Rescued by the Brooding Tycoon

CHAPTER EIGHT

AS THEY walked out afterwards Amos fell into step beside Jackson, speaking in a low voice. ‘What do you know about her?’

‘Only that she’s delightful, and a very good influence on Darius.’

‘And just what does that mean?’

‘I’ve been watching them together.’ Jackson fell silent.

‘And?’ Amos demanded. ‘And?’

‘He was laughing.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘It’s true. Darius was laughing.’

‘I’ve seen that too,’ Marcel put in. ‘And you know what makes him laugh? She makes fun of him.’

‘She makes fun of him? And he likes it? Rubbish.’

‘They share jokes,’ Jackson agreed. ‘I’ve seen them and heard some of the things they say. Daft remarks tossed back and forth, things that wouldn’t make any sense to other people, but they understand each other, and they laugh together. I’ve never seen that in Darius before. She’s transformed him.’

Amos didn’t answer this, but he strode on ahead and waited for Darius to appear. He nodded briefly at Harriet and jerked his head for his son to follow him.

‘What is it, Father?’ Darius asked.

‘We need to talk.’

‘Right now? They’re just starting the reception.’

‘It won’t take long.’

He walked away without stopping until they’d both entered a little side room and closed the door. Then Amos turned on him.

‘I gather things are getting worse.’

Darius hesitated a moment before saying, ‘Financially, they’re not going well but in other ways-’

Amos brushed this disclaimer aside. ‘I was speaking financially.’

‘Of course,’ Darius murmured.

‘You can’t raise the loans you need, and when you put property up for sale it won’t raise the asking price.’

‘May I ask how you know these details?’ Darius said grimly.

‘You don’t imagine there are any secrets, do you?’

‘Not from you.’

‘You ought to be here in London, working things out. Instead, you waste time on that island that can hardly be worth-well, what is it worth?’

‘You mean in money terms?’ Darius asked in a strange voice.

‘Don’t play games with me. Of course I mean money. How much could you raise from it?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘But you’ve been living there for weeks; you must have investigated.’

‘In a sort of way,’ he said carefully. ‘But it’s too soon to form conclusions. I don’t want to rush things.’

‘I suppose that’s the influence of the young woman you brought with you. I hope you’re not taking her too seriously.’

‘As seriously as a man takes a woman who saved his life.’

‘Don’t make too much of that. It means nothing to her. It’s just her job.’

‘But it’s not,’ Darius said fiercely. ‘She isn’t employed by the Lifeboat Institution, she’s a volunteer. She has an ordinary job, but night and day she’s ready to drop everything for the people who need her, even if their cries for help come at awkward moments. She doesn’t think of herself, she thinks of them.’

‘All right, all right, spare me the speech,’ Amos said in a bored voice. ‘I get the point. Naturally, I expressed my gratitude and of course you’ve shown your own gratitude by bringing her here. I hope she enjoys herself. But let it end there. She’s no real use to you. She doesn’t have a penny and she won’t understand your way of life.’

‘And how do you know what she has and hasn’t?’ Darius demanded harshly. ‘Have you been having her watched, because if you’ve dared-’

‘No need to be melodramatic. I’ve merely made a few enquiries. She seems a decent sort, lives a quiet life.’

‘As you’d expect from a widow grieving for the husband she loved, and who loved her.’

Amos’s smile was coldly self-satisfied. ‘Ah, so you don’t know. I wondered.’

‘Know about what? What the hell are you talking about?’

‘Did she ever take you to see her husband’s grave?’

‘Of course not. Naturally, she prefers to keep it private.’

‘Have you known her visit that grave at all?’

‘How could I know?’

‘How could you indeed since she takes such care to hide the truth? But you’ll find the answer here.’ He thrust a sheet of paper in Darius’s hand. ‘Read it and find out just how cunningly she’s been keeping her secrets. Then see how much of a heroine she looks.’

