Betrayal (46 page)

She lowered her eyes to hide her hatred. 'I won't let you down.' 'I thought not! How's Bishop's shoulder?'

'Ask Louise. She's been playing nurse to him.'

'In that case he's probably better. I don't imagine he enjoyed being the object of her tender ministrations!'

'When are they getting married?' asked Lisa, knowing that would cloud his infuriatingly jovial mood.

'Monday morning. We'll have to be there of course, plus Rebekah and Ruth. No one else.'

'Not even Mike and Steve?'

'Especially not those two. I don't want them chasing after Ruth.' 'I'd have thought it made sense to keep it all in the family!'

He gave her a hard look. 'Careful!'

'I'm going to speak to Cook,' she said hastily. 'I only hope you've given her enough notice.'

He hadn't, but once again it was Lisa who had to suffer the ill-humored looks and petulant complaints. She didn't have enough emotional strength left to put the staff in their place any more; instead, she let their words wash over her until they fell silent in the face of her disinterest.

That evening, Neal insisted on a family game of snooker in the games room of the annexe. Lisa, who'd played on Simon's table, was quite useful but Louise was hopeless and Bishop's contempt finally reduced her to tears.

'You're like a bloody leaking tap!' he muttered as she sniffled into her handkerchief.

'So much for your weak and feeble little woman,' murmured Lisa to Neal.

'Louise overplays the role,' he said quietly. 'It needs to be done with discretion.'

'She could cry tears of blood and Bishop wouldn't care.' 'Possibly! Well, we won; obviously a good team!'

'Only if you intend making your living on the snooker circuit,' commented Bishop, annoyed by Lisa's apparent return to favour.

'It's because we understand each other,' said Neal calmly. For once Bishop didn't have an answer. He waited until he and Louise were alone and then smashed his cue down on the floor. 'Isn't he ever going to get rid of her?' he shouted, eyes dark with hatred.

Louise, still sobbing softly, shook her head. 'I don't think so. She must be good at something.'

'It's a pity I can't say the same for you,' retorted her husband-to-be, and when she began crying even louder, laughed unpleasantly.

Only when the first guests were arriving did Neal tell Lisa that Renato Bellini had been invited. Already dressed in a claret-coloured off-the-shoulder satin dress and wearing dark-red ruby earrings with a matching pendant, she hoped she didn't look too pale.

Despite careful makeup the signs of strain had been obvious to her when she'd looked in the mirror earlier and she didn't want the Italian to see them. Any sympathy from him would be her undoing in her present emotional state, and she resolved to stay as far away from him as possible.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

When they sat down to dinner she found that he'd been seated on her right. His greeting was markedly cooler than usual and despite her resolve she found herself admiring his blue ruffled evening shirt which accentuated his dark complexion and emphasized his size.

At first he talked to Louise, who was on his right and looking very pretty in a pale blue, empire-line dress. With her fair hair hanging in ringlets to her shoulders she looked young and innocent, a most inappropriate bride for the sharp-faced Bishop who sat further down the table, studiously ignoring the middle-aged women on either side of him.

Lisa felt exhausted. She made small talk with the man on her left and picked at each of the courses placed before her. Nothing about the evening felt real. It was as though she were outside herself , watching her own performance as a hostess. She was amazed that no one seemed to realise there was anything wrong. Only when the rich chocolate mousse was placed before him did Renato turn to her, but there was still no warmth in his eyes although his mouth smiled. 'Tell me, how is your daughter?'

Lisa remembered how Jessica had looked that very evening, rocking from one foot to the other and humming loudly, refusing to enter the everyday world for even a moment. 'Not very good, I'm afraid.'

'The treatment is not working?'

She pushed the mousse away. It was too rich and her stomach was already queasy. 'It did for a while. She's had… setbacks.'

'You must not take it so much to heart. You look most unwell.' 'Thank you very much! Are all Italians so tactful? '

'Come now, you know it is true. You are still beautiful but not perhaps happy?

Glancing nervously down the table she was relieved to see Neal engrossed in conversation with a red-haired woman. 'Not right now,' she admitted quietly.

He looked carefully at her. 'I too am not happy right now. My family has lost a great deal of money due to a robbery. Since it is the second such robbery, our insurance company is also unhappy and there will be much paperwork and investigation before anything is done. It is most annoying.'

She felt the colour flooding her face and neck and tried to think of other things, to fix her mind on Jessica or Alexi, but all she could recall was her husband's part in the robbery and his casual dismissal of its effect on the Bellini family.

