Tempestuous Affair

by Carole Mortimer

  Lindsay had no interest in the other woman’s cattiness; her gaze was set on Joel, his expression coldly dismissive as he looked right back at her. They were completely back to the daggers being drawn that had existed between them since his return from America, it was just as if last night had never happened.

  Maybe it never had, not in the way she wanted it to anyway. It never would again, of that she was sure.

  She watched uninterestedly as Joel tersely made the introductions between the other two, Malcolm’s expression one of amusement as the model flirted with him provocatively. Whether Marilyn Mills was trying to make Joel jealous, or if she just came on that way with every man she met, Lindsay had no idea. She did know that Joel looked far from pleased by the exchange. Perhaps he had finally met the woman he couldn’t control or dominate; it certainly seemed like it. That might even have had something to do with their break-up seven years ago.

  Malcolm turned to give Lindsay an outrageously suggestive wink as the three of them went into the studio, and Lindsay’s mood at once lightened. Malcolm for one didn’t appear to be taken in by Marilyn Mills’ softly purring voice, even found the situation funny enough to make a joke of it. Joel obviously didn’t feel the same way about the other woman.

  She could hear the murmur of voices in the adjoining room for the next half hour, looking up warily as the door finally opened, then relaxing slightly as Malcolm came out alone.

  He came over to lean across her desk. ‘I don’t like her either,’ he said softly.

  ‘Now who’s being unfair?’ she mocked.

  He shook his head. ‘The woman is a barracuda. She eats men up and spits them out again.’

  Lindsay laughed softly at the description. ‘Isn’t that a little strong?’

  ‘I don’t think so.’ He shuddered with distaste. ‘Not my type at all.’

  ‘Come on,’ Lindsay teased, although she was secretly pleased he didn’t like the other girl either. ‘Miss Mills is every man’s type!’

  ‘Not mine,’ he said seriously. ‘Although she’s going to be perfect for “Witchcraft”.’

  ‘You’ve definitely decided on her, then?’ Her voice was deliberately casual.

  He grimaced. ‘I think she made the decision,’ he derided. ‘But I’m quite happy to go along with it. At least, I would be,’ he frowned, ‘if it didn’t mean you were going to be hurt even more.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about me,’ she dismissed with a bravado she was far from feeling. ‘I think I can stand it for the short time I have left here.’

  Malcolm’s frown deepened. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I only have a little over two weeks to go before I leave, so I—’

  ‘You’ve handed in your resignation?’ He sounded astounded. ‘And Joel accepted it?’ he demanded disgustedly once she had nodded her head in confirmation.

  ‘He could hardly do anything else,’ she said dryly.

  ‘There were plenty of other things he could have done—ripped the damn thing up and pretended he had never seen it for one!’

  Lindsay shrugged. ‘It wouldn’t have done any good, I would have just written another one.’

  ‘Then he doesn’t actually want you to leave?’ Malcolm pounced on the fact that she hadn’t denied that.

  She refused to meet his gaze. ‘I didn’t give him a choice,’ she said quietly.

  ‘I wish there was something I could do to sort you two out,’ he told her regretfully.

  ‘We don’t need “sorting out”,’ she chided. ‘And don’t you have enough to do convincing my sister you’re irresistible?’

  ‘She already knows I am,’ he grinned. ‘She just won’t admit it yet.’

  Lindsay shook her head ruefully. ‘And they say women are the conceited ones!’

  After the playful banter she had shared with Malcolm she was very tense as she waited for Marilyn Mills to leave and the expected confrontation with Joel. He wasn’t going to let what he thought he saw and heard between her and Malcolm earlier pass without comment, she felt sure of that.

  As she had known he would, Joel walked the other woman to the entrance door, Marilyn Mills somehow managing to look small and kittenish next to him despite her height and obvious self-assurance, once again clinging to Joel’s arm as she gazed up at him adoringly, both of them ignoring Lindsay’s presence in the room as they said their goodbyes for now.

  ‘You’ll call me?’ Marilyn Mills prompted throatily.

  ‘Yes,’ Joel confirmed abruptly.

