Read Online Lifelong Affair by Carole Mortimer - Free Book Online

her.
She turned away from that probing glance, needing to escape, needing to be
alone to think of all that Janet Fairchild had so enjoyed telling her.
    She
moved to the doorway, glancing round, suddenly aware that Alex was making his
way towards her. She didn't want to talk to him now, and she breathed a sigh of
relief as one of the numerous relatives waylaid him, slipping out of the room
unnoticed by any but those ail-seeing grey eyes.
    Mrs
Ford was in the nursery with Courtney, cuddling the unusually fretful baby. 'I
think he ate too much,' she smiled as Morgan came into the room.
    'Probably,'    she    smiled,    knowing    her    nephew's appetite well.   'Would you like to go down to the
kitchen and get yourself a cup of tea?' she offered. 'I'll stay with Courtney.'
Well, if you're sure...?'
    'Very,'
she nodded, knowing that after Janet Fairchild's vehemence Courtney's innocence
was what she needed.
    "Thank
you,' Mrs Ford smiled. 'I won't say it wouldn't be very welcome.'
    Morgan
took the crying Courtney from the other woman, her expression softening as she
gazed down at his cherubic features; he had filled out in just the last week.
He stopped crying as soon as she took him into her arms.
    'He
knows.' The nurse looked down at them, her own expression softened by the
lovely picture Morgan made holding the baby.
    Morgan
was bemused by the perfection of the tiny human being in her arms; she never
ceased to be amazed by how beautiful her nephew was. 'Knows?' she echoed
softly, deep blue eyes staring up at her as Courtney sucked on his fist.
    "That
you love him,' Mrs Ford murmured. 'Oh, I love him too, but he senses that it
isn't the same as what you feel for him. Babies are very intelligent when it
comes to the people who care for them.'
    She
wondered if that were the reason Courtney invariably cried when Rita Hammond or
her daughter picked him up. And why he slept in Alex Hammond's arms? Alex was a
part of this hateful family too, and yet Courtney instinctively trusted him.
    'I
shouldn't be long,' the nurse nodded.
    Morgan
didn't mind how long she was, she had no inclination to go back downstairs and
join the vultures, would much prefer to spend the time with Courtney.
    But
she couldn't stop herself from looking for some resemblance to Mark in the
sleepy features beneath her. The bright red hair was strictly Glenna, the blue
eyes, normal in most newborn babies, could have come from either parent. Of
course there was the determination in the little chin that the nurse at the
hospital had noticed, but Glenna had been very forceful, and Morgan had a
stubborn streak herself. No, there was not one feature to distinguish Courtney
as a Hammond.
    'I
thought I might find you here.'
    She
looked up at the sound of that familiar raspy voice, looking straight into Alex
Hammond's harsh face. He leant against the door-jamb watching her. She wondered
how long he had been standing there; she hadn't been aware of his presence
until he spoke.
    Colour
flushed her cheeks as she recalled her thoughts of a few minutes ago. Did this
man also think Glenna had had an affair, that Courtney wasn't his brother's
child? He gave no indication of harbouring any such thoughts about Glenna, but
then he wasn't a man who gave away much of his thoughts, about anything. And
perhaps if it were the truth his mother's resentment towards Glenna needed no
further explanation.
    'I
couldn't stand that circus any longer, she told him coldly, at once on the
defensive.
    His
mouth tightened, but he gave no other indication of his anger, and his voice
was mild when he spoke. 'Would you rather
no one had shown their respect?'
    'Respect
I could understand. That,' she nodded in the
direction of downstairs, 'is no better than a farce. They act as if this
was a party!'
    'Would
you rather they all stood about crying?'
    'At
least it would be more natural!'
    He
gave an impatient sigh. 'You call hiding in here natural?' he scorned. 'You can
put Courtney down now,' he