In a surprisingly short time Stow Street was ready for reoccupation and Avery signed her new lease. She gratefully accepted all offers of help, and reported on the move afterwards to Jonas that night when he rang.
‘Philip Lester is an organiser, and with the help of Tom Bennett and Andy Collins, plus the latter’s transit van, the move was made at top speed. Thanks to my wonderful landlord, Avery Alterations is back in town,’ she finished with satisfaction.
‘A pity you can’t thank your landlord in the way he likes best,’ said Jonas, with a note in his voice which weakened her knees.
‘A great pity,’ she agreed huskily.
‘It’s a hell of a long time until our next weekend together, Avery. By the way, I’ve sent you a key. You can let yourself in if you arrive before me.’
‘Thank you—I can make a start on dinner.’
‘I don’t care a damn about dinner. I just want you there. In the meantime,’ he added, ‘be careful at this dance you insist on going to.’
‘I’m not insisting. It’s just something I do. My being treasurer does a lot of good work for the charity—and does no harm to Avery Alterations, either.’
Jonas laughed. ‘You get Frances to do your Saturday and I’d be happy to give your charity a big fat cheque.’
The annual ball in aid of the children’s wing at the local hospital was a big event held at the Guildhall, beginning with supper beforehand, and ending with dancing later. As treasurer to the committee Avery had invited Frances, Louise and Helen and their men to make up a party at her table.
‘Don’t worry,’ she had told her team. ‘I shall be perfectly happy to look on as the rest of you trip the light fantastic.’
This was the simple truth. If she couldn’t have Jonas for her partner Avery preferred to sit out alone.
In honour of the event all four of them had worked overtime beforehand, to produce evening gowns which would demonstrate the skills of Avery Alterations.
‘Nothing like a bit of self-advertisement,’ said Frances, twitching jade-green silk into place as they surveyed themselves in the cloakroom.
‘The boss outshines us all,’ said Louise without rancour. ‘With her figure she can wear anything. Though I think you should have left your hair loose, Avery.’
She shook her head. ‘A bit over the top with this dress.’
Helen eyed Avery’s sleeveless satin sheath with naked envy. ‘I just love that shade of crimson, but I stuck to safe old black to minimise the bulges.’
All the tickets had been sold, and the tables surrounding the dance floor were filling rapidly when they joined their men at the table Avery had reserved farthest from the band. Philip Lester got on well with Tom and Andy, despite a decade’s difference in age, and, witnessing his undisguised devotion to Frances, Avery felt a glow of triumph over her part in persuading her friend to meet Philip that first night. It had been an inspired move all round. If she hadn’t bullied Frances into turning up there would have been no encounter with Jonas Mercer. At the mere thought of him Avery felt a stab of such longing she gave a start when Frances nudged her.
‘Look who’s just arrived,’ hissed her friend.
Avery’s eyebrows rose as she watched George and Daphne Morrell join a table of dignitaries with both their sons in tow. ‘It’s a show of family solidarity for young Dan after the fire,’ she muttered. ‘Poor kid! He obviously doesn’t want to be here.’
‘Neither does Paul,’ whispered Frances. ‘Your ex is not a happy bunny.’
‘Am I missing something?’ asked Philip, filling their glasses.
‘Old flame of Avery’s just turned up.’
‘Only one?’ he said, smiling.
‘Probably a few more wannabes in the crowd,’ said Andy Collins, grinning at Avery. ‘All the lads fancied her in school, but she was too busy passing exams to notice. Tom and I were a few years ahead, but my kid brother had a huge crush on her.’
‘Did he really? I never knew!’ Avery smiled at him, touched.
During the meal Avery was seated with her back to the Morrells’ table, but Frances kept her informed.
‘Paul’s eyeing your back view a lot.’
‘As well he might in this dress,’ muttered Avery, wishing Frances had cut it higher in the back.
The moment the tables were cleared the band abandoned background melodies in favour of dance music, and a slim male figure hurried across the floor to Avery.
‘May I have this dance, Miss Crawford?’ said Dan Morrell.
