Sarah's Secret (13 page)

Liam embraced his parents, then with a grin at Jake
kissed Sarah on both cheeks. ‘Welcome to the family, Sarah. He’s a good guy,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Only don’t tell him I said so.’

The meal was an exuberant affair, with everyone helping themselves from a table groaning with good food. The adults took their plates outside, where chairs of every description were set close together on the paved area outside the dining room window. The five children sat on a groundsheet on the lawn to eat theirs, Davy so obviously enjoying herself Sarah relaxed enough to eat everything Jake put on her plate as she answered questions from his sisters about her grandmother and Davy, where they were going to live, and what she was going to wear for the wedding.

‘Forgive my wife’s enthusiasm,’ said Sam, Maddy’s husband. He grinned at Sarah. ‘She’s been trying to get her brothers married for years.’

‘I don’t mind,’ Sarah assured a rather heated-looking Maddy. ‘I’m afraid we still need some fine tuning on the details.’

‘House-hunting first,’ said Jake, and took Sarah’s hand. ‘And as far as I’m concerned a wedding date as soon as possible.’

She smiled at him with a look of such glowing agreement Teresa Hogan clapped her hands in appreciation and urged everyone to eat more food and drink more wine.

Jake got up, taking Sarah’s plate with his. ‘I’ll bring you some of my mother’s famed ice-cream,’ he promised, and went over to Davy to ask her preference.

‘My parents are very pleased with Jake’s fiancée,’ said Liam, taking the chair next to Sarah.

‘I’m glad. They’re very kind.’ She smiled at him, but the familiar blue eyes were very serious.

‘I’m sorry for what happened the other day, Sarah.’

‘You weren’t to know I’d see you.’

‘But anyone else passing by could have seen me and made the mistake you did.’ His mouth twisted. ‘In London I’m anonymous, of course. But here in Pennington the Hogan twins are well known.’

‘Not to me they weren’t,’ she said tartly. ‘If I’d known about the twin part it would have saved me a lot of grief that day.’

‘And it was grief,’ he said penitently. ‘I could see that when Jake marched me to your door that evening. I could have kicked myself for causing him any more problems.’

Sarah would have liked to ask what he meant, but at that moment Jake came out from the house with handfuls of ice-cream cones, and the younger members of the party rushed to meet him, Davy included. He was laughing and licking his fingers as he came back to Sarah.

‘Sorry. I saw to the small fry first. I’ll bring some for you right away.’

‘Sit down,’ said Liam, jumping up. ‘I’ll do it.’

‘You two getting on well together?’ asked Jake, watching his brother walk away.

Sarah nodded. ‘Liam’s very fond of you.’

‘Of course he is. We’re twins.’

‘Now he tells me,’ she said dryly, and handed him some tissues. ‘Mop yourself up.’

‘I was rather hoping,’ he whispered, ‘that you’d offer to lick me clean.’

‘What on earth are you saying to make Sarah blush like that?’ demanded Maddy. She looked round suspiciously. ‘It’s very quiet. Where are the children?’

‘Gone to play hide and seek in the shrubbery,’ said Paula, and lay back, relaxed. ‘Sheer bliss. Don’t have
any boys, Sarah. Little girls like Davy must be so much easier.’

‘Don’t you believe it,’ said her sister with feeling.

‘Are you two trying to frighten Sarah off?’ demanded Jake wrathfully.

‘Now then, girls,’ said Liam, handing Sarah a crystal dish full of different kinds of ice-cream. ‘I brought two spoons. You can share with her, Jake.’

Sarah had such a happy time with the Hogan family she was sorry she hadn’t brought Davy’s school things, as Jake had suggested, so they could stay longer.

‘You will stay longer next time,’ said Teresa firmly, ‘when you bring your grandmother. We would so much like to meet her.’

‘I like your family, Jake,’ said Davy on the way back to Campden Road. ‘Josh and Michael said I can go and play computer games with them some time, and Nina and Chloe asked if I can go to their house for a sleepover in the holidays, Mummy.’

‘How very nice of them,’ said Sarah, from the depths of the pink cloud she was occupying. ‘It’s been such a lovely day.’

‘So you enjoyed it after all, darling,’ said Jake, touching her hand fleetingly.

‘I feel silly now, because I was so nervous beforehand.’

‘Whereas the Hogans,
en masse
, took to you on sight,’ he said simply, ‘just as I said they would.’

When they got to Campden Road Margaret was sitting in the garden. She got up, smiling affectionately, when Davy shot out through the French windows to report on the wonderful time she’d had.

‘My family were very sorry you didn’t join us, Margaret,’ said Jake, ‘so no getting out of it next time.’

