Fatal Deception

by Sally Wentworth

  Slowly Norrie unwrapped the parcel and opened a box which contained a gorgeous cream silk nightdress with thin straps and beautifully delicate lace around the low-cut top and up the slits in the side which reached almost to the waist. And with it was a matching neglige. 'Why—why they're beautiful.' She slid her hand inside the nightdress and ran it along the satin smoothness of the silk.

  'Wear them on our wedding night,' he said softly, his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her.

  'Yes. All right.'

  He turned her to face him and bent to kiss her, but had hardly put his mouth to hers before Ben was between them, pushing at Bruno's legs. 'Leave Norrie 'lone. Leave Norrie 'lone.'

  Bruno laughed and bent to swing Ben up on to his shoulders. 'We're going to have to cure him of this jealousy—and fast.'

  Norrie had laughed, too, but in relief, hoping that Ben would keep up his possessive attitude at least for a few more weeks. It was hard enough to keep up her own attitude; she didn't sleep much that night, not that she had slept very much since she had been crazy enough to say that she would marry Bruno, and her conscience hit her every time she thought about it. A dozen times a day she wanted to back out, and had even got as far as starting a letter to tell him so, because there was no way she could face him with it, but he came to the house so often, as if he was afraid she might change her mind and was determined to prevent it. And while he was there his possessiveness towards both Ben and herself and the arrogant way he took it for granted that she must still be in love with him, brought back all the deep feelings of antagonism that allowed her to keep up the charade. It was only when she was alone, lying awake far into the night, that she wondered what on earth she was getting herself into.

  The wedding day had come at last, all too fast and yet in some ways infinitely slowly. Bruno had arranged for the agency to send someone round quite early so that Norrie would have time to get ready in peace, and he had insisted on giving her the money to buy herself an outfit for the wedding and clothes for their honeymoon, so she had bought a pale blue suit with a short, fitted jacket and straight skirt, a high-necked white silk blouse with a matching bow, and a pretty little hat with a veil that covered her eyes. At eleven the gold Jaguar pulled up outside and Norrie nervously picked up her bag and gloves. The baby-sitter had taken Ben into the kitchen and Norrie slipped quickly out of the house before he could start making a fuss and demand to go with her.

  Bruno had just unlatched the gate but he paused when he saw her, his eyes running over her admiringly. 'I'm always overwhelmed by how sophisticated you can look now.' He opened the door of the car for her and turned to look at her again as soon as he joined her, then picked up her hand and turned it over to gently kiss her palm. 'You look very, very lovely.'

  'Thank you. But not here, please. I'm sure everyone is looking at us.' And she pulled her hand away and quickly put on her gloves.

  'A bride should expect to be looked at on her wedding day,' Bruno teased.

  'But hardly in these circumstances. Let's go, please.'

  He started the car and drove out of Welford, glancing at her as they travelled along the by-pass to say, 'Nervous?'

  'Yes, I suppose I am, rather,' Norrie admitted. 'It all feels totally unreal, like a dream. I keep expecting to wake up at any moment and find that you never came to Welford, never took over the Observer.''

  Bruno laughed. 'But this is one dream that's going to go on forever.'

  Only it will soon become a nightmare for you, Norrie thought as she looked at him. He was wearing a beautifully tailored pale grey suit that looked new. It fitted him well, emphasising the width of his shoulders and the athletic slimness of his waist. His hair had been professionally washed and his hands manicured. He looked what he was, a successful executive businessman who was still on his way up, ambitious, capable and supremely confident. He also looked arrogantly masculine, handsome, and somehow exuded sex appeal without having to do a thing about it. And he looked very happy. Well, let him while he could, she would soon stab his conceited pride.

  Soon they drew up outside the Registrar's Office and Bruno leant over to the back seat. 'Perhaps this will make you feel more like a bride,' he suggested, and handed her a bouquet of pale yellow rosebuds and stephanotis. 'Remember I gave you yellow roses once before,' he reminded her softly.

