His Convenient Marriage (20 page)

'Is that all you can say?' His voice sank to a whisper. 'You could be my salvation, Chess.'

She was disturbed by the note in his voice, the way he was holding her. She was also aware that people were be¬ginning to send them curious glances.

She said quietly and coldly, 'That's enough. Let go of me now, Alastair.' She pulled herself from his slackened grasp, and walked away.

She'd no idea where Miles had gone, but he was cer¬tainly not in the marquee, nor could she spot him in any of the groups standing on the moonlit lawn.

She went into the house, and stood looking round her irresolutely. He couldn't simply have vanished. Sir Robert, she thought, with sudden inspiration. That's where Miles might be.

But when she reached the West Wing, Nurse Taylor told her regretfully that she'd missed him. 'Mrs. Cummings came for him, Miss Lloyd. He was wanted on the tele¬phone, apparently. And I'm about to settle Sir Robert for the night now.'

`I see,' said Chessie, who saw nothing. Why on earth should anyone call Miles here? she asked herself in total bewilderment as she trailed back down the corridor. Who would even know where he was this evening?

Back in the main part of the house, the supper was being laid out in the dining room by members of the local Women's Institute, under the supervision of a harassed Mrs. Curnmings. When she spotted Chessie, she came darting over. 'Oh, Miss Lloyd, Mr. Hunter asked me to tell you he's sorry, but he's been called away, and he'll be back later to take you home.'

'Called away?' Chessie echoed. 'By whom?'

`I couldn't say, miss.' The housekeeper shook her head. 'There was a young lady on the telephone for him, sound¬ing agitated. And then he gave me the message for you, and went off.' She looked round. 'No, no, Mrs. Hancock, dear, the desserts on the long table, please.'

Chessie, realising she was underfoot, retreated back into the hall. She could hear the distant noise of the party, and knew that she hadn't the slightest wish to rejoin it. She had no idea what kind of emergency could have made Miles rush off like that, but the fact that the summons had come from a girl fuelled all sorts of disturbing ideas.

Well, she didn't want to hang round here, waiting and wondering, she told herself flatly. She'd fetch her wrap, and go home, even if it meant burdening Mrs. Curnmings with another message.

One of the guest bedrooms was being used as a ladies' cloakroom. Chessie retrieved her shawl from the pile on the bed, and went out into the corridor, heading for the stairs.

'Have you gone stark, raving mad?' It was Alastair's voice, low-pitched and furious, and so close at hand that Chessie jumped involuntarily, wondering momentarily if he were talking to her.

'Why have you got me here?'

Then she heard a familiar laugh, and froze. 'Why, dar¬ling,' Linnet purred.

"There was a time, not so long ago, when you couldn't wait to be alone with me.'

'Oh, for God's sake. That's all over. It's got to be. My father's getting better, can't you understand that? That damned consultant says he'll be perfectly capable of con¬trolling his own affairs again, and you know what that means—divorce for you, and disinheritance for me. His lawyer's coming down next week.'

Chessie knew that she was eavesdropping, and common decency demanded that she should walk on immediately, and try to forget what she'd heard. But her feet seemed weighted down, trapping her outside Linnet's bedroom, and its half-closed door.

'But that's what we've always wanted—to be together.' There was a note in Linnet's voice that Chessie had never heard before. Fear.

'Oh, get real,' Alastair said roughly. 'We have been to¬gether—here—London—Spain. Things could have gone on exactly as they were, if you'd been discreet. He was just suspicious when he sent me off to America. But he didn't have proof, and now he does, thanks to your stupidity. You told me you always burned my letters.'

`I did—I thought I had.'

'Really?' Alastair sneered. 'Are you quite sure of that? Or did you make a unilateral decision to force the confron¬tation you've been pestering me about for long enough? You got your way, baby, and he's finished with the pair of us. We're out'

'And if it was intentional, do you blame me?' Linnet hissed.

'I'm sick of pretending—of you telling me it's not the right time.'

'So you let him find out,' he said slowly. 'And it was nearly the death of him.' His voice rose. 'My God, do you realise what you did?'

'How was I supposed to know?' She sounded almost hysterical. 'He'd always been as strong as a horse. I'll never forget his face—how he keeled over...'

