Yesterday's Sins Page 10

  When she'd finally worked up the courage to confront Jessica. To find closure, she needed to look her cousin in the eye, to vent her anger and hurt at the woman whose actions had precipitated her younger self into a nightmare.

  Now, Kate shook her head remembering her aunt's reaction to her request for Jessica's address.

  "Why do you want it?" An angry flush stained Aunt Grace's florid cheekbones.

  "Jessica has the answers to a lot of questions." Not sure what to expect, Kate had never expected anger, an apology or justification maybe, but not anger. She glanced at her uncle and found him clenching and unclenching his hands.

  "Why don't you leave well alone, Catriona? What Jessica did was wrong but she's paid with prison time for that mistake."

  Maybe, but I've paid with part of my soul.

  Before Kate had a chance to speak, Aunt Grace went on the attack.

  "You vanished leaving us to pick up the flack," she said, her colour turning an alarming purple. "That man you ran crying to ruined all our lives."

  This was so unexpected; Kate gaped at her aunt speechless. What possible reason had they to know about Alex? What was Alex to them?

  "I don't understand," she said genuinely puzzled. "I've done nothing to Jessica."

  Nothing?" Aunt Grace was beside herself. For one awful moment Kate thought the woman was in danger of having a stroke. "You set that fiend onto our daughter, onto us."

  Was this yet another of her aunt's attempts to protect dear little Jessica? Kate's lip curled in derision.

  "Calm down, Grace," Uncle John gripped his wife's arm. "You need to be careful."

  Without giving her time to consider her uncle's strange words, Aunt Grace pushed Kate towards the door.

  "Get out of our house and don't come back," she screamed, pulling at her arm in her haste to have Kate leave. "If you dare come near us again I'm going to the police, and have you arrested for harassment and blackmail."

  Unnerved by her aunt's outrage and her uncle's agitation, Kate left, flinging a parting shot over her shoulder.

  "Give Jessica a message from me Aunt Grace." Kate paused, giving them a contemptuous glance. "If she dares to come near me again, it'll be the last thing she does."

  Grace and John Howard went ashen and she was left utterly bewildered.

  Thinking about that strange meeting now, Kate was still unable to understand their reaction. Jessica was a cheating, lying, little bitch, and best forgotten.

  A car honked. The lights had changed, and guiltily she concentrated on her driving.

  At Paula's, she ran up the front steps knocking on the door, laughing when her friend stood there puzzled.

  "Don't you recognize me?"

  "Kate? It is you, isn't it?" Paula shrieked in disbelief. "You look stunning. Come in. Oh but it's great to see you."

  Paula shook her head. Kate knew her friend saw what her own mirror revealed, gleaming honey brown hair, cut in a modern wispy cut, clear blue eyes and an extra twenty pounds to round out her limbs.

  She had done with mourning.

  "You were so right, Paula," she said huskily, hugging the other woman. "I needed to return home. Thank you for making me realise that."

  "You did. But I did wonder if you'd ever come back."

  "Clevedon is now home," Kate said simply, a shrewd glance taking in Paula's burgeoning pregnancy. "I thought you weren't having any more little Staines?"

  "Brett wanted one last try for a little girl." Paula laughed the secret intimate sound sparking envy in Kate. "How could you dye such beautiful hair? Were you insane?"

  "Close." As she made the sober admission Kate knew it was a little too close to the truth for comfort. It wouldn't have taken much to tip her over the edge.

  "I've never seen you so vibrant. Have you fallen in love?"

  "No." Kate looked away suddenly uncomfortable. "But I've done a lot of thinking and reorganizing."

  Paula filled pottery mugs with coffee.

  "Delicious." Kate savoured the cappuccino. "What's been happening while I've been away?"

  "The usual, there's been gossip and more gossip. When does anything disturb the even tenor of life in Clevedon?" Paula smiled, her glance speculative. "Alex Korda bought The Birches. The man has spent millions refurbishing it to its former glory."

  "I've already caught up with that news." Kate avoided Paula's eyes. "He's liquidated his share of the Australian company and has set up his own company to New Zealand. A cousin is now CEO of the Australian Company. He's sold his house in Narrabeen and house we shared in Brisbane."

  The pang of grief she'd experienced when she'd gone to see the home in Indooroopilly she'd shared with Alex, and discovered new owners, still surprised her.

  And no matter how much she'd resented it, Kate knew her affairs were so intimately entwined with Alex's, she couldn't avoid keeping abreast of his activities.

  "Rumours suggested as much. He's wants a more relaxed lifestyle."

  "It was coincidence that brought him here." Kate shrugged, dismissing Paula's attempt to speculate about Alex. A brooding silence fell between them. Kate stared into the depths of her coffee before she drained the mug and stood up.

  "I'd better get moving. Dave's expecting me back at work tomorrow. My house will need cleaning after being shut up for so long.''

