Savage Interlude

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Then why haven’t you married?’

  ‘I’ll marry when I’m good and ready, not to suit someone else. I’ve known a lot of women and loved none of them. I’m beginning to wonder if the woman I could love has been born yet. There has to be more to love than sexual need.’

  Oh, there was, Kate had found that out since she had realised she loved him. Sometimes love happened suddenly and unexpectedly, or so she believed; it had for her anyway. Initial hostility, fear even, had turned to blinding love. And he was right, she wanted him in the fullest sense of the word, but she also enjoyed just being with him. But he believed her to be promiscuous, hardly the sort of girl he would ever fall in love with.

  ‘I suppose we’ll have to mingle a bit,’ he muttered tersely. ‘But don’t go wandering off. I’m taking you home once Sheri and James have left. We have a lot to talk about, like when are you going to move in with me?’

  CHAPTER SIX

  KATE shook her head firmly. ‘I’m not moving in with anyone. I’ve just got my freedom from one—’

  ‘Lover,’ he supplied harshly.

  ‘Man,’ she finished, ignoring his interruption. ‘I’m not going to give that up to pander to another man’s whims and demands. James was unbearably bossy and I’m sure you would be even worse than him.’ Much worse, because she would want him as her lover, and once that happened she would be his slave for life.

  Damien gave her an impatient look. ‘We’ll discuss that later.’

  ‘I’m not going to your apartment again,’ she stated adamantly.

  ‘I know you’re not,’ he agreed instantly. ‘We’re going to yours. I want to know where you’re living. As the only other person who seems to have that information James is singularly unco-operative. He refused point blank to tell me where you were when I asked him.’

  ‘Probably because he realises, as I do, that your only interest in me is sexual. You’ve made no secret of that.’

  ‘So what? James can’t be allowed to keep you and have Sheri as his wife. Does he really pay you an allowance?’ he threw the question at her, reminding her of his behaviour the first time they had met.

  ‘Yes,’ she answered truthfully.

  ‘And pay for your apartment?’

  ‘Yes.’

  His face darkened. ‘That will have to stop. I’m not having you kept by anyone but me. Oh, hell!’ He began to scowl again. ‘Here comes Diana Hall. Try not to get bitchy with each other this time.’

  Diana Hall was indeed approaching them, her blue eyes set very determinedly on Damien. Kate held her head high. ‘I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction.’

  ‘That isn’t the sort of satisfaction I want from you.’ He gave a husky laugh at her flaming cheeks. ‘Now, now, behave yourself,’ he taunted as her anger grew.

  Kate clamped her lips together to stop her angry retort. She wouldn’t let him see how easily he could annoy her. Diana Hall had reached them by now, threading her hand through the crook of Damien’s arm and leaning intimately against his side. The sight of the other girl drooling all over him only sickened Kate and she knew she had to get away before she made a fool of herself and said something she would regret.

  ‘I’m just going to see Sheri and James,’ she interrupted Damien’s throaty chuckle at something the other girl had whispered in his ear.

  Diana stopped giggling long enough to give her a scathing glance. ‘Can’t you even leave them alone on their wedding day?’ she scorned. ‘Really, Kate, couldn’t you at least wait until they get back from their honeymoon?’

  Kate held on to her temper with difficulty. This girl’s taunts had come too soon after Louise St Just’s vitriolic tongue. ‘I said James and Sheri, Diana,’ she said in a controlled voice. ‘If you’ll both excuse me …’

  She didn’t get very far before she felt a firm grip on her arm, and she turned resignedly to face Damien. Diana Hall was watching them curiously and she could see several other people looking their way.

  ‘Just where do you think you’re going?’ he asked grimly, concerned only with her.

  She sighed. ‘I already told you that, I’m going to see James and Sheri.’

  ‘Do you have to? Everyone’s already commenting on you being here at all without that.’

  She wrenched out of his grasp, her brown eyes glaring at him angrily. ‘I’m not answerable to you or anyone else for my actions. I shall see who I want when I want.’

  ‘Okay, okay, maybe I don’t have any say in that—yet. But I’m still taking you home, so don’t try a disappearing act on me. I can be quite brutal when thwarted,’ he warned her, his eyes narrowed.

