by Anne Hampson
It was well after twelve when at last she heard him enter his bedroom, closing the door after him. And only then did she breathe freely. The worst was over, she thought, managing to lie down and hoping she would be able to snatch a few hours’ sleep. This she did, though it was a fitful rest and she woke at intervals until at six-thirty she got up and tidied her hair. She had sachets with her, soaked in eau de Cologne, and these she used on her face and hands, being unable to wash. Tricia was to phone Louise’s father at seven o’clock, so he should be here fairly soon after that, as it was unlikely he would lose much time in discovering for himself whether or not the call was genuine. Gale fell to visualizing this unknown man receiving the message; he’d be in bed most likely, and probably his temper would be frayed at the outset, having his rest disturbed at so early an hour.
Gale became tensed as the moments slipped away, and her nerves were fluttering in spite of her most determined effort at control. She was ready, dressed in a frilly nightdress which was slightly longer than the transparent negligee she wore. Damning evidence, she thought, glancing down. The finale should be over and done within a matter of seconds. ...
She heard the car stop, then the slamming of the door followed by a sharp rap on the front door of the lodge. A few moments’ silence, then voices. The loud imperious tones of the caller reached Gale, though not too clearly; Trevis’s voice was merely a low indistinct murmur.
‘Who the devil ...?’ Another few words Gale could not make out and then, ‘I’ve just received a phone call and was given to understand it was. ...’ Gale missed the rest, but in any case now was the time to make her dramatic entrance, yet she hesitated, her heart naturally beating over-rate. Taking a deep breath, she at last emerged and trod silently along the corridor towards the lounge, into which Trevis had taken his visitor.
‘Trevis darling, what’s wrong? I heard voices—’ She stopped, gaping at one of the occupants of the room in stunned disbelief, while every drop of blood drained from her cheeks. ‘Julius,’ she managed to stammer at last, ‘wh-what are y-you d-doing here?’ She was oblivious of the obese man standing there, staring at her with a sort of furious incomprehension. ‘I - you. . . . ’ Automatically she drew together the edges of her negligee as, after an involuntary start and a glance of disbelief, the tall Greek allowed his eyes to sweep an all embracing glance from her face to her toes, peeping through her dainty strapped slippers, and then back over every line and curve of her body again.
‘Isn’t it I who should be asking what you are doing here?’ responded Julius pleasantly, and all Gale could find to say was,
‘I thought it would be Trevis whom I should meet.’
‘Can one of you tell me what’s going on?’ interposed
Louise’s father, blustering, and exceedingly red in the face.
‘Undoubtedly you thought it would be Trevis,’ commented Julius, ignoring the interruption and idly tying the cord of his dressing-gown as it slid undone, having been hurriedly fastened in the first place. ‘Obviously you didn’t come here with the intention of sleeping with him, so I can’t think for the moment why you should be here at all.’ He stopped, one side of his mouth curving upwards as Gale coloured swiftly at his words. ‘This man here had begun to say something about a phone call from some unknown woman who informed him that—’ Julius broke off, frowning. ‘You’d better begin again,’ he told the man. ‘I hadn’t even got the gist of it before we were interrupted by my friend here.’
‘Your friend?’ snapped the man, glaring at Julius. ‘I was given to understand that she was Trevis’s friend, and that he was staying here with her. Is Trevis here?’ he demanded suddenly, his eyes suspicious all at once.
‘I came alone,’ replied Julius quietly. ‘Trevis didn’t wish to come because his girl-friend was away - so I was informed by the friend who arranged for me to come up here for the weekend. I personally don’t know this Trevis, but I seemed to gather that he spends most of his week-ends here with her, at the fishing lodge—’
‘At the lodge!’ The man’s face took on a distinctly purple tinge. ‘Young man, you’re speaking about my daughter! Trevis sees her, but at the Hall - my home,’ he elucidated, then added, ‘Are you quite sure he isn’t here now?’
