“I’m afraid I can’t agree a price without the owner’s being present,” the manager explained.
“But there’s nothing to stop you from making an offer. If you give us a minute when he arrives, I’ll put the offer to him.”
Jack did not like dealing with middle men.
“I’d prefer to put it to him myself,” he said.
“What time will he be here?”
With a sour expression, the manager answered in a flat hard voice, “I have been authorised to act on his behalf, but if that’s the way you want it, I suppose I’ve no objection.” Glancing towards the yard’s entrance his frown and his temper worsened.
“Christ knows where he’s got to! He should have been here an hour since.” Still hoping for a good commission, he gave a little smile.
“We’ll have to be patient. I’m sure he’s on his way.”
“I still have other boats to see, you understand?” Jack lied. In fact he had not come across a boat of this quality in a long time, and was thrilled by its superb condition. He desperately wanted the vessel, but was experienced enough not to show the extent of his enthusiasm.
The manager could see a sale slipping away.
“I’m sure it will be worth your while to wait,” he pointed out.
“Especially as there are two more prospective buyers coming out this afternoon.” He was playing Jack at his own game. The owner wanted a certain price and he himself was duty bound to make a respectable profit. In Jack he saw a shrewd businessman and knew from experience he would have to handle things very carefully, if he was to land this particular fish.
Jack was not deterred.
“I know the advert said he was asking a hundred and fifty thousand, but he must know he’ll have to come down,” Jack said.
“Have you any ideas what price he’ll settle for?”
“No idea at all, sir.” The manager prided himself on his ability to lie while looking a man straight in the eye. It was a talent that came from years of trading.
Jack knew he was lying.
“Box in my corner and I could make it worth your while?”
The manager did a quick mental calculation. The owner had already ordered a new boat through this yard, and no doubt all the extras would come through here too. The owner was a prime customer, rolling in money. When this deal was done, at whatever price, he himself was sure to be paid a handsome commission. He shook his head.
“Best if you talk with the owner yourself,” he answered smugly.
Kitty had witnessed the whole thing. It put her in mind of two boxers circling each other in the ring, testing the other’s strength. She had seen Jack perform like this many times. He was skilled at it, tried and tested, filled with quiet confidence. However good the other fellow was, she knew Jack would come off best in the end. He always did.
While Jack and the manager sauntered about the boat discussing this and that, Kitty wandered at will. She had never set foot on a boat this size before. Going from one cabin to the other, she ran her hand over the highly polished brass railings, lovingly stroked the thick quilted eider downs and sat in the big swivel-chair at the helm.
“Head for the Caribbean, my good man!” she grandly instructed an imaginary captain, then crumpled up laughingly glanced furtively about and hoping she hadn’t been overheard.
An hour later Jack came to find her.
“There’s a problem,” he explained.
“The owner was supposed to meet us here, but there’s just been a phone call to say he’s been delayed.”
Kitty knew there was more to it than that. She could tell by the look on his face. If Jack was anything, he was honest.
“Delayed? For how long?”
“He can’t get here until tomorrow.”
“What does that mean exactly?” She knew it could mean one of two things.
Jack began to spell them out.
“We can either leave here now, and I’ll have to make other arrangements to meet the owner and clinch the deal…”
Kitty concluded for him, “Or we can stay overnight somewhere, and you clinch the deal in the morning?”
“That’s it, I’m afraid.” He looked really dismayed.
“I’m leaving the choice to you. Kitty. Whatever you say is all right by me.”
She saw the disappointment on his face. She saw how frustrated he was at not having secured a deal, and quickly realised she had little option. If she insisted on going back and he lost the deal, she would only blame herself.
“Now that we’re here, we’d better stay,” she said, putting the smile back on his face.
“You’d be impossible to work with if the owner sold that boat to somebody else.”
He couldn’t hide his delight.
“Thanks, Kitty! You’ve made the right decision.” He beamed from ear to ear.
“That’s the businesswoman coming out in you.” Pecking her on the cheek, he returned to the manager’s office at a nonchalant pace; aware that the man was watching, Jack didn’t want to seem overanxious.
“I have two other boats to see hereabouts,” he said, “so we might as well stay over.”
“Suit yourself.” The manager had been worried that he had lost the sale. Now he believed he had all but clinched it.
Jack chuckled as he climbed into the car beside Kitty.
“She’s as good as mine!” he exclaimed.
“And isn’t she a beauty?” Studying the cruiser through the open car window, he mused aloud, “I’ve a good mind to have her done out in my own colours and keep her.”
Kitty made no comment. Instead she gazed at the boat and imagined herself lying on the sun-deck, basking in the sunshine under a turquoise Mediterranean sky.
Having admired the vessel, Jack turned his attention to Kitty, secretly admiring the fine cut of her profile, the rich spill of dark hair and the long, long lashes that fringed her expressive brown eyes. He had always thought her incredibly lovely. He thought so now, and his need for her was tenfold.
