‘It just isn’t a good idea,’ he repeated grimly. ‘Vicki’s already asleep, once we get on the straight road you can join her.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘We’re going back to Fort Lauderdale tonight,’ he rasped. ‘I don’t want you to miss your plane.’

  He couldn’t have told her more clearly that he was now anxious to get rid of her. He hadn’t wanted her along on this trip in the first place, and even though he was grateful for her help with Vicki, he now wanted her out of his life as soon as possible.

  It was a blow to her, his urgency to be parted from her, her own attraction towards him having deepened throughout the day. She had been beginning to think it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for Vicki and Tony to meet, then she would be able to see Jerard again. But he didn’t share her desire for further meetings between them—that much was proved to her later that evening as they parted for the night after the long journey, Vicki held securely in Jerard’s arms, still fast asleep.

  ‘Thank you for today,’ Velvet said softly so as not to disturb the sleeping child.

  ‘That’s okay,’ he said tersely. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Oh, I didn’t do anything.’

  ‘You were there. Vicki appreciated it.’

  She swallowed hard, strangely reluctant to part from him. ‘Do I owe you anything—for my food—and things?’

  ‘No,’ he rasped. ‘Get to bed now, Velvet. It’s late.’

  He didn’t even say goodbye to her the next day. She didn’t see anything of either him or Vicki. When she enquired at the desk she was told that Mr and Miss Daniels were both out, and that they didn’t know when to expect them back.

  ‘No goodbye?’

  She spun round to find Greg standing behind her, and was hardly able to contain her disappointment. She had hoped it was Jerard, as Paul, Carly and herself were just booking out of the hotel. And still there was no sign of Jerard or Vicki!

  She gave a bright smile. ‘I would have found you before I left.’

  ‘But you’re just going,’ he said accusingly.

  ‘Just checking out,’ she corrected. ‘We don’t leave for a few minutes yet.’

  He pulled her to one side. ‘I wish you’d told me about you and Mr Daniels,’ he said reproachfully. ‘I could have really put my foot in it with him.’

  Velvet frowned. ‘I don’t see how.’

  ‘Well—You and he—’

  ‘Now wait a minute,’ she interrupted firmly. ‘He and I, what?’

  Greg looked uncomfortable. ‘I was talking to one of the other employees, and he remembers you and Mr Daniels being here together before.’

  She went very pale, swallowing hard. ‘He does?’ Was that croaky voice really hers?

  ‘Mm,’ Greg nodded. ‘A couple of years back. And he says the two of you were really close even then.’

  ‘I see.’ She bit her lip. So it really was true, she really had spent that time here with Jerard! ‘Do we look “close” now?’ She looked at Greg unflinchingly.

  ‘Not that I’ve seen. But you have just been away with him!’

  ‘I went to be with his daughter, not him.’

  Greg looked sceptical. ‘If you say so—not that it’s any of my business anyway.’ He grinned. ‘You’ve been longing to say that, haven’t you?’

  She laughed up at him. ‘How did you guess?’

  ‘It wasn’t hard.’ He bent to kiss her lightly on the mouth. ‘Take care, Velvet.’

  ‘You too, Greg.’

  ‘I hate to break up this touching little scene,’ cut in a mocking voice, ‘but don’t you have a plane to catch, Mrs Dale?’

  Jerard! And he was calling her ‘Mrs Dale’ again. He was alone, looking formally attractive in a lightweight cream suit and contrasting brown shirt. Velvet’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at him, his sensuality reaching out and captivating her.

  ‘See you,’ Greg said softly before disappearing back into his office.

  ‘Ready?’ Paul and Carly joined herself and Jerard.

  ‘I—Yes, I’m ready. Goodbye, Mr Daniels—’

  ‘Not goodbye, Velvet,’ he said mockingly. ‘I’m driving you to the airport, didn’t you know that?’

  ‘No,’ she mumbled. All that worry that she wasn’t going to see him again before she left and all the time he had been going to drive them to Miami! ‘Paul didn’t tell me,’ she added accusingly.

  ‘I’ve hardly seen you lately to tell you anything,’ Paul told her pointedly.

