From Single Mum to Lady Read online

  ‘I don’t want anyone to hurt you again either—I just can’t believe that this man is another Terry, though. You know, Mum’s a pretty good judge of character and she never liked Terry, even before he deserted you—but Patrick Sinclair’s a different story. She really was impressed with him.’

  Jandy gave a sudden laugh. ‘Oh, well, I’m going to forget about the rat anyway. Tell me about this dishy new pilot you’ve met. Are you smitten?’

  Lydia grinned. ‘Let’s finish this bottle, and I’ll tell you the whole story.’

  * * *

  It was a cold night with a wintry feel and Jandy had made up a log fire with apple wood and it sent out a lovely fresh smell and warmed the room beautifully. Jandy thought how cosy it was as she snuggled down on the sofa, ready to switch on the TV and watch a talent show. She had looked forward all week to a quiet Saturday evening. Abigail was already in bed and Jandy was nibbling at some smoked-salmon sandwiches she’d made for herself as Lydia had flown off again on some exotic flight or other.

  She gave a jump of irritation when there was a knock at the front door then wondered rather fearfully if she ought to open it when it was so dark outside. She called out, ‘Who is it?’

  ‘It’s Bob—Bob Thoms. Just dropping in a little house-warming present from us all, but if it’s not convenient…’

  ‘Hi, Bob, how sweet of you to bring a present. Do come in,’ she said, opening the door.

  ‘Well…if it’s OK,’ he said. ‘I’m just on my way to meet up with our shift and they asked me to drop these off.’ He handed her an enormous bunch of flowers. He looked around the room. ‘This is very nice—did you say it belonged to Patrick?’

  ‘Well, it’s on his father’s estate and he wanted to let it and I was desperate to get somewhere. I was very lucky. What about a drink?’

  Bob shot a look at his watch and shook his head. ‘I’m only staying for a minute as I promised I’d pick Tilly up, so I’d better be on my way.’

  ‘Well, thanks to all of you for these gorgeous flowers. It’s really sweet of you.’

  She was interrupted by another knock on the front door. She smiled at Bob and said wryly, ‘You wait ages for someone to call and then two come along at once!’

  She opened the door and looked with astonishment into Patrick’s eyes as he stood before her. A flicker of something very like longing and distress seemed to cross his face before his expression changed and became hard and remote again.

  Oh, Patrick, whispered Jandy to herself. Why has it come to this? Why do you seem to dislike me so much? From love to hate so very quickly!

  She might have been determined to put the man out of her mind, but when she saw him in the flesh—his glorious sexy body, wide shouldered, slim hipped, dark hair plastered wetly round his head from the rain—her resolution slipped somewhat.

  Patrick’s eyes flicked to Bob standing behind her.

  ‘I didn’t realise that you and Bob were having an evening together,’ he remarked brusquely. In her heightened state Jandy detected a kind of sarcasm in the remark. ‘I won’t be long, though,’ he added. ‘I just came to see that you’d moved in OK—and if there was anything that needed doing. We always make sure there are no problems with our new tenants.’ He said that smoothly as if to underline that there was nothing special about him coming to see her.

  Jandy stood stock still, numb with shock and still holding the bouquet of flowers. ‘No…no, thank you. Everything’s quite all right.’

  ‘Well,’ said Bob easily, oblivious to the atmosphere between Jandy and Patrick. ‘I’ll be off now anyway. Nice to see you, Patrick. See you both on Monday, I suppose!’

  He opened the front door and Jandy called out as he left, ‘Thank you so much for the flowers—they’re really beautiful.’

  ‘Glad you like them!’ he called, disappearing down the little path and getting into his car. Jandy watched him go then turned round slowly to face Patrick, who was still standing by the fireplace. He looked drop-dead handsome, but weary and grey faced, as if he hadn’t been sleeping too well.

  ‘Is that all you wanted to see me about—whether everything was all right?’ she asked tersely after a short silence.

  ‘Yes…yes, that’s all.’ He folded his arms and looked down at the floor for a second as if gathering his thoughts, before raising his head again and lasering her with those deep blue eyes.

