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‘Did she say I knew her?’ He was accustoht she could use his ain!

‘Relax, Roman She hardly mentioned you at all, which,’ Natalia added heavily, ‘is hardly surprising,’ his mother reproached ‘This must have been a very painful experience for her’

‘Told you I threatened her, did she? Well, she deserved it How could anyone not have the wit to get medical help?’

Natalia stared at her son for a moment, then appeared to come to a decision She turned to the doctor ‘Philip, dear, do youI need to say to Roman’

The doctor clicked closed his case ‘Of course, no problem’

Roman flashed his friend a brief nod ‘We’ll see you back at the clinic in fifteen minutes’

Other than give an exasperated click of her tongue, Natalia did not respond to his comments

‘Is this going to take long, Mother?’ Roman asked as the door closed

‘Should I have made an appointment?’ Natalia enquired spikily ‘You ht want to re the company because I persuaded your father to retire’

It had actually been his father’s heart attack that had persuaded him and his equally reluctant brother to put their careers on hold and divide their father’s responsibilities The injection of fresh blood and new ideas had produced results that had seen the O’Hagan farow rapidly

Unfortunately the success had increased, not lessened, the tension between father and sons

‘I’ll pass on the fact that twoas frivolous as rushing to my mother’s side’

‘Don’t change the subject, Roman’

‘I wouldn’t dare if I knehat it was Are you going to tell me any time soon what exactly I’ve done?’ Rori is to mind I must admit I’m curious’

Natalia’s eyes flashed as her son gave a s in equal measure She didn’t sers the pen he was idly doodling with and banged it down on the blotter

‘Don’t do that’ Her sons had inherited their father’s Irish charm, her own dark Italian looks and, sadly, neither had very et what they wanted Ro pretty much what he wanted all his life, with one notable exception