To Make a Marriage by Carole Mortimer Page B

return. Better, Andie had decided in Majorca, to be with the man she loved, than spend the rest of her life doing what she had already done for so long: watching and loving him from afar…
    Audrey gave her a searching look. ‘I’m sure you did,’ she finally said. ‘As did Adam. Which is why he should be the one to tell your father.’ She gave a smile. ‘Rome is so overjoyed at the idea of being a grandfather, he might just decide to overlook the fact that the two of you didn’t get married first. I—’ She broke off as a door could be heard opening down the hallway. ‘I think we’re about to find out,’ Audrey revised quickly.
    Andie could feel her tension growing as the two men made their slow progress down the hallway. At least, itseemed slow to her, they could actually have been running for all she knew!
    Her father was the first to enter the sitting-room, a quick search of his rigidly set features telling her nothing, her gaze quickly passing to Adam, her heart sinking as he gave a slight shake of his head.
    Whatever did that mean? Even if her father wasn’t agreeable to them getting married, they were adults, for goodness’ sake, could do as they pleased. They had done exactly that three months ago, which was why they were here together today at all! They had only come here to tell her father of their plans; they weren’t asking his permission!
    Having agonised as she had over accepting Adam’s marriage proposal in the first place, she certainly wasn’t about to let her father put a dampener on it now!
    â€˜I won’t have it, Andie,’ her father’s angrily grated comment broke the tense silence. ‘It’s just not on. No daughter of mine—’
    â€˜Daddy, this has nothing to do with you,’ she broke in determinedly; having made her decision where marrying Adam was concerned—painfully so!—she wasn’t about to have her father now telling her what she could and couldn’t do! ‘I’m over eighteen, have been making my own decisions for years now, and Adam and I have only come here today to pay you the courtesy of letting you know what our plans are. You—’
    â€˜Very kind of you, I’m sure!’ Rome exclaimed sarcastically.
    â€˜Andie—’
    â€˜Leave it, Adam,’ the older man told him sharply as he would have interrupted. ‘I don’t believe my daughter has finished speaking yet.’ Rome turned pointedly back to Andie. ‘You were saying…?’
    She drew in a ragged breath. ‘Adam and I—’ Shestopped, wondering if she would ever get used to hearing their two names linked together like that. ‘We have decided to get married. We would naturally like you and Audrey to be there, but—’
    â€˜How kind of you again,’ her father drawled, lowering his lean length into one of the armchairs, chilly blue gaze fixed on Andie.
    She shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of that gaze. ‘We intend getting a special licence, and the wedding will be organised in a register office for the end of next week—’
    â€˜No,’ her father stated decisively.
    Andie’s cheeks flushed mutinously. ‘It isn’t your decision, Daddy,’ she burst out incredulously, looking across at Adam appealingly. Instead of just standing there, why didn’t he do something, say something? ‘I am going to marry Adam, Rome,’ she began again. ‘With or without your approval. Although, of course, I would rather have it—’
    â€˜Again, how kind,’ Rome said dryly.
    Her cheeks flushed fiery red at his obvious continued sarcasm.
    â€˜But I don’t need it,’ she told him determinedly. ‘And your permission I certainly don’t need.’
    â€˜Andie.’ Adam spoke quietly as he crossed the room to her side, his arm moving protectively about her shoulders.
    â€˜Rome, stop playing with