A Masterful Man

by Lindsay Armstrong

She took a breath. 'Of course not-I'd rather it was just between you and me,' she said flatly.

  'Davina-it can't be, unfortunately. Not here.'

  She bit her lip and looked up at him with shadowed, wary eyes.

  'And what,' he said after about half a minute, 'is your reaction to the fact that I've fallen in love with you?'

  She licked her lips. 'I have to tell you that this afternoon I nearly said the same thing to you, but-'

  'So, what the hell are we arguing about?' he murmured and pulled her into his arms suddenly.

  'Where it's going to lead, probably,' she whispered.

  'If it's wedding-bells you want-'

  'No!'

  But he suddenly held her harder. 'Why not? OK, perhaps I could have phrased that more delicately, but what were you planning to do-come back and work out your month as both my housekeeper and my mistress? Stay here and hide yourself away until we proved it was only a passing attraction? Tell me, Davina?'

  'You said…you said-' She stopped abruptly as a sense of fright and a new sense of anger took hold of her, as well as what she thought might be a grain of truth… Anger and fright because Steve in this masterful kind of mood made her feel vulnerable and made her remember her resolution never to allow another man to dominate her, even one who had brought her so much pleasure and delight. Truth, because it suddenly occurred to her that he had a dilemma on his hands. How were they going to go on? But what kind of a fool would she be to allow herself to be rushed into marriage like this when in her heart of hearts she still had some question marks?

  'I know what I said.' All of a sudden his hands eased on her body. 'And I'm not reneging.' His lips twisted. 'Just rushing my fences. Why don't we remove this discussion to our bed? I feel I-say things with more fluency there.'

  And she was helpless as he moved his hands on her through the thin material of her dress.

  He insisted on undressing her himself this time. Nor did he say a word as he took her clothes off item by item, until she couldn't help smiling as she said, 'I thought this was supposed to be a discussion?'

  He looked up with a wicked little light in his eyes but kept his hands cupping her breasts-there remained only one thing to dispense with, her panties. 'Perhaps that was a misnomer-a body poem might be a more appropriate term for this. Which I was hoping might speak for itself.' And, so saying, he laid her on the bed and drew the last wisp of lace and silk away, his fingers lingering on the soft skin of her inner thighs, and other places where the lamplight turned her skin to gold and rose.

  And she lay naked and quiet beneath his hands for a while, then raised her hands and curled her fingers in the rough, springy hair of his chest. 'I have to say I love your body poems,' she said, but that was the last coherent thing she said for quite a while as he bent his head and began to tease her nipples with his tongue.

  And later, when she was lying drowsily and dreamily in his arms, she thought he might have been right. Some things between them did speak for themselves, and always had. So why was she holding back? Was it too soon? Well, it was only a bare fortnight but… Did she honestly believe he was the kind of man who would marry her simply to get over the awkwardness of things? No, but… Well, this dot in the South Pacific with its small, interwoven community, not to mention his grandmother and his stepmother, was probably about as awkward a place to choose to have an affair as you could find, but… How to know if this emotion was going to last them a lifetime, how to know… It popped into her mind with a suddenness that caused her to stir briefly, then hold herself deliberately still so he wouldn't notice. But she couldn't hold her thoughts still… Such as- how to know whether she hadn't happened along when Steve Warwick was thinking about who he was going to hand his empire down to, was being beleaguered by his grandmother to the point of driving him round the bend, was uncomfortably conscious of being the object of another woman's dreams-in other words, needed a wife.

  'What?' he said into her hair.

  'I-what do you mean?' she whispered.

  'You feel as if you've gone away from me again.'

  Oh, God, she thought, he's so…he knows me so well; why don't I just put an end to this and say yes? But she said instead, 'I was thinking that your female relatives are being uncharacteristically-reticent.'

  She felt him laugh soundlessly. 'That's because I threatened them with total banishment from Lord Howe if they were any other way. You know, I don't know what's worse, Lavinia and Loretta at loggerheads or in cahoots.'

  Davina ran her fingers through his hair. 'I'm surprised that Loretta didn't know who I was,' she said, as that, too, just occurred to her.

  'She does.'

