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Authors: Margaret Pargeter
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leaves and rioting blossom of springtime France. Above them the sky was darkening as night approached, to a beautiful violet blue. A scene for lovers, she thought, feeling suddenly bleak.
'You'd better come and choose your bedroom.' Rick spoke so closely behind her she was startled, but she obeyed as blindly as she had left him. The suite was magnificent, with its bedrooms and bathrooms and spacious lounge. There was more space here than might be found in many homes, but hadn't Rick said something about being a milionaire?
She considered the two bedrooms, as he was obviously waiting for her to make her choice. 'I'll have this one.' She took the smaler. 'It will do fine.'
He didn't argue or comment on her rather trite remark as he turned and walked into the other one and closed the door.
Emma blinked at the closed door uncertainly. Wasn't it the bride who was supposed to do that? With a funny little sigh she wandered into her own quarters, dropping her bandbag indifferently on the bed.
Nervously she approached the dressing table, staring at herself in the glass. The pale, silky two-piece she wore looked nice. It had been cool for late April in London and she had felt chiled, but this had been quite in keeping with her mood as she had married Rick. It hadn't been until after the ceremony, when he had bent with brief mockery to kiss her mouth, that she had again been consumed by the strange sensation of fire which twice before had overheated her skin.
Later she had flinched from the cynicism in his eyes as she had opened her own to find him watching her.
'You might have to do better than that,' he had commented, his eyes narrowed, his voice low and taunting.
Anxiously now she wondered what he had meant. She was sure, at that moment, he hadn't been thinking of Blanche.
CHAPTER FOUR
Suddenly, as confused thoughts tumbled, around in Emma's mind, the communicating door between their two rooms opened and Rick came in. He had discarded his jacket, but still wore his shirt and trousers although his shirt was unbuttoned at the neck.
Stealing a glance at his face through the thick veil of her lashes, she tried to keep her leaping senses under control, not foolish enough to imagine he was here seeking his marital rights. He had been frank enough on that subject yesterday.
Yet her heart beat uneasily as her lashes swept down on her cheeks. No man surely had the right to look so disturbingly attractive.
'I'm busy settling in,' she said carefuly, 'as you can see.'
Glancing about him swiftly, he replied dryly, 'I can't see any great signs of it, but I'll take your word for it. I hoped you might be in your bath.'
'Why?'
'Don't sound so defensive, I had no intention of joining you,' he snapped, disregarding her hot cheeks. 'I thought it might ease some of the tension out of you. You won't see Oliver tonight, you know, so you can forget about that.'
Her eyes widened. 'I wasn't even thinking—and if that's Her eyes widened. 'I wasn't even thinking—and if that's why you're here…'
'Not altogether, I'm afraid,' he cut through her muddled sentences sardonicaly, 'but there's nothing to get alarmed about.'
'Then what…?' she stammered nervously, not caring to be teased in this manner. He was beginning to disturb her so easily. Every time he glanced at her she could feel her nerves tauten. Suddenly she wished she were a milion miles away.
When, as he drew nearer, her unconscious fears urged her to flee, Rick seemed to anticipate the step she was about to take and his hand shot impatiently out to keep her where she was.
'Don't do that,' he exclaimed irritably. 'That's the reason I'm here. It suddenly occurred to me that you stiffen up like a statue every time I come near you. It won't do at al,' he rasped. 'Our two friends are nothing if not astute. The way you are now they'd guess immediately that you love me no more than I love you.'
Emma's heart went cold at such cruelty, yet what more could she expect? He had married her in
'You'd better come and choose your bedroom.' Rick spoke so closely behind her she was startled, but she obeyed as blindly as she had left him. The suite was magnificent, with its bedrooms and bathrooms and spacious lounge. There was more space here than might be found in many homes, but hadn't Rick said something about being a milionaire?
She considered the two bedrooms, as he was obviously waiting for her to make her choice. 'I'll have this one.' She took the smaler. 'It will do fine.'
He didn't argue or comment on her rather trite remark as he turned and walked into the other one and closed the door.
Emma blinked at the closed door uncertainly. Wasn't it the bride who was supposed to do that? With a funny little sigh she wandered into her own quarters, dropping her bandbag indifferently on the bed.
Nervously she approached the dressing table, staring at herself in the glass. The pale, silky two-piece she wore looked nice. It had been cool for late April in London and she had felt chiled, but this had been quite in keeping with her mood as she had married Rick. It hadn't been until after the ceremony, when he had bent with brief mockery to kiss her mouth, that she had again been consumed by the strange sensation of fire which twice before had overheated her skin.
Later she had flinched from the cynicism in his eyes as she had opened her own to find him watching her.
'You might have to do better than that,' he had commented, his eyes narrowed, his voice low and taunting.
Anxiously now she wondered what he had meant. She was sure, at that moment, he hadn't been thinking of Blanche.
CHAPTER FOUR
Suddenly, as confused thoughts tumbled, around in Emma's mind, the communicating door between their two rooms opened and Rick came in. He had discarded his jacket, but still wore his shirt and trousers although his shirt was unbuttoned at the neck.
Stealing a glance at his face through the thick veil of her lashes, she tried to keep her leaping senses under control, not foolish enough to imagine he was here seeking his marital rights. He had been frank enough on that subject yesterday.
Yet her heart beat uneasily as her lashes swept down on her cheeks. No man surely had the right to look so disturbingly attractive.
'I'm busy settling in,' she said carefuly, 'as you can see.'
Glancing about him swiftly, he replied dryly, 'I can't see any great signs of it, but I'll take your word for it. I hoped you might be in your bath.'
'Why?'
'Don't sound so defensive, I had no intention of joining you,' he snapped, disregarding her hot cheeks. 'I thought it might ease some of the tension out of you. You won't see Oliver tonight, you know, so you can forget about that.'
Her eyes widened. 'I wasn't even thinking—and if that's Her eyes widened. 'I wasn't even thinking—and if that's why you're here…'
'Not altogether, I'm afraid,' he cut through her muddled sentences sardonicaly, 'but there's nothing to get alarmed about.'
'Then what…?' she stammered nervously, not caring to be teased in this manner. He was beginning to disturb her so easily. Every time he glanced at her she could feel her nerves tauten. Suddenly she wished she were a milion miles away.
When, as he drew nearer, her unconscious fears urged her to flee, Rick seemed to anticipate the step she was about to take and his hand shot impatiently out to keep her where she was.
'Don't do that,' he exclaimed irritably. 'That's the reason I'm here. It suddenly occurred to me that you stiffen up like a statue every time I come near you. It won't do at al,' he rasped. 'Our two friends are nothing if not astute. The way you are now they'd guess immediately that you love me no more than I love you.'
Emma's heart went cold at such cruelty, yet what more could she expect? He had married her in
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