Merlyn's Magic

by Carole Mortimer

  'I never once made that suggestion—'

  'You implied it,' she flared.

  'If I implied it you didn't say no to the idea either!' he accused heatedly.

  Merlyn's hands were clenched at her sides. 'It was too contemptuous an idea to even merit an answer! You got off lightly at the time, Christopher,' she told him scathingly. 'The last man to suggest that to me ended up with an eye so discoloured it ruined his pretty looks for several weeks!'

  His expression sharpened with interest. 'You mean you hit him?'

  'Yes!'

  'Do tell,' he invited softly.

  Merlyn gave him a disparaging look. 'I make it a rule never to think about snakes and rats and other nasty things that go bump in the night.'

  Christopher whistled through his teeth at her vehemence. 'Whew, am I glad we only got as far as managing to be friends.'

  Her mouth twisted. 'You came dangerously close today to ending even that,' she warned.

  He sighed. 'I'm only trying to establish what happened between you and Carmichael. You're the one who's being evasive.'

  'Because nothing happened,' she snapped. 'Nothing at all.'

  'And the film?'

  'Now what was it he said to me about that?' She pretended to try and recall the words that had been burned into her heart. 'His last words to me were "Get out. And tell Drake not to send any more of his mistresses up here for my consideration or I might not be responsible for my actions!" That might not be word perfect, but it conveys what he wanted to say!' She didn't add that he had also said he had pretended she was Suzie while he made love to her.

  'Arrogant bastard,' Christopher cursed with a scowl of anger.

  Yes, Rand was arrogant, even more so than the man who stood before her, but if the two of them weren't adversaries in this matter they were so much alike they would probably have become friends.

  'Now you know,' she shrugged.

  'And what am I supposed to do about the film now?' Christopher frowned heavily. 'We're supposed to start work on it in three weeks, damn it!'

  'Without a leading lady, unfortunately,' she drawled.

  His eyes flashed with anger. 'I can't do that; "Suzie" is in nearly every damn scene!'

  She knew that only too well, also knew that despite her personal dislike of Brandon Carmichael she would still have liked to have played the part of his wife in the film.

  'Maybe if I went and talked to Carmichael—'

  'I wouldn't if I were you,' Merlyn advised. 'He gave me the impression he would enjoy beating you to a pulp for even daring to suggest making the film in the first place!'

  'This is ridiculous! You—'

  'Merlyn, you shouldn't be walking about,' a scandalised Anne scolded her as she barged unannounced into the room. 'You only got out of bed this morning,' she fussed as she manoeuvred Merlyn into the bedroom. 'She's been very ill, Mr Drake.' She turned to include Christopher in her censure.

  'It was my fault, Anne,' Merlyn tried to explain as she was firmly pushed down on the bed, her slippers removed and the covers pulled up to her chin before she could protest. 'Christopher and I were just—'

  'It's time for your rest,' Anne cut in dismissively, her tone brooking no argument.

  Merlyn grimaced at Christopher over the top of the bedclothes. 'I told you, I'm sure she was in the army in another life!'

  Anne blushed prettily at the rebuke. 'The doctor said you weren't to overdo things to start with,' she reminded Merlyn of the instructions the kindly man had given her this morning when he called as he had every other morning since she had become ill.

  'I don't think he meant you to take him quite this literally.' Merlyn struggled to sit up as the other woman tucked the bedclothes in so tightly she could barely move.

  'I think I'll go and join your husband for that afternoon tea,' Christopher put in hastily at Anne's mutinous expression, making good his escape before her wrath fell on him.

  'Coward!' Merlyn glared at the door as he closed it behind him.

  'He's very handsome, isn't he?' Anne remarked casually as she stood watch over Merlyn as she drank down the fresh lemonade she had brought in for her.

  'Says the woman married to the handsomest man for three counties!' Merlyn smiled.

  Anne blushed again. 'James is gorgeous…'

  'Even if he does have a sergeant-major for a wife!' She eyed the other woman mockingly.

  Anne giggled. 'I'm getting into practice for when the children come along!'

