Give a Man a Bad Name

by Roberta Leigh

  Unable to meet his gaze, she lowered her head. This was getting worse and worse. Perhaps she should tell him the truth now, and not wait until she had spoken to Andrea?

  ‘Alex, there’s something I—’

  ‘Alex, my dear! What a wonderful surprise to see you.’

  The greeting, in heavily accented English, came from a tall, red-haired, voluptuous beauty in her mid-thirties. She was accompanied by a short, plump man with iron-grey hair, who was at least two decades her senior.

  ‘Inge!’ Alex jumped to his feet. ‘I’d no idea you were in this part of the world.’

  He kissed her on both cheeks, then shook the man’s hand before introducing the couple to Marly as Inge and Per Svensson, from Stockholm. He offered them no explanation as to his relationship with Marly, merely saying they had been staying with another couple at a friend’s house.

  The Swedish couple, who Marly later discovered owned the largest sportswear company in Europe, monopolised Alex throughout the flight, giving her no chance to make her confession. Even when they arrived in Bangkok, the Svenssons remained with them, for they were staying at the Hamilton Hotel, and Alex naturally offered them a lift in the chauffeur-driven car that had come to meet him.

  ‘Any chance of you having dinner with us tonight?’ Inge asked as they entered the air-conditioned foyer.

  The invitation was echoed by her husband, whose glance, unlike his wife’s, included Marly.

  ‘I may be tied up with business,’ Alex replied. ‘Give me a chance to look through my messages first, and I’ll call your room and let you know.’

  They parted at the lift, the Svenssons taking the express one to the penthouse floor, and Marly and Alex going to his office on the first floor. As she glanced at him as they walked down the corridor, her heart seemed to turn over in her breast. What a magnificent specimen of a man he was. Unbelievable to think they would be spending the rest of their lives together. But oh, lord, she hadn’t yet told him she was going to marry him!

  He turned his head and, seeing her watching him, reached for her hand. ‘Forgive me, darling,’ he whispered.

  ‘For what?’

  ‘I should have dropped you home first. I don’t expect you to work today.’

  ‘Why not? I’ve a mass of things to catch up on. But I’d like to talk to you first.’

  ‘Not until I’ve kissed you.’ They had reached the private entrance to his office and he opened the door and ushered her inside. But as he went to take her in his arms, his latest secretary, Mrs Dewsbury, came through from her office.

  ‘Thank goodness you’re here at last, Mr Hamilton!’ she greeted him with undisguised relief. ‘Your father tried to contact you early this morning in Phuket but you’d already left. He asked for you to call him the instant you arrived.’

  ‘Did he say why?’

  ‘It’s to do with the new hotel in Hawaii. Shall I get him on the line for you?’

  ‘Please.’

  As he crossed to his desk, Marly went to the door. ‘I’ll be in my office. Let me know when you’re free.’

  It was lunchtime when Mrs Dewsbury called and asked her to go to Alex’s office, and anticipating a meal with him, she was dismayed to find him standing by his desk, stuffing files into his briefcase. His grey suit and dark tie made it unnecessary for him to tell her he was leaving the country, and she bit back a sigh in the knowledge that she would have to maintain her role until his return.

  ‘Sorry about this, Marly.’

  ‘How long will you be away?’

  ‘I won’t know till I get to London.’

  ‘I thought you were going to Hawaii?’

  ‘Afterwards. I’ll be in London a week.’ He frowned as he consulted a piece of paper in his hand on which she could see several sets of figures.

  ‘It sounds as if you’ll be gone some time.’

  ‘I—’ He broke off as his intercom buzzed and Mrs Dewsbury reminded him that his car was waiting, and he was cutting it fine.

  With a muttered imprecation he picked up his briefcase and strode to the door. Expecting him to stop and draw her into his arms, Marly was confounded when he only gave her a brief kiss and an even briefer smile.

  ‘Looks as if we’re out of sync with each other, Marly. It will have to be another time, another place.’

