Read Online Man Without a Heart by Anne Hampson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anne Hampson
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each other,' she admitted, puzzled by his manner. He seemed to be suppressing anger, and she was impelled to add, 'The arrangement you and I made was that we would each be free to go our own way.'
'So long as my mother isn't hurt,' he snapped. 'That was the condition which, it would appear, you have forgotten.'
'I haven't forgotten anything about our agreement,' denied Jill with an indignant lift of her chin.
'Have you visited Mother while I've been away?' The dark Greek eyes flickered over her from head to foot, missing nothing-the slender lines, the seductive contours, the high, firm breasts secured in lace that showed through the lawn like texture of the white blouse she was wearing.
'Of course I've visited her-several times.' Jill considered that she had done her duty and resented Adam's attitude, since it was he who had said they would each have their freedom.
'Surely you realised the possibility of my meeting someone and falling in love?' She stopped rather abruptly, having caught herself in the lie, and glanced away, a catch in her heart. But determinedly she thrust out the reminder of her love for Adam, profoundly aware that it could, not possibly come to anything. She had to forget it-to push it right out of her consciousness every time it came to the fore, because that was the only way to become heart-free again and, in consequence, to turn her full attention to the most pleasant attachment that had come into her life. Gilbert was charming to be with, an intelligent conversationalist; he was tall and good-looking and his manners were impeccable. And if she didn't love him now, well, perhaps it would come in time.
Adam was silent, an unfathomable expression on his face. Jill could not understand his manner, or the long silence which, for her, was becoming uncomfortable. He seemed to be controlling his temper with difficulty. Her hackles rose, and so did her chin, but before she had time to speak, Adam had broken the silence to say, quite firmly, that he was not going to have his mother hurt by any action of Jill's.
'She'll be heartbroken if she ever learns you're friendly with another man.' His eyes were hard, like tempered steel. 'Your mother won't know anything about it.' Jill frowned at him and added, after a slight hesitation, 'I don't care for your attitude, Adam. I'm my own mistress, remember —'
'You're my wife,' he cut in sharply, 'and as such you will behave with an appropriate measure of discretion!'
Jill gritted her teeth, infuriated by the content of his words and the manner in which he had delivered them, in that magisterial way, his whole bearing one of arrogant domination. She said, determined to retain her calm in spite of the anger that consumed her, 'I haven't asked you who you were with in Athens, because I don't consider I have the right, our agreement being what it is. You were probably with Julia, or you might have been with another woman. As I've said, I've not asked because it's no concern of mine.' A silence followed, and she knew he was impressed by the quiet dignity with which her words were spoken. She looked intently at him, aware that he was still angry but, like her, was not intending to lose control.
'How long is this Gilbert staying on Corina?' he inquired at length.
'He's a schoolteacher, so he has about six weeks' vacation: He'll have another five weeks-but he might not stay that long,' she added, even though she felt almost sure that he'd stay as long as was possible, just to be with her.
'You appear to have made a good deal of progress in a very short time,' observed Adam unpleasantly.
'It was one of those things. We liked each other on sight.' Jill's lip quivered uncontrollably. The idea of her having a man friend was obviously annoying to Adam, but little did he know just how painful this conversation was to her.
'And when he's left, you'll correspond, I suppose?'
'Of course.'
'And you'll both be waiting for my mother to die.' A statement, and now his voice
'So long as my mother isn't hurt,' he snapped. 'That was the condition which, it would appear, you have forgotten.'
'I haven't forgotten anything about our agreement,' denied Jill with an indignant lift of her chin.
'Have you visited Mother while I've been away?' The dark Greek eyes flickered over her from head to foot, missing nothing-the slender lines, the seductive contours, the high, firm breasts secured in lace that showed through the lawn like texture of the white blouse she was wearing.
'Of course I've visited her-several times.' Jill considered that she had done her duty and resented Adam's attitude, since it was he who had said they would each have their freedom.
'Surely you realised the possibility of my meeting someone and falling in love?' She stopped rather abruptly, having caught herself in the lie, and glanced away, a catch in her heart. But determinedly she thrust out the reminder of her love for Adam, profoundly aware that it could, not possibly come to anything. She had to forget it-to push it right out of her consciousness every time it came to the fore, because that was the only way to become heart-free again and, in consequence, to turn her full attention to the most pleasant attachment that had come into her life. Gilbert was charming to be with, an intelligent conversationalist; he was tall and good-looking and his manners were impeccable. And if she didn't love him now, well, perhaps it would come in time.
Adam was silent, an unfathomable expression on his face. Jill could not understand his manner, or the long silence which, for her, was becoming uncomfortable. He seemed to be controlling his temper with difficulty. Her hackles rose, and so did her chin, but before she had time to speak, Adam had broken the silence to say, quite firmly, that he was not going to have his mother hurt by any action of Jill's.
'She'll be heartbroken if she ever learns you're friendly with another man.' His eyes were hard, like tempered steel. 'Your mother won't know anything about it.' Jill frowned at him and added, after a slight hesitation, 'I don't care for your attitude, Adam. I'm my own mistress, remember —'
'You're my wife,' he cut in sharply, 'and as such you will behave with an appropriate measure of discretion!'
Jill gritted her teeth, infuriated by the content of his words and the manner in which he had delivered them, in that magisterial way, his whole bearing one of arrogant domination. She said, determined to retain her calm in spite of the anger that consumed her, 'I haven't asked you who you were with in Athens, because I don't consider I have the right, our agreement being what it is. You were probably with Julia, or you might have been with another woman. As I've said, I've not asked because it's no concern of mine.' A silence followed, and she knew he was impressed by the quiet dignity with which her words were spoken. She looked intently at him, aware that he was still angry but, like her, was not intending to lose control.
'How long is this Gilbert staying on Corina?' he inquired at length.
'He's a schoolteacher, so he has about six weeks' vacation: He'll have another five weeks-but he might not stay that long,' she added, even though she felt almost sure that he'd stay as long as was possible, just to be with her.
'You appear to have made a good deal of progress in a very short time,' observed Adam unpleasantly.
'It was one of those things. We liked each other on sight.' Jill's lip quivered uncontrollably. The idea of her having a man friend was obviously annoying to Adam, but little did he know just how painful this conversation was to her.
'And when he's left, you'll correspond, I suppose?'
'Of course.'
'And you'll both be waiting for my mother to die.' A statement, and now his voice
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