Subtle Revenge

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘He’s never been a father to me,’ Luke rasped tautly. ‘Not like other children had fathers. As a child I rarely saw him. My mother lived in the country because she preferred it, my father spent most of his time in London. It was all he could do to spare the time to come to the occasional open day at my boarding-school,’ he revealed bitterly, his eyes shadowed with remembered pain.

  ‘And yet you became a lawyer too.’

  He gave a bitter laugh. ‘At the time I didn’t have much choice, and to be honest, I didn’t really want one. The son of Jacob Randell couldn’t really enter any other career but law. For a while I even admired him—professionally, thought about entering the partnership he ran so successfully.’

  ‘Why didn’t you?’ she prompted huskily, knowing just exactly how successful Jacob Randell had been at his profession.

  Luke’s mouth twisted with distaste. ‘Let’s just say I became disenchanted with his way of doing things.’

  ‘And that’s when you went to America?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘So you don’t intend I should meet him?’

  ‘Is it that important to you that you should?’ he scowled.

  She swallowed hard. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then I’ll call him,’ Luke told her abruptly. ‘Next week. Maybe we could see him some time over the weekend.’

  Lori nodded, hardly able to believe she was this close to meeting the man she had hated for twelve years. ‘I’d like that,’ she nodded.

  ‘I don’t know why. Just remember,’ he ground out, ‘that it’s me you’ll be marrying, not my father!’

  She suppressed a shiver of revulsion at the thought of being married to Jacob P. Randell, and eagerly accepted Luke’s suggestion that they stop for dinner somewhere—not a quiet restaurant this time but a noisy club, the dining tables placed around the side of the space for dancing, the cabaret act, a sultry girl singer, up on the stage behind this.

  Luke threw himself into the enjoyment of the evening almost as if he wanted to banish the thought of his father from his mind, as if the thoughts she had evoked earlier by her questions had revived memories he would rather forget.

  Her protests that they weren’t really dressed for such a place were quickly overridden by Luke’s determination. The reckless mood he was in it was easier to fall in with his wishes than argue with him.

  For the first time in their acquaintance she noticed several covetous looks being given in her direction, beautiful bejewelled women aged from twenty to fifty! Even casually dressed as he was now Luke was still a devastatingly handsome man, tall and commanding, with the blatant good looks of a film star—and there were already enough of them here! Lori had been taken aback to see several well-known film stars and television personalities either gyrating on the dance floor or sitting at their tables. Luke seemed unaffected by the presence of such people.

  They were dancing slowly in each other’s arms, their dinner over, when a woman suddenly shouted Luke’s name, dragging her reluctant partner over to where Luke had stopped dancing to turn and look at her, his arm about Lori’s waist.

  ‘Good God—Margot!’ Luke greeted familiarly, smiling his pleasure.

  The woman wasn’t so staid about showing her pleasure, launching herself excitedly into his arms, kissing the surprised Luke soundly on the mouth.

  Lori stood back as she recognised the other woman, her face very white. Margot Phillips—Nigel’s young sister! And it looked as if she knew Luke very well indeed!

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE other girl had only been sixteen when Lori last met her, a precocious little brat, taking an instant dislike to Nigel’s girl-friend when she came home from boarding-school to meet Lori at the engagement party.

  That dislike had been reciprocated, Margot’s verbal attack on her when they had chanced to be alone precluding there ever being a chance of friendship between the two of them.

  But that had all been five years ago, and the promise of Margot’s beauty had blossomed into a striking attraction; her hair was as blonde as her brother’s, her blue eyes full of sparkling humour, the red pout of her mouth having made contact with Luke’s, the tall perfection of body curved against him.

  Yes, Margot had grown into a very beautiful woman—and she could bring the whole world down about Lori’s ears. With just a few words this woman, a woman she knew to be totally vindictive—a trait she had no doubt inherited from her father—could tell Luke exactly who she was and ruin her life once again.

  ‘It’s so good to see you again!’ Margot was beaming up at Luke, totally forgetting the young man who was her partner for the evening. ‘When did you get back from the States?’

