Born of the Wind

by Margaret Pargeter

  'Why not?' He began removing his jacket and tie. 'You can get anything if you're willing to pay for it.' As his jacket landed on the bed he lifted the house phone and rapped an order. 'There,' he said, as though she was a child, 'it's very easy, really.'

  'That's not what I meant!' Sherry huddled deeper in her towel, feeling trapped by it. 'I meant what will they think? We aren't husband and wife.'

  'Nor ever will be.'

  Was he being deliberately obtuse? 'My reputation!'

  'So you're still on about that?'

  Hating his sarcasm, she hissed, 'Contrary to what you seem to believe, I do have one!'

  Scott sighed, his manner long-suffering. 'We can agree to differ over it, surely? All I want is some coffee, and you look as if you could do with some yourself, by the looks of you! Today, thousands of unmarried couples stay in hotels and no one thinks anything of it. And hotel staff aren't paid to censure the guests.'

  Realising the futility of arguing with him, she said stiffly, 'Very well, but I'll have to get dressed.'

  'I'm doing my best to get undressed,' he said dryly. 'I'd like a shower before the coffee arrives. You'd better wait until I've finished, then you can have the bathroom. Unless you can manage in here?'

  Sherry shook her head. She wasn't going to be caught scrambling guiltily into her clothes by some supercilious waiter! 'Please be quick!' she snapped, averting her eyes as Scott pulled off his shirt.

  He closed the bathroom door with a derisive bang, but opened it again almost immediately. 'You'll have to give me your towel. It appears to be the only one.'

  'It's all I've got!' she protested.

  'It's all there is,' he insisted, whipping it without compunction from her shaking shoulders and returning the way he'd come.

  'Oh, please, someone help me!' Sherry whispered feverishly, her eyes suddenly tear-drenched. Swiftly, as her prayers remained predictably unanswered, she dived .. under the sheets. Everything was getting out of hand. She was talking to herself, she couldn't even think properly.

  Apprehensively, she stayed where she was, until there was a knock on the door. Aware that it must be someone with the refreshments, she was about to tell them to come in, when Scott returned and saved her the bother. She stared aghast, as he sat down again on the bed with only a towel draped round his waist, as the waiter entered at his command, leaving them a tray.

  Before he left, she saw the man's glance flicker over the clothes scattered on the bed and could almost have died with shame.

  'I'll tell you something!' she lashed out at Scott, when he had gone, her small face blazing. 'After tonight I don't want to see any of you again. Not you, not Ellen, or Kim! I hate the lot of you…!'

  As her voice rose shrilly, Scott grasped her. 'You little fool!' he exclaimed. 'Calm down. Are you trying to raise the whole hotel?'

  She couldn't calm down. Everything was becoming too much for her. She began sobbing wildly, losing control. 'I hate you—hate you!' she cried, repeating it over and over again.

  'No, you don't,' he snapped back, trying to hold her still, with arms that threatened to break her in two.

  Despite this, she kept on trying to hit him, not caring what she was doing.

  Suddenly, as if his patience was exhausted, Scott whipped aside the sheets covering her. Taking no notice of her enraged gasp, as her bare body collided with his, he drew her ruthlessly to him. He looked down at the way they were clamped together, his face totally devoid of expression, and when he spoke his voice Was completely without kindness.

  'The best cure for something is often a dose of the same thing. You received a shock, today, so shall we experiment?'

  With a smile of pure mockery, he bent to her lips, taking them with a certainty that proclaimed, without doubt, that he was a man who knew what he was doing.

  'No!' Sherry gasped, but it was too late. There was no escape. His fingers tangled in the silky skeins of her dark hair, tugging her head back, allowing him more freedom to plunder. A surging warmth sent her blood racing as his tongue traced the delicate contours of her lips, alternately teasing and probing until she was weak with longing. By the time his kiss deepened her trembling mouth was opening to the increasing demand of his and a blaze of something alien swept through her, amazingly demolishing the aftermath of the afternoon. Fright and desolation would surely return, but the emotions flowing through her now were of a different kind. Being purely physical they provided the temporary distraction she needed, to give her time to return to a more normal keel.

