by Lucy Clark
‘I’m terribly sorry that you had to wait around to welcome me and my crew this morning.’
Dart shrugged. ‘Just doing my job.’
He lapsed into silence for a moment, wondering why on earth he’d come over here in the first place. He should have followed his initial instincts to keep as far away from Emerson-Rose Jofille as possible. There was something about the woman beside him, something that had called to him as he’d caught her looking his way several times that evening, but the last time…the last time she’d glanced his way, her gaze had rested on him for a long and lingering look. It was as though she’d been calling to him, beckoning him closer, and while he’d planned to resist this urge, to keep his distance, to remain highly professional where she was concerned, here he was, seated beside her, making polite small talk, something he ordinarily had no time for.
‘How many years have you been coming here?’ ‘Six.’ And if she asked him what had made him decide to come here in the first place, he would get up and walk away. He knew she was only gathering intel for her television piece, that she didn’t really care what his answers were, that she was trying to find the right angle to appeal to the viewers back home. And while he acknowledged that it was her job to do that, there was no way he was going to let her poke around in his past, or his future for that matter. Emerson-Rose and her band of merry men were like mosquitoes, buzzing around and generally annoying everyone they came into contact with.
He patted the baby’s bottom, shifting it slightly in his arms as the child slept on. He’d never been good at diplomatic relations but as PMA leader, he knew it was up to him to make sure that Ms Jofille’s stay here was a happy one, so he had to try harder at making conversation with her.
‘Uh…so what made you decide to come to Tarparnii?’ ‘My friend, Eden Montgomery. She’s worked here in the past and told me about PMA and the great work it does. Do you know her?’
Dart’s eyebrows hit his hairline. ‘As a matter of fact, I do, and her husband David.’ He held both colleagues in high esteem and was a little taken aback that they would be friends with someone on the rich and famous list. ‘And you’re friends with Eden?’
Emmy didn’t miss the disbelief in his tone. ‘You sound surprised, Dart. You don’t think someone as wealthy and as “popular” as me has need of any friends?’
‘Um…I’m sure you do. I was just surprised, that’s all. Eden and David are…lovely people.’
‘Implying that I’m not?’ Emmy shook her head. ‘Have you ever heard the cliché “Don’t judge a book by its cover”?’
Now he’d gone and offended her. Dart rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. So much for being diplomatic.
She shifted to face him, ignoring the way his features where highlighted to perfection in the ambient glow of the fire. ‘You know, Dart, being born into wealth, having everything you’ve ever wanted simply given to you, doesn’t automatically make you happy. When your parents are too busy working, be it for their businesses or their philanthropic causes, to spend time with you.’
Emmy stopped. She was getting herself all worked up again and where she’d intended to be polite and diplomatic towards Dart Freeman, here she was blurting out personal information. She took another breath and continued in a calmer tone.
‘I may have been given every material possession, lacking for nothing while I was growing up, but I doubt either of my parents would have sat down when I was a baby and cuddled me close, just as you’re doing with this little one.’
When she was quiet he nodded, his father’s words running through his mind. ‘Son, when you’re wrong, admit it and move on.’ His father had been nothing if not a wise man. Dart cleared his throat. ‘My apologies, Emerson. I had no right to be so presumptuous. I hope you can forgive me.’
It was Emmy’s turn to be surprised as it wasn’t every day she either received an apology or was asked for forgiveness. ‘Of course I do.’ She felt the fight rush out of her. ‘I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to go off on one. It’s just that on most days, with the press and paparazzi, I don’t usually get the opportunity to correct their misconceptions.’
Both of them were quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts, absorbing the silence, and Emmy was a little surprised to find that she didn’t mind so much that he’d come to sit by her side.
‘What’s the baby’s name?’ she asked after a moment, delighted with the cute little baby, if less so with the picture the pair presented. Man holding sleeping baby. It was guaranteed to melt any woman’s heart.
‘J’tagnan.’ Even as Dart said the name, there was love in his tone and Emmy realised he had a special bond with this babe.
‘What a lovely name.’ Silence for a moment before she confirmed, ‘Boy?’
‘Yes.’
‘I take it he lives in this village?’
‘No.’
‘Oh?’
‘His mother…’ Dart pointed to a woman who was cutting up more fruit and placing it onto a wooden platter ‘…comes from a neighbouring village. She had to walk fifty miles in order to get here to have her baby and she was in labour almost the entire time. When she stumbled into the village, the baby’s head was crowning.’
‘She’s lucky she made it here. I’ve heard stories of women giving birth either in fields or just on the side of the road. Is that really the case?’
‘It’s true and happens all the time.’
‘J’tagnan is one of the lucky ones, then.’
‘So is his mother. She had a difficult birth and has needed constant attention for the past six weeks. Tonight is really the first time she’s been up and about. She’s happy to be able to help out, even if it’s just cutting up the fruit.’
‘Will she head back to her own village soon?’
‘We’ll be taking her back in a few days’ time.’
‘You’ll be going?’
He nodded. ‘I need to make sure J’tagnan has everything he needs.’ Dart looked down at the little babe. ‘So many of them don’t.’
