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Helen frowned and reluctantly followed Caroline to the study. 'I do remember Matt telling me about it. I was away at the time and didn't see him.' Her eyes narrowed as she studied Caroline. 'I suppose this has spoiled your plans for the moment?'

'What plans?'

'Don't play the innocent! I know you've moved in with him. But you might as well move out now. He's in no state to make love to you, and that's what you're here for.'

Mortification made Caroline speechless. But even had she been able to say anything, Helen would never have given her the chance.

'If you want my advice,
Lady
Caroline, you'll get out and stay out. You've played your cards wrong by coming to live here. Matt has a rigid code of morals where women are concerned, and he'd never marry anyone who slept around!'

'I'm glad to hear it.' Caroline found her control, and her voice with it. 'It shows he's got great perception where
I'm
concerned. You see, he's already set the date for our wedding. Perhaps you'd like to be maid of honour if you're free on the thirtieth of August?'

Helen tossed her head. 'I'll believe that fairy story when the day dawns.' She moved to the door. 'Give Matt my love when he wakes up. I'll be in to see him tomorrow, when he's feeling better.'

Alone again, Caroline was furious with herself for lying to Helen. It had been pointless. The girl would find out soon enough that Matt had no intention of getting married. But the damage was done and there was no way of taking back her words.

The ringing of the telephone was a welcome relief, as was the sound of Penny's voice.

'Sorry to intrude on the love idyll,' she said, 'but Babcock and Sloan, the advertising agency, are keen to use you and Tom. They read all the publicity about you both and they think you'd make an ideal pair to launch a new diet drink for one of the big distillers.'

'I told you I've given up work,' Caroline replied.

'I know. But this would be the biggest thing you've done. I've had John Babcock himself on the phone, and he insisted I called you and got you to change your mind. They plan to start with a series of six commercials set round the world. Money is no object and they're prepared to pay you almost anything.'

'But I promised Matt I '

'Look, sweetie,' Penny cut in, 'being engaged is a long way from being married, and a lot can happen between bed and altar.' Her voice became persuasive. 'I'm sure Matt won't object if it's something you really want to do. But in any case it will be good for his business too if you and Tom are seen on TV. He'd be able to exploit that to his heart's content!'

They were the right words to remind Caroline of the way Matt had exploited their pretended engagement.

'How much would they pay?' she asked.

Penny named a sum that staggered Caroline. It was enough to pay back the money Mark had given Tom, and still leave enough over to finance her brother in business.

'All right, Penny, I'll do it. But I won't say anything to Matt yet. If it comes off I'll have to, but I don't want to precipitate a quarrel unnecessarily. He's going away soon for a fortnight,
so
try to set up a meeting then.'

The moment Penny went off the line Caroline dialled her flat and told Tom the news.

'That's terrific!' he exclaimed. 'Once we've got the money, you can tell Matt to go to hell. I'd love to see his face when you tell him you know he was behind Mark.'

'Let's get the job first,' she counselled. 'In this business, never count your chickens till they're in your own coop!'

Determined not to set her hopes too high, she put all thought of the job out of her mind, and went to look in on Matt. He was still sleeping, and she settled herself on the sofa and dozed.

Dr Collins put in an appearance later in the afternoon, and approved of the glass straw and china cup with a drinking spout which Caroline had purchased at the chemist.

'A very sensible idea,' he said, and smiled at Matt. 'You should be much better by tomorrow.'

Matt grunted and waved his hand in Caroline's direction.

'I know,' the doctor said soothingly. 'She's an excellent nurse, and you're a lucky bounder to have her holding your hand!'

'Will he really be better tomorrow?' Caroline asked the doctor as she escorted him out.

'No doubt of it,' he said cheerfully. 'But he must be more careful in future. These sort of allergies can be fatal.'

The comment did nothing to allay her conscience, and she did everything she could to make Matt's convalescence comfortable. He was drowsy from the antihistamine tablets and barely aware of her presence, but she frequently washed his face and hands with cool water, and rearranged his pillows. Unshaven, he looked haggard, and she resisted the urge to lie next to him and cradle him close. What foolish creatures women were! The moment a man looked like a pitiful boy, all their maternal instincts came to the fore and everything else was forgotten.