  ‘Last month,’ Luke drawled, pulling Lori forward pointedly.

  Margot eyed her curiously—and without recognition! Her eyes were coolly appraising, showing no sign of recognition at all.

  ‘Margot,’ the man at her side gained her attention, ‘the others are leaving now.’

  She gave him an irritated glare, looking towards a table where several people were getting to their feet in preparation for leaving. Lori followed the other woman’s line of vision with a feeling akin to horror, dreading seeing that Nigel made up one of the party. But of course he wouldn’t, he was on his honeymoon!

  ‘I have to go,’ Margot told Luke regretfully, giving Lori another cold look. ‘Call me. You have our number?’

  ‘Yes,’ Luke smiled.

  Margot kissed him on the lips once again. ‘Lovely to have you back, Luke.’ She nodded distantly to Lori before allowing her partner to guide her out of the club.

  Lori’s hands felt damp with perspiration as she turned to face Luke, weakly suggesting that they leave too, having the excuse of work in the morning for this early end to their evening.

  ‘Margot’s enthusiastic greeting didn’t bother you, did it?’ Luke frowned at her silence as they drove home.

  ‘Of course not,’ she said sharply.

  ‘I’ve known her since she was a child,’ Luke explained.

  That was what she had been afraid of! It had never occurred to her that Luke could know Margot Phillips, and if he had known the other woman since she was a child then it followed that he also knew Nigel and his parents.

  ‘I was at law school with her brother Nigel,’ he added by way of explanation. ‘He and I were quite good friends in those days.’

  This was getting worse! He actually knew Nigel very well too. Lori had a feeling of things starting to close in about her.

  ‘He got married a couple of weeks ago, although I didn’t go,’ Luke added. ‘Did you see it in the newspapers?’

  ‘No,’ her denial was strangulated.

  ‘It seems that all my friends are getting married, and when I had thought they were all die-hard bachelors! Of course Nigel was going to marry once before,’ his mouth tightened, ‘but it never took place.’

  Lori had stiffened at his mention of Nigel’s previous marriage plans, the hardness of his tone seeming to indicate that he had disapproved of Nigel’s last choice of bride as strongly as Charles Phillips had. ‘Why?’ she asked coldly.

  ‘I have no idea,’ he lied—and Lori knew he lied. Luke knew exactly why that first marriage had never taken place. ‘I hardly recognised Margot,’ he mused. ‘She must have been about fourteen the last time I saw her. How delightfully you women grow up!’

  ‘I noticed,’ she said tightly, still angry at his prejudice.

  Luke laughed softly. ‘Margot is a child to me, Lori.’

  ‘So was Marilou,’ she mocked dryly, knowing he was enjoying what he thought was a display of jealousy. She had wanted to know how well he knew the Phillips, and now that she did know she wished she didn’t. ‘They can’t all be children, Luke. And Marilou acted very unlike a child. So did Margot, for that matter.’

  ‘I wish you would act so impetuously,’ he said drily.

  ‘Maybe one day I’ll surprise you.’

  ‘I’ll live for the day!’

  She would
surprise him, and one day soon. But it would be far from the surprise he wanted.

  * * *

  Lori went out with Luke three evenings that week, refusing to see him every night, going to the cinema with Sally one evening, and spending the other one doing her washing. Luke treated the latter refusal with amusement, the evening she claimed to be with Sally, suspiciously. He seemed to suspect her of seeing another man that evening.

  They went to see Claude on Tuesday evening, calling to see him again on Saturday before going on to the theatre to see the new Tom Stoppard play, and going out to supper afterwards.

  Luke drank his wine slowly, looking at Lori over the rim of the glass. ‘I called my father today,’ he told her softly.

  Her hand shook slightly as she carried her own wine glass to her lips. He hadn’t mentioned whether or not he intended calling his father, and she hadn’t like to pressurise him into it, leaving it to her cool behaviour to tell him she was still undecided about marrying him.

  In fact she had been very cool towards him the last few days, never being alone with him for longer than it could be helped, a fact he seemed very well aware of, for his mood was explosive.

