Bitter Enchantment

by Yvonne Whittal

  His fingers caressed the side of her neck in a display of affection that momentarily robbed her of speech, but her lack of response fortunately went unnoticed.

  'And when, may I ask, do you plan to be married?' her grandmother was asking.

  'Next Saturday,' Jason replied firmly.

  'Melanie?' her grandmother queried his statement with surprising calmness. 'Is that what you want?'

  A frantic denial hovered perilously on her lips, but the firm pressure of Jason's hand on her shoulder acted as a warning.

  'Yes, Gran,' she whispered, managing somehow to smile up at the man seated beside her, although she fumed inwardly at the flicker of triumph in his eyes.

  An awkward silence prevailed momentarily and Melanie found herself torn relentlessly between two conflicting emotions; the desperate desire for her grandmother not to suspect that all was not as it should be, and the determination to protect this frail old woman from yet another shock.

  'All that remains, then, is for me to congratulate you,' Granny Bridget smiled eventually, extending her thin hands towards them, and Melanie hovered dangerously between laughter and tears.

  Sister Wilson was called in a few minutes later and, together with Granny Bridget, they enthused over Melanie's engagement ring. Tea was wheeled into the living-room and Melanie poured, but if anyone noticed her hand shaking when she handed Jason his tea, then it was blamed on the excitement of her coming wedding which became the main topic of conversation. Melanie herself heard very little of what was being said, but when Jason eventually took his leave of her grandmother, she knew that this imperious and austere man had somehow succeeded in charming his way into her grandmother's favour.

  Melanie accompanied Jason to the door, but his hand shot out and gripped her wrist before she could open it.

  'I presume it will be expected of us to say our farewells here,' he explained softly as she glanced questioningly up into his now cold and impassive face, and she felt her cheeks redden beneath his gaze.

  'Does it matter if we don't act according to what is expected of us?' she asked tritely, freeing her hand from his and moving a pace away from him.

  Jason's glance was instantly mocking as he said in a lowered voice, 'For the time being we should give the impression that we're behaving in the expected manner… if you still want your grandmother convinced,' he added with a derisive twist to his lips that sent a shiver of fear through her. 'After our marriage there'll no longer be any need for pretence.'

  What exactly he had meant by that remark Melanie could only guess at, but there had been an ominous ring to his words that did nothing to relax the tension that had her in its ruthless grip.

  'I'll telephone you on Monday,' he said abruptly and, setting her aside as if she were a worthless parcel of goods which happened to be in his way, he opened the door and closed it softly and decisively behind him.

  Melanie stood staring at the door and, following the sound of his footsteps, she could almost see him striding lithely across the marble patio and down the steps towards his car. Moments later the engine sprang to life, then the Jaguar was being driven at speed down the driveway.

  Sighing heavily, she was aware that her wrist was still tingling where Jason's fingers had firmly gripped it, but glancing down to see if the imprint of his fingers were still visible, she found her attention captured by the ring he had placed on her finger only that afternoon. If someone had told her at the breakfast table that she would have agreed to marry Jason Kerr before that day had ended, she would have laughed herself silly, but there was no humour in the reality of what had occurred, only a frightening hysteria surging to the surface which she was forced to suppress with a near physical effort as she heard her grandmother calling to her from the living-room.

  With her emotions firmly under control, she returned to Granny Bridget's side and smiled down into the wrinkled face with genuine warmth. 'I'm sorry I lingered so long in the hall, Gran.'

  'When one is in love, every parting, for however short a period, is an agony,' her grandmother replied with calm understanding that sent the colour rushing back into Melanie's pale cheeks.

  So Jason's ruse had worked, she thought with growing embarrassment. By his preventing her from opening the front door immediately, her grandmother and Sister Wilson had been given the impression that she and Jason had spent those few moments in the hall taking passionate leave of each other. Nothing could have been further from the truth, but how were they to know and, taking her silence as the affirmative, the two older women glanced knowingly at each other and smiled whimsically, almost as if they had recalled something from the days of their own youth.

