A Bad Enemy (10 page)

The broken glass cut her. She said unsteadily, 'You're foul.'

'I'm a realist,' he said. 'I'd give a year's salary plus expenses to be a fly on the wall during your wedding night. I don't suppose the groom's ever had a virgin before. I'll tell you something—you won't freeze him off like you've done all the others.'

Lisle felt sick. 'Gerard—for Pete's sake! We're on the same side—remember?'

'I'm sorry.' He slid to his knees beside her, sliding an arm round her shoulders in a protective gesture from their childhood. 'Really, I'm sorry. I don't mean it, you know that. It's just…' His voice died away, and suddenly she saw how he would look when he was old. lie revived almost at once, giving her one of his charming, coaxing grins. 'Cheer up, baby sister. We won't let it happen. I'll forbid the banns.'

A sound between a laugh and a sob caught in her throat. 'And Grandfather? I presume you'll go and see him tomorrow. You—you won't forget how ill he is…'

'I won't forget,' he promised.

In the morning, she let him use her car to go to the hospital. She hadn't slept, and she didn't suppose he had either, but he managed a wry grin and a wave as he drove off.

As Lisle went back into the house, the phone began to ring.

She lifted the receiver and said, 'Hello,' and Janie's voice said, 'You're a dark horse, or is it an April Fool's trick six months too soon?'

'You tell me,' Lisle suggested.

There was an uncertain pause, then Janie said, 'You have, seen the morning papers.'

'Not yet.' Lisle gave a small sigh. 'Gerard only got back last night, and we sat up until all hours talking, talking, and not, really getting anywhere. We've only just finished breakfast, and he's gone to see Murray. Anyway, what's this about the papers?'

'It seems felicitations are in order—if that's the word I'm looking for.'

Lisle felt herself go very still. 'Janie, if you've something to tell me, I wish you'd just say it.'

'All right,' Janie said amiably. 'Congratulations, and can I be bridesmaid? That is if you're the Lisle Bannerman whose engagement has just been announced to James Christopher Allard.'

There was a long pause, then Lisle said hoarsely, 'I don't believe it!'

'You're not saying it really is a hoax?' Janie whistled. 'Heads will roll for this! It's in all the leading dailies.'

'But it can't be,' Lisle whispered. 'It's just not possible. It-it was supposed to be a secret.'

'Then it is true!' Janie gave a little whoop. 'Wait till the gossip columnists latch on to it! From loathing to true love in twenty-four hours. How in the world did you manage it?'

Lisle said unsteadily, 'I'm not really sure myself. Janie, you're not fooling, are you? This announcement is really in the papers?'

'Cross my heart and hope to die,' Janie assured her promptly. 'Lisle, what is this? You've hooked Jake Allard—he's wealthy, successful and incredibly sexy, and instead of girlish glee you're behaving as if you've been poleaxed. What's wrong?'

'Nothing,' said Lisle. 'Everything's fine. Look, Janie, can I ring you back later? I'm under rather a lot of pressure at the moment, and…'

'Of course, love.' Janie sounded sympathetic. 'But I think you'll have to resign yourself that it's going to get worse before it gets better.'

Lisle replaced her receiver shakily. She could hear the front door bell pealing, the murmur of voices. When the library door opened, she turned, her face white and accusing, expecting it to be Jake.

But it was Mrs Peterson. 'Miss Lisle, some people have arrived. They've got cameras, and they say they want to interview you. Will you see them?' Her face puckered anxiously. 'You—you haven't had bad news, I hope?'

Lisle shook her head, trying for a reassuring smile. 'It's all right, Petey. It's nothing about my grandfather. And I'd rather not see them. Will you send them away, please.'

Mrs Peterson looked doubtful 'Well, I'll try, but I don't know—I don't know at all.' She went off, shaking her head.

As the morning wore on, Lisle began to feel as if she was under siege. The journalists didn't leave, but sat in their cars in the drive, waiting for her to appear.

