Not in any danger? That was a laugh, Verity thought to herself. Last night she had been in the greatest danger of all; when he had lain beside her on the bed and told her that he loved her, it would have been so easy to tell him that she felt the same, to have taken him in her arms and in her heart and let him make love to her. It would have been easy, too, to have told him of her suspicions so that he could have laughed them away as he convinced her that she was being a complete idiot. Because that was what she wanted, more than anything else in the world: to know him innocent and this whole thing a fantastic figment of her imagination.
The room had grown much lighter now; Verity went over to the window and pulled back the curtains. It was raining. She leaned on the deep sill to look out and saw Sebastian striding round to the garage. His body seemed stiff with tension and there was that same grim look on his face that she had seen yesterday. He didn’t look up and presently she saw him drive past in the Land Rover and take the track up to the cottage. He would be going to tell Chivers that he had to get rid of the dog, Verity surmised. And that wasn’t going to be easy, seeing as it wasn’t Chivers’ fault. Would Sebastian blame the village boys again? she wondered.
Suddenly the whole world seemed a dreary place and the was glad to turn away as Maggie came in carrying large tray.
Maggie stayed, and they managed to make a game jf Verity’s having to have her food cut up and not being able to hold anything properly. It was soon obious that Maggie wanted to know all the details of »e dog’s attack, showing a concerned interest that ight, or might not, have been real. Realising that she would have to tell her something, Verity gave a virtually true account, but left out seeing Sebastian, of course, and of hearing the whistle that drew the dog off.
‘I didn’t see very much, I’m afraid,’ Paula added afterwards. ‘I saw the dog coming and I started to i, but it knocked me down. Then Verity threw lerself on top of me, and I’m ashamed to say I just cowered under her until the brute took himself off.’
‘It was a terrible thing to happen,’ Maggie said in apparent distress. ‘But Sebastian has gone out now deal with it.’
Verity left Maggie with Paula while she went into room to dress, making a poor job of it because le couldn’t wash herself properly without getting the bandages wet, and only just managing to pull up the ap of her jeans. She stayed with Paula all that morning and had lunch with her, but afterwards it became apparent that Paula wanted to rest, so Verity her alone, first making sure that she locked the door behind her. There was no one in the sitting-room, but Verity could hear sounds coming from the kitchen. She put her head round the door, looking for Maggie, but only Mrs Chivers was there, beating at a bowl of cake mixture as if she hated it. She looked up when the door opened, and, seeing Verity, shouted, ‘What do you want? This is my kitchen; if you want something, you ring the bell.’
Appalled by her rudeness, Verity stood and stared for a minute before quickly going out of the room again. Fuming, she went back to the sitting-room and tried to look through a magazine, but after a couple of minutes threw it down, too angry and tense to read. The doctor came again in the afternoon, and afterwards Paula packed the clothes they’d chosen to take with them into a large suitcase. Maggie had gone into Melford so, as soon as Mrs Chivers went home, Verity fetched the toy-brick trolley from the nursery and balanced the case on it, wheeling it quite easily across the landing, then kicked the case downstairs and wheeled it out to the garage. The trolley made rather a noise and Verity was terrified that Sebastian might arrive before she got the case into the car. But somehow she managed it and was back inside the house again within twenty minutes. But now she was so nervy and on fire to get away that the time seemed to drag by.
She was downstairs again when Sebastian came home late that afternoon. She saw him from the window and thought that he looked tired, but he glanced up and saw her and his step immediately lightened as he smiled at her and waved. Thrown into a panic at the thought of having to try and pretend that she didn’t suspect him, Verity hurried into the hall to go up to Paula’s room, but Sebastian got there before her. He pushed the big front door shut and strode over to her, his eyes warm, thinking that she’d come to meet him. Putting his hand on her arm, he said, ‘Come into the study,’ and drew her inside.
He was carrying a parcel, which he put down on the desk before pulling her into his arms and kissing her hungrily. ‘I’ve been wanting to do that all day,’ he murmured huskily when at last he raised his head.