  'I approve of your choice, Melanie,' her grandmother continued, completely unaware of her granddaughter's discomfiture. 'Jason Kerr is a man who has no doubt sowed wild oats in his time, but he'll be a husband you can depend on at all times.'

  'He's handsome too,' Sister Wilson added with a twinkle in her eyes. 'If I were twenty years younger, Melanie, you might have found me a competitor for his favours.'

  Overcome with a feeling of guilt at having fooled them so thoroughly, Melanie forced a smile to her unwilling lips and turned towards the door. 'I must go upstairs and wash my hair.'

  'Is Jason taking you out this evening?' Bridget Ryan wanted to know.

  Melanie halted in the doorway and shook her head. 'He said he'd telephone me on Monday.'

  'Will he be away the weekend, then?' her grandmother persisted, and Melanie realised suddenly how strange it must seem- to them that her newly acquired fiancé would not be in attendance during the coming two days.

  'Yes,' she said, grasping at her grandmother's suggestion. 'He'll be away on business.'

  'Oh, well,' Bridget Ryan sighed sympathetically. 'I dare say you'll have to get used to sharing him with his work.'

  'I expect I shall get used to it.'

  Unable to keep up the pretence a second longer, Melanie turned and almost ran across the hall, taking the steps two at a time in her desperate hurry to be alone with her thoughts to sort out the dreadful situation she had plunged herself into. Breathless from the unaccustomed exertion, she fell across the bed and buried her face in her arms. It was useless searching for an avenue of escape when she had examined every facet of the situation so thoroughly before approaching Jason Kerr that afternoon.

  She had prepared herself to argue with him, even plead, but she had never suspected that he would demand such, a high price for his leniency. She could perhaps have refused him and taken the chance that her grandmother would survive yet another shock, but the risk was too great to even contemplate. Jason Kerr knew very well that, with the title deeds of Greystone Manor in his possession, he was in an infallible position to bargain for what he wanted—and the object he desired was herself!

  It was an abominable situation to find herself in, but, despite everything, the man intrigued her in the most disturbing way. It was no wonder that women found him fascinating, for he had the power to frighten and excite simultaneously, and very few women could resist such a forceful combination. Melanie had to admit to herself that she was not immune to it either, and she would have to be wary of him in future.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Adrian Louw's Chev came up the drive the Saturday afternoon following Melanie's engagement to Jason Kerr, and a few moments later he was sprinting up the steps on to the terrace where she sat sunning herself while brooding over the future.

  'Have you seen this?' he demanded, dropping a newspaper into her lap and pushing agitated fingers through his coppery hair as he drew up a cane chair and sat down.

  'This' was a photograph of Jason Kerr, suave, immaculate, and looking faintly annoyed with the photographer who had caught him coming out of what appeared to be a restaurant, and the caption read:

  'Jason Kerr, much publicised head of Cyma Engineering who, in a recent interview, stated that he was a confirmed bachelor and determined to remain so, has obviously met his match in Miss Melanie Ryan, and the c
ouple announced their engagement yesterday. Mr Kerr, however, was not available for an interview, but rumour has it that the wedding is to be in the very near future.'

  There was more, but Melanie lowered the paper with a hollow feeling in her chest. Now that their engagement had been made known to the public, there was no possibility of withdrawing if she did not want to make a spectacle of herself and everyone concerned. If the announcement was Jason's idea, then it was a very clever move, and one she should have expected him to make, for he knew that pride would now prevent her from wriggling out of this situation at the last minute.

  'Is it true, Melanie?' Adrian demanded, interrupting her disturbing thoughts.

  'Yes, it's true.'

  His eyes clouded with pain. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

  'I was going to, but…' She hated herself for not having prepared him for this shock, and gestured helplessly with the newspaper still clutched in one hand. 'Adrian, I had no idea there would be an announcement in the newspaper.'

  'Everything Jason Kerr does and says is news these days, and you should have known your engagement was bound to be advertised,' he admonished her, and she lowered her glance guiltily.

