‘I’m…I’m still wet,’ she protested.
‘A gorgeous wet mermaid, a siren, enticing men to their doom,’ he said, his lips barely moving and his eyes glinting. ‘I shall have to do one of two things.’
‘Let me go before I make your clothes all damp?’ Evonne offered.
‘If we do one of the things I have in mind, it won’t matter in the slightest—I’d have to take my clothes off anyway. The other,’ he wound her wet hair into a rope around one hand, ‘is more practical. Care to come for a spin, a spot of wine-tasting and lunch? You choose.’
‘The latter,’ she said promptly. ‘Let’s be practical.’ But as she said the words she knew she was fighting her desire to do the former.
Rick’s lips twisted wryly. ‘It will only be prolonging the agony,’ he warned.
Her gaze softened. ‘We can be close mentally, though.’
He looked at her intently for a moment, then he said gently, ‘How lovely that sounds!’ He released her but took her hand and kissed her fingers.
Everything they did from then on assumed, for Evonne, a new dimension. Not only what they did, but every object seemed to stand out more clearly for her, the very sky seemed bluer and the grass greener.
They started out at Tyrrell’s Winery, tasted some, then wandered through the dim cool rooms inhabited by silent round wooden casks each with a dash of whitewash on the earth floor beneath its tap.
‘To show whether they’re leaking?’ she suggested.
‘Obviously,’ Rick said ruefully. ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’
‘I have the more .practical mind, that’s all,’ she said, and they laughed together as he put his arm round her shoulders.
Then they visited two smaller, newer wineries, with impressive, freshly decorated wine-tasting halls but not the atmosphere of the older ones.
‘I like old things,’ said Evonne dreamily.
‘Then you’ll like Tulloch’s, our next stop, and that’s where we’ll have lunch.’
‘I’m glad about that—lunch, I mean.’
‘I know what you mean—they may be only little glasses, but they add up.’
Tulloch’s really satisfied her soul, she told him. It was peaceful, set amid trees, an old white building with tables and benches outside to eat at. Instead of the restaurant she had expected, there was a small shop, the Champagne Sandwich Shop, and the sandwiches were freshly made, special and delicious. Evonne chose turkey fillings, and they took them and their drinks outside and sat eating and drinking slowly and listening to the birds in the trees. She told Rick about her passion for Australiana, and they talked as they had never really done before.
Back in the car they fell silent, though mentally united in a way she realised her soul had hungered for for so long, and it was awesome— and frightening.
Back at Peppers Rick told her with regret that he had to go back to the conference for the last session of the day—a question-time-like session, apparently.
‘It’s all right,’ she said softly.
‘What will you do?’
‘Indulge my other passion,’ she told him, then bit her lip.
He stared into her eyes. ‘Don’t take it back,’ he said very quietly.
‘Rick,’ she whispered.
But he put a finger to her lips. ‘Tell me about this other one.’
‘Down the road,’ she said after a moment, ‘in the middle of nowhere really, there’s this antique shop.’
‘Ah. Yes, it’s new—since the last time I was here, anyway. Would you like the car?’
‘No, it’s not far to walk. It will do me good.’
‘Don’t stray too far,’ he said, and kissed her lingeringly.
It was a few minutes after he had disappeared before Evonne collected herself sufficiently to go anywhere.
The owners of the antique shop lived on the premises in a beautiful stone house, and after a satisfying look through their wares she bought an old silver butter dish for her mother, and stopped to chat to the owners, who she discovered had recently gone into winemaking. And she bought a bottle of their first vintage, a Peppers Creek Semillion Chardonnay, for Rick.
She wandered back up the hill to Peppers in the late afternoon sunlight, breathing in the scent of grass, revelling in the peace and beauty of the countryside, unable to pierce the serenity of her mood.
Rick had not returned when she got back to their room, and she lay down just to relax for a while, and fell asleep.
She woke to find him leaning over her.
‘Oh… you’re back,’ she mumbled.
‘Mmm… and you’re exquisite, even in sleep.’
