by Penny Jordan
Ward wondered suspiciously why Anna was not pursuing the subject and demanding to know more. Had she remembered? Instinctively he knew that she couldn’t have done, but who knew how far back in her past her double dealings went? Who knew how long she had been cheating and deceiving others?
‘Here we are; it’s this lane on the left,’ Anna told him, directing his attention to the entrance to the garden centre.
* * *
AT ANNA’S SUGGESTION Ward remained in the car with Missie whilst she went to get her plants. Although she would not have dreamed of saying so to him, Ward’s cryptic remark to her had left her feeling hurt and confused, her manner towards him noticeably cooler than it had been, Ward was aware as she gently refused his company. This was a woman who would never descend to angry arguments or sullen silence but who could, nevertheless, very firmly retreat into her own space when she felt the need, Ward recognised, unwillingly admiring her distancing air of dignity as she quietly closed the car door and walked away from him.
Everything about her spoke of gentleness and dignity, of a woman who put the needs of others above her own, a woman whose behaviour was governed by a slightly old-fashioned moral code, a code which he acknowledged was very similar to his own. And yet she had still joined forces with Julian Cox in his despicably fraudulent activities. On her way towards the store, Ward was not surprised to see her stop to aid an elderly couple who were having trouble lifting an unwieldy pot plant into the boot of their car.
CHAPTER SEVEN
WARD GLANCED FROWNINGLY at his watch.
Anna had been gone for over half an hour, having told him she would be about ten minutes.
He looked at Missie. She was fast asleep, curled up on the blanket on the back seat of his car. Checking that a window was open enough to let in fresh air for her, he climbed out of the car and locked it, setting out in the direction Anna had taken.
He found her less than five minutes later, standing next to a car filled with plants. She had her back to him and her face was turned up towards that of the man standing next to her, who, if his besotted expression was anything to go by, was thoroughly enjoying the experience. As Anna’s soft laughter rang out, Ward was suddenly stabbed by a surge of dislike for her male companion that was so strong, it literally momentarily deprived him of breath.
Angrily he told himself that the feeling pounding through him was caused merely by his apprehension that Anna’s companion might inadvertently have said something to her to make her suspicious of his own supposed relationship with her, thereby foiling his plans to punish her, and that it had nothing to do with something more personal—something, in fact, which was far, far more dangerous.
Anxiously he hurried towards Anna but, as Ward approached her, the man with her reached out and touched her arm, drawing her closer to him in order to allow someone to pass her. As he saw the man put his hand on Anna’s arm, a murderous flash of emotion sliced through Ward. Without knowing how he had got there he suddenly discovered he was standing at Anna’s side, his gaze challenging the other man’s right to touch her.
‘Oh, Ward!’ Anna exclaimed. His appearance at her side had both startled her and somehow made her feel a little guilty. ‘I’m sorry I was so long,’ she said, mistaking the cause of his black-browed look. ‘There was a long queue at the till and then I was just on my way back when I bumped into Tim.’
As Anna started to introduce them Ward forced himself to respond to the other man’s uncertain smile.
He knew from the look in Anna’s eyes that she had no suspicion whatsoever that he wasn’t who she thought him to be, but for some reason his angry anxiety refused to subside, and so did his dislike of the man at her side. What was the matter with him? he asked himself irritably. Anyone would think he was jealous. Jealous. The very idea was ridiculous...laughable, impossible. He never got jealous. In fact he didn’t have a jealous bone in his body.
‘I’m sorry you had to wait so long.’ Anna apologised again quietly once they were on their own.
She was silent after that as they walked back to the car but Ward was well aware that she kept watching him, looking at him.
‘I only came to look for you because Missie was getting fretful,’ Ward told Anna untruthfully as they approached the car. Anna said nothing but Ward could see the quick look she gave the peacefully sleeping dog as he placed her plants into the car boot.
Ten minutes later, as they headed silently for the river path, Missie tugging a little impatiently on her lead, Ward acknowledged that he had perhaps overreacted. Had the situation been different, had they been a real couple, he might have been able to lower his pride enough to admit his jealousy, but how could he admit to feeling jealous about a woman he didn’t even like, never mind love?
It was just his natural male instincts coming to the fore, he tried to tell himself as he helped Anna over the stile that led to the footpath.
As they walked side by side along the river, Anna acknowledged how daunting she was beginning to find the fact that she knew so little about Ward. His anger had confused and upset her. It had seemed completely at odds with the way he had behaved towards her previously. Was he, perhaps, a very impatient man?
She watched as he paused whilst a young woman with three young children and two dogs went through the turnstile ahead of them. One of the dogs and the youngest child had to be coaxed through. Ward waited patiently, even offering to hold one of the dogs’ leads for the harassed young mother, who flashed him a grateful smile. Not the action of an impatient man, Anna admitted as she instinctively moved closer to him, her hand touching his arm in a gesture of female possession. The young woman meant no harm, but even so...Anna was both surprised and a little bewildered by the strength of her own feelings.
