Flowers for My Love (7 page)

He said equally roughly, ‘You shouldn’t have had that new hairstyle. You’re taking an unfair advantage of me.’

Davina flashed him a startled look and said nothing.

‘Here I am trying to forget you and you come right into my arms with a new look which absolutely floors me,’ he went on harshly.

Her eyes flashed. ‘Pot calling kettle black!’ she cried. ‘Here you are flaunting a handsome head of tight golden curls that any woman would give her ears for and you censure me for changing my hairstyle. Of all the nerve!’

‘That’s nothing to do with it.’ He took in the delicate curve of her cheek, the thick curling eyelashes and the abundant shiny hair falling into natural waves. Then he looked down at the small boned delicate wrists and ankles.

Davina did not speak nor look at him. While it was very flattering to know that she could attract him, she was afraid ...

of him, of her own emotions. It was becoming extremely difficult to keep herself inviolate from his attacks on her armour.

To her frightened heart the air with him around was filled with gunpowder that was likely to explode at her first sign of weakness.

Wearily she said, ‘You remind me of Rex. You have the same idea that anything you want you must have.’

Nick paused in the act of starting the car. ‘And what’s wrong with that providing you work to that end? It puts zip into life to set your sights on something and strive to that end.’

‘A little unfair, though, when the dice are loaded in your favour with charm and good looks,’ she protested.

‘Most people can have charm and good looks if they take the trouble to cultivate them. As for what you wear, while it helps, it is, after all, the expression you wear on your face, not the clothes you put on that counts,’ he said sardonically.

‘Do you know, I agree with you entirely.’

‘Nice to know that we agree on something. Where would you like to eat?’

‘I wasn’t aware that I’d agreed to eat with you.’

He laughed. ‘You have no other option—I’m much bigger than you are! I’ll take you to my club. They’ve only recently begun to admit ladies—providing they’re escorted by a member, of course.’

‘Of course,’ she echoed, and laughed.

It was nice to have V.I.P. treatment in a sanctum the very air of which bristled with males. The food was excellent, the wine of the very best and the service impeccable.

‘You’re very quiet,’ Nick said over the coffee.

‘I’m too replete with food. I’ve eaten too much,’ she confessed.

‘Nonsense, puff of wind would blow you away. Cigarette?’

He offered her his cigarette case and she refused. He lit a cigar for himself.

‘I’d like to tell you a bit about myself,’ he said carefully.

‘My parents are away spending the winter in Florida. Mother had a bad bout of ‘flu last year and Dad decided to take her away for the winter. They’re missing the spring and aren’t coming until summer is on the way.’

Davina smiled. ‘I can’t imagine you with parents. You’re so self-contained. You don’t seem to need anyone.’

‘Well, I do, and I miss my parents like hell.’ He leaned forward to tap ash from his cigar into an ashtray on the table.

As he did so the rays of the sun slanting through the windows turned his hair to gold and Davina longed idiotically to run her fingers through the tight curls.

She said wistfully, ‘Are your parents fair or dark?’

He grinned. ‘Fair, both of them. I could say that Mother is the reason I’ve not married up to now. I’ve been looking for someone with her sentiments.’

Davina was aghast. ‘But that isn’t the way to marry and be happy. You have to fall in love first, and you certainly couldn’t fall in love to order.’

He leaned across the table and looked audaciously into her eyes.

‘Have you ever been in love?’ he whispered.

The colour flooded to her face. She could have said that she was in love with him. Instead, she said flippantly,

‘Unmarried girls are in love all the time with someone. I must disappoint you, though. I’ve had no affairs. For one thing I haven’t had the time and for another I prefer to wait until the right man comes along.’

‘But you’ve no time for him at the moment? You’ve found time to have a meal out today.’

She shrugged. ‘I had a reason for eating out. Normally we have our lunch in the shop and cook a proper meal in the evening.’

‘What happened, or shouldn’t I ask?’

