Loveknot

by Catherine George

  Sophie gave a choked laugh, then sobered as she found him looking at her with such intensity she gazed back wordlessly, as the pupils of his thickly fringed eyes dilated, holding her in thrall.

  "I miss you, Sophie," he said softly.

  "All I can think of are those words you said."

  "Which words?"

  "The request you made, my darling. If you could bring yourself to repeat it,

  I'd respond differently this time, I promise. I've decided I can't spend my life trying to please everyone but you and me." He leaned closer, his hand tightening on hers.

  "Ask me again, Sophie."

  "Here?"

  "Yes. Here. And now."

  Sophie couldn't tear her eyes away from his. The noise and laughter all around them faded into nothingness. All she could see was Alexander and the hypnotic urgency of his gaze as he willed her to say what he wanted. She shivered, and his hand tightened on hers as she ran the tip of her tongue over suddenly dry lips.

  "If I remember correctly," she whispered,

  "I said----' " Alexander! “cried a high, fluting voice, shattering the spell.

  "What a chase I've had, darling! I popped into your old office first, then I simply roared over here in Daddy's Jag to this new place, and some Brian person told me I'd find you in the pub. And here you are!"

  Delphine Wyndham stood over them, a fur coat slung over a gold jumpsuit. She turned the full force of her celebrated smile on the two people staring at her in frozen silence, her eyes narrowing as she looked from one rigid face to the other.

  Sophie felt as though she were living through a bad dream as Alexander rose slowly to his feet, his face a handsome mask.

  "Hello, Delphine," he said-'quietly.

  "Quite a surprise."

  "I'm back, darling," Delphine announced blithely, the smile blinding as a ripple of intense interest ran through the entire bar. She preened, visibly lapping up the attention she was attracting, then turned to Sophie, who felt suddenly helpless, like a mouse transfixed by the predatory gaze of a sleek, black cat.

  "Hello, Sophie--lovely to see you again. Still slaving away for Alexander, then?"

  At which Sophie came to life and rose to her feet, gathering up her bag and scarf. She gave Delphine a composed little smile.

  "Hello, Delphine. I'm sure you won't think me rude if I dash. Mustn't keep my boss waiting. I work for Perry in _the branch office here these days."

  She aimed the smile at Alexander's chin.

  "Goodbye."

  "Sophie he said urgently, catching her arm as she passed, but she detached herself and began to push her way through the crowd.

  "Bye, Sophie," called Delphine, and laid a possessive hand on Alexander's arm.

  "Now then, darling. Aren't you going to buy me a drink?"

  Sophie fled blindly, bumping into Anna Mitchell, the wife of the proprietor.

  "Sorry," panted the latter.

  "Utter chaos here today. God knows what we'll do tonight."

  "Do you need help in the bar?" asked Sophie urgency.

  "Do we! Know anyone who could fill in for a night or two?"

  "Yes. Me."

  CHAPTER TEN

  Sophie's offer, made on the spur of the moment, was a gut reaction to the shock of seeing Delphine. Brushing aside Anna Mitchell's thanks, she hurried away from the Unicorn, blind to everything but the expression on Alexander's face as he looked up to find Delphine smiling at him. He had stared at that exquisite face like a man in a dream, thought Sophie in misery. For herself the whole thing had been a nightmare, a brutal interruption of a moment which just possibly might have marked a turning point in her life.

  The afternoon which followed was an experience Sophie hoped never to repeat.

  She spent it on tenterhooks, half hoping, half dreading Alexander might appear at any moment, Delphine in tow. All Sophie wanted was to be put out of her misery one way or another, but she was left in what could be loosely termed as peace. Perry never returned to the office after dashing off on a house inspection, and Brian Harris and his minions were deep in piles of drawings and prints for a new factory. It seemed an eternity before Sophie was free to go home at last, on fire with the desire to scrub herself from head to foot, feeling somehow that hot water and soap might wash away the humiliation of almost begging Alexander to be her lover, when he obviously still hankered after his Delphine. She could have kicked herself. Making a fool of oneself once was allowable. Twice was lunacy. Sophie sluiced water over her hair and face, mortified that she could actually have forgotten how beautiful Delphine really was.

  What man could look at such perfection without wanting to possess it?

  And Alexander, if he were to be believed, had never actually been granted the privilege. Which made it all so much worse. Men always, as Alexander had once informed her, wanted most the things they were refused. While she, thought Sophie, shuddering, had actually offered herself to him twice. Twice!

  Sophie attacked her hair with dryer and hairbrush, then made a sandwich and crumbled it to pieces while she drank cup after cup of strong black coffee, pacing up and down her little sitting- room until it was time to set off for the Unicorn.

