by Margaret Way
They were having a quiet dinner together; a small out-of-the-way restaurant, but the food and the service were good. The entrée had just been taken away when Sonya’s mobile rang.
She stared across at David, her eyes gone wide. “It must be him.”
“Answer it,” he said, knowing there was a trace on her mobile.
She sucked in her breath. “Hello,” she said with enviable calm. A second later, she indicated to David with her hand it was the call they had been expecting.
David listened to Sonya as she spoke, his eyes not leaving her face. She looked and sounded perfectly in control. That told him so much about the dangers she’d had to endure. He couldn’t understand a word of it. She was speaking Hungarian, as the voice at the other end must be. Was the same nationality a bond? He had to hope so.
The count’s emissary delivered his message in a quiet, respectful voice. “You will know now, Countess, your cousin has kept his part of the bargain.” That was true. The money had arrived in her bank, very probably to their great shock with more shocks to come. “Now we arrange the transfer of the icon, Countess.” He kept up the homage. “You have it?”
“Of course.” Sonya’s eyes remained fixed on David’s striking face the whole time she spoke. His presence steadied her, made her feel near invincible.
“I need to have it in hand tomorrow,” the man said.
“Then I suggest we meet at the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park.”
“The time, Countess?”
“Make it lunchtime.” The timing had been pre-arranged. “Say, one fifteen p.m. People about, enjoying their lunchtime break.”
“You come alone.”
It wasn’t a question. “Of course.” She spoke haughtily, as if insulted he would doubt her word.
“No back up people, Countess. No Mr Wainwright. I play fair with you. You play fair with me. We both know the count isn’t the man to cross.”
“We both know he’s a murderer,” Sonya returned, stung into speaking passionately. “Even if he paid some criminal to do it. You, do not be late. I very much dislike being kept waiting.”
“That will not happen, Countess.” He broke the connection.
Her hands were shaking as she put her mobile away.
“Sonya,” he exclaimed, hating what was happening to her.
“It’s all right. I know this because you are with me.”
His dark eyes glittered. “It’s where I intend to stay,” he assured her. “I got the Archibald Fountain bit, the rest was, well—Hungarian.” He gave her a half-smile.
“David, I don’t want this man to be arrested.” There was appeal in her sparkling green eyes.
He couldn’t answer for a minute, he felt so angry. “Sonya, why not?’
She watched as his expression turned tense. “I don’t want to cause him trouble. I do not have a bad feeling about his man. He has been most respectful. I know he hates Laszlo.”
“He works for him, Sonya.” David packed a whole lot of warning into his words. “Don’t get carried away here. You can be certain this man had done some pretty terrible things. You cannot trust someone like that.”
She inhaled a shaky breath. “Perhaps. I don’t know.” She shook her head. “People get forced into living bad lives, David. You have had a life of peace and privilege.”
“You think I don’t know that?” He pinned her gaze. “But I don’t believe I could have been corrupted into a life of crime.”
She offered her hand across the table. “Sorry, sorry. I stupidly offend you. All I’m saying is I do not believe he wants to hurt me.”
He caught her fingers, with a groan. “Sonya, he will do what he has to. That’s why there’s a plan in place. The immigration department would like to have a little chat with your Mr Metzger. We have the name now. Or one of his names.”
“Like me,” she said, with a strange little smile. “Sonya Erickson, Sonya Von Neumann. A few in between. Once I changed my appearance with brown contact lenses. I could hardly see through them.”
He looked back at her very gravely. She was wearing a short dress of silvery lace, very feminine, very seductive. No jewellery except for a silver bracelet and crystal drop earrings, high heels on her feet. She looked incredibly beautiful, the light shimmering off her radiant skin and hair. “Let’s go,” he said abruptly, holding up his hand to signal for the bill. “I’m desperate to make love to you.”
Her emerald eyes suddenly held a tantalizing female taunt. “So, your place?”
“Where else? The truth is I can’t bear to have you out of my sight.”
