by Janet Woods
‘All right,’ she said hastily as the door was about to close behind him. ‘I’ll come with you. After all, you have been appointed my keeper. But don’t expect me to sign any agreement. It will be a waste of paper.’
He gave her a brief wintry smile, and was gone.
Chapter Five
Darcie rose before dawn to take Georgie for a run. When she returned the remains of two breakfasts were on the table, and Leon was nowhere to be seen.
Between them, she and Georgie wolfed down the lukewarm bacon and scrambled egg and washed down two pieces of cold toast with tepid coffee.
At 6.45 am, just after she’d changed into a navy wrap around skirt with matching jacket and lacy camisole top, Leon came striding into the chalet, all smiles. ‘Good, you’re ready.’
When she attached Georgie’s lead to his collar he gave a slight frown. ‘I’d forgotten about the dog.’ He chuckled when Georgie hung his head. ‘Well, I don’t suppose you’ll be any trouble. I’ll drop you off at the house. It has a nice secure garden and you won’t be alone there.’
‘Whose house?’
‘My house in Perth.’
‘If you’ve got a house in Perth why do you need to build one at Petrel Point?’ she said as she followed him to the car park.
‘I like it here. I’m going to wind down my business interests, settle down and raise a family.’ He smiled as he unlocked the car and opened the door for her. ‘Does that answer your question?’
‘It raises more questions than it answers, actually.’
‘Like what?’ He settled himself behind the wheel and started the engine.
‘First you have to prove the Petrel Point land is yours, and then you have to win the bet.’
Guilt niggled at his mind - a guilt he was determined to squash. He knew the land was his, but he couldn’t help feeling sorry that she was about to find out the hard way. As for marriage ...? He never placed money on a losing bet, besides, who would look after her if he didn’t? Her cousin certainly didn’t seem to want to. He gave her a determined look. ‘I was under the impression we had an agreement.’
‘It wasn’t an agreement it was a bet. I’m not signing anything without speaking to my cousin first.’
‘Ah ... and who was it talked about trust? Who was it who said she liked honesty, and hated deceit?’
‘I have no intention of deceiving you. You gave me a week in the kitchen if I recall. I intend to make you eat your words.’
‘We’ll see.’
‘Yes, you will, so you’d better start looking around for someone else to marry. Perhaps Helen will have you back.’
‘I don’t want Helen. I want you.’ His smile sent alarm bells ringing in her mind. ‘You have no idea how much I want you, Darcie.’
‘I think you’ve made that pretty clear,’ she snapped, feeling warmth flood her cheeks. ‘Unfortunately for you, I don’t want you.’
He took a strand of her hair in his hand and twisted it around his fingers. ‘You’re not a very good liar, Darcie. You do want me, and I’ll expect you to honor the agreement.’
The nape of her neck became a shivery playground of pleasure as he tucked the hair behind her ear with a tiny caressing motion. ‘And if I don’t honor?’
Leon shrugged. Then he’d offer her a decent job at the inn - create one if need be. One way or another he’d keep her at his side, and he’d court her with flowers, chocolates and theater tickets - romance her a bit. He might do that anyway.
A slow thoughtful smile crept across his face as he gazed at her. ‘You knew exactly what you were doing when you agreed to my proposition, didn’t you?’
‘Yes. I’m going to beat you at your own game.’
‘We’ll see.’ The thought of what was ahead of her following week didn’t bear thinking about - but he wasn’t going to spare her. He’d instruct the kitchen staff she was to perform her duties without help. In the meantime he’d make sure she enjoyed their time together. ‘Would you like to take in a show whilst we’re in the city?’
Darcie had only been to the theater once, and that had been a pantomime. She’d been young, but the color and vivacity of it had left an indelible impression on her mind. Her eyes began to sparkle at the thought of going again. ‘That would be wonderful. I went to see Puss in Boots once ...’ and she proceeded to tell him all about it whilst the car purred steadily through the leafy winding lane to join the main artery and the early morning traffic heading for Perth.
