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Chapters (41)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. PENGUIN BOOKS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘And am I the father of the child you are expecting?’

Jenny flinched when she saw the colour drain from Gloria’s face, and the alarm of Mr and Mrs Tremain. Oh, Lord, she thought, they don’t know. Their daughter must have been hiding this from them.

‘What is this nonsense?’ Gloria’s father asked Matt.

‘Ask your daughter, sir.’ Matt faced the parents. ‘Gloria has been trying to make trouble by telling Jen a pack of lies. I’m sorry to upset you, but I want the truth – and now!’

Mr Tremain nodded and glared at his daughter. ‘I don’t know what you’ve been up to, my girl, but you will answer Matthew.’

Gloria stood up and lifted her head defiantly. ‘I am not engaged to him, but I am pregnant. He is not the father, though.’

Jenny sagged in relief and cursed herself for being so gullible.

Gloria rounded on Matt, now out of control and shouting. ‘What do you want with her? Look at her, in her shabby clothes. How can you prefer her to me?’

‘Gloria!’ Her father caught her arm. ‘Sit down. If you really are with child, then you must marry the man who is responsible.’

‘I can’t!’ She sat as ordered and folded her arms. ‘He’s already married.’

Mrs Tremain was crying quietly as her husband turned to Matt and Jenny. ‘I can only apologize for our daughter’s conduct. We will deal with her.’

Matt nodded grimly. ‘I’m sorry you’ve had to find out like this, but I couldn’t let Jen be upset by Gloria’s lies.’

Without saying another word they left the house. Jenny couldn’t help but feel sorry for the parents. They now had a great problem on their hands. And so did she. Matt wouldn’t want anything else to do with a girl who had believed such malicious lies about him.

What a damned fool she was!

37

Matt didn’t take Jenny home; instead he headed for his own house in Mayfair. She didn’t argue or speak, because she was feeling too ashamed of herself for having doubted him. And she had probably done irreparable damage to their relationship. She couldn’t blame him if he wanted to find somewhere private to have this out with her.