Secret Passion

by Carole Mortimer

His arm moved about her waist. ‘Not at the moment, anyway,’ he said throatily.

  Anger flared in violet eyes before it was quickly masked. ‘You shouldn’t be too possessive with a man, Aura,’ she advised softly. ‘It makes them feel closed in.’

  James’s fingers lightly squeezed her waist. ‘Aura can close me in any time she wants to,’ he drawled.

  Selina’s composure dropped again, but before she could say anything Adrian joined them, very handsome in his black evening suit and snowy white shirt.

  His defiant gaze met Aura’s challengingly. ‘Miss Jones,’ he said drily.

  ‘We’ve just dispensed with formality, Adrian,’ his wife said sharply. ‘And don’t you think Aura is such a pretty name?’

  ‘Very,’ he agreed.

  What a strange couple these two made, Aura thought. On the outside they appeared a happily married couple, but they were obviously far from that. And Selina’s actions concerning James hinted at jealousy at his being with any other woman. How could the woman be jealous when she had betrayed him with Adrian ten years ago?

  Adrian’s gaze held Aura’s for timeless seconds before he finally turned to his wife. ‘Jean and Derek have just arrived,’ he said.

  ‘Excuse us,’ Selina gave a bright smile before dragging Adrian away with her.

  James let out a ragged breath. ‘I’ll never know why she continues to stay with him.’

  Because, as Adrian had said, Selina couldn’t have the man she really wanted. It was blazingly obvious, to her at least, and obviously to Adrian to, that Selina Mayhew was still in love with James. If James was aware of it too he chose to ignore it, and Selina, for all her confidence, was afraid of that outright confrontation that might end in rejection. It certainly was a tangled web, but Aura couldn’t help feeling grateful for the fact that James had never made the mistake of marrying Selina; she would never have made him happy.

  It was hard to imagine James believing himself in love with Selina. He was such a quietly strong man himself, and Selina so dominating, that the marriage would have been certain to be beset by arguments. Or maybe she wasn’t being fair to the other woman and perhaps she had only become dominating because she was so unhappy in her marriage.

  ‘Let’s go out into the garden,’ James suggested with a sigh. ‘I could do with some fresh air.’

  The balcony outside was crowded too, and they strolled off into the garden, James eager to be away from people. But it had nothing to do with a desire to be alone with Aura, he was lost in thought beside her.

  ‘Are you sure you don’t still love her?’ She frowned at his grim expression.

  He relaxed with effort. ‘I’m sure,’ he told her firmly. ‘I just—none of this is easy for me, Selina’s behaviour, the other guests’ curiosity.’ He shook his head. ‘I hate these damned parties!’

  She had noted the curious looks directed at them as they talked with Selina, had hated that interest herself, but for different reasons. ‘As soon as it’s polite to do so we’ll leave,’ she promised. ‘As you’ve probably gathered, I hate parties too.’

  His arms gathered her into his chest. ‘I know you only came for my sake,’ he murmured against her hair.

  When he held her like this she knew she would do anything for him.

  The last week had been a strain, James keeping his distance in a way that made her lie awake in her bed at night aching for him. He spent every evening with her and her mother, was as charming as he had been in the beginning, and he parted from her each night with a searing kiss that left her hungering for more, and more, and more …

  This was the first time they had been alone, completely alone, in five days!

  Her mouth moved along his jaw in search of his, and she moaned low in her throat as his parted lips captured hers.

  He straightened after all too brief a kiss, ruefully touching her mouth, her lips bare of lip-gloss. ‘We had better get back inside, otherwise we’ll be causing speculation,’ he said.

  Aura would much rather have stayed out here until it was time for them to leave, but as everyone seemed so interested in James’s reaction to Selina and Adrian she knew they would soon be missed; as it was her slightly less than immaculate appearance was bound to cause talk. Let them talk, she wasn’t ashamed to have been in James’s arms.

  She was laughing softly at something James had said as they went back into the lounge, and was frozen with shock as she looked across the room at Penelope Sutcliffe!

