Carole Mortimer - Romance of A Lifetime

by Romance of A Lifetime

  The two shook hands. 'Of Craven Properties?' Katherine said curiously.

  It wasn't surprising to Beth that her mother should have at least heard of him and she hadn't; it was her mother's world, and she was very knowledgeable about it. 'Palmer Industries?' Marcus returned brittly.

  'No,' Katherine smiled, not in the least perturbed that he should have made such a mistake; she was used to it. 'You're talking of my husband there. I'm in the clothing business.'

  That was a huge understatement of the successful business her mother ran!

  'You and your husband aren't in business together?' Marcus had turned on all of his charm now, his teeth very white against the darkness of his skin as he smiled down at Beth's mother.

  'Don't tell me you're the old-fashioned type of man who doesn't believe in a woman having a business of her own?' Katherine taunted, not at all insulted by his assumption.

  Marcus shrugged. 'Charles Palmer is a well-known businessman.'

  Katherine smiled. I'm quite well-known myself in my own field. The last thing in the world I would want is to be successful because of who I'm married to.'

  'And how about you, Beth?' Marcus turned to her with a speed that took her slightly off guard. 'Have you found success because of who your parents are?'

  She frowned at what seemed to be an unwarranted attack. 'It depends what you mean by "success",' she answered slowly,, wondering what she had said to cause that narrowing of his eyes.

  But as quickly as that harshness in his manner seemed to have occurred it was brushed off again, Marcus once more his charming self as he smiled at them. 'Of course,' he dismissed. 'I should have realised who you are immediately.' He was talking to her mother again now. 'The similarity between the two of you is unmistakable.'

  Katherine glowed at the compliment. 'I don't know how the two of you know each other, but I'm glad you do,' she grinned, 'My ego can stand: hours of this!'

  Marcus raised dark brows. 'Beth and I met in Italy.'

  Katherine turned to her, her expression clearly saying, This was the 'interesting man' she had met in Italy?

  Beth gave a barely perceptible shrug of her shoulders. What could she possibly have told her mother about a man like Marcus Craven without her mother jumping to all the wrong conclusions?

  As she was probably going to do now!

  And she knew her mother well enough to realise that she wouldn't rest now until she was told everything that had happened in Italy.

  'Verona?' her mother queried lightly—too lightly!

  'And Venice,' Marcus nodded.

  Katherine gave Beth a wide-eyed accusing stare before turning back to Marcus. 'What a coincidence that your schedules should have crossed in that way, not once, but twice,' she mocked.

  'Not at all,' Marcus drawled smoothly. 'I don't believe in that type of coincidence.'

  He was virtually admitting to her mother that he had followed her round Italy; didn't he realise the assumptions her mother would make from that?

  'Or coincidences like tonight,' Katherine teased.

  'I've already explained that's the last thing tonight is. Now, can I get you two ladies a drink?' he offered politely—just as if he hadn't given her mother enough information to have her questioning Beth half the night!

  'I think I need one,' Katherine said drily.

  'Beth?'

  'Just wine for me, thank you,' she accepted heavily, knowing by the sardonic twist to his lips that he was well aware of what he had just done; weren't mothers the same the whole world over?

  'Beth—'

  'Not now, Mummy,' she quickly fended her off once Marcus had gone to get their drinks. 'I'm not here to discuss Marcus,' she reminded grimly.

  'Why not?' Her mother gave a dreamy smile. 'He's the most interesting man I've met in years.'

  'I told you he was,' Beth replied vaguely, searching the room once again for Martin and Brenda. At least they hadn't left while she and her mother had been talking to Marcus; they were among a group of people on the far side of the room, although Brenda kept giving her surreptitious glances. Poor Brenda, she obviously sensed Beth was a danger, in some way, to the happiness she had so recently attained.

  Beth's mother waved her hand about dismissively.

  'But you didn't tell me all the other things about him,' she sighed reproachfully. 'The man is a walking—well, he's damned attractive,' she amended impatiently.

  'That's all too obvious.' Beth still watched Martin and Brenda. For all that Martin looked his usual controlled self he also kept giving her occasional glances, as if he was still worried in case she should cause a scene.

