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‘But it’s true.' Taryn took an unconscious step forward. ‘You must believe me. Mark’s wife died and he ’

‘Decided to see if number one was willing to take her place—and you, of course, jumped at the proposition. Didn’t I tell you that you’d run straight into his arms if he turned up here?’ He paused a moment before continuing, ‘It also confirms my suspicions that he was the reason why you wouldn't give me a straight answer.’

His face was hard and Taryn cringed beneath the contempt in his words. ‘Please,’ she implored, ‘please, Luke, you’ve got it all wrong. I don't love Mark; that’s one thing I have found out.’

His eyebrows lifted sceptically. ‘You expect me to believe that—after he spent the night at the cottage and you turn up here dressed in all your finery?' His eyes flickered over the dress before looking at her again with such harsh censure that Taryn felt the prick of tears behind her eyes. She blinked rapidly. Such feminine weakness would get her nowhere in this particular instance. ‘Don’t pretend that you dressed up for my benefit,' he continued. ‘Before today—your meeting with my mother excepted— you didn’t consider me sufficiently important to wear a dress; despite my making it clear when we first met that I despise women in trousers. I suppose Mark's different. His opinion is all that matters now.’

Taryn stamped her foot. ‘Why won’t you listen? When you saw us Mark had just finished telling me about his wife. Naturally he was upset '

‘And naturally you went into his arms?’

‘Purely out of sympathy. That’s all there was to it.’

‘Are you trying to say that Mark came all the way from Italy just to tell you his wife had died? Can you deny that he hasn’t tried to persuade you to go back with him?’ He looked through the window. The cottage was clearly visible—and Mark’s car outside. ‘Is he waiting now for your answer? Don’t be afraid of hurting me, Taryn. I think I knew from the moment we met that Mark would always take first place in your life. I tried to make you forget him—God knows how I tried—but it was like banging my head against a brick wall. Please go now. There’s nothing more to be said.’

‘No, I won’t! ’ Taryn was shouting now. ‘Not until you’ve heard the full story. When Mark turned up I thought it was you—then when I found out who he really was I told him to go. He asked me to listen —he told me about his wife’s death—that was when you turned up. I told him I loved you, that you’d asked me to marry you.’

‘So why didn’t he go?’

Taryn averted her eyes. ‘He refused to believe that I still didn’t love him. He—he did ask me to become his wife, but I said no; I said that all the love I had ever had for him was gone, killed by his own selfish desires. In fact, I don’t think I ever did truly love him—not in the same way ' Her voice tailed off. Her outburst was having no visible effect on Luke. He still stood tall and impassive—and critical.

‘The fact that he’s not gone proves he still thinks there’s a chance. You didn’t do a very good job of convincing him—or me. Perhaps you want the best of both worlds. I’ve given up trying to understand you. All I know is that I’m not prepared to sit back and wait while you decide. You had your chance, Taryn. It’s too late now. I wish you and Mark every happiness.’

A sob broke in Taryn’s throat as he picked up a letter from his desk. It was all over. There was nothing more she could do. Blindly she groped for the door; stumbled her way along the corridor, failing to see his mother until she had almost bumped into her.

‘I wondered what all the shouting was about,' said Helen mildly, then observing the tears now coursing rapidly down Taryn’s cheeks, ‘My dear child, what is the matter?’

‘I can’t explain,’ whispered Taryn brokenly. ‘You’d best ask Luke.'

‘Indeed I will,' asserted Helen, ‘but you’re coming with me. I won’t have him upsetting you like this.’ She frowned. ‘It’s most out of character. He acted strangely last night too—came in and shut himself in his room without saying a word. He was awake most of the night, I heard him prowling about. Was that anything to do with your argument now?'

Taryn nodded and Helen grasped her wrist determinedly. ‘Come along, we’ll sort this out between us,’ and on a softer note, ‘Don’t worry, I’m sure we can overcome what’s troubling you both. No partnership is without its ups and downs.’

His mother entered without knocking. Luke sat at his desk, head bowed in his hands, and did not hear their entrance. Taryn’s heart contracted.
She
had done this to him. From the laughing happy man of yesterday he had been broken in spirit if not in heart. She moved forward, her hand outstretched, but Helen held her back, shaking her head in silent negation.

‘Luke!’ called Helen softly though imperatively. ‘What have you done to this child?’