‘That’s what I’ve just said,’ returned Julius, stifling a yawn in a bored, impatient sort of way. ‘Gale, you had better do the explaining.’ He swept an imperious hand towards a chair. ‘Sit down.’ It was an order, quietly but emphatically given, and Gale’s chin lifted. But instantly she knew the reason for the order. Too much was revealed because her negligee had come open again. She obeyed, more colour fusing her cheeks as, catching the old man’s gaze, she realized he had actually been enjoying the free show of feminine curves. Decidedly put out, at least for the moment, Gale lowered her lashes. Julius repeated his request for an explanation but, unwilling to do this before Louise’s father, she glanced up, a message in her eyes which she sincerely hoped he would receive. He stared down into her face for a long moment before saying,
‘On second thoughts, Gale, we’ll talk in private.’ He turned to the waiting, expectant man at his side. ‘I can only offer my apologies for any inconvenience you have been caused, and ask you to leave.’
‘Leave!’ he exploded. ‘I demand to know why I’ve been brought out here. I was told I’d find my future son-in-law with another girl, and instead I find a foreigner with his - his—’ The words came to an abrupt halt as Julius’s expression changed. ‘Yes,’ he murmured silkily, ‘you were about to say?’
But the man must have decided that prudence was the best policy, for he merely blustered for a while, declaring he would get in touch with Trevis immediately and demand an explanation from him.
‘It’s clear that you were expecting him to be here,’ he snapped at Gale, ‘because you’ve already said so!’
Julius was at the door, holding it open; the man glared as he passed him and a moment later his car could be heard roaring down the weed-strewn path running from the house to the gate.
‘And now,’ invited Julius softly as he turned to Gale, ‘perhaps you will enlighten me?’
CHAPTER THREE
A deep silence settled on the room when Gale finished speaking; it was the silence of disbelief on Julius’s part and the silence of embarrassment on Gale’s. It was far from pleasant to be forced to relate a story such as she had just told to Julius, not only because she must confess to an action which she knew full well would be considered perfidious in the extreme, but also because it was a story of failure. Trevis would now escape punishment, and this irked Gale simply owing to her confidence in the success of the plan, a plan doomed to failure at the outset because of Tricia’s mistaken assumption that Trevis had meant to come up here this week-end. Instead, he must have let it be known among his friends that the lodge was free for anyone wanting it.
Gale had gathered from what Julius said that a mutual friend of his and Trevis had arranged that Julius could have the lodge - either for the fishing or merely for a rest and change of scenery; the reason was of no importance whatsoever. What was important was that he was here at all, so being the cause of the humiliation through which Gale was now passing. His searching eyes were on her face, censorious and yet faintly disbelieving in spite of the full confession she had just made.
‘To say I’m amazed at your action is putting it mildly indeed,’ he observed at last. ‘I said you were a strange girl; I did not expect to discover that you were also possessed of criminal tendencies.’
‘I’m not aware of having asked for your opinion of me,’ she returned icily, getting to her feet. ‘As there’s nothing more we have to say to one another perhaps
you’ll excuse me. I must get started for home.’
His dark eyes flickered unrestrainedly over her; she experienced a sudden quiver of nerves and caught the edges of her negligee together with rather more haste than delicacy, and her companion’s lips curved in amusement.
‘You came by car, I take it?’
She nodded.
‘It’s outside.’
‘Effectively tucked away out of sight, eh?’ He moved, coming forward into the middle of the room. Instinctively she stepped back and his smile of amusement deepened. ‘I said we’d meet again, remember?’ His tones were soft, like the purring of a satisfied cat, she thought, trying not to let her imagination run away with her. ‘I never expected us to meet like this, though.’ Julius paused as his lips quivered with mirth. ‘What an opportunity!’
Nerves quivered again; he was only joking, of course .. . and yet Gale sent a glance over her shoulder. The door was closed. Swallowing something hard in her throat, she said, striving to keep her voice steady,
‘No doubt you consider this situation amusing—’ ‘Vastly amusing,’ he cut in pleasantly.
‘But your amusement is to be short-lived; I’m leaving in a few minutes, when I’ve got dressed.’
