The Wings of Love

by Sally Wentworth

  At any other time Tressy would have gone just to be perverse, but tonight she merely said, to her aunt's gratification, 'Yes, I am rather tired.'

  'You'd be very welcome to come with us, you know that,' Crispin assured her.

  Tressy lifted heavy-lidded eyes to his face and saw that he meant it. And from something in the back of his eyes she guessed that he knew she had been studying him, but she was in no state to care. She shook her head and then wished she hadn't. "No, thanks. I'd rather go back to the villa.'

  'Very well.' He looked at Michel over her head. 'I'll take Tressy home and then join you at Regine's.'

  'No, no, you don't have to do that,' Uncle Jack said hurriedly when his wife elbowed him in the ribs. 'Tressy can take a taxi. There's no need to put yourself out for her.'

  'But Tressy is my guest,' Crispin pointed out smoothly. 'I wouldn't dream of letting her go home alone when I have a car outside.' He pushed back his chair and stood up, put a hand under her elbow and helped her to her feet. 'I won't be long. Why don't you all have another cup of coffee before you leave?'

  He gave Tressy only time to bid everyone a rather strangled, 'Good night,' before he shepherded her out of the restaurant, his hand firmly underneath her elbow. In the foyer he paused to sign his name to the bill and pass over several notes for extra tips, and then they were outside and the doorman was calling for his car.

  Monte Carlo at night is an incredible spectacle, with its floodlit gardens and squares, and the streets where every other car is a Rolls or a Mercedes. Here the nightlife is the most highly organised on the Riviera, and probably in the world, with the exception of Las Vegas. As they drove along they passed flashing neon lights advertising gaming rooms or super-chic discos, cabarets and floor shows. It was an owl-town, one that truly came alive with the night.

  But Tressy saw them only as a muddled blur and was almost asleep when Crispin pulled up outside the villa.

  'Hey, you're home.' He gently reached out and ran a finger up and down her cheek to wake her.

  'What?' She blinked and opened her eyes. 'This is a very smooth car,' she observed rather defensively. 'Are you all right?'

  'Yes, of course I am. Thanks for the lift. 'Bye.' She got quickly out of the car and then had to hang on to the door for support. 'Oh!'

  Crispin came quickly round the car to her side. 'Where's your key?' She gestured towards her bag and he fished it out for her, then stooped to pick her up.

  But Tressy moved quickly if jerkily away. 'No! I can damn well walk.'

  'Okay, so damn well walk.' But he put an arm round her waist to steady her and made sure she was leaning against the wall before he released her to open the door. 'Come on, I'll see you upstairs.'

  'No, I can manage.' She looked up at him with troubled eyes. 'Look, I-I don't usually get like this after a few drinks. I'm not drunk. But I-just don't know what the hell's the matter with me,' she said fretfully.

  'Have you been sunbathing today?' 'Why, yes, this afternoon.'

  'Then that's probably it. Sunbathing and alcohol don't mix.' Taking her arm, he drew her into the house. 'You'll feel better tomorrow.'

  'I can manage on my own now,' Tressy protested as he half-supported her up the stairs. 'Will you please let go of my arm?'

  'No, so get used to the idea that you're going to be helped.' He pulled her roughly back when she tried to struggle free, stumbling and almost falling backwards down the stairs. 'For heaven's sake, woman!' As they reached the half landing he firmly picked her up to carry her the rest of the way.

  Tressy glared at him as angrily as she could manage. 'This is the second time today you've carried me about-and I don't like it. So you can just put me down this minute. Those French tarts you play around with may go for all this he-man stuff, but it leaves me cold.'

  'And who told you I go around with French tarts?' Crispin asked, quite unperturbed. 'Which is your room?'

  Tressy looked rather swimmingly round her and put her arms round his neck, feeling unsafe even though he was holding her very securely. 'It's up on the next floor. Nora told me, she said you had two girls on your boat.'

