CHAPTER EIGHT
SIAN wished her father would hurry up; Jarrett was talking softly with the vicar at the moment, but his gaze was fixed on her as she nervously waited for her father to stop talking to one of his bowls cronies. She had driven here with him, she couldn’t very well leave without him. But she didn’t like the way Jarrett was staring at her; she felt as if his gaze burnt into her.
People were standing about the churchyard chattering in groups. Several other men had joined her father now, which meant he wouldn’t be ready to leave for some time yet.
‘I’ll be here next week too, Sian,’ Jarrett spoke softly behind her. ‘And the week after that too. And on your wedding day I shall stand up and tell everyone that I’m a very “just cause” why you shouldn’t marry Newman.’
Sian turned sharply at the threat in his voice. ‘You can’t do that!’
His teeth were very white against his tanned skin as his mouth twisted in a facsimile of a smile. ‘Try me.’
‘Why would you want to ruin my life a second time, Jarrett?’ she asked wearily, stiffening as she saw Sara Newman watching the two of them with interest. She had known the other woman was to be here, had intended meeting her before the service if she and her father hadn’t been late arriving. This was all she needed after Sara’s previous suspicion over Jarrett!
He followed her line of vision. ‘Newman’s mother,’ he realised.
‘Yes,’ she acknowledged.
Jarrett shrugged dismissively, his shoulders broad beneath the brown suit and tan shirt he wore. ‘I don’t intend ruining your life, Sian,’ he told her deeply. ‘You seem to be the one intent on doing that. Where’s Newman today?’ he rasped.
‘Working,’ she said abruptly.
‘On a Sunday morning?’
She flushed at his scepticism. ‘He’s a busy vet.’
‘I’m a busy man myself, Sian. But I could always make time for my beautiful fiancée.’
‘And Nina. Don’t forget Nina,’ she derided harshly.
‘I wish to hell you would—’
‘Would you please lower your voice,’ she muttered softly, a falsely bright smile on her face as several people turned to look in their direction.
‘Frightened your future mother-in-law might hear?’ he ground out.
‘Yes! Please, Jarrett,’ she looked at him with appealing eyes. ‘When you’re tired of this game you’re playing I’ll still have to live here!’
‘You’ll be with me,’ he shook his head. ‘Wherever I happen to be.’
‘I wouldn’t leave with you before, Jarrett, and I won’t this time either!’
‘You—’
‘Ah, Sian,’ Sara joined them, smiling enquiringly at the tension that surrounded them. ‘We missed you earlier. How nice to meet you at last, Mr King.’ Her voice hardened.
‘Mrs Newman,’ he returned smoothly, all anger gone from his expression and manner. ‘I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to your son’s wedding next month,’ he drawled.
‘Thank you,’ Sara accepted tightly. ‘It should be a beautiful wedding.’
He nodded. ‘I always thought Sian would make an exquisite bride.’
‘No doubt.’ Sara’s manner was even stiffer.
‘Well, if you’ll excuse me, ladies,’ he said politely, ‘I have to get back to my hotel. I have an appointment for lunch.’
And Sian didn’t need two guesses who his appointment was with! ‘Don’t let us keep you,’ she said with exaggerated sweetness, aware that while he hadn’t actually said anything impolite to Sara his words had been offensive nonetheless.
‘Mrs Newman,’ he nodded. ‘Sian,’ his voice filled with warmth as he paid her back for her sarcasm.
And it did; she could see Sara’s speculation had increased, watching Jarrett as he walked away. ‘Fascinating man,’ Sara murmured.
‘I suppose so,’ Sian nodded, chewing on her bottom lip.
Sara swung hard blue eyes back to her. ‘Wasn’t he a little old for you?’ she frowned. ‘Even then?’
‘Perhaps, I never really thought about it.’ Sian turned away. ‘Ah, here comes Dad,’ she smiled. ‘Will Chris be coming over for lunch or is he still working?’ she asked the other woman.
Sara frowned. ‘He didn’t come with you?’
Sian shook her head. ‘He rang to say he had to go out on a call.’
