‘I really do have to go now,’ she said briskly. ‘Tony has to have his bath, and I have to prepare our dinner.’

  ‘You work too hard,’ Jerard scowled. ‘You should have a nanny to care for Tony.’

  ‘We aren’t all as rich as you,’ she scorned. ‘Besides, I like taking care of him myself.’ She looked up to see her son yawning tiredly. ‘Bed for you, little man,’ and she held out her arms to him, laughing as he ran into them.

  ‘I’ll carry him out to the car for you,’ Jerard stood up to offer.

  ‘There’s no need—’

  ‘I know that, but I’m going to do it anyway,’ he said firmly. ‘Stop being so damned independent.’

  ‘I’m not—’

  ‘You are,’ he told her fiercely. ‘My mother told me how much you fought against leaving Tony here today.’

  ‘I didn’t want to be a burden—’

  ‘You aren’t, and neither is Tony. You’ve had Vicki all week, with no complaints, the least we could do is care for Tony for one day. Surely you realise how much my mother loves him?’

  ‘Yes,’ she acknowledged huskily.

  ‘And you aren’t sure that’s a good thing, are you?’

  ‘No,’ she didn’t attempt to prevaricate. ‘This whole situation is getting very complicated.’

  Jerard shook his head. ‘It isn’t complicated at all, it’s very simple when you think about it.’

  Velvet gave him a sharp look. ‘What do you mean?’

  Tony chose that moment to yawn once again, Jerard’s harsh features relaxing as he looked down at him. ‘He really is very tired. You’d better get him home.’

  She gave him an impatient glance. ‘That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last hour.’

  ‘My, you are snappy today,’ he taunted.

  ‘And you’re as arrogant as usual!’

  ‘Glad you aren’t disappointed,’ he grinned.

  She was never that around him; she was charged with excitement, sexually aware of him with every fibre of her body, but never ever disappointed.

  She blushed as she realised his mother must be wondering what they were talking about so intently, not that the other woman seemed to mind; she was smiling at them indulgently. Jerard had been proved right about his mother’s matchmaking; she never lost an opportunity to extol the virtues of her son, and she had taken great pleasure in showing Velvet the promised photographs of Jerard in his youth. They had been fascinating photographs, Jerard as a baby right through to his wedding day.

  Tina Daniels had been a delicate woman to look at, very blonde, with a beautifully elfin face, her figure very slender. Sarah had told her that the photographs were ten years old, but even so Jerard had changed little; he was tall and handsome, his hair perhaps worn a little shorter, but otherwise he looked the same, a look of pride in his smiling blue eyes as he looked down at his bride.

  Velvet had been racked with jealousy at the sight of that picture, even more so of the photographs that followed—Jerard and Tina on holiday, Jerard holding Vicki as a baby, Jerard playing with Vicki as she grew through the different stages of babyhood.

  She had left Sarah’s house feeling very depressed that evening, resenting any life Jerard had had before she had known him.

  And she was just as depressed this evening as she drove off with a casual wave of her hand. She couldn’t understand Jerard at all. They hadn’t seen each other all week, and this morning he had treated her almost like a stranger, this evening his mood had turned around completely, teasingly flirtatious. He was a complex man, and it would take a lifetime to know him. But she didn’t have a lifetime; she might not have any time at all.

  Saturday was spent with Janice and Simon, the latter very curious as to who ‘Bicki’ was.

  ‘Vicki Daniels,’ Velvet supplied reluctantly.

  His eyebrows rose. ‘Any relation to Jerard Daniels?’

  ‘His daughter.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Don’t say “oh” like that!’ she flashed. ‘I’ve just been looking after her until her father can find a replacement nanny for her.’ Not strictly true, but she was sure Jerard would eventually replace Faye Rogers.

  ‘Tony obviously likes her,’ Simon observed dryly.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And do you still like her father?’

  ‘Simon—’

  ‘You didn’t mention that he would be coming back to England.’

  ‘I didn’t know myself,’ she defended. ‘He—he just arrived on the doorstep.’

  ‘With his daughter.’

  ‘Well—no. But I saw her later.’

  Simon began to laugh at her discomfort ‘Purely platonic, is it?’

