Bestseller Collection 2010

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Thanks!’ Gideon sat on the edge of the desk, picking up a paperweight from the desk-top, playing with it distractedly. ‘What else did he have to say?’

  Claire sighed, thinking. ‘Well, quite a lot of it was unrepeatable, but the main gist of the conversation was that if you want Madison in your film you had better apologise to her first—and take out Clause 27 from the contract!’

  Gideon drew in an angry breath. Apologise! For what? For kissing her? The woman was twenty-two years old—surely she hadn’t gone running to her godfather with tales of having been kissed? Certainly not against her will; he might have his own reasons for regretting that kiss, but he certainly hadn’t imagined Madison’s response to it…!

  ‘Clause 27…?’ Claire prompted interestedly.

  Clause 27. The clause that said Madison couldn’t discuss the film with anyone. It was the reason he’d been late for their appointment earlier; he had been busy getting Clause 27 through his lawyers. And it was legal. It was just, as Madison had pointed out only too clearly, ‘unreasonable’.

  He gave a heavy sigh. ‘Never mind,’ he dismissed harshly. ‘I presume Edgar also had some suggestion as to how I should make this apology to his god-daughter?’ he prompted disgustedly.

  ‘I got the clear impression that on your knees would do,’ Claire teased.

  ‘In his dreams!’ Gideon rasped, standing up abruptly. ‘I don’t need Madison McGuire that badly!’ He turned to leave.

  ‘Don’t you…?’ Claire called out softly.

  He turned back sharply. ‘No!’ he bit out harshly; he didn’t need anyone that badly! ‘Now would you just—?’ He broke off as the telephone began to ring on the desk. ‘If it’s Edgar for me—I’m out!’ He strode purposefully out of the room, heading for the kitchen.

  Right now he wished he did drink alcohol, but as he didn’t he would have to make do with strong coffee! He had barely poured the coffee from the pot into a mug when Claire appeared in the kitchen doorway. The grim expression on his face should have been enough to deter her, but she merely grinned at him unconcernedly. A typical example of familiarity breeding a lack of respect, Gideon acknowledged moodily.

  ‘There’s a Madison McGuire on the telephone—Control it, Gideon,’ Claire warned as he slammed his mug down savagely on the worktop before striding from the kitchen to take the call. ‘Try listening to what she has to say before you explode,’ Claire called after him, remaining in the kitchen and leaving him to take the call in privacy.

  He grabbed up the receiver. ‘Yes?’ he demanded resentfully.

  If Madison thought she could set her godfather on him, and then just phone up here and expect to hear him grovelling, then she was in for a surprise. He didn’t grovel to anyone, let alone some—

  ‘Gideon, I believe I owe you an apology.’ Madison spoke in that gentle American drawl.

  It deflated him like a punctured balloon! She owed him an apology…?

  This whole situation, he inwardly acknowledged, was ricocheting out of control. And it wasn’t a feeling Gideon was in the least bit comfortable with!

  ‘I thought that was supposed to be my line!’ he came back scornfully.

  Madison sighed softly. ‘Uncle Edgar—over-reacted earlier, when I was—less than controlled, when I returned from our meeting.’ She was obviously choosing her words carefully. ‘But I had no idea, until a short time ago, that he’d actually telephoned you. I—I’ve signed the contract and will have it brought over to you by special courier,’ she added hesitantly. ‘It should arrive some time later this afternoon.’

  Gideon was stunned. There was no other word for it. Madison McGuire, unlike most women, was a complete puzzle to him. She had been upset about the contract earlier, and Edgar had obviously agreed with her objections—and now she called and told him she’d signed the damned thing, without a single change having been made! Unpredictable, irrational—

  ‘I can read your thoughts, Gideon,’ Madison murmured in a wryly amused voice, so that he was able to visualise that soft curve of her lips as she smiled.

  ‘I doubt it,’ he drawled ruefully. ‘Have you read the film script?’ he prompted shrewdly; no actress who thought anything of her career at all would be able to turn down a part like Rosemary if it were offered to her. Maybe that was the reason Madison had signed the contract…?

