'I don't want to know.' Minta shuddered and put her hands over her ears, but he immediately leaned over her and pulled them down again.
'Oh, no, you're going to listen to me whether you like it or not. You owe me that much.' He stared down at her for a moment, then took a breath and went on, 'Delia was over here working as a courier with one of the travel firms; she liked it and wanted to stay on during the winter. She'd heard about the time-share development and came to me looking for a job. I liked her and took her out and we ended up going to bed together.'
'And you gave her the diamond and ruby earrings just to say thank you for a one-night stand, I suppose?' Minta said jeeringly.
Dane flinched. 'No, because she was instrumental in helping me to buy a piece of land I needed. She'd heard that it might be for sale and contacted me so that I was able to make an offer and have it accepted before anyone else heard about it.'
'Payment for services rendered?'
'If you like, yes.'
'And what payment did you give her for the services she gave you in bed? In this bed. In this house!' Minta's voice rose, close to hysteria again.
'Easy!' He tried to take hold of her hand, but she wouldn't let him. 'When her job as a courier came to an end in September she didn't have anywhere to go. So I let her move in here.'
'With you?'
'Yes,' Dane answered, his voice quite steady. 'With me. It was—convenient, for both of us. And I couldn't know then that in a couple of months I would go to London and fall in love with you and marry you so quickly.'
He fell silent, watching her, then, after a long moment, Minta said reluctantly, 'Why did you bring me here—where you'd lived with her? And why did you lie?'
'Because everything had happened between us so quickly, and because of the row with your father. There was no time to come back alone and sort everything out before you joined me here. And okay, I didn't want you to find out. What man would in the circumstances? I got rid of Delia as soon as I could, and I brought you here because it's my home and because I knew you'd like it and be happy here. Delia seemed to understand and she promised to keep away, but I'm beginning to see now that leaving the earring here and pretending to come back for it was just a trick; she obviously intended to make trouble between us.'
Slowly Minta turned to look at him, there was a grim look to his mouth that boded no good for the other girl. 'She did,' she said slowly. 'She sent me up to the balcony for her sunglasses. She must have seen your car turn into the road.'
'I'm sorry.' This time his hand captured hers. 'I wouldn't have had this happen for the world.'
'Then you should have told me the truth in the first place. Before we left England,' Minta told him angrily.
'And wouldn't it have made any difference to the way you felt about me?'
'No, of course not! I…' Minta's voice broke off as she tried to imagine how she would have felt. Would she really have been so keen and willing to marry him if she'd known he had a live-in mistress?
'You see?' Dane said gently. 'It might have made you listen to your father. We might never have got married. I just had to take the risk of being able to sort it all out when I got home.'
Minta turned away and rolled off the bed, got to her feet. She stood looking at him for a moment and then down at the bed. 'You slept with her in that bed,' she accused.
'His jaw tightened. 'Yes.'
'I'm never going to sleep in it again.'
'Okay, so we'll get a new one, or sleep in the other bedroom.'
Minta glared at him. 'No, you can have it to yourself. Because I never want to share a bed with you again.' Dane's mouth hardened into a thin line, but before he could speak, she marched out of the room and down the stairs. He followed her to the hall and there she turned on him. 'Why don't you go to work? I'm tired and I want to rest.'
'I'm staying.'
'Oh, for God's sake! Can't you see that I want to be by myself? I don't want you near me.' Turning her head away, she put up a hand to cover her eyes, to hide the tears.
'Minta darling.' Dane came to put his hands on her shoulders but she shook him off.
'Just go away and leave me alone, can't you?' Her voice shook uncontrollably and she turned and ran out into the bright sunlight of the garden, through the. trees to the small patch of grass, where she threw herself down and began to cry as if her heart would break.
Dane left her alone to cry herself out, but he didn't go back to the office, instead spreading plans and other papers out on the dining-room table and working there.
Alter a couple of hours he walked down the garden to find her.
