CHAPTER ONE

IT gave Sara a sense of power to sit at the broad greenleather desk which had once been her father's and watchthe changing lights of the London skyline through thewindow. The office was on the top floor of a slim six-storeybuilding sandwiched between city giants which toweredabove it, but up here she had an enthralling view of the city,dominated by the grey dome of St Paul's and a distantpatch of glittering water which was the Thames;

For two years she had sat at this desk, learning the job herfather had done for so many years, keeping in touch withhim on the white telephone which stood at her elbow, andwhich was her father's lifeline, his only link with the outsideworld which daily slipped away from him.

At the age of fifty Sam Harrison had been struck down by aslow, inevitable disease which left him crippled in awheelchair yet mentally as alive as ever. For an active,ambitious man it had been a tragedy. Sara had neveradmired her father so much as when she watched himcoping bravely with his disease and its consequences. Ithad taken all his courage, but somehow he had retained hissense of humour and his vitality.

Each day he read the financial pages of his newspapers,did the crosswords and made telephone calls. Thebusiness of the day over, he played chess by telephone

with an old friend now retired from business, or readendless detective stories while listening to his stereo unit.

The day-to-day' running of his property company hadpassed to Sara just at a time when she most needed to befully occupied, and she had thrown herself into a businesslife', with dedication and energy. She had been fortunate inthat her father's assistant, Jason Wood, had been cheerfulabout teaching her the business. She had been afraidJason would feel bitter about working for a young woman.But her fears were groundless. Jason adjusted calmly to thenew situation and proved invaluable to her. He knew moreabout the property situation than most men had forgotten,and his quick wits and business acumen were remarkable.

After two years Sara had lost her first nervousness aboutmaking mistakes. She had become confident, shrewd andknowledgeable about all the details of the job. More andmore Jason was able to leave the work to her and get onwith that part of the business which had always been hisforte, the actual choice of investments and newdevelopments.

Harrison & Company were not an enormous internationalfirm, but they were soundly based and growing year byyear. Sara knew that she herself was the chief beneficiaryof her father's will, and that the company would one day behers, for Sam Harrison had believed in keeping thecompany shares in the control of the family, and that, sincehe had only one child, meant Sara.

This afternoon as she watched the London sky turn slowlyorange she thought sadly about her father, for his illnesswas accelerating now and she knew he did not have long tolive. They had spent some weeks in Cornwall together inthe early summer, and Sam had been happier with her thanhe had seemed for a long time, relaxed and cheerful as helounged on the terrace of their hotel sipping a glass oforange juice and watched the other guests in the swimmingpool. Yet despite his happiness she had realised sadly thathe was losing ground, so thin and pale that they hadattracted many looks of quiet sympathy as they strolledthrough the luxuriant gardens or walked through thecrowded streets, she pushing his wheelchair, Sam eagerlygazing around all the new sights. Just to be away on holidayand see different places was a joy to him after his monthsof housebound peace.

How long? she wondered, frowning at the setting sun. Hisdoctors were discreetly unwilling to place a time limit, yetshe knew Sam himself was tired and almost longing forrest. A sigh wrenched her.

The shrill of the telephone made her start. Automatically shelifted the receiver. 'Yes?'

'Sara, darling...'

A smile lit her face. 'Perry! I thought you were in Scotland

until Wednesday.'

'I flew back this afternoon. I missed you.'

'What a coincidence,' she said teasingly.

'Coincidence?' Perry repeated, puzzled.

'I missed you, too,' she said lightly.

He laughed. 'Good. Dinner tonight?'

She hesitated. 'I promised Sam I would be home to dinner.Why don't you join us?'

'Normally I'd love to, you know that,' Perry said seriously.'I'm very fond of Sam. But I wanted to have you to myselfthis evening. There's something I want to talk to you about.'

She promised to ring her father and see how he felt about achange in her plans. 'If he doesn't mind, I'll ring you back,'she said.

Sam was gently reassuring on the telephone. 'Of course I'llbe all right. Mrs Jenkins will look after me as usual. Have agood time. Give my regards to Perry. He's a nice lad.'

A nice lad, she thought, ringing off. The phrase was friendlybut slightly scornful, and that, in fact, summed up herfather's attitude to Perry. Sam would never accept Perry asa substitute for... she broke off as the name flashed into herhead, her brow creasing in an angry frown. No, -she wouldnot even think of him. All that was past, long past, and

buried for ever.

Dinner with Perry was a leisurely affair at an expensivetrattoria in a quiet side street. Their table was hidden awayin an alcove behind bamboo and vine leaves. Soft musicmade a soothing background noise under cover of whichone could talk without fear of being overheard. The waiterswere assiduously attentive, deferential and watchful ofevery need. The food.was excellent if a trifle rich. Pickingtentatively at her Pollo Medici, a slice of tender breast ofchicken fried in bread-crumbs with thin slivers ofmushroom, peppers and celery hearts, Sara listened asPerry talked about his trip to Scotland. His business hadbeen satisfactorily concluded and he was pleased withhimself.

Perry was the only son of Michael Durrell, the chairman ofDurrell & Son, a vast building firm centred on Manchesterwhich had spread to London in the last five years and wasgrowing like a mushroom.

Sara had met Perry through business, for her firm hadconnections with Durrells, and their business contacts hadslowly become social meetings until now Perry was hercustomary escort.

Twenty-seven years old, with curly brown hair and smilinghazel eyes, Perry was possessed of a great deal of charm.His four sisters, all older than himself, had dominated hischildhood and he was fond of their company even now.Kind-hearted and easy-going, Perry loved his sisters'

children. Sara loved to see him with them. There was awarmth about the Durrell household which she found veryattractive, having been an only child herself. Whenever shevisited it, she found it swarming with the family: Mrs Durrelland her daughters, and the lively brood of grandchildrenwho were the pride of Mr Durrell's life.

'How is your mother?' she asked Perry when he paused forbreath.

He grinned at her. 'Fine. She asked me why you hadn'tbeen round for weeks.'

'I've been so busy with this new Telman Estate,' she sighed.'I've been handling all the contracts because Jason is up tohis eyebrows with the other stuff.'

He nodded. 'Try to find time to nip round and see her,though, will you? She is very fond of you. He gave her aquick, half shy glance. 'And she's hoping you'll be herdaughter-in-law one day.'

She looked startled, her face flushing. 'Oh ...' So this waswhat he had wanted to talk about, she thought. It ought tohave occurred to her, of course, but somehow the idea ofmarriage had never entered her head. She had imaginedthat Perry realised...

He leant over the table, his hand touching hers gently. 'Ididn't mean to rush into the subject like that. I always makea mess of it when I try to talk to you. I've been trying to get it

out for weeks. I thought you must have realised...'

She looked at him, her brow troubled. 'Perry, I'm not free. Ithought you knew.'

'I know you're still married to Elliot,' he said quickly. 'Ofcourse I know. But I thought you've been separated for twoyears. It must be easy enough for you to get a divorce.'

She shrugged. 'Oh, I think it would be easy to get thedivorce, but I would have to approach him to get it. Hewould have to divorce me, I imagine. I have no evidence ofinfidelity or anything like that.'

'Would he be difficult about it?'

Her face smoothed out into an aloof mask. 'Probably.'

Perry watched her uneasily. 'But if there is nothing leftbetween you?'

She smiled wryly. 'There's hostility. Sometimes that can bemore potent than love.'

'You mean,' Perry frowned, trying to understand, 'You meanhe would be difficult about the divorce out of sheer spite?'

'Something like that.'

'But that's monstrous!' Perry exclaimed.

She laughed. 'The word describes Luke Elliot perfectly.'

Perry watched her closely. 'You ... you don't still care for him

then?'

Her blue eyes were clear. 'I detest him. Why else do youthink I left him?'

Perry touched her hand again, with more confidence. 'Andhow do you feel about me?'

She smiled at him affectionately. 'I'm not certain, Perry. Ilike you a lot. I enjoy being with you. I adore your family and Iwould love to be pt of it. But. . .'

'But?' he asked insistently.

She sighed. 'We have seen a lot of each other during theselast few months, haven't we? But it's all been on a veryfriendly level. This has come out of the blue. I'm not sureabout my feelings.'

Perry summoned the waiter and paid the bill, then usheredher out of the restaurant into the still, dark night. His redsports car was parked outside. He helped her into thepassenger seat, took his own place and started the engine.As they drove away, he said, softly, 'I think this is where wefind somewhere quiet and start to find out just how muchyou really like me.'

She was startled into staring at him wordlessly.

Perry grinned round at her. 'Don't look so alarmed! I don'thave anything drastic in mind.'

He turned north, weaving his way expertly through the

crowded traffic of London's streets, and found a quietparking place in Hampstead on the edge of the Heath.When he switched off the engine the only sound they couldhear was the whisper of the leaves in a summer wind andthe distant sea-sound of the traffic passing-along the mainroad a quarter of a mile below. Behind them the Edwardianstreet lamps bloomed like dusty tulips in the night, but theirsoft yellow circle of light did not reach the car. They werealone in the very heart of London, washed up on a romanticdesert island for a while.

'Lovely, isn't it?' Perry murmured.

'Yes,' she sighed, gazing out of the window at the barelyvisible shapes of tall Victorian houses half masked byplane trees whose leaves whispered endlessly like the sea.

He turned and reached for her. She was stiff in his armsuntil the warmth of his kiss reached her and she felt asudden flare of passion deep inside herself. Her bodyrelaxed in surprise. It was so long since a man had kissedher like this. Perry's kisses had been gentle, brotherly, untilnow. She had almost forgotten how it felt, and her ownresponse astonished her.

Her hands went up to touch his curly hair, cradling his head.Perry murmured against her lips, 'Sara darling, I love you.'

She clung, kissing him back. Perry drew back and grinnedat her triumphantly

'Not much doubt about that, is there?'

'Don't be conceited,' she responded in the same teasingvoice.

'I've been a fool,' he said, pulling her head down against hisshoulder and stroking her hair with fingers that shookslightly. 'I thought I would give you time to get used to me. Iwas afraid to rush you. I realise now that I should have beenless cautious.'

'No,' she said, shaking her head. 'You were right, Perry. Iwasn't ready for anything more than friendship when we firstmet. I was still nursing my bitterness against Luke Elliot.'

'You always use his full name whenever you mention him,'Perry said gently. 'Why?'

'Observant of you,' she grimaced. 'I suppose using hisChristian name alone would feel too personal. I need tokeep even the thought of him at arms' length.'

'Poor Sara,' Perry murmured, looking down on the silky topof her head. 'What on earth did he do to you?' -

'Our marriage was a disaster area. It lasted a year, thelongest year of my life. I was twenty when I married him. I felta hundred when I left. So much had happened in between.I'm afraid it may have left me scarred for life.' Her voicegrew dry. 'I hope it did something to him, too. But I doubt it.The great Luke Elliot is too well insulated.'

'Sara, how do you feel about me?' he pressed insistently.'Do you think you could ever love me?'

She swivelled her head to look, up at him. 'I don't know . .. ifI were free, perhaps. But I'm not! I can't encourage you. Itwould not be fair. When I might never be able to return yourfeelings...'

'Let me worry about that,' he returned firmly. 'You've warnedme now. I know the score. After that kiss just now, I feelmuch more optimistic.'

She laughed. 'It made my head spin! I didn't realise youwere so experienced, Perry.'

Her warm teasing made him grin. 'I've been around,' hesaid lightly. Then his face sobered. 'I've got something toshow you,' he said slowly. He reached forward into theglove compartment and brought out a folded newspaper.Switching on the interior light, he handed it to her. 'I saw itthis morning. It was why I flew back to England early.'

She took the newspaper, glanced at the page he pointed toand froze as a face leapt out at her; a dark, arrogant facewith the lean toughness of chiselled wood, the grey eyeshard as granite, the mouth strong and unsmiling. Slowly sheread the story beside the photograph.

'So,' she said carefully. 'He's in London.' She looked atPerry. 'You thought he, might be over here to see me?'

'It occurred to me,' said' Perry, flushing.

She was touched by the look in his eyes. 'You werejealous,' she said gently.

'Yes,' he said shortly.

She touched his cheek. 'You needn't be, you know. Hewould never approach me. I know the man. His pride ismonolithic. When I left him I wounded that pride and hewould never forgive me for that. Believe me, if I want adivorce he will make me pay dearly for it, even if he shouldwant one too. He always extracts every ounce of what hefeels he is owed. Unbending, hard, immovable ... I didn'tmarry a man, I married the Elliot Corporation. The Elliotlegend. He's all that the newspapers say, you know—aliving legend, the man who carved a fortune out of the rockwith his bare hands. He started with nothing and clawed hisway to the top. He has all the qualities needed for makingmillions and none of the qualities a woman needs in ahusband.' She sighed. 'He got there by beating down everyobstacle in his path, by trampling on people's feelings, byrefusing to compromise or even discuss another point ofview. He has to win, whatever the cost, and in a marriagethe cost can be unendurable.'

'How did you ever meet him?' Perry asked, watching herstormy face.

'At a party in Paris. I was over there with Dad.' She did notwant to remember the beginning, though. It was the onepart of the story which could still hurt her. She pushed the

memory away with a shiver. 'No, don't talk about him anymore. I want to forget he ever existed.'

'Sara, while he's over in England you must see him,' Perrysaid quickly, his voice eager. 'Talk to him.'

She looked at him as if he was mad. 'See him? I couldn't!'

Perry took her hand and held them tightly. 'But don't yousee? You can ask him for a divorce. You can't go on likethis. You have to get free—you said so yourself.'

'That's true,' she murmured, trembling.

'Then you must seize this chance. He's staying at the Hilton.Ring and ask for an appointment.'

'He won't want to see me any more than I want to see him,'she protested, her voice breaking.

'Out of sheer curiosity he's bound to agree to meet you,'Perry urged.

'You don't know him!'

'He's human.' said Perry. 'I don't imagine he likes beingboth married and not married, any more than you do.'

She looked at him blindly. 'What?'

Perry squeezed her hands. 'After all, he is a man, andjudging by the newspapers he has a number of ladyfriends.'

She grimaced. 'Luke Elliot is too discreet to give meevidence of infidelity!'

'All the same, he clearly has human needs,' Perry saidpatiently. 'He must want a wife, children, the usual things.Eventually you'll have to have a divorce. Why not now?'

Sara sighed, twisting restlessly. 'I'll think about it. We mustget back now. Sam will be wondering where I am. Heworries if I'm out late.'

'How is he?'

'About the same,' she said. 'What else can we expect? Ihate to see him fade away day after day.'

Perry nodded soberly. 'It's tragic, a man like Sam.' Hestarted the engine and drove down from the Heath to jointhe throbbing lines of traffic.

As they drove, Sara sat staring ahead, unseeing, her faceset in sombre lines. She imagined meeting her husbandagain, being in the same room with him, making politeconversation, the trivial noises of civilised society.

The car halted outside her house and she looked at Perrywildly.

'I can't,' she whispered hoarsely. 'I'm sorry, Perry, but youdon't know what you're asking. When he's safely back inAmerica I'll contact his lawyers and do it through an officialchannel. I couldn't bear to see him.'

She got out of the car and walked towards the house. Perryhurried after her and caught her arm. In the light from theoverhead lamp in the porch he looked down at her face, thepale cool oval from which her blue eyes-shone up at him,the gleam of her sleek ash-blonde hair and the gracefulcolumn of her long throat.

'Sara...' he whispered.

He bent and kissed her eagerly, but this time she did notrespond, her body tense in his arms.

When he released her she sighed. 'I'm sorry—I'm sotired. I'll ring you tomorrow. Thank you for the lovely meal.'

He watched her let herself into the house, thenwalked back to his car with a disturbed frown. As his carslid away from the kerb another car followed it. Perryscarcely noticed, but when he arrived back at his own homeit suddenly occurred to him that the car was still behind him.It might be coincidence, he told himself. Then a flash ofintuition hit him. Was Luke Elliot having his wife followed?

He went into the house, kissed his mother absently,excused himself and went upstairs. From his bedroomwindow he saw the other car slowly

drive away.

Sara, meanwhile, was sitting by her father's bedsideholding his withered hand and talking quietly to him.

'Dad, Perry wants to marry me.'

Sam looked at her fondly. 'I thought he might,' hesaid with a faint grimace.

She squeezed his fingers. 'Why didn't you sayanything? I had no idea.'

'My dear girl, when a- young man calls as often asPerry has in the last few months it's obvious that he's notdoing so with any other motive.'

'Oh, I don't know,' she said teasingly. 'His motivemight have been less respectable.'

Sam grinned at her. 'Not when the girl is you, pet.'

'Thanks,' she said. 'I appreciate the compliment.'

'So what did you tell him?'

She sighed, pushing a straying strand of golden hair awayfrom her cheek. 'I accepted him. Subject to the obviouscondition.'

'A divorce?' Sam nodded.

'Obviously.'

'You know Luke's in London?' Sam sounded gruff. He knewshe hated to hear the name.

'Perry told me.'

'Will you see him?'

Her blue eyes were guarded. 'Not if I can help it. When he'sback in the States I'll ask Mr Clough to write to his lawyers.'

Sam sighed. 'Do you think that's the right way to do it, pet?Luke's got his pride.'

'I know all about his pride. I lived with it for twelve months.'Her voice was bitter.

Sam leaned back on his pillows. His breathing was loudand difficult. He looked grey, she thought anxiously. 'All thesame, my love, no man would like to hear about a divorcefrom his lawyers before his wife has mentioned it to him.'

'After two years I doubt if he remembers I exist.' she said.'He barely knew it when I was living in the same house.'

'He was a busy man.' Sam could always find an excuse forLuke Elliot, she thought. He had been so proud anddelighted when she married him. The two men had got onlike, a house on fire. Sam was a softer version of Luke inthose days. Ambitious, tough, clever, he had understoodhis son-in-law at first sight. Luke could never do a thingwrong where Sam was concerned.

'You're tired,' she said, bending to kiss his cheek. 'Go tosleep, Dad. I'll see you in the morning. Sleep well.'

He looked at her oddly. 'Good night, love. God bless.'

As she undressed later Sara glanced at herself in themirror with critical eyes. She was thinner than she had been

two years ago, she realised. She had always been slim.Now she was definitely slender, her waist a mere twenty-two-inch span, her hips as slim as those of a boy. Worryover Sam had been the chief cause for her losing weight,she told herself. And she had been working hard, too,skipping lunches, picking at salad for dinner. It had notworried her until now. She liked to be healthy, and theslimmer the better, she had thought Now she was slightlyanxious. I must eat- a little more, she told herself. I don'twant to look like a beanpole, do I?

Lying in the darkness, she stared at the flickering lightswhich passed across the window as cars Moved along theroad outside. It had been a shock to see Luke's face again.She had avoided newspapers for fear of seeing mention ofhim. Now his image had entered her mind and she couldnot dislodge it. Angrily she thumped her pillows and turnedon to her side, but the hard, arrogant handsome facerefused to be driven away. She fell asleep with it stillhaunting her.

She was wakened next morning by a rough hand on hershoulder, and turned over, yawning, surprised.

'Mrs Jenkins? What time is it?' Then, coming fully awake,she sat up, her heart thudding anxiously. 'What's wrong? Isit Dad?'

Mrs Jenkins was sobbing. 'Oh, Sara…'

Sara knew what had happened. A cold hand fell o n her

heart. She swung her legs out of bed and shouldered intoher dressing-gown. Mrs Jenkins followed her out of theroom, mumbling explanations.

'I went in to wake him up, but he never stirred, and when Iturned round to look at him I saw at once ... oh, it was sucha shock! I knew that one day ... but I hadn't expected it, yousee. 1 hadn't thought it would be like that, 'so sudden.'

S a m lay asleep on his pillows, his face smoothlycomposed, as though all the weariness and pain had beenwiped out by a gentle hand.

'I didn't even say goodbye,' Sara said thickly, staring at him.

'He looks so peaceful,' said Mrs Jenkins, her round pinkface wet with tears.

Sara remembered their last words together. How oddly hehad looked at her. Had he suspected?The last thing he had said to her had been God bless. Hesaid that every night, of course. He hadmade it a habit when she was a small child. It seemedmovingly appropriate now.

'I must ring Jason,' she said absently.

Mrs Jenkins looked at her almost accusingly. 'Business canwait today, surely,' she said half angrily.

Sara did not get angry in her turn. She smiled quietly at theother woman. 'Jason was Sam's best friend,' she said. 'He

would want to be here.'

Mrs Jenkins looked embarrassed, flushing. 'Oh —ofcourse. I'm sorry, but-I'm that upset.'

Sara touched her shoulder comfortingly. 'I know, and I'mglad you were fond of Dad.'

Mrs Jenkins looked at her in startled surprise. 'I was,' sheadmitted faintly. 'I don't suppose he ever noticed or cared,but I'm not ashamed of it.' Her face grew even moreflushed, her eyes defiant. 'He was a wonderful man.'

Sara nodded. 'I think he knew, Mrs Jenkins. Dad was veryobservant and very shrewd. But he was dying and I think hedidn't want to see anyone else suffer over his illness. Hehated being ill. He wouldn't have wanted anyone else to beaffected by it.'

Mrs Jenkins bit her lip. 'Yes, I know what you mean.'

While she dialled the office number, Sara thought about herfather, keeping back the tears which had threatened eversince she had woken up. Life was suddenly empty for her.The centre of her life had vanished and she was reallyalone in the world now. Dad had been all she had.

Jason was shocked and upset at the news. He promised tobe there in fifteen minutes. 'Leave everything to me,' heurged her. 'This isn't a job for you to handle. I'll make all theusual arrangements. I know what to do—I did it all when myown father died a couple of years ago.'

She sat down and stared at the -floor sightlessly. The littlegold clock on the mantelpiece chimed, waking her out ofher trance. She walked up the stairs again and went intoher bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, wearing a plain black dress, shecame downstairs to meet Jason.

Broad, grey-haired and direct, he kissed her on the cheekgently. 'What can I say, my dear? I'm very sorry. We'll allmiss him, you most of all.'

'Thank you, Jason. I've been thinking. You know, I'm glad itwas this way. He looks so peaceful and he had no time tobe afraid. It must have happened in his sleep. It's a goodway to leave this world.'

Jason nodded. 'Yes, Sam would have been grateful. Onething he once said -to me was that he was only hoping thepain wouldn't get worse before the end. Well, he wasspared that.'

'The doctor is upstairs,' she said. 'Mrs Jenkins rang him.'

'I'll need a telephone,' Jason murmured. 'Can I use hisoffice, Sara? You won't mind?'

'No, of course not,' she nodded. Use anything you need.'

'There are so many arrangements to make,' he explained.‘Look, Sara, go and get yourself some coffee. You look likea ghost.’

'Would you like some?' she asked.

'Thanks. That would be nice.'

She went into the kitchen. Mrs Jenkins was upstairs withthe doctor and the large, airy luxuriously fitted room wasempty. A marmalade cat lay sunning itself on the windowsillbehind a row of scarlet geraniums. Copper-bottomed panshung in a shining row on one wall. White ivy-leaf decoratedtiles made a bright contrast to the green units. She put thepercolator on and got out the cups. The air was redolent ofthe delicious smell of coffee beans.

She heard a distant ringing—the front door, she realised,then heard voices. Mrs Jenkins must have come down toanswer it. She turned back, to her coffee-making.

The kitchen door opened behind her. "I'm just making somecoffee. Would you like some?' she asked warmly,expecting Mrs Jenkins.

'Thank you,' said a deep voice.

She whirled round, dropping a cup. The pieces shatteredon the ceramic floor. Sara stared, white-faced, at the dark,arrogant face of the last man in the world she wanted tosee.

CHAPTER TWO

'I'M very sorry to hear about Sam,' he said, the grey eyesfixed on her face.

'Thank you,' she returned automatically, the rules of civilisedsociety helping her over the difficult moment.

'It was very sudden, wasn't it?'

'Yes, I hadn't expected it so soon,' she said huskily. 'It'sbeen a shock.' Then her eyes widened as she began tothink again after the traumatic effect of his suddenappearance. 'What are you doing here? How do you knowabout Sam?'

'Jason rang me,' he returned coolly.

'He had no business to do such a thing! This is nothing todo with sou.'

'1 was very fond of your father,' he said. 'Jason knew that. Icame to see if there was anything I could do.'

'Yes,' she said tightly. "Get out of my house.'

His eyes narrowed. The long, hard mouth tight-coed. 'Stillthe same spoilt brat, I see. Where is. Jason? I'd better talkto him since I see there's no point in talking to you.'

'There's no need to talk to anybody,' she flared bitterly; 'Justleave!'

'In my own good time,' he drawled.

She turned her back on him, her fingers shaking as sheplaced the cups on a tray. The shock of seeing him hadunnerved her. He hadn't changed, she thought savagely.Perhaps a few silver threads were beginning to showamong the dark hair, a few lines marked the lean,handsome face, but apart from that he was still the samehard, unshakable man, master of his own emotions, nevergiving an inch in argument, or showing a trace of theordinary human weaknesses which affected everybodyelse.

He spoke again, his voice subtly different. There was anew, personal note in it which made her wary. 'You'rethinner. It doesn't suit you.'

'The door is behind you,' she retorted without looking round.

He moved across the room so suddenly that he took her bysurprise, his hand seizing her arm and twisting her round toface him. 'Don't turn your back on me, Sara. I don't like it.'

She struggled to get free, glaring at him. 'Isn't that too bad?Well, I don't like you to touch me.'

'You used to like me to touch you,' he said in softly sardonictones. 'Or have you forgotten?'

'I've forgotten everything,' she said, her eyes hating him.

His lips curled and the grey eyes narrowed. 'I wonder. Let's

see, shall we?'

She was jerked forward into his arms like a doll, toobreathless to protest before the hard mouth came downand took her by storm. At the first touch her pulses racedand her bones seemed to melt, her whole body shakingwith an emotion so long suppressed that she was almostswamped in the forgotten tide of passion. The memory ofPerry's kiss never entered her head, but the effect it had onher paled into insignificance as Luke enforced her reluctantsurrender. He had always been able to arouse her, even inthe worst days of their marriage. The physical attractionbetween them had been the most potent part of their,relationship, a bond unbroken by hatred or contempt.

She fought against it now, loathing herself. Pushing at hischest angrily,-she pulled her head back to shout at him.

'Is that your answer to everything? What am I supposed todo now—swoon at your feet gratefully? Well, bad luck,Luke. A lot of water has-flowed under the bridge since akiss was all it took to bring me back into line. I'm a big girlnow, I've grown up a lot in the last two years. I've changed. Iknow what I want.'

He stood back, releasing her, and shoved his hands intohis pockets, his head to one side, a cold mocking smiletouching his mouth as he surveyed her. 'And what do youwant, Sara?'

'A divorce,' she snapped back.

He did not look surprised. 'And then? Marriage t o PerryDurrell?'

That shook her. She stared at him, eyes widening. 'How doyou know about Perry?'

'Your father told me.'

'Dad? When?'

'Last night while you were having dinner with your boy-friend.'

She flushed at the description. 'You came here behind myback last night?' She remembered her father's grey faceand weary eyes when they said goodnight. 'No wonder Dadlooked so ill!'

Luke's eyes were contemptuous. 'Are you blaming me forhis death now?'

She was ashamed and her eyes fell away from him. 'No. I'msorry—that was very rude.'

'You say you've grown up a lot in the last two years,' Lukedrawled. 'You'll pardon me if I say that I find you as childishlyblind as you ever were.'

Her face flushed. 'Why were you here last night?' sheasked.