“Be my wife,” he urged, “and I’ll take you anywhere in the world you want to go.” He glanced at the vessel once more. “I’ll even name her after you. Think of it…the Kitty Harper has a good ring to it, don’t you think?”
“Do you really want to know what I think?”
“Of course.”
“I think we should find somewhere to stay. I want a shower and I want feeding.” They hadn’t stopped on the way and she was famished.
Jack eased the car out of the park and on to the lane.
“It’s all in hand,” he revealed.
“Apparently there’s a quaint old inn about a mile away. According to the manager of this yard, we should get a first-class meal and excellent hospitality there.”
“Sounds like his brother owns it,” she quipped. It sounded ideal though; a long shower, then a satisfying meal in pleasant company. As long as he didn’t push the question of marriage.
Elsworth itself was a page right out of history. There were tiny thatched cottages with leaded light windows, hanging baskets drooping with myriads of blossoms, old fashioned shops with big bow windows and bulls’ eye panes. The people were warm and friendly, and as they did a little shopping…nightclothes for themselves, a present for Mildred and a new pipe for Jack’s father. Kitty felt happy at heart. Jack was a handsome man and a charming companion who knew how to please a lady.
The inn was everything she’d imagined: brass jugs and copper pans hanging from old oak beams, an enormous inglenook fireplace festooned with attractive displays of dried flowers and old pewter. The waiter who served their meal was a mountain of a man, with red bushy hair and mutton-chop whiskers.
“Straight out of Dickens,” she whispered.
Curious, Jack looked up; the fellow in question glared at him, and after that Kitty kept her observations to herself.
She enjoyed the meal. It was a splendid affair, cooked to perfection and served with a smile. Beef chasseur and whole small vegetables for Jack
, chicken and rice for Kitty, followed by fruit salad and cream.
With the main course Jack ordered a carafe of wine, which he poured liberally, and when that was gone, he ordered two brandy liqueurs and a pot of coffee.
“Did you phone your aunt?” he asked.
“I did.” Kitty smiled at the thought of what her aunt had said.
“She warned me against you…said you might be trying to lure me into bed.”
He gazed at her lovingly.
“Is that what you think?”
“I’m not sure.” She sipped at her coffee.
“What should I think, Jack?”
She felt naughty.
“Are you trying to seduce me?” “I’d be a fool if I wasn’t.” His hand slipped across the table to caress hers.
“But to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t want it to be that way.”
“Oh?” She made no effort to remove his hand from hers. In an odd way it was comforting.
“What way would you want it to be then?”
He took another sip of liqueur and it was a moment before he answered.
During that time he stroked her fingers, then raised them to his mouth and touched them with the tip of his tongue. All the time he avoided her gaze, as though mentally preparing himself. Presently, he looked at her and his eyes were filled with love.
“You never gave me an answer,” he accused softly.
“I asked you to be my wife, and you never gave me an answer.”
Kitty felt light-headed.
“I think I’ve had too much wine,” she said, astonished when her voice rose in a giggle.
“Maybe my aunt’s right after all, and you mean to have your wicked way with me.”
“Kitty! Didn’t you hear what I said?”
“I heard.” She’d heard him the first time too. The answer was still the same.
“I’ve already told you…I can’t marry you.”
“Of course you can.” There was a look on his face she had never seen before, and a certain tone to his voice that made her think of Miss Davis.
“I won’t take no for an answer,” he insisted.
Kitty was angry that he should dismiss her answer as though it was not important.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to take no for an answer,” she told him firmly.
“I can’t…won’t…marry you, so you might as well give up on the idea.”
“I love you.” There was a world of sincerity in his face.
“What about the others?”
He looked shocked.
“What others?”
Kitty smiled patiently.
“The one who rang for you every day when I first came to work in the office, and the longlegged beauty who was your constant companion after you ditched the first one. It’s none of my business, I know, but how many were there before that? Did you love them all?” Her aim was to play down the ‘love’ he claimed to feel for her; to make him realise he could have his pick of women, so why should he want her?
“They meant nothing…companions, that’s all. Oh, I don’t deny I’ve painted the town, and yes, I’ve had my share of women.” A look of disgust crossed his face.
“But those relationships were never meant to be permanent.” His voice fell to a whisper.
“Haven’t you noticed how lonely I am lately? There are no women in my life now…no one I want to be with…just you, Kitty. It’s you I want…you I love…you I need for my wife. I have never proposed to any other woman, and I never will. I love you.” Leaning forward, he softly murmured in her ear, tenderly kissing her face, “Let yourself love me, Kitty. Let me take care of you.”
Deep down she knew he really did love her. And if she had never known Harry, she might even have been drawn to Jack as a partner. It was a frightening thought.
“Don’t ask me again,” she warned, “or I might have to find another job.”
Now it was his turn to be frightened.
“All right. Kitty, I won’t ask you again,” he vowed. “But I want a promise from you in return.”
“What kind of promise?”
