Potrait of Jamie

by Margaret Way

  'That would have been too damned childish! Consider yourself engaged. Maybe I've been plotting to get you all along.'

  'For God's sake, why?'

  'Oh, come on now, Jaime!' His expression was hard and mocking and charming all at once and something else, and seeing it she quailed. Possessive. She would have to spend her time as his fiancée until he decided she was no longer necessary to his schemes. The only possible answer was to go home, but she wasn't going to do that. Just Jaime would be her distinguishing label. She too could have plans, and this arrogant, challenging, absolutely fatal man would lend her his tremendous vigour and organisational know-how.

  She was filled with a remarkable energy, but managed to fall asleep at Quinn's very luxurious home unit that had a superb view of the harbour and the city lights by night. Because she felt generous Jaime had by then decided she couldn't change a thing, except maybe the repositioning of a Persian prayer mirror to the entrance foyer. Quinn had superb taste, and equally important, he was going to help her.

  She couldn't scorn his offer to become engaged to her. He was a fantastic man and one couldn't expect such a man to be without complications. She didn't want to think about it, but it was obvious she would have a few dreadful moments. Indeed, the best laid plans often went astray. The one way out of tension was a delicious daydream.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The first person Jaime saw when she got back to Falconer was Georgia. She swept down the staircase, her green eyes sharp enough to drill a hole through an unopened door, her voice icy with dignity.

  'Your grandfather is waiting for you in the library,' she announced.

  'Good for him.'

  'You haven't a hope of pulling this off, you know that, don't you?'

  'Pulling what off?' Jaime stalled.

  'This phoney engagement!'

  'What's it to do with you?'

  'Everything!' Georgia maintained broadly. 'My daughter has been in love with Quinn Sterling for years!'

  'Well, these things happen. I'm sorry for her, of course, but really Quinn doesn't feel that way about her.'

  'What would you know about it?'

  'Take my advice.'

  'He's only using you!' Georgia said in a low voice.

  'It's no good, Georgia; extraordinarily enough I don't mind.'

  'You don't mind being used? How humiliating!' Georgia paused, trying to control her rising tone. 'You're not in trouble, are you?'

  Jaime shook her head. 'What are you thinking of organising? No, Georgia, I leave trouble alone.'

  'I was under the impression you were causing a great deal of it!'

  'It's not a crime to get engaged, is it? Some people might wish me well!'

  'I wish you the very reverse!'

  Jaime looked at Georgia's handsome face curiously. 'Why? Why do you hate me? It seems mindless.'

  'The fact remains you're trying to wreck this family. My daughter's happiness.'

  Jaime sighed. 'Excuse me, won't you? You did say Grandfather was waiting.'

  'And don't you dare upset him,' Georgia cried.

  'Would you mind? I had the distinct impression you're all waiting for him to die!'

  'You detestable creature!'

  'Not detestable at all—smart. I also care about my grandfather, which you don't.'

  'You just wait until my husband gets home!' Georgia said through her clenched teeth.

  'Ring him,' advised Jaime crisply.

  'I already have.'

  'And who rang you? Leigh. She's in love with Quinn as well. It's almost like an epidemic.'

  Georgia stared at her, her eyes glassy. 'You'll wish you never came to Falconer before I'm finished with you.'

  'Lovely! Get out of my way, Georgia, I'm not going to stand here and swap insults with you. You have everything and it's not enough, and you've taught your children no better. You're a greedy, ugly woman!'

  'I was a legend in my girlhood!' Georgia shouted, her throat flushing and her hand tearing at her caftan.

  'I don't mean your looks,' Jaime said wearily. 'I mean the real you, inside. You know, where you live. You lack something vital—charity.'

  'It's time we got rid of you!' Georgia said, stepping nearer, a tall and a strong woman, three stone heavier than Jaime.

  'Not a chance,' Jaime said breezily. 'I like mixing with the real elite. It's so ennobling!'

