Wild Melody (5 page)

'When's the big moment, by the way?'

'Oh—shortly.' Clive looked round in a harassed manner. 'I don't see the

need for all this fuss. We had the same nonsense in Yorkshire last week.

But you know Marion—not to be outdone, of course.'

'Of course,' Jason agreed smoothly. 'Come on, my sweet, we don't want to

miss anything.'

Catriona felt her temper rising. 'What's going on?' she asked heatedly.

'Where's Jeremy? I must see him alone for a few moments.'

'We're going to see him now. I should put that revolting concoction Clive

gave you down if I were you. There'll be champagne in the next room.'

'I don't want any champagne,' Catriona insisted almost wildly.

'Oh, but you must. It's traditional, and the fun's just beginning.' He drew her

across the hall into a room packed with people. It was quite true—there was

champagne, and Catriona took the glass she was offered almost

mechanically.

'That's the ticket.' Clive appeared beside them beaming. 'Now I must do my

stuff, I suppose.' He went off through the crowd, and just as Catriona was

turning to Jason, demand to be taken to Jeremy at once framing on her lips,

sudden hush fell.

Startled, she looked round, and then—at last—she saw Jeremy. He was

standing at the end of the room with two women. One of them, Catriona

was immediately convinced, was his mother. She was tall and fair-haired,

wearing an dress, and stood toying nervously with her rings.

Although she was smiling, Catriona had the feeling that in repose Mrs

Lord's face would have a rather peevish expression, and she felt slightly

chilled. At the same time she was registering incredulously that the other

woman—hardly more than a girl, in fact—was clinging possessively to

Jeremy's arm. He was in evening dress, and he had shaved off his beard and

cut his hair. He looked quite different, Catriona thought with dismay, then

he turned to the pretty, rather plump blonde at his side, smiling at

something she had said, and his smile made him the familiar reassuring

Jeremy again.

Clive's voice rang out over the room.

'And now, everyone—friends—if you'll raise your glasses, we'll drink a

toast to Jeremy and Helen. Long life and every happiness!'

Catriona stood numbly, her fingers clenched round the slender stem of the

glass as Jeremy bent and kissed the girl, who smiled and held up her left

hand so that everyone could see the glittering diamond ring adorning it.

Catriona gave a little choking cry. The room dipped and blurred and she

heard her glass smash to the parquet floor as she turned and fled. A startled

maid stepped forward, as she gained the hall.

'Excuse me, madam--' she began as Catriona began blindly to wrestle with

the ornate ring that served as a front door handle. Her hands were slippery

with perspiration, and she felt hysteria rising within her. Then Jason's hands

were gripping her shoulders, and his voice was saying calmly, 'Come into

the conservatory, darling. It's cooler there, and you won't catch a chill as you

might outside.'

His grip was inexorable. It was like trying to tear free from a vice, and

Catriona did not have the strength to smuggle any more. She allowed him to

lead her across the room they had first entered to the French windows. He

lifted one of the long beige velvet curtains, and she passed through like an

automaton.

Ordinarily Catriona would have delighted in the warm exotic scents and

sights around her. Hanging lamps had been festooned across the glass roof,

and the lights were reflected back from the banks of glossy leaves and petals

and from a tiny sunken pool. Small brightly coloured fish darted among the

pebbles and the lilies, and Catriona stood watching them, her mind

registering with complete detachment every swift movement and ripple of

the water. In spite of the more than mild atmosphere, she felt icy cold.

'Here.' Jason appeared, holding a glass which he thrust into her hand. 'Drink

this, and don't drop it this time. Caterers' glasses are an expensive item, as

you being a thrifty Scot should know.'

Obediently she swallowed some of the amber liquid, then choked as the

powerful spirit caught her throat. It was a violent revival, but it was what

she needed, and it gave her the courage to face him.

'You knew,' she accused, her voice almost breaking. 'You knew!'

'Of course I did.' He set one foot on the low parapet of the pool, and took a

brief sip from his own glass.

'And you didn't tell me?'

'No.'

'How could you be so cruel?' she whispered, her eyes and throat smarting

with the tears she wouldn't allow to fall.

'I had to be cruel—to be kind,' he said. His dark face was angry as he stared

at her. 'I did my level best to scare you off, to get rid of you, even. I told you

to go back to Scotland, but no. Nothing gainsays Miss Catriona Muir once

her mind is made up, does it?'

'Why didn't you tell me the truth?' she asked, trying to control her trembling

voice.

He looked at her steadily. 'Because nothing on God's earth would have

convinced you that it was the truth. You had Jeremy cast as the hero, and

me, most definitely, as the villain of the piece. Any warning I had given you

about Helen's existence you would have dismissed as having an ulterior

motive, though God knows what makes you think I harbour any towards

you,' he added.

She stood silent for a moment, torn between the justice of what he had said

and the misery that was threatening to engulf her.

'Here,' he said quietly, as if he sensed her struggle, and passed her the white

handkerchief from his breast pocket. This unexpected consideration was

the final straw. She sank down on to a wicker lounger and let her tears have

full rein at last.

To her relief, he made no attempt to touch her, apart from taking the

remains of the brandy from her. Except for the sudden flare of his lighter as

he lit a cigarette, she was hardly aware of his presence.

Eventually, as her self-control returned and the tearing ; sobs began to

subside, she sat up slowly, dreading that he would be watching her,

mocking her woebegone appearance, but he was merely sitting by the side

of the pool, staring down at the immaculate toe of one of his black shoes.

She forced herself to sound calm. 'Who is she, please?'

He glanced up. 'Helen? Oh, the original poor little rich girl. Her father's in

wool—the family live near Bradford. She met Jeremy in Kitzbuhl a couple

of years ago.'