  Monday evenings, Anna Mitchell informed her, were quieter than the rest of the week. Sophie was grateful for it since it gave her the chance to memo rise prices, learn how to pull pints of beer and handle the optics, to wash and replace glasses, and generally accustom herself to the routine of the job. Frank Mitchell, the landlord, was a stalwart man with a pleasant but authoritative manner, popular with his clientele. Sophie found him easy to work with from the start, mainly because she learned rapidly, and was quick on her feet. One thing he found hard to. tolerate, Frank told her bluntly, was a barmaid who dawdled or spent too much time chatting up the younger male

  customers. Sophie was astonished anyone ever had time for chat with anyone from behind the bar of the Unicorn, and went home at closing time feeling very tired indeed. She could hear the telephone ringing as she unlocked her door and burst into the sitting-room just as it stopped. She glared at the telephone in frustration, sure it had been Alexander. She scowled. If he really wanted to talk to her he would ring again. She went upstairs and dawdled as long as possible while she undressed, then lay in tense expectancy, sure the telephone would ring again. It was only when it became obvious at last that it was going to do no such thing that she gave in at last and let herself cry her misery into her pillow.

  Perry was waiting when Sophie arrived at the office next day.

  "Morning, Sophie." He handed her a note.

  "I was ordered to give you this before we start."

  Sophie thanked him, her mouth tightening as she saw Alexander's familiar handwriting.

  "I rang last night repeatedly without success. I'm in court all day today, but I'll be at the cottage tonight about eight. A."

  Sophie screwed the paper into a ball and threw it in the wastebasket without comment, then applied herself to the usual matters of the day, knowing quite well that Perry was bursting with curiosity. She made no attempt to satisfy it, and the morning's post was dealt with and Sophie almost out of his office before Perry succumbed to temptation.

  "Delphine's back, I hear," he said, opening the door for Sophie.

  "Yes. You should have stayed yesterday." She gave him a mocking little smile.

  "You missed all the fun."

  Perry looked concerned.

  "Look, love, I'm sure Alexander ' " It's all right," Sophie interrupted gently. " Really, it is. Now I must get on. "

  There was more to do than usual, to Sophie's eternal gratitude She relegated

  Alexander's note to the back of her mind, refusing to lose her temper over the autocratic tone of his message. But as she took a break for lunch she allowed herself a small glow of triumph at a mental picture of Alexander knocking in vain on the door of her empty cottage later. If he wanted to see her, he'd have to find her first.

  Sophie ran into Sam Jefford on her way
to a snack lunch at the coffee-shop, and instead of avoiding her like the plague, as he had done on various occasions beforehand in the town, he stopped to speak to her.

  "I hope you're settling in happily in Ilex Cottage, Sophie," he said, smiling diffidently.

  Sophie assured him she was, and fell into step with him as they walked along.

  "Have you forgiven me?" he asked.

  She laughed.

  "If you mean about the job, of course I have."

  "I really felt very bad about letting you down, you know."

  Sophie felt touched. As it happened, it all turned out very well in the end, so please don't be _embarrassed about it. "

  Sam's face relaxed as he asked if he could buy Sophie lunch at the Unicorn by way of amends.

  "No! I mean, no, thank you." Sophie smiled brightly.

  "I'm helping out there in the evenings for a while until they get someone permanent, so I'd rather steer clear in the daytime."

  When Sam suggested the coffee-shop instead it seemed churlish to refuse, and

  Sophie spent a pleasant interlude with him, her raw wounds soothed just a little by his rather touching efforts to please. Consequently she was late back at the offices, which were empty, except for a very unexpected visitor.

  Delphine Wyndham was enthroned behind the desk in Sophie's office, her gold eyes alight with malicious glee at the look on Sophie's face.

  "Hello, Sophie," she said, and got up, stretching as she pushed back (he chair. She looked spectacular in the type of clinging, draped dress only the very slender-could wear, with yesterday's fur coat suspended negligently from one shoulder, and, most eye-catching of all, the emerald engagement ring

  Alexander had given her prominent on her left hand.

  "I happened to be passing, so I thought I'd pop in for a chat."

  Delphine ran her left hand over her hair.

  Just in case I'd missed the ring, thought Sophie. "How nice," she said coolly.

  "May I offer you tea, or coffee?"

  "No, darling, can't stay. I just came to put you in the picture, so to speak. Regarding our mutual friend."

  "You're a Dickens fan?" asked Sophie in mock surprise.

  "What are you talking about?" Delphine sauntered to the door, then turned, lounging gracefully in the opening.

  "OK Sophie. Let's get things straight. I'm back now. For good. So

  Alexander won't be in need of anything you have to offer, if I make myself plain."

  Sophie seated herself behind the desk, regarding her visitor with a serenity designed to hide the murder she felt in her heart.

  "What a bitch you are, Delphine," she said conversationally.

  "I assume the LA contract fell through or did Terry Foyle find a younger face for the Americans? After all, as models go, you're getting on a bit, aren't you? "

  Delphine's face convulsed with a rage that obliterated its beauty.