Once inside his apartment they succumbed to the driving need that was in them. The thrill of it!
“I could die for this,” Sonya moaned. They were helping each other undress, throwing clothes about without thought or care. The frustrations of being apart, the inherent dangers of the situation Sonya had found herself in, provided an ever more passionate coming together. The tempo of their kissing, the frantic embraces mounting to a symphonic pitch. Nothing had ever felt so right!
She was stretched out on his bed, her long, slender legs falling gently outwards like the petals of a flower. “Do you love me?”
His answer came in an instant against her open mouth. “Really, you don’t know it already?” In a strange way this level of ecstasy was a form of torture, but both of them were meeting their feelings head-on.
“Perhaps I need more convincing?” She was gasping with pleasure.
“I’ve never known a woman remotely like you. You like to torment me, don’t you?”
“You mean like now?” She reached down to lightly stroke him with her hand. His skin was like velvet.
He drew in a deep shuddering breath in response. “Marry me, Sonya,” he said through shivery, ever-mounting waves of pleasure. “One thing though, my love. I’ll never allow you to do the disappearing act.”
She rolled atop him. “So you think I would ever want to? Are you crazy?”
He held her hips, staring up into her highly charged face. “You want the truth? It’s yes! I’m crazy about you. Marry me, Sonya Von Neumann. I want all the world to see how much I love you.”
She lowered her upper body into his, feeling the wild thud of his heart knock into hers. “You honour me,” she said, pressing her mouth to his cheek. Then she lifted her blonde head about to make her important announcement. “I will take on the job of being Mrs David Wainwright.”
“For how long?” He laughed in triumph. “You won’t escape me, Contessa.”
“For ever,” she proclaimed. “I love you.”
“I love you too. If I lost everything I possess, I’d still be the richest man in the world.”
“So, I look after you,” she said.
Afterwards they sat in his huge bath together, his tanned feet hooked around her white hips. The peaks of her breasts showed dusky pink through the foaming, chypre-scented water. David had the softest white towelling wash cloth in hand. He turned her this way and that, marvelling at the softness and the white perfection of her skin. He worked the washer over her face, her throat, her shoulders, her breasts, tipping her head forward onto his shoulder so he could rub her back. Then he made her stand up very slowly in the white foaming water.
“Aphrodite rising out of the sea foam!” he crooned. “All you need is a scallop shell.” Naked, her long hair pulled into a careless knot, she looked dazzlingly beautiful.
Afterwards, she lifted her arms as he wrapped her in one of his big bath towels, and then he carried her back to his bed. There was a marvellous range of ways to make love. They could try them all.
A perfect cloudless blue, the sky was reflected in the waters of the fountain. People strolled through the leafy park, admiring the splendid playing fountain, others sat on benches or spread themselves out on the plush green grass enjoying a packed lunch. A few like him were out jogging the paths. Police in everyday clothes were stationed in the area. He couldn’t pick them and he had tried. He hoped Metzger couldn�
�t either. He thought his own disguise wasn’t all that bad. Navy vest, navy jogging shorts, a wide navy band with a green and white logo worn Indian-style around his forehead. At least it kept the sweat from running into his eyes. He had refused to be left out of this. Sonya was too precious to him. He had made that very clear.
He was slowing up beside a big blazing flower bed when he saw a tall, powerfully built man approaching Sonya. The man was wearing a trendy straw hat pulled down low on his head.
Metzger. An internal alarm went off.
Immediately he leaned down and yanked at a strap on his joggers. Nothing wrong with the strap of course. The police would have been following his movements around the park as well, probably having a laugh. All of them knew who he was. It had been agreed he could join in the action but only if something went very wrong. It was not anticipated anything would. Sonya and the target would be surrounded.
Metzger raised his straw hat to her. “Good afternoon, Countess. Well met. You have the icon?”
She shook her head. “Did you seriously imagine I would hand it over to my cousin?”