He looked up then, his eyes dull and glazed. After a cursory glance at his mother they rested impassionately on Taryn’s tear-stained face. ‘So, you thought you’d enlist my mother’s help?’ he grated thickly. ‘I didn’t think you’d resort to tricks like that.’

Helen looked sharply at her son. ‘How dare you speak like that to Taryn! ’

His eyes moved across to the older woman. ‘Has she told you why I’m annoyed?—No,’ he changed his mind, ‘not annoyed—hurt, disappointed, disillusioned maybe—but not anger. It goes too deep for that.’

‘Will someone please tell me what this is all about?’ Helen spread her arms in an expression of bewilderment and sank on to the nearest chair.

‘Very well.’ Luke placed his hands on the desk and pushed himself to his feet. Crossing to the window, he gazed down at the valley. At Mark’s car, guessed Taryn, wishing she had escaped before Helen saw her distress. ‘You remember Gammy mentioning a friend of Taryn’s?’ Though he was speaking to his mother he did not turn round and consequently did not see her startled expression. But Taryn watched carefully, ready to stop the conversation should she show the slightest sign of distress.

‘I remember,’ said Helen, her voice carefully controlled so that by not the slightest tremor did she give away her innermost feelings. ‘Wasn’t he the one who looked like you?’

‘That’s right. Well, he’s turned up. He’s down at the cottage now.’ His tones were clipped and terse and still he did not face the occupants of the room.

Helen glanced swiftly at Taryn, her blue eyes bright and penetrating. ‘Were you once in love with this man?’

Taryn nodded, unable to trust her voice.

‘And now he’s here you can’t choose between him and my son? Is that what Luke’s trying to tell me?’

‘Is it hell!’ Luke spoke loudly and emphatically, at last swinging round. The hatred in his eyes caused Taryn to cry out unconsciously. ‘She’s still in love with him—always has been. If I hadn’t seen them together with my own eyes I might have believed the tale she’s been trying to spin me, but now she can have him—I want nothing more to do with her! ’

‘Is this true, Taryn?’ Helen’s face was pale, but she still seemed to be fully in control of herself.

‘No, it’s not. I really do love Luke, Helen, but I’ve given up trying to persuade him. He saw me in Mark’s arms and as far as he’s concerned that was an admission of infidelity.’

Luke had resumed his stance by the window and his mother was silent for so long that Taryn began to feel uncomfortable and wonder whether the other woman too disbelieved her remarks; though when Taryn looked at her closely it appeared that she was struggling with some inner emotion. Was she about to suffer another attack? she speculated in concern, when Helen suddenly spoke.

‘I have something to tell you, Luke. You can listen too, Taryn, as you are the unwitting cause of my decision. I’ve lived with this secret so long, often dreading you would find out and hold it against me, that in one way it’s a relief to tell you now. If you despise me for it—well, you’re a grown man, well able to take care of yourself.’

Luke had spun round as she spoke, a swift frown knitting his brows together. ‘What are you talking about? What secret is this? You’ve never kept anything from me before.’

‘I know, I know.’ Her voice was weary. ‘Sit down and listen and try to understand that what I did was for the best.’

He perched on the edge of his desk, one leg swinging freely. While waiting for his mother to begin he took a cigarette from a leather box, lighted it and threw back his head to exhale the smoke.

Taryn’s hands were clenched tightly in her lap as she too sat on a nearby chair, waiting apprehensively and wondering what his mother was about to divulge.

Helen cleared her throat. ‘The first, and most difficult thing for me to tell you, Luke, is that you are—that I--’ She stopped, her eyes pleading with him to understand. ‘You are adopted,’ she finished in a rush. ‘I’m not your real mother—though I love you as dearly as if you were my own flesh and blood.’

Taryn saw the swift flicker of surprise in Luke's eyes before they softened into a smile. ‘I can’t say this is not a shock,’ he said. ‘In fact, I’m completely bewildered—but it makes no difference, Helen dear.'

He slid off the desk and went down on his knees before her. ‘Did you really think it would? Is that why you’ve never told me? I love you, Helen, and you’ve given me all the love and affection a man could ever ask for. In spite of what you say, you’re still Mother to me.’

Tears filled Helen’s eyes and Taryn felt as though she was intruding. As Luke cradled his mother’s head on his shoulder she rose and tiptoed towards the door. Her hand was on the knob when Mrs Major said, ‘Wait, I haven’t finished.’

