Christmas at Pendragon (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Rosemary J. Anderson

  Biting her lip she waited. What was she supposed to do now? Go to her room? Sit here in silence? What?

  Goran stared at her down bent head and sighed. Why didn’t she say something? Defend herself in some way? Although for the life of him he couldn’t imagine how she would be able to do so. He was disappointed he’d thought she was an honest, reliable decent girl who had fallen on hard times. Someone he could get close to, maybe even…

  He shook his head, it was no good going there. He should have learned his lesson the first time. How could someone so beautiful, so gentle and with the look of an angel be so devious, so greedy and so promiscuous as to sell her body and her soul for money?

  “Oh get out of here, Hannah, there’ll be no work today,” He said finally.

  Hannah quickly scrambled from her seat and all but ran from the room, feeling his eyes boring into the back of her head as she closed the door behind her. Hesitating but for a brief moment she smiled tremulously at Henry as he walked at a sedate pace towards the study, before rushing headlong up the stairs. So much for love and trust.

  Reaching the safety of her room Hannah locked the door and threw herself down on the bed. Wanting to howl her eyes out she stared at the ceiling as the tears refused to come. Why oh why couldn’t she tell Goran the truth? Because he wouldn’t believe her that’s why. He’d barely given her a chance to say anything his mind already made up by what he had heard. And what had he heard? And who from? The usual story, she supposed. The story she’d tried to live down, tried to forget for over a year. The story of a young woman sleeping with an older man to get money, when in reality that was far from the truth. She closed her eyes, remembering.

  She was so excited to get the job. Living in the country in an old Manor House doing what she liked best. Could life be any more perfect? A young and slightly naive twenty-one-year-old, she thought the world was her oyster and was determined to live it to the full. She hadn’t been academically brilliant, but she had taken an admin course and she had excelled. However, not wanting to do the usual and work in a stuffy government office she had decided to sign up with an agency and see what happened, maybe find an adventure. Then, unexpectedly she had got a job within the very first week. Jeffery Stevens had appeared to be the ideal employer, running an import-export business from home because of a neck injury he was relaxed and easy going. The work hadn’t been difficult and the free time had been amazing. Never having been to Devon before, she had taken the opportunity to explore. The days had been hot and sunny and the adventuresome spirit in her had been given free reign. Hidden coves, pretty little hamlets, wonderful beaches and thriving forests the delights of the county had lifted her spirits and made her feel for once in her life truly happy and she hadn’t wanted it to end. But end it did.

  It had been a particularly hot and humid day. Jeffrey had declared that it was too hot to work and that they should take advantage of the weather and go to the beach.

  A brief run in an open topped sports car had been the start of what was to be an ideal day. A secluded cove, a full to bursting picnic basket and bottles of chilled champagne. She’d felt as if she was living the dream. The sea was cold and after changing behind a convenient rock into a miniscule bikini she ran squealing into the sea to frolic amongst the waves. Jeffrey had of course joined in the fun, splashing and chasing, ducking and diving until exhausted. They had thrown themselves down onto the hot sand to catch their breath before indulging in the champagne. The picnic had been amazing. Caviar, something she hadn’t tasted before, piled onto crackers, tender slices of chicken, crunchy rolls spread with creamy butter, assorted salads and strawberries and cream and yet even more champagne.

  The afternoon drifted away and after drinking far too much she had fallen into a deep slumber, the sounds of the waves crashing up the beach lulling her further and further into sleep.

  Sometime later, she came slowly awake. Something felt wrong, her eyes snapped open and she was staring into the brown eyes of Jeffrey Stevens. Momentarily disorientated she hesitated not knowing what to do or what to say and then, it suddenly dawned on her—she was naked. And Jeffrey Stevens was in the process of…

  She bulked at putting it into words. Crying out in alarm she thrust him off her and scrambled in an ungainly was to her feet, snatching up a towel to cover her nakedness.