  Davina's fingers stilled. 'She told you?'

  'No. She refused to tell me. She was also of the opinion that the least said about it, the better.'

  'But-' Davina digested this slowly '-how did it even come up?'

  'She was the first one to recognise Paul Grainger at the party. She came and told me it could be a problem for you-she'd noticed him staring at you, apparently. When I asked her why, she said, "I'll leave her to tell you that herself if she wants to, but, if she does, don't be shocked and if I were you I'd keep it to yourself." I didn't get a chance to tell her I already knew… most of it. She also said she felt as guilty as hell. I wasn't sure why but I guess-I could guess,' he said drily.

  'For almost forcing me to go to the party and wearing that dress; I must have been mad,' Davina whispered. 'So…why did she think the least said about it the better?'

  'You'd have to ask her that yourself, but I should imagine she thought you wouldn't want it broadcast about, which you've just told me you don't and of course I can understand it, but-' he paused '-it was obviously bound to come out sooner or later.'

  'Yes,' Davina said very quietly, but wondered why she felt unsure, wondered what was niggling at the back of her mind but refusing to surface. She didn't get a chance to wonder long because the phone rang, splitting the night with its jarring jangle. They both jumped and her heart started to pound as

  Steve sat up swearing. 'I told them-'

  'Maybe it's not them,' she whispered. 'Why would they ring you up at about midnight?'

  'You don't know Lavinia as well as I do,' he said grimly, but thrust the covers aside and padded out to the kitchen.

  Davina pulled the sheet round her as she heard him answer and say, 'Hello? Lavinia, I warned you… what? OK. Yes, got it. I'm coming right now. Uh, Davina? I'll bring her back to you.' He put the phone down.

  'What is it?' Davina asked anxiously as he came back in and started to pull his clothes on.

  'Sydney Radio has picked up a may day call from a yacht in this area. They're co-ordinating a search and want us to help.' Her eyes widened. 'Help? How?' 'By plane; there's nearly a full moon. And by boat as soon as daylight comes.' 'What will you be doing?' she asked fearfully. 'I'll be going up in the plane-don't worry,' he said with a brief smile, 'I have an instrument rating for night-flying, and I won't be alone. Look-' he sat down on the bed '-this could take days. You'll be better back with them.'

  'I didn't know you flew,' she said inconsequently.

  He grimaced. 'There are probably a few other things you don't know about me, either. I've had a licence since I was twenty, but to get back to you-'

  'Steve, I think I'd rather stay here.'

  'No, Davina. It's not practical. For one thing you'd have to chop your own wood; just do as I say, there's a good girl.' He stood up and continued to dress.

  Davina stared at him in the dim light of the kerosene lamp they hadn't doused, and realised with a tightening of her nerves that this was one of the times when to argue with Steve Warwick would be like knocking her head against a brick wall. That it would be quite useless to tell him that she felt totally unprepared to face his grandmother and Loretta, straight out of his bed. She did say tentatively, however, 'I could go in the morning.'

  'That would only be putting off the evil moment. Look, I've got a few calls to make while
you get ready and pack.'

  It was surprisingly easy.

  Both Loretta and Lavinia were up and looking anxious and they welcomed Davina quite naturally, even offhandedly as they gave Steve more details.

  'Two adults, three children and a dog!' Lavinia said immediately. 'Sydney Radio says the transmission was very broken up, but apparently they're taking water, they're a bit confused about their exact position and they don't have an EPIRB.' Steve swore beneath his breath. 'Where are they from?' 'New Zealand. On their way to Brisbane.' 'Right. I'm off.' He took a padded jacket from the hall stand and turned back to them briefly. 'Er-look after each other, girls. I'll check in whenever I can.' And he was gone.

  It was Loretta who broke the sudden silence his departure caused. 'What on earth is an EPIRB?'

  Lavinia came to life. 'It's some sort of an emergency radio beacon; it's quite small and portable so if you have to take to a lifeboat or a dinghy you can take it with you, and when it's activated it transmits on a frequency that can be picked up by aircraft or satellites in the area giving them its exact location-something like that and no one on an ocean-going voyage should be without one,' she said sternly. Then her expression softened. 'Let's have a cup of tea. It's so good to see you, my dear Davina.

