Point of No Return

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Would you like to come in?’ she invited.

  His eyes mocked her. ‘That was the idea of the visit,’ he drawled, and followed her into the lounge, ducking his head as he came through the doorway, then straightening as he entered the room, his dark head almost touching the low ceiling beams.

  ‘Brian won’t be a moment.’ Her voice was stilted in her effort to be polite, as once again he instantly annoyed her. ‘He’s on the telephone in the other room,’ she explained.

  ‘That’s all right. May I sit down?’ He quirked one dark eyebrow at her.

  ‘Oh—er—yes. Please do.’ She watched as he sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs that stood beside the fire, seating herself in the one opposite him. ‘My brother and I, and of course my mother, have equal shares in this farm, and so whatever you want to talk to Brian about can be discussed just as well with me.’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ he dismissed, turning away.

  Megan flushed angrily. ‘You may want to dismiss women from business, Mr Towers,’ she snapped, ‘but as far as this farm goes the majority of it belongs to females.’

  ‘I believe I’m right in saying that your mother shares Brian’s view that the farm should be sold,’ he said coldly.

  ‘But I don’t!’ Her eyes flashed. ‘This farm is my home.’

  ‘Until a few days ago you couldn’t give a damn about this place. You were living quite happily in Redford,’ he scorned. ‘With no idea of coming back here.’

  ‘That isn’t true!’ she flashed her resentment. ‘I’ve always regarded the farm as my home.’

  ‘There’s no reason why it shouldn’t remain so,’ he told her in a bored voice. ‘I’m only interested in the land.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Why?’ He frowned his puzzlement at her question. ‘I’m sure your brother has already explained my reasons.’

  ‘He may have done,’ Megan nodded, ‘but I’m more interested in your version of it.’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘I’ve told you before, I don’t believe a woman’s place is in business.’

  ‘Your brother explained to me your idea of a woman’s place,’ Megan said with distaste.

  Jerome Towers’ expression lightened. ‘I’m sure you didn’t agree with it,’ he drawled.

  ‘No, I didn’t! You—’

  Brian came into the lounge. ‘You should have told me Mr Towers was here,’ he told Megan with a certain amount of impatience. ‘I was only talking to Joyce.’

  ‘I’m sure she wouldn’t like being dismissed in that casual way,’ Megan defended her future sister-in-law.

  Jerome Towers stood up, shaking Brian’s proffered hand, and instantly dwarfing the other man. ‘Could we perhaps go to your study and talk?’ he suggested smoothly.

  Megan glared at him, her green eyes blazing. ‘Don’t bother,’ she snapped. ‘I’m going now. Goodbye, Mr Towers.’

  He looked down his haughty nose at her. ‘I would like to talk to you too later.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she refused sharply, ‘I’m going out for the evening.’

  ‘Megan—’

  ‘I’ll see you later,’ she interrupted her brother’s protest, and slammed out of the room.

  Damn the man! Now she would have to go out, even though she had had no intention of doing so. She would go and see Wendy, a friend since schooldays, and her brother Paul, who was also a friend.

  Wendy and Paul were up in Wendy’s bedroom listening to records when Megan arrived, and they expressed surprise at seeing her home again so soon after her last days off. She told them the truth about her reason for being back, although she once again omitted the fact that Roddy Meyers was the man involved.

  ‘So we have a femme fatale in our midst,’ Paul joked; he was a tall dark-haired man of twenty-two, with laughing blue eyes and an easygoing nature. He and Megan often dated when she was at home, although it had never developed into anything serious on either side. They just enjoyed each other’s company.

  ‘Stop it, Paul,’ reprimanded his young sister, a pretty girl with her brother’s dark colouring. ‘Can’t you see Megan is upset about it? You know how she’s always wanted to be a nurse.’

  ‘I remember I used to love playing her patient when we were kids,’ Paul teased. ‘I used to get injuries in the most curious places,’ he grinned, ‘just so that Megan could bandage me up.’

  Megan couldn’t help smiling. ‘I used to realise what you were up to and bandage you up so tight that you couldn’t move.’

  He grimaced. ‘So you did. I’d forgotten that bit. How on earth did you get involved with a louse like that man at the hospital? Couldn’t you see what he was up to?’

  ‘Oh, I could see all right, I just thought I could handle it.’

