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'I don't see why. You'll be treated as my wife in every way. I'll give you an allowance each quarter and you can do what you like with it. All the household expenses are taken care of by my office.'

'But what will I do with myself all day?' she asked.

'Devote your time to making me happy.'

The self-satisfaction in his voice was almost more than she could bear. And once again she was overcome with a strong urge to slap his face and shout her true feelings aloud.

'I promise you won't be bored.' Matt interrupted her train of thought. 'I'd like you to run my home and act as my hostess when I entertain—which I do quite frequently. When I travel aboard, you'll come with me, of course.'

'You make it sound so exciting,' she purred, delighted she could utter the false words as if she meant them. 'I hope I can live up to your expectations.'

'I'll teach you,' he said meaningly.

She reddened. 'I meant that I'm inexperienced in running homes on your scale.'

'I'm sure Helen will help you.' He refilled their wine glasses and toasted her. 'To beautiful Caroline, who is going to share my life.'

'Share your bed,' she corrected.

'And my life. You'll be in my home and you'll meet my friends. In this day and age, that's as good as marriage.'

She smiled docilely. 'At least we can always be free of each other without any problems. I take your point on that.'

'You're never going to be free of
me,'
he said swiftly.

catching hold of her. 'You're part of me from now on, Caroline.'

Part of him, but only for as long as he wanted her, whatever he said to the contrary. If he were really sure of his feelings he would not be scared of making her his wife. Bitterness rose in her throat and she swallowed it back.

It was a relief to her when the motorboat arrived and Matt began her skiing lesson. Struggling to remain upright in the water took her mind off everything else, though after several attempts to ski, she tired of tumbling into the sea, and gave up.

Instead she settled in the boat and enjoyed Matt's expert performance. Like most competitive people, he mastered anything to which he set his mind. Backwards and forwards he skimmed across the water, skiing on one leg, jumping over the raft and zigzagging along at breakneck speed, bumping upon the waves and leaving the water angrily frothing behind him.

It was dusk when they left the beach, and dark when they drove along the narrow road that fronted the old harbour at Antibes.

'Big or little dinner?' Matt asked.

'Little, please. I couldn't manage more than a snack.'

They supped at a small cafe almost on the harbour's edge and afterwards strolled hand in hand for an hour before returning to the car.

'I've enjoyed this evening more than any other,' he said when he finally deposited her at the hotel. 'It's been so relaxed and easy. I feel I'm really beginning to know you.'

'You are,' lied Caroline, kissing him lightly on the lips. 'I'll see you tomorrow.'

He held on to her arm. 'It might be a good idea if we announced our engagement.'

She looked at him in astonishment. Did he mean he had had a change of heart?

'Why?' she asked, waiting breathlessly for his answer.

'For your sake. I know this set-up isn't what you'd hoped for, and it will help to alleviate any embarrassment for you, if we pretend we're engaged. After all, it's fairly usual these days for engaged couples to live together.'

Although her hopes had been dashed, she was pleased his conscience had troubled him enough to make this suggestion.

'Ours could be the longest engagement in history,' she replied dryly. 'I can see us drawing our old-age pensions and still telling our friends we have to know each other better before we make the final commitment.'

Matt looked disconcerted. 'If you'd rather not get engaged ...'

'Oh no, I think it's a splendid idea. But you mustn't tell anyone it's only a pretence.'

'By anyone, I assume you mean Helen?'

'Yes. I don't trust her, and I'm sure she'd tell her friends. Before you know it, your whole circle would be laughing at me.'

'No one will laugh at you.'

But they'll be laughing at
you,
before I'm finished with you, she vowed, and bidding him a loving goodnight, she went into the hotel.

Lying in bed, she deliberated on the events of the day. She had managed to keep her mind a blank for the latter part of it, but now, in the still of the night,
she let her thoughts flow free. She had made her bed and she must lie in it. But never with Matt beside her. She had to find ways of stalling him for three months; that was the length of her commitment in the contract Mark had made her sign.