Minta was still lying on the grass, but she had slopped crying and her eyes were closed. Dane thought she was asleep, but she wasn't; she knew full well that lie was standing there, studying her, wondering whether or not to wake her. She kept her eyes closed, not yet ready to talk to him, and far from forgiving him, and after a few minutes he went back to the house. The sun was hot, she could feel it burning through her eyelids. Restlessly she turned her head and opened her eyes, looking towards the house. Everything had been so perfect, so idyllic; she had fallen in love with the house as she had fallen in love with Dane, both at first sight. And they could have been so happy here, if the past hadn't intruded so maliciously into the present.
It was hard to try to be objective about what had happened, but Minta could, to some extent, see Delia Nelson's point of view, because she knew how terrible she would feel herself if Dane came home and said she'd got to leave because he'd fallen in love with someone else. She, too, would want to lash out and hurt, but surely not in such a snide, deceitful way. Minta had been protected and sheltered all her life, cushioned from the blows that life could deal out, the only great sadness she had experienced being her mother's death, but now, within a short time, she had had to face losing her father's love and also finding out that Dane wasn't such a paragon as she had believed. She had known that he was experienced, of course, no man who was so wonderful in bed could be otherwise, and she realised that he had had to learn somewhere, but she hadn't really thought about him with other women, it was something she'd pushed to the back of her mind because she didn't want to think about him making love to anyone but herself. But now she had to face the fact that he had lived here in this lovely house with Delia, had lain naked with her in the big bed and done the wonderful things to Delia's body that he did to hers. Being a woman, Minta immediately wondered which of them he had preferred, whose body gave him the greatest pleasure, and she was filled with such a rage of jealousy that she turned and beat her fists against the ground, love for the moment turning to hate. How could Dane hurt her like this? How could he, when he said he loved her?
But it had been Delia Nelson who had deliberately set out to hurt her, purely out of spite, presumably, because even if Dane still had any feelings for her, her actions today would have completely alienated him. That she could have hoped to get him back this way was impossible. Minta tried to be fair, to see that it was the other woman's fault, but the mental pictures of the two of them together kept filling her mind and she couldn't forgive him. Not yet, it was too raw and hurtful.
When Dane came out to her again, she was sitting on the grass resting her chin on her knees. The sun had lost its warmth and there were long shadows across the garden.
'You'd better come in, it's getting chilly.'
'I'm not cold,' she returned, although her voice was arctic.
'Well, you must be hungry.'
'No.'
He crouched down beside her. 'I thought you were adult enough not to sulk, Minta.'
'I'm not—sulking.'
'Then come inside.' He straightened up and offered her his hand.
Minta looked up at him mutinously for a moment as she considered whether to defy him, but she hadn't liked being accused of sulking. Ignoring his hand, she not quickly to her feet and strode towards the house, head held high, letting him follow more slowly. He had prepared dinner; the table was lai
d and there was a salad with soup ready to heat on the cooker, and the crisp bread rolls she had bought that morning. Momentarily she was touched because she couldn't remember any man ever having prepared a meal with his own hands for her before, not even her father, but then she remembered the intimate meal that she had planned for them that night and her heart hardened. 'I told you—I'm not hungry,' she snapped.
Dane's face grew grim. 'You haven't eaten since breakfast.'
'I don't care. I don't want to eat here—where you sat with her.'
'All right,' he said patiently. 'We'll go out to eat.'
'No, I don't want to go anywhere with you. You can go and join your mistress for all I care. That's what you promised, isn't it? That you'd see her tonight to give her back her precious earring?'
'Minta, for heaven's sake.' There was exasperation in Dane's tone as he reached out for her.
'Leave me alone!' She pulled quickly away from him. i never want you to touch me again!' Then she turned and ran upstairs, locking herself into the spare bedroom at the back of the house.