Oh, boy, thought Avery, but she gave him a friendly smile as she got to her feet. ‘With pleasure, Dan.’
He was a little taller than his older brother, able to face Avery at eye level as he placed a respectful arm round her waist. He was trembling slightly as they circled the floor with careful steps the boy had obviously learned by rote. She could almost hear him counting to the beat as they moved to the music, and to divert him asked about his plans for college. Dan relaxed instantly as he described his ambition to be a Queen’s Counsel one day.
‘Good for you. I can just see you in a wig and gown,’ Avery told him, smiling, and caught a look like a thrown dagger from Paul as they passed the Morrell table.
‘There’s a lot of hard graft before I get to that stage,’ Dan said earnestly, then apologised as he missed a step. ‘Sorry. I’m rubbish at this kind of thing.’
‘You’re doing fine,’ she assured him.
He smiled gratefully. ‘How’s your garden?’
‘A lot better after your attentions.’
‘I could come round any Sunday to give you a hand,’ he said eagerly.
‘That’s very kind of you, but at this time of year the garden doesn’t need much in the way of tidying.’
‘I’ll come in the spring, then, when the grass starts to grow—’ He broke off as the music ended. ‘Thank you very much, Miss Crawford.’
‘My pleasure,’ she assured him, and smiled in dismissal instead of letting him escort her back to the table.
‘More wine, Avery?’ said Philip, brandishing a bottle.
‘Water, please.’
‘That caused a bit of a stir,’ said Frances. ‘Daniel’s nearest and dearest are a bit put out.’
Avery put her glass down with a sigh. ‘I could hardly refuse to dance with the boy. I hope he doesn’t ask me again.’
But it was Paul who came next.
Avery moved round the floor with the man she had once been in love with, amazed that the only emotion she felt in response to his proximity was a burning desire for the music to stop so she could go back to her table.
‘What do you think you’re playing at?’ he growled, with a look in his eyes she knew of old. Paul Morrell was furious.
‘Elucidate,’ she said curtly.
‘Leave Danny alone. Is that clear enough?’
Avery looked down at Paul in astonishment. ‘He asked me to dance,’ she pointed out.
‘You made him work in your garden,’ he said through his teeth.
Her chin lifted. ‘Surely your parents preferred that to seeing him in court?’
‘Is revenge sweet, Avery?’ he said, his eyes burning into hers.
He had to look up higher than formerly, she thought with malice. Tonight she was wearing heels. ‘Revenge?’ she said, smiling politely, glad the floor was so crowded by this time that their angry body language would go unnoticed. ‘Your mother offered me money to let Daniel off. I didn’t take it, but there was a fire which affected my business— remember? And Danny & Co were responsible.’
‘Mother offered you money?’ said Paul incredulously.
Avery’s smile was cold as ice. ‘It surprised me, too. In the past she was never ready with the cash she owed my mother.’
Paul looked sick for a moment, his grasp on her fingers painful. ‘I can’t do anything about that. But if you’ll give me the chance I’ll do anything you want to make up for my own transgressions—’
‘There’s nothing you can do Paul, ever
,’ she said flatly, glad when a break in the music gave her the chance to thank him, so coldly polite that Paul gave her a black look and headed back to his family.
Tom leaned forward, grinning. ‘You’d better keep the next one for me, Avery, in case George Morrell is next up to bat.’
‘He’d be lucky!’ she said, laughing, and then raised an eyebrow as everyone at the table went suddenly quiet. ‘What?’ she demanded.
Avery spun round in her seat, her eyes incredulous at the unexpected sight of Henry Mason, the Chairman of the Town Council, bearing down on them in company with Jonas Mercer.
‘Good evening, everyone. Let me introduce Jonas Mercer of Mercom,’ said Henry Mason, smiling genially. ‘We had a meeting earlier, and Mr Mercer offered a donation to your charity, Avery. So I suggested he stay on for the dance and hand it over in person to the treasurer.’
‘What a good idea,’ said the treasurer faintly. She pulled herself together as she took the cheque Jonas held out, and gave him an incandescent smile. ‘Come and join us!’