  She was still standing there, bemused, when the door closed behind him and she was alone. For an instant she thought she was going to burst into tears, then common sense reasserted itself and she drew a deep breath. Alex was clearly concerned with the situation in Hawaii and could not think of anything else. Heavens, she had been working long enough to know the truth of the old adage that for a man love was a thing apart, though it was a woman’s whole existence. Well, perhaps it wasn’t quite so true these days, but it was still true enough for it to have validity.

  ‘You don’t look as if you’ve come back from a holiday on paradise island!’ Nan greeted her when she walked into the house later that afternoon.

  Forcing a smile, Marly carried her case to her bedroom, with Nan in tow. ‘Phuket was exactly the paradise you described.’

  ‘Then what’s with the long face? No, let me guess. Trouble with Alex Hamilton.’

  Marly turned from hanging away the cheong-sams she had taken with her. ‘In a way. He asked me to marry him.’

  Nan’s mouth fell open. ‘You said no, of course?’

  Marly shook her head, then added, ‘But I haven’t yet said yes either.’

  ‘Is this a magical mystery tour or are you going to explain?’

  ‘I do love him, I have for quite a while but I refused to admit it because of Andrea. That’s why I won’t say yes to him until I’ve spoken to her.’

  ‘I don’t envy you having to tell her.’

  ‘I’m dreading it,’ Marly admitted. ‘I want to get it over as soon as I can.’

  ‘Then call her now. It’s eight in the morning British time and she won’t have left for her office. If she’s terribly upset, it might help if I have a word with her too.’

  Flinging Nan a grateful look, Marly dialled Andrea’s number. Her hand was shaking and she had to do it twice, but eventually she heard the ringing tone.

  ‘There’s no answer,’ she said when it had rung for more than a minute. ‘She may be out of town. I’ll call her office later.’

  ‘You won’t want to talk to her there!’

  ‘Obviously. But I can find out from the switchboard if she is away. Having to keep dialling would put me on tenterhooks each time.’

  ‘Poor love.’ Nan came over and gave her a hug. ‘Let’s go out for a meal and you can tell me how Kevin got on with Fiona.’

  ‘I’d forgotten all about her! She had her appendix out last night and he stayed behind to be with her.’ Marly rummaged in her bag for the number of the clinic. ‘I must see how she is.’

  ‘Feeling sorry for herself,’ Kevin explained, coming on the line when the call was put through to Fiona’s room. ‘She was allergic to the pain-killer they gave her, though she’s not so nauseous now. I’ll give her your love.’

  ‘Do that. I just hope she gives hers to you!’

  Marly felt less fraught after she had talked to Kevin, for it brought home to her that one couldn’t account for love—either for falling in or falling out of it. If only she could make Andrea see this too. If she couldn’t, they probably wouldn’t speak to each other again.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CONTACTING Andrea proved easier said than done, for her office said she had taken a few days’ leave, and as far as they were aware was spending it at home. But though Marly telephoned early in the morning and late at night, she was still unable to contact her.

  As if that weren’t bad enough, there was no word from Alex either, and though she told herself he was probably inundated with problems, deep down she was surprised that no matter how busy he was he had not found a spare moment to call her. Inevitably, doubts began to disturb her. Was out of sight out of mind? Had his offer
of marriage merely been a means to an end—like his proposal to Andrea—and did he now feel differently?

  Finally, nearly a week after his departure, she and Nan were watching a video in her room when she did receive a call from London. But it was from Andrea, not Alex.

  ‘Where on earth have you been?’ Marly asked after the usual greetings. ‘I’ve been trying to reach you for ages.’

  ‘So I gather from the office. But this isn’t simply a return call. I’d have phoned anyway. Something fantastic has happened.’

  Marly caught her breath. How wonderful if Andrea had fallen in love again. ‘Tell me,’ she said quickly.

  ‘I’m getting married tomorrow.’

  ‘That’s marvellous. I’m so happy for you.’ And happy for myself, she nearly added, for now her friend had a new man in her life she would find it easier to forgive Marly for marrying the old one. ‘Who is he?’

  ‘Alex, of course. Who else?’

  Marly began to shake and the telephone wobbled so precariously in her hand that she set it on the table. Seeing it, Nan jumped up and came over to her.

  ‘What is it?’ she whispered.

  ‘Alex has gone back to Andrea.’