And afterwards? She buried her face in her pillow and wallowed in self-pity. Afterwards she would tell Matt exactly what she thought of him, and then put him out of her life.

When
she saw Tom in the morning, he looked even paler than she did.

'I wish you'd change your mind,' he begged. 'Let me tell Uncle Bill the truth. He'll be upset, but no more so than when he finds out you're Matt Bishop's mistress !'

'As far as the outside world is concerned, I'll be Matt's fiancée. So accept the situation and stop blabbing about telling Uncle Bill the truth. If you want to make amends, settle down and get a decent job.'

'I will.' Tom rubbed the side of his face. 'I'll take up Penny's offer. It'll give me good money while I look around for something else to do.'

Shortly after, Lee and Ann came down to join them, and Caroline announced that instead of returning to London with them, she would be going back with Matt and Helen.

'Any progress between you and Matt?' Ann asked.

'We're engaged.'

Ann gave her a friendly hug. 'I'd love to see Helen's face when she hears the news!' She glanced at Lee. 'Perhaps by the time we meet again I might also have something to tell you.'

As soon as they had driven off, Caroline settled herself by the pool. Matt would be joining her for lunch, and at noon she was startled to see Mark and Helen walking beside him too.

'Helen and I want to have a quick look around the hotel,' Matt confided. 'We won't be long.'

Alone with Mark, Caroline eyed him coldly. But he seemed unaware of it and gave her a broad smile. 'Matt's told me the news. I'm delighted for you. I'm sure you'll both be very happy.'

'So will you,' she retorted. 'You'll be getting Helen's shares now, won't you?'

'What? Oh yes, that's right.' Mark looked distinctly uneasy, but relaxed as Caroline said no more, and the silence remained until Matt and Helen rejoined them.

The girl gave Caroline a cool peck on the cheek, though the smile on her mouth was not reflected in her eyes, which glinted frostily. But Matt was in high spirits, and during lunch competed with the champagne for effervescence.

Helen kept up a shower of questions, asking when they planned to marry and many other more intimate details. In normal circumstances Caroline would have declined to reply, but seeing Matt's discomfiture— hidden to all eyes except her own perceptive ones— she deliberately went into long answers.

At last it was time for her to finalise her packing, and as she went over to the lift, Matt managed to speak to her alone.

'Why didn't you tell Helen to mind her own business?' he asked.

'I thought you'd be upset if I did.' Caroline widened her eyes at him. 'I know how fond you are of her.'

'Not so fond that I don't know when she's being objectionable.'

'She was just naturally curious about us.' Caroline was still as sweet as sugar.

'I still don't think she needed to know how many children we planned to have.'

'But children are an important aspect of marriage,' Caroline stated. 'Even though we won't be having any, I couldn't very well say so.' She made herself give a little giggle. 'It would be funny if I got pregnant, wouldn't it?'

'Very funny,' he said, not looking amused. 'I ... I suppose you'd like children?'

'Of course. But when the urge gets too much for me, I'll leave you and marry someone else. You must never be afraid that I'll try to trap you into marriage.'

'I'm not afraid,' he said soberly. 'Caroline, I ...' He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, then clamped his mouth shut.

'Yes?' she asked.

'Nothing. Go and finish your packing or we'll miss our flight.'

This time Caroline travelled first class, sitting next to Matt, while Helen and Mark took the seats behind.

'It seems such a waste of money to pay twice the price for a little more leg room and free drinks,' she remarked as they took off.

'What's money for, if not to make life more pleasant?' Matt smiled. 'Please don't worry about the cost, sweetheart, you're not a working girl any longer.'

'Yes, I am,' she said. 'I've merely changed jobs.'

He gave her a sharp look, but made no comment, and Caroline warned herself to be more careful in her sarcasm. It was not part of her plan to let Matt know that she was aware he was behind the arrangement with Mark. She lowered her lids, and from half-closed eyes saw him pull out a black crocodile Gucci case from under the seat.

'If you're going to doze,' he said, 'you won't mind if. I look through some business papers, will you?'

'Business before pleasure,' she said. 'That's one thing mistresses must recognise.'