'Fame at last, sweetie,' Gerard said acidly when he came back from the hospital. 'They're all out there trying to think of snappy headlines about romantic mergers.' He tossed a copy of one of the papers towards her, folded to the appropriate column. 'This is Murray's doing, you realise. He's like a dog with two tails this morning, trying to bribe the nurses to swap his water jug for a bottle of champagne. And where's the blushing bridegroom—maintaining a low profile? I can't say I blame him. One of the tabloids has got off the mark before anyone else with interviews with Cindy Leighton, and a couple of his other ex-ladies. You'll be pleased to hear that they wish you luck—they probably think you'll need it.'

Lisle's eyes were blazing. 'How could Murray?

'Quite easily.' Gerard threw himself into a chair. 'Is that coffee? You might pour me some. I need a stimulant. Murray's delight in his own scheming didn't stop him putting me through the mincer. I thought he was supposed to be ill.' He accepted the cup she handed him, giving her a swift shrewd look. 'Look, love, I think you've gravely underestimated Murray's determination in all this. It may have begun as a sham as far as you're concerned, but it could end up being for real.'

Lisle said in a stifled voice, 'No, it can't—I couldn't…' She stopped abruptly.

Gerard watched her frowningly. 'You know,' he said, 'if I didn't know differently, I'd say you fancied him.'

Colour burned swiftly in her face. 'You're being ridiculous!'

'I wonder,' Gerard said softly. 'I'm beginning to think perhaps you should go through with it.'

'But then you're not directly involved.' Lisle poured herself some more coffee with an unsteady hand, spilling some of it into her saucer. 'And Mr Allard has no more wish to be married than I have.'

'No?' Gerard raised his brows. 'Then I'm wondering why he let that notice go in. After all, he didn't have to submit to any more pressure from Murray. He could probably have talked him out of it, yet he didn't.'

She said curtly, 'I think he cares about Murray— actively wants his well-being, so why shouldn't he agree? Engagements can be broken, after all.'

'So can marriages.'

'Not as easily.' Lisle shook her head. 'But I don't understand the basis for this discussion. You don't want to see me married to Jake Allard, surely?'

Gerard sat silently for a few moments looking broodingly in front of him. Then he said, 'No, he's probably the last man on earth I'd choose as a brother-in-law in normal circumstances. But the circumstances aren't normal any more. Grandfather was quite brutally frank just now, and my life in the company—if, in fact, I have one—is going to be very different from now on.' He looked directly at her. 'Jake Allard's in the driving seat, and I have to accept that at least for the time being. If he has to be the chief, and I've got to work under him in some menial capacity'—his mouth curled—'then perhaps it might be useful to be related to him through marriage. After all, he's hardly likely to cause his new wife grief by throwing her only brother naked into the cold, hard world.'

'I wouldn't count on it,' Lisle said bitingly. 'It's a pity they don't award masters' degrees in self-interest, Gerard. You'd qualify top of the list.'

He spread his hand deprecatingly. 'I'm thinking of your interests as well, baby sister. What's going to happen to you in the big shake-up? Have you thought of that? You're not exactly qualified for very much, and even if you were, there could be problems when your engagement to Allard is broken off, however much of a fake it is. Whoever does the jilting, the other one is going to look foolish, and that's going to cause problems in the company.'

She drank some of her coffee. 'Of course, there is another solution. I could always marry someone else.'

Gerard gave her an admiring glance. 'I should go away more often! I left you a confirmed spinster. I arrive back, and you have prospective husbands coming out of the woodwork. Who's the lucky man?'

She hesitated. 'There's Oliver…'

'Grayson?' Gerard gave a crack of laughter. 'That wimp!'

'He is nothing of the soft,' Lisle came back at him heatedly. 'I—I didn't mention it before, but I had lunch with him yesterday and—well,' she shrugged, 'there's a possibility…'

'Oh, he fancies you all right,' Gerard said, grinning. 'His regard for you has always been in an inverse ratio for his loathing for me. But after today's announcement, our Oliver will be quite content to worship you from afar. He'll be working for Allard from next week, and stealing his woman will not be on the agenda.'

