'What about us all having a drink?' Stephen suggested. 'It's more comfortable at the bar than out here.'
'You go without me,' Mrs. Martin said. 'I've got some letters to write. Though perhaps Claire would like to come upstairs and have a wash in my room?'
Jane was surprised at the question, for Claire was dressed for the evening and it was obvious she had returned to the boat to change.
'Do come up for a moment,' Mrs. Martin reiterated, and caught hold of Claire's arm.
There was more than normal pressure in the grasp, for the fingers paled and Jane was certain that something lay beneath the suggestion. Claire must have felt so too, for with a smile she allowed the woman to lead her to the lift.
Stephen waited until they had disappeared and then entered the bar. It was crowded and noisy, an orchestra adding to the babel.
'Let's make it a quick one,' he said. 'I won't be able to stand this place for long.'
As he turned to give their order to the waiter Colin looked at Jane and raised his eyebrows. She nodded imperceptibly and he smiled.
They were having a second drink when Claire returned, and as she reached their table Jane saw a glitter in her eyes, a smile of triumph on her lips.
'We'd nearly given you up,' Stephen said. 'I took a chance and ordered you champagne.'
'Not much of a chance, darling. I'm always ready for that.'
She sat down and accepted a cigarette from Colin. Her hand were shaking and Jane was certain that Mrs. Martin had told her something to upset her. Yet she did not look upset. On the contrary, she looked exceptionally pleased.
'Do you want to change to champagne too, Jane?' Stephen asked.
'No, thanks. I'll stick to orange juice.'
'Don't tell me you're refusing champagne,' Claire drawled. 'I should have thought you'd have jumped at the opportunity.'
Stephen and Colin looked surprised at the unexpected cattiness of the remark, but Jane determined to pretend she was unaware of it.
'I don't like changing my drinks,' she said lightly.
'You're not so scrupulous when it comes to changing your name, are you?'
This time Jane could not pretend. Her mouth went dry and she set her glass on the table, spilling a little liquid.
'You can't find an answer to that, can you, Janey?' Claire continued. 'Do forgive me calling you Janey, but I'm afraid I don't know your real name!'
CHAPTER TEN
After Claire's dramatic statement there was no sound at the table. It served to emphasize the noise around them, making Jane feel as though she were trapped in an oasis of silence.
'What on earth are you talking about?' Stephen asked at last. 'Is this a joke, Claire?'
'If it is then the joke's on us! Mrs. Martin asked me up to her room in order to tell me that she happens to know Janey Belton - and she certainly isn't the little impostor who's with us now!'
Jane's throat contracted, but words would not come.
'Is this true?' Stephen asked her.
Courage came back to Jane and with it her voice. 'Yes. But I can explain.'
'I should hope so,' Claire drawled. 'And I bet it's a pretty good story, too. What have you done with the real Janey - kidnapped her?'
Ignoring the question, Jane looked at the two men. 'Janey Belton asked me to take her place because she had reasons for wanting to stay in England.'
'Who are you, then? What's your real name?' There was no expression on Stephen's face and she had no means of knowing what he felt about her disclosure.
'I'm Jane Berry.'
'So it is Jane.' He smiled. 'I knew Janey didn't suit you.'
Claire looked at the two of them, anger visible as she saw that Stephen did not appear to be annoyed at the impersonation.
'I don't see why you couldn't have let us in on the secret,' she said spitefully. 'Once you were miles away from England Cedric Belton couldn't have done anything about it.' 'It wasn't my secret to tell.'
'Surely you could have told Stephen…'
Jane bit her lip. Had she been an ordinary girl, a friend of Janey's, she would certainly have done so. But she was not a friend of Janey's; she was a working girl and, most difficult of all, she had fallen in love with her boss!
'Well, now we do know who you are,' Colin said, 'let's forget the whole thing.' He picked up his glass. 'I don't know about anyone else, but I think we should toast Jane Belton, alias Jane—' He hesitated. 'Berry, did you say?'
