Lifelong Affair by Carole Mortimer Read Free Book Online

house.
    'Is
this Morgan McKay, sir?' another tried politeness.
    'Of
course it is,' another man said eagerly. 'Don't you watch her in Power Trap? His
tone implied appreciation of the character she played. 'It's been rumoured that
you and Miss McKay are the baby's guardians,' the man followed them as they
walked up the steps to the house. T>o you have any comment to make about
that, Mr Hammond?'
    Again
Alex ignored the question, although Morgan could see by the tightening of his mouth
that he was angry such information had become public knowledge.         
    'Does
this mean that, in the best tradition of romances, the two of you will be
marrying?' the man persisted.
    Morgan
knew she had blanched, and she could sec that Alex had stiffened at such a
suggestion. She and Alex marry? Never!
     
     
     
    CHAPTER
THREE
    HER
arm felt bruised from the way Alex thrust her inside the house, closing the
door in the young man's face as he continued his questioning.
    Morgan
had never been so shocked in her life. Where did people get these ideas from?
She and Alex hardly knew each other, and what they did know they disliked. They
would certainly never consider marrying each other, not even for Courtney's
sake.
    Alex
was scowling heavily as his mother came out of the lounge, throwing his car
keys down carelessly cm the hall table. 'Have you called the police, Mother?'
he rasped.
    'Police?'
Rita Hammond looked puzzled. 'Oh, you mean the press,' she dismissed.
    'Of course I mean -
    'Alex,
you had no right to take that woman with you to collect my grandson!' Her icy
blue eyes spat venom at Morgan.
    He
frowned. 'Are you saying you told the media?' he asked softly.
    'No,
of course not,' the elderly woman snapped, striding over to stand in front of
Morgan. 'Give him to me,' she ordered, holding out her arms for the baby.
    Morgan's
arms tightened about the tiny shawl-wrapped form. She didn't like the almost
hysterical gleam in Rita Hammond's eyes. She had been wrong about this woman's
lack of emotion concerning Glenna and Mark's death; Rita Hammond was slowly
cracking up, her emotions held on too tight a rein.
    Morgan    looked    appealingly    at    Alex,    and    was relieved when he stepped
forward to take control of the situation.
    'It's time for your medication, Mother
    "I
don't want it,' his mother refused imperiously, shaking off his hand on her
arm. 'It just makes me epy. If I hadn't been sleeping this morning I could have
come with you to collect Courtney. She has no eight to him!'
    'Mother ------- '
    'She's
a slut, Alex, just like her sister was. I will not permit her into my
grandson's life!' Rita Hammond's voice was beginning to rise shrilly. 'You
should know mat no member of that family is capable of bringing up a child
decently!' Her eyes glittered with hatred.
    Morgan was very pale, 'Mrs Hammond'
    'Give
the baby to me!' The other woman reached out for Courtney, and Morgan stepped
back out of her reach. There was no way she was going to relinquish the baby to
this hysterical woman!
    'Mother -------- '
    'Give
him to me!' Rita Hammond began pulling at her arms, waking the baby, who
instantly gave a heartrending wail of hunger. 'You see?' she turned
triumphantly to her son. 'Courtney doesn't like her either. He's frightened of
her. Alex, I forbid this woman to come near my grandson.'
    'Let's
go to your room, Mother,' Alex controlled her, firmly propelling her out of the
room, not sparing   second glance
for the shocked and pale Morgan.
    What
did Rita Hammond mean by calling Glenna a slut? How dared she talk about Glenna
like that, and imply that she was the same! The woman might be bordering on
collapse, but her insults to Glenna were unforgivable.
    'Shall I take the baby for his feed, Miss McKay?' She
turned at the softly spoken words, her eyes widening as she took in the neat
nurse's uniform and kindly face of the middle-aged woman standing in front of
her, her arms held out for Courtney.
    'I
believe he's hungry,