A No Risk
Affair

Carole Mortimer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

‘HEY, little—er, young lady,’ the deeply masculine voice corrected humorously as the man realised his mistake. ‘Is your mother at home?’

Robyn had turned slowly to look at the man who had called to her across the garden fence that separated the two cottages, knowing it was this movement that had changed his mind about her being a little girl. From the back her height and slender figure might give that impression, but as soon as she turned that impression was as quickly dispelled. Slender and slightly boyish before the twins were born five years ago her breasts had never returned to their flat-chested state, the clinging blue T-shirt she wore at the moment emphasising that fact.

The man with the wickedly twinkling blue eyes grinned at her devilishly. ‘The Colonel told me my new neighbour was a Mrs Warner and her two children, but I had no idea the children would be quite so—grown-up,’ his husky voice had lowered appreciatively.

Robyn turned completely now, giving up any idea of hanging up the rest of her washing for the moment, giving him her full attention. ‘You're Sinclair Thornton?’ her own voice was slightly throaty, almost sensual, not quite in keeping with the fresh-scrubbed look of her face and her long bright red hair secured at her nape.

He leant over the top of the fence, the light summer breeze ruffling his overlong blond hair, his arms deeply tanned below the turned back sleeves of his shirt. ‘The Colonel told you about me?’ he prompted lightly, giving away nothing of his thoughts on the subject by his bland expression.

She shrugged narrow shoulders. ‘There isn't much that's secret in a small community like this one, Mr Thornton,’ she answered noncommitally, not willing to admit that she knew his reason for being here, or the fact that she despised that reason utterly.

‘My friends call me Sin,’ he encouraged softly, his gaze still appreciative.

‘So I've heard,’ she acknowledged dryly.

Interest flickered in the bright blue eyes. ‘What else have you heard?’

‘Everyone knows of your books.’ Again her manner was slightly reserved. ‘They're always on the bestseller list.”

He frowned as he picked up the edge of disapproval in her voice. ‘You don't like them?’

‘I've never read one,’ she told him truthfully. ‘I don't have a lot of spare time,’ she added by way of softening what could be taken as an insult.

‘Of course you don't,’ he straightened. ‘I'm probably delaying your getting to school right now. I just thought I would introduce myself to your mother.’

Once again he had made the mistake of thinking she was the child instead of the Mrs Warner she actually was, and an imp of devilment stopped her refuting his error. ‘I'm the only one at home at the moment,’ she said with complete honesty. ‘Why don't you come over for dinner this evening?’ she invited mischievously. ‘I'm sure the rest of the family would love to meet you.’ She could well imagine the twins’ wide-eyed interest in their new neighbour, and she felt sure this man was going to be more than surprised by who the ‘rest of the family’ consisted of. It would serve him right for flirting with the impressionable teenager he thought her to be when he was obviously an experienced man in his thirties.

‘Are you sure your mother won't mind your making the invitation on her behalf?’ he hesitated, obviously not willing to upset his new neighbour on his first day here.

‘None of the family will mind,’ she told him with certainty, knowing the twins met all too few new people, living on the Masters estate as they did. ‘But we eat quite early, about six?’ she raised auburn brows enquiringly.

‘Anytime suits me,’ he accepted. ‘I'll look forward to it.’

So would she. It was a long time since she had felt such a mischievous state of anticipation. She hadn't been looking forward to the arrival of her temporary neighbour in the adjoining cottage, knew from his reputation and the life he had led that he would be too much like Brad for comfort. In looks the two men were opposite, Brad as dark as Sinclair Thornton was blond, Brad's eyes a cold calculating grey whereas the other man's were a bright twinkling blue. But Sinclair Thornton had once been a reporter, as Brad still was, and although the other man appeared to have had the sense to get out while he was still in one piece, both emotionally and physically, Brad still went to all the trouble spots of the world, throwing himself into the task with a relish that sickened her. Although she and her ex-husband had been divorced for almost two years he still popped up from time to time, showered gifts on Kim and Andy when they would much rather have had more of his time and love, before disappearing off to God knows where again.

It had been the constant uncertainty as to Brad's welfare, the days, weeks sometimes, of waiting to see if he would get out of his latest assignment alive, that had completed the erosion of their marriage. And she knew, as did most other people, that the bestselling books that Sinclair Thornton specialised in were for the main part based on his own experiences during his time as a reporter, that ‘only the names and places had been changed to protect the innocent'! And from the reviews she had read of those books there didn't appear to be many of the latter between the covers!

When the Colonel had told her of the author's proposed visit here she had been less than enthusiastic, despised the glorifying of war when it was the innocent who suffered. And as Sinclair Thornton had made it known that he intended basing his next book, in part, on the Colonel's war-time experiences she couldn't say she had relished the thought of meeting him.

But he had turned out to be slightly different from what she had imagined, although she didn't doubt that the same hardness that had ruled all Brad's decisions in life lurked somewhere beneath the easygoing charm of the other man; no man could see and experience some of the things those two had without becoming hardened to the softer things in life such as love and children.

But this thinking of Sinclair Thornton wouldn't do, she had to be up at the Hall for nine-fifteen, and she still had a few things to do before then. ‘We'll see you at six, then, Mr Thornton,’ she told him dismissively.

‘Yes,’ but he made no effort to move. ‘Er—Do you think I might borrow a cup of milk? I only arrived an hour ago and I'm afraid milk isn't something I thought to buy.’

She almost laughed out loud at the little-boy-lost-look he had suddenly affected. ‘So much for wanting to introduce yourself,’ she mocked as she turned to go into her own little cottage.

‘But I did,’ Sinclair Thornton had moved with lightning speed through the gate that connected the two gardens and was now walking at her side with long, easy strides, his denims old and faded as they rested low down on his hips, his black shirt fitted over his wide shoulders and tapered waist.

She looked up at him with mocking eyes, barely reaching his shoulder, made to feel like the little girl he had first presumed her to be. ‘You just thought that as I was here …’ she drawled teasingly.

‘Exactly,’ he grinned, his eyes crinkling as laughter lines fanned out from the corners, a dimple appearing in one of his lean cheeks. ‘See, I didn't even bring a cup with me,’ he held up his empty hands.

They were nice hands, strong and capable looking, the fingers long and fleshless, in fact the whole of his body didn't possess an ounce of superfluous weight. He certainly hadn't let his fame and fortune soften him! It was another reminder for her—if she needed one!—that his charm and easygoing manner were only skin-deep too.

'I'm sure I can manage to let you keep the cup until this evening,’ her voice had hardened.