'I wanted to see Sam. He had told me he was very ill, hethought he was dying, and I wanted to see him again. As it

happened, I'd just got into my car when I saw you comeback with Durrell.'

She remembered Perry's kiss and her colour rose againunder Luke's cool gaze.

'You didn't seem very responsive, I must say,' he drawled,watching her like a cat at a mousehole. 'I got moreresponse than Durrell did.'

She flashed him a look of hatred. 'I was tired last night, andworried about Dad.' She rushed on, covering her ownuneasiness. Luke must never guess how disturbing shefound his presence. He might misunderstand it. 'I think Dadknew he was going to die last night. He looked at me insuch a strange way when he said goodnight.'

Luke watched her with a disturbingly gentle look. 'He toldme he said goodbye to you every night, in case.' His smilewas kind. 'You mustn't feel upset because it was sosudden, Sara. He wanted it that way.'

'He was tired,' she said, turning away, unable to stand thegentleness in that face.

He picked up the coffee tray. 'I'll carry this for you. Where?Do you want it in the sitting-room?'

'Please,' she said, following him. She noted irritably that ashe passed the cupboard he paused to hook another cup offthe wall and place it on the tray. Staring at his broadshoulders and easy carriage she thought angrily, well, he's

still here. I haven't turned him out of the house as I meant todo at first. How does he manage it? Getting his own waywas an art with him. No amount of opposition could defeathim when he set his mind to anything. He rolled overeverything in his path with the irresistible force of a tank. Hetook triumph for granted.

He placed the tray on the coffee table, picked up a cup anddeftly filled it, replacing the coffee pot on the tray. 'DoesJason take cream and sugar?'

'Just black coffee for him,' she said.

He nodded and moved to the door. 'I take cream and sugarmyself,' he said softly. 'If you remember...'

Sara had poured the coffee and added cream and twospoonfuls of sugar before she realised that yet again hewas getting her to do just what he wanted. Resentmentbegan to burn in her stomach. She got up and walked to thewindow and stared out without noticing the flowers, thevelvety grass or the brightness of the morning sky.

He came back into the room, crossed the space betweendoor and sofa without apparently noticing her. She' turnedas he sat down, staring at the back of his head with angryeyes.

'What are you doing here, Luke?'

'I told you,' he said carelessly. 'Sam was my father-in-law.He was my friend, too. Did you imagine I ceased to like and

respect him just because you'd left me? Sam and I havebeen in touch throughout the last two years.'

She was taken aback 'I didn't know that. He never breatheda word to me.'

Luke's glance was drily amused. 'Sam was a grown man.Why should he tell you?'

'Under the circumstances .it's surprising he didn't.'

Luke shrugged. 'I gather that in the early months he didn'tdare to mention my name to you.'

She flushed. It was true. She had not been able to stand thesound of his name for months. Sam had tried once or twiceat first, then given up.

He lifted his coffee cup to his lips and sipped. 'Goodcoffee. Sit down and drink it before it gets cold.'

She sat down and picked up the cup. Her stomachprotested as the delicious fragrance reached her nostrils,stimulating her appetite.

As if he could read her thoughts, Luke asked, 'Have youeaten anything this morning?'

'I forgot,' she admitted.

'You must eat something,' he said, rising again. 'Comeback to the kitchen, I'll scramble you some eggs.'

'No,' she protested, but he would not pause to argue, and in

the end she followed him.

He stripped off his well-cut jacket and rolled up hi s shirtsleeves. Opening a few cupboards, examining therefrigerator, he located eggs, milk, butter and sliced bread.

She sat listlessly on a high yellow stool watching him as hemoved about. She felt as though she were trapped in adream. Was she really here in the kitchen of her father'shouse watching Luke Elliot in his shirt-sleeves makingscrambled .eggs with the deft movements of someonetotally at home?

A few moments later he pushed a plate towards her. Paleyellow, smooth and delicate on their bed of toast, the eggsnestled against a sheen of butter.

'Get that inside you,' Luke said, pouring another cup ofcoffee. 'From the look of you it's years since you had agood breakfast. Orange juice and black coffee, I suppose?Silly little fool!'

She ate the meal slowly. Tears formed in her e yes anddripped slowly down her cheeks, and she put up a hand tobrush them roughly away.

Luke was washing up the saucepan and whisk he hadused. He turned, drying his hands, and saw her profile.

She heard him swear softly under his breath. Then he wasbeside her, pushing her head against his chest with abrusque gesture, one hand just touching the smooth strands

of her ash-blonde hair.

'For God's sake, Sara,' he groaned, 'Don't cry.'

'I ... I shall miss him so,' she sobbed, abandoning herself tothe luxury of tears.

For a moment there was silence while she cried weakly,then she sniffed, rubbed her wet eyes and sat up away fromhim.

'I'm sorry. Thank you for the eggs—they were delicious. Willyou excuse me? I have to ring Perry.'

Luke made no move to follow her. As she closed the doorshe saw him watching her with a dark, inscrutableexpression.

Perry was warmly sympathetic when he heard her news. 'I'llbe round at once,' he promised. 'Darling, why not come andstay with us for a while? Mother would love to have you. Youneed cosseting for a few days. You mustn't stay in thathouse alone.'

'Thank you, that would be lovely,' she said. 'I would love tocome.' She paused. 'Just one thing, Perry.'

'Yes?'

'Luke is here.'

'At the house, you mean?' Perry was taken aback. 'Thenyou did get in touch with him?'

'No. Jason rang to tell him about my father and he cameround.'

'How long has he been there?'

She sensed that Perry was jealous. Reassuringly, she said,'Not long.'

'He ... isn't staying there?' Perry did not know quite how tophrase that question.

'No,' she soothed. 'He'll probably be leaving shortly. I thinkhe only came to pay his respects to Sam.'

Perry was silent for a moment. Then he asked nervously,'Did it ... did you mind ... seeing him again?'

'It was a shock,' she admitted shortly.

'But you ... didn't feel anything... for him?'

'I felt what I expected to feel,' she lied. 'I detest the man, I'vetold you that.'

Perry's sigh of relief was audible. 'Well. I'll be round with youin a little while,' he promised. 'Darling, I know this isn't thetime, but if you could bring yourself to mention the idea of adivorce...'

'I have mentioned a divorce,' she said.

'What did he say?'

She bit her lip. 'He didn't comment.'

'Oh.' Perry sighed again. 'Well, at least the idea will havebeen sown.'

Sara rang off and turned away, stopping short as she cameface to face with Luke. He was leaning on the door framewith folded arms, a mocking smile on his face.

'Eavesdropping?' she asked bitterly.

'It sometimes pays,' he admitted shamelessly. 'I gatherRomeo is eager for this divorce.'

'Naturally,' she retorted. 'He wants to marry me.'

His glance flicked over her from her shining head to hertoes. 'Naturally.' His tone was enigmatic.

'Are you willing to, agree?' she asked.

He shrugged. 'I would need notice of the question. This ishardly the time or the place.'

She had to admit he was right. It seemed wrong to talkabout it while Sam lay upstairs.

She moved towards the door, but Luke didn't move. Shehalted and looked at him irritably. 'Would you mind? I wantto have a word with Jason.'

Slowly he moved out of the way.

Jason replaced the telephone as she came into the room.Luke was just behind her. Jason smiled at him, extendinghis hand.

'Good to see you again even in such sad circumstances.'

'Thanks for ringing me,' said Luke, glancing aside at Sara.'I doubt if anyone else would have thought of it.'

Jason looked embarrassed. He turned to Sara. 'I've madeall the arrangements. There is just one problem.'

'Yes?'

'The press,' he said. 'When news of Sam's death breaks itmay well affect the shares.'

'Most of them are in my name,' she said casually,shrugging.

'Of course, but from Luke's point of view ...' Jason began,then caught Luke's eye.

'Luke?' She turned and looked at him in bewilderment.'What has it got to do with Luke?'

Jason stammered, his face flushed. 'Well, I thought...'

'Thought what?' she demanded, realising that there wassomething here that had been kept from her. 'Are you tellingme that Luke owns shares in our company?'

Jason gave Luke an agonised look. 'I'm sorry, I forgot shedidn't know. It slipped out...'

'What are you talking about?' Sara asked in a voicedangerously quiet. She looked at Luke. 'Perhaps you willtell me?'

Luke's face was impassive. 'Certainly, but I would prefer thediscussion to be private.'

'Of course,' Jason mumbled, averting his gaze from Sara'sset face. "I was just leaving, anyway. I must get to the office—they'll be swamped with calls once the news breaks. Ifyou need me, Sara

'Yes,' she said stiffly, nodding.

'Yes,' said Jason awkwardly, his hand half extended, thenwithdrew it and moved towards the door. He paused,cleared his throat and looked back at them. 'I... I'm sorry...'

When the door had closed behind him Luke drawledscornfully, 'You've just upset a man who really cares for yourfamily, you realise that? Sure, he made a mistake, but hemeans well.'

'Never mind Jason,' she said. 'I'll speak to him later. Tell meabout the shares you apparently own.'

Luke moved away and fiddled with a row of books in thewhite-painted bookcase behind her. His voice was casual.'When Sam first realised how ill he was, he was in themiddle of a vast investment programme. News of his illnessreached the merchant bank who were lending him themoney, and they withdrew the loan. Sam would havebeen-ruined.'

'My god, what a rotten trick to play on a sick man!' she was

disgusted.

Luke shrugged. 'They had to protect their clients' money,and they took the view that Sam was the firm. If he wasdying, their investment was threatened. They took thesensible, cautious line their clients would have expectedthem to take.' He glanced at her. 'You had left me,remember, and they knew about that. Had we still beentogether, they might have left things as they were, relying onme to back Sam's credit. As it was, they were notimpressed by the assets Sam had to offer, so theywithdrew. Sam was already heavily over-committed in theproperty market. He would have had to sell at a loss.'

'So you lent him the money in return for shares in thecompany?' she said, putting two and two together. 'Youalways did want your pound of flesh, didn't you, Luke?'

His grey eyes narrowed. 'Don't push me too far, Sara. I'mkeeping a tight rein on myself at the moment because youhave enough on your plate with Sam's death, but I'm not apatient man. Don't insult me too grossly.'

Her chin shot up defiantly. 'I shall say what I think! So Samsold you some shares. How many?'

'Fifty-one per cent,' he drawled.

For a moment the shock held her rigid. Then her temperflashed up to boiling point. 'Fifty-one per cent? You meanyou hold a controlling interest in the firm?'

'That's right,' he said flatly.

'Why, you ...' Words failed her. She looked at him withhatred. 'You always win in the end, don't you, Luke? That'sthe way you play the game. Even my father's firm—you'vetaken that away from me!'

'I've taken nothing away from you,' he said abruptly, his faceangry now. 'Had I not stepped in when I did Sam wouldhave been ruined. I told you that.'

‘He would have found some way of holding on,' she cried.

'Believe what you want to believe, Sara,' he said furiously. 'Ican't stop you, but it's time you grew up and faced facts.That merchant bank was right. Sam was the firm, and acombination of you and Jason would never be able to makethe business grow. You're both intelligent and hard-working,n o doubt, but you lack Sam's flair. To succeed in thespeculation business—which is what the property market isabout—you need a good nose for a profit and a gambler'sstreak, and neither you nor

Jason have them.'

'Thank you,' she said in a still voice. 'So you plan to get ridof us, do you? Well, you can take my resignation as fromnow! I wouldn't work for you, anyway. I'd rather starve!'

'Don't be such a fool,' he said, exasperated.

The front door bell jangled. She ran to answer it and flung

herself into Perry's arms, bursting into the tears she hadbeen holding back for the past ten minutes. 'Oh, Perrydarling ....you're here at last!'

Astonished but delighted, he held her, kissing the top of herhead. 'Sara, my sweet,' he murmured against her hair. 'I'msorry about your father. I rang Mother, and she said I was tobring you as soon as you could get away.'

Luke moved forward and Perry saw him. His armstightened around Sara. She felt the involuntary movementand guessed the reason. Straightening, but remaining inPerry's arms, she turned her head, her ash-blonde hair nowslightly dishevelled, to give Luke a cool, offhand glance.

'Perry, this is Luke Elliot. Luke—Perry Durrell.'

Perry eyed him defiantly. 'How do you do?' His voicesounded ultra English to her ears after half an hour withLuke, who seemed to grow more aggressively Americanwith every moment.

"Hi! So you're Durrell.' The tone was deliberatelycontemptuous. Perry flushed and looked angry with himselffor doing so.

'Yes,' he retorted. 'I'm Durrell, and I want to marry Sara.'

'She's still my wife,' Luke said calmly.

'That's easily remedied,' Perry snapped.

Luke smiled at him with the insolent arrogance which could

enrage a saint, but he made no answer. Instead he lookedat Sara, the grey eyes resting briefly on Perry's arm aroundher waist, then moving up to her flushed, tear-stained face.

'I'll see you at the funeral,' he said drily.

He moved towards the front door without another word, andthey watched him open it and vanish, slamming it behindhim.

Perry whistled. 'I'm beginning to see your problem, Sara.That man is the rudest, most arrogant creature I've evermet. Is he always like that?'

'Always,' she said bitterly. 'Oh, Perry, he owns fifty-one percent of the firm!'

Perry looked down at her, eyes widening. 'Good lord! Youmean your firm?'

She nodded. 'Apparently Sam sold him the shares a coupleof years ago. I was never told.'

'That could be awkward,' said Perry, considering thematter. He frowned. 'We wouldn't want him to have a handin the business, would we?'

'It would be intolerable,' she said. 'I couldn't work for him!And if he owns half the firm, you can bet that that's just whatI would end up doing. Luke likes to have his hands firmly onthe reins of any business he invests in—he would alwaysbe interfering. I shall resign. In fact, I've already done so, but

he took no notice. I suppose he thought I wasn't serious, butI am.'

'No,' Perry said thoughtfully. 'Don't resign, darling. Look, I'llspeak to my father. If we can spare the cash, we might buythose shares from Elliot.' He looked down at her with asmile. 'We'll keep it in the family. When you marry me, thefirm will be your own again.'

She was astonished. 'Are you sure? Perry! It would bewonderful.' Her eyes lit with a smile. 'That would wipe thesmug smile off his face!'

'Dad would have to see the books,' Perry warned. 'Hewould want to be sure what he was buying.'

'Of course,' she nodded. 'I'll ask Jason to put them in orderand when your father asks to see them they'll be ready.'

'I hope they're in order now,' Perry said teasingly.

She laughed. 'Jason is wonderful with all that side of thebusiness. He's a very methodical man. The books will be inapple pie order, you can be sure of that.'

'Good,' said Perry, kissing her lightly. He frowned. 'But ofcourse, we would have to ask Luke's permission beforeDad saw them. Luke is now the major shareholder. Thatgives him total control.'

Sara grimaced. 'What a horrible thought! I'll sound him outon the subject next time I see him.'

'Let me speak to Dad first,' Perry said quickly. 'I can'tguarantee that he'll agree.'

"Of course,' she nodded. 'I understand. I'll wait until you sayit's possible.'

Perry took her out to lunch later, urging her to eat food shedid not really want, then drove her back home and left her toreturn to his own job. His father expected him to work hard.His job was no sinecure.

'Now, don't forget, Mother wants you to come and stay withus for 'a while,' Perry said.

The house seemed lonely and empty to her that afternoon.She and Mrs Jenkins were kept busy answering thetelephone and accepting the condolences of friends, butSara's mind was filled with sad thoughts and the memoriesof childhood. When she had a free moment she packed hersuitcase and told Mrs Jenkins she was going to stay withthe Durrells.

'Very wise,' Mrs Jenkins nodded. 'It will do you good to bewith them instead of, brooding alone in this house. I'll lookafter things here for you.'

'Thank you, Mrs Jenkins,' she said. 'I can't tell you yet what'sgoing to happen about this house. I have no plans made.But I would like you to stay on for the moment until I knowwhat the future is likely to hold.'

.'Very well,' Mrs Jenkins promised. 'That will suit me fine.'

Perry rang an hour later to tell Sara he would be latepicking her up. 'I've an urgent appointment with a contractorwhich can't be put off,' he apologised. 'But I do have goodnews for you. I had a quick word with Dad, and he said hewas definitely interested, subject to an audit of the books.So you might put the idea up to Elliot and see what hisreaction is, Sara?'

'I will,' she promised excitedly. 'Thank you, Perry. I'm sograteful.'

He laughed softly. 'You can show me later on tonight!'

When he had rung off, she stood in thought for a moment,then rang the Hilton. She was put straight through to Luke'ssuite, and he answered personally.

'This is Sara,' she said crisply. 'Luke, I've been talking toPerry and we wondered if you were prepared to sell thoseshares to Perry's father.'

Luke was silent for a moment. Then he said slowly, 'I see.Well, I never turn down a good offer. How much is heprepared to pay for them?'

'He can't make an offer until he's seen the books,' she saidquickly.

'Ask Jason to get them ready, then. I would like to take alook at them myself, in any case.'

'Very well,' she said, surprised and somewhat deflated by

his calm attitude.

There was a pause. Then he asked, in a more personaltone, 'Do I gather that you'll be staying with the Durrells forthe moment?'

'Yes,' she said defiantly.

'Have a good time,' he returned lightly. 'I'll be seeing you,Sara.'

She looked at the receiver, realising that he had actuallyhung up. Then she slowly replaced her own end and turned,away. The brisk ending of the conversation was typical ofhim.

She sat on the windowsill in her bedroom gazing out at thegarden. Dusk was falling. Lights bloomed in other houses.The homeward-bound stream of cars was passing alongthe main road a half a mile away. A desolate thrush sangon the forked branch Of the apple tree.

Sara's mind wandered back to her husband. Sheremembered the night she met him at a crowded party inParis. She had been excited, enthralled with her first sightof Paris, wearing a new dress of cream velvet, tight-waisted and full-skirted. She had worn it as a bridesmaidthe week before and been so delighted with it that she wasdetermined to wear it again that night. She had imagined itmade her look sophisticated, but now she smiled at herown folly. It must have made her look like a child dressedas a grown-up.

as a grown-up.

Luke had been welcomed with beaming smiles andadulation. An eligible millionaire was always a welcomeguest at such parties, and this one was even good-looking,a bonus unlooked-for by his social-climbing Frenchhostess.

Sara had watched from the corner, sipping her drinkgingerly. It had never occurred to her that he would evernotice her. But suddenly there he was, well-groomed anddistinguished in his evening clothes. The grey eyes wereamused as he surveyed her.

'You look lost,' he said gently.

'I'm having a marvellous time,' she had declared, grinning.

He lifted the glass from her hand and set it down on a shelf.'Come and dance,' he ordered.

The rest of the evening passed in a glorious haze. She wasfloating on a golden cloud and she never wanted to comedown. She was vaguely aware that her friends wereenvious and incredulous, that her hostess was sulky and theother guests curious. But none of that mattered. All thatmattered was Luke's arm hard around her waist and hisgrey eyes resting on her face as they swirled around theroom.

He had asked her interminable questions about herself andher family, and she had poured everything out in an eager

flood. She knew who he was, of course. Who didn't? Thatdark countenance had dominated gossip columns foryears. She had turned at last to asking questions of herown; naïve, interested questions about his own familybackground -which he had answered with far more reserve.

Born of a poor family, he had climbed the rungs of successwith amazing speed, taking his family with him.

'Like Napoleon,' she had said. 'He put his brothers andsisters on thrones.'

'I haven't got that far,' he said mockingly. 'Yet.'

She had giggled. 'But one day?'

'One day,' he agreed smoothly, still amused. Then she hadstared at him, suddenly transfixed. 'I wonder if they'refrightened of you?'

'Why should they be?' His smile had vanished suddenly.

'It must be rather like hatching a cuckoo in a sparrow'snest,' she said thoughtfully. 'One would feel both dazed andresentful.'

'You're too clever by half,' he had snapped.

For a moment the golden haze had cleared and she hadstared up at him with anxious eyes. Then he had smiledand she was back in cloud cuckoo land.

'But you are enchantingly pretty,' he had added softly.

When she returned to London a week later, she had knownshe was in love. It was the sort of love she had dreamt of—wild, heady, intoxicating. Luke followed her to England, mether father and was accepted by him on sight. After a fewweeks Luke proposed and Sara gave the answer they hadboth known would follow.

They were married almost at once, and flew back toAmerica together. The honeymoon period had lasted threemonths. It had seemed endless at the time, but lookingback it seemed a brief taste of enchantment which waspaid for later in anguish and despair.

CHAPTER THREE

THE long drawing-room was crowded with people, to eachof whom Sara had to say a few words; people who hadknown, her father for many years mostly and whose facesbore the marks of shock that a man of his age should havevanished from their world so suddenly. Quietly she movedabout, slender in her black dress, her face colourless,acknowledging their sympathy and the compliments theypaid her father when they spoke of him. Perry, his parentsand his sisters sat in a group at one end of the room,watching her anxiously.

'She doesn't look well, Mike,' said Mrs Durrell, her plumpface expressing the concern she felt.

'It's been a shock,' Mr Durrell sighed. 'She was very close toSam. She's going to miss him.' He looked at his son, hisbrown eyes affectionate. 'I'm glad you brought her to us,son. A home atmosphere is just what she needs at themoment. He lowered his voice, glancing round to makesure they were not overheard. 'Did you notice Elliot at thefuneral? Good-looking chap, isn't he? I don't see him herenow. Had the tact to leave straight away, I suppose. Shewouldn't want him here in the circumstances.'

Perry frowned. 'I thought his wreath in rather poor taste.'

'Oh, it was lovely. Perry,' said his elder sister Kathleen, herblue eyes widening. A thin, nervous serious girl, she

worried about everything: her husband, her children, herparents. 'I noticed what magnificent flowers he'd sent.'

Mrs Durrell looked at Perry in surprise. 'Yes, I thought thewreath he'd sent was very nice, son.' Perry scowled. 'Theflowers were fine. It was the message I didn't like.'

'Message? I didn't read the card,' said Kathleen. 'What didit say?'

'From Sara's husband! I ask you! What do you think thepapers will have made of that? They've been separated fortwo years—that's public knowledge. Then he sends a cardthat reads: from Sara's husband! I saw somenewspapermen reading it with a great deal of excitement, Imay say. Naturally they started speculating about areconciliation under the influence of grief. Any fool mighthave foreseen that that would be the result.'

'And whatever Luke Elliot is, he's not a fool,' Mike Durrellsaid slowly, his brows drawing together. 'I wonder why headded that particular message?'

'Sara told me he was impossible,' Perry said sulkily. 'Ithought she was exaggerating, but having met him now Ican see what she meant.'

His parents exchanged worried glances, and Mrs Durrellsighed. She liked Sara and had been hoping that 'herinfluence would help Perry to settle down. He was twenty-seven now, old enough to be starting a family of his own,and she longed to see him with a wife and children for her

and she longed to see him with a wife and children for herto spoil and fuss over as she did with his sisters' children.

Sara was feeling very tired. The last few days had been agreat strain. She glanced out of the window. The weatherhad been cloudy all day, and now the sky was livid, bankedwith sombre clouds which sagged with rain. Around theiredges light shone infrequently with the wild, stormy lightwhich often precedes stormy nights. A few bright patches ofblue were moving out to the west before a driving wind. Sheshivered, longing for all these polite, kind people to go.

At last they began to move, in ones and twos, until only theDurrells and Jason and Mr dough, the lawyer, were left.Sara sighed as she returned from seeing the last party tothe door.

'My dear, I think we should leave the reading of the will untiltomorrow,' Mr Clough said gently. 'Yes, of course,' shenodded, shaking hands with him.

Jason stood up, too. 'I must get along, Sara. Are you goingto take a few days off?'

'I may take a break next week,' she said, 'but I think I shouldcome to work tomorrow to see how my work load ismounting. I can't leave you to do it all, especially as youhave the extra burden of getting the company books readyfor Mr Durrell and ... and Mr Elliot to look at.'

Jason smiled at her. 'Don't give it another thought. I wouldfar rather you had a little rest. You're looking very tired and

pale.'

'Yes, you are, dear,' Mrs Durrell urged. 'Do rest.'

'There's no need to hurry over the account books,' MrDurrell said kindly. 'I can wait a week or two.'

'I'm afraid I can't,' said a voice from the door.

They looked round, startled. Luke Elliot stood in thedoorway in a lazy attitude of amusement, his lean bodygraceful as a dancer's even when it was not in motion. Thegrey eyes moved over them-all slowly.

'Introduce me, Sara,' he drawled.

Flushing and stammering, she mumbled out introductions.'Mr and Mrs Durrell, their daughters Kathleen, Anne andCelia ... Perry, you've already met, I think. Mrs Durrell, this ismy husband.'

Michael Durrell was already on his feet, moving forwardwith outstretched hand and a polite if not friendly smile onhis sturdy, energetic face.

Luke shook hands with him, his glance guarded. 'So youwant to buy my shares in the company?'

'As a wedding gift for me and Sara,' Perry saidaggressively. His mother looked shocked and her eyesanxiously turned on Luke's imperturbable face. It told hernothing. But Sara, who knew him better, noticed the telltalebeating of a pulse at the side of his neck and knew that

Luke would not forget Perry's remark.

Mr Durrell tried to cover his son's unfortunate remark bytalking fast. 'Well, I'm interested in the idea, let's say that. Ithink it would be a good investment and I dare say you haveso many diversified interests that you would be willing tosell at the right price.'

'At the right price,' Luke repeated softly. 'Well, we shall see.'He glanced at Jason who had remained silent in his cornerof the room. 'Tomorrow morning in the board room, Jason.At eleven o'clock.' Without waiting for Jason's agreement,he turned back to the Durrells. 'Now, without wishing to berude, there are private matters I wish to discuss with Sara,so if you'll excuse us?'

Flustered, they rose and began to make polite remarks toSara, drifting towards the door as they did so. She returnedtheir courtesy with as little show of anger as she couldcontrive, while furiously longing for them to leave so that shecould tell Luke just what she thought of his manners. Hereally was the most impossible man; rude, arrogant, self-centred!

Perry was the last to leave. He held her hand and drew herout into the hall with him, defying Luke's sardonic gazeangrily as he did so. Out of earshot, he said, 'My God, Icould wring his neck! Don't let him bully you, sweetheart.Would you like me to stay in the house until he goes? Icould lurk in the kitchen for a while. I'm worried about

leaving you alone with him.'

She smiled at him. 'He won't murder me, you know. He maybe an overbearing dictator, but he isn't a homicidal maniac.But thank you for offering! It was very sweet of you.' Sheleaned up to kiss him on the mouth.

Perry caught her in both arms and held her tightly, bendingto kiss her again, more passionately.

Freeing herself, she pushed him out of the front door. 'I'll goalong to your house as soon as Luke leaves. I'll see youlater tonight?'

'You can count on it,' he breathed, blowing her another kiss.

She closed the door and leaned on it for a moment,searching for the stamina she would need to take herthrough an interview with Luke.

When she entered the room again he was standing by thewindow watching the Durrell cars drive away. He turnedslowly and looked at her with cold grey eyes, then movedforward, taking a neatly folded white handkerchief from hispocket. 'Your lipstick is smudged,' he commented icily.

Before she could move back he had roughly wiped thehandkerchief across her mouth, removing all, traces oflipstick with a movement that had a suppressed violence toit, as though he were also expunging the invisible traces ofPerry's kiss.

'You were damned rude to them!' she exploded, pushinghis arm away.

'Rude?' His dark brows rose in cold hauteur. 'I?'

'Don't pretend to be baffled,' she snapped. 'You do it quitedeliberately!'

