Forgotten Lover. Кэрол Мортимер

to listen to what I think of her, just dumping my daughter on a perfect stranger!’

      She gasped. ‘She didn’t dump Vicki on me. She was in pain, her ankle obviously needed expert attention, and Greg——’

      ‘Who the hell is Greg?’ he cut in furiously.

      ‘The assistant manager here.’

      Jerard Daniels gave a deeply impatient sigh. ‘And where does he fit into all this?’

      ‘You mean you don’t know?’

      ‘Would I be asking if I did?’ he asked with veiled violence, Vicki still held firmly in his arms.

      ‘No, I suppose not.’ He had intended making her feel foolish—and he had succeeded. ‘Greg and I were at Ocean World when Faye fell. Greg took her to the hospital. I thought he must have called you.’

      ‘No, Miss Rogers did that,’ he said grimly. ‘Babbling on about leaving Vicki with some woman who just happened to be there.’

      ‘Velvet, Daddy,’ Vicki put in. ‘She’s nice,’ she told him conspiratorially.

      Velvet felt grateful for the support of one of the Daniels family; she obviously wasn’t going to get any support from Jerard Daniels. He was treating her almost like a criminal.

      ‘Faye—Miss Rogers didn’t just leave Vicki with a stranger,’ she told him coldly. ‘Greg recognised her, and she recognised him. She probably thought I worked at the hotel too——’

      ‘Instead of which you’re his girl-friend,’ he scoffed.

      ‘I’m a friend,’ she said firmly.

      ‘She’s my friend too, Daddy,’ Vicki put in innocently.

      ‘How nice!’ he scorned.

      ‘I bet she’d be your friend too, Daddy, if you asked her.’

      He looked up at his daughter, his face softening into a smile. ‘I already did ask her, poppet,’ he said huskily. ‘She said no.’

      Vicki thought for a moment, frowning. ‘Maybe you didn’t ask her properly,’ she said slowly. ‘If you pulled a face at her you probably frightened her.’

      ‘Pulled a face?’ he queried softly.

      ‘Yes, you know, like this.’ She did a good impression of his furious expression of a few minutes ago. ‘Like that, Daddy,’ she told him seriously.

      Velvet had to once again stop herself from smiling, but the impulse quickly died as Jerard Daniels scowled at her.

      ‘Yes, just like that, Daddy,’ Vicki cried excitedly.

      It really was too much for Velvet, she couldn’t contain her amusement any longer, chuckling softly.

      ‘I’m glad you find it amusing, Mrs Dale,’ Jerard Daniels rapped out. ‘But I didn’t find it in the least amusing as I waited here for the return of my daughter—if she did return. Say goodnight to Mrs Dale, Vicki,’ he ordered tautly. ‘We have to go now.’

      Consternation washed over Velvet. ‘Mr Daniels——’

      ‘Say goodnight, Vicki.’ He was unrelenting.

      "Night, Velvet.’ The little girl yawned tiredly, her head dropping down on to her father’s shoulder; her long flight had obviously tired her as much as anything. ‘Will I see you tomorrow?’

      ‘I——’ Velvet looked at Jerard Daniels’ haughty expression. ‘You might,’ she compromised.

      ‘I hope so,’ she murmured, already half asleep.

      Her father’s expression as he walked off with her in his arms left Velvet in no doubt as to his opinion of her seeing his daughter again tomorrow or any other time.

      Long after she reached her room she remembered what Vicki had said about her mother dying recently. If she had died recently, then that meant Jerard Daniels had been married at the time he claimed they had been lovers!