Darius took the paper and read its contents. Then he grew very still, trying to control his mounting outrage.

His eyes were hard as he looked up at his father, then down again at the paper in his hand. ‘Los Angeles,’ he murmured.

‘Brad Connor died in a car crash in Los Angeles, and he’s buried out there,’ Amos said.

‘And you read something into that? He was in the tourist industry, so he probably travelled a lot.’

‘He wasn’t there to work; he was living with the woman he planned to marry as soon as his divorce came through.’

‘You can’t know that,’ Darius declared. But he knew as he spoke that Amos could find out anything he liked. It had always been one of the things that inspired admiration for his business abilities, but now Darius could feel only a horror that he’d never known before.

‘Of course I know,’ Amos snapped. ‘I know everything that’s been happening to you on that island.’

‘You’ve dared to plant spies?’

‘I’ve taken steps to assess the situation. That’s always been my way and you know it. You should be grateful. Do you think I’d stand back and see you run into danger without doing anything?’

‘I’m not in any danger.’

‘You’re in danger of becoming sentimental, and that’s one thing you can’t afford. I’d hoped by now you’d be seeing things more sensibly but, since you’re not, let me spell it out. This young woman has deceived you, presenting a picture of her life that’s far from the truth.’

‘She has not deceived me,’ Darius snapped. ‘She’s kept things to herself, but why shouldn’t she? Her personal tragedy is none of my business. If she can’t bear to talk about it, that’s up to her.’

His eyes were full of fury and for the first time it dawned on Amos that he’d miscalculated. His son was every bit as enraged as he’d wanted him to be, but his anger was directed not against Harriet, but against the man who sought to damage her. Amos decided that it was time to change tack. Reasoning might work better.

‘I understand that,’ he said, ‘but it doesn’t change the fact that she’s holding things back while pretending to be open. You don’t know her as well as you thought you did. What other secrets is she concealing?’

‘Whatever they are, she’ll confide in me in her own good time, if she wants to.’

‘Just stop and think what’s going on in her head. One husband let her down, so next time she’s going to make certain that she scores. She’s out to marry you with her eyes on the divorce settlement she’ll eventually claim.’

Darius gave a harsh laugh. ‘Out to marry me? You know nothing. She’s here as my companion, no more. I had to promise to stick to her rules or she wouldn’t have come.’

Amos groaned and abandoned reasoning as useless. ‘How can any son of mine be so naïve? That’s the oldest trick in the book.’

‘She doesn’t go in for tricks,’ Darius said. ‘She’s as honest as the day is long. You have no idea.’

‘You’ve really got it bad, haven’t you?’ Amos said in a voice that verged on contempt.

‘If you mean that I’m in love with her, you’re wrong. Harriet and I are friends. With her I’ve found a kind of friendship I didn’t know existed. I can talk to her without wondering if she’ll make use of the information. She gives far more than she takes, and that’s something I never thought to find in anyone. Try to understand. She’s a revelation. I didn’t know women like her existed, and I’m not going to do anything to spoil it.’

Amos regarded him with pity. ‘A revelation-unlike any other woman,’ he echoed. ‘Well, I’ll say this for her. She’s more skilled and astute than I gave her credit for. All right, maybe she’s not out to marry you. Perhaps she’s just stringing you along for the sake of her island friends. After all, you’re the power there. It would pay her to get on your right side.’

‘Stop it!’ Darius raged. ‘If you know what’s good for you, stop it now!’

‘Or what? Is my son threatening me? I really did underestimate her, didn’t I? All right, we’ll say no more. I tried to warn you but there’s no helping a fool.’

‘Maybe I am a fool,’ Darius said. ‘And maybe I’m happy to settle for that.’

‘That makes you an even bigger fool.’

‘If you dare make yourself unpleasant to Harriet-’

‘I’ve no intention of doing so. Now, it’s time we were getting back to the party.’

He strode out. As he walked through the door Darius saw him position a smile on his face, so that he appeared to the assembled company wearing the proper mask.