  'I should have known,' she acknowledged unhappily, 'but I'm afraid I never gave it a thought.'

  'How long have you know him?'

  'A few weeks,' she said evasively, but Adrian was not satisfied.

  'How long exactly?' he wanted to know, rescuing the newspaper from being mutilated at her hands, and placing it on the table.

  'I…met him some days ago on the day of my father's funeral.'

  'And the wedding?' Adrian persisted. 'When is that to be?'

  'A week today.'

  'For God's sake, Melanie!' he exploded, making her jump at the sharpness of his voice and the violence of his actions as he jumped to his feet and paced about with his hands thrust deep into the pockets of his grey slacks. 'Do you know what you're doing?'

  'I think so, yes,' she told him with a calmness that was beginning to surprise her as he stopped beside her chair and held her glance.

  'With the kind of reputation that man has, I'm surprised he didn't just carry you off to one of his many hideouts without tying himself down by marrying you.'

  She flushed deeply, and winced at the bitterness in his voice. 'Please, Adrian, don't!'

  'You know he has a reputation with women, surely.'

  'Yes, I know.'

  'And you're still going to marry him?' he wanted to know, lowering his incredulous glance to the ring she was twisting nervously about her finger.

  'Yes.'

  'My God!' he exclaimed, pushing his fingers through his hair and turning away from her, but not before she had glimpsed the look of pain which had flashed across his face.

  'I'm sorry, Adrian,' she apologised inadequately, swinging her legs off the recliner and rising to her feet to touch his arm lightly. 'I really am sorry I have to hurt you in this way, but I never once gave you any reason to hope that our relationship would develop into anything beyond friendship.'

  'I know,' he admitted, turning towards her now that he had himself under control, 'but don't you think you're being a little unwise rushing into a marriage with someone you hardly know?'

  'I know him well enough to realise that I must… that I want to marry him,' she replied, correcting herself hastily.

  'Then there's nothing more to be said, is there,' he stated flatly, gripping her hands tightly as he stood facing her. 'Melanie, if you ever need a friend…'

  'You're very kind, Adrian,' she whispered when he left his sentence unfinished, but she knew he would be the last person she would ever approach with the problems she might encounter in the future.

  'I mean it,' he stressed his offer, leaning forward unexpectedly to kiss her lightly on the cheek. 'If there's anything I could do for you, you know where to find me.'

  He was down the steps and striding towards his car before she had time to reply, and moments later she found herself alone on the terrace once more, but this time with Jason Kerr's photograph staring up at her from the small table with that hint of annoyance in his eyes; annoyance which almost seemed to be directed at her. Picking up the newspaper, she studied the photograph more closely, but the ruthlessness of his chiselled features made her tremble as she went inside.

  The ringing of the telephone brought her hastily into the hall and, to her dismay, she heard a reporter from one of the Sunday newspapers glibly requesting an interview with her.

  'I'm afraid it's out of the question,' she told him quite firmly, shrinking inwardly at the mere thought of being questioned by someone about something she had no wish to discuss. 'I suggest you approach Mr Kerr for the information you require.'

  'Mr Kerr is not available for comment,' the male voice was quick to inform her.

  'Then I'm afraid you'll have to wait until he is available.'

  'Miss Ryan,' the man continued persuasively, 'it wouldn't hurt to give me fifteen minutes of your time.'

  'I'm sorry, but the answer is no!'

  'You shan't always be able to shun publicity, Miss Ryan,' the voice warned. 'As Jason Kerr's wife you will soon find yourself as much in the news as he.'

  Melanie closed her eyes for a moment as the truth of his statement penetrated her mind with a force that made her sink weakly into the chair beside her. It had never occurred to her that, as Jason's wife, she would be an object of interest to the press, and the realisation did not bear thinking about at that moment.

  'Miss Ryan?' the voice at the other end queried as the silence lengthened. 'Are you still there?'

  'Yes, I'm still here,' she replied in a voice that was remarkably cool considering the turmoil of her thoughts.