  Paul and Carly got into the back of the car, so Velvet of necessity had to sit in the front beside Jerard. ‘Where’s Vicki this afternoon?’ she asked him.

  ‘With Faye,’ he revealed abruptly. ‘She has no idea you’re leaving today.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Oh indeed,’ he drawled grimly. ‘She thinks I’m at a business meeting.’

  Velvet frowned. ‘Is that wise?.

  ‘Of course it isn’t wise!’ he snapped. ‘But I didn’t feel up to the scene this morning. She was pleased to have Faye back, but only because she thought she would be seeing you later. Still, it isn’t your problem, is it?’

  Another slap in the face for her. She had to bite her tongue to stop herself from giving him a sharp retort, but was conscious of Paul and Carly. Instead she chose to remain silent, and the journey to Miami passed with Jerard and Paul discussing business.

  Velvet hadn’t envisaged Jerard seeing them off at the airport, and a curious lump rose in her throat as it came time to say goodbye. He shook hands with Paul and Carly first.

  Velvet licked her lips nervously as he turned to her, unsure what to say—or do. Jerard had no such reservations.

  ‘Goodbye, Mrs Dale,’ he held out his hand to her as formally as he had to the other couple. ‘Thank you for taking care of my daughter the last couple of days. I appreciate it.’

  Not enough to drop the formality, obviously. ‘I enjoyed it,’ she said stiffly. ‘Goodbye, Mr Daniels,’ she added as their flight was called.

  ‘Goodbye,’ he nodded tersely, his expression remote.

  Her chin went up, her head held high as she walked with Paul and Carly to the departure gate. She handed her boarding card over, finally plucking up the courage to turn. He had already gone—Jerard had gone!

  ‘It didn’t work out, hmm?’ Carly said gently.

  ‘There was nothing to work out,’ Velvet replied abruptly.

  ‘But—’

  ‘Please, Carly, I’d rather not talk about it just now. I—I have a headache.’

  She did indeed have a headache as she tried to hold back the tears for most of the nine-hour flight, each minute taking her closer to Tony—but farther away from Jerard!

  CHAPTER SIX

  IN typical English summer fashion it was raining when they arrived back at Heathrow in the early hours of the morning, made all the more miserable for Velvet because she had told Simon not to meet her, that she would spend what was left of the night at her apartment and pick Tony up in the morning.

  Paul and Carly dropped her off from their taxi on the way to their own flat, arranging to meet on Monday to finish off the photographs.

  There was about Velvet a deep air of depression, and she was almost afraid to delve into the reason behind it. But she couldn’t help it, unable to sleep even though she was exhausted by the flight, and the bed looked very inviting.

  But Jerard Daniels wouldn’t be banished from her mind, tall and handsome as she had seen him last, his commanding appearance demanding and receiving respect. He had been nothing like the man she had met that first day, the half demented man who had claimed to be in love with her.

  And yet now she loved him! She acknowledged it even as she wondered how it could have happened, when it had happened. But this yearning ache inside her to be back at his side told her that it was a fact. She was in love with a man she didn’t even know, a man she might never see again.

  But maybe she would, maybe Vicki would make him keep his promise to let her come and meet Tony, and maybe he would be the one to bring her. That was an awful lot of maybes—but at the moment that was all she had.

  She almost fainted with shock when the telephone began ringing. Who on earth could be telephoning this time of morning? Unless it was Simon checking to see if she had arrived home all right—it would be just like him, he had always been a protective brother.

  ‘Simon—’

  ‘Velvet,’ interrupted a deeply impatient voice—Jerard’s voice!

  ‘Velvet!’ Vicki’s childish tones cut in excitedly. ‘Velvet, is that you?’

  ‘Why, yes. But—’

  ‘We’re coming home, Velvet,’ the little girl cut in. ‘Can I still come and see you?’

  ‘Well, yes. But—’

  ‘That’s enough, Vicki,’ Jerard could be heard saying firmly. ‘Off to bed, I’ll handle it from here. Bed, Vicki,’ he repeated as he obviously received further argument. ‘Velvet?’ he came back on the line, so disturbing when she had been thinking about him so intently.

  ‘Jerard …’ she breathed huskily.