  "What about Alex Korda, Kate?"

  "What about him? It was a fluke our paths crossed before. He's handed back control of my affairs."

  "And what has he decided about your daughter?"

  "He was correct." Kate grimaced on the admission. "She's his daughter. I have no visitation or access rights."

  "And you're going to settle for that?"

  "That remains to be seen." Kate saw her friend's raised eyebrows and chose her next words carefully. "Alex may meet me half way over Sarah. If not, there's not a lot I can do except get on with my life."

  Paula's eyes gleamed with sudden mischief. "Brett's new assistant manager has arrived from down south. He's heart whole and fancy free."

  "Are you matchmaking?"

  "It's more than time."

  As she drove home, Kate admitted it was time she found herself someone to love, to marry and have children with, unless she wanted to spend the rest of her life alone.

  But she would never again be heart whole. Rightly or wrongly, Alex Korda owned part of her heart.

  But passion without love would never be enough. She'd known this when she ran away.

  Being pregnant with Alex's child had not been enough to make her accept what he offered eight years ago. And his having her daughter wasn't enough now.

  She needed his co-operation to develop a friendship with Sarah. And she had no guarantee he would agree. He was thorough. She had to give him that. He'd closed every loophole to prevent her having custody or access to her child. And Gregori, in encouraging her to leave, had forced a choice on her.

  A choice Alex never hesitated to exploit.

  This added yet another reason for her to dislike Nicolaides.

  Reaching her cottage, she sneezed as she entered, disturbing dust.

  She opened all the windows and cleaned until it was again the gleaming place she enjoyed. Its uncluttered lines after the frou frou of her old room, so welcome. She relaxed with a coffee and put her mind to all she had yet to accomplish.

  Alex Korda headed the list.

  They had unfinished business. It was an encounter Kate dreaded, but necessary, if she was to achieve her goal. Peace of mind.

  Tomorrow, I'll deal with Alex tomorrow.

  In the morning she'd get her business life back on track. Then in the afternoon she would go and see Alex.

  The phone shrilled as she finished her coffee and she wasn't surprised to hear Paula on the other end.

  "Bret's bringing Bryce Bennett to dinner tomorrow night," she said without preamble. "Would you like to come?"

  Kate closed her eyes a moment, a rueful smile curving her lips. Paula had wasted no time in beginning her campa
ign. "Okay. But keep it light."

  "Trust me. I know what I'm doing." Paula laughed merrily.

  If only I could be so sure.

  Kate dismissed the wry thought and rummaged in the kitchen to make a light snack.

  Her last thought as she dropped into sleep was now she'd stepped out of the rut, life had never looked so appealing.

  *****

  Kate woke, refreshed.

  Preparing for the day, she took pains with her appearance.

  As she looked in her wardrobe, her to-do-list grew.

  The clothes she'd unpacked yesterday were a stark contrast to its drab contents. A visit to the Goodwill store would be necessary, that's for sure.

  Today, she settled on her kilt of Cullum tartan, her mother's tartan.

  Linked to her heritage, wearing it filled her with the fierce pride of her ancestors. Today she needed every ounce of courage it offered.

  As she pinned the kilt's wide pleat with the Cullum pin, tears clouded her vision. The silver claymore, with a gleaming golden topaz stone in its hilt, was the one her mother had willed to Chris.

  To soften the kilt's stark lines, she wore a cream silk shirt and a saffron lacy knit mohair sweater instead of the plaid, thrown over her shoulder and shoes instead of stockings and laced boots. She didn't think it prudent to visit Alex in full warrior's regalia.

  But she held few doubts he'd get the message.

  She was no longer the girl he'd been known.

  At her throat, she fastened the eighteenth century gold and pearl locket that now held photos of her parents and the twins as teenagers. She'd retrieved the treasured items from storage, but frowning she remembered the one thing she'd not found was the Cullum music box.

  She needed to ask Alex where it was.

  Once dressed, she studied her reflection in the antique cheval-glass.

  She bore little resemblance, physically or emotionally, to the woman who'd stared into this same mirror almost a year ago.

  And for that she thanked Emily Harder.

  She'd grown very fond of Emily. She was kind and understanding but not intrusive, ready to listen and share her experience and wisdom. Kate would miss her, and Luke. They'd added richness to her life. A small compensation for the family she'd lost.

  With head held high, and her heart lighter than it had been in years, Kate stepped into Cheval Realty.

  "Kate. You look wonderful." Dave gripped her hands, his eyes skimming over her from head to toe. "Dressed for battle?"

  Heat crept up her throat and face. God. Am I that obvious?

  Coralie Spence greeted her with a haughty reserve that sparked Kate's amusement. In the past Kate had never drawn any man's eyes away from the pretty receptionist.