‘I left Cheryl in the shop talking to Rex. They had a quarrel and I’m wondering now whether they’re making it up again.’

‘That was very generous of you. Tell me, don’t you feel a little out of things when you see your younger sister enjoying the company of a boyfriend?’

‘Sometimes. But I have dates, you know. My accountant takes me out sometimes. I’m also invited out for the evening by satisfied customers like your sister-in-law Juleen.’

‘Ah yes, that reminds me. Her husband Jocelyn, a surgeon, who is also my brother, is coming home from a conference in the States soon. By then the parents will also be back, so we can have a get-together. I don’t know if Juleen has told you, but they’re living in Paris at the moment.’

‘That will be nice for you.’

His look at her was guarded. ‘I’m hoping that you and I will know each other better by then.’

Davina’s heart gave a lurch. ‘In what way?’

‘We shall be going steady by then.’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. I’ve far too much to do at the shop to form any permanent attachments.’

‘You can dine with me occasionally, go to a show or for a run in the car. We might even get together at Juleen’s place or Lila’s. Rex’s aunt and uncle are friends of mine.’

‘I’m sorry.’

He jabbed out the cigar on the ash tray. ‘Don’t be such a little coward,’ he said quietly. ‘You’re obviously frightened to death of me, aren’t you?’

‘No, I’m not. I’m not going to be pushed around, that’s all, and I do have responsibilities.’

‘Cheryl and Darren? What if Cheryl marries her Rex? Then you only have Darren. That’s where I come in. He’ll have a big elder brother who will listen to all his problems.’

‘No, Nick, it wouldn’t work. You and I are better parting here and now. I’m going to see this thing through if it kills me.’

He stared at her for several moments with narrowed eyes.

‘If that’s the way you want it, my sweet, then so be it.’

He had taken his dismissal so calmly that she felt piqued in spite of herself. It seemed at first from the expression in his grey eyes that he could not believe it. Probably no woman had ever refused his friendship before. It was certainly a blow to his ego, but Davina felt it was a hollow victory.

He drove her back to the shop and dropped her off without a word. Then with a lift of a hand he had gone.

Cheryl had not returned from lunch, which presumably she too had eaten out. With Rex? It was more than likely. Had she also given him the brush-off? If Cheryl had then she would not tell her sister about it—Davina was sure of that.

Something was eating Cheryl. If it wasn’t Rex then who or what was it? Nick?

Cheryl came in around two-thirty. ‘Hello there,’ she said.

‘Why did you go out for lunch on your own? You could have gone with Rex and me.’

Davina raised pretty arched brows. ‘And played gooseberry?’ she cried derisively. ‘Why did you think I left you alone?’

Cheryl slipped out of her jacket and hung it on a coat hanger behind the beaded curtain.

‘We’ve made up. Rex wants me to get engaged,’ she said quietly.

Davina stared at the sober expression. ‘Really, I can’t see you dancing around the room in glee. Where’s the ring?’

Cheryl shrugged. ‘There isn’t one yet. I told him I’d think about it. There’s no hurry.’

‘For someone who’s been dreaming of marriage, I must say you’re playing it cool. Aren’t you sure of your feelings for him, or is there someone else?’ Davina said dryly.

‘There’s no one else. I suppose I’ll get round to being Rex’s one and only love.’

Davina smiled fondly at her sister. ‘I’m glad you’re being sensible about it and making sure. The last thing I want you to do it to make a wrong decision where your future is concerned.

Darren’s too. I have nightmares about you both sometimes. I could never be happy myself if you two aren’t happy as well.

I’d feel that I’d failed the parents. They loved us all so much and Darren was Mother’s special pet. So you have to be sure, Cheryl, in your choice of a partner.’

Davina put the used coffee cups left earlier in the tiny sink and washed her hands. Reaching for the hand towel, she was aware of her sister standing in front of the wall mirror patting her hair into place.

‘Nothing on your mind, Cheryl, have you?’ she queried.

The answer came far too quickly for it to be entirely truthful.

