All Night Long

by Anne Mather

  ‘Oh, please…’ Ally couldn’t let this degenerate into a fight without at least trying to do something to stop it. ‘There’s no need for this.’

  ‘There’s every need,’ Raul contradicted her chillingly, his dark eyes sparkling with a cold brilliance. ‘This—person—insulted you and myself.’

  Jeff hunched his shoulders. ‘You’re very touchy for someone who makes his living preying on innocent women,’ he muttered barely audibly, but Raul heard him and the next second he had a handful of Jeff’s expensive sports shirt in his fist.

  ‘What did you say?’ he demanded, and at last Jeff seemed to realise that Raul meant what he said.

  ‘Hey,’ he protested weakly, tugging at Raul’s wrist. ‘D’you know how much this shirt cost me?’

  ‘Much more than you’re worth, I’m sure,’ responded Raul, tightening his hold, and Jeff winced.

  ‘You’re hurting me,’ he cried, his eyes turning to his ex-wife in desperate appeal. ‘For pity’s sake, Ally, I didn’t mean any harm. Get him off me!’

  ‘Raul—’

  ‘I haven’t heard your apology yet,’ Raul declared, ignoring her, his attention totally focussed on the other man. Jeff had dropped his jacket now and was using both hands to try and free himself, but without any success. Raul seemed invincible and if Ally hadn’t been so involved, she’d have found the whole affair laughable.

  As, indeed, did many of the hotel’s guests who were gradually gathering to watch them. There was a buzz of interested speculation and Ally realised something had to be done. All it needed was for Suzanne or Julia or even Peter to come into the lobby to see what was going on and God knew what might happen.

  ‘Raul,’ she said again, her voice low but audible. Her fist balled at the thought of touching him, but she forced her fingers to uncurl and brush anxiously at his arm. ‘Please, Raul, let him go.’

  Raul turned his head to look at her. ‘You do not mind that this man insulted you?’ he asked icily, and Ally shook her head, as much in an effort to clear it as in answer to his question. But Raul didn’t know that.

  ‘I—’

  ‘That’s what the lady’s saying, man.’ Before she could explain what she really meant, Jeff broke in, his smug tone an indication that he thought he’d won. ‘Hey, Ally and I have been married for a considerable number of years. We understand one another, don’t we, sweetheart? Come on: let me go—Raul, is it? Yeah, yeah.’ This as Raul shoved him away. ‘That’s better. That’s much better.’

  As Jeff bent to pick up his jacket, Ally looked at Raul and she wanted to die at the expression on his face. It encompassed so much: pain; bewilderment; contempt. But most of all betrayal, and Ally guessed that by taking Jeff’s side she had destroyed whatever it was that had been between them.

  The other guests were all drifting away now, probably disappointed that it hadn’t developed into a full-scale fight. But Ally could only be relieved on that score. She wished she could drift away, too. She wanted nothing so much as to be alone to nurse her wounded spirit, but she was compelled to stay and ensure that nothing worse happened.

  ‘Ally…’ Just when she’d been sure that Raul would never want to speak to her again, he touched her arm. ‘We haven’t finished our conversation.’ He cast a sideways look at Jeff. ‘Can I ring you later?’

  Ally didn’t know what to say. She was intensely aware of Jeff watching them and listening to every word, and, while he was silent at the moment, she knew him well enough to know that if he was pushed into a corner, he’d show no compunction about hurting her in any way he could. And once he found out who Raul really was, who he was going to marry…

  ‘I think you’d better go, Raul,’ she said stiffly, hating to have to disillusion him again, and, as if he had only been waiting for some sign that Ally still cared about him, Jeff added his voice to hers.

  ‘You heard the lady,’ he said, brave now that the danger was past, and Ally wanted to put her fist into his conceited face.

  ‘I’m sorry, Raul,’ she muttered, but Raul was already turning away, and she watched helplessly as he strode across the lobby and out through the glass doors.

  ‘Good riddance,’ said Jeff, staring after him. ‘You’re well rid of him, Ally. I knew what he was about the minute I saw him.’

  ‘You don’t know anything, Jeff,’ retorted Ally harshly, avoiding the attempt he made to take her arm. ‘As far as I’m concerned, you can go, too. If I never see you again, it’ll be too soon.’

  ‘You don’t mean that, Ally?’