  CHAPTER NINE

  SHE had only seen the other woman once before, but it had been a memorable meeting, one Aura would never forget—and she doubted if the other woman had forgotten it either!

  The man standing at Penelope’s side wasn’t Giles Sutcliffe, and Aura looked frantically about the room in case he was here too. She couldn’t see him anywhere, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t here.

  Her first instinct was to run, and keep on running, knowing that if that red-haired beauty looked her way just once she would be lost. But what excuse could she give James for their leaving now; they had barely been here half an hour!

  She looked back at Penelope Sutcliffe. The other woman hadn’t changed in the least during the last two years, she was still as vibrantly lovely as she approached thirty, her red hair a cap of flame about her elfin features, the black gown shimmering about her slender body. And then she turned slightly, and Aura could see that slender line was curved at her stomach; Penelope was very definitely pregnant! A pregnant Penelope was definitely something she couldn’t face.

  ‘What is it?’

  Aura turned to James as he voiced his concern. ‘I—I don’t feel very well,’ she managed to choke out.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ He frowned, clasping her arms.

  ‘It’s very warm in here, and—’

  ‘You look terrible.’ He held her firmly at his side as she swayed. ‘I’m taking you home,’ he told her determinedly.

  ‘You can’t leave,’ she gasped in protest. ‘What will everyone think?’

  His mouth twisted. ‘Probably that I can’t wait to get you home and into bed!’ he derided harshly. ‘I don’t give a damn what they think; you need to lie down, and—’

  ‘Is everything all right, James?’ Selina enquired coolly.

  ‘No, it isn’t,’ he snapped irritably. ‘Aura isn’t feeling well; I’m taking her home.’

  Selina frowned. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she asked Aura sharply.

  ‘Nothing! I—a migraine,’ she invented. ‘They come on so suddenly.’ She put up a hand to her temple, all the time aware that the scene they were enacting hadn’t yet been observed by Penelope Sutcliffe as she had her back slightly turned towards them. But if she once turned around …!

  ‘Lie down in one of the spare rooms for a while,’ Selina instantly suggested. ‘It might pass in a few minutes.’

  ‘No, I—they usually last for hours, sometimes days,’ she told them frantically. ‘It would really be better if I went home.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘I’m taking her home, Selina,’ James cut in firmly. ‘Enjoy the rest of your party.’ His arm about Aura’s waist guided her towards the door.

  Aura kept her head down, but as she approached Penelope Sutcliffe she instinctively looked up.

  Maybe if she hadn’t done that the green eyes wouldn’t have glanced her way, a puzzled frown marring the creamy brow before recognition flared in the now wide green eyes, Penelope’s gasp perfectly audible to Aura.

  The two women stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity to Aura, but must in fact only have been a couple of seconds, James seeming unaware of the exchange as he steered her determinedly towards the door.

  The other woman had recognised her, remembered exactly who she was! Why shouldn’t she, she believed Aura was responsible for destroying her family!

  Aura, barely aware of saying her goodbyes to Selina and Adrian, breathed deeply of the fresh air once she and James were outside. Her worst nightmare had come true; she h
ad met one of the Sutcliffes and known their hatred once again.

  She would have known the nightmare wasn’t over if she could have seen Selina’s calculating look as Aura went out of the door, turning with a bright smile as she made her way across the room to the woman who had reacted so violently at the sight of Aura Jones.

  * * *

  ‘I shouldn’t have put you through that, I’m sorry,’ James told her quietly on the drive home.

  The panic was receding a little, and in its place was utter despair. For two years she had avoided such gatherings as Selina Mayhew’s party, and the first time, the very first time she felt brave enough to face one she had met a member of the Sutcliffe family.

  Adrian had told her he didn’t know any of the Sutcliffes when she had asked him about them several weeks ago, but as Penelope was pregnant her name was probably no longer Sutcliffe. Did James know the other woman too?

  ‘It wasn’t your fault, I’ve been under a lot of tension lately,’ she said wearily.

