The Parent Test

It was only the second time in Emma’s short life that she’d held the baby in her arms, but it felt so different this time—overwhelmingly different. Never had she felt so close to her sister’s cherished child, so deeply moved, so filled with love and sadness and joy, all mixed up together. It made her more determined than ever to fill the tragic void her sister’s death had left.

But what if Cam wouldn’t give up the baby, and insisted on fighting her for custody? What hope would she have of taking him to court and winning? Especially if he had a wife by the time the case came to court. A wife who would care nothing for a baby girl who wasn’t even Cam’s child—as her own stepmother, Roxy brooded, cared nothing for her.

The baby began to whimper as she spied her bottle, and Roxy murmured softly, ‘It’s coming, sweetheart, it’s coming.’

‘She should have had this earlier,’ Cam muttered as he popped the bottle into the microwave, ‘but she fell asleep before I could give it to her. We’re a bit out of our routine today.’

When the bottle was ready he let Roxy feed the baby, suggesting they go into the family room to sit in comfort. Instead of leaving her alone with Emma, he stayed to watch, lowering himself into the armchair opposite. Roxy wondered peevishly if he was still worried about leaving his niece alone with her.

She sighed. It was good that he cared so much for the baby, but not so good that he thought so little of her.

‘If you want to go and do something else, feel free,’ she invited hopefully. Her suspicion that he didn’t trust her with the baby was making her nervous. ‘You must have lots of other things you could be doing.’ With no Mary for the weekend, and no Philomena to cook and clean up for him…

She gulped as it hit her for the first time. She was here alone with him for the whole weekend. She would be alone overnight with him. And tomorrow night. And maybe she’d still be here next week as well, if Cam hadn’t agreed to hand Emma over by then. Assuming he allowed her to stay on.

She began to shake.

The baby made a querulous sound, and Roxy snapped back to earth, cooing softly until Emma settled down again, and resumed her contented sucking on the bottle.

‘I’ll never keep her from you, Roxy,’ Cam promised, his voice bringing her head up with a jerk. ‘You can see the baby whenever you want to. Any time,’ he said expansively, though his eyes were strangely hooded, she noted. ‘Whenever you’re at home’ he added with a touch of dryness. ‘I want her to be close to you, too, Roxy.’

Her blue eyes sparked fire. How generous, she thought caustically. Was he speaking for his new wife, too? Would she want a young, single aunt constantly popping into their lives? Or would she want to keep Cam and baby Emma to herself?

Roxy thought of her possessive, mean-streaked stepmother, Blanche, who’d never wanted to share her husband with anybody, not even his own daughters. Would Cam’s wife be like Blanche, jealously keeping her husband to herself? Perhaps, in time, even wanting to keep Cam from his niece as well?

Rebellion stirred in Roxy’s heart. She couldn’t allow it. She wouldn’t!

‘I’m home for good now,’ she announced firmly. ‘I’m not going on any more field trips.’ She had to make him believe it, and waste no time about it. In the days to come, while she was here at Raeburns’ Nest, she would have to make herself indispensable to the baby so that Cam would see that she was the best one to bring up their niece.

It was vital that she took little Emma from him before he plunged into another marriage, purely for the baby’s sake. Once he was married, she might find herself shut out of her niece’s life altogether, despite what Cam was promising now. His new wife would have no emotional ties with Serena’s baby, and a woman who felt nothing for a child could cause lifelong pain and psychological damage to both the child and to everyone who cared for her welfare.

Roxy felt a fierce protective urge towards the helpless baby in her arms. How could any stepmother feel as strongly for Emma as she felt?

She bowed her head over the feeding baby, hiding her eyes from Cam’s probing gaze. Even if his new wife welcomed her into their home with open arms…even if the woman proved to be a wonderful mother to Emma…how, Roxy wondered bleakly, could she bear to come back here in the future, knowing that Cam would be here…with another woman?

How could she bear to see him gazing at his wife the way he’d once, briefly but earth-shatteringly, gazed at her? How could she bear to see him holding his wife the way he’d once held her? The way he’d held her again earlier today—even if he’d only been trying to comfort her?

She almost moaned aloud, but managed to turn it into a soft humming sound instead, then into a lilting lullaby—one she remembered her own mother singing when her younger sister, Serena, was a baby. She felt her eyes fluttering as she hummed. Her jet lag was catching up with her. She jerked herself awake as her head nodded forward—unwittingly jerking the baby at the same time.

With a snort of protest, Emma snatched her mouth away from the bottle and began to wave her arms about, her big dark eyes wide and anxious now, as if she were about to cry.