Emmy’s heart turned over at the sadness of the situation. Life here was so different from the privileged one back home in Australia and this was what she’d come here to capture. Ordinary people, living in their poverty-ridden country and all the while doing extraordinary things. ‘Would you mind if we filmed J’tagnan’s journey home?’
Dart’s mood instantly changed with her question. Where she’d felt he was thawing a little towards her, a few simple words out of her mouth changed that entirely. His walls went back up, his entire body bristled with indignation and when he spoke, his words were more curt than before. ‘These people aren’t your puppets, Ms Jofille. Their lives aren’t there simply so you can make compelling television.’
Emmy gritted her teeth but also realised that this was probably the reason why she’d been getting the cold shoulder from Dart. He didn’t want her or her crew here at all. She’d initially thought he’d had something against her on a personal level, but perhaps it was simply that he hated all film crews. Well, it didn’t matter what he thought or wanted, she was here in Tarparnii and she intended to do an amazing job on this piece so that when it aired on the network, millions and millions of people would watch, would be touched, would be galvanised into action—just as she had been when she’d first heard about the plight of the Tarparniians.
Keeping her cool and drawing on every ounce of her poise and professionalism, Emmy kept her words calm but firm. ‘As I’ve previously mentioned, it’s Dr Jofille, not Ms or Miss. Secondly, I have no intention of treating anyone as my puppet, Dr Freeman. Showing the good people of Australia about the situation here in Tarparnii is my key aim. I intend to ask Meeree to check with J’tagnan’s mother and if the woman agrees, there’s nothing you can do about it.
‘Besides, I would have thought you’d be delighted that someone is aiming to shine some light on life in this little island country. We need to be educating people back home, letting them know that help is still needed, that equipment
and medicines are in short supply, that people are still dying in this country from diseases that don’t even exist any more in wealthy countries, such as our own, simply because we have the resources to vaccinate our children.
‘What vaccinations are available to J’tagnan? What diseases can he possibly expect to be in danger of catching within the first twelve months of his life?’
Without waiting for an answer, she continued, her voice filled with her earnest enthusiasm for this cause. ‘These are the things the Australian people want to know, Dr Freeman, and when they see what it’s like, when they begin to understand, they will dig deep into their pockets and help provide the money to purchase those vaccinations so that J’tagnan can live a long and healthy life. So that he can be clothed and educated and grow up to be a man who looks after his mother and is a functioning member of his country’s culture.’
The words she’d spoken had come from her heart and he wondered for a moment whether he hadn’t misjudged her. He allowed himself to believe that perhaps her motives for being here were honourable, that it wasn’t simply about the ratings for the television network or about how doing something like this would raise her own standing in her high-society community.
Unlike so many of her peers, it seemed that Ms Jofil—no, Dr Jofille—intended to not only throw money at this country so she could go to sleep with a clear conscience that she’d done her part in helping put the world to rights but that she was willing to come here, to risk her life in this country of uncertainty, to show the people back in Australia and hopefully in other countries as well of the need to be doing more than they currently were.
Even in the orangey glow of the fire, Dart could see the look of determination in her eyes, could hear the vehemence in her tone, and he could make out the unyielding posture of her body. It made him wonder what it would take for her to completely lose control. Would she be as calm and as collected during a romantic interlude?
If, for example, he were to lean over and kiss her luscious mouth, how would she respond? The thought wasn’t at all unappealing to him. She was, after all, an exquisitely beautiful woman, of that there was no doubt.
It was ridiculous to even allow his thoughts to wander in such a direction given that she most definitely wasn’t his type at all, but as he looked at her, the colours of the night surrounding her, she looked softer yet still princess-like and perfect. A part of him wanted to see what she would look like when her calm veneer snapped.
If he were to kiss her without permission, to catch her off guard, to surprise her…Would her blue eyes flash with deep desire or utter anger? Would her mouth respond to his or would she slap his face? If she kissed him back, would she be like a wildcat, wanting more, or melt into his embrace? His mind instantly shifted into temporary overdrive as pictures of them together flashed before him, pictures of the two of them, his mouth on hers, her arms around him, their bodies close together, the heat, the need, the passion…
A loud crack from the fire snapped through his thoughts and after blinking a few times Dart swallowed and immediately looked away from her, dropping his head to check J’tagnan, who was still asleep in his arms. He was appalled that his mind had taken such a journey, that he’d allowed himself to even think of being attracted to another woman. Even though it had been six long years since his world had erupted like a volcano, the lava spewing forth to destroy the lovely life he’d had planned, he’d never been this drawn in by another woman.
The memory of Marta, of the pure love they’d shared, had been enough to get him through…most of the time. Yet there were days and moments, such as now, when loneliness consumed him, but his mind had never consciously thought about hauling another woman close and kissing the living daylights out of her…not in the way he’d imagined holding Emerson-Rose close.
