Knight to the Rescue

by Miranda Lee

  Meanwhile...

  Audrey gulped down the lump of emotion that had gathered in her throat, recognising that she had to lighten the situation at this point in time or risk losing Elliot altogether.

  The smile she painted on her face was mischievous and carefree. ‘My, who would have thought you’d be such a worry-wart? So what if I’ve fallen for you? It’s not as though I want to marry you. I’m too young. You told me that. I want to have fun for a few years. And I want to have it with you. So you can stop this bad-tempered act. You won’t get rid of me that easily!’

  He stared down at her, uncertainty in his face.

  ‘Had enough rest yet?’ she teased, cocking her head on side. ‘You do realise we haven’t reached that quota you whispered to me earlier in the night.’

  He shook his head, then laughed. ‘Whatever am I going to do with you?’

  ‘You mean you don’t know?’ She gave a mock sigh. ‘And there I was thinking you knew everything there was to know about this. It just goes to show. You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time. But not—’

  She yelped when he pulled her roughly into his arms and down on to the bed. ‘I think I should warn you,’ he growled, a wicked smile coming to his mouth as it descended, ‘that I find challenges almost as irresistible as I find a certain naked blonde!’

  * * *

  ‘Lavinia? Is that you?’

  ‘No, lovie, Elsie here.’

  Audrey breathed a sigh of relief into the telephone. ‘Are Father or Lavinia up yet?’

  ‘Haven’t seen hide nor hair of them. Still, it’s only half-past ten. Where are you, lovie? I had no idea you were even up yourself. Have an early driving lesson, did you?’

  Audrey was consumed with even more relief at this ready-made alibi. ‘Yes, that’s right,’ she lied more happily. ‘Elliot wanted to get an early start before the Sunday traffic built up. I’m over at his place now having some brunch. I thought I’d better ring and let you know where I’d got to and that I won’t be in for any meals today. Elliot’s taking me out for the day.’

  ‘You’re really getting along with that young man, aren’t you?’

  ‘Er—yes.’ Her stomach fluttered as she glanced at Elliot, moving around the kitchen, making breakfast. He looked wonderfully rakish in a black bathrobe and nothing else. She wasn’t wearing much more herself. A large red towel, sarong-style, covered her nakedness from breast to thigh. Another was wrapped around her freshly shampooed hair.

  ‘He’s a terrific person,’ she complimented, catching Elliot’s eye. He took a mock bow.

  ‘It certainly is nice of him to teach you to drive. That takes a lot of patience.’

  ‘Oh, yes, Elliot’s very patient.’

  His head snapped round, one eyebrow lifting. He mouthed, ‘No, I’m not. Get over here and help me, you lazy little devil.’

  ‘I suppose you want me to pass on the message about your being out today to your father and Mrs Farnsworth?’ Elsie offered.

  ‘Yes, please.’

  ‘Will do. See you later, lovie.’

  ‘Bye, Elsie.’

  ‘See?’ Elliot grinned as she hung up. ‘No trouble.’

  ‘You’re corrupting me,’ Audrey laughed.

  Elliot turned back to the bacon and eggs, his expression sardonic. ‘I’m not sure who’s corrupting whom any longer.’

  She levered herself off the stool and came round the breakfast bar to stand behind Elliot, running her hands across his broad shoulders. He was so beautiful, she thought. So very very beautiful...

  And he was hers. For now.

  ‘Is that your idea of helping?’ he tossed over his shoulder at her.

  She slid her arms around his waist, laying her cheek against his back. ‘Yes,’ she sighed.

  ‘You’re an affectionate little thing, aren’t you?’

  ‘I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone to be really affectionate with before.’

  ‘Not even Russell?’

  She slowly straightened, pulling away from him. ‘Why bring him up?’ she asked tautly. ‘You know I can’t stand that man any more.’

  ‘Just checking.’ He glanced round at her. ‘Hey, don’t look so serious. What happened to that girl who just wanted to have fun?’

  ‘She does have a serious side occasionally.’

  ‘Good. Then put some bread in the toaster. We have some serious bacon and eggs ready here very shortly.’

  She laughed.

