A Bride for Kolovsky by Carol Marinelli Read Free Book Online Page A

wouldn’t you?’ She watched his steak knife pause, and after a moment he actually put down the cutlery and took a drink of water before speaking. He was unsure if he’d misheard, because it was such a guarded secret—one the Kolovskys dreaded getting out—surely the Assistant PA couldn’t know?
    â€˜Do you come from a large family?’ Zakahr asked instead of answering.
    â€˜I’ve got a half-sister.’ She saw him frown, and realised she was making no sense. And though she was really too weary to explain herself, so much had been bottled inside for so long that Lavinia found herself opening up. ‘My mum died last year.’
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ Zakahr said, as was polite, but Lavinia gave a tight shrug.
    â€˜She lived longer than expected,’ Lavinia said. ‘I’m rather amazed that she made it into her forties—my mum was someone who really didn’t take care of herself.’ She pushed the risotto around her plate—hungry, but not, angry, but not. Just sharing her burden, just voicing it, might bring fresh perspective.
    â€˜What about your father?’ Zakahr pushed.
    â€˜I don’t have a father,’ she said. ‘Well, I don’t…’
    â€˜You don’t keep in touch?’
    â€˜I don’t know who he is.’ She gave a tight smile that was born from embarrassment. ‘Neither did my mother.’
    â€˜I see.’
    â€˜I doubt it.
    â€˜Look.’ Lavinia gave up with her food. ‘My half-sister is younger than me— much younger. She lives with her father and his new partner. It was bad enough leaving her there when my mother was alive—I know what I went through as a child—but now that she’s gone…well, I know that Kevin doesn’t want her, and nor does his new partner. I’m trying to get custody, but they’re opposing it…’
    Zakahr looked up, unable to imagine the high-fashion, rather dizzy Lavinia taking on the role of single mum. But since the moment he had met her she had surprised him.
    â€˜I thought you said that they didn’t want her?’ Zakahr frowned. ‘What is her name?’
    â€˜Rachael, and she’s four.’ Her tense mouth softenedeven as she said the name. ‘They don’t want her. But Mum had a life insurance policy, and there’s a small trust for her—they’d get paid. Not a huge amount, but enough to make it worth their while to keep her. They deny it’s about money, of course, but I know I’m right.’
    â€˜So how do you know that they don’t want her? Really know?’ Zakahr asked—because he dealt only in fact.
    â€˜Her dad’s got two older boys who can do no wrong, and his partner’s got two little girls from another relationship. And now they’ve just had a baby of their own.’
    â€˜A large blended family,’ Zakahr said, but Lavinia screwed up her nose.
    â€˜Rachael doesn’t fit into the blend,’ Lavinia said. ‘She’s clever, she’s a serious little thing, and they just have no time for her. I buy her clothes, but I go there and the girls are wearing them while Rachael’s in rags. She spends most of her time in her room.’ He saw the flash of tears in her eyes as she took a large gulp of water. ‘It’s the hardest thing to explain,’ Lavinia admitted. ‘It’s actually impossible to explain. I used to see her once a fortnight, and if I argued or pointed anything out—well, I just didn’t get to see her the next time.’
    â€˜So you’ve stayed quiet?’
    â€˜Do you know how hard it is to stay quiet when you know a child is suffering?’
    Zakahr said nothing.
    â€˜I arranged some childcare for her—it had a kindergarten programme. I told Debbie…’
    â€˜The partner?’ Zakahr checked, and Lavinia nodded.
    â€˜I told her that it might give her a break, that I