Stormy the Way (4 page)

'There's no need for me to say that his engagement came as a complete surprise to me,' he commented, leaning further back in his chair. 'How long have you known my brother?'

'Only a few weeks,' she replied, relieved that at least one truth could be told. % 'A few weeks, eh? Where did you meet?'

Paul had told her that Leon had been informed that they had met at a party, and as Tara repeated this she lowered her head, it being her first attempt at deceit. She felt embarrassed but not guilty, for deception was the only method of breaking this man's arbitrary control over his brother's money. Leon's stare seemed to pierce her, but she kept her eyes downcast. It never occurred to her that this avoidance of his gaze might prejudice him against her.

'I see,' thoughtfully and, with slow deliberation. 'You are not contemplating marriage yet?'

'Not - not until Paul finishes his studies.'

'How old are you?' he asked, and something in his tone indicated a slight hesitation over this question. She felt sure it was one he meant to ask sooner, but had perhaps thought it rather delicate.

'Twenty-five,' she answered, glancing up to see what effect this had upon him. His eyes were narrowed to mere slits.

'Five years older than Paul. Don't you mind this difference in age?'

She flushed.

'I don't consider it all that important,' she returned defensively.

'A man at twenty is a good deal younger than a woman of the same age,' he remarked suavely. 'In comparison to a woman of twenty-five he's a mere child.'

Her indignant eyes flew to his. What was he insinuating? It would appear that already he was branding her a gold-digger, but after a swift flare of anger she knew an almost irrepressible desire to laugh, the idea of Leon's anxiety being the stimulant. She managed to maintain her cool exterior, however, but she did wonder if her amusement showed in her eyes. It really was funny - his being troubled about something that would never materialize - but it would do him good, she decided. Let him worry!'I don't think I understand you, Mr. - Mr.— She broke off, raising a questioning eyebrow and expecting him to tell her to call him Leon. Instead he himself raised his brow and said
smoothly,

'I'm quite sure you do understand me. I have spoken perfectly plainly, I believe.'

Her colour deepened. He was far too overwhelming - with his air of superiority and hauteur. Anger rose, to remain this time. But it was the anger born of her own inability to spar successfully with this pompous brother of the boy she had promised to assist.

'Are you suggesting I'm too old for Paul?' she queried at last, feigning a rather injured mien.

Leon threw her a measured glance.

'Aren't you?' he said gently.

Tara stiffened, and lifted her chin. What an inordinate amount of satisfaction she would have derived from allowing herself a free flow of speech! It would be good to watch that arrogant face while she told its owner just what she thought about him! But she had to take care, much to her disgust, since if his man decided she was not a suitable wife for his brother then undoubtedly all that Paul was scheming for would be lost. The inheritance would be withheld for another five years.

'I hadn't given it much thought,' she returned, thankful for her ability to swallow the tight little ball of anger which had for one dangerous moment threatened to affect her reply to Leon's softly-spoken question. 'Age makes no difference when you're in love.' Was that convincing? Tara sincerely hoped it was. This man required careful handling, though. The opinion that all Englishwomen were gold-diggers was well rooted, owing to the fate suffered by the two cousins of whom Androula had spoken.

For one fleeting moment a half-smile of amused contempt touched the firm outline of his mouth.

'Love? he murmured with gentle satire. 'You're in love?'

Her teeth gritted together. How could she hope to keep her temper?

'Why else would I get engaged to Paul?'

'A good question,' he returned promptly, and she instantly realized her mistake. 'Why did you become engaged to Paul, Tara?'

Her colour mounted more vividly than ever.

'I've just said we're in love,' she reminded him in constricted tones. 'I trust I've answered the question to your satisfaction?' The content of her words, and the tone of their delivery, were lacking any measure of diplomacy, but by now Tara was almost at the end of her patience. If only Paul would come, but Androula would have informed him that his brother wished to be alone with Tara, so there was nothing to be gained by hoping for a speedy rescue.

'You are aware that Paul is a very wealthy young man?' Leon spoke after a short silence, watching her through half-closed eyes.

'I believe he will be wealthy one day,' she admitted stiffly. 'I assure you I'm not marrying him for his money,' she added in a voice decidedly tart.

'He has told you about his wealth, then?' Easing himself further back in his chair, Leon crossed one leg over the other, languidly. He had deliberately ignored her added comment and this caused her blood to boil, for she had expected him to deny harbouring any such suspicion that she was marrying Paul for his money. Such a response was incumbent on him, if only for the sake of courtesy. Yet he had allowed it to slide without comment, and this was surely tantamount to implying that he did in fact believe she was interested only in his brother's wealth. And for one wild uncontrolled second she opened her mouth to blurt out the truth - to tell him she was not engaged to Paul, and never would be, but by a tremendous effort she managed to control the impulse. Paul's chances would be ruined altogether if Leon was put in possession of the knowledge of his brother's duplicity. And as for herself - Tara actually shuddered inwardly at the vision of Leon's wrath being directed at her, which inevitably it must be were he to learn that she had lent herself to such a scheme. No, there could be no going back now, she decided rather dismally, already wishing with all her heart that she had given the matter more thought before embarking on this deception with such blithe unconcern.

'Paul mentioned that he was soon to inherit a large fortune.' Tara managed to look into her companion's eyes as she made this reply to his query. She saw his brows lift a fraction, noted the faint flicker at the corner of one eye.

'Soon?' he mildly repeated.

Another mistake. She chided herself for this.

'He said he hoped to come into his inheritance when he is twenty-one.'

'Hopes don't always materialize,' he observed coolly. 'I have full control of his money and, should I decide he is not sufficiently mature to care for that money, then I shall have no hesitation in withholding it for another five years. Did Paul tell you this?'

She nodded, drawing a deep breath. If only she had known she was to be put through an ordeal such as this!