Her eyes flashed a little as she saw the way Ward was smiling at the young mother. How dared he look at her like that, smile at her like that...flirt with her like that?
Her head had begun to ache and she felt tired.
‘I think I’d like to go back to the car,’ she told Ward woodenly. Without waiting for his response she turned round and started to walk quickly in the direction she had just come, both ashamed of and overwhelmed by her own emotions.
As he drove them back to Anna’s house, Ward reflected inwardly that Anna had every right to be annoyed with him. He had overreacted in the garden centre, but admitting his fault and his jealousy would mean admitting emotions he couldn’t possibly allow himself to feel. He was losing track of the real reason for his presence in Anna’s life, her home...her bed... His body was confusing and betraying him with its passionate response to her.
By the time they reached her house Anna’s head was pounding nauseously, but a headache was no excuse for her behaviour. How could she have been so jealous of that poor, harassed young mother? She could sense that ordinarily such emotions were totally foreign to her and yet she had experienced them and that confused her. Even frightened her, she admitted to herself.
The telephone was ringing as they walked into the house. Anna went to answer it, one hand massaging her aching temple as she recognised her god-daughter’s voice.
‘Beth! How are you?’
‘Fine...and you?’
Anna hesitated for a moment. She just didn’t feel up to coping with Beth’s concern and questions if she told her the truth.
‘I’m fine,’ she fibbed.
‘I meant to ring earlier,’ Beth told her, ‘but I didn’t get back until this morning. The family all send their love, by the way. Mum said to remind you that it’s thei
r silver wedding soon; she’s planning a big party and, of course, she wants you there.’
Anna released her breath slowly. Beth must have been home to visit her parents in Cornwall. No doubt she, Anna, had known about her trip even though she couldn’t remember.
‘Look, I must go. We’ll talk again soon,’ Beth was saying, and before Anna could reply the younger woman was saying goodbye and ending the call.
* * *
IN THE LIVING room of the accommodation above the shop, Beth closed her eyes and gave a small sigh.
She knew she had been a little abrupt with Anna, but her godmother was always so intuitive and aware that Beth was afraid she might guess... Quickly she scanned through the post she had picked up on her way in, her body tensing as she saw the airmail envelope from Prague.
Her mouth went dry as she ripped it open. Inside was a copy despatch note for some of the pottery she had bought for the shop during her buying trip to Prague earlier in the year. She was still waiting for the gorgeous reproduction antique crystal. Only the previous week her partner, Kelly, had mentioned that it was disappointing that it had still not arrived.
‘When exactly is it coming? What exactly did happen about that?’ she had asked curiously.
‘Soon,’ Beth had told her quickly, crossing her fingers behind her back. ‘Very soon.’
She had been conscious of the searching look Kelly had given her. They had known one another since university and she was just grateful that Kelly’s newly engaged status meant that she was too involved with her new fiancé to probe too deeply into the delayed arrival of the Czech crystal. It had been bad enough having her stupidity over Julian Cox made public without...
Angrily Beth closed her eyes. Her emotions were still too raw and sensitive. It was just as well that Kelly was out of town with Brough, visiting his family. Her godmother’s voice had sounded a little strained on the telephone. If she had hurt her feelings by being distant with her recently, she would have to find a way of making it up to her...later...when she felt more able to. For now she intended to avoid her godmother as much as she could. The last thing she wanted was for Anna to guess... To guess what? That she had made a fool of herself over a man a second time?
* * *
‘WHAT IS IT? What’s wrong?’ Ward asked Anna sharply as he saw the way she was massaging and rubbing her temple. She looked very pale, very heavy-eyed.
‘I’ve got a headache,’ Anna told him warily.
‘A headache!’ Immediately Ward was at her side. ‘Since when? Why didn’t you say something? Do you feel sick? Can you—’
‘Ward, it’s a headache, that’s all,’ Anna snapped, immediately regretting her small loss of patience when she saw his expression.
Mindful of what the consultant had said to him, Ward watched her grimly. The last thing he wanted to do was panic her, but...
‘Come on,’ he told her quietly, taking hold of her arm.
‘Where are we going?’ Anna protested. ‘I was just going to put the lunch on...’
‘Hospital,’ Ward told her, ignoring the second half of her statement.
‘Hospital? Why? I...’
‘The consultant warned me to be alert for any symptoms such as a headache, nausea, or blurred vision,’ he told her gently.
‘It’s just a headache...that’s all... I haven’t got blurred vision.’ Anna started to panic but she still allowed Ward to guide her out to the car.
Luckily the hospital’s casualty department was relatively quiet, and even more fortunately the consultant who had seen her last night was actually on duty. At Anna’s insistence Ward remained with her whilst the consultant questioned her and then examined her.
‘Hmm...’ he announced when he had finished. ‘Are you normally prone to headaches?’ he asked Anna.
