by Margaret Way
'I mean to.' he said, apparently idly, and Louise's expression changed into one of painful longing.
'I'm glad you're so tolerant, Paul. Sometimes Brooke is the absolute limit! '
'I have to admit it was wonderful when little girls were seen and not heard!' he murmured suavely, his dark eyes slipping over Brooke's face and slender body with a kind of authority.
Brooke knew a moment of measureless anger. How dare he look at her like that? As if he knew every last little thing about her. 'If you're going to dance, don't let us stop you.' she snapped.
Corelli's black eyes registered sardonic amusement. 'You do me a great honour! '
Before she could stop him or even know what he was about he pulled her towards him with a deceptive gentleness that she was sure could turn into ferocity. 'Don't look so tragic, piccola!' he said to the startled Louise. 'Your sister doesn't really upset me. I believe redheads are known to have runaway tongues! '
'May I?' Nigel flickered a brief, telling glance at Louise and when she showed not a spark of reaction he caught her hand. 'Dance with me Lou. Now!'
She went into his arms like a sleepwalker, both of them staring after Brooke and Corelli, while Brooke with so many glances upon her felt well and truly on her mettle. 'Does a chance overheard remark entitle you to hurt me?' she asked sweetly.
He looked down at her, on his dark face a curious mixture of hauteur and amusement. 'Let me tell you, signorina, there's nothing I'd like better, but I'm not hurting you at all! '
She lifted her titian head, forcing herself to smile. The very air around them was crackling with tension but deliciously perfumed. 'We're very glad you could make it tonight.'
'You don't really expect me to answer that, do you?' He was leading her easily, a superb natural rhythm in his hard graceful body. 'Relax!' he said, and made a sound of faint exasperation. 'That's better! A woman should naturally yield.'
'I appreciate that you might think so!' Her green eyes flashed at him and he laughed beneath his breath, as dark and menacing as a fiend incarnate.
'It's a pleasure to see you in character, signorina, I've always known what kind of female you really are!'
'Really, I don't understand you! ' She was colouring and very nearly stammering, absurdly aware of his curiously sensuous effect on her and cursing herself for it.
'No?' He lifted his fine black brow superciliously. 'Tonight you look a woman to threaten any man's peace of mind.'
'Surely not!' she burst out rashly. 'I've never been blind to your attitude! '
'Tell me! ' he invited with a look of amused insolence.
'I 'don't believe I have to, These things are usually mutual.'
'What things?'
'Oh, never mind!' she said shortly, and made the mistake of staring up into his face. On all other occasions she had glanced at him only fleetingly, now she was made aware of the deadly attraction that drew most women like a magnet. He wasn't conventionally handsome, but he was certainly very striking. His features were all Italian.' the splendid dark head with its thick deep waves, the broad brow, the fine, dark olive skin, the large brilliant dark eyes, the once aquiline nose that had been broken at some stage of his life, the wide sensuous mouth, the square deeply cleft chin. His grace of movement was Italian too and the dark resonance of his exceedingly attractive voice.
'That, I would say, is the first time you've ever really looked at me.'
There was a decided curl of sarcasm in his dark voice and Brooke pushed back against his hard controlling hand. 'Strangely yes. The thought has always impressed itself on my mind that you're my sister's friend.'
'I imagine you thought the same thing of Watling,' he answered suavely watching a storm of feeling flash into her almond-shaped eyes.
'Nigel is Louise's friend! '
'He looked remarkably as if he wished to be your lover.'
'It would take a miracle, Signor Corelli.'
'Good, then I will not have to kill him.'
She waited until the blood had stopped pounding in her ears, but by that time he had taken her hand and led her down the short flight of marble stairs into the surrounding garden. She couldn't look at him and she could make nothing of his strange taunt.
'Such a pity the statuary has been removed,' he commented briefly. 'The garden is beautiful, but it's being neglected. Everything is growing at will like a miniature rain forest. I like a little hint of informality, but there must be order underlying it.'
'You don't have to convince me,' she said a little bitterly. 'The grounds are very large and inexpensive gardeners are hard to come by these days.'
'Of course you are right! '
She couldn't see the irony in his eyes but she could hear it in his voice. 'It's no secret the Ashton fortune is dissipating rapidly,' she said.
'And you mind very much? I seem to have upset you.'
'It would amuse you, surely?'
He shook his dark head, 'Why do you think me so cruel?'
She stiffened and continued walking, feeling the cooling breeze on her face. 'It took a long time and a lot of money to build Wintersweet. You can't blame us for not wanting to see its ruin.'
'You agree then that your mother should sell her daughter?'
Taken by surprise she was unprepared for the force of her anger. Her hand flew up of its own accord even as she watched it with a sort of horror. But it never connected. He caught it in mid-air and pinned her wrist, bearing her hand down again and holding it forcefully to her side.