  He stared at her, aghast, but Ally had had quite enough for one day. ‘Don’t I?’ she asked scornfully. ‘Well, if you hang around long enough, you’ll find out.’ She moved away from him. ‘And now, I want to have a word with Suzanne.’

  Jeff stared at her. ‘Surely you’re going to give me a chance to explain why I’m here,’ he protested.

  ‘I know why you’re here, Jeff,’ she told him coldly. ‘Living with Kelly hasn’t worked out so you went back to England hoping I’d be willing to let you weep on my shoulder. Well, you were wrong.’

  Jeff gasped. ‘You sound so hard, Ally.’

  ‘Just practical,’ she said, realising she had been a fool to be afraid of seeing him again. If ever she’d had any feelings for Jeff, they were long gone. All she felt now was a sense of regret for all the years she’d wasted.

  ‘But you love me, Ally!’

  Jeff wasn’t prepared to accept what she’d said and Ally raised her eyes heavenward. If she wasn’t careful, this was going to run into another noisy confrontation and she couldn’t have that. Heaving a sigh, she gestured towards the public lounge that opened off the lobby. ‘Let’s go in there,’ she said, guessing correctly that it would be deserted at this time of the afternoon. ‘We can’t hear ourselves speak here.’

  Which wasn’t precisely true, but Jeff seemed to agree with her, and, as she had expected, the pleasant palm-fringed sitting room was empty. Most guests were sunning themselves by the pool or taking a rest before Happy Hour. Ally wished that was all she had on her mind. She’d never dreamt her holiday would prove as eventful as it had.

  ‘You love me, Ally,’ Jeff said again, when they were facing one another in the sun-dappled parlour. ‘You know you do. There’s no point in trying to pretend you don’t.’

  Ally was stunned at his conceit. ‘You’re wrong, Jeff,’ she stated flatly. ‘I once thought I loved you, but I know better now. I’m sorry you’ve had a wasted journey. I had no idea you might come out here until Sam found you’d gone.’

  ‘Is it because of him?’ Jeff flicked a thumb towards the lobby and Ally’s heart flipped a beat at the thought of the damage he could do.

  ‘I—no, of course not,’ she replied hurriedly. ‘R—Raul is just a friend, that’s all.’

  ‘Come off it, Ally.’ Jeff was scornful now. ‘I know a come-on when I see it. The guy was fairly eating you with his eyes.’ He snorted. ‘He must be a sucker for older women, eh?’

  ‘You’re wrong—’

  ‘I don’t think so.’ Somehow Jeff had detected that there was more to this than she was saying. And, because he was feeling aggrieved over the way she’d treated him, he was looking for any little thing to taunt her with. ‘Way to go, Ally. It’s not every day you get to have sex with a stud like him. However doubtful his motives might be.’

  ‘Jeff, for God’s sake!’

  Ally was horrified, but the more agitated she became, the more she convinced him that he’d hit a nerve. ‘Hey, who am I to talk?’ he drawled, looping his jacket over his shoulder again and smirking at her. ‘Kelly wasn’t exactly middle-aged; I know that. And believe me, I can understand the attraction of firm young flesh—’

  ‘You’re disgusting!’ Ally was sickened by his attitude. And the knowledge that he could say all these things to Suzanne as well was doubly disturbing. Dear God, she couldn’t let him talk to the Davises. If he even so much as hinted at a relationship between her and Raul…

  And, as if h
e could read her thoughts, Jeff braced a hand on his hip and said softly, ‘But I’m right, aren’t I? You and the stud—you have been to bed together. Don’t bother to deny it. I can see it in your eyes. You always were too transparent for your own good.’

  Ally shook her head. ‘You’re mistaken…’

  ‘Am I?’ Jeff arched a sardonic brow. ‘Perhaps I should ask Suzanne. I’m sure she’ll be only too eager to put me right on that score. Seeing as how she’s always hated my guts.’

  Ally’s breath escaped on a little gasp. ‘Y—you can’t ask Suzanne.’

  ‘Why can’t I?’ Once again she had betrayed her hand, and Ally wanted to scream at her own stupidity. ‘Doesn’t she know about your little liaison?’

  Ally was desperate. ‘It’s nothing to do with Suzanne.’

