Flash Point

by Jane Donnelly

  'Well, enjoy your holiday,' they both said, stepping back through the wall.

  'You too,' said Liam, and Carly gulped and said, 'Oh yes, have a lovely time.'

  She would have to give them a few minutes to get ahead on the causeway. She needed a breathing space to pull herself together, she felt as shaky as though she had been plucked out of a raging sea. 'I wonder if his name's Leo,' said Liam ruminatively.

  'Why should it be?'

  'No winged lions appeared to save you. They could come in disguise these days.'

  The intruders' hadn't looked in the least leonine, more like a nice little pair of hamsters, but their arrival had halted what could have developed into some very passionate lovemaking. Carly said shortly, 'What rot you talk!'

  'Think so? Five minutes later and I might have been saying, "My wife and I".'

  'You would not!' she snapped. 'Did you really imagine I'd let you ‑' She waved furious hands, gesticulating revulsion, indicating the wide open spaces around; trying to express that as far as she was concerned this was neither the time, the place, nor the man. She practically spat at him, 'You're so conceited you're insufferable!' and then she stood back scowling.

  'You're not exactly humble yourself,' he retorted. 'But you feel it too, don't you?'

  'What?' She still scowled.

  'That you and I could be sensational together.' Carly had never come across another man for whom she had felt such a consuming desire, but letting him love her would be as risky as running up the steps of the tower two at a time. She could fall a long way and end up very broken indeed.

  There would be no danger for him. On the contrary, he could be reasoning that making love to her would stop her making a play for Roland. 'You must see that I can't let you marry him,' he said. 'I can't end up lusting after my brother's wife.'

  He was joking. In a way. His mouth had a wry twist, and she said tartly, 'That might be uncomfortable for you,' but so long as she didn't feel the same not much harm could be done. 'And I don't even like you, much less lust after you.'

  'Odd, isn't it?' he commented. 'You're not my type either.' He touched her wrist very lightly, and he must have felt her pulse racing there before she jerked her hand away. 'Another time?' he said.

  It was useless protesting that she felt nothing, but her head was going to rule her heart. No, not her heart. Her heart wasn't involved either. Only her body wanted to make love with Liam more than anything else in the world. 'There isn't going to be another time,' she said shortly. 'Let's get back. I'd hate to get cut off here by the tide.'

  'You mean with me?' Of course she meant with him. Alone, or with anyone else, it could be pleasant on a summer's day like this. She stepped through the broken wall and began to hurry towards the causeway, then laughed, 'Forget it—I'll swim,' and he laughed too, and she thought, This is like a sport to him, but if I ever let him run me to earth his talons could drain the life out of me.

  Going back they took the cliff path from the beach to the Chateau. It cut off the longish walk round by road, and although it was steep it was nothing like the ascent of the tower. Carly managed the climb comfortably. As they climbed they talked, but discussed nothing of any importance. There was no further mention of Madame Corbe's hopes of pairing Carly off with Roland, and Carly was unconvinced. It sounded a highly unlikely set-up to her, but Roland was waiting for them. He came across the grass towards the cliff-edge as they toiled the last few steps, and she suddenly felt embarrassed, wondering if there was any chance that she was here for Roland's consideration.

  As usually happened when she was ill at ease she began to chatter. 'Hello, are you through with the work? We've had a super walk out to the chapel. It's fantastic out there. Well, you'd know about that, of course, but I found it terribly impressive, it fairly took her breath away.' She could say that again! Out there she had nearly stopped breathing and stopped thinking. She had nearly let Liam seduce her in broad daylight, and Roland said, 'The sun's caught you,' smiling into the warm guilty glow of her face.

  'By the way,' said Liam, 'I met Jacques Nathan, and told him his son who's getting married next month could have the old Galaine cottage.'