'Be calm! ' he said, almost gently, deriving some kind of sadistic amusement from her frail strength.
'And be careful what you say to me! '
'Surely in such a situation you must expect some scandalous comments?'
'Why did you come here?' she asked sharply, worried because her heart seemed to be hammering painfully. His hard grip hadn't lessened and she was making no effort to resist him.
He turned her to him and still she made no resistance. 'Because I wanted to talk to you.'
'No.' The imperious shake of her head rejected his explanation.
'I have determined on it for a long time.'
'If it's something to do with Louise, you'll have to speak to my mother.'
'Louise is very pretty, but she's not right for my plans.'
'Whatever they are, I don't intend to listen.'
'Not even if something terrible might happen to you?'
'This is my own home and we're surrounded by people!' Brooke pointed out a little uneasily. They were, she supposed, almost invisible from the house and she was certain he was no gentleman. There was a distinctive flavour of purpose about him, a glorious ruthlessness that would ensure that he always got his own way. She told herself she wasn't going to be intimidated, but her agitation was fairly recognisable.
'Permit?' he said, and led her towards the marble garden seat. 'It won't be comfortable, but it's more pleasant to discuss business sitting down.' He glanced at her sidelong, speaking to her almost as if she were a child. 'There, that's better now.' Very politely he took his place beside her, his every movement so surefooted and unconcerned he was making her feel even more confused and jittery.
'What is it you want to speak to me about?' she asked rather breathlessly. His arm was resting along the back of the bench and it seemed like a small crisis.
'You're afraid of me?'
'I am not!' Even she was aware it sounded like a hysterical snap.
He only continued to look at her while the breeze blew around them and the trees rustled and Whispered in the night-time jungle. 'It is no secret at all that quite a few people expect me to marry your charming sister.'
'No secret at all! ' she agreed dryly.
'And may I ask if you think so too?'
She answered promptly, throwing up her bright head. 'Unlike a lot of people, I'm not one of your admirers, Signor Corelli! '
'No matter, it's not necessary. Maybe you will believe you try my patience?'
'I think I've said be
fore, these things are mutual.'
'I understand, I believe, but I feel I have better manners.'
'What a pity my Italian is so rusty! ' The slow melodic cadence of his speech was really getting to her.
'You need a tutor. You should ask me.'
'I do know andiamo, amico! '
He gave a low, throaty laugh. 'I think you mean addio! '
'So I did!' She came to her feet with swift grace, but he put out his hand and drew her down again with peculiar light strength, a controlled power that made her more than ever aware of the intense force behind it.
'Let's get on with it, shall we? I am prepared to discuss the only thing of real interest to you, your home.'
'What on earth for?' she burst out with real impatience.
'If you'll be quiet I will tell you more about it. Forgive me, I see you're not used to holding your tongue.'
'It's normal and healthy to ask questions.'
'Not all the time!' he said dryly. 'Both of us are aware that your mother is prepared to gamble everything on marrying one of her daughters off to a man rich enough to appreciate all this.'
'You-don't sound terribly disgusted?' she said waspishly.
'Come now, signorina, you know I'm Italian. Marriage is considered a very serious business and one must do well by the family. It is expected.'
'Benissimo!' Brooke drawled, slipping ironically into his language.
'Amuse yourself as you wish, cara, I know .a way to cure it. I may have given the impression that I was in pursuit of your very pretty sister, but it is your hand I ask for in marriage! '
'I feel faint! ' Brooke whispered, in a panic.
'You do not! ' Very firmly he clasped his hand around her nape and pushed her head down. 'You breathe―breathe―and the moment will pass! '
It was extraordinary, but the touch of his hand seemed to quieten her jumping nerves. She began to inhale deeply and after a moment his hand fell away.
'This is no romantic proposal, signorina, but a contract, and I promise you it won't be unpleasant.'
'Mr. Corelli―wait a moment, please! '
'I'm listening! ' he shrugged.
'It may be like this in Italy,' she said helplessly, 'but we're much more progressive! '
'You mean you have a greater rate of divorce? Contrary to popular opinion, we are not a sentimental people. Money is always a consideration, it is much better to marry where it is than where it isn't. You too have a duty to your family. Your mother and sister are very charming but very helpless. One wouldn't like to see them struggling. Such a desolate vision! Louise has not been reared to be useful. She's like a pretty medallion one wears around the neck, a possession! '
The truth of that was hard to ignore and for a moment Brooke couldn't say anything. The innuendo was that she might prove useful, and she was anything but flattered.
'And how am I different?' His expression was impossible to read, but she could see the gleam of his eyes.
They mightn't be amber, but he obviously could see in the dark.
'For one thing you have more spirit, more animation, very possibly, a brain.'
