The Only Woman to Defy Him(82)

                He told her about his mother, how he had arranged to have her buried in consecrated ground, and Alina started to cry when she realised that she’d hung up on him on what must have been his blackest day.

                ‘It was a good day,’ Demyan said. ‘A necessary day, putting old ghosts to rest. Afterwards I spoke with Roman.’

                ‘Did you tell him?’

                ‘There was no need,’ Demyan said. ‘He knew. He is a bit mixed up whether or not he wants a test...’ He gave her a smile. ‘Any more questions?’

                ‘Dinner with Nadia?’ Alina scowled.

                ‘Because I don’t care about her. I can have a drink with her on my son’s birthday and perhaps in the future attend his wedding—there’s no feeling there other than I want to do the best for Roman.’ Demyan had questions now. ‘What have you been doing?’

                ‘Painting,’ Alina admitted. ‘A lot. I’ve got my first stall at the market...’ She actually saw his cheeks pale.

                ‘You don’t need to be at the market.’

                ‘But I do.’

                ‘Alina, I am not having you dragging our child....’

                It was then he admitted he knew...and Alina simply burst into tears.

                ‘I thought you’d be cross.’

                ‘Cross? Never, ever cross.’ He pulled her to him. ‘Were you ever going to tell me?’

                ‘Yes,’ Alina said, ‘when I was over you.’

                ‘He’d be about thirty then!’ Demyan said. ‘Make that ninety.’

                He was so arrogant, so assured as to the depth of her love.

                So right.

                ‘We can do better than the market,’ he said.

                ‘No!’ she wriggled away from him. ‘There you go again, get your cheque book out and buy me a career. You can’t imagine how much I’d hate that.’

                ‘I just want to help.’

                ‘I don’t need help,’ Alina said. ‘I don’t need you pretending royalty are interested in my painting.’

                ‘What?’

                ‘I know it was you.’

                ‘No!’ Demyan’s mouth gaped as Alina let out a squeal of horror and then they started to laugh.

                ‘You could be hanging on royal walls.’

                ‘I’ll do it my way,’ Alina said, but her laughter faded as Demyan continued.

                ‘Did you think long and hard about Dubai?’

                ‘That was you?’

                ‘Absolutely! That afternoon, after my mother’s service, I got the call from Elizabeth to say that you had turned it down and I knew then you were following your dreams. I told you it was a good day.’ He played with her hair. ‘Are you nervous about being a stepmother?’