Island of the Heart (13 page)

while on the other side of the room, under the windows, was a

modern sink unit, and next to it a cooker and refrigerator.

'I cook with bottled gas, but I also have my own generator for

electricity,' Flynn explained, seeing her puzzled look. 'O'Flaherty's

starting it up now. When it's running, and we've brought up the rest

of the stuff from the boat, I'll make you some tea.'

Transporting the supplies took a couple of journeys, and by the time

most of the things had been stowed away in the various cupboards

and drawers, Sandie's arms were aching. She sat by the scrubbed

table in the middle of the room and watched Flynn fill the kettle.

'It's a real home from home,' she said, after a moment. 'How long do

you usually stay here at a time?'

'That all depends.'

'And do you always come here by yourself?'

He laughed. 'Now there's a leading question!'

She flushed. 'I—I didn't mean... What I wanted to say was—don't

you ever find it lonely?'

'There can be worse things than loneliness. When I come here,

generally it's for peace and quiet, and if that means solitude, then it's

all right with me.' Flynn began to rinse out a big brown teapot. 'But I

won't be lonely this time—not with you to keep me company.' He

gestured towards the remaining bag of provisions on the table. 'Are

you hungry now, or can you wait until supper?'

Sandie stared at him, aware of a faint frisson of alarm. 'I don't want

anything to eat,' she said slowly. 'In fact I'm not sure if there's really

time for tea either. We should be getting back. I have to see Crispin-

talk to him—make arrangements. And we—we'll be late for dinner.'

'There's no gong to be obeyed here.' Flynn leaned back against the

sink, his arms folded across his chest. 'We can eat when we like.'

'But I don't like.' Sandie got to her feet, her mouth dry suddenly. 'I

really must go back to Killane. People will be wondering where I—

where we are.'

'Then O'Flaherty will enlighten them. So sit down and wait for your

tea in peace.'

'I don't want to,' she said. 'I want to go back to Killane—this

minute!'

'Then I hope you're a good swimmer.' His voice was almost casual.

'Because that's your only way of getting there—unless, of course,

you walk on water.'

'But—the boat...' she stammered.

'The boat is half-way back to Killane by now, with O'Flaherty.' He

gave her a brief hard smile. 'Which means, my lovely Alexandra,

that you stay here—with me—for all the days and nights till he

returns.'

With total incongruity, the kettle began to whistle.

As if in a dream, Sandie watched Flynn make the tea.

'There's only powdered milk,' he said. 'Or will you take it black?'

'Neither.' She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. 'I just

want to go home, right away.'

'So you still regard Killane as home.' Flynn set a steaming mug of

tea and the powdered milk in front of her. 'That's interesting in the

circumstances,' he added with irony. 'But don't be tempted to try and

entrench yourself here, will you, darling? Your stay on the island is

purely temporary, I assure you.'

Sandie pounded a clenched fist on the table. 'I'm not staying here at

all!' she shouted. 'I won't be kept here against my will, and you can't

make me!'

'I seem to have made a pretty good fist of it so far,' Flynn returned

coolly. 'Here you are, and here you're bound to remain, until the

boat comes back.'

She was shaking with temper. 'And how long will that be?'

He shrugged. 'As long as it takes. Until things at Killane—settle.'

'My God!' A thought struck her. 'Did your mother put you up to

this? Did she tell you to bring me here?' Her laugh contained a note

of hysteria. 'She tried to use the excuse that I might have some

stupid cold to keep me out of the way. But that wasn't enough. I

have to be—marooned with you. She's obsessed!'

'I wouldn't deny that, particularly where germs are involved,' Flynn

said drily. 'But Magda's whims and fancies don't apply here.

Bringing you to the island was my own idea entirely. I did not

consult her, or anyone else. Nor was I aware that you had a cold.' He

subjected her to a minute scrutiny. 'Have you?'

'I neither know nor care.' Sandie bit her lip. 'Please—please tell me

this is some kind of sick joke, and take me back to Killane. I—I

won't make any trouble. I'll stay in my room, I promise. I won't put

as much as one toe outside without permission, if that's what it

takes, but...'

Flynn raised his eyebrows. 'Is that the way of it?' he murmured. 'You

were to be a prisoner on the premises. Well, Bridie will be grateful

anyway, not to be running up and down to you with trays.'

'Oh, naturally,' Sandie said hotly. 'Let's consider Bridie's legs to the

exclusion of everything else. Are you crazy? You've—hijacked me,

but you aren't going to get away with it. When Crispin hears what

you've done...'

'Don't you think Crispin has other things on his mind right now?'

Flynn demanded with sudden harshness. 'In spite of his soft words

to you the other night, you're not the centre of his universe, Miss

Beaumont. Knowing him, he's breathing a sigh of relief that, without

you, he has one problem the less.'

'You really think that no one else will care?' Sandie asked furiously.

'That they'll just accept the fact that I'm here—with you?'

'I think they'll be glad to. You'd be a severe embarrassment at

Killane over the next few days. And before that imagination of

yours dashes away with you, Miss Beaumont, allow me to elaborate

the terms of your—incarceration. Yes, we're here together, but that's

through necessity, not design. I doubt that you're self-sufficient

enough to survive on your own, or I'd be sorely tempted to leave

you.' He nodded sardonically at her astounded expression. 'The fact

is, darling, in spite of the misleading impression I may have given

over the last twenty-four hours, I've as little wish for your company

as you have for mine.'

There was a silence, then Sandie said haltingly, 'I— don't

understand.'

