A Mother's Secret - Minna Howard

Buy Here

Verity had met Nathan soon after he had returned from a summer working – and, it now transpired, making babies – in Greece. If asked, she would have said that they had a happy, secure marriage with two beloved sons, but now, with Saskia’s arrival, it felt as if a wedge had slipped or rather been rammed between them. The truth, now she made herself admit it, was that since both boys had left for university, they were finding it difficult to communicate with each other.

She and Nathan had almost a year being just the two of them before Marius and then Toby were born. Nathan worked in the financial world and when the boys were older, she went back to teaching history A level in a crammer.

Saskia had been conceived before she and Nathan had even met, she kept reminding herself as she waited for the kettle to boil. If Saskia’s mother had not become so ill and died, would she ever have told her daughter the name of the man who had fathered her?

This she said to Jen as she hovered round her in the kitchen, collecting up a tray, sugar and some coffee spoons.

‘Goodness knows. But I suppose Saskia questioned her mother ages ago about who her father was. I know my Annie would have tormented me until I told her if I’d done that to her. We’ll have to tactfully ask her,’ she said, picking up the tray of coffee to carry into the living room.

‘I know… but… well, do I give her Nathan’s mobile number? He’s so stressed at the moment this is the last thing he needs. If he were here, I could break it to him gently, and we could discuss it.’

This whole thing was some ghastly nightmare, though it was hardly surprising. A young man and an attractive woman falling for each other in the long summer days and romantic nights in a beautiful place far away from home. But she didn’t want this young woman like a cuckoo in their nest even though it was virtually empty now with both boys gone to university.

Saskia was standing by the mantlepiece studying some photographs. Marius looked very sportive in tennis whites holding a trophy. Toby was tanned and handsome and so like his father, Marius more like her.

For a split-second Saskia’s expression reminded her of Toby in thoughtful mood, and then it was gone. It was surely a trick of the light and of her now over-anxious mind, as she didn’t look at all like him now.

‘So, these are my… half-brothers?’ Saskia asked shyly.

Verity felt this was worse than Nathan being Saskia’s father. She did not want to share her beloved sons with a sister, a sister who was not hers. But she couldn’t say it. Part of her rebelled against the intrusion of this young woman into their settled life and part of her was full of compassion for her loss of an obviously much-loved mother, who had died too soon.

Jen threw her a look of dismay as if she guessed her feelings. ‘Umm, yes I suppose so,’