  While Georgia paused to take breath, Jaime went quickly round her, and on to the library. It was a wonderful room, which housed a valuable collection of books in arcaded ceiling-high recesses. It also incorporated her grandfather's study, and the cedar tables and smaller cabinets held the trophies, the awards and the honours, the great pile-up of personal memorabilia her grandfather had accumulated during a long eventful lifetime. Rolf Hunter wasn't just one man but a number of men, and even his enemies acknowledged his confounded excellence.

  Today he looked frailer than usual, his relatively unlined and tanned skin almost blanched. Jaime threw her handbag down on an armchair and went towards him, her hands outstretched. He took them and she bent over him to kiss his cheek. 'What's the problem?' she said in her habitual forthright way.

  He looked at her without his customary enthusiasm. 'Georgia has been babbling endlessly to me about some engagement.'

  'She had no right to do that.'

  'She has some rights, Jaime,' he said forcefully.

  'What are they? None so far as I'm concerned. You don't look very comfortable there at the desk, Grandfather. Come over to the sofa, then we can both sit down.'

  'Perhaps I will, as I'm determined to continue this discussion.'

  'You're not delighted?'

  'It's true, then?' He shot her a baleful look from under his thick black brows.

  'Sit down,' she said calmly, and waited for him to do so. 'Yes, it's true,' she murmured, sinking down beside him, 'but I wanted to tell you that myself. Quinn, in any case, is calling on you this evening.'

  'Indeed?'

  'I thought you admired him, Grandfather? You sent him to find me when you sent no one else.'

  'You don't know Quinn, my darling.'

  'Of course I don't. Do any of us know anyone? Tell me about him. Your view!'

  'He's everything we do know. Brilliant, compelling, ambitious. He's the biggest persuader I know and he's willing and able to work superlatively hard. Actually he's been able to run rings around my sons for years now and he's only thirty-four now. There's no question he hasn't a great future, but he's deep. A very complicated man. For example, he's taking over my business right from under my nose. These days I'm content to sit by and watch human nature at work. I'm too old now to stop him and my sons wouldn't know how. I'm wondering now what his exact interest is in you?'

  'Perhaps he loves me,' Jaime ventured.

  He nodded. 'Of course. You're a very beautiful girl, yet still I wonder. It's not the money, it's not even the power. It's something else with Quinn. Family skeletons. They keep rattling. He'd use you if he had to.'

  'As a matter of fact, Grandfather, he's helping me. I don't know if you notice my clothes?'

  'Of course I do!' He looked at her in astonishment. 'What have your clothes to do with it? I must say I've wondered how you got the money to pay for them before you came here.'

  'I made them.'

  'One would never know!' He turned sideways to stare at her, nibbling on his lip. 'It seems to me an expert couldn't do better.'

  'I am an expert in my way,' she explained. 'At least I want to be!'

  'Aren't we straying from the track?' he enquired.

  'Not really. You see, I'm going into business.'

  'You're what?' Matchless at taking shocks in his stride, he couldn't hide his objections.

  'I'm like you, Grandfather!' Jaime said, trying to go carefully. 'Quinn only pointed that out to me today.'

  'What kind of a business?' he demanded uneasily.

  'Fashion. I want to design women's clothes.'

  'Oh, really, Jaime!' he said impat
iently, and somewhat relieved. 'It's not necessary for you to do anything. Enjoy your life!'

  'I could only do that working. Surely you understand?'

  'No, I don't!' he said sourly. 'It's a man's lot to work for the sum of his days, "not a woman's.'

  'Oh, Grandfather, you know very well that's not true any more.'

  The handsome old face was glowering and one hand began to move jerkily. 'That's why women are so unhappy today. They don't know their place. They weren't unhappy in my day.'

  'Perhaps they weren't allowed to say so,' she suggested. 'No one listened or cared!'

  'I don't want to discuss it now, Jaime. Still, you mustn't think I'm not interested. Give yourself time. You love being here, don't you? You care about me. You can have anything you want—just name it. Not everyone finds work a pleasurable activity.'

  'You did and so will I!'

  'Forget that, Jaime!' he burst out irritably. 'You give me a long story about wanting to work when I want to press on about Quinn. I don't like this engagement. You're much too young.'

  'We're not rushing into anything, Grandfather.'