Long before they reached his house, a sizable and stately colonial looking residence overlooking the Swan River, she’d run out of things to say. Darcie knew she’d rattled on about nothing ... anything to take his mind off the personal aspect of their relationship. Now she exclaimed with delight. ‘This is lovely. How can you bear to sell it?’
‘I have no intention of selling it. I need a place in town. I have various business interests apart from the development company, and have to attend meetings and functions from time to time.’
She knew Leon was well off, but never in her wildest dreams had she thought ... so why did he need her land when he could have bought land further down the coast?’ Her eyes were troubled as she gazed at him. ‘I see.’
‘Don’t let the trappings of wealth worry you. Money is neither here nor there when it comes to relationships.’
‘It makes my block of land seem like nothing,’ she said. ‘Why do you want it so badly when you don’t need it?’
‘You have no idea of my needs.’ Leon felt unaccountably annoyed as he ushered her inside. She seemed to think everything had dropped into his lap. It hadn’t. He’d worked for it, and worked hard. Lines of tension appeared between his brow and he pressed his fingers against his forehead as he wondered where his housekeeper was.
‘Oh, yes I have. You said you need a wife and family.’
‘So, what’s wrong with that?’
‘Nothing, except ...’ She didn’t know quite how to say it.
‘Except what? Spit it out, Darcie.’
‘You can’t see beyond yourself. You see something, you want it and you go after it ... and regardless of what anyone else wants or feels. You seem to regard women as objects to fulfill your needs.’
The condemnation in her voice shocked him, but what shocked him more was the truth in her words. He didn’t have time to answer because she hadn’t finished with him.
‘You have a way with you, Leon, you draw people to you then take hostages.’ She turned her back on him and stared out of the window across the river. ‘There’s something ruthless about you.’
‘You have to be ruthless in business or you don’t get anywhere.’
‘But not in relationships, they should evolve naturally, and without pressure.’
He moved to stand beside her. ‘Years ago I made a plan. I would find my place in the world. I’ve achieved nearly everything I set out to achieve and now it’s time to slow down.’
‘You’ve done your killing, now you want the scalps as trophies.’ She sighed, and turned to face him, her eyes troubled. ‘Why me, Leon? Is it because I spoiled the plans you’d made for Helen? Is it revenge?’
She resolved then that she would see Helen and explain the situation to her. Perhaps she could bring them back together again.
He brushed a strand of hair back from a face that was pale and tense. Her mouth was trembling, her eyes dark with accusation. He could have told her that Helen meant nothing to him now but that would only reinforce the opinion she’d already formed of him. He wanted her. He ached for her, and he couldn’t risk letting her off the hook. Their relationship was too new - too vulnerable.
Instead of answering he took her face between his hands and gently kissed her trembling mouth into a yielding softness. If he brought this situation back to basics he’d keep her wanting him. ‘Right now, we could make love and forget everything,’ he whispered against her mouth.
‘Yes,’ she sighed, and Leon couldn’t decide if it was an answer or an invitation when she la
id her face against his shoulder for a moment.
There was a baying bark from the back of the house.
‘Georgie,’ she breathed in alarm, then she was running after Leon, her feet sinking into a luxurious pale gray carpet.
A beautiful Siamese cat, its hackles raised on high, was yowling with frenzied fury from the top of the refrigerator. Tail wagging from side to side, Georgie gazed up at it with an idiotically pleased expression on his face.
Just then a woman came rushing through the kitchen door. The cat jumped down, took a swipe at Wee Georgie’s inquisitive nose in passing and went to weave around her ankles.
Leon clicked his fingers and Georgie immediately went to his side. ‘I hope Georgie didn’t frighten you, Anna.’
The woman laughed. ‘It would take more than a dog to frighten me, Mister Price.’ The woman gave Darcie a curious glance. ‘Is this the young lady you told me about when you phoned?’