'I am not Jake Allard's woman!' Lisle almost spat. She was trembling again.

'As far as Grayson is concerned, you are,' Gerard said derisively. 'Suggest that he upsets his boss's applecart, and watch him run. He's a company man down to his silk socks, that's why he's always been so valuable. And I reckon him as a brother-in-law even less than I do Allard himself.'

'That's something I shall bear in mind, of course,' Lisle said scornfully. 'Shall I draw up a list of suitable names, and submit it to you for approval?' She stood up furiously, pushing back her chair. 'I'm going to ring Allard, and tell him to have that engagement notice withdrawn—cancelled—whatever has to be done, and I don't care how foolish we look.'

'He'll care,' Gerard commented. 'And so will Murray.'

Some of the fire was dowsed in her. She said, 'I was forgetting.'

'But ring him by all means,' he said. 'I expect he has reporters camped on his doorstep too, and it might be interesting to know what he's telling them. You could agree a joint statement, perhaps.' He gave her a small bland smile. 'Unless you'd rather wait until tomorrow's edition to discover the date of the wedding.'

'He wouldn't dare,' said Lisle between gritted teeth.

Getting through to Allard International was not difficult. She asked for Jake Allard's office, and when she gave her name on request, the girl on the switchboard became almost frighteningly deferential. She was put through straight away.

'Mr Allard's secretary,' said a voice.

Lisle bit her lip. 'Is Mr Allard there, please? This is Lisle Bannerman.

'Oh, Miss Bannerman.' there was real pleasure in the woman's voice. 'I'm Mrs Pearce. I was so delighted when Mr Allard authorised me to issue the notice of your engagement. May I offer you every good wish?'

'Thank you,' Lisle returned, feeling awkward. 'If I might speak to him, please.'

'Oh dear,' Mrs Pearce said, 'I'm afraid he isn't here. He warned us last night that he would be away again all day. Have you tried the flat?'

'Er—no.' Lisle thought bitterly that she hadn't even known there was a flat. 'I suppose the number's ex-directory,' she hazarded.

'Yes, of course.' Mrs Pearce sounded a little puzzled. 'But naturally you know…'

'Oh, yes,' Lisle cut in quickly. 'It's written down somewhere, but…' she managed a little laugh, 'everything in such a whirl, I can't find it. Perhaps you'd refresh my memory.'

'Certainly I will,' Mrs Pearce assured her warmly. She dictated the number, and Lisle wrote it down. 'And I want you to know, Miss Bannerman, that if there's anything—anything at all that I can do, you have only to ask. We're all very much looking forward to meeting you here.' She lowered her voice conspiratorially. 'Mr Allard is planning a little reception in your honour, you know.'

'Yes,' said Lisle, ultra-calmly. 'Mr Allard is full of fantastic surprises. Thank you for being so kind.'

She sat for a while staring at the numbers on the sheet of paper in front of her until they blurred and danced. She tried to formulate her thoughts, decide what she would say to him. Somehow she had to obtain the assurances she needed that it was all part of an elaborate sham, and that she was not being forced into a situation from which it might be impossible to retreat.

Slowly and reluctantly, she dialled the number, and listened to it ringing out, her heart thudding ludicrously as she waited for him to lift the receiver and speak.

It seemed to ring for ever, but at last she heard the click she was waiting for, and she tensed, moistening suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue.

Cindy Leighton's voice said huskily, 'Hullo who is that?' Then, more sharply, 'Who's calling, please?'

Lisle put the receiver back on its rest very gently. The pain was back tearing at her, making her want to moan aloud. She knew what it was. She had known from the beginning, even though it was an alien emotion to her. She was bitterly, passionately jealous, and the reverse side of that wretched coin, unwanted and unacknowledged, was love.