  Norrie remembered all right; it had been the night he had first made love to her, when he had taken her to his flat and she had been so nervous that she had dropped the flowers on the floor and they hadn't been picked up until the next morning. For a moment she buried her face in the flowers, giving herself time to control her features, and then turned to him with a brittle smile. 'How wonderful of you to remember.'

  'I remember everything about those months,' he told her softly. 'Norrie, I've been wanting to say this to you ever since I saw you again, I. . .'

  'Oh, look at the time! Oughtn't we to go in? We don't want to be late.'

  Norrie's exclamation interrupted him and Bruno looked rueful, but he fixed a carnation in his buttonhole and then escorted her into the Registrar's Office. They were early of course and had to sit in the waiting room for nearly ten minutes before they were shown in and the ceremony began. It was a small and rather bare room, with just a desk, some chairs for the witnesses and a big safe over in the corner. It was all over very quickly and afterwards Norrie couldn't remember a word of the promises she'd made. All she could recall was the strength in Bruno's hands as he'd slid a ring on to her finger, and the shock of realisation when the Registrar had called her Mrs Denton and handed her the marriage certificate.

  From then onwards Norrie seemed to be two people: the one who acted and responded like any normal woman, and the other who watched herself in a kind of daze and wondered how the hell she'd got herself into this mess.

  Bruno took her for a celebration lunch to the best restaurant in town and they shared a bottle of champagne, which didn't help. She was so nervous that she got a bit giggly in the car afterwards, which Bruno seemed to find very amusing. He tried to kiss her but she pretended to tease him. 'Behave yourself.'

  'We are married,' he pointed out, reaching for her again.

  'That's the point; married people behave respectably. They don't neck in cars.' And she playfully eluded his hands.

  'Where do they neck, then?'

  But she was ready for that one. 'They don't. They give each other a passing peck on the cheek first thing in the morning and last thing at night.'

  'I don't think I'm going to like being married if I'm going to be rationed to two pecks on the cheek per day.'

  'You should have thought of that yesterday when you were an irresponsible playboy,' Norrie retorted. 'Come on, Ben's waiting for us.'

  Bruno put a finger under her chin and smiled into her eyes. 'Remind me to tell you how crazy I am about you later.'

  Norrie's heart began to beat wildly, as if it was all for real and not a dangerous game of retaliation. 'You mean, later—when you get your peck on the cheek?'

  He laughed and covered her hand, squeezing it. 'Most definitely.'

  They drove back to the cottage and picked up Ben and the luggage, and then headed for the coast. Bruno had had a child's seat fitted into the back of the Jaguar, which Ben thought was great because he could see out of the windows. Norrie turned in her seat to watch his puzzled little face while Bruno told him that they were going to the seaside, and tried to explain that they were now married and Ben could call him Daddy. Ben, it went without saying, asked an awful lot of questions but Norrie sat silently, letting Bruno answer them and ignoring the somewhat startled and agonised looks he gave her at some of Ben's questions.

  'Emma at school said her Daddy and Mummy go to sleep in the same bed,' Ben told them.

  'That's right,' Bruno answered, pleased they'd got that sorted out.

  'I go in Norrie's bed when there's a big noise in the sky.'

  Bruno raised an eyebrow and Norrie said helpfully, 'He means a thunderstorm.'r />
  'Oh. Well, that's all right, old son. You can still come in with us and we'll both look after you. You won't be frightened then.'

  '/ not frightened. Norrie's frightened,' Ben exclaimed indignantly. 'I have to give Norrie cuddle, not you. You sleep in my bed.'

  For a lovely moment Bruno looked completely taken aback but then he recovered magnificently and said firmly, 'Mummies and Daddies have to sleep in the same bed, it's the law.' But he hastily changed the subject. 'Now I'll tell you about this seaside place we're going to.'