  ‘Not yet.’ Madison completely disabused him of that theory. ‘I—Uncle Edgar had no right to interfere; I’m quite capable of fighting my own battles,’ she added hardly.

  Gideon smiled to himself now, able to imagine Edgar’s incredulity when Madison told him that! And now he did know the reason why Madison had signed the contract: stubborn pride. Well, he had enough of that himself, so maybe he did understand her, after all…

  But not too much! After all, he had behaved completely out of character earlier when he’d kissed her. And now she had signed the contract the two of them were going to be constantly together for the next eight months at least…

  ‘Famous last words, Madison,’ he drawled mockingly.

  There was only the briefest of pauses. ‘I don’t think so,’ she came back confidently.

  Only time would tell. And time together appeared to be something they were going to have plenty of.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  MADISON slowly put down her telephone receiver, knowing she hadn’t been completely honest with Gideon just now. It was true she hadn’t read the film script, not all of it, but she had glanced through it—enough to know it was brilliant, the most emotionally exciting female role to come along in a very long time.

  But what she found most amazing about it was that its author was Gideon Byrne…!

  She’d been so angry with herself when she got back, for responding to Gideon’s kiss, that she hadn’t looked at the script for some time. But once she had…!

  She’d decided she was going to forget that kiss, to act as if it had never happened. It was the only way she and Gideon would ever be able to work together.

  And they would be working together; there was no way she could turn down the opportunity to play a character as complex as Rosemary. In fact, she was past caring what influence Edgar may or may not have brought to bear to secure the part for her; she wanted to play Rosemary!

  How had Gideon ever written such a screenplay? Madison didn’t doubt that Gideon knew women well—some of them probably too well!—but Rosemary was actually two women, Rose and Mary, with two distinct sides to the character, one good, one evil, but both with that grey shade that could make those two things hard to distinguish.

  It was those shades of grey that made the climax to the film so breathtaking.

  She looked up sharply as a knock sounded softly on her bedroom door; she didn’t need two guesses as to who it would be! ‘Come in, Uncle Edgar,’ she invited. ‘Were you listening in on the extension downstairs?’ she mocked derisively as her godfather entered the room.

  ‘Of course not,’ he dismissed impatiently, moving to sit uninvited on the end of her bed. ‘But I do hope you haven’t done anything stupid?’ He looked at her pointedly.

  She quirked blonde brows. ‘Such as turn down the part?’

  ‘Madison—’

  ‘I believe I told you at the weekend that I’m not stupid, Uncle Edgar,’ she cut in. ‘Stubborn, hot-headed, sometimes over-sentimental—’

  ‘Just like your mother,’ he acknowledged affectionately.

  ‘But never stupid.’ Madison shook her head decisively.

  ‘I wish I could say the same for your mother—if she’d had any sense it would have been me she married thirty years ago!’ he explained at Madison’s questioning look.

  She gave a rueful smile; Edgar had never made any secret of the fact that he believed her mother should have been his wife. ‘It happened to be my father she fell in love with.’

  ‘Hmm.’ He stood up impatiently, frowning. ‘I’m expecting a call from her within the next hour; she will, of course, want to speak to you.’

  �
��And I can’t tell her anything!’ Madison groaned.

  ‘I told you not to sign that damned contract.’ Edgar scowled darkly. ‘Gideon has no right to ask you for such an agreement—’

  ‘I thought we agreed earlier that we wouldn’t talk about the movie any more, either, Uncle Edgar?’ she interrupted, her brows raised pointedly.

  The argument that had followed her realisation that he had interfered, by telephoning Gideon, had not been a pleasant one. The only thing that had stopped her immediately moving out to a hotel had been Edgar’s promise that he wouldn’t interfere again. She certainly didn’t want to have to go through apologising to Gideon ever again!

  ‘We did,’ he acknowledged grudgingly. ‘But how are we going to explain things to your mother? As I understand it, Gideon will want you to be in the Isle of Man within the next month or so; what am I supposed to tell your mother when she telephones here and wants to talk to you?’ He didn’t look exactly overjoyed at the prospect.