'I would have said it was your boy-friend who'd .beeninsolent,' he drawled. 'Considering you're still my wife, hewas somewhat out of line in referring to wedding gifts!'

She might have acknowledged the justice of his complainthad she not been so angry with him. 'What do you expect?'she demanded. 'Our marriage hasn't existed for two years.Why should Perry keep up the pretence that you're still myhusband?'

‘No pretence, my dear,' he drawled sardonically. 'I still am.'

'Stop playing cat and mouse, Luke. When are you going toagree to a divorce?'

'First, I want to settle the company affairs,' he said. 'Whatplans did you have? You and Sam must have talked aboutit. The property market has been through a big slump, but inmy opinion it's about due for a big rise. If the firm is to growit has to have large investment funds. How is your cash flowsituation, Sara?'

'I leave all that to Jason,' she said.

He nodded. 'You leave a great deal to him, don't you?'

'Why not? He's been running the firm for years. Dad trustedhim to the hilt.'

Luke glanced shrewdly at her. 'Yes, I know he did. 'Well,tomorrow we'll know the whole picture, then I can decidewhat to do. I gather the will is to be read tomorrow, too? Iwould prefer to have the reading in the morning at aboutten. I shan't be free in the afternoon.'

'I'll ring Mr Clough and see if he can make it at ten, then,'she said with a sigh. 'Although I don't see what point thereis in you being present.'

Luke gave her a cool smile. 'You will,' he said softly. Hemoved to the door. 'See you tomorrow, Sara.'

She stared after him in disbelief. He had barely stayed fiveminutes. Why had he come here at all? Why asked theDurrells to leave? Why did he want to be present when thewill was read? Why the cryptic remarks about Jason? Shesank down in a chair and closed her eyes. If only she didnot feel so tired!

Mrs Durrell was warmly sympathetic when she arrived therelater. 'Why don't you go upstairs and lie down for a fewhours? You look dead on your feet. I'll bring you a nice cupof hot milk, you can slip into your dressing-gown and justforget about everything.'

Sara smiled at her gratefully. She was very fond of her,feeling that she supplied the long-felt but suppressed need

for a maternal influence. 'Oh, that would be wonderful! I amabsolutely weary. Everything seems to be too much for meat the moment. The funeral and so on ... I feel chilled to thebone.'

Mrs Durrell put an arm round her gently. 'Take things one ata time, dear. That's the best way. Go on upstairs and I'll bein to see you in five minutes.'

Sara undressed and slid into the bed. The electric blankethad been switched on beforehand, so the sheets werewarm and her cold body slowly began to relax as shesurrendered herself to the comfort of drowsiness. MrsDurrell tiptoed in with the milk and looked down at her. Sarasmiled sleepily. 'Thank you.'

'Now drink it before you pop off to sleep,' Mrs Durrell urged.'You need some nourishment. You've hardly eaten a thingfor days.'

Sara sat up and dutifully drained the bright yellow mug.Then she lay down again and rapidly fell asleep, her cheekcurled on her hand.

Her dreams were as tangled as the sea-depths of astrange ocean; wild and elusive, unpredictable and yetseeming so natural at the time. She dreamt she waswalking on a cliff top in a storm. The clouds were so lowshe could almost touch them, dark-and windblown with alambent light playing at their edges. She heard the sound ofhooves and looked round. A great black horse was

galloping towards her, so close to the edge that her heartcame into her mouth with terror, fearing that the horse andrider must plunge over the cliff edge to their deaths. Sheheard the creak of saddle leather, the jingle of harness; andstared at the face of the rider. Suddenly he was beside her,stooping to lift her to a seat in front of him, and she saw thatit was Luke. She cried out in shock. There was a tearingsound and lightning zig-zagged down the livid sky. Luke'shard mouth parted. He laughed and she hid her faceagainst him, screaming out a nameless terror. The horsegalloped on, she clung to Luke, begging him to stop. At lastthe animal halted and stood still, breathing fast. She slowlylifted her head to look at Luke. But it was not Luke; it was atotal stranger with cold, menacing eyes. His face graduallyapproached hers. His lips were parted. She was transfixed,unable to move, a rabbit hypnotised by a snake. As hismouth fastened on hers she shook herself free and leaptdown, running, running, running.

The wind rippled through the long grasses. The seacrashed on the rocks below. She heard gulls wheeling andscreaming in the stormy sky.

She called Luke's name as she ran. A dark cave caught hereye, high above the path where she ran. She saw Luke atthe entrance and turned to climb the path towards him, buther feet kept slipping and at last she fell.

She woke with her own sobs and sat up in the darkenedroom with a gasp of relief.

Falling back against the pillow, she passed backimperceptibly into deep sleep. This time her dreams werequieter and she awoke feeling much better.

She glanced at her watch and was dismayed to realise thatit was actually nine o'clock. Her rumbling stomach warnedher that she was ravenous. But would there be anything forher to eat? The family would have had dinner by now. Shecould hardly go down and ask them to cook somethingespecially for her.

While she lay, considering the problem, the door openedand Kathleen peeped in at her. She smiled as she saw thatSara was awake.

'Oh, good! We were wondering what to do about you,Sleeping Beauty. Would you like your dinner now? Mummade them keep something hot for you. I'll go and tell her tofix a tray.'

'There's no need for that! I can easily come down. I don'twant to make a lot of work for anyone.'

'No trouble,' Kathleen soothed. 'We're glad to do it. Just liethere and relax. I won't be long.'

Sara lay back and yawned, stretching. Her body had thatwarm, relaxed contentment sleep can bring. It seemed avery short time before Kathleen was back with a large tray.A delicious odour floated from it as she placed it on Sara'sknees.

'Pea and ham soup, chicken and mushroom pie and sometrifle,' Kathleen said. 'I can heartily recommend the pie. Atriumph of the culinary art.'

‘You made it,' guessed Sara, laughing.

'You must be psychic,' Kathleen retorted. 'Actually, as we allstayed for dinner, I thought it would take a bit of the load offMum's shoulders if I did the cooking. You know our cookhas eloped with the milkman, I suppose?'

'I didn't,' Sara smiled, tasting the soup with relish.

'Fifty, if she was a day, but apparently it was love at firstsight,' Kathleen groaned. 'His firm are even more furiousthan Mum. He took the week's takings with him. It came toseveral hundred pounds. I didn't know milkmen carried thatsort of money.'

'Obviously your cook is on to a good thing,' Sara giggled.

'Well, he was four foot six and slightly bald, apparently hewas a bit of a Don Juan, so I expect she'll have a lot of fun.But it left Mum with a problem.'

'This pie is delicious,' said Sara, munching a large slice ofcreamy-wrapped chicken. 'The sauce is gorgeous.'

'Mushrooms go well with chicken,' said Kathleen. Sheperched on the side of the bed and gave Sara a shy smile.'I'm sorry Perry annoyed Mr Elliot.'

'Everyone annoys Mr Elliot,' Sara said casually.

Kathleen watched her curiously. 'Tell me to mind my ownbusiness if you like, but you ... you are sure? Aboutpreferring Perry? I mean, I love my kid brother, but franklymost women would take Mr Elliot every time.'

Sara smiled wryly. 'They should try living with him! It's a bitlike living in Fort Knox. The walls are high and the companyvery restricted.'

Kathleen stood up. 'Well, eat your trifle and forget I asked.Perry would kill me if he knew ... I was just worried ... I'm abit old-fashioned about marriage. I don't want you to think Iblame you for anything, but marriage should be given agood try...' She flushed and looked at Sara unhappily.'Please don't misunderstand me. I like you, Sara, and Iwould love you to be part of the family, but you have to besure…’

Sara watched her as she hurriedly left the room, closing thedoor behind her with great care. She knew exactly whatKathleen meant, and she sensed that Mrs Durrell felt thesame way. They both feared that she would prove anunreliable wife for Perry. Her marriage had been so short.They no doubt felt she had not worked hard enough at it.They wanted the perfect marriage for Perry, and althoughthey liked her they were still afraid she did not love Perryenough.

And do I? she asked herself uneasily. She knew, in her ownheart, that her feelings towards him were nowhere near as

intense as the, way she had felt about Luke, but then shenever wanted to suffer such pain and uncertainty again. Shehad been attracted to Perry by his warm friendship.Passion had not entered into her relationship with him untilrecently, and even then it had taken her by surprise.

Although she was allowing Luke to think she wanted tomarry Perry, she knew that she was by no means as sureas she pretended to be, and she lay there worrying aboutPerry for a long while, wondering if she was being fair inencouraging him. True, she had never let him believe sheloved him. She had been honest with him, in fact. But by hertacit acceptance of his proposal she was acting a lie.

Next morning, she tackled Perry over breakfast, which hisfamily had tactfully eaten so as to leave them alone togetherfor a while. Sara watched Perry munching toast andmarmalade for a while, then said quietly, 'Perry, I knowwe've talked about marriage, but you do realise that I'm notcertain about it, don't you? I told you the night my father diedhow I felt...'

He glanced at her, smiled. 'I remember. I remember howyou kissed me, too.' His eyes teased her. 'Don't worry,darling. We'll work it out.'

She bit her lip. 'Perry, I'm just not sure. Seeing Lukeagain...'

He looked at her sharply, his eyes shrewd. 'You're afraidyou still care for him, is that what you're trying to tell me?'

'No!' That much she was sure about. 'It isn't that at all.Marriage should be for keeps, though. I've had one badinnings, and I don't want another.'

'I'll see you don't have one.' he assured her, relaxing. 'Irealise how you feel. A bad marriage can scar. But you andI are two different people. Remember how young you werewhen you married Elliot? You're older and wiser now. Ourswon't be a tempestuous marriage, it will be warm andloving and peaceful.'

She sighed, smiling at him. 'Oh, Perry, that soundswonderful!'

'Good.' He leaned forward and kissed her nose, thenlaughed. 'Oh dear! Marmalade on your nose, I'm afraid. It'sa quarter to ten now. You'll need to do some rapid repairsbefore we leave to see Mr Clough.'

The reading of the will was quite brief. Sara was, asexpected, the main beneficiary, but Sam had left Lukesome personal possessions: his gold cigarette lighter, hiswatch and chain, a family heirloom going back a hundredyears, and any of his books which Luke wished to choose.Mr Clough paused when he had read that part of the willand cleared his throat, glancing over the top of his horn-rimmed spectacles.

'There is a codicil. Added recently.' He read it withoutexpression, but it brought a bright flush to Sara's cheeksand an angry gleam into Perry's eyes. Sam expressed his

strong affection for Luke and his dying wish that hisdaughter might one day return to her husband, 'It being myprofound belief that such an action would ensure herhappiness and security.' Mr Clough finished the sentencewith his eyes discreetly glued to the page, then took off hisglasses, coughed again and finally glanced up, his faceblank.

'Any questions, Sara?'

She stood up jerkily. 'None,' she snapped. 'Thank you, MrClough. Good morning.'

'Mr Clough is accompanying us, Sara,' Luke put in calmly.

She looked round in astonishment. 'Oh? Why?'

'I wish him to be present this morning,' he returned withoutexplaining further.

They drove to the firm's offices and parked, took the lift upto the sixth floor. An elegantly dressed secretary looked upfrom her desk as they entered the office beyond the boardroom. She smiled at. Sara sympathetically and murmured afew polite words.

'Thank you,' Sara said, inclining her head.

Luke asked coolly, 'Is Mr Wood in the board-'roomalready?'

'No, sir,' the girl said, looking surprised.

'Get him here then, will you?' Luke's tone was peremptory.

The girl glanced at Sara hesitantly. Sara nodded. 'Yes,please ask him to come here, would you?'

'But...' The girl looked puzzled. 'But Mr Wood isn't heretoday. There've been a number of calls for him, but he isn'there.'

'Try his home,' Luke said crisply.

The girl shrugged. 'I have done. No reply.' Luke sworeunder his breath. Sara looked at him in faint bewilderment.'What is it, Luke?'

Luke looked at her as if weighing his words. 'Come into theboardroom,' he said, moving to the door.

Perry and Mr Clough followed them, glancing at each otherin quizzical surprise. Perry glanced back at the secretary.'When my father, Mr Michael Durrell, gets here, show himin, will you?'

The girl nodded.

'Now, Luke,' Sara demanded, 'I can see something iswrong. What is it? Has something happened to Jason?'

'I'm very much afraid he may have skipped the country,'Luke said coolly.

She stared in disbelief. 'Jason? But why?'

'Sara, I didn't just arrive in this country by chance. Your

father sent for me, and the reason he sent for me was thathe had reason to suspect Jason of some sort ofmalpractice. His illness meant he couldn't be sure about hissuspicions. He had to find out, and he sent for me to do justthat, but before I could get started, he died. I started tomake private investigations as soon as I could, and MrDurrell's interest in buying my shares made it easy for meto demand to see the books. I thought Jason wouldproduce them. I'd found out enough to realise that, he'sbeen buying and selling in a very strange way. It might havebeen accidental. It might have been bad luck. Until we seethe books we shan't be able to tell for sure. I was expectingsome sort of delaying tactics today. I came prepared bybringing Mr Clough to get legal access to the figures.Unfortunately, it seems Jason has got into deeper troublethan even Sam suspected, otherwise he would be here.'

She was so staggered that she sat down on one of thehard, leather-seated chairs beside the long, polished table.'I can't believe it! Jason! Of all people! Oh, Luke, you mustbe wrong.' Yet she knew that in business matters he rarelywas wrong;

M r Clough said carefully, 'Luke, we have no proof yet. Itwould be most unwise to jump to conclusions. There couldbe a dozen reasons for Mr Wood's absence.'

Luke nodded. 'Agreed. Well, there's no point in all of uswaiting here. If Jason doesn't show in the next twenty-fourhours, I'll get on to the police.'

Perry looked anxiously at him. 'Do you suspect that he'sembezzled company funds, is that it?'

Luke's glance was sardonic. 'That's it,' he said curtly.

'To what sort of extent?' Perry asked, frowning.

'The sky's the limit,' Luke shrugged. 'He had completecontrol of the company. Sara's a novice in businessmatters. He let her think she was running things, but actuallyJason was the whole caboodle. God knows how much he'ssalted away.'

'I feel sick,' Sara said miserably. She looked at Lukehelplessly. 'Oh, I hope you're wrong, Luke. I liked Jason, Itrusted him. Why should he do this?'

His glance was not unkind. 'My dear girl, Jason has beenboss of this outfit for several years. He's worked like a dogfor your father. Yet his own stake in the company waslimited to a salary—oh, a high salary, but a salarynevertheless. He knew that the whole works would pass toyou, a girl who knew nothing about the firm. No doubt he feltbitter!

'I thought he liked me,' she cried childishly.

Luke smiled, his eyes sardonic. 'I expect he did.'

Perry patted her shoulder anxiously. 'Are you all right,Sara? Would you like a glass of water?'

Luke glanced at his watch. 'I have to go, I'm afraid. Mr

Clough, can I give you a lift to your office? I have a fewthings to discuss with you on the way.'

'Where are you going?' Sara cried, getting up frantically.She felt panic-stricken at the thought of being left behind.Luke's disclosures had undermined her confidence. Shefelt incapable of coping with life.

'I'll be in touch, he said, striding to the door with Mr Cloughkeeping up with him like an anxious spaniel.

He passed Mr Durrell in the doorway, nodded to him coollyand was gone. Mr Durrell came into the room with a frown.'Where's Elliot going ill such a hurry?' he asked.

Perry burst into complicated explanations, his wordsstumbling over each other, and Mr Durrell exclaimed inhorrified astonishment. They both turned to look at Sarasimultaneously. She was sitting beside the table, staring ather reflection in the polished table top, tracing the outline ofher head with one forefinger, her expression abstracted.

'Shock,' mouthed Mr Durrell to his son. 'Better get herhome, lad. This could be too much on top of Sam's death.'

They moved towards Sara, bent over her solicitously, liftedher and helped her towards the door. She walked stiffly likea wooden doll, her eyes blank. The secretary stared atthem all with avid curiosity. She had heard enough of thestory by now to be dying to get on the phone and discussJason's disappearance with her friends.

Sara hardly noticed the drive back to the Durrell house. Shehad taken refuge in total silence. Mrs Durrell, the matterexplained to her briefly, made clucking noises of distressand sympathy, and helped her up to her room.

Downstairs, Mr Durrell looked soberly at his son. This putsa different complexion on things, lad. Until we know the fullpicture, I can't go ahead with my offer for the shares, yourealise?'

Perry nodded; 'Naturally not. Dad, what happens to Sara? Imean, what if...'

'If she's lost her fortune?' Mr Durrell shrugged. 'That's up toyou, lad. She's your girl.'

Perry turned away, his expression disturbed. 'I love her,Dad. This has hit her hard—you saw that. Jason Wood lether down, I couldn't do the same.'

Sara lay in bed, shivering, despite the hot water bottle shehad been given, and tried to think about Jason. The shockof his betrayal hurt badly. She had trusted him totally.Surely, she thought wildly, Luke must be wrong. There mustbe an explanation.

She sat up and dialled the number of Luke's hotel. Whenshe asked for him, the operator on the switchboard said ina politely indifferent voice, 'Mr Elliot? I'm afraid he's left thehotel.'

'When will he be back?' Sara asked.

'He's flying to New York this afternoon,' the girl replied in thesame distant voice.

'New York?' Sara was distraught. 'Are you sure? Will youcheck that?'

'If you wish, madam,' the girl said in an irritable voice. Shewas silent for a little while, then her voice came back, filledwith haughty scorn. 'Yes, Mr Elliot has booked out of thehotel and is flying to New York at three p.m. this afternoon.'

Sara hung up and lay back on the bed, her face white. Lukehad gone without another word. Why? Then she rolled overand covered her face with her trembling hands. It was whatshe might have expected of him, after all. He had alwaysput business before everything else. The tank had rolledover her, crushing her, and gone on, indifferent to the ruin ofher life.

She remembered the first traumatic months of her marriageas vividly as if it had happened yesterday. There had beena brief ecstatic delight, then gradually she had seen lessand less of Luke as he grew absorbed once more in hisreal passion, business. Some evenings he never camehome at all, not even bothering to ring and explain hisabsence. When she protested he became coldly angry withher. 'Surely you can manage to amuse yourself?' he haddemanded once. 'God in heaven, woman, must I be at yourbeck and call all day and night?'

She had withdrawn after that, hurt and bewildered. Luke

had not even seemed to notice. He had demanded onlythat she look beautiful when he brought guests home. Hisbusiness dinner parties were elaborate set pieces. His armaround her, she would welcome the guests with a bright,stiff smile. She would try to amuse them over dinner, makesmall talk in the brittle social fashion that seemed expectedof her. Afterwards, Luke would often hold a post-mortem,icily critical of her ability to entertain his guests. 'You lookand talk like a child,' he had said. 'Why can't you-be morelike Victoria?' Victoria ... she winced at the thought ofVictoria Blare. Tall, dark, sophisticated, the woman hadbecome an obsession with her. It was obvious that she wasin love with Luke, and Sara gradually grew to believe Lukeloved Victoria, too. They were always together sinceVictoria was an executive in one of his holding companies,a high-powered career-woman who nevertheless managedto be excitingly, intensely feminine. It baffled Sara why Lukehad not married her years ago.

When she saw them together, laughing easily at one ofVictoria's clever remarks, Sara felt isolated and shut out.She hated the other woman, yet did not know how to copewith the situation. Luke's occasional softness made hermore bewildered. At times he would become again apassionate, demanding lover, and, unhappy and tormentedthough she was, Sara had never been able to resist him.He still held her locked in a trap, the unbreakable trap of hisown physical dominance.

Too young to know how to fight the situation, she found herlove becoming fear, and then hatred. At last she had fledback home to her father. Luke had apparently accepted herdecision in the end. She had waited for him to ask for adivorce so that he could marry Victoria, but there had beenno word from him, and although he often figured innewspaper gossip there had never been any real indicationof any serious relationship between him and any otherwoman. In the end she decided that he did not want tomarry again. Perhaps Victoria disliked the idea ofmarriage; that would explain why Luke had not married herbefore he met Sara. Whatever the reason, Luke'srelationship with Victoria had apparently remained thesame. She knew he still saw her as often as before—thatmuch she had learnt from the newspapers. But Luke hadother dinner companions. Victoria had not achievedanything more than that.

Perhaps, she thought wearily, Luke was not adomesticated animal. His real world was the businessjungle through which he moved with stealthy, tigerish tread.He was not ready for marriage with all it implied of the tamelife of a settled husband. He preferred freedom.

CHAPTER FOUR

MR CLOUGH rang her next morning just after breakfast toinform her that Luke had left clear instructions with him onhow to deal with the situation. 'If Jason has not returned orclarified the situation by letter, Mr Elliot has instructed me tocall the police tomorrow. For the moment, he's put a teamof accountants into the firm to check on the books. Heasked me to keep you in the picture, but urged you not toworry about all this.' A smile came into his voice. 'He saidyou were to rest and forget about the business.'

'It is my father's firm, you know,' Sara said calmly. A goodnight's sleep had restored her spirits to some extent, andshe had got up determined to face the future energetically.After all, nothing had changed. She had always known thatLuke put business first. Last night, she had been weak fromshock, but the first impact of that shock had passed andshe felt capable of dealing with anything this morning.

Mr Clough made soothing noises. 'Of course, Sara, but MrElliot is right. You've had a great deal of trouble lately.You're tired, you need to rest. Why not take a few weeks offwork? Go away, have a holiday somewhere. Doesn't theidea of a visit to the South of France appeal to you? OrItaly, perhaps?'

'Who will run the firm in the meantime?' she asked coolly.'Someone has to keep the wheels turning.'

Mr Clough coughed slightly. 'Mr Elliot has thought of that,'he said hesitantly.

'He would!' Her cheeks flamed with anger. 'So what has hedone?'

'One of his executives is flying in to take charge,' Mr Cloughsaid apologetically. 'A man experienced in property. I'msure you will find him very capable.'

"If Luke is sending him, he's bound to be,' she said drily.She sighed. 'I see that I have very little choice. Thank you,Mr Clough. Goodbye.'

She hung up and moved to the window, her face set in stifflines. As she had prophesied to Perry, Luke was movinginto the firm like a blizzard, sweeping all before him. Therewas no point in fighting him. He owned the major part of theshares. He wanted her out—that much was obvious. Shehad suspected he would, and now she was sure.

How much had Jason embezzled? she wondered. Whatsort of shape was the firm in now? Luke hated to becheated. He would hunt Jason down remorselessly. Shewould not like to be in Jason's shoes when Luke finallycaught up with him.

It still hurt when she thought about Jason. Trust betrayed isa bitter thing. She was glad her father had not lived to knowthe whole truth. That he had suspected Jason and confidedin Luke, not in her, stung her pride and hurt her. Why hadn'tSam trusted her instead of Luke? He had never breathed a

Sam trusted her instead of Luke? He had never breathed aword to her of his suspicions. Instead, he had sent for Luke.

He thought I wasn't tough enough to deal with it, she toldherself angrily. She turned and surveyed herself in themirror: a tall, slender girl with fine, silvery hair and stormyblue eyes, two spots of bright red burning in the centre ofher cheeks.

I must learn to be: tough, she thought. Luke manages it.That single-minded, tenacious brain of his can cope withanything. I ought to be more like that. Perhaps if I had beenour marriage would never have broken up. I should havebeen as forceful and clever as Victoria. That's the sort ofwoman Luke understands.

Even my own father hadn't enough respect for me to trust inme when trouble started.

A tap on the door made her jump. 'Come in,' she called,turning round.

Perry came into the room hesitantly, paused and looked ather in a searching, way. 'How are you this morning?'

Sara gave him a bright, hard smile. 'I'm fine, thank you. Howare you?'

He visibly relaxed,' his face brightening. 'Fine. I've taken theday off. I thought we might do something—drive into thecountry, have lunch somewhere. What do you think?'

'That would be lovely. Thank you, Perry,' she said. 'Where

were you thinking of going?'

'I know a pretty village pub,' he suggested. 'It's Tudor, verywell run and the food is fantastic. There's a river nearby. Wecould take a walk before lunch, work up an appetite.'

'Sounds marvellous,' she agreed.

'How long will it take you to get ready?' Perry asked,surveying the black dress she wore without much favour.

She looked down at it, grimaced. 'Too sombre?'

'Darling, it may sound hard, but Sam hated mourning. Hewouldn't want you to wear black for ever. It suits you, butyou're so pale. It makes you look like a ghost.'

She sighed. 'Yes, Sam always told me not to wearmourning for him. He was always a man who loved brightcolours. He said to me once that life was for the living—nursing sad memories only prolongs grief. Sam called it anaffront to life.'

Perry slid an arm round her and looked down at hertenderly. 'Wear something like that grey suit. It looks superon you, but it isn't disrespectful to wear it.'

She smiled. 'Diplomat! All right, I'll be ready in a quarter, ofan hour.'

'I'll believe it when I see it,' Perry grinned, moving to thedoor.

The grey suit was made in a lightweight pure wool mixture.The colour was subtle, rather like the silvery grey of a woodpigeon's underwing. The close-fitting jacket came downsnugly at the waist over the waistband of the pleated skirt.Sara wore a Victorian jet necklace with it, the heavy blackband lying cold against her naked throat.

When she came downstairs, Perry looked at her in silentadmiration, and she smiled at him affectionately.

'Will I do?' she asked, twirling on one slender, black-shodfoot.

'You look wonderful!' said Perry gently.

The countryside was illumined by a sudden burst of autumnsunshine as they drove along narrow, winding lanes.Hedges bright with red hips and haws and withered russetleaves, trees stripping for winter with all the grace and styleof a grande dame, the chocolate brown furrows of ploughedfields, the black, burnt stubble of wheat-fields beingprepared for sowing—the landscape was rich with coloureven now. A cock pheasant in all his gaudy plumage waspecking among the stubble in one field. From a borderingcopse came a sudden rattle of shotguns and the pheasantflapped up with ungainly dismay, disappearing into someundergrowth.

"It will be winter soon,' Sara said, a sense of melancholypervading her.

'Christmas,' said Perry cheerfully. 'I love it. Don't you? I

'Christmas,' said Perry cheerfully. 'I love it. Don't you? Isuppose we all retain a touch of childhood, and mine is alove of everything to do with Christmas.' He laughed. 'Doyou know, my mother still gives me a Christmas stocking?'

'Oh, Perry!' Sara laughed, her glance amused.

'Yes, she sneaks in and puts it on the end of my bed in thenight. I used to get toys, of course, but now I get after-shave,hankies, socks and, of course, always an orange wrappedin coloured foil. I think that's what Christmas means to me ...the smell of oranges and the crackle of silver foil.'

'Yours is a wonderful family,' she said. 'You're very lucky.You all love each other, and that's rare in these days.Families are no longer what they were.'

'Oh, I think many of them are,' Perry said easily. 'It's thebroken families you hear about in newspapers. The happyones never get into the news.'

'That's true,' she agreed. 'I was happy. Sam and I only hadeach other, but we were always happy together.'

They parked in an irregular little village square bounded bya happy muddle of houses of many different periods. Aneat red brick Queen Anne house stood beside a large,ugly Victorian one, with beyond that the grey domesticity ofa little row of Georgian terrace houses. A low stone wallsurrounded the green sea of a churchyard out of whichtombstones reared like the grey masts of ships.

'They ought to keep that grass cut,' Perry said

disapprovingly.