“That you’ll think about what I’ve asked.” When he saw she was about to protest, he assured her, “The way I feel won’t change. But I’m hoping your answer will. I’m hoping you’ll decide that being married to me wouldn’t be so bad after all. I’m hoping you’ll realise there are no rules that say both partners should love each other to make a successful marriage. I love you enough for both of us. Consider that, Kitty. It’s all I’m asking.”
There was little she could say that would convince him that her mind was already made up. How could she marry him when she didn’t love him?
How could she spend her whole life with a man who would only ever be second best to her? What about children? What about the way her life would change? He lived in a social whirl, spent money like water.
His friends were wealthy, elegant people, versed in the ways of the world, while she was a young and ordinary working girl who preferred tea to wine, and had never worn a designer outfit in her whole life.
However hard Jack tried to convince her, she would still be out of her depth. A round peg in a square hole.
“Don’t say anything now.” His voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Just remember…I love you with all my heart. I know something of what you’ve suffered in your life, and I swear before God, I will never let anything or anyone hurt you ever again.”
Before she could respond, he summoned the waiter.
“What time is breakfast?”
“First serving at eight, sir.”
“Thank you.” He slipped the man a five-pound note.
“That was a bit extravagant,” Kitty declared as they made their way up the broad stairway.
“Money was made to go round,” he answered.
“The poor chap probably only earns as much as that in two hours.”
Kitty laughed.
“I don’t earn much more than that myself,” she teased.
Outside her door he put out his arms and pinned her there.
“As my wife you would never have to work again,” he reminded her.
“You might consider that too.”
“Goodnight, Jack.” He was a persistent sod!
He gazed at her longingly, his pale eyes appearing stunningly blue in the overhead light. Without a word he bent his head and kissed her full on the mouth. It was a tender kiss, loving and suggestive without being forceful. Against her better judgment she gave herself up to it.
Later, when she was lying in bed, it occurred to Kitty that she had really enjoyed that kiss.
“Silly bugger, Kitty Marsh!” she chided herself.
“Now he’ll think you’re warming to the idea of marriage.”
Something else occurred to her then, and she had to chuckle.
“You’re a bit free with the bad language tonight an’ all, my girl!” She pulled a wry little face and turned over.
“Must be the wine,” she muttered.
“It’s all your fault, Harry Jenkins. If it wasn’t for you, Jack might be a good catch. As it is, I can only love one man at a time.”
Harry was her man, she thought, and it was for Harry she was saving herself.
“Maybe it’s time I found you, my love,” she whispered.
“Maybe Georgie was right all along, and I should never have let you go in the first place.” Now, as she closed her eyes she could see him. Her heart soared, and her determination strengthened. Harry’s mother would tell her where to find him. With that thought in mind she fell into a deep, deep sleep.
In the early hours Jack came to her. Having secured a pass key from the man to whom he had given five pounds, he let himself in. For a long time he sat on the chair beside her bed, just gazing at her sleeping face.
“I want you so much,” he whispered.
“I’ve never loved anyone like I love you.”
The minutes passed. The sound of the bedside clock ticked the n
ight away, and still he made no move. Her arms spread out across the pillow, her dark hair spilling across the pillow and her face turned towards him.
“You’re very beautiful,” he told her softly.
Beneath his robe he was naked. Slowly he took it off and laid it on the back of the chair. Then he slid into bed beside her.
In her dreams Kitty was lying with Harry. She could feel his skin, soft and warm against hers. His kisses were gentle, his arms strong about her. When he penetrated her she yielded to him, wanting him, hungry for his love. Oh, she had waited so long, and now he was here.
Drained and contented, she lay quiet in his arms. Tomorrow they would talk. Tomorrow they would make plans.
In the morning she awoke, turned her head on the pillow and saw him there; he was smiling at her, blue eyes brimming with love.
“I had to see you,” he said, holding out his arm for her to lie against his chest.
“I knew you wanted me too.”
Kitty stared at him in disbelief. Then she got out of bed, went into the bathroom and locked the door. When she came back to the bedroom, he was gone. Slumping before the dressing-table she examined her image in the mirror.
“You fool!” she groaned.
“What have you done? Oh, Kitty, what have you done?”
It was nine o’clock when she went downstairs.
“Just coffee please,” she told the waiter.
“Oh, and have you seen Mr. Harper?”
“He went out an hour ago, miss. I’m to tell you he’s gone to the boatyard and should be back before ten thirty.”
Kitty thanked him. Then she took her coffee into the lounge and tried unsuccessfully to read the morning papers.
“Damn him!” she muttered, slamming the paper down.
“Damn him! Damn him!”
When he returned, excited and thrilled because he had secured a deal on the boat, she rounded on him.
“Did you have it all planned?” she demanded.
“Was it all arranged beforehand…you and this ‘owner’ who was so conveniently delayed?”
The expression on his face told her the truth.
“If you think that, then there’s nothing else for me to say. I’ll take you home. If you feel you should find another job, I won’t try to stop you.”
Living a Lie Page 20