  'Are they imminent?' Merlyn asked with interest.

  'Not too imminent,' answered Anne mischievously. 'To tell you the truth, we're having too much fun!'

  Merlyn chuckled too. 'Still at the rehearsal stage, hm?' she teased.

  'Oh no,' Anne denied, a satisfied curve to her full lips. 'We prefer to think of it as practising; we already have the act perfected!'

  Merlyn watched the other woman as she pulled the curtains closed in preparation for her taking a nap, envying Anne her wonderful husband and happy marriage. She had only shared the sensual closeness she could see in Anne's glowing eyes once in her life, and the man hadn't shared that closeness with her.

  For all that she had protested at being put to bed in that peremptory way, she sank back weakly against the pillows once Anne had left the darkened room, the effort of getting up to greet Christopher having tired her more than she had expected or realised. Her eyes fluttered closed within seconds of her relaxing.

  She was having the most wonderful dream, that warm ache once more making her limbs feel like jelly, just wanting to stay like that as she felt the moistness of that mouth moving over her body.

  'Rand…?' she groaned, unable to wake from the deep sleep to see if this were dream or reality.

  'I'm here, Merlyn,' a soft voice soothed. 'Give to me!'

  Even now those knowledgeable lips were tugging on the aching hardness of her nipple, its twin being caressed in the same way with the gentle flick of a thumb-pad.

  Her breathing became ragged as those lips moved down the flat contours of her stomach, teeth nibbling at the inside of her thighs before closing with erotic intent on the seductive core of her womanhood.

  Tension filled her body as she felt the first flick of that tongue, the movement becoming a rhythm that made her writhe and gasp while remaining a prisoner to the onslaught.

  She moaned her protest as that mouth left her, her moan turning to a ragged gasp as a knowing hand took over that rhythm at the same time as that mouth tormented her nipple.

  The double attack on her senses made her strain into that hand, wanting more, wanting— Her gossamer moistness closed readily about the maleness that entered her, her back arching to match the fierceness of the thrusts.

  She could feel the excitement building within her, could feel her release was imminent, felt herself filled with liquid warmth as the sun, the moon and the stars all exploded together inside her body, the sound of harsh breathing mingling with her own as that mouth finally left its caressing of her breast.

  Her body felt cold at the removal of those lips, shivering as her thighs knew the same chill before the warm blankets once again became her cover. She reached out for the heat that was being denied her, only to feel it elude her before it slipped completely away…

  Merlyn trembled as she awoke, never having known the eroticism of such a dream before, knew that her body had become a slave to that fulfilment even while she slept.

  Colour warmed her cheeks, her breathing shallow as she acknowledged that. Even if the dreams had been a result of a return of the fever they had still been so very real. How Rand would laugh if he knew the hunger he had awakened in her! And how he would mock her if he knew it had been Rand himself she had imagined making love to her.

  If she had imagined it. It had seemed so real…

  Anne had left the door to Merlyn's room unlocked since she had become ill, so that she didn't need to disturb her every time she came in, she had said. Suppose someone, some unknown someone had come int
o her room while she slept and made love to her until she responded? Which had taken all of two seconds!

  But who could it have been? Christopher? She didn't think so—he had so many willing women in his life he would have no need to make love to a sleeping woman. Then Rand? That idea was even more unlikely!

  But it had felt like Rand. She had responded to Rand. She had called him Rand.

  No, it couldn't have been. The man who made love to her had been a gentle lover, intent only on arousing her until she attained release. Rand certainly hadn't given the impression of those gentle feelings towards her the last time they spoke together. But if it hadn't been a dream—although she was fervently beginning to hope it had been—and there really had been a man, then he had made love to her; no one in their right mind could ever call it rape.

  Her eyes widened apprehensively as the door opened and Christopher came in, a jubilant expression on his face, seeming not to notice as she dived back beneath the bedclothes to hide her nakedness. Merlyn paled as she saw the nightgown she had worn to go to bed in earlier lying on the floor beside her.

