Read Online Substitute Bride by Margaret Pargeter - Free Book Online
Authors: Margaret Pargeter
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fright.
'Get out!' she exclaimed, reacting to his presence with instinctive alarm. 'We aren't married yet.'
Cooly his eyes mocked her flushed cheeks. 'Don't flatter yourself that I came for anything—or ever wil, not from you.'
Her lips trembled against his unexpected hardness. 'I'm sorry,' she mumbled, her face hotter than ever, 'I didn't mean… I mean, I won't expect…'
'I'm glad you understand,' he stared at her insolently. 'I thought I'd made that very clear, but perhaps I'd better refresh your memory. It is only in public that I'll ask you to endure being near me—for appearances' sake.'
'While, in private, you ignore me?' she choked, unable to understand why she should feel so bleak about it.
'Oh, I might not ignore you altogether,' he rejoined derisively. 'I don't imagine I could love you, but I do believe I might enjoy schooling you. A little tough handling might be good for you at that. It might help straighten you out while you're still young enough to be reformed. Like your cousin, you've obviously inherited a twisted character from somewhere.'
Apprehensively Emma's thoughts leaped to her father.
Rick must never find out that his business had failed when he'd tried to take a short cut by cheating somebody. At least so Hilda had said. When, with what must have been coincidence, Rick asked sharply what her father's employment had been, she muttered something about him being out of work when he'd died.
As if the paleness of her face warned him against probing further, Rick straightened abruptly from the door. 'I don't want to hear any more. Just close your case and I'll take it to the car while you dress.'
'I'm afraid I haven't much,' she indicated uncertainly to the few shabby articles of clothing the case contained, which was all she had. 'I've two photographs, though, of my parents,'
she showed him the parcel, neatly wrapped in newspaper, tied with string. 'Please,' her eyes were huge and anxious, 'I have to keep them.'
'I'm not a monster,' he assured her impatiently. 'Take what you like.' Removing them from her tightly protective clasp, he almost flung them on top of her clothes, snapping the case shut himself. 'Now get a move on,' he commanded curtly, viewing her trembling figure grimly. 'I won't tell you again. If you aren't down in five minutes I'll leave without you.'
Emma never could decide whether he had realy been giving her a chance to change her mind or not. She dressed swiftly, obeying him weakly. It made her contemptuous of herself,, all the way to London, that she hadn't been able to find the courage to defy him and stay.
Once in the city, she was amazed at how quickly Rick got things done. He was so decisive and competent she didn't think she would ever be able to keep up with him. After arranging for them to stay at a luxurious and disquiet hotel, he took her to a fashionable boutique and bought her some new clothes.
When she hissed a protest when the saleswoman's back was turned, he merely looked bored. 'You need something for dinner tonight, and to get married in. What you're wearing at the moment wouldn't flatter a tramp.'
'Oh, I hate you!' she cried.
'It's no use trying to look like a wounded gazele,' he jeered. 'I suppose you're so shabby because you couldn't bear to bring the things you wore when you went out with Oliver?'
Startled, she glanced at him, nervously moving her Head.
This, she realised too late, he took for acquiescence. But, as she sought belatedly to correct the assumption, it occurred to her that she couldn't. Not if she wanted her secret to remain safe. If Rick knew she had no other clothes he would immediately become suspicious—and, because of his astuteness, that need only be a short step to his guessing the true state of affairs between herself and Rex Oliver.
Without another murmur she chose two outfits, and when she tried them on she fancied Rick was surprised at her good taste. The small hairdressing salon which Rick found next enhanced her image
'Get out!' she exclaimed, reacting to his presence with instinctive alarm. 'We aren't married yet.'
Cooly his eyes mocked her flushed cheeks. 'Don't flatter yourself that I came for anything—or ever wil, not from you.'
Her lips trembled against his unexpected hardness. 'I'm sorry,' she mumbled, her face hotter than ever, 'I didn't mean… I mean, I won't expect…'
'I'm glad you understand,' he stared at her insolently. 'I thought I'd made that very clear, but perhaps I'd better refresh your memory. It is only in public that I'll ask you to endure being near me—for appearances' sake.'
'While, in private, you ignore me?' she choked, unable to understand why she should feel so bleak about it.
'Oh, I might not ignore you altogether,' he rejoined derisively. 'I don't imagine I could love you, but I do believe I might enjoy schooling you. A little tough handling might be good for you at that. It might help straighten you out while you're still young enough to be reformed. Like your cousin, you've obviously inherited a twisted character from somewhere.'
Apprehensively Emma's thoughts leaped to her father.
Rick must never find out that his business had failed when he'd tried to take a short cut by cheating somebody. At least so Hilda had said. When, with what must have been coincidence, Rick asked sharply what her father's employment had been, she muttered something about him being out of work when he'd died.
As if the paleness of her face warned him against probing further, Rick straightened abruptly from the door. 'I don't want to hear any more. Just close your case and I'll take it to the car while you dress.'
'I'm afraid I haven't much,' she indicated uncertainly to the few shabby articles of clothing the case contained, which was all she had. 'I've two photographs, though, of my parents,'
she showed him the parcel, neatly wrapped in newspaper, tied with string. 'Please,' her eyes were huge and anxious, 'I have to keep them.'
'I'm not a monster,' he assured her impatiently. 'Take what you like.' Removing them from her tightly protective clasp, he almost flung them on top of her clothes, snapping the case shut himself. 'Now get a move on,' he commanded curtly, viewing her trembling figure grimly. 'I won't tell you again. If you aren't down in five minutes I'll leave without you.'
Emma never could decide whether he had realy been giving her a chance to change her mind or not. She dressed swiftly, obeying him weakly. It made her contemptuous of herself,, all the way to London, that she hadn't been able to find the courage to defy him and stay.
Once in the city, she was amazed at how quickly Rick got things done. He was so decisive and competent she didn't think she would ever be able to keep up with him. After arranging for them to stay at a luxurious and disquiet hotel, he took her to a fashionable boutique and bought her some new clothes.
When she hissed a protest when the saleswoman's back was turned, he merely looked bored. 'You need something for dinner tonight, and to get married in. What you're wearing at the moment wouldn't flatter a tramp.'
'Oh, I hate you!' she cried.
'It's no use trying to look like a wounded gazele,' he jeered. 'I suppose you're so shabby because you couldn't bear to bring the things you wore when you went out with Oliver?'
Startled, she glanced at him, nervously moving her Head.
This, she realised too late, he took for acquiescence. But, as she sought belatedly to correct the assumption, it occurred to her that she couldn't. Not if she wanted her secret to remain safe. If Rick knew she had no other clothes he would immediately become suspicious—and, because of his astuteness, that need only be a short step to his guessing the true state of affairs between herself and Rex Oliver.
Without another murmur she chose two outfits, and when she tried them on she fancied Rick was surprised at her good taste. The small hairdressing salon which Rick found next enhanced her image
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