  'Yes, all right,' said Roland, agreeing as though he was taking instructions rather than being consulted, and Carly wondered why Liam was allocating cottages when Roland managed the estate. But it was none of her business. After the climb, in-the heat of the day, she was anxious to get inside the cool house. Roland took her arm, crossing the lawns, and Liam strode along on her other side, and she thought, just suppose I am here on approval, and before I leave Roland does ask me to marry him. Suppose I said yes, then this is how we would walk—Roland holding my arm, Liam sometimes beside us. Crazily she wanted to reach out and take Liam's hand and warn Roland that she was unsuitable for the role which Madame Corbe might have in mind for her.

  Madame Corbe was still in the drawing room, sitting with her feet up on the sofa. Carly thought she looked pale and Liam asked, 'Are you all right?'

  'A little tired. Did you have, a pleasant walk?' They said that they had. 'And did you get the postcards to send to William?'

  'I sent him one,' said Carly, producing the others from her shoulder bag. 'Would you like to write love to him on this one for tomorrow?' She offered her pen and one of the cards showing the Chateau, and Madame Corbe wrote 'This is my home where Carly is staying. Perhaps she will bring you to visit me, Love from Grand'mere.'

  'That's lovely,' said Carly. 'Thank you.'

  'I haven't written "Grand'mere" for a long time,' said Madame Corbe and Carly knew she was remembering Antoinette and wished she had never promised William that she would find him a grandmother. She was undecided about sending the card. This was another promise, and one that might be impossible to keep.

  The box of buttons was on the side table by the settee and Carly opened it and showed Roland, 'Look what your aunt's given me. I'm going to make some designs before I go back. Then if I start work in earnest I might have enough for a Christmas display. Blouses mainly, I thought.'

  Madame Corbe leaned across and took out a tiny square button, set with seed pearls. 'There should be four of these,' she said. 'They were on a blouse that was made for my trousseau,' and Carly exclaimed delightedly,

  'Like the blouse in the window? The one you were looking at the day we met?'

  'The very one,' said Madame Corbe. 'Have you started making your trousseau yet?'

  'No,' Carly smiled, shaking her head. 'It's not the same these days. You just start sewing or buying when the time comes.'

  'Perhaps the time has come,' said Madame Corbe. 'Why don't you make a blouse for your trousseau?'

  Her smile was roguish and she looked straight at Roland after Carly.

  Liam drawled,

  'Carly's a career woman. She was suggesting earlier that we might invest in her boutique.'

  'Oh!' That took Madame Corbe by surprise. It took Carly too. She protested,

  'It was a joke.'

  'You don't need investors?' Liam persisted, and she hesitated. She badly wanted to say, 'No,' but she kept thinking of Ruth and William, so she said,

  'Well, yes, we do. Rather urgently, actually. But it's a sound little business, and anyone would get their money back. Not all at once, of course, but they would, and with interest.'

  'We'll have to look into it,' said Liam affably. 'Consider the collateral.'

  Back to the beginning, she thought. Then it was, 'How much not to go to Guirec Vert?' Now it's, 'How much to leave?'

  Liam seemed to be more of a power here than Roland was. His influence on them both was obviously strong, and Carly said, 'I'm our collateral.' Liam's lips twitched and hers tightened. The only service she was offering was financial, let there be no mistake on that. 'I'd pay your cash back, believe me,' she added.

  'What about the man who. saw you off at the airport? He seemed concerned for your welfare. Wouldn't he like to back the boutique?'

  Liam was enjoying this, and she said tartl
y, 'He's got no money.'

  'Well, well, so practically any offer was a better one?'

  She jumped up to walk out, and the box of buttons spilled over her feet, over the carpet. In the confusion of gathering them up again, with Madame Corbe reminiscing as they were dropped back into the box, Carly's fury had time to fade. Scooping up the last button, a multi-faceted jet that had rolled across to the wall, Liam asked, 'How about it, Aunt Aimee? Would you like a share in a dress shop?'

  'I think I might. It's a very attractive shop,' agreed Madame.

  'I'll send someone round, then,' said Liam.

  Almost surely there would be strings to this, but that was a risk Carly must take, she couldn't let the chance slip. She asked, 'Please may I phone Ruth?'

  'Of course,' said Liam, and went with her to the nearest phone in the hall.