  'You think he's attractive, don't you?' her mother prompted enthusiastically.

  'He's—interesting,' she conceded again. 'Mummy…' she sighed at her mother's disappointed expression. 'I have to deal with the more immediate problem of Martin before I can even start to think about—well, about anyone else.'

  'Oh, damn Martin,' her mother scowled. 'It's time you started to think of yourself a little.' 'Maybe after I've helped Brenda,' she said. 'In the meantime you're going to let a man like Marcus Craven get away!'

  'Get away from what?' she repeated incredulously. 'I hardly know the man, Mummy.' 'But he obviously wants to get to know you a lot better, and——'

  'Here we are, ladies.' Marcus handed them their glasses of wine, and Beth shot him a sharp look, wondering how much of their conversation he had heard. Not too much, she hoped! 'To a brighter future,' he toasted, his gaze fixed steadily on Beth.

  Her mother looked very pleased by this turn of events, smug even, and Beth knew she was going to have trouble with her after this evening. If not before…

  'Would you both excuse me for a moment?' She was going to have to run the risk of leaving her mother alone with Marcus for a few minutes while she attempted to talk to Martin and Brenda again. 'There's someone I have to see,' she explained, ignoring her mother's impatient glare, making her way over to where the other couple stood. 'Martin,' she drawled, feeling no satisfaction when Brenda visibly tensed at his side.

  Martin's fingers tightened on Brenda's arm, causing her to gasp a little.

  'Nick, Mandy,' Beth greeted the man and woman who had been talking to the other couple. 'How are you both?'

  'Very well,' Nick replied abruptly. He was a business associate of Beth's father. 'Darling, we must go and talk to Sheila,' he added smoothly to his wife. 'Nice to have seen you again, Beth.' He nodded a curt dismissal.

  She felt sure it was no such thing, left in no doubt about how most of her father's and Martin's friends felt about her after the marriage break-up; she had suddenly become socially unacceptable to the majority of them. It was just lucky that Barbara and Alec Trent were more her mother's friends than theirs.

  Martin gave a sigh of barely repressed anger. 'What do you want now, Beth?' he rasped between gritted teeth. 'You're making this all very unpleasant for Brenda. Our relationship is over; can't you just accept that?'

  The damned nerve of the man, trying to give the impression she still wanted him!

  'With heartfelt thanks for my lucky escape.' She nodded grimly. 'I didn't actually want to talk to you at all, Martin,' she told him dismissively. 'I wanted to ask Brenda out for coffee one day. I'm sure we have a lot to talk about.'

  'Stay away from Brenda,' he warned harshly.

  'I'm sure Brenda is perfectly capable of answering for herself,' she told him pointedly, looking at Brenda as she spoke. 'Unless you already have her so cowed that she can't speak for herself?'

  'Of course I can speak for myself,' Brenda rose indignantly to the challenge. 'And I really can't see that we have anything to say to each other, Beth. You were married to Martin, it didn't work out, and now we're going to have a life together. You have to let go, you can't go on humiliating yourself in this way. I realise you didn't want the divorce——'

  'Oh, I wanted the divorce,' Beth scorned. 'I just don't like the way it was achieved.'

  'Then you shouldn't have
betrayed… Oh, this is so silly,' Brenda said irritably. 'Martin and I are in love, we're going to be married, and you'll just have to accept that.'

  Beth gave a regretful sigh. 'I wish I could, but I know——-'

  'Your moment's up.' Marcus suddenly appeared at Beth's side, looking at them all with raised eyebrows as they seemed struck dumb by his interruption of what had been ah intensely personal conversation. 'Am I interrupting something?' he finally drawled mockingly.

  Beth was the first to recover, shooting her mother a pleading look, only to have her shrug regretfully at having been unable to stop Marcus joining them.

  'Not at all.' Beth turned back to Marcus. 'There are always so many people one must talk to at parties, aren't there?' she excused.

  He gave a nod of his head. 'Aren't you going to introduce us?' He looked pointedly at Martin and Brenda.

