be issued, along with a new birth certificate in which Phoebe and Michael were named as Posie’s parents?’
‘Of course. We were really lucky. It can take up to a year to get everything settled, but there was space in the court calendar and, since the social worker was happy, the paperwork was completed in double quick time.’
‘So you are aware that you’ve surrendered any legal rights you had as Posie’s birth mother?’
Grace clutched the plastic container of feeding bottles against her breast, a shield against words that meant nothing and yet still had the power to hurt her.
‘You’ve done your homework,’ she said, more than a little unnerved at his thoroughness in checking out the legal formalities. Trying to figure out what, exactly, he was getting at.
‘I did, as a matter of fact,’ he replied, ‘although, since Michael explained everything in his regular progress bulletins, it was more for my own peace of mind than necessity.’
That was Michael, she thought. He would never have given up trying to make Josh see how perfect it all was. Trying to break down whatever his problem had been with this arrangement.
Poor Michael….
‘So why are you asking me all this?’ she demanded, making an effort to concentrate, trying not to think about what had happened, but how totally happy Michael had been. ‘Since you already seem to have chapter and verse.’
‘I just wanted to be sure that you fully understand the situation.’
‘Of course I understand. And I didn’t “surrender” Posie. She was always Phoebe’s baby.’
‘Truly?’
He slipped his hand inside the gown and laid his hand over the thin silk of her nightgown, fingers spread wide across her waist to encompass her abdomen in a shockingly intimate gesture. Her womb quickened to his touch, her breast responding as if to a lover’s touch.
‘Even while she was lying here? When you could feel her moving? When it was just the two of you in the night? You didn’t have a single doubt?’
It was as if he were reading her mind. Had been there with her in the darkness, the restless baby in her womb keeping her awake, thinking about how different it could have been. How, all those years before, she’d longed for the protection he’d used to have failed, knowing that a baby was the one thing that would have brought him back to her.
She’d hated herself for wishing it, knowing how wrong it was to want a baby only to bind him to her. If he’d loved her, he would not have left. Or, if he had, would not have been able to stay away.
Knowing that carrying his brother’s child for her sister was the nearest she was ever going to get to having Josh’s child growing within her womb. But that was for her to know. No one else.
She knew she should move, step back, stop this, but the warmth, strength of his hand against her body held her to him like a magnet.
‘Well?’ he demanded, pressing her for an answer.
‘No,’ she mouthed, no sound escaping. Then again, ‘No!’ No doubts. Not one. ‘It isn’t unknown for a woman to carry a baby for her sister,’ she told him. ‘It was once quite normal for a woman to give a childless sister one or even two of her own babies to raise.’
‘This isn’t the nineteenth century.’
‘No. And I’ve no doubt some of the neighbours believe I actually had sex with Michael in order to conceive but, since you’ve done your homework, you couldn’t possibly think that. Could you?’
‘Of course not—’
‘Only, for your information, he was at a conference in Copenhagen when all the planets were in alignment but since the clinic already had his contribution in their freezer that wasn’t a problem.’
‘I know how it’s done, Grace.’
‘You have been thorough.’
‘I didn’t need to look that up on the Internet,’ he said, his face grim now.
‘No? Well, know this. Since I was here, living under the same roof, it made perfect sense to give Posie the very best start possible.’
‘Did it? And whose idea was that? The whole breast is best thing.’
‘Does it matter?’ He didn’t answer, just waited for her to tell him what he already believed he knew. And, infuriatingly, she couldn’t deny it. ‘Phoebe would never have asked.’
‘No, I didn’t think it was her idea. So how long had you planned to stretch it out, Grace? Six, nine months? Or were you planning to be one of those earth-mother types—?’
‘That’s enough!’ she said, finally managing to step away from his hand. ‘This wasn’t about me. You told me that Michael was incoherent with joy. Well, I want you to imagine how Phoebe felt. After years of tests, hoping, waiting, longing for a baby of her own. The fertility treatment. All those failed IVF cycles. How do you think she felt when the midwife put Posie in her arms?’
‘No one would deny that you did a generous, beautiful thing, Grace.’
‘You thought I was wrong then and you still do.’
‘No… Not you.’
‘Michael, then?’ Now she was confused. Who exactly did he blame for what had happened? ‘Phoebe?’
‘They were desperate. Beyond reason…’ He shook his head. ‘It no longer matters. All I’m saying is that it might have been better if you’d gone away for a while. Afterwards. Cut the cord, not just physically, but emotionally.’
He was so obviously concerned for her that she couldn’t be angry with him.
‘Or were you already planning to do this all over again a year from now so that Posie could have a brother or sister?’
She took a step back. He followed her.
‘Are you really so terrified of getting out there and making a life for yourself that you were ready to settle for having a second-hand family? One without the risk of making a commitment to a relationship? Leaving the comfort of the nest?’
On the other hand…
‘So what if I did,’ she retaliated defiantly. ‘What possible business is it of yours?’
‘It’s my business because, unless either of them left specific guardianship instructions,’ he said, ‘as Michael and Phoebe’s executor, I’ll be the one playing Solomon with Posie’s future.’
She felt the blood drain from her face. ‘What are you saying?’ And then she knew. ‘No. You can’t take her from me. You wouldn’t. She’s mine….’
The words were out before she could stop them.
‘I thought we’d just established that she’s anything but yours. That you have no rights.’
‘No…’