‘Strange,’ Sara said slowly. ‘I don’t remember—Oh well, I suppose he’ll be over to see you some time today. You mustn’t begrudge the time he spends at his work, Sian. He’s building up the practice for your future, for, both of you.’
‘Oh, but I—’ She didn’t get a chance to defend herself any further, for her father joined them, although she burned with indignation at the criticism. She had never complained about the long hours Chris worked, had always understood the demands of his career.
‘Strange woman,’ her father remarked on the drive home. ‘Can’t understand what Gerald sees in her.’
‘Dad!’
‘But I can’t,’ he shook his head. ‘And it isn’t natural to cling on to your children the way she does.’
Sian gave a teasing laugh. ‘You just can’t wait for the day you can throw Bethany and me out!’ she mocked.
‘I’m gaining a son—she doesn’t even want another daughter. Thank God you aren’t going to live there after you’re married!’ he grimaced.
‘I couldn’t,’ she shook her head. ‘Sara and I will never get on except from a distance, whereas you and Chris get on very well together.’
‘Not so much lately,’ he sighed. ‘I always thought he was the least moody person I knew, but this last week…!’ He shrugged. ‘He hasn’t been himself at all.’
She knew that, and no matter what she said to the contrary, Chris’s behaviour did bother her. He was usually so open, so even-tempered, and this last week he had been anything but that—completely unapproachable at times.
And she was to blame for that, she knew she had to be. Chris must sense the indecision within her and resent this upset to their plans at this late stage of things. It was up to her to show him that he was the one she cared for, the one she intended marrying and sharing her life with.
She was pleased to see his car parked outside the house when they arrived home, smiling brightly as she entered the lounge. Chris and Bethany were talking heatedly as she walked into the room, although they fell silent as Sian and her father came in.
With a choked cry Bethany turned and fled the room, while Chris glowered angrily.
‘What’s going on here?’ Sian’s father frowned. ‘What’s wrong with Bethany?’ he questioned Chris roughly.
The younger man thrust his hands moodily into his pockets. ‘I seem to have upset her,’ he stated the obvious.
‘I can see that,’ the other man growled. ‘I want to know how.’
Chris shrugged. ‘She took exception to something I said.’
‘About what?’
‘We were just talking, and I—I just said something I shouldn’t,’ Chris dismissed.
‘You didn’t criticise Jarrett, did you?’ Sian chided gently. ‘You know how upset she’s been about him this past week.’
‘King?’ he frowned. ‘But I—Well, I didn’t know it would upset her that badly.’ His brow cleared.
‘Never mind, darling,’ Sian touched his arm comfortingly. ‘I’ll go and talk to her.’
‘No! Er—no,’ he softened the sharpness of his tone. ‘Maybe it would be better to leave her alone for a while. I’ll apologise to her the next time I see her.’
She thought for a moment. ‘Maybe that would be best. I’ll just go and check on lunch,’ she suggested brightly, reaching up to kiss him lightly on the mouth. ‘I’m glad you came over, darling.’
He gave a tight smile. ‘Yes.’
‘Like a cup of tea, Dad?’ she offered.
Her father was still puzzled by Bethany’s outburst. ‘Yes—thanks,’ he replied absently.
All was
silent upstairs as Sian went to the kitchen. Poor Chris, he couldn’t possibly have known the hornets’ nest he would upset by criticising Jarrett to Bethany. It seemed a pity it had had to happen, as the two of them had always got on so well together. She shrugged philosophically. Once Bethany was over her feelings for Jarrett she would see that Chris had only been thinking of her welfare in his advice.
She really was glad Chris had managed to finish in time to join them for lunch; she had missed him this last week. And if she were honest with herself, she needed to be with him; once more she was feeling unsettled by Jarrett’s persistent presence in her life.
She and Chris went out for a drink together Tuesday night, and she had no objection when Chris suggested they go to the Swan; she had no intention of hiding from anyone.
‘I hear King got the contract for the hotel and shopping centre,’ Chris remarked conversationally.
‘Yes.’
‘You knew?’ His dark brows rose.
‘I—heard.’
‘From King himself?’ His mouth twisted.
‘No—of course not,’ she faltered. ‘Your father mentioned it to me last night.’ Chris’s brusqueness hadn’t improved the last couple of days, if anything it had worsened.