  God, that was the last thing Beth wanted to do! But she didn't really have any other choice now that he was standing here. How to go about it without making things extremely awkward, that was the thing.

  'Marcus, this is Brenda Carlisle and her fiance Martin Bra—er—Palmer.' She winced as she had to amend Martin's surname to the one he had chosen to take rather than the one he had been born with. 'Martin, Brenda, this is Marcus Craven.'

  The two men shook hands. 'Craven,' Martin acknowledged abruptly.

  'Palmer,' Marcus returned, giving Beth a curious look. 'Any relation?'

  She moistened dry lips. 'Er——-'

  'None whatsoever,' Martin put in grimly, turning to Brenda. 'We really should be going, darling.'

  Brenda gave him a loving smile before turning to Marcus. 'Nice to have met you. Beth…' Her voice cooled noticeably.

  'I'll call you,' Beth hastily told the younger girl before they could leave.

  Martin turned back sharply. 'Brenda is going to be busy with the arrangements for the wedding over the next few weeks,' he rasped warningly.

  'Not too busy for a girlish chat over a cup of coffee, surely?' Beth persisted derisively.

  Martin drew in a furious breath, controlling his temper with difficulty. 'We'll see,' he grated, his movements agitated now as he hustled Brenda towards the door.

  Marcus watched him with narrowed eyes. 'Strange chap,' he murmured, shaking his head as he looked at Beth. 'Sorry, I believe they were friends of yours.' He grimaced at his lack of manners.

  'Not particularly,' she muttered, desperately wanting to change the subject. 'It really is nice to see you again,' she said huskily, surprised herself at how true that was.

  'Is it?' he mocked. 'I wasn't sure what sort of reception you were going to give me.'

  She was more pleased to see him than she cared to think about. But the scenes with Martin had left her drained, with the start of a throbbing headache at her temples. She looked around for her mother, frowning when she couldn't see her anywhere.

  'She had to leave.' Marcus guessed who she was looking for, smiling as Beth turned back with wide, enquiring eyes. 'I assured her I would take you home.'

  Her mother was the absolute…! Beth knew damn well her mother didn't 'have to leave' at all, that this was just her idea of matchmaking. Marcus didn't need any help in that direction, was perfectly capable of manipulating situations to suit himself.

  'I can easily get a taxi,' she offered, knowing very well that she wouldn't be allowed to do that, Marcus obviously had an ally in her mother, would get all the help he needed from that direction.

  'I don't think so,' Marcus drawled without force, also knowing it wasn't even a possibility. 'Are you ready to leave now?' He looked about the crowded room with narrowed eyes. 'Parties like this aren't really my idea of enjoyment.'

  But he had been so determined to see her again, on his terms, that he had put up with the inconvenience of the party!

  'Mine neither,' she admitted, her own reasons just as strongly motivated, although not in the same way.

  Marcus took a firm hold of her arm. 'Then let's make our excuses and go.'

  Beth could only guess at the curiosity that would be engendered by their leaving together, at the gossip there would be once they had left the house.

  Barbara Trent eyed them curiously as they approached her. 'Leaving already?' She sounded genuinely disappointed, her smile bright as she looked at Marcus. 'You come to London far too seldom now, Marcus,' she reproved. 'I was absolutely delighted when you telephoned this morning. What brings you back to England this time?' The look she shot Beth said she thought she might be able to guess who it might be.

  There was no answering smile from Marcus. 'It's a family matter,' he bit out tautly.

  'Oh.' Barbara looked surprised at his harshness. 'Well, do come and see us again soon, won't you?'

  Beth laughed softly as they went outside. 'I think you just destroyed all Barbara's illusions of a big romance brewing.'

  Marcus unlocked the door to the dark green Jaguar parked at the end of the driveway, opening the door for Beth. 'Really?' He looked puzzled by the claim. 'Surely as far as the people in there are concerned we've only just met?' He got in the car beside her.

  'Yes, but—well, you know what gossips are,' she dismissed. She couldn't fully explain to him without bringing Martin into the conversation. And she had no intention of doing that.