They walked through the churchyard, reading the mossynames with interest. Some went back to the seventeenthcentury, and these were embellished with spine-chillingskulls and even some heraldic shields. There was a feeling-of continuity about the whole village. Life moved on here.Time seemed to flow in an endless circle. The familynames cropped up again and again in succeedinggenerations; Williams and Annes and Henrys bore childrenand came to rest, but their family name went onward.

They emerged on the far side of the solid, stone-spired littlechurch and found themselves in a back lane which led tothe river bank. The water moved sluggishly betweenovergrown, weedy banks. The path was trodden into mud,and wound along under willow trees and beside a shallowditch in which elder spiralled, thick with small purpleberries.

'Have you ever tasted elderberry wine?' Perry asked her.

'No.'

'It's very good,' he said. 'So is elderflower wine … a light,golden wine, rather sweet. I knew someone who made itonce. There's something about making wine from berriespicked free in the hedgerows. It gives one a sense oftriumph—like winning the football pools. I suppose it'sgetting something for nothing?'

She laughed at him. 'There speaks the budding tycoon!'

He grinned. 'I think most people love a bargain!'

They walked slowly, watching the ripple of the slow-movingriver. Fish moved dimly between the dark green weeds.Birds flew across the water, dipping low with flutteringwings. The air was thick with the smell of dank vegetation.

Perry paused and looked down at her. 'So Elliot has goneback to America?'

'Yes,' she said clearly. For a little while she had almostforgotten Luke.

'What about the divorce?'

She shrugged. 'I warned you he could be difficult. I'll see mysolicitor.'

'Mr Clough?'

'I suppose so.'

'It seems to me that he's just as much Elliot's solicitor now.'

She sighed. 'Yes, Luke tends to take over people. It's hardto withstand him when his mind is set on something. Butthat may be useful. Mr Clough knows him, so he canapproach him more easily.'

They turned back in silence and walked beneath thewithered leaves of the willows, hearing them rustle likegossiping old women.

The village pub was black-and-white timbered, with amossy red-tiled roof and the sort of barley-sugar chimneyspopular in the early Tudor period. The gables were archedover leaded lattice windows. A rusty, swinging sign showeda man in Lincoln green with a bow over his back.

The interior had been very carefully modernised to fit theexterior. The tables were heavy polished oakreproductions, the timbered walls hung with locallandscapes. In the great brick fireplace stood a massiveyellow vase of autumn flowers: dahlias, chrysanthemumsand tall golden rod.

The food was, as Perry had predicted, excellent—traditional English roast beef with perfectly cookedvegetables, a selection of cold sweets or a wide variety ofcheeses. Even the coffee was good, which Sara had notexpected.

'Wasn't I right?' Perry crowed, leaning back with a sigh ofcontentment.

'Absolutely right,' Sara smiled at him with amusement.

'We must come here again. I only found it by chance a fewyears ago.'

'It's a long drive,' she sighed.

'That's why I haven't brought you here before,' he agreed.

They paid the bill and sauntered out into the village square

once more. The church bells began to ring, the silverysound drifting out over the autumn landscapes withnostalgic effect. They climbed back into the car with somereluctance and began the drive back to London.

'Thank you for bringing me here,' Sara said quietly. 'I feelmuch better. The break was good for me, I suppose.'

'Of course,' Perry nodded. 'Different surroundings can workwonders. The walk has put some colour back into yourcheeks and your eyes are brighter.'

She laughed. 'You make me sound like a Victorian invalid!'

'That's more or less what you looked like,' he grinned.

She laughed again. 'Not very flattering!'

'Oh, did you want flattery?' Perry gave her a sparkling look.'Wait until tonight.'

'I'll look forward to it,' she promised lightly.

Perry dedicated the next few days to her, with his father'sblessing, neglecting his work in order to take her out anddrive her around in the golden autumn countryside. Sheenjoyed herself enormously. How could she fail to do so?Perry was a warm, affectionate companion. Sara had nothad so much free time for months. She had been under aconsiderable strain throughout the past two years, and nowshe was free from the constant worry of her father's illness.From time to time melancholy thoughts overwhelmed her, a

phrase, a look, would reminded her of Sam. But Perrywould always notice and try to rouse her from sadness.

Sitting alone with him in his family lounge after a meal intheir favourite London restaurant, she let him encircle herwith his arm and her head drooped on his shoulder with asigh. 'You've been so kind to me, Perry,' she murmured.

'It's easy to be kind to you,' he said, lifting her chin with onehand and kissing her lightly. Then his face sobered. 'Haveyou seen Clough yet?'

'I rang him yesterday,' she nodded. 'I'm seeing himtomorrow morning.'

Perry regarded her anxiously. 'Want me to come along?'

She shook her head. 'I really don't think that would be verywise. I ought to go alone.' She looked at him, her facerather pink. 'After all, you're not involved in the divorce case,are you?'

'Well, make sure Clough is firm with Elliot,' Perry urged.'Tell him not to let Elliot evade the issue.'

'Don't worry, I'll be very clear on that point,' she said with agrim accent;

Her interview with Mr Clough did not, however, go exactlyas she had planned. She was received very politely, but assoon as she raised the matter of a divorce, Mr Clough cuther short with a faintly apologetic look.

'Mr Elliot indicated to me that you might wish to discussthis,' he said hastily.

'He did?' She was surprised for a moment, then, grimacing,realised that she ought to have known Luke wouldanticipate her. 'Well, Mr Clough, whatever he said to youremember it's I who am your client.'

Mr Clough regarded her quizzically. 'That's not strictly true,'he said softly. 'Your husband has been my client for sometime.'

She stiffened. 'Mr Clough, are you prepared to take myinstructions, or must I find myself another lawyer?'

He spread his hands wide in a gesture of courtesy. 'Please,Mrs Elliot. Permit me to give you a brief message.'

'From-... Mr Elliot?'

'From Mr Elliot,' he nodded.

She bit her lip. 'Very well,' she sighed. 'What is it?'

Mr Clough glanced down at his desk, his hands neatlyplaced together. In an expressionless voice he said, 'MrElliot told me to ask you to fly to New York if you wished toobtain a divorce.'

'To ... what?' she leapt to her feet. 'Why, he's the most ...'She bit off the words boiling on her tongue. 'Why should I flyto New York? What purpose could that serve?'

Mr Clough glanced up, his eyes blank. 'It's possible that hehas in mind some rather faster method of obtaining adivorce,' he pointed out. 'American states have differentlaws. Some of them almost seem to have divorce ondemand. You could be free in a matter of weeks, I believe.You merely have to establish residency rights by a shortstay there.'

She stared at him. 'Free in a matter of weeks? Is that reallythe case?'

'Oh, yes,' he nodded. 'It's much faster than our Britishprocedure. That could take months, depending on howsoon the case got to court.'

She stared at him hesitantly. 'Are you absolutely sure aboutthat, Mr Clough?'

'Completely sure,' he smiled. 'It would be much simpler andquicker to go to America for your divorce as your husbandis an American citizen.'

She sighed. 'Well, I'll have to think about it.'

Mr Clough insisted on ordering coffee and chatting to heras they drank it, explaining the situation of her father's firm.Jason had totally disappeared. It was suspected he had leftthe country, and Interpol had been alerted, but as he hadtaken a vast sum of money with him he might well be insome distant country by now, living under an assumedname on his embezzled fortune.

'I'm afraid your financial position is a little delicate atpresent,' Mr Clough sighed. 'Until Mr Elliot's executiveshave finished their present audit we shall not know exactlyhow much has gone, but certainly each day uncovers moreevidence against Jason.'

'Will we be bankrupt?' she asked in dismay.

Mr Clough smiled at her. 'No, nothing so drastic, my dear.The firm will still exist, but I believe Mr Elliot has plans toreform it considerably in some way. I do not yet have anydetails, but with his backing, I have no doubt the businesswill grow stronger again in a few years.'

She nodded wryly. 'Oh, Luke has never failed yet, that'strue.'

When she told Perry about the message she had beengiven from Luke, he was indignant. 'Go all that way? Whodoes he think he is?'

'He knows who he is,' she said drily. 'He's Luke Elliot andhe wants me to fly to New York.'

'You don't mean you're going to go?' he demanded angrily.

'If Mr Clough is right, it may be the most sensible thing todo,' she said, and explained about American divorces.

Perry scowled. 'That's all very well, if it's true, but I don't trustElliot. Who knows what devious plan he has hatched?'

She smiled at him. 'I know just how you feel. Don't think I

wasn't furious at first, but I think we have to trust Mr Clough'sjudgment. He insisted that it would be faster and simpler forme to go, and I believed him.'

'I'll come with you,' Perry offered.

She looked at him quietly. 'Thank you, Perry, but no. Thatwould only irritate Luke. I'll get the divorce as quickly as Ican, then I'll fly back to England.'

'I hope you're doing the best thing.' Perry murmureduneasily. 'I feel in my bones that Elliot has something up hissleeve.'

'Not necessarily,' she said. 'Perhaps he wants a divorce,too. Perhaps Victoria has agreed to marry him at last.'

'Victoria?' Perry gazed at her blankly. 'Who's Victoria?'

'Oh, a very beautiful career woman Luke knows,' she saidlightly. 'I think Luke has always wanted to marry her, andshe loves him, but she seemed set on earning her ownsuccess and wasn't interested in marriage. Maybe she'schanged her mind.'

'I certainly hope so,' said Perry seriously. He looked at herwith worried eyes. 'I hate to let you go. I'm terrified I'll neversee you again.'

She smiled at him affectionately. 'We can look on it as aholiday,' she said. 'I won't be away for long, I hope.'

She flew to New York two days later. Perry saw her off at

the airport, his expression anxiously drawn as he kissedher goodbye and urged her yet again to be careful. 'Don'ttrust Elliot an inch,' he insisted. 'Remember, I'm 'waiting foryou to come home .and if you aren't back in a month I'llcome over to the States to find you, and I won't let Elliotstop me.'

She was forced to smile at' his belligerent face. 'Perry, youtalk as though Luke was, a bandit chief instead of a verypowerful financial wizard! What are you expecting him todo? Lock me up and throw away the key?'

'I wouldn't put it past him,' Parry said darkly.

'Oh, Perry! Really! Your imagination is run-fling riot,' shesaid with a broad grin.

'Elliot is a ruthless, self-willed autocrat,' said Perry. 'You toldme so yourself. I'm very suspicious about this trip to NewYork. Why should he agree to a divorce so easily afterhaving held out for two years?'

'I never asked him for one before, I suppose,' sheshrugged.

'All the same, watch him like a hawk. And keep in touchwith me. Write, telephone. If I don't hear from you, I'll be overthe Atlantic like a homing pigeon.'

She kissed him lightly. 'I'll be careful, I promise.'

Looking down as the plane circled before landing in

America she remembered Perry's frowning features as shehad last seen them, and butterflies began to flutter in herstomach. Could Perry's premonitions be correct? WasLuke up to something? But what?

She had cabled the time of her arrival to Luke, andexpected him to send a car to meet her. Mr Clough had toldher Luke wanted to see her as soon as she arrived.'Probably to arrange your residence in some convenientstate,' Mr Clough had added thoughtfully. 'If you wish to getthe divorce through quickly, the sooner you take upresidence the better.'

When she emerged from Customs she found a slim,attractive young man waiting for her, his dark hair ruffleduntidily above a rugged, pleasant face. He waved as sheglanced around, and her face lit up with pleasure.

'Hal! How are you?'

He dived through a little crowd of travellers and seized herby the shoulders, grinning at her. 'Sara, it's good to seeyou! You look great. A little pale, but better than...'

She looked at him shrewdly as he cut off the end of thesentence. 'Better than you'd expected? I suppose Luke hasbeen telling you I look frightful?'

His hazel eyes slid away anxiously. 'Hell, no. I meant thatafter your father's death you might be expected to look alittle pale.'

'Oh,' she said shortly. There was a short pause. 'Well, howis Andrea? And the children?'

'Fine,' he said quickly. 'Andrea's pregnant again, by theway. I'm hoping for a boy this time. I love Betsy and Sue-Anne, but I know how much Mama would appreciate agrandson.'

She nodded. 'Yes. I hope it's a boy, Hal.' She laughed. 'Thelittle girls must be quite grown up by now. I remember themas tiny toddlers, but I suppose they're almost of school age.'

'Betsy is four,' he said. 'Sue-Anne is nearly three. They'requite a handful—little monkeys. They drive Andrea mad.' Afaint crease lined his forehead. 'In fact, she gets quite upsetthese days. You know how it is when women are pregnant.They have to have things quieter.'

'Poor Andrea,' she said. 'But surely you have someone tolook after them? I seem to remember a nursemaid.'

'Oh, we've got plenty of help,' he agreed. 'But Mama andLuke think Andrea ought to spend at least part of the daywith the kids, and it's a bit of a strain in her condition.' Helooked at her with a hint of apology. 'You know how Lukecan be.'

'Yes, I know,' she said grimly. - She could imagine thesituation already. Luke had always had a thing aboutchildren needing to, see plenty of their mother. No doubt heforced Andrea to spend hours closeted with her little girls,

and Andrea, never a very maternal woman, was furiousabout it. She felt sorry for Hal. He was Piggy in the middlein this situation and no doubt he took most of the strain. Halhad never been a very strong character, and Andrea wasboth beautiful and demanding. Hal was not capable offighting her, any more than he was of fighting Luke.

'Shall we go?' Hal asked, smiling at her.

His long, elegant expensive car stood in the vast car park,the sunlight glinting on its chromium plating. She sank intothe passenger seat with an amused grin. She had forgottenhow impressive American cars could be! She stroked thesmooth cream leather upholstery and eyed the gleamingdashboard with respect. Hal climbed in beside her andgave her a friendly look.

'I've booked in at the Concord Hotel,' she said. 'Do youknow where it is, Hal?'

His face looked startled. 'But I'm taking you home,' he saiduneasily.-

'I'll see Luke on neutral territory,' she said calmly. 'Just driveme to my hotel, will you, Hal?'

He stared at her, then started the car. She leaned back andgazed out at the fast-moving traffic. Another thing she hadforgotten, she thought with grim amusement, was the sheervolume of New York traffic. This was only a small taste of it.When they actually approached the city centre the traffic

would become so congested that it would hardly move aninch.

Hal reached out an arm and switched on the radio. Popmusic poured out raucously, deafening her. At her grimace,Hal turned it down. She remembered that he had alwayshad a penchant for driving with the radio playing. Heclaimed it helped him to drive; he thought faster.

'How is your mother?' she asked. She had always beenfond of her mother-in-law, if slightly alarmed by her.

'As busy as ever,' Hal said. 'You know Mama. Bridge, theliterary circle, the musical appreciation society ... her life isjust jam-packed with things to do. I don't know how shefinds the time.'

'I always thought Luke took after her,' Sara commented.

'I guess that's true,' Hal laughed. 'Luke has even moreenergy, though.'

'Like a tornado,' she said drily.

Hal laughed again. 'Yeah.' His glance was amused andfaintly pleased. His respect for his brother did not rule out acertain fear of him, and Hal was not averse to seeing hisall-powerful brother put down by a beautiful woman. He hadrarely got the chance. Luke's usual effect on women was tobowl them over like ninepins.

Sara glanced out of the window, then sat up, stiffening. 'Hal,

you aren't taking me to my hotel!'

He gave her an apologetic little look. 'I'm sorry, Sara, butLuke was quite insistent that I take you home. He said Iwasn't to let you talk me out of it.’

'Stop this car!' she said angrily. 'I'll take a taxi.'

The car shot forward down a secondary road at a speedwhich made it impossible for her to do anything. 'Sorry,' Halmurmured awkwardly, 'but I can't disobey Luke—you knowthat. Look, you can take a taxi from the house if you're reallydetermined to go to a hotel. But if I let you get out now Lukewill have my hide, and I'm in enough trouble as it is.'

'Trouble?' She glanced at him curiously. 'What trouble areyou in, Hal?'

He made a face. 'Oh, nothing much. But Luke is mad withme, and if he gets any madder he might stop myallowance.'

'I see,' she said drily.

He looked at her defensively. 'I know, I'm a skunk. ButAndrea will get to hear about it if Luke stops my allowance,and then the fat will really be in the fire.'

A flash of intuition hit her. She remembered Hal's muddledpast. 'Not another woman, Hal?'

He flushed. 'You're quick. Yeah. Oh, look, it was just a briefencounter, i t didn't mean a thing. But Luke found out—he

always does.' He shrugged his shoulders. 'The girl was arapacious little cheat, as it happens, and she went to Lukefor money. Luke nearly blew his skull. It's all very well forhim, he doesn't seem to need women. But since Andreagot pregnant this time she's been very cold towards me—she blames me for it. I was lonely and fed up. Luke doesn'tunderstand.'

'I don't suppose Andrea would, either,' Sara commented.

He grimaced. 'You bet she wouldn't! She'd kill me.'

Sara had to laugh at his terrified expression. 'Oh, Hal, youfool!'

Her softened tone made him relax. 'Anyway, you can seewhy I can't annoy Luke just now.'

'Oh, I can see, all right,' she agreed.

The car drew up outside a large, high-windowed house setin lush green gardens made shady by a carefullylandscaped selection of trees. Hal hooted and the irongates slowly slid apart. The long car swished up the driveunder overhanging lime trees. A faint scent of bonfiresmoke drifted past, and Sara saw a coil of blue smokesomewhere at the back of the house. Among themanicured green lawns and flowered triangles she saw afew elegantly posed statues. A fountain sent up aniridescent spray of water from the cupped bronze hands of

a slender naked nymph.

'It hasn't changed in two years,' she said slowly.

'If Luke has anything to say to it, it never will change,'Hal said discontentedly. 'Dean's Hollow will be the same infifty years' time, I expect.'

'I never thought of it as real,' she told him. 'There's anartificial feeling about it. It is an imitation of the real thing.'

'A very good imitation,' Hal said defensively. 'Lukewouldn't buy a cheap version.'

She laughed. 'Some things you just can't buy, Hal.'

'Honey, you can buy anything,' he said. 'At the rightprice.'

She gave his cynical smile a frown. 'You're wrong.'

Hal's eyes were interested. 'Maybe I am. Lukecouldn't buy you, could he?'

She glanced past him at the open front door. Lukestood there, on his own home ground, his dark headwearing the barbaric look of a powerful Emperor in this newworld. A primitive sensation of sheer panic thrust throughher. Had she made a mistake, after all? Was Perry right notto trust Luke? Something about him as he watched heracross the intervening distance made her bones melt andher heart beat with the acceleration of terror.

CHAPTER FIVE

'WELCOME back to Dean's Hollow,' he said smoothly,meeting her in the doorway, his face enigmatic.

'Hallo, Luke,' she said, feeling the old tension mountinginside her. Would she never be able to see him without thissensation of panic and trembling anticipation? It seemedimpossible to believe that there had ever been a time in herlife when she had not known him. He occupied so,dominant a position in her mind, despite all her efforts tofree herself from him. -

Hal was struggling with her luggage, his face flushed underhis brother's cold eyes.

'I'm not staying here,' she said quickly. 'Put those casesback into the boot, Hal.'

Hal glanced awkwardly at Luke. 'Oh ... er ...' he mumbled,waiting for orders.

Luke took her arm and ushered into the house. 'Naturallyyou're staying here tonight,' he said coolly. 'It would beabsurd for you to do anything else. A room is ready for you.Mama would be very disappointed if you didn't stay.'

As if on cue, his mother appeared, tiny, immaculatelydressed in a jade green dress, her silver hair deftly pinnedinto a smooth swathe behind her head. Diamonds glitteredon her hands and the lapel of her dress. She had an

imperious, determined air.

'Sara!' She extended her ringed hands commandingly, andobediently Sara went to her, was enfolded in a briefembrace, kissed on the cheek and then inspected fromhead to foot by very bright, far-seeing blue eyes.

'You don't look well. Does she, Luke? Now, my dear, weare going to bring back the colour to those pretty cheeks ofyours. You need some fun, I can see that. Come alongupstairs to your room and we'll have a nice chat.'

'Sara doesn't want to stay here,' Luke drawled.

His mother glanced at him, her blue eyes narrowing.'Nonsense, of course she’ll stay here. Where else shouldshe stay? She's family.'

'Haven't you told your mother why I'm here?' Sarademanded of Luke.

'Oh, this divorce foolishness? Yes, he's told me,' Mrs Elliotshrugged indifferently. 'You'll still stay here, Sara. After yourfather's death, you need to be cheered up, and living inhotel rooms is so depressing. They're such impersonalplaces, even the best of them. This is still your home, mydear, whatever happens.' Her blue eyes fixed on Sara'sface, commanding obedience. 'Now, come along. Hal,bring up those cases, there's a good boy, then run along toAndrea. She seems to be a little upset about something.'

Hal. looked dismayed at this news, but followed them up

the broad staircase with the luggage, fumbling andbumping along in their wake. Sara heard 'him swearingunder his breath as he scraped his shins with the corner ofone of the cases.

As she turned the corner on to a wide landing she glanceddown into the hall. Luke still stood at the foot of the stairs,watching her with guarded grey eyes. The front door stoodwide open, making a bright background for his taut figure.The hall, with its black and white tiled stone floor, white rugsand stark white walls seemed to emphasise Luke'spowerful impact. Sunlight sheathed him in a glitteringarmour.

Their eyes met in a silent duel, then she moved on out ofsight with a faint sigh of relief.

How was she going to stand such close proximity? Hernerves would splinter if Luke was around too much.

'Here we are!' Mrs Elliot cried in triumph, flinging open acream-painted door.

Sara remembered the room as one of those set aside asguest rooms. High-ceilinged, with sunny yellow wallpaper, ithad one wall lined with elegant fitted white units in thecentre of which was a small dressing-table. The moderndivan bed was covered by a white silk quilt. A pleated silkvalance fell to the floor, its white silk folds scattered with tinyyellow flowers.

'I hope you'll be comfortable in here,' Mrs Elliot said,

'I hope you'll be comfortable in here,' Mrs Elliot said,glancing around at the bowls of flowers set on windowsill,dressing-table and bedside table. 'I remembered you likedto have flowers in your room.'

Sara was touched. 'You're very kind,' she said falteringly.'Thank you, thank you very much.'

'Aren't you going to call me Mama any more?' asked MrsElliot plaintively.

Flushing, Sara said quickly, 'Of course, Mama!'

Hal stumbled through the door and collapsed with thecases. His mother eyed him coldly.

'Thank you. Now go to Andrea at once and calm her down.If she has any more fits of hysterics she'll lose thatunfortunate baby!'

Hal disappeared, closing the door behind him. Sara movedto the window and looked out over the gardens. She saw ayoung woman in a dark blue dress walking slowly with twolittle girls between the immaculate rows of rose busheswhich led to the sunken rose garden she remembered sowell. The last time she had stood there, her nostrils full ofthe heavy scent of roses, she had been planning to leaveLuke. The beauty of the garden had been hateful to her onthat day.

'Sue-Ann and Betsy with their nurse,' said Mrs Elliot,coming to join her. 'A silly girl, I'm afraid, but what can youdo? It isn't easy to get help these days.' She sighed. 'And

Andrea, of course, is useless with those children.'

'I gather she's expecting again,' said Sara.

'Yes, and making even more fuss about it than she did overthe last two! Really, trust Hal to marry a girl like that! She'scaused nothing but trouble!'

'I'm afraid neither of your daughter-in-laws are up toscratch,' Sara said drily.

Mrs Elliot looked at her shrewdly. 'Luke has warned me notto interfere; so I'll say nothing.'

'Of course everyone always obeys Luke,' Sara mocked.

'When Luke was twelve his father died and left him the onlybreadwinner of the family,' said Mrs Elliot fiercely. Her blueeyes pinned Sara to the spot, daring her to move or speak.'That boy had to work all the hours God sends to makeenough to feed us and house us. I used to watch him fallinto bed at night, so tired he could barely undress, so tiredhe forgot to eat half the time. It ought to have killed him. Hadhe not had the strength of a lion it would have killed him. ButLuke wouldn't give in ... he never gives in! He fought andworked and saved until he'd pulled us out of the poverty hisfather had left us in, then' he began to build the fortune hehas today. Luke has had a tough life, Sara. If we respecthim, it's because he deserves it. He's won the right to giveorders around here.'

Sara was shamed. 'I'm sorry,' she apologised. 'I know how

much he's done for the family.'

Mrs Elliot's tense figure relaxed slightly. 'All I ask is that youdon't undermine his position, Sara. Luke is like -any otherman—he resents being mocked by a woman, particularlywhen that woman happens to be his wife.'

Sara flushed. 'You forget, I spent a year with Luke. I knowhim.'

'Do you?' Mrs Elliot shook her head. 'I doubt that, my dear.Otherwise you would never have left him.'

'I left him because what he needed was a hostess, not awife,' Sara cried. 'I only ever saw him when we gave granddinner parties. Oh, in front of them he was charming to me,but our marriage was a hollow sham. It was meaningless toboth of us.'

Mrs Elliot's lips parted eagerly; but she cut herself short atonce. 'I promised Luke,' she said on a sigh. 'So we'd betterstop talking about it. I'll leave you to settle in, my dear.Dinner is at seven-thirty. Why don't you take a shower, thenrest for an hour? Flying is so tiring.'

'Thank you,' said, Sara, watching her walk to the door, hererect little figure stiff with pride.

She showered and put on a loose robe, then lay down onthe bed and picked up a paperback book from the shelf inthe bedside cupboard. The words blurred before her eyes,however, and she put it down and lay back, gazing up at the

ceiling.

The door opened, and she sat up, her face flushing. 'Luke!What do you want? Can't you knock before you come intomy room?'

He closed the door behind him and leaned against it,watching her out of cool grey eyes. 'Have you got everythingyou need?'

'Yes, thank you,' she said. 'I was just going to unpack.'

'No need,' he drawled. 'The maid will do that.'

'I prefer to do it myself. I want to find a particular dress,' shesaid calmly, but beneath her apparent serenity she wasachingly aware of her own vulnerability and the powerfulattraction between them even now. She wished he wouldstop leaning there, his casual stance scarcely disguisingthe watchfulness beneath.

To cover her nervousness, she slid off the bed, pulling herwrap closer with one hand, and moved towards her cases,which she had left as Hal dropped them, in an ungainly pile.

Luke moved towards her, seeing her intention of lifting thecases, and she was alarmed into moving too fast. A casefell from her nerveless hands, bruising her calf, and shegave a sharp cry of pain.

'What the hell have you done now?' Luke demanded,suddenly beside her. He knelt and pushed aside the loose

folds of her robe to inspect the reddened area of her leg.

'It's nothing,' she protested, trembling as his long fingersgently smoothed over her skin.

'You'll have a nasty bruise there tomorrow,' he said. 'Whydidn't you ask me to move the damned cases? I couldwring Hal's neck. Can he never do anything properly?'

All the time he spoke his hand was touching her, strokingher calf.

'Stop it!' she said sharply.

He looked up, his fingers still against her flesh. A lineappeared on either side of his hard mouth. 'Sorry. I'dforgotten you hate me to touch you,' he said harshly. Herose and lifted the cases on to the bed one by one, thengave her a curt nod. 'See you at dinner. If you think you canstand the sight of me.'

Moving fast, he left the room, slamming the door behindhim. Sara sank down beside the cases, shaking. It wasgoing to be even worse than she had feared. Tonight shemust speak to him, make definite arrangements aboutgetting a divorce. She could not stay in this house with himfor long.

She took her time in dressing, choosing to wear a veryplain white dress, tight-waisted, with a slim-fitting bodiceand skirt. Her hair she wound into a smooth pale chignon,pinned up by a diamond clip Sam had 'given her for her

birthday last year. Around her throat she slid a heavy,barbaric gold twisted torque, an imitation of a Celtic torquewhich she had bought after she saw an exhibition of Celticjewellery at the British Museum.