  He had booked a suite in a five-star hotel on the coast only a couple of hours' drive from Welford, because Ben wasn't used to long car journeys and Norrie didn't want him to get over-excited and tired, but he was so eager to see the sea that he clamoured to be taken down to the beach as soon as they arrived.

  'I'll take him while you unpack, if you like?' Bruno offered, and was gone for over an hour. When they came back Ben was tired out and Bruno was carrying him against his shoulder. He very gently moved him and held him in his arms a moment, his eyes full of pride and tenderness as he looked down at the child.

  As Norrie turned to take Ben from him she saw his face and knew suddenly that whatever else she did to him, finding out that Ben wasn't his was going to hurt Bruno the most, that his love for the boy he thought was his son was already deeper than anything he had ever felt for her—or any woman if it came to that.

  'I'd better take him down for some food before he falls asleep.'

  The hotel had a room set aside for young children and there were several other parents there, feeding their offspring, which made Ben perk up a bit and he ate hungrily, but was glad enough when Norrie took him upstairs again and gave him his bath. By then Bruno had had his own bath and changed ready for dinner, but came with her when she took Ben into the smaller bedroom of the suite, watching as she tucked him in and gave him a goodnight kiss.

  'Would you like me to read to him or something while you change?' Bruno offered diffidently.

  He was being very tactful, Norrie realised, not wanting her to think that he was trying to take Ben over. She smiled and nodded. 'Thanks, that would be a help.'

  Glancing back at the door, she saw Bruno sit on the bed and put an arm round Ben while he sorted out a story book. It seemed incongruous, somehow, and she couldn't reconcile the ruthless man that she knew Bruno to be with the gentleness he was showing to Ben. He looked up and, as if guessing something of her thoughts, grinned rather ruefully, 'I've an idea this is doing nothing for my image.'

  'On the contrary,' Norrie said lightly, and left him to it. She took her time in the bathroom, having a leisurely bath scented with the bubble bath that the hotel provided, and carefully redoing her hair and make-up. There had been enough to buy several dresses with the money that Bruno had given her, and she had chosen a pale green one to wear tonight, one that had full sleeves but was cut low at the front and clung to her hips before swirling out into a full skirt. She added a generous helping of scent at all her pulse points and took a long, slow look at herself. The effects of the champagne had worn off by now and she felt remarkably cool and clear-headed, not in the least nervous and ready to play this game to its first confrontation.

  He was sitting in an armchair reading a magazine when Norrie finally came out of the bathroom. Putting the paper down, Bruno let his eyes run slowly over her, making no attempt to hide his desire as they rested on the curves of her hips and then her breasts. Standing up, he crossed the room to stand beside her. 'That was well worth the wait,' he said softly and bent to kiss her, but Norrie moved her head away.

  'You'll mess up my lipstick.'

  He rested his hands on her waist. 'I'm beginning to think you've become a tease.'

  'Of course.' She rotated her hips so that her thighs moved against his.

  He groaned. 'Minx. Let's forget about dinner and go to bed now.'

  'And waste all the time I've spent getting ready?' She pushed him away. 'Besides, I'm hungry.'

  'Okay, you win.' But she could tell by the way he said it that he was only indulging her teasing because he knew that his time to take her would soon come.

  As they were shown to their table in the dining-room, many heads turned to look at them, both male and female, and Norrie wondered if anyone guessed that this was their wedding day. But how could they when they had Ben with them? And yet she caught several eyes watching them when she looked round. 'We seem to be the centre of attention,' she murmured as they sat down.

  'Why not? The men are all thinking how lucky I am.'

  Norrie looked at him demurely. 'And the women?'

  He grinned and gave a mock leer. 'They're probably being as catty as hell about you to hide their jealousy.'

  'And why should they be jealous of me?'

  'Because they'd like to be in your place, of course.'

  'I see you have no illusions of false modesty to worry about.'

  His eyes crinkled. 'Well you should know.'

  Norrie flushed. 'I think we'd better look at the menu,' she said primly and looked away from his amused laughter.

