by Anne Herries
‘The British will not help us in this,’ the prince had told him. ‘But they will turn their eyes away. You must do this for me, Pasha—and for your father.’
Pasha had known he had no choice but to accept his uncle’s request. He too had wanted justice, and he knew that there was only one way to get it. For years the culprit had eluded all attempts to discover his identity, and he had almost succeeded in killing the prince—and after that he would have come after Pasha.
He had not expected to feel any guilt, and nor should he, for his cause was just. Abdullah must die, none of Hassan’s family would be safe until he was dead, but it was harder to order an execution than Pasha had expected, and he had left Morocco without giving the final order, even though he knew the assassin had been traced to his hiding place.
Pasha frowned as he went back inside the house. He tried the door of the bedroom where Chloe was sleeping and found that it wasn’t locked. Turning the handle softly, he went inside and stood staring down at her as she slept. God, she looked beautiful that way, her hair spread on the pillow, her face relaxed in sleep. He wanted her, his need so hard that he could hardly keep from going to her, waking her…
How could he bear it if she never looked at him with love in her eyes again? He ought to let her go, but he could not…he didn’t ever want to be without her.
Chapter Eight
Chloe had found the travelling and the brief stay in Paris difficult to bear. Pasha had been as considerate of her comfort as she could have wished, but he was cool and distant, and she felt the memory of their quarrel as a constant ache inside her.
In Paris he had insisted on taking her to Coco Chanel’s salon, where her measurements were taken and several of the very fashionable two-piece ensembles were ordered. Despite her mixed feelings about Pasha and the source of his wealth, Chloe was unable to remain aloof as she was shown the latest designs and she loved the chic suits that Pasha ordered for her, as well as the perfume and various accessories.
‘They are beautiful,’ she told him when they left later that afternoon, stepping out into the heat of the streets. Her head was aching slightly, and for a moment she felt a little dizzy, but soon recovered. ‘Thank you for buying them for me, but it was completely unnecessary. Sashimi had already chosen more clothes than I need.’
‘They were adequate for the house in Spain,’ Pasha told her. His dark eyes went over her assessingly, but held no warmth. ‘But slightly old-fashioned, didn’t you feel? Sashimi chose what she would wear—but you are a very different woman. You have no reason to hide your legs, Chloe—they are beautiful and should be admired. As my wife and living often in London and New York, you will need something more fashionable. I expect you to do me credit, and the clothes were bought as much for my benefit as your own.’
Chloe digested this in silence. She hadn’t really been sure of his plans, and she was beginning to realise she knew hardly anything about the man she had married. She had simply plunged headlong into a passionate affair without counting the consequences, and now she was caught—a prisoner in a gilded cage, from which there seemed no hope of escape.
But she would escape when she was ready, Chloe decided. She could not leave Pasha while he was so watchful, but he was bound to relax his guard in time. Besides, it was strange how lethargic she had felt these last few days. She wasn’t sure what had made her feel so tired, but thought it must be leaving the freshness of the mountain air for the heat of the city.
It was summer and Paris had been very hot ever since they arrived. In fact she had felt dizzy a couple of times in the famous fashion designer’s salon. She hadn’t mentioned it to Pasha, because she was still uncertain of how to behave towards him. What did he expect her to say to him?
He had told her that he required her to act as if she were a happy bride, but that was going to be more difficult than Chloe had imagined. How could she pretend that everything was wonderful when she felt so awful?
It was only after they had flown into the airport in London, and were heading for Sir Henry Rendlesham’s country house in Hampshire, that Chloe realised quite a bit of what she was feeling was actually physical. She felt dizzy and sick, and she had to ask Pasha to stop the car for a moment.
‘What’s wrong, Chloe?’ he asked, looking at her in concern as he saw how pale she was.
‘I—I’m sorry, but I feel unwell…’ She wrenched open the car and clawed out as soon as he had stopped, vomiting into the grass verge. She was sick a couple of times, accepting Pasha’s handkerchief with a grateful look. ‘I’m very sorry. I’ve been feeling a little unwell for the last two days, but I thought it was just tiredness or a change of climate. It was so hot in Paris.’
