Lord Henshingly replaced the receiver of the phone back on its cradle and
leant back into his chair and sighed. A photo that sat on the antique
wooden table in front of him caught his eye, picking it up gently he peered
into the solid silver frame at the old photo that sat behind it, and a tear
began to form in his eye. It was of Lara when she was 7 years old. She
wore a green and black velvet checked dress, white tights and black smart
shoes, her face like a porcelain doll, ivory in colour and perfect in it's
every detail. Her dark hair was a mass of ringlets that hung just under her
shoulders and her dark large eyes looked so happy and carefree. As she
grew up he was realising that he was losing her, he was so wrapped up in
his work that he never had the time for his young daughter and soon he
understood that she was a woman, with her own thoughts and ideas and she
couldn't be controlled. The tear fell from his eye as he knew deep down
that he had not only lost his daughter but now his only grandchild too.
Walking behind Lara, Alex shut the door to her room and sat next to her on the bed, it was obvious she was angry and he didn't want to make things worse by saying the wrong thing. Playing with the corner of the duvet cover he could tell it was annoying her so he got up and began to clear the room of the mess that had been caused. Slowly as the floor began to become clear and the dark wooden laminate flooring started to show through Lara looked over at him intently, feeling her gazes upon him he looked over at her and shrugged.
'You think I should talk to him don't you?' she asked gently.
'Lara, it's not up to me honey.' He said honestly.
'Yes Alex it is up to you. You are going to become a father in a matter of months and I need to know exactly what you're thinking if this is going to work.'
'You know what I think, I'm not exactly on your dad's number one list, and as my name is in the paper I don't think he's going to be too impressed at knowing who the father is.'
'It's not up to him anyhow.' Lara said sharply
'I know Lara, but regardless. I came between you and your father before.' Lara stood up and walked over to him putting her finger on his lips.
'That wasn't you, I had the thirst for adventure, and I told him that he had to stay out of my life if he couldn't accept it and he picked his answer. This doesn't make things any different.'
'He's a powerful man Lara.'
'I know that, but what could he do about this? I mean it's not like I've ever listened to him before is it?' She smiled at him genuinely.
'No, I guess not.' He put his arms around her and held her, smiling into her shoulder.
Meanwhile Lord Henshingly's manner had changed from upset to anger. How could she have done this to him? This perfect child in the photographs could not be the same person as was in the paper that day. No, his Lara would have been far too sensible for this sort of thing. She would have found a good man like the Earl he had picked out for her to marry, settled down and then had children. She wouldn't have lived a life of adventure then become pregnant by some American that she had loose connections with. Where had it gone so wrong? Touching the face on the picture his anger turned from her to Alex. That was what had happened. He had poisoned her strong mind into the life he was living and convinced her to share it with him, Lara was too sensible to let herself get pregnant, therefore it must have been his fault that no protection was used. He could feel the anger welling inside him at the fact that this man had violated his baby girl. He would make him pay for that, oh yes indeed Alex West would pay dearly for everything. Firstly though he had to win Lara back, and he knew that it was going to be a hard thing to do. Taking out his telephone and address book he looked through his listings, one for a hit man, one for a bodyguard.
'Lara I have made the appointment for tomorrow morning at 9 if that's alright?' Hillary said as them room was eventually put back the way it should be.
'Yes, thank you Hillary that's perfect.' She smiled at him.
'If it's at 9 I don't think I'll be able to get here in time.' Alex said as he picked up his jacket from the bed.
'What do you mean? If you are going to be a father Alex don't you think maybe you should stay around here for a while?' Hillary asked him. Lara looked over at him. 'Well Lara I think it will be good for the both of you.'
Alex and Lara looked at each other. Alex shrugged.
'Oh for the sake of God, Lara you will for once do as you're told, Alex get your things I'll have the guest room set up for you.' Hillary smiled to himself for once taking control over a situation and started to walk away from them leaving Alex shell shocked.
'Hilly,' Lara called after him. He turned to look at her. 'As an afterthought, forget the guest room.' Hillary looked hurt but wasn't expecting her next line. 'Alex will sleep in here with me.' This gave them both a reason to stand there shocked as Lara walked out of the room a smile on her face and her mobile phone in her hand.
Walking behind Lara, Alex shut the door to her room and sat next to her on the bed, it was obvious she was angry and he didn't want to make things worse by saying the wrong thing. Playing with the corner of the duvet cover he could tell it was annoying her so he got up and began to clear the room of the mess that had been caused. Slowly as the floor began to become clear and the dark wooden laminate flooring started to show through Lara looked over at him intently, feeling her gazes upon him he looked over at her and shrugged.
'You think I should talk to him don't you?' she asked gently.
'Lara, it's not up to me honey.' He said honestly.
'Yes Alex it is up to you. You are going to become a father in a matter of months and I need to know exactly what you're thinking if this is going to work.'
'You know what I think, I'm not exactly on your dad's number one list, and as my name is in the paper I don't think he's going to be too impressed at knowing who the father is.'
'It's not up to him anyhow.' Lara said sharply
'I know Lara, but regardless. I came between you and your father before.' Lara stood up and walked over to him putting her finger on his lips.
'That wasn't you, I had the thirst for adventure, and I told him that he had to stay out of my life if he couldn't accept it and he picked his answer. This doesn't make things any different.'
'He's a powerful man Lara.'
'I know that, but what could he do about this? I mean it's not like I've ever listened to him before is it?' She smiled at him genuinely.
'No, I guess not.' He put his arms around her and held her, smiling into her shoulder.
Meanwhile Lord Henshingly's manner had changed from upset to anger. How could she have done this to him? This perfect child in the photographs could not be the same person as was in the paper that day. No, his Lara would have been far too sensible for this sort of thing. She would have found a good man like the Earl he had picked out for her to marry, settled down and then had children. She wouldn't have lived a life of adventure then become pregnant by some American that she had loose connections with. Where had it gone so wrong? Touching the face on the picture his anger turned from her to Alex. That was what had happened. He had poisoned her strong mind into the life he was living and convinced her to share it with him, Lara was too sensible to let herself get pregnant, therefore it must have been his fault that no protection was used. He could feel the anger welling inside him at the fact that this man had violated his baby girl. He would make him pay for that, oh yes indeed Alex West would pay dearly for everything. Firstly though he had to win Lara back, and he knew that it was going to be a hard thing to do. Taking out his telephone and address book he looked through his listings, one for a hit man, one for a bodyguard.
'Lara I have made the appointment for tomorrow morning at 9 if that's alright?' Hillary said as them room was eventually put back the way it should be.
'Yes, thank you Hillary that's perfect.' She smiled at him.
'If it's at 9 I don't think I'll be able to get here in time.' Alex said as he picked up his jacket from the bed.
'What do you mean? If you are going to be a father Alex don't you think maybe you should stay around here for a while?' Hillary asked him. Lara looked over at him. 'Well Lara I think it will be good for the both of you.'
Alex and Lara looked at each other. Alex shrugged.
'Oh for the sake of God, Lara you will for once do as you're told, Alex get your things I'll have the guest room set up for you.' Hillary smiled to himself for once taking control over a situation and started to walk away from them leaving Alex shell shocked.
'Hilly,' Lara called after him. He turned to look at her. 'As an afterthought, forget the guest room.' Hillary looked hurt but wasn't expecting her next line. 'Alex will sleep in here with me.' This gave them both a reason to stand there shocked as Lara walked out of the room a smile on her face and her mobile phone in her hand.