'Stop talking about yourself like that!'

She nodded drowsily, and then what seemed like moments later, she awoke to feel the brakes of the plane as they touched down.

'Had a good rest?' Matt enquired.

She nodded, and still slightly sleepy, went with him through the Customs hall. To her surprise, Mark and Helen announced that they would take a taxi and go on ahead, though Caroline realised why when she and Matt entered the main hall and reporters and photographers crowded around them. Flashbulbs and questions were fired non-stop, and Caroline clung to Matt's arm and let him take command.

'How long have you known each other?' 'When's the wedding?' 'Lady Caroline, how does it feel to catch the uncatchable bachelor?' 'How about a close-up of you kissing each other?'

Caroline wanted to run away, but Matt stayed cool throughout the ordeal, handling their questions with the ease of a professional. They posed for the TV cameras, and then Matt, with a dramatic flourish, took an enormous pear-shaped diamond from his pocket and placed it on Caroline's finger. Flashlights popped again, and someone asked when he had decided to give up his bachelor status.

'When I realised Lady Caroline was not just a beautiful body and face, but a hard-working and intelligent young woman. She and
Lord Haveling,'
he emphasised the title as if he relished it, 'are the only models for the couture side of my mail order catalogue.'

Caroline listened to him in angry silence, and sensing it, Matt indicated the interview was over.

It was only as they were driving back to London in the wine-coloured Rolls, Frank at the wheel, that Caroline furiously demanded to know when he had arranged for the Press to be told of his engagement.

'This morning,' he said. 'I told my P.R. man to fix it. This free publicity is worth thousands.'

'Do you always think in terms of money?' she demanded.

'Don't you?' he countered.

With an effort she controlled her temper. 'You could at least have told me what you were going to do.'

'I nearly did, but then I decided against it. I thought you might believe I only suggested getting engaged to you for the publicity.'

'Didn't you?'

'No!' He almost shouted the word. 'Nothing was further from my mind.'

Caroline did not believe him, and was annoyed with herself for ever having thought he had got engaged to her in order to make her feel less of a kept woman. He had done it to make himself look good. To be engaged to Lady Caroline Haveling gave him more status than merely being her boy-friend.

She glanced down at the ring. 'You can have this back now,' she said, and tugged it off her finger.

He laughed. 'It's only paste. I rushed out and bought it this morning—I thought it would add a nice touch!'

'Of all the ...' fury fought with logic and, as logic won, she controlled her temper.

Relieved at her silence, Matt spoke. 'I've got to go up North this evening and I'll be away for two days. Is there any chance of you moving into my fiat before I get back?'

'I'd prefer to do it when you're there.'

'Still shy,' he said tenderly. 'You look so sophisticated, I still find it hard to believe you're an innocent.'

'Maybe I'm putting on an act.'

'Women can pretend about many things, but they can't pretend about
that.'
He ran his lips gently along her cheek. 'It's because I'm aware of your fear that I control myself with you. But soon I won't need to, will I?'

Caroline snuggled against him to hide the smile on her face. Matt's control would have to last much longer than he realised—for ever, as far as she was concerned.

The first thing she did when she was alone in her flat was to telephone her aunt and uncle. She did not want them to learn of her engagement before she could tell them, and felt guilty at having to deceive them still further.

Naturally they were happy that things had turned out as she had hoped, and asked how soon they could meet Matt. She did not know what to reply, and left it hanging in mid-air.

Tom had arranged to take over her flat. He had been thinking of moving from his own for some time, and this was an ideal solution. It would also make things easier for Caroline, for if her aunt or uncle telephoned, Tom could easily explain her absence, and she could then return their calls from Matt's home.

She tried to contact Penny, but could get no reply, either from her office or flat, so instead she unpacked and then poured herself a large sherry, feeling she needed something stronger than tomato juice to help her relax after the afternoon's excitement!

The telephone rang frequently as friends heard the news on the radio or saw it on the TV, and she became quite adept at lying about her happiness. Perhaps she had missed her forte and should have been an actress!