  ‘I can imagine!’

  ‘Just remember it.’

  ‘Oh, I will. Have fun with your little—friend,’ she scorned. ‘I’m sure she’ll keep you well entertained until I get back.’

  ‘Jealous, Kate?’ he taunted.

  Very, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. ‘Not in the least. I wouldn’t waste my time on such a useless emotion. Look, I have to see James and Sheri, they’ll be leaving in a moment.’

  ‘All right.’ His green eyes were grim. ‘But don’t try and leave without me.’

  With a defiant flick of her head she left him to go up to the room her brother and Sheri were using to change. It had been provided by the hotel as part of the service and Kate wanted to go up and say a private goodbye there. She couldn’t wish them the luck she wanted to in front of all the other guests.

  She went to knock on the door, hesitating slightly as she heard Sheri giggling. All sound was cut off at the sound of her knock and she blushed at her stupidity. This was the first time the happy couple had been alone since they became man and wife, and they certainly wouldn’t want her bursting in on their privacy.

  She was just turning away when a red-faced James opened the door. ‘Kate!’ he grinned his relief at its being here. ‘I thought it was one of the hotel staff. Come on in.’

  She shied away from actually going into the room; she had obviously picked the wrong time to come up here. ‘I can see you later, James, when you get downstairs.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous! Get in here.’

  ‘No, I—’

  Sheri came to the door. ‘Will you come in, Kate, and stop trying to be polite.’ She smiled. ‘James has waited this long for me, I’m sure he can wait until we reach Venice. Come on, Kate.’

  She did as she was told, admiring Sheri’s clinging scarlet dress that she had chosen to wear for her flight. ‘You look beautiful, Sheri,’ she blinked away the tears that seemed to have gathered in her eyes again. ‘You looked lovely at the wedding too.’

  ‘Thank you. You’re looking exceptionally beautiful yourself today.’

  James scowled at the two of them as he fastened the buttons to his navy shirt, the jacket to his white suit the only thing he needed to put on now to complete his change of clothing. ‘It’s no good the two of you carrying on like this, I haven’t forgotten about Damien Savage and I’m not likely to. What were you doing, turning up here with him?’

  ‘Well, I—’

  He didn’t wait for her to finish. ‘I didn’t even know he’d been invited to the actual wedding. I don’t remember inviting him.’

  ‘I did that,’ put in Sheri. ‘He was at Ben’s party last week and I—I thought it only polite to ask him. After all, you are going to be working for him when we get back from the honeymoon and I—’ she trailed off, looking appealingly at her new husband. ‘I’m sorry, James.’

  The scowl left his face. ‘Hey, no need to get upset, it’s all right.’ He gave her an encouraging smile. ‘I just wish I’d known, that’s all.’

  Kate shrugged. ‘What difference would that have made? We would still have met.’

  ‘Met, yes. But I could have got Sheri’s brother to keep a better eye on you.’

  Sheri gave a scoffing laugh. ‘You think Tony would be much protection against Damien?’

  ‘Well … perhaps not,’ he allowed.

  ‘Def
initely not,’ she corrected. ‘I’ve seen Damien in action and my kid brother wouldn’t stand a chance. Damien’s arrogance would frighten the life out of him.’

  ‘Mm,’ Kate agreed. ‘Even your mother was slightly overawed, James.’

  ‘Oh, lord!’ he looked worried. ‘She spoke to you, then?’

  ‘Oh yes. Still, it wasn’t too bad,’ she lied. ‘I only came up here to say my goodbyes. I don’t want to keep you.’

  ‘You aren’t keeping us—and stop trying to change the subject. My mother was very objectionable, I can tell that at a glance.’

  ‘She was,’ Kate agreed. ‘But she didn’t give us away, actually she just made things sound worse than they are.’

  ‘And where’s Damien now?’

  ‘He’s downstairs, waiting to take me home.’

  ‘You aren’t going home with him!’ James exclaimed, outraged. ‘Look what happened the last time you were alone with him.’

  ‘Nearly happened, James.’

