Fires in the Forest

by Oliver, Marina

  So Jane's story about two girls jilting him was untrue. Nicola wordlessly shook her head, but he laughed and kissed her again quickly.

  'I was so angry about that stupid mistake partly because it revived my memories for a while, but mostly because it was Jane. She wouldn't believe me, you see, when I said it had been a mistake. She wanted to read more into it than I would ever have intended, and she was becoming tedious.'

  Nicola risked a glance at him, but he smiled down at her and shook his head.

  'No, I have never spent weekends with Jane,' he said with a laugh. 'That was what you thought when you met us that night coming out of my room, wasn't it? Suspicious little creature. Didn't you notice the other cars leaving?'

  'I – I didn't connect them with you,' Nicola said, surprised.

  'Several of us came back from that party to swim in the pool. Jane made an excuse to stay behind and although you will no doubt think me conceited, I suspect she had certain plans regarding me.'

  'But the other night, when you came home so late?' Nicola said, before she realised what she was admitting, then blushed in confusion.

  'What other night? Oh, when you pretended to be asleep after refusing to make a threesome at the hospital? That made it very difficult for me to abandon her, I might tell you! She was furious because I had to make a most pathetic excuse.' Nicola looked puzzled. 'I was late, dear suspicious one, because when I put the car away I saw a light in the stables. Jenkins was there and I stayed to help him with one of the mares who was ill.'

  'Oh, I didn't think of that,' Nicola said, abashed.

  'I hope you won't be so distrustful when we are married,' he replied casually.

  Nicola opened her mouth to reply, but could not find anything to say. Robert's arm had tightened about her waist and his face was only inches away from her own.

  'Well?' he asked, laughing in a manner that turned her bones to water. 'I've not asked any girl to marry me since Rose, and I thought I would never love any girl again. But from the moment I met you I forgot everything about her. I can't even remember what she looked like very clearly. Even when I took you to our favourite restaurant – and I've never been there since she died – the ghosts had vanished. You had exorcised them for me. I knew then you were the only girl I could ever love, yet my suspicions kept intruding. I couldn't believe for a long time you didn't care for my wealth, you weren't deliberately encouraging Paul to try and make me jealous.'

  'I loathed him,' Nicola broke in, surprised.

  'Yes, I know that now, but you yourself and the uncertainty I felt about you were driving me to distraction, and when I've wanted to kiss you we've either been interrupted or I've had to remind myself that once I started I would not want to stop. Many times I've cursed the situation that made me, in a way, responsible for you, and then left us alone when I could not honourably make love to you. Darling Nicola, will you marry me? Can you put up with my evil temper? I love you so much I shall be even more impossible to live with if you say no!'

  'Robert, oh Robert! I never dreamed – why me? I'm not pretty or clever or anything like that.'

  'Rubbish. You're all that and you are above all my sweet Nicola. If you say yes I'll spend the rest of my life telling you precisely why I adore you,' he promised, and as he read the answer in her blue eyes he gathered her into his arms and crushed her to him. They were brought back to their surroundings by the harsh ringing of the telephone.

  'Let it ring,' Robert said, kissing Nicola again, but when the noise went on he exclaimed impatiently and stretched out his hand for the receiver.

  'Hello?' he snapped. 'Sarah? ... What's that? ... How did you find out where I was? ... The commissionaire at the Crown! ... Yes, I have. I'll stay the night at my flat. I'm bringing Nicola home in the morning ... If you promise to behave you can stay at home to help with wedding preparations ... Yes, as soon as possible. Do you want to speak to Nicola?'

  He handed the receiver to her with a smile.

  'Nicola? Darling, congratulations! I hoped Robert would have the sense to see you were the right person for him, and not that horrid Jane!' Sarah exclaimed. 'He'll do anything you ask, so you will persuade him I don't need to go to Switzerland, won't you? Can I ring Mother and tell her?'

  'I – I think Robert should do that,' Nicola replied, still rather bewildered by the sudden reversal from despair to joy. 'I'm glad you approve.'