‘Sometimes... I do get the odd tension headache,’ she admitted.
‘I tend to think that this is what this one is,’ he diagnosed. ‘So far as I can judge there certainly isn’t anything to indicate that it might be anything else. You say that so far you haven’t remembered anything of the time that you’ve lost...no flashbacks...?’
‘No, nothing,’ Anna told him dispiritedly.
* * *
‘YOU SEE, I told you it was just a headache,’ she said tiredly once they were back in the car.
‘I know, but it still had to be checked out,’ Ward responded.
She had looked so forlorn, so...so sad, sitting there whilst the consultant asked her if she could remember anything yet, that Ward had ached to take hold of her, to wrap his arms protectively around her and tell her that everything was all right, that she was safe; that it didn’t matter a damn to him if she never remembered... That he would—
Anna gave a startled gasp as he changed gear almost viciously, throwing her against her seat belt.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered, avoiding meeting her gaze as he swung the car into her drive.
Once they were back in the house Ward went straight upstairs. He had seen some headache tablets in the cabinet in the bathroom. Removing two, he went back downstairs and filled a glass with water.
Anna had her back to him as she placed the lamb in the roasting tin. Going up to her, he tapped her on the shoulder and handed her the glass and the tablets, saying quietly, ‘Take these. They might help.’
Tears blurred Anna’s eyes. She was so unused to having anyone look after her, take care of her...love her. To her own consternation as much as Ward’s, her whole body started to shake as her emotions overwhelmed her.
Pushing past Ward, she dashed upstairs. This was ridiculous. She was behaving idiotically.
Ward caught up with her just as she pushed open her bedroom door.
‘Anna, what is it? What have I done?’ he demanded worriedly.
What had he done. Anna shook her head.
‘It isn’t you, it’s me,’ she told him through her tears. ‘This morning, on the footpath...that young mother... I was so jealous, but I don’t get jealous, and you were just helping her, but I thought...I felt... For a moment I wanted...’ Anna stopped, too ashamed of herself to go on.
‘I hated her, Ward,’ she finally admitted huskily. ‘I hated the way she smiled at you and...and the way you looked back at her...I wanted...’
Ward stared at her.
‘Was that what caused your headache?’ he demanded.
Anna gave a small smile.
‘No, the headache was already there, but it did cause me some heartache,’ she admitted ruefully. ‘Ward, I was so jealous...’
Ward took a deep breath. Her honesty and her bravery compelled him to be equally open with her.
‘I was jealous too...earlier...in the garden centre. That man...Tim...he was touching your arm and I wanted to...I could have...’
‘You were jealous of Tim and not angry because I had been so long? Oh, Ward, Tim is just a friend and he’s very happily married...’ Laughter gurgled in Anna’s throat. ‘You couldn’t possibly have been jealous of him...’
‘And you couldn’t possibly have been jealous of that poor young woman.’
Somehow or other Ward discovered he had taken Anna in his arms and now she was nestling happily against his body, lifting her tear-stained face to his.
‘I suppose the trouble is that our love is still so new that we aren’t quite sure of one another yet. Our feelings are still very...very intense...very...passionate...’ Anna concluded, her voice dropping to a whisper and her glance
following the gentle touch of Ward’s fingertip as he started to trace the shape of her jaw and then her mouth.
Anna’s lips parted on a small, beatific sigh. Ward’s fingertip met the soft breath she expelled. It sent a shaft of fierce pleasure right through his body. Anna moved her head a little, capturing his fingertip in her mouth. Very, very slowly she started to suck on it.
Ward felt as though his insides had been turned to pure molten pleasure. Honesty was a very dangerous aphrodisiac, he decided dizzily as Anna gave a little moan of pleasure before starting to nibble on a second finger.
‘Have you any idea just what that is doing to me?’ Ward grumbled despairingly.
‘Mmm... No... Why don’t you tell me?’ Anna invited seductively.
‘Well, it might feel a little bit like this,’ Ward obliged, instigating a little bit of seduction of his own by nibbling gently on her neck.
‘Mmm...’ Anna sighed appreciatively, closing her eyes.
‘You know, you really do wear too many clothes,’ Ward whispered thickly to her several seconds later as he helped to correct this sartorial error by removing her shirt.
‘Mmm... I could say the same about you,’ Anna agreed huskily. If Ward responded so satisfactorily to just the delicate touch of her mouth against his fingers, then how would he react if she repeated that caress on other more sensitive parts of his body? Anna wondered daringly.
She and Ralph had never really experimented with sex. They had both been a little shy and almost formal with one another in their lovemaking, but now Anna was beginning to discover a spirit of sensual adventure within herself that both bemused and excited her. Her fingers tugged impatiently at Ward’s buttons whilst she nuzzled the warm flesh of his throat. His skin smelled just as it had done last night—slightly musky, warm and very, very male.