The Outback Engagement

by Margaret Way

  “Obviously there is.”

  She sighed. “Okay, I was just thinking Curt won’t want to share Darcy with me. They’re in love.”

  “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Adam answered dryly. “But it won’t take you long to find someone of your own, Courtney. Marriage isn’t going to break up you sisters. Nothing will any more. The emotional attachment is too strong. The homestead looks marvellous. Darcy told me how much of that is due to you. She also told me how much she found herself relying on you.”

  “I have lots of hidden talents, Adam,” she said, conscious there was always a feeling of sustained tension between them.

  “Just sitting here looking at you, a great many of them are on show. Your looks, your smile, your charm. You captivate people. That’s an enormous talent. You’re a wonderfully pretty woman, Courtney McIvor.” He held her gaze until she blinked and looked away.

  “Thank you.” Long used to hearing she was pretty Courtney flushed under his intense scrutiny. She might have been a butterfly under the microscope. “I can’t take credit for it any more than Darcy can for her real beauty and her extraordinary eyes. It’s in the genes. She won’t hear of meeting our mother. When I begin to approach the subject she waves her hand as if to say, that’s final!”

  “I don’t think final means final with Darcy,” Adam said, a slight edge creeping into his voice. “She’s nothing if not a loving, forgiving woman.”

  “So why do I think that’s another crack at me?” Why couldn’t he trust her? Was there something more in his own background to account for it? A blighted romance? He must have had many. Perhaps he had an aversion to pocket-sized blondes?

  “You might be looking for more than is intended,” he was saying smoothly. “I’m going to ask you now while the going’s good. If I wait until tonight I’ll miss out entirely. Would you grant me the first and the last dance?”

  She glanced away into the brilliant glare of the day, the players, the floats, the strings of polo ponies, the groups of people seated around the field, talking and laughing, the colourful array of bunting. Some young couples were lazing on the grass, obviously flirting and enjoying it immensely. The huge white marquees, offered food and drink. Guests swarmed around the entrances. “What have you done to deserve it?” she asked quietly, her body relaxed, her heart fluttering inside.

  He smiled as though he recognized his own smile’s persuasive powers. “I thought you’d be pleased as your lawyer and trustee funding for the restoration was approved without delay and without coming to blows.”

  “And we’re not finished,” she said, giving him a sideways glance. “I just thought I’d tell you. Next year we intend to start on upstairs. With the exception of my mother’s room all the bedrooms and bathrooms need refurbishing. No point in having a marvellous old homestead if you can’t invite lots of guests.”

  “So you see yourself staying?”

  “Why sound so surprised?” she asked with quick challenge. “I was born here. Murraree is my home. I’m a lot tougher than I look.”

  He couldn’t help it. He laughed. “Actually you look like the summer breeze could blow you away.”

  “There you go again!” she said crossly. “Even Darcy is waiting for me to wilt. But I won’t. I was happy enough in the city but cities are man made buildings, however splendid. In the city all you have to relate to is buildings and people. Out here, there’s the grandeur of nature to relate to. A world without horizons. The vast space. The exhilarating sense of freedom. The endless skies. The billions of big beautiful stars that come out at night.” She shook her head. “You simply don’t see stars like that in the cities. You don’t see the larkspur ranges either, or the fantastic colour changes, the magical play of light, parallel lines of fiery sandhills curling at the top like waves. I can’t wait to see the country after rain. As a little girl I used to glory in the wildflowers, the miles and miles of white and yellow bachelor buttons. Darcy and I used to make garlands for us to wear. Mum and the two of us. We were so close, in our world of flowers. I can still smell their scent on my skin.”

  He felt like he was breathing it in. “You’re like a flower yourself.” He was shocked by the sudden desire he felt. Shocked by its strength and its depth. She had spoken without artifice, such a shining light in her eyes he experienced a tingling right through his body. But flowerlike or not she was dangerous. A woman like that could get right under a man’s skin. He rose from his planter’s chair to free himself of her spell. “Wouldn’t you like a cold drink?” He held out his hand to her enclosing its small softness.