  ‘So you and Bob are seeing each other after all?’ he enquired smoothly.

  ‘I’ve no idea what you mean. He kindly brought some flowers round tonight as a house-warming present—although it’s nothing to do with you actually,’ she said bitingly, nearly adding, As you seem to have lost interest in me. But she couldn’t bring herself to utter the finality of those words.

  Patrick shrugged. ‘Well, I suppose old Bob has a bit of money stashed away—he’s only got himself to support after all, so I expect he’s perfect for you.’

  For a second Jandy couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly then she said slowly, ‘I beg your pardon? Are you saying I only going out with men if they’ve got some money?’

  ‘It seems to make sense to me. The guy drives an expensive car, goes on luxury holidays. It would suit you down to the ground…’

  A sudden blind fury overtook Jandy. How could he be so cruel, so unkind? ‘How dare you?’ she said in a dangerously quiet voice. ‘I cannot believe what you just said, and I can’t think what I’ve done to justify you making such a horrible remark. Not that it matters, but that bouquet was from the casualty team and not just Bob. Would you get out now? I don’t want to see you in this house again. I may be renting it from your father, but from now on, keep your distance!’

  She marched to the door and held it open, allowing the freezing air to come into the room, and Patrick walked slowly past her, only turning at the last moment so that he was standing in front of her.

  ‘It hurts to be told the truth, doesn’t it, Jandy?’ he said softly, and walked away into the night. Jandy flung herself onto the sofa and cried until there were no tears left.

  * * *

  Patrick walked home miserably, almost revelling in the rain that lashed into him—a kind of punishment, he thought, for being so unbelievably brutal to Jandy. How could he say such lacerating words to a woman he knew now he loved?

  He’d gone round that night on the pretext of asking Jandy if everything was to her satisfaction after her move because he couldn’t bear to let the situation between them go on any longer. He had been going to try and have it out with her—to ask her to tell him honestly if money was one of the things that had attracted her to him. He desperately wanted to get back to where they’d been before and could hardly credit that he’d heard her say that his money and status were what she was interested in. But when he’d seen Bob there he’d felt it was too late. She’d moved on already, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her with another man. So much for commitment, he thought bitterly, turning into the drive of Easterleigh and hunching up his jacket against the rain.

  * * *

  Jandy woke the next morning with a dull headache, finding it hard to find the energy to be upbeat for Abigail, who begged to be allowed to deliver the note she’d written to Livy, asking her round for tea.

  ‘Can we walk round to Livy’s house, Mummy, and take the invitation? They’re probably back from their holiday. Please, please, please! It’s not raining!’ Abigail looked hopefully at her mother.

  ‘Not at the moment, darling. I’ve got a lot of urgent things to do.’

  Abigail pouted. ‘What urgent things? You’ve never got time for anything with me!’

  Those words stung. As a single parent Jandy was always conscious of the fact that her time with her little girl was limited and she did her best to make up for it at the weekends, but today she felt utterly drained, unable to respond to Abigail’s entreaties.

  ‘Perhaps later on, pet. Let me do the ironing first.’

  There was the sound of footsteps coming up the path and
then the front door opened and Lydia came into the room. Jandy felt her heart lift a little. How wonderful that her sister was back—things never seemed as bad when she was around.

  ‘Oh, Lydia, darling—I didn’t expect you back yet!’

  Jandy flung her arms round her sister, never more happy to see her. She needed her sister’s bracing fun and understanding more than ever, although she was not going to tell her about the episode with Patrick the night before. It was no good going over that horrible conversation again.

  ‘Ah, it’s nice to be wanted.’ Lydia laughed. ‘The flight out to Australia was cancelled when we got to Amsterdam and so I’ve got a few days off. Hallelujah!’ She turned to her little niece. ‘And how is my adorable little Abigail? By the way, I’ve got something for you!’

  She delved into a bag and Abigail fluttered excitedly round her until Lydia produced a little doll wearing a flight attendant’s uniform with a bag that held changes of clothes.

  ‘Ooh, she’s lovely. Thank you very, very much!’ exclaimed Abigail, prancing around the room and waving the doll about. ‘She looks like you and I’m going to call her Lucy! This is something else I can show to Livy!’