  For long timeless seconds there was silence on the other end of the line. ‘Are you feeling well?’ he asked finally.

  ‘Yes, fine.’ Just a bit overawed, especially after so recently discovering she loved him. ‘Don’t I sound fine?’ she asked brightly.

  ‘No. Did I wake you, is that it?’

  ‘I said I was all right,’ she insisted sharply.

  ‘You sound—strange.’

  ‘Maybe I am,’ she flared angrily, feeling frustrated with the stupidity of this conversation. ‘Or maybe I’m just tired,’ she snapped. ‘Goodnight, Mr Daniels!’ She slammed the telephone receiver back on its cradle.

  How could Jerard call her just to insult her! Tears were streaming down her face when the telephone began ringing again. She let it ring and ring, shutting herself in her bedroom to shut out its noise. It finally stopped, only to start up again a few seconds later. This time when it stopped she quickly removed it from its cradle, making sure Jerard couldn’t reach her again.

  It sounded as if Vicki were being difficult about her departure. But if Jerard had somehow obtained her telephone number then it also followed that he had her address. If Vicki wanted to see her then Jerard would arrange that she did.

  Her own behaviour was harder to analyse. She had wanted to talk to Jerard, but not to that cold, mocking stranger, to the warm vibrant man he could be on occasion. How much nicer it would be if all differences could be forgotten between them and they could start again.

  But that couldn’t happen; Jerard’s distrust of her and her own fear of her love for him, both in the past and now, precluded that happening.

  She finally put the receiver back about seven o’clock, just in case her brother should want to call her. His call came through about ten minutes later.

  ‘I’ve been calling for the last half an hour,’ he complained. ‘It’s been engaged the whole time.’

  ‘Welcome home, Velvet,’ she taunted sarcastically. ‘Did you have a good trip? Yes, it was quite good,’ she answered herself. ‘But it’s nice to be back.’

  ‘Okay,’ Simon sighed. ‘It is nice to have you back, and did you have a good trip?’

  ‘Not bad.’ Then her mood softened, lack of sleep making her brittle when she didn’t mean to be. ‘How’s Tony?’

  ‘Still asleep. But not for long, if I know him.’

  ‘No,’ she laughed ‘He likes to get up bright and early.’

  ‘So I noticed,’ he gave an exaggerated yawn. ‘Are you coming over for breakfast?’

  ‘I’d love to,’ she accepted eagerly.

  ‘Then hurry up, or your son will have eaten it all.’

  ‘His appetite is still good, hmm?’

  ‘He eats more than I do,’ Simon groaned.

  Her reunion with her son was a tearful one, on her part. Tony was all beaming smiles, jumping up and down with the excitement of having her back.

  She knew she had to talk to Simon about meeting Jerard, and yet she put it off for as long as possible, waiting until Tony went up for his mid-morning nap before broaching the subject.

  As it was a Saturday Simon wasn’t working, but Janice went out to get the weekend shopping, inviting Velvet to stay over. She accepted, knowing it would give Tony time to adjust before she took him home. Not that he had forgotten her at all, but it wasn’t fair to tear him away from the people who had been his family for the last week.

  ‘Okay,’ Simon studied her hard, ‘let’s have it.’

  This direct approach instantly disconcerted her. ‘Let’s have what?’ she hedged.

  ‘After a week in Florida, albeit a week of working, you should be glowing with health and vitality, instead of which you look like the “before” part of the health drink advert.’

  ‘Thanks!’

  ‘No, I mean it, Velvet.’ He sat forward, his expression serious. ‘Did something happen in Florida?’

  She bit her lip. ‘Not something, someone.’

  His expression brightened. ‘You fell in love?’

  ‘Yes. No! It isn’t as simple as that.’

  ‘It never is,’ he said dryly.

  ‘There was this man—’

  ‘I already gathered that!’

  ‘I’m serious, Simon,’ she said impatiently. ‘This man claimed we’d met before—’

  ‘Oh, that one,’ he nodded.

  ‘Of course, I told you about him. Well, it seems I did meet him before, only it was during that time I can’t remember.’

  Simon frowned. ‘Then how do you know it’s the truth?’

  ‘I just know it, I know him. He—I—Did I ever mention anyone called Jerard Daniels to you?’