'Oh, thank you!' she said dryly. 'I assure you Lou has one too.'
'Undoubtedly, but I haven't seen a great deal of it so far. I appreciate your loyalty, but my mind is made up.'
He sounded so much a man whose every whim was obeyed, Brooke jumped to her feet, her hands fluttering in a storm of jumbled emotions. 'Oh, stop it, stop it! I can't possibly take you seriously.'
'Why not?' he asked, unperturbed by her performance.
The jade earrings were swinging against her cheeks and she stopped moving abruptly. 'It may be a solution so far as Louise is concerned, but in this case, Signor Corelli, I can work for a living.'
'So you can!' he said gently. 'And who is going to wake up your dreamy little rabbit of a sister?'
'Obviously not you! '
He spread his hands in a foreign gesture. 'Let that be a lesson to you, cara, not to be too confident. Your mamma is already looking on me as a son-in-law.'
'And she'd be prostrate with shock if she knew you were talking this way to me. Even poor little Louise, it would be too much for her. Why on earth did you encourage her?'
'Questions, questions! ' he chided with a faint sharpness in his velvety voice. 'You may be surprised to learn that I gave your sister very little encouragement. She is like a kitten. begging to be cuddled! '
'You're impossible!' said Brooke, keeping her voice down with an effort. 'It's on account of you Mamma put on this dreadful party !'
He looked up at her with his luminous eyes. 'It's a heavy load of love you carry, isn't it, poverina?'
'I'm sorry, I don't know what that means?'
'You hurt. Poor little thing. You hurt yourself, you hurt your mother and your sister. Marry me and everything will come right.'
Her eyes closed and she seemed to sway. 'Louise may say yes to such a blessed event, Mr. Corelli, but my answer is no !'
'Sorry, but I don't take no for an answer.' He was on his feet beside her, letting his hands fall with their full hard weight on her delicate shoulders. 'I am sure you are going to think about it. I am sure you are going to weigh up all the advantages. As part of our agreement I will restore Wintersweet to full dignity. I already know which treasures are missing and exactly where they are. I cannot promise to take within my home your mother and sister, but l will make it possible for them to live in considerable style. Louise will no longer have to go through a hell of recriminations if another millionaire doesn't show up. You see, cara, I know your beautiful mamma spits venom on occasions. I don't want any of it in my eyes and I shall be very quick to protect my wife! '
'You really are a tiger man!' she said beneath her breath. 'I can't believe you've been stalking me all this time.'
'It was not necessary to frighten you too early. You're trembling like a leaf. On my account?'
'Not at all !' She tried to stand calm beneath his hands. 'You're not suggesting you've fallen in love with me?'
'Dio, no ! I am not a fool, signorina, this love is too much. I want a woman who will grace my home, a woman who will promise, in time, to have my child. I do not intend to be the last of my line.'
'Which is what?' Brooke asked with a desire to hurt and humiliate him.
Hard fingers bit into the silken skin of her collarbones. 'You have had too much, signorina, almost spoiled and crippled by being too rich, too young. You may assume I know exactly who I am, and I am none the worse for the lonely poverty of my childhood.'
'I'm sorry!' Despite herself she shuddered and apologised. 'I didn't mean to be so rude, but it's partly your fault. My mother might wish one of us to marry money and because of it save Wintersweet, but surely you understand I can't marry without love? No love whatever !'
'I think you will!' he said abruptly. 'From the way you are trembling I know you are far from indifferent to me. Yes, it's unbearable, I know, for you to admit it, so you may remain silent staring up at me with those great golden-green eyes. You are waiting for something to happen to you, aren't you? What do you want from life?'
'Not you! ' she said fiercely.
'Let me finish. I have not the slightest doubt I could make you fall in love with me if I wished. I could even make you purr like your sister.'
'You couldn't!' Brooke very nearly shouted, almost ready to explode.
'I wonder—' he said. 'Anyway, it doesn't matter. You are a stubborn little creature, that is all. Much younger than your what―twenty-two?' He lifted her chin and looked into her pearly, illuminated face. 'We will try this marriage. You will have your lovely old house back again as that is what you want, and your mother and sister will be free to travel all over the world. I believe neither of them, for all their love of Wintersweet, wish to stay at home.'
'Oh, help me―oh, my God, I can't stand it!' Brooke threw her head up towards the star-dusted sky.
'You are being ridiculous!' His face grew harder, taking on its
cast of sombre magnificence. 'Is it so terribly frightening, the thought of being married to me?'
'You simply don't know!' she said mercilessly. 'I think you must be a little peculiar, Mr. Corelli! '
'Paul!' he suggested firmly. 'You don't know the difficulty I have getting around your own name. If does not fall softly on the ear or the tongue. Isn't there some other name you have? Something more beautiful?'
