by Mary Lyons
The sound of Luke clearing his throat brought her sharply back down to earth.
‘I realise that I should have said something to you when you first mentioned my mother’s name, a few weeks ago,’ he said with an apologetic smile. ‘However, it quickly occurred to me that, since Eastman is not an uncommon name, I ought to make sure of my facts before taking any action.’
‘Yes, I…I quite understand,’ she muttered breathlessly, trying to pull herself together.
‘However, now that I hear we are joint owners of this crazy house, there will be much to talk about. And I think I ought to tell you straight away that you have nothing more to fear from Lady Marshall.’
I’m delighted to hear it!’
‘I had a long—er—in-depth conversation with the old lady yesterday,’ Luke said blandly. ‘And I’m sure you will be pleased to know that she has— after, I must admit, a certain amount of armtwisting!—resigned from the board of trustees, and appointed myself in her place.’
Angelica gave him a nervous smile. ‘I’m obviously thankful that you’ve got rid of the awful old woman. But I’m still a bit confused… I mean, what happens now?’
‘I can’t see any point in rushing into any decisions,’ he told her firmly. ‘I suggest that we just take things easy, and work it out as we go along. In the first instance, and because of your accident, I’ve taken two weeks’ leave from my office, I’ve had to install a fax machine, of course-—’ he nodded to a large square object on the desk by the window ‘—but otherwise I’m quite confident that my staff can carry on as usual during my stay here.’
‘Your stay here…?’ she echoed, gazing at him in bewilderment. ‘You don’t mean…surely you can’t be expecting to—er—live here, In this house?’
‘My dear girl, of course I am,’ he drawled, raising a quizzical dark eyebrow, as though surprised that she should even query the fact. ‘There are, after all, at least six spare bedrooms, are there not?’
‘Yes, wel—ran—we do have plenty of room,’ she reluctantly agree, disturbed by her immediate, in stinctive reaction of dismay.
It might be totally irrational, but she deeply resented the fact that this man was already making himself at home in Lonsdale House. It was… well, it was a sort of invasion of her territory. She was just trying to think of several good reasons for him to remain in his own apartment when his next words shot all of her half-formed arguments down in flames.
‘With your leg in plaster, you can hardly show visitors around the house,’ he pointed out with devastating logic. ‘And I really feel that it’s asking too much of poor Betty—who’ll have her hands full looking after you—to have to deal with members of the public, on top of everything else.’
‘It won’t be long before I’m able to get around. I feel perfectly well,’ she retorted.
‘I’m sure you do. But, since you must be tired on your first day out of hospital, I’m now going to carry you upstairs to bed,’ he said firmly as he rose to his feet.
She gritted her teeth. ‘There’s absolutely no need for you to do anything of the sort. With these crutches, I’m perfectly well able to look after myself!’
But he took not a blind bit of notice of her protests as he quickly scooped her up in his arms. Even the heavy plaster cast didn’t seem to make any difference to the consummate ease with which he was able to handle her angry, protesting figure.
‘You’d better keep still,’ he warned as he paused at the foot of the stairs. ‘If you fall and smash that cast, it will only mean having another one fitted. So why don’t you hold on—and shut up?’
The threat of having to return to hospital was enough to make Angelica realise that it was useless to argue any further.
Nervously she put her hands about his neck, a flush spreading over her pale skin at the warmth of the hard, firm arms clasped about her trembling body. With her face so close to his, her nostrils seemed filled with his own musky, masculine scent, mingled with the aromatic perfume of his cologne. Quickly clamping her eyes tightly shut, before she gave in to a sudden, mad desire to run her fingers through his thick, dark hair, or to press her lips to the sculptured hollow beneath his prominent cheekbone, Angelica desperately struggled to control her body, which seemed to be shaking like a leaf.
‘There you are, you should be more comfortable here,’ he said, entering her bedroom and lowering her gently down on the wide bed. ‘I’ll send Betty up to help you undress.’
‘I’m not tired, I don’t need to be undressed, and I really don’t want to be stuck up here for the rest of the day, either! Where are my crutches?’
