The Keeper of Secrets by Amanda Brooke

grim look on his face to equal his mother’s. Hoping for the best, she ignored it and returned downstairs. Her dinner guests were gathered in the dining room, although they were yet to sit down. Chris was lighting the tall candles in the crystal centrepiece. He didn’t notice the splintering of miniature rainbows flickering across the polished table which added warmth and colour to the black-and-white decor. He was too busy casting furtive glances at his wife, who in turn was apparently too engrossed in the demanding task of ladling chickpea soup into bowls to notice the attention. Rick was opening a bottle of red wine and he had a satisfied smile on his face as he watched the watcher.
    â€˜Thanks, Angie,’ Elle said. ‘Now everyone sit down before it gets cold.’
    It was no accident that Elle had made dishes that could easily be stretched to accommodate an extra dinner guest. Rick had been involved in deciding the menu and had planned it to perfection. His brazen interference continued as he guided Angie to her seat and indicated for Chris to sit opposite her.
    â€˜Did Charlie complain much?’ Angie asked, turning away from Rick and the source of her barely disguised annoyance.
    â€˜He’s been playing up lately,’ Rick told Chris. ‘Elle’s doing her best, but if he doesn’t settle tonight then I think I’ll have to go up and read him the riot act.’
    â€˜Daddy’s word is law,’ Angie observed.
    â€˜He’s going to have to start behaving once there’s a new baby on the scene.’
    The spoonful of soup that hadn’t quite made it to her lips trembled in Elle’s hand, but it was Angie who spoke first. ‘You’re not pregnant, are you?’
    Rick laughed. ‘No, not yet, but give us time. Didn’t you tell Angie?’ he asked his wife in mock surprise. ‘I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t realize we were only telling a select few.’ He raised his hands by way of an apology to Angie, seeking her forgiveness that she wasn’t included in their circle of trust. ‘It will be good for Elle to have something positive to look forward to after the horrendous time she’s had lately. In fact it will be good for us all. Children keep a family solid. I can’t help thinking that maybe things would have been different for you two if only you hadn’t been so keen to put off having babies, Angie.’
    â€˜I don’t think any number of children can make a failing marriage work,’ she told him.
    â€˜But it might have made us try a little bit harder to make it work,’ Chris offered. Whether it was deliberate or not, he had managed to defuse the tension by completely derailing Angie’s train of thought. For once, his wife was speechless.
    â€˜I hope you all like the soup,’ Elle said, taking advantage of the lull in the conversation. She wasn’t enjoying the sport Angie and Rick were making of their lives. She had lost the game already. She had proven to herself time and time again that she wasn’t strong enough to stand up to Rick. But the prospect of having another child to love and protect, all the while pretending to give Rick her undivided attention was unbearable. She wanted to run away, and that impulse was becoming more and more difficult to ignore as she sat at the dining table playing the perfect hostess.
    There was a smattering of compliments but after an all too brief respite the battle resumed. ‘You’re going to have to cut back on your hours and help Elle out more if you do have another baby,’ Angie said.
    â€˜Or work harder still for an expanding family,’ Rick countered. ‘Not that I’m complaining. It’s my pleasure and my duty to provide for them.’
    â€˜But it must be terribly draining for you. What was it that was so urgent last week, anyway?’
    â€˜Sorry?’
    Elle gave Angie a warning glare but it missed its