Taryn turned slowly back into the room. Luke too got to his feet and they stood looking down at the frail figure before them.

‘You were only a few weeks old when you came to us. Naturally I never met your real mother, but I believe she’s still alive and I shall understand if you feel the necessity to try and find her. Of course, that will be up to you’—a pregnant pause—‘and—Mark.’ A breathless hush filled the room for a few seconds. Taryn was the first to speak.

‘Mark! What has he to do with it?’

‘Haven’t you guessed?’ Helen looked tired but her eyes caught and held those of the man who had been a son to her all these years. ‘Mark is your brother. You are twins.’ After this profound statement she leaned back in her chair, her eyes closed.

Taryn glanced hastily at Luke, once again afraid that Helen might be suffering as a result of her confession. To have lived all these years keeping the secret from Luke, for ever fearful he might find out and turn against her; and more especially dreading the thought that the two men might one day meet— and wonder—and eventually discover their relationship, must have been agony, and all Taryn’s sympathy was with the other woman.

‘How do you know it is Mark?’ Luke asked his mother. ‘You have no proof. The fact that he looks like me may be just coincidence.’

She opened her eyes and slowly shook her head. ‘Too much of one to have both the name and the looks. Your mother’s name was Rachael, your father Jacob, though they were never married. She insisted on giving her babies biblical names also and expressed a wish that they were never changed. It was a chance in a million that Taryn should meet and fall in love with you both.’

‘Why were we separated?’ Luke still looked sceptical. ‘Surely it would have been better for—for me and my—brother—to have been adopted by the same family.’

‘I believe the adoption society tried, but no one wanted two babies; in the end they reluctantly decided to part you. I promised never to tell, and if Mark had not appeared on the scene I doubt if I ever would.’ She looked at Taryn. ‘I can’t see how this will help you with your problem, but,’ her eyes returning to Luke, ‘it might change your feelings towards Mark and in so doing perhaps you will not be so hard on Taryn.’

Again there was silence in the room, each member occupied with their own thoughts. Taryn felt completely bemused. Why hadn't she known? Surely it was obvious by their appearance that the two men were related? Everyone had agreed how uncanny it was.

‘I’d like to meet him.’ Helen’s voice broke into her thoughts. ‘Will you fetch him up here, Taryn?’

‘Er—yes, of course, if Luke has no objection.’ Judging by the look on his face he protested very strongly, and Taryn understood how he felt. If she herself had not been involved he might enjoy a new-found brother; as it was ...

Helen brushed aside her indecision. ‘Luke has no say in the matter. Please, Taryn, go now.’

Afraid to look again at Luke, Taryn left the room and was soon retracing her steps to Honeysuckle Cottage. Little had she realised when she made the journey a short time earlier how events would turn out. It was incredible, like something out of a film or a novel. Things like this did not happen in real life. Yet it had. Though as his mother had said, how would it help their problem? Luke was still not convinced that she loved him and there was less likelihood of Mark leaving now and allowing them to reconcile their affairs.

Mark had been watching for her return and now he came out of the cottage, a confident smile on his lips. ‘It’s taken you long enough,’ he accused. ‘What’s the verdict?’

‘Luke’s mother wants to see you,’ stated Taryn flatly.

‘His
mother
?’ incredulously. ‘What’s going on? Surely he doesn’t need her to fight his battles?’

‘It’s nothing like that. Come on. You’ll find out when you get there. Prepare yourself for a shock, that’s all.’

‘Say, what is this? I’m not sure I want to go.’ He twisted her round to face him. ‘What have you been saying about me?’

‘Please, Mark.’ Taryn struggled to escape. ‘There’s no need to worry, but I feel that Mrs Major should tell you herself.’

Still looking suspicious, he let her go and together they climbed the hill. ‘At least I’m getting my wish to meet Luke,’ he jested, catching her arm as she stumbled over a hidden stone. ‘By the way, you never said whether he’d forgiven me or if he still thinks that you and I are—er—lovers?’.

‘No, I didn’t,’ replied Taryn lightly, but still she did not give him the answer he wanted. It was a subject she did not wish to discuss; at least not for the time being.

As they neared Dale End Taryn observed Luke looking down from the window of his study. What was
he
feeling? Did he relish the idea of accepting Mark as his brother? conceived in the same womb yet parted almost at birth never to meet again for over thirty years. It must be a traumatic experience—for Mark too—once he discovered the presence of a twin.