there you are! Mary said she thought you were sunning yourself.' Freya opened her heavy eyelids to see Kate walking over the immaculately tended lawn at the back of the house. The small garden provided a corner of peace and beauty, unexpected in the heart of the busy city.

'No, don't move,' Kate commanded softly, settling herself on the sun-warmed grass as Freya swung her long legs from the sun lounger. 'You look so comfy! And congratulations on your super news! How are you, anyway?' Long, deep blue eyes so like Theo's narrowed as they swept Freya's drawn features. 'Junior giving you a bad time?'

'Ah.' The wrinkle of perplexity cleared from Freya's brow as the penny dropped. Theo must have told his sister about the baby. She wondered drily if he'd also said he believed it to be Leo's. Cursing the color that flooded her face at that horrible thought she lay back, trying to look relaxed. 'A little.' It was nothing like the truth. Theo's baby wasn't giving her a bad time, and if it ever did she wouldn't complain. The coming child meant more to her than her high-powered job, her private fortune, more than Theo. Much more. Unconsciously, her mouth formed a grim, straight line. She had cut Theo out of her life. He was devious, cruel and she was well rid of him.

'How was the Paris trip?' Cleo carefully turned the subject, but Kate was having none of that.

'Fine,' she dismissed with a throwaway gesture of long-fingered hands. 'But I didn't break into my lazy holiday to talk about that.' She wriggled out of the short-sleeved jacket of her silvery-grey cotton skirt suit and the hot sun caressed the skin of her bare arms, turning it gold. 'Theo tells me you're working too hard. I'm glad to see you taking it easy today.' That surprised her; she didn't think he noticed what she did, or cared. But she wasn't going to be the one to explain that the marriage was over. 'I didn't feel like going in today. Maybe I'll get something done at home this afternoon.'

And that was the truth. Another day cooped up with Sam had been more than she could face this morning. Jealous fury had kept her awake most of the night and she'd surfaced at dawn, determined to do as Theo had done, and cut her losses, decide for herself what to do with her life.

'He also told me you were on the look-out for a country home—somewhere to bring the baby up in,' Kate said slowly, and Freya asked, her mouth dry, 'When did you see him?

Had Theo confided in his sister, told her his marriage was over? They were very close..,

'Last night.' Kate plucked at the silky fabric of her scarlet sleeveless top, the heat in the sun-trap of the garden getting to her. 'He came to the cottage where I'm, supposed to be treating myself to a spot of relaxation after the madhouse of the Paris fashion world. And the upshot was, I've never felt less relaxed in my life.' The blue eyes were shrewd. 'Look I've got a lot to say to you, but I'm parched. Why don't I ask Mary if she can find us a long, cool drink?'

Freya was on her feet, annoyed with herself for her lack of hospitality, but Kate had a mind of her own and was on her feet, too, standing close as she instructed, 'I'll do it. Stay here and rest. And that's an order!'

Freya frowned, her eyes finding her sister-in-law's, puzzled. 'The perfume you're wearing?' she asked slowly. 'Were you wearing it last night?'

'Sure.' Kate looked as though she thought Freya had gone slightly mad. Then she smiled disarmingly, 'I've been drenching myself in the stuff ever since I had it made up for me in Paris. Like it? There's this little place they blend fragrances for individual customers. Cost the earth but worth it!'

She swung away, up the short flight of stone steps that led to the terrace, disappearing into the house through the open French windows of Theo's study, and Freya sank on the grass, her head resting on her jean-clad knees. The relief was overwhelming, stupidly, gloriously overwhelming. Theo hadn't been womanizing last night.