Mistress at a Price (25 page)

And it was these limitations that she was beginning to find so irksome. Because each time she saw him she found more and more that she wanted to share other things with him as well. She wanted to tell him about her job, and ask about how he spent his working day.

She
’
d been aware from the first of the dynamic, restless energy he concealed under his laid-back manner. Only when he was asleep was it ever wholly subdued. He looked younger then, too, and Cat thought she sometimes detected a trace of vulnerability. But that might be wishful thinking. Another vain attempt to figure him out.

His life was clearly hectic. He was either flying off somewhere, or going from meeting to meeting. Money was clearly not a problem either, she told herself wryly. He wore expensive clothes, and he still refused point-blank to let her contribute towards the running expenses of the flat they were sharing.

She was curious, also, about his family. Was he an only child, or were there siblings? Were his parents still alive?

There was so much about him she didn
’
t know
—
and might never find out, Cat thought, biting her lip.

And at the present time it would have been good to confide in him about David and Vanessa, and this witch
’
s brew of trouble they were concocting between them, but, like all personal topics, this was out of bounds.

Most of all, she missed the ordinary things
—
the preparation of a meal, the enjoyment of a television programme, even the right to sleep with him each night and wake in his arms every morning.

And if he found sex an adequate substitute for all these other, deeper intimacies, then she did not.

Cat sighed under her breath. She had not easily accepted this sudden change of heart, especially when she
’
d been so adamant about the terms of their affair. Nor could she explain it, either, to her own satisfaction.

And she could never, ever tell Liam.

She had no illusions about it. If he had even an inkling of the thoughts running through her mind as she
’
d followed her mother from one desirable residence to another this morning, then she would probably never see him again. A notion she frankly found completely unbearable, she thought, her throat tightening.

The waiter arrived with the coffee, and she looked up with a brief smile to thank him, and saw, over his shoulder, Liam entering the restaurant with two other men.

For a stunned, shaken moment she thought she was hallucinating
—
that he was just a figment of her imagination, conjured up from her emotional depths because he
’
d been at the forefront of her mind.

Then she realised that the restaurant manager, all smiles, was advancing to greet the new arrivals and conduct them to a table on the other side of the room.

Oh, God, she thought, the pulse pounding in her throat. First Mignonette
—
now here. It can
’
t be possible. Lightning doesn
’
t strike twice
—
does it?

Yet why shouldn
’
t Liam be here? It was another
‘
in
’
place
—
the kind of establishment that seemed his natural habitat. And at least he was in male company this time. There was no smart brunette with legs up to her armpits.

All the same, she told herself almost frantically, I didn
’
t expect this. I can
’
t handle it.

She would have hidden behind the menu, but the waiter had cleared it from the table, and, as Liam turned to follow his companions, he saw her. The cheerful lunchtime hubbub in the restaurant seemed to fade into silence as his gaze locked with hers. His expression mirrored her surprise, but there was amusement in his face, and delight too as he looked at her.

Then, pausing only for a swift word with the others, he started towards her, threading his way purposefully between the tables.

And from the other direction came Vanessa, smiling radiantly as she acknowledged the greetings from other customers as if she was on some royal progress.

She reached the table first.
‘
Aren
’
t people really sweet?
’
she said, resuming her seat and pouring herself some coffee.
‘
A woman over there told me she
’
d seen me opposite your father in
The Taming of the Shrew
at Stratford all those years ago. That was when I found out I was having you, of course, and by the end of the run they
’
d had to let out all my dresses.
’
She pulled a face.
‘
I don
’
t think the wardrobe mistress ever forgave me.
’

Cat was on her feet, grabbing for her bag. She said,
‘
May we go, please? I should be back at work.
’

‘
Already?
’
Vanessa looked at her watch.
‘
But we haven
’
t had our coffee yet. And, anyway, I thought you
’
d come with me
—
take another look at the Chelsea house.
’

‘
I
’
m sorry, I can
’
t.
’
She felt as if she was gasping for air.
‘
I
’
ll get the bill…
’
She turned to leave, but her path was already blocked.

‘
Miss Adamson?
’
Liam said softly.
‘
It is Miss Adamson, isn
’
t it?
’
There was open challenge in his gaze, and the beginnings of anger too.
‘
What a charming surprise.
’

He turned to Vanessa.
‘
And Miss Carlton.
’
He shook his head.
‘
This is a real privilege. I must be your greatest fan.
’

‘
How dear of you to say so.
’
Vanessa
’
s eyes flickered over him in swift assessment and she allowed her smile to widen
—
approvingly and invitingly. The way Cat had seen it happen so many times before when attractive men appeared in her orbit.