  'Ah, you're awake at last,' Christopher exclaimed excitedly. 'You—'

  'What do you mean, "at last"?' she questioned warily, swallowing hard, her nakedness now when she had gone to bed in a nightgown putting a completely different light on her 'dream'. It had happened!

  'I looked in on you earlier,' he dismissed. 'You were—'

  'You did?' she pounced sharply. Oh my God, it had been Christopher!

  He nodded impatiently. 'You were sleeping like a baby—'

  'I was?' Her voice was doubtful.

  'You were,' he confirmed with an angry frown. 'Would you mind letting me complete a sentence every now and again, I have something important to say!'

  Oh no! Merlyn closed her eyes as giddiness washed over her.

  'It's fantastic! Wonderful—'

  'It is?' She opened her eyes to look at him uncertainly, wondering how she could tell him she had been responding to another man and not him at all. 'Christopher—'

  'Merlyn!' He glared her into silence. 'And you told me you hadn't used your feminine charms on him,' he chastised.

  Her expression sharpened suspiciously. 'Christopher, what are you talking about?'

  'Well, if you would let me finish, I'd tell you.' He gave an irritated sigh. 'While I was having dinner with the Bentons—incidentally, that was why I came over to see you; Anne took to heart your sergeant-major comments and decided a change of scenery might do you good, and—'

  'Christopher, please!' Her nerves were completely on edge, and she just wanted a straightforward explanation of what he was talking about.

  'Carmichael arrived just as we were sitting down to dinner,' he announced triumphantly.

  Merlyn swallowed hard, sure her face was devoid of all colour. 'He did?' she said faintly. Rand had been at the hotel this evening; had he also been in her room?

  Christopher frowned his impatience with her. 'You could show a little more enthusiasm.'

  Her eyes flashed angrily. 'Do I have anything to feel enthusiastic about?'

  'We all do; he's agreed to let you star in the film,' Christopher told her excitedly. 'Now tell me again that you didn't go to bed with him!' He looked at her challengingly.

  Three days ago Merlyn had been in no doubt about the fact that she and Rand had made love. It was this evening she wasn't too sure about…

  CHAPTER FIVE

  She still wasn't sure about that two weeks later when the whole of the film crew descended on The Forest hotel with the intention of using the actual location for any of the outside shots, a convincing replica of the inside of the house Suzie and Rand had shared being built in the studio.

  Neither was she any nearer finding out why Rand had changed his mind and agreed to let her be in the film.

  As soon as she had been well enough to venture out of the hotel after she had the flu, she had borrowed the Range Rover and driven over to the house to see Rand. The housekeeper, a tall woman with iron-grey hair and an indomitable disposition, had very politely, but firmly, informed her Mr Carmichael had gone away on business. Anne had confirmed it when Merlyn had explained where she had been, and Rand hadn't returned by the time she left two days later.

  Why had he changed his mind about the film being made and with her starring in it? She didn't believe for one moment that it had anything to do with their making love. Although Christopher didn't agree with her. He had remained convinced that she had seduced Rand, and nothing she said could persuade him to think otherwise.

  And she had tried. The two of them had continued to see each other occasionally once she returned to London shortly after he had, although their main topic of conversation had obviously been the film they were going to work on together. And Christopher had refused to believe she had just spent the night at Rand's house and then left. Maybe she hadn't been too convincing in her repeated denials of intimacy between them; after all, they weren't true.

  She had thought a lot about that totally real dream, although it hadn't returned, and she had decided that she could, in her fever, have thrown off her own nightgown. That would certainly explain its presence on the floor. She was clutching at straws, she knew, but there was no other way she could live with the memories that haunted her.

  She felt anticipation mixed in with her apprehension at returning to the Lake District.

  She drove the whole way up in her own car this time, wanting the use of it for the weeks she would be there. Thankfully it wasn't raining this time, although the sky was overcast.

  Anne was her usual warm self when she came to see Merlyn in her room shortly after she had arrived. 'Do they really need all those people and equipment?' she grimaced after hugging Merlyn. 'I know our busiest part of the season is over, but I feel like we've been invaded the last few days!'

