Jonathan processed the information. He dropped Kelsey’s hand and clasped his fingers together, his knuckles whitening. ‘Adrian Armadale? I know who that is. He’s the hack who wrote that hatchet job exposé on me and Peony. The whole damn thing was lies! He said we were getting married, talked about Peony like she was trash. Do you know how muchhurtthat article caused us? And all for some front page gossip.’
Kelsey gulped. ‘No, it can’t be!’ She still had that newspaper shoved somewhere under her bed with the rest of her books and magazines and she rummaged for it now, pulling it out and scanning the front page. ‘He’s right,’ she said slowly. ‘Look. Itwaswritten by Adrian Armadale. There’s his name. I’m so stupid. I should have remembered that name, remembered he was a two-bit hack.’ She turned the front page towards Mirren who peered at it with growing dread.
‘Thisis the guy you trust to keep it a secret?’ Jonathan raised his voice and Mirren stepped back against the kitchen cabinet. She knew her tears were on their way, but Jonathan wasn’t done yet.
He turned on Kelsey now. ‘Youknewabout this? And you didn’t tell me?’
‘I didn’tknowknow. I just had an inkling and… I asked Mirren to investigate.’
‘How did you get thisinkling?’
‘Show him the book, Mirren. Wagstaff’s biography with the pictures in it. You looked so similar, it got us wondering…’
Mirren was shaking her head, blanching horribly. ‘I don’t have the book. I gave it to Adrian.’
‘And where is he now, this Adrian guy?’ Jonathan practically growled the words.
Mirren still didn’t know and her blank look said as much. It also signalled to Kelsey there was more to tell about how Mirren now stood with Adrian Armadale after their cosy Christmas Eve together.
Jonathan forced an exasperated breath.
‘It’s not Mirren’s fault, it’s mine.’ Kelsey was standing now, spreading her hands pleadingly. ‘I didn’t want to tell you until we had some real proof – other than you two looking identical.’ Her eyes welled with tears.
‘What proofdoyou have?’ Jonathan asked, his voice increasingly terse.
All eyes fell on Mirren and she tried to explain. ‘Itum… it was Adrian’s boss who told us. He used to know your mum and Wagstaff and he remembered…’
It was Kelsey who snapped this time. ‘Mr Ferdinand knows? Oh my God, Mirren!’
‘No, he doesn’t know; not about Jonathan anyway. He only mentioned the pregnancy. He doesn’t know you’re the son.’
Jonathan sprang to his feet. ‘You’re talking aboutme,’ he jabbed at his chest, ‘and my mom like we’re some trashy newspaper story!’ Distraught, his jaw softened and tears fell fast down his cheeks. When he spoke again his voice was curt and suspicious. ‘Why did youreallywant to know?’ He was feeling the pain and finding his voice now. ‘You lost your job recently, didn’t you, Mirren?’
‘Jonathan, please don’t,’ Kelsey begged, to no effect.
‘A scoop like this is just what you needed to impress Mr Ferdinand and this Adrian and get yourself back in the game, isn’t it? I can’t believe you’d do this to me.’
Mirren was silent.
‘Jonathan, you’re wrong,’ Kelsey cried out through her tears.
‘Andyou!’ He turned his burning eyes on Kelsey. ‘You let them do this. You didn’t eventhinkto mention it to me first!’
‘I did, I tried. You said you didn’t want to know the truth, but I…’
‘What? Youwhat?’ he barked.
‘I thought everybody deserves to know who their dad is.’ She gasped a deep breath. ‘Everybody should be able to talk to their dad if he’s out there somewhere, missing them. And I thought…’
‘But he’s not missing me. He’s never missed me. He broke Mom’s heart, he ended her career, and he abandoned us both.’ His face was wet with tears.
Kelsey couldn’t help herself. ‘He’s old and he lives right here in town. If you’re going to meet, you should do it soon. I know he’ll love you and…’
‘Meet?’ Jonathan pushed a hand through his hair. ‘Meet?’
‘I don’t even haveonedad,’ Kelsey sobbed. ‘You’ve got two, Jonathan! I thought you’d want the chance to at least know about your other father, and maybe you could talk…’
‘This isn’t about you, Kelsey, or your dad.’ He drew up short at the shock on Kelsey’s face.
