DECEIT OF A PAGAN

by Carole Mortimer

  'Don't talk down to me like that, Leon,' she warned. 'I

  won't have it! I asked you earlier if Rachel was your

  mistress and you said she -'

  'Was not,' he finished angrily. 'And she still is not!' He was regarding her through eyes that flickered with a strange emotion she didn't understand. 'What ridicu­lous notions have you conceived in that lovely young head of yours? Do you imagine that I took home the sophisticated Rachel* made wild passionate love to her, and then calmly came back here? Is that what you think?'

  Templar held herself stiffly, her look defiant. 'And why not? Or do you think yourself above such things?'

  He gave a devilish grin before his face sobered again, his blue-grey eyes becoming a steely grey. 'Oh, no, Templar, I am not above such things. But if I make love to a desirable woman it is not a thing to be rushed and hidden from the world. And can you honestly see Rachel dropping her beautiful facade enough to give her body in passion?' he shook his head decisively. 'I cannot. She is a beautiful mask, that one, and without that poise and sophistication she would be nothing. Besides, I am a married man.'

  'You obviously don't know Rachel as well as I thought you did if you believe the little fact of your being married would deter her. Rachel is on the look­out for a rich protector if she can't find her own hus­band, and I think she has decided you would meet her requirements admirably.'

  'And do I have no say in the matter?'

  'Apparently not.'

  'I see. And is this the reason you have come bursting into my bedroom in the early hours of the morning with fire in your eyes?' His mouth tightened ominously. 'Do you think it safe to enter the bedroom of a—an animal, in such a way? For that is what you think I am, is it not? A man who can behave as an animal and take his pleasures where he finds them?'

  'No, I—' Templar shifted uncomfortably, realising he was blazingly angry with her. 'I didn't mean—‘

  'I know perfectly well what you. meant, Templar. Now would you mind removing yourself from my bed­room, or are you waiting to see if I live up to your expectations?'

  'Expectations?' she repeated, shivering as she pulled her wrap more closely around her slender body.

  'Oh yes, you have made it perfectly obvious what you expect of me,' he snapped. 'Are you sure you feel safe in my company?'

  Templar laughed nervously. 'You're mocking me.'

  'Am I?' he asked softly.

  'You know you are. You've never—well, you've never made any—any advances towards me.'

  Leon gave a harsh laugh. 'What do you think I am? You have borne my brother's child, I could no more touch you than I could stop breathing.'

  'I—You-'

  'Please, Templar, get out of here!' He ran an agitated hand through his thick dark hair. 'I don't know what you want, but I certainly cannot give it to you.'

  'You—you swine! I didn't come in here for anything other than to tell you I thought your behaviour dis­gusting!'

  'Really? Well, your opinion is not important to me, I live by my own rules.'

  'And what about Keri?'

  'What about her? She is well looked after, cosseted and deeply loved by all about her. Why should the fact that her "parents" do not love each other matter to her? Come, Templar, even though you did not love my brother surely you can see Keri is being brought up in the way he would have wished for her.'

  'Of course I can! 'she snapped. 'And I also told you that Keri was born out of love! Or have you forgotten?'

  'I have not forgotten, I simply find it hard to believe you ever loved my brother. You are much more mature than Alex ever was.'

  'And don't you think that having a baby and caring for that baby alone is enough to mature anyone?' Actu­ally Tiffany had always been very young for her age, and that was why Templar blamed herself for not pro­tecting her better. She had always cared for her younger sister, but in this she had failed.

  A flicker of pain crossed his face. 'You know I would have helped you if I had known of your situation, even if Alex would not. It is against all that I believe to let you carry on alone.'

  'So you married me,' Templar said bitterly. 'Poor Leon, prepared to go to any lengths to protect your family name. Even marry a girl you hardly knew, a girl moreover who isn't even sure that your brother was Keri's father.'

  His face tightened. 'I wish you would not make re­marks like that. I have told you that the baby's family resemblance is perfectly obvious, and if you cannot see it for yourself then you must be blind.'

  'She does have a look of you about her,' she agreed thoughtfully.

  'And Alex.' Leon gave her a hard glance.

