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'I didn't,' he murmured with dark satire

But he had He had His life had gone on afterwards

Hers had stopped dead It hadn't been worth it, none of her proud defences had been worth it four years ago In one sense she had driven hiht about her onfall Had he known that she loved him, he would have trusted her more than he had and that day he wouldn't have sat in the car instead of crossing the street to speak to her

'I phoned you…I phoned you in Italy,' she told hi to tell you about the baby-' His ebony brows drew together 'I received no call-' 'Giulia cae,' Ashley confessed starkly 'There really wasn't anything to say'

He groaned so in his own defence His dark features broodingly tense, he avoidedline across his blunt cheekbones He started up the car again 'It's getting late,' he said flatly

'Can't we forget about lunch?' she enquired hopefully 'Phone and make an excuse?' He tensed 'No'

'I don't feel like socialising'

'It's out of the question We have to show,' he asserted wryly

Half an hour later, she was dredged froe realisation that the car was passing familiar landistered uncomfortably

'Where do these people live?' she asked stiffly 'Not far from here'

'I grew up around here,' she divulged reluctantly 'You could be more precise'

'You can give me directions e reach your home town'

Ashley stopped breathing 'Is that where they live?' she demanded

Vito cast her a rueful glance and sighed 'I' you home, cara'

She froze in shock 'I don't believe you!'

'I phoned your mother yesterday and she invited us down to lunch-'

'Stop the car!' Ashley gasped 'I'!' 'Yes, you are,' Vito contradicted flatly 'And you're going to mend fences It's my fault that you're at odds with your fa that I can do for you-'

'Do for e of hysteria Co the source of her distress, Vito dealt her a soothing but arrogant smile 'They won't reject you Your mother can't wait to see you She was in tears on the phone'

Ashley could believe that, but she was equally well aware that her htest effort to see her in recent years Sylvia Forrester had abided obediently by her husband's rules, so why on earth was she inviting them to lunch? Was it possible that time had softened her father? She wanted to believe that so much it hurt She hadsince arrived up on the doorstep of her own volition had she not been conscious that such defiance would only cause more trouble for her htly

'Fathers don't hate their children My father would have been equally outraged if one of e The situation is quite different now that we are o,' he draith complete conviction

He didn't understand, and already they were driving through the town He didn't need her directions Staverston wasn't that big and her father's car showroom dominated the end of the main street Her home was only fifty yards beyond, set back from the road, an Edwardian detached behind a low brick wall Cli out of the car, Vito scanned her paralysed stillness 'Coed

Susan answered the doorbell, looking pale and tense Vito introduced hiarden,' she said uncomfortably 'Mum invited us down I hope you don't mind'

'The more, the merrier,' Ashley quipped 'Tim?' 'He's in Greece with his friends Dad's treat' Ashley arden and abruptly Susan barred her path, eaze 'Dad doesn't know you're co,' she shared in a tre this-' Before Ashley could respond, her father's harsh voice sounded forth fro in a well-reht Ashley out in a cold sweat 'I'n utless fool Arnold? How dare you waste my money on…'

For a timeless moment of horror the three of them were a frozen tableau Ashley could hear her y and placation Her stomach turned over sickly