  Madison could easily understand why. Her mother was very protective of both her children, and had asked Edgar to take care of her only daughter while she was in England. She would not appreciate being told Madison had gone off somewhere!

  ‘We’ll think of something when the time comes, Uncle Edgar,’ she assured him dismissively. ‘In the meantime, there’s nothing to tell.’ She shrugged.

  He shook his head. ‘Maybe I should just never have got you involved.’ He sighed worriedly. ‘But at the time it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss,’ he muttered distractedly.

  Madison moved to give him a brief hug. ‘Starring in a Gideon Byrne movie is too good an opportunity to miss!’ she told him lightly. She was even willing to put aside her own aversion to the man, now that she had seen the script!

  His mouth twisted wryly. ‘Your mother may not agree with us!’

  She linked her arm through his. ‘I told you, we’ll deal with Mom together when the times comes.’

  Edgar didn’t look any more confident about doing that than Madison actually felt. Her mother was the easiest-going person imaginable, unless provoked, in which case the person doing the provoking had better watch out!

  But Madison didn’t have too much time to think of her mother during the next few weeks, or of what her reaction would be when she discovered what her daughter was up to, as Madison was caught up in a whirl of costume fittings, make-up and hair appointments, all arranged for her by the ever attendant Claire. Gideon had apparently already gone to the Isle of Man to film outside shots that didn’t need Madison in them.

  And when she wasn’t busy at one appointment or another Madison worked with Claire on trying to memorise the script. No easy task, considering the size of the part, and as the days passed, and the time for her to go to the island came closer, she began to wonder if she was really up to this. It was one thing being offered and accepting the part, quite another actually playing it. And Gideon would never forgive her if she let him down!

  And, if she were honest, it was his displeasure she feared the most. He had written the screenplay, intended to direct it too, obviously believed in it very deeply. If she were the reason it wasn’t the success he hoped for, Gideon would never forgive her.

  While she was in this state of nerves, it was not the best of times for Madison to be told by Claire that Gideon was coming back to London for a couple of days and that he expected Madison to fly back to the island with him!

  Claire easily read the dismay on her face; in fact, the two women had become quite good friends over the last three weeks—which was just as well when they had to spend so much time together.

  ‘Gideon’s bark is much worse than his bite,’ Claire assured her. The two women were in the office, having just returned from yet another fitting for the numerous clothes Madison’s role seemed to require.

  She grimaced. ‘It’s his bark most people hear.’

  Claire laughed softly. ‘It’s more often a roar—but I wouldn’t worry about it,’ she added hastily as Madison looked less than happy. ‘The trick with Gideon is—’ She broke off, looking pointedly towards the open doorway. ‘Good afternoon, Gideon,’ she greeted dryly.

  The subject of their conversation leant nonchalantly against the doorframe, a sardonic smile curving those chiselled lips. ‘“The trick with Gideon”…?’ he prompted softly.

  ‘Never let him know what you’re thinking,’ Claire came back instantly, not thrown for even an instant by his unexpected arrival.

  Unlike Madison, who’d jumped up out of the chair as soon as she’d seen him, looking apprehensively at him now as he sauntered into the room. Gideon’s hair had grown over the last three weeks, and was dark and wavy over his shirt collar, and there was a ruggedness to his features, but the grey of his eyes had their usual arctic chill as his gaze swept over her critically.

  ‘And what are you thinking, Madison McGuire?’ he drawled speculatively. ‘Did you let someone cut your hair?’ he demanded before she could formulate an answer to his first question, his gaze narrowed on her now.

  She put her hand up self-consciously. ‘Only the fringe. Claire—’ She swallowed hard, deciding against involving the other woman; after all, she had told Gideon she could fight her own battles! ‘I—’

  ‘It makes you look younger,’ he bit out tersely. ‘Excellent.’ He nodded his satisfaction.

  ‘Are you through terrifying the life out of her?’ Claire put in with irony. ‘Or shall I just wait until you have?’

