Dan. ‘Is that a fact?’ Her eyebrows rose to match her interest. ‘Then you must be Dan, the rich, successful older brother who no one ever talks about. You don’t look like Nate, ’ she added, without waiting for confirmation. ‘We were half brothers. Same father, different mothers. Nate favour's, well favored his. Mother.’ ‘Should one speak ill of the dead at his own funeral?’ she enquired, with a refreshing lack of sentimentality. Then, clearly not expecting an answer, ‘I’m Matty Lang,’ she said, offering her hand. ‘Mira’s cousin. So what’s the mystery? Why haven’t we met? There’s no mystery. I’m a geologist. I spend a lot of time overseas in remote places.’ Then, because he didn’t want to elaborate on why he didn’t include family visits when he was in London, he said, ‘Mira must be glad to have you here. Her parents live overseas, I understand.’ ‘They do. In separate hemispheres to avoid bloodshed. As for the rest of them, they’re all too busy to waste time at a funeral that won’

Mira was shaking so badly that she had to sit down before her legs gave way. Toby struggled to free himself, but she clutched at him as if he was the only thing standing between her and some dark chasm that yawned in front of her. She had been so sure that Dan wouldn’t come today. It had been pure relief when his secretary rang to tell her that although she had finally managed to get the news to him he was unlikely to make it home in time, even for the funeral. Easy enough to assure the woman that she understood,decline all offers of assistance. She should have known he would move heaven and earth. Nate had once told her that his brother was a man who simply refused to contemplate the impossible, that only once had he backed down, retreated from the challenge to get what he wanted. Dan was a dark, unseen shadow that had seemed to haunt Nate . She should have, could have, done something to change that, she thought guiltily. Made an effort to bridge the gulf that had opened up between

Mira. ‘No, but as I said’ ‘And because we didn’t go through some totally meaningless ceremony i will? Have to pay it?’ ‘Well, yes. That’s the present situation, I’m afraid.’ ‘But that’s outrageous! We have lived together for nearly three years. We have a child…’ ‘If you had lived together for twenty three years and had ten children it would make no difference, I’m afraid.’ After the brief stunned silence she asked, ‘What’s the liability threshold?’ ‘$250,000. After that forty percent of the estate goes to the Inland revenue.’ ‘But…’ Dan had thought she looked pale. He had been wrong. Colour leached from her skin, leaving her ashen. ‘But surely the house alone is worth ten times that?’ ‘You don’t have to worry about the house, Mira’ ‘You mean the house is free of inheritance tax?’ Mira asked. ‘I mean that Nate did not own the house.’ She shook her head. ‘No. That’s not right. Nate bought it from Dan, three years ago.’ She turned to him. Looked up at him. ‘We have lived the

Chapter 48.‘We? Why would you bother yourself?’When he couldn’t be bothered to visit while his brother was alive? Theunspoken question hung in the air.‘I’m Nate’s executor,’ he reminded her leadenly, suddenly back tosquare one. ‘I’m going to have to take a good look at the business. Sort outthe best way to go forward. I’ll need your input on that. If you’re going totake an interest in running it.’‘It’s all I have,’ she reminded him. ‘If I’m going to provide a home forToby, I don’t have any choice.’‘Matty doesn’t pay rent for the flat?’‘Just a nominal amount,’ she said. ‘To cover her share of the outgoings.’Then, with just a touch of challenge in her voice, ‘I suppose sub-letting ofany kind is forbidden under the lease too?’‘Don’t worry about it.’‘I don’t think the landlord is going to be that relaxed about it, do you?’Then, ‘We’ll need some time to find somewhere else. It’s not such aproblem for me, but it will be more difficult for Matty. I realise she’s notyour con

As stunned silences went, the one that followed her confession was epic. It went on and on, stretching the air until she thought it would snap. That Dan might never speak to her again. Mira didn’t blame him. Saying the words out loud had been as shocking to her as to him. She’d buried the truth so deep inside her that for long periods she could forget those ten minutes when she’d stood in front of a registrar, barely nineteen, burning with ideals, going through a ceremony that had seemed meaningless to her. Marriage was an outdated institution. Just another way of controlling people, so why not use it against the system? It seemed like a lifetime ago. It was only when, pregnant with Toby, Nate had asked her to marry him that the reality of her situation had dawned on her. Maybe that was why she’d told Dan to expiate herself. She was never going to be able to put it right with Natenow. But his total stillness, total silence, was so frightening that she reached out, instinctively,