  “What the hell do you think you are doing?” she screamed, holding back the tears.

  Jeffrey smiled disarmingly and rolled onto his back. She dragged her eyes away from his fully erect penis.

  “Hey babe what’s the matter? Come on you know you were begging for it, why else would you flaunt yourself in that teeny-weeny bikini?”

  Hannah stared at him in horror. “You can’t be serious. I thought we were just having a fun day that’s all, not, not...”

  “Oh come on, Hannah, why do you think I’ve paid you so much attention? You were here to work and yet we’ve played hooky almost every day. Surely even you couldn’t imagine I was doing this out of the kindness of my heart?” Look, you’re a pretty little thing and I can be a very generous man given the right circumstances. After all, what’s all the fuss about? It’s just sex after all. You allow me to use your body, and in return I will give you anything your heart desires. Think of it Hannah, jewellery, a flat, a car, holidays and money, the world could be your oyster and all for the very reasonable price of a few sexual favours.”

  The more he said the more sick she felt. She couldn’t believe she’d not seen it coming, was she that naive? That stupid?

  “That’s disgusting, I don’t fancy you at all, what are you fifty-eight, fifty-nine? I’m twenty-one, you’re old enough to be my grandfather, it’s obscene, you’re obscene.”

  “Be careful what you say, Hannah. I don’t appreciate silly little girls giving me the come-on and then backing down. There’s a name for girls like you, a tease, a slut, a whore, you name it and that’s what you are.” He grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her struggling toward him. “You know you want it.”

  Kicking at his shins with bare feet Hannah pulled free and ran up the beach, stopping only long enough to scoop up her possessions.

  Momentarily coming back to the present, Hannah groaned silently, evoking the memory of that final humiliation.

  It had taken her three hours to walk back to the Manor house, as she’d only a few pence in her pocket, not enough for a bus fare. She’d been met at the steps by Vivian Stevens, an angry judgmental Vivian Stevens. Her bags, she remembered, had been packed rather haphazardly, the contents poking out of the closed lids, and her handbag had been flung violently at her feet. The names she had been called were vile, disgusting obscenities that had stopped the breath in her chest. She’d been told in no uncertain terms to leave and never darken their door again. She remembered rather grimly that at least she’d had the wits about her to ask for her salary, after all she was almost destitute and she had worked and worked hard no matter what Jeffrey had said. Vivian had laughed, an ugly sound rather like a witch’s cackle. Of course she had not been paid, and she also knew she wouldn’t get a reference, not that she’d ask for one. All she’d really wanted to do was to put the whole horrible episode out of her mind.

  It had taken ages to get back home. With very little money she’d taken a coach and buses but finally she’d made it. Wanting to hide away and cry, she’d known that she had to find work. However, upon returning to the agency she’d been met with hostility, and the manager informed her that they didn’t want girls like her on their books. Defeated, she’d returned home and cried for days, the only consolation was, that she’d managed to stop Jeffrey Stevens before he could rape her. However, she hadn’t bargained with the revenge of a woman scorned. Vivian Stevens had gone to the papers, holding her up as a con artist, a bed-hopping harpy who schemed and plotted to swindle money from a sick and injured older man. Hoping to put it all behind her she’d moved, found other work and made a concerted effort to forget, wipe it from her mind and to some degree she’d
succeeded. Until now.

  Curling into the fetal position, Hannah closed her eyes. She had to get away from here, away from the man she’d given her virginity to, the man that now thought her a slut. Away from the man she loved, Goran Pendragon.

  Chapter Eleven

  Hannah stayed in her room until dinner. The day had passed slowly with her hiding out unable to face anyone let alone Goran. But hunger and the realisation that she was acting as if she was in fact guilty of something, finally had her showering, changing and emerging from her room just as the dinner gong sounded.

