Ivory Innocence (8 page)

"You?" She bent swiftly to hug the child. "Oh, Janey, love, no, it wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have taken you out without asking your Daddy first. But you've had a good time, haven't you? Do you like Becky?"

Janey nodded. "Will Daddy let me go to play with her again?"

"Yes, I expect so. But next time we must ask him."

Holding Janey's hand, she walked up the curving drive. Her steps slowed as she saw her employer waiting on the porch. On either side of him the clematis was in full bloom, drifts of pale pink and rich purple against the golden stonework. She quickened her pace and marched on toward him, pretending to be unaware of the demon she saw leaping behind his eyes.

Before either of them could speak, Janey burst out nervously, "We had a wonderful time at the farm! There's a girl called Becky. She let me ride her pony, and we saw the cows being milked and then I had some bread and jam."

The stern lines of his face softened a little as he bent to ruffle his daughter's curls. "You're hot, Janey. Go and wash your face."

Janey rushed away, apparently relieved to be away from him.

In silence, Matthew stepped aside so that Ivory might enter the house. She would have gone after Janey, but he stopped her. "You should have told me about these 'friends' of yours. Perhaps I'm being over-protective, but you don't know what…"

Very slowly, Ivory swung round to look at him, tensed against the quickened thud of her pulse. "I'm only sorry you think so little of my judgment, Mr. Kendrake. I was responsible for Janey, and in my estimation she was entirely safe with Mrs. Garth and Becky. But of course if you don't trust me, then in future I shall make sure I have your permission before I treat her to anything outside her usual routine."

One dark eyebrow lifted derisively in a way Ivory found quite maddening. "Before you let her off the leash, in fact. Isn't that the way you put it?"

"The best way to help her get back to normal is to allow her a normal life!" she replied. "She needs friends of her own age. Making her feel like a prisoner is no way to restore her confidence."

His glance traveled over her with an arrogant intimacy that made her flush. "And you feel that I'm keeping you a prisoner, too?"

"Yes, I do, if you want the truth!" she cried, alarmed by the effect that the look in his eyes was having on her nerves.

"A prisoner? Locked up? Totally in my power?"

"That's the way it feels!"

She started to move away, but his hand on her arm prevented her, making her freeze. It was the first time he had touched her. Even through the sleeve of her shirt the feel of his fingers made her flesh burn, sending out sparks that invaded her whole body. His cool blue gaze swept slowly across her face, noting every detail of the snapping gray eyes and the full lips, now set with stubbornness.

"My prisoner?" he murmured. "No, not yet, Ivory. But don't tempt me."

She tried to jerk free, but his fingers only tightened on her arm, making her heart thud erratically against her ribs. Inwardly quaking, she managed to say scornfully, "Is that what you learned in Australia? I've heard they like their women subservient out there. But here in England—You wouldn't dare!"

Before she could move he had locked one arm about her waist, holding her in close to him as the other hand cupped her chin. The devil gleamed at her from his blue eyes as he bent very slowly and touched his lips to hers with sensual intent.

The shock of that first contact made Ivory's stomach turn over. Her brain began to spin. She felt herself wilt, her resistance melting as he kissed her softly, his lips moving on hers until they parted of their own volition under the unbearable sweetness of his assault. As she relaxed against him, his hand caught in her hair, stroking it and at the same time holding her captive.

Something inside her protested. But her body refused to answer the call to resist, and her blood seemed to flow like warm honey as her arms slid round him.

Abruptly, he lifted his head to stare down at her with glazed blue eyes, breathing unevenly. He said in a charged undertone, "Wouldn't I dare, though, Ivory? Just try me!"

"And what would your precious Carla say to that?" Ivory spat, determined not to let him see how deeply he had affected her.

"Carla?" His voice was dangerously soft, his gaze fixed on her tender mouth.

"Yes, Carla! Your future wife!"

Glinting blue eyes snapped back at her with sudden menace. "Who told you that?"

"Corin did."

"I see. And do you really think it's any of your business?" His hands pressed her even closer to his body. There was no mistaking the fact that he, too, had been roused to fever pitch. She had never experienced such feelings before. They frightened her, partly because of the anger she now read in his eyes. Frantically she sought for some way to bring him out of this lustful mood.

"It's my business when it concerns Janey!" she flung at him, and was relieved when the steel muscles in his arms relaxed a little. "Do you know that Janey hates Carla?"

All at once the threatening glower left his face. His eyes turned glacial and he released her, stepping away. "Yes, I'm aware of that. But I'm afraid that, if and when I decide to marry again, I shan't consult my daughter first."

She was left staring at the study door, which quivered from the furious slam he had given it. She was appalled that he could discount Janey's feelings so callously— and even more appalled when she remembered how she had melted against him, her senses scrambled by his physical proximity. Her mind detested him, but her body had responded with disgusting alacrity.

To a man like that! To a Kendrake!