  “Yes I would.” At the touch of skin on skin her eyelashes fell quivering onto her petalled cheeks.

  “You haven’t answered me by the way?” His lean features were taut with the effort of subduing his feelings. He didn’t want her to see his emotions. It was like being stripped of his armour. He had been left powerless after his father had been taken so horribly from him. Being in control was important. “First and last dance?” And as many as I can possibly get in between. It was so easy to go forward. So difficult to backtrack. Something inexorable was impelling him towards this lovely, seemingly innocent young woman. Something that could change his ordered life.

  She fell into step beside him not even reaching his shoulder. For a moment she had the strangest fancy they were cut off from the world. Just the two of them. “If you insist.”

  His eyes rested on her curls that licked up like golden flames around her face. “I do, even when I know you’d love to turn me down.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  BY TEN o’clock the ball was in full swing.

  Locked in Curt’s arms Darcy felt such a current of sexual energy she thought the heat of it must be showing on her face.

  Curt pulled her in close. “I love you,” he mouthed near her ear thinking of the electrifying lovemaking that was coming his way. He had to have her. For years he had lived with nothing but memories that wouldn’t go away. After all the music, the dancing, the lavish supper was over he was going to take her away with only the blossoming stars to light their way.

  She looked so beautiful he felt he moved in her radiance. She had insisted Courtney was responsible for the way she looked: “Courtney dressed me up!” but her beauty was her own. He felt he was absorbing it as if through the very pores of his skin. Her dress was sheer magic. So romantic. He loved it. It hung from tiny straps, showing her beautiful breasts in a way she had never dared before, the material unbelievably the exact aquamarine as her eyes, embellished with sequins, diamantes, little crystals that sparkled in the lights. The dress was soft and floaty, chiffon, organza he didn’t know but it caressed every inch of her willowy body then floated free to the floor.

  She looked perfect. His woman. He had noted with pride how their entrance had made everyone sit up and take notice. Darcy looked fabulous. It was a picture of her he would always carry in his head.

  Across the huge hall Courtney surrendered her hand into Adam Maynard’s with a leap of panic. Being in his arms was having a powerful effect on her. She could feel her insides contracting with an excitement she didn’t really want. Even when they let go of each other in a dance movement he still felt overpoweringly close. She was a good dancer with natural rhythm. She had enjoyed her fair share of clubbing and great partners. She had somehow thought as he was so much the clever, self-contained lawyer, he might be—not self-conscious—he was too assured for that, but not able to match her on his feet.

  She was wrong. So stupid. How could he possibly have two left feet with that elegant, graceful body though he didn’t unwind with her like he did with that man eater, Barbra, who appeared to have gone wild over him. Barbra’s dress was really bare on top, with a short skirt, cinched around the waist so the folds of the skirt were hiked up above the knees. She had great legs and she was showing a lot of skin. Actually she looked great, very sexy and raring for a good time. Barbra had looked over several times with a brilliant provocative smile for Adam but g
iving Courtney a look of barely concealed insolence. See what a washout you are beside me!

  If Courtney was on her guard, she had reason to be. Barbra had taken a tremendous fancy to the handsome, inscrutable Adam. Man of mystery. She had already checked him out. A girl had to so as not to waste time. Word was he was a top lawyer with a prestigious firm; that he was in fact one of the trustees of the late Jock McIvor’s estate. McIvor, it appeared had been a multimillionaire so the two sisters were heiresses. Sweet little Courtney with the perfect petite body in her oh so dreamy dress wasn’t going to push her out of the action again. The extraordinary thing was no one had known about Courtney’s rich father. They had all assumed her parents had long since gone their separate ways.

  Now this! Agog Barbra had discussed the whole situation with Lara, not that it had been easy. Lara had been loathe to entertain her friend with details of the McIvor girls’ lives, but she had opened up a little as Barbra feigned genuine caring. After all, she and Courtney had been colleagues. Such a small world! So Lara had talked and Barbra had listened.