Evonne smiled drowsily and he lay down beside her.
‘Did you slay them again?’ she asked with her head on his shoulder, her fingers fiddling with the buttons of his shirt.
‘I’m afraid so,’ he replied gloomily.
‘You don’t seem happy about it,’ she remarked after a moment.
‘I’m not,’ he said, between kissing her brow and stroking her hair behind her ear. ‘They liked me so much, they’ve organised a dinner in my honour tonight. I really couldn’t find a way to get out of it.’
Evonne’s lips twitched, but she said gravely, ‘The penalty for such popularity.’
‘You’re invited too…of course. Will you mind very much?’
‘Oh—well, one does have to eat, I guess,’ she said reservedly.
He held her away and looked into her eyes. ‘You’re laughing at me,’ he accused reproachfully.
And she was, although she hid her face in his shoulder, but he could feel it shaking her body.
‘Am I such a clown?’ he asked wryly after a moment.
‘No—right now you’re my own beautiful, most improbable lecturer, geographer and baronet, that’s all. Don’t change a hair of your head,’ she advised, lifting her face to him, still laughing tenderly.
Rick caught his breath. ‘And you’re… oh, damn!‘ he said exasperatedly, falling back against the pillows.
‘What now?’ she whispered, a new smile curving her lips.
‘We’ve only got half an hour, that’s what!’
‘Half an hour now, but all night later. These things shouldn’t be rushed, should they?’
‘No, mama,’ he said meekly but with a devilish little glint in his eyes.
‘Perhaps we should both take a cold shower?’ she suggested.
‘Even the coldest shower, if we took it together,’ he said meditatively, ‘couldn’t hope to combat certain co-habitual concerns you arouse in me.’
‘You ran out of Cs!’
He grinned. ‘Care to contribute a couple?’
Evonne thought for a moment. ‘Considering the congruent course of our concupiscence—beat that one if you can!’
‘I’m not even sure what it means!’
‘Considering it anyway, could I…could I have my shower first?’
‘Oh, I think concupiscence earns you that honour, Miss Patterson.’ He released her with a flourish but almost immediately pulled her back into his arms and kissed her soundly. ‘The loser’s spoils,’ he said softly and wickedly. ‘Off you go.’
Evonne thought while she dressed for dinner how different this evening was from the last, how they shared the bathroom mirror, how Rick did up the zip at the back of her saffron Thai silk dress, how he watched her stand in front of the dressing-table and put on a pair of gold and black-rimmed pearl earrings and her watch, then, as the last touch to her preparations, spray some perfume to the base of her throat.
‘There!’ she said, turning to him. ‘Will I do?’ He brushed a hand through his hair and straightened. He had been leaning against the bathroom doorway, and in true Rick style he wore his check jacket over a collarless shirt. His hair needs a trim, she thought, and really, for who he is, he does need more formal clothes.
‘You’ll do,’ he interrupted her thoughts. ‘Won’t I?’
‘I… did I say something?’
‘You lo
oked it. As if you were about to start inspecting my ears!’
Evonne smiled ruefully. ‘Sorry.’
‘Come here,’ he said softly. She moved towards him, but he only took her hand. ‘Does it worry you that I’m one of those thoroughly disorganised people?’
Her lips parted in surprise and she wondered if he could read her mind. ‘No,’ she said after a slight hesitation.
‘Tell me if it does. I’ll try to reform.’
‘Rick, this is an odd conversation to start now!’
‘From now on I’ll start hanging up my clothes!’ ‘I wouldn’t here—this isn’t your kind of hotel in that respect,’ she told him. ‘Shall we go? We’re ten minutes late already.’
He stared into her eyes and his were curiously sombre for an instant, she thought. Then a slow smile crept into them. ‘All right, we’ll leave it for now,’ he drawled. ‘What do they say about the attraction of opposites?’
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Evonne’s face and a frisson contracted her nerves. ‘I’m not sure,’ she said huskily. ‘What do they say?’