He scowled. ‘I only found out today.’
‘Does it matter?’
His eyes narrowed. ‘I don’t know—does it?’
‘Not to me,’ Sian dismissed evasively.
‘My mother said you were talking to him again on Sunday.’
She might have known Sara wouldn’t miss that opportunity to cause trouble! ‘Talking to him, yes.’
‘Sian—’
‘Good evening, Sian. Newman.’
They both turned at the sound of that silky voice tempered with steel, looking up into Jarrett’s cold green eyes.
‘Jarrett,’ Sian said awkwardly, while Chris said nothing at all, but eyed the other man moodily.
Only Jarrett looked relaxed out of the three of them; he was casually dressed in a light blue shirt and denims, standing close to their table. ‘I haven’t seen the two of you in here before.’
She shrugged, while Chris was still noticeably silent at her side. ‘We rarely come here.’
‘I wonder why,’ he drawled mockingly.
Chris did look up now, his expression belligerent. ‘Sian and I usually have better things to do with our time than sit drinking in pubs!’
‘Indeed?’ Jarrett met his anger with coldness.
‘Yes!’ the other man glared at him.
‘Congratulations on the new building contract, Jarrett,’ Sian rushed into speech, not wanting to cause a scene here. Ida Barlowe had already had quite enough gossip about her, without adding to it!
‘Thanks,’ he nodded coolly.
‘You must be pleased.’
‘Very,’ he nodded. ‘But like I told you, I expected it,’ he said without conceit.
‘Why?’ Chris sneered. ‘Did you cross a few sweaty palms with silver?’
Sian gasped, her gaze flying to Jarrett’s furious face. He was a lot of things, but he certainly wasn’t dishonest! She couldn’t think what had possessed Chris to talk in this way, it wasn’t like him at all.
Jarrett looked at the younger man with cold green eyes. ‘I believe your father is one of the Councillors who made the decision about the contract,’ he said pointedly.
Chris’s head went back in fury. ‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’ he ground out.
Jarrett gave an unconcerned shrug. ‘Work it out for yourself,’ he drawled.
‘Why you—’
‘Please, Chris,’ Sian put her hand on his arm as he went to stand up, his face contorted with rage. ‘I’m sure Jarrett wasn’t implying anything. Please, darling,’ she urged as she could still feel his tension beneath her hand.
She heard Jarrett’s sharply indrawn breath, and looked up to find the dangerous glitter of his gaze fixed on the way she was touching Chris’s arm. Not now—he couldn’t show his own jealousy now! She felt as if she were being pulled apart by the two of them, feeling her confidence wane and crumble, knowing that if these two men wanted to be at each other’s throats, and it seemed that they did, she wouldn’t be able to stop them.
Chris seemed to subside at her side. ‘If you say so,’ he mumbled.
Just as she was about to start breathing again she sensed Jarrett’s unrelenting attitude. His gaze was still fixed on her hand on Chris’s arm, and she hastily removed it.
But not quickly enough. ‘If you have something to say, Newman, then say it,’ Jarrett rasped, his gaze swinging back to the other man. ‘If you think I “fixed” the building contract for King Construction Company then perhaps you ought to ask your father about it.’
‘There’s no need for that,’ Chris snapped.
‘No?’ the other man taunted.
‘No!’ Chris stood. ‘I think it’s time we left, Sian.’
‘But—’
‘If you aren’t ready yet,’ he glared down at her with fierce blue eyes, ‘I’ll wait outside in the car.’ He pushed past Jarrett and marched out of the pub.
Sian made to follow him.
‘No,’ Jarrett grasped her wrist to stop her leaving. ‘Let him go,’ he ordered grimly.
Her eyes were swimming with tears as she looked up at him. ‘What are you trying to do?’ she choked.
‘What am I trying to do?’ he scorned. ‘Your fiancé more or less accused me of bribing my way into that building contract.’ His voice hardened.
‘I’m sure Chris didn’t mean—He’s been a little tense lately, and—and—well, you did get the contract against all the odds. A couple of local builders put in for it. It was expected one of them would be awarded it.’ Jarrett had begun shaking his head before she had even finished. ‘No?’ she arched her brows.