Suddenly Darius felt sick.

It was an effort to get his own mask in place and he knew he was less successful than his father, managing only an air of calm that covered the turmoil within. Harriet was sitting with her arm across the empty seat beside her, looking around worriedly. Someone spoke to her and she answered briefly before returning to her troubled search. It was as though the world had stopped in its tracks until she found what she was looking for.

Then she saw Darius and he drew in his breath at the transformation. Suddenly it was as though she was illuminated from inside, radiant, joyful.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, going to sit beside her. ‘I got waylaid. Forgive my bad manners.’

‘Is everything all right?’

‘Everything’s fine.’ He laid his hand over hers. ‘Nothing for you to worry about.’

A waiter poured champagne for them both.

‘Now, let’s forget everything else and enjoy ourselves,’ Darius said, raising his glass to clink hers.

Around the various tables, his family observed them. His brothers grinned. His stepsister smiled with relief. His children rubbed their hands. His father scowled.

It was time for the speeches. The best man spoke, the bride and groom talked eloquently. Various other guests proposed toasts. Darius was barely aware of it. He was conscious only of Harriet beside him, wondering if she was remembering the joy of her own wedding, and the marriage that had ended in tragedy. But he could detect nothing in her manner that gave him a clue. Her barriers were in place.

He’d meant it when he’d told his father that he didn’t feel deceived that she had kept her secrets. It was yet more proof of their special friendship that he made no claims on her, demanded no rights.

But he knew a faint sadness that she hadn’t felt able to confide in him.

Your fault, he told himself. If you’d shut up talking about yourself for five minutes she might get a word in edgeways.

That eased his mind briefly, but he could remember a couple of times when the talk had strayed to her husband and she’d diverted it to something else. The truth was she didn’t want to open up to him. That was her right. He’d said so and he believed it. But it hurt.

Nor could he entirely escape the suspicion that if she hadn’t warned him off he would have sought more than friendship. She was beautiful, not conventionally, like other women, but with a mysterious enchantment that came from within and that beckoned him on.

He’d made promises about keeping his distance but, with a woman like this, how could a real man keep such insane promises?

Now waiters were clearing away for the dancing. The bridal couple took the floor and were soon joined by the rest of the crowd.

‘This time I’m seizing you first,’ Darius said firmly. ‘Before I get trampled in the rush.’

‘Nonsense,’ she said tenderly.

‘It isn’t nonsense. Of course it’s nice when the lady on your arm turns out to be the belle of the ball, but it has its troublesome moments too. I don’t like sharing.’

‘Neither do I, but we both have to do our social duty.’

‘Ah, I see. You’ve gone into teasing mode.’

‘Why not? I enjoy new experiences and, after all, you brought me here to help stage a performance. Think of me as a piece of stage scenery. Under this dress I’m just wood and plaster. Hey, what are you doing?’

‘Just checking the stage scenery,’ he said, letting his hand drift around her waist until it sank immodestly over her hips. ‘It doesn’t feel like any wood and plaster I’ve ever known.’

It was shocking and she knew she should tell him to move his hand from where it lay over the smooth grey silk, softly caressing the movements against his fingers. But a little pulse was beating in her throat and she couldn’t get the words out. And probably nobody could see it in the crowd, she reassured herself.

She was suffused by a warmth and sweetness so intense that it made her dizzy. She wanted to dance like this for ever, his arms around her, his body close to hers, and never have to think of anything else again.

The music was slowing, couples were pulling apart. Marcel presented himself expectantly.

‘Go to blazes,’ Darius told him pleasantly.

‘Certainly,’ Marcel said, and vanished.

Harriet was barely aware of Marcel, or any of their surroundings. Lost in a dream, she let herself drift into a new world, refusing to heed the warnings of danger, although she knew that danger would intrude in the end. But let it, she thought. First she would have her moment, and cherish its memory to see her through the dark times.

