by Margaret Way
'More so than the geishas?'
'Now how would I know?'
'You have a very worldly air.'
'Jaime darling, when in Tokyo, I'm totally committed to business.'
'And here?'
There were diamond points of light in his jet-black eyes. 'Do you mean to be so provocative, Jaime?'
'You're my fiancé, aren't you?' she asked with mischief. 'You said you were going to act the part very suitably.'
'Did I say that? I'm not. You don't look fit enough for a little sweet violence. Perhaps later on tonight.'
'I think you should kiss me now,' she said plaintively. 'I've had an awful day.'
'I can see that!' I'm ravenous myself, but I can wait. Right now, I'm going to take you home.'
She stretched her arms luxuriously above her head, arching the slender creamy column of her throat. 'I could do with a nice, scented, time-wasting, relaxing bubble bath!'
'Don't say another word!' he said dryly, 'I have to draw in my breath just thinking about it. Stand up, Jaime, and let me have a look at you. You seem to have shrunk.'
'What there is is real. I seem to be aching for you in some odd way.'
'You shouldn't talk like that,' he warned. 'It's dangerous.'
'Why?'
'Why? Surely you know, Jaime. You don't have to plead to be made love to!'
'Then why don't you?' she asked with a strange insistence.
'You're in too much of a hurry. I'm taking you home.'
'All right, I won't ask again!' she said haughtily. 'I'm so tired I don't even know what I'm saying. In fact I'm not even properly awake.'
'Don't give up hope!' he taunted her, steadying her swaying figure.
'Keep your kisses for ever, Quinn Sterling. I don't want them.'
'Yes, you do. Fiercely!'
'But then you're so conceited,' she riposted.
'Very neat, Jaime, but it's not true. Come here. No tricks, I just want to look at you.'
She stood up straight and held up her head. 'Well?'
'Quite possibly you're even more beautiful. That's odd. Are you sure you want that badly to be a success?'
'What's success, for God's sake?' She really was swaying and he caught her shoulders and drew her gently against him, making no attempt to lower his head. 'I think I might have to carry you. You might have warned me you haven't shoes on. Your height shocks me. I'll pick you up about eight—that will give you a little time to sleep in your own bed. Anywhere else would just add to our dilemmas. You're doing quite enough of that.'
'I'm not!' she murmured, deciding to stay where she was for the duration.
'You know you are!' He suddenly swept her off her feet, cradling her lightly. 'God, Jaime, you're no weight at all, but at least you have some shape left.'
'Don't look at me like that,' she said drowsily.
'Why not?'
'I think you're only pretending about those geishas.'
'I have an ivory-skinned geisha of my own. What happened to that Gold Coast tan?'
'Ask Grandfather. He's very resentful of the time I've been spending away from him.'
'I know, I spent over an hour at Falconer. This will be my second trip today. He's very shaky, the Old Man, very frail. It seems to have happened overnight. It hurts me in a way to see him so diminished. You can't imagine what he was like.'
'Yes, I can. Grandfather thinks you're trying to hurt him through me.'
'How is that?' he asked sharply.
'You're hurting me, Quinn.'
'You deserve it.'
She linked her arms around his neck to balance herself. 'Are we still going ahead with this engagement?'
'More than ever. You fascinate me, Jaime.'
'There are shadows around you, Quinn,' she said a little sadly. 'Don't think I can't see them.'
His expression changed from a sensuous charm to a dark arrogance. 'Who's been talking to you?'
'Everyone. No one, including your grandmother, thinks I'd make you a suitable bride.'
'How mistaken can they get, when in fact, in some ways I find you flawless. Satiny skin, violet eyes, black shiny mane, even that condescending little smile. I might as well kiss you at that.'
'Oh no, you won't,' she said, struggling so wildly he dropped her to her feet. 'I'm myself again.'
'Well, make sure you stay that way. You couldn't decide who you were a few moments ago. I would have thought you were mine.'
'It's better and wiser that I be myself!'
'Where would you like to go tonight?' he asked, his eyes searching her face with a turbulent brilliance.
'Oh, let's just go for a drive.'