Verity leaned against him, letting him hold her, powerless to resist, just as she had been unable to resist returning his kiss. She loved him so much; nothing would ever change that, and it was a dreadful torture to know that he could be so cruel and ruthless, was capable of going to such vicious lengths to get what he wanted—perhaps what he had come to look on as rightfully his. The thought sent a shudder of repulsion through her, but Sebastian thought it was awareness and kissed her again. Then he smiled down at her and said, ‘I have a present for you.’
Turning, he picked up the parcel from his desk and gave it to her. ‘Here. Open it.’
Her eyes went to his face for a moment before she reluctantly opened the cardboard box—and gave an involuntary gasp of pleasure. ‘A teapot! Oh, how lovely.’ Gently she removed the wrappings to completely reveal a pretty porcelain pot painted with a coloured picture of a rustic couple dancing in a wooded glade. The lid had a tiny painting on it, too, and the knob was in the shape of a flower. One look at it was enough to convince Verity of the quality of the piece, and she hardly had to look underneath to confirm her guess. ‘It’s Worcester, isn’t it? Yes, I thought so.’ She touched it caressingly, admiring the delicacy of the china and the vitality of the dancing figures. It was the sort of piece she had only ever seen in museums before, and of a much better quality than anything she had in her collection or had even aspired to own. A cracked or chipped version one day perhaps, but never anything as perfect as this. With an inward sigh. Verity gently laid the teapot back in its box.
‘Don’t you like it?’ Sebastian asked quizzically.
‘Yes, of course I do. It’s perfect, the most beautiful example I’ve ever seen.’
got it from that house sale I told you about. It was today, if you remember. I wanted to take you, of course, but I knew you wouldn’t want to leave Paula today, or go yourself for that matter.’ Picking up her hands, he lightly kissed the tips of her fingers that showed above the bandages. ‘How are they today?’
‘Fine. Much better.’
‘And Paula?’
Even though she’d expected the question, Verity couldn’t stop herself from tensing up. Still holding her hands, Sebastian felt it and glanced swiftly at her face. In the hope that Paula was worse? Verity thought bitterly. Taking her hands from his, she turned away, not wanting to see his face as she said lightly, ‘She’s OK. Following the doctor’s orders and resting in her room.’
Coming up behind her, Sebastian put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck. She closed her eyes, her chest tight with longing, and briefly raised her hands to touch his. ‘Verity, my darling girl, I…..’
But she stepped quickly away, afraid of what he might say, and went over to the sideboard. ‘Would you like a drink?’
‘No, thanks.’ He Looked at her keenly. ‘Is something the matter, Verity?’
She swallowed, then turned to face him. ‘Yes, Pm afraid there is. I know it’s none of my business, but-well, Mrs Chivers was extremely rude to me today.
She actually ordered me out of the kitchen—her kitchen, as she called it.’
‘I’m sorry. But maybe she has reason to be out of temper; you see, I ordered her and her husband to leave this morning. They have a month to find somewhere else.’
Verity’s eyes widened. ‘Because of the dog?’
‘Partly.’
He hesitated, but before he could go on Verity said, ‘Did they refuse to get rid of it?’
‘Olivers was extremely reluctant.’<
br />
‘Where is it now?’
‘I took it to a kennels this morning; it will stay there until Chi vers finds a new place. He refused point-blank to have it put down.’
‘Well, that’s something in his favour,’ Verity surprised him by saying.
‘I thought you would have been all for having it put down after what the brute did to you.’
‘It wasn’t the dog’s fault. An animal does what it’s trained to do. It’s the trainer who should be punished.’
‘Well, I am at least getting rid of him,’ Moving to stand beside her, Sebastian slipped his arm round her waist and said, ‘Where would you like to put your teapot? Up in your room or somewhere down here?’
Her face set, Verity took a step away from him. ‘I’m sorry, it was very kind of you to get it for me, |L but I’m afraid I can’t accept it.’
‘Why not?’ he asked, his eyes fixed on her,
‘Because I can’t, that’s why,’ she answered illogi-cally as she turned away.