  ‘So you haven’t told her.’ Jeff’s lips pursed. ‘Interesting.’ He frowned. ‘God, he’s not her son, is he?’ He uttered a short laugh. ‘If he is, I can understand why you might have reservations about discussing it with her.’

  ‘He’s not her son.’ Ally’s face was burning. ‘Suzanne doesn’t have a son; only a daughter.’

  ‘Is that right?’ Jeff regarded her thoughtfully. ‘Pity.’

  ‘You are—contemptible,’ said Ally chokingly. ‘You judge everyone by your own—repulsive standards.’

  ‘Maybe so.’ Jeff wasn’t offended. ‘But you have to admit I’m on the right track. There’s something about this affair—if you’ll pardon the pun—that doesn’t ring true.’

  ‘You’re exaggerating, as usual.’

  ‘Am I?’ Again, Jeff wasn’t convinced. ‘Why does the idea of me telling Suzanne about your admirer upset you so? It can’t just be because you’re ashamed of taking a lover. Dammit all, in your position, I’d probably have done the same.’

  Ally grimaced. ‘Is that supposed to be some sort of endorsement?’

  ‘No.’ Jeff’s frown deepened. ‘But I wouldn’t be so quick to cast judgement, if I were you. You know what they say about people in glass houses. And I have to tell you, in your position I’d be a little chary about throwing stones.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean, I make a better friend than I do an enemy.’

  Ally gasped. ‘Are you threatening me?’

  Jeff shrugged. ‘Whatever it takes.’

  ‘Why are you doing this?’

  ‘Why do you think?’ Jeff reached out and caught her chin in his hand. ‘Like you said before, I want you back. And if, to achieve that, I have to use a little gentle—blackmail—well, that’s the way it goes.’

  ‘You’re despicable.’ Ally dragged herself away from him.

  ‘So you keep saying. Keep it up and I may just decide that Suzanne deserves to know what you’ve been doing in her hotel.’ His lips twisted. ‘It’s up to you.’ He glanced about him. ‘Personally I’m not averse to spending a few days in this island paradise. According to the travel agent in Newcastle, the Davises have plenty of guest rooms vacant.’

  Ally stared at him. ‘You can’t stay here.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I—Suzanne would never let you.’

  ‘I don’t think even Suzanne would want to run foul of the tourist board. I mean, she has no reason to refuse to accommodate me. I don’t drink too much. I don’t even smoke. And as far as bothering the other guests are concerned…’

  Ally held up her head. ‘I don’t want you here, Jeff.’

  ‘Hell, I know that.’ He chuckled. ‘Tough luck.’

  ‘You don’t understand.’ Ally took a deep breath. ‘I had planned on leaving today.’

  ‘Leaving?’ Jeff’s brows drew together. ‘To go where?’

  ‘Where do you think?’

  ‘Back to England?’

  Ally nodded.

  Jeff shook his head. ‘I don’t believe you.’

  ‘You should. It’s true.’ Crossing her fingers in the pockets of her shorts, Ally looked at him. ‘Sam was—worried about you.’ She prayed her daughter would forgive her. ‘I told her I was coming back today.’

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  ‘THERE’S a phone call for you, Mrs Sloan.’

  Ally looked up from the spreadsheet she’d been studying to find a glamorous young woman leaning over her desk. Jennifer Morrell was the boss’s secretary here at Jedburgh Transport and it was obvious from her expression that she resented having to deliver a message to one of the lowlier members of the staff.

  ‘A phone call?’ Ally felt a wedge of apprehension rise to lodge itself in her throat. ‘Who—who is it?’

  ‘Your daughter, I think,’ said Jennifer shortly, and Ally breathed a little easier. ‘I didn’t ask. You know Mr Jedburgh doesn’t like anyone taking private calls during office hours.’

  ‘I know.’

  Ally’s response was apologetic, but inside she was a seething mass of doubts and frustrations. She’d been like this ever since she got back from San Cristobál, and even the fact that Jeff seemed to have accepted that he was wasting his time and she wasn’t going to take him back hadn’t helped. She was far too conscious of the power he had over her and, although there was a good four thousand miles between San Cristobál and here, she still wasn’t convinced he wouldn’t take it into his head to tell Suzanne what had been going on.

  Of course, there was always the chance that Suzanne would refuse to speak to him. Her friend hadn’t taken Ally’s decision to return to England with her ex-husband at all well, and she’d blamed Jeff for ruining Ally’s holiday.