'If he's known her all that time, how could he have been | the way he was

with me?' she said slowly.

He shrugged. 'As you may have gathered, I've never had much time for

Jeremy. He was damnably spoiled when he was a child. I don't think Clive

ever realised how much until it was too late. Marion's a bit of a fool, and

I've never thought her feelings go particularly deep, so maybe Jeremy j

takes after her.'

'Just like that,' she said unsteadily.

'What do you want me to say?' he countered, harshly. 'It's all been a terrible

mistake, and it's you he really loves? And all you have to do is go back in

that room looking like

the Queen of Elfland and he'll be yours for ever more?'

'He did love me,' Catriona whispered, her lips trembling. 'He did. I know it.'

'I daresay he did in his way for a while—if that's any consolation. But I can

promise you this, even if he did love you as you believed, he still wouldn't

give up Helen's money for you. And Marion wouldn't let him either.'

'You devil,' she said very distinctly.

He gave a slight laugh. 'Poor Cinderella! All the way to the ball to find

Prince Charming's turned into a pumpkin, and you have to go home with

Bluebeard.'

Catriona stared down at the handkerchief she was still holding. It had his

initials in the corner, she noticed,-and she recalled that Jeremy's had been

the same. Her eyes began to prick again.

'Oh no,' Jason Lord said decisively, and stood up. 'I've had enough of that,

Miss Muir. You've probably raised the humidity in here already and killed

off Marion's prize specimens. Now we're going to do some straight talking.'

'What is there to say?' she said hopelessly. 'I just can't understand why you

brought me here—like this.' She touched the shimmering length of her skirt

with distaste.

'Then you're even less perceptive than I gave you credit for,' he said coldly.

'That charming piece of nonsense you're wearing is a disguise. Do you think

anyone here tonight gave you a second glance except as an extremely

attractive young woman? If I'd just given you the address and allowed you

simply to turn up in those damned jeans and that rucksack, it would have

made a nine days' wonder for all of them in there. Is that what you wanted?

Everyone staring at you, and laughing—because they would have laughed,

make no mistake about that, my child. Okay, so you've been humiliated, but

no one knows that except the two of us. Oh—and Jeremy, I think,' he added

sarcastically as she turned startled eyes towards him. 'I think he caught your

misguided exit just now. He looked as if he'd just been pole- axed anyway.

But to everyone else, you're just Jason's new girl, whether you like it or not.'

'I must leave,' she said.

'Presently. We still have things to discuss.'

'I have nothing to discuss with you, Mr Lord,' she said quietly.

He threw down his cigarette, stubbing it out with his shoe.

'All right,' he said. 'You're hurt and you're angry because I've brought you

down from Cloud Seven with a jolt. But you'd have been forced down

eventually, Catriona, don't you see that? You came to London of your own

free will, and you saw Jeremy as you insisted on doing. Now it's time to pick

up the pieces. You weren't just crying for Jeremy just now, you know. You

were crying for first love and all it means. Well, first love isn't everything.'

'Oh, I believe you,' she said with bitter sarcasm. 'I'm sure you're an expert. It

must run in the family.'

'You little bitch,' he said slowly. 'But even if you were right, at least I

conduct my affairs with women who know what the score is. I don't take

sweets from babies. Only a child could have been taken in by someone as

callow as Jeremy.'

'I suppose I deserved that,' she said wearily. She held out her hand.

'Goodbye, Mr Lord. It's been salutory, if nothing else.'

He ignored the gesture. 'How do you intend to leave here, and where do you

propose to go?'

Catriona was taken aback. 'There are taxis, I suppose. And hotels.'

'There are,' he agreed. 'But only if you have money. And some of the more

respectable hotels also like you to .have luggage.'

Catriona was silent. It was like playing chess with an expert, she thought.

Every move she tried to make was anticipated and blocked.

'So let's look at the alternative,' he went on calmly. 'Go upstairs and repair

your make-up and have the inevitable confrontation with Jeremy. Oh yes,'

he took her chin in his hand as she flinched involuntarily, 'you can tell him

what tale you like, as long as it's not the unvarnished truth. Don't let him

have that satisfaction. And then I'll take you home, pride intact.'

It did not occur to Catriona until she was sitting in one of the elaborately

furnished bedrooms, renewing her lipstick, that Jason Lord had not

specified precisely where 'home' was.

As he had predicted, it was inevitable when she emerged from the

bedroom that Jeremy was waiting outside.

'Trina!' His face was white, and he moistened his lips nervously. 'I

couldn't believe it. What on earth are you doing here? Who brought you?'

Afterwards Catriona was amazed at the way the lie sprang so readily to her

lips.

'Oh, I know it was mean,' she said, smiling radiantly at him. 'But Jason

and I just thought what a joke it would be if I—turned up, like a skeleton

from the past. And your face was marvellous when you saw me. I

wouldn't have missed it.'

Relief was struggling with incredulity on his face. 'You're Jason's girl?"

he queried sharply.

'Quite correct.' Jason himself joined them, looking faintly amused. "I

don't think you realise just what you've let slip through your fingers this

time, dear nephew.'

Jeremy laughed uneasily. 'Oh, Trina's an angel. I—I ' don't blame you at all.

It was just such a—surprise.'

'Well, the world's fail of surprises,' Catriona said gaily. 'Poor lamb, I

should have let you know I was here, but Jason has hardly given me time

to breathe since I got to London.'

Jason came to stand beside her, dropping his arm lightly across her

shoulders. She felt the usual urge to draw away, but was forced to stand

still in his embrace, trapped by her own pretence. She noticed he was

carrying her stole over his arm.