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‘Sally?’ Poppy queried

‘Yes yes, it’s this baby thing She’s got it into her head that she wants a baby,’ he blurted out ‘She knee got married that I’m not like James Of course I want a family, but not yet I want to have Sally to myself for a while but she won’t listen to me’

‘Oh, Chris, I’m so sorry,’ Poppy sy to about this,’ she advised hiently, ‘not me’

It was odd how the boyish look which had once caught so painfully at her heart now just made her feel cousinly—motherly almost

‘Yes, I suppose you are right,’ Chris agreed ruefully, adding warether, Poppy You’ve always been special to ive her a fierce hug that took her breath away as well as her balance

Neither of them heard the door open or saw Ja on here?’

It was Chris who answered him, apparently oblivious to his fury and Poppy’s anxiety as he responded cheerfully, ‘Sorry, James; I just caet what you said,’ he told her, before glancing at his watch and announcing, ‘I’d better get back; Sally will be wondering where I am’

Poppy trembled as she saw the way James watched her as Chris closed the door and left

‘And what exactly was it that you said, that he won’t forget?’ he de him how much you still love him, Poppy? How much you still want him?’

‘No,’ Poppy cried out in shocked protest ‘No, Ja like that Chris—’

‘Don’t lie to me, Poppy,’ James interrupted her harshly ‘There isn’t any point We both kno you feel about Chris How did you get him to come here? What did you tell him? That you wished he’d been the one you’d married, that he was the one you wanted when you lay in my arms—is that what you told him?’

‘No,’ Poppy denied, alarmed by the violence in his voice ‘No, of course not James, you’ve—’

‘No! What did you tell hied me to make love to you about the way you pleaded with me to satisfy you?’

Poppy stared at hiry, so out of control

‘My God, you couldn’t wait long enough to ot hi on, Poppy? How often has he been co round when I’m not here?’

Suddenly Poppy had had enough, her shock giving way to pain as she retaliated bitterly, ‘Why should you care? You’re never here and—’

‘And Chris, of course, is What did you do to get him here—pretend you needed a cousin’s shoulder to cry on? What exactly are you hoping for, Poppy? You know he doesn’t want you’

‘Yes, I do,’ she agreed starkly, her eyes registering her anguish as she mentally added, And, much more importantly, neither do you

‘Chris came here to talk tounder the weight of her pain ‘He’s concerned because she wants to start a fareed that they would wait for a while’

‘A family Is that when you told him that she’s not the only one to want his child? Is that why he told you that you were very special to him?’

Poppy couldn’t conceal her small flush as he repeated the words Chris had said to her

‘Chris just came here for adviceas a cousin,’ she told him shakily

‘A cousin! Is that why you were in his arms?’ James asked sarcastically

‘Ja?’ Poppy protested as he pushed past her and into the hall

‘To get what I ca howhoot some papers I need and so I had to come back for them’

Poppy heard the door slam as he went into the s in the kitchen when he walked back in

‘Jao on like this’

‘So what do you suggest we do? Get a divorce?’ he deely ‘Get out ofwe’ll both regret’ He paused in the doorway to turn round and tell her brutally, ‘And I warn you now, if you do ever find a way of persuading my brother to fulfil those adolescent fantasies of yours, I promise I’ll make the pair of you sorry you were ever born You don’t really love him, Poppy; you don’t knohat real love is’

No, I don’t love hiine of his car fire as he started it, the tears pouring down her face I love you