‘Was it?’ His brows arched. She hadn’t complained of heat when they were in the desert, nor on the very hot days they had shopped in the Spanish market. She had seemed to thrive in it, especially in Spain. ‘Have you considered that it may not be the heat, Chloe?’
‘Something I ate?’ She glanced at him as she finished wiping her mouth and hesitated over what to do with the handkerchief.
He smiled oddly. ‘I think you had better keep that just in case,’ he said and held the car door for her. ‘I was thinking that you might perhaps be carrying a child.’
‘A child…’ Chloe felt the oddest sensation. A mixture of pain and pleasure shot through her as she realised that he might be right, that she might already have his child inside her. They had made love freely and passionately for three weeks and, although she hadn’t given it a thought until now, it was five weeks since she’d seen her monthly flow. She was so shocked that she blurted her next words out without thinking, ‘But that’s…terrible.’
Pasha had been looking at her with seeming pleasure, but now the smile vanished and his expression became cold again.
‘Is it terrible, Chloe? I had thought you the type of woman who would enjoy having children.’
‘Of course I would, but—’ She broke off and blushed as he looked at her. What was she about to say—that she wanted children but not his? That would be a wicked thing to say to anyone, and she discovered that no matter what he had done she didn’t want to hurt him like that. She was confused, hurt and angry, but she didn’t particularly want to strike back. All she wanted was for this ache inside her to go away. ‘It would have been wonderful if…if things had been different.’
‘You mean if you hadn’t married a murderer?’ Pasha closed the door of the car as she got in and went round the other side. Chloe snatched a quick glance at his profile, and looked away again as she saw the pulse beating at his temple. She had tried not to hurt him, but she had only succeeded in making him angry.
‘Please, don’t let’s quarrel,’ she said. ‘I really don’t feel well enough, Pasha.’
‘I am sorry,’ he said, his eyes on the road ahead. ‘I’m sorry you wish you hadn’t married me, but I’m afraid this makes it even more impossible for you to leave me.’
‘Why?’ She risked another look, and saw that his hands were white as they clenched the steering wheel. ‘I am perfectly capable of bringing up a child alone.’
‘Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to do that,’ he said. ‘You don’t understand the dangers. Alone, both you and the child would be vulnerable, especially if that child is a boy.’
‘What do you mean vulnerable?’ Chloe felt slivers of ice trickle down her spine.
‘My son stands to inherit all I inherited from my father,’ Pasha said without looking at her. ‘That means certain people may try to get rid of him—and you.’
‘No!’ Chloe felt the fear clutch at her. Instinctively, she placed a protective hand over her stomach, and in that moment she knew that she did want her unborn child despite everything that had happened between her and Pasha. ‘That’s frightening, Pasha. But what makes you think someone might try to kill us?’
‘Because at least three attempts have been made to assassinate me,’ he replied, his expression unmoved as he kept his eyes on the road
ahead. ‘It is something I have lived with since my father was killed, but I was wrong to expose you to that danger, Chloe. If I wanted to marry I should have chosen a different kind of woman, one who didn’t mind that her independence might have to be curbed for her own safety.’
Chloe didn’t know how to answer him. Her mind was still reeling from the shock of discovering first that she might be carrying his child, and second that both her life and the life of that child might be at risk.
‘You should at least have told me,’ she said at last.
‘Yes, I should,’ he agreed but didn’t look at her. ‘I am sorry, but there really isn’t much I can do about it now.’
‘You could divorce me. I could change my name—go away somewhere.’
‘No. No, I couldn’t do that.’
‘You mean you won’t!’
‘That’s right, I won’t.’
Chloe felt the anger rise inside her. She doubted that her life would be in danger if she left him at all. Perhaps it was something he had invented to make her fearful of going off alone while his back was turned. Well, she didn’t believe him, and she was going to leave the first chance she got—but not just yet. Not until she was feeling a little better.