Rick shrugged and let go of her hand. ‘Just that it’s eminently possible. Sometimes they even supply a crying need in each other. Remember that.’
‘Rick…’ she took a breath, ‘don’t…’
But he put his arm around her. ‘Stay by my side tonight—I’ll get incredibly lonely otherwise. And would you do something else?’
She stared up at him. ‘What?’
‘Smile for me now. Just for me.’
Her lips trembled, then she did, and he closed his eyes briefly and hugged her hard, then let her go with a twisted smile of his own. ‘Sorry if I’ve mussed you up.’
‘I don’t think you have,’ she said breathlessly. But later he ‘mussed her up’ considerably!
It was a pleasant dinner, and with her advertising background Evonne was able to hold her end up, as she thought of it, fairly well. If she was distracted she thought she alone was aware of it. It was harder to put a name to the cause of her distraction, then she realised it stemmed from what Rick had said about the differences between them, what she had been thinking about him—and that was when her distraction hardened into clear thought. Could it ever work? she thought. How could it—we’re so different, and only fools believe love conquers all. Which means—oh, but why be blind, Evonne? Haven’t you learnt anything?
The party moved to the veranda for coffee, where she was struck by another revelation. Despite his best efforts, Rick had been parted from her. He did not, outwardly at least, appear bereft as he sat between two attractive women, laughing and talking. But as she watched she could see their subtle admiration, their extra animation and the ease with which he handled it, and she experienced a stirring of pure jealousy that shook her to the core. And she sipped her coffee and thought, so, it’s happened to me again, only this time I’ll not stay to the bitter end. One more night…that’s all I’ll allow myself. One more night.
‘Penny for ’em?’
She jumped and looked into Rick’s oddly intent green eyes. ‘Oh! I… I was miles away,’ she stammered.
‘So I saw. I’m going to make our excuses and leave now. I think we’ve done our duty. Coming?’
‘Yes… Yes,’ she said disjointedly, putting her cup down and standing up.
He was charming and gracious but deaf to all protests that the night was still young. ‘Thank you all very much, but I really need my sleep.’
And when the senior member of the party looked set to make a speech, Rick forestalled him with a grin and a murmured, ‘It was really my pleasure. If you need any more information, just contact me, I’ll be delighted to help. Goodnight, everyone!’ And with a wave he drew Evonne off the veranda and on to the lawn and round a corner of the building out of sight. Whereupon he took her in his arms, kissed her urgently and said, ‘Let’s get away from here.’
They took the long way round, across the east lawn, and stopped to admire the moon.
‘Oh, look at that plane,’ said Evonne, and pointed to the twinkling lights. ‘It’s on a flight path across the moon.’
‘So am I,’ Rick murmured, and drew her gently into the shadows of the poolroom veranda, which was closed and darkened for the night. ‘Do you know, I’ve been plagued by this fantasy of making love to you out there on the grass, preferably in the sunlight, but moonlight wouldn’t be a bad alternative.’
‘Rick,’ she breathed, leaning back against the wall as he started to kiss her again, ‘we couldn’t!’
‘I know—don’t look so scared! But don’t you think it would be lovely lying in it together, getting it in our hair… getting carried away? Would you care if I pushed your skirt above your hips and slipped your…’
‘Don’t,’ she whispered shakily.
‘But would you?’ he said against the corner of her mouth.
‘No… what am I saying?’ Her voice caught in her throat, but it was too late, she was drowning helplessly in desire fuelled by his hands on her, the feel of him, his wandering lips. She thought dimly that she had never felt so sensuously alive yet curiously weak, with a flame of longing running through her body. She thought, as Rick pressed her to the wall, that if he didn’t stop soon she would lie in the grass with him exactly as he wished. She said despairingly, ‘How do you do this to me?’
‘Tell me what I do to you.’
‘It’s as if…it’s never happened before. It’s like being a young girl and… the first time. I keep thinking… what will I do with myself? What…how did this happen?’ she whispered with almost incredulous confusion.