‘No,’ he confirmed.
‘How could you know that?’ she frowned.
‘Because I had to get that contract.’
‘But how did you—’
‘By putting in the lowest costs,’ he shrugged.
‘That’s obvious. But—’
‘The rock-bottom costs,’ he explained grimly.
‘You mean you—But why, Jarrett?’ she gasped.
He sighed heavily. ‘When I saw the announcement of your engagement I knew I had to come back as soon as possible, but I needed a reason to come back, hence the contract. Once I arrived here I realised I didn’t have the time for that, that your wedding was too close to waste any more time. I decided to let the bid for the contract go ahead, but to use a more direct approach on you.’
‘I noticed,’ she derided. ‘Well, the fact that you intend being in Swannell for some time is up to you. Maybe if you’re still here when Chris and I get back from our honeymoon we’ll invite you over to the house for dinner.’
‘Like hell you will!’ his expression darkened. ‘Maybe we’ll invite him, not the other way round.’
‘I’d better go.’ She looked past him as Arlette stood framed in the doorway. ‘You have company.’
He glanced only fleetingly at the other woman. ‘She can wait,’ he dismissed.
Anger flashed through her. ‘Maybe one day she’ll get tired of waiting and walk out on you.’
‘I can’t wait for the day!’
‘You really are an unfeeling bastard!’ She shook off his hold on her wrist.
‘Jarrett!’ Arlette had joined them now. ‘And Sian,’ she looked at her with mocking eyes. ‘My, how I do seem to keep running into you! And always with Jarrett,’ she mused, putting her arm through Jarrett’s. ‘Why is that, honey?’ she asked him throatily.
‘Mind your own damned business!’ he scowled.
‘But it is my business,’ she purred. ‘Everything you do concerns me. Or have you forgotten?’ she taunted.
‘I’ve forgotten nothing where you’re concerned,’ he bit out grimly. ‘Not Frank, not the affairs. I want you back in New York, Arlette. And I want it soon.’
Dark brows rose over hard blue eyes. ‘Is that any way to talk to me, honey?’ she mocked. ‘Especially when you know I have no intention of going back to New York without you. I like you where I can see you.’
‘And I like you where I can’t see you,’ he returned callously, turning on his heel and leaving the room.
‘My, my,’ Arlette drawled. ‘That’s two men who’ve walked out on you in one evening, Sian.’
She stiffened at the taunt, sensing that the gloves were definitely off. ‘You saw Chris leave?’
The other woman nodded. ‘I even tried to talk to him. He was very uncommunicative,’ she added dryly.
‘I have to go—’
‘I should,’ Arlette nodded. ‘I would also stay away from Jarrett in future. He can be very cruel when he wants to be.’
‘I have no reason to suppose he would ever want to be with me,’ she said coldly.
‘Jarrett’s only nice when he wants something,’ Arlette warned. ‘Once your usefulness is over, in this case when he tires of you in his bed, he’ll discard you without a qualm.’
‘Is that what happened to you?’ Sian snapped.
Dull colour flooded Arlette’s cheeks. ‘You little bitch!’
‘Then that makes two of us,’ she sighed. ‘Goodnight, Mrs King.’
The length of time she had been delayed in the Swan she quite expected Chris to have left without her. But his car was still in the car park, and she climbed quickly into the passenger seat beside him.
He turned on the ignition with an impatient flick of his wrist, driving steadily to her home, not saying a word.
‘Chris, I—-’
‘Please, let’s not talk about it, Sian,’ he said abruptly. ‘I behaved like a fool, we all know that. It’s hardly King’s style to use influence in a little contract like this one in Swannell. He hardly needs the money such a small venture would give him!’
‘No,’ she acknowledged softly.
Chris sighed. ‘I suppose I’ll have to apologise to him too. I seem to be upsetting everyone lately.’
‘You’ve seen Bethany?’ She changed the subject from Jarrett, amazed at the lengths he would go to get her back—and disgusted with the way he had spoken to his wife. She didn’t like Arlette King, but she hadn’t enjoyed seeing her humiliated in that way.
Trust in Summer Madness Page 13