  Are-?'

  'Davina!' Candice came into the kitchen in her pyjamas looking like a little owl. 'You're back! I thought you'd forgotten me.'

  'Not so, Candice,' Davina said with a warm smile. 'Steve and I were going to take you to Ball's Pyramid tomorrow but now-well, I'm sure there'll be other days.' As soon as she said it, she noticed Lavinia and Loretta exchange a look that she interpreted as being one of relief mingled with complacency, and she thought incredulously-of course, they didn't know what was going on but now they think it's… in the bag, so to speak. And she sighed inwardly.

  She was up with the dawn the next morning and relieved to see it was a beautiful, clear day again.

  So what do I do now, she thought, as she hugged her knees and pushed her hair off her face. Go back to being a housekeeper? Well, there's no harm in making breakfast, is there…?

  Lavinia was the first to come downstairs but she went straight into the study and put a call through to the airport.

  'He's still out,' she said briskly, coming into the kitchen. 'They've been back once to refuel but they've made no sightings.'

  Davina poured her a cup of tea. 'Daylight will help, surely.'

  Lavinia grimaced. 'It's a huge ocean out there. And if they've abandoned the yacht and are floating around in a tiny dinghy, well, it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Thank you, my dear. You're looking very well, I must say!'

  Davina could think of nothing to reply other than, 'So are you, Mrs Warwick.'

  'Do call me Lavinia,' Lavinia immediately responded.

  'Everyone does-er-' she said delicately, but Davina was saved by Loretta who came in yawning and wearing the most marvellous housecoat, causing her mother-in-law to turn her attention to her. 'Loretta! I don't think I've ever seen you up this early.'

  'I don't think I've ever been up this early,' Loretta said glumly. 'But I couldn't stop thinking about three kids and a dog.'

  'Ah, well, Steven has been involved in a few of these searches, if anyone can find them, he can.'

  To which Loretta replied, 'You're probably right. Is that bacon and eggs, Davina? Do you know, I think I might break my golden rule and have some if you've got enough.'

  To which Lavinia then said a shade tartly, 'They're fattening.'

  'And I'm well on the way-is that what you're trying to say, my dear Lavinia?'

  Davina turned away and hid a grin. It was obvious some things would never change between these two, but it might give her a bit of breathing space, she reflected.

  Fortunately, too, in some respects although not others, it was one of Maeve's days and she greeted Davina like a long-lost friend. 'Glory be! Am I glad to see you, Davina! Now I'm not sure what you're back as, I mean to say, well, never mind, shouldn't have opened my mouth, but the last time I was here, the day after the party when you weren't, do you think Mrs W. didn't give me a hard time? She had me washing windows and walls. Not that she didn't get stuck in herself, I will give her that but that's not the easiest thing to live with either! Er… you in charge here again?'

  'I… think so, Maeve.' Davina was only too conscious of the embarrassment in her voice, so she forced herself to sound more positive. 'Would you like to start with the ironing this morning?'

  Maeve's wide beam was all the answer she needed.

  But, indeed, Lavinia took herself off to the airfield just after Maeve's arrival and stayed there.

  'Glory be!' Loretta echoed Maeve's sentiments, coming upon Davina as she sat on the terrace with a cup of coffee and watched Lavinia drive away. 'You're not still playing housekeeper, by any chance?' she enquired.

  Davina looked at her ruefully over the top of her mug. 'I don't quite know what else to do.'

  'So…it hasn't resolved itself?' Loretta said carefully, sitting down herself. 'Do you mind me being a sticky-beak?' she added with her own brand of forthrightness that, in Loretta, was hard to resist.

  Davina thought for a bit, staring down at her cup then she lifted her eyes to Loretta. 'Steve told me you know who I was.'

  'Yes. I twigged pretty early-when you said you'd worn my clothes, in fact. Not that I meet everyone who buys them, but I like to keep track of who wears them.'

  'Why did you tell Steve the least said about it the better?'

  'Darling,' Loretta said slowly, then gestured. 'Well, for one thing, I didn't think you'd want it bandied about-' She stopped.