By the following afternoon Matt was considerably better. The first thing he did was to tell his secretary he would be going on his business trip the next evening, after which he rattled off some half dozen letters and made at least that many phone calls.

He only stopped when Helen arrived with Mark, and Caroline made an excuse and left the three of them alone. The less she saw of that couple the better. Only when she heard the front door close an hour later did she return to his room.

He had propped himself up on his pillows and he patted the bed for her to sit beside him. 'You've had a rotten two days taking care of me. I want to thank you for it.'

'It was the least I could do, when it was all my fault.'

'You mustn't blame yourself. It was my fault for not telling you.' He fondled her hand. 'It seems fate wants to keep us apart. I wish I didn't have this damned trip tomorrow.'

'Absence makes the heart grow fonder,' she answered lightly. 'And remember, your patience will be rewarded with my virtue!'

Matt smiled, then drifted off to sleep, only awaking when Pedro came in with his supper.

'Why don't you have your own meal in the dining-room?' Matt suggested to Caroline. 'You'll be more comfortable there.'

'I'd rather stay with you.'

'That's what I like to hear.'

After dinner they both watched a Western on TV, Caroline lounging on the bed, relaxed in the knowledge that the man beside her was too weak to carry out the undoubtedly sensual thoughts that went through his mind each time he looked at her. Pray heaven she could keep him this way for as long as was necessary.

By
mid-afternoon next day Matt was almost his normal self, and Caroline drove with him to the airport to see him off. 'I hope the flat will run itself without you,' she said, keeping her voice low in case Frank could hear. 'I'd find it embarrassing to give orders to the staff. After all, I'm not their mistress.'

'You're not mine either!' he said ruefully. 'But don't worry about the staff. Helen manages the household accounts and wages from the office, and if there are any other problems, she can deal with it.'

'How necessary you make me feel,' Caroline retorted.

'You are,' his grip on her arm was painful. 'If you don't know that yet, it's your fault.' His mouth hovered over hers. 'I wish you were coming with me. I don't suppose you'd like to follow me out?'

'I'd love to,' she murmured, staring innocently into his face. 'But I'll get frightfully miserable in a strange city on my own, and you said you'd be tied up the whole time.'

'So I did,' he said regretfully. 'Next time I'll keep my mouth shut. I want you with me the whole time. You've grown on me, sweetheart.'

Like a big fat corn, she thought happily, though you won't know it till I step on your toe!

'Darling Matt,' she said aloud. 'I'll count the days till you come home.'

Speeding back to London, Caroline gave thanks to the kindly fate that had sent Matt away from her. It had been hard enough to keep him at arms' length for two amorous nights, without having to contemplate doing it on a regular basis. Still, she did have other contingency plans, and would use them until such time as she could walk out on him. Or until he fell genuinely in love with her and told her the truth. Dreams, she mused, doubting if this would ever hap pen.

'I'm entirely at your service while Mr Bishop's away,' the chauffeur said as he deposited her at the Nash house.

'I'll call you if I need you,' she smiled. 'But I'm used to doing my own driving.'

Indeed the last thing she wanted was for Frank to know what she was doing. He might mention some of her appointments to Matt before she was ready to tell him herself.

The next fortnight passed swiftly. Caroline and Tom went to the advertising agency and met the producer who would be in charge of the diet commercials. He ran tests on them in a studio, with a draft script, and everyone seemed delighted, though Penny warned them they might not get final confirmation for a few weeks since the client had to approve the screen test too.

Matt rang her each evening and at the end of the first week she took his advice and spent a few days with her aunt and uncle. They eagerly questioned her about her marriage plans, but she fobbed them off, and though she knew they were disappointed by her vagueness, she consoled herself with the knowledge that she would not have to keep up the pretence for long.

Irrationally she missed Matt, and when Frank finally picked her up to collect him from the airport, she could not stem her excitement.