Her shoes were stowed away in pairs in a specially madetravelling case Sam had given her for 'her twenty-firstbirthday. She stared at them all for some time beforedeciding to wear a pair of high-heeled soft leather whiteshoes with a flimsy strap across the back. They weresurprisingly comfortable, she knew from experience, butcould only be worn on such occasions because they werenot built for heavy wear and were certainly not meant forlong walks in the countryside, or even shopping expeditionsin town.

When she walked down the staircase towards the cool,shadowy ball she heard a familiar voice from the long openlounge beyond, and froze, her face stiffening.

Victoria Blare!

What was she doing here tonight? Had Luke deliberatelyinvited her to dinner on this one evening? Perhaps he andVictoria would tell her later that they, too, wanted a divorcequickly so that they could get married. Or was she leapingto conclusions? Had Victoria been a constant visitor toDean's Hollow in the last two years? Was she a regulardinner' guest?

She pushed open the door and stood there, looking across

the room. Luke leaned against the ceiling-highbookshelves, a glass in his hand, wearing a dark suit andpale blue shirt. He looked casually elegant. Beside him,lying back in a fatly upholstered lounger, was Victoria Blare,her red mouth parted in a faint smile, her thick lashesfluttering, as she listened to him.

For a moment neither noticed Sara, then Mrs Elliot joinedher from the hall and said cheerfully, 'Why, Sara! You lookvery charming, my dear. Your rest obviously did you good.Come along and join the others...'

Luke glanced across the room, not even bothering tostraighten away from his indifferent pose. Victoria turnedher head with a swan-like motion of her neck and gaveSara a cool, unsmiling little look.

'You remember Victoria, don't you?' said Mrs Elliot, herhand beneath Sara elbow, pushing her slightly forward.Without waiting for the two women to acknowledge eachother, she went on, 'Andrea will be down in a moment.She's been resting, too, of course, and I'm afraid she wasrather late getting ready for dinner.'

Luke's brows drew together. 'Again?' he asked curtly.

His mother looked at him directly. 'You must be patient withher, Luke. Pregnant women are not always accountable forthe way they behave.'

'Andrea has never been accountable for anything,' he said.'That's her problem.'

'That's her problem.'

'Hal's too easy with her,' Victoria commented. 'He ought toput his foot down. I can't understand why he lets her getaway with it. But then he's always been soft.'

Mrs Elliot's colour rose. 'Hal is a good boy.' she said with atrace of indignation.

Sara slid her hand through her mother-in-law's arm. 'It hasn'tbeen easy for Hal growing up in the shadow of adominating brother,' she said coldly.

Victoria's dark brows rose in a perfect arch, 'I would havesaid Hal has had it too easy,' she murmured sweetly'Everything handed to him on a plate, no responsibilities, noanxieties. Our dear Hal has had a cushioned life so far.'

'So long as he always did just what he was told,' Saracommented in a clear, 'hard voice. 'If you constantly order ayoung man around and expect him to be meek andobedient you can't be surprised if he's pretty docile withother people. Hal can't change his nature now. It has beenset too hard by past experiences.'

'You can't blame Luke for Hal's character,' Victoriaprotested icily.

'Can't I?' Sara met the other girl's eyes coolly.

'Don't you think you're being very unfair?' Victoria asked herwith a twist of her red lips.

'Perhaps the outsider sees more of the game,' Sara

retorted.

Victoria's eyes widened. 'Would you call yourself anoutsider?' Her eyes flashed to Luke's face. He was lookinginto his glass with a totally blank expression.

Mrs Elliot broke in hurriedly, her face very Rushed andindignant. 'Luke, get Sara a drink. I'm sure she needs oneafter her long journey across the Atlantic.'

Luke straightened up and moved across the room with theunconscious grace of an animal, his face still quite blank.He glanced at Sara briefly. 'What would you like?'

'A sherry, thank you,' she said quietly.

'Dry or sweet?'

'Dry,' she said huskily.

He poured the amber liquid and moved towards her,extended the glass with his eyes fixed on her face.

'Thank you,' she said, accepting it. She wished he wouldnot look at her like that, the grey eyes full of cold contempt.She knew he was angry with her for criticising him toVictoria. She should not have done it. It was unforgivable inthe circumstances, yet some savage instinct had forced thewords out of her in a mood of angry defiance brought on byseeing him and Victoria in that attitude of easy familiarity,reminding her bitterly of the many times during theirmarriage when she had seen them like that and been

ferociously jealous of their relationship.

They heard raised voices in the hall, then Andrea and Halcame into the room. Andrea was wearing a loose kaftan ofolive green trimmed with gold braid. Her colour was high,her eyes angry. She barely noticed Sara, so intent was sheon her quarrel with her husband. Hal was lookingmiserable, his shoulders hunched in an attitude of sheepishdefiance.

'I've had a headache all day,' Andrea burst out, looking atLuke with dislike. 'In my condition it seems unreasonable toexpect me to look after the children for hours when we havea perfectly good nanny who can cope with them. Are youtrying to make me ill? Do you want me to have a healthybaby or not?'

'You need some exercise every day,' Luke said calmly. 'Youknow perfectly well Doctor Matthews said so. Why not takethe children for a little walk? What harm can it do you oryour baby?'

'I notice you never take them for a walk,' she flared up. 'Youwouldn't be so complacent if you did. They're too much forme. I can't control them. They run too fast and they won'ttake any notice of me when I tell them to do anything. Todaywe hadn't been out for five minutes when they'd run off outof sight and I called until my voice was hoarse, but theydidn't come back for ages. I was half hysterical by the timethey did reappear.'

'You must be firm with them, not hysterical,' Mrs Elliot saidanxiously. 'You get so worked up, Andrea. It can't be goodfor you or the baby.'

Dangerously close to tears, Andrea glared at her. 'It isn't asif it's necessary. It's always the same in this house—whatever Luke decides must happen. He happens tobelieve I should spend time with the children, so I'm forcedto fall in with his wishes, whatever my state of health.'

Sara moved forward and took hold of Andrea's wrist.Surprised, the other girl looked at her, then: 'Oh, hello,Sara. So you're back, are you? I thought you would havehad more sense than to come back into this prison. Youshould have stayed away.'

Sara glanced at Luke. 'Her pulse is very high. I think sheshould lie down.'

Andrea laughed shrilly. 'Have you forgotten that nobody isallowed to be sick around here? Get Luke to give you hisviews on the natural state of pregnancy and how there's noreason why a healthy woman shouldn't always have a whaleof a time when she's expecting a baby! He's such anexpert, of course. Funny he never managed to produceanything but a balance sheet himself! Or have you gotsome secret offspring we never hear about, Luke?'

Luke's face was stony, his eyes narrowed in silent rage.Sara guided Andrea towards the door.

'I'll take her up to her bedroom,' she said quickly.

'I'll take her up to her bedroom,' she said quickly.

Hal hovered anxiously, not quite knowing how to help. Heopened the door and watched as Sara and Andrea walkedinto the hail. Sara put an arm around her sister-in-law,feeling the bulky body shake helplessly. Tears were rollingdown Andrea's cheeks, but her eyes were wide open, theirbrightness misty.

When they reached the large first-floor bedroom which Haland Andrea shared, Sara helped the other girl on to thebed and pulled the thin satin quilt over, her. Andrea wasshivering as if with cold, her teeth chattering audibly.

'I'll get your doctor,' Sara said gently.

Andrea looked at her and clutched at her hand. 'No! Don'tleave me!'

Sara sat down on the side of the bed and held Andrea'shands. 'You must see Dr Matthews, though.'

'It's nothing he can do anything about,' Andrea said on adeep sigh. 'I know I was beastly down there, Sara, butsometimes I think I'll go mad. You don't know what it's beenlike the last two years. After you left and Luke moved backto Dean's Hollow, selling that flat you and he shared in town,things went very wrong between Hal and me. I thought hewas too much under Luke's thumb, and I guess I pushedhim too hard. We quarrelled all the time. I wanted to moveout and get a place of our own, but Hal wouldn't leave. Helikes living here. We could never afford anywhere as nice

as this, of course.' She sighed again, shaking with thesound.

'When you've had this baby things will be better,' Sarasoothed her, patting her hand.

'That's what 1 thought,' Andrea sighed. 'I hoped the babywould make a big difference, persuade Hal to leave here.But it hasn't. Things got worse.' The tears began to fallagain. 'Sara, I'm sure there's another woman! A couple oftimes I've found notes in Hal's clothes...' She blushed,looking at Sara with embarrassment. 'Oh, it was wrong ofme to search his pockets, but I had this instinct … I justknew there was someone else! The notes proved it.'

'Have you spoken to Hal about this?' Sara asked,remembering Hal's words earlier about another woman.

'I tried to, but ... I was afraid ... what if this time it's serious?Oh, I know there've been others …little flings, and I turned ablind eye to them but I feel so weak this time... I'm so uglyand heavy like this...'

'Andrea, you're beautiful,' Sara protested. 'Look in yourmirror if you don't believe me! Of course at the moment youmust feel clumsy...'

'Clumsy?' Andrea croaked with bitter laughter. 'I'mgrotesque! I feel like a balloon!'

'You're being silly,' Sara whispered. 'Hal loves you, I knowhe does. No other woman is going to take him away from

you. Why, on the drive from the airport, he said to me thathe loved you more than ever...'

Andrea peered at her weakly, her hair tousled above herflushed face. 'Is that the truth?'

Sara nodded. 'Really! As to this other woman, I suggest youask Hal about her. Have it out in the open. It's all the cryingand brooding in secret which has made you so unhappy.'

Andrea relaxed against her pillows. 'Oh, Sara. I'm so gladyou're here! Mama means well, but somehow she's tooclose to Luke. I don't feel easy with her. She's too ... toostrong! She could never understand how it feels to be aweak person like me. She and Luke expect me to be theperfect wife and mother, and I've tried, but I'm not like that.The kids terrify me. Their nanny scares me to death, she'sso competent and clever. And as to running Dean's Hollow,I hate the place. It's too big. I want somewhere small andcosy where I could relax and be myself.'

'What about the children?' Sara asked. 'Could you manageto look after them without a nanny in a small house?'

Andrea's face took on a new look, a smile of wistfuleagerness. 'I would sack that damned nanny of theirs andhave my Aunt Grace to live with us—she lives on a tintpension in a two-roomed apartment in Chicago and shehates it. Aunt Grace and I have always got on like a houseon fire. She understands me and I understand her. Togetherwe could run the house and look after the kids until they

were old enough for school.' She sighed again. 'But it's justa pipedream. I know Hal would never leave here.'

'Have you told him about Aunt Grace?' asked Sara.

Andrea looked surprised. 'Well, no. What's the use?'

Sara laid down Andrea's hands. 'Well, you just rest. I'll getDr Matthews here and then we'll see what we can sort out.'

Andrea stared after her in startled disbelief as she walkedto the door. Sara winked at her as she went out.

Luke and Hal met her in the hall. Hal was looking anxious,but Luke's expression was coldly impassive. 'Well?' hedemanded as she joined them. 'Have you soothed her outof her hysterics?'

'Hal, go and ring Dr Matthews,' Sara said calmly, turning toHal. 'Tell him I think Andrea's blood pressure is far too high.She has an unhealthy flush and her pulse is racing.'

Hal hurried away to obey her, his face drawn.

Luke caught Sara's arm and turned her to face him. 'Don'tignore me, Sara! I've told you before, I will not have it.'

'Let go of my arm,' she said icily.

His eyes flashed. 'Don't use that tone with me!' 'Don't youmanhandle me, then!'

'Damn you, Sara! You're still the most infuriating woman I'veever met,' he muttered, his hands dropping from her.

'Somehow you always manage to make me lose mytemper.'

'That isn't hard,' she said scornfully, and turned away. 'As toAndrea, I'll talk to Hal about her. I think I know the answer toher problem, but it's Hal business, not yours.'

'Anything to do with a member of my family is my business,'he told her angrily.

'What happens between a man and his wife is their ownbusiness and nobody else's,' she returned. 'Andrea hasasked me to help them. Leave them alone, Luke. You'rehardly an authority on marriage, are you? You couldn't evenmake your own work.'

His hands descended on her slender shoulders, makingher wince. He dragged her towards him, his grey eyesblack with rage. She struggled to get free, but he was fartoo powerful for her. His hands slid down her arms to holdher wrists, her body so close to him that she could hear thefast beating of his heart under the pale blue shirt. It was soloud that it sounded like a drum.

'You'll drive me too far, Sara,' he said hoarsely. 'It takes twoto make a marriage, remember. Whatever went wrong waspartly your fault.'

She could feel her legs trembling under her. His nearnesswas affecting her breathing, making her shake with asudden intense desire to kiss him. Summoning all her willpower, she pushed at him, kicking him hard as she did so.

power, she pushed at him, kicking him hard as she did so.

He swore and let her go, rubbing his ankle resentfully. 'Thathurt!'

'It was meant to!' She turned on her heel and walked awayfrom him to join Hal in the small lime-green room whichserved as a study for Luke.

Hal was just replacing the telephone as she entered. Helooked round at her, scratching his head miserably.

'The doctor is coming. Sara, what am I to do aboutAndrea?'

'Take her away from Dean's Hollow,' she said promptly.

'I couldn't keep her in the style to which she's accustomed,'he said morosely.

'She knows that,' Sara said. 'She's fed up with living inLuke's house. She wants her own little home and she wantsher Aunt Grace to look after the children, not a paid nanny.'

Hal looked taken aback. 'Aunt Grace? But she lives inChicago!'

'According to Andrea, she hates it there, and would jump atthe chance to be part of a family again.'

'Oh, this is just a pipedream,' Hal said incredulously. 'Youknow Andrea! She would make a hopeless housewife.She's never had to run a real home. She's used to servantsand an expense account. We'd have to eat humble pie and

come back here within a year.'

'At least try it,' Sara urged. 'I can see her point of view. Youlived here with your mother first. Andrea has never had thechance to learn how to cope. The experience would do youboth good. It would get you out from under Luke's feet too,remember.'

Hal's eyes brightened. 'That's true.' He looked thoughtfullyat her. 'Do you think it would work?'

'I've no idea. But it would be fun finding out.' She grinned athim. 'Come on, Hal, take a risk! Even for a year it would beworth it.'

'What on earth will Luke say?' he asked faintly. 'Whocares?' Sara shrugged.

Hal laughed with an incredulous note. 'I really believe youmean that! Aren't you scared of him?'

'He's just an old-fashioned dinosaur,' she said flippantly.'He may have more weight than the rest of us, but we canalways run away, Hal.'

'You ran,' Hal said shrewdly. 'But here you are back again!'

'Only until I get my divorce,' she said easily. Hal smiledwryly. 'That I would like to see…’

CHAPTER SIX

DINNER was a very restrained meal. Hal was upstairs withAndrea and the doctor. Mrs Elliot was nervous; Luke wastight-lipped and withdrawn and only Victoria Blareappeared prepared to make polite conversation. Shequestioned Sara about England, asked various thingsabout such topics as the weather, the fashions and thepolitical situation over in the United Kingdom, and gaveSara the impression that she was making some effort tosmooth over the tense atmosphere in the room.

Luke drank several glasses of brandy after dinner, havingalready swallowed a large part of the wine served with themeal, but he had always had the ability to drink withoutapparently being affected by it. Occasionally his sombreglance would rest on Sara's face, the grey eyes half-hooded by heavy lids. She was not able to read theexpression on his face.

Pushing away his coffee cup, he said suddenly, 'I thoughtwe might drive down to the cottage this week-end, Mama.'

Mrs Elliot looked pleased. 'What a good idea, Luke! Wehaven't been down there for weeks, so it will need airing. I'llring Mrs Jakes, she can pop in and switch on the heatingand air the beds.'

He nodded. 'Good.' He glanced at Sara. 'You might as wellcome. Scat is down there—he prefers the country,

remember? He lives next door with Mrs Jakes.'

Luke had given her Scat on their first Christmas together.He had dumped a tiny shivering little ball into her lap andsaid casually, 'Hey, this is for you, funny face.'

She had cried out in delight, cuddling the puppy. 'Oh, Luke,he's lovely!'

'He's an Englishman, too,' Luke had said. 'Anyway, his sirewas English, so I guess that makes him one by birth. He's aKing Charles spaniel.'

She had played with the puppy on the rug, rolling over withhim, laughing at his antics. Luke, almost treading on himwhen he came into the room, had shouted, 'Scat! You fooldog!'

'I'll call him Scat,' she decided. 'Short for Scatterbrain,because he's the most dotty dog I ever knew. Look at himeating the fringe on the rug! Hey, Scat! Naughty! That willmake you sick, silly. Mustn't eat rugs!

Over the next few months she had followed Scat around,telling him firmly not to eat butter, not to eat string, not to eatletters ... the list grew endless. Scat was like a goat;anything seemed digestible to him. Luke laughed at her asshe tried to train the puppy to walk to heel, only to end upcarrying him when he whimpered that he was really tootired to walk at all. When Luke gradually grew too busy tonotice anything she did, Scat had been her constantcompanion. Sometimes she thought she would have gone

companion. Sometimes she thought she would have gonemad without him.

When she left she had had a terrible decision to make.Scat would have had to be quarantined for six months if shetook him back to England. She could not bear to think ofher active, cheerful energetic little spaniel kept locked up ina cage all day for six months, whining to be let out, whiningfor company and fun. In the end she decided to leave himwith Luke. At least Luke would see to it that Scat had agood home and plenty of freedom.

She longed to see Scat again, yet she shook her head.'We'll talk about it later,' she said, glancing at Victoria.

'I'm going now anyway,' Victoria said calmly, rising.'Goodnight, Luke. Goodnight, Mrs Elliot. Goodnight, Sara.'

Luke rose, too. 'I'll drive you home,' he offered.

'I've got my own car,' she said. 'Thanks all the same.'

He strolled after her. 'I'll see you to the door, then.'

'Thanks,' she said, lashes fluttering.

Sara stared at the closed door. She heard their voicesrecede down the hail, heard the front door open, theirvoices cease. The moments dragged past. What were theydoing? Kissing goodnight? It seemed like hours before thefront door closed again and she heard Luke returning.

Mrs Elliot got up hurriedly. 'Well'. I think I'll go up and seehow Andrea is,' she said nervousl,. 'then I'll go on to bed,

Luke.'

'Right.' he said casually, seating himself at the table again.

'Goodnight, Sara,' said Mrs Elliot, with a smile. Sarawatched her leave the room. She wondered if she couldleave too without making it look like a retreat, and decidedLuke would immediately realise that she was running away,so she stayed where she was, staring at him across thedisorder of the dining table.

The housekeeper, a large, calm-faced woman from thePhilippines with skin the colour of melted honey and gentleeyes, came in to ask if she could clear the table now.

'Of course,' said Luke, rising again. 'Sara?' He extendedhis hand and as if she was sleepwalking she found herselfgiving him her own hand.

They left the room together in apparent amicability, hand inhand. Luke led her into the lounge, indicated the long whitefur couch and asked if she would like a drink.

'No, thank you,' she said. 'I think I'll go to bed in a moment,I'm rather sleepy.'

He sat down beside her and turned to face her, his handsliding along the couch at the back of her head.

She stiffened. 'About the divorce,' she began.

'Yes?' Luke's voice was lazy. 'What about it?'

'Well, how are we to arrange it? Mr Clough said somethingabout taking up residence in some other state where it'seasier to get quick divorces.'

'That's a possibility,' Luke murmured. He moved his freehand across to her lap and picked up one of her hands.'Your skin is so smooth,' he said, stroking the back of it.

'Luke, that's enough!' Her voice was hoarse.

'Is it? Not for me,' he said softly, moving nearer. 'Two years,Sara. A long time without a woman.'

'I'm sure there have been women,' she said huskily.

'Women to dine with, women to talk to,' he agreed, stillstroking her hand with a slow, sensuous movement whichmade her bones turn to water. 'But not women to make loveto, Sara.'

She looked at him incredulously. 'I thought Victoria?'

'Victoria?' he repeated. His grey eyes searched her face. 'Isee. Yes, she's very lovely, very desirable. But you wrongher if you imagine that Victoria would accept a casualrelationship like the one you're suggesting...'

She saw that he was right: Victoria was far too demandingto accept an affair. 'She would want marriage?' she asked.

He nodded. His other arm had slid down around hershoulders now. He was so close to her that she could hearhim breathe.

'Stop it, Luke!' she said fiercely.

'Stop what?' he asked absently, lifting her hand to his mouthand turning it palm upwards to kiss it.

The hot touch of his lips against her skin made her shiver.She pulled her hand away and jumped up, turning to facehim. Luke leaned back, his lazy eyes watching her.

'I don't know what you think you're playing at, but it just won'twork,' she said. 'I want a divorce, Luke. I want to be free.'

He crossed his legs and leaned his head back to surveyher. 'Well, you see, that's the problem...'

'How do you mean? You knew why I'd flown out here. Youpromised me a divorce if I came to the States.'

'Oh, I'm ready to give you a divorce, Sara,' he nodded. 'Butsince I saw you in England a small problem has arisen overhere.'

'Is this one of your tricks, Luke?' She stared at him, trying toread the expression on his shuttered face, and failing. Lukehad always been able to baffle her when he tried.

'I'm on the point of pulling off an enormous deal,'-he said.'The biggest of my life. It would mean joining up withanother big company and forming a multi-nationalconsortium. Everything was going very smoothly when I raninto a snag.'

'Which is?' she asked suspiciously.

'Which is?' she asked suspiciously.

'The chairman of the other company happens to have veryold-fashioned ideas about marriage. Any rumours about adivorce between you and me would possibly put an end tothe negotiations.' He surveyed her between half-loweredlids, his expression enigmatic. 'And it means a lot to me tobring off this deal. It would put the seal on all the work I'vedone. No company can afford to stay as it is for long. Itstagnates. We have to grow.'

'But surely this man must know we've separated? Everyoneknows we've lived apart for two years—the gossip columnsmade sure of that.'

'Yes, he knows we haven't been living together,' Lukeagreed. 'But I told him that you'd returned to England to lookafter your father during a serious illness, and he acceptedmy version of the story. He thought you were veryadmirable, in fact.'

'Why, you hypocritical ...!' Words seethed in her head, butshe was too angry to get them out. 'You used my father asan excuse ... what a beastly thing to do!’

Luke's brows jerked together in a dark line. He glared ather angrily. 'It was the truth. You have been looking afterSam. Even if you hadn't left me you would still have wantedto go home to Sam once you found out he was so ill. Youwere always closer to Sam than to anybody else in theworld, Sara. Your father spoilt you all your life. Any man whomarried you would have had a problem with your excessive

devotion to your wonderful father.'

'Don't you dare criticise my father,' she cried bitterly. 'Hewas the most marvellous man I ever met.'

'Sam and I were friends,' Luke said harshly. 'But I told himto his face just what I've told you—Sam spoiled you. Hewas too doting. You grew up expecting every man you metto treat you as if you were made of precious china becausethat's how Sam behaved. You weren't looking for ahusband, Sara, you were looking for another doting father-figure.'

She turned on him, shaking with rage, and struck himacross his face, making a livid mark on his cheek.

Luke pulled her down on top of him, his hands ruthless, andforced her down among the sofa cushions, his bodypressing her back when she tried to break free, making itimpossible for her to move. She twisted and struggled, herhead turned as far away from him as possible, but he tookher chin in an iron hand and forced her to turn back towardshim.

'Don't!' she whispered hoarsely.

'You're very beautiful, Sara,' he said thickly. 'No man withblood in his veins could look at you without wanting you...'On the last words his mouth descended and he began tokiss her hotly, with an urgency which deprived her of the willto resist.

Sara's senses swam. She closed her eyes andsurrendered to her own desire, waves of surging passionflooding her body. The physical attraction between themhad always been potent enough to melt all her resistanceand make her plastic in his hands, even when she had feltbitter dislike and contempt for him.

Luke raised himself to look down at her. She lay among thecushions, her hair, loosened by his fingers, lying in a silveryfan around her flushed face, her eyes closed, her lipsparted in soft invitation.

'How can you look so enchantingly desirable and yet be awilful, immature little fool?' he asked roughly.

She opened her eyes and looked at him in shock, herpulses still drumming from the demands of his hard body,her limbs trembling weakly.

'Oh, sit up,' he said furiously, getting up in a fiercemovement and straightening his hair with a brusquegesture.

Scarlet, she sat up and straightened her own hair andclothes with shaking fingers.

'Right,' he said. 'If you pretend to be happily married for thenext month until I sign this deal, you can then arrange adivorce somewhere in Vegas or Mexico, and I promise thatI will not contest it. I'll give you a generous alimonysettlement which will include the shares in your father's firmat market valuation. I'll even promise not to warn Durrell that

at market valuation. I'll even promise not to warn Durrell thathe's getting a spoilt, childish little halfwit for a wife.'

'Thank you,' she said contemptuously. 'You're so generous.'

Luke grinned at her, his grey eyes mocking. 'Durrellwouldn't be very pleased if he knew how near I came totaking you just now, would he?'

'Leave Perry out of this!'

'Gladly,' he drawled. 'If you marry him you'll deserve eachother. He's as big a fool as you are.'

'Thank you!'

'Well,' he asked, 'do you agree to my terms?'

'I'll think about it,' she said.

'I need an answer tomorrow,' he said. 'The Chairman ofCrawshare Ltd is coming to dinner next Tuesday. If yourefuse to co-operate I want to know before the weekend.'

'I'll tell you tomorrow then,' she said. 'Now 1 want to go tobed.'

'Alone?' he mocked.

She gave him a bitter, self-disgusted glance. 'Alone,' sherepeated harshly.

'Sweet dreams,' he murmured.

Sara walked out of the room without replying.

In her bedroom she sat on the bed and covered her hotface with hands that shook. She had been made to look acomplete fool. Luke was entitled to feel triumphant. After allshe had said to him about hating him, she had collapsedlike a pack of cards as soon as he made love to her.

I do hate him, she told herself fiercely. It's just that ... whenhe's touching me like that my mind switches off and I can'tthink. She still felt a bitter ache deep inside herself, alonging for him which no calm reasoning could dispel. Itwas almost as if she had a split personality—one half ofher, the rational mind, warned her that Luke was still theruthless businessman who had made a hell of her marriedlife by neglecting her and ignoring her, while the other halfof her, the buried sensuality within her body, leapt to lifewhenever she was in a room with him.

She thought of a month of pretending to be a happilymarried wife, and groaned.

How could she bear it? Constantly with Luke, smiling athim, talking to him, playing out this bitter charade? It wouldbe unbearable torture.

And, she admitted reluctantly, the worst of the torture wouldbe in seeing so much of him while knowing that he wasmocking her for being weak enough to want him despite allher protests.

She undressed and got into bed. In the darkness she wenton wrestling with her problem, but before morning she knew

that however painful the process she would accept Luke'sproposal. In an instant of brutal honesty she admitted toherself that she would even enjoy it, however much it hurt,because just to be with him for a few short weeks would bea bittersweet pleasure she could not resist.

I cannot marry Perry, she thought, watching the grey lightdrain into the room and the darkness depart. The sun rose,brightening the sky and giving her sunny little room a newgaiety. I must write to Perry and tell him, she thought. Itwould be cheating to go on letting him think I might love himwhen I know very well I can never love any other man.

Luke had spoilt her for other men. However kind, gentle,loving they were, they were insignificant shadows besidehim. He was a brute, but when he came into a room hedwarfed every other man in sight.