‘I shall look forward to it,’ she told him, and held out her hand. ‘I’ve put your things ready, Davy, but you need a bath before you’re fit to go back to school. No,’ she added as Sarah started forward. ‘You sit out here with Jake for a bit, and I’ll see to Davy.’

‘I think your grandmother’s thawing towards me,’ said Jake.

Sarah nodded. ‘She’s different with me these days, too. She found it hard at first, knowing that you were in on the family skeleton, but she’s basically a sensible woman. She knew it had to happen some time.’

‘Thank God it happened with me,’ said Jake, and perched on the foot of Sarah’s old steamer chair. ‘Come and sit here with me.’

She slid into the chair with a sigh, smiling at him as he took her hand. ‘You know, Jake, normally I never even think about it, but when I was watching Davy romping with your sister’s children today, it was hard to believe I’m not really her mother.’

‘But you are, in every way but biological fact,’ he said quietly. ‘And no one could be a better mother than you are, Sarah. Davy’s a great kid. Which is all down to you.’ The straight blue look gave due warning that something serious was coming next. ‘Which, talking of children, brings me to an overdue apology.’

Sarah gave him a slow, comprehending smile. ‘No apologies, Jake. I don’t mind. In fact, I’m glad.’

Jake let out a deep breath, and kissed the hand he was holding. ‘That hellish misunderstanding was the culprit. The other times I was prepared—’

‘I’ve been meaning to ask about that,’ she said, de
lighted when his face reddened. ‘Were you that sure you’d get lucky after Nick’s wedding, then?’

‘Not at all,’ he retorted, then grinned ruefully. ‘But when you asked to share my room I didn’t dare trust in my increasingly shaky will-power. Fortunately the men’s room at the hotel was fully equipped. Which was just as well when the storm brought things to a head.’ His eyes met hers with a look which brought matching colour to her own face. ‘But by the time we got to my place after the quarrel I was so desperate to make love to you my brain stopped functioning.’

Sarah kissed him. ‘So did mine.’

‘You’re not sorry we could be having a child, then?’ he said, with such deep satisfaction she kissed him again.

‘No, Jake Hogan. Not in the slightest.’

They sat together in dreamy silence for a few minutes, until Margaret coughed tactfully and came out to join them.

‘Davy’s ready, but not exactly fired with enthusiasm for the return to school. Which is only natural after such an exciting weekend.’

‘Right,’ said Jake, pulling Sarah to her feet. ‘Let’s go.’

Davy was waiting in the hall by her bag. ‘I don’t feel well,’ she said mutinously.

‘Too much pasta and ice-cream, maybe,’ said Sarah. ‘Tell you what, if your tummy’s protesting you can sit by Jake in the front, and I’ll take a back seat.’

Davy waved goodbye to Margaret, then brightened a little when Jake put a selection of the latest hits on the CD player. Sarah slid into the back seat with a yawn.

‘Gosh, I’m sleepy,’ she said, and leaned back gratefully against the leather. ‘Wake me if I snore.’

Which totally failed in its aim to win a smile from
Davy, who sat hunched in her seat, apparently absorbed in the music.

Jake drove Sarah home afterwards, stayed to share a snack supper, then left early. ‘You look in need of a good night’s sleep, Sarah,’ he said firmly. ‘On our own, alas. Never mind. I shall warm my lonely bed with the thought that soon you’ll be sharing it with me every night. So get some rest while you can.’

The following evening Sarah got home from work feeling rather flat, because Jake was in London for the day, and might not make it home in time to see her. She ate a quick supper, then settled down to finish off the work she’d brought home. When Jake rang during the evening, as promised, he told her he wouldn’t be home until after ten.

‘In that case,’ said Sarah, disappointed, ‘I’ll have another early night and come round to your place tomorrow evening.’

‘Early,’ he ordered.

She smiled as she put the phone down, then put her feet up on the sofa, suddenly so tired she hadn’t the energy to get ready for bed. When her phone rang again every hair rose on her spine when a crisp voice said, ‘Irene Kendall here, Miss Tracy.’

‘Is Davy ill, Mrs Kendall?’ demanded Sarah in alarm.

‘It’s not that, Miss Tracy. Do you have someone with you?’

‘Yes. But just tell me what’s wrong—
please
!’

‘I regret to tell you that Davina is missing.’

Sarah gasped. ‘
Missing?
How could she be? Have you searched for her?’

‘Of course. She went to bed as usual, but when her house mother made the rounds just now Davina’s bed
was empty. Everything possible has been done to find her before I rang you, both in the school itself and the grounds, but without success. I hoped so much that she would be with you.’