This for some reason started him laughing, such a warm, disturbing sound that Jaime turned to stare at him with surprise, then a terrible suspicion. 'On second thoughts, we'll stick with the bright lights.'
'But, Jaime,' he said lightly, 'I promise you I'll treat you like a hideous, well-loved great-aunt.'
'Have you a great-aunt?'
'I had one until recently. I believe she was a glorious beauty in her day.'
'I'm not surprised. Being hideous isn't one of the Sterling misfortunes. You look remarkably well after your long trip.'
'And you look extremely touching just coming up to my heart, but collect your things. It doesn't pay to push yourself to the limit and I don't think you can stand up much longer.'
The room seemed to be swimming around her and her eyes looked dreamy and bemused. 'I don't seem to be asking you any of the important things. How was the trip?'
'Extremely successful, thank you, Jaime.' He moved over and checked on the windows. 'A deal has been arranged with very favourable terms for us. We have a few more talks with the government, then we can go ahead. I might ask you the same question. How's Just Jaime?'
'I'm not ready to talk about it,' she said, drooping disconsolately and letting him complete his circuit of the premises.
'Then we can easily talk about it tomorrow or the next day. I didn't expect you to wear yourself to the bone.'
'But I've been full of enthusiasm!' she said urgently. 'Everything was going so right, yet today three potential buyers knocked me back. It wasn't what I expected. The girls were pretty impressed and they don't impress all that easily, especially Di.'
'What buyers?' He came back and looked straight at her, a bracing look that made her pay attention. 'Give me a list of them. It sounds as if it could be a little elementary or crude blackmail, in which case you're far from sunk. Your grandfather is sour on the whole thing; ferocious, but kindly disposed towards you. I told you, remember, he wouldn't want you to work at all.'
'Damn you, Quinn, it was to you I came for help. I'm a lot smarter than you give me credit for.'
'And I'm glad of it. One little problem you can't thrash out by yourself: when are we going to celebrate our engagement? The Old Man has put us off long enough.'
He was focusing all his attention on her and Jaime reacted with a young girl's uncertainty. 'Talk to me, Quinn. You don't really talk to me. You don't even send me a postcard.'
'No time, but I remembered you. You have the right skin for pearls. A swan's neck. Stop staring at me.'
'Surely you don't think Grandfather is behind it?'
He shook his head. 'No, he's gone quite soft on you.
I'm sure it's making the family envious.'
'You're on my side, aren't you?'
'Indeed I am.'
'I wish I could be sure of it,' she sighed.
'You damned well should be!' he said tersely.
'Well, I'm not. I'm vaguely uneasy about you, Quinn. Your motivations.'
'Oh, be fair!' he said lazily. 'I'm merely trying to protect you.'
'It has to be that. I can't flatter myself you've fallen madly in love with me.'
'I told you—mutual protection. I'm tired of being chased by panting females and I'd feel quite safe with you. At least you've given me your solemn promise not to consider marriage for years yet, if at all.'
'Nothing. Let us say at once I'm taking refuge behind your stance. This way we can have the best of both worlds.'
'Don't make that mistake!' she said, swiftly gathering up her things.
'It was just a thought.' He came after her and turned off the light. 'It might save us from boredom.'
Jaime turned pensively, her head still tilted, her eyes an indescribable mixture of blue and hyacinth. 'I'm never sure if I understand you or not.'
'And I'm never sure the exact colour your eyes are. Did you ever consider I might be serious?'
'No.'
'All right, then! Let's check my intentions. I'm just your backer-advisor-sometime-protector. Valued, I hope. I wouldn't want you to think of me any other way. Is that the key you're hiding?'
'Yes.'
'Give it to me. Now I'm going to try and get you out to the car. You look like a child who ought to be picked up and tucked into bed.'
'So you keep telling me. I must look pathetic.'
'No, you're terribly attractive to me as you must know. But I have this unshakeable grievance against cradle-snatchers. I've talked to you about it before.'
They were out in the street now, and she lifted her face urgently. 'I'm twenty. In another year I'll be twenty-one. Then what?'
'We'll talk about it then. I'm not prepared to act until you're at least thirty. Does that please you?'