She met Luke in the hail as she came downstairs. Heglanced at her casually, a sheaf of letters in his hand. Thegrey glance took in her demure tan dress, the yellow silkscarf tied casually around her throat.

'Sleep well?' he asked drily.

'Yes, thank you,' she lied.

'You don't look it,' he commented.

'I've decided to accept your terms,' she said, turning her

face away from his penetrating gaze. She knew there weredark shadows under her eyes and she did not want him tolook too closely.

A little silence, then he drawled, 'Good I thought you would,somehow.'

'You're always so sure of yourself,' she said bitterly. 'Butone day you'll make a mistake like everybody else, Luke.Even you can't always be right.'

'Want to bet?' he said smiling mockingly at her.

Over breakfast Hal sprang his bombshell. 'Andrea and Iwon't be coming down to the country this weekend,' he saidcasually, spooning sugar over a large bowl of cereal. 'We'regoing house-hunting.'

Mrs Elliot laid down her spoon and stared at her son withobvious amazement. 'House-hunting!'

Luke glanced up from the letter he was reading and hisbrows drew together. 'Nonsense. What do you mean?'

Hal gazed back at him with apparent calm. 'Andrea wantsto have a home of her own.'

'This is her home,' said Luke, a cynical smile twisting hismouth. 'She could never manage to run a house withouthelp. Don't waste your money, Hal. You'd only have to sellagain at a loss.'

Hal's chin came up defiantly. 'That's my business.. I've

made up my mind. It's time Andrea and I set up hometogether like any ordinary married couple. It never works forfamilies to live under one roof like this. Andrea will feelmuch better if she's mistress of her own home.'

Luke laughed harshly. 'You're living in a fool's paradise, Hal.Andrea is an incompetent hysteric. This is just another ofher little pipedreams. Next month she'll be weeping withterror at the very prospect

Hal's eyes showed his uneasiness. He glanced at Sarawith a look of pleading, and she came to his aid.

'Sometimes people fail because they're willed to fail,' shesaid quietly, spreading a thin layer of butter on a slice ofbeautifully browned toast.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' demanded Luke,turning towards her with an angry face.

She shrugged lightly. 'You despise women, don't you,Luke? You expect them to be weak and clinging. You evenwant them to be like that—it feeds your male ego. Youforced Andrea into that mould by sheer expectation.'

'I haven't forced Andrea to do anything,' he said tensely,staring at her with cold grey eyes. 'I think this theory of yourswas just dreamed up as a smoke screen for your ownfailures. You think you can blame me instead of acceptingresponsibility for yourself. Andrea is just a stalking horseyou're using.'

'Reverse that idea,' she said. 'Try looking at it from anotherpoint of view. What are you trying to cover up by insisting onbelieving that all women are weak and useless?'

Luke looked furious. 'Don't play the psychiatrist with me,honey!'

Mrs Elliot rose, laying down her table napkin and pushingback her chair. 'Stop it! No, Luke, be quiet.' The imperiouslittle head was held high, sunlight making a brightnessaround the silver hair. 'Hal is right—it is time Andrea had ahome of her own. Married couples need privacy, and whatprivacy have they had? Every little squabble played out inpublic, just as you and Sara are doing now! An audiencemagnifies everything, makes little rows seem big ones,intensifies the tension between you.' She looked at Hal.'Yes, Hal, find a home of your own and don't let Luke talkyou out of it. It's time you stood on your own feet.'

She walked out of the room. Hal looked uneasily at Luke,then got up too and left the room. Luke pushed away hisuneaten breakfast and glared at Sara. 'What are youdoing? Breaking up my family? I hope you're pleased withyourself.'

'I am,' she said calmly, biting a piece of toast and crunchinghappily.

Luke swore under his breath. 'Sometimes I could wring yourneck!'

'Only sometimes?' she asked cheerfully.

'Only sometimes?' she asked cheerfully.

The telephone rang in his study and he got up and went outof the room. Sara went on eating toast. After a moment hereturned with a scowl.

'That was Stevie. She and Susan have got together anddecided to fly East today to see you again. They'll probablycome down to the cottage for the weekend.' His lip curled.'So I'm afraid you'll be seeing more of my family, after all.'

'I like Stevie and Susan,' she shrugged. 'We always got onquite well. They had the sense to get out from under.'

'So my sisters weren't blighted for life by being dominatedby a wicked elder brother?' he asked sarcastically.

'They were both well balanced girls and they marriedsensible men who knew better than to stay around whereyou could interfere,' she said. 'Both Bill and Jimmy are solidcitizens who know a tyrant when they see one.'

'Oh, for heaven's sake!' He slammed out of the room andshe grinned at the closed door.

Stephanie, the elder of Luke's two sisters, had been a busymatron with three sons when Sara first met her. She hadLuke's dark hair and her mother's blue eyes, but herpersonality was quite unlike either. Quick, capable, evenslightly bossy, Stevie ran her home with as much efficiencyas Luke brought to his career, but her husband Bill broughtout the feminine side of her nature. Meeting Bill and Stevietogether you would never suspect how competent Stevie

was as a housewife. Sara suspected that clever Stevie hadlearnt from brother Luke very early in her life that some menprefer women to cling and be delicate—certainly Billappeared to do so, and Stevie was always very gentle andhelpless when he was around. Bill ran a large canningfactory in the 'West. Stevie's home was a showplace,elegant and luxurious, and her three boys were healthy,lively animals much in awe of their pretty, determinedmother.

Susan had been two years older than Sara when shemarried Jimmy, an overworked doctor with a wide countrypractice in California. Susan was as tiny as her mother,with brown eyes and hair the colour of beech leaves inautumn. They had one little girl, now three years old, whomthey had named Marie, and their lives were full and happy,judging from Susan's rare letters to Sara in England duringthe last two years.

Both Luke's sisters had showed surprising sympathy andtact when she left him, each writing to her to expressunderstanding. Both had been eager to flee from hisdomination, both deliberately chose to live as far away fromhim as possible.

Sara wondered if they were flying east to make sure shewas not being dragged back into Luke's tentacles oncemore. She grinned. She wouldn't be at all surprised! If so,she knew who would have been the prime mover—Steviewould have been on the phone to Susan as soon as she

heard that Sara was in New York, declaring that they mustgo to the rescue, like the United States Cavalry in somecowboys and Indians film, cheating wicked brother Luke ofhis prey. Stevie could be quite formidable in full battle array;she had some of Luke's steel in her soul.

Well, thought Sara grimly, so have I! Luke isn't having thingsall his own way from now on. He may have tricked me intopretending to be a contented little wife in public, but inprivate he's going to find me quite different. As his motherhad said, Luke hated to be mocked. He was proud,arrogant, self-confident. Sara's own pride had sufferedyesterday when she had crumbled beneath the impact ofhis lovemaking. Today she was armoured once more,determined to fight him.

Stevie and Susan arrived in time for dinner that evening.Their arrival was noisy and. confused because their taxidriver was reluctant to carry their cases into the house. Inbetween giving him crisp orders and kissing her mother,Stevie winked at Sara and gave Hal a wave.

When the taxi had left and the two women were safely in thehouse, Mrs Elliot said disapprovingly, 'Why didn't you bringthe children? Am I never to see my grandchildren?'

'Mother dear,' Stevie said with a groan, 'we wanted to getaway from the little horrors, not bring them with us. It wasabout time we had a break, and Sara's arrival gave us the

perfect excuse!'

'You've said it,' Susan moaned. 'Mama, every time I lookround there's a pile of work for me to do. I'm so sick ofwashing up and cooking! Not to mention answering thephone. If that phone rings once in an evening it rings ahundred times. A doctor's wife-is a slave to the telephone.At the moment I'm looking forward to doing absolutelynothing for the next two days. Bliss, perfect bliss V

'Hear, hear,' Stevie nodded. 'Put me in a chair and give mea stool to put my feet on and just leave me to it!

Andrea drifted into the room looking distractingly pretty in aloose white gown shot with silver thread. She smiledvaguely at Stevie and Sue. 'Hi! How are you? Hal and I arebuying our own house. What do you think of that?'

'That’s the best idea Hal's ever had,' Stevie agreed warmly.'Congratulations, Andrea.'

'Considering you two have just fled from your happy homeslike refugees fleeing the plague, I don't see why youcongratulate Andrea,' their mother said drily.

'There are plagues and plagues,' said Stevie. 'Running ahome may be exhausting, but living with Luke is worse.'

'Oh, Stevie!' Mrs Elliot looked angry and upset. 'That isn'tfair. Luke has been a wonderful brother to' you. Didn't hehelp Bill set up out West?'

'Sure,' Stevie agreed. 'And we're grateful to him, but why doyou think we were so keen to go out West? To get awayfrom Luke, that's why! Because Luke runs this family theway Queen Victoria ran her Empire. One law for everybodyhanded down by guess who and no arguments, and if youcomplain he isn't amused.'

'Luke has had a very hard life,' Mrs Elliot said indignantly.'When I think of him as a boy, working like a beaver for all ofyou, I could weep. You should be grateful to him notcomplain about him.'

'Oh, Mama,' sighed Susan, her brown eyes loving, 'we arevery grateful—you know that. We love Luke and we knowwhat he's achieved, but he's a bit much to live up to, youknow. Stevie and I weren't surprised Sara left him. She wasliving the life of a recluse in that flat. Luke still went onworking flat out, leaving her alone for hours on end. Thatwas no life for a twenty-year-old girl, now was it?'

Mrs Elliot looked disturbed. 'Susan, you shouldn't talk aboutsuch things …'

'No,' Sara said firmly, 'let's not talk about my marriage. Let'stalk about the weekend at the cottage. Shall we go riding,Stevie? -Remember that weekend you came down to thecottage and we rode?'

'It was great,' Stevie agreed. 'We played golf, too,remember? You were absolutely terrible. I never saw aworse player.'

Sara laughed. 'I'm no better now, I suspect. I haven't playedfor ages.'

'Whenever I can tear Bill away we play a round or two,'Stevie said contentedly. 'It gets him out in the fresh air andgives me a chance to shake off the boys.'

'Anyone would think you didn't love those boys,' her mothersaid reprovingly.

'Oh, I love them, Mama,' Stevie grinned. 'Especially whenthey're asleep in bed! Other times they're monsters. Theytome home covered in mud with cuts and bruises all overtheir legs and claim they've been playing a little game ofbaseball. Who with. I ask them? Jack the Ripper? Mama,one day with them would reduce you to a gibbering wreck.They eat like horses, they shout instead of talking, they'reclumsy, awkward and downright destructive. Mama, they'relittle boys. Need I say more?

Susan grinned at her sister. 'At least Marie plays quietlynow and then, and what if it takes me an hour to remove thespinach from her aprons and the egg from her collars?Every day I thank God I've got a little girl who plays teaparties and sits in her Wendy House instead of climbingtrees and breaking legs. The last weekend we spent withStevie the boys had six separate accidents.'

Andrea looked at them, appalled. 'And I was hoping I wouldhave a boy this time! My two are bad enough. I didn't think itcould get worse.'

'Believe me.' said Stevie, 'it can.'

'Well, I think you're all unnatural!' Mrs Elliot exclaimed, herblue eyes indignant. 'Dear little Marie is so sweet, and soare Betsy and Sue-Anne.'

'Even you couldn't call my boys sweet, Mama.' Stevielaughed.

'Boys can be very charming,' her mother retorted.

Stevie gave a chuckle. 'Yes, on pocket money days. Butterwouldn't melt in their mouths.'

Andrea sighed. 'Well, I'm glad you two are visiting just now.You can tell Hal we're right to leave. He's still worried that Iwon't be able to cope, but I keep telling him I would ratherbe a failure in my own home than someone else's.'

'You won't be a failure,' Stevie said decidedly. 'After all, youmake the standards you live by, not Luke. If you hatehousework you can get someone else to do it. Hal canafford it. So long as you and Hal are happy, that's all thatmatters.'

Andrea gave her a warm, sweet smile. 'Yes, you're right,Stevie, that is all that matters, and once Hal and I are alonein our own home I'm sure things will get better.'

'Sure they will,' Stevie nodded.

Mrs Elliot sighed. 'I suppose you're right, all of you. Then itwill just be me and Luke in this big house...'

Stevie glanced at Sara. 'If this divorce goes through, Lukemay marry again and have kids of his own to boss about.'

Sara felt a pang of pain deep in her stomach. Children withLuke's dark hair and grey eyes running about on the greenlawns of Dean's Hollow while their mother, a shadowy butcharming figure, watched them as she and Luke heldhands...

The picture made her feel sick.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THEIR week-end cottage was large enough to harbourseveral families, of course, and was set among gardenseven bigger than those at Dean's Hollow, although not soexquisitely kept. A rambling wild orchard ran along oneboundary of the land. A paddock lay on the far side of thehouse. Once Luke had been in the habit of riding everyweekend, and then the three-stall stable had held severalhorses, but he had sold them all two years ago, Sara wastold, and now the stable lay empty and swept, the cobbledyard still retaining the odour of straw and horses yet holdinga melancholy as the wind blew the shutters to and fro andrattled the irom latches on the doors.

'Why you call it a cottage I don't know,' she said to Luke,surveying it with a smile. 'It's a very big house.'

'It's a tradition around here,' he shrugged. 'New Yorkershave always fancied themselves as weekend country folk,driving out to "rough it" in splendour.'

'Like Marie Antoinette,' she commented. 'And look whathappened to her!'

'Oh, you'd like to hear the tumbrils roll for me, wouldn't you,Sara?' he said wryly.

'I'd grab my knitting needles and run,' she said lightly. 'Thenwhen you' stepped out on the scaffold there I would beunderneath, knitting like mad...'

'Sadist,' he said, grimacing at her.

She clipped back her hair and drew on a pair of tan leatherriding gloves. 'I'm ready,' she said. 'Where are the others?'

'Here comes Stevie,' Luke murmured, watching his sisterburst out of the house, her hair flying, her face flushed withhaste. Susan hurried in her wake, wearing very old well-'washed jodhpurs and a creamy sweater a size too big forher.

'Where would I find the time or money to ride?' she hadasked plaintively, borrowing riding kit from Stevie.

The riding stables lay a mile away, their white colonial-stylebuildings showing through a long copse of ash and hazeltrees. Children of all ages were trotting and jumping in thegreen paddocks under the eager, wistful eyes of theirmothers. The white paddock fences were freshly painted,the horses well groomed. -

Luke parked his sleek automobile in the car park besidethe main building. The three women climbed out and beganto walk across towards the stable yards. A slim, boyish girlin beautifully cut jodhpurs came to meet them politely. Shesupervised the choice of horse for each, saw themmounted and suggested that they take a few turns aroundthe paddocks first, to get acquainted with their mounts.

Later, cantering down a sandy bridle path through rollingwoodland, Sarah felt suddenly free and joyously alive. She

had forgotten how good it felt to ride on a brisk autumnmorning.

Stevie and Susan were calmly galloping along behind her,but Luke kept pace with her all the way. He had a fine seaton a horse, his back as straight as a ramrod, hisconfidence as rock sure as ever.

She kicked her heels and her horse increased speed. Thewind blew through her hair, bringing a glow to her cheeks.The ground churned up beneath the hooves, sand flyingbehind her.

'Slow down!' Luke yelled.

She turned her head to grin at him. 'Why should I? I'menjoying it!'

They turned a corner and began a steep descent.

Suddenly she was aware that her horse was out of control,galloping faster than she could stand. She tried to slowdown, but it was hopeless. The trees seemed to bewhipping past at a fantastic rate.

Luke drew level again, his face grimly angry. His handclamped down on the bridle. She heard him shouting, thenher mount slowed down gradually until it was walking.

She sat in the saddle, shivering. Luke looked at her, eyesflint hard. 'You stupid little fool! You could have been killed.'

'I'd forgotten there was a steep hill round the corner,' she

said in tremulous tones.

'Are you all right?' His voice had changed, softened.

She lifted her chin. 'Yes, fine, thank you.'

The others drew level. 'What on earth happened?' Stevieasked. 'We suddenly saw you bolt away. Sara, are you allright?'

'Yes,' she said again, 'I'm quite all right, thank you.' But herjoy in the morning had vanished and she wanted to go backto the cottage now. She knew that she could not control theshaking of her limbs for much longer, and she was fiercelydetermined not to let Luke see how frightened she hadbeen.

They turned back by mutual consent and trotted up the hillagain, through the woods back to the stables. Lukedismounted, then turned to lift Sara from her horse. Shecould not be bothered to argue with him, so she slid downinto his arms. For a few seconds he held her, his handswarm on her back, looking down at her. Then she was freeand he turned to speak to Stevie.

When she got back to the house she went upstairs to havea shower. Naked and damp, she stood vigorously towellingher hair when she heard the door open, and swung round,startled. Luke stood in the doorway. Flushing, with leapingpulses, she flung the towel around her body.

'Luke, will you please knock before entering my room? How

many more times do I have to ask?'

'It will look a bit odd when Crawshare comes to stay,' Lukedrawled. 'He might think it over-chivalrous of me to knockevery time I enter my own wife's room.'

'Comes to stay?' she repeated, alarmed.

'Yes,' Luke said easily, sauntering towards her. 'He'sdriving down here tonight for dinner. I mentioned thecottage to him when I told him I was going away for theweekend and he made it pretty plain he would like to stayhere for a few days. I could hardly refuse him, could I?'

She was aghast. 'But ... covering up for one night is badenough. Covering up for days at a time will be impossible—especially as the others all know about the divorce.'

'They all know about Crawshare, too,' Luke pointed out. 'Ijust told them. They'll be discreet, even Stevie.'

She felt her heart drumming as he stood beside her. Shewas deeply conscious of the fact that she was wearingnothing but a towel rather inadequately draped across hernakedness. Luke's eyes moved slowly over her.

'You'll catch a chill if you stand there for long like that,' hesaid lazily.

'Then will you kindly leave the room and let me dress,' shedemanded.

'I've seen you dress a hundred times,' he said in calm

tones. 'Go ahead. I want to talk to you.'

'I am not dressing while you stand there,' she said with hotindigation.

He shrugged. 'Then I'll turn my back,' he said withamusement. He stood looking out of the window, his backto her. 'The only real problem with regard to Crawshare isyou, Sara. I've got to trust you to guard that tongue of yours.No snappy retorts, no wisecracks. We have to present aunited front.'

She irritably slid into her underclothes and hunted throughher wardrobe for a dress, choosing one in simple buttercupyellow with a straight skirt. Sighing with relief, she turnedround and found Luke surveying her, his head to one side.She glared at him.

'You ... you doublecrossed me! You were watching all thetime.'

He grinned. 'You still look too thin. I could see some of yourribs, I'm certain. You need feeding up.'

Her slim gold watch, a present from Sam, lay on herdressing-table. She moved past him to get it, but hereached out and picked it up, swinging it on one long finger.

'The watch I gave you had your name set in diamonds alongthe bracelet,' he said.

'I left it behind when I left you,' she said. As if he didn't know!

'Who gave you this? Sam?'

She nodded.

His mouth dented angrily. 'Who else? You didn't need ahusband, did you. Sara? Sam wrapped you in cottonwool.He showered you with expensive playthings to keep youhappy, his living doll.'

'Don't start that again!'

"No man could fight Sam,' Luke said. 'he was a nice man,but he could never quite let you go. You two were far tooclose. Sam needed you with him, and you measured everyman by his yardstick.'

'Sam liked you!'

'Sure he did. We liked each other. That didn't stop mefeeling jealous of the closeness between you...'

‘Jealous?' She stared at him in disbelief. 'You can't beserious?'

He put the watch down and turned to catch her shoulders,glaring at her. 'Deadly serious, Sara. It was like fighting ashadow. I could have beaten another man, but your ownfather ... how could I fight that? He wasn't even outwardlypossessive. He welcomed me as a son-in-law—he waskindness itself. Yet all the time he was between us—theperfect father, the perfect friend, the perfect provider. Youtook all your opinions from him. You quoted him from

morning to night. You had that man up on a pedestal.'

'If I did, he deserved it,' she flung back, her eyes a bright,angry blue. 'You were always too busy for me. Sam neverwas—when I lived at home I saw far more of him than I everdid of you when we were married. That flat was my prison.Even before he was ill, Sam used to make sure he tooktime off to be with me every day. If he went away for a triphe took me with him. You didn't do that, did you, Luke? Youexpected me to sit at home and wait for you.'

'And you expected me to dance attendance on you just asSam had done,' he said deeply. 'Remember how you usedto ring me at the office if I was late?'

'You soon put a stop to that, didn't you, Luke? You orderedthe switchboard not to put my calls through. How do youthink I felt when I discovered that? I was humiliated. I've gotmy pride, too, you know. I realised then that my share ofyour life was going to be limited to the occasional dinnerparty and, if I were lucky, a few hours of lovemaking.' Hereyes flashed up at him. 'I was your doll, Luke, not Sam's.You were the one who gave me expensive presents andtreated me like a possession. Sam was my father, a loving,kind, concerned father. You, Luke ... you were my owner!'

'And I still am,' he said in sudden black fury, pushing herbackwards until she fell across the bed.

As his heavy body crushed her down she struggled to freeherself, rolling sideways in an attempt to escape. 'Nobody

owns me, Luke,' she panted angrily: 'Let me go, damn you!'

His hands travelled slowly down over her body and sheheard his breathing quicken as if he had been running. 'I'mdamned if I will,' he said thickly.

She lay still, feeling her bones melting to water under histouch. Bitter resentment possessed her, nevertheless. Didhe really think this was all it needed?

Feeling her relax, Luke moved until he could kiss hermouth, parting her lips and crushing them hungrily. Sara slidher hand along his back, heard him groan softly. Then shepushed him, hard, wriggling away at the same time. Offbalance, Luke fell backwards. By the time he had regainedhis feet she was standing by the door, looking back at him.

'Try that again and I'll refuse to co-operate in this charade,'she told him coldly.

'You vixen,' he said, but a look of amusement touched hismouth. 'You had me fooled there.'

She slid out of the room, but he followed her, a hairbrush inhis hand. 'You can't go downstairs like that,' he said,grinning. 'You look like a bush.'

She turned back and accepted the hairbrush. He leaned onthe wall, watching her brush her fine ash-blonde hair until itwas smooth. She swept it up with one hand, deftly pinned itinto position. Luke moved behind her and suddenly kissedthe nape of her neck.

'You're a very desirable woman,' he murmured.

A shiver ran down her spine. 'Stop it, Luke! I've had enoughof your games.'

'We could try again,' he said softly, a finger running downthe length of her back in a sensuous movement that madeher quiver.

'It wouldn't work! You're still the same man. You haven'tchanged.'

'You have,' he said, as though the idea surprised him. 'Youwere half a child when I married you. You're a woman now,and a very exciting one. You have more spirit than you hadthen. You're not the helpless little girl any more.'

For a brief moment she was silenced, tempted beyondendurance by the prospect, then she shook her head firmly.'No, it just wouldn't work. I want a divorce, Luke—that'sfinal.'

'And then you'll marry Durrell? Another kind, considerateprotector?'

'That's my business,' she said. 'We all have to decide whatwe want out of life.'

Luke's voice was contemptuous. 'If you had any courage,Sara, you'd make me want you so much I'd do anything tokeep you, instead of running away and taking the easyoption. I've never pretended to be an easy man to get on

with. I know I'm not. But a woman with spirit could manageme, somehow.'

'The price is too high,' she said. 'You want too much.People want a life of their own, Luke. They don't want to bea possession of someone else. It hurts their pride, it killstheir self-respect. You nearly killed mine. I got it back when Ileft you and I intend to keep it.'

She turned and walked down the stairs and he did notattempt to stop her.

'This is great,' said Stevie, relaxing in her chair with a sighthat afternoon. 'Even the sun is shining, and I have nothingto do at all. I feel thoroughly pampered. It's a wonderfulfeeling!'

Susan was rubbing cream into her hands with a satisfiedexpression. 'Look at my skin—absolutely raw! All thatwashing ruins your hands.'

'You've got a dishwasher, a washing machine and a dailyhelp,' Luke commented sardonically. 'Don't pretend to bean overworked housewife.'

'You try putting baby clothes in a washing machine and seewhat they look like, Luke! They shrink, for a start, and theyfeel rough against the skin. All Marie's little woollies have tobe washed by hand believe me!'

'At least the boys don't expect that,' Stevie muttered. 'Theyjust need a cook and a nurse to look after them. Am I sick

of making flapjacks! And maple syrup makes me ill. Not tomention peanut butter and jelly...'

'Oh, stop moaning,' Luke told them.

'Look, you relax your way, we'll relax in ours,' said Stevie,nibbling at an apple. 'We enjoy a good moan, don't we,Sue?'

'How about a round or two of golf?' he asked, pacing upand down the room with a tigerish urgency.

They gazed at him in horror. 'Not us,' Stevie declared.'We're here for the afternoon. If you have energy enough forgolf, just get out there, brother, and practise your swing.'

He looked at Sara, his grey eyes compelling. 'Sara?'

She hesitated. 'I suppose I might as well,' she said. Sheenjoyed golf, for one thing, and for another she knew shewanted to be with him.

A triumphant look passed over his face. He grinned at hissisters. 'See you, lazybones...'

'Sara, you're mad,' Stevie pronounced. 'Don't do it. Lukeplays like Sherman marching through Georgia.'

'I play like Donald Duck, so we're even,' she said cheerfully.

Stevie giggled. 'That's true!'

Luke held the door open and she walked through, smiling.They drove out to the course and paused for a drink in the

club house before moving out on to the greens.

Luke watched her opening swing with disbelief. 'My God,you're worse than ever!'

'I haven't played in years,' she said easily.

He came behind her, gripped her wrists. 'Turn your bodylike this...'

It was a deep, intense pleasure to have him teach her, hishands hard against her wrists, his shoulders close behindhers, with her awareness of him mounting minute by minute.Watching him swing, his lean body gracefully agile, the darkhair ruffled by the wind, she thought wistfully that she wasfalling in love with him all over again, playing a dangerous,exciting game with him, a game which could lead toheartbreak yet again if she was not careful.

They moved slowly across the open greens. Luke was agood player, powerful and clear-sighted. He placed hisballs with care. Sara hit wildly, with unbelievableinaccuracy. But the sun shone down so brilliantly, the airwas as sweet as wine, and she was ecstatically happy.

At home point Luke tore up the score card and pushed itinto his pocket. 'No use keeping that,' he said grimly. 'It'sgoing to be a pushover.'

'Aren't all your battles pushovers, Luke?' she teased.

The grey eyes glinted. 'Not all of them.'

Their eyes duelled, and she felt her heart quicken. 'Evenyou have to lose some time, Luke,' she said demurely.

'Oh, I won't lose,' he said very softly. 'It may just take a littlelonger, that's all.'

'Sure of yourself, aren't you?' she said crossly.

He moved behind her again, helped her to swing her club inthe correct manner. Into her ear he said softly, 'You're neverdefeated until you admit it, Sara.'

'I'll remember that,' she said, moving away.

They drove back to the cottage as the sun was losing itswarmth. The sweet dusky sky turned orange behind thehouse as they walked away from the car. Stevie met themin the hall.

'Well, how did it go?' she asked.

Luke winked. 'She plays worse than anyone I ever met.'

Stevie laughed. 'She always did. By the way, your visitorsare here. Mama put them into the back rooms on thesecond floor. Is that okay?'

'Fine,' Luke nodded. 'Nice views.'

'Visitors?' Sara asked him. 'Did your Mr Crawshare bringhis wife?'

