Lifelong Affair

‘No,’ he smiled again. ‘It’s quite exhilarating, actually.’

Now why on earth should she blush like a schoolgirl at the thought of Alex Hammond finding something about her exhilarating? Maybe it was because he was a challenge, the original ice man.

But she wasn’t here to find him a challenge, she was here to get Courtney and return home. And she would do it.

It needed all her self-confidence to enter the Hammond house with him a short time later; she was wary about meeting Rita Hammond again. They hadn’t exactly taken to each other when they met two years ago, and she had no reason to think the other woman would be any more kindly disposed towards her. The opposite if she also believed in the part of Mary-Beth being Morgan’s own nature!

If Rita Hammond had been sedated the day before there was no sign of it today. The woman was tall, almost as tall as her son, her iron-grey hair perfectly coiffured, her make-up impeccable despite her sixty years, her taste in clothes sophisticated and flattering to her slender figure.

She looked at Morgan with flinty blue eyes, not surprised to see her, but not welcoming her either. Well, that suited Morgan, she wasn’t glad to be here either!

‘Miss McKay,’ the other woman greeted regally.

‘Mrs Hammond,’ Morgan returned as frostily.

‘You parents are well?’

Morgan’s eyes widened. What was wrong with this family? This woman’s son and daughter-in-law had been tragically killed and she was asking innocuous questions about Morgan’s family! These people were emotionless. She need look no farther than Rita Hammond for her son’s lack of emotion; these people obviously didn’t know the meaning of the word love.

‘Could I please go to my room?’ she asked jerkily. ‘I’m feeling—tired, after the journey.’

Rita Hammond instantly rang for Symonds, instructing him to take Morgan up to the ‘lemon’ room.

‘We’ll talk later,’ Alex told her softly as she walked past him to follow Symonds upstairs.

She turned to smile at him, beginning to feel as if he was the only stability in a suddenly shaky world. ‘You look tired,’ she told him huskily. ‘Why don’t you rest too?’

Grey eyes widened—and then narrowed, almost as if he suspected her motives. ‘Not yet,’ he answered abruptly. ‘I have things to do.’

‘But soon, hmm?’ she prompted.

‘Perhaps,’ he nodded distantly. ‘Go with Symonds.’

She felt suitably dismissed, regretting the politeness of her concern. This man obviously didn’t need anyone’s sympathy for anything!

Morgan sat silently at Alex’s side as they drove to the hospital to pick up Courtney, so nervous her palms felt damp. It was ridiculous to feel so nervous about seeing a baby for the first time, but she couldn’t help it. Babies were something she had no experience of, especially ones as young as Courtney. She didn’t even know how to hold him—something Rita Hammond had taken great pains to point out to her.

Alex had obviously spoken to his mother by the time Morgan joined them for dinner the previous evening, for Rita Hammond was at her most haughty as she pointed out all the reasons Morgan wasn’t equipped to take care of a baby. When Morgan had remained blandly adamant the older woman had resorted to insults. Even her son’s curtly spoken words hadn’t deterred her, until finally Alex suggested his mother retire to her room, where he accompanied her, returning only after his mother had fallen into a sedated sleep, apologising tersely for her rudeness, but making no excuses for it.

Morgan had slept fitfully, her body completely out of English time, and rose early, only to find Alex was up before her, having already breakfasted and doing some work in his study. Morgan had only just managed to contain her anxiety to leave and collect Courtney, waiting impatiently until Alex suggested it was time to go.

And now they were almost there. She was going to see Glenna’s son at last!

He was beautiful! There was no other way to describe the tiny peaches and cream bundle wrapped in the white blanket. Tears filled her eyes as the nurse wheeled him out to them in his tiny crib, sleeping peacefully after his mid-morning feed.

‘He’s beautiful,’ she breathed softly, her eyes wide with wonder ‘Alex …!’ She looked at him glowingly.

His expression softened. ‘Why don’t you dress him while I have a word with the doctor?’

She swallowed hard. She thought herself a pretty gutsy lady, but this tiny baby terrified her. ‘I’ll try.’ She moistened her lips nervously, taking the box of expensive baby clothes that were part of a delivery made to the house early this morning. It seemed that the Hammond money could even get those sort of things delivered.

The nurse showed her into a private room, and between the two of them—with a lot of help from the nurse!—they managed to dress Courtney in the all-in-one blue suit, even though it still managed to swamp him despite being tiny. He was so incredibly like Glenna, with fiery-red hair and deep blue eyes, that Morgan felt fresh tears well up in her eyes.

‘Go ahead and cry,’ the nurse encouraged gently. ‘It’s always like this when a mother gets to take a premature baby home.’

Morgan blinked up at the young girl. ‘Oh, but—–’

‘He’s so much like you,’ the nurse cooed at him gently. ‘And I think he has your husband’s jaw even now. He’s going to be a strong-minded little boy.’

Morgan smiled at this young girl’s misconception. Somehow the other girl had the impression that she and Alex were Courtney’s parents. How angry he would be if he knew!

‘I’ve been on holiday for a couple of weeks,’ the girl unwittingly explained her mistake, ‘so I missed Courtney’s arrival into the world, but I can see he’s done very well for a premature baby.’ She helped Morgan put on the little woollen cap over Courtney’s red curls. ‘He has your colouring, you know,’ she smiled.

‘Probably a temper to go with it,’ Morgan joined in the laughter, feeling a sense of elation at being in at the start of Courtney’s life, seeing no reason to correct the young nurse’s impression of her being his mother, not wanting the complications and sympathy such an explanation would evoke.

‘Here’s your husband now.’ The girl moved to the door, smiling shyly up at Alex as he stood in the doorway.

Morgan looked at him, Courtney held firmly in her arms, wondering what his reaction was going to be to being thought her husband. The opinion he had of her morals, he would probably heatedly deny such a relationship.

‘Ready, darling?’ he asked huskily.

She nodded slowly, too stunned to answer him with words, and followed him out into the corridor.

‘Good luck!’ the young nurse beamed at them.

Alex gave her an abrupt nod, including a silver-haired woman in a blue uniform in that departing nod as they passed the office. ‘Thank you—for everything,’ he murmured softly to the woman.

Morgan allowed Alex to help her into the back of the dark Mercedes, still holding Courtney firmly in her arms, looking down in awe at his sleeping face. She looked up at Alex as he settled her more comfortably. ‘Why—–’

‘Wait until we’re on our way,’ he rasped softly, closing the door with a soft click so that he didn’t disturb the baby nestling against her.

Morgan had never experienced anything like the maternal love that flowed out of her for Courtney. It was a curiously choking feeling to know that he was totally dependent on her—on her and Alex. Alex had already made it clear that he intended taking a very strong part in Courtney’s life, and she already knew him well enough to know he meant every word.

He spoke suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. ‘As yet the media aren’t aware of Courtney’s existence,’ he told her abruptly. ‘I intend keeping it that way for as long as possible. That’s why the deception at the hospital.’

‘Deception?’ she frowned.

‘Courtney was registered as our child.’

‘Ours?’ she gasped.

He nodded. ‘That’s right.’

‘You have a hell of a nerve—–’

‘Ssh, you’ll wake the baby,’ he mocked her anger. ‘And I’m sure you have no idea what to do if that happens.’ He eyed her mockingly in the driving mirror. ‘No comeback?’

‘None,’ she shrugged. ‘But I bet you don’t know either,’ she said with satisfaction.