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Authors: Carole Mortimer
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hospital when it came time to leave, installing her in her own apartment, the only sign of emotion Beth had shown being when her mother had asked if she wanted to see Martin. She never wanted to see him again!
Physically she had healed quickly. And much as she might have wanted to die, to know complete oblivion, to stop the emotional pain, her body had had other ideas on the subject. Yes, physically she had recovered. Emotionally she was scarred beyond healing.
When the divorce papers came she had been shocked out of her lethargy, incensed that Martin was daring to accuse her of adultery. And with a man she didn't even know.
It had to be one of Martin's friends, she had decided, a man with as few scruples as he had proved to have.
She had fought the petition, denied the adultery, but finally her weakened state, and the law, had defeated her, and Martin had been granted his divorce on the grounds of her adultery with a man she didn't even know!
Chloe must have been becoming impatient at being kept waiting, Beth had decided; she could see little other reason for the lying and subterfuge that had gained Martin his divorce.
And so it was finished. Over with. The divorce final several weeks ago.
But Beth would never forget what had been done to her, how she had been used, and then callously discarded when she proved no further use to the two men. She doubted she would ever trust another man again.
And now there was Marcus Craven trying to push his way into her life, a man with as much arrogance as her father and Martin.
She gave a nervous start as a knock sounded on the door, frowning as she went to answer it; surely Marcus didn't have this much arrogance?
The waiter who had served them at dinner stood outside the door, a red rose held in his hand, a rose very similar to if not actually the same one which had graced their table during the meal.
Beth's frown deepened. 'Yes?'
'From Mr Craven.' He presented the rose to her. 'To thank you for a wonderful evening.' He spoke carefully, obviously wanting to repeat the message precisely.
Beth slowly took the rose, staring at its perfection, the waiter having silently left when she at last looked up.
Yes, now there was Marcus Craven. And she had no idea what she was going to do about him.
CHAPTER FIVE
'I'm Glad you decided to join me,' Marcus greeted Beth downstairs the next morning.
She hadn't meant to, had breakfasted on the balcony of her room, lingering over her coffee, hoping ten o'clock would pass and she could forget Marcus Craven had wanted her to meet him then.
But as ten o'clock approached she had become restless, moving about on the balcony, entering her room only to go back outside again. And at two minutes to ten she had finally admitted to herself that she wanted to join him, grabbing up her bag from the bed before rushing from the room, arriving downstairs breathless and bright-eyed.
She had never looked lovelier, her cheeks slightly flushed, her hair lightly mussed by the slight breeze out on her balcony, the green dress with its small white spots looking cool and elegant.
She felt as if she was walking into danger for the second time in her life, but at least this time she knew that was what she was doing!
'You promised to show me Venice,' she reminded him, steadily meeting his gaze, willing her pulse to stop racing at how handsome helooked in the pale blue shirt and grey trousers, the shirt partly unbuttoned to reveal the dark hair on his chest.
Unfortunately, her pulse wasn't taking the slightest bit of notice of her!
'And I will,' he assured her decisively, taking a firm hold of her arm to guide her out into the sunlight.
Now that she was refreshed from sleep Venice looked different again to Beth this morning, the street-vendors out, most of them selling souvenirs, although there was the odd artist trying to capture the beauty around them. A few of them had almost succeeded, and Beth lingered over studying their work.
'We can see them again when
Physically she had healed quickly. And much as she might have wanted to die, to know complete oblivion, to stop the emotional pain, her body had had other ideas on the subject. Yes, physically she had recovered. Emotionally she was scarred beyond healing.
When the divorce papers came she had been shocked out of her lethargy, incensed that Martin was daring to accuse her of adultery. And with a man she didn't even know.
It had to be one of Martin's friends, she had decided, a man with as few scruples as he had proved to have.
She had fought the petition, denied the adultery, but finally her weakened state, and the law, had defeated her, and Martin had been granted his divorce on the grounds of her adultery with a man she didn't even know!
Chloe must have been becoming impatient at being kept waiting, Beth had decided; she could see little other reason for the lying and subterfuge that had gained Martin his divorce.
And so it was finished. Over with. The divorce final several weeks ago.
But Beth would never forget what had been done to her, how she had been used, and then callously discarded when she proved no further use to the two men. She doubted she would ever trust another man again.
And now there was Marcus Craven trying to push his way into her life, a man with as much arrogance as her father and Martin.
She gave a nervous start as a knock sounded on the door, frowning as she went to answer it; surely Marcus didn't have this much arrogance?
The waiter who had served them at dinner stood outside the door, a red rose held in his hand, a rose very similar to if not actually the same one which had graced their table during the meal.
Beth's frown deepened. 'Yes?'
'From Mr Craven.' He presented the rose to her. 'To thank you for a wonderful evening.' He spoke carefully, obviously wanting to repeat the message precisely.
Beth slowly took the rose, staring at its perfection, the waiter having silently left when she at last looked up.
Yes, now there was Marcus Craven. And she had no idea what she was going to do about him.
CHAPTER FIVE
'I'm Glad you decided to join me,' Marcus greeted Beth downstairs the next morning.
She hadn't meant to, had breakfasted on the balcony of her room, lingering over her coffee, hoping ten o'clock would pass and she could forget Marcus Craven had wanted her to meet him then.
But as ten o'clock approached she had become restless, moving about on the balcony, entering her room only to go back outside again. And at two minutes to ten she had finally admitted to herself that she wanted to join him, grabbing up her bag from the bed before rushing from the room, arriving downstairs breathless and bright-eyed.
She had never looked lovelier, her cheeks slightly flushed, her hair lightly mussed by the slight breeze out on her balcony, the green dress with its small white spots looking cool and elegant.
She felt as if she was walking into danger for the second time in her life, but at least this time she knew that was what she was doing!
'You promised to show me Venice,' she reminded him, steadily meeting his gaze, willing her pulse to stop racing at how handsome helooked in the pale blue shirt and grey trousers, the shirt partly unbuttoned to reveal the dark hair on his chest.
Unfortunately, her pulse wasn't taking the slightest bit of notice of her!
'And I will,' he assured her decisively, taking a firm hold of her arm to guide her out into the sunlight.
Now that she was refreshed from sleep Venice looked different again to Beth this morning, the street-vendors out, most of them selling souvenirs, although there was the odd artist trying to capture the beauty around them. A few of them had almost succeeded, and Beth lingered over studying their work.
'We can see them again when
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