He set out, pulling Sally after him. Her whole being recoiled from confronting her mother, memories of how abusive she could be flooding her mind, throwing her into fearful agitation. “Jack, please…I don’t want a scene. I just want to know…”
“Don’t worry!” His eyes flashed derisive confidence. “Lady Ellen is not about to show her true colours in front of Clifford Byrne.”
“But this is between us. It’s not her business.”
“She made it her business.”
“Oh, please…let it go, Jack.”
He paused, scooping her into his embrace, holding her tight as he fiercely replied, “Let it go that she made you feel bad? Let it go that she painted me as a man with no honour or integrity? Oh no, my darling girl! Her poison has to be scotched before her success with you encourages her to spread it. She’s put your reputation and mine on the line and I will not let her tarnish them.”
“I’m sorry!” Sally cried, wishing she hadn’t let her mother get to her. “I do believe you have honour and integrity, Jack. It’s just that you told me I can’t count on any future with you and I didn’t want to bring it up, so when she hit me with the title deeds of the property—I realise you have every right to sell it if you want to—”
He placed a finger over her lips to stop the wild gabbling. His eyes blazed into hers, intent on searing away any doubt whatsoever. “I’m not selling. And neither have you been selling your body to me. I know that in my bones, Sally. In my bones. And I will not have that mean-hearted witch of a woman labelling you my callgirl. Come with me now and trust me to deal with it. Okay?”
She nodded, too choked up to speak, and realising nothing was going to deter him anyway. Hard, ruthless purpose was driving him. Memories of how he had dealt with her mother at her father’s funeral, and at the reading of the will, crowded her mind—a dangerous man who held all the cards and played them with masterful force, relentless in his determination to balance the scales. Yet what cards would he play this time to beat her mother’s game?
Trust me…
Sally clung to those words, fighting back the fear of being publicly humiliated by her mother. She had trusted Jack. She wanted to keep trusting him. She had to. Or everything she’d done was wrong.
The group of people chatting with Clifford Byrne and her mother automatically made room for Jack to insert himself and Sally. No one shut him out these days. In fact, his powerful presence instantly galvanised their attention. No-one was going to drift away from this scene, either. They’d hang on every word and inevitably repeat it later. A terrible tension gripped Sally. She desperately hoped Jack could make this turn out right.
“Mr. Byrne, I’m Jack Maguire, Lady Ellen’s stepson. And I don’t think you’ve had the pleasure of meeting her daughter, Sally.”
The surprise introduction flummoxed the New Zealander into taking the offered hand and smiling a polite delight at Sally. “Indeed, a pleasure. We’re still on our honeymoon,” he said in excuse for the oversight of not having met his new wife’s family before. “Just starting to catch up with people, aren’t we, darling?” He glanced at his wife for her response.
She was staring at Jack, a Medusa-like stare, undoubtedly wishing he would turn to stone.
Jack smiled at her—the smile of a tiger having cornered his quarry—but he addressed his words to Clifford Byrne, man to man. “Lady Ellen caught up with Sally a few minutes ago. I understand she was concerned for her future, labouring under the impression I was about to sell the property where Sally trains her horses. I didn’t want to leave Lady Ellen worried about it at such a happy time for both of you.”
“No, no, I don’t want my wife worried about anything.” The doting husband patted the hand that was hanging on his arm.
“Agreed,” Jack said in the same tone of indulgence. “A pity Lady Ellen spotted the title deeds file at her solicitor’s office. I was keeping the transference of the property into Sally’s name as a surprise gift for her on Christmas Day, but better to have my intention out in the open now.”
“My name?” Sally gasped in shock.
“You will be the new owner,” Jack confirmed, turning a brilliant smile to her.
She was totally dazzled.
“Ah! Very generous of you,” Clifford Byrne said approvingly.
“And I’m sure a welcome surprise to Sally,” her mother said with acid-edged saccharine. “Indeed, a very generous mark of appreciation for all she’s done for the property.”
A sly hit at sexual favours given.
For one heart-sinking moment Sally wondered if giving her the home she’d always known was a kiss-off gift. Had Jack been this generous with all his women? But he wasn’t finished with her. He cared about her feelings, cared about her future, ensuring, with the transfer of ownership of the property, that her life there could go on as long as she wanted it to. Though it was such a huge gift. Was it right to accept it if he didn’t mean to share it with her?
“What she’s done for me, too,” Jack said warmly. “You see, Lady Ellen, having Sally in my life more than makes up for being an outcast in the past. I want to thank you for adopting her into the family. Otherwise our paths might never have crossed and I would have missed out on sharing a future with her.”
The miserable turmoil lifted from Sally’s heart.
He did mean to share it.
“What future do you have in mind?” her mother asked somewhat archly, putting him on the spot, probably hoping for an answer she could turn into an embarrassing scandal.
“Well, at the moment, Sally is concentrating most of her time and energy on working up to competing in the World Cup. She’s made it to the team,” Jack rolled out, giving her a hug and a look of pride in her achievement so far. His vivid blue eyes held hers, boring straight into her heart as he added, “Once that’s over, I’m hoping she’ll give some thought to marrying me and starting a family of our own.”
Marriage? Children? Shock and caution quivered through a burst of hope and happiness. Was he just saying it to defeat her mother’s malice?
“Good man!” Clifford Byrne cheerfully approved, reaching out to shake Jack’s hand again. Which he did. Before turning a benign face to his wife. “That takes care of everything, darling. No worries.”
Sally had no doubt her mother hated this resolution to the situation, but any control over it had been completely taken out of her hands. Jack had made a public declaration that couldn’t be undermined. The only way it could be changed was if he changed it himself.