  He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’

  ‘Damn,’ she sighed. ‘I was hoping you might be able to tell me more about it.’

  ‘Maybe I can,’ he said slowly, guardedly. ‘You didn’t mention any names, but I know there was a man. Maybe it’s the same one.’

  ‘It has to be. What did I tell you about him?’

  ‘Nothing. But we guessed he meant something to you.’

  ‘We?’ she looked stricken. ‘Did Anthony know about Jerard too?’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Simon nodded.

  And yet he still married me!’

  ‘He loved you.’

  ‘And I let him down!’

  ‘It didn’t matter,’ her brother shrugged. ‘Not to Anthony. He loved you, anyway.’

  Velvet drew in a ragged breath. ‘But you’re quite sure I didn’t actually tell you it was Jerard Daniels?’

  ‘Quite sure. I never forget names, you know that.’

  ‘Yes,’ she sighed heavily. She wasn’t really any further forward, except to know that there definitely had been another man in her life besides Anthony, but then she had already known that, the reaction of her body to Jerard told her that much at least.

  Simon was still watching her closely. ‘I got the impression this other man was married,’ he probed gently.

  ‘He was,’ Velvet nodded. ‘His wife is dead now.’

  Her brother pursed his lips. ‘So he’s a widower now?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you’re a widow.’

  Her mouth quirked with bitter humour. ‘And we didn’t instantly fall in love with each other again, if that’s what you’re thinking.’ It had taken her about three days to fall in love with Jerard, and about the same amount of time for him to fall out of love with her.

  ‘I didn’t think you had,’ Simon scorned. ‘But you obviously felt enough for him for it to have upset you—meeting him again, I mean.’

  ‘I—It—it disturbed me,’ she admitted. ‘Although I probably wouldn’t have seen him again after the first couple of times if it hadn’t been for his daughter.’ She explained about Vicki’s extreme sensitivity.

  ‘I can see you liked her,’ Simon smiled.

  ‘Very much,’ she confirmed.

  Tony woke up at that moment, gabbling away at the top of his voice from the bedroom.

  Simon laughed. ‘I’ve never known a child who talks so much and makes absolutely no sense!’

  ‘He says “Mum” quite clearly,’ Velvet defended indignantly.

  ‘Big deal!’ her brother teased.

  Velvet stood up, ‘Don’t mock until you have children of your own,’ she said haughtily, head held high.

  He grinned. ‘Janice and I are still working on it.’

  ‘After six years you should be about perfect by now.’

  Simon laughed. ‘We’re getting there.’

  The weekend passed with lighthearted enjoyment. Janice was possibly the best friend Velvet had ever had as well as being her sister-in-law. They had become firm friends from the moment Simon had brought Janice home to meet the family, and that friendship had been cemented during the time Velvet had lived with Simon and Janice.

  Nevertheless, she was glad to leave late on Sunday afternoon, anxious to get back to the normality of the life she led with Tony.

  He talked non-stop all the way home, strapped into his baby-seat in the back of the car while she drove. She answered him as if he were making sense, although what he was saying was anyone’s guess. One day he would make perfect sense, and until he did he was still a lot of company.

  ‘Choc-choc,’ he chortled as they stepped out of the lift, insisting on walking, a newly acquired ability that he insisted on practising every opportunity he could.

  ‘All right,’ she laughed. ‘I know it’s choc-choc time. We’ll just—’

  ‘Where the hell have you been all weekend?’ rasped a deeply familiar voice.

  She looked up with a start, to see Jerard push himself forcefully away from his lounging position against the wall. Tony was obviously in awe of the dark man towering over them, and buried his face in Velvet’s skirt.

  ‘It’s all right, Tony,’ she soothed, bending down to swing him up into her arms. ‘This man is a friend of Mummy’s. See?’ she gave a bright smile.’

  ‘Don’t go overboard, Velvet,’ Jerard drawled. ‘I might think you mean it.’

  She flashed him a resentful glance. ‘I’m trying to comfort my child—can’t you see he’s shy!’

  He looked at the little boy in her arms, his eyes narrowed and enigmatic. ‘Hello, Tony,’ he said softly.