by Sara Wood
Anna blinked back the tears of shame, her mouth quirking up for a brief moment until she remembered how she’d betrayed Camilla and the huge burden of guilt descended again.
‘Oh, this is awful!’ she groaned.
‘Poor Anna. You must feel doubly betrayed by the men in your life,’ Camilla said gently.
Her eyes widened as her stomach plummeted. Had she guessed that Vido had made love to her in the kitchen just now?
‘What do you m-mean?’ she stuttered.
‘I know what happened between you and Vido.’
‘What?’
Anna’s knees gave way. Scarlet with shame, she sank to a low wall, shaking uncontrollably. And the awful thing was that Camilla came to sit next to her, hugging her as if she didn’t mind that Vido had made love to another woman at all.
‘I understand that you believe Vido was fortune-hunting, like Peter, when you were teenagers,’ Camilla said, brushing back Anna’s hair behind her ear.
‘What was that?’ Confused, Anna tried to see what that had to do with Vido’s infidelity to Camilla.
‘He told me. What happened between you two. When you were at school.’
‘Oh! That!’ Anna croaked.
‘I know you two misunderstood one another. You’ve got him wrong. He’d never do anything like that. He’s far too moral. You’ll realise that when you’ve been here a while. He’s straight and honest and a man of absolute integrity. I know. I’ve worked with him for years and know him through and through. He’s a wonderful guy, Anna, and would never treat a woman badly. He has too much respect for them.’
‘Camilla—’
‘No. Listen. Frankly, I think the two of you have got the wrong end of the stick about each other. Keep an open mind. You’ll see I’m right.’
Anna thought how passionately Camilla spoke about Vido. But she hadn’t heard all the tales about him or heard him admit that he’d told his friends he was desperate to make money—and didn’t care how he did it.
‘I understand why you think the world of him.’ Anna looked into the woman’s friendly eyes and felt a heel. ‘The evidence says otherwise.’
‘Tittle-tattle from schoolgirls?’
‘My grandfather, too.’
‘Ye-es. Well, we’ll agree to differ. Peter, however, did use you,’ Camilla observed gently. ‘I can see how the realisation of your fiancé’s betrayal must have brought back memories of the time when you and Vido fell out. The difference is that Peter’s a louse and you’re well rid of him.’ She smiled. ‘You’re with people who care about you now. Don’t let Peter ruin your life. He’s not worth it.’ She smiled. ‘I know a man who is.’
Anna bit her lip. Camilla idolised Vido. She was blind to his faults. But she couldn’t blame her. Once she’d thought he was God’s gift too.
‘You’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met,’ she said, silently pleading for forgiveness. Her slumped body straightened. ‘You’re right. I won’t let this spoil things for me.’
‘See you at breakfast, then?’
She managed a weak smile. The guilt curled inside her stomach, making her feel sick. ‘Sure. But…if you don’t mind, I’ll slip home now.’
‘I’ll walk you back.’ Vido had appeared just behind her and she tensed at the sound of his voice.
‘No! I want to be alone!’ she muttered, leaping up in frantic confusion.
‘You’re not walking along that lane at this time of night on your own,’ he insisted. ‘Not in that state.’
She glared at him from under lowered brows. He’d helped to put her in ‘that state’!
‘Goodnight, Camilla,’ she said shakily. And was surprised and embarrassed to find herself being hugged. Over Camilla’s shoulder, Anna’s eyes met Vido’s in a hard, misery-filled stare.
‘Piece of advice just in case you bump into someone you know,’ Camilla murmured. ‘Take the piece of rosemary from your cleavage. And Vido, smooth your hair and put the correct buttons in the buttonholes of your shirt.’ Giggling, she turned and disappeared into the kitchen.
Anna had frozen, her face ashen. ‘She knows!’
He was sheepishly sorting out his shirt. ‘Apparently.’
Anna felt the nausea rise to her throat. The man was devoid of all moral feeling. Her instincts about him had been right. And Camilla must love him so much that she had decided to turn a blind eye whenever Vido strayed! Disgusted, she turned on her heel and started marching through the garden to the side gate.