  This move had been made as much out of self-preservation as to keep Luke at arm’s length. When they had parted Sunday evening she had found once again how weak she was where his kisses were concerned, had almost succumbed to his plea to go to his home with him. Her weakness towards this man frightened her, and she was very wisely avoiding being alone with him in potentially dangerous situations. With Luke there seemed to be all too many of them.

  Now it seemed that he had been in touch with his father after all.

  ‘What did he say?’ she asked softly.

  ‘Not a lot,’ Luke sighed, putting his glass down. ‘But then he never does,’ he grimaced.

  ‘Did you—mention me?’ Lori held her breath, feeling a tingling down her spine at the thought of meeting her adversary after all these years.

  ‘Of course I mentioned you,’ Luke said sharply. ‘You were the only reason I called him.’

  Luke’s temper had been very frayed the last few days, and she knew it was frustration over her that was causing it. She felt sure this was the first time in years that Luke had gone to the trouble of actually having to woo a girl. It was certainly the first time he had waited this length of time to make love to one of his women. Luke had never been serious about a woman before, he had told her so, and so the women he had been out with in the past had been chosen because they had no interest in marriage either. Abstinance certaintly didn’t improve his temper!

  ‘We’re going to see him tomorrow,’ Luke snapped at her silence.

  ‘I don’t remember being asked.’ She looked at him with cool brown eyes.

  ‘And you aren’t going to be,’ he said angrily. ‘It was your idea, the least you can do is come with me.’

  ‘I—’

  ‘Let’s leave.’ He stood up abruptly to pay the bill.

  ‘Luke—’

  ‘I can’t stand it any more,’ he told her through gritted teeth, glaring at the manager as he came to enquire whether there had been anything wrong with their half-eaten meal. The poor man retreated under an icy grey stare, shrugging his shoulders ruefully.

  Colour winged in Lori’s cheeks as they left the restaurant, sure that everyone could guess the reason Luke was hurrying her from the room. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life!

  ‘That was unforgivable!’ She turned to him when they got outside, pulling her silver-coloured shawl on over the clinging black gown she wore. ‘I’ve never been so humiliated in my life!’ She got into the Jaguar as he held the door open for her.

  Luke’s expression was grim as he got in beside her, his face stormy as he drove the car though the busy streets.

  ‘Luke, did you hear me—’

  ‘Yes,’ he bit out unapproachably.

  Lori sensed a definite change in his mood, no longer in control of this situation—at least, not as far as tonight was concerned. Luke had come to the end of his tenacious restraint, and it appeared this unwanted visit to his father was the cause of it.

  ‘If you would rather not visit your father then we won’t go.’ She held her breath as she waited for his answer, knowing she had to make the offer, feeling compelled to.

  ‘The arrangements have been made now,’ he told her tersely, not even glancing at her, his face rigid. ‘I’ve told my father about you, and he’s looking forward to meeting you.’

  And she was looking forward to seeing Jacob Randell once again. He had been the man she feared when she was younger, the man she hated as she grew older, and in her mind he had grown to gigantic proportions, out of all context with a normal human being. She remembered him as looking like an older version of Luke, but that had been twelve years ago. He would be seventy years of age now, but no less formidable, she felt sure.

  ‘That’s nice,’ she said without sincerity.

  ‘So you’ll come with me tomorrow?’

  ‘If that’s what you want.’

  ‘What I want doesn’t seem to matter a whole lot in our relationship,’ Luke snapped. ‘Is Sally at home this evening?’ he asked suddenly.

  ‘No,’ she revealed reluctantly, knowing the reason for the question. But she couldn’t tell him an out-and-out lie—he had only to check for himself to know Sally wasn’t at home. ‘She’s gone out for the evening with one of her brother’s friends.’ She had been pleased for Sally when she had told her she had accepted an invitation from one of her older brother Brian’s friends. Sally had insisted it was only a casual date, but at least she had made the effort to get out, proof that she could have a life without the unfaithful Dave.

