Lifelong Affair (5 page)

'With
him.'

'No,'
he shook his head. 'Not unless I agree. And I don't. Don't you think this is a
little soon to start arguing about Courtney's future?'

•With
you I have a feeling it's never too soon to start arguing!'

To
her surprise the austere features broke into a smile, and Alex instantly looked
younger, incredibly handsome, the grooves in his cheeks ones of humour this
time, unfamiliar grooves, as if he smiled little. Morgan had a feeling that he
didn't, and she wondered at the reason for his harshness. A woman in the past,
perhaps? That was usually the reason a man with Alex's intelligence retreated
into himself. Perhaps he hadn't been able to take rejection. Whatever the
reason, his humour now was totally unexpected. She gave him a questioning look.

His
mouth quirked. 'You're the only one who does argue with me,' he drawled.
'Really?' She smiled too now. 'Really,' he nodded. 'That's incredible. •Yes.'

'And
that's arrogant!'

'No,'
he smiled again. 'It's quite exhilarating, actually.'

Now
why on earth should she blush like a schoolgirl at the thought of Alex Hammond
finding something about her exhilarating? Maybe it was because he was a
challenge, the original ice man.

But
she wasn't here to find him a challenge, she was here to get Courtney and
return home. And she
mould
do it.

It
needed all her self-confidence to enter the Hammond house with him a short time
later; she was wary about meeting Rita Hammond again. They hadn't exactly taken
to each other when they met two years ago, and she had no reason to think the
other woman would be any more kindly disposed towards her. The opposite if she
also believed in the part of Mary-Beth being Morgan's own nature!

If
Rita Hammond had been sedated the day before there was no sign of it today. The
woman was tall, almost as tall as her son, her iron-grey hair perfectly
coffered, her make-up impeccable despite her sixty years, her taste in clothes
sophisticated and flattering to her slender figure.

     
She looked at Morgan with
flinty blue eyes, not surprised to see her, but not welcoming her either. Veil,
that suited Morgan, she wasn't glad to be here either! 'Miss McKay,' the other
woman greeted regally. 'Mrs Hammond,' Morgan returned as frostily. 'You parents
are well?' Morgan's eyes widened. What was
wrong
with this family? This
woman's son and daughter-in-law had been tragically killed and she was asking
innocuous questions about Morgan's family! These people were emotionless.
  
She
 
need
 
look
 
no
 
farther
 
than
  
Rita Hammond for her son's lack
of emotion; these people obviously didn't know the meaning of the word love.
'Could I please go to my room?' she asked jerkily. 'I'm feeling—tired,
after the journey.'

Rita
Hammond instantly rang for Symonds, in
structing him to take Morgan up to the 'lemon' room. 'We'll talk
later,' Alex told her softly as she walked pan him to follow Symonds upstairs.

She
turned to smile at him, beginning to feel as if he was the only stability in a
suddenly shaky world- 'You look tired,' she told him huskily. 'Why don't you
rest too?'

Grey
eyes widened—and then narrowed, almost as if he suspected her motives.
'Not yet,' he answered abruptly. 'I have things to do.' "But soon, hum?'
she prompted. 'Perhaps,' he nodded distantly. 'Go with Symonds.' She felt
suitably dismissed, regretting the politeness of her
 
concern.
 
This
man obviously
 
didn't
 
need anyone's sympathy for anything!

Morgan
sat silently at Alex's side as they drove to the hospital to pick up Courtney,
so nervous her palms felt damp. It was ridiculous to feel so nervous about
seeing a baby for the first time, but she couldn't help it. Babies were
something she had no experience of, especially ones as young as Courtney. She
didn't even know how to hold him—something Rita Hammond had taken great
pains to point out to her.

Alex
had obviously spoken to his mother by the time Morgan joined them for dinner
the previous evening, for Rita Hammond was at her most haughty as she pointed
out all the reasons Morgan wasn't equipped to take care of a baby. When Morgan
had remained blandly adamant the older woman had resorted to insults. Even her
son's curtly spoken words hadn't deterred her, until finally Alex suggested his
mother retire to her room, where he accompanied her, returning only after his mother
had fallen into a sedated sleep, apologising tersely for her rudeness, but
making no excuses for it.

Morgan
had slept fitfully, her body completely out of English time, and rose early,
only to find Alex was up before her, having already breakfasted and doing some
work in his study. Morgan had only just managed to contain her anxiety to leave
and collect Courtney, waiting impatiently until Alex suggested it was time to
go.

And
now they were almost there. She was going to see Glenna's son at last!

He
was beautiful! There was no other way to describe the tiny peaches and cream
bundle wrapped in the white blanket. Tears filled her eyes as the nurse wheeled
him out to them in his tiny crib, sleeping peacefully after his mid-morning
feed.

'He's
beautiful,' she breathed softly, her eyes wide with wonder 'Alex . . .! She
looked at him glowingly.

His
expression softened. 'Why don't you dress him while I have a word with the
doctor?'

She
swallowed hard. She thought herself a pretty gutsy lady, but this tiny baby
terrified her. 'I'll try.' She moistened her lips nervously, taking the box of
expensive baby clothes that were part of a delivery made to the house early
this morning. It seemed that the Hammond money could even get those sort of
things delivered.

The
nurse showed her into a private room, and between the two of them—with a
lot of help from the nurse! —they managed to dress Courtney in the
all-in-one btue suit. It still managed to swamp him despite being ey. He was so
incredibly like Glenna, with fiery-red hair and deep blue eyes, that Morgan
felt fresh tears well up in her eves.

Go
ahead and cry,' the nurse encouraged gently. 'It's always like this when a
mother gets to take a premature baby home.'