Renato watched her and realised with amazement that she knew something. Probably not everything, possibly nothing that he himself didn't know, but he was aware that any knowledge put her in a dangerous position. He flicked his eyes towards Neal and then turned back to Lisa. 'You heard about it?' The question was casual.

She'd never felt so hot before. The whole room was like a furnace and her skin was burning as she tried to think how she'd answer if she really were innocent of her husband's involvement. 'I saw it on the news.'

'It was an unnecessarily violent crime,' he continued, hating himself for what he was doing but compelled to press on because it was his duty to his family. 'Both the men who were guarding the bullion will be crippled for life. One is blind, the other may never walk again.'

'I suppose they'll get pensions,' she said feebly.

'I forget, but yes they will get pensions. How fortunate! No doubt they are in fact happy men and I am foolish to worry about them,' he retorted through clenched teeth.

'There's no need to be sarcastic!'

'You know something of this, do you not?' 'I've already told you I saw it…'

'You realise,' he continued remorselessly, 'that your knowledge is dangerous. If you confide in me, I will help you.'

She looked down at Neal and saw that he was watching them both. Raising her chin she turned defiantly to Bellini. 'I don't think I need any help, and even if I did I wouldn't put my trust in you. I wouldn't put my trust in any man ever again.'

'Because you have married one who cheats and lies his way through life? Not all of us are the same.'

'Perhaps not, but my judgement appears at the very least to be unreliable. Besides, this is a stupid conversation. I don't know any more than the rest of the population about the robbery.'

'I think you do,' he said, smiling as though they were making small talk.

'Think what you like.'

'I would like to meet with you in London,' he murmured. 'We could talk further there.'

'I've nothing to say to you.'

Neal coughed slightly and she glanced at him. 'I was wondering how Jessica was tonight?' he asked gently. She realised that everyone at the table thought what a wonderful stepfather he was, showing such concern for a handicapped child. Only Lisa and Renato recognised the warning.

'I have to protect my daughter,' she murmured, and the Italian saw tears in her eyes as with a shaking hand she lifted her wine glass to her lips. 'I think it's time we ladies left you to your brandy,' she continued aloud, and rose swiftly to her feet. The gentlemen also stood and as she walked past Bellini, he murmured, 'If you want to see me, ask Mike. He will arrange it.'

By a supreme effort of will she managed not to falter and even Neal, who was watching her closely, didn't realise that the Italian had spoken. Instead he congratulated himself on his swift breakup of a potentially dangerous conversation.

Satisfied that his wife was thoroughly cowed he didn't visit their bed that night. Instead he took the red-haired woman to a room in the annexe and Bishop, who had been waiting for just such an occurrence, felt extremely happy.

Unaware of his betrayal, Lisa was relieved to find Neal in a good mood the next day. He congratulated her on the smooth running of the dinner party then suggested that she bought herself a new outfit for Louise's wedding. 'A loose-fitting coat and dress would be nice,' he commented as he went to instruct Mike to take her to London.

'Why loose fitting? '

'Because it's time Alexi had a brother.'

She didn't argue but once she was safely on her way, opened the glass and after a few minutes general chatting plucked up the courage to ask Mike the all-important question, aware that if Renato were wrong she could be signing Jessica's death warrant.

'Mike, I want to meet with Renato Bellini.'

He glanced in the mirror and saw how pale she was. 'How soon?' 'As soon as possible, I suppose.'

'I'll see what I can arrange while you're looking round the shops. It would help if you chose something that needed altering. Then we could come back for another fitting in about a week's time.'

'That shouldn't be difficult.'

'One thing,' he added as he dropped her off outside Zandra Rhodes. 'Your husband's asked me to keep an eye on you.'

'You mean protection?'

Not any more. I've had a change of job description! You're now under surveillance.'

Lisa stared at him. 'You won't… ?'

'Of course not, but knowing your husband there'll be another tail too. We'll have to be very careful.'

She looked into his open, cheerful face and shuddered at the thought of what would happen to him if Neal discovered his betrayal. 'Why are you doing this for me?' she asked softly.

'Let's just say I think you deserve a better life.'

She didn't want that to be the reason. Two people had already died because of her, she couldn't take the responsibility for another. 'Surely Bellini's paying you, Mike?'

'Yeah, he's paying me.'

'Enough to make the risk worthwhile?'

He knew what was worrying her and sensed that a lie was necessary if she was ever to get free. 'Sure, enough to let me live out my days in the sun if I want!'

'I'm still grateful.'

'No need, it's only a job!'

She had a horrible feeling that he was lying but pretended to believe all he'd said and hurried into the shop. Mike glanced round him, saw the silver Renault parked across the road and knew that was the car he had to shake off. It wasn't difficult, and within twenty minutes he and Bellini were deep in conversation.