  Merlyn chuckled. 'We really need all those people and equipment.'

  'James is in his element,' Anne groaned. 'Although I'm not too sure about his interest in the actress who's supposed to be playing me!'

  Merlyn could see the other woman wasn't really concerned and, considering the closeness she and her husband had, that wasn't surprising. 'It must be a little weird meeting your double,' she nodded.

  'Not at all,' Anne grinned. 'Oh, she has my colouring, but she's a lot slimmer than me, and one thing James does like about me is that I'm cuddly. Or so he tells me,' she added dryly.

  'I'm sure he means it, too,' Merlyn laughed.

  'So am I,' Anne nodded, completely confident. 'I grew up thinking all men wanted a woman that looked like a beanpole and, within a few minutes of meeting James and deciding I didn't stand a chance with him, he turned around and told me he likes to know he's holding a woman in his arms, not a matchstick with bumps!' She laughed huskily. 'I became a woman that very night—and it's been that way ever since.'

  'I can see that,' Merlyn smiled.

  'Talking of good-looking men—'

  'Which we were,' she acknowledged teasingly.

  'Which we definitely were,' Anne rejoined. 'The man who's going to play Brandon is absolutely gorgeous!' She rolled her eyes expressively.

  'Gary Parker is handsome—'

  'Gary Parker had to back out at the last minute,' Anne frowned. 'Didn't Christopher tell you?'

  'He didn't say anything…' Merlyn frowned her own puzzlement. 'Who has he got instead?'

  'His name is—Do you know, I can't remember it?' Anne realised with some embarrassment. 'He isn't a big star, like Gary Parker is, but with his looks he certainly should be!'

  'Careful, or James will be the one getting jealous,' Merlyn teased, although the replacement of Gary Parker at this stage unsettled her. The last two weeks had been spent engrossed in her part, and in all the scenes Suzie had with Brandon she had imagined being opposite Gary Parker. She would have to rethink them all.

  'Never,' the other woman laughed off the idea. 'Christopher is by the pool, he said for you to join him as soon as you
arrived.'

  'He's working hard already, I see,' she derided, searching through her case for her bikini.

  Anne took her remark seriously. 'Actually, he's working on the screen-play, something about it seems to be bothering him.'

  'I was only joking,' Merlyn told her. 'Everyone in the business knows he's a workaholic.'

  'Oh, I see.' Anne gave a self-conscious laugh. 'You'll have to excuse my ignorance; my sister may have been a star but my contact with the business has been very limited. Suzie always kept this part of her life completely separate from her career.'

  Merlyn nodded, familiar with the habit of maintaining some privacy in her life. 'I'm surprised you dared to write the book.'

  'Because of Brandon,' Anne nodded. 'He was all for my telling people how strong and determined Suzie had been, until he realised there was going to be a film too!'

  'He's publicity shy, isn't he?' Merlyn acknowledged ruefully.

  'Only about those last years with Suzie,' the other woman excused. 'He doesn't give a damn about any other aspects of his life appearing in newspapers.'

  'Why is that, do you suppose?' asked Merlyn softly.

  'You would have to ask him that,' Anne dismissed briskly. 'But I would say he just considers that part of his life too private to become public knowledge.'

  Merlyn would say she was right, and to give Anne credit, although she had written quite extensively about Suzie and Rand's early married life together, she hadn't given any intimate details of their life together after Suzie became ill, had concentrated the rest of the book on Suzie's fight for life. Although that hadn't stopped a few intimate scenes being included in the screenplay, purely fabrication and guess-work on the part of the person who had written it with the help of Anne's book, but Merlyn was going to have to play those scenes anyway.

  'Is Rand back from his business trip yet?' She feigned casualness.

  The other woman nodded. 'You know, I've never been able to get over the way you call him Rand,' she frowned. 'He—Oh damn,' she muttered as the bleeper attached to her dress-belt interrupted her. 'I have to go,' she apologised. 'I'll see you later.'