In the morning, Ivory sent Janey out to play in the grounds, then found herself wandering nervously about the house expecting at any moment to encounter Matthew. But there was no sign of him.

"Oh, didn't he tell you?" Mrs. Barnes said in surprise when she brought coffee out to the terrace where Ivory sat in the shade. "He's gone to London for this board meeting. Be away for some time, so he said. That's why he was so busy yesterday, trying to get the estate business straight. Mr. Firth's a good manager, but Mr. Kendrake likes to know exactly what's going on."

That was probably why Matthew had been in the woods yesterday, Ivory thought. He'd been coming back from a visit to Angus Firth, the estate manager, who kept his office at the Home Farm. Pure bad luck had caused all that trouble. She recalled how it had ended, with herself locked in Matthew's arms, and a flush heated her entire body—with shame, she knew. How he could have gone off to London without a word to her or Janey would have been a mystery, if she hadn't known that that was the kind of man he was. Having virtually told her that she must not take Janey anywhere without his permission, he had put himself out of reach. Did he really expect her to stay at the Hall patiently awaiting his return? Despite his threats, she was not his prisoner, nor was Janey.

That Friday evening, Ivory received a phone call— from Rob Garth.

"I'd have come to see you," he said, "only I didn't want you to get into trouble again because of me. Is there any chance you might get away tomorrow? There's a local gymkhana and fete. Becky's taking part, on Cherry. I wondered if you'd like to come."

"We'd love to, Rob," Ivory said, pleased. "I'm sure Janey would enjoy it."

"Oh; Janey," he said, then sighed. "Can't you get away on your own?"

"Not at the moment. Mr. Kendrake's away on business. Besides, Janey would love to see Becky riding in a gymkhana."

"Well, all right," Rob said dubiously. "I'll pick you both up about two o'clock. Okay?"

"I look forward to it," Ivory said. "Do I gather I'm forgiven? I didn't expect you to speak to me again after—"

"Oh, I've forgotten all about that. It wasn't your fault, it was that, that
boss
of yours. I'm glad he's gone away. See you tomorrow, then."

The prospect of seeing a gymkhana excited Janey. All morning she asked questions and was impatient for Rob to arrive. Ivory had dressed both Janey and herself casually in denims and T-shirts, with sweaters in case the weather grew cool. For herself she had added sunglasses and a broad-brimmed straw hat to protect her face from the sun.

Rebecca and her pony were already installed in the competitors' area of the big field where horse-boxes stood in rows and children in jodhpurs and protective hard hats fussed over their ponies. Lines of flags fluttered in the breeze and around the jumping ring, which was marked off by ropes. All manner of tents and stalls had sprouted beneath the oaks and elms.

They watched Rebecca win her class and proudly claim her cup. Then the girls wanted to try all the games: throwing bean bags, smashing plates and bowl. Laughing, Ivory and Rob watched their antics. She was delighted to see how well Janey and Rebecca got on together. Janey seemed so different from the sullen, difficult child she had first encountered.

Rob must have been thinking the same thing. "She's not such a bad little kid, is she?" he said as they found a relatively quiet corner of the field and sat down, the girls giggling over ice creams and rolling in the long grass. "I don't know why her father doesn't send her to school. That's what she needs, from the looks of her: a normal life."

"But if he sent her to school," Ivory said, "I should be out of a job again."

"I know." He turned his head to look at her, the wind ruffling his fair hair. "That's what I was thinking. Ivory, why don't you marry me? I know we could be happy. It's what I've wanted for ages. And Mum's all for it."

Feeling trapped, Ivory swallowed the lump in her throat and was thankful that her sunglasses disguised her expression. "You've discussed it with your mother?"

"Yes, of course I have. She knows how I feel about you. She said I was to stop messing about and do something positive for a change. I know you're not madly in love with me, but that kind of thing doesn't last. I'd settle for affection, for the time being. I'd take good care of you, Ivory, you know that."

"But, Rob," she managed, and was interrupted by a voice from somewhere above her head, a deep male voice saying satirically, "What a delightful rural scene!"

"Daddy!" Janey exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "Oh, Daddy, this is Becky Garth. She's my best friend."

Janey's intervention gave Ivory time to stand up and compose herself, though she felt shaken by the rush of joy that had filled her at the sound of his voice. Fiddling with the sleeves of the sweater she had tied round her waist, she drank in the sight of him. He wore casual slacks and a shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the buttons undone, but he looked tired, with fresh lines drawn on his face and a weary shadow clouding his eyes even as he spoke pleasantly to the children. She had a crazy impulse to throw her arms about him and kiss away those lines of weariness.

Janey was demanding hot dogs and Matthew gave her some money, saying, "Just don't make yourselves sick," as the two girls darted away. Then he slowly turned his head to look at Ivory. "Mrs. Barnes told me where to find you."

"We, we weren't expecting you home yet," Ivory faltered, pushing the sunglasses farther up her nose.