Romance of a Lifetime by Carole Mortimer Read Free Book Online Page B

don't want his money, Mummy——'
    'Neither do I,' her mother said with distaste. 'But I don't intend Martin to have it either!'
    Martin… Beth had tried so hard not to think of him at all the last few days; it had been vital to her even beginning to enjoy this holiday.
    'I think he's probably earned it,' she told her mother bitterly.
    'Oh, darling——'
    'Forget it. Mummy.' She still felt too raw to talk about Martin. 'I'm really sorry if the news upset you, but please don't be outraged on my behalf; I'm glad to have it all behind me.' And now, finally it just might be. She had no reason now to see her father or Martin ever again.
    Certainly not that of duty!
    'I actually feel quite light-hearted,' she assured her mother. And she did, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had tried so hard to be the daughter her father wanted, had ultimately failed miserably, and now neither of them owed the other anything. She was finally completely free of him.
    'And I feel murderous,' her mother informed her needlessly; it was perfectly obvious how she felt about this new development!
    'If the two of them think they can get away with this, they're mistaken!'
    Beth wished her mother didn't feel quite so volatile about the subject; she wasn't too likely to just drop the subject if that was the case. Maybe that was understandable in the circumstances, but Beth knew she would rather just forget the whole thing.
    'Da—Charles,' she amended tightly, 'can leave his money where he wants.'
    'Not to Martin,' her mother ground out. 'Never to him!'
    Beth felt numb where both men were concerned. 'Can we talk about this when I get back, Mummy?'
    'It will be too late then!'
    'I doubt that Charles intends dying in the next week or so,' she derided. Yes, she decided, it felt much easier, much simpler, to call him Charles. She had lived without a father most of her life, had known Charles as that only briefly. But he was no real father to her, had never wanted to be, and never would be again.
    'That isn't the point.' Katherine was impatient with her again. 'I will not allow him to do this to you—he's already done enough.'
    More than enough, that was why she wanted no further part of him. 'It's up to you what you do, Mummy,' she told her flatly. 'I can understand how you feel, but I don't want to be involved in it. This particular quarrel is between you and Charles.'
    'All right, darling,' her mother sighed. 'I realise why you feel the way you do. But your father has had this coming to him for some time.'
    Beth instantly felt misgivings; her mother in full flow was something to behold. 'Had what coming to him?' she prompted warily.
    'I'm not sure yet,' her mother said slowly. 'But I'm not just going to leave it.'
    Beth felt her uneasiness deepen. 'Please leave it, Mummy.'
    'Don't give it another thought, Beth.' Her mother sounded preoccupied. 'Enjoy the rest of your holiday, and I'll see you in about ten days' time.'
    'Mummy—'
    'I shouldn't have bothered you with this at all,' jshe dismissed brightly—too brightly for Beth's peace of mind. 'I persuaded you to go on this holiday in the hope you would forget about Charles and Martin for a couple of weeks, and now I've gone and brought it all up again,' she realised self-disgustedly. 'I was just so angry— I'm calmer now,' she continued hi that over-bright voice. 'We'll talk when you get back.'

    'Mummy——' Too late, her mother had already rung off.
    Beth slowly replaced her receiver. She could call her mother straight back, but what good would that really do? She knew her mother well enough to be aware that would achieve absolutely nothing; her mother would simply tell her nothing more on the subject.
    But Beth still felt that sense of uneasiness, as if there was more to come. She could go home, of course, get the next plane back to England, as her mother had first suggested she do. But she really had no desire to go back to England just yet, had actually started to