  She leaned her hands on the desk and glared at Sophie.

  "Little cow!

  How dare you? I know you've been dangling after Alexander all these years, but you can forget all that. Goody Two-Shoes. Delphine's back, and she's everything Alexander Paget ever wanted. And I do mean wanted. You, darling, just can't compete! "

  Sophie shrugged.

  "Don't panic, Delphine. You won't get any competition from me. A husband is not on my list of requirements. Run away and play with Alexander to your heart's content." She looked at her watch pointedly, and drew a file towards her.

  "Now, if you don't mind I have a lot to get through. I have a date tonight, and I'm rather keen to leave on time for once."

  Delphine backed away, disconcerted. "Yes--well, as long as you know how things stand." She drew the opulent fur around her, eyeing Sophie suspiciously.

  "Who was the man with you outside?"

  "Sam Jefford. Estate agent."

  "Did you have lunch with him?"

  Sophie nodded, resigned.

  "Yes."

  "Is he your date tonight?"

  Sophie shuffled her papers pointedly.

  "Not that it's any business of yours, but no, he isn't."

  Delphine shook her head blankly.

  "I can't see what men see in you. I mean, you're not exactly a raving beauty, are you?"

  "Perhaps it's the beauty of my nature which appeals. Now goodbye, Delphine."

  Sophie turned away to her typewriter, wincing at the bang of the door as her visitor finally departed.

  Sophie's mood was evil of the rest of the afternoon, half her mind on autopilot as she worked, the other half revHing Alexander Paget and Delphine

  Wyndham with impartial violence.

  Stung by Delphine's insults, Sophie took great care with her appearance that night before setting off for the Unicorn. To bolster her much-tried ego she put on a black knitted dress livened up by a choker of giant silver and black beads, and was glad she'd taken the trouble when Frank Mitchell winked appreciatively at the sight of her.

  "Very nice, Sophie. Just the thing to attract the punters."

  He was right. Sophie was run off her feet all evening, unlike the night before.

  _"Is it always like this on Tuesdays?" she gasped at one stage, as she polished glasses furiously.

  "Tonight and every night," Anna assured her. "Don't knock it, love, it's business. And you're doing really well. Don'1 fancy giving up the day job and coming here on a permanent basis, by any chance?"

  In Sophie's present mood it was a tempting thought. And if only Alexander were involved she knew she might have been rash enough to say yes. But there was Perry to consider, and all the others. And her feet. They would never stand it. She shook her head regretfully, then turned to a group of new arrivals with a smile.

  "Good evening, gentlemen. What can I get you?"

  Sophie shivered as she walked home. It had been stormy all day, but now the wind was at gale force, and clouds scudded wildly across a moonlit sky as she- turned away from the lights of the town to make for Church Row. The wind howled demonic ally in the trees, funnelling through the narrow walk between churchyard and cottages, with a force that blew Sophie's hair in her eyes and bit icily through her raincoat. In a lull between gusts she halted, stiffening, sure she could hear footsteps. Telling herself she was tired, hearing things, she began to run the last few yards towards the cottage, her heart in her throat as the footsteps behind her quickened in pace with her own. As she reached her front door a hand caught her arm and she screamed as she spun round. Then the moon burst from the clouds to illumine Alexander's unmistakable fair head, and she glared up at him, _almost beside herself with rage.

  "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she spat.

  "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded harshly in turn, ignoring her.

  He took her by the elbows.

  "Didn't you get my note?"

  Sophie shook him off.

  "Oh, yes. I got your note." She unlocked her door, then turned on him coldly. You were the one who said you'd be here at eight, not me. "

  Alexander opened the door and thrust her unceremoniously inside, his eyes glittering dangerously as he banged the door shut, then stood leaning against it, arms folded.

  "I rang you at intervals all yesterday evening, until it got so late I assumed you must have gone off to stay with Kate. So I scribbled the note and gave. it to Perry before I dashed off to court this morning. I should have taken time to couch it in more flowery terms I assume--beg you to deign to be in tonight. Where were you two nights running, for God's sake?"

  Sophie shrugged out of her raincoat, her face flushed with anger.

  "It's nothing to do with you where I spend my evenings."

  "My mistake. I thought it was." Colour flared along Alexander's cheekbones, emphasising the white line round his mouth.

  "I suppose this--this tantrum is because of Delphine."

  "Tantrum!" Sophie's eyes flamed at him.

  "Just go, Alexander. Back to the loving arms of your faithful fiance
e." She spat the word at him, and Alexander came away from the door with a lunge, catching her by the hands.

  _"You're jealous!" His eyes gleamed with a triumph Sophie found unbearable.

  "Jealous? Ha!" She tried to break free, but Alexander was ready for her and tightened his grip. "Will you let me go?" she panted.

  "I've had a long day and I'm tired, and I just want you to get out of here."