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“I did no such thing, Duncan. I’ve never hurt anyone in my life, and I refuse to take responsibility for your father’s marriage. I don’t expect you to like me, but I do expect some respect from you. You do not know me. Do not presume to judge me.”
He felt taken back by her words. She was nothing like his mother had painted.
“I apologise. I’ve heard so much about you,” he said.
“And yet you haven’t met me. I think you’d be pleasantly surprised.”
“Why are you being nice?” he asked. “I threw you out of your home.”
She chuckled. “Do you really think your father hadn’t prepared for everything? I have never lived in that villa in Italy. I never wanted to. Your mother left a cold shell. Your father never dethroned her. She left willingly and in turn ruined every chance your father had to build a relationship with you.”
“You don’t know what happened.”
“Regardless of it, he asked me to give you this.” She handed him an envelope. “He wanted you to be happy. I hope you’ve found happiness with your wife.”
Miranda got up to leave. He didn’t call her back. Duncan stared at the letter she’d given him. Part of him wanted to tear it up while the other needed to know more.
He opened the letter. His father’s writing reminded him of being a boy. Duncan began to read.
To my beloved son, Duncan,
As I write this tears spill from my eyes. I know I shouldn’t admit this, but so much has been wasted over a fight that was not your fault. I love you, son.
If you’re reading this, then that can only mean one thing. I am dead, and we are still not speaking to each other. I know you hate me for divorcing your mother and marrying Miranda, but I’ve been in love with Miranda all of my life. I was a teenage boy when I fell for her, Duncan. She means the world to me and I hope you’re happy with the woman you married. Your mother and I were never meant to be together. Your grandfather begged me to marry her, and I did to let him die at peace on his deathbed.
It nearly destroyed Miranda when she heard that the man she had given her heart and innocence to had left her to marry a wealthy heiress. Miranda was poor, but I loved her, and she loved me. I can’t go into too much detail of the pain I caused, only I spent the rest of my life trying to make up for it. She left me, and I couldn’t find her. By then, my relationship with your mother had produced you. An heir.
I couldn’t live without the woman I loved, and I searched until I found her.
I found Miranda broken in a London hospital. My name was the only one on her, so I claimed her and helped her to survive. I wanted her so badly, but I had hurt her so much she would not speak or allow me to come near her. I divorced your mother because I knew we’d never be happy. She left the villa in Italy even though I’d taken Miranda away from there.
I’m not a proud man. I’ve been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and I know I’m not going to make it past this year. Miranda will be all alone. I wanted you to know that I love you, Duncan. Out of everything I’ve done that I regret, you’re not part of it. I’m proud of you, son, and hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive an old man in love.
Love
Your father
P.S Do not blame Miranda for my faults. She is the innocent one in all of this.
Duncan closed the letter with tears pouring from his eyes. There had been so much wasted. The time he’d spent hating his father should have been time spent getting to know the man.
Tess walked into the office ten minutes later. He was still crying.
“Duncan? What’s wrong?” she asked. He opened his arms waiting for her to come to him.
He handed her the letter his father had written. Duncan picked her up in his arms carrying her to his office sofa. He sat with her in his lap as she read the letter. For the rest of the afternoon he spent the time telling her about his father and Miranda.
Tess listened as he spoke. Her fingers ran through his hair. Sex was the last thing on his mind.
“What has your mother said about all of this?” she asked.
“My mother won’t talk to me until I divorce you,” he said to her.
“Me?”
“When she found out I’d married a woman with no money of her own, she refused to talk to me. The only news I can give her is my divorce. She thinks I’ve been stupid.” He wiped the tears from his eyes.
“What do you think?”
“You’re carrying my child, Tess. I’m not letting you go.” He kissed her lips then held her close. “I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not a saint. I never have been. I hope you can forgive me for the way I treated you when we first met.”
She chuckled. “So, we didn’t have the most conventional of starts. Regardless of how we got here, Duncan, we’re here.” She grabbed his hand to rest on her stomach. “And we have a family. A small family but a family we can be proud of.”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“You took a chance?” She smiled then settled down in his lap. “Do you want to go home? This must have taken you by surprise.”
“I need to talk to my mother. Is it okay if I drop you off at home?” he asked.
“Sure. I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”
Duncan drove her home and made sure she got in safely before making his way to where his mother lived. It was a two hour drive, but it gave him enough time to clear his head.
The housekeeper opened the door looking put out. He knew his mother wasn’t the nicest person to work for.
“Mr. James, I don’t think your mother expected you to visit.”
“I imagine she’s cursing my name, Tilly. I’m not leaving until I speak with her.”
“Then go on through. I want no part in this.” Duncan watched the older woman move away.
He found his mother seated by the fire reading a book. The moment he walked in she sent him a glare but remained in her book.
“Hello, mother.” Staring at her now he understood the attraction with Miranda.
“I hope you’ve come to tell me you’ve divorced that woman. What an awful situation. I’ve had Yvonne ringing me constantly. That woman is at least a little better than that tramp you’ve married. At least she is already part of your crowd.”
“You know Yvonne?” he asked. Duncan felt his stomach dip. What the hell was that woman doing with his mother?
“Of course. She’s the woman you should have married.”
“That woman is no lady. She sleeps around and is in no way worth the spot as my wife. Tess is worth a million of her.”
His mother snorted. “You’re as pathetic as your father. He couldn’t get past his affection for that whore of a woman. I showed him though. You didn’t speak another word to him. I promised him if he chose that bitch over me I’d make him pay.”
Duncan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You planned this?”
“Of course, you stupid boy. I was not going to be passed over for that slut. I had money, and I’d given him a son. He could have kept her on as his little plaything. I didn’t care. The moment he wanted more, I took care of it.”
“You ruined any chance of a relationship I might have had.”
“Stop your whining, boy. Yvonne should be arriving at your home to take the trash out.”
“What?”
“I told Yvonne she needed to go and fight for you. Tess doesn’t stand a chance against her beauty.”
Duncan finally saw everything falling into place. The callousness of his mother. The truth hidden behind his father. All the pain and loss caused by this woman and her determination to destroy any relationship he could have with his father.
“When did she leave?” he demanded.
“Ten minutes before you arrived. Be a gem and do this for your mother. You’re worth so much more. Tess can be your plaything.”
“Tess is pregnant with my child. I love her, and I’ve been a fool when it comes to you. You ruined my relationship with my father, but you won’t ruin any more of my life. I’m done with you. You can find your own way. As far as I’m concerned I have no mother.” Duncan walked out without looking back.
He got in his car and drove towards home. He dialled his home number. Two hours felt like a lifetime.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Tess worked on her story. Duncan had opened up to her, and she felt everything was going to fall into place. She phoned her father in the hope he’d finally answer her questions.
“Hello,” he said on the third ring.
“Hi, dad, it’s me.”
“Hi, Tess. How are you?” he asked.
They made small talk for several moments, her heart racing. Whenever she approached the subject of her mother he always cut her off and refused to talk about it.
