House of Secrets Read online

  Copyright © 2016 Lynda Stacey

  Published 2016 by Choc Lit Limited

  Penrose House, Crawley Drive, Camberley, Surrey GU15 2AB, UK

  www.choc-lit.com

  The right of Lynda Stacey to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the UK such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P 9HE

  EPUB ISBN 978-1-78189-291-6

  To Haydn

  I want to thank you for being both my husband and best friend for the past 25 years, for the life we’ve spent together, for always loving me, and for taking me to Wrea Head Hall on so many wonderful occasions.

  I love you so very much xx

  Contents

  Title page

  Copyright information

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Author’s Note

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Thank You

  About the Author

  More Choc Lit from Lynda Stacey

  Introducing Choc Lit

  More from Choc Lit

  Preview - Tell Me No Secrets by Lynda Stacey

  Acknowledgements

  I’d like to wholeheartedly thank Mr Gerald Aburrow and Dr Mark Giles, the true owners and Keepers of Wrea Head Hall. They’ve been amazing, enthusiastic and so very supportive right from the very first moment that I asked for permission to use the hall as the backdrop to my novel. I love the hall so much and couldn’t have wished for a more beautiful and inspirational setting. Wrea Head Hall is my favourite place to go in England. I always feel very spoiled when I stay there. It’s a fantastic hotel, with the most beautiful food, open log fires and exquisite rooms. The whole team at Wrea Head Hall makes every visit the most wonderful experience and I’d encourage anyone to go and stay … you wouldn’t be disappointed.

  A huge thank you goes to my husband, Haydn. Who not only took me to Wrea Head Hall for a birthday treat, but has continued to take me back on a regular basis (and he pays for it). He’s the anchor in my life, the one person in the world I could not live without and even though my writing means that he ends up spending many evenings watching TV without me, he’s been understanding and encouraging throughout.

  Thank you to my brother, Stuart Thompson, who has been the one constant person in my life. Not only did he buy me an Audi TT, for which I’ll be forever grateful, he also bought me my very first word processor and said to me, ‘You keep saying you’re going to write a novel, get on with it.’ Well, thank you, I finally did …!

  I’d like to thank the amazing author Jane Lovering, who has mentored me for the past three years. She’s pulled me along, kicking and screaming (on some days) and celebrated with me on others. Thank you for everything, you’ve been an amazing friend x

  To both Kathy Kilner and author Victoria Howard who have read my manuscript repeatedly. You’ve both helped me, critiqued my work and supported me daily. It’s friends like both of you that keep me going on days when it would be easy to do other things. Thank you.

  To Jayne Stacey, Cynthia Foster, and Vivien Norton. You have all read my work over and over, you’ve all believed in me, supported me and encouraged me to continue. Thank you.

  To my amazing editor, I loved every minute of working with you. You were the best and I couldn’t have wished for a better editor. You helped me add the sparkle and shine. Thank you.

  To the Romantic Novelist Association. Being a member of this association has changed my life. I’ve met some of the best authors in the world, spent time with them and what’s more, I get to call them all my friends. I’ll be forever grateful that this group exists, and thankful that I was accepted onto their New Writers Scheme in 2014. I’m sure that without them I’d have never become an author.

  And finally, I’d like to thank the team at Choc Lit for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to fulfil my lifelong dream. Special thanks goes to the Tasting Panel readers who passed the manuscript: Claire W., Jenny M., Lizzy D. Jo O., Sigi, Linda W., Alma H., Ann C., Gill L. and Jenny K. Thank you so much, I can now call myself an author xx

  Author’s Note

  Whilst Wrea Head Hall, the hotel described in this book, is a real place House of Secrets is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, events or incidents are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  Madeleine covered her eyes in an attempt to shield them from the early morning sun. It burst in through a tiny slit in the bedroom curtains and shone directly at her. She lay for a few moments, waiting for her eyes to become accustomed to the light before peering across to where Liam slept.

  She took a deep breath and inched her body between the crisp white sheets towards the edge of the bed in an effort to widen the gap between herself and her naked lover. Then she lay as still as she could, not daring to move, as she watched him sleep. She used to love watching the steady rise and fall of his chest, his deep, slow, untroubled breaths and the way he slept on his back with his arms spread outward, as though surrendering in a childlike, unconscious state. But he’d changed. Now, she didn’t know whether to love him or to hate him, at any given moment.

