Hate to Love You(71)

Oh, who was I kidding? I wanted to hear everything, the more disastrous the better.

Caroline’s voice shook. “A real man would have been able to make love to his wife. Maybe Reginald is right, the reason you’ve never married again is because you’re in the closet. Either that or you’re impotent.”

“I stopped loving you, and now I’m more selective,” James said simply.

Her mouth thinned into an angry red line. “You betrayed me and I’ll never forgive you.”

“It’s just as well I don’t require your forgiveness to have a happy life.”

“As a single father?” Caroline jeered. “How pitiful. Your life would be different if you had only agreed to the one thing I asked.”

“No, thank you,” James said, a gritty edge to his voice. “Our wedding introduced me to the real Caroline—a woman so consumed by hatred she was incapable of forgiveness or compassion. A woman who’d rather I give up my son for adoption than assume my responsibilities. You weren’t the person I thought you were. You were exactly as Paisley described and I was lucky to realise it, albeit much later than I should have.”

“Paisley, Paisley, Paisley,” Caroline said, making my name sound like a swear word. “You’re forgetting, James, that I’m Lady Scott-Thomas and she’s the same trashy slut she’s always been.”

“Paisley conquered her addictions with no family support,” he said, his defence delivering another shocker. “She’s shown herself to be a responsible and intelligent employee. She works hard, never complains and I can trust her to perform her duties to the highest standard.”

Oh. My. God. Never again would I go anywhere without my damn mobile.

Caroline looked as if she was struggling not to scream. “I know exactly what kind of duties she performs for you.”

“This conversation is over.”

Did she know James was at the end of his tether when his voice was that soft? He took a step towards the door and she stopped him, holding out what looked like a small drawstring pouch.#p#分页标题#e#

“I wanted to return the wedding set you gave me,” she said, an imploring note creeping into her voice.

For the barest moment I saw raw, helpless yearning in her eyes. Caroline still loved James! Even after he’d admitted enjoying that night in bed with me. Even after she had married somebody else. Even with two children and a happy life as lady of the manor. She loved the man looking at her so stonily and she always would.

Caroline’s eyes glistened, holding back tears, and I read her thoughts. Hatred warred with love, their soldiers jealousy and regret. She wished she had never argued with him in the pub that night and run off to sulk. She wanted to turn back the clock and do things differently.

Hell, didn’t I wish the same?

The sudden empathy I felt for Caroline was disturbing, but it disappeared when I saw what else she wanted. If she couldn’t have James then she wanted him to stay single—and to stay away from me. Returning the rings was an excuse to speak to him and reassure herself that he and I weren’t together.

James didn’t seem to notice or care that Caroline still had feelings for him. His eyes were on the small pouch and then they were on the front door.

His voice was indifferent. “You designed the rings, go ahead and keep them.”

“Take them,” Caroline said imperiously. “Look at them and remember the woman you could have had.”

James filled the flat with the rich sound of deep, spontaneous laughter. Looking at him I wished yet again that I had my mobile. I would take a photo of his laughing face, blow it up to life-size and cut it out. The next time he scowled at me I would march up to him and blue tack it onto his forehead, pressing hard to make it stick.

What would he say to that?

Attracted by the laughter, Ryan snuck up behind me and peeked through the gap. Still grinning, James bowed to Caroline and took the pouch from her hands.

“Thank you Lady Scott-Thomas. I will put them in pride of place, else I forget.”

For a moment Caroline seemed desolate. Then she flushed scarlet, the colour erupting like small volcanoes on the desert of her face. From deep within her chest came a snarl of rage. Her hand went back but James caught her wrist before she could deliver a blow. She retaliated by flinging her wine at his chest—glass and all.

Caroline’s eyes went wide and she trembled as though she was having a seizure. She took an unsteady step backward and then she turned and fled, banging the door shut behind her. James looked revolted.

“She’s mean,” Ryan said.