  ‘Who’s going to do the cooking when I move in?’ she asked once they were seated on opposite sides of the breakfast bar, tucking into the food. ‘You’ll be sorry if you say me,’ she teased. ‘I’ve never cooked a proper meal in my life.’

  ‘Then I will attend to such matters.’ He gave a pompous bow of his head over his bacon and eggs. ‘Your trusty house-boy at your service, madam.’

  ‘And what other...services...do you provide, o, trusty house-boy?’ she asked, getting into the spirit of the game.

  ‘Madam!’ His affronted tone was a splendid imitation of the stuffiest English butler. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘You could have fooled me. You gave me a complete itinerary of your abilities last night. And very proficient you were too.’

  ‘Madam seemed to master the various techniques quite quickly herself. But then, of course, she’s a very quick learner.’

  ‘True...but I’ll need a refresher course at least every other day.’

  ‘Oh, no, I don’t think that would do at all.’

  ‘You don’t?’

  ‘Definitely not. Let one day go and things are likely to slip.’

  ‘Really? I thought it was a bit like riding a bike. Once you got the hang of it, you—’

  ‘Madam! The things you say. I’m blushing.’

  ‘And I’m the Queen of England.’

  He looked over at her and they both burst out laughing.

  It was a glorious day. Both mad and marvellous. Once, they started making crazy love out on the balcony, but when the icy winter air endangered certain areas with frostbite they quickly moved inside on to the carpet, where a warming pool of sun filtered through the plate-glass window. Elliot kept her in stitches as he continued the farce of a pretend mistress-servant relationship, though she decided she could certainly get used to the way he waited on her hand and foot. Not that his cooking was cordon bleu. Mostly, they ate microwaved snacks.

  Four o’clock saw them making a reluctant return to the car for the trip back to Sydney, though it was a far cry from their trip out. They played childish games most of the way, making words out of number plates as well as trying an old favourite in ‘I spy’.

  They rolled into McDonald’s at Goulburn on the way and made utter pigs of themselves with burgers and fries and thick shakes.

  ‘I seem to have worked up an appetite somehow,’ Elliot said with droll humour as he devoured a second Big Mac.

  ‘I wonder why?’ Audrey countered with feigned innocence.

  ‘Don’t ask me. I’ve been flat on my back most of the day.’ He raised an eyebrow at her and she coloured.

  ‘Is it my fault you don’t like the missionary position?’

  ‘That’s because I’m not a missionary.’

  She spluttered back into laughter and Elliot joined her. They were still laughing as they climbed back into the waiting Saab.

  ‘Don’t come in with me,’ she requested when they pulled up outside the infamous Farnsworth steps shortly after ten. ‘I want to break the news on my own.’

  ‘You’ll pack tonight, though?’

  She smiled and kissed him. ‘Even if I have to stay up half the night.’

  ‘I’ll be here at seven-thirty in the morning for your driving lesson. Put your luggage in the Magna. I’ll come in a taxi.’

  ‘I’ll be ready.’

  ‘Don’t let Lavinia upset you!’ he called after her as she climbed out.

  ‘Not in a million years,’ she returned confidently.


  But she was far from confident once Elliot had driven off and she was alone. All her new-found courage seemed to have gone with him.

  Her father and Lavinia were still up, watching television in his study. Audrey walked in with a nervous ‘hello’.

  ‘I thought I heard someone at the door,’ Lavinia said, her black gaze widening as it flicked over Audrey’s cream woollen dress. ‘Heavens, you’re still wearing the same clothes you wore yesterday. Don’t tell me you didn’t come home last night at all, Audrey? I thought you told Elsie that—’

  ‘I spent the night with Elliot,’ she interrupted in a rush of resolve. ‘You might as well know.’ She directed her words more at her father than Lavinia. ‘I love him, Father, and he...he cares for me. He’s asked me to live with him and I’m going to. Please don’t make a fuss. I’m twenty-one and you can’t really stop me.’

  Warwick Farnsworth said nothing for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly. ‘If that’s what you want, my dear...’

  Audrey trembled with relief and happiness.

