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she misinterpreted my intentions and thought I was about to rape her. For that, I m sorry,
but in broad daylight I have about as much interest in that skinny, nutty kid as I have in
the little parlourmaid!
She had not heard her son so vehement about anything for many years, and in a different
situation it might have pleased her that he had lost that air of nonchalance that made him
seem such a cold uncaring individual.
What are we going to do about the child? she queried anxiously, deciding to close the
subject of last night.
What areyou going to do about her, you mean. Adam strode to the tallboy and whipped
out his suit jacket. I m going back to London in the hire car, and if I ever have to come
back to this morgue, he growled, his gesture taking in the house, or have to meet that
crazy girl again, it will be too soon! Do what you like with her. I just don t care as long
as you keep her well away from me. She s bad news as far as I m concerned!
Nancy was unsure how much he really meant, since her son must know she wouldn t
abandon Serena.
You can become her guardian, as per the terms of the will, but I ll be very happy to look
after her, she returned quietly, and mitigated his pitiless assertions with, And I think it s
probably a good idea for you to stay away for a while until she s a little better... until
she s ready to face the world again.
God help it, he muttered to himself in reply to his mother s optimism, but some of the
anger was draining from him, leaving him to wonder more rationally at its source. He
should have been able to laugh at his mother s insinuations, or at least shrug them off.
You ll stay to lunch?
Adam hardened himself to the plea in her voice. No, I ve got to get back. I promised to
take Julia out this evening. A small fabrication, since he doubted he would relish Julia s
company in his present mood.
Take care. Months went by often when they didn t see each other, but this had the
atmosphere of a real parting. Nancy Carmichael was close to tears; she felt, however
ridiculous, that he had put her in the position of choosing between him and the girl. She
reached out and tentatively touched his arm. Don t turn your back on us, Adam.
He stiffened, but responded with forced lightness, I ll see you when you come down to
London. Don t bury yourself up here.
I don t see it that way. Looking after Serena will give me something worthwhile to do
with my life.
The grandchild I never gave you? he suggested, and smiled, although he had never felt
less like doing so when he saw the suspicion of tears in her ageless eyes.
Yes, perhaps, she admitted, and returned his smile.
Come on. He picked his keys and wallet off the bedside table and curved his arm round
her shoulders. See me down to the car.
They walked slowly down the stairs, not saying much, and emerged into bright sunlight
that stole some of the bleakness from the environment. Adam appeared perfectly relaxed
as he unlocked the car, slipped out of his suit jacket and tossed it carelessly in the back
seat, but when he straightened and his eyes drifted upwards to the second storey, he knew
he was running rather than walking away.
A small face unflinchingly returned his stare. In all likelihood she was looking through,
not at him, but he imagined it to be accusing him of cowardice.
He spun round and gripped his mother s arms, not conscious of the pressure he was
exerting in his sudden urgency. Listen, Mother, you get a psychiatrist for that kid.
Today. Now! His voice was almost a growl as he read the doubt flickering in her eyes.
It s no kindness to pretend she s normal. She isn t. And whatever reason Andrea had for
locking her up in her ivory tower, I don t think it was kindness.
I I m not sure I understand, Nancy stammered her bewilderment at the change in her
son s attitude.
He couldn t explain it wasn t much more than an impression of something sinister
about the whole set-up. Just get someone in straight away.
He was gone within seconds of receiving her promise, but he had left his sense of
urgency, and Nancy, flicking through her sister s telephone book, dialled the family
doctor. The first stage had begun.
She cried the first month about nothing, about everything. She remembered a pinpoint
light in her eyes and a voice that said, She s had some sort of cathartic shock, probably
her stepmother s death, but she s definitely back with us, and a silver-haired woman
smiling towards her. But Serena wished she wasn t; she wanted to return to the shadows
of the distant past. I ve got a friend, the voice continued, he s over at St Thomas s...
And later another voice. But this one seemed younger and didn t wear tweed or smell of
pipe tobacco. He couldn t be a doctor, could he?
Call me Simon, the voice had said, sitting next to her at the window after the others had
left them alone.
And despite five years out of the world, Serena recognised the nature of the man.
You re not wearing a white coat, she accused, when he talked on in a reassuring tone,
undaunted by her refusal to acknowledge him.
Should I be? he asked mildly.
Yes, I think so, she replied thoughtfully, and recalling a song that had been playing on
the radio one summer her parents had taken her on a visit back to England, she said with
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