  Holding her breath, she noticed his eyes flicker and knew that as soon as he woke, she’d have to quickly judge whether he was in a good mood or bad. Whether he’d want to make love or argue and, right now, she was tired and didn’t feel in the mood to do either. Closing her eyes, Madeleine lay back against the pillows, only to feel Liam’s hand pushing the sheets down to uncover her.
/>   ‘You awake, Maddie darlin’?’ his soft Irish tone mumbled in her ear.

  Liam’s hand started to move over her body in soft, gentle, caressing strokes. Madeleine felt herself relax. This was Liam in a good mood. For a moment she enjoyed the simple feeling of tenderness, along with the feel of his hand moving sensuously over her body. It was what she’d enjoyed so much at the beginning of their relationship and a small part of her wondered if he could change, if they could both change, and if once again she could have the loving and caring Liam, without the nasty side she’d experienced of late.

  She inhaled deeply and then caught her breath as Liam’s hand travelled down to her thigh. There had been a time when she’d have felt waves of excitement, times when she’d wished for him to be closer and, more often than not, it had been her that had instigated their lovemaking. But that was before. Before she’d moved into his house with her daughter and before he’d taken control of everything she did. Madeleine thought back to when she had first met him, how generous, caring and loving he’d been, which made her wonder why he had changed, if the arguments were her fault and whether it was her that made him angry. Maybe he regretted allowing her to move in, or perhaps he simply didn’t like the fact that she was a mother, with a very young daughter.

  Madeleine glanced up, staring directly into Liam’s sleepy green eyes that were now just centimetres away from hers.

  He flashed her a cheeky smile and then lowered his lips brushing them gently against hers. He lingered tenderly and savoured the moment. He then paused and pulled away. Once again, his eyes searched hers, studying her in a seductive, yet thoughtful way. And then he smiled again, the slight gap between his two front white teeth giving him a cute, mischievous appearance.

  ‘You got something on your mind there, Maddie?’ Liam’s voice broke through her thoughts, just as she felt his fingers brush lightly against her face, making her jump.

  ‘No, not at all,’ she lied. ‘I was just enjoying the moment.’ She moved away from him, but felt his hand grab at her wrist.

  ‘Hey, not so fast. I have something for you,’ Liam whispered as he pulled her hand towards him, placing it firmly against his arousal which was more than apparent.

  Madeleine took a sharp, inward breath and allowed her gaze to fall upon his mouth, just as he lifted his hand to move a strand of hair away from her face. Their eyes met again as his mouth descended upon hers. She wanted him to be happy, wanted him to stay in a good mood and responded as passionately as she could to the kiss. Her lips parted and she allowed his tongue to delve repeatedly into the recesses of her mouth. His hands tentatively roamed over her breasts and down to her stomach and in one firm and unambiguous movement, he pressed his fingers deep inside her, making Madeleine relax into the lovemaking.

  ‘Are you ready for me, Maddie?’ he whispered between kisses. His body moved over hers, but then he eased away momentarily as he tugged roughly at her silk nightdress, pulling it up and over her head, tossing it to the floor, discarded.

  Liam’s lips grazed her neck, his tongue drew circles on her skin, gently at first but then quickly and ardently his mouth fell upon her breasts, making the blood flow through her veins at speed. She had loved him, had enjoyed making love to him and wondered again if it was possible to return to the relationship they’d once had and for her to get back the Liam that she’d first met.

  A soft creak on the staircase made Madeleine freeze. The noise could only mean one thing and her stomach tied in knots, knowing that if Poppy was out of bed, Liam would get angry. Madeleine listened intently for any further evidence that the three-year-old was up and about. For a moment she heard nothing more and started to relax, but then another creak, quickly followed by a timid murmur, which made Madeleine jump up and out of Liam’s clutches.

  ‘Mummy,’ the young voice beckoned. ‘Mummy, I need you. Are you there?’

  ‘Poppy, stay where you are, baby girl. Mummy’s coming,’ she yelled as she grabbed at her robe, finding herself suddenly eager to cover her naked body from Liam’s angry gaze.

  ‘Damn it, Maddie,’ he shouted as he leaned out of bed. He rummaged around in search of the boxer shorts that he had discarded the night before and pulled them on. ‘I can’t remember the last time I got to the end without hearing that stupid, whining little voice behind that bloody door. Can’t you control her?’

  Madeleine felt her blood boil. ‘Control her? She’s a child, Liam. Not something you bloody control.’ Madeleine glared at him as she got out of bed. He’d taken one too many digs at her daughter and this time she had no intention of letting it pass.