  ‘Okay, nearly happened. God, I deliberately didn’t tell him where you were living now, and he just calmly turns up here and walks off with you. You aren’t strong enough to refuse his brand of seduction, and you certainly aren’t going home with him.’

  ‘James!’ His wife looked shocked. ‘Kate’s an adult, and you can’t tell her who she can or can’t meet.’

  Kate sighed, ‘He’s always done it.’

  ‘Then it’s high time he stopped. You can’t rule her life for ever, James. Kate has to find out for herself about the wolves of this world, like I did. The only trouble is that I’m married to one,’ she finished teasingly.

  James laughed. ‘Since meeting you I’m a reformed character.’

  ‘So maybe our Kate will reform Damien, who knows?’

  ‘I do,’ he said firmly. ‘Damien’s untamable.’

  ‘James, you said you deliberately didn’t tell him where I was living,’ Kate said slowly. ‘Did he ask?’

  He nodded. ‘A couple of times. I refused to tell him.’

  It seemed to Kate quite a break-through for someone who said they never chased women. And it was a break-through she wanted to follow up. ‘Well, he’s going to find out now, because he wants to take me home, and I want him to.’

  ‘But you can’t—’

  ‘I can, James,’ she declared firmly. ‘And I’m going to.’ She moved towards the door. ‘I’ll leave you two to finish getting ready. You can’t keep your guests waiting much longer.’

  ‘Kate, you—’

  ‘That’s fine,’ Sheri cut in, giving Kate a glowing smile. ‘And while we’re on our honeymoon I’ll try and convince this handsome hunk of a brother of yours that you’re a big girl now.’

  ‘I know she’s a big girl now, that’s why I’m worried. And don’t try telling me she can take care of herself because I know for a fact that she can’t, not where Damien’s concerned anyway—can you, Kate?’

  She felt her cheeks suffuse with colour. ‘It’s not for want of trying.’

  ‘I know that, love,’ he said gently. ‘So you’ll be careful?’

  ‘If I can’t be good, hmm?’ she joked.

  Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable. ‘Now you know I didn’t mean that—yes, I did! You be damned careful.’

  ‘I’m sure to remember to be that, James. How can I be anything else when I think of my own entrance into the world? I wouldn’t wish illegitimacy on anyone. Now I’m not going to discuss Damien with you any more,’ she smiled brightly. ‘I only came to say my goodbyes, and I’ve said them already.’

  ‘I’ll see you to the door.’ James slipped on his jacket.

  Actually he came out into the corridor with her, looking down at her searchingly. Kate tried her best to look happy, but in truth she felt tearful again. James was all the family she had and she was going to miss him during the next few weeks.

  She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. ‘Take care, James. And be happy.’

  ‘Thanks, Kate,’ he said gruffly. ‘And please be careful of Damien. I don’t want to come back and find you’ve become his latest woman.’

  She laughed huskily. ‘Do you think that’s likely?’

  ‘I think it’s very likely when I’m not here to look after you.’

  ‘I’ll try to behave until you get back.’

  ‘I wish there were some way I could—well, that I could—’

  Kate shook her head. ‘There’s no way you can go on honeymoon with Sheri and stay here with me. I’ll still be here when you get back.’

  ‘But things will never be the same. I’ve realised the last few weeks just how much I’m going to miss you, you’ve lived with me for so long now I got used to your being around.’

  ‘And it showed,’ she told him dryly. ‘You were really beginning to take me for granted, James—admit it.’

  ‘I suppose I was. But I—I liked having you about.’

  ‘I’ll still be about, just living in my own flat. You can visit me often.’

  ‘Mm, I will. In fact, I’ll be over to see you the day we get back. I’ll call you this evening when we reach Venice.’

  Kate looked at him sharply. ‘What’s that for? To let me know you’ve arrived safely, or to check that I’m at home alone?’

  ‘Both,’ he answered without hesitation.

  She had to laugh at his honesty. ‘I’ll see you when you get back. Have fun!’ She reached up and kissed him again. ‘Go on, back you go to Sheri before I disgrace myself and start crying again.’

  ‘All right. But you take care of yourself.’

