Bewildered Haven

by Helen Bianchin

  Scarcely before Jenny had time to voice any explanation Uncle Dan very smoothly invited Zachary to join them for dinner, and Aunt Madge quickly added her approval. For a country farmer Uncle Dan displayed a sophisticated adroitness in telephoning the restaurant— 'Some gorgeously nonsensical name about a moustache, Dan and I passed it today,' Aunt Madge twinkled at Zachary, utterly captivated, Jenny could tell.

  'Good as done,' Uncle Dan smiled with satisfaction. 'Need another man along to help control these two. A touch of the Irish from their maternal ancestors—comes to the fore now and again. .Terrible temper when roused,' he elaborated, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled humorously as he spoke to Zachary. 'Noticed it, have you?'

  'Yes,' Zachary replied, blandly ignoring both Aunt Madge's, and Jenny's startled gasps, 'Nothing I can't handle,' he continued urbanely.

  'Glad of that. Yes, thought you could,' Uncle Dan grinned unashamedly. 'It showed.'

  This was too much for Aunt Madge. 'Daniel Farrell,' she began determinedly. 'You are the most—'

  'Perhaps we'd better feed them—it might serve to quieten things down a bit,' Uncle Dan slanted across to Zachary, who immediately tossed back the verbal byplay.

  'And some wine? I've noticed that has effect.'

  Uncle Dan moved towards the door. 'Hope your car is larger than Jenny's. You did come by car?'

  'Yes,' Zachary averred with a slight smile. 'I'm sure you'll find it quite comfortable.'

  'Ah yes,' Uncle Dan murmured with appreciation as he glimpsed the Mercedes-Benz standing in the driveway. 'Now, that is a car;!'

  'Glad you like it,' Zachary replied amiably.

  'Don't object if I ride in front? You'll have Jenny to yourself on the way home.'

  'Not at all,' Zachary held the rear door open for Jenny and Aunt Madge, and Jenny caught the wicked twinkle in his eyes as she followed her aunt into the car.

  Dinner was delightful, both food and conversation-wise. The two men appeared kindred spirits and had obviously taken a liking to each other. It wasn't until later in the evening when Zachary asked Jenny to dance that she had a chance to explain about Mrs. Lowry's telephone call, Aunt Madge's call a day earlier than expected, and a frantically busy afternoon. She had spoken to his immaculately knotted tie less than an inch from her nose. Rather tentatively she lifted her head and met his dark eyes regarding her lazily with a glint of humour in their depths.

  'Did you work very late last night?' she queried politely as her eyes held his with difficulty. Suddenly she felt shy and not at all sure of this large-framed man in the cloak of sophistication he wore with such ease.

  An eyebrow quirked as a slight smile curved his lips. 'Polite conversation—or concern for my well-being?'

  Jenny swallowed a trifle nervously and studied his tie. 'I thought you might be feeling tired if you had, that's all,' she managed quietly. 'Mrs. Lowry mentioned that you were to be in court all day.' The minute spots on his tie were stitched in fine silk, she noticed idly, and were effective.

  'I'm well used to it,' Zachary remarked lightly as he drew her closer within the circle of his arms.

  'Yes, of course,' she murmured indistinctly as his lips brushed her left earlobe and then travelled upwards to rest against her temple for a few timeless seconds.

  'I do believe you're shy, Jenny-wren,' he mocked gently.

  Jenny attempted to move away from him without success and when she spoke her voice was muffled and sounded slightly hurt. 'You're teasing me.'

  'Am I? Have you spared a thought to the extent you tease, I wonder?' he mused wryly.

  'I do not!' she bit out indignantly, and then coloured painfully as she met his amused glance and the intended meaning of his words sank in. 'It would serve you right not to have your own way all the time,' she choked crossly.

  'I shall have my revenge for that particular remark— later,' he threatened calmly.

  'Zachary Benedict, I—'

  'Yes?' he interrupted imperturbably, and his eyes were agleam with hidden laughter, 'Later, my Jenny-wren—later. Some coffee now, I think, and then we must drop your aunt and uncle off at their hotel.' He dropped an arm about her waist as he led her back to their table where they were joined almost immediately by Aunt Madge and Uncle Dan. happily voicing their enjoyment, of the evening, their pleasure at meeting Zachary, and evincing their intention to come north to Auckland mote often.