'Well, you're going to have plenty of time to remember it,' he said. 'But not with me. We're through, Linnet.'

'You don't mean it.' Her voice cracked.

'Yes,' he said. 'I do. I have other plans for my future. And with you out of the picture, I may even be able to talk Dad round at some point.' He paused. 'Especially if I'm married to someone he approves of,' he added significantly.

She said venomously, 'I suppose that was why you were wrapped round that little Lloyd bitch earlier. Although you didn't seem to be getting very far.'

'I'll talk her round,' he said confidently. 'When she real¬ises Hunter is simply stringing her along, she'll be glad to turn to me again. And now we have a houseful of guests who'll be wondering where we are.'

Any minute now, Chessie thought wildly, one or the other of them was going to come out of Linnet's bedroom and catch her there. She couldn't make it to the stairs in time, so she turned, diving back into the room she'd just left.

She sank down on the edge of the bed, and stayed there, shaking from head to foot, trying to come to terms with what she'd just heard. Linnet and Alastair—secret lovers— even during that summer when she'd thought he'd belonged to her. And ever since.

She felt, shuddering, as if she'd been touched by slime. Was that all there was in the world—infidelity and be¬trayal? And Sir Robert too—what he must have suffered.

Oh, why wasn't Miles here, when she needed him so badly?

She froze as she realised what she was saying. Because Miles was just as bad. He didn't want her. He was using her to divert attention from his own affair. What had Alastair said—that he was just stringing her along? Had she been the last to realise this?

She got up slowly, stiffly. Outside everything was quiet, Linnet's door closed. The coast, it seemed, was clear, and she went down the stairs and out into the night like a fu¬gitive seeking sanctuary.

The house was in total darkness when she got back, so Miles was evidently still occupied somewhere with his mystery caller. But he couldn't have gone to London, she argued as she let herself into the flat. Not if he'd said he'd return to the party for her.

I can't think any more, she told herself wearily. I'd go to bed, if I thought for one minute I'd sleep.

But sleep seemed beyond her. There was no rest for her reeling mind, so, instead, she trailed into the kitchen and switched on the kettle. She wasn't thirsty, but it was some¬thing to do. Something to fill the time.

Her coffee made, she took it into the sitting room and, curling up on the sofa, tried to watch some late-night tele¬vision. But the horror film on offer failed to distract her, apart from making her wish that the sinister vampire at its centre would bite the entire cast.

Eventually, in spite of everything, she fell into a light doze.

She was awoken suddenly an hour later by the sound of the flat door opening, and voices. Sitting up, and pushing the hair back from her face, she was astonished to see Jenny walk in with Miles close behind her.

She said, 'Jen—you're back.' Then, seeing her sister's white face, and tear-filled eyes,

'What's happened?'

As she got to her feet Jenny ran forward, flinging herself at her. 'Oh, Chessie.' Her voice broke, and she began cry¬ing. 'I've been under arrest.'

'Arrest?' Chessie repeated with stupefaction. She looked at Miles who was waiting in the doorway, his face grave. 'Is it true?'

'No,' he said instantly.

'Although she has been at Hurstleigh police station, answering questions. But I swear to you, she's in the clear. No charges are going to be brought.' He hesitated. 'At least not against her.'

Chessie coaxed Jenny to sit down. She took her hands, clasping them firmly. She said, 'Darling, has this got some¬thing to do with this man you've been seeing?'

There was a pause, then Jenny nodded in reluctant assent, before hurrying into speech, 'Chess, I swear I didn't know what he was doing—not until tonight. Linda and I went out to meet him at the Millennium club. He had these tablets with him—and he wanted us to take them. Linda said she would, but I stopped her, and Zak and I had this terrible row. He was cursing me, calling me names—dreadful things. In the end, I walked out. I meant to go home with Linda, but I went back to the club instead.' Her face was pinched. 'I wanted to see him—reason with him. Only the police were there, and they were taking him away in hand¬cuffs.' She choked. 'Because he'd sold one of those tablets to a girl, and she'd collapsed and been taken to hospital.

'And someone told them that I was his girlfriend—that I'd been with him earlier in the evening, so they said they wanted to talk to me too. And they took me to the police station, and I didn't know what to do, so I phoned the Court and asked for Miles. And he came and stayed with me while I answered their questions, and then they let me go,' she added with a little wail.

