Part 24 (1/2)

'But we don't always get what we deserve, do we?' he teased.

I looked up at him. 'Will you please stop baiting me?'

'Not until you tell me how you really felt when you thought I was marrying someone else.'

'OK, I was ...' I searched my mind for the right word. 'I was sad,' I said at last. 'Sad and OK a bit jealous.'

His eyes danced. 'Why would you be jealous? You don't love me, do you?'

'Mark I've got something quite serious to tell you. It's about me things I only discovered a few days ago things that might make a difference about how you see me.'

'It all sounds very solemn.'

'It is.' I looked around. 'Could we go somewhere quiet where I could tell you?'

'Of course.' The smile left his face as he beckoned the waiter for the bill. 'You go and get your coat. I'll take you back to the flat.'

'So that's my background, Mark. Not very inspiring, is it?'

We were seated opposite each other in Mark's sunlit living room. It had been painful, pouring out my past to him. It had taken all my courage and strength and he obviously saw that.

He poured a large gla.s.s of wine and put it in my hand. 'It's all so long ago,' he said gently. 'You were still a kid, Lou. It's in the past and what's done can't be undone. Why should it make me see you any other way than I see you now?'

I took a sip of the wine and looked at him. 'Not even the fact that I had a baby at barely fourteen years old?'

He shook his head. 'That was then, Lou. So you made some mistakes who hasn't? It must all have been sheer h.e.l.l for you. It's no wonder your mind refused to retain any of it.'

Suddenly I decided to tell him the truth about Karrie. No one else must know but I felt I owed Mark not just some, but all of the truth. 'My baby daughter was adopted by Susan and Frank,' I said slowly. 'Karen is was my daughter and neither of us has ever been aware of the fact. Susan has asked that it remains a secret and I feel bound to honour that wish, so please, Mark, you are the only other person to know this and it mustn't go beyond these walls.'

He moved to sit beside me. 'I feel flattered that you're prepared to trust me with a secret like that and of course it goes no further.' He slipped an arm round my shoulders. 'Thank you for what you've just confided in me, Lou. It makes no difference to the way I feel about you. You know how much I love you. It's a love that has lasted for years so it's not likely to stop now. I understand so much more about you now and if anything it makes me love you even more.' He searched my eyes. 'Please will you tell me truthfully how you feel, because if your feelings don't match mine this must be goodbye. I couldn't go on, knowing that what I feel will never be returned.'

I put my arms round him and held him close. 'Of course I love you, Mark. I've loved you for years without recognizing the fact. I've been a total b.i.t.c.h to you in the past. I can't understand why you kept on loving me.'

He kissed me. 'Maybe I can make you understand.'

For a long time neither of us spoke and the next time I glanced at the time it was almost five o'clock. I sat up.

'I must go. Di will be home.' I looked at him. 'That's another thing, Mark. It was always Di's flat never mine. I lied about it. G.o.d knows why. I've lied about so many things in the past, but never again. All that ends from today onwards and that's a promise.'

He winced. 'If that's not tempting providence I don't know what is!'

'Well, I believe it anyway.' I looked around the room. 'You asked me once if I would move in. Does that invitation still stand?'

He grinned. 'What do you think?'

I stood up and gathered my coat and bag together. 'Then will you take me to Di's to collect my things, please?'

Chapter Twenty-Six.

As Susan rang the bell of Karen and Simon's house, she caught Ted's hand and gave it a squeeze. He returned it, looking down at her.

'You are sure they invited me too?'

Susan smiled. 'Of course. I want you all to get to know one another and this is the perfect opportunity.'

Karen opened the door. She looked tanned and relaxed from the recent holiday the three of them had just enjoyed.

'Come in, both of you. Simon is just reading Peter a story. He'll be down in a minute and then we can all have a drink.' She led them through to the living room. Turning to Ted she said, 'I'm so glad you could come. I hope you like steak.'

Ted grinned. 'What man doesn't? It's very kind of you to invite me.'

Simon appeared. 'Phew! Getting away from that young man is like tearing off a plaster.' He smiled and held out his hand to Ted. 'Hi! I'm Simon, as I expect you've guessed. What will you have to drink?'

Karen turned towards the door. 'I'll have mine in the kitchen while I put the finis.h.i.+ng touches to dinner. We want to have the meal over and done with ready for the big event, don't we?'

Simon inclined his head towards Ted. 'Whisky?' Ted nodded and Simon poured. He glanced at his mother-in-law. 'Don't need to ask you or Karrie. G and T. Ice and a slice right?'

Susan laughed. 'I'll take mine and Karen's into the kitchen and see what I can do to help. I'm sure the two of you are dying to talk football.' She took the gla.s.ses from Simon and he opened the door for her. Outside in the hall, she paused for a moment to listen but she was soon rea.s.sured by the sound of the two men talking. It looked as though they were going to get along. In the kitchen she found Karen tossing new potatoes in parsley and b.u.t.ter. 'I'll put your drink on the worktop, shall I?' she said. 'Now what can I do?'

'You could put the dressing on the salad, Mum.'

As they worked Susan looked at her daughter. 'You enjoyed your holiday, then? You certainly look well.'

Karen nodded. 'Simon and I have come to a compromise. I can do my tutoring as long as Peter doesn't suffer in any way.'

Susan's eyebrows rose. 'Suffer! In what way?'

Karen blushed. 'Well, you know, being pa.s.sed round.'

'Being cared for by me, you mean?'

'Not at all! It's just that it's better for him to be in his own home until he's older.'

'So he's not even going to playgroup?'

Karen shook her head. 'Yes, of course he is but ...'

'I should stop now, dear,' Susan said with a smile. 'You know what they say when you're in a hole, stop digging.' They both laughed and Susan went on, 'Actually it's as well you're not going to be asking me to have him very often. Ted and I are going to be really busy, harvesting all the produce from the allotments and manning our stall at the farmers' market.'

Karen smiled. 'Oh, Mum, I'm so glad you're really back together again.'

'Are you? He is still a married man, you know,' Susan pointed out.

'Yes, but it's only a platonic relations.h.i.+p you have with him, isn't it?'