She nodded, and Claire looked at her with curiosity.
'I take it you're a friend of Janey's?'
'Yes.'
'Are you the same age?'
'I'm twenty-three.'
'You're not one of her contemporaries, then? I must say you gave a very good impersonation.' Claire's eyes narrowed. 'You really did have us fooled. What do you do?'
'What do I do?'
Jane tried to prevaricate. Although she could not tell Stephen the real purpose of her trip, she had every intention of telling him that she worked on his paper; but she wanted to do it in her own time and when they were alone.
'Yes,' Claire repeated. 'What do you do?'
can answer that question,' Dinky Howard said, suddenly materializing before them. His pink face was red with indignation and his claw-like hands fluttered across his stomach. 'It just so happens I've been speaking to my London office and they told me Cedric Belton rang them because he's just discovered his daughter is not on board and that her place was taken by a newspaper reporter!' Dinky's voice rose. 'Your newspaper, Mr. Drake!'
Stephen banged his glass down on the table and looked at Jane. 'Is this true?'
'Yes. I - I work on the Features page.'
Claire's laughter rippled through the horrified silence. 'So that's why you impersonated Janey. There's nothing a reporter won't do for a story!'
'I didn't ask to do it,' Jane said. 'Janey Belton asked me.'
'I don't care who asked whom,' Dinky squeaked. 'All I'm concerned with is that you came on board to spy!'
'And find a rich husband too,' Claire drawled. 'Not that I blame you for having a try.'
"You've no right to say that,' Jane retorted, and wished she could tell them that she had refused to go on the cruise, that she had only done so to help her father. But none of this could be said. There was still too much at stake.
'Not that I blame you,' Claire repeated. 'After all, a millionaire's cruise is a working girl's dream.'
'Cut it out, Claire,' Colin said. 'Jane was only doing her job.'
'She applied herself to it with great industry.' Claire looked at Stephen. 'And there you were, thinking you were protecting an innocent little heiress while all the time she's a hard-boiled member of your own staff!'
Jane stood up. 'I've had enough,' she said huskily, and before anyone could stop her, ran from the room.
Outside the Danielli she paused and then, turning right, ran along by the side of the canal. There were scores of gondolas parked at the edge and she climbed into the first one and told him to go to the ship.
Fate could not have behaved more cruelly to her. Stephen only knew half the story and because of it was no doubt misjudging her as badly as Claire. Not that she could blame him. Seen at surface level her impersonation of Janey Belton had been done for the sake of a good story and possibly - how could she deny it? - the chance of finding a rich husband. Unexpectedly she remembered Edward Hawton, and his fatal accident which had not been an accident at all. She shivered and blinked away her tears.
Ahead loomed the white hulk of the Cambrian and the gondola glided to a stop in front of some stone steps. She paid the man, and climbing out, walked the length of the quay to the gangplank. It was quiet on board the ship and she realized that most of the passengers were dining ashore. In the normal course of events she would have left the ship and returned home; but these were not normal circumstances. Her father was certain the thief would try and get the Lorenz Diamond re-cut in Athens, and she was determined to remain on board until they docked
there.
Dejectedly she went to her cabin and, flinging herself on the bed, gave way to tears. No longer was she a hard-boiled member of Stephen's staff, but the heartbroken woman who loved him.
After a long while she sat up and wiped her eyes. Her face was puffy from crying, and going into the bathroom she splashed her eyes with cold water. She was sitting at the dressing-table combing her hair when there was a knock at the door and her heart leaped in panic.
'Who is it?'
'Stephen. I want to see you.'
She opened the door and he stepped inside. Beneath his tan he was deathly pale, the familiar vein beating at the side of his cheek, a sure sign of tension.
'You had no business to run off like that,' he said harshly.
'I wasn't going to stay and be insulted by Claire!'
He looked round the cabin. 'I assumed you were packing to leave. You surely don't intend to write any more articles?'
'Of course not.'
'Then why aren't you going?'