  Out in the star-spangled night, with the Southern Cross glittering over their heads, Adam and Courtney were taking a breather. Other young couples were milling around the open doorways so they moved a little way off into the velvety darkness.

  It was like taking a walk with a tiger. Courtney felt incredibly nervous. She had to keep reminding herself that this was out of character for her. She had certain rules and her boyfriends had to abide by them. She liked to think she played it cool, but the old techniques weren’t working on Adam. Of course he was older, more experienced, more sophisticated. A man like that could hurt her. Damn it he was hurting her already.

  Adam recognised she was wary of him. It was not surprising. He was wary of her. Yet she stood there a vision in her vertiginous high heeled gold sandals that gave her a few extra inches. Her dress with its intricate petalled skirt fell just short of her delicate ankles. It was a subtle tone of lemon with sequinned flashes of gold, turquoise and silver. She had beautiful taste for one so young, in her dressing and in her contribution to the refurbishing of Murraree homestead. “You’re as jumpy as a kitten,” he remarked.

  There seemed to be a buzzing in Courtney’s ears. “Maybe I’m too aware of you as a man,” she heard herself saying.

  “And you don’t know how to handle it?” She could see his smile in the darkness. “That’s hard to believe.”

  “I was just thinking the same myself,” she admitted wryly. “Normally I love a challenge, but every nerve in my body warns me to steer clear of you, Adam.”

  He moved her a little further off, towards the shrubbery, his hand at her elbow. “If you’re so full of wisdom, why have you allowed yourself to dance with me all night?”

  “You mean when you haven’t been dancing with Barbra?” she countered.

  “Now there’s someone who’s jealous of you.”

  Courtney fingered the chiffon of her skirt. “Perhaps she’s gained the wrong impression and thinks I’m with you.”

  “Aren’t you?” He gave a very attractive, very masculine laugh.

  It made her whole body flame. She wasn’t accustomed to men who were so sure of themselves. “I think I’ll go back inside,” she said, unconsciously tilting her chin.

  “Wait a minute. Please.” His fingers lightly encircled her wrist. “A lot of people seem to be having fun.” They were in fact kissing. Some were even romping over the grass like puppies.

  “Not us!” she cried in alarm, grateful the dark would hide her blush.

  “Why not?” His voice made her heart flutter. “It seems to me I’ve wanted to since the first moment I laid eyes on you.”

  There could be no misunderstanding now. “Don’t you dare!” Where oh where was her customary poise? “We shouldn’t be out here.”

  But there was simply no stopping him. Her protest was cut off as he covered her mouth with his own. The expertise was fantastic. She felt at once profoundly helpless and incredibly desired. Something she had never expected. She had expected arrogance, being mastered. Instead he kissed her in a way that totally belied his mistrustful attitude towards her. She had been kissed many times before but it was never anything like this. He kissed her as though her mouth was some heavenly fruit he had long hungered after and now it was on offer.

  It was too arousing. She broke away, her eyes huge in her pale face. “That was simply over the top, Adam,” she seethed. “I hated it, nearly as much as I hate you.”

  He had the audacity to laugh. “I can’t pretend I’m sorry, Courtney. Really I can’t. I’ll probably fantasise about it for the rest of my days.”

  He was mocking her. Of course he was. She could feel him staring after her.

  Adam waited perhaps ten minutes after Courtney had stormed off. She was amazingly frisky on those high heels, he thought with amused admiration. He was on the alert to go after her in case she stumbled, but she didn’t. He returned to the hall, hoping Barbra whatever her name was wasn’t going to suddenly materialize out of the crowd and make a bee-line for him. He knew Barbra’s type.

  Instead he saw Barbra in avid conversation with Darcy. Darcy, very slender and beautiful as a goddess, had her dark head bent. She didn’t look happy. In fact Darcy looked perturbed. Adam looked around quickly for Curt; saw him hemmed in by a group of polo fanatics. Adam moved towards Darcy, intending to get her away from this Barbra by asking her to dance.

  She turned, her expression softening when she saw who it was. “Oh, Adam!” There was relief in her voice.