  ‘Was that my fault?’ He glanced at her. ‘I’ve been trying to keep things light between us, but the strain is beginning to tell on me too,’ he admitted grimly.

  ‘If I asked you to make love to me, would you?’

  He drew in a ragged breath. ‘No,’ he finally answered.

  She swallowed hard. ‘Why not?’

  ‘You’re ill—’

  ‘Not that ill,’ she chided ruefully.

  He sighed. ‘I want nothing more than to make love to you. But,’ he continued as she would have interrupted him, ‘we still don’t know each other very well.’

  ‘Is that necessary to make love?’ she asked.

  ‘To some men, no. To me, yes.’

  She had fallen in love with an honourable man; she couldn’t expect him to change now! She smiled weakly. ‘I’m sorry I asked.’

  ‘But you didn’t.’ He shook his head gently. ‘You only asked what I would say if you did ask.’

  She blinked back the tears as she knew he was only saving her pride, that she had asked—and been rejected with as much sensitivity as this man always showed her. And he was right, tonight wasn’t the right time for them either.

  She gave a deep sigh. ‘I wish I could have known you years ago!’

  ‘I wish it too,’ he smiled.

  Her mother had tactfully gone to bed when they got home, and Aura’s trembling had subsided enough for her to offer to get them both a cup of coffee.

  ‘I’ll get it,’ James instantly offered. ‘And then you’re going straight to bed.’

  She smiled wanly. ‘I wish that were an indecent proposal!’

  He chuckled. ‘I’m saving that for when you really know me!’

  But she did know him, all the important things anyway. She also knew him well enough not to argue with him, knew that he could be as stubborn as she was when he wanted to be.

  Ten minutes later her coffee had been drunk, her face gently washed and James was tucking her beneath her bedclothes after ordering her into the bathroom to change into her nightgown.

  ‘Sleep well.’ He smoothed back the hair at her temple. ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’

  ‘Yes, James,’ she returned obediently.

  He gave a rueful smile. ‘I’m going to kick myself for this when I get home!’

  She gave him an inviting smile. ‘There’s still time to change your mind.’

  He sat on the side of her bed. ‘When I make love to you—you notice I say when and not if,’ he warned, ‘we aren’t going to do it with your mother in the next room, and we’re going to have more than one night to give each other!’

  Her brows rose. ‘We can only take one night at a time.’

  James shook his head. ‘Not when there are all the days as well.’

  She frowned. ‘James, I—’

  ‘Whenever you look like that,’ he smoothed the frown from between her eyes, ‘I know you’re about to warn me about getting involved. I couldn’t be more involved if we had been together for years. Think about that tonight.’ He tapped her playfully on the nose, kissing her lightly. ‘Get your mother to call me if you aren’t any better tomorrow, I think I’d enjoy being your nurse!’

  But once he had gone Aura could think of nothing but seeing Penelope Sutcliffe again. The other woman might have tried to forget her, her initial puzzlement as she looked at Aura seemed to say she had, but it had only taken that single glance for her to be reminded of all the pain Aura had caused.

  She wasn’t solely to blame, of course, but she had been the only one left to hate. And hate the Sutcliffes had, with a vengeance that had put Aura’s photograph on the front page of several of the more lurid newspapers.

  And she had taken it all, all the hatred and accusations, because there had been nothing else she could do. Oh God, let there be no repercussions from her stupidity in believing she could ever forget the past and go on with her life.

  * * *

  She had dark lines beneath her eyes the next day, and didn’t object when her mother told her to go back to bed and insisted on bringing up a light breakfast for her. It felt wonderful to be coddled by her mother again, and she unashamedly made the most of it, still cuddled up in bed when James arrived mid-morning.

  ‘I’ve been allocated two minutes by your mother,’ he told her ruefully, coming fully into the room to close the door behind him. ‘We had better make the most of them!’

  She was flush-cheeked and bright-eyed by the time he straightened beside her on the bed. ‘Mummy does seem to have taken her duties rather seriously,’ she said.

  ‘Still have a migraine?’ he asked her.

