Love in Another Town by Barbara Taylor Bradford Page A

something out there called AIDS, Maggie.’
    â€˜I know. But … well … I trust Jake, I know he’s not promiscuous.’
    â€˜When you slept with Jake you slept with everybody else he’s ever been with … you don’t know anything about
them.’
    Maggie did not respond. She leaned back against the tapestry cushions in the leather chair and staredinto space. Then finally rousing herself, she muttered, ‘You said you had something to tell me. What is it?’
    Samantha hesitated, cleared her throat, and leaning closer to Maggie, she said quietly, ‘You’d better know this, even though it might hurt more than ever. Jake’s a married man, Mag. I found out just before we left, but I didn’t want to tell you then and upset you. However, I thought you should know, now that we’re heading back home. I purposely waited so as not to spoil your trip.’
    Maggie said quickly, ‘But I already know that! He told me himself, weeks ago. Actually, it was a few days after we became lovers. He was very honest with me, Sam. He said he had been separated for a year, living alone for that time, and was in the middle of a divorce. Are you suggesting he’s still living with his wife?’
    Samantha shook her head and said swiftly, ‘No, no, I’m not.’
    â€˜Who told you he was married?’
    â€˜A client. She bought me a present from the bath and body shop in New Milford. When she gave the basket of goodies to me, all kinds of aromatherapy products, she said they’d been recommended by Amy Cantrell. I suppose I must have reacted to the name, and my client said something about Amy being the wife of Jake Cantrell, the lighting expert. But if you say he’s separated, then I’m sure he is.’
    â€˜And he does live alone,’ Maggie asserted. ‘I’ve been to his house several times.’
    â€˜Why didn’t you tell me he was in the middle of a divorce?’
    Maggie shrugged. ‘I didn’t think it was particularly important, Sam.’
    â€˜What are you going to do about the baby, Maggie?’
    â€˜I’m going to have it, of course.’
    Samantha gave her a questioning stare. ‘What about Jake? I mean, what do you think he’ll say? Do?’
    â€˜I’m sure he’ll be pleased. I hope so. But in any case it’s my choice, and only mine. I’m certainly not going to have an abortion.’
    Maggie leaned forward, and her face was suddenly bright with happiness and hope, when she added, ‘While I was walking in the garden earlier, I couldn’t help thinking that not many people get a second chance in life. I
did.
The baby’s my second chance, and Jake of course. I think I’m very lucky.’
    â€˜Do you think he’ll want to marry you?’
    â€˜I don’t know … I don’t really care … about making it legal. I can bring up a baby myself and support a child. I’m very competent, Sam.’
    â€˜You don’t have to tell me! I know that only too well,’ Samantha remarked pithily.
    â€˜Maybe you think I’m crazy,’ Maggie ventured. ‘Here I am, forty-four years old, pregnant by my much younger lover of twenty-nine, who’s not even divorced yet, whom I’m not sure even wants to marry me.’ She began to laugh and lifted her hands in a helpless gesture. ‘And do I want to marry him?’ Maggie shrugged and lifted a dark brow.
    Samantha shook her head wonderingly. ‘There’s nobody like you, Maggie, when it comes to coping. Let’s not forget that you came through a pretty rotten situation with your husband of twenty-odd years whodecided to take a walk. A situation which might have felled many another woman.’
    â€˜Don’t spoil my day! Don’t mention Mike Sorrell. Anyway, getting back to Jake, he does love me.’
    â€˜He told you?’
    â€˜Yes, he did.’
    â€˜Do you love him,