  Which wasn’t altogether fair, Ally acknowledged ruefully. She had ruined it herself long before she’d got to the island. She just hadn’t known it at the time.

  In any event, returning to England had been her only option then. Somehow, she had had to get Jeff out of the hotel before either Suzanne or Peter saw him and precipitated the kind of scene she’d dreaded most. If he had been challenged Jeff would have had no compunction about telling Suzanne what her precious friend had been up to—though even he could have had no idea how destructive that would be.

  Consequently, Ally had had to persuade him that it was in his best interests to return to the airport at San Cristobál and wait for her there. There’d been a flight back to London at ten o’clock that night and, as she’d had Mike Mclean’s number, it had been a simple matter to phone him and arrange for him to fly them to Nassau in the early evening.

  At the time, Jeff had demurred, of course. He’d just arrived, and Ally guessed he’d been hoping to plead his case in San Cristobál’s semi-tropical surroundings. But somehow she’d managed to convince him that unless he agreed to her terms, she’d return to England without him and that would defeat his objective anyway. And, because he still hadn’t been able to believe that ultimately she would turn him down, he’d agreed.

  The interview she’d had with Suzanne had not been pleasant. Her friend had been in a bad mood to begin with and she hadn’t been able to see any reason whatsoever why Ally should feel any obligation towards her ex-husband. And because she hadn’t known that Jeff was on the island, she’d considered Ally’s sudden departure to be both foolish and ungrateful.

  And it had been, thought Ally now, abruptly becoming aware that Jennifer was still standing by her desk staring at her with wide impatient eyes. She was obviously waiting for Ally to answer the phone which was situated on her desk, and her toe was tapping a frustrated tattoo on the rubber-tiled floor.

  Pushing up from her desk, Ally hoped it was Sam on the other end of the line. Ever since her return, she’d been dreading a call from Suzanne, demanding to know why she hadn’t mentioned the fact that Jeff had been responsible for her precipitate decision to return to England. Mike was bound to have told her friend that she’d had company on the flight, particularly as her companion had had the same surname as herself. She still hadn’t thought of a convincing reason why she’d kept Jeff’s arrival to herself, and she was hoping that, if Suzanne did find out, she’d assume Ally hadn’t told her because
she’d known how angry Suzanne would be.

  Angry! Ally shivered. Thank God Suzanne hadn’t had a chance to confront Jeff with her opinion of him. In those circumstances, there would have been only one outcome, and Ally would have been the loser on all counts.

  Trying not to be aware of Jennifer, who had now resumed her seat at her desk, Ally picked up the receiver. ‘Hello,’ she said nervously, pressing a hand to her stomach. ‘Is that you, Sam?’

  ‘Yeah, Mum. It’s me.’ Ally’s relief was tempered by the unfamiliar excitement in her daughter’s voice. ‘How are you?’

  ‘How am I—?’ Ally realised she was repeating her daughter’s words and, conscious of Jennifer’s sullen attention, she took a steadying breath. ‘I only saw you at breakfast, Sam. You know how I am.’

  ‘Are you sitting down?’

  ‘Am I—?’ Once again, Ally was compelled to press her lips together to silence the impatient words. ‘No, I’m not,’ she said shortly. And then, as another, less appealing, thought occurred to her, she said, ‘What’s happened? Has there been an accident or something?’

  ‘How your mind does leap to the worst-case scenario,’ exclaimed Sam drily. ‘No, there hasn’t been an accident. Not as far as I know anyway. Dad called earlier this morning, but it was just to tell me that he’s going for an interview for a job in North Shields, and I doubt Ryan is even out of bed yet. It is only twelve o’clock, you know,’ she added sardonically.

  ‘Then why—?’

  ‘If you’ll stop jumping to conclusions, I’ll tell you,’ replied Sam mildly, and, unable to stand Jennifer’s appraisal any longer, Ally turned her back on her.

  ‘I wish you would,’ she said in a low impatient voice. ‘I’ve got work to do.’

  ‘Oh, well, if you feel like that—’

  ‘Sam!’

  Ally spoke through her teeth and, as if taking pity on her, Sam gave in. ‘You’ve had a visitor,’ she said without further preamble. ‘Does the name Rafael Ramirez mean anything to you?’