  Over coffee Uncle Dan leaned forward companionably and captured Jenny's attention. 'Your Aunt Madge has one of those time-consuming appointments at a fancy beauty salon tomorrow. Feel like taking pity on a country farming gentleman and having lunch with me, Jenny?'

  'I'd like that, Uncle Dan,' Jenny agreed with a smile.

  'Right. Nowhere too complicated for me to find.'

  Jenny thought for a few seconds, then suggested the restaurant next door and promised to meet him in the lounge shortly after one the following day.

  She and Aunt Madge walked out of the restaurant ahead of the two men and as they were half-way down the stairs Aunt Madge turned to her and smiled warmly.

  'I like your Zachary, Jenny,' she began tentatively. 'Do you know him well?'

  Jenny smiled ruefully as they reached the pavement. 'I've known him about ten days, Aunty dear,' she grinned, and wrinkled her nose portly, 'And he's not my Zachary!'

  Aunt Madge looked vaguely disappointed. 'Oh dear, I was so hoping—' she began, and Jenny interrupted her gently.

  'I've only recently arrived in Auckland fresh from one broken romance, remember? I'd scarcely want to dive headlong into another!'

  Her aunt accorded her a surprisingly alert glance, then said slowly, 'I intended waiting six months before marrying your Uncle Dan—but he, the dear impetuous man, would have none of that.'

  Uncle Dan—impetuous? 'Just how long did you wait, Aunt Madge?' Jenny asked curiously.

  'It was a whirlwind courtship,' Aunt Madge reminisced dreamily.

  Jenny began to laugh and the light bubbly sound was infectious. 'How long?' she queried relentlessly.

  'Thirteen days,' Aunt Madge revealed, and began to chuckle softly. 'Believe me, they were the longest, stormiest days I've ever spent!'

  Jenny sobered quickly and was strangely silent for a few seconds. 'I know what you mean,' she said slowly.

  'I rather think you do,' her aunt agreed gently.

  Uncle Dan's chuckle reached their ears and Jenny and Aunt Madge turned to see the two men walking towards them. Jenny's hand was grasped firmly as Zachary reached her side and immediately her breathing began to play tricks on her. Almost unaware of doing so, her fingers curled round his compulsively, and the answering pressure sent her pulse racing disturbingly.

  It seemed a very short time before they reached the car and then delivered Aunt Madge and Uncle Dan outside their hotel entrance. Jenny's rather wistful farewell brought an answering smile from Aunt Madge.

  As the Mercedes-Benz moved away from the inner city and headed south-east towards Bucklands Beach Jenny searched rather desperately for something to say, but nothing seemed to form coherently and she sat in tongue-tied silence for the following fifteen minutes.

  'Come, my Jenny-wren,' Zachary bade quietly as the car drew to a halt in the driveway outside her flat, 'We have things to discuss.'

  He took the key from her hand and inserted it into the lock and opened the front door of the flat, following her into the lounge.

  'Your aunt and uncle are a charming couple,' he observed conversationally as he watched her nervously fiddling with the strap of her shoulder-bag.

  'I'm very fond of them both,' Jenny affirmed, feeling a mass of jangled nerves. 'Aunt Madge and Mother are sisters—twin sisters,' she elaborated shakily.

  Zachary's eyes narrowed fractionally as she began to finger her hair and his voice was carefully bland as he spoke. 'They're driving back to Claudelands tomorrow afternoon. It won't be necessary for you to arrive late for the party tomorrow evening, after all.'

  Jenny gathered her startled t
houghts together. 'Oh, no, I suppose not,' she said in a quiet subdued little voice. . 'Look at me,' Zachary ordered softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her round to face him. He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, and Jenny blinked up at him, feeling way out of her depth at the smouldering passion evident in the dark eyes above her own. She licked her lower lip in a, purely nervous gesture as he shook her gently.

  'You are by far the most exasperating female—' he began formidably, breaking off as she ran her tongue along her lower lip for the second time. 'Heaven forbid! Must you do that!' he ground out angrily.

  Jenny gazed at him in bewilderment. 'I don't understand what you mean,' she began, and her voice was little more than a whisper.

  'Jenny, Jenny, what am I to do with you ?' he groaned as she unconsciously licked her lip for the third time, and with an expressive sigh he pulled her into his arms. 'Out of my sight for less than twenty-four hours and already: you're a mass of nerves—full of doubts and almost as unsure of yourself as you are of me. Why?'