  Gideon turned mockingly to Madison. ‘I’m not terrifying you, am I?’

  She stiffened defensively. He was everything she remembered—and more. She hadn’t actually seen him since that day in the restaurant, when he’d kissed her, and the memory of that kiss gave an extra flush to her cheeks. ‘Not in the least,’ she replied dismissively, meeting his gaze with a challenge of her own.

  ‘See?’ He turned to Claire, strolling further into the room. ‘I’m glad you’re here, actually, Madison; it will save me the bother of a telephone call.’

  ‘And goodness knows we need to cut financial corners wherever we can,’ Claire put in with soft sarcasm.

  Gideon shot her a scathing glance. ‘If you weren’t so damned indispensable…!’

  Claire grinned unconcernedly. ‘To what do we owe the honour of your company two days ahead of schedule?’

  Madison had wondered, when she’d first met Claire, whether the other woman might not secretly be in love with her employer—after all, not everyone found him as irritating as she did herself, and Claire seemed to take his rudeness completely in her stride. But a couple of days into her closer acquaintance with Claire and she realised the older woman viewed him more as a naughty older brother than anything else. Madison didn’t quite see him in that light, herself, but Claire certainly knew him better than she did…!

  Not that Claire’s attitude to Gideon precluded his being attracted to her, Madison realised for the first time. Gideon was obviously completely comfortable in Claire’s company, and there was no doubting that the other woman was extremely beautiful…

  Gideon grinned. ‘I’m back early so that I can take Madison to the cinema this evening!’

  What on earth was he talking about? Even supposing she wished to go, it was—

  ‘The film première of Eagle’s Rest,’ Claire told Madison knowingly.

  She blinked her surprise, at the same time realising how naive she had been to think Gideon was actually inviting her out on a date; everything this man did involved his work in some way! He needed a female partner for this film première, and he already knew her well enough to realise she wouldn’t see anything romantic in his invitation. Everything this man did had an ulterior motive!

  Except that kiss…

  She pushed that kiss to the back of her mind—where it belonged! ‘I thought I was supposed to keep a low profile…?’ And accompanying Gideon to a film première was guaranteed to do the opposite of that! Besides, she wasn’t sure she wanted to spend the evening wi
th him; in fact, she knew she didn’t!

  ‘You are.’ Gideon nodded with satisfaction. ‘But Claire tells me you’ve been working hard; I thought you could do with a night out.’

  ‘I thought you’d more or less decided against going to the première?’ Claire was obviously as puzzled as Madison.

  ‘It isn’t only a woman’s prerogative to change her mind,’ Gideon answered dismissively. ‘You didn’t cancel my invitation, did you?’

  ‘Now, would I do that without direct instruction from you?’ Claire came back.

  ‘No,’ he conceded. ‘Anyway, I decided Madison might enjoy the experience,’ he added lightly.

  ‘You’re all heart, Gideon!’ Madison derided.

  Madison was sure his change of mind had nothing to do with his heart—in fact, she seriously doubted he had ever been issued with that part of the anatomy! And attending this film première, as Gideon’s partner, didn’t sound like something she would ‘enjoy’ at all.

  From what she could gather, Gideon was rarely photographed with a woman at his side, and arriving at such an occasion with a mystery woman on his arm was sure to intrigue the public.

  ‘Your attendance will provide free publicity and speculation about Rosemary!’ Madison realised ruefully.

  ‘What…?’ Gideon turned to her frowning, his brows clearing as he nodded. ‘You see, you’re already thinking like a star!’

  She was doing no such thing; she was merely coming to realise how this man’s mind worked—deviously! No doubt, apart from the people involved in this evening’s film, most of the interest would focus on Gideon himself, because of his usual non-appearance at such public events. Although there was sure to be curiosity about his partner for the evening too. A curiosity Madison would no doubt enjoy blocking.

  ‘Wear that red dress you wore at Edgar’s a few weeks ago,’ Gideon continued arrogantly. ‘It suits you. And leave your hair loose,’ he told her with critical appraisal. ‘And not too much make-up; I don’t like painted dolls,’ he added grimly.