  Sherry's senses reeled as Scott's arms tightened and she clung to him, unable to suppress a small moan. She became conscious of nothing but his heart thudding into hers and the hard, hot pressure of his mouth. A flame of desire ignited her whole body as he cupped her breasts in his hands and his tongue touched the aroused peaks. When his mouth returned to hers with mounting passion and he pulled her further under him, she began dissolving in fluid heat. Swiftly the first warmth of her response changed to a wild abandonment, which would have shocked her afresh, had she been capable of rational thought. Passionately she strained against him, delighting in the hurting hardness of his strong limbs and arms.

  She didn't know how long it was before he stopped kissing her and eased away from her.

  'Much as I might like to continue this pleasurable interlude,' he said firmly, 'it might be wiser to call a halt.'

  It wasn't relief that dilated Sherry's pupils as she forced her eyes open in an effort to agree with him. She looked at him, her eyes wide and startled but with something in them, an innocence now tinged with curiosity, an awakening desire for something she had, as yet, no experience of. She couldn't understand how, still under the influence of the emotions Scott had aroused in her, she immediately felt calmer. The frightening feeling of tension had gone.

  Unconsciously, mutely appealing, she raised her arms towards him again, but he drew back with a few curt words.

  'Stop when you're winning, Sherry. You're feeling better, because we hadn't quite reached the point of no return.' When she began to protest, he didn't allow it. 'Come on,' he said ruthlessly, 'coffee!'

  Re-tying the knot in the towel round his waist, he poured it out. Sherry, clutching the sheet about her once more, gazed with a bewildered resentment at his broad chest, trying not to remember how its roughness had felt against her. He implied that she had been winning. Who could ever hope to win against a man like him? she thought blankly.

  After adding both sugar and cream to Sherry's coffee, he handed it to her with a sandwich. She noticed he left his own coffee black and drank a cupful straight off before he began on the sandwiches. His appetite, she remembered his taunts, was apparently not all sensual, though instinct told her that despite the tight control he kept over himself, he had enough libido for two men.

  For all the temporary truce between them, she wasn't able to eat much and there was plenty left.

  'Do you think you can sleep now?' asked Scott, putting the tray aside.

  'Sleep? Where?' She began trembling again.

  Scott looked at her and frowned. 'Stop it, Sherry. If I'd wanted to seduce you, I've had the chance. We have a bed big enough for half a dozen and it's only two in the morning. I don't intend passing the next few hours in a chair.'

  'I could.'

  'We'll both sleep here!' he said curtly.

  How could he expect her to? Yet she hadn't the strength to fight him any more, not now anyway. The old tremors were returning, the panicky feelings.

  'If you promise—' she began haltingly.

  'Miss Grant,' he cut in dryly, 'I can't recall having slept in the past forty-eight hours. Last night I had a business crisis which kept me on the telephone until I decided it wasn't worth going to bed, and believe me, I'm human enough to feel the strain of what's happened tonight. I don't think I'd be capable of making love to anyone.'

  Reassured, Sherry settled on the other side of the bed, as far from Scott as possible. She would wait until he was asleep, then get q
uietly up and dressed, but the next thing she remembered it was dawn and to her horror she was curled up against him. Moreover, one of his arms was curved round her waist and the rough edge of his unshaven, aggressive chin grazed her forehead as her head lay on his shoulder.

  Moving with great care, she edged from under his encircling arm, resisting all temptation to stay where she was. Her whole body flooded with embarrassment as she thought of how they must have slept in each other's arms. When she had dozed off there had been a respectable distance between them. She might have known that in sleep her body would naturally gravitate towards Scott's, but she had never slept with a man before.

  Slipping out of bed, she scooped up her clothes and dived into the bathroom. After locking the door, she showered quickly, wishing the cold needles of water could wash away all contact of Scott's body. She had no make-up with her and after dressing could only sweep her hair back in a thick plait, but at least she felt clean.

  On returning to the apartment, she was startled to find Scott about to leave it. She must have disturbed him when she got up, for, like herself, he was dressed, and she had only been gone a few minutes.

