From Mistresses To Wives?: Mistress to a Bachelor / His Mistress by Marriage / Accidental Mistress

‘Something you should maybe have thought about before putting on the act in the first place!’

‘True,’ he agreed with maddening calm. ‘Call it a momentary aberration.’

‘You really don’t give a damn about anything or anyone but yourself, do you?’ she accused. ‘In fact, the sooner your grandfather dies, the better for you!’

It didn’t need the sudden flare in the grey eyes to tell her she had gone too far. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said thickly. ‘That was a lousy thing to say!’

‘If it’s what you think, why bottle it up?’ he rejoined.

‘It isn’t.’ Jessica paused in some confusion. ‘At least, not quite to that extent.’

‘It just came out under pressure?’ Zac suggested on an ironical note. ‘Rather different circumstances, maybe, but I know the feeling.’ He studied her, expression unreadable again. ‘So, what’s the decision? Are you going to insist I tell him the truth?’

‘How can I?’ she said. ‘There’s no knowing what it might do to him. We’ll just have to carry it through. Just don’t try taking advantage, that’s all.’

‘I’ll do my best to keep my distance.’

Jessica shot a glance at him, infuriated once more to see the faint smile hovering about his lips.

‘I see nothing even remotely funny about this!’ she snapped.

‘Me neither,’ he agreed. ‘But better a smile than a frown. However much I might regret it, what’s done is done. Wallowing in guilt isn’t going to help.’

Reluctant though she was to acknowledge it, he was right, she supposed. If there was to be no confession, they were left with no choice other than to continue the sham. With conviction too if his grandfather wasn’t to begin suspecting something.

‘You’ve told him we’re only here until tomorrow?’

‘Not in so many words.’

Jessica hardened both heart and voice. ‘Have you given any thought at all to what you’ll do if he asks to see the pair of us again?’

‘Another bridge to cross if and when necessary.’ His gaze roved her face, his lips twisting. ‘A pity it has to end like this.’

‘It never started,’ she retorted, steeling herself against the response he could still draw from her. ‘I’ll be ecstatically happy never to see you again!’

Humour sprang briefly in the grey eyes. ‘A little overstated for total conviction, but I get the message.’

Jessica turned away, unable to sustain the degree of anger that had kept her going these last minutes. An anger which, she had to admit, had been directed as much at herself for her inability to repress the emotions he aroused in her still. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough!

Henry Prescott ate sparingly at dinner, though he enjoyed a glass of wine. Watching him surreptitiously, listening to him talk, Jessica found it difficult to believe he was even as old as he was, much less on the verge of dying.

‘We’re usually in bed by ten o’clock,’ said Esther over coffee, ‘but you mustn’t feel you have to retire then yourselves.’

‘Just try not to waken us when you do come up,’ said her husband. ‘At our age, we need our beauty sleep.’

‘You neither of you look your age,’ Jessica commented, and drew an appreciative smile.

‘I’d like to say I don’t feel it either, but it wouldn’t be entirely true. You must make sure you have your children while you’re still young and fit. This modern idea of waiting until middle age is abominable! I had my two sons by the time I was twenty-three.’

His two sons, Jessica noted. She stole a glance at his wife, expecting to see some sign, however faint, of resentment, but her face was devoid of expression.

‘We’re a bit late getting away from the starting post,’ said Zac easily, ‘but we’ll do our best.’

‘Good.’ His grandfather looked from one to the other. ‘So, when’s the wedding to be?’

Jessica drew in a long slow breath. It should have been a foregone conclusion that the question would be asked at some point, but it hadn’t even crossed her mind until this moment.

‘Soon,’ Zac answered.

‘How soon?’ Henry insisted. ‘I’d like to be around for it.’

Esther made a sound as if about to say something, shaking her head as he gave her a sharp glance. It was left to Zac to fill the silence.

‘Weddings take time to arrange. We didn’t even set a date yet.’

‘Then it’s high time you did.’ The older eyes were unyielding. ‘What reason is there to wait if you know your minds?’

Jessica sent Zac an urgent signal via a foot under the table. There was no way they were going to get out of this other than admitting to the whole fabrication, so best to just get on with it and face the consequences.

Zac gave no sign of even feeling the kick. ‘No reason at all,’ he said. ‘We’ll set things in motion.’

‘Good,’ his grandfather said again. His gaze shifted to Jessica. ‘You’ve no objection, I take it?’

She had every objection, but no nerve to voice them. Calling all kinds of curses down on Zac’s head, she managed a creditably steady answer in the negative. This was one bridge he would definitely be crossing on his own. Once away from here, she was out of it!

There was no further talk of weddings, to her relief, but she found it far from easy to act naturally. Zac appeared completely at ease. The hallmark of a born con man, she thought wrathfully.

She refrained from immediate comment when the Prescotts departed, seeking just the right words. Zac forestalled her.

‘Get it off your chest,’ he advised drily. ‘Then we can decide where we go from here.’

‘There’s no going anywhere from here!’ she snapped back, losing track of the flak she’d been about to turn out. ‘You have to tell them the truth!’

‘You think that wise?’ he asked after a moment.

‘I think it quite likely you could lose your precious shares, but I doubt if it will kill him outright.’

‘There’s no certainty of it though. He has little enough time left as it is. Would you want to be responsible for adding to the stress?’

Jessica was silent for a lengthy moment. When she spoke again her voice sounded strained. ‘So, what’s your proposal?’

‘Just let it ride for now.’

‘Where will that get you if he lives longer than expected?’ she asked. ‘And don’t say you’ll cross that bridge if and when necessary, or I swear I’ll hit you!’

‘I won’t, then.’

Jessica glanced at him suspiciously, sensing a certain lack of gravity in his voice. ‘I must have been mad letting you talk me into any of this!’