  'Well, of course Alex. That goes without saying,' she said swiftly.

  'Why does it? She is not that much like Alex, only on certain occasions. Not all babies look like their parents, they often have the look of a close relative.'

  She knew that. Oh yes, she definitely knew that! 'I realise that. But if Keri looks like you it automatically follows that she looks like Alex.' Didn't it? Oh God, she hoped so!

  ‘I see.' He continued to unbutton what remained fastened of his shirt. 'Now if you have quite finished I wish to go to bed.'

  'Oh—oh, of course.' She turned back to the door. 'Fm sorry for interrupting you.'

  'That is perfectly all right. I hope now that you are satisfied I do not intend jumping into Rachel's bed either now or in the future. And you will please stop apologising. It does not suit you.'

  ‘I’m sorry—oh!'

  'Please just go, Templar,' Leon said wearily. 'I have

  had a long day and arguing with you is not my idea of

  relaxation.' -

  'I'm——' she broke off as she realised she was about to apologise yet again. 'Goodnight,' she murmured. 'Goodnight,' he echoed gently.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Templar awoke the next day with a raging headache and a throbbingly sore throat. She sighed miserably. Wasn't it just typical that all during her months of deprivation she hadn't been ill once and now that she was living in the lap of luxury, so to speak, she had her old ailment, tonsillitis. She pulled herself feebly up the bed, making an effort to get up and dress herself. It was after eight and Keri would soon be screaming the house down, in fact she was surprised she hadn't already done so.

  She collapsed back against the pillows, feeling too weak to move any further. How ridiculous she felt! To be made so weak just through a sore throat and a headache. She drifted drowsily back to sleep, only to wake with a start as a soft knock sounded on the door.

  'Come in,' she called croakily.

  Leon entered the room, a chuckling Keri in his arms. Templar subsided below the bedclothes, but her husband had no such thought for her modesty, coming to stand unconcernedly beside the bed.

  'Good morning, Templar,' he greeted politely. 'Your daughter has been asking incessantly for her mama, and I really could not deprive her of your company another moment longer.'

  'Hello, darling,' her voice was husky as she spoke to the baby. 'Has she been awake long?' she asked Leon. 'I don't usually sleep in this late.'

  'I realise that, but it will not do you any harm for once. You must have been fast asleep when Keri woke at seven o'clock. I have been doing my best to enter­tain her, but I am afraid that as far as Keri is concerned I make a poor substitute.'

  Templar smiled slightly, taking Keri down with her on the bed. 'I'm sure that isn't true. Keri adores you and you know it.' Even to her own ears her voice sounded hoarse and she blushed as she saw Leon's questing look.

  'Are you quite well?'

  She smiled brightly, unaware of her flushed feverish features and slightly glazed eyes. 'I'm fine,' she assured him. 'Are you not going to work this morning?' She changed the subject, playing with Keri and her teddy bear.

  'No. It is Saturday and I thought I would spend the day widi my—family.' Leon took a closer look at her. 'You are not well,' he stated. 'I can see it is so, so do not attempt to deny it again. Why did you lie to me?'
<
br />   'I didn't!' Her voice broke, confirming that she did. 'Anyway,' she bridled angrily, 'if this sudden decision to spend time with us is because of my outburst yesterday then you needn't have bothered. I'm afraid I became rather upset yesterday and said things I wouldn't have done normally.'

  'But it was the truth, nevertheless,' he said stiffly, moving away from the bed to look out of the window. 'You were correct in saying I do not spend time with you and Keri and it is something I intend to rectify.'

  'Please!' Templar put up a weary hand. 'We don't —at least, I don't, want your forced friendliness. If you want to be with the baby then please go ahead. But don't include me in any of your plans. I can find plenty to amuse me.'

  'Do not be childish! It is something I have noticed that you do a lot when you are most annoyed or hurt Which one is it today?'

  'Neither,' she dismissed, really feeling too ill to bandy words with such a steely opponent. 'I'm just not in the mood to act the delighted wife at her husband's belated attentions. Fortunately, Keri doesn't seem to have the same reservations, so I'm sure she will be over­joyed to be taken out by her beloved Dadda.'

