Husband By Necessity

Husband By Necessity
Lucy Gordon

At her best friend's wedding, Angie Wendham met the groom's half brother, Bernardo, and fell instantly in love with this gorgeous, brooding Sicilian! Only, he wasn't planning to walk up the aisle himself, events in his past having left Bernardo unwilling to give his heart….In spite of himself, he became close to Angie–and now she was expecting his baby! They needed to marry before Angie's pregnancy showed. Bernardo would be more than a husband by necessity–if only Angie could convince this proud man to trust in love!

“Nothing’s changed.”

“You can’t say that,” Bernardo said flatly. “Everything has changed.”

Angie tried to turn away but he took hold of her shoulders and kept her facing him. If she’d have shown the slightest sign of softening, he would have drawn her into his arms and kissed her ardently. And then, even he, who was uneasy with words, would have tried to tell her of the bittersweet happiness that had possessed him ever since he’d suspected that she was to bear his child. He was an old-fashioned man and, above all, a Sicilian. To create a child with a beloved woman was a joy that wiped out all else.

He stared at her. “The sooner our marriage takes place, the better.”

“Us? Get married?” she echoed. “Why would we do that?”

He was floundering again. Angie’s eyes were full of a cool appraisal that baffled him. “Because we are having a baby,” he said.

Dear Reader,

Being married to an Italian, I take a special delight in writing about Italian men—the most fascinating and endearing men on earth. I’ve enjoyed telling the stories of the three Martelli brothers.

Although linked by kinship, they are all different. Lorenzo, the youngest, is a merry charmer. Renato, the eldest, is head of the family, a man of confidence and power. Bernardo is their half brother. Only part of him belongs to the family. The other part is a loner who finds it hard to accept love.

And then there is Sicily, their home, one of the most beautiful places on earth, where people’s true passions rise to the surface, giving them the courage to follow their hearts.

Husband by Necessity is the story of Bernardo—who has to fight for that courage after nearly throwing away the love of his life—and Angie, a remarkable woman who dares everything to lead him into the light.

With best wishes,

Husband by Necessity

Lucy Gordon

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

‘ANGIE,’ Heather called, not for the first time, ‘the cab’s here.’

‘I’m ready,’ Angie called back, not entirely truthfully. She would be ready when she’d finished applying her eye make-up and just touched her lips. It was an article of faith with her not to travel unless looking her best, even when time was fast running out.

For ten minutes the cab had been standing in a downpour outside the London house that the two young women shared. The driver had hauled the last of the luggage down the steps, leaving only Heather, standing by the door, frantically calling back into the house,

‘Angie, the cab!’

‘I know, I know,’ Angie called back. ‘You told me.’

‘I know I told you. I told you ages ago and you haven’t moved.’

‘Coming, coming, coming,’ Angie muttered frantically to herself. ‘Have I got everything? Well, if I haven’t, it can’t be helped. Any minute now, she’s going to kill me.’ She raised her voice and called back to Heather. ‘Tell the man to take the bags out.’

Heather sounded as though she were dancing with frustration. ‘He’s already done that. Angie, I’m going to Sicily to get married, and if you don’t mind I’d prefer to get there before the wedding.’

‘But that’s not for a week, is it?’ Angie asked, appearing at that moment.

‘Well, I’d like not to cut it too fine, and that includes not missing the plane.’

It was the perfect day for leaving London. The rain poured down in buckets, making the journey from the front door to the cab a mad dash. The two young women made it, laughing with delight at escaping, at being on their way to the sun, laughing because they were young and happy and one of them was getting married; because life was good despite the rain.

‘Look at that!’ Angie said when the door was shut behind them. ‘Have you ever seen such rain? Oh, it’s good to be going.’ She saw her friend eyeing her askance and added penitently, ‘Sorry I kept you waiting.’

‘I don’t know how you ever got to be a doctor,’ Heather said. ‘You’re the most disorganised person I know.’

‘Ah, but I’m not a disorganised doctor,’ Angie said with truth. ‘It’s just that in my private life I tended to be—you know.’

‘Birdbrained, scatty and infuriating,’ Heather said.

Angie stretched happily. ‘I really need a holiday. I’m worn out.’

‘I should think you are. It must be tiring running away from all your admirers, Bill and Steve and—’

‘Bill and Steve?’ Angie looked aghast.