  “My dance, I think.” He smiled.

  “Excuse us, won’t you?” Darcy nodded regally to the now bug-eyed Barbra.

  “What was that all about? You look upset.” Adam ventured when they were out among the other dancers.

  “I’m afraid I am,” she admitted. “I was having a wonderful time too. I don’t know that girl. I know she worked with Courtney, but she literally clapped me on the back and began to tell me how clever Courtney is.”

  “Well isn’t she?” Adam said, his voice dead calm, waiting for what was to come.

  “Absolutely. Courtney has established that. But this Barbra started to tell me stories from the office. How Courtney had told them all about her multimillionaire father. How he wanted to see her after many years and how—just like the movies—he was dying. She told them he owned a famous cattle station with a heritage listed homestead and that she had an older sister. Me. She said her father had acted for years as though she never existed but she was going to wrap him around her little finger. ‘We all knew she could! Courtney is the ultimate charmer and boy does she make good use of it!’ was what she said. Courtney has quite a reputation according to Barbra.”

  “I think we can safely label Barbra a bitch?” Adam commented impassively.

  Darcy’s eyes flashed. “I felt like pushing her aside and telling her to get lost. She told me how quickly Courtney had gone up the ladder. What she’d been prepared to do to make it. She’s ruined my night. How could she talk that way about Courtney?”

  “Pure jealousy,” Adam said, his voice grim.

  “Courtney wouldn’t have talked like that,” Darcy said loyally. “It’s not her. Yet how did this Barbra come to know so much?”

  “She probably coaxed it out of the friend she’s staying with,” Adam suggested.

  Darcy shook her head emphatically. “Not Lara. Lara is a very nice person. I’ve known her since forever. I can’t see Lara indulging in malicious gossip. The worst thing is, I’m suddenly reminded we were all suspicious of Courtney at the beginning. I’ve learned differently. My sister is lovely inside and out.”

  An angel descended from Heaven, Adam thought, grappling with all his own doubts.

  Curt beat a path through the throng, smiling his incomparable smile. He tapped a firm hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I’m back to claim my girl. I can see Courtney standing by herself for a minute, Adam. You’d better not hang around. All the guys think she’s terrifi
c.”

  Curt gathered Darcy in with a sigh of pure joy, bending his head so they were cheek to cheek.

  It had been such a marvellous night—Curt was so happy and relaxed—Darcy fretted whether she should tell him what Barbra had said and disturb his mood.

  Only Curt knew her so well. He lifted his mahogany head. “Damned if I can’t leave you alone for five minutes and you change. What’s the matter?”

  Darcy explained.

  Afterwards Curt gave a mirthless laugh. “What a bitch!” No one but no one was going to spoil this night. He had it all planned. “I think I’ll go over and have a few words with her. She’s the one with the panda eyes, half in and half out of her dress?”

  Darcy backed off. “Please don’t start anything, Curt. You’re the host. You can’t possibly get into an argument. Your mother would be so upset. She’s worked so hard.”

  “Funny, isn’t it?” Curt brooded. “I was feeling sublimely happy, as though at long last things were going right, but there’s always something. Obviously she wants to hurt you and do Courtney some harm. Nothing out of the ordinary about good old fashioned jealousy.”

  “That’s what Adam said.”

  “You can’t believe it surely?” Curt narrowed his eyes over Darcy’s face.

  “No but it was a wretched thing to do. I should find Courtney. I can’t see her, can you?”

  “Find Adam, find Courtney,” Curt said, an edge of amusement back in his voice. “You told Adam about this?”

  “Yes I did. I trust Adam.”

  Curt’s green eyes sparkled with hard impatience. He could see his dream of an evening slipping away from him. “He’s probably gone after Courtney.”

  “Oh I’m worried,” Darcy stopped all pretence of dancing.

  “What do you mean?” Curt looked at this woman he loved, sharply.

  “There’s some odd current there. Something mocking in Adam’s eyes when he looks at her. Just let me find Courtney and I’ll be back.”