Seeing him emerge through the Customs hall, she realised how deep-rooted her love for him had become. It was a frightening knowledge, for she knew it might never culminate in happiness. However, as she threw herself into his bear-like hug, she was too overjoyed by the present to worry about the morrow.

'Hey!' he disentangled himself reluctantly. 'It was worth going away for this reception!'

Her arm linked tightly in his, they made their way to the Rolls where, alone in the back, he kissed her with burning intensity.

'Darling, don't!' she protested, conscious of Frank at the wheel.

With a sigh Matt acquiesced, but still kept her close beside him, his thigh hard against hers.

'Did you have a successful trip?' she asked. 'Each time you telephoned you only talked about
us.'

'I like to get my priorities right.' His voice lowered. 'Which is why I'm not going into the office today.'

'I had an idea you wouldn't, and I've arranged a special lunch.'

'No chervil, I hope?'

Her face flamed guiltily, but he mistook it for contrition and hugged her again. 'Darling Caroline, I missed you desperately.'

During lunch, Matt repeated this in every possible way; with words, with touch, by the look in his eyes; and when he downed his coffee at a gulp and suggested they went upstairs, Caroline had no option but to agree.

'Give me a quarter of an hour,' she murmured, backing to the door. 'I feel so sticky and ...'

'Of course,' he said tenderly. 'I've waited so long for you, a few minutes more won't kill me—I hope!'

In the bedroom, she undressed with shaky hands. Plan three was going to be far more difficult than plans one or two and, if things went wrong, could be highly dangerous for her. But she had no option. It was a desperate measure for a desperate situation. Fleetingly she toyed with the idea of letting Matt make love to her, then instantly dismissed it. As long as she could ward him off, she would retain her pride. To become his mistress upon his own selfish, terms did not bear contemplation. Drawing a deep breath, she picked up a terry towel robe and went into the bathroom.

Under a cool shower she lathered herself thoroughly, then rinsed her body and dropped the soap on to the tiled floor of the shower cabinet, and switched off the shower. Closing her eyes, she deliberately stepped on to the bar, then clutched at the side rail to stop herself from falling.

'Idiot!' she berated herself. 'You've
got
to fall!'

Once again she made the attempt, but again she instinctively flung out her hands to save herself. Shaking with nerves, she picked up the soap and stared at it as if it were a snake.

'Caroline!' Matt called from the bedroom. 'Can I come in and dry you?'

She gave a start of fear and dropped the soap. 'No!' she almost shouted the word. 'I'll be out in a minute.' Lunging for her robe, she swung it around her shoulders and stepped forward hurriedly. Her left foot came down hard on a slippery wadge and she went crashing to the ground, banging her head hard on the side of the shower.

Almost knocked out by the force of her fall, she lay where she was, barely aware of Matt rushing in.

His face blanched as he saw her and he bent over her. 'What's happened?'

Groggily she tried to move her head, but winced with pain and staggered. 'I I think I slipped ... the soap,' she added shakily.

'Don't move,' he warned. 'You gave yourself a nasty bang. I'll help you and then call Richard.'

Carefully he lifted her and carried her into the bedroom, where he gently settled her on the bed. She was fast returning to normal, but remembered to give a heart-rending groan as her body touched the mattress.

'My back,' she gasped. 'I think I've broken it.'

'I'm sure you haven't.' Matt's anxious expression belied his words. 'Doc'll be here soon. Lie still, darling.'

Caroline did so. Plan three was working out; all she had to do was convince the doctor. Hearing his footsteps on the stairs, she gave a pitiful groan, There was nothing like establishing the right atmosphere from the word go.

'Have you ever had any disc trouble before?' Richard Collins asked, after giving her a careful examination.

'Many years ago,' she answered. 'It was through diving, and I've been careful to avoid it ever since.'

'Well, you've got it again. The only cure is rest, as you probably know.' He looked at Matt. 'She must lie flat on her back and move as little as possible.'

'How long will it be before she's better?' Matt asked anxiously.

'Anything from a few days to a few weeks.' He faced Caroline. 'I'll leave some pethedine tablets in case the pain gets worse, but only take them if you must. Use aspirins if you can, they're safer.'