“You better go and get ready, Sabrina. Our guests will be arriving soon,” Raoul instructed.
“That is if they can make it in the weather, sir,” Francine added. “It is closing in. The snow is falling heavily again. I thought you might not make it back. You know how the roads get blocked with snow in the winter.”
Still Raoul remained positive.
“They’ll make it. Wild horses wouldn’t keep them from seeing Sabrina.”
“You make me sound like some kind of freak show.” Sabrina felt uncomfortable again.
“You aren’t a freak show. They are your friends and family. They’ve missed you. We all have. Please go and get ready and enjoy your massage.”
“I don’t need one…”
“It will relieve that stiff neck of yours. Don’t argue. I hope you like the present I have waiting for you on your bed,” he told her, stealing a quick kiss on her cheek and then he was gone before she could say anymore.
Raoul hurried down the stairs and straight to his study.
“Maxim.”
Raoul shook hands and hugged his oldest friend Maxim Tissier.
“I can’t believe she’s back. How is she? You must be ecstatic.”
“I’m not sure I really believe she is here. I’d just about given up hope and was ready to have her legally declared dead. She’s distressed, confused, emotionally tired, and afraid. She isn’t very sure of me either. But I am doing everything in my power to make the transition back into her old life as easy as possible.”
Raoul sat down in his chair behind his desk and leaned back. He looked wistfully up at the ceiling and eased his feet onto the end of the desk. He suddenly swung round in his chair and stared up at Sabrina’s portrait.
“She hasn’t changed at all. She thinks she has, but she just needs coaxing back out of her shell. She was always feisty; that was what first attracted me to her. I loved taming her nature and tempering recklessness. Seems I am back at square one in bringing her back under control.”
“You always like a challenge and Sabrina always provides you with one.”
Raoul turned back around to face him and nodded.
“Yes, she certainly does,” he grinned.
Maxim laughed again and swirled the warm cognac in his glass he helped himself to whilst waiting for Raoul.
“She is finding the real Sabrina a little hard to swallow at the moment, but I believe I am making great progress in reuniting her with her true self and leading her into acceptance.” Raoul smiled confidently.
“What about Cressida? Does Sabrina remember her?”
“We ran into her today. Yes, Sabrina remembered her, almost instantly,” he said with a heavy sigh. “And Cressida is already causing trouble.”
“I see,” Maxim grimaced. “Good luck with that one,” he said, taking another gulp of his drink.
Raoul thought for a moment and then addressed Maxim again.
“You know that I didn’t just ask you to come to see Sabrina again as a friend.”
“I gathered as much. So I am here in my official capacity as well?”
“Yes. The police are eager to talk to her and I would rather it was you. There is also the matter of her safety this weekend. I have increased the security on the chateau since Sabrina’s arrival. I have men at the gate, in the grounds, and around the chateau, but I trust you more. Whoever could have taken Sabrina from the chateau had to be on the inside. I thought it could have been one of the staff. But none of them left. Whoever it was will be in this house tonight. They all left around the same time as she disappeared.”
He took a key from a drawer and opened the drawer beneath it. He handed Maxim a letter that came this morning for Sabrina.
“He knows she is here, Maxim. I tried everything to keep Sabrina safe when she was stalked. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do…”
“I remember. You threatened to lock Sabrina away in one of the towers when she tried a jail break,” he murmured as he read the letter made up of letters cut out of newspapers.
“I wish I had, then she mightn’t have been kidnapped and raped.”
Maxim gave his friend a look of sympathy.
“I will do the same this time. I am taking a big risk by inviting everyone to the chateau this weekend. But I have to do it. I know one of them is the stalker and responsible for everything that happened to Sabrina. I want him caught. This is the only way I know how to get him,” Raoul told him with determination.
“By using Sabrina and her lost memory as bait to flush him out?”
“Yes. I know it’s dangerous. But I don’t know what else to do. I want Sabrina safe and not afraid for the rest of her life. Don’t worry, I will lock her in that tower and keep her well out of the way if he tries to do anything to her. I know we will get him this weekend.”
“By the looks of this letter, he’s going to try to take her again. We will have to watch Sabrina round the clock. I have men posted around the chateau. I will have this analysed to see if we can get a lead. Does Sabrina know about this letter?”
“No, and that’s the way I want it. I’ve made sure any messages for Sabrina are diverted through me. I had all of the landlines cut when I tried to stop Sabrina leaving yesterday.”
Raoul grinned at Maxim’s raised eyebrow.
“You know how stubborn she gets. She wanted to leave and work it all out on her own. I don’t think she realises just how much danger she is in. I have had to threaten her with everything to keep her here. I left two landlines in, one to my study and one for the domestic staff. She doesn’t know about them. I don’t want her to find out about them.”
“I will need to speak to Sabrina about all of this at some point; she is our star witness. Does she remember anything at all about her attack and kidnap?”
“She remembers being attacked in her study, but she can’t hold on to the memory and she never sees his face. I’m not sure she will be able to help you.”
“You will be surprised. Any little detail may help.”