  Being the last to arrive at the table meant all eyes were on her and as she slid into her usual seat next to Goran she could feel her face burning with embarrassment. Eating dinner by firelight, with tall silver candelabras holding cream candles flickering animatedly across a highly polished table laden with crystal and white porcelain should have been romantic. However, in Hannah’s heart stirred not romance, but apprehension.

  “Dah-ling where have you been all day?” Annabel growled huskily, a smug smile playing around the corners of her mouth.

  Pointedly ignoring her, Hannah made much of passing the basket of bread rolls to the twins. However, Annabel wasn’t prepared to let the matter drop.

  “Could it be perhaps that you’re hiding away?”

  “Why on earth should Hannah be hiding away Annabel? Don’t talk such nonsense.” Ethel, the children’s grandmother, unwittingly came to her rescue and Hannah tremulously smiled her thanks.

  “Oh but it’s not nonsense, Mother, is it, Hannah? It seems that Goran and Hannah have had a little contretemps earlier today and that’s why…”

  “Enough!” Goran thundered across the table making everyone jump. “What Hannah does or does not do has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone at this table.” He looked around at everyone. “Have I made myself clear?”

  Giving slight nods of acquiescence everyone began to eat. Hannah studiously ignored Goran’s set face and applied herself to her food, even though it tasted like sawdust in her mouth. Briefly she wondered why Goran had decided to save her from Annabel’s malicious comments.

  The meal finished and the children clamoured to go sledging. Annabel shuddered dramatically, refusing to indulge such infantile activates. The twins, she declared, should be sent up to the nursery to play quietly, as in her opinion children should be seen and not heard. Ethel decided that at six thirty on a dark winter’s evening sledging was not a good idea. However, it was something to be considered for the morrow, a feeling quickly endorsed by Goran who suggested baths and bed for the twins.

  Whilst the arrangement for the morning was taking place Goran completely ignored Hannah, but now as he was about to rise from the table he pinned her with a hard stare.

  “I want to see you in the study.”

  Hannah’s heart dropped as she wondered what the problem was now, and as she made to rise was stopped by Goran placing a hand on her shoulder.

  “Finish your coffee first. Let’s say…”

  He glanced at his watch. “Ten minutes?” Not bothering to wait for her answer he swung on his heel and left. Ethel quickly gathered her charges and ushered them towards the door amidst the childish calls of goodnight.

  Hannah, wanting to get away from Annabel’s oppressive presence, quickly picked up her cup and took a gulp of too-hot, too-strong coffee and spluttered inelegantly as it burnt her tongue and the roof of her mouth.

  Annabel stared derisively at her from the opposite side of the table. Languidly lounging back in her chair she picked up a sugar cube and dropped it into her cup.

  “Well, you’ve managed to stay on here, Hannah, even though you know Goran wants you gone. How have you done that I wonder?”

  Refusing to get into such a personal and sensitive discussion with the other woman Hannah dabbed her mouth with her napkin and began to rise from the table.

  “Mmm, your silence speaks volumes. Could it be sex is involved in some way? Oh but yes, of course it is.” She laughed. “I know you’ve already had a tumble out in the forest, silly me for forgetting that. However, once Goran knew about Jeffrey Stevens I was sure your cards would have been marked and your bags packed, and you would be out on your ear within the hour. But…” She tapped a scarlet-tipped finger against her full, blood-red lips. “You’re still here. So what can I deduce from that I wonder?”

  “So you were the one that told Goran about Jeffrey Stevens?”

  “Well my dear Miss Darling someone had to. You made a nice job of covering your tracks didn’t you? Moving away, using your mother’s maiden name and completely changing your job, my, my, what could you possibly have to hide? Fortunately, when I first saw you I vaguely remembered all the fuss and palaver that hit the newspapers at the time. Jeffrey was always a little dramatic about his affairs. He loved the notoriety. Amazingly, it seemed to make him more appealing to women. And of course, at the time his business had hit a particularly bad patch, and you know what they say—any publicity is good publicity.”