‘They’re downstairs, of course.’
‘Well, I’m obviously going to need them, aren’t I?’ she pointed out, practically grinding her teeth as he slowly shook his head.
‘Later, maybe. When you’ve had a good sleep.’
So, OK, she was feeling far more tired than she was prepared to admit. But he had no right to dump her up here, like an unwanted parcel. And without her crutches she was completely stuck!
‘Now, why don’t you just try to relax?’ he told her in a calm, irritatingly patient voice. ‘I understand that you had a very nasty bump on your head. So, we don’t want you doing too much, too soondo we?’
‘I may have a broken leg but the doctors say that my head is in perfect working order!’ she snapped. How dared he talk to her as if she were a dimwitted, fractious child?
Furious with herself at being so easily out-manoeuvred, she glared up at Luke, who was continuing to regard her with an impassively calm, bland expression on his face. But she wasn’t fooled—not for one minute! She was perfectly well aware, from the deep gleam of sardonic mockery in his glittering grey eyes, that he was deriving considerable amusement from her obvious annoyance and frustration.
How could she have ever imagined that she was in love with this truly awful man?
‘How much longer have I got to put up with this rotten plaster cast?’ Angelica muttered, giving a heavy sigh as she put down her book.
‘I’m sure it won’t be long before it’s off,’ Betty murmured soothingly as she finished dusting the desk in the study. ‘And Mr Cunningham has promised to try and get you a lighter cast just as soon as he comes back from New York,’ she added. ‘So cheer up! It’s probably just all this rain what’s making you feel so blue.’
She might be right, Angelica thought, turning to look at the raindrops cascading down the windowpane. Although nothing seemed to dampen Betty’s spirits these days. Happy as a sandboy to have Luke around the house—especially as he enthusiastically wolfed down every delicious meal she set before him—the older woman was irritatingly bright and cheerful, singing old music hall songs as she went about her work, and generally driving Angelica around the bend.
It seemed strange not to have Luke around. But his few days away in America on business might give her an opportunity to get her head together. For the first time, it occurred to her that it might be the stress and strain of having to live cheek by jowl with Luke which had been making her feel so depressed lately. And she didn’t even have the satisfaction of being able to complain about the way he was treating her. How could she, when he was always polite and considerate, and generally behaving like a distant if pleasant stranger?
Goodness knew, she ought to be glad that his attitude towards her was like… well, like the way he might treat a sister. But trying to keep her own deep feelings for him under some sort of control was becoming more and more difficult with every passing day. And, unfortunately, the situation wasn’t helped by the fact that he’d never, ever referred to his original proposal of marriage.
But why should he, she reminded herself glumly, when he now had a perfect right to live in this house? After all, he’d only suggested that they marry in order to solve her difficulties with the house and Lady Marshall. So there was no need to go to those lengths now. Not when, to all intents and purposes, the problems had already been removed from her shoulders.
Angelica didn’t much like herself these days. Surely she never used to be so discontented and wretchedly unhappy, or feeling incredibly restless and depressed—as if she were somehow an alien in what had once been her own private home.
There was no doubt that things had certainly changed! Luke had already interviewed several applicants for the post of curator. He’d also been arranging for builders to submit estimates for the repair of the roof, and for redecorating the whole house from top to bottom. Betty was to have a new kitchen, and there were plans to double the number of bathrooms.
It was obvious that Luke was extremely efficient, and she couldn’t quarrel with any of his plans for modernising the house. But, other than being asked to rubber-stamp his decisions, Angelica felt that she’d hardly been consulted on all these changes. And, since Luke now had a legal share in her inheritance, she could hardly object to his plans.
Strangely enough, one of the few bright aspects of her present-day existence was her new friendship with Norma, Luke’s secretary and personal assistant.
Often calling at the house with important business, the middle-aged woman and Angelica would often sit chatting together over a cup of coffee, while waiting for Luke to read and sign documents. And Angelica had been touched when, after complaining that she hadn’t anything to read, Norma had returned the next day with a bag full of torrid romances.
