Kathryn Ross - The Secret Child

Luke came down just after the funeral and they met on the cliff path that ran along the side of their two properties.

‘I’m really sorry about your parents,’ he said gently. ‘I know what you must be going through; I lost my mother ten years ago, and it was a very difficult and emotional time.’

The gentleness of his voice stirred her deeply. She looked up and met his eyes and felt as if he was reaching out to her in a way that made her feel suddenly warmly protected, cocooned…it was the strangest sensation, but at that moment she felt as if she would trust Luke Davenport with her very life. What did it matter that he hadn’t told her he loved her? she asked herself. After all, they were only words…and maybe he wouldn’t take that posting to New York?

She found herself talking more about things at home than she had ever done. The farm had been left equally between her and all three brothers but Garth wanted to sell.

‘It’s the last thing I want. I love the farm and I believe we should keep things as they are at least for a little while…Mum and Dad have only just died and it seems we will be selling in almost indecent haste. But I’ve been out-voted by my brothers, and business-wise I can understand where they’re coming from. Garth is brimming with ideas for the old Cliff House. I’ve looked at the accounts with him and he’s convinced me it would be a viable proposition.’

‘That’s the hotel further along the headland, isn’t it?’ Luke said cautiously. ‘It’s been up for sale for a long time.’

‘Yes, they want a lot of money for it.’ Alison nodded. ‘But even if I don’t go in with them the boys’ share of the farm should almost cover it with an additional bank loan. I just wish I could keep the farmhouse and the stables. But everything will have to go.’

Luke heard the catch in her voice and saw the disquiet in her eyes. ‘It’s not good to be too attached to things, Alison,’ he said quietly.

‘You don’t feel sentimental about your home?’ she asked.

‘Yes, of course I do, and as I’m the only son I suppose I’ll take over the running of the estate one day.’ Luke shook his head. ‘But at the moment I prefer to look to the future rather than the past. I find it exciting to move on, explore pastures new.’

She experienced an ominous feeling of foreboding at those words. ‘Does that mean you’ve decided to take the posting to New York?’

They reached a bit of path that was uneven and slippery and he took hold of her hand. The thrill of his skin against hers sent goosebumps down her spine and made her remember the wild, heady nights in his arms and suddenly she was very afraid that she would never lie with him like that again.

‘They don’t need an answer for another couple of months,’ he said and she had the distinct impression he didn’t want to talk about it.

‘Well, I guess I’m going to be stuck down here for a while anyway until we get everything sorted out.’ She tried to sound OK about it all, as if she were content to let things lie.

‘Do your brothers want you to run the hotel business with them as well as invest in it?’

‘Well…Garth is pushing for that, but I haven’t committed myself. I’ll have to stay around for Ian for a while anyway so I think I’ll just take it a step at a time.’ She supposed what she was saying to him was that if he wanted her to go to New York with him she wasn’t completely ruling it out for the future.

‘It’s good that you’re around for your family for a while,’ Luke said quietly. ‘But don’t let them put on you too much, Alison. You have your own life to live.’

‘I suppose so… Listen, you won’t tell anyone that we are going to sell the farm?’ she asked suddenly.

‘How the heck will you sell the place if no one knows it’s up for sale?’ Luke asked with amusement.

‘Garth is putting the property in the hands of an agent in London.’

‘Oh, I see…’ Luke’s voice was wry. ‘You mean he’d rather sell the land to the devil incarnate than risk the Davenport family buying it?’

She blushed a deep red. ‘Well, you probably know that your father made an offer for some of our land a while ago and Dad turned him down flat. So out of respect for Dad’s memory we thought it would be better to sell to someone from out of town. You know the situation, Luke…’ she added softly.

‘So your brothers are as steadfast on this old feud as your father was?’ Luke shook his head with impatience.

‘Things are a bit raw at the moment and they just want to do things the way Dad would have wanted,’ Alison said soothingly. ‘So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to your father about any of this.’

When he didn’t answer her immediately she grew anxious. ‘Luke, promise me you won’t say anything!’

He looked down at her and for the first time she saw anger darkening his eyes to midnight-blue.

‘Don’t worry, the precious Trevelyan secret will not be mistreated. Don’t look at me like that.’

‘Like what?’

‘The way you’re looking at me now. All innocent, provocative softness…you know you’re driving me crazy.’

‘Am I?’ She was totally bemused by the sudden turn of the conversation.

‘You know very well what I’m talking about,’ he said, moving closer, and in that heartbeat of a moment as his eyes touched her lips she knew exactly what he was referring to. It was three weeks since they had slept together and the answering ache in her own body was instantaneous as he reached to kiss her.

‘I don’t want to talk about family feuds or sneak around snatching a few moments with you in secret. I want to kiss you, Alison…but you are so damn tied up with the past and so damn young…’

‘I’m not that young,’ she said quietly, lifting her eyes to his.

‘You’re twenty-two and I’m a man of thirty.’

‘So?’ She angled her head to look up at him defiantly. ‘What’s that to do with anything?’

‘Well, for a start I’m your first serious boyfriend.’ He grinned as he watched her discomfiture.

‘I’ll have you know I could have my pick of men,’ she taunted him back. ‘In fact, I’ve been lured to a concert by one next week…Todd Johnson—’

‘Hey,’ Luke cut across her softly. ‘Just remember that you belong to me, Alison Trevelyan.’ He growled the words with seductive, teasing warmth. ‘Who is this interloper?’

‘I’m joking,’ she admitted with a smile. ‘He’s just a friend of Garth’s…I said I’d even up the numbers on an outing—’

‘Well, just make sure that’s all it is,’ he said possessively.

She was to remember that moment so clearly. The mellow warmth of the air and the pounding of the waves on the rocks beneath them, the way he looked at her, the way he reached out and touched her face with such tenderness before drawing her into his arms. As his lips met hers it was almost as if she was at one with the elements…the untamed force of the sea against the rocks echoed the wildness of her response, she tasted the sea spray on his lips, felt the thunder of her blood pounding through her veins as his hands caressed her body. Longing spiralled out of control right there and then. She wanted him so much.

‘How about if I book us into an hotel?’ Luke asked as his lips ground against hers.

‘I can’t, Luke, I’ll be missed at home and…’ She felt his hands caressing her breasts; felt him starting to un-button her white blouse.

‘Maybe I can’t wait for an hotel anyway,’ he murmured seductively against her ear and she had allowed him to take her by the hand and lead her into the corn-field beside them.

She remembered the blue of the sky, the gold circle that surrounded them and the heat of their passion.