‘Getting tired of the baby already, Roxy?’ Cam murmured. He was on his feet, plucking the fretful baby from her arms.

‘Hi, princess, what’s up?’ He had a small rubber dog in his hand, Roxy noticed, which he squeezed, making it squeak. Emma smiled and grabbed at it. ‘That’s better. Well…I guess you’ve had enough milk. Like a play now?’ Lowering the baby onto a colourful blanket on the floor, among her scattered toys, Cam glanced up at an indignant Roxy.

‘Taking care of a baby requires a lot of time and tience—and stamina,’ he drawled, obviously referring to the way she’d almost nodded off. ‘It isn’t as exciting as finding an ancient tomb or digging up old bones,’ he pointed out dryly. ‘It’s a relentless routine of feeds, bathing, changing nappies—including smelly, dirty ones—and keeping the baby amused and safe when she’s awake.’

Roxy found her voice, if shakily. ‘I’ve just f-flown back from America. It was a long flight and I was so worried about Emma I—I barely slept on the plane!’ She was trembling. Even her bottom lip was trembling. She realised she was dangerously close to bursting into tears again. Hysterical tears this time.

Cam would just love that, she thought, pulling herself together with an effort. Hysterical women didn’t make capable, calm mothers, he’d be thinking to himself. And he’d be right

‘Maybe you’d better go to bed and sleep it off,’ Cam suggested in a marginally gentler tone. ‘I can take care of Emma. I’ll put her in her stroller and take her for a walk along the cliffs. She loves that. Don’t worry about your dinner. I’ll leave it for you and you can heat it up in the microwave when you wake up.’

Roxy bit down on her lip, her nerve ends bristling a warning. He was letting her know that she wasn’t needed. I can take care of Emma.

‘They say it’s better for your body clock if you keep going until your normal bedtime,’ she asserted, drawing herself up and arching her back. ‘It was just sitting here for so long that made me drowsy. I’m fine now. Maybe we could have our dinner early?’ she suggested in the same breath. ‘I’ll go to bed straight after that.’ Then she wouldn’t have to spend the evening alone with Cam. She just didn’t feel up to it.

‘Whatever you say. You’re the guest’.

Just a guest, he might as well have said. She compressed her lips. He obviously didn’t expect her to stay at Raeburns’ Nest for long…didn’t believe that she was serious about giving up her field work to take care of her baby niece. Well, he’d soon find out how wrong he was.

She dropped to her knees beside the baby, who was happily chewing on her rubber dog. ‘I’ll play with Emma,’ she offered, ‘while you go and have a shave or something.’ It was a gentle reminder that Cam could do with a helping hand himself.

He paused for a moment, then said, ‘Right. I will. If Emma kicks up a fuss when I leave the room, you could try taking her for a walk in the garden. That usually works. If it doesn’t, you know where to find me. My room’s the one next to the nursery—on this side.’

He turned away, thankfully, before he could see the flush that rose to her cheeks. She had no wish to be reminded where his bedroom was!

She slept for twelve solid hours that night, not waking until nine the next morning. She had to force her eyes open against the sunlight streaming into her room. When she squinted at her watch and saw the time she groaned aloud. Cam must have been up for hours already, probably since five this morning, dealing with the baby on his own.

What would he think of her for sleeping in so late? That she didn’t care about Emma after all?

She scrambled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. She didn’t waste time showering, simply splashing her face with water to wake herself up, then dragging on jeans and a T-shirt. She didn’t even brush her hair. Not that her short jagged hairstyle looked much different when she did.

She found Cam in the kitchen feeding the baby from a Peter Rabbit bowl. For a second she paused at the doorway, entranced by the sight of this big, tall, very masculine man bending over a baby’s highchair, patiently spooning cereal into his niece’s open mouth. He was chatting away all the while, giving words of encouragement one second, glowing praise the next, and cracking the odd corny joke—for all the world like any proud real father.

She felt an emotional lump swell in her throat. Cam’s brother Hamish had been a wonderful father. Now she could see that Cam would make a great father, too.

Would she make as good a mother? She sighed, chewing on her lip. She wouldn’t have a home like this to offer Emma, for a start. Or buckets of money, like Cam, for clothes, food, creche fees, schooling… ‘Ah, good morning.’ As if sensing her presence, Cam glanced round. ‘Come in, Roxy, Emma’s just finished. Scraped the bowl clean.’ He wiped the baby’s face clean with a damp cloth. ‘Well done, princess!’ Little Emma beamed.