‘I promise I'll bring it back,’ he nodded, looking about the kitchen appreciatively, obviously liking the yellow and white decor in the tiny room, his gaze coming to rest on the obviously childish paintings she had pinned to the walls. ‘Your brother or sister must be a lot younger than you?’ he raised blond brows questioningly.

‘Andy is only five,’ she acknowledged noncommittally, handing him the cup of milk, her expectant stare clearly saying she wanted him to leave now.

‘I'm looking forward to a home-cooked meal,’ he told her by way of parting.

‘Don't look forward to it too much,’ Robyn warned with a grin. ‘I—My mother isn't the best cook in the world.’

‘After some of my own efforts in that direction anything will taste good,’ he assured her, not seeming to have noticed her slip.

He had disappeared into the adjoining cottage by the time she returned to the garden to finish hanging out the washing. Which was perhaps as well, because she had got to the twins clothes now, the numerous trousers, T-shirts and skirts obviously for more than one child. Sinclair Thornton would only have to glance over this way once some time during the day and he would realise the mistake he had made. Would he be amused or annoyed that she hadn't corrected him?

Oh well, it had only been a harmless joke. And if he was going to be their neighbour for the next few months he would have to learn to cope with that sort of thing, both Kim and Andy having inherited their mother's sense of fun.

Now that the early morning rush was over, the twins washed and dressed, their breakfasts cooked and eaten, and the two of them safely on board the bus that would take them to the school three miles away, she had time to get herself ready for work.

The denims and T-shirt were the first to go, replaced with one of the tailored skirts and a tan blouse she had bought herself for work. Then came her make-up, the shadings subdued, her lipgloss a deep plum colour, her cheeks lightly highlighted with blusher. And lastly came her hair. Released from the ribbon at her nape it flowed in a glorious red cascade down her back. But she didn't leave it in that style, knew that the loose coil on top of her head added to her maturity if it didn't help her look her twenty-four years.

Twenty-four, was that really all she was? Sometimes she felt twice that age, and at other times she wondered where all the years had gone to, the time seeming to have flown by since the twins were born. Married at eighteen, a mother—and more or less a grass-widow—at nineteen, divorced at only twenty-two, a lot had happened to her in the last six years. If she hadn't had the twins she didn't know how she would have coped with half of it. It was ironic, in the circumstances, that the two babies she loved more than anything else in the world had also been partly responsible, innocently, for most of what had happened after they were born. Although perhaps that wasn't quite true, it had been Brad's reaction to them that had been the cause of that.

She walked the mile and a half up to Bromptwood Hall, leaving her little car and the petrol she guarded so frugally, in the garage next to the cottage. She enjoyed the walk anyway, and she preferred to use what petrol she could afford to buy to take Kim and Andy out at the weekends. All three of them looked forward to and enjoyed these trips, and on warm days like this one her walk to work became a pleasure. She would think about the cold days when they arrived!

The office she occupied during the morning was next to the Colonel's study, the post already on her desk to be sorted and dealt with before lunch. In the afternoon she would become one of the guides for the tours around the historic house and gardens, enjoying that part of her work most of all, liking to talk to the people who visited, finding pleasure in showing them the grand old house.

Colonel Masters had married the daughter of the house, an only child, twenty-five years ago, and when his wife died eight years ago and the estate became expensive to run he had decided to open his doors to the public during the summer months, as a lot of other stately homes had been pressured into doing in recent years. It certainly didn't make him a fortune, but it kept him and his daughter Caroline in relative comfort, had also helped to send the latter to the exclusive school in Switzerland she had returned from only this summer.

If there were a black spot on Robyn's horizon it was the other girl. Spoilt and pampered all her life Caroline looked down on anyone who had to work for a living, treating most of the estate staff as inferior to herself, Robyn more so than most. She considered Robyn had been highly stupid to have got herself married and divorced to a man who hadn't even been able to give her a decent allowance after the divorce.

The younger girl sauntered into Robyn's office halfway through the morning, her dress made exclusively for her in London, her dark beauty emphasised by the delicate shade of blue. A deep admirer of the Princess of Wales—as were most women!—Caroline made it her business to have her clothes designed by the same people the Princess did. The fact that she was shorter and plumper than the Princess escaped her, as did the fact that she could never look quite as elegant as that famous lady, no matter what clothes she wore.

‘Daddy wants you to work late today,’ she told Robyn in a bored voice.

She heaved an inward sigh, knowing she was in for an argument. ‘The Colonel knows very well that I can't do that.’ She always finished promptly at three-fifteen so that she could be home in time to meet the twins off the school bus.

‘Because of those two brats of yours, I suppose,’ Caroline derided. ‘Can't they let themselves into the cottage for once?’

Dark brown eyes clashed with a callous blue. ‘No,’ Robyn replied emphatically.

‘Well, can't you get someone to sit with them until you get home?’ the younger girl was showing her impatience now.

Robyn eyed her with suspicion. ‘Why does your father want me to work late?’

Caroline shrugged. ‘There's a late party coming at three-thirty, and as you know it's Maggie's day off …’

She also knew that on the rare occasions that this happened the Colonel made alternative arrangements, ones that didn't include her working late; he had even taken the odd party around himself when necessary. The Colonel may not be the easiest man in the world to get on with but he did understand her home situation. ‘Your father told me he was going to ask you to take that party,’ she challenged.

Caroline's pretty face flushed her displeasure. ‘I have a hair appointment this afternoon.’

Robyn looked at the already perfectly styled dark hair. ‘You look just fine to me,’ she dismissed.

The younger girl gave her a scathing look. ‘And we all know how qualified you are to judge!’

She knew the other girl considered her casual clothes, light make-up, and unfashionably long hair excluded her from being able to talk with any authority on all three of them. And maybe they did, but she always knew what was in fashion nowadays—she only had to look at Caroline for that. It was strange really, there were only four years difference in their ages, and yet she felt so much older than the other girl, had found much more important things than fashion to fill and enrich her life.

‘Take your choice, Caroline,’ she shrugged. ‘Go down to the cottage and sit with the twins or take the party round.’ Her expression was widely innocent as she saw the other girl's look of horror at the mention of the twins.

‘Those little devils!’ Caroline gasped.

‘They love you too, Caroline,’ she drawled, knowing the dislike was mutual. Her exuberant offspring couldn't understand why Caroline refused to get down on the floor with them or go out in the garden and play in the dirt, pursuits their mother didn't seem to mind in the least. In fact, Robyn rather enjoyed playing with her children.

Irritation darkened the hard blue eyes. ‘The last time I called Kim laddered my tights by crawling all over me and Andy spilt orange juice all over my new dress.’

