Free The Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding Page A

information, the occasional email to keep me up to date with the real estate you’ve been vacuuming up on whichever continent you happened to be at the time so that I could deal with the paperwork, is not keeping in touch.’
    ‘I’m sure I sent you a postcard from Rio,’ he said. The only one he really remembered was the one he hadn’t sent.
    ‘“Wish you were here”? Chance would have been a fine thing. Besides, I wanted to know how you were.’ Then, ‘You’ve lost weight.’
    ‘I’m fine, okay!’ She didn’t look convinced. ‘Truly. But I decided that since I was taking a break I might usefully expand my empire while I was about it.’
    ‘That’s not expanding your empire, it’s called displacement activity,’ Pam said, giving him what his grandmother would have described as an old-fashioned look. ‘If you were a woman, you’d have bought shoes.’
    ‘Which proves my point about women,’ he said. ‘Real estate is a much better investment.’
    ‘And, assuming you were thinking at all, which I take leave to doubt,’ Pam continued, ignoring that and returning to the third part of his question, ‘I’d suggest it’s because you don’t think of me as a woman at all.’
    ‘Which is the highest compliment I could pay you.’
    ‘Is that right? And you’re surprised that Candy Harcourt dumped you?’
    Surprised was not actually the first word that had come to mind. Relieved…Evading the question, he said, ‘So, is this Wedding Fayre your idea of payback for leaving you to do your job?’
    ‘Well, if I’d known you were going to be here, that would definitely have been a bonus. As it is, like you, I was being realistic. This is business. I am doing my job. Looking after your interests in your absence.’ She gave him a long, hard look. ‘And, as my last word on that subject, I suggest you go down on your knees and thank Candida Harcourt—or should I say The Honourable Mrs Quentin Turner Lyall—for letting you off the hook.’
    ‘She actually married him?’
    ‘It’s true love, according to Celebrity. ’ Then, when he scowled at the mention of the magazine, ‘Be grateful,’ she said, misunderstanding his reaction. ‘Divorce would have cost you a lot more than the fancy wedding she ran out on.’
    ‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’ He dragged his hair back from his forehead. It immediately flopped over his forehead again. It needed cutting…
    ‘It’s not you that I doubt.’ She shrugged. ‘Impoverished aristocracy are always a risk. Marrying for money goes with the territory. In the old days they had no choice but to stick with the deal, but these days divorce is just as profitable. Not that I’m suggesting your only attraction was fiscal.’
    ‘In other words, she was just amusing herself with a bit of rough? Got carried away for a moment…’
    Something else she had in common with her old school chum, Sylvie Smith. No wonder she’d cried. He’d only lost Candy while her indiscretion could have lost her the ermine and the guaranteed seat at the next coronation…
    Pam raised her hands in a gesture that could have meant anything but, taking the opportunity to change the subject, he indicated the noises off in the entrance hall.
    ‘I appear to have no choice but to accept that this is a done deal. How long is it going to last?’
    ‘The Fayre? It’ll all be over by Monday.’
    ‘A week? I’ve got to put up with pink ribbons on my gates for a week?’ he demanded.
    ‘Be glad this isn’t Italy—everyone would be congratulating you on the birth of a daughter.’
    ‘That’s not remotely funny,’ he declared. Anything but.
    ‘For heaven’s sake, Tom, lighten up.’ Then, more gently, ‘If you’d given me some indication that you were coming home I’d have warned you what was happening. Why don’t you go back to London? Catch up with everyone. Longbourne Court will still be here next week.’
    ‘Nice idea, but I’ve arranged to meet Mark Hilliard here this