‘You are?’ with an odd and unfathomable inflection. ‘Of course. There isn’t anything for me to stay for now. You - you don’t want me disturbing you.’ She looked into his eyes, riveted upon her, a glimmer of amusement in their depths... but there was something else there, something that caused her heartbeats to race, and led her automatically to size him up, as if she would measure her chances against him in physical combat. She could have derived some amusement from that, had she not been fully concerned with her precarious position.
‘Place your hand on a woman’s heart and she’s yours instantly. . . . ’ The words, spoken with such derision, came back to Gale once more as she continued to meet his gaze, afraid of what she saw ... and yet fascinated by it.
‘You wouldn’t be disturbing me,’ laughed Julius at length. ‘On the contrary, you’d be entertaining me.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous! What sort of a woman do you think I am?’
His dark eyes flickered; he seemed to fall into a moment of deep thought.
‘Are you trying to tell me you’re a ... good woman?’
She coloured, forgetting the danger for a space as anger rose.
‘You might not think so, but I am!’
He cocked an eyebrow.
‘Come, Gale, don’t try to convince me you’ve a hundred-per-cent escape record - not the way you play about with the men, leading them on and then throwing them over.’
‘Certainly I have!’
‘Then all I can say is they’re not men at all. You’d have paid dear if you’d tried any of your tricks on me.’ He paused, expecting her to comment, but she kept silent ‘Perhaps you’ve never played such a dangerous game as this before?’ And when she shook her head in a sort of mechanical gesture, ‘Did you expect to emerge from an escapade such as this entirely unscathed?’ He teetered forward; the action startled her owing to its swiftness and unexpectedness and she took another step backwards, an action which brought to his eyes a return of that glimmer of amusement.
‘I didn’t expect any retaliation from Trevis, if that is what you mean?’ Which was not entirely true, for Gale had experienced certain misgivings even though Tricia had assured her that Trevis ‘wasn’t like that at all’.
A sceptical lift of Julius’s brows and then,
‘I can’t believe it. Such naivete is totally out of character. You must have recognized the risk, and accepted it.’
‘I expect I could have held my own,’ she returned with a slight toss of her head.
‘Just depends on how big this Trevis is. Do you suppose you could hold your own with me?’ Subtle tones and that expression in his eyes again. Gale licked her lips. This man wasn’t safe to be with; he was far far too confident, in that particular kind of way that seemed to stamp him a rake, a seducer - as her brother had described him that night at the barbecue.
‘I don’t know that your question is relevant,’ she returned shortly. ‘In fact, it’s rather ridiculous....’ Her voice faltered away to silence as without warning Julius covered the distance between them in three languid strides. Her pulse beginning to race, she slid a hand behind her, feeling for the door handle. ‘I’m g-going to get dr’dressed now,’ she managed to add in spite of her fluttering nerves and quickened heartbeats. The man was dangerous; she distrusted the sensuous pursing of his lips and the darkening of his eyes, as if something smouldered there, ready to burst into flame. Yet despite the acknowledgment of danger Gale was acutely aware of some exciting depth of emotion which the formidable Greek awakened in her, not for the first time. Without doubt he possessed a dynamic personality which if exerted to the full would be a severe test to any woman, however virtuous basically. ‘Time’s getting on— Gale inserted a light note into her voice as she felt the door handle between her fingers. ‘It’s always better to begin a long journey early in the morning - when you’re fresh.’ He smiled, a rather crooked smile, and satirical.
‘What you say is doubtless true, my dear ... but it’s far too early to set out for all that. In fact,’ he added in the tone she had already likened to the purr of a satisfied cat, ‘it’s much too early to be up at all.’ And without affording her the opportunity of dodging out of his way he had her in his arms, crushing her to him, his mouth pressed to hers. She struggled, just as on that other occasion, but she was helpless against strength such as his. Without effort he held her, forcing his kisses on her, one hand moving subtly, almost imperceptibly towards the place beneath which her heart was racing abnormally. ‘Don’t fight, Gale,’ he whispered in a voice low and hoarse. ‘Come, let us enjoy ourselves—’
‘Leave me alone! I’ll have you jailed if you so much as touch me!’