Behind her she could hear Vido hurrying to catch up. She began to run and as she did so the tears began to prick hot and spiky behind her eyes. Please, she muttered to her faltering self-control, don’t let me cry!
‘Something’s wrong. What is it, Anna?’ he demanded, catching her wrist and swinging her around.
Wrong? No, she’d just been ravished by another woman’s lover! Nothing unusual. Apparently not where he was concerned, anyway. Appalled, she bent her head. Let her face be obscured.
‘I’m tired,’ she snapped. ‘I want to go home and I want to be left alone.’
Cruelly, he swept back her hair and tipped up her chin. Knowing that her eyes were moist with tears, she met his gaze defiantly. And almost sobbed aloud at the look of concern on his face.
‘I knew it. You’re very upset. This has gone deep, hasn’t it?’
She hated the mesmeric, soothing quality of his voice. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he really cared. Whereas he was probably hoping to keep her on a string, handy for those odd moments whenever he felt randy.
‘As a well,’ she choked accusingly. ‘So leave me alone.’
‘But I want to comfort you—’
‘I bet!’ she muttered.
‘Anna, you’re angry with me. I don’t understand. What is it that I have done? We…’ He hesitated, then continued. ‘It was fantastic, making love to you. We both agreed that we’d enjoy one another without any strings attached and—’
‘Vido,’ she grated, barely able to hold back her temper, ‘I’m exhausted. Goodnight.’
Puzzled, he walked behind her till she reached the cottage. Waited till she had let herself in. Then he trudged back, trying to understand why she’d taken out her anger on him.
If she hadn’t been so hostile he might have taken her to bed. He would have made love to her and helped her to forget the pain of being rejected by that prancing idiot, Peter. He would have shown her that she was beautiful and desirable. As it was…
He heaved a heavy sigh. Perhaps there were other reasons for her sudden coldness towards him. He had to think this through.
Quietly he bade his goodnights to those of his staff still chatting in the drawing room before they departed for the weekend, then he went up to his suite for a long, icy shower. Followed by a sleepless night trying to understand the complex workings of Anna’s mind.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THROUGH the dark hours till dawn, Anna’s thoughts had run non-stop. She’d even stumbled out of bed, wide awake and weary, and watched a late-night film on television, only to discover that it was highly erotic and contained scenes that made her blush.
Unable to bear seeing someone getting the satisfaction she’d been denied—even though the woman was just acting—she switched off the television and stamped up to bed again with a mug of hot chocolate.
For the next few hours she considered giving up her job. Then argued her way back into it. Everything about it was perfect—apart from the unfaithful Vido—and why should he and his lack of morals ruin things for her?
It also gave her a sense of grim justice that she should use him as he’d intended to use her. So she’d take his money, enjoy the work and being with his staff, and then walk out of his life, as free as a bird.
As for emotions, they wouldn’t get a look-in.
The decision made, she did manage to snatch a few hours of sleep. At six-thirty she let herself into the house using the code that Vido had given her to override the security alarm.
&n
bsp; She spent a calming time picking soft fruit for breakfast and arranged it in a beautiful bowl she’d found and was just making apple bread when Vido appeared, wet-haired, bleary and barefoot, and wearing a white towelling robe that contrasted wonderfully with the honeyed glow of his skin.
Her heart thudded. Ruthlessly she pulled in some deep breaths to control that unsettling mix of lust and anger that he aroused so effortlessly.
‘Anna!’
He looked genuinely surprised to see her but rather wary. When he headed straight for her, she threw him a cool glance.
‘Morning.’
He came to a halt. The word would have iced a lake. With a sense of shock, Vido knew then that his conclusions in the grey, small hours had been correct.
Peter’s betrayal, so soon after their lovemaking, had reminded her that she could never trust anyone. Not even the man who had so thoroughly explored every inch of her and had unselfishly devoted himself to her pleasure.