Metzger, for a career criminal, looked positively astounded. “But, Countess, you have the money. Why would you do this? It’s madness.”
“Why? Why should you ask me such a thing?” Her green eyes flashed. “The icon is a family treasure. It has been in my family for hundreds of years. I am the rightful heir, not Laszlo.”
It was obvious Metzger was poleaxed and he didn’t try to hide it. “I understand what has happened to you, Countess, but you could be in great danger. I will most certainly be in danger.”
Sonya was acutely aware of that. “What do you need to disappear, Mr Metzger?” she asked. Against all the odds, she felt compassion for this stranger. Probably he had led a terrible life, but she felt there was some good in him.
“A lot of money, Countess.” Fear had crept into his voice. “Your cousin would consider I had committed treason. In his own way he is mad. He would have me followed for the rest of my life. I must go!” He thrust out a hand to her and that was when several things happened at once.
David put on such a burst of speed he was onto Metzger within seconds, taking him down headlong onto the grass. The country’s greatest footballer couldn’t have executed a better tackle. Brawny as he was, Metzger found himself groaning in pain. To have been overpowered so easily was devastating to a man like him. Someone very strong had a hard foot rammed into the middle of his back. His mouth was filled with grass clippings, making him splutter.
Four plain-clothes policemen tore across the park, converging on the scene with ear-splitting shouts of, “Police!”
They took over from David while a crowd of bystanders stared in astonishment at the drama in progress. It was first thought to be a scene from a cop show, but there were no television cameras in sight. This was real life. But nothing sensational was happening apart from that spectacular tackle. Gradually they dispersed with the sensation of a let-down, going back to finish off their lunch.
The irony was, Metzger had only been planning on saying farewell to the countess he had found he couldn’t harm. It was fast established he was unarmed. Regardless he was taken away, if not cuffed. He was informed he was not being arrested. He was simply being taken in for questioning. The investigation into Count Laszlo Andrassy-Von Neumann and his activities was already under way. Metzger, along with his numerous aliases, was Andrassy’s known henchman.
Left alone David gathered Sonya in so tight an embrace, he might have decided not to let go of her at all. “Promise me, promise me you won’t do this sort of thing again,” he implored with a shudder.
She spoke in a soft, appeasing tone. “I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, David. But you hurt him.” A laugh escaped her.
“We did hit the ground rather hard,” he said wryly. “How was I supposed to know he was just trying to say goodbye?” His arm around her waist, he began to walk her out of the park up towards High Street.
She gave him a teasing little smile, feeling such ease, such peace, such a new certainty in life she was luminous with it. “You look very sexy in your little jogging shorts,” she commented. “Such an outfit displays your superb body.”
“Well, you would know all about that.” He hugged her to his side. “When we get our lives sorted—very soon, I hope—you can come jogging with me.”
“Don’t think you would have to give me a start. Well, not much of a one. I am very fit too.”
“Top of the class!” He had witnessed how much courage she had. There had been no evidence Metzger would have wished a target safe.
They walked on, both feeling immense relief this part of proceedings was over. “What is going to happen to Metzger, do you suppose?” Sonya asked at length. “I don’t want Laszlo to be able to get to him.”
He stared down at her. “You, wicked girl, are the one who refused to hand him over the icon,” he scoffed. He was, in fact, rather in awe of her stand.
“I know, I take the money,” she admitted, without regret. “But it’s my money. Money Laszlo stole. We will give it away. Maybe I will give some to Metzger so he can go hide in some place Laszlo can’t find him. Brazil, somewhere like that.”
“Antarctica might be better,” David said, very dryly. “You can’t give the guy money, Sonya. He fell for you. Simple as that. Had you been plain with buck teeth he might have acted differently.”
“No one has buck teeth in Australia,” she said, taking him seriously. “All the orthodontists, the health care, the parents making sure their children grow up beautiful.”
“Be that as it may, it’s as I’ve told you before—beautiful women have a lot of power. You only have to consider what you’ve done to me.”
