Read Online Rainbow for Megan by Jane Corrie - Free Book Online Page A

been up to?' he asked mildly.
    Megan flushed and looked away, wishing she had held her tongue. It was too late now. 'If you must know,' she said between clenched teeth, 'she thinks ...' she swallowed, 'she thinks I've got a thing about you.'
    He threw back his head and laughed in pure enjoyment. Megan eyed him dispassionately. 'Go on,' she said, goaded beyond any reason. 'Have a good laugh. It is funny, isn't it? As if you and I could ever be linked that way.' As quickly as it had come, her fury left her and she started chuckling too. 'It's an absolute howler, isn't it ?' she managed to get out. 'Just imagining it's a mind-boggling proposition. I didn't think even Iris could have been that stupid.'
    He sobered for a moment and cast her a look of comic hurt. 'Thank you for those kind words,' he said dryly. 'I now withdraw my suit. I shall follow my predecessor and join the Army.'
    Megan blinked back the tears the laughter had brought to the surface. She didn't know Alain had known about John. 'You know,' she said, the laughter still lingering in her voice, 'you sound just like Ray.'
    He gave her a sudden hard look, the amusement gone. 'We do seem to have wandered off the point,
    don't we?' he demanded. 'I suppose it's no use asking you to leave ?'
    Megan shook her head decisively. 'I need the money,' she murmured with twinkling eyes.
    `I'm sure you do,' he said sardonically. 'Since when have you yearned for the gold stakes?'
    Again Megan regretted her words. It was not easy fooling Alain, she was not used to having to watch her every word. She took refuge in gaiety. 'Well, a girl never knows, does she ? I mean, bottom drawer and all that bosh,' she said lightly.
    He stared at her. 'You're not seriously considering Hallett ?' he demanded. 'He's years older than you are. Haven't you wondered why he suddenly bolted here ? He says he wants peace and quiet, but I'm not sure there's not more to it.' His voice grew gentle. `Watch your step, Tuppence. In all probability he's married, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt.'
    Although Megan knew he was concerned about her, she still felt it unfair that Ray should have been condemned out of hand. 'You know nothing about him,' she said quietly. 'And I think it's unkind of you to pass judgment like that. You didn't even give him the benefit of the doubt last night, did you ? What would you say if I told you I'd engineered the whole thing?'
    Again she noted his eyes widen in sudden surprise,
    then they narrowed. 'If you did,' he said harshly, `then you ought to be whipped. I'm only sorry I came on the scene. You would have received the shock of your life. That type doesn't play around. You'd be a new experience for him, but don't expect me to pick up the pieces when your dream bubble bursts in your face. You're a little green girl, nowhere near his mettle. Go ahead and burn your fingers—you've got to learn some time, I suppose. Thank heaven I can now wash my hands of you! You've refused to take my advice and that's good enough for me.'
    He strode off, leaving Megan staring after him. She had rarely seen him quite so put out. At least one thing had been accomplished, he would not interfere in her affairs again. He was a man of his word. Megan knew he had now left it up to her. Either she did as he wished or the friendship was over.
    She caught her bottom lip to stop it trembling. She couldn't leave even if she wanted to, and she didn't want to; she was happy, apart from the much-needed cash angle.
    She called Chas to heel and began the return journey. The happy mood she'd started out in had fled, leaving a miserably hollow feeling. Things would never be the same again. She was as positive about that as she had been about her father's affairs straightening out for the better.
    Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. She had lost her big brother, and a warm comfortable feeling that he was always there in the background. She had to admit sadly that it was for the best. It had to happen sometime