  ‘I will.’ She opened the door and gently pushed him back into the room. ‘I love you and I want you to be happy.’

  ‘Thanks, Kate.’

  She softly closed the door and turned away, making a conscious effort to pull herself together. She came face to face with Damien. ‘Oh …’ she said weakly.

  ‘Yes, oh.’ His look was contemptuous. ‘I’ll say this for you, Kate, you really have style. James has just got himself married, his bride is waiting for him on the other side of that door, and you’re out here kissing him and making arrangements to meet him when he gets back from his honeymoon. I’ll give you full marks for sheer nerve!’

  Her eyes darkened with distress. ‘It wasn’t like that—’

  ‘It damn well was! I’ve been out here for quite some time and I heard it all. It’s Sheri I feel sorry for. And what I’m learning about you I don’t like.’

  ‘What you’re learning isn’t strictly me.’ She sighed. ‘You’re just reading what you want to in what I say, seeing what you want to see.’

  ‘I don’t think there’s any other way to see it. Let’s get out of here,’ he added, suddenly impatient. ‘Weddings have never been on my list of pleasurable activities. I avoid them where possible.’

  ‘So I’ve noticed.’

  ‘Mm—well, are you ready to go now? You’ve arranged to meet James, he’s going to call you this evening, so there can’t be much else you want to do here.’

  ‘He’ll expect to see me when they come down.’

  Damien grasped her arm and led her purposefully towards one of the exits. ‘Then he can damn well expect,’ he declared grimly, indicating for his car to be brought round to the front of the hotel. ‘I don’t share my women with anyone!’

  Kate gasped as he thrust her inside the car and angrily walked round to get in beside her. ‘I’m not one of your women!’ she told him adamantly.

  ‘But you’re going to be. And for the time I’m in your life I’m going to be the only one. Get that?’

  ‘Oh, don’t start that again. I don’t want to be your mistress and I’m not moving in with you.’

  ‘You’ll do as you’re told!’ His gaze remained fiercely on the road in front of him. ‘What’s your address?’

  ‘Don’t you dare talk to me like that! You don’t own me.’

  ‘No, but I’m going to. You have a lesson to learn about human relationships, and I’m going to teach it to you. James is
married now and I think you should leave him alone. He’s a man, and he won’t make the first move to finish things between the two of you—you’ll have to do that. You can start tonight by not answering his call.’

  ‘I will not! He’ll wonder what’s happened to me. He’ll worry,’ she added.

  ‘If you don’t answer his call he’ll know what’s happened to you, you’ll be with me. And he should have better things to do than worry about his mistress on his wedding night. I’m surprised Sheri allows things between you to go on still, she’s never appeared to me to be the complaisent sort.’ His expression hardened as he looked at her. ‘Don’t you feel in the least guilty about what you’re doing to her?’

  ‘Are you trying to find some good in me somewhere?’ she scorned hotly. ‘Because the way you twist things I doubt you’ll find anything.’

  ‘Don’t blame your inadequacies on my twisted mind. Now, your address?’

  Reluctantly Kate told him. It wasn’t easy to defy him, he was so forceful. And so very attractive. The last few weeks had done nothing to dull her attraction to him, in fact she found him even more fascinating. And yet, in a way, he also frightened her. How could she both love and fear him at the same time? With startling clarity she realised that the two emotions were deeply connected. She loved Damien and yet feared the power that gave him over her.

  It wasn’t the sort of love she had wanted to feel for any man, sure that this was a similar emotion to the one her mother must have felt for Richard St Just. And look what had happened to her!

  Kate had wanted the secure sort of love, the dull everyday sort of love that most of her school friends had always talked about, the sort of love their parents had for each other. She didn’t want to be in love with the elusive Damien Savage, ravaged by emotions that could eventually tear her apart.

  She had always looked down on the feelings her mother must have felt for her lover, always thought her mother should have had more will-power than to fall in love with a married man. But now she knew how her mother must have felt for this dynamic man, the temptation it must have been to sacrifice all her principles for one night in his arms. But she wasn’t going to fall into the same trap, not for Damien or any other man!