  'Well, how about you and Nora being the two girls on my boat?'

  Tressy giggled. 'Nora isn't a tart.' 'Of course not,' he agreed. 'Are you?'

  He paused and looked down at her, watching her intently. Tressy's eyes met his and she said slowly 'So that's why you've come up to my room. You expect me to pay for my supper now, is that it?' She didn't struggle, just lay in his arms and stared up at him, her blue eyes as cold now as deep ice.

  'Which is your room?' he asked.

  For a long minute she was silent, then she said, 'The one at the end.'

  He carried her inside and switched on the light, looking round the room and giving an exclamation of surprise at its smallness. Then he set her down on her feet, but kept his hands on her shoulders.

  'Take your hands off me,' Tressy said very clearly. Slowly he obeyed, his eyes on her face.

  'Now get out. My body's my own, and I don't give it to a man just because he thinks he's paid for it,' she informed him, her voice arctic.

  Deliberately Crispin put up a hand to cup her chin, running his thumb across her soft lips. 'You think you're so tough, don't you?' he said softly, 'But you're not tough, only brave. A kitten disguised as a tigress. I wish .. .' But he stopped abruptly. His tone changing, he said instead in a quite normal voice, 'Are you sure you can manage now?'

  Tressy blinked, taken aback by his swift change of mood. 'Yes. Yes, of course.'

  'I'll say good night, then.' He turned to go, but at the door looked round the room again with its spartan furnishings and tiny window. 'My God, couldn't they have given you anything better than this? It's more like a cupboard or a cell!'

  Tressy had thought the same thing herself, but that was entirely different. Her hands balled into fists as she said forcefully, 'Don't you dare feel sorry for me! I don't need your pity. Do you hear me?'

  Crispin's face grew grim and he covered the space between them in one swift stride. 'Very well, then, I won't.' Then he pulled her roughly towards him and kissed her hard on the mouth.

  He didn't kiss her long enough for her to take fright and start to struggle, but released her after only a couple of minutes. His features still set into hard lines, he gazed down at her for a long moment, then turned quickly on his heel and walked out of the room, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

  Tressy stood and listened to him going down the stairs, the front door closing and then the sound of his car driving away and mingling with the traffic noise from the main road. Then she sank on to her bed as if her legs had disappeared. Slowly she lifted a hand to touch her lips, and it was some time before she pulled herself together enough to undress and drop into bed, falling instantly into a deep sleep.

  Towards morning her sleep grew lighter and she dreamed, but woke at around her usual time feeling completely recovered, but a bit vague about the night before. She remembered having gone out to the restaurant with the others and Cris giving her a lift home, and had the strangest feeling that he had kissed her, but decided that that was an impossibility and that she'd dreamt it; her mind was a kaleidoscope of half-remembered dreams this morning.

  For once, Nora wasn't up before her and Tressy had the pool to herself. She lay on her back, floating on the surface, her hair spread out about her head like a fan. She had to admit that she had enjoyed last night; the meal was one she would never forget and it had been fun seeing how the other half live, but Tressy was basically a realist and knew that it had been a one-off evening, which was just as well, because it was the kind of lifestyle she could quite easily take to. Not that she need worry about getting used to it; her aunt and uncle would make sure that she was kept well out of the way in future. Tressy groaned and turned to swim to the side, not looking forward to having to face her uncle's recriminations. But it had been Cris who, for whatever reason, had invited her, she hadn't asked to go, and that gave her some de
fence. She reached the side and began to climb the steps. Her hair clung to her head, hanging long and straight down her back. Water dripped from her body which was already a pale gold and she wore only a pale blue bikini, darker now because it was wet. As she reached the top of the ladder and stepped on to the paved surround, she saw the maid crossing the grass towards her, and behind her was Crispin Fox.