Raoul nodded. His eyes blackened like a night storm, a hurricane of anger blowing inside him that was threatening to destroy everything in its path.
“I want her protected, Maxim, and that man caught. You better get to him before I do or I’m not sure I will be able to control myself.”
Chapter Nine
Sabrina slid off the couch, feeling the aromatherapy oils of lavender, grapefruit, and frankincense seep deeper into her skin. Her body was warm, supple, and free of pain after her body massage and all she could think about was slipping into bed and sleeping for a hundred years. It had been a long time since she had felt this relaxed. She tied the towel around her body and sat down on the bed. She jumped up, realising that she was sitting on top of something. She looked down at a dress elaborately laid out on top of the bed.
Its colour was a deep scarlet red, her favourite. She carefully picked it up, stroking her hand over the smooth taffeta. There were shoes to match and tiny droplet ruby earrings. She giggled; the man thought of everything. She quickly put on what little make-up she wore and smoothed the dress over her curves. It hung low at her ankles, swishing romantically as she walked around the room admiring herself in the mirror. The bodice fitted close across her breasts and tightened at the bottom with a taffeta tie to emphasise her slim waist. She ran her hands down the sides of the bodice, and then allowed them to skim the gentle flow of the skirt as she swirled it around her body.
“Madame, I have a Monsieur Jeffries calling from England. He says he needs to speak to you urgently,” one of the maids said on the other end of the telephone. “I am not sure why he came through down here…”
“I thought all of the landlines were down,” Sabrina interrupted with surprise.
“I know nothing about that, Madame. This one is working.”
“Ok, yes, please put him through.”
“Sabrina.”
She knew the minute he said her name that it was him. The man who took her from her home, rap
ed her, and held her captive somewhere dark for endless days and beat her when she tried to escape. It was a disguised voice, but she knew it was him. The memories clouded her mind, making her head spin and her legs turn to jelly. The pain and fear were almost too much to remember, but she steadied her voice.
“Who are you?”
“I am the man you really belong to. You shouldn’t have run away. I will have to punish you.”
“Who are you?”
She persisted, trying to ignore the deep sinister voice that was frustratingly unrecognisable.
“You really can’t remember. That’s good. It will make it all the easier for me to take you away again. And this time, Sabrina, I won’t ever let you leave me again.”
“I’m not afraid of you. Who are you? Why are you doing this?”
“You should be afraid of me and if you aren’t, I will make you.”
The line went dead and Sabrina could hardly put the phone down for shaking. She didn’t have to; Raoul was taking it from her trembling hand. He held her arms, his eyes searching her face for comprehension.
“Who was that on the phone? It was him, wasn’t it?”
She nodded.
“I can’t remember who it is. But that voice. I feel sick. You said you cut the lines. You lied to me.”
Raoul guided her to the bed and sat her down, soothingly rubbing his hands up and down her arms.
“I couldn’t cut them all because of the staff and preparations for the weekend. Mobile reception out here is not good at the best of times. How did he get through? I’ve had all of your calls diverted to my phone, so this wouldn’t happen.”
“He said he was Dr Jeffries from the University. He says he is going to take me back. I remember, Raoul. I remember what he did. He raped me in the study, then he dragged me out of the house and pushed me in the boot. I’m sure there was somebody else with him in the car. He took me somewhere miles from here. I think it was to a house somewhere in the country. He kept me locked up in the cellar. It was so cold and dark. My food would come through a hole in the door. Sometimes I spent days sitting there in the dark, then he would come back and force me to… It feels as though it was just yesterday and not ten years ago. I don’t want to remember, I don’t want to remember.”
She stopped. Raoul’s face wore a mixture of horror and anger. He was hanging on every word. It made her shake all the more as she worried how he was taking what she told him.
“I tried to escape several times, but he kept getting me back. He hit me so much and forced himself on me.”
She began to cry and then took a breath, composing herself.
“I eventually escaped. I don’t remember how, I just did. I remember running through the fields. I must have planned it well because I somehow had money. I must have stolen it from him. I managed to get myself on a ferry. We were so close to the channel and I wanted to go back home to England. I don’t know why I just didn’t go to the police. I was so injured. I started bleeding and I knew I had to go to the hospital when I reached London. I collapsed when I went to reception. I don’t remember any more after that.”
Raoul’s arms wound tightly around her body, pulling her towards him.
“He won’t touch you or take you away,” he told her firmly. “Trust me, Sabrina. Trust me as your husband. This time I won’t let you down. I will be there for you.”
His grip tightened as she found herself instinctively pressing her face against his shoulder, seeking his warmth and protection. Somewhere a part of her had to trust him. She listened to him whisper French words of endearment and felt him stroke the softness of her hair and kiss it. She trusted him implicitly after this afternoon and freely allowed herself to feel safe, warm, and loved. Her eyes swept over him appreciatively, studying his tall muscled form framed to perfection in a tailored tuxedo. He smiled with satisfaction, appearing to welcome her scrutiny.
“You look breath-taking in the dress, Sabrina, yet all I can think about is removing it and taking you,” he teased, returning her silent compliment.