‘But there must be a reason.’ She was silent, the truth being the last thing she was going to tell him, and unable to think of a convincing lie. ‘I meant what I said last night, Verity.’
‘That you wanted me; yes, I know.’
‘That I’m in love with you,’ he corrected firmly. ‘I meant the gift to commemorate yesterday for you. As a pre-engagement present, if you like,’ he added deliberately.
She swung round to stare at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable, emotions chasing through them.
A rueful smile twisted Sebastian’s lips. ‘You seem surprised. But surely you expected this after I told you I love you?’ Reaching out, he touched her hair, but she jerked away from him. His mouth tightening, Sebastian said shortly, ‘What is it, Verity?’
‘I can’t. I—I’m sorry, but I don’t want you,’ she got out agitatedly.
He stared at her unbelievingly, but then she saw suspicion come into his eyes and she leapt in before he could speak, saying what she thought would most put him off. ‘Look, I’m not ready to settle down yet. OK, maybe I fancy you and maybe I would have gone to bed with you if the circumstances had been different. But I’m not ready to tie myself down to one man and a couple of kids. What we did was fun, it was something to do, but I certainly didn’t intend to get serious. I’ve got a lot of living to do yet, a lot of other men to meet and get to know. So let’s leave it at that, OK?’
Sebastian’s face had gone very white as he listened to her, the implications of that last sentence making him stiffen with shock. Unable to look at him or keep up the pretence any longer, Verity turned and strode out of the room, then broke into a run as she fled upstairs and rapped urgently on Paula’s door. ‘It’s Verity. Open the door—quickly.’
She looked back down the landing, expecting Sebastian to come running after her and demand an explanation, and gave a sob of relief when Paula opened the door before he did so. Dashing into the room, she whirled round and locked the door, then looked at Paula with huge, desperate eyes. ‘We have to go tonight,’ she said fiercely. ‘I can’t stay here any longer, Paula. I just can’t bear to see Sebastian again.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
It was three in the morning before they dared to make a move. Verity had eaten dinner in Paula’s room and, afraid that Sebastian might try to come to her again, spent the rest of the night there. They put on coats and boots against the cold and crept out on to the landing. The house was very dark, very quiet. Paula trod on a floorboard that creaked, the sound thunderously loud to their strained nerves.
‘Come on,’ Verity muttered. Taking Paula’s arm, she helped her down the stairs, afraid that she might fall in the dark, but they reached the hall safely and made their way through the kitchen to the back door. Reaching up, Verity unbolted it and turned the key in the lock. A draught of cold, frosty air gushed in as she pulled it open.
‘Aren’t you going to lock it?’ Paula whispered.
‘No. Come on.’
Verity left the door open because the latch closing was one more sound that might wake Sebastian, and they hurried towards the garage. The big doors were closed, but Verity went round to the side and used a key that Sebastian had given her some time ago to open a smaller door. Paula got into the driver’s seat of Verity’s car, adjusting the seat for her height and checking the controls, while Verity unbolted the main doors. She waited for Paula to start the engine before she opened them, knowing that the noise would be bound to reach the house. But Paula was having trouble starting the car; the battery whirred, reverberating round the garage. It stopped and Paula tried again, but the same thing happened.
Dismayed, Verity ran to the car. ‘What is it?’ she demanded fiercely.
‘It won’t start, of course,’ Paula retorted.
Trying hard to control herself, Verity said as calmly as she could, ‘Have you pulled the choke out?’
‘Oh, no, I forgot. It was always so hot, you never had to use a choke in Bahrain.’ Paula pulled out the lever and for good measure pumped the accelerator. The starter turned again, the engine almost caught, but then spluttered and died. She tried several times more, the smell of petrol filling the garage.
‘For heaven’s sake, Paula, can’t you start a damn car?’
‘Don’t yell at me! I’m trying, aren’t I?’
They stared at each other, realising that they were nearly shouting. ‘It’s no good,’ Verity said. ‘You’ve flooded the engine. We’ll have to wait until it dries out.’
‘No,’ Paula said with stubborn firmness. ‘I am not going to sit out here in the cold any longer. If the car won’t start then we must go back.’