  As she saw him, Tressy instantly recalled that dream last night. It had been so vivid. But again she dismissed it; it couldn't possibly be true. He was looking at her intently, but when she lifted her chin at him, Cris gave a humorless smile and let his eyes run slowly down her wet figure in insolent appraisal before saying silkily, 'Good morning.'

  Fully aware of his eyes and feeling virtually naked, Tressy said shortly, 'The others aren't up yet. You're too early.'

  'You know, I thought the way I said good morning was quite polite. Would it be too much to ask for a civil greeting in return?'

  'The way you looked at me just now wasn't civil!' Tressy flashed back at him as she went past him and sat down at the breakfast table.

  He came and sat opposite to her. 'Touche. I admit it. The sight of you coming out of the water would gladden the eye of even old King Neptune.' He reached for a jug of orange juice and poured some into a glass.

  'You are staying for breakfast, monsieur?' The maid had been hovering nearby and looked at him uncertainly.

  'Yes, indeed.' He smiled at the rather formidable looking Frenchwoman. 'Could you be very kind and do me an English breakfast with two eggs and bacon?'

  She smiled back, obviously charmed. 'Mais Out, monsieur.'

  'I'll have that, too,' Tressy put in quickly, which made the smile slip a bit. 'And please tell Miss Sinclair that Mr Fox is here.'

  The maid nodded and went away and Tressy looked across at Cris. 'Do sit down and stay to breakfast, won't you?' she said with heavy sarcasm.

  He grinned, not in the least put out. 'Are you always as nasty as this in the mornings?'

  'Only with people I find objectionable and overbearing,' she answered sweetly. But this sally had absolutely no effect, and he simply picked up a roll and started to butter it. 'Why did you ask me to go with you last night?' The question was out before she even knew she was going to ask it.

  He ran his eye over her again, but critically this time. 'You looked as if you needed a decent meal; you're as skinny as a scarecrow.' But his eyes lingered on her hair which had started to dry and spring into soft curls.

  'Thanks!' she said indignantly.

  'That's quite all right. I knew you'd get round to thanking me for the meal eventually,' he added mockingly.

  'I didn't mean .. .' Then she sank back in her chair.

  'It was a good meal; I enjoyed it.'

  'I wasn't sure you could remember.'

  'Of course I remember. But I don't know if .. .' 'If what?' He gave her a keen glance.

  Tressy shrugged and looked down at the table. 'Oh, nothing.'

  'How are you feeling today?'

  'Okay.' Then, rather antagonistically, 'I haven't got a hangover, if that's what you mean.'

  'It isn't. Why do you always jump down my throat, even when I ask you the most innocent questions?'

  'You're always asking questions. But you never answer any-not truthfully, anyway.'

  He laughed and turned to compliment the maid as she laid a plate of eggs, bacon, tomatoes and even a sausage in front of him. Tressy only got half as much. She looked at his plate and then at her own and said bitterly, 'I suppose flattery gets you anywhere?'

  'Stop moaning and get on with it, woman. You wouldn't have dared ask her for it if I hadn't come along.'

  'Well, I'm certainly going to ask for it every morning in future. Mm, lovely!' She bit into the crackly bacon.

  Cris raised an eyebrow. 'Even if you don't want it?' 'Especially if I don't want it.' Then she caught the look in his eyes and they both burst into laughter, the first time she had genuinely laughed since she'd known him.

  It was rather unfortunate that Nora chose that moment to come through the French windows on to the terrace. They didn't notice her at first until Tressy looked round, the laugh instantly dying away when she saw the indignant fury on her cousin's face.

  Cris turned, summed up the situation and got to his feet. Still smiling, he said, 'Good morning, Leonora. I hope you don't mind a guest for breakfast?'

  'No, of course not. You're welcome any time, you know that.' As soon as he'd looked at her the frown had gone and she was all honey and sweetness. They shook hands and he pulled out a chair next to his. 'Tressy and I were just celebrating a victory,' he told her easily. 'We managed to get an English breakfast out of your maid. Would you like some? Shall I order it for you?'

