The Mistress's Child Read Free Page A

the kind of smile which few women would have the strength to resist.
    And Marian Reece was not among them.
    Lisi had known the forty-five-year-old since she had bought out the estate agency two years ago. She liked Marian, even though the older woman led a life which was streets apart from her own.
    But then Marian was a successful businesswoman while Lisi was a struggling single mother.
    'Lisi and I are old...friends,' said Philip deliberately. 'We go way back.'
    'Indeed?' said Marian rather tightly. 'Well, call me a little old-fashioned—but mightn't this kind of fond greeting be better reserved for out of office hours?'
    Fond? Inside, Lisi almost choked on the word. 'Yes, of course. And Philip was just leaving, weren't you, Philip?'
    'Unfortunately, yes—I have some business to see to.' He glittered her a look which renewed the racing in her heart. ;   'But I'll be back tomorrow.'
    Lisi thought it sounded more like a threat than a promise. 'Back?' she questioned weakly. 'Tomorrow?'
    'Of course. You haven't forgotten that you're going to sell me a house, have you, Lisi?'

           
    Lisi blinked at him in confusion. Had she had missed something along the way? 'A house?' He had mentioned nothing about a house!
    'That's why I'm here,' he said gently. 'I'm looking for a weekend cottage—or something on those lines.'
    Was she being offered a lifeline? In the old days he had done deals for rich contemporaries of his from university— they had valued his taste and his discretion.
    'You mean you're buying for someone else?' Lisi stared up at him hopefully.
    Her obvious resistance only increased his desire for I her—although maybe she knew that. Maybe that was pre-cisely why she was batting those aquamarine eyes at him like that and unconsciously thrusting the narrow curves of her hips forward. 'Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart—but I'm looking for a country home for myself.'
    Lisi's world threatened to explode in a cloud of black dust. 'Around here? she questioned hoarsely.
    'Sure. Why not? I know the area. It's very beautiful— and just about commutable from London.' His eyes mocked her. 'Sounds just about perfect to me.'
    'Does it?' asked Lisi dully.
    'Yes, of course we'll be delighted to find something for you, Mr Caprice,' said Marian crisply. 'I can look for you myself, if you prefer.'
    He shook his head. 'Oh, no,' he contradicted softly. 'I'm | quite happy to deal with Lisi.'
    Well, I'm not happy to deal with you, she thought hysterically, but by then it was too late. He was charm personified to Marian as he said goodbye, and then he took Lisi's hand in his and held it for just a little longer than was necessary while he held her gaze.
    'Goodbye, Lisi. Until tomorrow.'
    'Goodbye, Philip.' She swallowed, while inside her heart raced with fear and foreboding.

She stood in silence with Marian as they watched him leave and Lisi's hands were shaking uncontrollably as the door clanged shut behind him.
    Marian turned to look at her and her eyes were unexpectedly soft with sympathy. 'So when are you going to tell him, Lisi?' she asked softly.
    Time froze. Lisi froze. 'Tell him what?'
    'The truth, of course.' She placed a perfectly manicured hand on Lisi's shaking arm. 'He's the father of your child, isn't he?'

CHAPTER TWO
    Lisi stared at Marian. 'You can't know that!' she babbled, and now her knees really were threatening to give way. 'Tim looks nothing like him!'
    'Sit down, dear, before you fall down.' Marian gently pushed her back down onto her chair and went and poured a glass of water from the cooler, then handed it to her. 'Now drink this—you've gone even paler than usual.'
    Lisi sucked the chilled liquid into her parched mouth and then shakily manoeuvred it to a corner of her desk before raising her eyes beseechingly to her boss. 'He doesn't look anything like Philip,' she repeated stubbornly.
    'Lisi,' said Marian patiently. 'Tim is your living image— but that doesn't mean that he hasn't