was kind, thoughtful and attractive in his own way, if she were brutal about it, Greta didn’t relish the thought of
sharing a bed with him.
But if she said no, it was back to the cottage to face having her baby alone. And beyond that, who knew? What chance would there be of finding the real love she craved in the years ahead? Let
alone providing for herself and the baby?
A picture of Max drifted into her mind. She shook her head quickly to clear it. He was never coming back and she had to forge a life for herself and her child.
Greta wondered what David and LJ would say. She hoped they would understand. Besides, she was currently in no position to take other people’s finer feelings into consideration.
‘There’s no one else to look after us, is there?’ she asked, patting her stomach.
The following evening Greta went down for dinner and told Owen that she would accept his offer of marriage.
Two days later Mary came bustling into the dining room while Owen was having his breakfast and reading
The Times.
‘Excuse me, sir, Mrs Marchmont is here to see you.’
‘Tell her she’ll have to wait until I’ve finished my breakf—’
‘I don’t think this can wait, Owen.’ LJ appeared in the doorway behind Mary and pushed past her.
Owen grunted. ‘Very well. Thank you, Mary. Close the door behind you, will you?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Mary left, and LJ stood at the other end of the table glaring at him. Owen calmly wiped his mouth on a napkin and folded his newspaper neatly.
‘Well, what is this thing that cannot wait?’
‘You know very well what it is.’ LJ’s voice was barely more than a whisper.
‘You’re upset because I’m marrying Greta, is that it?’
LJ sank into a chair at the other end of the table and sighed heavily. ‘Owen, I don’t profess to be party to your private thoughts, nor am I your keeper, but for God’s sake,
you know nothing about the girl.’
Owen took a piece of toast from the rack and proceeded to butter it. ‘I know all I need to.’
‘Really? Then you’re happy that the new mistress of Marchmont will be a woman who used to earn her living parading around a stage at the Windmill with hardly a stitch on?’
‘I’ve done my research, and I’m aware of what she did before she came here. I’m simply grateful I’ve found someone who has given me the kind of happiness I
didn’t think I’d find again.’
‘So you’re saying you’re in love with her? Or are you just blinded by her pretty face?’
‘As you implied earlier, Laura-Jane, this really is none of your business.’
‘Oh yes it is, if it means that Greta’s illegitimate child will inherit Marchmont instead of my son!’ LJ’s voice was quavering with emotion. ‘If this is about
punishing me, then you’ve succeeded.’
‘Well,
your
son has hardly shown a great passion for the place, has he?’
‘It’s his by rights, Owen, and you know it.’
‘I’m afraid that isn’t true, Laura-Jane. Marchmont will be left to any child that I may have. And no one other than yourself and David is aware that Greta’s baby
isn’t mine. There might be speculation that the child was conceived out of wedlock and a marriage hastily arranged, but that’s as far as it will go.’
‘You think so, do you?’ LJ’s hands were shaking as she tried to keep her anger under control. ‘So you expect me to stand by and watch while my son’s inheritance is
passed to some bastard child of a GI?!’
‘It would be your word against ours but, if you wish to take the case to court, please do so,’ Owen replied calmly. ‘There’s no way of proving it, so I suspect that
people will just think it’s sour grapes on your part. And it’s the kind of scandal the papers love. Rest assured, our reputations would be dragged through the mud, but please do what
you think you must.’
‘I just don’t know how you can do this to David, Owen. After all—’
‘
You
don’t know how
I
can do this?’ He laughed
sharing a bed with him.
But if she said no, it was back to the cottage to face having her baby alone. And beyond that, who knew? What chance would there be of finding the real love she craved in the years ahead? Let
alone providing for herself and the baby?
A picture of Max drifted into her mind. She shook her head quickly to clear it. He was never coming back and she had to forge a life for herself and her child.
Greta wondered what David and LJ would say. She hoped they would understand. Besides, she was currently in no position to take other people’s finer feelings into consideration.
‘There’s no one else to look after us, is there?’ she asked, patting her stomach.
The following evening Greta went down for dinner and told Owen that she would accept his offer of marriage.
Two days later Mary came bustling into the dining room while Owen was having his breakfast and reading
The Times.
‘Excuse me, sir, Mrs Marchmont is here to see you.’
‘Tell her she’ll have to wait until I’ve finished my breakf—’
‘I don’t think this can wait, Owen.’ LJ appeared in the doorway behind Mary and pushed past her.
Owen grunted. ‘Very well. Thank you, Mary. Close the door behind you, will you?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Mary left, and LJ stood at the other end of the table glaring at him. Owen calmly wiped his mouth on a napkin and folded his newspaper neatly.
‘Well, what is this thing that cannot wait?’
‘You know very well what it is.’ LJ’s voice was barely more than a whisper.
‘You’re upset because I’m marrying Greta, is that it?’
LJ sank into a chair at the other end of the table and sighed heavily. ‘Owen, I don’t profess to be party to your private thoughts, nor am I your keeper, but for God’s sake,
you know nothing about the girl.’
Owen took a piece of toast from the rack and proceeded to butter it. ‘I know all I need to.’
‘Really? Then you’re happy that the new mistress of Marchmont will be a woman who used to earn her living parading around a stage at the Windmill with hardly a stitch on?’
‘I’ve done my research, and I’m aware of what she did before she came here. I’m simply grateful I’ve found someone who has given me the kind of happiness I
didn’t think I’d find again.’
‘So you’re saying you’re in love with her? Or are you just blinded by her pretty face?’
‘As you implied earlier, Laura-Jane, this really is none of your business.’
‘Oh yes it is, if it means that Greta’s illegitimate child will inherit Marchmont instead of my son!’ LJ’s voice was quavering with emotion. ‘If this is about
punishing me, then you’ve succeeded.’
‘Well,
your
son has hardly shown a great passion for the place, has he?’
‘It’s his by rights, Owen, and you know it.’
‘I’m afraid that isn’t true, Laura-Jane. Marchmont will be left to any child that I may have. And no one other than yourself and David is aware that Greta’s baby
isn’t mine. There might be speculation that the child was conceived out of wedlock and a marriage hastily arranged, but that’s as far as it will go.’
‘You think so, do you?’ LJ’s hands were shaking as she tried to keep her anger under control. ‘So you expect me to stand by and watch while my son’s inheritance is
passed to some bastard child of a GI?!’
‘It would be your word against ours but, if you wish to take the case to court, please do so,’ Owen replied calmly. ‘There’s no way of proving it, so I suspect that
people will just think it’s sour grapes on your part. And it’s the kind of scandal the papers love. Rest assured, our reputations would be dragged through the mud, but please do what
you think you must.’
‘I just don’t know how you can do this to David, Owen. After all—’
‘
You
don’t know how
I
can do this?’ He laughed
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