‘Both incidents were accidents,’ she defended, knowing that her children didn't have a vindictive bone in their bodies. ‘And it was only one little spot of orange juice, it sponged off quite easily.’

‘Luckily for you,’ Caroline snapped waspishly. ‘You don't exactly earn enough here to have replaced the dress, and I doubt Brad remembers to send your maintenance any more often than he used to.’

She flushed her resentment at the personal remark, knowing it was inevitable that people should be aware of her private business in the rural community that she had chosen to live in, also knowing that Caroline wasn't averse to using her knowledge when she felt like being particularly bitchy. ‘We manage,’ she bit out tautly.

Caroline smiled her pleasure at being able to pierce the shield of calmness that so irritated her. ‘My dear cousin never was a reliable husband,’ she mocked. ‘Was he?’ she taunted.

It wasn't difficult to imagine Brad and Caroline as being closely related. Brad may hide his selfish preoccupation with his own needs better than Caroline did, but the trait was there nonetheless. Brad was the son of the Colonel's sister, and it was the Colonel who had offered her and the twins the use of one of the estate cottages when she and Brad had first separated, claiming that family should stick together no matter what, that there had never been a divorce in the family. And for a while Brad had visited the three of them at the cottage, before even that trailed off. But the Colonel had insisted she and the twins stay on at the estate, had even given her the job as his own secretary. Not that she had ever felt part of the Masters family, but the job and cottage, were very welcome, especially when, as Caroline pointed out so maliciously, Brad was so remiss with monetary support for his children. For herself she didn't care, but for the twins she minded a great deal.

Not that any of that showed in her face as she looked up at Caroline. ‘He sends what he can when he can,’ she murmured stiffly.

‘Are you kidding?’ the younger girl scoffed. ‘He must earn a small fortune doing the job he does, and you don't see a penny of it!’

‘Caroline——’

‘I wouldn't let him get away with it,’ she declared haughtily. ‘Although how the two of you ever got married in the first place I'll never know!’ she added scornfully.

Robyn had often wondered about that herself since the separation and divorce, had come to the conclusion that it was her near hero-worship of Brad that had persuaded him to marry her. At the time she had been too much in love with him to realise how ill-suited they were. She had been eighteen to his twenty-eight, had found Brad exciting just to be with, had been wide-eyed and innocent about physical relationships, not having had a lover before Brad. The proof of that innocence had been her pregnancy only two months after their wedding! Brad had been furious at her stupidity, had taken it for granted that she would be responsible for any use of contraception between them. The rage he had flown into when he learnt he was to be a father had been only the first of many.

‘I don't believe this is any of your business, Caroline,’ she said distantly.

‘Maybe not,’ the younger girl shrugged. ‘But cousin-by-marriage or not, I am not looking after your two brats this afternoon.’

‘Kim and Andy are not brats——’

‘They're always into one scrape or another——’

‘That's just high spirits!’

‘Was it “high spirits” when they knocked over the Christmas tree last year?’

Robyn sighed. ‘It was an accident. Kim slipped on one of the rugs in the hall.’ And she could still remember her horror as the huge decorated tree had crashed down on her tiny daughter.

‘It was a mess,’ Caroline remembered disgustedly.

‘Maybe when you've given your father grandchildren of his own he'll stop feeling compelled to invite us to join your festivities,’ she derided.

‘I don't intend ruining my figure giving some man children he'll probably ignore.’

Robyn ignored this latest jibe at Brad and herself. ‘It improved mine,’ she smiled.

‘Maybe on the surface,’ Caroline acknowledged. ‘But stretch marks can be so unsightly!’

Robyn didn't even attempt to defend this insult. She had a few finely silver stretch marks on the flatness of her abdomen, yes, but unless someone was looking really closely they weren't noticeable. And she knew that she would risk having much worse marks than that if she could have Kim and Andy at the end of it. ‘So you'll be taking the party around this afternoon?’ she said dryly.

Caroline flashed her an angry look. ‘If you weren't family you wouldn't be so sure of yourself,’ she snapped.

If she didn't at least have that claim she didn't know if she would be able to stand Caroline's constant bitchiness. At least this way she was partly able to defend herself, although at the back of her mind she always had the danger of losing her home and job. Caroline did have a lot of influence with her over-indulgent father, and if she made enough of a fuss about Robyn and her children he could just be talked into asking them to leave. Nevertheless, she never let herself or the twins be treated as inferiors; there were some limits to her pride.

‘If I weren't family then I wouldn't be here,’ she pointed out in a reasoning tone. ‘And couldn't you have your hair done tomorrow?’

‘I wanted to look good for when Sinclair Thornton arrives,’ her cousin-by-marriage said moodily.

‘He's arrived.’

Blue eyes sharpened questioningly. ‘What do you mean?’

She shrugged narrow shoulders. ‘Exactly what I said, he's already arrived.’

‘When?’

‘This morning.’

‘You've seen him?’

Robyn nodded. ‘Before I came to work. Your father didn't mention his arrival to you?’

‘No,’ she answered in a preoccupied voice. ‘But then he's been rather busy this morning.’ Caroline's expression was sharp as she focused on Robyn. ‘What's he like?’

‘Mr Thornton?’

‘Well I hardly mean Daddy!’

She had known exactly who Caroline meant, but the occasional need to bait the younger girl persisted. The two of them had never got on, Caroline seeming to have more poise and sophistication even at fourteen than the young girl being introduced as the newest member of the family. It soon became obvious that even this youngest member of the family found her unsophisticated naïveté totally unsuitable in a relation of hers. And just occasionally Robyn couldn't help the defence mechanism that sprang into action whenever she remembered those past slights, motherhood having given her a confidence she previously lacked. Finding herself solely responsible at nineteen for two other vulnerable lives besides her own was sure to have had some effect!

‘Mr Thornton seemed—quite pleasant,’ she answered dismissively.

‘As good looking at his photographs?’ Caroline couldn't keep the eagerness out of her voice as she forgot for a moment her usual affected air of boredom.

Sinclair Thornton's good looks couldn't be denied, neither could his charm, and yet somehow she doubted he was exactly Caroline's type. The men the younger girl usually dated all seemed to be highly sophisticated, always perfectly dressed for the occasion, and Robyn felt sure that any denims those men owned would carry designer labels on the back and not be as disreputably faded and old as the denims Sinclair Thornton had worn this morning had been. But maybe she was misjudging Caroline, maybe the author's raw masculinity would be a welcome change after all that polished charm.

‘I've never seen a photograph of him,’ she shrugged. ‘But he is very good looking.’