  'Have you changed your mind about the interview?'

  'No, I haven't.'

  'Will you answer a few questions over the telephone, then?'

  'No, I will not!' she exclaimed hotly, astounded at the man's persistence. 'I have nothing to say concerning my engagement to Mr Kerr, and I must ask you not to trouble me again. Goodbye!'

  Her hand was shaking as she replaced the receiver firmly on its cradle and went in search of her grandmother, but an hour and half a dozen telephone calls later, she was forced to remove the plug from the wall in order to have a little peace. It seemed as though every reporter from all the newspapers in the city was suddenly clamouring for an interview, and the strain of having to refuse them was beginning to shatter her nerves.

  'You can't blame them for trying,' Granny Bridget said calmly. 'Jason Kerr is a man of importance, and the reporters will be failing in their duty if they didn't make an effort to approach you.'

  'Are you suggesting that I agree to see them, Gran?' Melanie asked incredulously.

  'I'm not suggesting anything, my dear child,' the old woman insisted quietly. 'It's up to you to reject or agree to an interview, but don't blame the reporters for trying, and don't let it upset you unduly.' . Melanie bit her lip nervously. 'I should have known something like this would happen, but I stupidly never gave it a thought.'

  'It's a pity Jason is away. He would have known how to handle the situation.'

  Melanie was on the point of contradicting her grandmother when she remembered the lie she had told in order to explain away Jason's absence. One lie usually led to another, she thought unhappily, and there would most probably be many occasions in the future when she would have to resort to lies in order to conceal the truth in her marriage.

  Bridget Ryan leaned forward in her chair and frowned at the shadows she saw lurking in her granddaughter's blue eyes. 'Have I said something wrong, child?'

  'No, Granny Bridget,' Melanie smiled, pushing a strand of fair hair away from her face. 'I was just wondering to what extent my life will be altered once I'm married.'

  'Are you having second thoughts about marrying Jason Kerr?' her grandmother asked with concern. 'You did rather allow yourself to be rushed into it, and I don't think anyone will blame you if you find you need time to
reconsider.'

  Bridget Ryan was very astute for her age, and Melanie knew that if she wanted to sound at all convincing she would have to make an effort to shake off this fit of depression she had become enmeshed in.

  'I wasn't having second thoughts, Gran,' she said eventually, a reassuring smile curving her lips as she left her chair to kneel beside her grandmother's in order to kiss the wrinkled cheek. 'I don't need time to reconsider either.'

  'You're very certain of your love for him?'

  She should have expected this question to be asked at some time or another, but it shook her considerably at that moment, and it took her several seconds to reply.

  'Yes, I'm very certain,' she said softly, guilt staining her cheeks as she kept her glance lowered to the ring Jason had placed so unceremoniously on her finger.

  Whether it was the forced sincerity in her voice or the blush on her cheeks that did the convincing, Melanie could not be sure, but her grandmother appeared to be satisfied, and it was with a. certain amount of relief that she glanced up to see Sister Wilson entering the sun-room. Without either of them noticing it, the sun had been sinking swiftly, and Melanie shivered now as she watched Sister Wilson take her grandmother's arm and help her inside, but the shiver that went .through her became a tremor of fear. In a week's time she would be Mrs Jason Kerr, and God only knew how she would survive the ordeal.

  Facing Mr Tanner across his desk that Monday morning, Melanie discovered that the announcement in the newspaper, as well as a call from Jason, had transformed her usually disgruntled employer into a charming and understanding man. Making sure that she was' comfortably seated, he congratulated her and proceeded to tell her most politely that, although it was against the company's rules and regulations, he would be happy to accept a week's resignation from her under the circumstances. He went on talking for several minutes, but Melanie was no longer listening as a sickening realisation swept through her. Jason Kerr had used his influence to shatter her final hope of postponing their wedding date. He had won again, she realised as helpless anger stirred within her. He was the hunter out to get what he wanted, and she was the panic-stricken animal who had inadvertently fallen into his trap.