  She would have preferred to talk to Ruth in private. He inhibited her. Just by standing there he reminded her that his was the final word. Ruth was at the shop, and Carly told her, 'Somebody will be calling you about the business. The family here may consider putting some money in.' Ruth's, squeal came loud enough for Liam to hear; Ruth was a quiet girl as a rule, but now she shrieked, 'Wouldn't that be marvellous?'

  'Wouldn't it?' said Carly. 'So—you know, show them around, show them the books and explain the potential.'

  'Oh, I will, I will,' promised Ruth fervently. She giggled, 'Hey, you did find us that millionaire, didn't you?' Liam was standing almost shoulder to shoulder. Carly was fairly sure he had heard that too. She said hastily, 'Right, then, I'll ring off for now. Everything all right? Good. Love to William. 'Bye,' and as she replaced the receiver she faced Liam defensively. 'It would be a sound investment. I would pay you back.'

  'Oh yes, you will,' he said, and smiled, but Carly knew that for her it was no smiling matter.

  She went out through the front door and walked round the terrace back to the drawing room, praying as she walked, Please let it work out, please let Ruth have this break, please don't let Liam set the price too high. When she reached the long windows they were slightly ajar and she pushed them wider to step into the room. Roland was alone, sitting on the sofa. He jumped as she walked in. 'I wasn't expecting you to come that way. You've made your call?'

  'Yes.' She sat down beside him. 'Does Liam have the final word on financial matters? I mean, couldn't you or your aunt make small investments on your own?'

  'Of course.' But if Liam advised against it Carly couldn't see much being done for Ruth's little business. She said slowly, 'This could be a bribe.'

  'A what?' Roland's eyebrows quirked, he looked amused.

  'A bribe,' she repeated. 'If I'll opt out, clear off. Liam has this idea that your aunt might have been shopping around for a niece-in-law when she saw me and decided I was like Antoinette. Liam says they used to call you and Antoinette the little sweethearts.'

  'So they did.' He was silent for a few seconds and she turned to the button box, and began slowly stirring the contents with a forefinger. Then he admitted, 'It's a possibility. She's growing old. She wants me married. She wants to see children in this house again.'

  'What do you want?' asked Carly.

  This time he didn't hesitate. 'I'd like that.'

  'Then why aren't you married?'

  He shrugged. 'I've had one or two near misses.'

  'Like Liam?'

  He said emphatically, 'No, not at all like Liam. Liam never even comes near getting married.' , Madame Corbe must be reaching a state of near-desperation when it came to going out and bringing in Carly. At least that was how Carly saw it and how it struck Liam. She picked out a button like a crystal heart and thought what a romantic Madame Corbe must be. 'One of the reasons she asked you here might be because we got on so well that first evening,' Roland conceded. 'She was certainly pleased about us dating afterwards. She never stopped talking about you, how like Antoinette you were. It worried Liam.'

  'It would.' The tiny crystal heart glittered in her palm like a tear and she asked, 'Do you always consult her about your girl-friends?'

  'Of course not!'

  'Do you consult Liam?'

  'No!' But he listened to Liam and Liam would not allow it. Carly laughed a little; but gently, she didn't want to hurt him. 'Well, I tell you that no way would he have me as a sister-in-law.'

  'He might change his mind.' She noticed he didn't say it wouldn't matter.

  'That I can't wait to see,' she said.

  'I like you very much,' said Roland. 'Suppose we do spend this holiday getting to know each other?'

  'I hope we do.' Although he might not like her more for knowing her better.

  'At the end we might even think about going along with Aunt Aimee's idea?'

  'Oh, I don't know about that.' He sounded quite serious and she thought, Madame Corbe need not have bothered. You'd have proposed to somebody suitable soon if you're considering a stranger, just because your aunt likes her and you find her quite attractive.

  She couldn't take it seriously herself. She wanted to laugh and say, 'It's a crazy notion, although when she had said that she had been furious with Liam for agreeing. She said, 'I'm not looking for a husband. As Liam said, I'm a career girl. If I wasn't hooked on my job would I get this thrilled over a box of buttons? Look at this one. Isn't it pretty?'