'Indeed yes! I expect you'll be married yourself by then.'
Quinn steered her towards the car, then leaned forward and opened the passenger side. 'She'd have to be pretty exceptional. I haven't had the faintest urge up until now.'
'Nobody worthy?' she enquired.
'Nobody pleasant enough. You're a little cat yourself. Hop in and curl up.'
'Of course!' she replied sweetly, and instantly complied, settling back and grossing her long slender legs. She never quite knew what was happening to her when Quinn was about, but he made her come frantically alive. Her skin was electric with an unbearable sweet tension, an enormous excitement that made her feel giddy like a deep draught of mountain air recklessly taken and held.
Quinn got in beside her and gave her an odd, considering little smile, a combination of tenderness and taunting. 'Tell me what you're thinking about this minute?'
'No. I refuse to indulge you.' Her heart was beginning to drum wildly and she turned her head to look out of the window.
'All right,' he said easily, 'but don't think you can lock up your thoughts. I can see right through to your soul.'
'Then obviously I'll have to keep staring out of the window.'
'You'll turn to me of your own accord. I can wait!' He switched on the ignition and the big car purred into life. They crawled out of the narrow street until they turned on to the main road, then they picked up speed. It was a powerful and very expensive car and it was deeply comfortable so that after a minute Jaime relaxed her rigid spine.
Quinn glanced at her briefly and laughed. Her blue-violet eyes seemed to be imploring him, revealing and very beautiful. He put out a hand and lightly touched her cheek then he gave his total attention to the road. Jaime, totally relaxing still, didn't delude herself. There was no escape from Quinn, for wasn't she his latest acquisition?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Falconer was a blaze of lights and Vivian Hunter's car stood in the drive some little distance from the gold Mercedes belonging to 'Robby' Burnett, Sir Rolf's close friend and personal physician for over twenty years.
'Something's wrong!' Jaime said with the first dreadful premonition.
'It may not be anything, Jaime. Try to keep calm.' Quinn swung the car round to the base of the stairs, his dark face inscrutable, but Jaime barely waited for it to come to a complete halt before throwing open the door and jumping out. All her senses were working overtime. The doctor's car alone seemed an unbearable menace. Quinn came round to her and grabbed her arm, restraining her, but already his sombre dark face was revealing his own forewarnings. 'We'll go quietly, Jaime. You mustn't lose control. Your grandfather was quite all right this afternoon. In fact, he was the best I've seen him for a long time.'
'He wouldn't be proof against another heart attack.'
'We'll go in,' Quinn said quietly. 'Your Uncle Vivian is here.' That in itself argued a relapse, but he didn't mention it. Jaime's desperate young face was hurting him.
'He could be dead!' she whispered, visibly trembling.
'The end has to come!' he said rather harshly. 'It was a miracle he rallied the last time.'
'I think my heart will break!' She was gasping, her eyes filled with tears.
His arm came round her shoulders, the fingers biting into her skin. 'You feel everything so intensely, Jaime. Your grandfather isn't afraid to die. He's very tired. I think he only wished to live long enough to see you.'
'I don't want him to die.'
'There's an end for all of us, Jaime, and we have to be prepared for it. Come, you're not alone!'
They found the entrance hall brilliantly lit and beyond they could see into the drawing room where the family was assembled. Everyone looked mortally stricken; whether by the threat of death and its bitter promise for all of them, or now, at the end, a sense of family and respect.
Gerard Hunter was standing in front of the fireplace and he turned his head towards them. 'My father has had another heart attack. He's not expected to live the hour.'
'Can I go up to him?' Jaime cried, in a frenzy of distress.
'No, Jaime, you cannot! I think you've caused quite enough harm already.'
She almost reeled, but there was more.
'You think you're one of us, but you're not!' he continued dully. 'My father wouldn't wish to see you.'
With her quick nervous recoil against Quinn's shoulder she could feel the icy rage in him and she knew without looking at him his black eyes would be glittering. 'Spare her your poison,' he said in a low, cutting voice. 'Jaime has given your father the only pleasure he's known in long years!'
'Please, Quinn!'
