Merlyn's Magic

by Carole Mortimer

  'She was trying to prevent you from leaving when you've chosen to go!' The car engine only had time to roar into life before he pressed his foot down on the accelerator, the red sports car speeding away with a grinding of stones beneath its wheels.

  'Christopher!' Merlyn complained as she was thrown back in her seat.

  'Sorry,' he muttered. 'I've just never been able to stand that kind of restraint being put on my actions.'

  She rested her head on the back of the seat, the effort of dressing and walking exhausting her more than she had realised. But she had to go to Rand, had to assure him that he had made the only decision that he could, that he was still worthy of receiving love, that she loved him.

  'Are you all right?' Christopher was looking at her concernedly when she opened her eyes to turn to him.

  'Fine.' She gave him a weak smile of reassurance. 'Just tired.'

  He nodded. 'Lie back and rest for a while,' he advised huskily.

  The idea did sound tempting, and she put her head back with a sigh.

  She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but as she came awake with a start she realised she had done exactly that. Although it could only have been for a matter of minutes; they were still driving.

  She opened her eyes with effort, instantly dazzled by the lights of oncoming traffic on the opposite side of the motorway. But there was no motorway between the hospital and Rand's house!

  She sat up awkwardly, turning to Christopher, his gaze intent on the road ahead. 'Christopher—'

  'Ah good, you're awake.' He glanced at her, his expression gentle. 'Feel better?'

  'Yes. But—'

  'You've had a good sleep,' he said with satisfaction.

  She didn't understand, it had still been daylight when they left the hospital and yet now it was very dark away from the lights of the motorway. They couldn't possibly have been driving to Rand's house all this time.

  'Christopher,' she voiced uncertainly. 'How long have I been asleep?'

  'Several hours,' he told her lightly. 'We should be there soon.'

  Several hours! 'Where are we now?' she demanded dazedly.

  'Watford.'

  'Watford! But why on earth—! Christopher, you were supposed to be taking me to see Rand, not back to London,' she protested.

  'I don't want to talk about Brandon Carmichael,' he snarled.

  'I know you've never approved of my relationship with him, but—'

  'You don't need him!'

  'I appreciate your concern, Christopher,' she began slowly. 'But now I would like it if you would drive me back—'

  'To Rand!' he finished harshly. 'I told you, you don't need him now, you have me.'

  Confusion darkened her eyes. 'We've become friends the last—'

  'Friends!' He repeated the description contemptuously, his eyes glittering angrily. 'I never wanted just friendship from you, I made that clear from the beginning.'

  She shook her head. 'You flirted with me, yes, but it was nothing more than that—'

  'That's a lie,' he hissed harshly. 'I told you how I felt the first time we worked together, but you just laughed it off by telling me you were married, that you were in love with your husband.'

  'But I'm not married, Christopher,' she said desperately. 'You know that.' She frowned at the furious contortion of his features. 'I want to go back to the Lake District, Christopher,' she declared firmly.

  'I told you last time I wouldn't let you go back to him. You don't love him.' His voice softened. 'You don't love him, it's me you love.'

  Gone was the arrogant director she was used to, the self-confident despot, and in his place was—She didn't know. This was a Christopher she had never seen before. And he frightened her.

  'Christopher, it is Rand I love,' she told him gently. 'I wish I didn't sometimes, but it's a love I can't stop.'

  'You aren't going to him this time,' he shouted furiously. 'Dismissing me like a naughty schoolboy come to confess his infatuation while all the time intending to return to the man who hurt you. I couldn't let you go back to him last time, and I won't let you go this time either. I killed you last time rather than let him have you!'

  Merlyn didn't feel as if she were breathing at all, feeling her heart begin to pound as panic rose within her, the realisation of what he was actually saying horrifying her.

  She moistened her lips. 'But I'm not dead, Christopher,' she pointed out breathlessly, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to stay in control, even though hysteria threatened to engulf her.