  ‘I’m at the Hilton.’

  ‘I know,’ he nodded.

  ‘Of course you do,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘I’ll look forward to seeing you later.’ Her hand caressed his jaw as she kissed him lingeringly on the mouth, then turned to Lindsay with challenging green eyes. ‘So nice to have met you,’ she said with an obvious lack of sincerity.

  Lindsay didn’t bother to answer, merely nodded acknowledgement of the other woman, knowing that anything she said would sound just as insincere.

  Joel turned sharply back into the room once the beautiful model had left, his expression cold as he walked past Lindsay’s desk. Suddenly he stopped and turned back to her. ‘So it was only a “friend” who telephoned you last night!’ he rasped accusingly.

  She had been thrown temporarily off guard by the fact that he seemed to be going back into the studio without speaking to her, taking several seconds to collect herself enough to answer him calmly. ‘That’s right,’ she nodded. ‘A friend.’

  ‘A friend that turned up here today and kissed you almost senseless!’ His eyes glittered icily.

  ‘That isn’t—’

  ‘I wonder what he would have said if he’d known that last night all your kisses belonged to me,’ Joel bit out insultingly.

  Lindsay sighed resignedly. ‘Malcolm knows about last night,’ she told him dully.

  His eyes narrowed. ‘You told him I stayed with you?’ He sounded disbelieving.

  ‘I didn’t have to, he guessed.’

  ‘Guessed?’ Joel echoed sceptically. ‘How the hell do you guess a thing like that?’

  She shrugged. ‘He just did.’

  ‘And you admitted it was true?’

  She looked up at him with unflinching green eyes. ‘I’ve never believed in lying about our relationship, Joel, you know that.’

  ‘Did he know when he came into the studio just now with Marilyn and me?’ he asked slowly.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And he still managed to be polite?’ Joel said disbelievingly. ‘If it had been me—’ he broke off with an angry sigh.

  ‘Yes?’ she prompted softly.

  He shook his head dismissively. ‘That’s some relationship you and he have.’

  Lindsay still didn’t flinch at his derisive tone. ‘It’s based on trust and understanding, Joel, things you know nothing about.’

  ‘Trust and understanding,’ he repeated scathingly. ‘When he knows damn well you spent the night with another man! What warped sort of trust is that?’

  ‘The trust between two people who care for each other, who understand that each of them is fallible, and don’t judge because they are. But at least I don’t leave my bed with one man and calmly go into the arms of another,’ she added pointedly.

  His eyes were a dark tempestuous tawny gold. ‘It looked that way to me.’

  ‘Looks can be deceiving. Although the same can’t be said for you, can it?’

  ‘Implying?’

  She shrugged. ‘You didn’t exactly try to hide your behaviour with Miss Mills.’

  ‘My behaviour?’ he repeated incredulously. ‘I never touched the woman!’

  Lindsay flushed angrily. ‘But you didn’t object when she touched you!’

  ‘Marilyn is like that with all men,’ he rasped. ‘It doesn’t mean a damned thing.’

  ‘It meant something to me!’ Her control finally broke. ‘You left my bed only this morning after a night when—Well, I don’t ever remember it being that—passionate, be
tween us before. And only hours later you’re letting another woman paw you as if no other women exist!’

  ‘Lindsay—’

  ‘You didn’t even confide in me that she was coming here,’ she continued accusingly. ‘I just had to wait until she walked in and claimed you. So much for that talk, hm, Joel?’ she jeered bitterly. ‘I don’t think it’s necessary now, do you?’

  He sighed raggedly. ‘You don’t understand—’

  ‘No, it’s you who doesn’t understand,’ she told him heatedly. ‘No matter what opinion you may have of me, Joel, I didn’t take last night lightly. I know you can’t love me, you’ve always made that clear, but I thought that I at least meant a little more to you than a one-night stand!’

  He was very pale. ‘It wasn’t like that—’

  ‘Oh, but it was,’ she choked. ‘Because you can believe it will never happen again.’

  ‘Lindsay, for God’s sake let me at least explain about Marilyn. She—’

  ‘It’s too late for explanations, Joel,’ she told him hardly. ‘Much too late. Just stay away from me now until I leave here.’