  He halted when she appeared, his hand on the door. His eyes searched her pale face intently. 'How are you feeling?'

  'All right.' She' matched the coolness of her voice with a careless shrug, happier when his eyes hardened.

  'I'm off in search of a shave,' he said abruptly. 'Shouldn't be long.'

  He wasn't. She had scarcely regained her composure when he returned, his chin smooth again. Sherry wrenched her wistful glance from it to the dampness of his hair which indicated he had showered as well.

  'We'll have breakfast,' he stated decisively, 'then make for the airport. I promised Andrew, that's our pilot, I'd be there early.'

  'What if we hadn't found Ellen?' she exclaimed.

  Scott's mouth thinned, making Sherry regret her impulsive query. 'I'd have let Andrew know.'

  During breakfast he spoke very little and she found it difficult to associate the aloof, arrogant man sitting opposite her at a table in the hotel restaurant with the one who had held her in his arms all night. Obviously that episode was to be discounted. She need only remember his anger over Kim, that he disliked and disapproved of her because she was Kim's sister. The icy coldness of his eyes keeping her at a distance made her believe she could count herself lucky that he had gone no further than a few kisses, for even these had merely been an expression of his contempt.

  CHAPTER SIX

  'Will you be busy when you get home?' Sherry asked stiffly, as later they flew out of Brisbane. Scott might consider it a ridiculous question, but she couldn't stand the silence between them any longer. As a rule she didn't mind silence, but this one was getting on her nerves.

  'I'm giving a dinner party this evening,' he replied curtly. 'Ellen arranged it and it's too late to cancel.'

  Wondering why he had told her, Sherry said uncertainly, 'You—you'll miss having her as your hostess.'

  'For God's sake, girl, don't stammer over it,' he snapped. 'We both know that won't be her responsibility any more. I'll have to find someone else.'

  'You mean—a wife?'

  'I've been thinking about it anyway,' he said coolly. 'A man in my position needs a wife to help him entertain, and I believe I've enough experience now to choose someone eminently suitable.'

  'Such as Miss Easten?'

  He merely smiled with a hint of unmistakable satisfaction and asked her if she wouldn't like something to drink.

  As he settled back again to silence, which this time she dared not break, Sherry had to allow the thoughts she had been keeping at bay since she woke up to intrude. All her anxieties flooded back, and somehow, strangely entangled with them, was the knowledge that there might soon be another mistress at Coomarlee.

  So what? she asked herself impatiently. Being married again might humanise Scott Brady a bit, turn him into a more approachable neighbour. And, heaven help her, if Kim didn't return she might need one! As for his kisses, the sooner she forgot them the better. Each time he had kissed her there had been a reason, but never the right one. He had never pretended to care for her and must dislike her now more than ever, for even her name would remind him of the man his sister had married.

  The flight back to Bourke passed smoothly and once there they soon transferred to Scott's plane. In not many minutes they were landing at Googon again.

  Scott helped Sherry to the ground but refused her offer of coffee. 'I'll have it at home,' he said, as he set her down, 'if you don't mind.'

  Dully she shook her head. He was being polite, but he would never forgive her. She was suddenly thankful they weren't related, even by marriage.

  She caught a flash of something she couldn't make out in his eyes and he seemed oddly reluctant to leave. As she turned away he caught her arm.

  'I can't believe your brother would let a fear of repercussions drive him as far as the U.K. It might take a few days to revive his courage, but when he does return you might mention that I'd appreciate a word with him.'

  'Of course.'

  Scott's eyes narrowed on her white face. 'You sound sure he will return?'

  She wasn't. She wasn't sure at all, but she had to pretend. Later she might be strong enough to face facts. 'I can't believe Kim is a coward, Mr Brady.'

  'Scott will do,' his mouth twisted. 'It's a bit late for anything else. Do I take it your brother's never run away before?'

  Sherry flushed with mortification, which she saw merely heightened his suspicions. 'I told you, Kim's no coward. When I tried to explain about my family you refused to listen, so now you must believe what you like.'

  His eyes darkened with anger at her tone and he let go of her arm. 'Goodbye, Miss Grant! But don't think it's for ever. If I don't see your brother, I'll certainly be seeing you!'

