Chapter 62.‘Mira? Are you all right?’She shook her head, unable to answer, as she took in huge gasps of air.‘Take your time.’‘I’m sorry. That was…’ She didn’t even attempt to finish the sentence.There wasn’t a word to express the way she was feeling. To have the onething you most wanted in the world. Yet not have it. To know that you couldnever have it.‘I know,’ he said.‘No, Dan,’ she said. ‘I promise you, you don’t.’His gaze met hers and for one brief, shocking moment she saw his pain.Remembered the woman he loved but could never have because she lovedsomeone else. And she laid her hand on his arm.‘I’m so sorry. You deserve better from me than that.’He looked down at her hand, pale against his sleeve, and the bright newgold of the wedding ring gleamed as it caught the sun.‘I do understand how hard it must have been for you. I wish there hadbeen more time.’‘It wouldn’t have made any difference.’‘No. I suppose not,’ he said, apparently missing her allusion to his own

Chapter 64.‘Believe me, the rental reflects the value of contents as well as theaccommodation.’‘But…why?’‘I told you. I bought this as an investment and it’s done well. I’ve tripledmy capital outlay. Something that Steve could have done if he’d used themoney I gave him wisely. I should have let it before, of course. It’s aterrible waste of resources leaving it empty and it put the insurancepremiums through the roof. The apartment in Elton Street will be muchmore cost effective.’Money? Was that all this meant to him? She didn’t believe it for aminute‘I meant why did you lie to me?’‘I didn’t. You assumed I had to sell and I didn’t deny it.’‘Why?’ she persisted.Because he was a fool, Dan told himself. Because he wanted to be ableto help her in every way, put all of his resources at her command, give hernot just a home, but everything she’d ever need. Because he loved her.None of them were reasons he could offer for what must now seemcompletely irrational behaviour. Wha

Chapter 66.Mira felt as if she was grieving all over again.She’d pulled into the garage and finally given way to the dammed-uptears she hadn’t been able to shed for Natein a mind-clearing storm ofguilt and loss. And when it was over she finally understood it all. That theirmarriage of convenience had been entirely for his expedience, not hers.Not cheap. But then this wasn’t about money. It was about control. Tobywas all the family he had. His heir. The boy who carried the family name.Marriage was the simplest and most effective way of stopping her frombecoming involved with someone else, giving him some other man’s name.Which answered any question she had about what was in the letterNatehad written to him. He had been a less than perfect partner, a lessthan perfect anything, except father. Relaxed to the point of being comatoseon most things, he had been uncharacteristically firm in his insistence thatDan be added to Toby’s name.Too late she saw that all that stuff abou

Angry with herself, she turned off the television, got to her feet. Dan might not be rescued for months. Was she planning on spending every hour in front of the television in case there was the slightest snippet of news? It was the last thing he would want. Catherine would let her know the minute anyone heard anything and in the meantime there were a hundred things that needed doing. She still hadn’t settled on the final layout for the slender catalogue that was going to be mailed out to all their customers, as well put as an insert in one of the Sunday supplements. It was going to cost a fortune. It had to be right. She caught sight of herself in the hall mirror. What a wreck. She needed to take a shower, wash her hair, change. Get her mind back on the job. On her family… But when she opened a drawer, searching for underwear that would stretch around her expanding belly, she found herself staring at the tiny silk box that contained the wedding ring Dan had put on her finger and she

While Mira sat in his exam room and endured similar tests as those he had conducted a few days prior, Nate stepped out to make a few calls, the reason for which he had been somewhat secretive about. As Dr. was finishing up, she asked, “What do you think the likelihood of Nate finding me donor eyes will be?” The doctor released a sigh then said, “I really couldn’t tell you. I have never endeavored anything so ambitious. All I can tell you is the likelihood of whether or not your body will accept or reject your new eyes, and the degree to which you might be able to see once they are in.” “So what’s the likelihood?” “I’ll have an idea once I examine the photos I’m taking. I should know in a day or so. Bear in mind, though, that we have three battles. The first is making sure the donor is, in fact, a match. I explained to you earlier that this aspect could be tricky to navigate. Then your body has to accept the eyes. And then after the nerves attach and heal, we’ll have to closely m