Page 72 of Reckless Kiss

“For you to gain something you are not entitled to yet.”

“You own the entire island. Why the hell are you making me jump through hoops to get to wedding business and cottages?”

“I don’t want to argue about this anymore, Archer. You have your wife-to-be. You have your wedding booked. So what exactly is the problem?”

His aunt dropped into her chair and pulled the wrap tighter around her body, seemingly weary. He didn’t buy it for a second. His aunt was a master manipulator and a bitter one at that.

“Are there any more surprises you will spring on me?”

A knock sounded at the door, and Bailey entered with a woman behind him.

“How are you today, Miss Turner?” the woman asked as she approached his aunt.

“You can go now, Archer,” his aunt said.

“Archer Turner?” the woman asked as she held onto Aunt Cynthia’s wrist, her fingers at the pulse point.

“Yes, that’s me,” he said, not recognising her.

“I’m Heidi Shaw,” she replied.

“Keith’s sister?”

“The very same.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t recognise you. How are you?”

“I’m doing great. It’s been years since I last saw you, probably when all four of you were together before Jason set off for college.”

“It’s been a while since Keith and Jasonhave talked.”

“Yeah. We came to your dad’s funeral but stayed at the back. We didn’t want to upset him on such an awful day.”

His aunt wrenched her hand out of Heidi’s hand, hiding it under her shawl. “Have you come to reminisce or check up on me?” she asked.

“I’ll get going. Congratulations on being the island doctor,” he said.

“I’m a nurse. The midwife, actually. I double up on the house calls for routine check-ups to take the weight off the surgery. Most of my time is in the car going to see the pregnant women on the island, so doing your aunt’s monthly check-up is no bother.”

“And if you stopped talking, you could get along with what you should be doing,” his aunt said.

Archer raised his hand to wave farewell and left the morning room. He was in no doubt his aunt was avoiding him all week.

By the time he’d gone outside to meet Ralph, the pool was empty, with no ripples on the surface. He doused down the disappointment of not seeing Erica, of missing her. Three weeks until they were married and three weeks until he got his hands on the business that would employ his siblings. He’d marry a woman who was only pretending.

It was what they initially set out to do. Unfortunately, Archer was the fool who fell for an actress.

Archer strode to the gardener’s shed at the foot of the lawns hidden behind the tallest trees to find Ralph. He was sitting in a deck chair, looking at a woman in a trouser suit.

“I’ll make sure he does his homework, Freya. I appreciate you coming out to the Hall to give me the assignments.”

“It’s no problem, Ralph. I caught a lift with Heidi. We carpool while I see students, and she sees the mums to be.”

“Who is pregnant here?” Ralph asked.

“Heidi is doing Miss Turner’s check-up.”

“She’s strong as an ox and will outlive us all,” Ralph said.

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