Roxy stepped forward, relieved that he’d made no caustic comment about her late appearance. Because he hadn’t remarked on it, she did. ‘Sorry I slept in—’ she began.

He waved a hand. ‘I’m glad you did. You’re looking much better. You were out on your feet last night.’

‘I know. Sorry, I wasn’t much company.’ She’d almost fallen asleep at the dining-room table, over his excellent dinner, which he’d served up as soon as they’d put the baby down for the night—with her tiny arms curled around her new teddy bear.

Roxy could barely even remember what they’d talked about over the meal. Nothing controversial…she would have remembered that. They’d talked a little about Hamish and Serena, she recalled with a tremor, and they’d talked about Emma and her cute habits and mannerisms, and how she learned to do something new each day. After dinner Cam had refused her offer of help in the kitchen, pointing to the automatic dishwasher, and she’d excused herself and stumbled off to bed.

‘You were just fine,’ Cam said lightly, turning back to the baby before she could read what was in his eyes. ‘I slept in, too,’ he admitted over his shoulder. ‘Emma didn’t wake until seven this morning, believe it or not. I actually had time for a shower and shave before she woke up.’

Roxy swallowed. She’d noticed. Not only was he clean-shaven, well scrubbed and smooth-haired, but he was neatly dressed in a maroon polo shirt, light-coloured pants, and smart casual shoes. Was it in her honour? she wondered dubiously. Or was he planning to go out—leaving her to care for the baby? To test her dedication, perhaps? To see if she’d be more than ready to hand the baby back after a few hours alone with her?

She soon found out. Later in the morning while the baby was taking a nap and she was hanging out some washing that she’d insisted on doing for Cam, she heard the front doorbell ring. When she came back into the kitchen she heard. voices coming from the family room. Not wanting to intrude, she slipped into the passage leading to the guest wing, deciding to take a shower and do some tidying up while she waited for Emma to wake up.

A woman’s voice wafted through the open door of the family room. ‘Let’s slip out to a restaurant for lunch, Cam, while you have the chance. This relative of yours can mind the baby for a few hours, surely?’

Roxy’s steps faltered. The woman’s voice was young and sultry, with a familiar, possessive ring. Was this Cam’s future bride?

She spun round. Why was she running away? Why not face the woman, and see what kind of mother Cam intended to inflict on her poor little niece? The sexy-voiced siren sounded more interested in having Cam take her out to Sunday lunch than in spending time with baby Emma. Roxy’s blood boiled.

She marched back to the family room. The open door revealed Cam and his female guest sitting side by side on the sofa. The woman, in a tight black dress that showed off her very noticeable curves, was swaying towards Cam, her glossy red lips pouting in invitation, her long dark hair cascading over her slender shoulders…and over Cam’s left arm.

Another ravishing brunette! Roxy’s blue eyes glinted. Was there no end to Cam’s procession of flashy brunettes? Or was this one the last of a long line? The chosen one?

Her thoughts grew blacker than ever.

Cam, she noticed as he glanced up, had some papers on his lap. She felt her heart constrict. Were he and his dark-eyed bimbo in the process of applying for a marriage license? Were these the papers they had to sign?

‘Ah, Roxy…come in.’ Cam swept the papers aside and jumped up. ‘My secretary has just popped in with some documents for me to go through. Since I’ve had Emma to look after, I’ve been doing quite a bit of work at home,’ he explained, to her secret relief. ‘I wanted to give my niece a chance to get used to having me around all the time.’

All the time… Roxy met the challenge in his eyes. He was reminding her that he intended to keep his niece. I intend to get married as soon as I can, he’d told her.

Her eyes strayed to the shapely brunette, who was rising with feline grace from the sofa. His secretary, he’d said. How convenient for him, she thought, hiding a wave of cynicism behind cool blue eyes.

‘Mirella…’ Cam turned back to the brunette with a smile that made Roxy reflect bitterly, Why can’t he smile at me like that? Like he did…once, long ago? ‘This is Emma’s aunt…Roxy Warren. Roxy’s just come back from America…and before that she was at a dig in northern Mexico. She’s an archeologist.’

Not, Roxy noted sourly, ‘She was an archeologist.’ Cam still refused to believe that she was serious about giving up her overseas field trips.

‘Roxy…’ He turned back to her, catching her eye before she had time to hide the hostility in hers. ‘This is Mirella Brazzi, who works for me at the Wollongong plant. She—’ He stopped, his head swinging round. ‘Ah! The baby’s awake. Mirella, would you mind if—’

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.