His body contracted. A haze came over his eyes as he recalled the sweet hunger of her sensational body. He thought of his high emotion, the unbelievable feelings he’d experienced for the first time in his life. His fierce need to possess her utterly. The unbearable ache when she’d turned him away from her door.
And his ensuing anger. He frowned and stalked over to make himself a coffee. Whilst making love last night, he reflected, her mistrust of men’s motives had been suspended for a short time. Perhaps this was purely because she had desired him. And so he had found his way through her cool reserve and her closed emotions, to the passionate wanton who lay beneath. His senses stirred with the memory as he fumbled with the coffee grinder.
It had surprised him when she’d suggested they should have sex for as long as they wanted. It had been ‘no big deal’. She had ‘no regrets’. Whereas now…
What was she playing at? Last night had been so good. He pushed his hands through his wet hair in confusion, furious with her for being so contrary.
Her casual attitude to his lovemaking had been a totally unexpected reaction. What was he—a stud? To be brought out of a drawer when passion flared and then tucked away till needed again?
‘You’re very quiet,’ he ventured sharply.
‘I’m busy.’
The venom, the contempt, turned those words into missiles. His eyes hardened. She hated anyone touching her emotions. And when they did, she retreated into her cold little world and let her spiteful streak emerge.
Annoyed, he stirred his cappuccino. He didn’t like women who played games. Nor did he like being bracketed in the same class of insensitive, selfish oafs as Peter.
He watched her covertly as she slid a cake tin into the oven. And he veered wildly between grabbing her there and then and subduing her to his will—or leaving her strictly alone till she came begging.
Anna was uncomfortably conscious of the thickening of the atmosphere as Vido scrutinised her every move. It seemed her body sprang into life whenever he was near and it was a constant struggle to conquer her physical response to him. Common sense told her that he wasn’t worth all the effort that her hormones seemed to be exerting.
Searching for a tablecloth, she felt daggers of hostility being hurled in her direction. Somehow she willed herself to stay calm as she carried the cloth to the pine table, the scene of her humiliation.
And, she thought with grudging honesty, the scene of her initiation into the joy of sex. She flushed, her lips parting as her breath came high in her throat.
‘The table looks different this morning,’ he drawled.
Her mouth tightened at his deliberate reminder. ‘It would. It’s daylight, for a start,’ she said and floated the gingham cloth onto the table, shutting out the wonderful images that pestered her mind. Vido, his body poised over hers. His eyes dark and molten. Then nothing but glorious sensation.
She gulped and collected the French stick for the One-Eyed Jacks. And when she sliced it, her knife strokes were venomous.
Vido decided that he would not let her put him in the wrong for what had happened. She had wanted him. He would remind her of that later. When she begged for him again. His heartbeat accelerated till he could hardly breathe.
Anna was determined to stay inside her shell. And he was equally determined to get her out of it again.
‘After breakfast,’ she heard him say, as he settled himself comfortably on a kitchen chair, his toned, golden-brown thighs far too visible for her comfort, ‘I want to discuss the kitchen design with you.’
There was nothing she’d like less. ‘Better still, I could come up with a design and you could decide what you want to keep and what you want to change,’ she suggested, her calm reply giving no hint of her dislike. ‘You’d be able to get some work done after breakfast then.’
‘There’s nothing that won’t keep,’ he persisted. ‘We must do this together.’
She shrugged as if it meant nothing to her either way and slapped two pounds of pork and apple sausages on the worktop.
‘If you insist.’
‘I do.’ Vido wandered over. She could smell his skin, freshly soaped from the shower. ‘How many people are you catering for?’ he asked casually.
‘Twelve.’ Her eyes widened. She’d just realised that they’d been thirteen for dinner the previous night. No wonder it had been a disaster!
‘Anna—’ He put his hand on hers and she shot him a keep-off glance. Which he ignored. ‘There’s only us. It’s Saturday.’
She looked at him blankly. ‘Us? You mean…?’ A blush touched her cheekbones at her own stupidity. ‘My day off? I don’t need to be here!’ she muttered. Picking up the sausages, she stomped over to the fridge.