  'You bet I do! Especially after what Tim has been telling me.'

  'What do you mean?'

  'Why, about Jane employing that nasty little man to dope Night Demon. I hope Robert prosecutes. Tell him, by the way, they all got home safely, and Night Demon is full of oats.'

  'Good. But how are you feeling?' was all Nicola could reply to this.

  'Absolutely fine. See you tomorrow,' Sarah said, and rang off.

  'So Jane really was involved?' Nicola said slowly. 'She did arrange it. But why?'

  'Apparently he confessed when they told him he had been seen with her,' Robert replied. 'I can guess why. She has a vicious temper and no scruples. For one thing I had refused to let her ride the horse and she knew he had an excellent chance. She was jealous, so she was determined to prevent me from winning. For another thing she knew how I felt about you and wanted to lash out at me in revenge. But let's forget her!'

  Nicola was only too ready to do that. It was some time later before Robert noticed the abandoned omelette.

  'You can't eat that disgustingly cold mess,' he laughed. 'Where's this fabulous dress Thomas Rankin was telling me about last night? I didn't really appreciate it that other evening. Will you wear it for me and we'll have a quiet celebration, with no interruptions? I've got my dinner jacket in the car. May I change here?'

  Nicola took the lovely dress out of her case and put it on. She was in a glow of happiness that did not leave her throughout the evening. They went to the Hilton Roof Restaurant, but she recalled little apart from the magnificent view across Hyde Park and the champagne which kept her feeling as though she was walking on air.

  'I still don't really believe I'm not dreaming!' she exclaimed the following day as she walked out of a Bond Street jeweller's shop and looked at the sapphire and diamond ring Robert had put on her finger.

  'It's real enough, my sweet. You fell off a ladder into my arms and I haven't been able to get you out of my thoughts since. But I knew the moment I saw you with Sarah that for once fate had been kind to me. It would have been difficult making lots of excuses to come into that wretched florist's shop, and if I had sent flowers to every woman I knew you would have been very suspicious. It could have been even harder to convince you that you are the one girl in my life, the one I truly adore!'

  And as they reached the Mercedes and he slowly fastened the safety belt about her, he ignored the fashionable shoppers and curious tourists and kissed her firmly on the lips before starting the car and driving away together.

  ###

  THE END

  Marina Oliver has written over 60 novels, and has converted most of them to Ebooks. Others have been or are being published as Ebooks by other publishers.

  For the latest information please see Marina's web site:

  http://www.marina-oliver.net.

  You might enjoy other contemporary novels by Marina Oliver:

  HOSPITAL HEARTBREAKER

  BY MARINA OLIVER

  Fleur enjoys working at Chad's, a big London hospital, and hopes the rumours from her previous hospital will not follow her.

  Only a few people know how she was kissed by an attractive patient.

  Then she discovers he is surgeon Russell Delaney, the heartthrob of Chad's, and despite his preoccupation with the lovely Rowena Kingsley, seems determined to add her to his list of conquests.

  *

  ISLAND QUEST

  BY MARINA OLIVER

  Ros Farleigh needs to find her half-brother. Tim Preston, nineteen and on his own for the first time as he works his way round the Mediterranean, playing the drums in hotel band
s, vanished three months earlier leaving his precious drums behind.

  Always a regular correspondent, his last letter was full of mysterious hints of danger, surprises, and secrets. His last few postcards from Majorca had been marked, indicating isolated coves and unidentified buildings.

  Ros is staying at the Castilla hotel from which Tim vanished, where she encounters Lorenzo y Carreira, dark, arrogantly Spanish, talented guitarist, and too handsome for his own good.

  Sparks fly. Tim had mentioned going sailing with Lorenzo, and he might be able to help.

  Ros begins to learn some puzzling facts. At around the same time Tim vanished Lorenzo was involved in a sailing accident, and spent a couple of days in hospital. But no one wants to talk about it, and the event wasn't reported in the local press.

  *