  She shook her head. ‘I’m a bit of a fraud really. I didn’t sleep very well,’ She blushed at the speculative look. ‘And when the offer of a lie-in came I took it with both hands. I’m going to get up in a minute.’

  ‘You don’t have to worry on my account; I’ve already invited your mother out on a picnic.’ He looked at her teasingly.

  Aura smiled. ‘And she’s refused.’

  ‘No,’ he sobered. ‘She’s still thinking about it.’

  Aura became watchful. ‘She is?’

  James nodded.

  ‘But she hasn’t been out since—’

  ‘Ssh,’ he chided softly. ‘Let’s not take any chance of reminding her that she doesn’t normally go out.’

  Aura couldn’t believe her mother was even thinking about leaving the flat, dressing quickly once James had gone back downstairs.

  ‘I have everything in my car for the picnic,’ James told her when she joined them. ‘Even chilled wine for the ladies and a beer for myself,’ he added lightly.

  She looked expectantly at her mother, not wanting to say anything that might tip the scales of her mother refusing to go with them.

  James stood up. ‘Your coach awaits you, my ladies,’ he invited softly.

  Still Aura watched her mother, waiting for some move from her. And when it came she held her breath, shaking slightly as her mother gave James a shy smile before allowing him to escort her down to his car.

  Tears blinded Aura as she climbed into the back unaided as James settled her mother in the front seat, seeing to her every comfort. Their gazes met in the driving-mirror as he climbed in behind the wheel, and Aura smiled at him gratefully.

  James kept up a light conversation that required no answer from the two ladies, covering Aura’s shocked silence and her mother’s dazed one.

  Her mother looked about her curiously, as if everything were suddenly new to her.

  ‘I never knew we had a pond in the park near us, Aura,’ she suddenly burst out as they drove past it. ‘Perhaps I could come and feed the ducks one day,’ she added with childlike enthusiasm.

  Aura swallowed hard. ‘We always have plenty of dry bread left over,’ she encouraged shakily.

  ‘Oh, it’s so pretty!’ Her mother’s eyes glowed. No wonder Marmaduke likes it so much!’

  Aura had a feeling the cat’s enthusiasm was more for the ducks than
the beauty of the park, but she refrained from saying so, although James’s conspiratorial smile in the driving-mirror seemed to say that he thought so too!

  She couldn’t believe her mother had done this, just walked out of the flat as if she did it every day of her life, instead of having avoided leaving its security as she had for the last two years.

  And it was all because of James’s influence. He had worked a miracle in their lives, brought freedom to her mother, and love to her. And when he was told about her involvement with the Sutcliffes he was going to hate her, as he despised all deceit. Unless she told him the truth first, as Helen had advised. He was falling in love with her, she was sure he was, and if she couldn’t trust the man she loved, whom could she trust!

  No opportunity to talk to him alone presented itself that day, the three of them out all day on their picnic and a drive afterwards, and that evening James challenged both women to a game of Scrabble, leaving before her mother went to bed. Aura thought of asking him to stay on a while so that she could talk to him, but tomorrow would be soon enough if it meant that at the end of the day she had lost him. Selina had made a fool of him once; openly to involve himself with Aura would leave him a target for ridicule a second time. Dinner the next night would be plenty of time to lose him if she had to.

  The important thing today was that her mother had made a definite step forward, had been interested in the world about her, rather than the indifference Aura had become accustomed to. But a full recovery mustn’t be hurried, the doctors had warned her repeatedly, and time was quickly running out for Aura.

  * * *

  ‘David’s late with our delivery of vegetables,’ Aura complained to Jeanne.

  ‘Want me to give him a call?’ her assistant offered.

  ‘No, I’ll do it,’ she replied. ‘I enjoy talking to David.’ The man who provided their organically grown vegetables for them was a character to say the least.

  She had only just finished dialling the number when she heard the shop-bell ring and the sound of Jeanne talking to someone. Someone she recognised all too well!

  She forgot the call to David as she hurried out to see Selina Mayhew.