  Jandy groaned and caught her sister’s eye. ‘She’s still keen to see Livy. I’ve told her very possibly she might, but only possibly, later! Now, how about a cup of coffee?’

  She and Lydia went into the kitchen, talking nineteen to the dozen as they always did when they got together. Abigail looked after them and sighed then, clutching the little doll, she went quietly out of the front door and down the path.

  ‘Look, Jandy, she can’t have gone far. You know what? I bet she’s toddled off to show Livy that doll all by herself.’

  The strain of the past few frantic minutes when Jandy and Lydia had searched the house and garden for Abigail after discovering she was missing was beginning to tell. They both looked fraught.

  ‘It’s a possibility,’ Jandy admitted. ‘I should have taken more notice of her when she pleaded to see Livy—I was far too vague. Let’s go and see if she’s made her way to the hall. Oh, God, I hope she’s all right.’

  They ran out of the garden and up the road to the gates of Easterleigh. The drive stretched a long way before them, dripping bare trees on either side, a slight bend halfway up meaning that only half the house was visible.

  ‘Lord, look how far away it is—a hell of a way for a little girl to go by herself,’ whispered Lydia.

  ‘If she sets her mind on something, she’ll do it,’ said Jandy wryly. ‘Come on, let’s run!’

  When they came to the curve in the drive it divided into two with no indication as to which way led to the hall. They looked at each other in exasperation.

  Then Jandy said, ‘Good job there’s two of us. You go that way, I’ll go this!’

  * * *

  The dogs were making an almighty row, thought Patrick as he strode through the woodland, taking stock of the trees that needed felling and the fences that had broken down by the river. They were probably after rabbits again—there were enough of them scampering all over the place. Winter had arrived. There was a crust of frost on the ground from overnight and it was cold and damp. In four weeks it would be Christmas.

  A wave of depression came over him as he reflected that Livy wanted a Christmas party and the house to be decorated with a huge Christmas tree in the hall. Patrick smiled grimly to himself. He didn’t feel like celebrating at the moment. Two weeks ago he had been full of plans for Jandy and Abigail—and the sister, of course, whom he’d never met—joining them for Christmas Day and having a wonderful traditional time. How his father would love that—filling the house with laughter and children’s excitement. Now he would have to force himself to enjoy the festivities for Livy’s sake.

  A sudden noise in the woods caught Patrick’s attention. He could hear a woman’s voice calling and the dogs sent up a new cacophony of barking.

  ‘Rusty! Lightning! Here, boys! Come here at once!’ he shouted.

  A crashing through the undergrowth and they bounded in front of him obediently. He bent down to ruffle their heads and then heard the woman’s voice again, high and frightened.

  ‘Abigail! Abigail, darling—are you there?’

  ‘What the…?’

  Patrick pushed his way through the bushes and small trees and nearly fell over Jandy standing in a little clearing. She looked round when she heard the sound of crunching footsteps behind her, her eyes alight with hope. Then she saw it was Patrick and her expression changed to one of despair.

  He looked at her distraught face. ‘What on earth’s wrong? What are you doing here?’

  ‘It…it’s Abigail…’ she gasped. ‘She’s wandered off. We think she may have come to see Livy and show her a doll my sister brought her. She may have left the drive and taken a wrong turning.’ Jandy looked around wildly. ‘I don’t know where to start looking…Oh, God, if anything’s happened to her…’

  Patrick put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Don’t worry. If she’s anywhere in the vicinity, we’ll find her. We’ll make our way towards the house through the woods. If we haven’t found her by then I’ll get the staff together and we’ll all search for her.’ He put his hand under her chin and tilted her face towards his. His expression was gentle, unflustered. ‘Pecker up!’ He turned to the dogs. ‘Come on, boys! Seek and find with me!’

  The dogs darted in and out of the undergrowth and Patrick grabbed Jandy’s hand to steady her as they made their way along a narrow path, both of them shouting Abigail’s name then stopping to listen in case she replied. After a few minutes they heard the dogs whining and Patrick’s grip on Jandy’s hand tightened.