‘Welcome home, Pasha—and Chloe. I think I have your name right, my dear?’ Sir Henry smiled at her. He was a charming, white-haired man, tall and lean and still attractive though well into his seventies. ‘Well, this is a delightful surprise. I can tell you that we were beginning to despair of Pasha ever finding the right person…but now I can see that he was very right to wait. He couldn’t have chosen better.’
Chloe blushed as she felt the warmth of his approval. She hadn’t expected to be greeted with such pleasure, and she found herself responding naturally.
‘Thank you, Sir Henry. It is nice to be here, and I am pleased to meet you.’
‘Henry,’ he said. ‘Please call me Henry, my dear. Come in, come in. Your rooms have been prepared for you. The whole household is buzzing with excitement—we were all so thrilled when Pasha telephoned and told us the news!’
Chloe smiled at him, allowing him to draw her into the house, which was a lovely old rambling place with roses growing up the grey stone walls and tiny leaded panes to the windows.
‘What a beautiful house,’ she said as he took her into a comfortable sitting room. It was furnished in cool shades of greens and blues, and just right for a hot summer day. She sank into one of the rather shabby but very relaxing armchairs with a little sigh of relief. ‘I didn’t expect anything like this. Pasha hasn’t told me much at all about his family.’
‘Well, I dare say there isn’t much to tell,’ Sir Henry said. ‘Helen was my only daughter. My son died in infancy.’ He paused, clearly distressed but fighting an old sorrow. ‘I had two brothers and a sister, but there’s only Dora left now. She lives with me, but she is visiting her son at the moment and she will be most upset to learn that she missed you. But perhaps you can be persuaded to stay for a while until she returns? I expect her back at the end of next week.’ He looked inquiringly at Pasha.
‘I am sorry that won’t be possible at the moment, sir,’ Pasha said. ‘We haven’t been to see Chloe’s father yet. We would like to stay with you for a couple of days this time, but I am sure Chloe can be persuaded to come back again soon…can’t you, darling? I may need to go abroad again shortly, and I am sure you would rather be here than alone in my London apartment, wouldn’t you, my love?’
Chloe wondered what was in his mind. Was he thinking that it would be harder for her to run away from him if she stayed with his family?
‘Yes, I think I would,’ she said and sipped the refreshing cup of tea Sir Henry’s housekeeper had brought for her. ‘I didn’t know you had planned another trip, Pasha? Where are you going this time?’
‘To see my uncle,’ he told her. ‘It’s just a business thing, darling. I think you would be better staying here. Especially if…’ He glanced at his grandfather. ‘We aren’t certain yet, sir, but we think Chloe may be with child.’
Chloe blushed a fiery red as Sir Henry looked at her. He must be aware that they had been married only a few days, and she expected to see a frown of censure. Instead of that, she saw surprise and then genuine delight dawn over the elderly man’s face.
‘That is wonderful news,’ he said. ‘Congratulations to both of you and I would very much like it if you would consider having the baby here, Chloe. I know some of you young things like to go into hospital for the birth these days, but we could arrange to have a nurse staying here—and also a very good doctor I happen to know would attend you during the whole of your pregnancy.’
‘I’m not sure,’ Pasha said. ‘Supposing there are complications?’
‘I think it’s a lovely idea,’ Chloe said and reached across to touch Sir Henry’s hand. ‘In fact, I would like to come down and visit you often. I much prefer the country to the town. I believe I did tell you that, didn’t I, Pasha?’
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘Perhaps, I’m not sure. We shall get down as often as we can, of course, and as I’ve already said, you should consider coming here while I’m away. Henry and Dora will look after you.’
‘Yes, indeed we shall,’ Sir Henry said and chuckled, delighted at the prospect of seeing more of her. ‘I am so glad you enjoy the country, Chloe. Pasha doesn’t visit us anywhere near enough. I know he’s a busy man, but I’m always telling him he shouldn’t work so hard.’
‘A business doesn’t run itself, sir.’