  ‘Well, now that you’re here,’ Wendy smiled, ‘Paul can take us both down to the local for a pint.’

  ‘So I can drown my sorrows?’ Megan laughed. ‘I think I may need to after tonight. Jerome Towers is at the farm talking to Brian,’ she explained, ‘and I think he’s up to something.’

  ‘So you’ve finally met him,’ Wendy said eagerly.

  ‘Oh no!’ Paul groaned. ‘Now look what you’ve started,’ he told Megan accusingly. ‘She’ll go into raptures about the man now!’

  ‘I won’t,’ his sister said crossly.

  ‘She will,’ Paul moaned knowingly.

  Wendy picked up a pillow and threw it at him. He ducked, and it hit the wall behind him and slid to the floor. ‘Having to look at your ugly mug every day I’m not surprised I think Jerome Towers is fantastic-looking,’ she glared at him.

  ‘Here we go!’ Paul raised his eyes heavenwards.

  ‘Well, he is. And he’s so sexy—he just oozes sex-appeal.’

  ‘I didn’t notice,’ Megan drawled. She had noticed when she first met him, but her opinion had changed on further acquaintance. He was a conceited swine, and she didn’t like him.

  ‘Does that mean you don’t fancy him?’ Paul asked eagerly.

  ‘That’s right, I don’t.’

  He grinned. ‘Thank God for a sensible female at last! I’m much more your taste, aren’t I, Megan love?’

  She laughed. ‘You could be.’

  He grimaced. ‘That’s all I ever get from you, half promises.’

  ‘I don’t know why she goes out with you at all,’ Wendy taunted her brother. ‘I would have credited her with more sense.’

  Megan listened to their lighthearted bantering on the drive to the pub, the three of them crowded into Paul’s battered sports car, the canvas roof back to give them more room, in spite of the cold.

  Wendy groaned as she climbed out, holding her back in exaggerated pain. ‘What a crate!’ She playfully kicked one of the wheels.

  Paul grinned. ‘I was very comfortable. I don’t mind Megan squashing up against me any day of the week.’ He put his arm about her shoulders as they entered the pub.

  After the battering Megan had taken the last few days it was good to relax with someone as uncomplicated as Paul Carter. They joined several of their other friends in the pub, laughing and joking together until closing time.

  ‘I’m going home with Bill,’ Wendy told them.

  Paul frowned, suddenly serious. ‘Bill Pope?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Okay,’ he nodded. ‘I suppose he’s trustworthy.’

  Wendy looked indignant. ‘Even if he weren’t it would be none of your business. I don’t pass comments on the people you date.’

  ‘That’s because I only date Megan,’ he said confidently. ‘And she happens to be your best friend.’

  ‘Ooh, you’re so smug!’ Wendy flounced off.

  Megan laughed, giving Paul a rueful look. ‘One of these days …’ she warned.

  ‘I know,’ he grimaced, unlocking the car door for her. ‘She’s actually going to hit me. But until that happens I’ll continue to protect her, even if she doesn’t like it.’

  ‘Hey, Paul,’ another couple came out of the pub, walking over t
o the car. ‘Could you give us a lift?’ Noel asked.

  ‘Sure,’ Paul agreed instantly. ‘Although you’ll have to sit in the back, and I have it on good authority that it isn’t the most comfortable of seats.’

  ‘As long as we don’t have to walk.’ Noel and his girl-friend Ginny clambered into the back, perching precariously on the trunk of the car.

  Noel started singing one of his crude rugby songs part way through the drive, and pretty soon Paul had joined in. Megan and Ginny laughed uproariously at the outrageousness of some of the Words.

  ‘Oh hell!’ Paul had time to shout before he swerved the car to miss something that had run into the road in front of them.

  The car came to a screeching halt several yards farther down the road, and all of them got out to run back and see if they had actually hit anything. Just as they reached the spot a man strode angrily out of a neighbouring field, and even in the poor light his expression could be seen as thunderous. A dog sat at his heels, a golden labrador, her tongue hanging out as she panted, turning her head to look up adoringly at her master.

  ‘You bloody hooligans!’ Jerome Towers snapped furiously. ‘You almost ran my dog over. It may have escaped your notice, but the speed limit around here is thirty miles an hour, and you must have been doing all of fifty. And you were making enough noise to wake up the whole damned village!’ he added with violence.