Caroline chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip, seemingly unaware that she was smudging her lipgloss by doing so, something she wouldn't be pleased about when she realised it later. ‘I wonder if it would be too forward of me to go over and introduce myself?’ she murmured to herself.

Remembering the author's casually friendly manner Robyn doubted he would find it at all forward to have a beautiful young girl introduce herself to him. ‘I'm sure he would welcome it,’ she drawled.

Caroline looked at her with narrowed blue eyes. ‘I don't want to go down there if you've already made a nuisance of yourself,’ she questioned haughtily.

Robyn held on to her temper with effort. One of these days——! She didn't have red hair for nothing, as Caroline would one day find out if she didn't stop playing ‘Lady of the Manor’ in this way! ‘I didn't make a nuisance of myself at all, he came over to borrow a cup of milk—–’

‘How original!’

‘You said it,’ she sighed wearily.

Caroline flushed at her misdirected sarcasm. ‘I'm sure he really did need the milk.’

'So am I,’ she said dryly. ‘An author would be able to think of a much better approach.’

‘Of course,’ the younger girl scorned. ‘I think I'll go and invite him over to dinner tonight, I'm sure he can't be organised enough for that yet.’

‘Er …’

‘Yes?’ Caroline prompted impatiently.

She gave a resigned sigh. ‘He's coming to the cottage for dinner this evening,’ she revealed reluctantly.

‘The cottage?’ the other girl repeated dumbfoundedly. ‘You mean with you and the twins?’

‘Well as we're the ones that live there, yes,’ she nodded.

Caroline flushed at the sarcasm. ‘What on earth possessed you to invite a man like Sinclair Thornton to dinner?’ she snapped disgustedly.

‘What on earth possessed him to accept?’ she flashed back, her eyes dark.

‘Politeness, I expect,’ Caroline returned waspishly, her eyes suddenly narrowing again. ‘You aren't seriously interested in him, are you?’ she said disbelievingly.

Robyn flushed at the younger girl's incredulity at such an idea being possible. The fact that she never dated, that a man like Sinclair Thornton would be the last man she would be attracted to if she did, didn't alter the fact that Caroline seemed to think she had no right to find any member of the opposite sex attractive, that her divorce and motherhood meant she had to be unattractive herself to any man.

‘I was merely being a polite neighbour,’ she bit out tightly. ‘If he would rather accept your invitation then I won't be in the least insulted.’ Any imp of pleasure she may have got out of this morning's teasing of Sinclair Thornton had evaporated during this unpleasant exchange with Caroline. It probably wouldn't have been funny anyway, not if Sinclair Thornton felt about children the same way Caroline did.

‘I should hope not,’ Caroline said haughtily. ‘The man is here to see Daddy, after all.’

‘Yes.’

‘I'll just go and change before going down there,’ Caroline spoke softly to herself, her smile one of anticipation.

‘Er—Caroline?’ she halted the other girl at the door. ‘The coach-party this afternoon?’ she prompted, having received no definite reply on the matter.

The pouting red mouth tightened. ‘I'll have to take them round, I expect,’ she snapped. ‘Daddy's silly to be so soft with you, you are an employee, after all.’

Robyn made no reply to this last bitchiness, although her breath left her in a barely controlled sigh once she was alone. It was true, she was an employee, but the Colonel always made allowances for the fact that she was a single parent first. She had no doubt that if, or when, anything happened to the Colonel there would be a lot of changes made.

She had never thought of herself as totally ineligible before, either. Oh the twins would be a big responsibility for any man to take on if he should happen to fall in love with her, but she had never even thought of being on her own for the rest of her life, knew that although she had had one disastrous marriage that with another man it could all be perfect. For the moment she preferred things the way they were, knew that although Kim and Andy were well-adjusted children that the fact that their father had chosen not to live with them troubled them at times. But one day they would be old enough to understand, and when that day came she would be ready herself to perhaps find a new love of her own. For the moment she was satisfied with her lot.

And for Caroline to imply she might be interested in Sinclair Thornton was ridiculous! He wasn't her type at all, and she doubted she was his either.

The twins were particularly boisterous when they got home that evening, and it took a good play and their baths to calm them down enough for their evening meal. Not that Robyn had gone to any trouble over the latter, fully expecting that Caroline would be able to convince Sinclair Thornton that dinner at the Hall would be much more comfortable. Not that Caroline had come to tell her of the change of plans, she hadn't seen the other girl all afternoon, but she took it for granted that she and the twins would be eating alone as usual. And if their neighbour did happen, by some remote chance, to come to them for dinner there was enough casserole for all of them. It may not be what he was used to, or what he would have got at the Hall, but it was good food, and well cooked.

‘Is Daddy coming to see us this weekend?’ Andy asked as she helped the two of them to dress upstairs after their bath, as alike as two peas to look at, both having Robyn's bright red hair and warm brown eyes.

‘Not this weekend,’ she dismissed lightly, brushing her daughter's unruly curls into some order before they dried.

'It's ages since he came,’ Andy said moodily.

‘He's busy,’ his sister put in quietly, the younger by five minutes, also the more introvert of the two; Kim tended to follow where Andy led, her brother outspoken as well as outgoing.

‘Yes. But——’

‘Kim's right, Andy,’ Robyn told him brightly. ‘Daddy has to work very hard. And it's only a few weeks since he telephoned you both.’ For a total of five minutes, she thought bitterly. Not once had she tried to deter Brad from seeing the children, or to influence them in any way concerning his long absences, it had all been Brad's decision, although she couldn't help the inner resentment she felt on the twins’ behalf at his lack of interest in them, knew that Kim was as hurt by it as Andy, no matter how much she defended him. Sometimes, when she felt her children's pain the most, she wished Brad would just stay out of their lives completely, let the twins forget him. But life just wasn't that tidy or straightforward. And maybe it was a selfish wish, the twins loved their father however little they saw of him, and perhaps in his own way he loved them too.

She was stopped from making further comment by the ringing of the doorbell, a glance at her watch as Andy leapt to look out of the window showing her it was exactly six o'clock!

‘There's a man outside, Mummy,’ Andy told her excitedly.

She stood up slowly, feeling a moment's panic before she instantly calmed again. Probably Sinclair Thornton had come to apologetically explain that he was going up to the Hall for dinner. Yes, that would be it. ‘Finish dressed, children,’ she told them in a preoccupied voice. ‘I—I'll go and see who it is.’ She hadn't mentioned the possibility of a guest for dinner to them, they were too often let down by their father without a complete stranger doing it too!

She checked her appearance in the mirror in the hallway before going to the door. If anything she looked even younger than she had this morning! She released her hair about her shoulders, wishing she had time to change from the cut-off denims and cream sun-top. But the doorbell ringing for a second time made that impossible.