  ‘Warwick!’ Lavinia burst out. ‘How can you take this so calmly? Why, the man’s years older than Audrey. For all we know he might be a con-man, a gold-digger, a—’

  ‘He’s a perfectly respectable lawyer. Not to mention a world-famous athlete,’ Warwick returned calmly. ‘He’s also a lot richer than my daughter. Do you think I didn’t check him out?’ He stood up and walked over to take his daughter’s hands in his. ‘You do what you think is right, Audrey. You deserve some personal happiness after Russell. Edward told me about him. I just wish I’d known earlier what a snake-in-the-grass he was. But he always presented himself very well, you must admit. Though not a patch on your Elliot, of course...’

  ‘I don’t believe this,’ Lavinia muttered from behind him. ‘He won’t marry her, you know! Not if he’s already rich.’

  Audrey saw the flash of irritation in her father’s eyes as he swung on his wife. ‘Some people do marry for reasons other than money, Lavinia,’ he said sharply.

  ‘Do they?’ she taunted acidly.

  A slash of red burnt across her father’s cheeks. Audrey wanted to hit Lavinia for being such a bitch.

  Her father said nothing, however. But his eyes were hurt. He drew himself up proudly, thereby gaining more respect from Audrey than he had in his entire lifetime. ‘Yes,’ he said staunchly. ‘The trouble is, it isn’t always realised till it’s too late.’

  There was a second’s electric silence.

  ‘Anyway, we’re getting off the point here,’ he went on. ‘As an adult, Audrey’s entitled to find love wherever and however she sees fit. From what I have seen, Elliot Knight seems a decent man. I don’t think he’d deliberately hurt her.’

  ‘Is that so?’ Lavinia snapped. ‘Well, it just goes to show what a pair of naïve fools you both are! The man’s nothing but a philanderer, a...a roué! Audrey’s just a novelty to him. He’s been enjoying himself playing at Pygmalion with her, though now he’s probably moved on to The Story of O! No doubt he’s got her—’

  ‘That’s enough!’ Warwick roared. ‘I’ll be pleased if you’d keep your disgusting opinions to yourself in future, thank you, Lavinia. I would also like to talk to my daughter. Alone!’

  Lavinia’s face went bright red. ‘Very well,’ she ground out. ‘But don’t say I didn’t warn you, Audrey. As soon as you begin to bore Elliot in bed, he’ll replace you with someone a little more...experienced. Mark my words!’ And, giving them both a contemptuous look, she swept angrily from the room, banging the door behind her.

  Audrey felt dreadful. ‘I’m so sorry, Father,’ she began shakily. ‘I...I didn’t mean to cause trouble.’

  He shook his head wearily. ‘It’s not your fault, my dear. Lavinia is... Well, she isn’t a very happy person lately. She and I haven’t been getting along. But that’s not your worry. However...’ He hesitated and Audrey’s insides tightened.

  ‘You are quite sure about going to live with this man, are you? Lavinia does have a point about his being a lot older than you. And a lot more experienced...’

  ‘I’m sure,’ she lied.

  ‘So be it, then,’ her father sighed. ‘Now off you go to bed, my girl. You look a little...worn-out,’ he finished with the flicker of a wry smile.

  She felt the heat zoom into her cheeks. ‘Yes, I am a bit. I have to pack too.’

  Her father looked startled. ‘So soon?’

  ‘I’m moving out in the morning.’

  He sighed. ‘I’ll miss you...’

  His sincerity touched her and she gave him a fierce hug. ‘I’ll visit,’ she promised.

  ‘I hope so...’

  Audrey went up to bed with mixed emotions, not at all sure now she was doing the right thing. Why was it, she agonised, that other people could put such doubts into her heart? She knew Lavinia was jealous, but still her words had cut deep into her optimism, her hope for the future.

  Was sex all there would ever be to her relationship with Elliot?

  She hoped not. Surely once they were living under the same roof, day after day, week after week, there would be much more time for them just to talk, to get to know each other on many levels. Their relationship would grow and when it did Elliot would realise the depth of their attachment for each other.

  Audrey began to pack, her steadying thoughts having brought a return of excited anticipation. Tomorrow, Elliot was coming for her. Tomorrow, she would become a part of his life. Tomorrow...