He slid both hands up her throat and cupped her face. ‘I could tell you, but would you believe me?’
‘No, not that… I can’t!’ she stared up in anguish into his eyes.
He released her face but took her into his arms until her trembling had subsided. ‘One day at a time, then,’ he said softly. ‘Let’s just take one day at a time. Will you let me take you to our room and make love to you as if we were out here?’
Evonne didn’t reply, she could only cling to him.
He did just that.
He laid her on the bed and slid her skirt up above her hips and her briefs down her legs, as if the bare need between them was the only thing that existed for them, as if it was their lifeline, their reality, and had no need at that moment in time for explanations or pampering or anything to cloud its raw, vital urgency.
Afterwards, though, being Rick, he was tender and funny. He helped her out of her crumpled, wrecked dress, brought her tissues and a glass of water once more, remarked that he suspected he now understood about concupiscence, and held her in his arms and told her extremely improbable stories about his unprintable escapades as a social geographer until she fell asleep.
But next morning he was awake when she woke, watching her, and as he saw the memory of their passion the night before etched starkly in her eyes, he sighed and gathered her close and said, ‘Will you marry me?’
CHAPTER NINE
FOR a long time afterwards, Evonne couldn’t understand why those four words had acted as such a catalyst—but nothing altered the fact that they did. The scales fell from her eyes, the confusion lifted from her heart and she suddenly saw it all in brilliant clarity—and knew what she had to do and say.
‘Rick——’ she hesitated and lifted a hand to
touch his face gently, ‘you promised me no… steps up the ladder or diamond bracelets.’ ‘I should have thought this was the opposite,’ he said a shade drily.
‘If you think offering to make me Lady Emerson isn’t a giant step up the ladder…’ ‘Oh, that,’ he said dismissively. ‘It means nothing. You don’t seriously see it like that?’ There was a sudden little frown of impatience in his eyes.
‘I… in a way, I do,’ she said quietly.
‘Evonne…’
‘No,’ she said huskily, ‘let me tell you why it would be crazy for us to get married. Firstly there’s me…’
‘The way
you are in bed, if that’s what you’re still worried about…! ’
‘It’s not. I——’ she paused ‘—with you I could
never regret that, and perhaps you’ve cured me of that anyway.’ She stopped again and lowered her lashes so Rick would not see reflected in her eyes the knife of pain going through her heart. ‘But,’ she looked up steadily, ‘there’s more of me, there’s the side of me you’d find impossible to live with. I think you even realised that last night when you spoke of opposites. Do you know what I was thinking? I was, even then, so soon,’ her voice quivered, but she went on resolutely, ‘thinking of ways to change you..,’
‘You also told me not to change a hair of my head yesterday,’ Rick broke in.
‘That didn’t mean I wouldn’t be able to stop myself doing it. I’m like that.’
‘You mean, don’t you,’ he said with a sudden edge, ‘that you’re still looking for someone to match up to Robert Randall? Someone conventionally powerful, conservative—you’ve really set your sights high, in other words.’
Three weeks ago, Evonne thought with a pang, that might have been true. Now… but don’t let him get the better of you, Evonne, she thought.
‘Then there’s you, Rick,’ she said swiftly. ‘Someone who’s bitten off more than they can chew.’
Of all the reactions, laughter was the one she didn’t expect, not genuine amusement. ‘Oh, I can handle it. Can you?’ he queried with gentle mockery then.
Evonne coloured painfully. ‘I didn’t mean that…’
‘Then you shouldn’t say these things unless you mean them,’ he pointed out.
She bit her lip. ‘I meant… in an emotional sense. You… I…’ She stopped, then started again. ‘Because you’ve…rescued me, if you like, from the way I was, it doesn’t mean to say you have to take responsibility for me and—no, let me finish,’ she said sternly. ‘Because you’re an…honourable person, I think that what’s you thought you should do.’
‘So,’ he said, ‘in other words, it would be all right for me to go on sleeping with you until we came to a mutual parting of the ways, but not to want to marry you?’
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