As she had guessed, her caller was Sinclair Thornton, a bunch of tulips in one hand as his eyes gleamed at her mischievously over the petals. He wore fitted brown trousers and a lemon shirt tonight, but he looked no less ruggedly attractive in this slightly more formal clothing.

‘Hi,’ he greeted softly. ‘I'm not too early, am I?’ he added as she made no move to let him in.

‘Er—no,’ she blinked her surprise. ‘It's just—Caroline—Miss Masters, said something about inviting you up to the Hall tonight.’

‘She did,’ he nodded. ‘But I had to refuse her, after all I had already accepted your invitation.’

‘Oh but——’ She was stopped from further speech by the clatter of small feet down the stairs behind her, turning to see the twins arrive at the bottom together, looking adorably innocent with their newly washed faces and hair, wearing identical blue T-shirts and denims.

Robyn turned back to apologise to their guest for keeping him on the doorstep, her eyes widening as she saw his stunned expression, his incredulity obvious as he stared at the twins. Whatever he and Caroline had discussed after he had refused the other girl's invitation this afternoon he certainly hadn't been told of the twins’ existence!

CHAPTER TWO

‘PLEASE, come in,’ she huskily invited the still silent Sinclair Thornton, relieved when he did so, taking him into her small but comfortable lounge. The twins stared back at him, as wide-eyed as he was, and she put a protective hand on either of their shoulders as she looked at Sinclair Thornton with challenging eyes. ‘I don't think we introduced ourselves properly this morning,’ she told him softly. ‘I am Robyn Warner, and these are my two children, Kim and Andy.’

Considering how shocked he had been seconds earlier he was recovering well, the gleam back in his blue eyes as he began to smile. ‘I'm sure it was just an oversight on your part,’ he drawled mockingly. ‘And in that case, these are for you.’ He held out the tulips for her. ‘I'm afraid I forgot the cup, Mrs Warner,’ he added pointedly.

‘My friends call me Robyn,’ she returned much as he had done this morning.

‘Can I?’ he teased.

‘Please,’ she nodded, relieved that he had taken her deception so well.

‘Well, Kim and Andy, you just have to be twins,’ he spoke to them in a pleasantly interested voice, and not down to them as so many adults tended to do. ‘And both as cute as your mother,’ he teased.

Andy giggled at this description being given to his mother. ‘Mummy isn't cute,’ he scorned. ‘She's beautiful.’

Appreciative blue eyes swept over her blushing face. ‘So she is,’ Sinclair Thornton said slowly.

‘I'll just go and put these in water,’ Robyn said awkwardly, instantly annoyed with herself for appearing so gauche. No doubt Caroline would have accepted the compliment with much more aplomb! But then, the younger girl was used to the meaningless charm, she wasn't. ‘Perhaps the children would like to show you some of their toys while I'm gone,’ she added briskly.

It took her only a few minutes to put the tulips in water and check that the dinner was ready, stopping in the lounge doorway when she got back. She should have known Sinclair Thornton was one of those men who found children's toys as fascinating as they did! He was down on the floor with Kim and Andy, with little regard for his clothes, seemingly fascinated by the workings of the dolls’ house and fort the two of them had received recently for their fifth birthdays.

He looked up sheepishly as he sensed Robyn watching him. ‘I never can resist these things.’ He put one of the soldiers up on the battlements.

She smiled, sure that all men were still children at heart. ‘Do you have children of your own, Mr Thornton?’

‘Not at the moment, no,’ he shook his head. ‘And it's Sin,’ he reminded.

She knew what his name was, she just felt uncomfortable saying it, the name Sin making her feel wicked too! And what did ‘not at the moment’ mean? Was he, like Brad, a part-time father who chose to forget about his children when he wasn't actually with them, or did he mean he was contemplating fatherhood? Maybe what she should have asked him was whether or not he was married.

‘Sin was once a reporter like Daddy,’ Kim put in eagerly, obviously considering that anyone who was remotely like her father was okay by her.

‘I know,’ she replied stiffly, amazed that had been revealed in the short time she had been in the kitchen. ‘Can you put some of those things away while I serve dinner?’ They had managed to get out an awful lot of toys during her absence too!

‘Did you lose your husband very long ago?’

Robyn almost dropped the vegetable bowl she had carefully been pouring peas into at the sound of that husky voice just behind her, having been unaware of the fact that Sinclair Thornton had followed her.

‘Careful.’ Sin took the bowl out of her hands. ‘The twins have gone to wash their hands for dinner so I thought I would join you. I didn't mean to startle you.’

‘You didn't,’ she assured him stiltedly.

‘Then my question did,’ he said shrewdly, watching her with narrowed eyes. ‘Which means it must have been recently. I'm sorry, I——’

‘I wouldn't call four years ago recently, Mr Thornton,’ she dismissed briskly. ‘Now shall we go in to dinner before everything gets cold?’

She was slightly ashamed of her waspish behaviour as he did everything he could through the meal to be interesting and interested in her children, effectively covering up any prolonged silence on her part. He had caught her offguard with his question about Brad; having lived in Colton for so long she wasn't used to having to explain her single-parent state to anyone, every-one already knew! But of course this man couldn't be expected to know anything about her past life, and after the trick she had played on him this morning he was entitled to be curious.

He didn't even attempt to interfere in her nightly ritual of putting the twins to bed, as some other over-eager adults had done in the past, and because he didn't Kim and Andy made the request for him to go up to their bedroom and say good night to them, an honour few were granted.

‘You're very good with children,’ Robyn turned to smile at him as they returned to the lounge.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. ‘I try to be.’

That was the whole point, he didn't ‘try’ at all, and the children loved him for it. ‘Coffee?’ she offered.

‘Let me make it.’ He followed her through to the kitchen, the four of them having already done the washing-up, a hilarious affair, with Sin pretending to drop things. ‘You sit down and rest for a few minutes, you must have had a long day.’

Robyn sat as he deftly prepared the coffee. It was nice to be waited on for a change.

‘That was a stupid thing for me to have said,’ Sin realised as he poured their coffee. ‘Every day must be a long one for you.’

‘A six-thirty start can be a bit tiring,’ she admitted. ‘But it has its compensations.’

He nodded. ‘I'm sure it does. I'm sorry about earlier,’ he added gently. ‘I didn't mean to pry.’

‘You didn't,’ she shrugged, carrying the tray through to the lounge. ‘It was just natural curiosity.’

‘Hm,’ he grimaced acknowledgment. ‘And I seem to have rather a lot of that.’