  Jenny stood silent within the circle of his arms and was unable to utter anything coherent that might make sense.

  'Is the prospect of marrying me so daunting?' Zachary demanded quietly, and Jenny lifted her head slowly to meet his dark compelling gaze.

  'I wouldn't be honest if I said no,' she began tremulously, and her eyes begged him to understand. 'You're like no man I've ever known. It frightens me to think that only weeks ago I believed myself to be in love with Max, that I would have married him and been content—'she broke off and her features were achingly transparent. 'It's all happened so quickly. Can't you see I need time?'

  'Time, Jenny-wren ?' he queried wryly. 'Only an innocent could plea so heartlessly.'

  Jenny felt the tears well and spill from her eyes to trickle slowly down each cheek. 'Please—I can't think straight any more,' she entreated brokenly as his mouth descended gently and began to kiss away the tears. With a muffled sob she turned to meet his lips with her own, and it was a long time before he put her gently from him.

  'I'm not wholly convinced that it wouldn't be better to sweep you off to the register office at three-thirty on Monday as I've arranged,' he admonished mildly, and lightly touched her lips with a stray forefinger. 'You shall have your time, Jenny. But don't imagine,' he added wryly, 'that I'll allow you time unlimited. Any further hint of a postponement I will disregard in toto and you will be carried unceremoniously before the Registrar. Understood?'

  A tiny devil tempted her to reply impishly. 'Yes, sir,' she answered solemnly, then yelped with surprise as hard hands gripped her waist and lifted her up against him. His mouth descended on hers, the hard pressure of his lips relentlessly demanding her response, and it seemed an age before he lifted his head to regard her rosy lips and bemused sparkling eyes as she gazed up at him.

  'Yes, sir, indeed!' Zachary slanted down at her and his lips twitched humorously.

  'I think you're going to be an exceedingly tyrannical husband,' Jenny allowed somewhat shakily as a slow smile parted her mouth.

  'And you,' he bent over to kiss her hard before releasing her, 'are a witching minx! You scarcely deserve this.' He withdrew a small jeweller's box from the inside pocket of his jacket and placed it in her hand. 'Open it,' he commanded softly, and his eyes creased tolerantly as he witnessed her confusion.

  'Zachary?' Jenny queried breathlessly.

  'It was my mother's,' he affirmed quietly as she timidly pressed the catch.

  She gasped out loud at the beauty of the large ruby surrounded by several diamonds, each large enough to grace a solitaire mounting. It looked far too valuable to contemplate wearing.

  'The setting can be changed if you like,' he said gently.

  Jenny looked up at him and her heart thumbed crazily. 'It's simply beautiful just as it is,' she said shakily. 'I'd be afraid to wear it.'

  Silently he took it from its satin-lined box and slipped it on to the third finger of her left hand. The wide gold band fitted firmly.

  'I—thank you,' Jenny whispered.. 'You'd better take it off again. I'll wear it only on special occasions.'

  Zachary laughed and his dark eyes gleamed as he lifted a hand to caress her cheek. 'You'll wear it all the time, Jenny-wren. If it will ease your mind it is insured. Now,' he added gently, 'off to bed with you. I'll collect you tomorrow evening about seven, and Mrs. Lowry will have dinner ready for us. Enjoy your lunch with your Uncle Dan tomorrow,' he concluded, and bent down to ruffle her hair and placed a light kiss on her lips, then he turned and left the room, closing the front door of the flat behind him.

  CHAPTER 6

  Uncle Dan was already wailing when Jenny reached the restaurant lounge, and without preamble he took her arm and led her to a table.

  'Now, my girl,' he began lightly when the wine steward had taken his order and waited expectantly for Jenny to glance up from the menu. 'I thought we'd have a talk, you and I.'

  Jenny felt she knew what was coming and forestalled him. 'I guessed as much,' she wrinkled her nose at him impishly, and laughingly covered her glass as he gestured to the wine steward. 'I'll have a shandy, thank you. I'm a working girl, remember?' she chastised with mock severity!

  Uncle Dan shook his head slowly and his expression became unusually serious as he picked up his knife and fork, and it was not until he had sampled the appetising deep-fried scallops nestling in their bed of assorted salad greens that he chose to speak.

  'Known him long, Jenny?' His voice was gently probing and his eyes were alert and far too observant to be easily fooled.