'Oh, God.' Chessie was appalled. 'And you really had no idea what he was doing?'

Jenny pulled away. 'Of course not. What do you take me for? I'd never—never...'

'But the poor girl in hospital—what's happened to her?'

'She's in intensive care,' Miles said quietly. 'But ex¬pected to make a full recovery.'

Jenny was sobbing again, and Chessie stroked her hair, whispering soothingly.

Miles said gently, `I think a warm drink and bed might be advisable.'

Chessie looked up at him. 'I don't like to leave her...'

He said, 'I'm here, Francesca. She'll be all right.'

She relinquished Jenny to him, and went into the kitchen, pouring milk into a pan and finding the tin of chocolate to mix with it. When she returned, Jenny had calmed a little, and was sitting with Miles' handkerchief clutched in her hand.

She gave her sister a watery smile as she accepted the beaker of hot chocolate. 'Chessie—I'm so sorry—about ev¬erything,' she added, stealing a contrite look at Miles.

'It's all right, darling,' Chessie said quietly. 'Love makes fools of us all.'

Jenny was silent for a moment. `I may not have done very well in my exams. What am I going to do?'

'We'll worry about that when the time comes.' Chessie tried to sound upbeat, but it wasn't easy. She had taken it for granted that Jenny's future was settled, and she only had herself to worry about.

Her sister finished her chocolate, and said wanly that perhaps she would like to go to bed.

Chessie went with her to her room. 'Is there anything I can do?'

'No.' Jenny was staring around her as if she were in a foreign country. `I—I'll be fine. Goodnight, Chess.'

She's hurting so much, Chessie thought soberly as she returned to the sitting room. And I can't make it better.

Miles was occupying the corner of the sofa, long legs stretched out in front of him. He'd discarded his jacket and tie, and unfastened the top of his dress shirt. He turned to look at her as she entered. 'Well?'

'Not good.' Chessie shook her head. There was space beside him, but she chose the small armchair at the fireside instead. In spite of her concern about Jenny, she was aware of a small fierce tingle through her nerve-endings at the sight of him, and knew it had to be resisted.

'Well, don't worry too much,' he said quietly. 'She's had a very bad shock, and it's made her question her own judgment.' He smiled faintly. 'She'll bounce back.'

'But if she really cared about him...'

Miles shook his head. 'I think she'd already begun to have second thoughts. She may not have known exactly what he was up to, but she knew there was something wrong, and it frightened her.'

'Will she have to give evidence against him?'

'Possibly, although they seem to have enough to convict him several times over. Apparently he made a habit of tar¬geting girls like Jenny, so that he could meet their Men and open up new markets.'

Chessie shivered. 'That's—horrible.' She was quiet for a moment, then she said, 'Tell me something—why did she send for you tonight, and not me?'

'Because I told her she could—that day I gave her a lift from school.' His tone was matter-of-fact.

` I said that if she ever really messed up, and didn't want to worry you about it, she could turn to me.' He paused.` I got the impression then that all was not well.' He added drily, 'I'm still not her brother-in-law of choice, but at least I'm not The Ogre any more.'

'No.' She spoke with constraint.

'Another thing,' he went on. 'I think she could do with a period of stability, so it would be better if you stayed on here. Gave up your plans to be a waitress and went on working for me.'

She stared at him. 'But I'll have to move on eventually,' she said at last. 'Isn't that just delaying the inevitable?'

'Perhaps,' he agreed. 'But it will also give you more time to think about what you want for the future. The White Hart's a stopgap, Chessie. You need to consider the whole of your life.' He studied her for a moment. 'Are you even dead set on remaining in this area?'

Mutely, she shook her head. Although the other side of the world wouldn't be far enough away, if she had to live with the knowledge that he was here with Sandie Wells.

'Then I think you should allow yourself this breathing space.' He paused. 'There'll be no pressure from me. I shall be in London for the next few weeks.'

She sank her teeth into her lower hp. 'That's—very kind.' And at the same time so bitterly, endlessly cruel.

'That's settled, then.' There was another silence, then he said, 'I'm sorry to have left you in the lurch at the party.'