‘For goodness’ sake, don’t tell Mr Cunningham,’ Norma had muttered as she’d handed them to the girl. ‘Most men think these sort of books are silly. But, as you’re stuck with nothing to do, they may help to pass the time.’
‘I’m very grateful-and I promise not to lend them to Luke!’ Angelica had giggled, staring fascinated at some of the amazingly lurid illustrations on the covers of the books.
They had indeed helped to pass the time while she waited for her leg to heal. Unfortunately, reading about hot, sensual passion and unbridled lust only made matters worse somehow, increasing the acute frustration and unhappiness she felt over her hopeless love for Luke.
Her dismal reverie was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
Realising that Betty had intended to go out shopping after doing the houseworks she got up out of her chair. She’d become used to her crutches by now, and had no trouble making her way across the hall. Pulling the front door open, she was stunned to discover Eleanor Nicholson standing on the doorstep.
‘May I come in?’ Eleanor murmured, not giving Angelica a chance to say no, as she slipped past the girl balancing awkwardly on her crutches and made her way into the hall.
‘What a charming house!’
‘Thank you,’ Angelica replied stonily. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘Eleanor gave a tinkling laugh. ‘I think you’ve got that the wrong way around. It’s what I can do for you which has brought me here today.’
‘Oh, really?’ Angelica murmured, realising that her instinctive dislike of the dark-haired woman the one and only time they’d met each other, at the Ritz hotel, was still as strong as ever.
‘Why don’t we sit down and have a little talk?’ Eleanor suggested sweetly. ‘Luke tells me that you’re really doing splendidly on those crutches of yours. But it must be tiring to be on your feet for too long.’
‘No—I think I’d like you to go, and…’
But Angelica found that she was speaking to herself, as Eleanor had already left the dark hall, and was now making herself at home in the study.
‘Damn cheek!’ she muttered grimly under her breath. But, since there was no point in standing out here on her own, she was reluctantly forced to join the dark-haired girl in the other room.
‘Luke’s told me such a lot about this house!’ Eleanor exclaimed as she looked about her. ‘As I told him when we went to the opera last week, he really must…’ She paused, staring at the girl who’d just given a strangled gasp. ‘Didn’t you know about our date last week? Oh, dear—I can see that Luke didn’t tell you. Wasn’t that naughty of him?’
‘It wasn’t a date,’ Angelica protested. ‘It was corporate entertainment. And Luke didn’t take me, because he hates opera. He said that he always falls asleep, and he reckoned I would too.’
‘Oh, is that what he told you?’ Eleanor laughed. ‘I don’t suppose he mentioned that he took me out to dinner afterwards? Well, never mind. You can ask him all about it when he gets back from New York, can’t you?’
Angelica tried to cling on to her knowledge of Luke. She might have fought and raged at him, but she knew that he would never lie to her. But, on the other hand, he had been to the opera, and he had returned very latte. And, most worrying of all, How did Eleanor know that he was in New York, if he hadn’t told her himself?
‘Of course, I did wonder if he hadn’t bitten off more than he could chew with this house,’ the other girl was saying as she walked around the room. ‘But, now he’s taken over the chairmanship of the trust, it all makes perfect sense. Poor old Aunt Doreen—what a tiresome woman!’ she added with a laugh. ‘But I am her only relative, and with all that wealth… So useful, if you see what I mean?’
‘You mean that you’re nice to the beastly old dragon just because you want to inherit her money,’ Angelica replied scornfully.
‘Precisely!’ Eleanor gave another of her irritating, tinkling laughs. ‘Anyway, it all seems to have worked out splendidly, doesn’t it? Luke’s in here now—and you, alas, are well and truly out.’
‘Oh, no, I’m not!’ Angelica ground out forcefully. ‘I have a legal half-share in this house. I’m entitled to live here as long as I like.’
‘Ah, I don’t think that’s quite right,’ Eleanor murmured, gazing at her reflection in the large gilt mirror over the fireplace. ‘If think, if I recall the trust deed correctly—and, of course, I do!—that you are only allowed to live in this house with the permission of the trustees.’