  'It seems highly suspicious to me and knowing Quinn I'm right to be alarmed. Soon he'll have everything, including you. He idolised his uncle Nigel, did you know that? A very charming young man was Nigel. Charming but not practical. I never knew anyone who wasn't utterly taken with Nigel. He was a gentleman, the only one of them who wasn't a revolting aristocrat. He was lovable. Good—too good perhaps. I promoted the match between your mother and Nigel; he adored her, there was no other word for it, and he was prepared to extend the love that was in him to me. I've never known anyone else like him. Quinn isn't like him at all. He's more like his grandfather. Quinn can be as hard as nails. Nigel was too sensitive, too human, for his own good. I suppose you find it hard to comprehend?'

  'No, his mother speaks of him in the same way.'

  'Margo? She's always looked right through me, yet she loved Rowena. Between them, Rowena and Nigel, they nearly killed that old woman, but she managed to survive as I did. What Quinn has in mind I don't know, but be on your guard. He's going to be a great man one day, but I prefer him not to have my granddaughter.'

  There was an intense, close look on Jaime's face. 'So you don't think he could love me for myself?'

  'The human mind follows some pretty tortuous paths. You've looked into his black eyes, haven't you? They're fathomless. With you one can see right through to the soul. Paradise itself couldn't have a more heavenly blue. You're mismatched—Quinn is a very clever man, mature, and he's been around. You're just a child. You're courageous and gay, but that's nothing. I could give you the names of a dozen women who have flung themselves at his head, and that doesn't include my own granddaughters, spoilt silly little beggars. Things are complicated enough, Jaime, without your thinking of Quinn Sterling.'

  'I didn't think about it, particularly, Grandfather. It just happened.'

  'All right, I can understand that! God knows it's clear enough what you see in him, but break it off.'

  'I'm not sure I can do that!' Jaime said strangely. 'I love him.'

  'You're in love with him,' her grandfather pointed out heavily. 'Of course I know that. He's a handsome devil—they all were. And that's it. He's Philip's grandson. He looks at me sometimes with those probing black eyes and believe me I don't know who he is for a minute. But Philip was never ruthless; Quinn is, or he could be.'

  Jaime nodded. 'All right, I can see you're serious and I can see that you're worried. I've come to love you, Grandfather, as though I've always lived here with you. I don't want to hurt and upset you. There's been enough hurt for all of us, but I love Quinn too. I promise you I don't consider that reason enough to marry, I won't rush into anything. You could be right. I know Quinn's a complicated man. If I said I didn't have doubts about him, I'd be lying. Time will tell. I'm going to become engaged to him for a while anyway. I might as well tell you the rest. He's willing to back me in a business.'

  He caught her eyes steadily, looking tremendously alert. 'Has he gone into it?'

  'You know Quinn.'

  'Then you should be particularly proud of yourself.

  Quinn doesn't back losers. Couldn't you have come to me? Why Quinn Sterling, for God's sake?'

  'You've been ill, Grandfather, and you said it yourself, you're content to sit back these days, and that's as it should be!'

  'Leave that part of it aside, if you don't mind. You should have came to me.'

  'Would you have listened?' she enquired.

  Unexpectedly he chuckled. 'Well ... not for some little while. Good grief, child, you've only just come back to me. The question of earning your own living doesn't arise. I've made millions, and I can't take it with me. I've left you secure for life. There's no law that says you've got to have a job as well.'

  'We make our own rules,-Grandfather. I'm a doer. I can't sit around and let someone else create and direct my environment. I think I have something to offer. I believe in myself. Didn't you believe in yourself?'

  'I made Hunter Sterling what it is today.'

  'Wasn't Philip Sterling entitled to some of the credit?' she asked.

  'We're not talking about Philip Sterling, young lady. We're talking about his grandson, and let me inform you that Quinn is absolute in his intention to take us all over. Maybe he's getting back at me through you. You're the only weapon anyone could use against me. You're all I care about.'

  She shut her eyes, her voice so quiet that he had to turn and look at her. 'How can you say that, Grandfather? What about Uncle Gerard, Uncle Vivian, my cousins?'