  ‘You’re joking!’

  Marly shook her head, totally incapable of speaking. Yet she had to say something, for she could hear Andrea’s voice coming through the receiver, faint but persistent.

  ‘Marly, I can’t hear you. Are you there?’

  Lifting the receiver, Marly spoke. ‘Y-yes. The line went dead for a minute.’

  ‘Sorry. I was saying that apart from my immediate family you’re the first to know. Alex arrived in London several days ago and came to see me. He said he’d made a terrible mistake breaking our engagement and begged me to forgive him. I tried to keep him dangling for a bit, but he was so distraught I didn’t have the heart. He’s a changed man, Marly.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it.’ To her own ears Marly’s voice sounded faint, but Andrea was too full of happiness to take in anything else.

  ‘And guess what?’ she babbled on. ‘We’re honeymooning in Hawaii! Can you imagine anything more romantic? He has to go there on business so he thought we should rush the wedding and combine the two.’

  Marly collapsed on to a chair. Alex’s perfidy was like a knife in her gut and she doubled up with the pain of it. Knowing him as she did, she was certain that his decision had not been a sudden one, which meant that even while he had been pursuing her he had resolved to marry Andrea. The doubts she had felt about him these last few days had proved correct. His proposal had merely been a ruse to get her into bed, and had he not been called away he would have succeeded.

  ‘Marly, are you still there?’ Andrea called.

  ‘Sorry. I was just digesting your news. Are you sure you’re doing the sensible thing? I mean, he let you down once and he can do it again.’

  ‘No way. He’s a changed character.’

  Marly nearly threw up, and it took all her will-power not to tell Andrea she was making a big mistake.

  ‘He never went off to another woman, you know, which was what I thought,’ her friend continued. ‘He just wasn’t certain he was ready for the commitment of marriage. But now he is and, well, you know what they say about a reformed rake!’

  ‘That they remain a rake,’ Marly burst out before she could stop herself.

  Andrea laughed, thinking the comment to be a joke. ‘I wish you and Nan could be here for my wedding, but it’s all rushed because of his Hawaii trip and we’re just having a family lunch and waiting till we return to London before having a proper reception. Do you think you’ll be home by then?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Marly hedged, certain that dancing at Alex’s wedding was the last thing she would want to do.

  ‘Is Nan there?’ Andrea asked. ‘I’d like to talk to her.’

  ‘She’s out,’ Marly lied, seeing Nan shake her head vigorously.

  ‘I’ll leave you to tell her my news, then.’

  ‘Have you told Alex you have a friend working at his hotel?’ Marly couldn’t help asking.

  ‘No—and I don’t intend telling him either. We may be coming to Bangkok from Hawaii, and I’d like it to be a surprise.’

  It certainly will be, Marly thought grimly. ‘When do you think you’ll be here?’

  ‘Well, Alex says it may be three weeks before he clears the problems at the Hawaii Hamilton, but you can put the champagne on ice any time after that, I suppose!’

  ‘Will do,’ Marly said, and was thankful when the call ended and she could collapse on the bed.

  ‘Calling Alex a swine is an insult to a pig,’ Nan commented sombrely. ‘He deserves to be boiled in oil for the way he led you on!’

  ‘I’d settle for a shot through the heart, if he had one!’ Marly said as she dabbed at her eyes.

  ‘Why didn’t you put Andrea wise?’

  ‘I was tempted, but I thought it might sound like jealousy. Anyway, she’s not a fool, and I’m sure she’s considered the pitfalls.’

  ‘She sounded as if she hadn’t considered anything,’ Nan expostulated. ‘With his charisma, Alex can pull the wool over the keenest eyes.’ The telephone rang and she leaned across the bed to answer it. It’s him! she mouthed, disbelief on her face.

  Marly jack-knifed off the bed and darted to the far side of the room, almost as though he could see her. ‘I can’t talk to him,’ she whispered in a strangled voice. ‘What can he have to say?’

  ‘That he adores you?’ Turning her mouth to the receiver, Nan spoke into it. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Hamilton, but Marly’s gone to stay with friends in Chiang Mai.’