She lay on the bed, half afraid, half hoping that he would come up after her and make her let him in. But he didn't come, and then she grew even more afraid that he would take her at her word and go to Delia Nelson. She lay on the bed, straining to hear the sound of the front gate, but it might be inaudible from here. For a long time there was complete silence and her heart grew gradually colder with fear, but then she heard the sound of the record player, and when she looked out of the window she saw a stream of light from the kitchen. She was hungry now, but pride prevented her from going down to get something to eat, instead she sneaked into the other bedroom for her nightdress, used the bathroom, then locked herself up again, lying awake for a long time, feeling extremely sorry for herself, especially when she heard Dane come up to bed, and she thought of what would have been happening if they'd been together. But he didn't even try the door handle to see if she'd locked him out.
Minta lay in the lonely bed, too restless and miserable to sleep. She knew that if she went to him everything would be all right again, that Dane would take her in his arms and kiss away all her doubts and fears. He had said when he came home at lunch time that he had worked out exactly what he wanted to do to her, and she couldn't help but wonder, with a thrill of erotic anticipation, what it was. But Delia Nelson's ghost lay like a physical presence between them. Would he already have done the same to his mistress? Would he be comparing the two of them, matching her own reaction against that of the other woman he had taken in that bed?
It was late when she woke the next morning and ventured downstairs. Dane had left, but he had written a note for her and left it propped up in the kitchen. 'I shall be at the office all day. If you telephone I'll come home immediately.' But she didn't phone, although she felt wretched all day, instead going for a long walk along the beach, barefoot, her feet splashing through the tiny waves breaking on the shore. During the afternoon a furniture van arrived from El Corte Ingles and parked outside the gate, almost completely blocking the road, much to the annoyance of some neighbours who wanted to get by. Minta and the delivery men had a bit of a language problem at first, but then they carried in a new double bed which they heaved upstairs, pulling the old one to pieces and taking it away with them. They also left a complete set of new bedding. After they had gone, Minta went up and looked at the bed, which they had put together, leaving the bedding still in its wrappers on top. If anything, she decided, the bed was even bigger than the old one. Dane certainly knew where his priorities lay—and his women, she thought with bitter irony.
She didn't attempt to make up the bed, but went downstairs again. Presumably she was supposed to be pleased that he was trying to conciliate her, but somehow it only made her angry. He needn't think all it would take to get her sweet again was a new bed!
When Dane came home that evening, Minta didn't even comment about the bed, she set a meal in front of him, told him that she'd already eaten and left him to no in the sitting-room and read a magazine. After he had finished his meal she heard him clearing up in the kitchen, then he came into the sitting-room and poured himself a drink, his grey eyes on her bent head. Crossing to an armchair, he sat down, casually stretching his long legs. After a long silence that seemed to go on for ever, he said, 'I see the new bed arrived safely.'
'Yes.' Minta didn't bother to raise her head.
'Do you approve of my choice?'
She shrugged indifferently. 'It's okay, I suppose.'
'Perhaps you'll give me a hand to make it up later?'
Closing the magazine, she tossed it on to the coffee table and stood up. 'Make it up yourself; you're the one who'll be sleeping in it.' Then she hurried from the room.
'Minta!' Dane's voice called after her, but she kept going to the spare room and didn't go down again that night.
The next evening was much the same; Dane ate alone and when he came into the sitting-room and started talking to her, Minta immediately got up to leave. But this time he was ready for her and caught her arm as she went by.
'Just how long do you intend to keep this up?' he demanded grimly. 'I already told you I have no time for sulky women.'
'Oh, really? I thought you had time for any women,' Minta shot back impulsively.
The grip on her arm tightened until it hurt, but she steeled herself not to let him see. 'Just don't try me too far,' he threatened. 'My patience is rapidly wearing thin!'
Minta glared back at him silently and he suddenly let her go and turned away, a dark, fed-up look on his face.