  Jenny toyed with the cutlery at the side of her plate and her eyes rested momentarily on the naked third finger of her left hand. Zachary's ring reposed in its satin-lined box and was safely locked away. She had gone to sleep with the ring on, sure of her courage to wear it to work today and declare to all who would remark on its splendour that none other than Zachary Benedict himself had asked her to marry him. The thought of facing the incredulous looks she would undoubtedly receive from Suzy, Judy and Lise—especially Lise—was daunting, and at the rate the secretarial grapevine spread its news Jenny's engagement to the much sought-after Zachary Benedict would become common knowledge all over the building by lunch-time. So Jenny had taken it off. 'Tonight,' she had told herself bracingly, 'I'll put it on again, and perhaps by the end of the weekend I'll have become more used to the idea.'

  'Almost two weeks,' Jenny answered quietly.

  'I'd put a ring on your Aunt Madge's finger at the beginning of the first week and swept her into church to be wed by the end of the second,' Uncle Dan offered enigmatically.

  'Meaning?' Jenny lifted her head and met his gaze squarely.

  'Don't make obstacles where there are none, my dear. A love that must be ruled by the head instead of the heart loses much in its foundation.'

  Jenny twisted her lips into a wry smile. 'No doubt there's some truth in that. Uncle Dan. But there's also an equally appropriate saying—"marry in haste, repent at leisure".'

  'You come of old-Country tried-and-true stock, Jenny-wren. With proper handling, a stayer right to the end of the course.'

  'You make me sound like a racehorse!' she grinned ruefully.

  'A thoroughbred filly,' Uncle Dan smiled kindly. 'One any man in his right mind would want to own.'

  'You're very good for my morale, Uncle Dan, but I'm a big girl now, remember?' Jenny teased lightly, loath to unburden the complex fears and uncertainties that crowded her thoughts. Zachary had promised to give her time—although how much time he hadn't specified. Somehow she couldn't imagine him allowing things to drift indefinitely—he was far too decisive to tolerate indecision for very long. She had known Max for over six years, and look what good that had done her! Yes, a tiny voice inside her whispered, but you were more in love with love than in love with Max. And to compare Zachary with Max was ludicrous.

  'Point taken, Jenny,' Uncle Dan smiled kindly. 'For what it's worth—I like him.'

&n
bsp; Jenny immediately felt contrite, for Uncle Dan was a dear man and obviously had her welfare very much at heart. 'He's asked me to marry him,' she enlightened quietly.

  Uncle Dan scarcely paused in the rhythmic chewing of that particular mouthful of food and to his credit he forked yet another mouthful into his mouth before swallowing it, then he looked across at her solemnly.

  'Have you accepted?'

  Jenny nodded slowly and felt compelled to add with a fake brightness, 'I suppose you could call it-r-"off with the old and on with the new",' she almost choked over the last few words and immediately thought, what an inane remark to make.

  'The wedding will be soon,' Uncle Dan stated calmly. 'I can't imagine he'll allow you time to mull it over and perchance change your mind.'

  'Yes,' Jenny agreed quietly, and her eyes held his anxiously as the familiar knot of panic rose within her. There was an answering gentleness in his expression and his smile was kindly sympathetic.

  'You remind me very much of your Aunt Madge, Jenny. She wasn't at all sure she should marry me either, and to do so on so short an acquaintance was just asking for the gossipmongers to make two and two add up to at least five. Mistake, that,' he warned quietly. 'Don't take any notice of gossip. Usually sour grapes, anyhow. I'm glad,' he continued kindly. 'Much more suitable than that other fellow. Now, you've talked too much,' he twinkled across at her and his eyebrows lifted at .her expression of outrage. 'The food's getting cold and you'll have to bolt the rest of it down if you're to get back to the office on time. Probably suffer from indigestion for the rest of the afternoon,' he concluded with mock-severity.

  'Well, I never!' Jenny spluttered in laughing indignation.

  'Your Aunt Madge will be pleased,' Uncle Dan asserted with satisfaction. 'Taken with him,' he chuckled deeply. 'I could tell.'

  Jenny wrinkled her nose at him and refused to utter another word until she had done full justice to the steak and salad on her plate and the coffee in her cup was almost empty. Then her comments were of necessity very short as a hurried glance at her watch determined that she had a bare few minutes in which to return to the office.