  ‘It isn’t funny,’ Velvet snapped. ‘I’m involved, and I’m not sure it’s what I want.’

  ‘You don’t?’

  ‘Not just as another playmate for Vicki, no.’

  His mouth quirked. ‘You would rather be a playmate for the father, hmm?’

  ‘Simon—’

  ‘Calm down,’ he chuckled. ‘And stop taking a man’s simple pleasures from him. I like teasing you.’ ‘Simple is right,’ she scorned. ‘"Simple Simon"! No, Simon,’ she backed away as he got up from his lounger chair in the garden and started coming threateningly towards her, ‘I didn’t mean it!’ she screamed as he threw her over his shoulder and marched her over to the hedgerow. ‘Traitor!’ she accused Tony as he chuckled uproariously. ‘Simon, put me down,’ she pleaded. ‘My dress has ridden right up my legs! Simon, please!’

  ‘All right.’ He began to lower her down into the hedge.

  ‘No, Simon!’ she begged, clutching him tightly around the waist from behind. ‘Simon, I’m starting to go dizzy,’ she warned, as the upside-down world started to spin.

  ‘That’s why I’m putting you down.’

  ‘Not in the hedge! I’m sorry,’ she cried frantically. ‘I’m sorry!’

  ‘Need any help?’ offered a familiar voice.

  The world suddenly spun back into focus, and even upside-down she recognised Jerard with Janice. ‘Put me down, Simon,’ she begged in a fierce whisper, pulling ineffectually at her dress. ‘Simon!’ She would die of embarrassment in a moment.

  ‘My husband Simon, Mr Daniels,’ Janice introduced. ‘And of course you know Velvet,’ she added with amusement.

  To Velvet’s everlasting shame Simon shook hands with Jerard with her still thrown over his shoulder, the long expanse of her bare legs clearly visible. ‘Nice to meet you, Mr Daniels,’ he greeted goodnaturedly.

  ‘Simon!’ she groaned her dismay.

  ‘Did you want something?’ She wasn’t able to see the wink he shot at Janice and Jerard.

  ‘If you don’t put me down I’ll—I’ll—’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Please put me down,’ she choked.

  ‘You only had to ask nicely.’ He swung her back to the ground, a huge grin on his face.

  She straightened her dress, too embarrassed to look up, sure that her pink lacy panties must have been visible as well. ‘I’d been doing that for the last five minutes,’ she muttered.

  ‘Funny, I didn’t hear you,’ her brother said with feigned innocence.

  She glared at him before looking awkwardly at Jerard. To make matters worse his grin was as wide as Simon’s, convincing her that she had been right about her panties showing. ‘Did you want something, Jerard?’ she snapped.

  ‘Not particularly,’ came his infuriating reply.

  She only just stopped herself from asking what he was doing here then. ‘Is Vicki all right?’ She couldn’t keep the anxiety out of her voice.

  ‘Fine,’ he nodded, his faded denims and navy blue shirt casual in the extreme.

  ‘Your mother?’

  ‘Is also fine.’

  ‘Oh.’ She frowned her consternation. What was he doing here?

  ‘I’m fine too, in case you’re interested,’ he drawled mockingly.

  ‘Come inside and have a beer,’ Simon invited.

  ‘Thanks,’ Jerard accepted, much to Velvet’s chagrin.

  She didn’t even question how he had known where Simon lived, just as she hadn’t questioned how he had known her address and telephone number. Men like Jerard, rich and powerful, could always find out what they wanted to know. But why was he here?

  ‘Nice,’ Janice smiled once Simon and Jerard had disappeared into the house to get their beers.

  ‘Yes.’ Velvet still frowned.

  ‘Is he staying to lunch?’

  ‘No!’ her voice was sharp. ‘And don’t you dare ask him.’

  She tensed as the two men emerged from the house once again, Tony clinging to Jerard’s hand. She hadn’t even realised her son had followed them! It gave her a curious lump in her throat to see how fond he was of Jerard.

  ‘I’ve asked Jerard to lunch,’ Simon told them happily.

  ‘That will be nice,’ Velvet said in a stilted voice. She would kill her brother later, but right now she would have to make the best of the situation.