‘This is Miss Channing.’ He took her hand, his smile an intimate caress that warmed her face. ‘Darcie, this is Anna. She and her husband look after the place when I’m away.’
They exchanged smiles.
‘It’s nice to meet you, Miss Channing. Will you be in for dinner, Mister Price?’
‘Yes. And we’ll be staying the night, so make up the guest bedroom, please. But first, we’d like some coffee.’
Darcie opened her mouth to protest, and then slowly shut it again when he grinned. What was the use?
An hour later they were seated in a plush office in Perth, facing Leon’s lawyer across an expanse of polished wood - and she was perusing the papers he set before her.
She’d expected to see Colin’s neat handwriting, but scrawled across the bottom of the page was her father’s untidy signature. Bewildered, she gazed from the one man to the other. ‘I don’t understand. This is my father’s signature!’
‘Yes. He handled the deal personally.’ The lawyer tapped his pen on the desk and frowned. ‘Against my advice, I might add. Doctor Channing should have used a settlement agent, at least. However, it proved to be quite straightforward as there was no mortgage to pay out and he brought the deeds with him. They’re in my safe. Would you like to see them?’
‘I don’t see the point.’ Her eyes narrowed slightly. ‘When did he receive the money from the sale?’
Papers were consulted. ‘It was paid straight into his bank account the day after settlement, as he instructed. Is there some problem?’
‘Did he give a reason for selling the property?’
The lawyer frowned for a moment. ‘I believe your father mentioned something about going to Sydney. Yes, that’s it. He’d been offered a position at one of the universities. He seemed very pleased about it.’
He would have been. She’d always thought her father’s talents had been wasted teaching at the local high school. Darcie felt totally deflated. Why hadn’t he told her? Then she thought. Perhaps he died before he could. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. Gazing numbly at Leon she choked out. ‘I owe you an apology.’
‘Under the circumstances, anyone would have jumped to the same conclusion.’ His voice was sympathetic as his hand covered hers. ‘Would you like a copy of the offer and acceptance?
As she nodded the lawyer rose from his seat and took the papers through to the outer office.
‘The money must be in your account,’ he said.
Feeling numb, Darcie took a deep breath. ‘Then why didn’t the machine accept my card?’
‘I expect you used the wrong pin number.’
‘No ... I’m sure I didn’t. Not three times, anyway.’
Remembering her absent cousin - a man who bore the same name as her father, he could understand her unease. ‘Let’s not jump to any conclusions, Darcie. We’ll check with the bank when we get back, okay?’
She went to gaze out of the window when the lawyer came back and he and Leon began to talk business.
The office was situated high in an office block and looked down over Perth. It looked what it was, a clean, prosperous city with the river a blue ribbon winding through its midst.
It seemed odd to her that her mother hadn’t been able to settle here, that she’d gone back to the ugly town in the North of England where she’d been born, leaving her child to be raised by her former husband. Of course, there had been another man involved in her life, but Darcie hadn’t known that when she’d been small.
Her mother had kept in touch with cards and presents for Christmas and birthdays, and later - when Darcie learned to read and write - with letters. There had been a couple of visits when she’d grown older - but if any close bond had existed between them it had been lost in the passing of time.
Darcie had been completely happy with her father, who although he’d had girlfriends from time to time, had never shown any inclination to remarry.
Now she was on her own. Except for Leon, her custodian. She’d been staring at his name for five minutes without really seeing it. Now it jumped out at her in bold blue letters. LEON PRICE LTD.
‘Your name’s on the side of a building over there,’ she said, pointing out the obvious as she turned to him in astonishment.
His eyes lit up with amusement. ‘Not for much longer if I can help it.’
Feeling foolish, she turned away, only to encounter his reflection in the glass - he was exchanging a smile with his lawyer. She poked her tongue out at the reflection and immediately felt slightly better.