  'You will not come with us?'

  Templar shook her head and then wished she hadn't. The pounding in her head had become a sharp digging pain and all she wanted to do was go back to sleep until she felt better. 'No,' she snuggled beneath the covers. 'I'm feeling sleepy this morning. If you're going to take Keri out I may as well stay here and have a lie in. Do you mind?' she asked, not really caring how he felt one way or the other.

  'Not if that is what you would prefer to do,' Leon said haughtily, his eyes glacial. 'I am sure the litde one and I will entertain each other very well.' He picked Keri up from the bed. 'We will see you later. Sleep well.'

  'I will,' she replied tiredly, already half asleep.

  She didn't wake until late into the afternoon, rousing herself drowsily as she heard a movement in the bed­room. Her eyes flew open to meet the steely grey ones of her husband. 'H—hello,' she said weakly.

  'I have brought you some tea.' He looked down at her distantly. 'You have been asleep a long time. I did not realise you had become as tired as this.'

  Templar looked at him suspiciously but could read little from his expression. 'Are you being sarcastic?' she asked bluntly.

  He raised a surprised eyebrow at her tone before his firm well-shaped moudi curved into a slight smile. 'No, Templar. I am not being sarcastic. You are very forthright in the way you speak.' He moved forward slightly, and Templar saw that he was dressed in close-fitting black trousers and a maroon-coloured shirt that fitted tautly across his chest and showed a fine mat of dark hair at its open neckline.

  Even though she was feeling ill she could appreciate that Leon was a breathtakingly handsome man, the sort of man she never imagined marrying.

  'Is caring for Keri too much for you?' he continued. 'You know that I wanted you to be free of this constant demand on your time and energy. But you would not have it,' he finished in disgust.

  Her eyes became feverish and her face flushed as she struggled angrily into a sitting position, uncaring of her state of undress, and unaware of the attractive picture she made in the green shimmering nightdress that exactly matched her eyes and complemented the long auburn tresses down her slender back. 'Of course I wouldn't have it,' she flared. 'Keri is my child, I want to give my time and energy to her. She's all I have in the world.'

  He frowned deeply. 'That is not strictly true. You have me too now, or had you forgotten?'

  Templar shook her head, smoothing her damp hair off her hot forehead. 'I haven't forgotten you, but this marriage hardly matters, does it? As soon as Keri is old enough to understand I'll no longer be necessary and you'll be able to be free of me.'

  Leon strode forward angrily. 'Why do you persist in these ridiculous thoughts? I-—-'

  'Please, Leon,' she begged weakly, 'don't start to lecture me now. I—I don't feel like being treated as a child today.' She ran a hand over her aching eyes. 'I just want to go back to sleep and never wake up. My head aches, my throat aches, my body feels like a heavy weight's been dropped on it, and I—I—' her lips trem­bled and the tears began to fall softly down her cheeks. 'Oh, Leon, I feel—I feel awful!'

  For a moment he continued to look at her uncertainly and then as if he had fought a battle with himself and won, he came forward and pulled her roughly against his chest as she continued to cry softly. 'Why did you not say so, you silly child?' He placed her back against the pillows. 'A doctor must be called for you immedi­ately.' He removed her hands from around his neck and effectively moved away from her. 'I will not be long,' he promised.

  Templar watched him leave the room through tear-wet eyes. Poor Leon, how he must hate having to show concern for someone he despised. But she was feeling ill. It certainly wasn't just tonsillitis as she had first thought, although goodness knows that could be pain­ful enough. Ever since she was a child she had had intermittent outbreaks of the infection, and for a couple of days it made her feel absolutely terrible.

  True to his word Leon called the doctor straight away and within half an hour the kindly man had con­firmed her suspicions that she had 'flu.

  'Although,' continued the doctor sternly, a dark dis­approving look on his face as he looked at Leon Marcose, 'it isn't only 'flu your wife is suffering from. The complaint is made worse by. her complete mental and physical exhaustion. I suppose, like most husbands, you haven't realised what a strain caring for a baby, a hus­band, and a home too can put on a young girl. But I hope you realise that your wife is very delicate.'