  Trying to disregard Scott's frightening threats, Sherry trailed the few hundred yards to the homestead. She might have slept through the night, but she still felt very tired. There was no one about. Sam and the men would have been gone hours.

  She went straight to the kitchen on entering the house, to make herself some coffee. To her surprise, on the long, scrubbed table lay a letter from Kim.

  Only being able to hazard a guess as to how he had got it delivered so soon, she gazed at it in astonishment as she picked it up. If she hadn't recognised his handwriting she would never have believed it. Forgetting about coffee, she tore the letter open. It was from Kim. Where was he? she wondered frantically—why hadn't he come back himself?

  'My dear Sherry,' he wrote, 'By the time you read this you may already have discovered I haven't married Ellen and am on my way to London. This will come as a shock and I'm sorry, but there's no way I can spare you.

  'First, let me say I regret my involvement with Ellen. It was just one of those crazy things that happen without being planned. When it first came up I thought it would ease the boredom of a monotonous existence, as well as providing a chance to get back at Scott Brady. He's always regarded me as something inferior and since the crash at home I've felt very bitter and frustrated. These last weeks, though, I've come to rue agreeing to help Ellen deceive her brother, especially when I began realising how serious she was over this other chap. I couldn't let her down at the last minute, however, I had to see it through. I was best man at her wedding, but got no pleasure from it.

  'As for London—well, Harold Gibson has, unknown to you, always kept in touch. At last he's managed to clear Dad's name. It wasn't his fault the crash happened, unless he was partly to blame for leaving his affairs too often in unscrupulous hands. There still won't be any cash, but that doesn't seem so important as that our debts have been settled. The crux of the matter is that Harold's been begging me to return. He isn't married and I think he has always looked on me as the son he never had. He has formed his own company, which he wishes to develop, and has invited me to join him, no capital required, (capital was heavily underlined) He's sure I can make
it in a couple of years and I can't wait to try. The Outback isn't for me, Sherry, as you've probably guessed. I had to be sure, though—to make the decision myself. This was why I never said anything, and in the end there wasn't time to, but a quick, clean break might be best.

  'Another thing, Sherry. I'd like you to remain at Googon, because it won't be convenient to have you with me in London. You should be able to survive for at least a year, which will give me a chance to concentrate on improving my position. You're far better with stock than I am and Sam will give you every assistance. And, by the way, I've spoken to Dan Cleary, the solicitor who, as you know, looked after Grandfather's affairs. He has promised to arrange about banking and things for you.'

  There was more on this and further, rather complicated explanations regarding Ellen which got so involved as to make Sherry wonder if, despite everything, Kim hadn't been secretly hoping Ellen might eventually turn to him. He finished abruptly with a footnote.

  'I had to sell the truck to help with travelling expenses and paying someone to deliver this. I hope you can manage until you find a replacement.'

  Sherry was relieved that the men were out and there was no one to witness her distress. She couldn't cry, she felt beyond tears, but she had to slump down at the table for a while and bury her face in her hands, and she knew she must look ghastly. The shocks of the previous day and night had been great, but this was worse. Kim had done a lot of things, all inexcusable, and she was ready to sink through the floor with despair and shame.

  He might have joined Ellen in a practical joke, but she couldn't forgive his skill as an actor, nor the lengths he had gone to deceive people. She recalled the evening he had taken her out for dinner in Bourke. He had given the impression of being so hopelessly in love with Ellen that she had almost wept for him. And how many times had he let her painfully point out the disadvantages of bringing Ellen to Googon as a bride. He should do well in business, she thought bitterly, being so clever at hoodwinking people!

  Kim didn't want her in London which, in all fairness, might be understandable, but Sherry couldn't help feeling rejected and alone. She might be able to manage Googon on her own, but how was she to face Scott Brady? Oddly enough, facing him seemed the much more formidable task. He must be within his rights in expecting some kind of apology from Kim. Now it appeared he wasn't going to get one and would be justified in branding Kim a coward along with other things! She wasn't sure why Scott's good opinion and forgiveness was suddenly important, but she sensed she might be miserable without it.