‘I was surprised to see you,’ he admitted. ‘But now you’re here, it makes sense to choose the kitchen units together. The fitters are coming soon and we must have everything organised or it’ll be months before they can slip us into their schedule.’
She heaved a sigh of irritation. But she could do this. It might be good for Vido to discover that his charm would get him nowhere where she was concerned.
‘Fine,’ she said with crisp decision. ‘But I’m seeing my grandfather after lunch.’
‘I think we’ll be finished by then. You will be paid for the overtime.’
His tone had been silky. She threw him a suspicious glance but he was sipping his coffee, his lashes dark on his cheeks.
‘Good.’ They’d remain businesslike. If he came near her, she’d warn him off with a volley of well-chosen words. ‘I’ve done some soft fruit for breakfast to start with—’
‘Would you like tea or coffee?’ he asked with worrying pleasantness.
‘Tea,’ she grumped.
With her back very erect, she collected the cutlery and china and arranged the settings so that they were each at one end of the long table.
Vido’s mouth curved into a smile when he eventually returned with the pot of tea for her. ‘Very baronial. Or are you afraid I’ll leap on you before you’ve finished your first cup and test the table in daylight?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ she scoffed. If he tried, she’d hurl china at him.
‘In that case…’ He brought everything to the place beside her. ‘It’s easier like this. We can talk without the need of a telephone,’ he explained.
She tried a withering look on him and dipped her spoon in the bowl of fruit. Lush strawberries, sweet raspberries, plump loganberries and huge tayberries. Gorgeous. Tasting the exquisite sweetness of the fruit, she beamed with pleasure.
Vido shifted in his chair, sending a faint waft of lemony soap in her direction. ‘Last night,’ he began in a throaty voice.
‘It was a mistake. I don’t want to talk about it.’
His jaw dropped and she took some pleasure in his surprise. ‘A…mistake?’
She froze him with an arctic glare. ‘You know it was.’
‘I know it was mind-blowing. I’ve never known anything like it. I felt as if you’d taken me halfway to heav
en—’
‘Now we’re back on earth again,’ she grated, fighting her desire to say ‘did I?’.
Of course he’d say that kind of thing to every woman. That was what men did. Vido had flattered her all those years before—and every word had been a downright lie.
‘I thought we were going to indulge ourselves.’ He wouldn’t let this go. ‘Have a casual fling.’
His eyes narrowed. It dawned on him that she’d virtually fallen into his arms only minutes after Peter had rejected her. He went cold. He’d caught her on the rebound. What an idiot he was.
‘You thought wrong,’ she said stiffly. ‘It was a mistake. I was overwrought and—’
‘Yet afterwards I remember you were perfectly cool about continuing our purely sexual relationship,’ he said, barely hanging on to his temper.
His mind was racing. It seemed she might have used him for sexual gratification, to prove that someone desired her. In the name of heaven, she was a calculating little madam.
For a moment he had thought… Fool. Leopards didn’t change their spots.
The look she gave him hit him straight between the eyes like a blow from her fist. ‘That was before we came across Camilla and Peter. I realised I shouldn’t have let you near me. It’s too much to expect you to feel remorse, I suppose.’
The anger in her virtually blasted its furnace heat at him. ‘Remorse? What the hell for?’
‘If you don’t know,’ she said in a cutting tone, ‘I’m not going to tell you.’
‘And if you keep suppressing those erotic passions of yours,’ he drawled, finding himself aroused by her wild-fire, ‘you’re going to explode again in spectacular style.’
‘When I do,’ she retorted tartly, ‘it won’t be with you.’
‘I wouldn’t take bets on that,’ he slurred.
She shivered at the threat there. He was furious that she was turning him down and that wretched pride of his was urging him to prove her wrong.
‘I’ll make the Jacks,’ she muttered, desperate to get away from him.
She stamped holes in the bread and put the pan on to heat. The back of her neck prickled as the hairs rose. Vido had come to stand close behind her and she found herself breaking the yolk of the first egg she cracked, in her agitation.
