The Baby Claim

‘Not entirely,’ she admitted.

He shrugged. ‘In which case I’ll just see you safely to your door and fade into the night.’

Joss felt sudden remorse. ‘Certainly not,’ she said firmly. ‘I invited you to supper so I’ll provide it.’ She looked at him questioningly. ‘Would you really have left me at my door?’

‘If you’d wanted that, yes. But with great reluctance.’ He pressed her hand in reassurance. ‘I keep my word, Eve.’

‘If I didn’t believe that I wouldn’t have invited you here,’ she assured him.

Inside the flat, Joss led her visitor past her closed bedroom door and switched on lights as she took him along a narrow hall into a sitting room with tall windows looking out over communal gardens. The room was large, with free-standing shelves crammed with books, and a pair of brass lamps perched precariously on the top shelf. Otherwise there was only a small sofa and a large floor cushion.

‘Please sit down,’ said Joss. Half empty or not, the room looked a lot smaller than usual with her visitor standing like a lighthouse in the middle of it. ‘Supper’s no problem because I did some shopping today. But I wasn’t expecting company so all I can offer you in the way of a drink is red wine—or possibly some whisky.’

‘Wine sounds good.’ Adam let himself down on the sofa, and stretched out his endless legs. ‘If it’s red it should breathe, so I’ll wait until the meal. Can I help?’

Joss shook her head, chuckling. ‘No room for giants in my kitchen. I’ll open the wine first, then throw a meal together. Shan’t be long.’

As she worked swiftly Joss decided she liked the look of her unexpected guest very much. Not handsome, exactly, but the navy blue eyes, dark hair and chiselled features appealed to her strongly. So did the air of confidence he wore as casually as his Savile Row suit. She tossed a green salad with oil and vinegar, carved a cold roast chicken, sliced and buttered an entire small loaf, and put a hunk of cheese on a plate. She shared the chicken salad between two dinner plates on a forty-sixty basis, put them on a tray with silver, napkins and glasses, added the bread, cheese and wine, and a bowl of fruit, then went back to the sitting room and put the tray on the floor.

Her guest swung round from his absorption in her bookshelves to smile at her. ‘A wide range of literature,’ he commented.

‘My main extravagance. Do sit down again.’ She smiled in apology as she poured the wine. ‘I’m afraid it’s a picnic. You may live to regret not having your hotel dinner.’

‘I doubt it.’ Adam received his plate with approval. ‘What could possibly be better than this?’ He looked up, the indigo eyes holding hers. ‘Thank you, Eve.’

‘My pleasure,’ she said lightly, then curled up on the floor cushion to eat her own meal, realising this was the truth. After resigning herself to a solitary evening, probably not even bothering to eat at all, the present circumstances were a vast improvement.

‘For me,’ said Adam, raising his glass to her in toast, ‘it’s a pleasure—and a privilege—I never anticipated when I first set eyes on you tonight.’

‘When was that?’

‘The moment I arrived. You stood out from the crowd.’

‘Because I’m tall,’ said Joss, resigned. ‘But how on earth did I come to miss someone of your dimensions?’

‘We were late. And it was the hair I noticed, not your height. You had your back to me, but you were facing a mirror. I could see that narrow face of yours framed in it, and wondered why the eyes were at such odds with the smiling mouth. The contradiction intrigued me.’

‘I’m glad I didn’t know,’ said Joss with feeling. ‘Rather like being caught on Candid Camera. I hope I was behaving myself?’

‘Of course you were. The perfect guest.’ Adam helped himself to more bread. ‘But I could tell you weren’t in party mood. I was surprised—and impressed—that you stuck it out so long.’

‘So you saw me disappear,’ said Joss thoughtfully.

He nodded. ‘At which point inspiration struck. At worst, I reasoned, you would send me packing.’

‘And at best?’

‘The privilege of talking to you.’ He gave her a direct look. ‘My imagination never got as far as this.’

‘Chicken salad and questionable claret?’ she said flippantly.

‘Exactly. Now, tell me why you asked me back here tonight.’

Joss shot him a warning look. ‘Certainly not to share my bed.’

‘I thought we’d sorted that out already,’ he said impatiently. ‘Listen to me, Eve. In basic terms, I swear I won’t leap on you the moment we’ve finished supper, or at any other time—is that blunt enough for you?’

Blunt and very reassuring, decided Joss. ‘Yes. Thank you.’

He eyed her searchingly. ‘You’ve obviously had bad experiences in the past in this kind of situation?’

She shook her head. ‘I never invite men here for supper.’ Which was true enough.

He frowned. ‘Never?’

‘Never.’

‘Then why me?’

‘Because you were in the right place at the right time,’ she said candidly. ‘I was in need of company tonight, and you offered yours.’

Adam leaned forward, one of the heavy brows raised. ‘You mean I happened to be nearest, that any man would have done?’

‘Certainly not,’ she snapped, and jumped up. ‘You were kind. I liked that. But, best of all, you’re very tall.’

He looked amused. ‘Is height a vital requirement?’

‘No. But for me it’s a definite plan. I’m five feet ten, with a passion for high heels.’

Adam laughed as he refilled their glasses, and took very little persuading to finish off the bread and cheese. She offered him the fruit bowl. ‘Have one of these to go with it.’

His lips twitched as he took a shiny red apple. ‘Very appropriate, Eve. Will my life change for ever after one taste?’

‘Try it and see.’ Joss smiled and sank down to her cushion again as his strong white teeth crunched into the apple. ‘Sorry there wasn’t any pudding.’

‘This is all a man could ask for. Company included,’ he added. ‘Do you feel better now?’

‘Yes. I haven’t been eating well lately.’

‘I didn’t mean the food.’

‘I know. And since you ask, yes, I do feel better.’

‘Good.’ Adam finished everything on his plate and put it on the tray. ‘Shall I take this out to your kitchen for you?’

She shook her head. ‘Leave it. I’ll see to it later.’

‘Much later.’ He looked at her steadily. ‘I’ve no intention of leaving yet.’