After the Affair(24)

She gulped, her earlier anger fading with the growing reality of the situation. This was not the past. This was here and now!

'We will be married on Sunday,' Dan was saying, 'here, in the garden. I'm flying in a celebrant from Sydney. There will be no guests other than your immediate family. Mine will not be attending. They all live in Perth. Too far to come at short notice. Here...' He picked up the biro and held it out for her.

Cassie took it with a trembling hand, then stared blankly down at the forms. Dan kept on talking in a rather cold, formal voice. At some stage he had sat down again.

'I imagine Mrs Bertram will be concerned about her position here when I inform her of our coming marriage. Shall I tell her she can stay, or do you prefer to run the house on your own? It's entirely up to you. Though I do strongly suggest that you consider keeping the staff on. They're reliable and discreet, and you'll need help when we entertain. As well as Mrs Bertram, I have employed a local couple to do all the cleaning and gardening.'

Cassie sat like a stone. Housekeeper... staff...entertain...

It suddenly hit her what marriage to this man would entail. She had not even considered his position—that as a successful businessman Dan would lead a full social life. His wife would be expected to play the role of hostess. The prospect was daunting. And rather ironic, with Cassie dressed as she was today. It brought home the folly of going ahead with the idea.

She lifted panicky eyes. 'Dan, I... Are you absolutely sure you want this...this marriage?'

His face tightened. 'I thought that that matter was settled,' he stated in clipped tones.

'Yes...well...I mean...'

Cassie's stomach was tied up in knots. So, it seemed, was her tongue. She scooped in a calming breath and tried again. 'Look, Dan,' she said in a conciliatory tone, 'I've been thinking. It's still too soon to tell Jason you're his father. Give him a little more time to get to know you...'

He slanted her a sharp look. 'Bargaining time again, is it? I thought everything was settled last night, Cassie. You agreed to marry me.'

'But, Dan, I...I hadn't realised what was entailed. I mean...I'm a vet, a simple, no-nonsense country vet. I'm not used to the high life. Dinner-parties and such aren't my style. You must understand that if I married you I would not give up my profession to play a social butterfly.'

'When you marry me, my dear,' he corrected. 'Not if.' He gave her the oddest look. It was almost warm. 'I don't mind if you work after we're married. Be assured, I bought this place so that I can live a quieter existence. I may have to fly away on business sometimes, and no doubt I'll invite the occasional couple up for the weekend, but other than that I want to be a simple family man. Speaking of which, will you still want to work after you fall pregnant?'

'Pregnant?'

'I want us to have more children, Cassie. You must agree that Jason deserves a brother or a sister. You were the one who said you wanted him to have a normal family life.'

Cassie stared at Dan, an appalling thought catapulting into her brain. If she had not stopped him last night she might have already conceived a baby.

One hand fluttered up to her temple. The blood was pounding horribly in her head. She felt dazed. And ill. It felt like a ghastly replay of the past.

'This is all too fast for me,' she rasped. 'Please, Dan, give me more time.' She lifted beseeching eyes to him.

His face grew cold. 'More time for what? To run away? To thwart me further? You've already deprived me of eight years of my son's life. I have no intention of risking any more.'

'I won't run away,' she assured him desperately. 'But you can't expect me to marry you and have a baby just like that. I have other responsibilities, other obligations.'

'Such as?'

'My mother ‑'

'Your mother is getting married in less than a fortnight,' Dan interrupted bluntly. 'To dear Roger, no less.'

Cassie's mouth fell open.

'Jason is very talkative,' Dan explained drily. 'He told me all about his Gran and your boss. Since even I don't believe that you would be double-crossing your mother with a man of nearly sixty, I can only assume that you lied to me last night. Why, Cassie? Why did you want me to think your boss was your lover?'

Cassie looked away from his probing eyes and said nothing.

'Who are you sleeping with that you have to have a cover for him? Is he married? Is that it?'

Hurt eyes sliced back to him. 'I've only ever slept with one married man, Dan McKay, and that was in ignorance. I don't happen to have a lover...at the moment,' she added when she saw a triumphant light flash into Dan's eyes.

He totally ignored her last words. 'So... You weren't on your way to a romantic rendezvous last night. Then the red dress was for me, after all, wasn't it?'

Cassie panicked at the smug way Dan was looking at her. 'Of course.' Her sarcastic tone brought a wariness to his eyes. 'But don't flatter "yourself. I came down to Strath-haven last night planning to seduce you.'