  Jerard’s mocking blue eyes over the top of his beer can seemed to tell her that he knew exactly what she was thinking. And he probably did! The man seemed to be able to read her mind most of the time.

  ‘But I can’t stay,’ he drawled, his eyes taunting her now. ‘I have to collect Vicki from my mother’s.’

  ‘That’s a shame,’ Simon said with genuine regret. ‘Perhaps another time?’

  ‘I hope so,’ Jerard nodded. He finished his beer in one thirsty swallow. ‘I’d better be going now.’

  ‘Come again, any time,’ Janice invited.

  ‘I’d like to.’ He gave her a warm smile before going down on his haunches to Tony. ‘I have to go now, Buster,’ he told him gently, holding him briefly in his arms before standing up again. ‘I’ll see you in the morning, Velvet.’

  ‘I—Yes.’ She watched as he walked off, still dazed by this lightening visit.

  Tony ran after him. ‘D—D—Da—Daddy!’ he called desperately as Jerard didn’t notice him.

  Jerard stiffened, slowly turning. ‘Tony …!’ he groaned, sweeping the little boy up against his chest, holding him tightly.

  Velvet was very pale, walking over to them on shaky legs. ‘I—I’m sorry,’ she said weakly. ‘I don’t know why he said that. I—He only usually says Mum and Bicki. I can’t understand—’

  ‘It’s all right, Velvet,’ he dismissed huskily. ‘He probably got it from Vicki yesterday. He’s at an age where he picks things like that up easily.’

  Maybe so, but he had never done anything this embarrassing before. She felt like running away and hiding. ‘Yes, but he can’t call you “Daddy",’ she insisted firmly.

  ‘I don’t mind,’ he shrugged.

  ‘I do. This can’t continue, Jerard. Our children are becoming confused about the whole situation.’ She took the willing Tony out of his arms, a Tony who had no idea of the awkwardness he had just caused, grinning at them widely.

  ‘I agree,’ Jerard nodded.

  She bit her lip. ‘Then you think we should stop meeting?’ Heavens, what was she saying!

  ‘It’s a thought,’ he nodded.

  ‘Oh.’ She swallowed hard. ‘Then tomorrow is off?’

  ‘I didn’t say that. No, I think tomorrow’s plans should stand. We can sort out other arrangements from there. All right?’

  ‘All right,’ she nodded, just relieved to have this extra time with him. What on earth was she doing, suggesting they didn’t meet again!

  This time Jerard managed to get away without any protest from Tony. Velvet’s face was scarlet as she turned to face Simon and Janice.

  ‘I liked him,’ Simon told her softly.

  ‘I did too,’ Janice added.

  Velvet could have hugged them both in that moment for ignoring the gaffe Tony had made. Her brother liked to tease her, he always had, but he was sensible enough to realise Jerard Daniels was no longer a teasable subject.

  Jerard arrived promptly at ten the next morning, Vicki jumping up and down excitedly at his side. Tony was almost as bad, as the two of them sat in the back of the car together, making for a very noisy drive.

  ‘Did you bring a costume, Velvet?’ Vicki sat forward to ask.

  ‘No,’ she frowned. ‘Will I need one?’

  ‘Daddy and I usually picnic at a lake and then swim later.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Not today, Vicki,’ Jerard cut in. ‘I thought we could picnic in a park somewhere. Tony’s still a little young for swimming.’

  ‘Of course he is,’ she grinned, not at all minding missing this treat if it were for Tony. ‘Will there be swings and things? I could push him on them. Not very hard,’ she added in her most grown-up voice, ‘because he’s still only little.’

  ‘As if she’s so big herself,’ Jerard mused as his daughter went back to playing with Tony, their contented chuckles soon coming from the back.

  ‘Talking of bathing costumes,’ Velvet’s mouth quirked, ‘I hope the ones I was modelling in Florida aren’t actually for going in the water?’

  He frowned. ‘I believe so.’

  ‘Then you’re going to get a lot of complaints.’ She explained about her dip in the sea and Paul’s reaction when she came out. ‘It was very embarrassing,’ although she could smile about it now.

  ‘You mean you and Paul haven’t been lovers?’ he rasped.

