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‘It is your right to claim child support, Beth. You can’t afford to worry about Andrew’s family when it’s blatantly obvious that he didn’t give a damn about them himself.’ His voice was deep and assured and she glanced at him in surprise.
‘You sound like a lawyer. Are you?’
He shook his head. ‘Not any longer. Oh, I trained in law and practised for a number of years, but I gave it up. However, I remember enough to state that you are entitled to maintenance for the child.’
‘Well, I don’t want it!’ She pushed back the chair and stood up. ‘I’ve already told you that I don’t want anything from Andrew. The baby is mine and as far as I am concerned he has nothing to do with it any longer. He gave up any rights he had when he told that first lie!’
The man stood up also, towering over her in the close confines of the room. ‘Then all I can do is wish you luck. It won’t be easy but I’m sure you will manage. You have guts, Beth, I can see that. You’ll make it.’
He held his hand out and Beth slid her fingers into his, feeling the shiver which rippled along her skin with a start of surprise. Just for a moment she let her eyes linger on the clean, almost angular lines of his face, the steadfastness of his grey eyes, and felt a tiny ache of regret throb in her heart. If she’d had to go and fall in love why couldn’t it have been with someone like him? He would never have let her down, would never have lied to her, used her, then cast her aside.
‘Thank you,’ she said quietly. ‘You’ve been very kind, Mr…’ She stopped and smiled wryly. ‘I’ve just realised that I don’t know your name.’
He laughed deeply. ‘I guess we never had time to get around to that. It’s Kane, David Kane.’
Beth returned the pressure of his fingers, then removed her hand and picked up her bag. ‘Then thank you again, David Kane.’
She left the room, walking swiftly along the hall to the front door to open it.
‘Would you like me to drive you home?’
He had followed to stand just behind her, so close that she brushed against him as she turned. She stepped back a pace, aware that her control had reached its limit. Now all she wanted was to be by herself, to make plans, to just have time to absorb everything that had happened. ‘No, thank you. I prefer to be alone so that I can think everything through.’
‘Then I want you to promise me something.’ In the shadowy hallway his face was grave, his eyes shadowed, and for some strange reason Beth found herself unable to look away from the hypnotic gaze.
‘What?’
‘That you will come to me if you ever need help.’
‘I…’ She nodded quickly, strangely touched by the request. ‘I promise.’
‘Good.’ Very gently he smoothed a wispy curl behind her ear, his fingers lingering for a moment longer than was strictly necessary, before his hand fell to his side.
Beth turned and ran down the steps, fighting the almost overwhelming urge to turn back and ask him there and then for help. She couldn’t do that. David Kane had helped her enough today, doing more than most people would ever have done, and she didn’t have the right to ask him for anything else. Now it was up to her to work things out, to cast aside all the foolish dreams and face up to reality.
CHAPTER TWO
SHE shouldn’t have come. All the time the bus was making its way across town Beth had tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing, but now that she was here she knew it had been a mistake. An act of kindness and a hastily given promise made nearly a month ago didn’t constitute an obligation on either side.
She turned to go, then stopped when the front door of the block of flats opened and a tall blond-haired man came out. He didn’t notice her standing in the shadows of the trees which lined the drive and Beth shrank back, praying that he wouldn’t. As she watched, a woman followed him out of the door, laughing as she linked her arm through his, and stood on tiptoe to whisper something in his ear. He laughed deeply, bending to drop a light kiss on her parted red lips before turning to lead her over to where his car was parked. And that was when he suddenly caught sight of Beth.