'Because Janey asked me to take her place and I'm entitled to stay on board for the whole journey.'
'My God, you've got a nerve!'
'I don't see why. At least I can enjoy the rest of the trip.'
'Husband-hunting, no doubt.'
'Stephen, don't! It's not fair.'
'How dare you talk about fairness?' He gripped her shoul ders. 'Why didn't you tell me the truth?'
'I couldn't. It wasn't my secret.'
'Secret?' he grated. 'Why make such a big thing of the secret? Do you think Janey Belton would have cared if you'd told me your real name? Do you think it was right to let me go on believing you were someone else, to become fond of a person who didn't exist?'
'But I do exist. I'm still me!' she said passionately. 'Just because my name's different it doesn't mean I'm different.'
'Of course you're different. You're a reporter doing a job, and taking the opportunity of ingratiating herself with the man who employs her!'
She wrenched herself free from him. 'If you think I only came on board to get a story—'
'What else can I think!'
She said nothing, and he pulled her round to face him.
'Haven't you anything more to say to me?'
'No. You wouldn't believe me anyway.'
'You're right about that.' His voice was harsh. 'From the moment we met you lied to me. If you'd only come on board in order to get a story you'd have disclosed your identity to me before today. Damn it all, most of the articles have been printed by now, so you weren't afraid I might have stopped them appearing. But you didn't tell me. And the reason is because you knew I was falling for you. You were banking on finding a rich husband, and believe me, another week and you'd have succeeded!'
'I'd no such thoughts in my mind! I liked you, Stephen. I hated having to lie to you, but I—'
'But you did. And you've no excuse for it.' He dropped his hand from her arm and moved back. 'You look so innocent, yet you're a liar and a cheat!'
The door slammed behind him and Jane sank on the bed and buried her head in her hands. Never in her worst moments had she thought Stephen would be so unreasonable. Yet his very behaviour bespoke the love he had not allowed himself to utter, and she took heart from this, her anger dissolving with understanding. Shakily she turned back to the mirror and picked up her hairbrush.
She was applying the finishing touches to her make-up when there was another knock at the door. Could it be Stephen come back to apologize? Quickly she applied her lipstick and ran to open it, but when she did so it was not Stephen who stepped forward, but Colin.
'Hello there. I'd like to talk to you.'
'More taunting?'
'Certainly not.' He stepped into the cabin and closed the door. 'I only want to apologize for Claire's behaviour, and also to let you know that I don't care who you really are. As far as I'm concerned you're the girl I liked from the moment we met.'
'Oh, Colin!' Tears filled her eyes. 'I couldn't have borne it if you'd called me a cheat as well.'
'Stephen, I suppose?'
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
'Don't judge him too harshly,' Colin said. 'I suppose he felt guilty over the whole thing. After all, you do work for him, and Dinky probably thinks you were in cahoots together.'
'We certainly weren't. Stephen had no idea who I was. If he had he wouldn't have been seen dead with me! He doesn't believe in the integrity of working girls.'
'Don't talk rot. Personally I'm glad to find out you work. You were much too intelligent just to be an heiress!'
'Can't money and brains go together?'
'They can and they do,' he assured her solemnly. 'But generally with men - rarely with women. Now come on, old girl. Put on your diamonds and I'll take you out to dinner.'
She shivered. 'No more jewellery for me. I'll never forget the night ! lost that ruby necklace.'
'Ah yes.' He ran a hand over his silver-blond hair. 'I realize now why you were so upset.'
'I was scared in case the Beltons thought I'd taken it. The rich have a habit of suspecting the worst of the poor,' she said bitterly.
'No one would suspect you,' Colin said. 'But if you don't want to wear any jewellery I'll buy you some Venetian glass beads instead.'
She laughed and picked up her handbag. Outside her stateroom she locked the door and slipped the key into her purse.
'I bet you guard the jewel-key with your life,' he grinned.
'You can say that again! And I won't tell you where I keep it either!'
'Don't tantalize me, Jane. You're pretty enough on your own without the added lure of a key to your jewel-case!'