'He's a widower,' Luke told her. 'He brought Victoria. She'sbeen handling the deal with me.'

So Victoria was here, thought Sara with a jealous twinge.She might have known it. But wasn't Luke flying close to thewind, having her under the same roof during such a delicatenegotiation? What if Mr Crawshare picked up the vibrationsbetween them? Or had he already done so and beensoothed down by an assurance from Luke that he was ahappily married man?

She went upstairs to dress for dinner. Sitting in her room,she thought of Luke's behaviour since she arrived in theStates. Was it possible that he was trying to deceive herinto believing he loved her, just so that she should beconvincing as a happy wife while this deal went through?

She knew Luke's ruthless streak. He was, capable of suchtreachery.

Her stomach turned over as she remembered his kisses,the passion- she had felt whenever he touched her. Shewas frustrated, a woman without love for two years—easygame for a ruthless man like Luke. He knew just how toarouse her, just how to torment and tease her intoanswering passion.

She applied her make-up, staring at herself in the mirror.Her skin was smooth and flawless, her hair sleek. Sheknew she looked her best tonight in the white jersey silk shehad chosen to wear. White was her favourite colour, itsuited her, and a classical style looked best on her, But shestill felt inadequate beside Victoria with her dramatic

beauty and her keen intelligence. Victoria shared- Luke'slife fully in their work. She could enter where Sara was shutout—that had been the main stumbling block before. It wasstill the same now.

When she came downstairs, there was Victoria. in abewitching Spanish dress of scarlet and black, her hair likeblack satin against her white skin, smiling up at Luke, herhand on his arm on a gesture of confidentiality. As Saraentered Victoria dropped her hand and stopped talking,turned to greet her coolly.

'Well, you look-much better, Sara. The country air is doingyou good.'

'Thank you,' said Sara, trying not to let her dislike show inher voice.

A thin, grey-haired man entered behind her, and Lukegreeted him with a warm smile. 'Ah, there you are, Adam!Come and meet my wife. Sara ... Adam Crawshare.'

Sara extended her hand, smiling. She took an instant likingto the other man, whose creased eyes smiled with genuinewarmth at her. They were blue, those eyes, set in a networkof lines which were caused more by laughter than frowns,she suspected. Adam was in his fifties, she guessed. Hehad a firm handshake and a look of gentle amusement ashe nodded to Victoria, as though for some reason shemade him laugh.

'Adam! Come and see this porcelain,' said Victoria,seizing his arm in both hands and drawing him towards thedelicate little china cabinet in the corner of the room.'English eighteenth-century … do you like it?'

'Let me see,' he said, gazing at it intently. 'If .I could handleit...

'I'll unlock it for you,' said Luke, producing a tiny key. Heunlocked the cabinet and selected one piece which hehanded to Adam. Taking it carefully, Adam turned it aroundand then upside down. He smiled, exclaiming softly.

'Bow ... see the mark? A very nice piece, Luke. Are you thecollector, or is that your wife?'

'My mother, actually,' Luke smiled.

'Ah!' Adam looked interested. 'Your mother is rather like apiece of Dresden herself, if I may say so.'

Luke laughed. 'I'm sure she would enjoy the compliment.'He glanced round. 'Here she is now. Mama, Mr Crawsharethinks you're like a piece of Dresden.'

Adam was rather pink, and Sara felt sorry for him. Clearlyhe was embarrassed.

Mrs Elliot looked delighted, however. 'Why, thank you,Adam. How very sweet of you. Do you like porcelain?' Shelooked at the piece he held. 'Oh, I have a much moreinteresting piece than that. Come over and see...'

Victoria looked at Luke, her brows rising. 'Your mother'smade a conquest.'

Luke grinned at her. 'Just keep him happy, that's all I ask,'he said in a lowered voice.

During dinner Sara found herself seated with Mr Crawshareon one side and Luke on the other. Luke carefully steeredthe conversation so that it remained general and harmless.She was aware all the time that he was listening to everyword she said. She was almost tempted to say somethingto blow the whole plot into smithereens, but then shecontemplated the prospect of Luke's anger and knew shecould not do it.

Conversation was lively. Stevie and Susan kept up theirend with cheerful ease. Adam enjoyed listening to theirstories about their dreadful offspring, -his amusementshowing that he was no blind fanatic. Sara wondered howlong it was since his wife died. She asked him if he hadchildren, and listened as he talked about his two sons, bothat college now.

'They miss their mother,' he said. 'So do I. She was a greathelp to me in my business and a perfect mother.'

'How long is it...?' Sara asked tentatively.

'Two years,' he said. His eyes smiled at her. 'I gather you'verecently had a bereavement. Your father?'

'Yes.'

'You were very close?'

She nodded. 'Very.' She felt Luke's tension as he listened,but she kept her eyes on Adam's face.

'It passes,' he said gently.

Victoria, on the other side of Adam, laid a red-tipped handon his fingers. 'Adam, may I pass you the wine?'

'Thank you,' he said, turning back towards her.

Luke picked up his glass and drained it. Sara could feel hisrelief. Clever Victoria! She had come in on cue, as Lukeexpected she would. Why in God's name didn't he marryVictoria years ago? She was the perfect wife for a man likeLuke. That brittle, enamelled beauty of hers matched Luke'shard veneer.

The dinner over, time began to drag for Sara. She longedfor bed, yet dared not suggest it. She sat on the sofalistening to Adam Crawshare talking about porcelain,smiling and nodding as he talked.

'Well,' he said, at last, 'I think I'm ready for bed. If you'llexcuse me...'

The party broke up with his going. Victoria drifted away, hersmile as bright as ever. Stevie and Susan thankfullydeparted, and Sara followed them.

She began to undress, yawning. The hours spent in thefresh air had made her very sleepy. She glanced at the

fresh air had made her very sleepy. She glanced at thedoor, wishing it had a lock or a bolt. But surely Lukewouldn't dare risk another row with her tonight?

Later, lying in bed, she heard footsteps outside on the path.Curious, she went to the window and peered down. Shesaw Luke standing at the edge of the long lawn staring upat the night sky. Suddenly Victoria appeared in her scarletand black dress, her high heels clipping in staccato fashionon the stone.

Luke turned and looked at her, and Victoria spoke to him.Their tones were so low that Sara could not hear a word,but their attitude was sufficient to make her feel a jealousprick of anguish, especially when Victoria reached up ontiptoe to kiss Luke on the mouth.

Whirling away from the window, Sara flung herself into bedand rolled on to her face. So it was true. Victoria and Luke... agony burned inside her. She closed her eyes. If only shehad not seen that kiss!

CHAPTER EIGHT

SHE was awoken next morning by a warm, moist tonguelicking at her face, and opened her eyes to find an excitedspaniel wriggling beside her, his liquid brown eyes full ofeager affection. Sitting up, she exclaimed, 'Scat! Hallo!How are you? No, stop licking me, you silly-dog ... shakepaws. Come on, shake paws...'

'He's forgotten his tricks,' said Luke.

She looked round in surprise. He was at the foot of her bed,his hands in his pockets and a lazy expression ofamusement on his face.

‘I went round to fetch him,' he murmured. They had called tosee him the previous morning, but Mrs Jakes had allowedher son to take Scat fishing that day, so they had not seenthe dog.

She smiled at Luke, touched by his thoughtfulness. 'Thankyou. Look, he remembers me! After two years! And theysay animals have no memory!'

'Of course they have memories,' said Luke. He watched herstroke the silky head, ruffle the long ears. 'I thought wemight take him for a walk before breakfast. Can you getdressed quickly?'

She looked at him sideways through her lashes. 'If you waitfor me downstairs I'll be ready in five minutes.'

He grinned mockingly. 'Can't I watch?'

'Luke!'

He shrugged. 'Oh, well, if you insist . . . five minutes!

When he had gone, she ran her fingers through Scat's softcoat, murmuring to him wistfully, "What am I going to dowith that man, Scat? Last night he was kissing Victoria, thismorning he seems to have forgotten all about her. Do youthink he's a split personality? He's been quite differentsince we got down here to the country. In London he was asabrasive as ever, but yesterday it was fun being with him ...just like the first days of our marriage.' She sighed. 'I'mgetting all mixed up about him, Scat. I wish I knew what todo. I wish life was simple!'

The spaniel gazed at her hopefully, licked her hand, andshe laughed at him. 'You don't understand a word, do you?To you Luke is just the Master ... and that's how Luke likesit. If I could be like you I'd probably be much happier, but I'mafraid I can't ... I refuse to sit in my luxurious basket and waitfor my master to play with me!'

Scat barked appreciatively, enjoying her concentratedattention, and she smiled again and slid out of bed.Shedding her diminutive lacy nightgown, she walkedthrough into the shower cubicle which led off her bedroom,had a swift shower and hastily dressed in a pleated tweedskirt and a crisp cotton shirt. With Scat excitedly bobbing ather heels she went downstairs to join Luke in the hail.

He glanced at his watch. 'Ten minutes, actually, but Icongratulate you. I expected you to be fifteen.'

They walked through, the orchard under the heavily ladentrees. The air was alive with midges and a faint pearly mistcloaked the horizon.

Scat chased a bumble bee, barking hoarsely, while theywatched him with indulgence. Sara's shoes were soon wetwith night dew from the long orchard grass. The ridged barkof the apple trees was green with rain, streaky with mossand new pale beige fungi. A beehive stood in the middle ofthe trees. Golden brown bees flew in and out, gatheringpollen from the clover in the paddock and returning with it tothe hive. The sun was making a valiant attempt to dispel themist, and a golden diffused light spread across the sky,turning it opalescent. 'I must paint this,' said Luke, pausingto watch as the sun finally broke through, gilding the redleaves of a maple at the end of the garden.

'Paint it?' Sara stared at him in surprise.

His cheeks flushed slightly and he grinned self-consciously.'Yes. I've taken up painting as a hobby.'

'Oils?'

'Mainly watercolours,' he said. 'It's, the perfect medium forpainting a morning like this—one gets a superb misty effectwith watercolours.'

Sara was taken aback. It seemed out of character,

somehow: Luke had never had time for anything butbusiness. 'I'd like, to see some of your work some time,'she said.

He shrugged. 'Oh, I'm just an amateur.'

'If it gives you pleasure what does your status matter?' sheretorted.

They turned back towards the house, despite Scat'sprotests. 'I'm ready for breakfast,' Luke said firmly. 'Heel,Scat!'

Leaving Scat in the hail, curled up on the floor with his nosedisapprovingly quivering, they went through to breakfastand found Adam Crawshare reading the newspapers andeating a poached egg.

He looked up, smiling. 'Good morning. Early birds, I see.'

'We've been for a walk with the dog,' Luke told him, pullingout a chair for Sara.

'What sort of dog have you got?' asked Adam, his linedface warm as he looked at Sara.

'Spaniel,' said Luke. 'Sara, do you want cereal?' 'No, thankyou,' she returned. 'Just a piece of toast.'

Luke's face was disapproving. 'You ought to eat more. Trya bowl of these malted wheat flakes.'

'No, thank you,' she said firmly.

He frowned. 'Then at least have an egg. Poached orboiled?'

She sighed. 'Boiled, then. Thank you.' She glanced atAdam plaintively. 'He's a tyrant, I'm afraid.'

Adam laughed. 'A paternalistic one, though, I see.'

Sara's eyebrows rose. 'Oh, I wouldn't say that,' she said,glancing at Luke between her lowered lashes.

He gave her a menacing smile. 'Eat your egg,' hecommanded. Seating himself beside her, he carefully cut aslice of bread and butter into neat fingers. 'Here you are.'

'Really. Luke,' she protested, 'I'm not a child!'

Calmly he poured her coffee, adding a generous quantity ofcream. The fragrance rose to her nostrils and she realisedthat she was, surprisingly, more hungry than she hadthought.

Luke got himself an egg, poured himself coffee and settleddown to eat. Adam had folded away his papers and smiledacross the table at Sara.

'You have a very lovely home here, Sara.'

'Yes,' she said warmly. 'It's peaceful, isn't it?'

'Will you be coming to church with us later?' he asked. 'I'veprevailed upon Mrs Elliot to accompany me and it wouldmake me very happy to have you along too.'

'Thank you,' she said. 'I would like to come.'

Adam looked at Luke. 'How about you, Luke?'

Luke put down his coffee cup and glanced at Sara. 'I'd beglad to come,' he said. 'You'll like our little church. It's ahundred years old and very pretty.'

Sara went upstairs after breakfast to change her walkingclothes for something demurely suitable for church. Whenshe came down, in an elegant little turquoise coat anddress, her blonde hair masked by a small straw hat withturquoise streamers, Luke grinned at her. He, too, hadchanged his casual clothes for a dark suit and looked veryattractive.

'You look like something out of the fashion pages,' he saidapprovingly. 'That colour suits you.'

Victoria appeared behind her and stared at them inastonishment. She was just up, casually dramatic as ever inblack slacks and a tight-fitting white sweater cut very low.

'Where on earth are you going?' she demanded. 'Church,'Sara said demurely.

Victoria looked even more astounded. 'You're kidding!'

'We always go when we're here,' Luke said calmly. 'Myfather is buried in the little churchyard here. My mother isvery attached to the church.'

Adam and Mrs Elliot came out into the hall. Victoria

watched them all leave, her lovely face blank, and Sarasensed a certain pique. Victoria did not like being leftbehind, especially as even Stevie, late riser though shewas, had managed to get ready in time to go with them.

They drove in two cars. Adam took Mrs Elliot, Luke took hissisters and Sara. Susan was blank-eyed with sleep, hermanner abstracted, but Stevie chattered as cheerfully asever, reminiscing about earlier visits to the cottage.

In the small stone church, with its memorial window toLuke's father, the sunshine lay like patines of gold on pewand woodblock floor. Chrysanthemums scented the air withautumn. The little congregation coughed and shuffled theirfeet listening to the sermon. The organ wheezed like an oldman before breaking into the final hymn.

'They need a new organ,' Luke muttered to Sara as he liftedhis hymnal.

'Why don't you give them one?' she suggested, tongue incheek.

He looked sideways at her, recognising her hint of mockeryfor what it was. But as they shook hands with the ministerafterwards, he said offhandedly, 'I'll donate a new organ ifyou let me know how much you need.'

The minister looked delighted, and thanked him severaltimes. As they climbed back into their cars, Stevie said,'That was a great idea of yours, Luke. Time they pensionedoff that old organ.'

off that old organ.'

Luke glanced at Sara, who grinned at him. As he reachedfor his driving gloves in the compartment in front of her hepinched her briefly, his expression blank.

'I'm afraid I shall have to leave late this afternoon,' saidAdam over lunch. 'I have an important meeting in themorning.' He glanced at Mrs Elliot. 'If I can offer anybody alift back to town?'

'Why, thank you,' she said, surprisingly. 'I'd be very grateful.It's cramped in the car with so many of us.'

Victoria lowered her soup spoon. What time do you wantme to be ready, Adam?'

He hesitated. 'Well, I hate to hurry you away from this lovelyplace...' He glanced at Luke. 'I suppose there wouldn't be aplace for Victoria in your car going back?'

Victoria's expression was blank. Luke grinned. 'Of course.She can squeeze into the back with my sisters, or driveback with the servants. We have two cars to choose from,Victoria, remember.'

'I'll drive back with the servants,' Stevie said firmly. 'I'll stayto supervise the packing. Nice as they are, I prefer to watchwhile they pack up. Things tend to get left behindotherwise.'

'Have you ever been to the Philippines?' Adam askedSara. 'The islands are beautiful.'

She shook her head. 'No, but I love Philippine people. Theyhave such calm, gentle faces. When I was sick in New York.I had a Philippine nurse. She had the kindest hands ofanyone I ever met. She made me feel so secure.'

'That can really matter when you're ill,' Adam agreed.

Victoria helped herself to salad with an irritated face. Shelooked at Sara with cold eyes. 'Perhaps you would ratherstay to supervise the packing instead of Stevie, Mrs Elliot?'

Lazily Luke said, 'I prefer to have my wife with me. She cannavigate for me.'

'Oh, I could do that,' said Victoria, giving him an alluringsmile. 'I'm a great navigator.'

Sara concentrated on her meal, leaving Luke to sort out thislittle problem.

He did so calmly. 'Sara needs a break from householdroutine at the moment, Victoria, thank you. I'm trying to gether to rest and recover her old energy.'

'Quite right,' Adam agreed, smiling at Sara approvingly.'She is rather delicate-looking—I thought so last night. Thatlovely English complexion of yours should have more rosesin it. You're too pale.'

Luke helped her to subtly cooked slices of roast beef,receiving a look of horrified protest. 'No arguments. Eat it.You heard what Adam said—you need to be. cherished.'

Rebelliously she ate her way through the meal, ignoringLuke as much as she could. His hypocrisy infuriated her.He was making all this fuss because Adam was present. Ofcourse, he would have prefered to have Victoria besidehim in the driving seat instead of her, but for the sake ofappearaues he had insisted on taking her. She wonderedwhy Victoria had tried to force her to stay behind. After alltheir careful charades it seemed folly for Victoria to havepicked that moment to quarrel with her. It must havearoused some suspicion in Adam's mind.

After lunch she and Adam walked around the gardentalking of England. Adam was a frequent visitor to hercountry, he told her, and had a passion for old English-houses as well as a passion for English porcelain.

They had English tea at three-thirty, served in traditionalstyle, with fine bone china and wafer-thin cucumbersandwiches, toasted muffins and a selection of China andIndian tea. A log fire burned in the old brick fireplace. Scatlay on the hearthrug contentedly dreaming. A large brasslantern clock stood above the mantel, chiming the half hourswith a melodious sound.

'I've really enjoyed myself,' said Adam, stretching out hislegs and sighing- contentedly. 'Your family life is so warmand close, Luke. Since my wife died I've missed that.Marriage is the greatest joy a man can know. One thing I'venever understood is why people throw it away so casually,or spoil it by petty rows over nothing... my marriage was

never perfect, but we learnt from our mistakes and weachieved great happiness somehow.'

'You were very lucky,' said Mrs Elliot, offering him anothermuffin. 'I still miss my own husband, so I know what youmean. You have to work at marriage, though. It doesn'tcome easily. Like anything worthwhile it has to be achievedby determination. I think compromise is the key.'

'And children are the crown of it,' said Adam. He gave Lukea shy smile. 'Time you two had some children, Luke, if you'llexcuse the impertinence.'

Sara felt herself flush. Luke's voice was very quiet as hereplied. 'Perhaps.' She glanced at him furtively. His facewas set in a stony mask.

Adam obviously felt the chill which he had brought upon theconversation, because he began to talk about porcelainagain, and Mrs Elliot eagerly joined him.

An hour later he and Mrs Elliot drove away. The rest of themwaved as the car vanished down the narrow lane, then theyall turned back into the house.

'Whew!' Stevie said with a whistle. 'He's a nice man, but theatmosphere got a bit hairy now and then. Say, Luke, didyou get the idea he fancied Mama?'

Luke glanced at Victoria. She walked away towards theback of the house, her face frozen.

'What's wrong?' Stevie asked, staring after her.

'You put your foot in it again,' Luke said grimly.

'You don't say Victoria was interested in him? But he'stwice her age!'

'He's also very rich and very powerful,' said Susan quietly.'Don't you ever notice anything, Stevie? Victoria got moreand more sulky as time went by. Look at the fuss she madeover which car she went in!'

'I thought ...' Stevie began, then broke off with a quick lookat Sara. 'Oh, well, maybe you're right. Victoria was alwaysan ambitious girl.'

Stevie had thought correctly, thought Sara, reading hersister-in-law's expression. She had suspected that Victoriawas interested in Luke, and she was right. No doubtVictoria was keeping Adam as a second string to her bowin case Luke didn't come up to scratch.

Stevie was laughing again. 'Imagine Mama with a beau! Ather age!'

'Oh, I don't know,' said Susan. 'Mama is still veryimpressive. I think Adam saw her as a new piece ofporcelain for him to acquire.'

'I would hate a man to think of me like that,' Sara burst out,flushed and angry.

They stared at her in surprise, then Luke took her arm.

'Time you had another rest,' he said. 'Stop treating me as achild, Luke!'

'Stop behaving like one,' he said grimly.

Stevie and Susan disappeared into the lounge joinVictoria. Luke looked down at her, his face set.'Sometimes I could shake you, do you know that?'

'Just try it!'

'You've embarrassed my sisters,' he said accusingly. 'Whydid you snap at Susan like that?'

'You and Adam have a lot in common, haven't you, Luke?You both regard women as objects. When he saidmarriage had to be worked at he meant his wife had towork at it. I suspect. It's the wife who has to compromise,not the husband. He's too busy at business.'

'What a little shrew you are,' he said, suddenly amused.

She turned and ran upstairs without answering. Luke cameafter her, leaping the stairs two at a time. On the landing hecaught her arm and held her prisoner.

'Sara, what's the matter? You change from hour to hour. I'mconfused. Last night I had the feeling I was getting throughto you, but this afternoon you've been as distant as ever...'

'I saw you with Victoria last night.' she said.

He looked down at her face, eyes narrowed. A faint

redness came up under his skin. 'Oh!'

'Yes,' she said. 'Oh!'

'Look,' he began quickly. 'That's something I can explain...'

'I don't want to hear your explanations,' she said fiercely.'Seeing was enough.'

'You don't understand.' he said.

'I understand very well. It was always the same. You alwayshad time for Victoria. You saw twice as much of her as youdid of me during our marriage. Why didn't you marry her,Luke? That's something I've never understood.'

He gazed down at her, his face darkened by emotion.'What's the point? You blind little fool, you've never eventried to see my point of view. Our marriage was doomedfrom the start because you started with the assumption thatI had no other role in life than to dance attendance on youmorning, noon and night. If I worked late I came home tofind you as cold as charity. If I went away on business youbehaved as though I'd been unfaithful to you. You wantedme on a lead like Scat, your obedient dog to be petted andpraised...'

'I wanted nothing of the sort,' she protested.

'All right,' he said, 'what did you want? Tell me that.'

'I wanted to see you more than once a week,' she flung, hereyes bitter with unshed tears. 'I wanted a husband who

came home to dinner, who took me to the theatre, who wasa companion...'

'Don't you realise I have to do ten men's work?' he askedharshly. 'I can't delegate at my level. I have to be there,twelve hours a day, keeping the wheels going round...'

'Other men manage to make time for their families,' shecried.

'Like Sam, you mean?' he asked deeply.

'Yes, like my father. He always had time for his family life.'

'Perhaps if he had watched what was going on moreclosely Jason wouldn't have embezzled two million pounds,'Luke said drily.

She gasped. 'Two million?'

He shrugged. 'That seems to be more or less the amount.'

'Oh ...' Tears rushed into her eyes. She reeled against thewall, shaking.

'That wasn't Dad's fault, it was mine,' she cried through hertears. 'I was in charge by then..-.'

'No,' said Luke. 'My auditors have proved that the originalembezzlements began years ago. It was clever stuff. Jasonwas keeping two separate books. He was funnelling moneyfrom one to the other so cunningly that it took days for themto trace some transactions back. They still have weeks of

work ahead of them, maybe even months. Jason coveredhis tracks well. Sam should have got on to it.'

'I believe you hated my father!' she shouted furiously.

'Be quiet!' he snapped. 'Do you want the whole householdto hear you?'

'I won't be quiet,' she said angrily.

He pushed her backwards into his own room and closedthe door. She faced him, breathing hard, her face flushedand damp with tears.

'You don't need a wife, Luke. You haven't got time for one—I suppose that's why you never married Victoria. Whybother when she was always around anyway? I imagineVictoria had a shock when you married me. Why did youmarry me, Luke? On impulse?'

'Be quiet!' he repeated harshly. 'You're hysteri cal. You don'tknow what you're saying.'

'I know exactly what I'm saying,' she said huskily. ‘As soonas you've signed this deal with Adam I want my divorce. Ifyou come near me again I'll leave for England without adivorce and I'll start proceedings over there. I can wait if Ihave to, but I'm going to be free somehow.'

She moved towards the door. Luke silently got out of herway, his face taut with anger. As she opene d the door sheglanced at him.

'If I were you I would marry Victoria, Luke. She suits you,and if you don't do something about her soon she'll marrysome other wealthy man, despite her attraction towardsyou. Victoria, as you've often said, is very ambitious.'

Luke walked away towards the window, his shouldershunched, his hands dug deep into his pockets. Sheglanced after him and her eye was caught by a picturehanging over his bed. Her eyes widened as she realisedthat it was a portrait of herself. It was a very subtly executedwatercolour. She was wearing the cream velvet dress shehad worn when she first met Luke. He had painted heragainst a misty background, but her features were clearand sharp, her hair a smooth sweep of delicate colour, hereyes clear and blue.

Even through her rage she was impressed by the quality ofthe painting. She knew he had painted it; who else couldhave done so? Something about the picture made her feeldisturbed and uneasy, as though it held the key to muchabout Luke that puzzled her, yet was unable to read theenigma even now.

'When did you paint that?' she asked, forced to thequestion despite herself.

He did not turn round. After a moment he answered curtly.'Two years ago.'

'Did you paint it from a photograph?' It was so good alikeness, she thought admiringly. He must have used a

reference.

'No,' he said tersely.

She stared at his rigid back. 'It ... it's very good. I had noidea you were so clever...'

He made no reply.

'Luke, would you sell it to me?' she asked, longing to take itback with her to England as a lasting reminder of him.

He turned then, his face savage, his eyes dark with bitterrage. 'My God! I thought you'd insulted me beyond bearingalready, but you certainly have a genius for coming up withsome choice insults.' He covered the ground between themin three strides and seized her between iron-hard hands.'Do you know what I'd like to do? I'm torn betweenstrangling you and beating your head on that wall! Sell it toyou? Hell, I'd rather chuck it on a bonfire!' He shook herfiercely like a rag doll. Her hair came loose and tumbledaround her shoulders in soft pale waves.

'Luke, I'm sorry,' she whispered, terrified by his expression.'I didn't mean to insult you. I ... I love the picture. I thoughtyou might not want to keep it after the divorce...'

'Get out of here,' he said betweeen his teeth. 'get out beforeI do something I'll regret.'

He released her and she stumbled out of the room,trembling and bewildered. She had never seen him so

angry. He had been almost beside himself with rage. Why?she wondered.

CHAPTER NINE

BREAKFAST next morning was a very subdued affair.Stevie and Sue were abstracted as they ate a light meal ofrolls and coffee. The servants were busy packingsomewhere upstairs. Luke read his morning paper anddrank blatk coffee in total silence. Only Victoria seemedhungry, but Sara -had a strong suspicion that her appetitewas a smoke screen put up to hide her smoulderingirritation. Whenever she glanced up she found Victoria'sangry eyes fixed on the newspaper behind which Lukeshielded himself.

Luke drove very fast on the way back to the Elliot house. Hedeposited them all outside, then turned the -car and wentstraight on to his office, his face expressionless.

Mrs Elliot came to the front door to meet them. 'Did youhave a pleasant drive back? Sara, my love, you still lookvery pale. I wonder if you could be anaemic? I really thinkyou should see the doctor.' Her bright, shrewd blue eyesmoved from Sara to Sue. 'Come and have some coffee—Ijust made a fresh pot.'

They were drinking coffee when Stevie and the servantsarrived. Stevie greeted the coffee with delight. 'Just what Icould do with—a big strong cup, Mama!'

Mrs Elliot poured her some, passed the sugar bowl and thecream. 'Now girls,' she said lightly, ‘your husbands were on

the phone last night begging to have you back. I detected acertain note of desperation in their voices.'

