Witchchild

He shrugged, so close Leonie could see the dark shadow of the beard on his jaw where he was already in need of his second shave of the day. ‘Things change,’ he grated.

Leonie gave him a frown of suspicion. ‘What things?’

He gave an impatient sigh and straightened, thrusting his hands into his denims pockets, pulling the material tighter than ever across his thighs. ‘Are you pleased about the television series?’

Why did he keep changing the subject? Why couldn’t he just say what he wanted here—and it certainly wasn’t to discuss the television series!—and then go! ‘Yes, I—–’ A sudden thought made her frown. ‘Do you have any shares in Westley Productions?’ she asked in a hushed voice, the sudden suspicion that had taken hold of her making her feel nauseous.

His gaze didn’t falter. ‘I own Westley Productions.’

‘For how long?’

‘Since it was created.’

Leonie swallowed hard. ‘My God, you couldn’t resist trying to buy us off, could you?’ she suddenly attacked. ‘And what is it now that you know that’s failed—a touch of blackmail? The series is dropped if Laura doesn’t agree to stop seeing Hal?’

‘Leonie—–’

‘I can tell you now that the answer will still be no,’ she sat forward tensely. ‘Laura wasn’t even interested in the series, I was the one who persuaded her to take a look at it. I thought it would take her mind off her unhappiness because of Hal. You can keep your television series, Mr Sinclair, and shove it—–’

‘Leonie!’ he rasped harshly. ‘That isn’t why I’m here at all. Why do you persist in casting me as the Black Knight?’

She gave a choked laugh. ‘I have no reason to see you in any other way. In fact a knight of any kind might be too much of a compliment—even the bad ones were possessed of a certain strength, a code that they followed. You’re just out to destroy lives!’

He had gone very pale, a nerve pulsing in his cheek. ‘Leonie, I know you and I got off to a bad start, but I’m here to try and make amends—–’

‘Not to me, I hope,’ she scorned. ‘Laura might accept your apology—after all, you’re going to be her father-in-law soon. But I want as little to do with you as Laura’s and Hal’s marriage will allow the only other two members of their family. Which won’t be a great deal, I hope!’

Hawk’s mouth tightened. ‘I want—–’ He broke off as he saw her stricken gaze move towards the house, turning to follow the direction of that gaze, his eyes widening incredulously as he saw the tiny bundle in the housekeeper’s arms.

Holly lay contentedly in June’s arms, showing she wasn’t yet desperate for her next feed, but at almost four weeks old she was starting to need less and less sleep between feeds, considering the rest of the time playtime. Leonie wished this hadn’t been one of those times!

She looked up reluctantly at Hawk Sinclair and could see by the ruddy hue of his cheeks that the baby’s existence angered him. She bristled defensively and sat up to take the baby, smiling her thanks at June.

‘I’ll bring the bottle out in a few minutes,’ the other woman told her, smiling brightly at the stunned Hawk before going back into the house.

Leonie kept her head down as she looked at the baby, the silence above her testament to the fact that Hawk had been rendered speechless for the second time since she had met him. It was when he regained his voice that she dreaded!

Holly gazed up at her with trusting blue-grey eyes, content just to be held, having put on weight since her birth, but still very tiny in the white Baby-Gro. Her hair gleamed golden in the sunlight, and Leonie shifted slightly so that the baby was under the shade of the bright-coloured umbrella above them. Holly began to blow bubbles to amuse herself.

‘No wonder Laura accepted my suggestion last year that they wait!’ Hawk suddenly exploded, his wrath as chilling as a north wind. ‘She’d already taken out insurance that guaranteed Hal would marry her!’

Leonie’s head snapped back. ‘That’s a lie!’

‘She knew I wouldn’t turn away Henry Hawker Sinclair the Fourth either!’ His eyes glittered with fury as he glowered over her.

The baby began to wave her arms about at the sound of the angry voices above her; until now she had never heard a voice raised in anger near her.

‘Her name is Holly,’ Leonie bit out precisely.

‘Holly Laura.’

‘What the hell does it matter what her first names are?’ he attacked viciously. ‘She’s a Sinclair!’

‘Holly is my baby—–’

‘Don’t take protecting your sister too far,’ he scorned harshly. ‘That baby has to be at least three weeks old—–’

‘Almost four,’ she confirmed.

He nodded impatiently. ‘Which means Laura must have conceived her almost the first night she and Hal met,’ he accused. ‘She was taking no chances on him changing his mind, was she?’ he added with contempt.

Whatever ‘amends’ he had come here to make it was obvious that knowing about Holly negated all of them; he was now more angry than ever about Laura and Hal. And Leonie just didn’t have the strength to fight for them right now.

‘Does Hal know about his child? Hell, of course he must do,’ he furiously answered his own question. ‘Damn it, I know he’s still mad as hell at me, but he should have told me about the child!’ He glared at Leonie. ‘Your sister certainly had me fooled with her sweetness and understanding routine!’

‘Hawk—–’

‘They have to get married now, and soon,’ he accepted harshly. ‘But believe me, if I’ve lost this battle I’ve far from lost the war!’

Leonie felt a shiver of apprehension run down her spine; she knew he could still make things very unpleasant for Laura and Hal.

‘Holly is my baby, Hawk,’ she told him again, wishing she could sound more forceful.

‘She’s a Sinclair, damn it!’ He gazed down at Holly with dislike. ‘She looks exactly as Hal did when he was a baby.’

Leonie looked down at the fair-haired, pale-complexioned baby. She could see no resemblance to Hal at all, except perhaps that Holly’s eyes would soon turn completely grey. But Hawk seemed convinced he knew who Holly’s father was.

‘Where’s Laura now?’ he demanded aggressively.

‘With our publisher—–You can’t go there and confront her with this, Hawk!’ she cried as he looked ready to do just that.

‘I assure you I can do exactly that,’ he bit out coldly. ‘By the time I’ve finished with her she’ll know exactly what I think of her method of trapping my son into marriage. She’ll also realise what a formidable enemy I can be; I haven’t even started yet!’

Leonie felt a sinking feeling in her chest; she wished she felt stronger. Before her illness she wouldn’t have hesitated to tell him exactly what she and Laura thought of his threats. Now she was shaking so badly with fatigue it was all she could do not to burst into frustrated tears.

‘Can’t you realise—and accept,’ she said weakly, ‘that Hal wants to marry Laura?’

‘He hasn’t got any choice now, has he?’ Hawk attacked. ‘Your devious sister took care of that!’

Laura didn’t have a devious bone in her body. But she did have the strength that Leonie lacked at the moment to stand up to this man.

‘You’re right, Hawk,’ she sighed. ‘I think it would be best if you spoke to Laura—–’

‘Oh, I intend to,’ he warned, dangerously soft.

Leonie watched as he strode angrily across the lawn to the driveway, some of the tension leaving her as she heard his car accelerate away from the house with a screech of tyres.

Holly had tired of blowing bubbles now, her arms waving about in earnest as she decided that it was time for her afternoon tea. Leonie gave a smile of gratitude as June seemed to anticipate the need and came out of the house with the promised bottle. Holly latched on to it eagerly.