  ‘In that case,’ Megan stepped forward, ‘why didn’t you call your dog to heel? You must have realised we were travelling down this road.’

  Glacial brown eyes were turned on her. ‘Oh, it’s you, is it!’ the words were almost an accusation. ‘I might have known you would be involved in this somewhere!’

  Hot colour stained her cheeks at her friends’ speculative looks, although of course they couldn’t see that in the darkness. ‘You might own The Towers, and most of the land around it, Mr Towers,’ she said pointedly, ‘but you don’t own this road, and so consequently we have more right to be on it than your dog does.’ Loving animals as she did she would have felt terrible if anything had happened to this beautiful golden labrador, but her point was valid, even if it sounded heartless.

  Those brown eyes were narrowed now, and Megan wondered how she could ever have thought them warm and velvety. His expression was contemptuous, dismissing her before he turned to look at Paul. ‘I’m warning you, Carter,’ his voice was dangerously soft, ‘any repeat of this incident and I’ll make sure the police get to hear about it. Next time it might be a human being, and you might not miss. And before you make the obvious comeback, Miss Finch,’ he added coldly, ‘I’ll make sure it isn’t me.’

  ‘Shame!’ Megan muttered vehemently.

  ‘The feeling is mutual,’ he drawled insultingly, then turned on his heel and walked away, the dog walking obediently at his side.

  ‘Wow!’ Paul breathed slowly. ‘The local lord of the manor, no less!’

  ‘You didn’t pull your punches, Megan,’ Ginny giggled as they all got back into the car.

  ‘I can’t stand the man!’ she said through gritted teeth.

  ‘No, you can’t, can you,’ Paul said thoughtfully. ‘Why can’t you?’ he asked once they had dropped off the other couple and were parked outside Megan’s home.

  She shrugged. ‘I just don’t like him.’ Her eyes teased as she looked at him. ‘Maybe I just prefer young farmworkers who play rugby on a Saturday and go to church on a Sunday.’

  ‘That’s what I like to hear.’ He put his arms around her and pulled her towards him. ‘Exactly what I like to hear,’ he murmured before his lips claimed hers.

  Always in the past Megan had enjoyed Paul’s kisses, and she enjoyed them now, but at the back of her mind was the memory of finely chiselled lips exploring hers with intimate thoroughness. Paul finally pulled back, sensing her preoccupation.

  ‘Anything wrong?’ he asked huskily.

  ‘No, nothing,’ her smile was bright. ‘Maybe I’m still suffering from nerves where—where that man tried to force me.’

  ‘God, yes!’ he groaned. ‘I’m sorry, love. How damned thoughtless of me!’

  ‘Not at all,’ she hastened to reassure him. ‘Would you like to come in for coffee?’ she offered, feeling guilty about deceiving him. Roddy Meyers had angered her, but he certainly hadn’t frightened her.

  ‘I think I’d better.’ Paul grimaced, looking up at the darkly clouded sky. ‘It’s just starting to rain.’

  They got a soaking while trying to put up the canvas roof on the car, although Megan didn’t mind. She couldn’t help hoping that Jerome Towers had got caught in the storm; he had only been wearing denims and a light rollnecked sweater. He had been quite a way from The Towers, and had, she hoped, got wet. Rude, insufferable man!

  ‘Whew!’ Paul warmed himself in front of the fire, shivering slightly.

  ‘I’ll just check on Mum and then I’ll get us that coffee.’ Megan disappeared down the passageway to her mother’s bedroom.

  All was in darkness inside, the fire in here having burnt down quite low. Megan added more logs before replacing the fireguard. Her mother was still fast asleep, her breathing a little easier than it had been before Megan went out, so she quietly crept out of the room. Her mother must be in a deep sleep, usually the slightest sound woke her up. Megan could remember numerous occasions when she had tried to creep into the house when late home, only to find her mother wide awake and demanding an explanation.

  ‘Here we are.’ She put their mugs of coffee on the table, having already sugared Paul’s.

  ‘Lovely!’ He sat down beside her on the sofa. ‘This man, the one at the hospital, did he—’

  ‘Heavens, no!’ Megan hastily denied, knowing what he was going to ask. ‘It was all just very unpleasant.’

  ‘He wants flattening,’ Paul growled.