The staff at Zandra Rhodes had never before found the second Mrs Gueras anything but good humored. Today was different; today nothing suited her as she niggled over hemlines or complained about the cut. Eventually she bought a bright orange and green silk dress with beading, the skirt slashed to the thigh on one side, and also requested that a lightweight coat-dress with enormous scarlet pockets on a black and grey background be lengthened, even though it was obvious this would alter the entire balance of the garment.

'I'll call back in a week,' said Lisa, horribly uncomfortable with her behaviour and hoping that Mike had managed to set up a meeting for the right day. When he collected her and put her dress in the boot, he murmured, 'All set for next week. He'll meet you at Brown's at three. You'll go straight to his suite.' Lisa almost sagged with relief. 'Get in the car,' he added quickly. That silver Renault's been chasing me all the morning. It might look better if you told me I was late or something.'

Feeling ridiculous, Lisa made a small scene, complaining bitterly about the time Mike had taken doing her few errands. He looked suitably apologetic and they both got into the car. Then, totally exhausted by it all, she fell asleep. Mike, catching sight of her still frighteningly young and innocent face resting on the leather upholstery, prayed that for once in his life he was doing the right thing.

Lisa though it highly appropriate that Louise's wedding day was cold, wet and windy, more like March than July, and the heavy skies were reflected in the brooding features of the groom whose 'I do' sounded more as if he were reluctantly undertaking to die for his country than gaining a young, attractive and wealthy bride.

Even some of Louise's radiance dimmed in the presence of such obvious disinterest and when she left for their three day honeymoon, the longest time Bishop claimed he could spare, she clung briefly to her stepmother, her eyes perturbed.

'It will be all right,' Lisa murmured. 'You know how he hates formal occasions.'

'Yes, yes he does, doesn't he!' Louise's gratitude at the excuse for her husband's behaviour saddened Lisa intensely.

'Rather her than me!' exclaimed Ruth, still wearing the powder pink cotton dress despite the fact that it was intended for a warm summer's day.

'He never wanted you!' retorted Neal irritably. The entire day was abhorrent to him and only Louise's pregnancy had forced his permission, a fact he resented despite having used the same ploy to gain Lisa. 'Of course he didn't. He knew I'd be too much trouble. Lou's a born doormat.'

'I never noticed her bowing to authority when she lived here.' 'That's different, Daddy. She's so anxious to keep that revolting Bishop happy she lets him trample all over her. She'd be the same with any man she wanted to marry. It's probably because you never gave her any attention!' With that parting shot she went off to change.

'I imagine you wish your dress-coat had been fitted,' commented Neal as Lisa shivered in her bright but sleeveless silk dress.

'I'm still going to buy it. I'm due to have the final fitting next Wednesday,' she added casually. 'You did say I'd be needing loose clothes.'

He smiled approvingly. 'Of course! Don't forget to tell Mike you'll need him.'

'I won't. Why don't we all go out to dinner tonight? It would make a change for Rebekah and… '

'I'm returning to London.' 'Can't you wait until morning?'

'No.'

'Then I'll take the children out.' 'Jessica as well?'

'Why do you always have to bring her into things? Of course I can 't take her out, but Ruth and Rebekah will enjoy themselves.'

'I bring her into the conversation to remind you of your obligations,' he said pleasantly. 'One of which is to provide Alexi with a brother.'

'Even I can't manage that long-distance.'

'I thought we could go upstairs for an hour now.'

Inwardly feeling like a brood mare, Lisa shrugged. 'It crossed my mind that you might be saving yourself for someone else!'

'Even if you're correct, I'm quite capable of taking care of two women,' he assured her, his eyes now cold. Slowly she followed him to the bedroom.

After he'd finished and left, Lisa lay wondering if she'd been right about his having another woman. He no longer spent much time with her, and she didn't think their relationship could be satisfying his deeper needs. Idly she wondered about the type of woman he'd take as a mistress. It didn't occur to her that he might have found one special woman, and the thought of an assortment of casual one-night stands wasn't unduly distressing. He was intelligent enough to protect himself against any undesirable consequences.

She thoroughly enjoyed her evening out with the girls, pleasantly surprised to discover that Ruth had a very quick wit and was an excellent mimic. 'When did you learn all these impersonations?' she asked in fascination.

'Mummy and I used to do them together watching television. Even towards the end, when the drinking got really bad, she did have good days and we'd have a few laughs together .'

'She never laughed with me!' objected Rebekah.

'That wasn't your fault. Daddy was in such a fury after you were born that I think he stopped all Mother's natural feelings towards you. She got terribly depressed around that time.'