  And today Coralie knew the old order had changed.

  "Come through to my office." Dave shepherded her through the door. "There's a lot to catch up on before you're ready to start work."

  "Now for changes, Korda bought The Birches." Dave gave her a shrewd glance.

  "So I've already heard." Kate was non-committal. 'The whole village is buzzing with it."

  "With the amount of money he's poured into it, that's small wonder." Dave fiddled with some papers on his desk before giving her a shrewd glance. "It's said he's contemplating marriage."

  Kate stiffened and then shrugged. "I hadn't heard, but it's no great surprise."

  "That's not rumour," Dave said quietly. "Korda told me he wanted to get the house finished for his wife."

  "It's none of my business, Dave." Kate looked him in the eye. "I walked away from him eight years ago and he's not getting any younger. Sons have always figured in his plans."

  An arrow of pain stabbed her heart.

  When Alex had learned she was pregnant with a girl, he'd been upset. And she'd been thrilled he'd been thwarted by Mother Nature.

  And I'm far from thrilled to learn some other woman will give him the son he wanted from me.

  "I thought you deserved to hear that from me, before you meet Korda."

  "And I appreciate it." Kate switched the subject. "What else has been happening since I've been away?"

  "Smith's farm has been subdivided into a high class residential estate and Barclay's have finally sold that hideous house they built."

  Dave flipped open his listings book and together they pored over the entries, noting new additions and those either deleted or sold.

  Kate pushed Dave's revelations to the back of her mind.

  *****

  Taking a deep, steadying breath, Kate pushed open the glass doors into the executive suite of The Korda Group new offices at Manukau City Centre.

  The receptionist looked up as she crossed the plush foyer to the reception desk.

  "I would like to see Mr. Alexandros Korda," Kate asked, her voice even despite the nerves twittering in her stomach.

  "Do you have an appointment?"

  "No, but he'll see me." She spoke with far more confidence than she felt. "Tell him Kate Audley wishes to see him for a few minutes."

  "Mr. Korda sees no one without an appointment." The blonde's smile intimated she was wasting her time asking.

  "I wouldn't care to be in your shoes for not telling Alex I'm here."

  "I'll tell him, but he won't see you." The blonde shrugged giving her an amused glance as she flipped a switch. "Mr. Korda there's a Ms. Kate Audley at reception wishing to see you."

  Kate's palms were damp. Was her confidence misplaced? Would her request be greeted with a blunt refusal? She didn't have long to wait. The elevator dinged and Alex was striding across the foyer toward her.

  "Catriona." He gripped her hands between his large tanned ones. "You're back."

  Kate never made the mistake of thinking his statement redundant. "Yes. I'm back."

  "How was Oz?"

  "The same. It's brash and noisy in the cities, sparse and lonely in the outback."

  "Come through." He spoke to the receptionist, "Please ask catering to send a tea tray to my office and hold all my calls. I don't want any interruptions."

  When the woman scowled, Kate couldn't suppress a smile. Alex glanced at her, amused. "Did you fall foul of Penelope?"

  Kate shrugged. It wasn't important. He motioned her ahead of him into the lift and, as they glided skywards, she looked everywhere but at him. He escorted her into his office, motioning her to a comfortable chair before taking the one opposite.

  "What a view." She looked out across the city toward greater Auckland and the Waitemata Harbour.

  "It's almost worth coming to work to look at. And this penthouse office is one of the perks of being the boss."

  She glanced at him and saw the devilish gleam in his eye and knew her dress had not gone unnoticed.

  "An awesome perk." Kate was surprised by his cordial manner. And wondered how long it would last when he knew why she'd come to see him. "I must thank you for taking so much care of my financial affairs. Mr. Carmichael explained everything for me."

  Alex weighed up her words. "I did what I considered in your best interests. Carmichael informed me that you wish to leave all the investments as they are?"

  "He assured me your company was one of the best investments on the market in Australasia." Kate gave a deprecating shrug. "I could see no point in changing anything unnecessarily."

  "He told you that all your family's personal effects are in storage?"

  "Yes." Kate sighed, glancing up at him meeting his eyes before looking away. "I brought a few things home with me but haven't decided what to do with the rest."

  Alex stood up as a woman brought in a tea tray. He held the door while she left. Courtesy was as ingrained in him as breathing. She watched his lithe movements as he poured them tea in fine bone china cups, taking the one he handed her.

  "And Emily?"

  "She can use my house as long as she wants to. Thank you for keeping it ready for me. I've enjoyed her company."

  Alex sipped his tea watching her in brooding silence. "Again, I did what I
thought was best. If you ever decided to return, I didn't want you greeted by strangers."

  "And I appreciate it."

  "You're very generous, Catriona." He sat back in his chair.

  "It's Kate Audley, Alex. I may have gone back to my natural hair colour but the name stays."