Free HIGH TIDE AT MIDNIGHT by Sara Craven, Mineko Yamada Page B

thing you wanted,' she began, but he cut
    ruthlessly across her stumbling words.
    'Precisely, but as I've been trying to make clear, Inez found the pictures
    when she came in to collect your tray and she took them straight upstairs to
    Uncle Nick's room.'
    'But why should she do that?'
    'Meaning you didn't put the idea into her head yourself? Inez is a law unto
    herself and always has been. Your mother was a great favourite of hers and
    once Inez gives her devotion it's generally for life. It's a pity that in your
    mother's case she couldn't have found a more worthy object for her
    affections.'
    'Damn you,' she said slowly and distinctly.
    'I'm sorry.' It was the merest token of an apology. 'But, after* all these years,
    to be suddenly faced with the reopening of all these old wounds…' His
    hands tightened on the steering wheel as if he wished it had been her neck.
    Morwenna made a deliberate attempt to let the tension drain out of her and
    leaned back against the seat.
    'I'm sorry too,' she said, trying to speak normally. 'If I'd had the slightest idea
    of any of this, I would never have come here. You must believe that. I—I
    hope that seeing the pictures—being reminded of my mother
    hasn't—worsened your uncle's condition.'
    'Fortunately, no.' His voice was harsh, totally disregarding her tentative
    extension of the olive branch. 'But of course he wants to see you.'
    There was a long silence, then she said, 'Please—no. I'd rather not.'
    'Why not? This is what you wanted, isn't it? What you came all these miles
    to achieve? You can't just expect to back out because the going's got rough.'
    'But then I didn't know,' she began haltingly, her eyes fixed on the dark face
    beside her, willing him to understand.
    'And because Mark has filled you in on our family history, that's supposed to
    make a difference?' he asked bitingly. 'I'm sorry, Miss Kerslake. This
    situation is entirely of your own making. You've tactlessly blundered in and
    you're going to have to live with your mistake for a while. If my uncle wants
    to see you, then I think you owe him that.'
    'Because I happen to be my parents' daughter?' she challenged.
    'If that's how you want to read it.'
    She looked down at her hands, clasped tightly together in her lap. 'You could
    always tell your uncle that you couldn't find me, that I'd disappeared.'
    'I could,' he said, 'if I was prepared to lie for you—which I'm not. My uncle
    is an elderly man and for some reason of his own he has set his heart on
    seeing you for a few minutes. You will indulge that whim.'
    She did not speak again until the car drew up on the broad gravel sweep that
    fronted the house. Then she said, 'How did you know my name was
    Morwenna?'
    He looked at her, his mouth twisting sardonically. 'Let's call it an educated
    guess,' he said. 'Morwenna is a Trevennon name. It seemed a reasonable bet
    that Laura Kerslake would have stolen that too.'
    She got out of the car and went blindly ahead of him into the house.
    Inez was standing in the hall, her broad face crumpled into lines of anxiety.
    As soon as she caught sight of Morwenna, she came forward.
    'Oh, Miss Laura's girl! How come I didn't know you, my dear?'
    Morwenna found herself clasped against a capacious bosom, her hair being
    stroked by a rough but kindly hand.
    Behind them Dominic Trevennon said with ice in his voice, 'Save the
    transports of delight until later, Inez. And I shall be wanting a word with you
    as well.'
    Morwenna was released and Inez gave the master of the house a defiant stare
    and a sniff.
    'T'wasn't right, Mr Dom. Miss Laura's girl coming here, and Mr Nick not
    knowing about it.'
    'Well, he knows now, thanks to you.' Dominic Trevennon flexed his
    shoulders wearily. 'You'd better take her up to him.*'
    'She can't see him now. He's asleep. It'll have to be the morning.'
    'Asleep?' Dominic Trevennon's face was like thunder. 'It can't wait until
    morning. Miss Kerslake will be catching a train back to London in