She gave him a coy smile.
“There is someone downstairs who is dying to see you again and can’t wait until dinner. I think it will be good for you to talk to her now,” Raoul spoke softly.
He started to speak again, but a frantic knock at the door cut his speech short.
“Tamsin.” He forced a smile. “She is so eager to see you, she must have run up those stairs.”
He opened the door to reveal a tall elegant blonde woman. She was dressed in a black bustier and flared evening trousers slit just past the ankles. Her black-and-white sandals were high and complemented the white-and-black patterned motif on the bottoms of the trousers and across the top of the bustier. It was a simple outfit but stunning, showing the woman’s long legs off to perfection. Her chocolate eyes danced with excitement as if she was a small child who had just got her hands in the cookie jar. But she said nothing, her full sensuous peach lips clamped tightly shut as if to prevent any errant words from escaping. She glanced at Raoul with impatience, waiting for his introduction.
“Sabrina, this is your best friend Tamsin.”
The woman rushed at her, throwing her arms around Sabrina’s body.
“Sabrina, I really can’t believe it’s you. Let me look at you. I don’t believe it; we almost have the same hairstyle.”
Her eyes turned serious.
“That’s good. I never liked that long bob.”
Raoul shook his head.
“I’ll leave you to get reacquainted.”
He caught Tamsin’s eye.
“Take your time to catch up and talk.”
Tamsin gave him a gentle nod of understanding, and then he left the two of them alone.
“Do you remember me, Sabrina?” Tamsin asked, excited again.
Sabrina shook her head. She could felt Tamsin’s disappointment land on her like a heavy weight threatening to crush her.
“I’m sorry. I seem to be disappointing a lot of people at the moment.”
She moved away and sat back down on the bed. Tamsin flopped down beside her, resting a hand on Sabrina’s shoulder.
“It will all come back to you. You will of course remember me,” she giggled. “How could you forget.”
“Were we close?”
“Close? We were like sisters and still are, I hope. I never gave up thinking you were alive and that you would come back one day. I figured it had to be something like losing your memory that prevented you from making your contact. Just like in the movies. It was never your style to walk away from anything.”
“I know; he told me. Where did we meet?”
“We met at boarding school in England. My father was the English Ambassador in Paris. We went right through school and University together. This is weird. It’s like I’m filling in the blanks, Sabrina. Anyway, you chose law and became a professional. I on the other hand decided to spend my life loafing around on my father’s money.”
She gave a wicked grin.
“And I still am. You came to work in Paris and I followed. That’s when you met Raoul. You were suing his company on behalf of a client.”
Sabrina shook her head in disbelief.
“I still find it hard to believe I was a lawyer.”
“Hasn’t he told you how you both met?”
“No, he is very guarded in what he does tell me. It makes me wonder if there are some things he doesn’t wish me to remember.”
Tamsin looked uncomfortable, making Sabrina wonder if she knew exactly what she was not to remember. Maybe Raoul’s affair with Cressida?
“He wouldn’t do that. He’s just being protective.” She didn’t sound so sure.
Tamsin smiled, trying to mask her concern.
“Let me tell you how you met Raoul,” Tamsin gushed, changing the subject quickly.
“You arranged a meeting between your client and Raoul and his lawyer over some business dispute. I forget what it was, you know that stuff bores me.”
; Sabrina looked at her blankly.
Tamsin gave a small nervous laugh and then shook her head.
“No, I suppose you don’t know…”
She smoothed her palms down the tops of her trousers. Nervous habit. Sabrina smiled reassuringly and asked her to continue, more than interested to know how Raoul supposedly fell in love with her.
“No one envied you taking him on. The most feared and revered predator of the business world was not an opponent to be taking lightly and you were just a new lawyer trying to make your mark on the world. He could have destroyed you. But you said he was only a man.”
“I was worried. When I told my father about it, he shook his head. He thought you should just get your client to settle for the offer Raoul had already made for an out-of-court settlement. It was well known that if you made an enemy of Raoul, you would be made to regret it.”
Tamsin slipped her hand in her pocket and took out a silver cigarette case and a lighter. She stood up, opening the case, and took out a cigarette. She tapped it on top of the case.
“I know you hate me smoking but I didn’t expect to be so nervous around you. Do you mind if…”
She gestured at the French doors that led out to a wide balcony. Sabrina nodded and stood up to follow her. Tamsin opened the doors on to the cold air.
“It’s bloody freezing. Look at the snow. Doesn’t the place look picturesque?” Tamsin said, lighting her cigarette and giving a shiver.
“Yes, it does.” Sabrina felt impatience to know what happened gnaw at her. The woman loved to take her time telling a story. “Here, let me get you something to wear or you will freeze to death.”
Sabrina rummaged around in one of the drawers and eventually found where Francine had put her cardigan all neatly folded up. She draped it around Tamsin’s shoulders as she nodded thanks. “You always did look after me.”
“So are you going to carry on and tell me what I did,” Sabrina asked with a smile, desperate for her to carry on.
Conquering Sabrina Page 9