“So I prepared a spell!” For so long she had thought true love would elude her. Only it had been waiting for her all along. “I intend to keep the recipe to hand for the rest of our lives,” she told him, with her lovely smile.
David slowed their progress to a halt, feeling humbled by the strength of her commitment. They were standing beneath a magnificent shade tree. Dappled sunlight flowed over her in a stream; birds sang, love lapped them around. “Eternity would be better,” he said in a voice that thrilled her.
“You don’t care what some people might say about me?” She searched his dark eyes.
There was an incredulous lift to his brows. “Say what about you?” He held up her chin, bent his dark head to kiss her lovely upturned mouth. “All they can say is David Wainwright is madly in love with Sonya Von Neumann and they’re going to be married early in the coming year. Does that suit?”
She could have cheered aloud. Never more to have to hide. “More than you can ever imagine! I love you, David. God has been very good to me.”
He caught up her fingers, kissed them. “He’s been very good to me too. I might even consider turning religious.”
“I am,” she told him quietly.
“I know, my darling!” Tenderly he drew her into his strong protective arms. “I think we might take in Hungary on our honeymoon. What do you think? Word is your cousin could be spending his future behind bars.”
“Amen to that!” Sonya said fervently, laying her radiant head against his chest. The steady beat of his heart resounded in her ear. This was the heart that beat for her. “He deserves punishment. He is a destructive man.”
“Well, it appears very much like he’s going to get what’s coming to him,” David said with grim satisfaction.
“I do feel sorry for his family.” Sonya, so happy herself, could find some forgiveness in her heart.
“Not your problem, darling.” He kissed the top of her head. “You have me.”
“That is the greatest thing!” she said, truly believing it was. “I have absolute faith in you.”
Arm in arm they walked out of the golden green shade, into the bright sunlight. The dazzling prospect of an even brighter future awaited them, David thought. His heart was overflowing with love and a wonderful renewed
sense of purpose. There is only one way to handle life, he thought. Take it firmly in hand. Focus all one’s energies on accomplishing good. He loved Sonya as he’d never thought he would be lucky enough to love a woman. He had a huge job ahead of him as his father’s heir. It wasn’t all a life of privilege. It was hard work with the extra burden of responsibility. Many hundreds of lives were dependent on Wainwright Enterprises. The drive forward mightn’t be easy at times, but his love for Sonya and hers for him made all the difference in the world. He felt himself a man truly blessed.
EPILOGUE
THREE months later Sonya was enjoying morning tea with Sharron, her mother-in-law, and Rowena when Robert Wainwright rang to give them some stunning news just to hand. Count Laszlo Andrassy-Von Neumann, who had been deeply embroiled in investigations into his affairs in the United States, Europe and Hungary, had been killed when his car had crashed into a tree on the Andrassy-Von Neumann estate in Hungary. Investigations were ongoing but suicide was a strong theory. The count had been known to have been deeply depressed and outraged by the multiple attacks against him; especially from people within his ranks who had come forward. The count was survived by his son, Miklos, and his four grandchildren, all of whom lived happily in the United States.
It wasn’t until David and Sonya were almost a year into their idyllic marriage that the whole matter of the rightful heir to the Hungarian estate was at last resolved by the courts. Sonya’s American cousins didn’t want any part of it. They had all suffered from the ruinous stories that came out about their father and grandfather. Judgment was handed down. Sonya Von Neumann-Wainwright, the claimant, was the rightful heir.
It was Sonya and David who decided the palace and the beautiful grounds of the estate would be opened to the public like many other stately homes. Permission was given for the palace to be used for grand functions. Laszlo had begun the reconstruction. It would take five more years for the palace and the grounds to be restored to their prewar glory. In this way, tradesmen and craftsmen were to enjoy years of steady, well-paid work. Everyone from the government down took great pride in the restoration of one of Hungary’s grandest national treasures.