'Yes, he did tell me.' Paul, she remembered, had been confident that his brother would approve of Tara simply because
she
was mature, and level-headed into the bargain. Well, this maturity appeared to have had little or no effect on Leon - or if it had, then it was without doubt an adverse effect.

'You don't mind being poor for five years?' he queried after a moment.

Owing to her impatience Tara frowned heavily - a most unthinking gesture and one she instantly regretted on noting the swift perceptive widening of those black eyes.

'We're not thinking of marrying until Paul finishes his studies,' she reminded him, 'and that will not be for another two years.'

'I see. Well, perhaps I shall release Paul's money on his marriage,' he informed her quietly, eyes alert and glinting at the sudden start she gave.

'Not until then!' She stared, aghast at making yet a third mistake. 'It won't matter,' she added speciously, and far too casually for her deception to work. 'We shan't need money until we're married.'

'Of course you won't,' with gentle satire. 'Paul has his allowance, which in my opinion is more than adequate, and you will naturally carry on working.'

More than adequate! Tara fumed inwardly at this deliberate lie. The boy was practically a pauper. She wondered what Leon would say were he to be told that Paul had been so short of money that he had been driven to answering her advertisement. That would be a crushing blow to his pride, she thought, wishing fervently that she had been in a position to deliver that blow. The man needed a good set-down. He deserved to be thoroughly humiliated. These musings did no good, though, and Tara dwelt on what Leon had said about withholding the inheritance until Paul's marriage. If Leon should really decide to do this then the whole scheme had fallen flat already.

What a hateful creature he was! Suddenly Tara was determined to outwit him. She would put on an act so clever that, smart as he considered himself, he would never see through it.

And she began immediately, for at that moment Paul entered the room, after knocking quietly and waiting for his brother's permission to come in. Tara's eyes lit up. She had been in love, so she knew how a girl felt on beholding her loved one. Her mouth quivered with a halting smile, which broke as Paul came closer.

'You've been away a long time,' she said in soft adoring tones. 'But your brother and I have been having a pleasant talk.'

At this remark Leon naturally glanced at her with suspicion, but she had no time for him now that Paul was here. He sat down and her loving eyes remained on his face.

He glanced anxiously at his brother.

'You've made friends with each other?' he said hesitantly, examining Leon's dark features. Leon's gaze was fixed on Tara; she was conscious of this, but had eyes only for Paul.

'We've become acquainted,' replied Leon casually. 'One doesn't make a friend in ten minutes.'

'No...' Paul darted an apologetic glance at Tara, who in turn glanced at Leon. He was merely amused by his brother's discomfiture. 'You've got on all right, though?' added Paul after a second or two.

'Certainly we have,' Tara answered for his brother, who looked across at her, his face an expressionless mask, 'I'm very happy with my relations-to-be, Paul, so please, darling, don't look so troubled.' She turned, smiling, to Leon. 'Paul was terribly anxious that you wouldn't like me, because I'm English. But I told him not to worry; I have every intention of adapting myself to the life I shall have to live when I come to Greece.' At that a faint curve of Leon's mouth and then,

'You are aware, I hope, that ours is a strictly patriarchal social system.

Our attitude towards women is far different from the ideas current in the West. Women of the East possess the inherent trait of obedience towards their husbands - or fathers, whichever might apply.'

Tara said nothing. She was tight and seething inside. What an outmoded way of life! Inherent trait of obedience ! She could see, without a trace of difficulty, this arrogant Greek lording it over whoever he chose to marry, treating her as a slave, a chattel, a possession whose importance in his life was little more than any one of his servants. If ever a man needed a lesson it was he! And she was more determined than ever to help Paul get his inheritance - and what a thrill of satisfaction she would enjoy when the engagement was broken and once more Leon suffered the sting of disgrace. He would certainly hate all Englishwomen then, but little she would care!

Sending him a glance from under fluttering lashes, she said meekly,

'I do realize these things. And, loving Paul as I do, I shall adhere to any conditions imposed upon me.' A timid smile broke. 'I shall always obey Paul - although I don't think he'll domineer over me too much, will you, darling?'

'Most certainly not!' He looked indignantly at his brother. 'You might treat a woman like that, Leon, but I never shall! You'll have Tara throwing me over if you say things like that!'

Excellent acting, applauded Tara silently.

'Oh, no,' she denied swiftly. 'I could never throw you over, Paul.

Why, I think I'd die if ever we parted!'

A rather strange hush fell on the room. Leon slanted Tara a glance and the warm blood rushed to her cheeks in spite of her determination to put on a calm and confident front.

'You must forgive me, Tara, for questioning you as I have,' he said apologetically at length. 'I have to protect my brother, whose money has been entrusted to my care. I see now that you love him deeply, and I feel that he has made an excellent choice.'

Another silence. Stunned for a moment, Tara then became exultant.

How easy, after all! Of course, it was her excellent acting which had done the trick. She would continue to act, and deceive this disagreeable specimen of Greek masculinity who considered women as inferior beings whose lot it was to be mastered. A few minutes ago she was wishing herself back in England, and free of the complications entailed by Paul's scheme; now, she was anticipating a good measure of enjoyment from bamboozling the man who had caused her such discomfiture. He was watching her and she met his dark glance with suitable submissiveness in her own wide gaze.

'Thank you for being so kind,' she murmured. 'I was so very frightened that you wouldn't approve of me.'

Slender brown hands were spread. Leon said pleasantly,

'I must approve of a girl so obviously devoted to my brother as you are. I hope you will be very happy together.'

'Thank you,' she said again, and smiled charmingly at him.

'TARA, you were simply marvellous! I'm sure Leon will raise no objection to my having my money. It was incredible - the way you acted! I'm ever so grateful to you!'