‘You expect me to allow you to go? My dear Gale, a man would have to be made of stone not to exploit a situation such as this. And I’m no stone. I assure you; on the contrary, I’m a Greek ... and surely you know our reputation?’ Smooth and faintly tinged with humour were his tones all at once. Gale renewed her struggles, afraid of a man for the first time in her life.
But also for the first time in her life she was afraid of herself.
‘Take your hands off me!’ she cried, at last abandoning a struggle which she had known at the outset would be futile. ‘I’ve told you, I’m going home!’ But even before the last word was out Julius had opened the door and, with as much ease as if he were handling a doll, he swung Gale off her feet and carried her into the room which he had occupied during the night. ‘You’ll be sorry for this,’ she cried, her throat becoming dry and blocked as she watched him close the door and begin untying the girdle of his dressing-gown. ‘You haven’t given a moment’s thought to the consequences—’
‘My dear girl,’ he interrupted with humour, ‘this is hardly the situation where one spends precious time considering consequences. Let’s dwell only on the pleasures to come, and on the romance of this position in which we find ourselves.’ He was slipping off his dressing-gown his body close to the door, in case she should make an effort to escape, she realized, pressing a hand against her heart because its thudding actually frightened her. Could she possibly escape from a situation such as this? With sinking hopes she began to plead, feeling this might prove more effective than an attitude of angry protest and aggression. But Julius merely smiled as he listened, then said casually that it was time she knew what fear was. She might now think twice before taking it upon herself to make some poor man suffer. There was not an atom of pity in the whole of his make-up, Gale decided, noting the firm, clear-cut outline of his features and the prominent chin and high cheekbones which were always present in the classical representation of the pagan Greek gods whose images were so numerously carved in stone. Pagan he appeared at this moment, pagan and ruthlessly determined to have his way... and to satisfy his desire.
‘You’re going to regret this,’ she quivered, her eyes filling up as he came towards her. ‘I - shan’t l-let you get away with it.’
He stopped a second, looking at her across the intervening space as she stood with her back to the bed, not having moved since he put her down.
‘There’ll be n
o regrets on my part, Gale.’ He moved again, and reached her. This time his arms were gentle and his voice soft as he continued, ‘And I have a feeling there won’t be any on your part either. In fact, I’m optimistic enough to believe that we might both decide to continue our little affair indefinitely—’
‘I shall not!’ she flashed, her cheeks cold and white. ‘The only thing I’ll feel for you is hatred!’
Again he smiled, shaking his head.
‘Isn’t it a little early to make a statement like that?
Wait until it’s all over; your reactions might surprise you.’
She stared, speechless for an incredulous moment as, held firmly but gently by the arms, she looked up into his face.
‘Modesty certainly isn’t one of your virtues,’ she told him with a sneer of contempt.
‘Nor is insincerity one of my vices,’ he returned imperturbably. ‘I’ve had enough experience of women’s reactions to know whether or not they enjoy my love-making.’
Gale was silent a while, thinking of this and allowing her imagination full rein. That he would be the perfect lover she had no doubt, so what he implied was probably true. Women would derive exceeding pleasure from his advances.
‘Have you had lots of women?’ She hadn’t really meant to ask that, and she wondered if she had been impelled to do by the natural instinct of playing for time.
‘I expect it could be termed lots.’ The casual way in which he answered her spoke volumes. Not one of these women had made the slightest impression on him. He had taken and enjoyed them, then cast them off without so much as a second thought to what their particular feelings might be. Gale wondered just how many of these unfortunates had fallen in love with the handsome and inordinately attractive Greek. For undoubtedly it would not be difficult to fall in love with him, unless of course one was on one’s guard - as Gale now was, since she had already owned to herself that he affected her as no other man ever had before. He moved restlessly and her spirits sank right into her feet as she was drawn close to him in a hard and possessive embrace. Her lips were claimed in a long and ardent kiss; her body was pressed close to his so that she could feel his heart throbbing against her. ‘You’re so beautiful,’ he whispered with vibrant emotion. ‘Give in willingly, Gale, so that you can find as much pleasure as I.’ His arm tightened, crushing her even closer, and his hand sought and found the place over her heart.