‘No, no, of course not—and you’ve done extremely well,’ Sir Henry said approvingly. He looked at Chloe. ‘I dare say he hasn’t told you how clever he is? No, I thought he wouldn’t—likes to hide his light under a bush, does my grandson. He invented some contraption when he was at college. It’s all part of this new technical stuff. I don’t understand it myself, though I enjoy listening to the wireless. Pasha tells me there will be a machine that shows us pictures of what’s happening miles away one day—and not like the cinema, my dear—he’s talking about the moment it happens. Imagine that, pictures from miles away as an event is taking place! It all sounds a bit far-fetched to me, but Pasha says it will come and he must know what’s he’s talking about. The boffins in the Government think he’s the bees’ knees, you know—and he’s made an awful lot of money…’
‘I am sure Chloe doesn’t want to know any of this.’
‘Oh, but I do,’ she contradicted. ‘I think I am going to enjoy talking to Henry about you, Pasha. He will tell me all the things you haven’t.’ She smiled at him, forgetting for a moment that she was angry with him, forgetting that he wasn’t the man she thought she had married, and feeling as she had when he had first taken her to Spain. ‘Yes, I shall definitely come and stay with you while Pasha is away, Henry.’
‘Thank you for being pleasant to Henry,’ Pasha said to her later when they were alone in the suite of very attractive rooms that had been made ready for them. ‘He happens to be very fond of me for some reason, and I should hate him to be hurt over all this.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of hurting him,’ Chloe said, feeling indignant. ‘I am surprised that you could think it. You obviously don’t know me very well if you imagine that I would deliberately hurt someone like Henry. He’s a dear…’ She faltered and blushed as he looked at her oddly, his eyebrows arched.
‘I am glad you like him,’ was all the reply Pasha made, but she knew what lay unsaid between them.
‘And I don’t know you well either,’ she went on, saying what she knew to be true.
‘No, you don’t,’ he agreed, a faint smile flickering at the corners of his mouth. ‘Your trouble, Chloe, is that you have a fertile imagination. You do not always make sound judgements.’
‘That’s unfair,’ she replied. ‘Just because I happen to like certain films—’ She broke off as she saw the look in his eyes, changing the subject and heading off what she knew was coming. ‘Just what did you invent, Pasha?’
�
�It was something to do with computers,’ he said and smiled at her. ‘So far most successful computers have been analogue, but there’s something called electronics that is going to be the big thing of the future. I came up with a small idea that may help to make that sooner rather than later, but it was only the first step in building my business, which is design of all kinds. Not just things I might invent myself, but promoting other people’s vision of the future. This century is going to see a whole new world emerging, Chloe, things neither you nor I could even begin to imagine.’
‘Oh, I see. And you make a lot of money promoting these designs and inventions?’
‘Did you think the money I spent on you was blood money, Chloe?’
Something in his eyes made her look away, because it was a look of hurt rather than anger. She felt guilty, as though she had somehow let him down, but she dismissed the thought as ridiculous. What did he expect her to think after what he had told her? But his expression had changed and now he was angry.
‘Well, you can ease your conscience,’ he told her coldly. ‘I can assure you that nothing you are wearing was paid for by my uncle’s money—as a matter of fact, what I do for him is out of loyalty. He has never offered payment and I would not accept it if he did.’
‘Then I am sorry that I thought it for a moment,’ she said. ‘It was wrong of me. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to imply—’
‘But it was in your mind,’ he said. ‘You clearly have a low opinion of my morals. In case you are wondering, I shan’t be sleeping in your bed tonight, Chloe. The English aristocracy is extremely civilised. They provide a bed in the dressing room, and that’s where I’ll be sleeping while we’re staying here. I’ve never needed to force an unwilling woman to sleep with me yet, and I don’t intend to start with you.’
Chloe didn’t answer. She turned her back on him, her thoughts in turmoil. He was acting as though she was the one in the wrong, but he had told her that he had authorised the execution of a man. How did he expect her to behave? Had he thought she would say, ‘Thank you for telling me, but now I’ll just forget all about it’?