Colin took her to dine at an open-air restaurant opposite the Fenice Opera House, and sitting at a candle-lit table she was able to relax. Good food and wine did their work and, seeing the colour return to her cheeks, he nodded with satisfaction.
'I could slap Claire for the way she behaved,' he said. 'I've never known her to be so catty.'
'It's because of Stephen,' Jane replied. 'If he hadn't liked me she wouldn't have cared about the masquerade, but she knew it would be an ideal opportunity to part us.'
'She's succeeded, hasn't she?'
'Yes.'
'I'm sorry,' he said sympathetically. 'But maybe it's for the best. If Stephen can't overlook a little pretence…'
He put his elbows on the table and leaned forward. 'You know what I'd do, Jane? I'd forget your job and everything else and just enjoy yourself for the rest of the cruise. Live it up. Pretend you are Janey Belton! You've got her clothes, her jewellery and her name until the day you return to England, so for heaven's sake take advantage of it.'
'I couldn't. There's no point in the masquerade any more. Everyone knows who I am.'
Colin leaned back, his face in shadow, his pale eyes unusually dark.
'Don't tell me you're leaving the ship? That would be too much like giving in.'
'No, I'm not leaving.'
'Thank goodness for that. After all, you're travelling on old Belton's money, so you might as well take advantage of it.'
Jane picked up her fork and continued to eat. Colin's championing of her had been a surprise, for he was even nicer to her now he knew she was only a reporter than he had been when he had thought her an heiress! 'What a difference from Stephen,' she thought bleakly, and found herself unable to swallow the food in her mouth.
It was nearly midnight when they took a gondola back to the ship, and as they glided over the dark water she thought again of Stephen. Was he with Claire? Instinctively she knew he was, knew too that fury against herself would drive him into being too friendly, too passionate towards another woman. She clenched her hands, her nails digging deep into her palms. She must put him out of her mind; memory of him would only bring unhappiness.
'Snap out of it,' Colin said quietly. 'You're sitting there as tense as a wound-up spring.'
'I'm sorry.' With an effort she relaxed, feeling the leather damp against her ski
n. 'I wonder if Stephen and Claire will fall in love?'
'Claire doesn't love anyone except herself.'
'But she wants to get married, and Stephen's very eligible.'
'Claire won't marry him. You can take that from me.'
Jane looked at him. It was dark on the water and the lantern glowing on the prow of the gondola did nothing to lighten his expression, enhancing the shadows over his face, making his hair look silver. Again she was convinced that Colin loved Claire and decided it would be diplomatic not to question his remark.
It was not until she was in her cabin that tears threatened to come again, but she fought them back, refusing to give way to self-pity. She took off her dress and hung it in the wardrobe, then kicked off her shoes and looked round for her slippers. One was by the dressing-table and the other under the bed. She bent to pick it up, and as she did so her eye was caught by a glint of gold on the rose-coloured carpet. For a moment she remained immobile, then she moved closer and stared at it. It was a small coin, and she lifted it up and held it in the palm of her hand. One side was plain, and with a trembling finger she turned it over, knowing even as she did so what the other side would show: an entwined letter 'L'. The talisman her father had spoken of… So he had been right after all: the thief was on board the Cambrian. Not only on board, but had actually been here in her cabin.
Jane groped for a chair and sat down. In her cabin… When she had come back to it earlier this evening the bed had already been turned down for the night and no one had entered it since except Colin and Stephen.
Colin and Stephen. One of them had dropped it here when he had come to see her. But which one? She could not go to sleep with the question unanswered, and not giving herself time to change her mind, she put on her pink satin dressing-gown and headed down the corridor to Colin's cabin. Should she show him the coin and ask if it was his? And what would happen if he denied it? Should she then show it to Stephen? She was still undecided when she reached Colin's door and with a trembling hand knocked upon it
He opened it almost at once, looking at her in surprise.
Rachel Lindsay - Moonlight and Magic Page 14
