Page 75 of Convenient Rivals

“Seventeen and fifteen.”

“Holy shit.”

“That woman thinks they’re entitled to your grandfather’s money. She’s threatening to go to the press.”

“And?”

“Your father’s reputation is on the line here.”

“How are you defending him, when he’s kept a secret family from you for almost two decades?”

She looked at the floor, but he saw her face redden.

“How long have you known about this?”

“Your father and I. We have... an arrangement.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re in an open marriage?”

Her face went a beetroot colour. Oscar couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but the sound of Gregory trying to suppress his laughter snapped him out of his bewilderment.

“This isn’t funny.”

“Oh, but it is.”

“Don’t you dare breathe a word of this to Lavinia,” said his mother.

Gregory held his hands up in defeat. “Absolutely. She’s the last person I’d share this with.”

“You can’t share this with anyone,” she snapped.

“Have you met my sisters?” asked Oscar, to steer the conversation back on track. The last thing he needed was Gregory and his mother having a spat.

“No... they don’t know your father is married, or about you.”

“Great, we’ll call her bluff, then. See if she wants to hurt her own kids.”

“Oscar,” said Gregory. “That’s not you. Hurting two innocent girls... That’s not the man I love.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. Forget I said that.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Gregory.

“I literally don’t know.”

He didn’t know what to do. Oscar didn’t want or need the money, but something didn’t feel right about handing it over to people who were effectively strangers, especially because it had belonged to his grandfather.

“Is that why you kept setting me up with all those toffs? So you could get the money yourself?”

“I knew you wouldn’t like any of those men. It was just a way to bide some time, so you didn’t meet anyone for real.”

“Okay, I guess that makes sense, in a bizarre way, and at least you don’t have terrible taste in men. Wait, what about Daniel?”

“I knew something was going on with Gregory, so I needed to find someone else. Daniel never wants to get married again, so there was no chance it would happen in the time left, but I thought he might distract you. I also knew Daniel would cater to your... tastes.”

“Stop. The less said about that the better. I don’t even want to know how you... well, just... no, let’s leave it there.”

He looked over at Gregory, who was doubled up, trying not to laugh out loud. Oscar shook his head in despair and looked over at his mother, and was gobsmacked to see she was trying not to laugh as well. The whole situation was a head fuck, but to see his mother – who had always supported him in her own way– and the man he was head over heels for, laughing together, was both outrageous and heartwarming.

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