Morgan blinked up at the young girl. 'Oh, but
         
'

'He's
so much like you,' the nurse cooed at him gently. 'And I think he has your
husband's jaw even now. He's going to be a strong-minded little boy.'

Morgan
smiled at this young girl's misconception. Somehow the other girl had the
impression that she and Alex were Courtney's parents. How angry he would be if
he knew!

'I've
been on holiday for a couple of weeks,' the girl unwittingly explained her
mistake, 'so I missed Courtney's arrival into the world, but I can see he's
done »ery well for a premature baby.' She helped Morgan put on the little
woollen cap over Courtney's red curls. 'He has your colouring, you know,' she
smiled.

"Probably
a temper to go with it,' Morgan joined in the laughter, feeling a sense of elation
at being in at die start of Courtney's life, seeing no reason to correct the
young nurse's impression of her being his mother, not wanting the complications
and sympathy such an explanation would evoke.

'Here's
your husband now.' The girl moved to the door, smiling shyly up at Alex as he
stood in the doorway.

Morgan
looked at him, Courtney held firmly in her arms, wondering what his reaction
was going to be to being thought her husband. The opinion he had of her morals,
he would probably heatedly deny such a relationship.

'Ready,
darling?' he asked huskily.

She
nodded slowly, too stunned to answer him with words, and followed him out into
the corridor.

'Good
luck!' the young nurse beamed at them.

Alex
gave her an abrupt nod, including a silver-haired woman in a blue uniform in
that departing nod as they passed the office. 'Thank you—for everything,'
he murmured softly to the woman.

Morgan allowed Alex to help her into the back
of the dark Mercedes, still holding Courtney firmly in her arms, looking down
in awe at his sleeping face.
She
looked up at Alex as he settled her more comfortably. 'Why'

'Wait
until we're on our way,' he rasped softly, closing the door with a soft click
so that he didn't disturb the baby nestling against her.

Morgan
had never experienced anything like the maternal love that flowed out of her
for Courtney. It was a curiously choking feeling to know that he was totally
dependent on her—on her
and
Alex. Alex had already made it clear that he
intended taking a very strong part in Courtney's life, and she already knew him
well enough to know he meant every word.

He
spoke suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. 'As yet the media aren't aware of
Courtney's existence,' he told her abruptly. 'I intend keeping it that way for
as long as possible. That's why the deception at the hospital.'

'Deception?'
she frowned.'Courtney was registered as our child.'

"Ours?'
she gasped.

He
nodded. 'That's right.'

"You have a hell of a nerve
       
'

Ssh,
you'll wake the baby,' he mocked her anger. 'And I'm sure you have no idea what
to do if that happens.' He eyed her mockingly in the driving mirror. 'No
comeback?'

None,'
she shrugged. 'But I bet you don't know either,' she said with satisfaction.

'Wrong,'
he returned smugly.

Her
eyes widened. 'Wrong?'

He
nodded. 'I have it all written down. Compliments of the Ward Sister.'

"That's
cheating!'

'Common
sense,' he corrected. 'I even have a bottle
b
case he wants feeding.'

Too
clever by half,' she mumbled, feeling too dated from holding Courtney in her
arms to feel any peal anger with Alex. Holding the tiny baby gave her a •case
of well-being, as if she held a tiny part of Glenna to her.

Glenna
would have loved Courtney, she had been looking forward to his birth so much.
No wonder she had clung to life long enough to give birth to him. If only her
strange decision to make Alex Hammond and herself Courtney's guardians could be
explained that easily!

Although
Alex seemed more approachable today, lee inclined to be the austere stranger
she was used to. Perhaps Courtney's innocence had got to him too. Although she
wouldn't count on it! No doubt he would revert to type soon enough.

'Damn,
damn,
damnV
he muttered as they entered the long driveway to the house, and
slowed the car down.

'What
 
is
 
it?"
  
Morgan
 
sat
 
forward
 
concernedly, Courtney still—thank
goodness!—fast asleep in her arms.

'I
hope you feel up to facing the press again,' he ground out. 'Why the hell
didn't my mother ring the police and have them thrown off my land!' he bit out
grimly as he halted the car and was instantly surrounded by obvious members of
the press, tape-recorders and cameras at the ready. 'There's going to be no
keeping Courtney's existence a secret now,' he turned to mutter. 'Just stay at
my side, Morgan, and don't say a word!'

What did he take her for! He treated her as if
she was some sort of brainless idiot, not a woman of twenty-six. Who did
----------

'And
calm down,' he taunted at the flash in her green eyes. 'You don't want them to
think you hate me, do you?' he mocked before swinging out of the car to walk
round and open the door for her, ignoring the questions being thrown at him as
if he didn't hear them.

'Is
this your nephew, Mr Hammond?' The jostling became more intense as Morgan
stepped out of the car with Courtney in her arms.

'The
son of Glenna McKay and your brother Mark?' they persisted as Alex guided her
towards the house.

'Is
this Morgan McKay, sir?' another tried politeness.

'Of
course it is,' another man said eagerly. 'Don't you watch her in
Power Trap?
His
tone implied appreciation of the character she played. 'It's been rumoured that
you and Miss McKay are the baby's guardians,' the man followed them as they
walked up the steps to the house. T>o you have any comment to make about
that, Mr Hammond?'

Again
Alex ignored
the
question, although Morgan could see by the tightening of his mouth
that he was angry such information had become public knowledge.
        

'Does
this mean that, in the best tradition of romances, the two of you will be
marrying?' the man persisted.

Morgan
knew she had blanched, and she could sec that Alex had stiffened at such a
suggestion. She and Alex marry? Never!