kill anyone who tried to take you away from me.”
“But are you
in
love with me?”
He laughed. “Haven’t I just said I love you?”
“Yes, but there is a difference. I mean, you can love a mother or a sister, but being
in love
is something else.”
“You’re talking in riddles.”
When he began peeling off her robe, she held him away. “No, Steve. I really need you to listen to what I have to say.” The time was right and she had to tell him now — while she had the courage.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” His need of her was driving him crazy. “I know you want it as much as me, I can feel it.” He slid his open palms over her buttocks. “Come on, stop teasing.”
Maddy laid her hands over his. “
No
, Steve! Not until you’ve heard what I’ve got to say.”
Inching away, he looked at her for a moment, at the tears in her eyes, and the nervous way she was fidgeting with her fingers. It puzzled him; a wave of paranoia swept over him. What was she hiding? Why did she look so guilty? “What’s going on?”
For weeks, she had dreaded this moment, but it had to be faced — and so had the consequences.
“I’m pregnant,” she confessed. “That’s why I went away — I needed time to think.” At the look of horror on his face, she began to gabble, “I thought you might be angry. I was planning to get rid of it… I even went to see somebody — an abortion clinic in Harley Street. In the end though, I couldn’t go through with it! I couldn’t kill an innocent baby…
our
baby.”
Seeing the look of astonishment on his face, she took hold of him, pleading, “It’ll be all right, Steve. You said you loved me. We can get married and be a family.” She giggled nervously. “It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
For what seemed an age he stared at her in disbelief then, with one mighty swipe of his fist, he sent her flying across the room.
“You’re nothing but a slut!” he shouted. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her to her feet, twice slapping her hard across the mouth. “A filthy little slut! What d’you take me for, eh? I’m no fool, I know why you went away. You’ve got yourself a new man, haven’t you, eh? And now he’s got you knocked up and the pair of you think you can offload his bastard onto me?”
“No!” Taken aback by his violent reaction, Maddy tried to explain. “There is no other man… there’s only ever been you. I swear to God, Steve, it’s
your
baby. Yours and mine.”
Picking up her hair dryer, he sent it crashing into the mirror, shattering it into a million airborne fragments. Some of the glass splinters cut her face and arms, sending sprays of blood across the wall.
Turning to her, Steve spat out, “It sickens me to touch you! You dirty little cow, shaming me in front of everyone. I expect they all knew what was going on — and all the time they were laughing at me behind my back. Bastards, all of you!”
He was like a madman. “GET OUT OF HERE — OUT OF MY SIGHT, AND OUT OF MY CLUB! GO ON — CLEAR OFF OUT OF IT!” As he slung her out the door, his voice was raised to the rafters. “
He
can have you. Who’d want to touch you now? And when I find out who he is, that bastard you’re carrying won’t have a father. Make no mistake, I’ll find out who you’ve been with if it’s the last thing I do. D’YOU HEAR WHAT I’M SAYING! Nobody makes a fool out of Steve Drayton and gets away with it!” He stormed off into his office, trampling on the broken glass, and kicking it across the room.
From the cloakroom, Alice heard the commotion and came running. Horrified at the sight of Madeleine spattered in blood, she took her by the arm, and led her away. “I knew this would happen, I could see it coming,” she muttered to herself. Glancing up, she saw Drayton peering at them through his office window. “Look what you’ve done to her, you lunatic!” she cried. “You should be ashamed! Only a coward would hurt a woman like this!”
Afraid
“But are you
in
love with me?”
He laughed. “Haven’t I just said I love you?”
“Yes, but there is a difference. I mean, you can love a mother or a sister, but being
in love
is something else.”
“You’re talking in riddles.”
When he began peeling off her robe, she held him away. “No, Steve. I really need you to listen to what I have to say.” The time was right and she had to tell him now — while she had the courage.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” His need of her was driving him crazy. “I know you want it as much as me, I can feel it.” He slid his open palms over her buttocks. “Come on, stop teasing.”
Maddy laid her hands over his. “
No
, Steve! Not until you’ve heard what I’ve got to say.”
Inching away, he looked at her for a moment, at the tears in her eyes, and the nervous way she was fidgeting with her fingers. It puzzled him; a wave of paranoia swept over him. What was she hiding? Why did she look so guilty? “What’s going on?”
For weeks, she had dreaded this moment, but it had to be faced — and so had the consequences.
“I’m pregnant,” she confessed. “That’s why I went away — I needed time to think.” At the look of horror on his face, she began to gabble, “I thought you might be angry. I was planning to get rid of it… I even went to see somebody — an abortion clinic in Harley Street. In the end though, I couldn’t go through with it! I couldn’t kill an innocent baby…
our
baby.”
Seeing the look of astonishment on his face, she took hold of him, pleading, “It’ll be all right, Steve. You said you loved me. We can get married and be a family.” She giggled nervously. “It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
For what seemed an age he stared at her in disbelief then, with one mighty swipe of his fist, he sent her flying across the room.
“You’re nothing but a slut!” he shouted. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her to her feet, twice slapping her hard across the mouth. “A filthy little slut! What d’you take me for, eh? I’m no fool, I know why you went away. You’ve got yourself a new man, haven’t you, eh? And now he’s got you knocked up and the pair of you think you can offload his bastard onto me?”
“No!” Taken aback by his violent reaction, Maddy tried to explain. “There is no other man… there’s only ever been you. I swear to God, Steve, it’s
your
baby. Yours and mine.”
Picking up her hair dryer, he sent it crashing into the mirror, shattering it into a million airborne fragments. Some of the glass splinters cut her face and arms, sending sprays of blood across the wall.
Turning to her, Steve spat out, “It sickens me to touch you! You dirty little cow, shaming me in front of everyone. I expect they all knew what was going on — and all the time they were laughing at me behind my back. Bastards, all of you!”
He was like a madman. “GET OUT OF HERE — OUT OF MY SIGHT, AND OUT OF MY CLUB! GO ON — CLEAR OFF OUT OF IT!” As he slung her out the door, his voice was raised to the rafters. “
He
can have you. Who’d want to touch you now? And when I find out who he is, that bastard you’re carrying won’t have a father. Make no mistake, I’ll find out who you’ve been with if it’s the last thing I do. D’YOU HEAR WHAT I’M SAYING! Nobody makes a fool out of Steve Drayton and gets away with it!” He stormed off into his office, trampling on the broken glass, and kicking it across the room.
From the cloakroom, Alice heard the commotion and came running. Horrified at the sight of Madeleine spattered in blood, she took her by the arm, and led her away. “I knew this would happen, I could see it coming,” she muttered to herself. Glancing up, she saw Drayton peering at them through his office window. “Look what you’ve done to her, you lunatic!” she cried. “You should be ashamed! Only a coward would hurt a woman like this!”
Afraid
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