  'You sound horrified,' he said, his eyes on her face.

  'I am. Don't you care for them at all?'

  'I suppose I should, but God damn it, I can't ! Why should I? They don't care about me. They're all waiting for me to die as though they haven't got enough already. I've always been one-track and I suppose I'm not exactly an admirable person. I've loved my work, I loved my mother. I loved my daughter, and you're Rowena all over again. In a way I can't explain it's exactly like having a second chance. You've even a bit of me in you, I can see it myself. He's a shrewd devil, Quinn—diabolical. I've always recognised his perception. The only possible way he can hurt me is through you. The only way he can avenge his family is through you. I don't want you to marry him.'

  'It may never come to that!' Jaime said, caught into this dilemma.

  'Then why bother to get engaged? If you're serious about this business venture, I'll put up the money. Surely you know you had only to ask?'

  'I do know it, Grandfather.'

  'But I'm dying, is that it?'

  'Don't say it!' She covered his mouth with her fingertips. 'Don't say it. With care you'll live for years yet! You'll see me make a success of myself. You won't see Quinn Sterling ruin my life. I won't let him! *

  'Yet you love him?'

  'If what I feel for him is real, yes.'

  'It mightn't be enough,' he warned.

  'Then we'll find out in time. I give you my solemn word I won't rush into marriage.'

  'He has you plainly infatuated. I wish to God the boys were like him. Simon and Brett might make out— at the moment they're just nothing. They've had too much. Too much has been given to them and I'm to blame. I had nothing in my youth but conflict. No family. No money. I don't know how many jobs my poor mother and I held down to get me through university. I had a first-class brain, that helped. Philip Sterling befriended me. The Sterlings, of course, were right out of the top drawer. Still, he was a good fellow. A brilliant engineer. Too moral, of course.'

  'Can anyone be too moral?' Jaime asked, her eyes flying open.

  'In business, yes.'

  'You look calmer, Grandfather,' she said quietly. 'Do you feel it?'

  He gazed at her thoughtfully with his steel-grey eyes. 'I can see you're not like your lunatic cousins, Sue-Ellen and Leigh. You won't let him make a fool of you. I couldn't drink the cup of bitterness again.'


  'Talk to him tonight?' Jaime begged, and took her grandfather's hand, feeling the fine tremor in it.

  'Yes, I will. We seem to be moving over the same old chessboard. You'll upset Margo, you know—a natural reaction. It's easy for you young people to talk about love; one is extremely lucky to know love and have it returned in a long lifetime. We're all beggars most of us, turned away from the table. Not even the crumbs. Still, I'm not infallible, it may be a splendid match. At the moment, however, that's not possible for me to admit. If he hurt you I'd kill him or have him killed.'

  'Don't speak like that!' Jaime begged, frightened and with reason.

  'What would you have me say?'

  'I'm not so foolish or so weak that I need someone else to fight my battles. I mean it, Grandfather, I can handle Quinn, or I'll learn how to.'

  He glanced away from her as though sick to death of the whole thing. 'It's child's play for a man to pretend he loves a woman. Stupid creatures, women, I've always found them so and I've had plenty of them in my time. A series of meaningless relationships.'

  'That's the secret, Grandfather,' Jaime said, her violet eyes saddened, 'one must be able to give love to receive it. To be prepared to suffer to gain much. You love me because you see my mother in me.'

  'I see you in me as well. Why, damn you, I love you more than I loved Rowena. There, I've said it!'

  Jaime glowed. 'You're not ashamed of it? You're not frightened to love me, to commit yourself?'

  'I'm beginning to feel shame for a lot of things. That goes to show you how old I really am. All right, my darling, I can't pretend I'm joyous about this engagement, but I can play games as well as the next man, maybe even better than Quinn Sterling. I'm not dead yet. You're the prize and we both want you.'

  'That's funny!'

  'Very. A contested claim,' he said dryly.

  'I love you both.'

  'And if he doesn't love you, I ought to find out about it and I will. Yes, it's funny all right. History repeating itself, only I'm not handing you over.'