of an emotional commitment . I realize that a life-long marriage would be unfair to such a young and beautiful woman as you. You deserve something better. Would a ten-year marriage contract be more acceptable? I promise that I would set you free at the end of it. That would cover Daniel reaching eighteen and Lily over fifteen. It sounds feasible to me.’
Jessica was shocked to the core. She snatched her hand away. ‘I can’t believe that you could be so callous. A marriage contractwith a time limit? As if anyone could just turn off care and affection for your children at the end of so many years and walk away. You simply have no idea.’
‘I thought it would make it easier for you to decide. For you to know that it was not forever.’ Lucas was trying to control his anger.
‘Well, I have decided and the answer is no. No, no, no. There is no way that I am going to marry you. So you can forget it.’
‘I don’t believe you for one moment, Jessica,’ said Lucas, his eyes darkening. ‘Your head says one thing but your eyes say something quite different. And that kiss last night – there was something special about it and you know that. You are not totally immune to me. You have some feeling for me and my children.’
‘For both your children, yes. I care about them. For your awkward mother, I have a lot of sympathy. But having feelings for you, definitely not. I don’t have a scrap of feeling for you, Lucas Coleman. I feel nothing for you at all. I rarely see you and I hardly know you. When you come in, you are usually half-asleep , wet and exhausted. We exchange a few polite words and that’s that.’
‘That’s true,’ said Lucas, with a touch of mockery. ‘We don’t know each other. A few suppers and family breakfasts hardly count. I suppose I should give you the chance to know me better. I don’t remember when I last had a day off. We could go somewhere together, get to know each other.’
‘It won’t make any difference,’ said Jessica vehemently. ‘You can’t turn on feelings with a few hours of making small talk over a candlelit dinner.’
‘I wouldn’t talk at all,’ he said, hiding his laughter. ‘I’d simply let you find out what a really nice person I am.’
‘In a day?’ Jessica scoffed. ‘It would surely take months.’
‘I’ll wait months.’
‘And only on clear days, no rain, no fog, no sea mist.’
‘I can’t guarantee the weather but I can guarantee my undivided attention.’
‘Oh, such sweet words. Clever words, too. They don’t sway me.’ Jessica marched away, trying to still the hammering of her heart.
Lucas was as good as his word. He reorganized his work schedule and arranged to take a whole afternoon off. Mrs Harris was happy to give the children their tea when they came in from school, and keep a friendly eye on Lady Grace.
‘I thought you might like to go into Brighton to buy Daniel’s birthday present. I need to find something suitable. You could help me,’ Lucas said. ‘Is that a good idea, Jessica? Would you like to come?’
Jessica was not sure what tempted her most. She’d like to wander round Brighton. She’d also like a drive in his Porsche Boxster with the roof down. But she’d really like the chance to buy Daniel something nice for his birthday. She did not admit to herself that she might want to enjoy some time with Lucas.
He was ready for her on the dot of two o’clock. He had changed into black jeans and an open necked black shirt. His hair still needed a cut but he looked devilishly handsome. The car was at the front door waiting. A fresh breeze combed the gardens, sending waves of scent from Lady Grace’s roses.
Jessica had tried not to make an effort, to show that she didn’t care a jot about going out with Lucas, but she looked wonderful in slim white linen trousers and a belted flame-red shirt, her hair tied back with a red scarf. She threw a navy fleece into the back of the car.
‘You’ll need a coat for coming
Jessica was shocked to the core. She snatched her hand away. ‘I can’t believe that you could be so callous. A marriage contractwith a time limit? As if anyone could just turn off care and affection for your children at the end of so many years and walk away. You simply have no idea.’
‘I thought it would make it easier for you to decide. For you to know that it was not forever.’ Lucas was trying to control his anger.
‘Well, I have decided and the answer is no. No, no, no. There is no way that I am going to marry you. So you can forget it.’
‘I don’t believe you for one moment, Jessica,’ said Lucas, his eyes darkening. ‘Your head says one thing but your eyes say something quite different. And that kiss last night – there was something special about it and you know that. You are not totally immune to me. You have some feeling for me and my children.’
‘For both your children, yes. I care about them. For your awkward mother, I have a lot of sympathy. But having feelings for you, definitely not. I don’t have a scrap of feeling for you, Lucas Coleman. I feel nothing for you at all. I rarely see you and I hardly know you. When you come in, you are usually half-asleep , wet and exhausted. We exchange a few polite words and that’s that.’
‘That’s true,’ said Lucas, with a touch of mockery. ‘We don’t know each other. A few suppers and family breakfasts hardly count. I suppose I should give you the chance to know me better. I don’t remember when I last had a day off. We could go somewhere together, get to know each other.’
‘It won’t make any difference,’ said Jessica vehemently. ‘You can’t turn on feelings with a few hours of making small talk over a candlelit dinner.’
‘I wouldn’t talk at all,’ he said, hiding his laughter. ‘I’d simply let you find out what a really nice person I am.’
‘In a day?’ Jessica scoffed. ‘It would surely take months.’
‘I’ll wait months.’
‘And only on clear days, no rain, no fog, no sea mist.’
‘I can’t guarantee the weather but I can guarantee my undivided attention.’
‘Oh, such sweet words. Clever words, too. They don’t sway me.’ Jessica marched away, trying to still the hammering of her heart.
Lucas was as good as his word. He reorganized his work schedule and arranged to take a whole afternoon off. Mrs Harris was happy to give the children their tea when they came in from school, and keep a friendly eye on Lady Grace.
‘I thought you might like to go into Brighton to buy Daniel’s birthday present. I need to find something suitable. You could help me,’ Lucas said. ‘Is that a good idea, Jessica? Would you like to come?’
Jessica was not sure what tempted her most. She’d like to wander round Brighton. She’d also like a drive in his Porsche Boxster with the roof down. But she’d really like the chance to buy Daniel something nice for his birthday. She did not admit to herself that she might want to enjoy some time with Lucas.
He was ready for her on the dot of two o’clock. He had changed into black jeans and an open necked black shirt. His hair still needed a cut but he looked devilishly handsome. The car was at the front door waiting. A fresh breeze combed the gardens, sending waves of scent from Lady Grace’s roses.
Jessica had tried not to make an effort, to show that she didn’t care a jot about going out with Lucas, but she looked wonderful in slim white linen trousers and a belted flame-red shirt, her hair tied back with a red scarf. She threw a navy fleece into the back of the car.
‘You’ll need a coat for coming
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