‘Of course I haven’t, and I wish you’d stop treating Darren and me like a couple of kids,’ Cheryl snapped.

Davina winced inwardly at the sharpness of her tone. It was so unlike her sister to go off at the deep end at the slightest provocation.

‘There is something wrong, isn’t there?’ she insisted. ‘Is it Nick Tabor?’

Cheryl swung round on her with heightened colour.

‘No, it isn’t. You know very well it’s you he’s interested in.’

‘Oh!’ Davina recovered herself quickly. ‘Well, even if he is you could still like him, couldn’t you?’

‘You’re wrong.’ Cheryl presented her back. ‘I’m sorry to fly off like that. I didn’t mean it,’ she mumbled. ‘You’re so good to Darren and me, always putting us first. We do appreciate it.’

Davina went to place an arm around the slender shoulders.

‘I’m sorry if at times I’ve been overbearing—it’s just that I want the best out of life for all of us. I know it’s a tall order, but I’m going to do my best, and you both have to help me,’

Davina said gently. ‘As the eldest it’s my responsibility.’

Cheryl spoke so low that Davina had to listen carefully.

‘There are times when I wish you hadn’t bought the shop.

We all ought to have taken our share of the money and gone our own ways.’

‘But how could you? How could Darren? He wouldn’t have bothered with an education and what would you have done?’

‘I might have married Rex,’ defiantly.

‘What’s stopping you from doing so now? For goodness’

sake, Cheryl, what’s got into you?

‘Forget it.’

At the sound of the shop door opening Cheryl went quickly into the shop.

Davina’s spirit wilted. She had schooled herself to doing her best in the role of mother since her parents had gone. In a way she had known that it would be a thankless task. Not that either Cheryl or Darren were bad. Like all teenagers they were headstrong and impulsive.

It was true, as she had said, that they would have both gone through their money like water. But the knowledge that this was so did little to act as balm to her hurt. However, there was the shop and if it did well it would be the means of making their legacy from their parents more substantial.

As a medical student, Darren would need a small regular income on the side to augment his grant. As always Davina whipped her flagging spirit. One thing she was determined to do in the future was to go out more herself in order not to get into a rut.

A week or so went by with things going normally. Cheryl seemed to have recovered and was her own bright self. Davina put it down to them both being under par since their illness.

Cheryl went out with Rex and Davina went out herself at least twice a week.

She was not short of dates, but she kept them casual. Nick crept into her thoughts constantly, but the passing days were an ever-increasing mist shutting him out.

Then one day he telephoned her. He was picking her up for lunch. Just like that, and there was nothing she could do about it since it was early closing day.

As it happened Cheryl was out for the day with Rex. They had gone to the races. Thursday morning was usually a slack period and it was a beautiful day.

After the telephone call Davina found herself continually consulting her watch and as the time drew near for lunch she got the jitters. Wildly she thought of going out the back way in order to avoid Nick. No customers came after twelve-thirty and she was ready well before one o’clock. Even so she hung about.

The blare of his horn sounding like a command roused her.

He had climbed out of the car, unfolding his long legs and raising a hand in greeting as she left the shop. He opened the car door for her and she smiled at his provocative grin.

Her spirits lifted as he slid in beside her behind the wheel.

His grey eyes were twinkling. The quirk of his well cut mouth made her stomach turn upside down as he leaned towards her.

‘Miss me?’

So much, because I love you beyond all thinking or logic.

However, none of the words were spoken aloud, and he did not wait for an answer.

‘Are you free?’ he asked politely.

‘I’m free,’ she answered, and gave a sweet twinkling laugh.

He started the car and nosed through the traffic. ‘I have a little pub in mind where they do special roast beef sandwiches to have with a good glass of beer. Or would you prefer a restaurant with waiters hovering?’

‘The pub, please. It sounds delicious.’

As he drove she glanced at the clear-cut profile and the cap of tightly curled hair trimmed into neat wisps at his neck. The hands on the wheel, well tended, looked strong and firm.