CHAPTER SEVEN
JONAS MERCER blended so effortlessly into Avery’s group that none of them left the table to dance. But at last the orchestra leader announced the final number of the first half of the evening, and the entire party took to the floor.
When Jonas took her in his arms Avery knew perfectly well that they were the focus of most eyes in the room, but she no longer cared. Over the protective bulwark of her partner’s shoulder she met Paul Morrell’s hostile eyes for a second, and in response to the pressure of a long hand on her back moved closer to Jonas.
‘I thought it was time I took matters into my own hands,’ he said into her ear. ‘Do you mind?’
‘Do you care if I do?’ She glanced up to meet a look that made her heart leap.
‘You know—or you should know by now—that I care very much,’ he said—a piece of information which cost Avery her timing. ‘Even though you’re a rotten dancer,’ he added.
‘I’m not!’ she said indignantly.
‘Never mind. Even if you can’t dance you look sensational,’ he informed her. ‘But you should have worn your hair down.’
‘I tried it that way, but the dress demanded restraint.’
‘It’s trying my restraint to the limits,’ he said conversationally. ‘It looks prim and proper from the front, but the back view is lethal. How soon can we leave?’
Avery stifled a laugh. ‘Ages yet. Where are you staying?’
‘With you—whether the bedroom’s tidy or not,’ he said, smiling politely.
When people began to leave at last Paul Morrell made a point of coming to the table to wish Avery goodnight. She made the necessary introductions all round, well aware that both men were eyeing each other with interest. Paul chatted politely for a while, murmured something about giving her a call, and rejoined his family.
Avery’s party left soon afterwards. Outside in the car park there was a chorus of goodnights all round as Jonas, smiling blandly, stood back with the others to watch her drive off. She arrived home in a state of anticipation which lasted for ten endless minutes before the doorbell rang. She let Jonas in, and without a word he dumped down an overnight bag, seized her in his arms and kissed her very thoroughly.
‘I’ve wanted to do that for hours,’ he growled when he raised his head at last.
‘Me too. Come to bed,’ she added shamelessly.
‘I thought you’d never ask!’ To her delight Jonas swept her off her feet and carried her upstairs, pressing kisses all over her face as he went. He laid her on her bed, turned her over, and dropped on his knees to press more kisses from the nape of her neck all the way down her spine.
‘I’ve been fantasising about that all evening,’ he said with satisfaction, turning her on her back. ‘And I bet I wasn’t the only one—including Paul Morrell. Sulky little devil, your ex-lover. But there was something familiar about him. I’ve seen him before somewhere.’ He grinned down at her. ‘He seemed very peeved about something. Is it possible he doesn’t like me?’
Avery gave a hoot of breathless laughter. ‘Very possible. He’d like your description of him even less.’ She toed off her satin shoes and removed her earrings, relishing the casual intimacy as she watched Jonas dispense with his jacket and shirt. ‘His kid brother was there, too,’ she told him.
‘The pyromaniac?’
‘That’s the one. Dan rushed across the room to ask me for the first dance, which didn’t go down well at all with Mummy and Daddy. Or with big brother,’ she added. ‘Paul danced with me to tell me to leave Danny alone.’
‘Morrell danced with you to hold you in his arms,’ corrected Jonas, throwing his shirt on a chair. He moved to the bed and stood looking down at her, his face suddenly sober. ‘I thought of ringing this afternoon, to say I was coming tonight, but in the end I couldn’t resist taking you by surprise.’
‘And you delighted me in the process,’ she admitted huskily.
‘I could tell. When you smiled at me I wanted to kiss you brainless.’ He sat on the edge of the bed and traced a finger down her cheek. ‘I need to make love to you as much as I need to breathe right now. But say the word and I’ll just hold you in my arms all night with no more than a chaste kiss if you prefer.’
‘Could you really do that?’
His eyes gleamed. ‘I could try.’
‘Don’t even think of it,’ she said with feeling, and stood up, presenting her back view to him. ‘There’s a hook and eye under the little buckle at the back of my neck. Undo it, please.’