  'But there's more, isn't there?' Davina said quietly, with that little niggle at the back of her mind surfacing again.

  Loretta sighed. 'Your ex has been pretty active lately. I happened to see him on Paul Grainger's show which was why I nearly died when the bloke showed up here. He… the bastard was incredibly clever,' she said coldly. 'He contrived to make you out as a scheming little bitch who'd walked out on him in his hour of need and he also didn't stop there. I've seen two magazine interviews along the same lines.'

  Davina breathed deeply. 'And you thought Steve would be shocked and wonder about me?' she said, in an even quieter voice.

  Loretta shrugged. 'Men can be…let's face it, I'm sure it's only human for men to side instinctively with men and women with women, but no, I'm not accusing Steve of that, although I certainly copped enough flak from him about his father, but then I did take his mother's place. But the real thing was, I didn't want vow copping any flak. People talk here-people talk everywhere, but here… well, I was afraid that because it's such a small community you might find people looking at you strangely and I thought, heaven knows, what's between you and Steve seems to be complicated enough without that, yet.' 'So it could always be a complication?' Davina suggested.

  Loretta said strongly, 'Not to those who matter, Davina. And if you think that's just easy wisdom, believe me, I know what I'm talking about.'

  Davina put her cup down and wrapped her arms around herself. 'Thank you for believing in me, by the way, but I'm not sure why you do.'

  'Ah, well, I happened to meet him once, your ex. Very attractive et cetera but he struck me as being incredibly full of himself. He also,' she said gently, 'tried to make a pass at me while you two were still married. If Steve knows all about it, though,' she looked at Davina queryingly before she went on, 'you must know if he believes you.'

  'He does. He… does.'

  'So, what's the problem?'

  'Me,' Davina said barely audibly. 'He's asked me to marry him but I don't know if it's too soon, I don't know if it's just one of those intense physical attractions that will fade, if he's decided he needs a wife-I have all these doubts. I'm racked by them,' she said and wiped away a foolish tear. 'You see, I swore I would never be forced or rushed into anything again, but what's almost worse is I've got the feeling that if I ever saw Steve Warwick fall out
of love with me, I think I'd die. Although I sometimes also think he's a hard man to love; he's so determined and-'

  'Arrogant-one of those masterful types, not to mention downright bloody-minded sometimes,' Loretta supplied. 'And too much of a sheer male to know he's rushing things,' she added with an exasperated look.

  'Well, it is a bit difficult,' Davina said awkwardly.

  Loretta smiled. 'At least you've got Lavinia on your side.'

  'If she ever sees Darren doing his bit, she might have second thoughts. Not-'

  'No, it really is none of her business,' Loretta said ruefully. 'Not that that's ever stopped her. Well, pet, I think you're just going to have to take a stand. If you don't want to be rushed, dig your heels in-not that that will be easy; there's an awful lot of Lavinia in Steve, but I guess I don't have to tell you that.'

  Davina smiled briefly.

  Steve came home for a short while that evening, for a meal, a bath and a few hours' sleep. Davina cooked the meal and they all ate together and discussed the search, so once again there was little embarrassment. For one thing, it was too sobering to think of five people and a dog adrift in a dinghy.

  But before he took himself to bed, he came into the kitchen and took her into his arms with no regard for whoever might wander in.

  'I'm sorry about this,' he said, rubbing his chin on her hair, 'but I'm out on my feet.'

  She looked up into his eyes and touched an unsteady finger to the blue shadows on his jaw, unsteady because she was suddenly weak with love. 'Don't be. It's not your fault.'

  'How are they treating you?'

  'Just fine,' she said wryly. 'I took Candice for a swim this afternoon and they actually both came with us. And I took some interesting, I hope, photos of the three Warwick ladies, together.'

  He grimaced then his eyes narrowed on her in a way that made her pulses start to hammer. 'I don't suppose you'd like to come and… soothe me to sleep?'

  'No.' Her lips curved into a smile. 'What you need is pure sleep, Mr Warwick.'

  'Pure sleep?' He lifted an eyebrow.

  'You know what I mean,' she said ruefully.