Being alone that night was self-inflicted torture. Minta's body was on fire with need of him. They had been together such a short time, but her body had become used to having him love her, it ached with longing to be touched, filled, pleasured. She wanted him so much. Her loins longed for his hardness as she turned restlessly on the pillow, unable to sleep, wondering if Dane, too, was lonely, if he wanted her as much as she wanted him. But perhaps he was thinking of Delia Nelson or some other girl he'd known before he met her. With a sob, Minta turned her face into the pillow, thinking that she'd go crazy with doubt and jealousy, and eventually cried herself to sleep.
The next day was Friday, and the weekend when they would be alone together loomed ahead of her like a threat, whereas last week she had looked forward to it with joyful anticipation. Dane came home earlier, before she had prepared the meal.
'We'll eat out,' he informed her, his jaw determined.
Minta started to protest that she'd got food in, then shrugged. 'All right, if that's what you want.'
They went up to their separate rooms to change and she deliberately kept him waiting, taking her time over her hair and make-up, changing her mind three times about what she would wear, and at last going down in a full silk skirt with matching sleeveless top and a little jacket. Dane was waiting for her in the garden, dressed in a dark suit that accentuated his height and slimness, a drink in his hand. He made no comment on her tardiness, but he didn't tell her how lovely she looked cither, which he had always done before whenever they had gone out. And Minta found that she missed that— very much. Being proud wasn't any fun at all, she thought dismally as Dane silently led her out to the car.
They had dinner at a rooftop restaurant back in the tourist area of the town, sitting at a table looking out over the bay, which was outlined now by hundreds of lights strung along the shoreline like jewelled necklaces. Over on the far side of the room a small group played muted, tuneful melodies, and some of the customers got up to dance between courses. Dane didn't ask her to dance until they had finished their meal and were sitting over their liqueurs, then he quite deliberately put a hand over hers where she rested it on the table. 'Let's dance, shall we?'
'No.' Minta's reply was cold and abrupt, and she quickly drew her hand away.
Dane's hand balled into a fist and his face tightened into a set mask. In that instant Minta knew that his patience had snapped and he wouldn't take no for an answe
r again. A thrill of fear, all mixed up with a crazy kind of excitement, ran through her and she could hear her heart begin to beat loudly in her chest. Lifting a hand, he beckoned the waiter over and asked for the bill. When he had paid it, he stood up, his face still set in that cold mask. 'Let's go,' he commanded shortly.
He didn't say a word on the way home. Minta sat as far away from him as the confines of the car would allow and tried to work out how she could avoid a confrontation, but although he didn't speak, Dane's anger and determination filled the atmosphere, making the tension between them so strong that it was like an explosive charge, ready to detonate at any moment.
When they got to the house he had to get out to open the gates, drive the car in, then close the gates again. While he was doing the latter, Minta headed for the front door, her key ready in her hand, intending to run up to her room and lock herself in again, but Dane must have guessed what she was about, because he just swung the gates to and strode over to her.
'If you lock yourself in again, I'll smash the damn door down!' he threatened furiously.
Minta unlocked the door and turned defiantly. 'I shall sleep where I like. And if I want to lock my bedroom door I shall go ahead and do it!'
Before she had finished speaking, Dane lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, turning it so that she cried out and the door key fell to the ground. 'You're not going anywhere until we've had this out.' Still holding her wrist, he pulled her across the terrace into the garden.
'Let go of me! There's nothing to talk about.' Minta, too, was angry now, but it was anger that was all mixed up with intense excitement and exhilarated anticipation. She knew that there was only one way this would end and there was nothing she wanted more, but, perversely, she meant to make it as hard for him as she possibly could.
Dane reached the cleared, grassy area and pulled her round to face him, none too gently. There was a bright moon that shone its rays across his face, adding fire to the bright flame of anger in his eyes. 'I've had just about as much as I can stand of this!' he grated. 'For God's sake grow up and face facts. Did you really believe that I lived like a monk, just waiting and hoping for someone like you to come along?'
Dark Awakening Page 10