But never when it
’
s been my man, she thought. Not until now.

Her mother held out her hand, and Liam bent his head and dropped a light kiss on it. It was an overt homage to a beautiful woman, carried out with charm, and Vanessa clearly revelled in it.

‘
So,
’
she said,
‘
how do you know my little Catherine?
’

Liam straightened. He was smiling, but the eyes that rested on Cat were cold.
‘
Miss Adamson and I have met once or twice,
’
he said.
‘
On business. But perhaps she doesn
’
t remember.
’

A pit of ice seemed to be opening up inside her. She said, her face wintry,
‘
Of course I remember. But now business calls me away again, I
’
m afraid.
’

‘
I hope,
’
Liam said, too courteously,
‘
that you
’
re not leaving on my account.
’

Her mouth was dry.
‘
I
—
just have to go.
’
She turned again to Vanessa.
‘
Are you coming? Can I get you a taxi?
’

‘
No, thank you, my pet.
’
Vanessa leaned back in her chair.
‘
She
’
s so impatient,
’
she told Liam.
‘
But I am equally determined to stay here and finish my coffee.
’
She paused.
‘
Are people waiting for you, or can you keep me company for a while?
’

‘
I
’
d be honoured,
’
he said, and took Cat
’
s vacated chair. He didn
’
t look up at her as she mumbled goodbye, and she got only a vague, sweet smile from her mother as she bent and gave her an awkward peck on the cheek.

Vanessa, she realised as she made her way to the cashier
’
s desk, had already moved on. And it was really quite funny, except that she didn
’
t feel like laughing.

My name, she thought. All this time he
’
s known my name and said nothing. But how? She swallowed. She knew the answer to that, of course, and cursed all the easily charmed receptionists at Anscote Manor.

Not that she could altogether blame them. Even without trying, Liam exerted a powerful sexual charisma. Something Vanessa, a fellow predator, had sensed immediately and responded to.

I
’
ve no doubt she
’
s found out who he is by now, she thought, gritting her teeth. She probably has his entire history, down to his inside leg measurement.

I must remember to ask next time I see her
—
Mother, what
’
s the name of the man I
’
m sleeping with
?

‘
Is everything all right, madam?
’

Cat realised the cashier was looking at her with faint concern, and hurriedly composed her face.
‘
Everything
’
s fine,
’
she said.
‘
And the food was superb.
’

As she left, she risked a last look back, and instantly regretted it. Because they were still together, talking quietly. Liam had even moved his chair closer to hers, and Vanessa was smiling into his eyes, one hand on the sleeve of his jacket.

Cat
’
s hand clenched painfully round the strap of her bag, and she hurried, head down, out into the sunlight.

I
’
ve been defeated, she told herself. In a battle I didn
’
t even know had begun.

Andrew had given her the whole day off, but she had every intention of going back to work for the afternoon. Yet somehow she found herself asking the cab-driver to take her to Wynsbroke Gardens instead.

She badly needed to be alone, and she could think of nowhere else.

But it was far from ideal as a sanctuary, as Cat discovered when, instead of the silence she craved, she found memories assailing her from every direction as soon as she walked in.

Liam
’
s voice murmuring to her, the tremble of their breathing, the caress of his naked skin against hers
—
she was aware of it everywhere.

She sank down on the sofa, closing her eyes and putting her hands over her ears, trying to block it out.

Because now there were other images and other memories and she had to deal with them.

So, she thought painfully, that was Liam
—
the real one. Only twelve hours ago she
’
d been wrapped in his arms, feeling totally secure. Unutterably safe. Now she was alone on the mountainside and the wind was cold.

She had to accept that he was the same as any other man
—
easily bored with the status quo, always on the prowl, eternally seeking diversion. Treating faith and trust like dirty words. Everything she
’
d always dreaded. Everything she
’
d tried to protect herself from.

I actually let myself think for a while he might be different, she whispered silently. God knows, I so
wanted
him to be different, even though he had
‘
heartbreak
’
written all over him. What a fool I
’
ve been. But at least he never knew that…

There was a bottle of armagnac on the little sideboard, and she poured some into a balloon glass before returning to sit down again.

She
’
d had to watch the
‘
Vanessa effect
’
, as her father had once wryly called it, pretty much all her life. Her mother wasn
’
t just a strikingly beautiful, instinctively sensuous woman. She had real star quality. If she was in a room no one ignored her, unless she so chose. On stage or film set, it took a formidable performer to stand up against her.