  ‘Damn!’ His voice was loud and clear. ‘I won’t be able to call her until I’m in Hawaii. Will you tell her that?’

  ‘Yes.’ Nan almost choked on the word.

  ‘Another thing; would you—?’

  The rest of his words were lost, for Nan quietly put down the receiver. ‘I couldn’t bear to listen to him a moment longer,’ she explained. ‘He must be mad to think you’d want to speak to him after what he’s done.’

  ‘He doesn’t realise I know. He has no idea I’m a friend of Andrea’s.’

  ‘I’d forgotten that! When will you tell him?’

  ‘Never. If I’d finished programing the software I’d leave Bangkok tomorrow.’ Marly ran slender fingers through her silky hair, pushing it away from her face. ‘I can’t be around when he returns from Hawaii. I can’t!’

  ‘I’ll take a bet with you he won’t bring Andrea here. He’ll find some excuse for sending her back to England so he can continue his seduction of you.’

  ‘Don’t!’ Marly shuddered.

  ‘Sorry. I was just trying to warn you. Anyway, I can’t keep saying you aren’t here every time he calls.’

  ‘Yes, you can. And so can the switchboard at the hotel. I’ll talk to them.’

  It was a good thing she did, for true to his word, Alex tried to contact her the day he arrived in Hawaii, and kept calling twice a day until Marly told the hotel, as well as Nan, to say she had gone on holiday and had not given them a return date.

  Two weeks after her conversation with Andrea, by dint of working all hours she had completed the bulk of the software programing, and called her boss in London to say she was returning home and would finalise it there.

  ‘You surprise me,’ he commented. ‘I thought you’d be keen to stay in Bangkok as long as possible. I hear it’s a great city and that the hotel is sensational.’

  ‘Both are, but I’m homesick. I’ll be catching the next available flight home.’

  She was fortunate enough to obtain a seat on a plane for the next day. It meant changing at Frankfurt for a connection to London, but her determination to leave before Alex’s return was so strong, it was worth the inconvenience.

  She was zipping up the last of her cases in her bedroom on the afternoon of her departure, when Nan burst in, hastily shutting the door behind her.

  ‘Alex is here!’

&nbs
p; A pile of clothes fell from Marly’s nerveless hands. ‘I don’t believe it!’

  ‘Believe it; and the mood he’s in, he’ll come storming up here if you don’t go down to him!’

  ‘How can he have the gall to try to see me?’

  ‘Easily. He doesn’t realise that you know he’s married, and he can’t fathom why you won’t accept his calls.’

  ‘I absolutely won’t see him.’

  ‘You must. This is show-down time, remember?’

  So it was! Marly caught her breath. At last she could hit Alex where it would hurt him the most—on his ego! How could she have forgotten her plan to cut him down to size when it was the one reason she had embarked on her charade?

  ‘You’re right,’ she said, and with trembling hands smoothed her hair. As she did, she realised she was wearing her own clothes, not Nan’s, and glanced quickly into the mirror opposite her. She was the epitome of a successful business executive in a navy pin-striped viscose and silk trouser suit, the jacket cut with military precision, though the white silk blouse beneath it was softened by a small bow at her throat. It was a far cry from the ultra-feminine outfits Alex had seen her in, and he would be astonished if he saw her like this. Yet how better to let him know that the Marly he had asked to marry him was as much a charade as his declaration of love had been?

  Firmly she reached for the loose, flowing caftan that lay on the bed, and slipped it on. An experienced traveller, she always wore something easy-fitting during a long flight, and the caftan was going into her hand luggage, ready for her to change into once she was airborne.

  ‘Why are you wearing that now?’ Nan asked, puzzled.

  ‘To make my confession even more exciting,’ Marly replied, and high heels clicking on the marble floor, went down to the living-room.

  Alex was standing by the window. He was dark-suited, his pristine-white shirt threw his tanned face into relief, and though his mouth curved in a smile as he strode towards her, his eyes were the grey of storm clouds, betokening suppressed anger.

  ‘Hello, Alex,’ she smiled. ‘You’re back earlier than I expected.’

  ‘I’m only staying overnight; then I have to return to Hawaii.’