  'Yes, I realise this,' Leon replied stiffly, unused to people talking to him in this way but accepting the man's superior knowledge about such things. 'So, what do you advise?'

  'When your wife is sufficiently recovered from this virus I think it would be advisable for you to get her away to a warmer climate for a well-earned holiday.'

  'Oh, but I—' gasped Templar. 'I don't want to go on holiday,' she declared.

  Leon looked down at her coldly. 'It has been sug­gested and I therefore intend to make the arrange­ments. You are in no fit state to argue the point. Rest now and we will talk later.'

  'But '

  'Now then, young lady,' the doctor interrupted sternly, 'you must do as you're told. Your husband and I know what's best for you.' He indicated that they should leave the room as her eyelids began to droop tiredly.

  Leon closed the door quietly behind him. 'You are sure this is what my wife needs ?' he queried politely.

  'Yes, I'm sure,' the doctor confirmed. 'Your wife needs a long rest, she has little resistance to infection at the moment. A holiday away from her normal en­vironment might be the extra tonic she needs.'

  'I see,' said Leon slowly. 'And what of the baby? I do not think Templar would be willing to leave her here.'

  The doctor gave him a strange look. 'I don't think that will be necessary. Your wife is obviously very at­tached to your child and to part them would only worsen her condition.' He quickly wrote out a pre­scription and handed it to the man at his side. 'See that your wife takes these. And see that she rests for the next few days—not that she's going to feel much like being energetic, but you know how these young mothers are. No one can look after their child as they can.'

  For the first time the younger man smiled. 'In that I am in total agreement with you. I am afraid Templar insists on doing almost everything for the baby,' he shook his dark head. 'And my wife can be very deter­mined when she sets her mind on something.'

  The two men laughed companionably as they walked down the stairs, although the doctor found the relation­ship between this couple faintly puzzling. Although he hadn't been especially observant it had been apparent to the most casual glance that husband and wife occupied separate bedrooms. He shrugged his shoul­ders—these modern marriages! It wouldn't do for Peggy and himself. Thirty years they had been married now and not once had they occupied separate rooms, except during the bir
th of their two children, of course.

  He smiled at the other man. 'Mrs. Marcose will need plenty of fluids over the next few days, but if she doesn't feel like eating I shouldn't worry too much. I'll call back in a couple of days' time, but call me before if you think she's worse.'

  Leon saw him to the door himself, the smile fading from his harsh features as soon as the door was closed.

  Templar raised herself on one elbow to watch the baby as she crawled about on the deep-pile carpet, revelling in its softness beneath her touch. Lucy had brought Keri in for a short time on Templar's instructions. This was her fourth day in bed and quite frankly she was getting tired of it. The doctor had been back once and confirmed that she was progressing nicely. At the time she had been feeling too ill to care, but she was feeling slightly better today and didn't see why she shouldn't see the baby for a short time. Keri had been overjoyed to see her again, although she didn't let her too close, not wanting Keri to catch the infection.

  She smiled gratefully at the young nursemaid. 'I hope you haven't found it too tiring these last few days looking after Keri. I know what a handful she can be at limes.' She laughed as Keri's serious green eyes looked at her enquiringly. 'Yes, imp, I'm talking about you. What a little monkey you are!'

  'She's been very good while you've been ill, Mrs. Marcose. And of course your husband has been with her for quite a lot of the time,' Lucy explained.

  Templar's face became a shuttered mask at the men­tion of Leon. She had seen little of him, although she knew he was spending more time at home at the moment. As far as she knew he enquired as to her con­dition each day, but she had only seen him once her­self, and that had only been when he had accompanied the doctor to her room for the second time, and then it had only been for a very short time.

  For some reason Leon seemed to be avoiding seeing her. Unless he was otherwise occupied! Although he had denied an affair with Rachel that didn't mean he wasn't seeing someone else. Surely he was too much of a man to be completely without a woman in his life, a woman he could share a physical relationship with.

  She brought her thoughts up sharply as she saw Lucy's concerned look, smiling brightly at the younger girl. 'As long as Keri has behaved that's all that mat­ters.'