  'No,' Marcus frowned. 'What are they?'

  She shook her head. 'It isn't important. Do you need instructions to where I live or-—'

  'I think I can remember the way,' he drawled with a twist of his lips.

  She felt sure he could, settling down comfortably in her seat, Marcus driving with complete familiarity and confidence. The way that he did everything, Beth mused to herself, watching him from beneath lowered lashes. His face looked harsher than ever in profile, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated on negotiating the traffic. Beth didn't doubt for a moment that he would take her home with little difficulty, despite having been there only once before.

  She was starting to believe this man could do anything he set out to do.

  Was she falling in love with him?

  She gave him a startled look. Surely not. She couldn't love any man, ever again, it hurt too much.

  But she could choose not to love him.

  Did one have a choice when it came to loving someone? She had a feeling not. What…?

  'Comfortable?'

  She gave a self-conscious look in his direction. Marcus was already out of the car and at her side with the door open, waiting for her to get out. She had been so deep in thought she hadn't even noticed that the car had stopped!

  'Very,' she ruefully acknowledged his teasing as she stepped out on to the pavement. 'Would you like to come up for coffee?'

  'I thought you would never ask,' he drawled.

  Actually, she was nervous of being alone with him after the chaotic thoughts she had just been having about him.

  She looked at her apartment with critical eyes as they entered, mentally nodding her approval of the elegant comfort she had introduced into the rooms in the last year. It was a large apartment for one person, she realised, but she had managed to eliminate all trace of Martin. She had a feeling that after tonight Marcus could be the dominating presence she felt here…

  'Coffee,' she said decisively, more than a little surprised when Marcus followed her out to the kitchen. She had always believed it was a fairly spacious room, but it suddenly seemed dwarfed. Her movements were sure from habit as she prepared the percolator, looking up at Marcus enquiringly as he suddenly grasped her wrist.

  'What's he like?' He frowned down at her hand, his thumb rubbing over her fingers.

  She swallowed hard. 'He?' God, surely Marcus couldn't be another man who was just trying to do business with her father and was getting to him through her? It would explain his earlier determination. But she just couldn't bear it if that was the case!

  Grey eyes held her gaze unwaveringly. 'The man whose ring you wore,' he said softly.

  Colour darkened her cheeks, her mouth sudden
ly dry. 'How did you—know about that?'

  'It always leaves a mark.' His thumbtip slowly caressed the finger that had worn her plain gold wedding band and the emerald engagement ring.

  She straightened defensively. 'It was over—-long ago,' she dismissed harshly, wondering what he would say if he realised Martin was the man she had been married to. She could see Martin for exactly what he was now that she wasn't bunkered by love, and she didn't want Marcus to know the extent of her folly. 'It isn't important,' she shook her head.

  'You've been married,' he said pointedly.

  'But I didn't try to hide it from you,' she reasoned. 'You just didn't ask. And I didn't tell you.'

  'You reverted back to the name of Palmer,' he said flatly.

  Beth drew in a sharp breath, having no answer for that accusation, not without going into details about the name change. And she had no intention of doing that.

  'Look, Marcus, I was married—very briefly— and it didn't work out. There's nothing more to be said about it.' She was more vehement than she would have wished to be because of her recent encounter with Martin. 'Now, if that bothers you

  I——-Oh!' she gasped as Marcus's mouth came down on hers.

  All the fight went out of her, as it normally did when Marcus took her in his arms.

  His lips were punishing as she clung to him, possessing hers again and again, her pulse leaping, her body all heated fire, her limbs shaking.

  The kisses went on and on, Beth feeling as if her body were melting, becoming a part of Marcus, so much so that she could only stare up at him dazedly when he finally raised his head.

  A nerve pulsed in his cheek, his eyes almost black.

  'That's how much it bothers me,' he bit out harshly, turning on his heel and walking out of the room, the door closing softly behind him seconds later.

  Beth was left unsure of just how it affected him—with a pptful of bubbling-hot coffee that no one was going to drink…

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  beth sipped from the mug of hot coffee that she held in her hands, her eyes heavy from lack of sleep.