Where have you been? 6 страница

Dominic released her hand and swinging his legs to the ground, sat up straight. "No. On the contrary, I don't think he sees the idea of me as a son-in-law as something to encourage."

Helen scrambled up on to her knees. "What - what did you just say?"

"I'm quite sure you heard me," he remarked, a faintly mocking expression appearing. "Oh, Helen, I love you! Surely you've realised that by now!"

"You - love - me?" Helen's lips trembled, her whole body quivered with an emotion stronger than herself. "Oh, Dominic, Dominic, why didn't you tell me?"

And she flung herself into his arms, burying her face in his neck, dinging to him blindly, tears of happiness and relief mingling on her cheeks.

"Hey - hey! " He held her loosely in his arms, stroking a lazy finger down her nose, licking the salty drops from her eyelids. "Helen, we have some talking to do, and if you go on like this I won't be able to say all that has to be said."

She sniffed. "All right" She sat back on her heels. "Go ahead. You've seen Daddy, haven't you? "

"Oh, yes, I saw your father earlier this evening. He was most concerned about the bad effect I was having on you. Look, I can understand how he feels. He hoped you'd find somebody much more suitable for a husband -"

"Stop it!" She put her fingers over his mouth. "I don't care what my father hopes. It's you I love. And - and -" She bent her head. "Bolt told me about - about the operation."

"Yes, I know that, too - now," he murmured dryly.

She looked up. "How?"

"How do you think? Bolt confessed."

"You weren't - angry with him?"

"What do you think?" Dominic suddenly pulled her close to him again. "Oh, God, Helen, I tried to deny myself - I really 'tried. I kept telling myself that I couldn't think of tying you to a cripple for the rest of your life, but then - then this evening..." He shook his head, burying his face in her neck and she felt him shudder. "When Bolt told me that you'd known - before you came to see me -" He cupped her face in his hands. "I thought - I really thought you'd only come because you thought I was going to be - normal -"

Helen slid her arms round his neck. "You are normal!

Oh, Dominic, my love for you doesn't hinge on whether you walk with a limp or without one! I don't care. I love you." Her lips quivered. "Although why I should after the way you treated me -'

His mouth caressed hers. "Was I so bad - all the time?"

"No," she conceded with a slight deepening of entrancing colour. "Not all the time."

"I almost lost control that morning in the sauna," he admitted huskily. "I shouldn't have let you do what you did."

"Didn't you enjoy it?"

"Too much." He smiled at her embarrassment. "Promise me you'll do it again when we're married."

"Every day if you like," she agreed eagerly, but he shook his head.

"No. I think for the moment Bolt will have to keep his job. If you don't mind?"

"Of course not." She took a deep breath. It was all so wonderful she could hardly take it in. "Can we live where - where you live?"

"That's a long way from London."

"So?" She frowned.

"Well -" He paused. "Won't you want to be nearer civilisation? I mean -"

"Do you want to live here, in London?"

"Helen, I'd made up my mind mat if that's what you want-"

"But what about you? You don't really want to live here, do you?"

He touched her cheek. "I don't want to cut you off from your friends - your family -"

"I'd like to live at Ashbourn House," she stated simply. "I can think of nothing more desirable than living there -really living there - with you."

Dominic's eyes darkened and for a few minutes there was silence in the lamplit room. But then he determinedly put her away from him, saying thickly: "Perhaps you should put some clothes on, Helen. I intend to stay until I've spoken to your father, and I shouldn't like to shock him. Who knows, maybe he won't be too disappointed after all..."

Six months later Helen came down the stairs of the house near Hawksmere amid the glory of a sunlit September evening. She was looking particularly lovely, she knew that, and the long amber-coloured maternity dress successfully concealed her condition from all but the most discerning eye. She glanced up the stairs, but there was no sign as yet of her father or Isabel and with a smile at her reflection in the hall mirror she entered the living room.

Dominic was standing by the bureau, mixing drinks as she entered, lean and attractive in a dark dinner jacket. He had recovered completely from the operation now and no longer needed the stick he had had to use in the beginning. His eyes flickered over her with a disturbing penetration and he left what he was doing to go to her, pulling her possessively into his arms.

"You're looking particularly beautiful this evening," he murmured against her mouth. "Are you going to tell them?"

Helen drew back and smiled. "That they're going to be grandparents in five months ? Do you think I should? "

Dominic's mouth curved a little amusedly. "You may not have to. I'm sure Isabel has already guessed. Didn't you notice the way she was looking at you earlier? Just after they arrived? Smocks and slacks may look casual, but you're beginning to have that certain look - that certain je ne sots quoi."

Helen stroked his cheek. "Do you mind?"

His arms tightened and he buried his face in her neck. "Well, I could say that I would have preferred to have you to myself for a little while longer," he said in a muffled voice. "But as I'm responsible..." His hands curved possessively over her hips. "You go to my head! Precautions never entered into it."

Helen slid her arms round his neck, no longer embarrassed by what he said. "I expect Bolt will make a marvellous nursemaid."

"Could be." Dominic lifted his head with reluctance. "Oh, damn, I think someone's coming. Why did we ever come home? I don't like sharing you with anyone."

Helen sighed contentedly. "Darling, we were away almost four months. Daddy naturally wants to assure himself that I'm happy."

"Hmm." Dominic moved back to the cocktail shaker. "And what will you tell him? That I beat you? That I make your life a misery?"

"Do you think if I did he'd believe me?" she exclaimed, stretching her arms above her head.

Dominic's eyes rested on her stomach. "Perhaps not," he agreed, gently mocking. "It's just as well Sheba's not here any more. She might have aroused some suspicions."

Helen laughed, and then there was a knock at die door and she turned, calling: "Come in. Bolt."

The burly manservant entered the room diffidently, but the warm enveloping smile he reserved for Helen was eloquent of his approval of their relationship.

"What time shall I serve dinner, sir?" he enquired politely.

Dominic glanced at his watch. "In about half an hour, I think, thank you, Bolt. Oh, and by the way, how are you at washing nappies?"

Bolt's dark brows, the only hairy thing about his head, lifted in astonishment. "I -I-you don't mean-"

"He does." Helen went towards him smilingly. "And we wanted you to be among the first to know."

Bolt's expression was frankly delighted. "I couldn't be more pleased," he exclaimed, going to shake Dominic's hand. "Congratulations!"

Dominic handed him a glass. "Here," he said. "Have a drink. It's not every day I become an expectant father."

Bolt took the glass and raised it warmly. "To the new generation of Lyalls," he said, and Dominic said he would drink to that.

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