'Surely that's only natural in your profession?’ She sat across the room from him.

‘Some people don't like it.’ He leant back in his chair, totally relaxed, having eaten the casserole with relish, and having had two helpings of apple pie, much to the twins’ delight. ‘It's a bit like being a doctor or a psychiatrist, people don't altogether trust your motives for talking to them, think you're analysing them, in my case for a character in one of my books,’ he revealed dryly.

She smiled. ‘And don't you?’

He grinned, the devilish twinkle back in his deep blue eyes. ‘I suppose I do, sometimes. But it isn't done consciously,’ he defended.

‘I'm sure most people consider it a compliment to recognise themselves in one of your books.’

‘That's the problem,’ his humour deepened. ‘Most people don't see themselves in the character I create for them, see themselves entirely different to the way I do. Several of them have threatened to sue in the past.’

‘Oh dear,’ she laughed. ‘Then let's hope the Colonel isn't one of them!’

‘You know my reason for being here?’ he seemed surprised.

‘I'm the Colonel's secretary,’ she explained.

‘You're RDW,’ he realised in amazement, referring to her initials that always appeared at the top of the letters he had received from the Colonel during their negotiations for him to come here and interview the older man.

‘It's a small place,’ she shrugged.

‘I know,’ he nodded. ‘I took a look around this afternoon, talked to a few of the locals. The Colonel seems to be a well-liked man.’

‘I'm sure he is,’ she replied noncommittally, unwilling to discuss anything concerning her employer.

‘What happened to your husband?’ Sin suddenly asked in the silence of the room.

Robyn blinked her surprise. ‘Are you always this—forthright?’

‘My reporter's instincts,’ he apologised.

‘Of course,’ she realised dryly. ‘For a moment I forgot …’ She sighed. ‘Nothing “happened” to my husband.’

‘You mean he just died?’

‘Died?’ she repeated incredulously.

‘Well he obviously isn't here now, and the Colonel told me you live here alone with your children …’

‘I see,’ she frowned. ‘He isn't dead either. Brad is still very much alive.’

‘Brad?’ Sin repeated slowly. ‘Are you saying Brad Warner is your husband?’

She flushed at his incredulity, knowing herself now what an unlikely combination they must seem. ‘Ex-husband,’ she confirmed abruptly. ‘We're divorced.’

‘I didn't even know he was married,’ Sin seemed stunned by the revelation. ‘Let alone that he had two children too.’

Her mouth twisted. ‘It isn't something he likes to broadcast,’ she drawled.

Sin looked disconcerted by what she had just told him. ‘You must have been very young when you and he got married.’

She shrugged. ‘Age can be used as an excuse for many mistakes. And no, the twins were not conceived until after the wedding,’ she added dryly, knowing that was the next question that would occur to most people.

'But surely——’

‘I don't like to talk about my marriage—Sin,’ she at last managed to say his name, wondering if other women felt as she did when they said it, a thrill of wicked delight shivering down her spine. ‘It was all in the past, and life has to go on.’

‘Even that seems too cynical coming from such a young and beautiful woman,’ he frowned.

He wasn't flirting with her, she could tell that, he genuinely found it disconcerting that she should have found such cynicism in her life at such a young age. ‘Do I seem bitter to you?’ she cajoled.

‘No,’ he acknowledged.

‘And you find that surprising,’ she realised.

‘A little,’ he nodded. ‘I've known Brad on a casual basis for over ten years, and he never spoke of a wife and children. We've never been bosom buddies or anything, there isn't time for that in reporting, but even so most men talk about their wife and families at some time.’

‘Brad is totally dedicated to his job,’ she dismissed without emotion.

‘So was I once, but——’

‘What made you make the change from reporting to writing novels?’ she cut in interestedly.

He looked at her for several minutes, her own gaze unflinching. ‘You want to change the subject?’ he grimaced ruefully.

‘I think it might be a good idea,’ she said without rancour. She knew his interest in her marriage was mainly caused by the fact that he was surprised at who her husband had been more than a real need to pry. It hadn't occurred to her that Sin and Brad would know each other, although she had always known that the world of the press was a pretty closed one, so much so that even the spouses lost out to it.

‘It's a small world, isn't it?’ Sin obviously echoed some of her thoughts.

‘Sometimes it would seem to be,’ she agreed softly.

‘Do you ever see him now?’

She didn't pretend to misunderstand. ‘He comes down to see the twins.’

Sin shook his head. ‘I'm prying again,’ he apologised. ‘And I've also forgotten what you asked me.’

She smiled her sympathy with his confusion. ‘Why you became a writer instead of a reporter.’

‘It seemed a natural progression from what I was doing,’ he shrugged. ‘The type of reporting I was involved in is for the young; I would have been given a permanent desk job eventually, anyway.’

‘You make it sound as if you're ancient,’ she teased.

‘Thirty-seven,’ he supplied. ‘I made the decison to get out of the rat-race five years ago.’

And it had obviously been a wise decision. She would have put him at much younger than his years, younger than Brad when he was actually three years the other man's senior. ‘It's obviously been a successful decision,’ she said noncommittally.

‘Luckily,’ he nodded. ‘I could quite easily have disappeared into obscurity along with a million other would-be-writers. I never forget to be grateful I'm one of the lucky few who made it.’

‘Surely your success is due to a lot more than just luck,’ she chided.

'Maybe you're right, if I couldn't write the public wouldn't still be buying my books. But at the same time a lot of it depends on whether your style of book is in fashion when you start out; tastes change all the time.’

‘I suppose so,’ she agreed. ‘And never having read one myself I have no idea whether you're talented or just lucky,’ she teased. But she did know, knew that he would be extremely talented, that this man, with his quiet air of confidence, would be good at whatever he chose to do.

‘Shame on you,’ he grinned, the mood of seriousness forgotten. ‘Even my mother has read one or two of them, and she isn't interested in anything but gardening!’

Robyn's mouth twisted. ‘I'm sure she's interested in her son.’

His smile deepened. ‘I'm sure she is too,’ he acknowledged ruefully. ‘And all this time I thought she actually liked my books,’ he added self-derisively.

‘Do you have any other family?’ she asked interestedly.

‘A father and an older brother,’ he nodded, the blue eyes twinkling merrily as her eyes widened at the latter. ‘Don't I come over as the baby of the family?’ he mocked.

