The Mistress's Child Read Free Page B

inherited any of his father's characteristics. Sometimes a mother can blind herself to what she doesn't want to see. Sometimes it's easier for an outsider to see the true picture. I knew immediately that Philip was Tim's father.'
    'But how?' Lisi demanded brokenly.
    Marian sighed. 'Well, Tim is an unusually tall boy for his age—we've always said that. He has his father's strength and stature—and there's a certain look of him in the shape of his face, too.'
    A chasm of frightening dimensions was beginning to open up in front of Lisi's feet. 'A-anything else?' she demanded hoarsely.
    Marian shrugged awkwardly. 'Well, I've never seen you behave like that with a man before—'
    'Because he was hugging me in the office, you mean?'
    'Hugging you?'  Marian  raised her eyes  to heaven.

'That's a new way to describe it! He looked more like he wanted to eat you up for breakfast, lunch and tea—and vice versa. Like no one else existed in the universe other than him.'
    And he had always had that effect on her—even though she could have been nominated for an Oscar, so hard had she always tried to hide it in the past. Philip could do and behave exactly as he pleased and Lisi would always be there with a smile for him. No questions, Lisi. Weak Lisi. Foolish Lisi.
    Well, not any longer!
    'It must have been a very passionate relationship,' observed Marian.
    If only she knew!
    'The question is, what are you going to tell him?'
    Lisi shook her head. 'I'm not. I'm not going to tell him.'
    Marian screwed her eyes up. 'Oh, Lisi—do you honestly think that's a good idea?'
    Lisi shook her head. I know it isn't ideal, but it's the only thing I can do.'
    'But why, dear? Why not tell him? Don't you think he has the right to know that he has a beautiful son?'
    'The right?' Lisi looked at her boss and knew that she could not tell her whole story—but part of the story would surely make her point for her. And illustrate as well as anything just how little she had meant to Philip.
    'Marian—he walked out on me. He made it clear that he thought our night together was a big mistake, and that he wanted nothing more to do with me.'
    Marian frowned. 'One night? That's all it was? Just one night?'
    Lisi nodded. 'That's right.' She saw Marian's rather shocked face. 'Oh, it wasn't the classic one-night stand— believe me.' It hadn't even been meant to happen. I...I used to see him every couple of months or so,' she continued painfully. 'We had grown to like one another, though  I realise now that I never really knew him, or anything I about him. But the "affair" wasn't really an affair, as I such.' In fact, it hadn't lasted beyond midnight.
    'But isn't it time he found out the truth—whatever has happened between you? I have
    children of my own, Lisi, I and children need a father wherever possible. They need to know their roots and where they come from.'
    Lisi sighed. How could she possibly explain this without sounding scheming and cold-hearted? 'Maybe I'll tell him if he shows any sign of wanting to be a father, but if I just announce it without careful consideration—can't you just imagine the consequences? Philip demanding contact. Philip turning up to take Tim out...' Philip taking Tim's affection... while feeling nothing for her but lust at best, and contempt at worst. 'Tim doesn't even know about Philip!'
    'But surely other people round here must know he's the father? Someone must know?'
    Lisi shook her head. Her night with Philip had gone un- noticed and unremarked upon, and that was how she had kept it. No one knew the truth except for her mother, and that had been a death-bed secret. Even her best friend Rachel thought that her refusal to divulge the identity of Tim's father was down to some fierce kind of pride at having been deserted, but it went much deeper than that.
    Lisi had accepted that Philip could and had just walked out of her life—but she had vowed that he would never play emotional ping-pong with that of her son. A child