  ‘Why Liam? Why do you do this? Why do you go from being nice Liam one minute, to being a really shitty, nasty Liam the next?’ She paused and stared at him, knowing that her daughter was just the other side of the door and no doubt listening to every word. ‘I have no idea why the hell I stay.’

  She meant every word. When Liam was nice, he could be kind, sensual, generous and even romantic. But then his mood could turn on a sixpence and he’d turn mean without warning, and when he did this to Poppy she hated him with a vengeance. How dare he be cruel to her daughter?

  She stared into the green eyes which had now turned cold and piercing, watched the indecision in his gaze and waited for him to challenge her in return. She knew his mood would and could go either way, and then, just as though someone had flicked a switch, he smiled, got off the bed and walked towards her.

  ‘Oh, Maddie, I’m sorry, forgive me.’ His arms were suddenly around her, his lips grazed her forehead and once again he was ‘nice Liam’, gentle and loving. ‘It’s just that, you know, I was so turned on. I mean, come on, Maddie, what am I supposed to do with this?’ He gripped her wrist and pulled her hand towards him. She could feel the erection beneath his boxers, still proud and throbbing. She closed her eyes and thought carefully about her next move.

  ‘Liam, let go of my hand. Now. My daughter needs me.’ A shudder ran through her, unsure of what he would do next and she looked back at the closed door, more than aware that Poppy would still be standing on the other side, clutching a teddy bear, waiting.

  Liam pushed Madeleine towards the bed. She unbalanced and landed heavily. He then stamped across the room and snatched open the door to reveal a small girl, crouched on the corner of the landing, making a soft whimpering sound and with her teddy bear pulled up in front of her to hide her face.

  ‘Get gone to your Mammy,’ he snarled as he stepped past the frightened child, down the landing and into the bathroom. To Madeleine’s relief, the shower burst into life.

  ‘Morning, precious girl,’ Madeleine whispered as she watched a terrified and timid Poppy creep towards her, dragging her teddy bear behind her with one hand, the thumb of the other firmly clamped in her mouth. ‘You want to snuggle?’ Madeleine asked as she climbed back into bed, threw back the quilt and watched as a huge smile came over Poppy’s face. She squealed with delight and immediately raced over to where her mother lay, jumped under the covers and nestled in, clinging to her like a small and over-enthusiastic chameleon.

  ‘I take it you’ll be working from home today?’ Liam asked as he straightened his tie and took a swig of his tea. The question was more an order than a question and Madeleine felt her stomach flip with nerves.

  ‘Actually, I’ve arranged to go shopping with Jess.’ Madeleine smiled at the thought of spending the whole day with her sister, lifted the kettle and made herself a coffee. ‘That is okay, isn’t it?’

  ‘Maddie, it’s Monday. You work on a Monday. We agreed.’

  ‘Come on, Liam. Don’t do this. It’s just a day out with Jess. I haven’t seen her for months. Don’t spoil it.’

  He looked up in the air, thinking. ‘Oh, oh, okay. It’s okay for Poppy to spoil my fun, is it? But not for me to spoil yours.’ The words were cruel and once again directed at Poppy. Madeleine looked around for her daughter, who, as always when Liam was around, had taken herself off somewhere else in the house to play.

/>   Madeleine looked down at the floor, turned towards him and swallowed hard. ‘She’s a baby, Liam. Just a baby. Please understand, she needs me.’

  He picked up his almost empty mug and drained it. He then threw it at the sink where it shattered against the tiles, making her jump. He turned around at speed, he was so close that Madeleine could feel his breath on her cheek. ‘Understand? Oh, okay, Maddie, I’ll understand her, just as soon as you learn that I need a woman in my bed, not a nursemaid to a needy child.’ His eyes were cold, fixed. They stared deep into her soul and Madeleine felt herself weaken. ‘Besides, it’s Monday and you need to work on a Monday. We agreed.’

  Madeleine felt tears form behind her eyes. She’d been looking forward to spending the day with Jess and didn’t need the extra stress of wondering what mood Liam would be in when she returned home. She tried to choke back the tears, didn’t want him to know how much he hurt her and carefully prepared her reply.

  ‘Didn’t I tell you? I’ve finished my latest book. I’m just waiting for Bridget to get back to me with suggestions for the edits.’ She thought the mention of a finished project might please him and watched his face as it visibly softened.