  She laughed, ‘You sound like Brian!’

  ‘I probably feel like Brian. If I ever met him … What’s his name?’ he probed.

  ‘Er—Oh, damn!’ She deliberately tipped coffee on her denim-clad legs, hoping to divert Paul away from the subject of Roddy Meyers. By the time she had mopped up the hot liquid with a cloth from the kitchen she seemed to have succeeded, although the coffee hadn’t done her denims much good.

  Paul drank the remains of his own coffee. ‘I’d better be going. I have to be up early in the morning. Unless, of course, my boss has decided I’m too much of a hooligan to employ any more. Especially when my girl-friend told him she would rather it was him we’d nearly run over,’ he added teasingly.

  ‘Oh God!’ Megan groaned. ‘I forgot you work for Jerome Towers.’

  ‘It’s all right, love,’ he grinned. ‘He isn’t the type to let that influence him. I was just teasing you. It isn’t like you to take such a dislike to someone.’

  ‘You aren’t telling me you actually like him?’

  Paul shrugged. ‘I don’t dislike him. I must say he’s very—’

  ‘Fair,’ Megan finished scornfully. ‘So everyone keeps telling me.’

  ‘My, my, you do dislike him! Come on, you can see me to the door.’

  They were kissing on the doorstep when Brian arrived home, and Megan moved almost guiltily away from Paul. It seemed strange for her big brother to see her kissing someone.

  ‘Don’t mind me,’ he grinned, as he went past them into the farmhouse.

  ‘I’d better go in,’ Megan said awkwardly, wanting to ask Brian about Jerome Towers’ visit earlier tonight.

  Paul still had his arms about her waist. ‘Are you coming to the dance with me on Saturday?’

  ‘I suppose so,’ she smiled. The ‘dance’ consisted of an evening spent at the local village hall, with a young band trying to play all types of music because there were always people of all ages there, young and old. It was really just an excuse for all the locals to get together for a chat, but at least it was an evening out, in an area where there was little entertainment. ‘I’ll look forward to it,’ she assured him.

  She foun
d Brian in the kitchen preparing himself some coffee. ‘What did Mr Towers want?’ She came straight to the point.

  Her brother shrugged. ‘He had a proposition to put to me, a very interesting one as it happens.’

  Megan frowned. ‘What sort of proposition?’

  He sipped his hot drink. ‘A very sensible one,’ he said thoughtfully.

  ‘Well?’ She looked at him expectantly.

  Brian sighed. ‘You want to know about it, don’t you?’

  ‘Of course I do! I am still a member of this family, you know. I may be a disgraced member at the moment, but—’

  ‘Don’t be silly, Megan,’ Brian dismissed angrily. ‘I hope you haven’t been telling Paul about that little episode.’

  She flushed. ‘I told him. It’s all right, Brian,’ she assured him, ‘Paul won’t tell anyone.’

  ‘He’d better not. We may just be lucky and no one else will get to hear about it.’

  ‘It’s my reputation that will be in shreds, not yours,’ Megan told him resentfully.

  ‘Your reputation with Mr Towers is likely to be in shreds anyway after your behaviour this evening. Why on earth were you so rude to him?’

  ‘I wasn’t rude,’ she said moodily. ‘Or if I was,’ she added grudgingly at Brian’s sceptical look, ‘he was rude to me first.’

  ‘Don’t be childish, Megan. You deliberately went out tonight because you knew he wanted to talk to you. I just hope it hasn’t jeopardised his offer to help us.’

  ‘Help us?’ She gave her brother a sharp look. ‘How could the arrogant Jerome Towers help us?’

  ‘No way, not if you keep up this attitude. The whole thing depends on your co-operation, and the mood you’re in at the moment you aren’t going to be co-operative about anything.’

  She frowned. ‘My co-operation? What does his plan have to do with me?’

  Brian picked up his mug of coffee and walked to the door. ‘I’m not allowed to tell you,’ he said lightly. ‘See you in the morning. Is Mum okay, by the way?’

  ‘Yes, she’s fine, she’s asleep actually. But—’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘Brian!’ She caught up with him at the bottom of the stairs. ‘You can’t just walk away like this.’

  ‘I’m tired, Megan,’ he yawned as if to prove the point. ‘And I’ve got a long day ahead of me tomorrow.’