  ‘You really mean that?’ he asked huskily.

  ‘God, yes, I mean it,’ she choked. ‘When I think what I allowed to happen last night I feel ill!’

  He swallowed convulsively, his expression tight. ‘I’m sorry you feel that way.’

  ‘Don’t be,’ she snapped. ‘I’m sure Miss Mills will fully occupy your time in future.’

  ‘No doubt,’ he rasped. ‘Last night hasn’t—affected your relationship with Malcolm?’

  ‘Not at all,’ she answered truthfully. ‘You see, like you, I realised it was a mistake, and I told him so.’

  ‘It meant nothing to you?’

  ‘It meant the end of a relationship that’s lingered on far too long already. So don’t worry about me, Joel, you’re perfectly free to see whoever you want without condemnation from me.’

  ‘As you are,’ he bit out harshly.

  ‘As I am,’ she nodded. ‘I’m sure Miss Mills will be wonderful for “Witchcraft”.’

  He nodded tersely. ‘The name of the product suits her well,’ he muttered as he left.

  It was only once he had gone that Lindsay realised the tension she had been under, and she relaxed slowly, refusing to let the tears fall as they clouded her eyes. She had cried her last tears over Joel, she refused to let him hurt her again.

  * * *

  But that was so much easier said than done. Almost daily, it seemed, Marilyn Mills came to the studio, even on the days she wasn’t needed to work, and invariably Joel took the other woman to lunch. It was painful torture for Lindsay to watch them together, and she felt grateful for the fact that she had finally managed to get another job, one that promised to be as interesting as working at the studio. The secretary to a top designer in one of the exclusive salons in town had decided to leave and train to be a model herself, leaving an opening. With her working background and experience Lindsay had felt quite confident when she went to the interview, liking Kay instantly. The other girl seemed to feel the same way about her, for a letter offering her the job arrived two days later. Of course she had accepted.

  Pleased by her good fortune, Lindsay had informed Joel of her plans, receiving only lukewarm interest for her trouble. He was very withdrawn nowadays, no explosions of temper or sarcasm, just a cold curtness that she found she hated.

  Malcolm had returned to America for a few weeks, leaving a devastated Judi behind him, although her sister still wouldn’t admit that to the man himself, remaining wary of this man who had bulldozed his way into her life.

  ‘Stubbornness,’ Lindsay taunted her when she went home for the weekend before her last week of working for Joel, she and her mother having attained an uneasy truce, a truce that lasted as long as the subject of Joel wasn’t mentioned. And that suited Lindsay perfectly, she had no wish to talk about him either.

  ‘Not at all,’ Judi dismissed. ‘I have every intention of agreeing to marry him when he returns.’

  ‘You do?’ she said excitedly.

  Her sister nodded. ‘Provided he asks me, of course,’ she mocked her own forwardness.

  ‘Oh, he will,’ Lindsay assured confidently. ‘He calls every night, doesn’t he?’

  Judi nodded. ‘Much to Mother’s delight.’

  ‘Well, at least she does approve of Malcolm,’ Lindsay grimaced. ‘Think what it would be like if she didn’t!’

  ‘I’d marry him anyway,’ Judi told her simply.

  ‘You really do love him, don’t you?’ Lindsay realised delightedly. ‘I’m so glad.’

  Judi pulled a face. ‘I don’t think I had much choice, with the two of you ganging up against me! I—I told him about Jonathan when he called last night,’ she revealed huskily. ‘He was very understanding.’

  Lindsay knew that talking to Malcolm about Jonathan was the final barrier, that the other couple were indeed going to be happy together.

  Her own happiness was no longer something she even thought about, and as the next week sped by she faced the final goodbye from Joel, knowing they weren’t likely to meet again, not even socially, although she had no doubt Cally would try to get them together some time in the future. The other woman was still convinced they were meant for each other, something she told Lindsay each time she telephoned for a chat. Lindsay didn’t like to disillusion her, so she didn’t contradict her.

