Read Online HIGH TIDE AT MIDNIGHT by Sara Craven, Mineko Yamada - Free Book Online

far between." He studied her for a moment with
    undisguised curiosity, then swung towards Dominic Trevennon who had
    been listening to the interchange with a faint sneering smile playing about
    his lips.
    'Dom, what's going on here? You aren't seriously suggesting that she should
    walk all the way back to the main road on a night like this—not when we've
    got half a dozen empty bedrooms.'
    Oh, please." Morwenna intervened, alarmed. 'I really must be going. I've
    made arrangements…'
    'Then you must let me take you in my car." He gave her a smile of such
    charm that she felt warmed by it in spite of everything that had happened.
    'Where are you staying? The Towers in Port Vennor?'
    'Er—no.' Morwenna thought rapidly. 'As a matter of fact, I'm staying with
    some friends. But you really don't need to put yourself out.'
    'I'm not. Dom, don't just stand there. Tell her that she's not putting us to any
    trouble. What's the matter with you? You surely weren't going to let her
    simply trudge off into the night, for God's sake?'
    Dominic Trevennon raised his eyebrows coolly. 'Frankly, it didn't seem to
    be any of my concern,' he said offhandedly. 'In any case, Miss Kerslake has
    already impressed me as a young lady more than capable of looking after
    herself.'
    'Miss—Kerslake?'
    Dominic Trevennon nodded. 'You heard me correctly— and your
    assumption is equally correct. And as introductions now seem to be in order,
    Miss Kerslake. this is my younger brother Mark.'
    His handshake was warm enough, but Morwenna already sensed a faint air
    of withdrawal in his manner. The younger brother had an easy forthright
    charm which his elder totally lacked, she thought, smouldering.
    She said very sweetly and politely, 'If after my dire identity is disclosed to
    you, the offer of a lift is no longer forthcoming, I shall quite understand.'
    'What? I mean—oh, no.' Mark Trevennon looked hot with embarrassment.
    'I'll take you wherever you wish to go—just as soon as you're ready.'
    Without another word or glance in Dominic Trevennon's direction, she
    walked into the hall. After a moment Mark joined her and they walked
    together to the front door.
    A battered-looking Mini was parked in the shadow of the outbuildings.
    Mark unlocked the passenger door and helped her in punctiliously, stowing
    her rucksack on the back seat.
    As he got into the driver's seat, Morwenna said rather awkwardly, 'I'm sorry
    about all this. I had no idea until I arrived here this evening that there'd been
    any kind of rift.'
    He smiled tightly. 'It must have been a nasty shock for you,' he said, turning
    on the ignition.
    'The thing is,' Morwenna gripped her hands together in her lap, 'I still don't
    know what it is my mother is supposed to have done. Mr Trevennon—your
    brother—was talking in terms of misery and ruined lives. I can hardly
    believe we're talking about the same person. I was only a child when my
    mother died, but I just don't remember her as—a destroyer. She was a very
    warm, creative person. She drew people to her.'
    'Perhaps that was the trouble.' Mark peered forward through the windscreen
    frowning a little.
    'What do you mean?'
    He shrugged uneasily. 'Oh, forget, it. I honestly don't think anything will be
    gained by going over old ground. I'm sorry if Dom gave you a tough time,
    but things haven't been exactly easy for him, either. Your arrival on the
    scene must have seemed the last straw in many ways. Why did you come, by
    the way?'
    Morwenna bent her head and stared down at her clasped hands. 'I wanted
    your brother to store some paintings for me,' she replied tonelessly.
    He^ave her a sharp sideways look. 'You mean some of your mother's work?'
    When she nodded, he gave a short explosive whistle. 'My God, that would
    really have put the cat among the pigeons!'
    'And yet I'm never to know why.' Morwenna gave a mirthless smile, and
    then paused, pressing her hands against her whitening face. 'I'm
    sorry—please, can you turn the car round?