He ‘came over’ as a man so sure of himself and his own capabilities that he had no need of the charm he had also been endowed with, although he could also use that to great advantage when he chose to. The twins had been fascinated by him, and not just because he had once done the same job as their Daddy. They had even solicited a promise from him that he would take them swimming some time. Kim and Andy loved to go to the pool at the Hall, but as the invitations to use the small indoor pool there, understandably with Caroline's aversion to them, weren't too plentiful, they had to make the trip into town to the public pool if they wanted to swim. Robyn knew that the twins’ desire to spend more time with Sin Thornton didn't come just from the fact that their own trips to the pool were governed by finances; that they genuinely liked the man.

And she wasn't so sure that was a good thing. With the lack of a permanent father figure in their life the twins were apt to find the company of any available male something to be prized above everything else. Sin Thornton could just find himself in the role of surrogate father for the time he was here.

‘Not particularly,’ she answered his question in a preoccupied voice. ‘What does your father do?’

‘Now? Nothing,’ he shook his head. ‘He's a retired newspaperman.’

‘I didn't think they did retire,’ her voice had sharpened perceptively. ‘I thought they just got old—or killed.’

‘Robyn——’ he broke off as the forlorn voice of her daughter called down to them, frowning his concern at the sound.

‘Don't worry,’ Robyn dismissed lightly, rising slowly to her feet. ‘This is a nightly ritual,’ she mocked. ‘I even know to take the glasses of water upstairs with me now to save myself a second trip.’

‘Oh, I see,’ Sin grinned.

‘One of these days they're going to realise that I've caught on to their little game,’ she drawled. ‘I shouldn't be long,’ she added before leaving the room.

'Don't hurry on my account,’ he called after her softly. ‘I'm perfectly comfortable.’

She was aware of that. In fact, he was slumped so comfortably in the chair she was beginning to wonder if he were ever going to leave. And she wanted him to. Already he had touched on subjects she would rather not discuss. If he didn't leave soon who knew what outrage he would come out with?

The twins looked adorable in their adjoining twin beds, and she pushed aside the worrying thought of what she was going to do when they became old enough to require separate bedrooms. They would work that problem out when they came to it, as they had many others the last five years, and although it might not be the ideal solution Kim could always move in with her when the time came.

She handed them each the wanted glass of water, sitting down on the edge of Kim's bed as they sat up to drink. The demand for a drink of water soon after they were in bed had started about six months ago, and although she didn't really like to encourage such tactics for attention, she knew that Kim and Andy would settle down to sleep within ten minutes of her leaving the room with the empty glasses. Maybe they really did want the water, or maybe like her, they just enjoyed the little chats they had as she waited for the glasses to empty. Whatever the reason she herself enjoyed these few minutes of quiet calm with her offspring at the end of a long day.

‘Is Sin still downstairs?’ the more forthright of her children asked eagerly.

Robyn gave him an indulgent smile. ‘Yes.’

‘He's nice,’ Kim put in shyly, her long hair secured neatly at her nape with a brown ribbon.

‘Yes, he is,’ she agreed noncommittally. ‘Now what would the two of you like to do this weekend?’ The mention of their weekend outings was sure to divert their attention from their new neighbour.

‘Maybe we could all go swimming?’ Kim suggested eagerly.

Robyn had realised her mistake in mentioning going out on Saturday the moment identical brown eyes lit up excitedly. Too late she realised it. But she had no wish to spend any more time with Sinclair Thornton than she had to; being neighbourly was one thing, anything more than that she wasn't interested in. He was a pleasant enough man, a handsome one, she couldn't deny that, but she had enough problems already without causing the unnecessary jealousy of Caroline Masters. Caroline was going to be angry enough about Sin choosing to come here this evening without that! Robyn had no doubt she would have to suffer the sharp edge of the younger woman's tongue because of it.

‘I don't think so, Kim,’ she smiled to take the disappointment out of her words. ‘Mr Thornton is here to work, not to amuse us.’

‘But he said——’

‘You asked him, Andy,’ she reprimanded her son gently. ‘The poor man had no choice but to say yes.’

The freckled face beneath her looked rebellious, and despite looking like her in every way Robyn could see Brad in her son in that moment. The wilful single-mindedness Andy occasionally displayed worried her at times, she had to admit that, and she was aware of the fact that he could become as unmanageable and unreasonable as his father when he was older if he didn't have the right handling now. But no one had ever told her that being a parent was easy, and if she occasionally wished she had someone she could rely on and ask for advice the feeling quickly passed. Brad had never given any indication that he regretted their divorce, but even if he had she knew that, not even for her children, could she go back to that life of mindless servitude being Brad's wife had been. And she didn't intend marrying any man just to give her children a father either.

Andy pouted now. ‘He said he likes to go swimming.’

‘His name is Mr Thornton,’ she rebuked. ‘Or Sin, if you prefer,’ she added ruefully, amazed at the easy way her children had taken to using the author's first name; she still had difficulty with it. ‘And liking to go swimming and taking us with him are two different things.’

‘But Sin said——’

‘He was being polite, Andy,’ she ruffled her son's hair affectionately, standing up. ‘We could always pack a picnic and go down by the river, how would that be instead?’

She could see Andy was still having difficulty handling his disappointment, although he joined in readily enough once she and Kim began to plan the outing. Poor Andy, he was already suffering from a case of hero-worship. The next few weeks could be very difficult indeed.

‘Robyn …?’

She turned sharply at the softly spoken query, having been unaware of Sin Thornton's ascent up the stairs as she laughed and joked with the children. ‘Yes?’ she frowned. Surely he wasn't the type of man to be offended by the ten minutes or so she had spent with Kim and Andy?

His hands rested on either side of the doorway as he filled the length and breadth of it. ‘There's a telephone call for you,’ he informed her softly.

Robyn instantly felt contrite for her suspicion. Of course Sin Thornton wasn't petty enough to be insulted by being left downstairs on his own for a few minutes; their laughter must have drowned out the sound of the telephone ringing.

‘I'll take over here if you would like to go down and take the call,’ Sin came further into the room, moving aside to let her exit.

‘The twins will be fine on their own now,’ she assured him.

‘Nevertheless, I'll leave you to take the call in private.’

Something about the way he said the word ‘private’ made her view him sharply, colour entering her cheeks as the identity of her caller slowly seeped into her brain. Brad! It had to be Brad. The first time he had telephoned in weeks and it had to be when Sin Thornton was here. She could also understand Sin's reluctance to reveal her caller in front of the children; the lateness of the hour made it obvious Brad hadn't called to talk to Kim and Andy, knowing they would be in bed by now.

‘I won't be long,’ she assured him, knowing from experience that Brad's calls were never of long duration.

Sin merely nodded, already taking up the position she had vacated on Kim's bed, Robyn hearing her children's giggles of enjoyment at this change in routine as she hurried down the stairs. What could Brad be calling about at this late hour? He never telephoned to speak to her personally, although they usually managed a few polite words to each other before he spoke to the twins.