She was a woman sent here to do a job, to raise awareness of the plight of these good people, and she was offering her medical services as part of the bargain. She was a high-profile figure and combined with her medical knowledge and her engaging presence in front of the camera he had no doubt she would do a good piece, especially after the way she’d shown she really did care for these good people. Apart from that, apart from the fact that they would be spending time together over this next week, she meant nothing to him and the best thing he could do was to forget his thoughts of the past few minutes and focus on his job.
‘Er…good.’
‘Good?’
Dart cleared his throat, still looking at the baby, at the fire, at the people surrounding them. Looking anywhere but at her. ‘It’s good that you feel that way about Tarparnii. Your passion for these people…it sounds honest.’
Emmy frowned, completely confused. It had nothing to do with what Dart was presently saying but more from what had just happened. Even through the dim light around them, the glow from the fire, the atmosphere between them had thickened as Dart had looked at her as though he’d wanted to lean over and plunder her mouth. It was the oddest sensation and one that had rocked the foundations of her world.
She’d had men interested in her before and while all of them had been nice men, none had been her type. Apart from that, she’d learned never to take any man seriously given that usually they were after her wealth rather than her. Yet this man beside her obviously didn’t like her and while she had no real idea why, in a strange way it was almost refreshing.
But for a moment that had changed. Perhaps the vehemence burning deep within her, the need for justice and compassion, had triggered something in the stranger sitting beside her because after she’d finished speaking, the dark look in his eyes had cleared and when his gaze had dropped—albeit momentarily—to take in the curve of her mouth, the vibe coming from him changing from one of annoyance to one of curious delight, Emmy had found herself becoming quite breathless in anticipation.
It was ridiculous. They were strangers. They knew nothing about each other and since they’d met but a few short hours ago, he’d treated her with nothing but contempt. Now, after such an intimate moment, he wasn’t even looking at her. Maybe she’d imagined it. Maybe that intense look he’d given her had been just the shadows playing tricks on her mind, and as that was most definitely a more likely scenario, she should forget the way Dart had made her feel all tingly and girly inside and focus on her job.
‘Why…?’ She stopped and cleared her throat, surprised to find it a little husky. ‘Why would I lie?’
‘You’d be surprised.’ Dart’s words were brisk. ‘This isn’t the first time a TV crew has come into these people’s lives. It isn’t the first time their hospitality has been taken advantage of. It also isn’t the first time they’ve been duped and hurt yet they feel they need to let the crews come in the hope it will help the situation.’
‘What happened?’
He shook his head. ‘It was a long time ago. Over a decade. The laws governing overseas TV crews coming into this country have been changed because of the incident. It’ll never happen again.’
Emmy reached out and touched his arm, only for a split second but it was enough to heighten the awareness buzzing between them. ‘Tell me, please.’ She clasped her hands in her lap but her tone was imploring.
Dart exhaled sharply and spoke quickly, now almost desperate to get out of her presence, to put some space between himself and the woman who was slowly starting to drive him to distraction with her close proximity.
‘A crew came in, treated the villagers like their own personal slaves, getting them to do their washing, cook for them, anything and everything. They refused to walk anywhere, refused to help, and after three days of complaining about the conditions they physically wrecked five of the huts, caused injury to several of the villagers, packed up their stuff and left. Nothing was ever aired. No money came in for supplies.’ He ground his teeth together. ‘Worst of all, after they left, Meeree and Jalak discovered that two of the young women had been raped.’
Emmy gasped at that news. ‘That’s…’ She couldn’t tal
k due to the taste of utter disgust and revulsion in her mouth. She shook her head slowly. ‘No wonder you’re fiercely protective of these good people.’ She took a swallow from the drink in her hand, wanting to wash out the foul taste. ‘No one—I don’t care what their circumstances are in life—no one should be treated that way.’
Again, the vehemence of her words surprised and pleased Dart. ‘I’m glad to hear you feel that way.’ Hearing her agree with him also helped ease his concern about the work Emerson-Rose and her crew were here to do.
‘I’d like to assure you, Dr Freeman, that my crew and I will conduct ourselves with utter respectability. We will help out where needed and make sure Meeree and Jalak understand that we appreciate not only them but the hospitality they’re providing.’
‘That’s good to know.’ Dart was pleased by her words. It only added to the strange awareness he felt towards her and with that he knew it was time for him to move away, to put some distance between them. Kind, reassuring, enigmatic women were people he tended to avoid because they created too much havoc within him.
His fiancée Marta had been such a woman. Giving, encouraging, selfless, loving. She had been the type of woman who had always supported the underdog, who had always given far more than she’d ever received and who would fight to the nth degree for a good cause.
He found it unnerving when he came across other women of such high integrity and where he’d thought Emerson-Rose to be a pampered little princess, playing at a game of public relations, he was starting to discover that there were a few more layers to her than he’d previously thought.
He was definitely intrigued…and that spelled danger!
Chapter Four
EMMY watched as Dart stood and without another word walked away, back to where the baby’s mother was busy still cutting up fruit, the young village children crowding around her and waiting for a piece of fresh…Emmy wasn’t sure what type of fruit it actually was, tasting between a pear and banana. Either way it was delicious as well as refreshing, which was why the children all wanted more.