‘There’s going to be difficulty about that, the lawyer was saying. Martin wants to retain the company name - and he wants you to stay as chairman on the board of directors.’
‘No to the first. The name can be incorporated without the company suffering damage. Price and Grainger for the first two years, then it reverts to Martin Grainger. As for the second request. ‘I’ll serve on the board for one year only. After that, he’s on his own.’
‘He should go for that.’
‘Another thing, Leon.’ The lawyer’s pencil tapped on the desk. ‘Martin wants his sister on the board.’
‘Helen?’
Darcie’s ears twitched at the sound of her name.
‘He intends to make her a partner in the future. She already owns a fair number of shares and wants to learn the ropes.’
Darcie watched Leon frown for a second, and then he nodded. ‘I guess I’ll be able to handle it. Helen’s got more sense than her brother when it comes to business. I’ve got no objection.‘
Leon’s ability to sort out the personal from the professional and make an instant decision awed her.
‘Right, I’ll set up a meeting with his lawyer to thrash out the financial details. Will next week suit?’
‘Fine. Just give me a ring.’ The two men stood up and shook hands - then she and Leon were outside the office and were being conveyed to the ground floor in an elevator plush enough to be a lounge room.
They emerged into the April sunlight and the bustle of the street.
‘Will you mind working with Helen?’ she said, voicing her concern straight away.
‘What’s more to the point, will you mind me working with Helen?’
‘Why is that the point?’
‘Because you’ll be my wife.’
Their glance collided with a suddenness that made her struggle for breath. What had she got herself into? She didn’t want to become Leon’s wife so he could prove something to Helen. She wanted to marry him because –! No, it was ridiculous. She’d only just met him. Love at first sight was a myth. Besides, once he got together with Helen again ...
‘Wrong,’ she said faintly. ‘I’ll be your kitchen-hand. And the thought of you working with Helen doesn’t affect me one way or the other.’
‘It doesn’t affect me one way or the other, either.’ He threw her a wicked grin. ‘The first meeting might prove to be a bit embarrassing though.’
She couldn’t return his grin. The thought of Leon and Helen thrown together again had suddenly brought a nasty taste to her mouth.
From what she’d seen of her, the woman would eat him alive and spit out the crumbs. Perhaps it would be best to leave Helen and Leon to fate. After all, they were both adults, and she wasn’t really responsible for what had happened.
And you don’t want to hand him back to her on a plate.
Keep your nose out of my affairs!
Who are you trying to kid? This is the first affair you’ve been offered for years.
Leon’s a rarity, a hunk with marriage on his mind. Grab him while he’s going.
Someone collided with her back and propelled her against him. Immediately his arms came around her. He laughed as he gazed down at her. ‘You look as though you’ve swallowed a nest of wasps.’
‘I think I have,’ she muttered, but what she really feared was the thought that she might gladly eat crow before this farce was finally over.
They lunched at a small restaurant overlooking the river then wandered for a while through the city malls and gardens before returning to the house for dinner and to freshen up before going to the theater.
The fact that he’d managed to obtain good seats for what had been advertised as a sell-out show was awe-inspiring. When she asked him how he’d managed to get tickets he laughed. ‘The beauty of having money is that it buys you everything.’
She thoroughly enjoyed the energetic vitality of the Irish style dancing, and the magic of the tale brought a lump to her throat.
But the night didn’t end there. Leon took her to supper at an Italian Restaurant, then on to a nightclub where they danced until she was so tired that all she managed to do was cling to Leon’s body with her head on his shoulder, and sway in time to the music - which was kind of dreamy and romantic.
She fell asleep in the car on the way home, and only vaguely remembered getting undressed and crawling into a soft, luxurious bed.
The next thing she knew the sun was streaming through the bedroom window. The clock on the dressing table told her it was gone ten. Feeling as contented as a cat, she stretched her limbs and gave a big yawn before she rose and headed for the en-suite.