Stevie grinned. 'Good. They'll be all the more pleased tosee us when we get there.'

'How can you be so callous!' Mrs Elliot murmured with ashake of her tiny head. 'And think of those poor littlechildren! Missing all their home comforts, if I know men!'

'I bet the boys are living like kings,' said Stevie, stretchingher hand towards the coffee pot. 'Mmm, this coffee isdelicious, Mama. I must have some more. You know,whenever I'm away the boys rifle the freezer and eat steakfor breakfast, luncheon and dinner, not to mentionconsuming bottles of pop and bags of candy all day. Don'twaste your pity, Mama! Those boys of mine will have beenas happy-as sandboys.'

Susan said gently, 'We'd better catch the night flight back,all the same, Stevie. I don't like to stay away too long.' Shesmiled at her -mother. 'It has been great, Mama. I feel reallyrested, you know.'

'So you should,' said Stevie bluntly. 'Sometimes you hardlyseemed to be breathing. When you rest, you really rest!'

Susan laughed. 'That's the whole idea.' She smiled at Sara,her face lit with affection. 'It has been nice to- see youagain, Sara. I've really missed you since you went back toEngland.'

'So have I,' Stevie agreed. 'It's been great to have a chanceto talk to you. You were always good company.'

Sara smiled at them both warmly, pleased by what they hadsaid. She was fond of both of them and during thisweekend she had enjoyed" the family closeness which thetwo sisters brought with them into the Elliot household.

Mrs Elliot moved away t: answer the telephone whichbegan to ring at th,at moment. Stevie glanced after hermother, then: said quietly to Sara, 'Mind if I ask yousomething?'

Sara felt herself stiffen. 'That depends on what it is,' shereplied quietly.

Stevie nodded laconically. 'I suppose so. Well, I'm going toask anyway...'

'Stevie,' Susan said warningly, 'remember what Luke said!'

Sara glanced from one to the other. 'What did Luke say?'

Susan hesitated. Stevie shrugged. 'Luke told us to mind ourown business, and I guess he was right, but I'm his sisterand I just want to ask you—Sara, why did you leave him?'

Susan groaned, shaking her head.

Sara bit her lip, not knowing how to answer for a moment.Then she said, 'Luke and I were incompatible, Stevie.'

Stevie glared at her. 'I don't believe it! I know Luke can be

difficult, but...'

'He isn't difficult, he's impossible,' Sara said tensely. 'Youjust know him as a sister would. I had to live with him and itwas like living on a desert island. He was never there. Workcame first every time. I was bored, lonely and miserable.'

Stevie sighed. 'I see. Yes, I can believe that. Luke wasalways a glutton for work. He was rarely at home when wewere growing up.'

'He had to work damned hard to get where he is,' Susansaid fiercely, her cheeks pink. 'I admire Luke. He's ... he'sgreat.'

Sara sighed deeply. 'Yes, he is, Susan, probably the mostamazing man I've ever known. But he isn't husbandmaterial. And I wanted .a husband, not a magnificentvisitor.'

Susan nodded. 'Have you told him all this?' 'Often,' Sarasaid.

'What does he say?'

'He thinks I ask too much,' said Sara. 'He wants me toaccept him as he is.'

'And you can't?'

'I can't,' sighed Sara. 'I don't expect him to danceattendance on me night and day—he thinks that's what Iwant, but it isn't. I want something simpler than that. I want...'

She made a confused gesture. 'I want a home and ahusband who comes back to it every night, children anddogs, and holidays together ... Perhaps I haven't been ableto put my feelings into words properly. Feelings are hard topin down.'

'You want an ordinary man, not Luke,' said Susan gently.

Sara felt her heart lurch at the idea. 'No,' she said huskily,with force.

Susan stared at her shrewdly. 'No? You mean, you do stillwant Luke but you want to change him?'

Sara stared back. 'I ... I don't know ... it sounds stupid putlike that. Do you think I'm wrong to want a different life fromthe one he expects me to lead? Do you think I should put upwith evening after evening alone? Would you be happy withsuch a tiny part of his life?'i.

'Not me,' Susan said frankly. 'I like the life I have now. Ishare my husband's work. I'm too busy to be lonely even ifhe does go out night after night on calls. I could never copewith life the way Luke lives it, but then I would never havefallen for a man like Luke. He's a great brother, but as ahusband...' she grimaced, as you've said, not husbandmaterial.'

'You're trying to keep a tiger in a cage,' Stevie said firmly.'Domesticity isn't Luke's metier.'

'But it is mine,' Sara said fiercely. 'As I said, we aren't

compatible.'

They sighed, looking at each other.

'It's a pity,' said Stevie.

'I think you're just what Luke needs,' Susan agreed. 'You'rerather like Mama, you know—a delicate piece of Englishporcelain. Luke fell for that fragile look of yours.'

'He acquired me for his collection, you mean,' Sara saidwith some bitterness.

Mrs Elliot came back, frowning. 'Sara dear, I think you'rewanted on the telephone. That call was from England, Ithought it was for me... they said Mrs Elliot, but I realised inthe end that it was you they meant.'

Sara went through to the study and picked up the receiver.'Yes? Sara Elliot speaking.'

'Sara, this is Perry,' said a muffled voice.

'Perry! Oh. How are you?'

'Sara, I haven't much time. I'm speaking from the airport. I'mflying to New York in half an hour. I'll be there some timearound three. Can we meet for dinner?'

'Perry, I ... of course...' She was stammering, taken totallyby surprise. She must see him, of course, to explain to himthat there was no question of marriage between them now.It had been cruel-to listen to him in the first place. Had she

not been misled by two years absence from Luke she mighthave realised the difference between the affection she feltfor Perry and what .she felt for Luke. Now that she had beenwith Luke for a few days she knew marriage with Perry wasout of the question.

'I'll ring you again when I arrive,' he said. 'I can't wait to seeyou, darling.' He laughed softly. 'Don't bring Luke Elliot withyou. Got to rush. I'll ring again...' He hung up. -

Sara returned to the hall. Mrs Elliot looked at herenquiringly. 'Is anything wrong, dear? You look a littleworried.'

Flushed, Sara said quickly, 'No, just a friend. He he'sarriving in New York tonight and wanted to see if I was freefor dinner.'

Stevie and Susan exchanged looks, and Mrs Elliot gaveSara a long, thoughtful glance. 'Are you having dinner withthis friend, dear?'

'Would you mind if I did, Mama? It ... it is important.' Saralooked at her apologetically.

Mrs Elliot shrugged. 'Of course you must if that's what youwant.' She turned to her daughters. 'Well, come along, girls.Get yourselves organised.'

Stevie and Susan left after tea to catch their flights, kissingSara goodbye with genuine warmth and regret. 'I hope youwon't just vanish from sight again,' said Stevie. 'Come out

West to visit us. I'd be glad to have you for as long as youcan manage to stay. I adore visitors and you can help meget those boys of mine organised.'

'Thank you,' Sara said, smiling. 'I'd love to.'

'When you've been to Stevie come on to me,' Susan asked.'You can sample family life at its most hectic. That'll cureyou of hankering for domesticity!'

Sara laughed. 'Right, you're on!'

When they had gone the house seemed very quiet. MrsElliot went up to dress, telling Sara that she had a dinnerinvitation herself. 'With Mr Crawshare,' she added, goingslightly pink.

'How nice,' said Sara blandly, wondering if there was goingto be a double merger between the two firms soon. Hownice and neat for Luke if Adam married his mother! It wouldcertainly make sure of the consortium for good.

Mrs Elliot glanced at Sara shyly. 'What did you think of MrCrawshare, Sara?'

'He's a very nice man,' Sara said honestly. 'I'd trust him withanything.'

Mrs Elliot nodded. 'Yes, so would I. He's lonely, you know.He misses his wife and he misses having a real home. Menneed.that.'

'Some men,' said Sara unguardedly.

Mrs Elliot's glance was shrewd. 'All men, dear, They allneed love and caring.'

Sara was halfway. through dressing when the telephonerang. The Philippine housekeeper came to knock on herdoor and tell her the call was for her, so Sara took it on herbedside extension. It was Perry, as she expected.

They arranged to meet in half an hour. 'My hotel has a goodrestaurant,' Perry said. 'Can you get into town from whereyou are? The Elliot house is quite a way out, isn't it?'

'I'll drive in,' Sara told him. She had already discussed itwith Mrs Elliot and they were to share a car into the city.

Mrs Elliot went into the kitchen to speak to the housekeeperbefore she left, then they drove away together. Sara wore adress she rarely used—a heavy cream silk with a lowneckline and long skirt which rustled deliciously as shewalked.

Mrs Elliot looked charming in a very pale blue dress in richvelvet, -cut on simple but elegant lines.

'-We're going to the theatre after dinner,' she confessed.'I'm rather looking forward to it. I haven't been to the theatrefor weeks. There's such an exciting atmosphere in thetheatre, don't you agree? I always feel a keen anticipationas the curtain rises. It throws a glow over the wholeevening.' She looked at Sara gently. 'Do you visit thetheatre often in London, dear?'

'Quite often,' Sara agreed. 'I enjoy it, too.'

'Is this friend of yours ... a close friend?' Mrs Elliot askedtentatively.

Sara hesitated. 'I have seen quite a bit of him;' sheadmitted.

Mrs Elliot sighed. 'I see.

She dropped Sara outside Perry's large, luxurious hotel,waving wistfully as the car drew away. Sara sighed,watching her disappear into the traffic, then went into thehotel foyer.

Perry was waiting for her on a velvet seat near the door. Heleapt up and came to kiss her. 'Darling, you look wonderful!'

She smiled at him nervously. 'Hallo, Perry.' It seemed yearssince she had seen him. He had almost slipped out of hermind during the last few days. Luke had dominatedeverything. There had been no room for anyone else withLuke around.

Perry looked at her closely. 'Is everything all right? Have youmade arrangements for a divorce? I thought you'd be in LasVegas or somewhere. I was ringing the Elliot house to findout where you were. I didn't expect to find you still there.'

'Well, it is complicated,' she murmured uneasily. 'Perry, canwe eat first?' It would be easier to tell him when he hadeaten and was relaxed, she thought.

He looked suspiciously at her, but agreed. 'Very well. Shallwe eat here?'

'Fine,' she said heartily.

The meal was excellent, but she was not hungry and onlytoyed with her food. Perry seemed hungry, however, andmade a good meal.

He watched her over his brandy glass later, his eyesshrewd. 'Well? Tell me the bad news now.'

She smiled faintly. 'As I said, it's complicated.

Luke and I made a bargain...'

'Oh, yes?' Perry bristled.

'Perry, please let me tell you my way,' she, begged him withan apologetic look

'O.K., go on.' Perry swallowed his brandy and summonedthe waiter to order another. Sara waited while the waiterbrought another balloon glass.

'Luke wanted me to give the impression we were togetheragain,' she explained. 'For business reasons.'

Perry stared at her belligerently. 'For business reasons?Pull the other leg, Sara.'

'It's true,' she insisted. 'He didn't want any scandal at thisparticular moment.'

Perry's eyes narrowed. 'Hang on ... I've got it. The rumoursare true, then?'

'Rumours?' she asked.

'Of a merger between Crawshares and Elliot's firm! I heardit in London several days ago. Old Crawshare is a bitstraightlaced, they say. I can imagine he wouldn't like tohear of a divorce between you and Luke.'

Sara hesitated. 'I prefer not to discuss it, Perry. What Luketold me was strictly confidential.'

'If the merger goes through the shares of both firms will goup,' said Perry thoughtfully. 'Thanks for the tip, Sara.'

'Perry, you wouldn't make capital out of what I just said?'she asked, horrified.

He grinned at her. 'Why not? Serves Elliot right. So howlong do you have to act this part?'

She became aware of the wine waiter hovering withinearshot and looked at Perry pleadingly, lowering her voice.'Please; Perry, this isn't the time to discuss such privatesubjects. Someone will overhear us.'

He glanced around, then looked back at her. 'I see what youmean. Walls have ears and so do waiters. I don't see whywe should give that chap a chance to make a fortune on theexchange. Come on...'

He rose, beckoned the head waiter, initialled the bill and

led her into the foyer.

'Come up to my suite,' he said, pressing the lift bell.

'I can't ...' she protested under her breath. 'Supposesomeone recognises me.'

'Nonsense,' Perry said brusquely, pushing her into the liftwith a firm hand. 'Second floor.'

There was no point in arguing in front of the lift man, shethought, so she stood silently while the lift rose with a softwhisper. The doors slid open and they stepped out on todeep-pile carpets.

Perry moved slightly unsteadily across the hail andunlocked a door, turning to beckon her. 'Come on, Sara.'

She followed, still protesting. 'Perry, I can't stay. Luke wouldbe furious if 'he found out.'

'Who cares? Luke Elliot can jump off the Empire StateBuilding for all I care.' Perry unknotted his tie with a shakygesture. 'God, my head is spinning. Jet lag, I suppose. Getme a drink, 'darling? A stiff whisky...' He collapsed on to thesofa with a groan.

She doubtfully poured him a glass of Bourbon from a cut-glass decanter and went back to the sofa with it.

Perry took it, drained it and put the glass down on the floor.'Come here,' he said, pulling at her hand.

'No, Perry.' she said hurriedly. 'I've got something else Imust tell you ... you see, I've realised that...'

Before she could finish her sentence Perry had jerked herdown into his arms and began to kiss her, one handstroking her hair, loosening it from the diamond clip so thatit fell in shining folds around her face.

'Perry, stop it,' she mumbled, struggling. 'I've got to tell you... I'm sorry, but...'

He silenced her with another long kiss, his arms tightaround her.

Then the door crashed open and Luke came into the roomlike a tornado.

Perry let her go, surprised and bewildered by the sound ofthe door slamming shut again. Sara turned, fumbling withher hair, her cheeks scarlet as Luke took in her dishevelledstate and Perry's tieless condition.

'Elliot! What the hell do you think you're doing...' Perry roseswaying slightly, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Luke.

Luke's fist shot out with violence and Perry tumbled back onto the sofa, blood streaming from his nose. Sara gave a cryof distress.

'Luke! Perry, are you all right?'

'No, I'b nod airide,' he mumbled, holding a handkerchief tohis nose. 'You swine, Elliot!'

'Stay away from my wife or I'll break your jaw for you,' Lukesaid silkily, seizing Sara by the arm and dragging her awayas she tried to attend to Perry.

'Luke, let me go,' she said angrily. 'You've hurt him! Youmay have broken his nose...'

'I hope I have,' Luke snapped. He turned, pulling her withhim, and strode back towards the door. She ran to keep up,protesting furiously but unable to release herself from hisiron grip.

At the door he turned and said coldly to Perry, 'Don't try tosee her again or I'll break you in half.' Then he pushed herthrough the door and slammed it behind them.

She looked up at him in the softly lit corridor, her eyescontemptuous. 'Did that make you feel good, Luke? Perrywas not well. He had jet lag.'

'He was drunk,' Luke said tightly.

'And you hit a man in that condition? What a hero,' she saidscornfully.

'Shut up!' snapped Luke. He looked at her critically. 'Dosomething about your hair. You look as if you've had a hardnight.'

She flushed and tied up her hair again with fingers thatshook. When she was tidy Luke pushed her towards theelevator.

'We're going home,' he said with gritted teeth.

She was silent as they went down in the lift, as they crossedthe foyer under the curious gaze of the receptionist, as theyfound Luke's car in the car park.

As they drove back towards the Elliot house she askedhim, 'How did you know where to find me? Mama, Isuppose?'

'Yes,' he said curtly.

'She had no business to tell you...'

'She thought I had a right to know where my wife was,' hesaid icily.

'Your wife?' She laughed. 'Not for much longer.'

Luke didn't answer, but looking at him sideways she sawhis jaw tighten and a muscle clench in the side of his brownthroat.

The house was dark and quiet as they arrived. Mama wasstill out, the servants all busy in their own annexe at the sideof the house, and Andrea and Hal were out at dinner withfriends from whom they hoped to buy a house.

Luke walked through into the long lounge and pouredhimself a drink with fingers that shook slightly. Sara stood,waiting, watching him.

He turned, holding the glass between his long brown

fingers. The grey eyes were distant now, all the rage thathad burned in them in Perry's hotel room gone.

'Why did you go up there with him?' he asked directly.

'I had to explain to him what was going on,' she said, 'and Icouldn't do that in the restaurant with so many people ableto overhear what was said. For one thing, someone mighthave made a lot of money on the Stock Exchange if they'dheard about you and Adam's merger.'

'Why his suite? Why not a drive in his car?' Lukedemanded. 'And why all the rolling about on sofas?'

'You've seen me kiss him before,' she said, rememberingthe evening when she let Perry kiss her, unaware that Lukewas watching them.

'I didn't like it then and I like it even less now,' Luke said withsuppressed ferocity. He threw his glass behind him into thefireplace and it shattered with a crash which sent splintersof glass everywhere. Sara gave a cry of shock, then herthroat went dry as Luke moved towards her with the speedand violence of a tiger.

He caught her cruelly by the upper arms, his fingers bitinginto her flesh, glaring down at her with lips curled back fromhis white teeth.

'You're mine,' he said savagely.

Her legs turned to jelly, she swayed weakly in his grip, her

eyes held hypnotically by his.

'I'm nobody's possession,' she said without conviction, herheart racing.

'You're mine,' he repeated, his mouth coming down.

The kiss was prolonged and cruel, bruising her lips withoutmercy, stretching her neck until she could not breathewithout difficulty. She moaned, softly, trembling, and thekiss deepened and grew coaxing, teasing her into unwillingresponse. Suddenly his arms moved round her, holding her,stroking her back and waist, seducing her, his hands gentleand sensuous as they moved over her.

'Oh no, Luke,' she whispered as his mouth moved fromhers and softly travelled down the side of her neck.

'Yes,' he murmured, kissing her in the hollow of her throat.

'I can't bear any more,' she said unhappily. 'I won't be a dollin your beautiful doll's house, Luke. I'm a woman...'

'I'm well aware of that,' he said, with a smothered laugh. Hisstrong hands moved quickly, lifting her into his arms as ifshe were a child. Cradling her against his chest, he strodedown the hail and up the stairs, into the darkness above.

Her head was going round and she was dizzy. She fumbledfor all her reasons, for her perfectly sound reasons forwanting to get away from him, but her mind seemed to bedissolving and only her body was alive, leaping and

quivering with desires that had been suppressed for twolong, cold years.

Luke kicked open the door of his bedroom, walked acrossto the bed and threw her on it. Then he was beside her,turning her head towards him, and his lips moved againsther mouth gently, coaxingly, warm and firm.

'Luke,' she moaned softly, clinging to him. 'Please don't dothis...'

'Stop me, then,' he muttered with fierce confidence, hisfingers undoing the zip of her dress, sliding the silkymaterial down with expert agility.

She struggled for her self-respect, pushing at his chest, buthe went on undressing her, and gradually she found herselfgiving way, her fingers unbuttoning his shirt, touching him,stroking his skin.

At her first tentative touch he stiffened, keeping very still,then as her fingers moved against him he gave a deepgroan. 'Sara, I need you, I want you love me...'

She only half heard him, absorbed in her own pleasure,abandoning herself to the anguish and the delight of feelingthe hardness of his body against her. Pressing closer, hereyes tightly shut, she wound her arms around his neck,raising her mouth to find his lips.

Luke made a sound deep in his throat and began to kissher, with mounting intensity.

Later she lay curled in the harbour of his arms, her headagainst his naked chest, sleepily relaxed, drifting without athought in her head.

Suddenly she heard a car draw up outside. Doorsslammed. There were voices in the hall, then anexclamation of astonishment from the lounge.

Sara came suddenly awake and sat up. 'Luke, the brokenglass! Hal and Andrea must be wondering what on earthhappened!'

'Let them!' His eyes lazily contemplated her withsatisfaction. 'Come back down here, my love.'

She withstood his compelling hand, her eyes sombre. 'No.We've got to talk, Luke.'

'Why?' he enquired, running one finger along the smoothgolden curve of her naked back. 'Talking has never done usmuch good. Come back into bed. I want to make love toyou again.'

She draped the sheet around her breasts and looked downat him miserably. 'It's no good, Luke. It isn't just a questionof making love. That was the trouble before. You wantedme in bed, but you shut me out everywhere else. You leftme no self-respect. You made me feel like an object,something you desired occasionally, but not a real wife...'

'I know,' he said gently, looking at her with those hard greyeyes, eyes which now held a new warmth. 'I realise that

now. I thought of you is a child, Sara. In many ways, that'swhat you were. You were so young. I don't think you realisehow badly I wanted you, how passionately I loved you eventhen ... but you were immature and unable to cope and Iwas busy. I got impatient with you when I should haveunderstood the problems you were having. In a way it wasbecause I loved you so much. I desperately wanted you tolove me in the same way, and although you were alwaysresponsive when we made love I felt this distance betweenus.'

'It was you who put it there,' she protested, her blue eyes fullof sadness.

'Perhaps it was,' he sighed. 'I was blinded by my own fearof losing you. I was so used to carrying all theresponsibilities for my family, Sara. From boyhood I had totake all the decisions. Instead of realising that our marriagewas a whole new relationship, I thought I was just addingyou to the family. You were another responsibility. I'm sorry,darling. I should have taken you more seriously as aperson.'

She felt a sudden shining hope growing inside her, but shewas still wary. 'Luke, you haven't changed. Do you think wecould ever make our marriage work as a real marriage?'

'I swear to you I'll try,' he said deeply. 'As soon as I'vesigned this merger I'll take you away. For three months I'llconcentrate all my energies on making you happy, onlearning all about you as a person. We've got a lot to learn

about each other, Sara, whole areas we've never exploredbefore. Then when we get back from our trip...'

'Trip?' she asked hopefully.

'I thought we would go on a world cruise,' he grinnedsheepishly. 'We'll get right away from business, relax andexplore each other, far away from everyone else...'

'Oh, Luke,' she murmured, smiling, 'that would bewonderful! Do you mean it?'

'Of course I mean it,' he said. 'I can't wait to get you all tomyself. The last two years have been hell without you.'

'They've been hell for me, too,' she sighed.

Luke's hand pulled at her, jerked her down into his arms.He dragged the sheet down, saying mockingly, 'I want tosee what I've been missing!'

She blushed and hid her face against his chest. "I expectyou'll be sick of the sight of me if we go on a cruise for threemonths!'

'I can never see enough of you,' he murmured, his eyesmoving over her slender whiteness.

'What about when we get back, though?' she asked himafter a moment. 'If it all begins again you always busy, nevercoming home, leaving me alone night after night...'

'I promise it will be different this time,' he said. 'Let Adam

work himself to death. I'm going to learn how to relax withyou at home. I swear you'll never be neglected again. I'velearnt my lesson. Those two years of coming back to ahouse made hell by your absence taught me how little Ivalued my work compared to you, my darling.'

'Yet you never came to find me,' she said uneasily. 'Youstayed away for two years. We might never have cometogether again if you hadn't come over to see Sam.'

He shook his head. 'You're wrong. I would have come.When you left me I was out of my mind with fury. I rang Samat once—I was coming after you to bring you back on thefirst flight—but Sam talked me out of that. He was a verywise man. He told me to wait until you'd calmed down andbegun to miss me. So I waited, not very patiently. ThenSam got sick and I knew I couldn't come and take you awayfrom him; it would have been too cruel. But I wanted tocome, Sara. I fought with my need of you night after night.'He looked up at the portrait hanging over the bed. 'Thatwas why I painted that picture. I used to lie in bed everynight and stare at it longingly.' His hand moved sensuouslyover her. 'I used to imagine doing this and it was all thatkept me from flying to get you...'

'Oh, Luke, I love you' she whispered, trembling.

'Show me!' he demanded, turning her round in his arms sothat his mouth was poised just above hers.

She raised herself and their lips met passionately, his arms

hard around her body.

'The one thing I couldn't stand was the fear of you findingsomeone else,' he murmured as she drew away. 'Thatdrove me crazy. I used to ring Sam once a week to makesure there was no other man in sight. When he told meabout Durrell I was scared stiff, but Sam swore to me that itwas just a friendship. He said he could tell by the way youlooked at him that you felt nothing for him. Then when Icame over that last time, Sam told me that he suspectedPerry was losing patience and might try to change thesituation any moment. I hung around outside, waiting for youto come home. When I saw Durrell kiss you I was savage—Ihad a hard time staying in my car. But that was nothing towhat I felt when I came into that damned hotel room tonightand saw you on the sofa in his arms. I went berserk.'

'I did notice you were angry,' she said in gentle teasingtones. 'I think Perry got the point, too. You were brutal tohim, Luke. You didn't have to hit him like that.'

'I thought I was very restrained,' he said. 'I felt like breakinghis damned neck.' He looked down into her eyes, his darkface brooding. 'Tell me you were never attracted by him,Sara. I can't believe you ever felt anything much for him.'

She flickered a mocking little glance at him, ex-. cite by thejealous look in the grey eyes. 'What if I said I did find Perryattractive?'

'Don't torment me,' he said huskily. 'I may deserve it, but

don't, darling...'

She softened. 'Oh, Luke, you fool... you know 1 could neverlook at any man but you. I tried to love Perry, but you got inthe way every time.'

‘Just as well for Durrell,' he said grimly. 'If he'd eversucceeded in making you love him I wouldn't have beenanswerable for my actions.'

She looked at him soberly. 'What about Victoria, Luke?While we're on the subject of other people, isn't it time youcame clean about her?'

'Good God,' he said, amused. 'Victoria? There was never atime when I even remotely considered marrying her, letalone making love to her.'

'She's very exciting,' Sara said, remembering her hours ofmisery as she contemplated the picture of Luke withVictoria in his arms.

'Exciting?' Luke laughed. 'My dear girl, you couldn't bemore wrong. Victoria is tough, ambitious, clever, but she'snot what I would call feminine, and I've always had apenchant for feminine women.' He kissed her shoulderlingeringly.

'Women like you, my darling. Soft, warm, gentle creatureswith pink mouths that invite kisses and bodies made forlove. Victoria is too much like a man. She thinks and talkslike one.'

'Yet you kissed her,' she reminded him.

He grinned. 'Actually she kissed me. I'm not sure why—as alittle experiment, maybe. Victoria was curious about whatwas going on between you and me.'

'I'm still sure she wanted you,' Sara said.

'She may have thought I would make a useful husband,' headmitted casually. 'She considered Adam a betterprospect, though.'

'And then he pursued your mother instead,' said Sara.'Poor Victoria!'

'Her feelings were never involved,' Luke shrugged. 'I doubtif she has any. She has a cool head but very little heart.Now Mama would make Adam a very good wife. She'llmake a home for him and she'll help him with business, too,as she did for me.' He glanced down at her possessively.'I'm glad you were jealous of Victoria, all the same. I don'tsee why the jealousy should have been all one-sided.'

'Who said I was jealous?' she asked indignantly. 'Weren'tyou?' he demanded, grinning.

She bit him gently. 'Yes,' she said. 'Especially when I sawthat kiss.'

'Then we're even,' he retorted. He lay back, his mouthagainst the silky waterfall of her hair. 'I won't need theportrait to look at any more. I'll have you, the real thing, a far

more satisfying situation. You can't make' love to a picture.'

'I love the picture,' she said dreamily. 'I'll always love it,because it proves you loved me and wanted me at a timewhen I thought I'd lost you forever.'

'I'll prove that any time you want me to,' he murmured in herear.

'How about now?' she asked huskily.

Luke reached up slowly and pulled the light switch cord,and the room was swallowed up in darkness.