Egyptian Honeymoon (22 page)

Steve laughed. 'Has that been rankling all this while? Of course I didn't, I'd no idea she was in Egypt. I said that because I was frustrated and disappointed. Actually I walked about all night.' He drew away from her and went on earnestly: 'Noelle, this is the truth. I did have an affair with Marcia a long time ago, but since I met you there's been no other woman. I played up to her on the
Serapis
in the hope of . making you jealous, but I never slept with her, though you thought I did, didn't you?' Noelle flushed and turned away her head. 'I don't blame you, it was those deceptive appearances again. I wanted you from our first meeting, but you were involved with Hugh Forbes. When he died, I was determined to marry you myself. You consented eventually, though I knew you agreed more for your family's sake than from inclination. In my arrogance I thought I could soon displace Hugh's memory and win your love. To be frank, no other woman I'd desired had ever resisted me.'

'Bad lad,' Noelle murmured softly, and stroked his face.

'I've never pretended to be a saint, but you continued to hold aloof. It maddened me. When it seemed you preferred ben Ahmed, I could have killed you both. I did nearly kill you.' He sighed ruefully. 'Because of that, when we came back here, I thought I'd alienated you entirely. So I kept out of your way. I nearly broke my resolution once, that night I gave you the necklace—you seemed to be melting, and then that damned woman rang up.'

'Your… your secretary?'

'Yes. Poor girl, she was only doing her duty.'

Noelle was glad he did not know what she had surmised about that. She asked anxiously:

'But what made you decide we should part?'

'Simon. I could see you weren't happy. Then when I saw you with your brother, I realised what I was doing to you, I was destroying your youth, but it was not too late for it to revive in a different environment, away from me. The only amends I could make was to set you free. I'd come to care much more for your happiness than for myself.'

'That,' said Noelle with shining eyes, 'is true love.'

'Is it? You must teach me about this love business, Noelle, you know more about it than I do.'

'You don't need any tuition.' For he had passed the test, that of putting the beloved's welfare before his own.

Pickles, one ear up, one ear down, brought the mangled knitting to lay at their feet to attract their attention.

Steve picked it up and laughed.

'Hardly worthy of our offspring, is it?'

'I… I didn't know how to tell you.'

He looked at her reproachfully.

'My love, are you still afraid of me?'

She shook her head. 'Never any more.'

Steve rose to his feet, holding out his hand. 'Come, let's go and look at those nurseries. They'll have to be redecorated. As for you, you rascal,' he looked down at Pickles, 'you're not on in this act—go basket!'

Pickles knew who was master in that house and turned to obey, tail between legs, but Noelle cried:

'Oh, let him come too, he's one of the family and I want him to be friends with the baby.'

Steve made no further demur, and hand in hand they went out of the room and up the broad staircase, with the little dog pattering at their heels.