Both men ignored her. 'I would expect you to take that view. Sterling!' Vivian Hunter said sneeringly, but his heavy handsome face flushed a dark red.
'I haven't the brutality to be more honest at this time!'
Georgia, seated behind her husband in an armchair, suddenly began to moan helplessly. 'Must we make things worse? Have a care, Gerard. We may all be disinherited for all I know. Grandfather is much too far gone to see you, Jaime, and it would only distress you to see him.'
'I'd like to go up.'
'No.' Georgia buried her head in her hands. She looked genuinely besieged with anguish, overwhelmed by the thought of her father-in-law's imminent death. He had always been there, manipulating their lives. It didn't seem possible that he could be human enough to die. She was suffering from a guilty conscience as well, for she had been out all day and she had often wished him dead of late. It was puzzling now that she could be so truly torn.
Vivian Hunter, at the head of his family group, stood nibbling his luxuriant moustache, the only thing that marked him from his brother to the casual eye. He was determined now not to fall out with anyone. He was discovering too for the first time in years that he loved his father—more, worshipped him for the financial giant he was. Not that his father had ever loved him, and with a kind of deeply driven sense of inferiority he had learned not to expect it. It was now an added punishment that he had seen so little of the old man of late. The years since his boyhood were flashing past his eyes at a frantic pace, his father dominating every one of them. Now he was going, perhaps gone, an old man with nowhere to conquer. A giant no more. Evelyn, his wife, was crying quietly and he patted her shoulder, the first time he had done that in years. She didn't draw away, which was unusual, but rather seemed to be comforted by it so he continued in this mellow, melancholy vein.
Robby Burnett was suddenly in the midst of them, scanning their faces. 'The position is grave. He's conscious, but not f
or long. Jaime, would you come up? Quinn, you might come with her.'
'It doesn't really matter about the rest of us, does it?' Gerard Hunter called bitterly.
'I'll call you all in a moment!' Robby merely replied. 'It's Jaime he wants to see, and she'll need somebody. None of you seems to qualify.'
The doctor turned away, his eyes flashing. He was infinitely upset himself and finding it difficult to hide.. Rolf Hunter had been his closest friend and a brilliant mind. He knew perfectly well what a lot of people said about him, and he even believed some of it, but Rolf was his friend to the death. Rolf's sons he had never liked, but they had suffered on their father's account, terribly perhaps, and this thought made him turn back and lift his hand to them as though exonerating their sins.
'Pompous old goat!' Sue-Ellen hissed when he was out of earshot.
'He is your grandfather's friend!' Georgia pointed out severely, still feeling virtuous.
'Yes, and so is Jaime. I think we should all be worried.'
'I am!' Gerard Hunter maintained heavily, beginning to pace up and down.
'Didn't Father ever reveal to you the contents of his will?'
'No, he didn't!' Gerard suddenly roared, rounding on his brother.
'Well, we'll never be exactly broke!'
'You've always been a fool, Viv!'
'Yes, that's so!'
'Don't agree with him, Dad,' Brett protested. 'Stick up for yourself!' he admonished, emerging as his father's protector.
'Shut up!' his uncle said cruelly. 'When we want to hear from you we'll be dead ourselves.'
Brett muttered something unprintable and Sue-Ellen gracefully collapsed into the armchair opposite her mother. 'This is marvellous, isn't it, and so typical! We sit here feuding while Jaime grabs the lot!'
Her mother was coming out of her reluctant trauma. 'Oh, for God's sake, Sue!'
'Oh, don't persist with the act, Mother. We all knew this was going to happen. Old Robby warned us ages ago.'
'You're so young and so terribly cynical!' her mother wailed tearfully. 'I don't even think I like you.'
'On the other hand, this tearful mood will pass. I'm sorry Grandfather is dying. I really am. Please note that I don't wish to go up to the sickroom. The rest of you can. But certain thoughts occur to me. Jaime could get the lot and Quinn, the smartest operator in the business, is poised right there to carry her off—the lily-white prize. He's always been a great one for keeping ahead of us. Look at all the time Simon and Brett put in on her. The results, scorn from those burning blue eyes; Quinn only had to look at her. I tell you he's clever.'