  The last week was the hardest of all, although her time was pretty well occupied with training her successor. Shirley Rand was a pretty young housewife, several years older than Lindsay, and her enthusiasm for the job of being Joel’s secretary made up for her inexperience. And Joel was polite enough to her, which was something, knowing he could make life very unpleasant if he didn’t like someone. Although Shirley was so nice it was hard for anyone not to like her.

  ‘No little friend today?’ queried a condescending voice that Lindsay instantly recognised—and as usual disliked.

  Lindsay looked up with a start, not having heard the other woman come in, although she should have smelt the perfume, as she had the first day she had met this woman. Nothing had changed between the two of them, they still treated each other with veiled dislike. Marilyn Mills was so confident of herself where Joel was concerned now that she didn’t always try to hide her contempt for Lindsay.

  She looked at the other woman resignedly. ‘If you’re talking about Shirley then she’s gone to lunch.’

  Marilyn made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs, lighting up a cigarette. ‘She seems a very nice girl, in an innocuous way,’ she drawled.

  ‘She is nice,’ Lindsay nodded, deciding that even though she didn’t like this woman’s condescending tone about Shirley, with only one more day to go she could manage to be polite.

  ‘And married,’ Marilyn said with obvious satisfaction.

  She frowned. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Happily, I gather.’

  ‘Miss Mills—’

  ‘Forget the polite formality when we’re alone,’ the other woman snapped irritably. ‘It’s as phoney as you are.’

  Lindsay’s eyes widened at this sudden attack after weeks of cool disdain. ‘I’m afraid I—’

  ‘Let’s at least admit to ourselves that we can’t stand each other,’ Marilyn sneered.

  She flushed. ‘I’ve never pretended I felt any differently.’

  ‘No, you haven’t, have you,’ the other woman realised thoughtfully. ‘Had Joel already told you about me?’

  ‘No, of course not. Joel doesn’t discuss his personal life with anyone.’

  ‘No,’ Marilyn acknowledged. ‘At least, not usually. But then that depends who he’s talking to, doesn’t it? You see, I know all about you.’

  Lindsay stiffened. ‘Really?’

  Marilyn gave a husky laugh. ‘Don’t look so disapproving! Of course Joel told me about the two of you. He isn’t a man who likes deceit.’

  ‘No,’ she acknowledged curtly.

  �
��Of course I was relieved when you had resigned as his secretary rather than my having to ask Joel to get rid of you,’ Marilyn continued in a bored voice. ‘It prevented things from becoming really nasty.’

  Lindsay was rigid with indignation. ‘You seem very confident that Joel would have done as you asked.’

  Marilyn gave her a malicious smile. ‘Don’t you think he would have done?’

  Lindsay flushed her resentment. ‘It was never put to the test, was it?’

  ‘Luckily for you,’ the other woman drawled dismissively.

  Much as she hated to admit it, Lindsay thought Marilyn might be right. Joel seemed to see the other woman every day, and although it didn’t seem to be making him happy he kept going back for more. No doubt Marilyn had more influence with him than Lindsay had ever had.

  ‘I believe Joel is free now if you want to go in, and—’

  ‘But I’m enjoying our little chat so much, Lindsay,’ Marilyn cut in smoothly. ‘We’ve had so little time to talk privately together, although I’m sure you can understand that Mrs Rand is so much more suitable as Joel’s secretary now that I’m back in his life. It would hardly be fitting for you to continue working for him when I’m his wife.’

  Lindsay controlled her shaking hands with effort, too shocked to hide her reaction completely. To think of Joel marrying this woman nauseated her. She moistened suddenly dry lips. ‘When is the wedding to be?’ Her voice was unnaturally brittle.

  ‘Did I mention a wedding?’ Marilyn mocked. ‘I don’t think you quite understand, Lindsay. I still use my professional name of Mills when I’m working, but my name actually became Sutherland seven years ago!’

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  LINDSAY was dumbstruck by this information, although it did seem to make Joel’s aversion to marriage all the more understandable; how could he offer marriage to any woman when he was already married? Nevertheless, she still questioned the truth of his marriage to this woman; she hadn’t believed Joel capable of such deceit.