With a sigh, she felt his movements slow as this dance too came to an end, and she knew that he would not claim her again. The moment had come and gone until, perhaps, another time.

Harriet wondered if it could possibly have been the same for him, but when she looked into his face she saw that it was troubled.

‘What’s on your mind?’ she asked. ‘Something’s worrying you. I know it. Tell me.’

For a moment he hesitated on the verge of telling her about his father and what he’d learned, but then he backed off, unable to risk hurting her.

‘Can’t you tell your friend what’s wrong?’ she asked gently.

Once, younger and more careless, he’d joked that at all costs a man should avoid a woman who understood him too well. How often had he avoided Mary’s piercing mental gaze! Yet with this woman he only felt a renewed sense of comfort, as though her hand had once again stretched out to offer safety.

‘No,’ he said softly. ‘Nothing is wrong.’ And at that moment he meant it.

It was just like his brothers to barge in, he thought, finally yielding to Marcel. But there was always later. Patience would bring him everything.

After that they both concentrated on their social duty. Harriet was never short of partners, until finally she glanced up to find Amos approaching, the very picture of geniality.

‘I’ve been hoping to dance with you but there were so many men ahead of me.’ He held out his hand. ‘Please say I’m not too late.’

‘Of course not,’ she said, smiling and taking his hand.

Heads turned as he led her onto the floor, the crowd parted for them, and there was a smattering of applause as he drew her into the dance. Darius, passing the time with Freya, turned his head casually, then grew tense.

‘What the devil-?’ he breathed.

‘He seems quite charmed with Harriet,’ Freya said. ‘Look at the way he’s smiling, practically welcoming her into the family.’ She gave Darius an amused look. ‘I should be grateful to her, really. It helps take the pressure off me, brother, dear.’

‘Look at them,’ he said distractedly. ‘Why is he laughing like that?’

‘She’s laughing too,’ Freya pointed out. ‘Obviously they’re getting on well. He can be so grim, it’s nice to see him putting himself out to be nice to her.’

But for Darius, who knew what really lay behind Amos’s ‘charm’, every moment was torment. He was trying to lure Harriet into a trap, hoping she would say something he could use against her. Darius had often seen him wear a pleasant mask as long as it could be useful, and had thought little of it.

But this was different. This was Harriet-great-hearted, innocent, vulnerable-and he was filled with desire to protect her at all costs.

‘Dance with me,’ he said, taking Freya’s hand.

She was too astute to mistake his motive, especially when she realised how determinedly he steered her in the direction of the other couple.

‘Is this near enough for you?’ she asked.

‘Only just. Can you hear what he’s saying?’

‘Something about a shop on Herringdean-an antique shop-since when was he interested in antiques?’

‘Since he found out she owned one,’ Darius growled.

‘Now he’s talking money-how much is the shop worth?’

‘Damn him!’

‘Don’t act surprised. That’s always his first thought. Hey, he’s watching us. Let’s teach him a lesson.’

‘How?’

‘Look deep into my eyes, then he’ll think what a good son you’re being. You never know, he might solve all your problems with one cheque.’

‘Yes, but he’d post-date it so that I’d have to marry you first.’

‘Never fear. I’ll avoid that catastrophe with my last breath.’

‘So will I,’ he assured her cheerfully.

They finished the dance with no hard feelings on either side.

When Amos had bid her farewell and departed, Harriet went to quench her thirst with an orange juice. Standing beside a large potted plant, she was only vaguely aware of movement from the other side until she heard Mary’s voice say, ‘Wherever did you find that marvellous girl?’

And Darius’s eager reply. ‘Harriet is marvellous, isn’t she? I’m glad you like her.’

‘Are you surprised? Did you think I’d be jealous? On the contrary, she’s doing me a great favour. If you’ve got her, I don’t have to feel guilty about leaving you. And the children like her, so I can send them to stay with you with an easy mind.’

‘Do you really mean that?’ Darius demanded urgently.