  For a moment he looked very youthful as confusion washed over him, and then he smiled, and it was unlike any other smile Merlyn had ever seen, a mixture of childlike innocence—and evil intent. 'Because you've come back to me,' he said happily. 'My Suzie has come back to me!'

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Christopher had killed Suzie.

  Merlyn didn't know how he had done it, but she knew he had killed the other woman rather than let her return to Rand as she had intended doing. For that had been the decision Suzie came to that day, to go back to the man who loved her enough to do anything to keep her alive, the man she loved in return.

  But Christopher had stopped her from reaching Rand. And now he intended doing it a second time, believing in his warped mind that she was Suzie.

  This sort of thing always looked so easy to deal with on the stage or screen, talking the murderer out of his plan to murder again. But the victim never seemed particularly panicked in those works of fiction; probably because they knew the script and were aware of the outcome. But this was all too real, and she was alone in a car with a man who was completely unstable!

  And no one knew where she had gone. No one knew she had gone anywhere except one rather indignant nurse who had probably reported her self-discharge before going off duty and forgetting all about it. None of her family, or Rand, would probably get to hear of her disappearance until tomorrow when one of them tried to visit her. And tomorrow was a long way off.

  It was difficult to believe Christopher's self-admission of murder, although that smile he had given a few minutes ago told her he was perfectly capable of it.

  She swallowed hard. 'Where are we going in London?' She deliberately made her voice light; after all he believed her to be Suzie, and that she had chosen him this time.

  'My apartment,' he supplied easily. 'Rand won't be able to find you there,' he added with satisfaction. 'I know it was his possessiveness that kept you from me last time.'

  That was what he had wanted to believe, hadn't been able to accept that Suzie really did love her husband. Poor Suzie. Poor Rand…She had no way of knowing what Christopher intended doing with her, if he was going to realise as suddenly as he began believing it that she wasn't Suzie, and hit out at her in impotent rage. But if she didn't get out of this alive Rand was always going to believe Suzie had killed herself because of him, would have no idea Christopher was responsible.

  If she got out of this alive…! Her mother said she had raised a daughter who could meet challenge; this was the biggest challenge she was ever likely to meet. She didn't intend dying.

  'Why did you try to harm me again, Christopher, if you love me?' she asked softly, sure now that Mark hadn't been the one they were seeking at all, that it had to be Christopher who had arranged those 'accidents'.

  He blinked, once again looking confused. 'I didn't try to hurt you—'

  'But the cut planks, the fire…?'

  'That was Merlyn, not you,' he dismissed lightly. 'She was the one your husband was having an affair with. You see, Suzie, he hasn't been faithful to you, so why should you be faithful to him?'

  'But why did you want to hurt—Merlyn?' she prompted gruffly.

  'To punish him, of course. He cares about her, you know, and I knew he was hurting you. So I hurt him back,' he shrugged.

  Merlyn didn't understand his logic, she doubted he did either, and yet she knew that in his mind she had become two women, the Suzie whom he loved, and the new woman in Rand
's life whom he could use to hurt him for keeping Suzie from him.

  Merlyn moistened stiff lips, vaguely aware that her nails had gone through the flesh of her palms and drawn blood, feeling the stickiness against her fingers. 'You're right.' She forced herself to smile, feeling as if a part of her stood away from herself watching. 'He's been unfaithful to me, he doesn't deserve my love.'

  Christopher shook his head. 'I saw them together in her hotel room. I wasn't sure about them when she went to the Lake District to see him, but I had my suspicions. But that first afternoon on location they were in her bed together. That night too. I stood outside her room and listened to them both times!'

  Merlyn felt sick as she imagined Christopher as the prowler outside her window listening to her and Rand in bed together. Christopher had been so determined that Rand should continue his affair with Merlyn that every time they had a disagreement or agreed not to see each other again he had somehow contrived to get them back together again, so that he could have 'his Suzie'.

