I'm so sorry to interrupt,' another quiet familiar voice intervened and Hilary stepped into view in the living area, her face flushed with discomfiture. 'But you needed to know that you weren't alone any more. I'll take care
of Nicky, Billie. You don't need to worry about him.'
Alexei thanked her aunt with grave courtesy and Billie flung a questioning glance at the older woman, wondering why she was encouraging Alexei in his callous conviction that the obstacle of Nicky's very existence could be neatly set aside. And then it dawned on her that, within a few days at most, her son's paternity would no longer be in doubt. 'I don't want to leave him,' she admitted shakily.
'You and Alexei should have time alone as a couple. There's no harm in that,' Hilary murmured soothingly as if the situ