‘I know you thought I was trying to separate you from them, but I wasn’t. It’s just that you hurt them so often with your stupidity.’

‘There was a lot I didn’t understand, but now-’

‘But now things are beginning to change, and they’ll go on changing as long as you stick with her. She’s good for you, Darius. You’ve become almost human.’

‘I never thought to hear you say that, Mary.’

‘I never thought to be able to say it. That’s why Mark and Frankie will be going to my mother while Ken and I are on honeymoon. They’d much rather have come to you in Herringdean, but I honestly didn’t think you’d cope on your own. Now it’s different.’

‘Too late to send them to me?’

‘My mother is so looking forward to having them. I can’t disappoint her now. But there’s plenty of time in the future. Keep up the good work. The kids are really happy about Harriet.’

‘I know, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.’

‘Well, make sure you keep her for good. You’re a clever man and, believe me, that’s the clever thing to do.’

They moved away, leaving Harriet deep in thought.

The evening was drawing to a close. Bride and groom withdrew and reappeared in outdoor clothes. Cars were at the door. Mark and Frankie said their farewells to Darius and Harriet before being scooped up by their grandmother and swept off to her home on the other side of London.

‘Are you tired?’ Darius asked Harriet, who was yawning.

‘Mmm, a bit sleepy. You did say we’re going early tomorrow, didn’t you?’

‘That’s right. Time for bed.’

On the way up in the elevator he slipped his arm around her. ‘Did you enjoy it?’

‘Oh, yes, it was lovely. Everyone was so nice to me, especially your father.’

‘Yes, I saw the two of you dancing.’

‘I couldn’t believe it when he asked me, but he was terribly gallant and charming.’

‘You should beware my father’s charm,’ Darius said wryly.

‘Oh, I know he was just being polite but…I don’t know…he was nice. He asked me about my antique shop, said he understood antiques were very profitable these days. I had to admit that it’s as much of a souvenir shop for tourists as an antique shop. He laughed and said that was life and nothing was really the way it seemed, was it? Hey, careful. Don’t squash me.’

‘Sorry,’ he said, relaxing the arm that he’d tightened sharply about her. Listening to her innocent pleasure when he knew how misguided it was brought a return of the rage that had attacked him earlier. But now it was a million times more intense, nearly blinding him with the desire to lash out against her enemy.

From the start he’d known of her strength, her defiance, her ability to cope, essential in a lifesaver. Suddenly he was discovering her other side, the one that could be slightly naïve, that believed the best of people, the side she hid behind cheerful masks.

But the face she turned up to him now wore no mask. It was defenceless, the mouth soft, the eyes wide and trusting. He knew it would be a sin to betray that trust by kissing her, no matter how much he longed to. So he contented himself with brushing her cheek with his fingertips, and felt her relax against him.

What he might have done next he never knew, for the elevator reached their floor, the doors opened and the world rushed in on them again.

Now she was smiling brightly in a way that set him once more at a distance.

‘Sleep tight,’ he told her at her door. ‘We have to be up with the dawn.’

‘I’ll be there,’ she promised. ‘Goodnight.’

He thought she would give him a final look so that the sweet connection they had established might live again. But he was facing a closed door.

Inside her room, Harriet stood in darkness, listening as his footsteps moved away to his own door.

Her heart was heavy. Midnight had struck and Cinders had been forced to leave, not running away and leaving a shoe, but escorted by the Prince who’d been tempted only briefly before his common sense had rescued him.

It’s over. All over. Finished. Done with. Get undressed, go to bed, and stop indulging in fantasies. Didn’t you learn anything from last time?

Switching on the bedside lamp, she stripped off her beautiful attire with ruthless fingers and replaced it with plain cotton pyjamas. Her packing was done at top speed, and then she was ready for bed. Defiantly, she got under the duvet and switched out the light.

There was a knock at the door.

‘Who is it?’ she asked without opening.

‘It’s me.’