Roberta Leigh - Cinderella in Mink

by Roberta Leigh

  "You're engaged to her."

  "I see."

  Again Barnaby crossed his hands over his chest, but this time Nicola felt he did so because he was afraid to keep his hands free. Without knowing why, her heart started to pound and she was glad of the support of the table behind her.

  "When did you find out I was engaged to Joanna?" he asked conversationally.

  "She told me the night you -" Nicola looked at the floor. "Does it matter?"

  "Very much."

  She saw his feet on the carpet and knew he had come to stand close to her, though it did not need his trousered leg to tell her this, for she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

  "I'm waiting for an answer," he said quietly. "When did Joanna tell you I was engaged to her?"

  "The night of your birthday."

  She heard him expel his breath, but still refused to lift her head.

  "Is that why you ran away, Nicky?"

  Still she kept her head down. "Certainly not! You told me to go. 'Get out! I never want to see you again.' Those were the words you used."

  "You know why I said them. Damn it, you must know!"

  He pulled her into his arms again, the gesture forcing her head up so that she stared into his face. What she saw there was too overwhelming to believe and she could not speak.

  "You know why I told you to go," he reiterated. "Because I believed Marty was your lover and I could have murdered him. I wanted to marry you and I was beginning to believe I could when I - when Joanna made me think I'd been wasting my time."

  "You wanted to marry me?" Nicola echoed. "But you never hinted - never… I tried so hard to make you admit -"

  "I was afraid to admit it. I felt you'd come to the hostel because you wanted a shelter and I was furious with myself because I wanted it to mean much more to you than that. I wanted it to become your life - our life."

  "You had a funny way of showing it." Unexpectedly she twisted from his grasp. "I threw myself at you, Barnaby, I made it so obvious I loved you."

  "I thought you were being grateful."

  "Grateful!"

  "Not all the time," he conceded. "But certainly in the beginning. After we went to the discotheque I began to hope you weren't seeing me as a father-figure but as a prospective husband. I almost told you how I felt, but I still didn't think I had the right." He moved purposefully towards her. "I'd finally decided to do so when Joanna told me about Marty buying the book for you and — the rest you know."

  "I believed her," Nicola gasped. "She spoke with such conviction."

  "I'm afraid the wish was father to the thought." His voice was harsh. "I never gave her any reason to think I loved her. You've got to believe me."

  "I believe everything you say," she said simply, her heart in her eyes. "I love you, my darling. That's why I came here tonight. If I hadn't seen Joanna when I got here I'd probably have told you so the minute I saw you."

  "Let's not talk about Joanna," he said grimly. "When I think of what I went through… the hours I spent looking for you."

  "I know," she murmured. "I found that out tonight"

  He gave a deep, contented sigh. "An hour ago I was wondering how I was going to spend the rest of my life without you. And now…" His arms wrapped themselves around her, and he touched his lips to her creamy shoulders. "Will you marry me soon?"

  "Is the end of the week soon enough?"

  "Let's make it three days. We've already wasted too much time." His mouth was a breath away from hers. "Will you mind being a doctor's wife?"

  "Not if you don't mind being an heiress's husband!"

  "I love your money," he murmured. "It brought us together!"

  "Oh, Barnaby," Nicola said tremulously. "You make everything so sane and logical. I'll never let you escape me now."

  "Who's trying?" he asked, and put his lips on hers. "We belong together," he said huskily. "Let me show you."