  'Oh, really? No, thank you,' she answered virtuously. 'I only ever have orange juice.'

  Cris poured her some and chatted to her exclusively for a few minutes, restoring her to happiness again. She sparkled when he spoke to her, her face animated, but she had got ready in a hurry and it showed. Her hair wasn't combed through properly, there was a line of smudged mascara under one eye, and blue pearlised eye-shadow was all wrong for this time of the day.

  'Did you come for anything special?' asked Nora.

  'I did indeed.' He reached down to two white boxes that he had brought with him, one large and the other small. He gave Nora the large one. 'This is for you. And this for you.' He passed the much smaller one over to Tressy and she took it reluctantly, her eyes trying to read his face.

  Nora opened her box eagerly and gave an exclamation of pleased delight when she took out a large spray of exotic lilies, bright yellow and orange. 'Oh, how super! Thanks awfully, Crispin, they're gorgeous.' She looked as if she would have liked to kiss him but didn't dare.

  'I'm afraid they don't survive very long without water.'

  'Oh, no. I'll go and find a vase at once.'

  She ran indoors and Cris looked at Tressy. 'Aren't you going to open it?' he asked lazily. 'You don't have to give me presents.' 'I know. I wanted to.'

  'Just because you give something to Nora doesn't mean that you have to ... '

  'Tressy,' he interrupted, 'I said I wanted to. Now stop being silly and open it.'

  Her chin came up at that and sparks of anger flashed in her eyes, but she knew that Nora wouldn't leave them alone for long and she felt strangely averse to opening her gift in front of her cousin. So she slowly took off the lid and then gave a long sigh of awed reverence. The box contained a posy of white violets in a bed of damp moss, beads of dew still on their petals. Violets, violets in June. Tressy gently touched the delicate petals with the tip of her finger, marveling at their perfection. She had never been given flowers before and a silly tear came to her eyes, even though she knew that they had only been given to her because Cris was too polite to leave her out. But oh, how much she preferred these tiny flowers to Nora's gaudy bouquet.

  'Oh, violets. How sweet!'

  She hadn't heard her cousin return, and now her disparaging voice made Tressy quickly blink and put the lid back on the box. She didn't thank him, she couldn't, just said a muffled, 'Excuse me,' and went inside as her aunt and uncle followed Nora on to the terrace.

  Cris stayed for another half an hour or so, but Tressy kept out of the way. After finding a vase to put her violets in, she sorted out which of her aunt's and cousin's clothes needed to go to the cleaners and made up a load for the washing machine.

  She was standing at the sink in the laundry room, washing the more delicate things by hand, when Nora marched crossly into the room. 'You've been invited to come out with us on Crispin's boat the day after tomorrow. He wants you to make the numbers up. Although why he's asked you when there are hundreds of girls of good family he could ask, I don't know,' she added rudely.

  'I thought you were my family,' Tressy pointed out mildly. It was hot in the room and she lifted a soap-sudded hand to push her hair off her clammy brow. 'Well, you know what I mean.'

  'Sure. Yo
u mean girls from rich families. I suppose you said I'd go?'

  'We didn't have much choice really,' Nora admitted. 'Crispin more or less insisted. Perhaps Michel likes you, that could be it. And we knew you'd jump at the chance to go.'

  'Did you, indeed? I've never been on a boat. I wonder if I'll be seasick,' murmured Tressy, tongue in cheek.

  'Oh, Lord, I hope not! I hadn't thought of that.' Nora was horrified that Tressy would show her up. 'You'd better take some pills before you go on board.' 'Are you seeing Cris again today?'

  'His name is Crispin,' Nora pointed out in her most upper class manner. 'No, I'm not. That's why he came so early; he's going to visit a friend and won't be back until late tomorrow.' She sat on a stool and looked at Tressy resentfully. 'I do wish you hadn't met him last night. I suppose he'll feel that he has to include you in everything now because you're part of the family.'