  “How could you? Jeffrey Stevens told a pack of lies about me, it ruined my reputation and I had news hounds after me for days wanting to know all the dirt. How I led him on, had sex with him, indulged his revolting fantasies by doing things, horrible things and then blackmailed him to keep quiet. When all along it was untrue, he wanted revenge and wanted to stop me from accusing him of attempted rape, so he made up all that horrible, disgusting rubbish. And now, when I thought I had left it all behind me you’ve brought it up again. What have I ever done to you for you to do something so vile?”

  “You silly little fool, are you really that naive? You made a play for Goran Pendragon and I don’t like it, he’s mine. I haven’t wasted all these years coming to this godforsaken place for you, a carrot-headed bimbo, to take it all away from me.”

  “Goran Pendragon is his own man and it’s not for me to take him away from you because if you were to be honest, you’d realise, Annabel, that you never really had him.”

  “Why you loathsome little upstart! When this awful weather lifts you will leave, Hannah Darling, or I will make it known to the newspapers that you are here and I will, let’s say—embellish a few facts that will make you so infamous you will be completely unemployable. Get it?”

  Hannah, her heart beating twenty-to-the-dozen nodded silently, and feeling the tears rushing to her eyes hurriedly left the room.

  A minute or two in the downstairs cloakroom and Hannah had composed herself sufficiently to face Goran. Although, now the time had come her insides were fluttering like an eclipse of moths, wondering what it was he wanted to speak to her about.

  A quick knock on the door of the study and she was turning the handle at his brusque, “Enter.”

  Barely looking at her Goran indicated a nearby chair. “Sit.”

  Hannah sat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap waiting for whatever was to come.

  “By the conversation at dinner tonight I take it you now realise that Annabel was the one to tip me off in regard to your,, adventures, for wont of a better word, with Jeffery Stevens?

  Hannah nodded.

  “This of course puts a different slant on your presence in the house.”

  Hannah’s heart sank. Was he going to ask her to leave now, right at this minute? Her glance strayed to the window. It was dark and still snowing. The shadowy swaying trees stark and eerily sinister against the pitch black dark of the night took on a malevolent connotation. She shivered as a feeling of apprehension settled on her shoulders like an old cloak.

  Goran was speaking but she hadn’t heard, too caught up in her fanciful imaginings.

  “Sorry I don’t, didn’t…”

  “You weren’t listening you mean? I will repeat myself. I can’t have Annabel thinking she is omnipotent and spreading gossip to all and sundry. And as I can’t send you or her home at the moment it seems we’re stuck with each other. So I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way to stop her spitefulness is for us to become engaged.”
>
  “Eng…What?” She frowned, surely she hadn’t heard right?

  “Yes I know it seems bizarre, but rest assured the engagement will be a farce, I’ve no intention of marrying you. This is just a means to an end and nothing more. Being engaged to me will give you a modicum of power in this house, enough to silence Annabel at least for the time being.” He raised a hand as she opened her mouth to speak. “And will provide me with protection from Annabel’s amorous ambitions as well as ensuring I have an assistant until such time I deem it unnecessary. So, we will become engaged and you will act as though you are thrilled to be marrying me. It should be easy for you, because in deference to your past reputation you are a consummate actress.”

  “But…” Hannah half rose from her seat but sank back down as he continued ignoring her attempts to interrupt.

  “Therefore, unless you want to find yourself out on your ear in the cold you will agree to this. Do we understand each other?” He raised a questioning eyebrow.

  Understand each other? She’d never felt less understanding. How could he possibly think a pretend engagement would ensure harmony? Annabel would be as mad as a wasp caught in a jam jar and about as understanding as a scorned woman. However, although earlier she had wanted to get away from Goran she now realised that being here with him was where she really wanted to be. And maybe, just maybe she might eventually get him to listen to the truth.

  “Hannah.” He growled impatiently as she sat dumbfounded.

  Shaking herself out of her inertia, Hannah nodded.