  There was no dance floor in the dining-room, nothing to keep them there once the meal was finished. Norrie delayed as much as she could, but the service was all too efficient and the meal was finished within a couple of hours.

  'Would you like to have another coffee or a liqueur in the lounge?' Bruno suggested. Norrie accepted with relief, although she caught a flash of amusement in his eyes as though he knew she was prevaricating.

  'I'll just go up and make sure that Ben's okay first,' and she left him to make his own way to the lounge.

  Ben was fast asleep but had kicked off all his covers, as he did every night. Norrie tucked him in again and gently brushed his fair hair out of his eyes. For the first time it occurred to her that she was involving Ben in something in which he was going to be nothing but an innocent pawn. And life with Bruno, after tonight, wasn't going to be exactly a bed of roses. Ben might be hurt by it, or at the very least unsettled. But it was too late now, she couldn't go back, although for a few minutes she was tempted to just pick up Ben and run. But she was committed now, and her hatred of Bruno was deep enough for her to hesitate only a few seconds before she dismissed all thoughts of the consequences from her mind; she'd wanted to hurt him and it was just about to begin.

  He was waiting for her in the lounge, sitting on a small settee with brandy balloons and cups of coffee on a low table in front of him. 'Is he okay?' he asked as she joined him. 'You seemed to be rather a long time.'

  'Yes, he was fine.' It was only a small seat so she had to sit close beside him and Bruno didn't move up to make more room for her.

  Picking up the glasses, he gave one to her before clinking them gently together. 'My last toast of the evening,' he said, looking into her eyes. 'To my very lovely bride.'

  Norrie smiled back at him, feeling strangely cool and resolved now that the time was almost here. 'I think you already made that one during dinner,' she pointed out.

  'A good thing can't be repeated too often.'

  'Can't it?' she pouted softly, looking at him under her lashes. She could feel the warmth of his thigh next to hers and deliberately moved in her seat, then leant forward so that her breast brushed his arm.

  'Hurry up and drink your brandy,' he commanded.

  'Don't be silly, one never hurries over brandy.' But she raised the glass to her lips and provocatively slid her tongue along its rim.

  'Do you know what you're doing to me?' Bruno demanded huskily.

  'No. What?'

  'Let's go to bed.'

  'It's too early. It's not even ten-thirty yet.'

  'Good, that will give us more time.'

  Norrie gave a small smile and turned to look round the lounge feeling a dizzy kind of power at this cat and mouse game she was playing; and Bruno was rushing headlong towards his own fate, because as he reached to take the bait, the trap would spring.

  After a couple of minutes, she moved her fre
e hand and deliberately placed it on his leg, a few inches above his knee. Putting down her glass, she leant her head back against the settee and turned to face him. He did the same, his head only a few inches away from hers, and her heart gave a jerk at the tenderness in his eyes.

  'I like that scent you're wearing.'

  'Thank you.' She moved her fingers, gently stroking them along the inside of his leg.

  He gave a small gasp and she knew that the caress, in such a public place, was turning him on. He stood it for a few minutes then hastily captured her hand. 'Do you really want that coffee?'

  Norrie shook her head. 'No.'

  'Then for God's sake let's go to bed! You're driving me crazy.'

  They had to walk decorously through the lounge and nod good night to the receptionist before climbing the stairs to their suite on the first floor. Bruno fitted the key into the lock and tried to grab her as soon as they were inside and the door shut, but Norrie laughed and held him away. 'Don't you want me to change into that nightdress you bought me?'

  'Who needs it?' he said thickly, pulling her close and kissing her neck.

  'No. Come on, we have to do this properly.' She pushed him away. 'You can change in the bedroom while I use the bathroom.'

  'Save the nightdress for tomorrow night.' His hands went to the zip at the back of her dress and began to pull it down. 'I want to undress you and . . .'

  'No, tonight's our wedding night. Please, Bruno; you said you wanted me to feel like a bride.'

  He straightened up and nodded. 'All right, but if you're not out of there in ten minutes . . .'