‘Yes, ma’am!’ he said with alacrity. He released the fastener and sucked in a breath as Avery wriggled the crimson satin down and stepped out of it, wearing stockings and a triangle of black lace.
‘Dear God, is that all you had on under that dress?’ he said, and snatched her up against him.
‘I reinforced the top half because I couldn’t wear a bra,’ she said breathlessly, and smiled at him. ‘And I wasn’t expecting company when I took it off.’ She wreathed her arms round his neck. ‘Did you ever see Gone with the Wind?’
He blinked. ‘Yes, years ago.’
‘You remember the part where Clark Gable carries Vivien Leigh up a huge flight of stairs?’ Avery sighed and rubbed her cheek against his. ‘At the time I thought that was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen.’
‘Dressed—or undressed—like this you are the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen,’ Jonas said huskily, and kissed her fiercely. ‘So carrying you upstairs was a good move on my part?’ he demanded after a while, and growled softly as she ran a fingernail down his spine.
‘Do I have to spell it out?’ she said crossly.
Jonas shook his head and laid her down on the bed. ‘I’ve dreamed about this all week,’ he informed her, as he peeled off her stockings. ‘Let your hair loose, darling.’
‘You’re obsessed with my hair,’ she scolded, but shook the curling mass free.
‘I’m obsessed with every inch of you—including this.’ He bent his head to press his lips to the small scar, then stripped off the rest of their clothes and made love to her with a hunger she responded to with fiery abandon after the long days and nights without him.
Over breakfast next morning, Avery informed Jonas that during the night she’d made two important decisions.
He shot her a look. ‘Now, why does that worry me, I wonder? Are you about to inform me that this mustn’t happen again?’
‘Not exactly,’ she said, buttering toast.
‘Explain,’ he ordered.
‘I’ve decided it’s high time I stopped letting the past influence the present. Even if there is curiosity about my social life, so what?’ She smiled at him. ‘I’ve rather enjoyed having a secret lover, but if you want our relationship out in the open I’m all for it.’
His eyes gleamed. ‘You mean it?’
‘Yes.’
Jonas reached for her hand and kissed it. ‘Good,’ he said, and returned to his breakfast. ‘And th
e other discovery?’
‘If you fancy more sleepovers here I’ll have to get a bigger bed. You take up a lot of room.’
He grinned. ‘I thoroughly enjoyed the proximity.’
‘Me too, until I almost fell out of bed.’
‘In that case, rather than risk injury to your delectable person, order another bed right away and I’ll foot the bill.’
‘No, thanks. I’ll pay for it myself.’
Jonas gave her an exasperated look. ‘Without me a new bed wouldn’t be necessary. I insist on paying for it.’
Avery poured coffee, smiling at him serenely. ‘Insist all you like, but the answer’s still no.’
There was silence for a moment, then Jonas, with open reluctance, conceded defeat. ‘All right, Avery Crawford. But don’t expect to get your own way with me too often.’
‘Or you’ll draw yourself up to your full height and scare me rigid?’
His eyes locked with hers. ‘Don’t think I couldn’t do it.’
It was the only hint of an argument in a day all the more wonderful for Avery because Jonas’s company was such an unexpected bonus. And, because this was the one day of the week when she cooked herself a conventional meal big enough for leftovers, she was able to serve a dish of chicken and rice they polished off in one sitting, along with every vegetable Avery had in the house, plus a large hunk of the local cheese she bought each week in the market. When they finally sat down to coffee afterwards, in a state of mutual somnolence, Jonas smiled at her with a gleam in his eye which told her exactly what he had in mind.
‘I fancy a little nap. Are you willing to risk life and limb by coming to bed with me?’
It was the start of a new phase in their relationship. Determined to consolidate on Avery’s decision, Jonas managed to get back to Gresham Road again the following weekend, to take her to dinner at the Walnut Tree.
‘To achieve this I worked my socks off every day and had to juggle a few appointments. But it was worth it to show we are now officially a couple,’ Jonas said with satisfaction, after two of Avery’s acquaintances had come to their table angling for an introduction.
Their Scandalous Affair Page 9