'You never said a truer word. I've brought you away from Killane,

because, as you admitted yourself, my girl, Francesca hasn't seen

you yet and I don't intend that she shall, until she's had a chance to

talk to Crispin and try and sort out what the future holds for them.

You're nothing but an unnecessary complication. Does that make

things plainer to you?' He pointed to the chair. 'Now, why don't you

sit down and drink your tea while it's still fit?'

Numbly, she did as she was told. 'Why did no one tell me that

Francesca was coming to Killane? Warn me what to expect? It—it

was such a shock.'

'I expect delicacy forbade them to mention it,' he said sarcastically.

'Or perhaps Crispin had qualms about booting you out as he's done

with his other ladies in the past. After all, you have an excuse for

being there, even if it's a specious one.'

'I thought they were separated—that they never saw each other.'

'That's no one's concern but their own,' he said curtly. 'The fact is,

Francesca phoned me from Croaig Mhor first thing this morning,

and I drove over to see her. I was on my way back when I picked

you up on the road like the original drowned rat. She wanted to

know the lie of the land at Killane—whether it would be convenient

for her to see Crispin and talk to him, or whether he was otherwise

occupied,' he added grimly. 'She has no illusions about your man.'

'And what did you tell her?'

Flynn shrugged again. 'I told her that Crispin was suffering from the

mother and father of all hangovers, and to delay her visit for twenty-

four hours,' he said. 'And I decided, by fair means or foul, to relieve

Crispin of the distraction of you, so he could concentrate on his

lawful wife, and hear what she has to say.' He gave her a bleak

smile. 'Fortunately, you made it easy for me.'

'Crispin—knew she was coming?' Sandie closed her eyes. 'Of course

he did! That's what he meant about your meddling. That's why they

were both so insistent about me having this cold, and staying out of

the way.' She gave a small wild laugh. 'Were they actually planning

to lock me in, do you suppose? They must be mad, both of them!'

'Mad—and supremely optimistic. Killane isn't so blessed with

bathrooms that you and Francesca wouldn't have met on the landing

one morning.'

'She's going to stay there?'

He gave her an impatient look. 'Why shouldn't she? She's legally

married to him, for God's sake.'

'But they're getting a divorce—aren't they?'

'Who knows?' Flynn said shortly. 'I've set up the meeting, but it's

their own business to settle what comes of it. And while

negotiations are going on, you'll stay discreetly out of the way. Let

Francesca think, if your name's mentioned, that you were my guest

at Killane—and my woman.'

'That's a revolting idea!' Sandie drank some of the tea. It was the

strongest brew she'd ever tasted, and she almost choked.

'Well, at least we agree on something.' The lean face was harshly

uncompromising. 'And while you're here, you- have the freedom of

the island, which is more than you'd have had at Killane. You can

walk, and swim, watch birds, and fish. With luck, we need hardly

set eyes on each other.'

She said hoarsely, 'You're such a hypocrite. You've done this just to

spite Crispin because he was beginning to care about me.'

'Don't be a fool,' he said. 'You know that Crispin's only interest in

you is your startling resemblance to the wife who left him, so don't

start making excuses for him. But I'm not interested in spiting him.

If I had been, I'd have taken you that first night when I found you

there, all dewy-eyed and half naked in the music room. No, it's

Francesca's happiness I care about, although it seems to be tied up in

a man not worthy of her.'

He drank the remains of his tea, and dumped the mug in the sink.

'Now I'll show you your share of the sleeping accommodation.' He

gave her a derisive look. 'It may lack the comfort of Killane, but at

least I won't be locking you in.'

And I can't lock you out, Sandie thought, her heart hammering

against her ribs.

She watched sullenly while he pulled out a small folding bed, a

pillow and rolled-up sleeping bag.

'You can sleep in here, in front of the fire. I suppose by the laws of

hospitality I should offer you my own bed,' he tossed at her over his

shoulder. 'But I'm damned if I will, although you're welcome to

share it with me if the mood takes you.'

'So much for your earlier assurances,' she said savagely. 'Let me tell

you, I'd rather sleep on the beach!'

Flynn finished unrolling the sleeping bag, then he walked over to

her,, taking her chin in a merciless grip as he looked down into her

face.

'That was a suggestion,' he said quietly and coldly, 'not a

requirement. You're safe from my violent lusts, Miss Beaumont. I

said, remember, if the mood takes you, and I meant it. From now on,

if you want me, pet, then it's you that'll do the asking.' He let her go,

almost contemptuously. 'And now I'll prepare supper for us.'

'Do you think I could eat?' she whispered. 'In these circumstances?'

'I know you'll be bloody hungry if you don't,' he said, with a shrug.

'But, again, it's up to you.' He gave her a long look. 'You're here

because you must be, Alexandra, but I'll force nothing else on you.

Is that clear?'

There was a silence, then, 'Is it?' he prompted ominously.

Sandie bent her head. 'I—suppose so.'

'Good.' Flynn sent her a mirthless smile. 'Now that we understand

each other, we'll get along just fine. And to celebrate our first

evening of bliss together, we'll have steak, and a bottle of wine..' He

made a sweeping gesture. 'In the meantime, make yourself at home,

Alexandra.' He walked across the room, and, tugging the curtain

aside, disappeared into the inner room leaving her staring after him.

Sandie swallowed the last morsel of steak, and put down her knife

and fork.

'I'm glad you found your appetite after all,' Flynn commented

sardonically, as he began to collect the crockery together. 'A hunger

strike would have been too. much to contend with altogether.'

Sandie flushed. Even if such a thing had occurred to her, she