  But Sally having gone out put her in an awkward position. She had used the other girl to avoid asking Luke up to the flat all week, now it looked as if she had to invite him in. ‘Would you like to come up for coffee?’ she offered.

  ‘Not if that’s all you’re offering, no,’ he told her curtly.

  He was making his intention plain before he came up to her flat. If he accepted her invitation he intended making love to her. She either accepted that or left it! But if she left it she might also lose Luke.

  ‘If it takes you this long to decide I won’t bother,’ he rasped savagely as he stopped the car at her home with a loud screech of the brakes. ‘Maybe we should put off this visit to my father, until you’re more sure of your feelings. The fact that I am taking you to see him is more or less a declaration on my part. I have no intention of telling him in a few weeks’ time that it all fell through.’

  ‘You know that won’t happen.’

  ‘Do I?’ he scorned bitterly. ‘I never seem to hear anything but no from you. I’m not used to fighting so hard for what I want, Lori,’ he said wearily. ‘I’m getting a little tired of it.’

  That was what she had thought, what she had dreaded. And yet if she gave in to his demands now she might as well say goodbye to any idea of marriage.

  ‘I think you’re right, Luke, we should cancel the visit to see your father,’ she told him coolly, opening the car door. ‘Until you’re more sure of your feelings. At the moment they don’t appear to be concentrated any higher than your loins!’ She slammed the door as she got out, going inside without a second glance.

  It must have been at least five suspenseful minutes later before the knock sounded on the door. Lori knew straight away it had to be Luke; she had already checked, surreptitiously, out of the bedroom window, that the Jaguar was still parked outside.

  ‘My feelings may not be concentrated any higher than my loins,’ he drawled once she had opened the door, ‘which incidentally is a very unladylike thing for you to have said,’ he mocked. ‘But you have me so frustrated I hardly know what day of the week it is any more. Of course I want you, kitten,’ he added in a serious voice. ‘I couldn’t be in love with you and not want to make love to you. And you’ve been holding me off all week, denying me even the pleasure of touching yo
u. I need to touch you, Lori,’ he said gruffly. ‘I need to touch you all the time.’

  How it happened she never knew, but she was suddenly lying full length on the sofa with Luke beside her, his jacket and her dress discarded on the way, the buttons on his shirt posing no problem to her questing fingers.

  He pushed one cup of her lacy bra aside, capturing the tip of her breast in his mouth, kissing the nipple with a thoroughness that left her gasping, before beginning a slow journey downwards, her flesh seeming to tingle where he touched, his hands continuing the exploration of her breasts.

  Of her own volition, it seemed, her hands did some exploring of their own, her lips touching the masculine nipples; she heard him gasp as her mouth continued its downward path of discovery, searching out the pleasure zones of his chest and taut stomach.

  Luke’s hand slipped beneath the lacy material of her bikini panties, discovering the softness of her thighs, the warmth enveloping her as he caressed her to fever pitch, allowing her no respite from the explosion of pleasure, even when she begged for mercy.

  She was lost in a cloud of euphoria as he carried her through to the bedroom, her arms reaching up for him as he laid her down on the narrowness of her single bed.

  Instead of joining her he kissed her lightly on the brow, lingeringly on the mouth, gently on her breasts, softly on her thigh, then straightened to look down at her with dark eyes. ‘Sweet dreams, my darling,’ he said huskily.

  ‘You—you’re leaving?’ She couldn’t believe that the clamouring of her body for possession by his was to be unanswered.

  He nodded. ‘I have to show you that it’s you I love, and not just your body.’ He gave a rueful smile as he sat on the side of the bed. ‘There’s nothing I’d like better than to join my flesh with yours, to lose myself in making love to you. But I have to show you that I don’t just want your body, that I want your love more than anything else in the world.’ He stood up to button his shirt. ‘I love you, Lori, and if this doesn’t prove that then I may as well give up.’ He was filled with a waiting tension.

  She knew the effort it cost him to draw back from making love to her, could still see the pain in his eyes. ‘It proves it,’ she acknowledged softly.