  She opened her hand on the crystal heart. 'Would you have some paper? I might come up with an idea or two before lunch?'

  Roland brought her a writing pad from a bureau and she sat herself at the big round inlaid table, while he sat down opposite as though he intended studying her at work. She said, 'I frown a lot. Apart from that there isn't much to watch.'

  He smiled, telling her, 'Even when you're frowning you're the nicest thing to look at round here,' and she laughed,

  'Well, I make a change. One thing against living with priceless heirlooms—I suppose you could get bored with them. My kind of home changes every time I pass a junk shop.'

  'Wouldn't you like to live here?' Like Barney, only a few days ago although it seemed much longer, Roland was visualising her in his home and deciding she might not be out of place. At least she supposed he was.

  She said, 'Who wouldn't? Such a beautiful house,' and thought, If I was offered the chance I don't think I would take it.

  She began to sketch, and Roland watching didn't bother her. She concentrated completely on her design until Liam walked into the room. Without raising her head she knew who it was when the door opened, but she went on looking at the sketch on the pad as he leaned over her shoulder. 'Not your trousseau?' he queried. 'What is it, a nightshirt? Aunt Aimee will be pleased.'

  'You're embarrassing her,' Roland protested, and Liam gave a hoot of derision.

  'It would take more than that to embarrass Carly, wouldn't it, my beauty,?' He smiled down into her angry eyes, and she said,

  'Oh yes, you'd know that. You knew everything about me the moment you set eyes on me in court all those years ago. And that's why I've been explaining to Roland that you'd never accept me as a sister-in-law.'

  'You're damn right I couldn't,' Liam agreed cheerfully.

  'And that if you do put any money into Ruth's shop it will probably be on condition that I go home and keep away from your family.'

  'Ruth's shop?' He pounced on that as though she had slipped up under cross-examination, admitting something that made all the difference. 'Aren't you partners?'

  She was so alarmed she started stammering, 'No—I mean yes, we're partners, we work together, but she's the owner, it's her shop. Why? It doesn't matter, does it? With a little help I know I could keep things going. And paying. Ruth and William need that shop,' she pleaded. 'I could get another job, I can always sell my stuff, but they need the shop and I do desperately want to help them keep it.'

  For the first time Liam looked taken aback. Then he said, 'I presumed you were doing this for yourself.'

  'I don't ask for things for myself,' she muttered.

  'So it seems I don't know
you as well as I thought I did,' and joy bubbled up inside her because he was believing her and because she suddenly believed he was going to help.

  'About time you got round to admitting that,' Roland said jubilantly. 'Now how about forgetting what happened years ago? This is the first day of Carly's stay here, let's all get to know each other better, eh?'

  But it wasn't the first day. She and Liam had travelled to Guirec Vert together and too much had happened. She had fought with him, she had almost made love with him. She could start afresh with Roland any time, but Liam was under her skin. They could never draw apart and start as strangers.

  Liam didn't answer Roland, he didn't seem to have heard him. He asked Carly, 'Do you really want to get out of Antoinette's room?'

  'Yes, I do.'

  'Fancy moving into Napoleon's? I've explained to Aunt Aimee that he's one of your heroes.'

  'He is not!' she protested. 'I don't like dictators. Anyhow, what about all the antique draperies?'

  'No problem,' said Liam. 'We'll put the drip-dry up for you.'

  'Right, then.' She pushed back her chair. 'I'll move right now if you're sure she won't mind.'

  It was rather exciting to be moving into Napoleon's room. It didn't take long, she hadn't brought all that much with her, and Liam and Roland helped her carry her clothes from Antoinette's wardrobes and chests of drawers and put them into the dark oak closets.

  'Bathroom next door,' said Liam, 'and we'll bring you in a mirror.'

  There was no mirror. The dressing table would have to be either a table or an oak chest. 'Was Josephine with him when he stayed here?' she asked, imagining a fire burning in the stone fireplace and the little Emperor and his Empress taking supper together.