  But when she finally lay down to sleep Lavinia’s warnings kept coming back to haunt her. Then when she drifted off Audrey’s dreams were nightmares of horror and insecurity. In one, Elliot was standing over her with a whip, and in the background, Lavinia was laughing and mocking her as she cringed away from Elliot like a frightened animal, fear a real and tangible thing crawling over her skin. Elliot was taunting her, telling her she was a naïve little fool, that young women bored the hell out of him, that his only pleasure with her was to laugh at her inadequacies. Then he told her he wanted a ‘real’ woman, turning to begin making love to Lavinia in front of her.

  Audrey woke, trembling and wretched. But when Elliot arrived on time, smiling as he gently kissed her mouth, all her doubts disappeared, replaced by a feeling of the utmost love and trust. He was her Elliot, her knight in shining armour. He would never betray her.

  Perhaps it was as well that the future lay hidden from her eyes.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ‘I THOUGHT you said you and Elliot weren’t serious,’ Yvonne remarked as she drew Audrey into the kitchen. ‘Isn’t living together serious these days?’

  Nigel had rung Elliot over business during the week and invited him to dinner for the Sunday night, extending the invitation to Audrey when he’d been enlightened over Elliot’s new living arrangements.

  ‘It’s only been a week,’ Audrey hedged. ‘And we’ve no intention of getting married.’

  Yvonne began pouring more potato chips into the empty bowl she’d carried in. They were still on pre-dinner drinks and munchies. ‘I must say I’m still a little surprised,’ she said, ‘though it was obvious from seeing you together at the races that Elliot was very taken with you. Who knows?’ she laughed. ‘Maye he’s finally got over his penchant for older women!’

  Audrey gave a forced laugh. ‘I certainly hope so.’

  The other woman gave her a sharp look, then sighed. ‘You’re terribly in love with him, my dear, aren’t you?’

  Audrey flushed, glancing nervously over her shoulder to see where Elliot was. But he was busily chatting away to Nigel in the living-room.

  Yvonne patted her hand. ‘No need to be embarrassed. Elliot is one gorgeous man. I only hope... Oh, nothing. You’re only young once. Just enjoy yourself with him while it lasts.’

  Resentment burnt inside Audrey. Why did everybody think her relationship with Elliot would never go anywhere?

  Her resentment quickly changed to an honest pessimism. Why not? Elliot himself didn’t think so e
ither. And, even though they’d only been together for a week, there was no sign of that deepening of their relationship that Audrey had secretly hoped for, no deep and meaningful talks, no simple companionship.

  Elliot’s interest in her remained strictly physical. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her, driving her to work every morning at the last second, picking her up at lunchtime to bring her back home where they’d inevitably end up making love for the whole hour. Even her driving lessons had suffered, with frequent clinches distracting them. How she’d passed her driving test she didn’t know. But she’d sailed through without making a mistake.

  Their nights were just as hectic as the days, though at least Elliot tried to create the illusion of a real romance. He spent every afternoon preparing a candle-lit dinner which he served up to her with great panache, insisting they dress up for the occasion.

  Then afterwards...

  Audrey sighed. She was just as bad as he was in a way. For she was always more than willing, always terribly aroused by the time dinner was over and Elliot began slowly to undress her.

  But she hated every free hour of their lives being seemingly controlled by their insatiable desire for each other. She wanted more. The trouble was, Elliot didn’t. She knew it, and so did everyone else.

  ‘Does that sigh mean that everything’s not perfect in the Garden of Eden?’ her hostess probed carefully.

  Audrey’s smile was bleak. ‘I just wish Elliot would let me inside his mind occasionally. I never really know what he’s thinking.’

  ‘God, if only I had a dollar for every time Moira said something like that!’ She gave Audrey a sharp look. ‘Do you mind me talking about Moira? Please say so if you do.’

  ‘No, not really,’ came the surprisingly truthful admission. ‘She sounds as though she was a terrific person.’

  ‘She had her bad side. Like everyone. She could be very stubborn. And quite brutal with her opinions. But she had high expectations of people, regardless of their excuses for acting badly. All her friends tried to live up to those expectations because somehow you felt you were letting her down if you didn’t.’ Yvonne laughed. ‘She accused me of being an inveterate gossip. And I am! But I wasn’t around her, believe me!’