‘So what?’ Angelica snapped.
Eleanor shook her lovely head in mock-sorrow. ‘Don’t be so dim, sweetie! Surely you must remember the very first action of Luke’s, when he knew he’d inherited this amazing place?’
‘He only inherited a half-share in “this amazing place”,’ Angelica corrected her grimly through gritted teeth.
‘He went to see Aunt Doreen, didn’t he?’ Eleanor continued blithely, ignoring the blonde girl’s interruption. ‘And when he left he was the new chairman of the trustees, right?’
‘Yes, but… but…’ Angelica’s voice died slowly away.
‘Ah—I see the penny has dropped at last!’ Eleanor laughed. ‘Isn’t my darling Luke a clever, clever man? Never misses a trick, does he? Of course, he’s really been very kind, letting you stay on here after coming out of hospital. Poor old you,’ she added, looking down at the cast. ‘It must be terribly uncomfortable.’
‘You can cut out the false sympathy,’ Angelica told her grimly. ‘And if you or Luke think that I’m going to leave this house—the only home I’ve ever known—you’re very much mistaken!’
Eleanor smiled. ‘You really are living in a fool’s paradise, aren’t you? Do you really imagine that the other trustees will oppose their very rich, very influential new chairman? And if he says that he and I are getting married, that we want the house to ourselves…? Well, I don’t think the trustees will give him too much hassle, do you?’
‘I… I don’t believe he’d ever do that—throw me out of the house, I mean. And I don’t… don’t believe he’s going to marry you, either!’ Angelica cried, still desperately trying to cling on to her sanity. All these things that Eleanor was saying— they couldn’t possibly be true, could they?
Eleanor shrugged. ‘Men are such ruthless bastards, aren’t they? I told Luke not to be so hard on you—to give you time to leave of your own accord, instead of being thrown out by the trustees. But I’m afraid that I didn’t have much luck. When we were discussing this matter in bed, just the other night, Luake said that—’
‘You were what…?’ Angelica gasped, unable to believe what she was
hearing. ‘I… I don’t believe it!’
‘What don’t you believe?’ Eleanor queried sweetly. ‘That we were discussing business, or that we were in bed together? My dear girl, Luke and I are great believers in combining business and pleasure!’ She laughed. ‘There’s no need to look so shocked. Didn’t you know that Luke and I have been lovers for simply years! I must admit that we’ve both been such workaholics that it didn’t seem important to get married. But now Luke has decided to settle down and bring up his family in this house…well, it all makes sense, doesn’t it?’
‘Get out of here!’ Angelica cried, clasping her hands to her ears, and trying not to listen any more to this evil, amoral woman.
‘No, sweetie. It’s you who are going to have to get out of here.’ Eleanor shook her head sorrowfully. ‘I’m sorry, but Luke asked me to bring the bad news to you while he’s away in New York. I’m flying out to join him tonight, actually. He says that he’s going mad—he just can’t wait to make love to me. Isn’t that sweet of him?’
Angelica couldn’t prevent herself from giving a deep, heart-wrenching wail of despair as she suddenly doubled up with pain and anguish.
‘Now, now, there’s no need to cry, sweetie. We all have to grow up one day, you know, and it’s about time that you joined the real world! So I’ll tell darling Luke that I kept my promise to see you. But if you’re still here when he comes back, well—’ she shrugged ‘-he’s just going to have to do his own dirty work, isn’t he? And now,’ she added, glancing down at her watch, ‘I really must dash to catch the plane.’
Eleanor was just turning to the door when she stopped and gave another of her peals of laughter.
‘Oh, silly me—how could I have forgotten?’ she said, turning around and taking a long white creased and crumpled envelope from her handbag. ‘I really think you ought to have this back. Although I must say Luke and I were screaming with laughter when he read it out loud to me a few weeks ago. I mean, it isn’t usually a woman who writes proposing marriage to a man, is it? Luke said it gave him the best laugh he’d had for years!’