  ‘Certainly not!’ She stiffened indignantly. ‘It’s Paul and Carly who are lovers. They’ve lived together for over a year.’

  ‘And before that?’

  ‘Before that I was married to Anthony and expecting Tony!’

  ‘And before that there was just me.’ His mouth twisted.

  ‘Yes,’ she choked.

  ‘No one else since Anthony?’

  ‘No! Why are you asking me all these questions?’ she cried her anguish.

  ‘Curiosity,’ he shrugged.

  Her eyes flashed. ‘Then take your curiosity somewhere else!’ she snapped. ‘I’m not going to answer any more questions.’

  ‘I’m not going to ask any,’ he taunted. ‘You’ve told me all I wanted to know.’

  ‘I’m so glad! Am I allowed to pry into your sex life?’ she whispered fiercely.

  ‘Go ahead,’ he shrugged.

  Trust him to turn the tables on her! She had expected him to tell her to mind her own business, now she had no choice but to pursue the subject, no matter what pain it gave her to find out about the other women in his life.

  ‘Well?’ she prompted.

  ‘Well what?’

  Her mouth compressed angrily. ‘How many women?’

  ‘In my lifetime or lately?’

  ‘In your lifetime!’ She might as well know it all so that she could torture herself with it when she lay awake tonight in her bed thinking of him—as she had every night since their meeting.

  ‘Now let me see, there was Barbara, and Celia, and—’

  ‘I don’t want a list of names, just the number!’

  ‘That I’ve actually slept with, or that I’ve just been out with?’

  ‘Slept with,’ she said tightly.

  ‘Maybe twenty or so.’

  ‘Twenty!’ she gasped. Heavens, it was a harem!

  Jerard shrugged. ‘Well, you have to take into account that I was married for ten years, and believe it or not I was faithful to my wife until I met you.’

  ‘But twenty is so many!’

  He gave her a sideways glance. ‘Does it bother you?’

  Yes, it bothered her. All those other women—no, not other women, she was probably counted amongst that number. The realisation made her feel sick. How far down the list did she come?

  ‘Velvet?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Good God, girl, I’m thirty-nine, not nineteen,’ he said in exasperation.

  ‘Are we nearly there?’ Her tone was brittle. ‘I’m sure the children must be getting hungry.’

  ‘I am,’ Vicki chimed in, breaking the tension that had sprung up between the two adults. ‘I bet Tony is too.’

  ‘Okay,’ her father laughed. ‘The next pretty spot we come to, hmm?’

  As far as he was concerned that highly personal conversation might as well not have taken place. He chased Vicki and Tony as Velvet laid the picnic out on a blanket Jerard’s housekeeper had provided. There were several other people picnicking in this pretty part of Hampshire, and she knew that to them the four of them must look like a typical happy family unit.

  Velvet was so miserable she couldn’t raise any enthusiasm for the food, although the other three had no lack of appetite. Tony, always a fussy eater, had never eaten as well as he did when he was with Vicki.

  There were no swings in the spot Jerard had stopped at, so they played another game of Chase instead, Tony finally having to be put in the back of the car for a nap. Vicki sat on the front seat to keep him company, and it was no surprise to Velvet that the little girl fell asleep too. Vicki looked so vulnerable when she was asleep, more like the shadowed little girl she had first been in Florida.

  ‘She’s getting better,’ Jerard told Velvet when she joined him on the blanket beneath the huge oak tree they had used as shade against the sun while they ate.

  ‘She is?’ She wouldn’t look at him, her trouser-clad knees drawn up under her chin as she watched a dog from one of the other parties as he chased a football around the trees.

  ‘No tantrums since we got back from Florida.’

  She shrugged, still watching the dog. ‘Maybe she just prefers England. Her grandmother is here, and—’

  ‘And you and Tony,’ he put in deeply.

  ‘Not for much longer,’ she reminded him jerkily, tears shimmering in her dark almond-shaped eyes. ‘You said we weren’t to meet again after today.’

  ‘No,’ he shook his head, ‘I didn’t say that at all. I said we would have to make other arrangements. I think now is the time to do that. Do you have any idea why I called to see your brother yesterday?’

  ‘None,’ she frowned; the incident still bothered her, especially the part where Tony had called him ‘Daddy’.