  And all the time he had continued to punish Rand because Suzie had loved him, refusing to let Merlyn wear a wig for her part and insisting she actually have her hair coloured and styled like the other woman's so that she would be a constant reminder to Rand of the woman he had lost. Had that also been the time Christopher himself got the two personalities confused in his mind?

  All this time she had felt as if someone other than herself governed her actions, had wondered if Suzie… Christopher had manipulated them all, and somewhere in the midst of his plans he had become entangled in his own cruelty, now actually believed her to be Suzie.

  'That was a little naughty of you,' she scolded.

  'I had to be sure, don't you see?' he said vehemently. 'So that you were free to come to me!'

  'You've loved me for a very long time, haven't you,' she said sadly.

  'Ever since that first picture together,' Christopher remembered tautly. 'But you could never see anyone but your precious Rand. I loved you anyway, I knew one day you would come to me, that you would realise no one could love you as much as I do.'

  He had loved Suzie so much he had killed her rather than let anyone else have her.

  'I tried to tell you how I felt that day in London when I came to your apartment. I'd heard you were staying there, and I had to see for myself that you were completely well. It almost killed me not being about to see you during that time, the white roses I sent you every week just weren't enough.'

  Merlyn remembered the bouquet he had brought to her in hospital yesterday. Would Rand see them, read the card that had accompanied them, and realise—? No, he wouldn't give them a second glance, she was just clutching at straws.

  'As soon as I arrived you told me I'd only just caught you,' he rasped. 'That you were on your way back home. You thanked me for caring but told me you were still in love with your husband!'

  'And so you followed me,' Merlyn prompted.

  'Yes,' he confided scornfully. 'You were so wrapped up in thoughts of your precious Rand that you didn't even see me drive up beside you until the last moment, and by then it was too late. You turned off the road instinctively. I stopped my car and walked back to look at you. There was blood trickling down your beautiful face. But you still looked so beautiful!'

  Merlyn didn't know how much longer she could ward off the hysteria and continue to humour this man. She feared what this strain was doing to her baby. Oh God, she couldn't die now, not when she carried Rand's child inside her!

  'What?' Christopher gave her an irritated frown.

  She brought herself under control as she realised it had been her choked sob that had angered him. He believed that she loved him, that at last Suzie had come to him; he had to go on believing that if she were to remain alive. He had killed once, and she knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

  'Nothing.' She could feel her lips trembling as she smiled at him. 'Maybe we could go out to dinner to celebrate the fact that we're together at last?'

  'I want to be alone with you,' he declared.

  'Well, of course, Christopher,' she instantly humoured him. 'If that would please you.'

  'I made them suffer for betraying you,' he told her with satisfaction. 'I even signed Merlyn's fiancé to play the part of Brandon instead of Gary Parker so that Rand would know what it feels like to only receive crumbs from the woman you love. Gary Parker wasn't too happy about being replaced, I can tell you,' he chuckled maliciously.

  The power Christopher had wielded over all their lives the last few months was absolutely terrifying. He had pulled their strings and they had all danced to his insane tune.

  'You've been very clever,' she said shakily.

  'Of course,' he accepted with arrogance.

  They were actually in London now, would soon reach his apartment. And once they did that there would be no help for her!

  The anticipation in his eyes as he locked the car in the parking area beneath his apartment building filled her with nausea. But his fingers on her arm were like talons, making escape impossible, and as was usual in these underground parking areas, it was deserted except for the two of them. The lift a short distance away would take them straight up to his floor, to his apartment, and no one would even see her. She couldn't let that happen!

  'You're hurting my arm, Christopher,' she complained, pushing at his fingers, all the time keeping a smile on her lips, even if her eyes did reflect her panic. If she could just persuade him to let her go for a minute…

  'You're still very weak.' He kept a firm hold of her.

  'Yes, but—'

  'What do you think you're doing with her, Drake?'