‘Yes?’ she spoke warily into the receiver as she stood in the hallway to take the call.

‘Who's the man, Robyn?’ Brad's mocking voice taunted without preamble.

Her mouth tightened, and she flushed resentfully. ‘I don't think that's any of your business,’ she snapped, finding it difficult to be polite to him even after all this time—and especially when he tried to pry into her personal life, something he had made it clear four years ago he had no interest in.

‘Of course it's my business,’ he rasped, the charm gone from his voice. ‘I like to know what sort of men you're introducing to my children.’

Her breath caught in her throat. ‘Meaning?’ she bit out between clenched teeth, knowing her knuckles showed white as she clutched the receiver.

‘Meaning they haven't mentioned to me yet having any “uncles”,’ he sneered. ‘But I've been expecting it for some time.’

‘Really?’

‘Oh yes,’ Brad scorned. ‘You weren't always the cold little fish you are now.’

She blushed at the truth of that. She may have been inexperienced when they were first married but Brad had proved to be a good teacher when it came to the physical, tutoring her during the first months of their marriage in all the pleasures there could be between a man and a woman. The advent of her pregnancy had ended all that, though, Brad feeling only revulsion for the physical act with a woman fast growing big with his child. Once the twins had been born she was the one to feel the reluctance, feeling too tired to respond to him as she cared for the twins single-handed. She had known that during that time Brad turned to other women for his pleasure.

‘I can't say I've felt desperate for a man the last four years,’ she was stung into replying. ‘And the man who answered the telephone just now is only a friend.’

‘Who is he?’

‘Brad, I can't believe you made this call just to ask me about my casual acquaintances,’ she sighed her impatience, not willing to talk about Sin Thornton and involve him in something that was none of his business.

‘It's how “casual” he is that bothers me,’ her ex-husband drawled insultingly.

Robyn drew in an angry breath. ‘He's a guest of your uncle's,’ she snapped. ‘Using the cottage next door.’

‘Oh,’ he dismissed any guest of his uncle's as not being in the least interesting. ‘How is the old man?’

‘Very well.’

‘And Caroline?’

Robyn frowned. ‘She's well too,’ she answered in a preoccupied voice, wondering at the reason for this delay in the real reason Brad had telephoned; it certainly wasn't to discuss his uncle or Caroline! He usually came straight to the point, barely wasted time on pleasantries. In fact, this whole telephone call was out of character. ‘The twins are in bed——’

‘I know that,’ he bit out abruptly. ‘I deliberately called when I knew they would be asleep——’

‘They would have liked to talk to you——’

‘—because I didn't want them to be around if you should prove to be difficult,’ Brad finished as if he hadn't been interrupted.

Robyn stiffened warily. ‘Difficult about what?’ she asked slowly.

‘You've had the kids to yourself completely for the last four years, and God knows I didn't interfere in the way you were bringing them up even when we were together——’

‘Because you weren't interested!’ she snapped.

‘Maybe not,’ he admitted grudgingly. ‘But I'm not unique in that, a lot of men can't bring themselves to be interested in small babies the way women are. But Kim and Andy are older now, and——’

‘You noticed,’ she taunted nastily.

‘Don't be bitter, Robyn,’ he rasped.

‘I'm not,’ she sighed, some of her anger leaving her as she realised how badly she was behaving. ‘I'm just wondering what it is you don't want me to be difficult about.’ In fact, she was more than worried about it; she didn't like the sound of it at all.

Brad was silent for several lengthy seconds. ‘I want the children for a weekend,’ he finally told her.

His blunt statement rendered Robyn speechless. Whatever she had been expecting Brad to say it wasn't this! He had open access to the twins, she would never try and deny any of them the closeness a father should have with his children, but Brad had never even hinted before that he would like the children to go and stay with him in London, always visiting them here in the past while he stayed with the Colonel and Caroline.

She swallowed hard. ‘What weekend?’ to her chagrin her voice cracked a little, revealing how disconcerted she was by the request.

‘Whenever it will suit you, of course,’ Brad's relief at her relatively calm reaction could clearly be heard. ‘And the twins,’ he added pointedly.

That last comment had been deliberately designed to remind her that her own feelings of horror and dismay at the thought of her two children going away for the weekend had to be outweighed by the fact that Kim and Andy would be thrilled at the thought of going to stay with their father. London, and Brad's life there, held all sorts of wonders for the two five-year-olds. But Robyn couldn't help wondering, perhaps unfairly, at Brad's motives for issuing the invitation.

‘Why, Brad?’ the question came out bluntly.

‘Why not?’ he was instantly defensive. ‘I am their father!’

Only through sheer effort of will could she hold back the sharp retort she felt tempted to make at the indignant declaration. It was true what she had told Sinclair Thornton earlier, she wasn't in the least bitter about the break-up of her marriage, but when she spoke to Brad she had difficulty hiding the bitterness she felt on the twins’ behalf for his neglect of them all these years. And her suspicions about his reasons for this proposed visit had only intensified after his reaction to her question.

‘So you are,’ she acknowledged stiltedly. ‘How long would this weekend be?’

'The usual Saturday to Sunday,’ he taunted. ‘I'll drive down on the Friday evening and we'll leave early Saturday.’

She drew in a ragged breath, the thought of being without the children even for that short length of time leaving her devastated. They had been a threesome for so long now, her responsibility to them total from the moment they were born, that she knew her life would be empty without them, even for two days. But she had to be fair to Brad and them, and if he really did feel more interested in them now that they were older who was she to deny them this further closeness? After all, what could possibly go wrong in two days? She determinedly pushed aside all the things that clamoured to be heard.

‘This weekend is out,’ she told him after careful thought. ‘We've already made plans.’ And tentative as they might be she needed the excuse to give herself the extra time to adjust to this change in all their lives. ‘But if next weekend is all right with you I'm sure the twins would love to come.’

‘Even if you won't like letting them,’ Brad guessed dryly.

She sighed. ‘I'll admit I find this sudden interest in the children a little—surprising.’

‘I'll bet you do!’

She couldn't altogether blame Brad for his resentment, knew there had been too much between them in the past for them to talk on a personal level with any degree of politeness. It would always be that way between them, although she tried not to let Kim and Andy see it. ‘Perhaps you would like to come to dinner Friday evening?’ she suggested softly. ‘The twins haven't seen you for some time, and it would help break the ice.’

‘I'll accept the invitation, Robyn,’ he told her harshly. ‘Although I don't accept the fact that I need the ice broken with my own kids.’

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