‘I would have rung you at once if she had been. But she’s
not
,’ said Sarah, her voice cracking. ‘Have you called the police?’

‘I wanted to make sure Davina wasn’t with you. But I’ll contact them at once.’

‘I’ll get in the car—’

‘No, Miss Tracy. Please. You must stay home in case Davina contacts you. The moment I hear anything I’ll ring you. Please do the same for me if—when you have any news yourself.’

‘Yes, of course,’ said Sarah unsteadily. Phone clasped in her clammy hand, she raced upstairs to tell her grandmother.

‘Dear God,’ said Margaret, white as a sheet. ‘Right,’ she said, pulling herself together. ‘Let’s not panic. We’ll go downstairs and make tea.’

‘I don’t want any tea,’ snapped Sarah, then closed her eyes in remorse. ‘Sorry, sorry.’

‘Brandy, then—no, maybe not, in case you need to drive.’

‘Where to?’ said Sarah blankly.

‘To fetch Davy when they find her.’

They exchanged a long, silent look, full of dread knowledge of all the things that might happen to a lost child, then went downstairs to wait together.

‘I’m afraid to ring Jake,’ said Sarah, pacing up and down the sitting room. ‘He’s on his way back from London. If I tell him about Davy he’ll probably break the sound barrier up the motorway.’

‘What time is he due home?’

‘About ten.’

‘Ring him after that.’ Margaret got up. ‘I’ll make that tea.’

When the phone rang at nine-thirty Sarah almost dropped it. ‘Hello?’ she said, her voice hoarse with hope.

‘Sarah?’ said Jake. ‘Something’s wrong. What’s up?’

She told him tersely. ‘But I have to hang up now, Jake, in case—’

‘Right. I’ll be with you as soon as I can.’

He rang off before Sarah could implore him to drive safely. Silently Margaret handed her a mug of tea.

‘I feel so helpless!’ Sarah began to pace, then dropped the mug with a crash when the phone rang again.

‘Irene Kendall, Miss Tracy. No news, I’m afraid. The police have been here, so I’m just letting you know you’ll receive a visit from them shortly. They’re searching the grounds as we speak, obviously of the opinion that our search wasn’t carried out efficiently.’

At any other time Sarah would have smiled at the indignation the efficient Mrs Kendall couldn’t keep out of her voice. ‘I’m sure it was.’

‘My only consolation is that it’s still light at this time of the year.’

‘True,’ said Sarah desolately.

‘I’ll ring off now, to keep your line open. Try not to worry too much, Miss Tracy.’

‘Is she serious?’ exploded Sarah. ‘Try not to
worry
!’

‘It’s the kind of meaningless thing people say when there’s nothing else
to
say,’ said Margaret, then tensed as the doorbell rang.

‘Jake did break the sound barrier,’ said Sarah, and ran to open the door to him, then let out a sobbing cry of joy when she found Davy looking up at her with heart-rending doubt on her tearstained face.

‘I had to come home,’ she said. ‘Don’t be cross.’

Sarah hugged her cruelly close, then looked up to find Davy hadn’t arrived alone. Alison Rogers stood a little way apart, watching them, her car waiting at the kerb.

‘Alison!’ cried Sarah.

‘Mrs Rogers brought me home,’ said Davy, knuckling tears out of her eyes.

Alison gave Sarah a sympathetic look.

‘I saw Davy walking along the road into town, so I offered her a lift.’ She smiled. ‘I didn’t have a phone with me so I brought her straight here. She’s fine, Sarah, just upset.’

‘Oh Alison, I can’t thank you enough…’

‘I’m just glad I saw her,’ said Alison. ‘Look, you obviously need to talk. I’ll leave you in peace. See you later, Sarah. Bye-bye, Davy.’

Sarah watched with pride when Davy held out her hand to her rescuer.

‘Thank you very much for bringing me home.’

‘A pleasure, Davy.’ Alison’s eyes twinkled as she shook the small, grubby hand. ‘But let’s not meet again like that, please. Your poor mother must have been frantic.’

Davy gave Sarah a forlorn look. ‘Were you?’

‘You’ll never know how much!’ Sarah turned to Alison with a grateful smile. ‘Thank you again.’

‘My pleasure. Goodnight.’

Davina saw Margaret hovering in the hall and flew into her arms. ‘I just
had
to come home, Grandma,’ she sobbed. ‘Before I went back on Sunday I heard Mummy saying she wasn’t my mother. I’ve been thinking and thinking about it all the time, and I just couldn’t bear it in school a minute longer. So I sneaked out after lights out, and waited for a bus. Only it didn’t come, and I
started walking, then a car stopped and Polly’s mummy brought me home.’