Lucien He strode into the cool interiors of the house, bellowing his wife’s name,‘Proserpina!' He thundered, 'WOMAN!’‘I think Mumma is in the kitchen' said Ria and then, clinging to him, burrowing her face in his neck, she went on in a small voice,‘I think she heard about Alfred.’Proserpina stormed out of the kitchen, her hair flying behind her like a black banner.“RIA!’ she shouted, ignoring the fact that the little girl was pretending to be asleep on her father's broad shoulders,‘RIA St. CLAIRE!’Lucien’s lips twitched despite himself.His wife looked so adorably fierce but he knew that he only had to grab her in his arms and all that violence would peter away.But Proserpina refused to meet his eyes now as she commanded icily.“Do you know what your precious daughter has done?’And then, taking a deep outraged breath, she went on,' She has broken the nose and a couple of teeth of a boy who works on the grounds…’And when Lucien continued to stand with the child in his arms, s
Sophie She stared at the phone, her hands shaking. She had just informed Worthington that she was no longer part of Lucien Delano’s household. The Boss had unceremoniously dumped her in a small apartment close to the Club. Patrick as well, much to the little boy’s disappointment.The rent on the apartment was to be paid by the Boss, she had been informed and she suspected that it had been on Proserpina’s insistence. But Sophie seethed.She hated Proserpina.Yes, she had discovered that the matter of her mother being discharged had been a mistake; she had only been shifted to the wing where a lot of physiotherapy could be administered easily. Not, thought Sophie glumly, that it would help at all. Her mother was like a vegetable. Her small shrunken body connected to a myriad of tubes, oblivious to the world around her.When Sophie visited her, she sat, holding the thin, limp and lifeless wrist, speaking to the figure who lay on the large bed, in a coma.She knew the treatment was expens
ProserpinaLucien had informed me of his intention to leave that night for Argentina. Some urgent matter had come up, he said, pressing his lips to my forehead as he prepared to leave.I hugged him tightly, wishing he did not have to go.‘Woman, He grunted, his mouth seeking my lips greedily, possessively, ‘I might be gone for a week. I do not want you to leave the house when I am away, is that clear?’He tugged at my lower lip to make his words crystal clear.I whispered,‘Come back soon. I want you to be with me when I meet the doctor.’Immediately his eyes narrowed and he pulled himself away to grip my chin,“What is wrong? Is it our son…?’ his hand went protectively to my belly.I smiled half-heartedly.I was feeling unusually weary and tired; I wanted to get a check-up. Something was not quite right. From what I had calculated and from the initial visit to a doctor I was not too comfortable with in New York, I knew I must be in the tenth week of my pregnancy.Early days yet. But t
ProserpinaI felt awful, clutching my stomach as I lay, trying to hold down nausea. It was close to midnight and I remembered belatedly that it was Valentine’s Day.Smiling ruefully, I rolled over.My husband had never bothered with such things. He would probably have looked askance at me if I had said anything about it.I sighed and swung my legs o my feet. Lucien was on his way to Argentina and I wished he had not had to go. Schwartz had called to make sure I was okay, sweet man that he was. He had been on the way to attend a charity ball.It had amazed me. The Handsome James I knew would have run a mile from such fake events.He had sounded gruffly embarrassed when I had prodded him and finally he had said, exasperated,“Okay, I am accompanying a friend who needed an escort.I had dissolved in peals of laughter at that and he had joined in after a while, chuckling good-naturedly.My curiosity had been piqued,“Who is she, James, tell me?’ I said teasingly.“Aww…stop it, Proserpina.’
AiyanaShe watched him furtively from under her lashes as she sipped her drink. He was undoubtedly attractive and the raw grief she had glimpsed in him that night years ago was nowhere to be seen.She had done some work, finding out about him before he had arrived at her room this evening. That was when she had discovered that he was the Underboss of the gang, working under Lucien Delano.Interestingly, she had also found out that the ruthless, almost heartless man who had run the mob with an iron hand, was now married and had three children. She had seen pictures of him with his wife, a younger woman, definitely twenty years younger, curvaceous and alluring-looking with smoky brown eyes and a figure that would make any man lust after her. She was sexy but seemed to have eyes only for the burly, grim-faced older man with her.To her amazement, her source had informed her that Delano was now deeply faithful to his wife, besotted being the word her source had used.Rumour had it that the
Sophie She glared at her reflection. Her red hair looked frizzier than ever. Paddy was being difficult. In fact, he had simply not been able to adjust to returning to Hollowford and living in the small apartment which was otherwise in a good locality, furnished and spacious.Sophie knew he was pining for Proserpina and the kids. They had welcomed him as part of their family. Proserpina had been in tears when Paddy was forced to stay back when the Delano family were leaving in their fancy aircraft. She had hung back, looking pleadingly at her husband, begging him to allow Paddy to accompany them. But Lucien Delano had stepped forward and pulled his wife to his side, making her leave without Paddy.As for her mother, Sophie stared outside at the sidewalk. The old woman was never going to recover. The nurse had politely suggested that she sign the forms asking for the ventilator to be removed. Yet Sophie held back. Every day without fail, she visited her mother and sat, holding the comat
Proserpina I waited in the doctors’ clinic, feeling my anxiety grow. The doctor who had been with me through my pregnancy with Claude was not available; he was out of station said the nurse politely. Instead, I was directed to a woman who looked at me over the top of her spectacles severely. She had white hair in a short, neat style and thin, unsmiling lips.When she began to examine me and asked me the regular questions, I could see she was taken aback to know I had had three children.She looked at me again, sharply as though to be certain I was not joking.Frowning, she looked at my face and said,“You are rather young…you must have had your first child …’“My twins.’ I said softly. ‘My first children are twins.’Her frown intensified as I was led to the room where the ultrasound was done.She gave me another rather incredulous look and began to watch the monitor screen.She looked puzzled and snapping at the nurse, she asked for a second Ultrasound to be done.I bit my lip hard as
SophieShe slid into the washroom booth hurriedly and dialled the familiar number."Pick up, damn you, she mumbled, aware that Danielle had been alert while she watched Sophie leave.Worthington picked up almost immediately.“Yes my pretty little bird?’ he said solicitously,’ What do you have for me?’She scowled. She hated him but her sister needed her. There were times in the early morning when she came awake, her arms round Paddy who inevitably crept into her bed, citing nightmares, when she asked herself what she was doing.The knowledge that she was in some way or the other, contributing to the downfall of the people who had helped her so generously, ate into her.“My Lady and all the Saints,’ she would whisper, ’I am sorry. Forgive me, please...But Sondra means more to me…’*Now she stiffened and replied,“I think the Boss is arranging something special for himself and his wife on the 16th of this month.’There was a moment of silence. She pictured Worthington, tugging at his th