  Merlyn's legs buckled beneath her at the hollow sound of Rand's voice, Christopher's grip on her preventing her from falling as she desperately searched the car park for Rand. And then she saw him, standing motionless beside the lift that would take her up to Christopher's apartment. 'Rand!' she cried thankfully, not knowing how he came to be here before them or how he had known where to find them, just glad to see him as she attempted to go to him.

  'No!' Christopher gave a feral growl. 'You're mine now. He betrayed you, remember?' All of a sudden Christopher held a gun in his other hand, that hand quite steady as he pointed the weapon at Rand.

  The relief that had flowed through Merlyn at the first sound of Rand's voice was instantly replaced with the chilling horror of what Christopher could do to Rand with that gun. She had no doubt that it was real, and that it was loaded. She put her hand testingly on Christopher's arm, snatching it away again as he recoiled angrily.

  'There's no need for this, Christopher,' she cajoled. 'As you said, I'm yours now.' She looked beseechingly at Rand for his silence as he gave a furious snarl. 'Suzie has come back to you, remember?' she prompted Christopher, moistening her lips as she realised how grey Rand had suddenly become.

  God, surely Rand hadn't come here alone; hadn't he brought help with him?

  'I've forgiven you for forcing me off the road that night when I mistakenly wanted to return to Rand,' she conveyed that message to Rand in the only way that was open to her, unable to see his reaction now as she concentrated on Christopher exclusively. 'I was a fool not to realise it was you I loved all along.'

  'If you love me then it won't matter if I kill him,' he reasoned calmly, aiming the gun at Rand still.

  'But if he's dead you'll never know whether I stayed with you because I loved you or because Rand was no longer alive,' she pointed out desperately.

  'I'll take that risk,' he told her coldly.

  He was going to shoot, she could see that he intended going through with it. And there was no way she was going to allow him to kill Rand.

  'Merlyn, no!' Rand shouted as she made a lung for the gun, a shot sounding loudly in the hollow-ness.

  Merlyn was aware of a scuffling sound behind her, and then the pain in her arm covered everything in darkness.

  This time she knew it was a hospital bed in which she lay, recognised the impersonality of
the cream decor, the stark walls, the smell of antiseptic in the air.

  Her left shoulder ached, pain shooting down the length of her arm as she tried to move it.

  Then she remembered Christopher; insane Christopher who had convinced himself that Suzie lived again, in her, his cruel punishment of Rand because he was the one Suzie loved backfiring on him in a way he hadn't conceived. She wondered when it had begun—with the sudden possessiveness he had begun to display when they first arrived in the Lake District? Certainly he had allowed himself to believe it was the real Suzie he made love to the day he took over from Mark in the gazebo. She shivered with revulsion as she remembered the passion she had believed to have been pretence, but which had been very real to Christopher. He had killed Suzie, the woman he loved, so that she shouldn't return to Rand!

  Rand! Where was he? The last time she had seen him he had been at the receiving end of Christopher's gun. From the pain she was in she would say the bullet hit her first, but where had it gone after that?

  She made a move to sit up, the pain that racked her body making her sway weakly. 'Please,' she gasped, her head turned towards the door. 'Can someone help me?' The last was a choked cry.

  'Merlyn!'

  Her aching body protested strongly as she swung round at the sound of that voice. Rand sat beside the bed, a Rand who had obviously been dozing in the chair as he waited for her to wake, a Rand haggard with grief and worry, his face grey, a dark stubble on his tautly clenched jaw.

  'I'm so sorry.' Tears filled her eyes at the suffering he had known the last two years, at the needless death of the woman he had loved so deeply.

  'You were the one who got shot.' He clasped her hands tightly in his as he sat forward. 'How do you feel?'

  'Like I've been shot,' she answered wryly. 'But that wasn't what I was sorry about.' She looked at him anxiously. 'You do realise what I was trying to tell you about Suzie, don't you?'