‘I’ve told you, we have got to leave tonight,’ Verity insisted with equal force. She looked desperately round the garage and saw the other cars. ‘We’ll have to take another car. Maggie’s.’
‘But we don’t have the keys,” Paula protested. She brightened. ‘But I know where Sebastian keeps the keys of the Land Rover, They’re in the top drawer of his desk in the study. I saw them there when I had that talk with him about the estate.’
Verity gave her a dour look, knowing that it would mean having to go back to the house. ‘All right, I’ll get them/
The walk back through the darkness alone took a great deal of courage. Once inside, she stood frozen every time there was the slightest noise, her nerves on edge, her eyes peering into the darkness. When she reached the study she had to turn the desk lamp on briefly, but luckily the drawer wasn’t locked and slid open easily. She found the keys at once, and went to turn off the light when she saw the box with the teapot in it. With a small sob, she reached out to pick it up, but then drew back, switched off the light and hurried from the room. But the change to darkness blinded her for a moment, and as she went into the hall she knocked against an ornament, which fell to the floor. It landed on the carpet, but even so the noise seemed deafening in the quiet house.
Without waiting to see if it had wakened anyone, Verity fled to the garage and thrust the keys in Paula’s hands. ‘Here, and remember the choke this time.’ She heaved the suitcase out of her own car, wincing as the effort pulled at the stitches in her hands, and somehow got it into the back of the Land Rover. ‘Ready?’
The blessed diesel engine fired first time and Paula gave her a grin as the noise filled the garage. ‘Yes.’
Verity ran to the wooden doors and pushed them open—but as she glanced at the house saw that lights were coming on in the rooms as someone ran through it. ‘Quickly, he’s coming.’ She jumped into the passenger seat and Paula drove out of the garage, but oh, so slowly. ‘Can’t you go any faster?’ Verity demanded in a panic.
‘The engine is still cold; I don’t want to stall it. And I’m not sure which gear I’m in.’
Looking over her shoulder, Verily saw a light go on in the kitchen, and then Sebastian ran out of the back door. He stood for a moment, poised in the shaft of light, wearing only a tracksuit that he must have hurriedly pulled on. Seeing the Land Rover,
he began to run towards it, and for a terrifying moment Verity thought that he was going to catch them up. ‘Go faster!’ she screamed at Paula. ‘He’s coming.’
The vehicle jerked as Paula’s foot slipped off the pedal in fright, and Sebastian got close enough to see Verity. He hesitated for barely a second and then reached out for the door-handle, his furious eyes glaring into her terrified ones. But then Paula found the accelerator again and they shot forward, leaving him behind.
‘Oh, hell, oh, hell!’ Verity found that she was babbling with fright.
‘It’s all right, he’s gone,’ Paula said reassuringly. She headed down the drive, but as they approached the cattle-grid she fiddled with the light switches and plunged them into sudden darkness. Hastily she braked to a stop.
‘What are you doing?’ Verity shrieked.
‘Trying to put the headlights on main beam.’
‘You’ve turned them off!’
Paula flicked the switch the right way and the headlights cut through the night. She drove on, but slowed right down for the cattle-grid, never having driven over one before. Still apprehensive, Verity twisted round to look through the back window—and nearly died. Another pair of headlights was just emerging from the garage and coming after them!
‘D-don’t panic,’ she said in a voice that was raw with fright, ‘but please try and go faster.’
Paula glanced in the driving mirror and said, ‘Oh, I see/ Then, ‘But he’s going the other way, towards the woods.’
Puzzled, they watched the other lights flickering through the trees, until they both realised what Sebastian was doing at the same moment. ‘He’s trying to cut us off!’ Paula exclaimed.
‘And we still have to open the gates. Oh, Paula, hurry!’
They raced on, but the car was going even faster, driven at a breakneck and dangerous speed for thai muddy, unmade-up track.
‘We’re not going to make it!’ Paula wailed. She put her foot down, but the car burst out of the woods and shot across the piece of open ground towards the driveway near the gates.
Lord of Misrule Page 14