  ‘They’ve seen something,’ he said. ‘They always whine when they see something strange. We’re coming to another clearing now.’

  The path opened up into a small clearing with a little summer house in the middle. Sitting on the step to the door was Abigail, playing with her doll. She looked up as she heard the two adults approach.

  ‘Hello!’ she said brightly. ‘I’ve found this little house to play in!’

  Jandy took a deep breath and went and sat beside her. ‘Why did you go out without telling Lydia or me?’ she asked the child gently.

  “Cos I knew you wouldn’t take me to see Livy for ages and ages—you’re always talking to Lydia when she comes home.’

  ‘Abigail,’ said Jandy in a very stern voice, ‘I want you to promise that you’ll never ever go out again without telling Mummy. I’ve been very worried about you. Lydia, Patrick and I have been searching for you—do you hear?’

  Abigail nodded. ‘I’m glad you found me. I lost my way but I wasn’t frightened.’

  Jandy’s eyes met Patrick’s and she got up and said quietly to him, ‘Thank you for helping me. We won’t trespass on your land any more.’

  ‘Perhaps it would be a good idea for you and Abigail to come to the house and she can show Livy her doll?’ He spoke diffidently, as if he didn’t really mind one way or the other, but his eyes never left her.

  ‘I don’t think in the circumstances…’ Jandy began stiffly.

  ‘Oh, please, Mummy! Just for a little minute!’ Abigail ran to her mother and put her arms round Jandy’s legs. ‘I’ll be a good girl for you!’

  Jandy flicked a glance at Patrick and said resignedly, ‘Well, just for a few minutes—if that’s all right with Patrick.’

  They started to make their way down the path and came to the drive again, this time much nearer the house. At the same time a figure appeared out of the woodland on the opposite side.

  ‘Lydia!’ called Jandy, running over to her. ‘Lydia, it’s OK! We’ve found Abigail!’

  ‘Oh, thank God!’ Lydia ran up to the little girl and flung her arms round her. ‘Don’t give us such a fright again, darling, will you?’

  Patrick stood watching them, a slight look of puzzlement on his face, and Jandy drew Lydia towards him.

  ‘This is my sister, Lydia,’ she said. ‘She came u
p to Scotland just before you left, but you didn’t meet each other.’

  He looked at the two sisters incredulously. They were incredibly alike, although he could tell there were subtle differences—Jandy waas slightly taller and slimmer than Lydia, her hair a little fairer.

  ‘Pleased to meet you, Lydia,’ he said at last. ‘I didn’t realise you and your sister were twins, Jandy.’ He frowned for a second. ‘So you came up to Scotland when we were there?’

  ‘I managed to get a flight up to Inverness when I’d come back from Australia and took a taxi straight to my mother’s house. I wanted it to be a surprise for them—they didn’t know I was coming. I was sorry to miss you.’

  They started to walk towards the house, Patrick silent and thoughtful, then he stopped suddenly and said, ‘Did you arrive while Jandy was at the shops?’

  ‘Yes—you’d gone for a walk and she’d popped out to get some basics in before she flew home in the evening.’ Lydia looked reproachfully at him. ‘Actually, she was amazed when she returned and found you’d left. We couldn’t really understand it!’

  Patrick was silent for a moment, and just then a small figure appeared in the doorway of the big house. She gave a shriek of surprise and ran up to them.

  ‘Abigail!’ she cried happily. ‘You’ve come to see me! Can I show her my pony, Daddy, now she’s here?’

  ‘You can, sweetheart—but first of all take Abigail and her auntie into the house and ask Sheena to get everyone a coffee. Jandy and I will be in soon—I just want to have a word with her.’

  Lydia took the two children’s hands and walked ahead with them, pausing very briefly to give Jandy a significant wink. For an unaccountable reason Jandy’s heart began to thud uncomfortably against her ribs. What could Patrick possibly have to say to her? She had nothing to say to him whatsoever after his incredible rudeness the evening before. She was grateful for his help in finding Abigail, but that didn’t mean they could be friends again, did it?